Recipe: Bow Ties Romano

I've adapted this recipe a bit since I found it on the box of Barilla Farfalle pasta.  This has become an absolute favorite at our house - so much so that I made it for Valentine's Day as a treat for my husband.

Hope that you enjoy!

***

Bow Ties Romano

16 oz. Farfalle (Bow Tie) pasta
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
3 Cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 lb. prosciutto, chopped
3/4 Cup whipping cream
1 Cup frozen peas, thawed
3/4 Cup grated Romano cheese or Parmesan/Romano blend (divided)

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.  In large skillet over medium heat, melt butter.  Add mushrooms and saute for three minutes.  Add prosciutto and cook for two additional minutes, or until mushrooms are tender.  Add cream and heat until almost boiling.  Add peas and heat through.  Add prosciutto mixture, and 1/2 cup of cheese to drained pasta.  Stir to combine.  Transfer to serving dishes and top with remaining cheese.  Enjoy!

**Deli Tip**
When requesting sliced prosciutto for the recipe, ask that the deli clerk NOT place plastic wrap between the meat slices.  It makes it much easier to transfer to the cutting board and then chop!

The Empty Mirror: A Viennese Mystery

The Empty Mirror:  A Viennese Mystery
by J. Sydney Jones

Product Description:
Paperback Edition
320 pages
Minotaur Books (January 2010)
Personal Copy

Amazon.com Synopsis:  Set in Vienna in 1898, Jones's absorbing whodunit succeeds both as a mystery and as a fascinating portrait of a traditional society in ferment. When artist Gustav Klimt becomes a suspect in a series of bizarre murders, he turns for help to his lawyer friend, Karl Werthen, who joins forces with real-life pioneering criminologist Hanns Gross. Werthen and Gross follow a trail that leads through all strata of Viennese society and threatens to put them at odds with not only a trained killer but powerful members of the ruling class.

My Thoughts:   Ahhhh - I was transported back into my college classrooms, remembering why I decided to pursue a major in Political Science.  I thoroughly enjoyed the cross between history and mystery that The Empty Mirror provided.  The first 80 or so pages seemed a bit slow to me.  It had been a while since I read a mystery novel and I expected it to be a bit more action-packed, but I hung in there and was not disappointed.  Thankfully, just when I had it all figured out, the story turned and provided a welcomed surprise - a successful mystery.

I very much enjoyed Werthen's character - combinations of professional discontent, new love, and would-be sleuth allowed the story to be more than just a murder mystery. 

On a personal note, this was the first time in months that I had a few uninterrupted weekend hours to devote to a story, which made it even more enjoyable.  I would recommend An Empty Mirror to anyone with a taste for historical fiction and a desire for a good mystery.

Thanks to Swapna from S. Krishna's Books for the review and recommendation.


Other Reviews:
S. Krishna's Books

Menu Plan Monday - February 15, 2010

This is my third week participating in Menu Plan Monday, hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie  Here's what's on our menu for this week:

Monday:  Cereal - given the option of ANYTHING that she might want for dinner, our daughter chose cereal.  Hopefully, this not a reflection of my cooking.

Tuesday:  Taco Tuesday - a family tradition

Wednesday:  Pizza Night - our weekly family get together at my parent's house

Thursday:  Spaghetti

Friday:  Fish Sticks - welcome to Lent!  Meatless Fridays have returned.

Saturday:  Grilled Chicken, Brown Rice and Peas

Sunday:  Broiled Steak, Ranch Potatoes (recipe below) and Green Beans

Hope that you have a great week!

***

Ranch Potatoes
2 lbs. red potatoes
3/4 Cup Ranch Dressing
1/2 shredded parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut potatoes into quarters and place in large mixing bowl.  Add dressing and cheese to bowl and stir potatoes to coat evenly.  Place prepared potatoes in 13x9 inch baking dish.  Cook at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring half-way through.  Potatoes are done when they can easily be pierced with a fork.

