Top 10 Best Novels of the Last 20 Years Books The ten novels on this list all substantiate the belief that books are the most elastic, introspective, human and entertaining form of media that exist. Not movies, not music, not art, not the theatre. A famous author once said that novels are the best way for two human beings to connect with each other. I believe this, and I believe that people who do not find pleasure in words have never had the opportunity to read one of the great novels. The first introductions students often have to literature are stale century-old books that do not translate well to this new modern era. Music for Torching by A.M. First Sentence: ”It is after midnight on one of those Friday nights when the guests have all gone home and the host and hostess are left in their drunkenness to try and put things right again.” As the only woman on the list, A. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk (1996) Of course, Palahniuk had to be on this list. House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski (2000) The house is alive. The Road
How to Make Peanut Butter S'Mores Turnovers Peanut Butter- S’Mores Turnovers I’m not much of a camper. My husband often takes my son on camping trips, and I happily stay behind and thank the gods for our bug-free house, cozy bed and well-stocked kitchen. I always send them off in comfort… marinate a little meat for them to throw on the grill, pack up some convenience foods and bake a few goodies too. When they return from their camping weekends, I hear mostly about the evenings sitting around the campfire. Story telling, snuggling in blankets, singing songs and roasting marshmallows for S’Mores seem to be recurring favorites. Here’s the How To: Thaw out a box of Puff Pastry, and cut along the fold lines to make 6 large rectangles. Layer 1/4 of a whole graham cracker, a piece of milk chocolate bar and a spoonful of peanut butter on one side of the Puff Pastry. Wet the edges with water (dip your finger in water and gently touch along the edge), fold over the filling ingredients and press edges together.
Disney Recipes You've just had the most wonderful dinner at your favorite Walt Disney World restaurant. There's just one problem -- you forgot to ask for the recipe! Well, we're hoping to help you out by posting recipes from around Walt Disney World as we get them. If there's a recipe you've been just dying to try at home, check the list below to see if we have it for you. If you have a recipe that you've received directly from a Disney restaurant that you'd like to share with us, please send it to ekblackwell@comcast.net. Please, no close approximations that you've figured out yourself, and no recipes "borrowed" from other websites. Animal Kingdom Lodge Beach Club Boardwalk Caribbean BeachResort Caribbean Pasta (Shutters) French Toast Bread Pudding with Caramelized Roasted Bananas (Shutters) Pina CoLAVA (Banana Cabana) Poolside Lemonade (Banana Cabana) Spicy Island Wings (Shutters) Contemporary Resort
My Fridge Food - Recipes you already have in your Fridge Cheese Pinwheel Rolls Sooner or later, all my conversations inevitably turn to food. Don’t believe me? Call me up sometime and try to, say, sell me some insurance. I guarantee that before we get off the phone, I’ll be giving you my recipe for blackberry jam. I can’t help it. Perfect example: I was in a meeting a few weeks ago at the office. What was the best way to make them? Ah, the Frankenroll This recipe borrows heavily from two fairly unrelated things. To make these rolls, spread pizza dough liberally with melted butter, sprinkle it with cheese and spices, roll it up like a stromboli—then slice and bake like a pan of cinnamon buns. The result? Fill them however you like The best part about these rolls? This is what I always refer to as a Sliding-Scale Recipe. You can toss it together with a ball of pre-made dough and a bag of shredded cheese from the grocery store—or you can go all out and make the dough from scratch and grate your favorite cheeses by hand. So, this one’s for you, Scott. Melt the butter.
Food Squirreling...It's a Real Thing I Promise Download a Free Spending Journal I spend my day working in a cubicle as a software engineer. I have many options for lunch including: Eating at the company cafeteriaVisiting one of many fast food restaurants within walking distance of my workplaceBringing my own lunch As much as I enjoy (i.e., obsess about) the nearby Arby's, the cheapest option is to bring my own lunch. However, the day to day life of being: A husbandFather of twoHomework helper/checker Night time reading buddy Late night blogger Laundry folder........ Doesn't leave much time for packing lunches. Sometimes it's not even about the time. Just as long as I don't have to think about another thing that "has to be done," right? I tried taking the night's leftovers for lunch the next day. Sometimes I pretend I do, but when lunch rolls around I lose consciousness for a few minutes and wake up in line at Arby's. I had to come up with a better plan. I was going to be a squirrel. The first thing I did was to buy some storage containers.
Grilled&Avocados Avocados have been a mainstay of my culinary life for about as long as I can remember. Growing up in Southern California in the 60's, avocados were locally grown, plentiful and part of just about every party and celebration, usually in the form of guacamole. But all that changed and guacamole became the springboard for a host of dishes, sweet and savory, but for me, nothing beats a plain slice of perfectly ripe avocado. It really needs nothing to enhance its lusciousness, but then.... The other day as I was listening to one of my food podcasts, Evan Kleiman was interviewing an avocado grower who mentioned that one of his favorite ways to eat avocados is to grill them. THAT night I’m so grilling an avocado. Remove it from your grill and and sprinkle with a little lime juice and salt. Here's a quick and easy salsa recipe. Dump it all in the blender and process until it becomes a harmonious blend of salsa goodness. Taste and add more salt, cayenne or cilantro if needed.
