Room by Emma Donoghue

The next book on the agenda is "Room" by Emma Donoghue. Here is a preview:

In many ways, Jack is a typical 5-year-old. He likes to read books, watch TV, and play games with his Ma. But Jack is different in a big way--he has lived his entire life in a single room, sharing the tiny space with only his mother and an unnerving nighttime visitor known as Old Nick. For Jack, Room is the only world he knows, but for Ma, it is a prison in which she has tried to craft a normal life for her son. When their insular world suddenly expands beyond the confines of their four walls, the consequences are piercing and extraordinary. Despite its profoundly disturbing premise, Emma Donoghue's Room is rife with moments of hope and beauty, and the dogged determination to live, even in the most desolate circumstances. A stunning and original novel of survival in captivity, readers who enter Room will leave staggered, as though, like Jack, they are seeing the world for the very first time. --Lynette Mong

Next Meeting Date: Sunday, May 15th @ 5:00 P.M.
Location: Michelle's House

The Glass Castle

Author: Jeanette Walls

Dinner Prepared by: Chelsea

Great book club meeting this past Sunday. Jessie, you were missed! Jeanette Walls is an amazing woman. She's an inspiration for the way she recalls her ridiculous childhood in an upbeat way. How frustrating it is to the reader to see her continue to forgive her parents when it feels like they are unworthy of forgiveness. While her relationship with her father was somewhat endearing, he soon lost my respect with his booze-getting tactics and the way he used his daughter as a pawn in a pool game. There are no words to describe my feelings toward her mother. Selfish doesn't cut it.

My reasons for making chili for last night's book club are three-fold:

It's sort of the poor man's stew- which is appropriate for the way Jeanette grew up (not to mention how they ate beans and tomatos out of the can on occassion.

I found myself feeling cold while reading that book numerous times

I had a crap-load of stew meat to use up.

Emeril's Chili
Recipe from FootNetwork.com, compliments of Mr. Lagasse himself (P.S. I like his knives.)


Ingredients

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped white onions
Salt
Cayenne Pepper
2 lbs stew meat
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 Teaspoons ground cumin
Crushed Red Pepper
Teaspoons Dried Oregano
2 Tablespoons chopped garlic
3 Cups Crushed Tomatoes
1/4 Cup Tomate paste
2 Cups Beef Stock
1 Cup Canned Dark Red Kidney Beans
2 Tablespoons masa flour
4 Tablespoons water
Cheddar Cheese
Sour Cream
Jalapenos (optional)


Directions

In large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and saute for 3-5 minutes, or until the vegetables start to wilt. Season with salt and cayenne. Stir in the stew meat, chili powder, cumin, crushed red pepper, and oregano. Brown the meat for 5-6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, beef stock and beans. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer the liquid, uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occassionally or until the beef is tender. Skim off the fat occassionally. Mix the masa and water together. Slowly stir in the masa slurry and continue to cook for 30 mintues. Reseason with salt and cayenne. (I didn't have a large enough pot to cook this in, so did it in the crockpot and added the beans in later so they didn't get mushy!)


Trader Joe's Cornbread Mix
Yummmm! :)

Gods Behaving Badly

Author: Marie Phillips
Dinner Prepared By: Sarah

Greek Salad
Ingredients:

• 1 lb Tomatoes (Roma and cherry)
• 1 large cucumber
• 8 oz Feta cheese (Sarah used reduced fat)
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives
• 1 red onion (diced)

Salad Dressing:

• 6 Tbsp EVOO
• 3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 bunch cilantro (finely chopped)
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• salt and pepper

Pesto & Ricotta Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2-4 Tbsp pesto sauce
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese (Sarah used reduced fat)
• capers
• greek olives
• sundried tomatoes
• oregano
• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• pepper

Directions:

Make deeps slits in the side of each chicken breast. Mix pesto, ricotta, capers, olives and oregano together and stuff into each chicken breast. Re-seal each breast, place on a plate and chill for 30 minutes. (Work on vinegrette while waiting)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheight.

Brush chicken with olive oil and season with pepper. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Spoon vinegrette on top and serve.

Tomato Vinegrette

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 bunch fresh chives
• 1 lb roma tomatoes (seeded and cubed)
• 1 lime (squeezed and zested)
• salt & pepper

Directions:

Mix olive oil and chives in a food processor until smooth. Pour into bowl and add tomatoes, lime juice and rind. Season with salt & pepper.

Easy Greek Yogurt

Ingredients:

• Non-fat greek yogurt
• Dried apricots
• Dried figs
• Slivered almonds
• Pistacios
• Honey

Directions:

Broil nuts in oven until toasted (Note: they cook fast so watch them carefully!)

Top yogurt with dried figs and nuts.

Drizzle with honey.

Secret Life of Bees

Author: Sue Monk Kidd
Dinner Prepared By: Jessie

Crockpot Herb Pork Roast
Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 4 large garlic cloves, quartered
• 1 pork loin roast, boneless, about 4-5 lbs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground thyme
• 1/2 tsp. dried leaf sage, crumbled
• 1/4 tsp. rosemary, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. dried tarragon, crumbled (optional)
• Dash ground cloves or allspice
• 1 tsp. grated lemon peel
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 tsp. cornstarch (optional)
• 1 tsp. water (optional)

Directions:

Cut 16 small pockets into roast and insert garlic slices. In a small bowl, combine salt, herbs and lemon peel. Rub seasoning mixture into the roast. Pour 1/2 cup water into the slow cooker; add the roast. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours. Pork should read at least 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer.

If desired, thicken juices. Remove roast from juices. COmbine cornstarch with 3 teaspoons water; sitr until smooth, then stir into crockpot juices. Cook on HIGH until thickened. Serve with the pork roast.

Individual Toffee, Pecan and Peach Crisps

Ingredients:

Filling

• 6 cups frozen sliced peaches (about 2.5 lbs), thawed
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

Topping

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 6 tsp. (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 3/4 cup English Toffee bits
• 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• Ice Cream (optional)
  

Directions:

Filling - Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheight. Place six 1 1/4 cup ramekins or custard cups on large baking sheet. Mix peaches, sugar and lime juice in a large bowl to blend. Divide filling among ramekins.

Topping - Whisk flour, brown sugar and salt into a large bowl. Using fingertips, rub in butter until mixture holds together in clumps. Stir in toffee and pecans; sprinkle over filling.

Bake crisps until filling bubbles and topping is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.

*Note* Jessie substituted oats for the pecans in the peach crisps.