Serves 6

28 Day Organizing Challenge - The Before Pictures

I'm a new fan of I'm an Organizing Junkie and I've signed myself up for the 28 Day Organizing Challenge. My husband and I have several goals for getting the house organized this year, but the first task I have taken on is the master closet. I'm throwing embarrassment to the wind by sharing a few "before" pictures, so that you can see the mess.

Overall plan: make the master closet an organized and attractive place. The closet will house my clothes and there will also be some space for sewing craft supplies to be stored when not in use.

Back story: My husband and I have made an honest attempt at sharing the closet for the past year or so, but in order to avoid some stress in the marriage, we've decided that our clothes-space is best left separate. My husband will be assuming the office closet again.

Before Pic 1: The barely-able-to-walk-in closet. My clothes on the left, hubby's on the right and a big ole mess in the middle.

Before Pic #2: Close up of the wire cubes that seemed like a good organizing idea at the time...

Before Pick #3: My side of the closet. That's a big Rubbermaid tub full of maternity clothes. Yeah, my daughter is 4 1/2 - I'm thinking that it's time that this gets moved to the attic!

Before Pick #4: Hi. My name is Kristi and I have a shoe organization problem.

Wish me (us) luck! I already spent some time in this space last weekend and am getting excited about the finished product.

Any big organization goals that you're taking on this year?

Menu Plan Monday

Here's what's on our menu for this week:

Monday: Chili
Tuesday: Taco Tuesday (a family favorite and new tradition)
Wednesday: Pizza Night (family night with my parents)
Thursday: Chicken and Broccoli skillet meal
Friday: Minestrone Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Saturday: Brushetta Chicken
Sunday: Valentine's Day! Bow Ties Romano (hubby's favorite)

Hope that you all have a great week!

The Sandcastle

The Sandcastle by Iris Murdoch

Product Description:
318 pages
Chatto & Windus (Sep. 1964)
Library Copy

Amazon.com Synopsis:
The quiet life of schoolmaster Bill Mor and his wife Nan is disturbed when a young woman, Rain Carter, arrives at the school to paint the portrait of the headmaster. Mor, hoping to enter politics, becomes aware of new desires. A complex battle develops, involving love, guilt, magic, art and political ambition. Mor's teenage children and their mother fight discreetly and ruthlessly against the invader. The Head, himself enchanted, advises Mor to seize the girl and run. The final decision rests with Rain. Can a 'great love' be purchased at too high a price?

My Thoughts:
This was the second book by Iris Murdoch that I have read and I was again impressed by the depth of her characters. I enjoyed the interesting love story that was told, and found myself torn between cheering for the institution of marriage and hoping for the opportunity to find happiness. I did not quite understand the back story for Mor's daughter Felicity and how that related to the overall novel - this seemed a bit of a distraction. Overall, I thought that the book was very good and was pleased with another Murdoch read.

On a side note... This was a book borrowed from the library, which is something that I haven't done in many years. The book was first checked out in June of 1978 - when I was two years old. I found myself wondering how many people had read that same book in the past 31 years. I'm sure that there were many that contributed to the torn and stained pages it holds, and I think that the age of the book provided a little nostalgia to the experience. I am going to work hard and try to balance my love for new books and filling my personal shelves, with taking advantage of the library and the unique experience those books have to offer.

Menu Plan Monday - First Time

I'm participating in my first Menu Plan Monday, which is hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie. This is actually something that I have been trying to do each week for the past year, in order to bring some sense of order to our busy evenings. By the time I get off of work at 5:30 and suffer a 20-30 minute commute, there is not much time for meal planning on the fly. Before I head to the grocery store on the weekend, I try to scour the pantry and freezer for available options, and then plan the week out accordingly.

Here's what's on our menu for this week:

Monday: Baked Ziti
Tuesday: Taco Tuesday (a family favorite and new tradition)
Wednesday: Pizza Night (a.k.a. my night off, and a chance for our family to spend time with my Mom, Dad, sister and her family)
Thursday: Pork Chops, Brown Rice and Green Beans
Friday: Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
Saturday: TGIFriday's Chicken Broccoli Alfredo meal
Sunday: Spaghetti

Hope that you all have a great week!