Detox Foods | Detox smoothies Toxins-free for life Looking to increase your energy levels, to lose weight, get clearer skin, prevent premature ageing and to help preventing diseases? Then look no further! Price: $47 Price: $27 Smoothies are a great way to boost your fruits and veggies daily intake. Flat Tummy Rich in digestion supporting ingredients, this smoothie will help prevent bloating and digestive stress that can sabotage your tummy flattening efforts. 3/4 c. papaya 3/4 c. sliced peaches 1/2 pear, sliced 1 tsp fresh ginger 2 mint leaves Water to thin Skin Saver Antioxidants in berries are known to help to fight wrinkles and other skin ageing signs. 3/4 c blueberries 3/4 c pitted cherries 5 strawberries 1/4 avocado, peeled and pitted 2 tsp wheat germ (optional) 2 tsp ground flaxseed Water, to thin Peanut Butter Energy Booster This protein-rich and minerals-filled smoothie will give you long-lasting energy. Bone Lover Immune System Booster Natural Skin Tanner Antioxidant Power
10 techniques every cook should know Breading This easy, three-step technique ensures an even crumb coating. It's commonly used on thin cuts of chicken, pork or veal that will be fried or baked. To begin, set up your breading station. Start by dredging a piece of meat in the flour. The second step is to dip the meat into the egg wash, again letting the extra drip off. Try to work with one hand as you complete the process, so as not to bread your fingers on both hands - that can lead to a sticky mess. Proceed with the recipe as directed. Browning/Searing Myths abound about the benefits of searing, most notably that it seals in the juices. The most important factor in this technique is to start with a very hot pan. Although you can use nonstick pans for delicate fish, pans without a nonstick finish do a better job of browning, and leave lovely browned flavorful bits to use in a pan sauce (see "Making pan sauce.") Place your ingredient directly into the pan. Dicing an onion If done properly, dicing an onion is very simple. Folding
Refreshing Raspberry Mojito | à la carte kitchen Fresh mint is super abundant this time of year. The crop in my garden is already a bit out of control, and it’s only May! I use mint all summer long in iced tea, fruit salads, tabbouleh, and more. But, hands-down, the best use for fresh mint is for making an icy-cold Mojito on a hot summer evening. The Mojito is a traditional Cuban cocktail made with lime juice, sugar, sparkling water, white rum, and of course, fresh mint. as photographed by our team, à la Carte Partners Raspberry MojitoMakes 1 serving 8 fresh mint leaves 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice 1 teaspoon superfine sugar 2 ounces white rum 2-3 ounces seltzer 4-6 fresh raspberries - Place mint leaves, lime juice and sugar in a highball glass (something tall and narrow is perfect). - Fill glass with ice cubes. Heather
How to Grow Raspberries Raised beds eliminate root rot The original 20 plants have grown into a full bed from which the author picks 2 gallons of raspberries a day during the summer months, roughly a pint per plant, though the amount tapers off as fall approaches. Raspberry plants hate wet feet, and they are gross feeders. We addressed these two critical points by building a 20-inch-high raised bed and filling it with a mixture of four-fifths good garden topsoil blended with about one-fifth sand, peat, and well-rotted manure. If, like us, you have acidic soil, you will also need to add some lime, because raspberries prefer a soil pH of around 6.0. If you have rich, deep soil that drains well year-round, you can simply plant your raspberries in a permanent garden site. It is important that you do not establish your raspberry patch in an area where you have recently grown tomatoes, peppers, or potatoes, to avoid verticillium wilt, which these vegetables can carry, and raspberries can catch.
Sample Simple Menu Thanks for visiting Values-Driven to check out our "Sample Simple Menu." Not all of these ideas will work for everyone, but choose the ones the suit your family best, and simply be encouraged to simplify. I've linked to outside sites for some recipes, but often times I don't actually use a recipe, so I've included all of my personal favorites on this page and you can "jump to" them by clicking on the linked text. Monday: Breakfast: Cornmeal Mush (regular or fried), with seasonal or available fruit Lunch: Cream of Tomato Soup with Peanut-Butter Filled Celery Dinner: Chef's Salad with fresh bread Tuesday: Breakfast: Oatmeal with raisins and diced apples Lunch: Homemade "no-bake" macaroni and cheese with carrot sticks (You can also boil some frozen broccoli with your noodles and mix them together; you'll just need more cheese & sour cream. Dinner: Baked or grilled chicken wings or drumsticks (BBQ or plain) with rice and vegetable Wednesday: Breakfast: Peanut butter and banana on toast Thursday: