Points of Origin - Darden North, MD, Author
3:38 PM Posted by MAC
Garden Pasta Salad .... has made a great summer meal in the North household for several years!
Ingredients:
3 cups cooked, chopped chicken breasts
2 peeled, cubed Granny Smith apples
4 minced green onions
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/2 cup mayonnaise
9 ounce package cheese-stuffed tortellini
1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and torn
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
8 ounce bottle Italian salad dressing
Preparation:
Mix chicken, apples, green onions, and olives with mayonnaise and let stand refrigerated overnight. Cook cheese tortellini according to package instructions. Combine tortellini with chicken mixture, add spinach and sunflower seeds, and toss with salad dressing. Enjoy.
Points of Origin - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat
'Cordell Pixler, Esquire, had a new wife, his forth... Anyone who already knew the latest Mrs.. Cordell Pixler, or subsequently met her, thought her more attractive and definitely much younger than her attorney husband. Much to his chagrin, Pixler had not been persuasive enough to coax his voluptuous bride to move permanently into the mortgage-free home, the one his third wife insisted he buy and remodel extensively several years before his third divorce... Rachel Pixler wanted a brand new house... Furthermore it would have to be located in the most exclusive area of Lakespur, that being Manorwood Heights.'
Cordell Pixler obtained his money through the destruction of others. When Flowers Ridley's mother Charity decided Flowers needed "adjustments" to bring her inter-beauty to the surface she went to the best, Sheridan Smith Foxworthy, Jr. And when her daughter later died from clots she again went to the best which was Pixler. Unknown to Charity, her decision to sue Foxworthy would end up causing a snowball effect destroying many. One of the people that feels the effects the most is Sheridan (Sher)Foxworthy, III who will loose both of his parents and give up his dreams to follow in his father's footsteps by becoming a doctor. Instead he becomes a firefighter.
Wayne Simmons was a classmate of Sher and he loves to "create" fires. But not just any kind of fire. His fires appear to be of natural or neglect causes. Plus he's for hire. So when a fire occurs in Manorwood Heights killing the owner, was it accidental or intentional? Was Simmons involved and if so who hired him? One thing for sure is that Pixler wasted no time in buying the property.
Hobby Dencil is one of the best Architects around and will become involved in the "Pixler Snowball" as he designs the perfect house for Rachel. Just days before construction is to start Rachel makes a few changes of her own to the plans causing Hobby to start from scratch with his drawing with the ending being a structure he really didn't want his own name associated with.
In the process of building Rachel's "palace" Pixler ends up angering half the community. So when the house burns during a charity party, was it an accident or was it planned? Could the Real Estate agent undercut by Pixler in the purchase of the property have set something up? Or the female police officer who enjoyed going after the "rich and famous"? Or maybe even Sheridan Smith Foxworthy, Sr. for destroying his family?
I will give you a clue. North has done it again. The ending was a total shock to me.
Labels: Book Reviews, Darden North, Garden Pasta Salad, Martha A Cheves, MD,Points of Origin, Stir Laugh Repeat
Gumbo Justice - Holli Castillo, Author
5:47 AM Posted by MAC
Corn Soup
2 onions
1/2 cup green onion
2 Tbl. basil
2 Tbl. parsley
1 small can tomato paste
2 cans chopped tomatoes
2 cans yellow corn
2 cans white corn
2 cans cream corn
1 lb. pickled port, cut into one inch pieces (salt meat or ham seasonings)
2 large potatoes, chopped into one inch pieces
1 oz. angel hair pasta
Saute onions in 2 Tbl. olive oil until the onions are clear. Add tomato paste and 4 cups of water. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes, or until tomato paste is well blended. Add corn, including liquid, tomatoes, potatoes and meat. You may add water if the soup is too thick for your taste. Simmer over medium heat until the potatoes and meat are fully cooked, at least an hour. Add uncooked angel hair pasta. Cook until pasta is soft, 6-10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
If using fresh herbs, add when cooking onions. If using dry herbs, add when you add the corn and other ingredients. Great recipe for slow cooker or crock pot.
