finding the right words, finding the right space

So, the last time I posted to this blog was July 21, 2012. A lot has happened since then. That was shortly before I interviewed for my current job. That alone has been a huge (and wonderful) change. 

I'm nearly a full year older. Not sure if I'm much wiser. But I do know one thing. I'm trying to find out the right words for me to share in a social world. 

Ok, so truth be told, I'm on a kick. I'm newly inspired, renewed, refreshed about the social world. I've cared and actively played in social media basically since its inception. I try the new tools as they come out. Sometimes I break up with them, sometimes I come back to them. I think many people are like me in that Facebook is the only one I've been loyal to, and consistently used (addictively) since it came out. Thanks, Mark Zuckerberg. 

And here I am, 10 months after I've last posted and I am at this whole new place. In a place that I am so happy to be because I've just gone to an event that was honestly life changing. I didn't expect that. I hoped for Social Media Marketing World (my life-changing event) to be professionally helpful. I wanted to learn some great ideas to help me as I lead the development of our social media strategy at work. It was that. I got that out of it. It was wonderful, amazing speakers, smart people, all that you want out of a conference so you can come back and say it was worth the company's money to send you (and if it was good, hope they are willing to send you again.) 

This conference was so much more than that for me. I don't say it was life-changing lightly. But, it really was. I'm so inspired to think about what it means to be a public relations professional in the social space. I'm also excited to engaged in conversations in new ways and provide great thoughts. 

So, I suppose with that you'd think I'm about to announce this GREAT new blogging plan and that I promise to not take another ten-month hiatus. The truth is, I might. I'm not quite sure what to do with this blog. Quite simply, that's because I'm really active otherwise in the social space. 

And, it's a pretty big space... 

Let me share because I invite you to connect with me there while I figure this all out: 

Are you my friend or family member or someone I trust enough to let you in to a bit of my personal life? Well, then we are probably already Facebook friends. Otherwise, ask, but if I don't know you, I won't friend. Just being upfront. 

Are you interested in engaging in conversations around many things, but especially social media in the PR/marketing space? I'm dedicated to using Twitter to facilitate these conversations. I also love to cook, bake and read. Do you? TV? Movies? Let's see where this will take us. I want to network more broadly. I want to be part of a larger conversation, not just a lurker. 

I've been using Twitter a lot as a lurker. I've realized, while this works for some people, that's exactly why Twitter hasn't worked for me.If you've done Strengths Finder (or not), you'll understand what I mean when I say one of my strengths is "Input." I need to be a part of the conversation. And, I've realized I really need to use Twitter in its full capacity-- as a networking tool. 

So, want to network? Follow me. 

And, then there's the third of the big three. LinkedIn. At Social Media Marketing World, Guy Kawasaki described LinkedIn as where you "pimp yourself out." Thanks, Guy. That's about right. Want to "pimp"? I welcome conversations about communications/public relations and social media best practices. I'm here. 

So, yeah those are the big ones. And I'm having conversations (to varying degrees) in all those spaces. So, what do I talk about here? 

I could talk about books (as I've done before), but I'm on Goodreads (find me on there if you want.) And, I like that space for thinking about books and talking about books and looking for reviews on books. And to be frank, there are plenty of great book bloggers out there (including my friend Michelle). 

I could talk about recipes, but then, I don't really invent my own, so if you want some good recipe blogs, just message me. Or follow me onPinterest. Yum food. 

I could talk about social media, but follow me on Twitter or leave a comment and I'll suggest a list of people who are way smarter than me to give social insights. 

I could share photos. But I have a Tumblr blog I'm redoing to share photos of gratitude. I also am on Instagram (if you like whatever random photos, including many pet photos, that I want to share with the world). 

I have Vine. (Haven't used it yet.) I'm on YouTube (I haven't gone viral yet). 

I'm on FourSquare, but you don't need to know where I am unless you personally know me so don't really bother asking for my Four Square friendship. (Also, I haven't used it in a year and a half.) 

I'm on Google+. Guy Kawasaki says Google+ is a great space to talk about "passions." So, I don't use it much, but I'll try, OK? And, I'm going to try to connect with others with similar passions. So, yeah, if you want to connect, just ask. 

So now what? What do I have to add to the conversation? Those of you who know me and have ideas of what you want to hear (if anything), I am open to it. Otherwise, just find me on any of the aforementioned social networks. 

That's all for now. Thanks, friends. Comments welcome (but not expected.) 

And if I figure out how/what I want to be an awesome blogger about, I'll let you know. Writing is one of my passions, I just have to find the right thing to talk about. When I get there, if you're still hanging in there, you'll know. 

