My Top 5 Books of 2012

Books

One of my goals for 2012 was to read 40 books. I finished 42. Hurray. My goal this year is to read 45. I read a lot of good ones this year so it was really tough to just pick five. You can see the whole list here on my blog.

My top 5 in no particular order:

  • Beautiful Ruins, Jess Walter – This was probably my favorite book of 2012 that I read and the only one that I gave five stars to. I really loved the story and how the author jumped back and forth between so many characters, settings and periods.  It made me happy reading it.
  • The Dog Stars, Peter Heller – I have been reading several post apocalyptic novels over the past year or so by some random chance and I really liked this one – recommended by Courtney (who reads twice as many books as I do). This novel is told from the viewpoint of a man whose brain has been fried by whatever caused 99.9% of the population to die in the world.  At first it is tough to understand, but once you get into it – it is beautiful.
  • The Round House, Louise Erdrich – I have been a Louise Erdrich fan for many years and have read most of her books.  Her latest is by far her greatest.  A great story, beautifully written, suspenseful and also won the 2012 National Book Award for Fiction.
  • Salvage the Bones, Jesymn Ward – This book was recommended by Stephanie Maxwell – fellow blogger, and always reliable for good book recommendations.  This novel is set in the deep south during hurricane Katrina from the viewpoint of a dirt poor 13 year old girl.  Again…beautiful book, very disturbing and was really hard to put down.
  • Truth and Beauty, Ann Patchett – Ann Patchett didn’t have a new novel this year – again one of my favorite authors – but I somehow stumbled upon this old one of hers that is actually more of a biography of sorts of one of her friends who is also an author.  Again – beautifully written and really hard to put down.

A couple of other 2012 top books lists to check out:

Orange Drop Doughnuts

Breakfast, Miscellaneous, Orange
Orange drop doughnuts

Courtney has made these doughnuts several times and made them again this snowy morning.  They are easy, tasty and there’s nothing better than a hot doughnut.

Sophie the orange zester
Oranges have been good so far this year. We have been buying them by the case at Costco.
Orange sugar
Finishing them off

Orange Drop Doughnuts – Cook’s Country

Orange-sugar coating

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Doughnuts

  • About 2 quarts vegetable oil
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the coating: Pulse sugar and zest in food processor until blended, about 5 pulses. Transfer to medium bowl. (If making by hand, toss zest and sugar in medium bowl using fork until evenly blended).

For the doughnuts: Heat 3 inches of vegetable oil in 4-quart saucepan until temperature reaches 350 degrees. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. Whisk eggs, sugar, and orange zest in large bowl. Whisk in orange juice, then butter, until well combined. Stir in flour mixture until evenly moistened.

Using two dinner teaspoons, carefully drop heaping spoonfuls of batter into hot oil. (You should be able to fit about 6 spoonfuls in pan at one time. Do not overcrowd.) Fry, maintaining temperature between 325 to 350 degrees, until doughnuts are crisp and deeply browned on all side, 3 to 6 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer doughnuts to plate lined with paper towels. Drain for 5 minutes. Add doughnuts to bowl with orange sugar and toss until well coated. Place on serving plate and repeat with remaining batter, regulating oil temperature as necessary. Doughnuts are best served warm.

Christmas 2012

Apple, Beans, Beef, Crab, Cranberries, Green Beans

We had Christmas Eve at our house.

Our tree is beautiful this year – a big blue spruce

For starters:

For Dinner:

  • Ham and rolls
  • Macaroni and cheese
  • Winter Greens gratin
  • Purple cole slaw (MOM or somebody who has this recipe!!! I just realized this recipe is not on EoE. Will you email it to me? How can this not be on here?)
  • Sliced oranges and grapefruits with pomegranate seeds

For dessert:

dining room
  • apple gingerbread upside down cake (made by Kirsten… and delicious)
  • Emily Jane’s brownie Santas and cookies

Chrismas Breakfast.

