Weekend Cooking: Prepping for COVID-19

Happy Pi/Pie day! I hope at least a few of you share a yummy pie recipe in celebration.

I spent last week working on clearing out my mother's house. We still have a lot to do, but we made great progress. Unfortunately, not much cooking or reading happened last week. When I wasn't sorting papers or running things to Goodwill, I was working at my paying jobs.

My brothers and I had take-out every night. Ugh. I'm so ready for home-cooked food that isn't loaded with salt.

When I got back to Pennsylvania, I realized the BFR household was woefully behind in stashing food away in case of self-quarantine or other COVID-19 emergency. I made a list and sent Mr. BFR out into the world to do what he could.

Have you stocked up on food in case your area is put on restricted movement? If so, what did you get?

We didn't go crazy buying up everything we could think of. I'm not a food hoarder, but I always have some canned tomato products, tuna, sardines, and lots of dried beans and legumes. I also have meat in the freezer, and ingredients for baking.

What I was concerned about was fruit and vegetables, which we generally buy fresh. Thus the frozen food aisle was the focus of our concentration. We picked up a variety of frozen veggies and fruit. We also bought an extra dozen eggs, some grains, and two bags of coffee.

I may be naive, but I sincerely doubt that we'll be without food completely. In any case, I'm not very worried about starving. As long as I have my coffee, I'll be a happy camper. And if worse comes to worse, I can always turn to my tea stash.

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

NOTE: Mr. Linky sometimes is mean and will give you an error message. He's usually wrong and your link went through just fine the first time. Grrrr.
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Weekend Cooking: Procrastibaking by Erin Gardner

Are you a procrastibaker? I am, even though I didn’t know it was a thing until I read Erin Gardner’s new cookbook called (duh) Procrastibaking (Atria; March 31). I love the concept: Have a paper due? Working on a project? Need to clean the house? Should be doing laundry? How in the world can you tackle those chores when there are cookies to bake or pies to make?

The recipes in Gardner’s Procrastibaking help you bake your way past your responsibilities. Sometimes you need a quick something to clear your head before you focus on your to-do list--you couldn’t possibly pick up the dry-cleaning until you’ve baked muffins, right? Other times you need a longer escape: how about turtle cake with homemade caramel sauce and candied pecans?

Despite the off-beat premise, the recipes look delicious. You’ll find a mix of classics, like peppermint bites; new takes on old themes, like pizza palmiers; and thoroughly modern bakes, like chai oatmeal cream pies. Procrastibaking also includes some fun bonuses, such as lists of zany food days. Did you know that March is caffeine awareness month? You may have heard of Pi/Pie day, but what about this month's Pound Cake Day, Cereal Day, and Oatmeal Cookie Day?

Gardner suggests recipes for all those fun foodie holidays and more. She also helps you make substitutions (for GF or vegan bakers and for when you simply don’t have a particular ingredient). You’ll also find tips for successful baking, information on ingredients, and suggestions for equipment. Each recipe starts with an alarm clock icon that tells you how long you’ll avoid real life if you make it.

There’s a lot to like about Erin Gardner’s Procrastibaking, including it's cheery red graphics (see scan). The recipes are appealing and very accessible to all levels of cooks. If you have a huge repertoire of recipes for baked goods, you might want to check this out of the library before buying. On the other hand, if you’re looking for new ideas and a fun way to avoid all those pesky chores, you might want to buy.

I’m under the impression that the finished book includes a section of photos, but the insert wasn't included in the digital galley.

Here’s a quick recipe I plan to try.

Sunflower Toffee
Makes about 8 ounces toffee
20 minutes

• 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup sunflower seeds (or your favorite nut or seed)

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, until golden and bubbling, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sunflower seeds. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet and spread to about ¼ inch thick.
3. Allow the toffee to cool completely before breaking into chunks or chopping. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Tip: Dip individual shards of toffee in melted chocolate or coat the whole slab before breaking into pieces.

NOTE: recipe and scan are used here in the context of a review; all rights remain with the original copyright holder. Thanks to Atria for the digital review copy of this cookbook; my thoughts are my own.

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

NOTE: Mr. Linky sometimes is mean and will give you an error message. He's usually wrong and your link went through just fine the first time. Grrrr.
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4 Books for Middle Grade (and Older) Readers

Wait! Stop! Don't click away. I know what you're thinking: you don't have kids and you don't read kids' books. What you might not know is that today's juvenile fiction often addresses real-life tough issues, like homelessness, disabilities, gender identity, loneliness, and family problems. Of course, you'll also find plenty of fantasy, historical fiction, and action-adventure too.