Gumbo Justice - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat
'Ryan couldn't keep her thoughts from drifting back to the homicides on the short drive home. L'Roid Smith had been killed in a way common among gangs members - beaten, shot in the head execution style and left naked. It was the ultimate humiliation, and the same way he had committed his own gang murders, including the one Ryan had tried to prosecute. And Jeremiah had been beaten, the same way he had beaten his wife on the case Ryan had handled.'
Ryan Murphy is a New Orleans Assistant District Attorney working to build a winning case history in the hopes of being promoted to the "Strike Force." But she has a problem. The die-hard criminals that she prosecutes are turning up dead in the same fashion of pain and death that they bestowed on their victims. Even though this may be getting the criminals off the streets, it's not helping Ryan with her promotion. Especially when news leaks to the media that there is a connection between Ryan and the deaths.
Gumbo Justice was a book that I actually sat up until 1:00 in the morning to finish. I had to know who was trying to ruin Ryan's career and why. This book is so well written that as I read along I actually started seeing Ryan and the other characters in action. It could easily be made into a movie and I know the perfect actress to play Ryan. Holly Hunter plays in a TV series called "Amazing Grace." In my opinion "Grace" is the perfect Ryan. She loves to party, get down right dirty but still get her job done.
I thoroughly enjoyed Gumbo Justice and recommend it to anyone who loves a good murder mystery. Holli Castillo's experience as a prosecutor and public defender in the New Orleans court system comes through with the full knowledge as to how the courts really work.
Guiding The Way From Middle Nessbish - Edward T. Cook, Author
5:03 PM Posted by MAC
Vension Worchestershire
1 - 2 pounds of vension
1/4 cup of butter
1 Cup of Mushrooms
1 large Onion
Cut & cube the steak - let it soak in a dish of Worchestershire Sauce overnight.
Melt the butter in a large pan, add vension and brown over medium heat.
Adding mushrooms and onions after 15 minutes.
stir until everything is fully cooked - usually another 15 minutes.
Add your favorite bread and a salad.
Most people will not even know it's vension!
Guiding The Way From Middle Nessbish - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat
I've always been fascinated by lighthouses. They are so unique standing there like a giant eyes protecting ships and their crews. But not until reading Guiding The Way From Middle Nessbish did I understand the true lives of those who manned them. Edward T. Cook's book is one that was not only interesting but educational. The history that he has preserved will be cherished by his family for generations to come.
Labels: Book Reviews, Edward T. Cook, Guiding The Way From Middle Nessbish,Martha A Cheves, Stir Laugh Repeat
Where Angels Fear - Sunny Frazier, Author
2:14 PM Posted by MAC
Lennie's Devil's Food Cake
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
Frosting
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup (about) sour cream
For food cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Whisk first 6 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Sift in flour, cocoa and baking soda. Stir to combine. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 10 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap cakes separately in plastic wrap and store at room temperature.)
Place 1 cake layer on plate. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Top with second cake layer. Spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. (Can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead. Cover with cake dome and let stand at room temperature.)
For Frosting:
Melt unsalted butter and chocolate in heavy small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Transfer to large bowl. Whisk in cocoa powder and vanilla. Whisk in 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup sour cream. Whisk in remaining 1 cup sugar. Gradually whisk in enough of remaining sour cream to form spreadable frosting.
Where Angels Fear - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat
Revelers writhed to the discordant music. Masks covered many of the faces, leaving identities to the imagination, but not much else. Conversation was confined to body language.
"This is the main dance area so people can get acquainted," Connie-the-tour-guide explained. "There's a small stage up front for exhibitionists, and smaller rooms for shy types. They're wired for close circuit TV for voyeurs. The torture room is still under construction on the second floor."
