Best Book EVER!

My favorite book of 2010 just came out TODAY in paperback! Check out Amazon and get a copy...

I cannot say enough how much I appreciate Donald Miller's insight. Ever since reading "Million Miles" early last year, I have systematically read everything else he has written! (So has my husband, who even flew to Portland last fall for Don's Storyline conference.) This is a beautiful book.... in both its honest writing and its inspiring message. The desire to live life well is something that truly resonates in my soul. Slowly but surely, I am piecing together the rhythm of my story. And I pray it's a good one.

Favorite Books: Foodie Edition!

In 2010, I reclaimed my long lost reading habit and rediscovered my great love for books. Not only did I commit to feeding my mind, but I also resolved to feeding my body well. I didn't have to cultivate my foodie love….it's been with me forever! But I did have to refine it a bit. Good thing books and food go together very well! Here are five of my favorite cookbooks that have made their way onto my shelves and into my kitchen in the last year:

Reader's Digest Magic Foods by

Robert A. Barnett, Christine L. Pelkman, Ph.D. & Densie Webb, Ph.D., R.D.

I was browsing the books at Sam's Club one day and this little baby caught my eye before quietly sneaking into my cart amongst my giant-sized food necessities. (That happens sometimes.) I'll be honest: what usually draws me to cookbooks is pictures. But in this case, it wasn't just the colorful pics of healthy, magical foods...or even the recipes...it was the INFORMATION... which for me, is about as addictive as food itself. The book starts with some solid health basics about blood sugar, heart disease, insulin-resistance, and why they've become a national crisis. Then it explains basic nutrition: good and bad fats, proteins, glycemic load, and why fad diets like no-carb aren't helping. It introduces the "magic foods": those that are nutritional powerhouses for our bodies, including current information, cooking tips, and a short index to recipes for those magical foods in the back of the book. They even had a short "Eat this, not that" type of section in the middle. I was highly impressed by the book's organization and good sound nutritional advice. It will continue to be a great reference tool among my favorite food books.

Heartwarming Soups 2010, by Taste of Home Magazine

It's kind of a tease to post this one, for two reasons: 1) It's not really a book....it's more like a magazine. But when the cover price is $9.99, I call it a BOOK! 2) Although I linked the handy little pic here to Amazon, it isn't available anymore. So sad! I suppose if you really like it, you can order it from Taste of Home or poke around on Ebay... sorry!

You will find this here "bookazine" on my shelf, crammed with post-it notes. It's just the perfect time of the year for Easy Beef Barley Soup, Sausage Tortellini Soup with Spinach, Mexican Shrimp Bisque, Hearty Cheese Soup, White Chicken Chili, and many many others. And because I am a *super* friend, I just linked up those yummy recipes so you can enjoy them too! If I haven't told you already, I am a die-hard long-time fan of Taste of Home. I'm talkin' 15 year subscribin', annual cookbook collectin', field-trip-to-Greendale-Wisconsin, recipe-toting Taste of Home JUNKIE!!!

Great Food Fast: 250 Recipes for Easy, Delicious Meals All Year Long from Food Everyday, Martha Stewart Living

Now THIS is a book with pictures! Gorgeous mouth-watering pictures..... oh, and fantastic recipes too! Over 350 pages of simple, quick and fresh recipes that are organized according to seasons: asparagus and strawberries in the spring, barbecue and tomatoes and fresh herbs in the summer, apples and roasted squash in the fall, cranberries and hearty pot roast in the winter. Some of my personal faves: Favorite Turkey Burger (made with gruyere) on page 123, Flank Steak with Lime Marinade on page 131, and Pasta with Prosciutto and Peas on page 161.

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg, M.D. and Zoe Francois

I can't say another word without giving props to my good friend Jen over at imanimama.com for this awesome book! I am a baker.... there is just something that clicks in my spirit when I have a few quiet hours to gather my thoughts, mix something up, and make my house smell wonderful. I'm all about cookies, quick breads, pies, cakes, you name it...... but spending all afternoon accidentally killing yeast, covering the kitchen with flour, kneading and babysitting a blob of dough that will eventually become an ugly lump of crappy bread? FORGET IT! But when Jen raved about this book and explained that it only takes "Five Minutes a Day", I decided to give it a try. The subtitle says: "The discovery that revolutionizes home baking"..... and when I realized it came down to mixing ingredients in one bucket, ignoring it, and then making some pretty decent bread..... well, I decided it WAS pretty darn revolutionary! Check out the Artisan Bread in Five website for lots of great info.

Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving, edited by Judi Kingry and Lauren Devine

This book has been around for a while and the recipes inside it have no doubt been in use for decades. When I started canning a couple of summers ago, I bought a thin beginner's book from Ball that was available right next to the canner I bought at Walmart. Having tried a number of those recipes already, I was ready for more variety this year and finally invested in the "big book". And BIG it is! Over 400 recipes..... and only a few pictures. This book is old school! Seriously though, if you're into home canning or just want to learn, this comprehensive book is worth the money . It had all the recipes from the beginner book that I bought, plus tons more. This year I made peach preserves (regular and sugar free), cherry jam, dill pickles, sweet pickle relish, applesauce, cranberry sauce, pomegranate jelly, and my new fave: wine jelly! (Which is phenomenal! I made Merlot & Pinot Grigio to give as Christmas presents, paired with Brie and crackers. YUM.)

My Top 11 Books of 2010

Why eleven? Well, simply put: I took my book list from last year and narrowed my favorites down until I just couldn't narrow them down any more! 2010 brought me some excellent reads, and I thought I'd post them here to share. There's just nothing better than a hot cup of coffee, a good book, and five minutes to yourself! Enjoy...

My absolute favorite, tell-everyone-about-it book:

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller

Donald Miller, in one year, has become one of my most favorite writers. After reading Million Miles, I collected and read all of Miller's other books as well. His style is casual and open, and his honesty is both amusing and refreshing. The book's message is simple: to live a better story. It certainly made me reconsider mine.

The changing face of today's "community":

The Church of Facebook: How the Hyperconnected Are Redefining Community

by Jesse Rice

Jesse Rice asks the question: Can true community be found online? He reasons that social networking, such as Facebook, distinctively points to our human need for relationship. He includes some fascinating research and psychology. It's a great start to the conversation of how the changing face of technology influences church community.

Best parenting resource:

Wild Things by Stephen James & David Thomas

For those of us raising boys, this book is a must read! It follows the developmental stages in a boy's life and describes what he needs emotionally, physically, and spiritually to grow. I plan to keep mine as a reference - it certainly helped me understand my wild men so much better! We also credit this book for giving us the idea to have a "rite of passage" for our oldest son when he turned thirteen. Good stuff!

Changed the way I eat:

The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan

Michael Pollan, a brilliant New York Times writer, researches what we're eating, where it comes from, how it got to our tables, and what it really costs us. He explores everything from fast food to organics to hunting for a meal himself. A truly eye-opening book; I also wound up reading two of Pollan's other books on the subject as well.

My favorite "autism" read of the year:

Look Me in the Eye by John Elder Robison

John Elder Robison's memoirs of his life with Asperger's Syndrome (in addition to a highly dysfunctional family, which is also referenced by his half brother Augusten Burroughs in his book Running with Scissors). For me, this was a fascinating look into the mind of someone on the autism spectrum who could not only articulate his thoughts but also shared his memories over the course of a lifetime. It reminded me again that emotion and intention are deeply internal, and cannot be simply judged by what you see on the outside.

Personal therapy:

Father Fiction by Donald Miller

From fatherless wanderer to "wounded healer"….. Father Fiction is Miller's truly transparent narrative of processing a life without a dad. An excellent read. I'd like to read it again and journal through it myself.

Angry Conversations with God by Susan Isaacs

Disenfranchised by the church and by life's downturns, Susan took God to couples therapy (it's not as irreverent as it sounds!) Angry Conversations is an honest memoir of her life and spiritual journey to understanding who God is and who He isn't.

Fascinating Science:

Why we Make Mistakes by Joseph Hallinan

The subtitle says it all: How we look without seeing, forget things in seconds, and are all pretty sure we are way above average. The book is chock full of stats, studies, and interesting psychology (for me, anyway! LOL)

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Science has known her cells for decades as "HeLa" and used them to make amazing breakthroughs in medicine, yet until now no one knew the story of Henrietta Lacks, the woman who gave those cells without consent.

I finally read some fiction:

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Fiction just isn't my thing! But a good friend convinced me this year that I should try getting lost in a story every now and then, so I took her advice and worked in a few. In The Help, Stockett tells the stories of three black women in 1960's Mississippi, their white employers, and a tell-all book that shakes everyone up. Look for the movie due out this year!

