Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.

Hearts of Darkness

I've been following fellow PNW, Kira Brady, on twitter for a while. I was pretty excited to see her latest on the library shelf.

Hidden

I spotted this on the library shelf. I'm looking for any excuse to stay in the Women of the Otherworld world.

Growing A Farmer

I spotted this the library shelf and thought it sounded interesting. 

Sweet & Skinny

I picked this one up. Hope their might be a good recipe or two in it.

O, The Oprah Magazine Cookbook

When I used to get magazines I loved O. I miss the recipes.

What did you get this week?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books On Your Fall TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

This week's Top Ten Tuesday is what's on your Fall TBR list. 

The Raven Boys

Really looking forward to this one. 

Hidden

I'm looking forward to wrapping up this trilogy.

Carnival of Souls

Another one I'm looking forward to.

Ashes of Honor

I've been loving this series and am looking forward to the next book.

Partials

Kind of a cheat, as I have this one in my library loot pile.

Linger

I want to keep going with The Wolves of Mercy Falls series.

52 Loaves

I think this one sounds good.

The Kashmir Shawl

A coworker loaned this to me earlier this year. I want to give it back to her before the end of the year.

Goddess Interrupted

Another series I'm looking forward to continuing.

Dearie

I loved My Life In France so I want to read more about Julia Child.

What's on your fall TBR list?

Redshirts by John Scalzi

I put Redshirts on my library queue after first hearing about it. It sounded like something I would like. And I did enjoy it.
Redshirts is perfect for people who like Star Trek although it reminded me more of Galaxy Quest. Kind of campy but with plenty of pokes at sci fi movies and books. The story starts with five new crew members joining the Intrepid, the Universal Union's flagship. The Intrepid is the ship all new Star Fleet members want to join. The Intrepid develops more new technology and does the most interesting work of any of the ships in the fleet. Dahl and the other new recruits quickly realize that something is very wrong with the Intrepid. Crew members die on every away mission, cures to viruses are discovered just before the patient runs out of time, and five of the senior officers who go on most of the missions never die.
I really did love Redshirts. It doesn't take itself seriously and enjoys skewering sci fi cliches. I enjoyed how the characters developed and how the story twisted to expose what was really going on. I loved Coda 1 at the end. All the Codas were good but one was my absolute favorite. It was all one very enjoyable ride. I would recommend it to sci fi fans. Those without a love for sci fi probably wouldn't find it as enjoyable. Others who shared their thoughts on Redshirts: The Little Red Reviewer, The Mad Hatter's Bookshelf and Book Reviews, Dragon Page, Alexia's Books & Such, and Walker of Worlds.

Weekend Cooking: Honey Balsamic Chicken

I pinned this Honey Balsamic Chicken awhile ago. I really enjoyed this chicken.

Source: budgetbytes.blogspot.com via Linda on Pinterest

Here's mine:

It was pretty easy to make. Plus it was tasty. I would definitely make it again.








Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more information, see the welcome post.

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.

Cheese and Culture

I noticed one of my coworkers completely absorbed in this book. I nearly ripped it out of her hands to see what it was. She was enjoying it so I hope I like it.

A Queer and Pleasant Danger

I can't remember where I saw this one but it sounded good.

Shucked

I spotted this one on the library shelf and thought it might be good for the Foodies Read 2 Challenge. Plus I love oysters.

Made In America

Another one I picked up off the shelf. I've never read any of Bryson's work so I'll give this one a try.

Cooking From The Farmer's Market

Another good looking cookbook I spotted on the shelf.

What did you get this week?

Pin It And Do It Challenge: Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps and Easy Extra Creamy Mac & Cheese

Tai and I were talking about what to make for dinner. I had some chicken and bacon cooling in the fridge. Tai suggested wrapping the chicken in bacon so I started looking through some pins to see if I could find an idea. When I found these Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps, I knew I found a winner. But if we were having them for dinner we needed a side or something to make it a meal. I had just pinned a mac and cheese recipe and knew that would be the perfect compliment.
Here's the Sweet Chicken Bacon Wraps:

Source: jamhands.net via Linda on Pinterest

Here's the Easy Extra Creamy Mac & Cheese:

Source: clevercraftycookinmama.com via Linda on Pinterest

Here's mine:

Oh my god. So good. Jeff added some spices (garlic, red pepper, black pepper, oregano) to the mac and cheese. I didn't add the whole can of evaporated milk. I added a little at a time until it was the right consistency.
I followed the recipe to the t on the chicken bacon wraps and they were so good. You couldn't stop eating them.
I highly suggest both of these recipes. They were both pretty easy. The wraps were slightly time consuming but still really easy.

Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Confessions

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme started at The Broke And The Bookish.

This week's topic: Top Ten Bookish Confessions (Anything! You dog ear, you hated a book but said you loved it, you have $500 library fines...anything goes!)

1. I buy books but don't read them. Library books get read before any book I own. And you know I always have library books.

2. Loan me a book and it might take a while to get it back. Same as the previous confession. I read library books before any other book.

3. I hide stacks of library books so I can't see how tall Mt Library Loot has gotten. I hide them in bags or in the trunk of my car.

4. I get defensive when people don't like books I like and they are mean about it. Or worse if someone say but it's just a book when I get worked up over the characters. Best way to get me pissy in a hurry.

5. It seems like the list of books I want to read grows faster than I can read. This makes me sad.

6. I get sad when I have to take a book back to the library unread.

7. I don't always want to read bestsellers. Sometimes I love those ones that no one has heard of. 

8. I'm still obsessed with Ready Player One. Wil Wheaton is going to be at PAX and I keep joking how I want him to read Ready Player One to me, live. He's got 17 hours to kill right?

I only got eight this time. I started listing pet peeves and I got ranty. It wasn't good. Besides the topic is confessions, not rants. 

What are you bookish confessions?

Pin It and Do It Challenge: Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

The minute I saw these, I knew I had to make them. Gooey, chocolatey yummy goodness. I'm so glad I did. They were delicious.

Source: noshandtell.com via Linda on Pinterest

Here's how mine turned out:

They were a huge hit. So rich and delicious. And actually pretty easy to make.

Pin It and Do It: Double Failure

I admit I've gotten cocky. I see a recipe, bam, I make it and it's great. But lately I've made two recipes that didn't turn out so well.
The first one I didn't even take pictures. It wasn't that it was so bad. I was so disappointed that I couldn't take pictures.

Source: paleomg.com via Linda on Pinterest

I had such high hopes for this one but it was so bland. I added red pepper flakes but it lacked any zing. Fail.
This one I did take pictures of. I high hopes for it since it uses the crockpot and uses cube steak which I can find pretty cheap. But no.

Source: thepost-itplace.com via Linda on Pinterest

Here's my picture:

Looks like dog food huh? I used 2 lbs of cubed steak, 2 cans of ready to eat mushroom soup, 1 packet of onion soup mix, and 3/4 cup of water. And it was way too salty to eat. I don't know if it was the mushroom soup I used or what. Also the meat was a little overcooked. I cooked on low for 9 hours. If I made it again I would cook for a shorter period of time (ie not on a work day).
Have you made something that didn't turn out recently?







Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more information, see the welcome post.

Red Beef Curry

High Flavor Low Labor is quickly becoming my favorite cookbook. I really wanted to make this Red Curry Beef recipe and I so glad I did. It was so delicious.

I followed the recipe very closely. Actually I doubled the recipe and had plenty of leftover for lunch the next day. I will definitely be making this recipe again.

Library Loot

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. If you’d like to participate, just write up your post-feel free to steal the button-and link it using the Mr. Linky any time during the week. And of course check out what other participants are getting from their libraries.




Another large stack for me.

Redshirts

I've been wanting to read this one since I heard it was coming out. 

Favorite Japanese Dishes

I spotted a good looking Teriyaki dish in here.

Japanese Healthy High Style Cooking

Obviously I'm trying to learn more Japanese recipes.

Gaming The Vote

I got lost on my way to the cookbooks and spotted this on the shelf. The upcoming elections were on my mind and I thought this might be an interesting read.

Unhooked

I spotted this one on the shelf too. I remember hearing about it when it came out.

The Wanderers

I'm joining Sara Jayne's library challenge. The cover caught my eye. Although I just found out it's the third in the series. We'll see how I do. 

Best Places Northwest Cookbook

Leafing through this one I think it will be more of a travel guide, a list of places to go than providing recipes. 

Plenty

I've been wanting to read this one for a while.

The Lazy Gourmet

Looking for more quick meal ideas.

The Frugal Foodie Cookbook

Looked interesting so I thought I'd give a try.

So what did you get this week?