Book Review: The Lonely Polygamist

Book: The Lonely Polygamist
Author: Brady Udall
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Book club rating: 4 out of 5 stars (for those who finished it) 


Brief synopsis:

Golden Richards, husband to four wives, father to twenty-eight children, is having the mother of all midlife crises. His construction business is failing, his family has grown into an overpopulated mini-dukedom beset with insurrection and rivalry, and he is done in with grief: due to the accidental death of a daughter and the stillbirth of a son, he has come to doubt the capacity of his own heart. Brady Udall, one of our finest American fiction writers, tells a tragicomic story of a deeply faithful man who, crippled by grief and the demands of work and family, becomes entangled in an affair that threatens to destroy his family’s future. Like John Irving and Richard Yates, Udall creates characters that engage us to the fullest as they grapple with the nature of need, love, and belonging.
Beautifully written, keenly observed, and ultimately redemptive, The Lonely Polygamist is an unforgettable story of an American family—with its inevitable dysfunctionality, heartbreak, and comedy—pushed to its outer limits.


My Review:
We read "The Lonely Polygamist" as our July book club read. The book had mix reviewed, but fell into too distinct camps. Camp One: Loved the book. It was amazing. It was great. Camp Two: I just couldn't get into this book. It just didn't do it for me. 


I was in the first camp. I absolutely loved this book. First of all, it was incredibly well written-- writing of this quality can be hard to come by. As a writer, I appreciate having the chance to read a book of someone who really knows how to do it right. So, that pulled me in writing away. The characters were beautifully developed. The scenes were elaborate. I could picture the time, the place, the people. 


As I read this book, I thought of what I learned from author Kate Ledger, who taught the class "How to Write a Novel," which I took this spring at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. I couldn't help but think as I read this book that it was a brilliant example of how to write an incredible and gripping story. Udall used all the of the tactics Ledger taught us. He's someone to learn from as a writer. 


However, I can see how this is a story that can be hard for people to get into. It doesn't move quickly. And, there is an overall sense of melancholy in the lives of everyone in this book. But, this melancholy is mixed with many humorous events along the way (i.e. an incident with gum in pubic hair, a nasty bout with some fleas). 


For some, there were really no likeable characters. Others, had some they liked along the way. I really liked Rusty (the only child that the reader gets a perspective from in the novel.) One member of our book club mentioned that she really liked Beverly, the oldest and first wife, which I found interesting as you only get a perspective of Beverly second hand. (Although, there are some events in Beverly's story line that come up late in the novel that I also loved and really made me like her, too.) 

The one warning I will give is a lot of bad things happen to pretty much all the characters in this book. There are times when you'll likely have to set it down and just take a break from it. That's just the type of book it is. (I read a Jen Lancaster memoir alongside it... much lighter and that helped keep me going!) 


So, who is this a book for? Well, it's hard for me to say. If you only like fast paced books, this isn't a book for you. If you are interested in American religions, Mormonism specifically, then you'll enjoy this book. If you really appreciate strong writing, this is likely a book for you. 


Is it worth picking up? I say absolutely. But, if you just can't get into it, well, you may be in the camp of some of my other book clubbers, and, sigh, while I think it's great, that's OK, too. 

Book Review: Linger and Forever (Mercy Falls Series #2 & #3)

In February, I reviewed Shiver, book one in the Mercy Falls trilogy. I've been so busy reading lots and lots of books, I haven't gotten around to doing my review of the second two books in the series until now.


Books: Linger, Forever
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Brief synopsis:

Linger
In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.


Forever
In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.


My review 
This series went down hill a bit for me with each book. While I really enjoyed the first, by the second I was a bit more disinterested in what was happening with the characters and by the third I was really burned out and ready to be done. 


In Linger, Grace fights to stop what is happening to her-- her inevitable journey into becoming a wolf. A new character, Cole, is also introduced. A famous lead-singer in a popular boy band, with Cole's introduction into the pack, they now have the concern of the larger public learning about them. While it adds another layer to the story, it also moves away from the series core, which is the relationship between Cole and Grace. I was also dissapointed that they did little with Grace's best friend, Olivia, who become a wolf in book one. I would have liked to hear from her perspective as a wolf. 


In Forever, the tension builds as Grace has become a wolf and the pack is threatened by a wolf hunt. The story again introduces tension through Cole's story line, as well as Grace's story line as a wolf and the ultimate fight to save the entire pack from being murdered. I will say, Stiefvater does a nice job of building the tension at the end as they work to save the wolves. 


Overall, I think the series was pretty good, but not great. For those that really enjoy young adult fiction, it's a decent read. It's a different path than a lot of the popular young adult dystopian fiction, which is a nice break. 


(Final note: I will admit, I finished these books in April... It's July...So, I apologize for some of the lack of spunk and details in this review. I'll try to be quicker with other future reviews!) 

Loving summer salads

One of the things I love most about summer is cooking with garden fresh veggies and herbs. While my veggies are still growing, my herbs are mostly coming in well and are ready for plucking. Let the season of mojitos begin! 


The other night I made a delicious Thai Grilled Steak Salad that was featured on The Kitchn. It was a hit and I want to share the recipe. 


Thai Grilled Steak Salad
Makes 4 servings

1 1/2 pounds rib eye steak

1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 small head lettuce
1/2 cup mint leaves
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
Salt
Vegetable oil
• Feel free to add 1 or 2 minced chilies (Thai bird's eye or serrano) to the dressing if you want some heat.