Christy Bristol chided herself for agreeing to make a house call. All she needed was the birth date to do a horoscope. But the client insisted on a "face-to-face meet." And as Christy finds out, the horoscope isn't for her client but for her husband... who is missing. Thus starts Christy's voyage into the world of S&M, through a secret club called the Knights of Sensani. Admittance to this club is through a red matchbook, three of which were found on three different men that ended up in the morgue. Christy was given her matchbook by her client who's husband it turns out is a member of this elite group. And according to his horoscope, his time to be rescued is running out. Will Christy find him before he turns up in the morgue? Or will Christy end up there herself? Travel with Christy and her ex-roommate Lennie as they take on this after dark world of erotic sex and torture in their attempt to save her client's husband.
When I read Fools Rush In, which was the first of the Christy Bristol Astrology Mysteries, I thought Frazier had peaked in her writing and that there was no way she could top Fools Rush In. I have to admit that I was wrong. Where Angels Fear is even better and will keep you wondering who and why all the way to the end.
Stir, Laugh, Repeat - Review by Donna Bramblett, TX
3:08 PM Posted by MAC
BUTTER PECAN COOKIES - Donna's Favorite Cookie Recipe
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup white sugar
1 cup margarine
2 eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
Cream sugars & margarine. Add eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Drop by small teaspoons on cookie
sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. When cool, fill
with frosting (recipe below).
Cookies are better when not real large and are soft. In my oven, I only cook them seven minutes...so you may need to experiment a bit. When I take them off of the cookie sheet and remove them to a wire rack to cool, I "scrunch" them a little so they are crinkled.
FROSTING
1 8 ounce package cream cheese
1 box confectioners powdered sugar
1 tsp. margarine
1 cup chopped pecans
Let cream cheese soften to room temperature and mix well with sugar and margarine. Stir in pecans and put filling on one cookie and top with another (sandwich style).
These look pretty in a big crystal bowl and I have served them from a baby shower to a family reunion. My cousin gave me this recipe years ago and she said she has made the frosting adding melted chocolate and put it between peanut butter cookies. I haven't tried it, but if you like peanut butter (oh, but you don't like chocolate) it might be good.
Stir, Laugh, Repeat - Review by Donna Bramblett, TX
I recently ordered your cookbook “Stir, Laugh, Repeat” and it came in the mail yesterday. I sat down last night to glance at it and couldn’t put it down….I read it from cover to cover!
I loved the format and all of the stories you added on each page just put a special touch to the book. After reading it, I feel like I really know you and your family. I know your sons-in-law are Yankees, you are a lover of cheese, but you dislike chocolate…well not all chocolate..you have a weakness for white chocolate and I would venture to guess that you never take yourself too seriously. I also loved the fact that you use every day ingredients and don’t mind admitting that you and cakes do not have a love affair. It was such an easy and enjoyable read. I will be waiting for the second book which I understand is now in the works.
I have some pages marked for things that will be first on my list to try. One of them is the Bacon, Egg & Cheese Mini Pies on Page 144. This will be a great addition to a brunch and it is so simple. It made me wonder…”now why hadn’t I thought about that?” Another recipe I definitely have to try is the Cracker Bars on Page73 and I may do a “Martha trick” and use regular chocolate instead of white chocolate. I could mention several others, but I think you have the idea that I really am enjoying Stir, Laugh, Repeat.
Donna, TX
Less Dead - Laura Elvebak, Author
10:09 AM Posted by MAC
Easy and Tasty Meatloaf
Preheat oven to 375
Ingredients:
3/4 lb hamburger
1/4 lb ground pork sausage
1 small can stew tomatoes
1/2 cup of plain bread crumbs
1 egg
Pinch of oregano, tarragon, thyme, garlic salt
Prepare:
Mix thoroughly all ingredients in a bowl
Pour into a loaf pan (I use glass)
Cook for 1 hour
Less Dead - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat
Fifteen-year-old Jessica Keeling's eyes stung as she forced them open. Milky eyes stared into hers, the eyes of a dead man. For a moment she couldn't breath. She opened her mouth to scream, but instead tasted death. The smell of stale urine and dried blood filled her nostrils.