Mom and Dad always join us for Christmas breakfast and we always have the same thing:

Christmas Dinner at Mom and Dad’s house:

  • sauerkraut balls
  • more hanky pankys
  • shrimp
  • Roast Beef
  • popovers
  • mashed potato casserole
  • green beans
  • salad
  • and ice box pudding for dessert… of course

everything was fantastic…wonderful day…Merry Christmas!

smoked salmon platter on Christmas Eve
Grace, Jack, Claire and Sophia on Christmas Eve
it was a mustached kind of evening
Owen and Sophia
Grace opening her Christmas Eve present from Grandma and Grandpa
Emily Jane’s Santa hat brownies.
Girls in their Christmas Eve jammies
Christmas Eve photo session
Christmas morning… waiting for the egg casserole to finish cooking.
Mom’s mantle
Christmas dinner table
I made the popovers and they turned out well.
Digging into the great roast beef

 

 

 

 

Eat Out: Chinato

Eat Out

Courtney and I went out this past Friday night leading into the long holiday weekend.  After work we went to the Cleveland Botanical Gardens, the Cleveland Art Museum and then out to dinner at Chinato on East 4th.

This is our third visit to Chinato and it continues to be a favorite.  We sat in the bar for awhile before we went in for dinner watching the snow storm outside.  I had a Crown Royal Manhattan with some lovely liquor soaked cherries and Courtney had a Great Lakes Christmas Ale.

We split a tuna crudo – little pieces of raw tuna with a little bit of pesto, a little bit of Parmesan and they were fresh and delicious.  We split a mushroom salad which was shaved raw mushrooms in a vinaigrette with lots of lemon and good parmesan.  Very different and very tasty. We also split an order of fried artichokes.

Courtney had some sort of fish that I forget what it was called – sort of like monkfish that was served with a parsnip polenta and I had salmon served with white beans and braised escarole.  Excellent dinner as always.

detail of gingerbread house at the Cleveland Botanical Gardens
they did a nice job this year. lots of nice flowers
we ventured outside for just a bit as it was a blizzard

 

 

Book: The Age of Miracles; Karen Thompson Walker

Books

A 12 year old girl living in California is going through the trials and tribulations of all 6th graders, but this time set in the near future where Earth’s magnetic field has shifted causing days and nights to become longer and longer leading to the possible end of the world.  An interesting novel, sort of like watching disasters unfold on the news, that I found hard to put down.

PJH rating: ****

Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

Apple, Cream, Soup, Squash
A tasty recipe for butternut soup

Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

Bon Appetit, November 1998

Ingredients:

  • 5 tablespoons butter
  • 2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
  • 2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
  • 1/2 cup chopped peeled carrot
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried sage leaves
  • 5 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups apple cider
  • 2/3 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whipping cream
Chopped fresh chives

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash, leeks, carrot and celery; sauté until slightly softened, about 15 minutes. Mix in apples, thyme and sage. Add stock and 1 cup cider and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until apples are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly.
Working in batches, purée soup in blender. Return soup to pan. Boil remaining 1/2 cup cider in heavy small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Cool. Place sour cream in small bowl. Whisk in reduced cider. (Soup and cider cream can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)
Bring soup to simmer. Mix in whipping cream. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with cider cream. Top with chives.

Northern Italian Beef Stew

Beef, Main Dishes, Mushrooms, Onion, Potatoes

Northern Italian Beef Stew

allrecipes.com

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 pounds lean top round, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 large sweet onions, diced
  • 2 cups large chunks of celery
  • 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into large rounds
  • 1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 cups dry red wine
  • 4 large tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes (such as Red Bliss), cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1 quart beef stock
  • 2 cups tomato sauce

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook beef in batches in hot oil until browned completely, about 5 minutes per batch. Remove browned beef cubes to a plate lined with paper towels, keeping skillet over heat and retaining the beef drippings.
Cook and stir onion, celery, and carrots in the retained beef drippings until just softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir mushrooms and garlic into the onion mixture.
Pour red wine into the pan; bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Continue cooking the mixture until the wine evaporates, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir tomatoes into the mixture.
Return beef to skillet with potatoes, basil, thyme, marjoram, and sage. Pour beef stock and tomato sauce over the mixture. Bring the liquid to a simmer.
Reduce heat to low and simmer until the beef is very tender and the sauce is thick, 4 to 6 hours.

Book: Wonder; R. J. Palacio

Books

A ten year old boy who was born with extreme facial abnormalities starts school for the first time going into fifth grade after being home schooled.  The book chronicles his year at school with the point of view going back and forth between different people.  While the end was a bit over the top hokey, and I’m not quite sure how it ended up in my overdrive queue, I did enjoy this book written for tweens.

PJH Rating: ***1/2