Season the steak with salt and set aside. Heat a gas or charcoal grill or grill pan over high heat until very hot. Brush the steak with oil and grill to desired doneness, about 4-5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for at least 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar.

Tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Roughly tear the mint and cilantro and add to the bowl. Add the cucumber, tomatoes and red onion.

Trim away any excess fat from the steak and thinly slice across the grain. Pour the accumulated juices into the lime-fish sauce dressing and mix. Drizzle 4 tablespoons of dressing over the lettuce mixture and toss. Taste a lettuce leaf and add more dressing if needed. Divide the salad between four plates and top each serving with the sliced steak. Drizzle a little more dressing over the steak before serving. (There will most likely be some dressing left over.)

Additional Notes:

Nancy Drew, where are you? Oh, in my house now!

So, the title has no intelligent meaning, really, but the beginning rhymes. I think I'm clever for that. Later, I'll regret how stupid that is. (Probably, but right now, I'm just clever and a little giddy about what I'm about to say.)

But, I have to say I'm super excited because today I brought home 24 Nancy Drew books (and another couple dozen other classic children's books. So excited.

We had them unclaimed at our family farm. My father (insert gasp here!) was just going to throw them away! I saved them! (And apparently there are more in our trailer for me to save, but I haven't done that yet, but he knows he's not allowed to throw ANYTHING away until I go through them.

So, I had to see how many Nancy Drew books there are because now that I have 24 of them, I want to collect more (but only the old, classic hardcovers... that's kind of the point.)

So, in the "old format" there are 56 books. Then there's a bunch of new ones that are just in paperback (yawn), I like the OLD books.

How cool are these though? I'm so excited.

I. Love. Books.

The. End.

Turtles and Raspberry Lemon Bars

Yes, the title of this post does have a meaning. And yes, they do go together. You'll see.

So, a couple weeks ago I hosted a baby shower for my friend Kelly. At the shower, I served these, what I thought were (and yes, ahem, I did make them) amazing raspberry lemonade bars. (Much thanks to the blog Annie's Eats, from where I stole this delicious recipe! And, if you like to follow recipe blogs like me... Ok, I'm a little addicted, it may be a disease... Well, anyway, Annie's Eats is a great one to follow. I highly recommend her.)

So, if you're to lazy to CLICK above, here's the raspberry lemonade bar recipe. Yum. Yum. (I didn't take a photo of mine, so just click on over to Annie's Eats to see a photo that will certainly entice you to make these little beauties).

Raspberry Lemonade Bars

INGREDIENTS
For the crust:

• 2¼ sticks (18 tbsp.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. salt

For the raspberry lemon layer:

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp. lemon zest
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 3 cups frozen raspberries, thawed
• 6 large egg whites
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/3 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar.  Beat on medium-high speed until smooth, 1-2 minutes.  With the mixer on low speed, mix in the flour and salt just until incorporated.  Add the dough to the prepared baking pan.  Press into an even layer over the bottom of the pan.  Bake for about 25 minutes or until light golden brown.  Remove from the oven, maintaining the temperature.

While the crust is baking, make the top layer.  Combine the sugar, flour, lemon zest and salt in a large bowl and whisk to blend.  Add the raspberries to a fine mesh sieve and press through, mashing with a spatula, to extract as much juice and pulp as possible, straining out the seeds.  Add the egg whites and eggs to the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk well to blend.  Whisk in the raspberry puree and lemon juice until smooth.

Pour the mixture over the crust and bake until the center is just set and not longer jiggles when gently shaken, about 35-40 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.  Cover and chill well in the refrigerator, at least 2 hours.  When ready to serve, use the parchment paper to lift the bars from the pan.  Place on a cutting board and slice into bars.  Dust the tops with confectioners’ sugar if desired.

*This recipe can be halved and baked in an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with a slightly reduced baking time.

Ok, so now that you're all hungry and mad at me for making you crave sugar, (Ooh, I feel like I'm beginning to sound like a food blogger... except I don't come up with my own recipes, I just share other peoples... not quite the same...)... On to THE TURTLE.

I've come to call snapping turtles my nemesis. Why you may ask?

Well, innocently enough (ok not so innocently, Kelly's husband captured the beast), Kelly had a snapping turtle in a bucket... So, we put water over it and left in the driveway... because, what else do you do with a large reptile that has just arrived at your home, right?

So, how did he become my nemesis?

 Well, this particular snapping turtle ESCAPED.

BTW, did you know that they look like this?

Imagine that ugly beats running around your neighborhood... TAUNTING YOU. Trying to bite your toes off. Ok, so I'm exaggerating a bit. But that bugger SCARED THE BEGEBEES out of me! Look how ugly that guy is. And, I swear, the one that ended up in my driveway was EVEN UGLIER! 