I like middle grade fiction because it's devoid of the angst and love triangles that are so common in young adult fiction. I also like to stay in touch with the topics that might be on young people's minds. Plus some of the world's most beloved stories were written for young readers (think Harry Potter, Little House on the Prairie, and Narnia). Finally, it's always fun to be able to recommend books to readers of all ages.

Here are four middle grade novels that are on my list for March.

Brightstorm by Vashti Hardy (illustrated by George Ermos) (Norton Books YR, March 17) is a steampunk action-adventure story starring 12-year-old twins. When their father, a world-renown explorer, is reported dead along with his crew while exploring South Polaris, Arthur and Maudie are suddenly homeless. To make matters worse, there are rumors that their father didn't always play fair. The two find a place on a sky-ship and set off to clear their family name and uncover the truth about their father's doomed expedition.

• Themes: disability, family, self-confidence, learning about others who are different from yourself
• Extras: great illustrations throughout; a map
• Reviews: much praise for good world building, lots of action, appealing characters
• First line: The heavy chug of a sky-ship firing its engines rumbled through Lontown.

The Great Upending by Beth Kephart (Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, March 31) is set on a Pennsylvania farm in contemporary times. As a drought threatens to bankrupt their family, 12-year-old Sara and her brother, Hawk, come up with a scheme that will solve all the family's money problems. Complicating matters are the mysterious man who has rented an apartment on their farm and Sara's ever-growing need for heart surgery. Oh and did I mention their plan involves breaking one of their mother's hard-and-fast rules?

• Themes: family, secrets, troubled times, plans gone wrong (or maybe right)
• Extras: some short chapters are set and read like free verse
• Reviews: praise for Kephart's signature beautiful language and ability to convey strong emotions
• First line: "Moon's in bloom," Hawk says. "Just hanging there. No strings."

City Spies by James Ponti (Aladdin, March 10) has a global setting and features computer-whiz 12-year-old Sara who is given an offer she can't refuse. No, she's not held up by the mafia, but after getting in trouble with the law for hacking a computer to expose her foster parents' wrongdoings, she is given a chance to leave New York to get special training with a secret British youth spy agency. This start of a new STEM action-adventure series sets up the premise and sends Sara and her fellow spies on their first mission: they travel to Paris where they are to catch the bad guy threatening to undermine an environmental summit.

• Themes: working as a team, contemporary issues, using STEM skills, friendship, diversity
• Extras: fun dossiers of the kid spies
• Reviews: good action, diverse cast, relevant to environmental activism
• First line: Sara looked at the water stain on the wall and imagined it was an island.

Blue Skies by Anne Bustard (Simon & Schuster Books YR, March 17) is set in post-World War II small-town Texas and tells the story of 10-year-old Glory Bea, who refuses to give up hope that her father, missing in action since D-Day will still come home. When a good friend of her dad's comes to visit and then to stay after getting to know Mama, Glory Bea isn't happy. She tries to keep the adults apart, despite her grandmother's reputation for being a terrific matchmaker. When she learns a Merci Train will stop in their town, she's even more convinced her father will find his way home. He just has to be on the train filled with gifts from the French people who want to say thank you to America for coming to their rescue.

• Themes: family, grief, relationships, hope
• Extras: introduces readers to the real-life Merci (Thank You) Trains; an author's note gives the history behind the story; includes a bibliography for further reading
• Reviews: good period details, well-developed characters, nicely linked to contemporary issues
• First line: Miracles happen in Gladiola, Texas, population 3,421.

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Today's Read: The Operator by Gretchen Berg

What if you had an inside channel to all the town's secrets and gossip? Would you be curious? Switchboard operator Vivian Dalton can't resist, especially when the phone calls she listens in on involve the town's it girl (aka daughter of the mayor).

Here's how Vivian's story begins:

December 15, 1952

Vivian Dalton's worn old ankle boots crunched over the packed snow in front of Freedlander's, the bright lights of the department store spilling right out onto the sidewalk and mixing with the glow of the streetlamps. Vivian gave a quick, polite wave of a gloved hand to Betty Miller, who'd caught her eye through the flocked glass of the main display window. Freedlander's fancied itself right up for the holidays, with the lights and the bells and whatever it was they put on the window to make it look like snowed inside.