Savory Saturday: Herb Braised Chicken Thighs

Recently, I signed up to receive daily emails from SavingDinner.com. Every once in a while, Leanne Ely includes a recipe. The following recipe for braised chicken thighs looked like a perfect Sunday dinner, so I tried it last week. The meal was such a hit that a leftover repeat on Monday night was welcomed. (And we don't normally do leftovers!) Even my picky 4 year-old loved the chicken and potatoes. If you try the recipe, let me know what you think!

Herb Braised Chicken Thighs
Serves 6
Source: Saving Dinner


3 tablespoons flour
3 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 skinless chicken thighs
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups (2-inch-thick) sliced carrots
2 large onions, cut into wedges
2 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 1/4 pounds small red potatoes, quartered

1. Combine first 6 ingredients (flour through pepper) in a large zip-top plastic bag.
2. Add chicken; seal bag, shaking to coat.
3. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat.
4. Add chicken and remaining flour mixture to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.
5. Add carrot and onion; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
6. Add broth, wine and potatoes; bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat and simmer for 35 minutes or until chicken is done and vegetables are tender.

Per Serving: 390 calories, 7g Fat, 35g Protein, 43g Carbohydrate, 5g Dietary Fiber, 107mg Cholesterol, 866mg Sodium.
Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch, 4 Lean Meat, 1 1/2 Vegetable, 1/2 Fat.
Points: 8


Enjoy!

The Glass Castle

The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls

Product Description:
304 pages
Simon & Schuster (Jan. 2006)
Personal Copy

Borders Synopsis: The Glass Castle is a remarkable memoir of resilience and redemption, and a revelatory look into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and uniquely vibrant. When sober, Jeannette's brilliant and charismatic father captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. Her mother was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn't want the responsibility of raising a family.

The Walls children learned to take care of themselves. They fed, clothed, and protected one another, and eventually found their way to New York. Their parents followed them, choosing to be homeless even as their children prospered.

My thoughts: Never have I enjoyed a book so much, but wanted it to be over so quickly. I was awed by the Walls children, I experienced hate and a lack of understanding for their parents and I cringed so frequently because the book was not a very creative story, but it was real. The strength that Jeannette and her siblings showed was heroic and I was so very happy to reach the end, to know that the children turned out for the better, despite all of the many ways that the cards had been stacked against them. The Glass Castle was everything that the reviews suggested that it would be.

Your turn: Have you read The Glass Castle yet? Did it spark any emotions for you?

The Blue Handbag

The Blue Handbag by Fiona Robyn

Product Information:

320 pages

Snowbooks, UK Open Market Ed (Aug. 2009)

Personal Copy

Amazon.com synopsis: After forty years of happy marriage, Leonard thought he knew his wife Rose as well as he knew himself. It's only after her sudden death that he finds her old handbag, which contains a mystery he can't ignore. Accompanied by Lily, his wife's childhood friend, Leonard becomes a reluctant detective as his whole life starts to unravel! "The Blue Handbag" is steeped in a quiet poetry which reminds us to take pleasure from the ordinary details of life - reading stories to our children, sharing silence with our friend over a beer, enjoying the plants Leonard tends for a living - and never to take anything for granted.

My thoughts: I truly enjoyed The Blue Handbag. Robyn's depiction of Leonard's life after his wife's death was so lifelike, his memories so raw. There was one page that had me completely engrossed, on the verge of tears, and I was brought back to reality by two words: Spaghetti Bolognese. I laughed in surprise - there was such an immediate and wonderful transition from such a beautifully convincing past, to a ordinary present. Thankfully, I did not anticipate how the story would unfold, and I was very pleased by the ending. The story made me wish for a local pub, dream about a beautiful garden, and hug my husband a little tighter.

I'm looking forward to enjoying Robyn's first book The Letters very soon, and I'm looking forward to participating in the Blogsplash for her new book Thaw on March 1st. If you haven't yet signed up to participate, find out more about it here.

Your turn: Ever been snapped quickly back to reality, or experienced an unexpected (but enjoyable) jump by an author that left you reeling?