Mainly, I was worried about my dog. I didn't want her to get snapped at. Fortunately, she didn't. He was gone from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., whereupon he came lunging up my driveway at me as I was leaving for a friend's party that evening. And, I know it's a turtle. I know they are slow. But the hare stood no chance against this monster. He could really MOVE. Kelly said they'd come get him, but I knew by the time that they'd arrive he'd be gone. 

So, I don't see him at all the next day... or the next day.... Then, Tuesday morning rolls around... And. He. Returns! 

I was out walking Lucy for our morning walk. We went down around the pond near my house as usual (see where this is going?) and on the way ran into my neighbor who lives across the street. Who starts to tell me about how his wife went to let out the dog on Sunday... and you can guess what they ran into. Needless to say, I apologized profusely if it scared his wife or dog (hey the dang thing scared me!) and confessed I knew where he came from. Of course, my neighbor just laughed at me because I was so worked up over a silly turtle!

So, Lucy and I continue and do a second loop and she walks over to the woodchips on the playground and THERE IT WAS! Just bathing in the sun. So, completely freaked out and feeling guilty and feeling like the turtle needs to find an appropriate home, I called New Brighton Parks and Recreation as soon as they opened to inform them about the turtle. (And I called back at noon. They hadn't been able to find him. I don't know if they ever did.) Anyway, it's been a couple week and it's gone. 

My conclusion. He trotted across the overpass, over the interstate and made his way to Long Lake Park, where he is now living a happy turtle life. (Hey, it COULD have happened.)  

In the meantime, I'm having dreams about the turtle living in the park and mating with a painted turtle and making turtle babies that crawl up and down the playground equipment. Yes, I did dream that. It must all come back to that the turtle came into my life during Kelly's baby shower. 

I love you, Kelly, but I have to confess, I hate your turtle. (And, I hope this makes you laugh.) Even if he does make a good story. (And by the way, this 20 pound turtle became about 500 pounds in my legendary story telling about him. I'm quite a good exaggerator, believe me.)

So, that's the story of my nemesis... the snapping turtle. Maybe you all should just make the raspberry lemonade bars and call it a day. 

Learning to Love David Sedaris

So, I've been going to the library. A lot. New Brighton has a brand new library within walking distance of my house. I. Love. It. I swear, I'm there nearly weekly as of late. It's just so convenient!

So, as part of my frequent library trips I've chosen to pick up some David Sedaris on audio book. I knew he read his own books and that made me happy. I love it when authors read their own books (especially memoirs).

Mostly, I've taken to downloading the books into Itunes and then popping them into my Ipod, providing me a humorous personal companion while I walk the dog. On our morning and evening walks, Lucy would be filled with the delight of the sounds and smells of our neighborhood and I'd be filled with the delight of a  happy dog with a wagging tale and humorous Sedaris stories.

I started with "Me Talk Pretty One Day," but wish I had started with either "Naked" or "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim," simply because I really love the stories Sedaris shares about his family so much and, while his stories of learning French were fairly amusing, I really disliked some of his stories in "Me Talk Pretty One Day" that talked about the height of his drug use (hanging out with people who have a chair made of hair? That's just gross and uncomfortable to me, not funny). But, stories of his family and their antics growing up are  hilarious. I often found myself laughing out loud at these.

In moving from "Me Talk Pretty One Day" to "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim," I also shifted from listening in the car (the first) to listening on a walk with the dog (as I've done with the rest). I think, honestly, the format of listening while going on a relaxing walk, rather than while driving, also made me like them better.

I think that's the beauty of Sedaris' books. While,  his family is certainly a lot different than mine, he's still very relateable in that every family has crazy stories and often they are around the simplest things (a family dinner, a crazy neighbor, etc.). It makes me (as a writer), look back on the funny stories that have happened in my life and learn to tell them in a new way. I love how he'll often start with one short story, that will lead into a longer, more elaborate tale to fill the chapter. He quite cleverly weaves these tales together.

So, maybe I'll make part of this blog tales of crazy stories from my family. I've been meaning to write the story of my (crazy-ish) friend's bridal shower I threw that included an unexpected visiting from a snapping turtle. Maybe I'll work on weaving that tale into here later this weekend...

I've got to get back to blogging more. I've been slow as of late. My excuse? Reading. A lot. To date in 2012, I've read 28 books and listened to six audio books (five of which are Sedaris).

But, inspired by Sedaris and Jen Lancaster (just read her first book "Bitter is the New Black," more to come on her later after I've read a few more), I'm going to try to blog more and capture some more fun and entertaining stories.

For those who haven't read Sedaris, but want to, based on what I've read so far, this is my recommended order of reading (or listening to on audio book, which I highly recommend):

I've read (and I recommend):

• Naked 
• Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim 
• Me Talk Pretty One Day 
• When You are Engulfed in Flames 

Yet for me to read (listen to):

• Barrel Fever 
• Holidays on Ice 
• Live for Your Listening Pleasure

I just say skip this all together:

• Squirrel Meets Chipmunk

More to come soon, friends! 