Jessica, or Jade as she called herself, was a street kid and had been since her father dropped her off at a Starbucks and never returned. Now she was in big trouble. The one person who said he knew her father and would help bring them together was dead. But this wasn't just any man, this was a Councilman. Did she kill him? She couldn't remember. In fact she couldn't remember anything after having a drink at Numbers, the club where they were to meet. Now she's on the run.
Rube is Jade's only friend in the world and he's worried. He's not seen her in a week and that's just not like her. He turns to the only person that he feels will help who is Niki.
Niki is an ex-policewoman who works as a counselor at Open Palms which is a shelter for run-away kids. Jade had been there before and Niki had seen the potential in this young girl through her ability to dance. So through her sources on the street and through Open Palms, she and Rube strike out to find Jade. Their fear for her survival climbs as other young street girls are molested and murdered. Will they find her in time or is it already too late?
Less Dead turned out to be a book that I really had problems putting down. Every page brought a new problem for Niki and Rube. And every time I thought I knew who was to blame for the murder of the Councilman and the street girls, is found that I was wrong. Less Dead will really keep you on the edge of your seat and turning the pages.
Less Dead is the 1st in the Niki Alexander series. Lost Witness will be released September 26, 2009. I can't wait!
Stir, Laugh, Repeat - Review by Debra Purdy Kong
11:58 AM Posted by MAC
Debra Purdy Kong's Favorite Recipe
Scalloped Potatoes:
4 medium potatoes very thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped.
1 cup of shredded old cheddar cheese
1 can of Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup of milk
1 clove of garlic
In a greased casserole dish, arrange half of the potatoes and half of the onion. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Repeat layers. In a small bowl, combine soup, milk and garlic. Spoon over potato mixture. Cover, bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour. Unocver and bake 10 more minutes or until potatoes are tender. Makes 6 side-dish servings.
Stir, Laugh, Repeat - Review by Debra Purdy Kong
Easy Recipes and a Personal Touch, May 27, 2009
By Debra Purdy Kong "mystery writer" (Port Moody, BC) - See all my reviews
When it comes to creating recipes, I have little imagination so I turn to cookbooks for ideas. My problem with many of them, though, is that the recipes are either too complicated or the ingredients too hard to find. So it was with great pleasure that I discovered Stir, Laugh, Repeat by Martha A. Cheves. Her straightforward recipes reflect her southern U.S. background and use simple, affordable ingredients. Cheves provides a number of money-saving tips which is greatly appreciated.
If you love cheese and white chocolate (not together) you'll love this book because the author's a fan of both and features these items in several recipes. As a bonus, Cheves also offers personal stories and a practical tip with each recipe, which gives the book a personal touch.
My only quibble is that it'll be hard to keep the book open when I try some of the recipes, which is why I usually prefer coil bound cookbooks. Also, there are a couple of ingredients such as Parker House rolls that aren't available here in Canada so I'll have to find a substitute. Meanwhile, I really need to start on that banana pudding recipe!
