Italian-Style Pot Roast

I am a sucker for pot roast. It is one of my all-time favorite meals and one of the first foods I mastered cooking. During the cold winter months (and on icy weeks like this one), this meal comes into my weekly routine. Nothing warms the soul like that smell, the warm potatoes and carrots, and that yummy juice! In one of my new cookbooks, The Southern Living Cookbook, I saw a recipe for Italian-style pot roast and knew I had to try it. While I love the traditional dish, an Italian-spin could be fun!

It was just as easy to make this slight variation in the crockpot. :)

1. Put the pot roast in the crockpot. Season with lots of Italian seasoning and salt.

2. Pour beef broth into the crockpot around the roast (I usually put about 2 inches deep. I don't like for it to cover the roast, but if you like that, go for it!). Add one can of crushed tomatoes (you can use any tomato-form, but I like crushed).

3. Cook on low heat for 8 or so hours. The meat will be tender and will fall apart when you pick it up with a fork.

4. Cook some egg noodles as described on the package (boil water, cook noodles for 8-10 minutes, drain).

5. Pile a heap of egg noodles on a plate and top with some pot roast. I added chunks of fresh mozzarella then drizzled some of the broth, Italian juice from the crockpot over the top.

It was delicious!! And, it froze really well...I think it even tasted better after unfreezing. YUM!

Book Review - More Than This by Patrick Ness

More Than This by Patrick Ness

Ever since I first read A Monster Calls, I have loved Patrick Ness. He is unlike any other author I've encountered. His stories are unique, thrilling, adventure-filled and puzzling. He writes characters that are so deep, the reader gets sucked into their lifestyle and feels their pain. Each character he writes is wounded and suffering to find the balance between reality and fantasy. I cannot get enough of his books and will probably read a book just because he wrote it. He's on my author list.

More Than This was no different in its ability to confuse, puzzle, and amaze me. The story begins with the main character's death. That is page one. From there, the story takes so many twists and turns. It was very inception-esque and in the end, I did feel a bit throttled. I'm unsure whether my conclusion is the one the author intended. And, I love that! I could talk about this book all day with a friend and would relish the idea of chatting up Patrick Ness about it. 

What I love about More Than This is that it does not shy away from difficult topics. Patrick Ness writes about issues surrounding adolescents and their sexuality. He brings to light some of the consequences of parental choices on children. Most of all, he cautions against becoming too absorbed in an online reality different from the reality we are living. I felt like shutting down every social media account I have after reading this. 

I would highly recommend this novel!

Book Review - The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

Anyone who knows me knows that I have strong opinions about Gone Girl. I call it the books I love to hate. I can't really decide whether my love-emotion or hate-emotion is stronger at this point, but they are both alive and well. For Gone Girl, I read the novel quickly and was enthralled in the story. The twists kept me on my toes and I could never guess what was about to happen. However, I hated pretty much everyone in the story. I didn't like that I could not trust the narrators because they flat out lied to the reader. Not cool. Anyway, I have read quite a few stories since Gone Girl. 

I think combining all of these facts is why I am struggling to review The Girl on the Train. Arguably, this is one of the most talked about novels of 2015, despite it only being February. The book has garnered so much attention and many of the bloggers I follow have already read and reviewed it. I have refused to read any reviews because I want to form my own opinion first. 

I read The Girl on the Train very quickly and found it intriguing. Rachel is our unreliable narrator, but I feel so much empathy and anxiety for her. She is a divorced alcoholic who rides the train into the city every day pretending to go to work so that her roommate will not know that she was fired. Many people have compared the unreliable aspect of Girl on the Train to Gone Girl, but I don't think that is a fair comparison. I think we are dealing with two different things. In Gone Girl, the narrators intentionally lie. In Girl on the Train, Rachel is so psychologically damaged she cannot remember important details about her life. Apples and oranges, in my opinion.

Rachel enjoys watching the street she used to live on by the train and becomes entranced by a young couple who live a few doors down from her ex-husband and his new wife, a woman he left Rachel for. She imagines the life of the young couple, and in her yes, they are perfect. One day, she sees something that makes her question this, and the following day, the young woman disappears. Rachel must decide if what she saw could be contributing to the woman's disappearance and what she should do next.