Recipe Box: Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

So, I'm lazily playing catch up on my blog...So, for fun, here is a recipe for these awesome cupcakes I made for Easter brunch. They are putzy, but if you like lemon, oh so worth it!

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes (Taken from Serious Eats) 

My Easter cupcakes!

Makes 24 cupcakes, active time 1 hour, 30 minutes, total time 4 hours, 30 minutes

Ingredients

    For the Lemon Curd
    1 cup sugar
    4 large eggs, at room temperature
    3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
    1/8 teaspoon salt
    2 tablespoons zest and 3/4 cup juice from 3 large lemons
    8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
    
    For the Lemon Cupcakes
    Baking spray
    1 3/4 cups sugar
    2 tablespoons finely grated zest and 1/4 cup juice from 2 large lemons
    1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    1 cup cake flour
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    3/4 cup milk, at room temperature
    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    4 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
    1 teaspoon salt
    2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
    
    For the Meringue Topping
    1 1/4 cups sugar
    1/4 cup water
    1/4 cup light corn syrup
    6 large egg whites, at room temperature
    1/4 teaspoon salt


Procedures

    For the Lemon Curd: Whisk sugar, eggs, egg yolks, and salt together in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add lemon zest and lemon juice and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and the consistency of pudding, 8 to 10 minutes.

    Strain curd into medium bowl. Add butter and stir until completely incorporated. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of curd and refrigerate until completely chilled, about 2 hours. Alternatively, place bowl in ice bath and stir constantly until custard is completely cooled, 10 to 15 minutes. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of curd and refrigerate until needed. (Curd may be prepared up to 2 days in advance).

    For the Lemon Cupcakes: Place 24 cupcake liners in 2 (12-cup) baking tins. Lightly coat tins and liners with baking spray. Adjust oven racks to upper middle and lower middle positions and preheat oven to 350°F.

    In food processor, pulse1 1/2 cups sugar and lemon zest until no zest strands remain.

    Whisk all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in medium bowl; reserve.

    Combine milk, lemon juice, and vanilla in glass measuring cup (mixture will curdle); reserve.

    In large, clean, dry bowl, whip egg whites and salt with whisk attachment on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes longer. (If you used the stand mixer bowl, transfer whites to separate bowl).

    Beat butter and lemon sugar with paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with milk mixture.

    Stir in 1/3 of egg whites, then, fold in remaining egg whites with rubber spatula. Divide batter equally between prepared pans, filling each cup about 3/4 of the way.

    Bake until tester inserted in center of cupcakes comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating and alternating pans halfway through baking.

    Transfer tins to cooling racks and cool 10 minutes in pans. Turn cupcakes out directly onto racks, then invert so the tops are facing up. Cool completely, about 30 minutes

    For the Meringue Topping: Stir sugar, water, and corn syrup in heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and boil syrup until it registers 238°F on candy thermometer, 8 to 10 minutes.

    While syrup boils, in large, clean, dry bowl, whip egg whites and salt with whisk attachment on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. With mixer running on medium-high speed, add syrup to egg whites in a slow, steady stream. Beat until outside of bowl is cool to the touch and whites are thick and glossy, about 7 minutes.

    Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch pastry tip. Alternatively, transfer meringue to a gallon-sized zipper-lock bag and cut off a 1/2-inch from the tip.

    To Assemble: Once cooled, cut out circles in center of cupcakes, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around. The cutout will look like a cone. Lift the “cone” from the cupcake and trim off the pointy part to make a coin-like cap.

    Fill each cupcake with curd and cover center with cap.

    Pipe meringue onto cupcakes, smoothing out sides or making peaks decoratively. Brown meringues with torch. (If you don’t have a torch, heat broiler. Arrange frosted cupcakes on a baking sheet, 6 at a time and run under the broiler until browned, 10 to 30 seconds, depending on the broiler). Serve.

© Serious Eats

Lots of reading, lots of writing

I've been reading a lot, but not reviewing a lot. I hope to try to be better, but as of late, I haven't had it in me! And, mostly I've been reading a lot of Janet Evanovich and I figure there are plenty of Evanovich reviews out there so who needs another....

So, I'm starting a novel writing class at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis and am really excited about that. Maybe someday people will be able to write reviews on something I've written. Unfortunately, I got my dates screwed up and missed the first class, but got caught up from my dear friend Kari and from the teacher so I'm excited to dive in next week!

For my homework this week, I am to read "The Lottery" (which, oddly enough, I just read for the first time in the last month so ago...) and I have to write a one page description of my childhood bedroom (this was in class assignment that I missed.... grrr... still kicking myself...) and I am to write down ten memories/moments/stories that have "stuck with me" or "got under my skin."

It's just really exciting to begin this endeavor with a group of people also committed to the world of literature and contributing to this great art.

I'm sure I'll have more to come soon on this! Maybe even a few sneak peeks of whatever I come up with for this project I'm calling "learning to write a novel" (Ok, I'm not calling that, that's the name of the class...)

