January 2017 Reads

Title: Reaper Man (Discworld #11)

Author: Terry Pratchett

Rating: ★★★★★

Title: Boundary Lines (Boundary Magic #2)

Author: Melissa F Olson

Rating: ★★★★★

Title: Crimson Bound

Author: Rosamund Hodge

Rating: ★★★★

Title: Night Bird

Author: Brian Freeman

Rating: ★★★★  

Kindle First

Title: Dinner with Edward

Author: Isabel Vincent

Rating: ★★★

Cook the Books Club & Foodies Read

Title: Apprentice in Death (In Death #43)

Author: JD Robb

Rating: ★★★★★

Title: Turbo Twenty-Three (Stephanie Plum #23)

Author: Janet Evanovich

Rating: ★★★★

 Title: The Geeky Chef

Author: Cassandra Reeder

My Review

Rating: ★★★★★  

Foodies Read

Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders

Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders on Sweet Yeast Rolls will be hit of your SuperBowl Party

Who’s ready for the superbowl???

My team isn’t in it this year (and let’s be honest, I’m not really a huge football fan anyhow), but that’s not stopping me from having a game night…I mean commercials…I mean superbowl party!

That’s right, we’re having all of our non football friends over for a game night, with the game on in the background!  This will be our second year having this sort of party and it’s always a blast! 

Salted Caramel Mocha Baked Oatmeal

I’m totally obsessed with Pumpkin Spice Baked Oatmeal.

But I kinda wanted a winter version (pumpkin spice just screams fall).

It took a few tries, but I eventually perfected a salted caramel-mocha version (so good!)

Copycat Campbell's Tomato Soup #SoupSwappers

Okay.

Another new blogging group.  Because it isn’t enough to start working full time – I need to join more blogging groups too – hahaha!

Anyhow this one is call Soup Saturday Swappers and our theme this month is Healthy Soup Options!

Is there anything better than a classic tomato soup?

I’ve made a bunch of different versions of tomato soup over the years.  I’ve added beans or sausage for a heartier soup, rosemary or cheddar and basil for a pop of flavor, and even grilled cheese croutons.  But this time I wanted to take it back to the basics.

A smooth, silky tomato soup.

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup #FantasticalFoodFight #FoodnFlix

Today’s recipe is doing double duty!

Today is this month’s Fantastical Food Fight, a themed group hosted by Sarah at a Fantastical Sharing of Recipes, where participants all cook up variations of a recipe type.  In the past we’ve done Deviled Eggs and Shortbread.  This month is all about the Slow Cooker Soups!

I’m also submitting this recipe to this month’s Food &Flix!  In Food ‘n Flix, participants watch the selected movie and then whip up something delicious inspired by the film.  This month’s flick is a rom-com, French Kiss, hosted by Heather, the founder of Food ‘n Flix!

It was fun to rewatch this movie with my foodie goggles on!  I’d seen it once, years ago and really enjoyed the movie, so I was excited to watch it again (Hubs was excited too!  His mom loves this movie, so he’s seen the movie a bunch of times too!)

There was surprisingly less food in the movie than I expected (or maybe we just missed it?)  There were mentions of pizza, plenty of wine, cheeses (*snerk* lactose intolerance!!), and a large dessert tray.  I almost went with some sort of crostini with cheese.

But then I was already planning to make my French Onion soup for Slow Cooker Soups and decided it was meant to be!

I’m not usually a slow cooker soup sort of person.  I usually make slow cooker roasts (maybe I’m stuck in a rut).  Anyhow, it was finally time to break the mold!

Apple Cider Sangria #Nyanuary #FandomFoodies

So, I decided to join yet another new food blogging club. 

This one is called Fandom Foodies.  Each month the theme is inspired by a different geeky fandom from games, books, movies, and pop culture in general!  This month, Katharina from Pretty Cake Machine chose the hashtag #Nyanuary!  That’s right, this month is all about the cats!

So what to choose?  All sorts of my favorite books and movies have cats in some way.  Harry Potter has Crookshanks, Garfield is classic, Mickey Mouse has Figaro, and on and on…

I thought on it for a week, tossing around different ideas when suddenly I had it: Soft Kitty.

Ham & Swiss Stromboli

Ham & Swiss Stromboli is a quick weeknight recipe!

Since I’m now working full time, I’m all about the quick & easy weekday meals!

And also just got suckered in to buying one of those ginormous packs of deli ham from Sam’s Club and we can never finish it fast enough!

Naan

Homemade Naan is a delicious side to any meal!

I’m slowly making my way through all the different flatbreads.

I’ve made tortillas (flour & corn), chapati, and paratha.  And all were delicious (the kids especially go nuts over them!)  Then I made Butter Chicken and I decided it was finally time to tackle Naan.

Naan is the most complex of the flatbreads, since it is yeasted, has the most ingredients, and needs to raise.

Tex Mex Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Tex Mex Stuffed Baked Potatoes are delicious after a long day at work!

So, I got a new job.

I was working part time as a teacher’s aide in my son’s classroom  - now I’m substitute teaching 3^rd grade in my other son’s class for the rest of the year! 

So overnight, I went from part time to full time with full classroom responsibilities and planning.

And I had to completely reevaluate my cooking schedule!  Baking?  Nope, that’s for weekends now.  And crockpot?  You’re up!