My favorite kids book:

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

Now, I buy TONS of books each year for my kids. TONS! And I like many of them, but this one is truly precious. I bought it when my youngest son started poetry work as part of his homeschool curriculum. In Love That Dog, a boy about the same age is just being introduced to poetry for the first time and doesn't like it! But through the course of the school year, he discovers a love for verse and a way to express his feelings about the dog he lost. I kid you not, I actually CRIED! My son thought the book was very clever -- it was a GREAT way to introduce him to some of the classics.

2008 Foodie Favorites: Trader Joe's

2008 Favorite Food Store: Trader Joe's

A few years ago I was introduced to Joe in Media, PA while back in the Philly area visiting family. I was impressed from the get go and found myself telling the cashier how much I loved the place and how I wished we had one in Pittsburgh. He leaned over and told me a little secret: "You didn't hear this from me, but there's a rumor from corporate that you're getting one...." And sure enough, in October 2006, the first Trader Joe's in Pittburgh opened up in East Liberty. I have been enamored ever since.

A trip to TJ's is like a field trip for me! The East End, my old 'hood, is now a bit of a hike for me & the fam, but it's well worth the ride. The pic taken above was indeed a "field trip" of sorts -- a trip to Joe's during the summer break. Even my kids love the place!

Why do I love the place? Check it out for yourself and you'll see. Fresh and organic produce, products with healthy and sometimes exotic ingredients......and reasonable prices. Some of our family faves:

Orange Chicken paired with brown rice and broccoli (freezer section)
TJ's fat free Greek Yogurt (LOVE the stuff - and at $2.99 it's WAY cheaper than Fage)
Multigrain baking mix (like $2 a box)
Chevre (best price on goat cheese, imho)
Kung Pao noodle boxes (Roger loves these for work)
cut fresh mango
steelcut oatmeal (already cooked & frozen - so convenient)
dried wild blueberries (awesome in the oatmeal)
chunky unsweetened applesauce
sparkling pomegranate juice (for the holidays!)

They also have some great gourmet gifts for Christmas, including plants and arrangements. It's just a really fun place to explore. I'm crossing my fingers in hopes of more Pittsburgh locations!

Trader Joe is my 2008 BFF!!

Foodie Favorites 2008

It's December, people!!

Christmas is well on its way and in honor of this festive season, I would like to share with all of you fellow foodies some of my favorite treats, gadgets, and recipes that have kept me amused in 2008.

I figure if Oprah can have a "favorite things" list, so can I! Feel free to write to me and share some of yours......Enjoy!

My 2008 drug of choice: Coffee

Aaaahhh, the love of coffee! Who else can you turn to when it's Monday morning, you've been awakened far too early by whining children, you've been deprived of a shower, and you have the same shirt on as yesterday? That sweet sweet java is the closest thing a mom gets to an instant make-over in a cup.

This year I have expanded my knowledge of and affinity for a good cuppa Joe. I have learned that the kind of bean grinder I have at home sucks (thank you, guy at PrestoGeorge), that local coffee houses can only be furnished in retro garage-sale motif, and that it gets personal when the guys who make my coffee mysteriously disappear (I soooo miss you, old crew from the Vault. I have no one to make fun of me when I put a packet of sugar free cocoa in my coffee). I have learned that Starbucks gives me heart palpitations and is most likely made with crack, which is the reason why I keep drinking it. And I've watched Dunkin' make a pretty serious comeback. I now know what a french press is and I've learned the dark secret that some places hide their Splenda and ration out the packets to people. Must be the economy.

At any rate, I have my favs. Hazelnut anything is at the top of the list. But for this festive season, it's all about peppermint. And chocolate. I give you:

Starbucks Peppermint Mocha Twist

Pictured at the top of this post is the most wonderfully sweet morning splurge in all the land. Starbucks says:

"We’ve combined Starbucks espresso with bittersweet chocolate, bright peppermint flavor, and creamy steamed milk. It is finished with freshly made peppermint whipped cream and dark chocolate curls on top. The unforgettable pairing of chocolate and peppermint is made even livelier this holiday season with this special twist!"

Ummmmm, yeah. It's pretty awesome. And you'll be happy to know, not so bad on the hips either. A "tall" (yes you can say "small") Peppermint Mocha Twist with nonfat milk and no whipped cream will run you about 220 calories (or 4 WW points, if yer countin'). Squirt some whip on the top and you bump it up 2 more points, so take it easy will ya! You can also knock off about 25 calories for each squirt of peppermint syrup you omit. Imho, you can do without one or two and it still tastes perfectly pepperminty!!

Now go get one!