That's all for now... Maybe I should write on this thing more often... It's good practice for developing ideas for a novel...

Book Review: Shiver

Book: Shiver

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

My rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Brief synopsis:

Grace and Sam share a kinship so close they could be lovers or siblings. But they also share a problem. When the temperature slips towards freezing, Sam reverts to his wolf identity and must retreat into the woods to protect his pack. He worries that eventually his human side will fade away and he will be left howling alone at the lonely moon. A stirring supernatural teen romance.

 My review: 


I really liked this book. Really liked this book. Didn't love this book, but really liked it. It's like a relationship. It's good enough for a second date (Linger), and I'm sure a third (Forever). It's a fun, light, romance. It has the elements that make for a good, light-hearted young adult, science fiction romance. Now, this may be the Team Jacob coming out in me, but I loved these main characters together. I liked that Grace and Sam felt mature, likeable and fun. I like that they seemed to have some beyond-this-world connection to each other. I liked that they had a friendship as much as they had a relationship. And, best I can tell, and granted, I haven't read the second and third books yet, I'm fairly certain Grace isn't so stupid as to jump off any damn cliffs for Sam. 


In short, read it. It's fun. It's quick (I read it in a day). It's what I think makes young adult a great genre... even for old, young adults like me. 


I'm currently working on more Evanovich and Blindness for BYOB's March Gathering. And, to date, 10 books toward the 50 I'm shooting for in 2012.

Happy reading, friends!

Book Review: A Faithful Place

Book: Faithful Place

Author: Tana French

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Brief synopsis:

Back in 1985, Frank Mackey was nineteen, growing up poor in Dublin's inner city, and living crammed into a small flat with his family on Faithful Place. But he had his sights set on a lot more. He and Rosie Daly were all ready to run away to London together, get married, get good jobs, break away from factory work and poverty and their old lives.

But on the winter night when they were supposed to leave, Rosie didn't show. Frank took it for granted that she'd dumped him-probably because of his alcoholic father, nutcase mother, and generally dysfunctional family. He never went home again.

Neither did Rosie. Everyone thought she had gone to England on her own and was over there living a shiny new life. Then, twenty-two years later, Rosie's suitcase shows up behind a fireplace in a derelict house on Faithful Place, and Frank is going home whether he likes it or not.

Getting sucked in is a lot easier than getting out again. Frank finds himself straight back in the dark tangle of relationships he left behind. The cops working the case want him out of the way, in case loyalty to his family and community makes him a liability. Faithful Place wants him out because he's a detective now, and the Place has never liked cops. Frank just wants to find out what happened to Rosie Daly-and he's willing to do whatever it takes, to himself or anyone else, to get the job done.

My review:


This is Tana French's third book. Having read her first two, In the Woods and The Likeness, (and thoroughly loved both),  I was really excited to read Faithful Place. While Faithful Place was as well written as her first two, I didn't find that I loved it. 


There were several reasons. First, this one held less of a psychological suspense thriller element than her other books. The focus was more on Frank and his relationship with his family. While it gave a nice background into the character, this also led the mystery to become fairly predictable. The ending seemed a bit too easy. Now having read three French novels, I'm starting to find that may be the one weakness in her writing... if it seems to obvious, well, it may just be the answer. (Although, I will say in the first two, I didn't figure it out, but left feeling like I should have done so!) 


There were a few plot twists I was predicting along the way that didn't happen and in a lot of ways, I wish something more twisty would have happened toward the end. 


I will say, if you like Tana French, it's a good, solid and well-written novel and worth reading. But if you haven't read her, then absolutely read her first two books before tackling Faithful Place. 

My year of fifty books

This year I've set a goal for myself to read fifty books. Some will be for book club (next up is "Blindness," by Jose Sargamo* which I haven't started yet.)

I also just started reading Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plumb series. I read the first two in the series in January and just borrowed books three and four from the library. As these have been out for some time, I'm not going to review them, but I will say, so far, I love them. Super fast reads! It will be my mystery series investment of the year. Next year maybe I'll try Sue Grafton's alphabet series?

In January, I'm proud to say I stayed on track reading four books.

1) One for the Money, Janet Evanovich
2) Two for the Dough, Janet Evanovich
3) Heaven is for Real, Todd Burpo
4) Faithful Place, Tana French*

In February, to date, I've read one book so far. Albeit, it was a short one, Mitch Albom's "For One More Day."

Additionally, in January I started "Women, Food and God," by Geneen Roth which I'm about halfway through.

I am tracking my book challenge in Goodreads, where I'll give each a rating when I'm done.

Don't worry, I'm not intending to fill my blog with a running list of all the books I have read, but I will continue to review some of them on here. In the mean time, I think I need to watch a bit of TV, too!

*I will write a review on this one. 

Book Review: Maze Runner

BYOB Book Club: January 2011

Book read: "The Maze Runner," James Dashner 

Overall rating: 3.4 

Ladies in attendance: 9

Description: 

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’re closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers. 