As an added bonus, we get to hear some of the story from the perspective of Rachel's ex-husbands new wife, and another character. These three perspectives provide clues to the outcome. Here is where I got a bit disinterested in the story. Through the alternative perspectives, I pieced together what I thought was happening. Turns out, I was right! So, when the "major twist" comes toward the end, I was not surprised...:( In life, I don't like being surprised. In my books, I crave it. 

All in all, I thought this was a great read! I was engaged and the story kept me feeling anxious and off-kilter. However, I disagree that the unreliable narrators can be compared to Gone Girl and I was not surprised by the ending. I would highly recommend this to a friend! 

Book Review - Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson

Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson

This novel is perfect! I could rave about this little gem for days. My book club read this for February as our "romance/chick-lit" piece. It definitely lived up to the name, but was so sweet and enduring. I laid down one night to bed and devoured this in one sitting. I just could not help myself. 

Initially, I read this and thought, "It's a modern-day Pride and Prejudice". Except, of course, that it takes place at roughly the same time as P&P. So, just a contemporarily-written take on the classic. The story is about Marianne, who is sent to live in Bath after her mother dies. She is lonely and bored. One day, she receives a letter from her sister urging her to visit a friend with her. Marianne is thrilled as she thinks it will help her get our of her boredom and her grandmother believes she will become sophisticated. 

On the way to her friend's, Marianne's carriage is attacked and her driver is injured. Marianne and her maid help the driver and seek shelter at an inn. There, Marianne meets a very strange man who helps her party. The man is infuriating to Marianne but so helpful. The next day, he arranges for her to arrive at her friend's estate, Edenbrooke. Things continue to get bizarre as the mysterious man shows up there, but she does not know who he is. 

It is a romance, so it's enjoyable and sweet! I like the surprises along the way, and I like seeing how the characters change. Most of all, I like how the author writes the interactions between Marianne and her men. They pull at all my heartstrings while maintaining innocence. For an easy, fun read, I highly recommend this novel. I think Edenbrooke needs a sequel! 

Skillet Chicken Lasagna

I'm not very good at diversifying chicken much. I have a few staple chicken recipes, but I've been wanting to add more recipes. The other day, the Pioneer Woman had an entire show devoted to chicken recipes. Of them, her skillet chicken lasagna was my favorite! I made it and loved it (so much easier than regular lasagna!). 

Here is what I did:

1. Boiled rigatoni pasta (she used farfalle but rigatoni is what I had available). 

2. At the same time, I seasoned one chicken breast with Italian seasoning (generously) then cut the chicken into small pieces.

3. In a skillet, I cooked the chicken in a small amount of olive oil. This took about 12 minutes. 

4. Once the chicken was cooked, I add 3/4 a jar of marinara sauce (I use Bertolli with olive oil and garlic). 

5. Once the pasta was done cooking, I drained it and added to the skillet. 

6. I added mozzarella cheese and a couple of scoops of cream cheese (if I had parmesan and ricotta, I would have added it too). 

7. Then, I let everything cook for a few minutes to heat up. 

Delicious!! :) 

Book Review - Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

This book is so difficult for me to review. I read nonfiction all day long for work, so when I have time to unwind and relax, nonfiction is not what I gravitate toward. However, I loved the article in the New York Times and all the buzz about the movie, so I wanted to read this one for myself. 

First, let me just say that this is one of the most beautifully written books I've ever experienced. I loved every single word. The author is masterful. The sentences were gorgeous. The only thing that kept me reading was just the fact that it was so well written. Rarely are books like that. Sad, but true. 

The quality of the writing was about all I really enjoyed about this book. Yes, it is a great story and heart-wrenching. But, let me be honest, I'm not all that into war stories. I know it occurs every day and I have the utmost respect for our soldiers, but I don't want to experience it myself. Much of this book was just too much for me to read. 

Secondly, I was actually quite bored through most of it. There was so much detail and most of the details seemed to be proving how much research the author had done. When I'm reading research, I value this above all else. However, when I am reading for pleasure, I don't really care. 

This book is fantastic and for anyone who enjoys a war story or nonfiction, I encourage you to pick this up immediately. If you are like me, it might not be your cup of tea. It is a masterpiece that is beautifully crafted. It just wasn't the book for me. 