—The Operator by Gretchen Berg (William Morrow, March 10, ARC)

Quick Facts

• Setting: 1950s, Wooster, Ohio (a real town)
• Circumstances: Vivian, a switchboard operator, dreams of a different kind of life, one in which she doesn't have to work, and she has the leisure to invite ladies over for tea or shop on Main Street on weekday afternoons. Instead she (and her co-workers) eavesdrop while connecting the town's phone calls, gathering gossip and learning secrets. It feels a little bit like sweet revenge to learn about her well-to-do neighbors' private lives, until Vivian hears a shocking bit of news (or is it just a rumor?) that hits way too close to home. Is the gossip true? And how will she survive in the insular society that is Wooster?
• Genre & themes: historical fiction; family, social class, self-image, marriage, friendship, small-town living
• Gleaned from reviews: well written; a glimpse at a lost profession; character studies of a bygone era; engrossing; unexpected depth 
• Why I want to read this: Looks like a fun look at small-town life. The story is very loosely based on the author's grandmother, who was in fact an operator for Bell. I like books set in the 1950s, especially when they show the less-than-pretty underbelly of the postwar boom years.
• Extras: the novel includes recipes and poems from the author's grandmother, dictionary entries for words Vivian wants to learn, and extracts from period newspaper articles. The author notes that she took some minor liberties with factual details of Wooster in 1952.
• Audiobook: Read by Allyson Ryan (HarperAudio: 10 hr, 6 min)
• Acknowledgments: Thanks to the publisher for the review copy of Gretchen Berg's The Operator.

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Weekend Cooking: It Was a SkinnyTaste Kind of Week

Today's Weekend Cooking is all about enjoying being in my own kitchen and having control over my own cooking. I love being with my family, and I really like cooking in my mother's kitchen (especially knowing that those days are soon to end), but there's something to be said about being in your own space and cooking your own way.

Last week my meal plan focused on SkinnyTaste recipes. I know I was slow to get on the SkinnyTaste bandwagon, but once I found a seat, I was there for good. I swear everything I've ever made from the SkinnyTaste website or cookbooks has been a success, and I'm now a die-hard fan for life.

Here are three recipes we made and loved this week. The photos come from the SkinnyTaste website and the links will take you right to the recipes.

Chickpea Salad with Cucumbers and Tomatoes. I made this easy and tasty salad to have on hand for lunches and to supplement dinners. Instead of a diced tomato (which I would have used in the summer), I went with a mix of heirloom cherry tomatoes I found at the grocery. The colors were pretty, and cherry and grape tomatoes generally taste pretty good all year long. For the cukes, I used the little Persian cucumbers, because I like the flavor. I also added an orange bell pepper--both for flavor and color. I'd absolutely make this again, especially because it held up well for several days, even with the dressing. Next time I might add feta or avocado.

The Best Chicken Enchilada Recipe, was--if not the best--really, really good and super easy to make. I poached two large chicken breasts and used 8-inch whole grain tortillas. I surprised myself and followed this recipe to the tee. We both really loved the homemade enchilada sauce, the flavor of the shredded chicken and the completed dish. We used chopped heirloom cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, jarred jalapeno pepper slices, and scallions for our toppings. The recipe says eight servings, but for us, it made two dinners and a lunch, so I'd say more like six servings. I was surprised at how quickly this dish came together, and it was stress free, even on a weeknight.

The third SkinnyTaste recipe was Spinach Tortellini en Brodo, which was another winner. We had a cold snap this week and a hearty soup was just the ticket. I know this calls for chicken broth (which I used), but I still think of this as a vegetarian dinner. I couldn't find spinach and cheese tortellinis, so I used spinach and cheese raviolis instead. I had a red bell pepper to use up, so I threw that into the soup, and I added more fresh baby spinach than was called for. I seasoned the soup as directed, but added a few good shakes of hot pepper flakes just because I could. Again, the recipe said eight servings but I would count only six. We got two dinners and a lunch, which is perfect for our needs.

We rounded out the week with two big favorites: spice-rubbed grilled salmon with a roasted vegetable (I used broccoli this week) and red beans and rice (healthy, hearty, and yummy).

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

NOTE: Mr. Linky sometimes is mean and will give you an error message. He's usually wrong and your link went through just fine the first time. Grrrr.
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