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

Our review: 

Those of us able to attend our gathering this month had a bit of a split reaction over this book. Some of us loved it and ranked it quite high, others ranked it quite a bit lower. 

The interesting commonality was that some of us who read the first and enjoyed it to go onto the next two books in the series, all found the latter two to be disappointing in comparison.

The discussion around it had a few themes. Whether we liked it or not, we all agreed it was a quick read with a plot that moved along fairly rapidly. Some of us found the plot to be really interesting and intriguing, others were highly disappointed for various reasons. 

For those who loved it, it was a quick read and made them want to move along to the next book in the series and get answers to their questions.

 Those who didn't like it had various reasons: for some, it wasn't their genre. For others, they loved this genre, but felt this book didn't represent it well. It was noted that plots quite similar to this book had been done before, sometimes worse and sometimes better. A funny example of what was considered to worse was a comparison to the movie "The Cube," which, by those who had seen it, was considered to be a terrible movie. 

Overall, we all agreed that the writing was weak and generally felt it talked down to the audience, especially through the frequent use of fragments. It was a middle of the road read for all of us. 


So, the question comes down to "to recommend or to not recommend"... that is the question... And I'm going to say that might be a split for "Maze Runner", but a definite, skip the other two. Just leave yourself wondering because at the end of it all, you still will be anyway! 


As a final note, movie rights have been bought and some thought it could have potential to make a good movie, others were less sold on it. And on that note, I leave you with the other movie of the night, "The Cube." 

Book Review: Loving Frank

So, I never got around to posting about "Loving Frank," which we read for November book club. So, instead I'm just going to be lazy and link to Michelle's post, which gives a great overview of our conversation about the book.

I gave it a 4.5/5. I absolutely loved this book. It was a really good read and provoked great discussion.

http://www.redheadedbookchild.com/2011/11/ladies-book-club-november-2011.html

We'll be discussing "The Maze Runner" in a couple weeks.

Happy New Year, I'll be a better blogger again soon! I'm so behind!

Photo Card

Santa Paws Holiday

Create unique holiday invitations at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

25 Ways to Wear a Scarf

This video, which was shared with me by my friend Jenni, is sort-of brilliant. I am overwhelmed however, by all the options. I think I need to watch it again!



In the meantime, I have many posts I have been hoping to share and for many reasons, none worth mentioning, I have not gotten to it. Watch for some fun fall recipes, stories and highlights... soonish!

And finally, PS. Happy NaNoWriMo Kick-off Day!

NanoWriMo Take 2!

I can't believe it's that time again! It's nearly November and that means it's nearly time for my second annual venture into the world of writing a novel in 30 days! NaNoWrimo 2011 is almost here!

I, for one, can't wait! I have a few ideas in mind, but am still working on planning out the details of my 2011 adventure. Expect updates on the way. It's my most wonderful time of the year!

For my fellow NaNoers- good luck and happy writing!

And, if you're anything like me, your October may look something like this. Hooray for NaNoWriMo!

Recipe Box: Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

Tonight I got in the mood for fall baking. I've been in the mood for pumpkin-flavored fall treats. To kick off the craving, I made a batch of pumpkin cinnamon rolls, which I found on one of my favorite baking blogs, Baked Bree.

They are in the kitchen rising now. I can't wait to taste one! I am so confident that they will be delicious that I'm sharing the recipe even before trying one myself. (Original recipe taken from Good Life Eats blog).

Watch for more from me soon-- I bought six cans of pumpkin pie filling at the grocery store tonight!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

roll dough adapted from King Arthur Flour
makes approximately 15-16 rolls

 

Ingredients:

Roll Dough:
1/4 cup warm water (not hot, about 110 degrees)
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm milk
1 large egg, beaten
3/4 cup pumpkin puree, either fresh or canned
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 cups (approximately) All-Purpose Flour
1 1 /4 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Filling:
1 stick butter
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon each of allspice and ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves

Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 ounces cream cheese
1 stick (4 ounces) butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
2-3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Stir yeast into water to soften in a large bowl. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before stirring to combine. Stir in the milk, eggs, pumpkin, butter, 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cardamom to yeast mixture. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes.

Slowly add the rest of the flour (all purpose), a bit at a time, until the dough is stiff enough to knead. Begin with 1 1/2 cups of flour and increase if necessary. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead, adding flour as necessary, until you have a smooth, elastic dough.

Place the dough into a greased bowl. Turn the dough in the bowl to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and rise until doubled, approximately 1 hour.

Combine the white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in a another bowl, set aside. Transfer the risen dough to a lightly greased work surface, and pat or roll it into a 16" x 12" rectangle. Spread softened butter over dough and then sprinkle with the sugar mixture.

Roll the dough into a log the long way; it'll stretch to about 20" long as you roll. Using a very sharp knife, slice the log into 15 slices. In order to cut down on drag, it helps to rinse the blade in hot water, and wipe it off, between slices. Place slices in a greased 9x13 inch baking pan (or in two 8 or 9 inch round cake or pie pans). Cover with a towel and let rise until almost doubled, about 45 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven. Bake the rolls till they're brown around the edges and beginning to turn golden brown across the center, about 20-30 minutes.