Book Review - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

I really enjoyed this story. Many of my favorite books and the ones that keep me thinking are Young Adult Fiction; this one was no different. This novel is the story of a young Indian (Native American) named Arnold living on the reservation. He is disenchanted with life on the rez and imagines what else is out there. He is smart and capable and bored by school. One day, he loses his temper at one of his teachers and rather than being reprimanded, the teacher pulls him aside and confesses his shortcomings as an educator. He reveals that the boy is as smart or smarter than his older sister who fell through the cracks. She had dreams of being a novelist and instead runs off with one of the first guys to offer her marriage off the reservation. She takes the shot at her freedom and we are led to believe is less than happy in her new situation. Anyway, the teacher convinces the boy to try something new. After this discussion, the boy decides to attend school off the reservation (making him a part-time Indian). 

As the boy adjusts to a new school, he learns more about the world and how being an Indian fits in with everything going on around him. He must be purposeful in his attempts to get to school because it is not always easy. Some days, he walks more than 10 miles just to get there. To complicate matters, Arnold is going through puberty and dealing with new changes to his mind and body. 

I liked the raw emotions, feelings, and view into the life of a young boy challenging two identities. Does he want to be on the rez? What does his future hold for him? What are the challenges to being an Indian off the rez? The story kept me reading and thinking. While some parts (masturbation, etc.) are not suitable for all audiences, I think this would be a great read for middle school or higher. I think many students I taught could relate to how Arnold felt and his conflicting identities. 

Hamburger Soup

Soup is usually not my favorite meal, but I saw this recipe on the Pioneer Woman and knew I wanted to try it! I was home for mom's birthday a few weeks ago and suggested it for dinner that night. Everyone agreed it sounded good and it was!!

Here's what I did:

1. Browned 2 pounds of hamburger meat, a white onion, and garlic.

2. Added 2 small cans of tomato paste and 1 can of diced tomatoes.

3. Added 3 cut white potatoes, 1 green bell pepper, 2 red bell peppers (could have been 1 yellow but the grocery store was sold out), 3 sliced carrots, and 3 stalks of celery. Lots of yummy veggies!

4. Added 3 cups of beef stock.

5. Brought everything to a boil and simmered for about 25 minutes.

We ate this with french bread and it was wonderful! :)

Book Review - The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

As I've mentioned before 2015 has made me become really interested in all things time travel! Of course, that means I needed to read H.G. Wells' classic The Time Machine. I've seen the movie and liked it, so I figured I would enjoy the original masterpiece. I've also been trying to read more classics in the past few years to enrich my literature base. This novel fit both of those goals and is really short! 

Many of my friends in book club as well as my mom and sister read audio books. I'm skeptical about audiobooks because I tend to zone out a bit. I've read a few long books that I would never get through on my own through Audible and liked them. I've decided to try to supplement other books through listening as I drive and get dressed in the mornings. The Time Machine is my first audio book of the year and I think it was a good choice. 

Overall, I liked this novel but did not love it. I really appreciated how advanced Wells' thinking was on how society would morph over so many years. He really focused on how divided society was at the time (and arguably still is today) and how this division ultimately led to two species of human who did not interact. I liked the details of the flora and fauna in the future and how he used this to convince society that time traveling had occurred. My one complaint is that I did feel the story was too short! I wanted more. Really, the entire novel is about one time travel adventure. I want to know more about where the time traveler goes next and how his life is altered by visiting the future. Dang you, H.G. Wells for making me want more! This book is on my "Recommendations List", and I think anyone would benefit from reading it! 

Book Review - Risky Business by Nora Roberts

Risky Business by Nora Roberts

As I have been finishing up my dissertation, I've craved some easier novels. Quick plots, easy writing, doesn't take much thought to comprehend. Usually when I feel this way, I love a good chick-lit piece...and Nora Roberts is one of my favorites. I like that there is just enough intrigue in her books to keep me entertained but I can easily blaze through one of these books in one sitting. It's a nice release for my brain when I feel overloaded with other things.

This story is about Liz, a woman who lives off the Caribbean Ocean, in what seems like a paradise oasis. She works hard and tries to support her daughter, who lives in Houston, after some trials in her own failed relationships. One day, she discovers that one of her employees has been murdered! He seems to be a friendly, yet somewhat flighty kind of guy, but there are no leads on how this could have happened. Next, enters his identical twin brother, a lawyer from the states. You can probably guess what happens next...through adventure in solving the mystery of his brother's murder, he falls for Liz. There is no secret to this novel and the "twists and turns" are not completely surprising, but an enjoyable read!