Thursday, August 28, 2014

SUMMER FOOD

 

Like most people, I like to eat and fresh garden produce is surely some of the best eating ever. Our garden space isn't very big and we supplement it with wooden barrels.  Between the two, we've enjoyed potatoes, beets, chard, carrots, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, rhubarb, chives, strawberries, and peaches this summer. Some items have done better than others; a hill of potatoes produces enough to feed us for three days while the strawberries could be counted on my fingers---and the birds got most of them. 

There were no nearby grocery stores carrying fresh produce where I grew up, so I looked forward each summer to the goodness grown in my mother's garden.  Fresh fruits and vegetables were a much appreciated respite from bottled or canned fruits and vegetables.  Fresh produce is readily available now all year long, but I'm convinced the store bought versions aren't as good as those picked from my garden. They certainly aren't as fresh. 

Each year I feel sad when summer begins to draw to a close since that means the end of our garden.  Already the potatoes are down to two hills, I picked the last of the peaches this morning, and the beets and carrots are getting a little sparse. During the cold, rainy spell we've had the tomatoes stopped ripening, but I expect with a break in the rain we'll have enough for us and our neighbors again soon.  The zucchini hasn't done as well this year as other years, but I've had enough for some of my favorite recipes.  I'll include two of my favorite gluten free zucchini recipes for those like my husband who has Celiac. (For those who don't do gluten free cooking, use regular flour and leave out the Xanthan gum). 

Gluten Free Zucchini Cake 

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups grated zucchini
3/4 cup potato starch
3/4 cup corn starch
1/2 cup all purpose gluten free flour (May substitute all purpose gluten free flour for both starches as well.  I prefer the King Arthur brand.)
1 tsp xanthan gum
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup raisins (May omit)
Cream Cheese Frosting  (Use Pillsbury cream cheese frosting if lactose intolerant)
1/2 cup chopped nuts 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray pan:  15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 (jelly roll) or 13 x 9 x 2
Beat eggs, sugar, oil, applesauce, and zucchini.  Stir in dry ingredients. Mix in raisin.  Pour batter into pan.  Bake until light brown, 25 to 30 minutes. May take a few minutes more for 13 x 9 size pan. Cool frost with cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with nuts.
 

Zucchini Brownies 

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup sugar or Splenda
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups gluten free flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 cups grated zucchini 

Nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips may be added to taste.  Mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.  Ice with favorite fudge icing.  (Pillsbury chocolate fudge is lactose free.)

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Recommending Favorites

Yesterday someone asked me to recommend a good book that wouldn't take forever to read, wasn't about or for teens, but would be exciting and clean.  As most of you know I write a review column for Meridian Magazine and I knew just the book to recommend--Ring Around the Rosie by Julie Coulter Bellon.  You can read my review of that book here http://www.ldsmag.com/article/1/14787

I come in contact with a lot of people and I'm often asked to suggest books they might enjoy.  This discussion often begins with "I've read all of your books, can you suggest . . . "  Last night I had this discussion with a fourth grade teacher and I had to admit I don't read a lot of middle grade books, but I did recommend my daughter, Janice Sperry's Rebel Princess. Someone else asked about books for teenagers, again an area where I don't read a lot, but I told him I was enjoying a series by Margot Hovley and one by Robert Wells.

Discussions on book recommendations usually bring up a question I don't answer well.  What is your favorite book?  I don't have a favorite whether we're discussing books I've written or books I've read.  I read well over a hundred books a year, representing nearly every genre.  I'm currently writing my twenty-fifth novel and I've never stuck to just one genre. Out of all those books I can't settle on just one favorite, but I could probably name a dozen favorite authors.  When it comes to my own books, that's like being asked to name a favorite child. Each one has its own special place in my heart and memories.

Years ago I was told no one reads the same book someone else wrote, meaning we each bring our own life experiences, prejudices, value system, etc., to each book we read and they may not be the same as the author's.  I've always been aware that my tastes in reading material changes as my life changes and I think it's the same for most people.  In the fourth grade I devoured fairy tales.  By the sixth grade it was Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Trixie Beldon, and such young sleuth type of books.  I went through a science fiction phase, a detective phase, read tons of romances,  and even read every Western I could get my hands on.  Somehow Westerns led to Historicals.  The one common thread I've detected in my reading taste is action.  I much prefer characters who do something over ones that philosophize.

I've never been a big fan of the so-called Classics though a few like Silas Marner and The Light in August made a lasting impression on me and are among the few Classics I've reread. I've never regretted reading the classics and enjoyed most of them, but I'll admit I prefer genre fiction.  This is why I try to be careful when asked to recommend a book for another person.  Just because I love a certain book doesn't mean everyone will.  When giving or recommending a book to someone else it's helpful to know something about the person, his/her tastes, age group, other books that person has enjoyed, and their values.

As I've gone through my different reading phases I've learned that reading one sole genre for months or years on end is not a good thing.  There are some genres I seldom read or enjoy anymore because of my prior saturation reading.  It really is a good idea to try new genres and new authors.  I find as a reviewer I enjoy my "favorites" much more by interspersing them with a wide array of "others". And sometimes I strike gold, finding a new "favorite".

For any who are interested, here is a list of the books I've read this summer.  If I were giving these books starred ratings, none would rank lower than three stars and many certainly deserve five. 

Mystery/Suspense
Ring Around the Rosie - Bellon
Run for Your Life - Mathews
The Insider - Bessey

Romance
Imperfect Love - Talley
Becoming Lady Lockwood - Moore
Waiting for You - Halverson

Science Fiction
Assault on Cambriol - Borrowman

Fantasy
Rebel Princess - Sperry
The Keeper's Defiance - Nelson
I'm Not Cinderella - Montgomery

Western
Trouble at the Red Pueblo - Adair
Willow Springs - Steele

Action/adventure
Persona non Grata - Stirling
Quantum Breach - Acey
Twisted Fate - Abramson, Luke, Black

Classic/Literary
Counting Candles - Bradshaw
Behold Your Little Ones - Brown

Historical
Hope - Wilkins
In All Places - Ayleworth
Men of Destiny - Brobst

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Introducing my Daughters

I'm too tired to think straight so instead of blogging I'm going to give you a link to my daughters' blog.  Two of my daughters, Janice Sperry and Lezlie Anderson, are writers too.  Janice's book The Rebel Princess came out in June. You may have read short stories by her in several different publications and her Christmas booklet, The Candy Cane Queen, was released a year ago.  Lezlie's Christmas booklet Snow Angel will be available in October. Janice has been writing a blog for a couple of years, but the two have decided to join forces and blog together.  Their blog is called Come Out When You're Happy.  Here's the link http://comeoutwhenyourehappy.blogspot.com/2014/08/blog-changes.html


Saturday, August 2, 2014

A Mini-Vacation to Long Beach

 
 
 
 
 
With our fiftieth Wedding anniversary coming up later this year our son and his wife gave us a joint Christmas/anniversary present by taking us to Long Beach, California where we stayed a couple of nights on the Queen Mary, visited the Aquarium of the Pacific, and spent a day at Huntington Beach where the surfing championships were taking place. We had so much fun with them and our littlest granddaughter. We had our picture taken at one of the booths.
The Pier at Huntington Beach.

A really long hall just outside our room on the Queen Mary.

A gazebo on the Queen Mary where weddings are often performed.

Our little granddaughter was fascinated with the red telephone booths on the ship.  (The phones are long gone.)

 At the aquarium.

 Our son's family.

Super friendly birds at the Aquarium.

Me on the beach.

 Gracie playing in the sand.

 The view from our table our last night.