While rolls bake, prepare the cream cheese frosting. Add the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and lemon juice to a small food processor. Blend until smooth and combined. Add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, blending in between, until well mixed and desired consistency is reached. (I used 2 cups powdered sugar)

Frost warm rolls with the cream cheese frosting and serve immediately.

For night before prep: Prepare the rolls up to the point where you roll and place in the pan. Then, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove the pan from the fridge and proceed with the instructions where you left off. Rising time may be slightly longer than noted in the recipe due to the dough being cold vs room temp.

Getting organized...or trying at least

I'm trying to organize more stuff in my life. I've spent a significant amount of time lately gathering together a lot of things I find interesting... recipes, home improvement projects, pet stuff, and more. So, thanks to my wonderful friend, Jenni, I've discovered Evernote, a great organization tool. I have it synced on my home computer, my work computer and my phone. I love it. Lately, I've been using it to save recipes. I love to cook and follow foodie blogs so Evernote has been a great place to save the delicious looking recipes I find.

I was a slow adapter, but am finding it more and more useful. So much so that I am even considering upgrading from their free account to their premium account. The only reason I haven't is that the premium account is $45 and I haven't yet decided if its worth it to me yet. I like it, but I haven't decided yet if I'm just having a moment of excitement or am really ready to upgrade and be a full adapter.

Jenni raves about it. So much so that she was featured on their blog for how she uses it. (She saves like her entire life in Evernote. I'm not kidding.)

I am seeking more ways to be organized in my life. And more hobbies. And more interesting things to post about. Does anyone have great ideas? I'm sure I can save them in Evernote for future inspiration!

Oh and Jenni, here's to you, friend!

Road Trip, Solo Style

This past week I hit the road and drove to Nebraska. A seven-hour drive to Lincoln, mostly through the fields of rural Iowa doesn't necessarily sound like the greatest time, but I learned something about myself on the way. When I'm really tired and really stressed out, a nice quiet drive with just me and an audio book does the trick.

While my stay was short and sweet, it was sweet. I went to visit a dear friend and celebrate her forth-coming marriage with her because, for many un-moveable reasons, I can't attend her wedding. Her mother said to when hearing that I was willing to drive that far for a bridal shower, "You must really think highly of Becky." She was right. I do.

It was wonderful to spend a short, but precious amount of time with my friend. Our time together made me think about relationships and the importance of maintaining them. Some people are always there for you. And those people I always try to be there for.

On the way back, I took a route that brought me not across rural interstates, but across rural back roads, allowing me to make a quick stop on the way back in the tiny town of Ringsted, Iowa, population 400. There, I visited another dear friend, who is a pastor at the Lutheran church in this tiny town. It was wonderful and uplifting to hear her tales of ministering to these people-- a ministry that is constant. To those who saw us come into the local bar and grill for a slice of pizza for dinner, she was simply, "Pastor" and several people stopped to chat with her.

Quick Review: "The Last Child" by John Hart

As I often write about the books I read on here, I will say, my road-side companion was, "The Last Child"  by John Hart.

Here's the synopsis:

A year after 12-year-old Alyssa Merrimon disappeared on her way home from the library in an unnamed rural North Carolina town, her twin brother, Johnny, continues to search the town, street by street, even visiting the homes of known sex offenders, in this chilling novel from Edgar-winner Hart (Down River). Det. Clyde Hunt, the lead cop on Alyssa's case, keeps a watchful eye on Johnny and his mother, who has deteriorated since Alyssa's abduction and her husband's departure soon afterward. When a second girl is snatched, Johnny is even more determined to find his sister, convinced that the perpetrator is the same person who took Alyssa. But what he unearths is more sinister than anyone imagined, sending shock waves through the community and putting Johnny's own life in danger. Despite a tendency to dip into melodrama, Hart spins an impressively layered tale of broken families and secrets that can kill.

I am not quite yet done with it, but, will say, with only a bit left, I'm giving it a 2.5. It's a decent read, but fairly predictable and the characters, all are a bit flat. Had I not needed the company for my more than 14 hours in the car, I would have given up on it. But, now I'm nearly done and I suppose, I should learn what happens.

I'll also provide the caveat that as far as mystery-thrillers go, I tend to like something with a bit more "thrill" to them than "The Last Child" provides. It's more of a read for someone who likes a straight-up police investigation. Those who like that type of story may be more drawn to this particular book.

And my second caveat is that I've been listening to this on audio and the guy who is reading it is starting to get on my nerves... maybe that is making my score fall a bit lower, too. But really, I think it's not a bad book (not really bad), just not my kind of book. 

None the less, it was a good companion and I'm glad for that. Does it seem silly that I'm already dreaming of a new road trip just so I can enjoy another quiet get away, even, for this extrovert, all alone? I might just love that idea.