STIR, LAUGH, REPEAT - ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY
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STIR, LAUGH, REPEAT - REVIEWS
"This is by far one of the most exceptional cook guides that I have ever read. Martha's book has old flavor and contemporary style suitable for meat lovers and vegetarians. I commend this book to all. Thanks Martha!" (Carol Denise Mitchell, Author of Rovella Starr)
"Move over Paula Dean, Emeril, and Rachel Ray: Make way for the new Queen of Southern hospitality and cooking our very own Martha Cheves. As a total non-cook and someone who has trouble boiling water without burning it or making an egg hard without it exploding; even I can follow and create one of her clear, concise and easy to understand recipes." (By Fran Lewis "Fran and Bertha")
"Were I to take up cooking, the unique quality of Cheves’s Stir, Laugh, Repeat would be a premium start. The value of Martha’s work rests in its straightforward, easy-to-follow directions that even a doctor can follow. While reading, studying, and chuckling through Stir, Laugh, Repeat, it quickly hit me like a flying frying pan that Martha A. Cheves is clearly the a surgeon of the kitchen." (Darden North, M.D., Author of Fresh Frozen)
A BOOK REVIEW
"This book is made up of 3 individual stories. All three are short reads and other than the setting, which is Mexico, all three are completely different." (Martha A. Cheves)
"You'll follow Logan as she tramples through kudzu, goes to her first Testicle Festival, rents a room from a woman who runs around at night in the nude and connects with a wolf. You will also follow her as she gets her man, or should I say men." (Martha A. Cheves)
"Will the people of Hollow Gap pull together and defend themselves from the Indian up-rise or will they fall apart. Find the answers to these questions and more when you read this book of taming the West through love." (Martha A. Cheves)
"I would NEVER have guessed the turn of events that make up the last 20 pages of Fresh Frozen. The hiring of the spy will surprise you and the murder will surprise you even more. So if you love a good mystery, this book is definitely for you." (Martha A. Cheves)
"As I read I felt as if I was a witness watching this evil man do the things he did to these young women. As I read through the trial I felt like one of those ready to convict him. As I listened to the comments by his wife, I could feel her pain and confusion." (Martha A. Cheves)
"After reading Breaking My Silence I saw Jane as a strong person who was determined to do whatever was needed to get her children back into her life and to do whatever it took to make her life as complete as possible without the prostitution. This was one of the most informative books I've ever read about a subject that is normally kept behind closed doors." (Martha A. Cheves)
" While reading Genesis Beach I found myself not wanting to put it down. Each page had a piece of evidence that would help me solve the mystery before Logan. I really thought I had pin-pointed the murderer. Boy was I in for a shock." (Martha A. Cheves)
"I've enjoyed reading this book. It's a cross between a "fiction" and a "true crime." So if you enjoy either genre you will enjoy A Study in Red. Do keep in mind that this book is very descriptive." (Martha A. Cheves)
"The story captured me from the beginning, the evil of Rovella never ceased to amaze me, and the love that was always there but didn't surface due to guilt made me feel the pain that I'm sure she felt. The ending was perfect." (Martha A. Cheves)
"This has been a really enjoyable book. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery. Beth, don't change your way of writing! I've really enjoyed reading Basket Case and will be reading more of Beth's books." (Martha A. Cheves)
"I feel this is a wonderfully written book that would be helpful not just for young people who are overweight but also for those who look at a person, no matter the age, call them names, shun them and refuse to accept them as they are." (Martha A. Cheves)
"Bertha Speaks Out is a very enjoyable book to read. Bertha finds herself in positions that will make you laugh and cry. You will feel her pain but also feel her pride when she stands up for what is right. It’s a must read for children as well as adults. " (Martha A. Cheves)
"Read Thicker than Water and ask yourself these questions. Did the wife make the right choice? Was her decision worth 15 years of her family’s life? Would you have made the same decision? I highly recommend Thicker than Water. As I said, it was a joy to read." (Martha A. Cheves)
"As I read I kept asking myself “Who would put out a hit on David and why?” “Who are The Chosen Few and what do they have to do with David?” “Will Max get to David before it’s too late?” You will have to read The Chosen Few yourself to find the answers to these questions." (Martha A. Cheves)
"This book has taught me that life is like a chain. Everyone we meet becomes a link in our chain. Some links may be weak, but the strong ones keep the chain from breaking. And as memories and secrets are shared with those strong links, they become even stronger." (Martha A. Cheves)FEEDBURNER SUBSCRIBE
MARTHA A. CHEVES
I'm from Georgia, moved to North Carolina by way of Florida. I've been in Charlotte for 14 years and love it. The recipes in my book Stir, Laugh, Repeat are all tested by "Food Testers" of which I now have 24. They try a dish and rate it from 1-10 with only those scoring at least an 8 making the book. My website is a holding place for my 2nd book Stir, Laugh, Repeat... Again. Please visit my site to find new recipes and tips. All recipes are easy, using common ingredients and according to my testers, great!
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