(Jamie Ford, on my Kindle). A poignant story about a Chinese-American, growing up in Seattle at the beginning of World War II. Henry falls in love with a young Japanese girl before her family is interned in a relocation camp. It a very secretive relationship because his parents would highly disapprove. The story goes back to the 40’s and forward to the 1980’s when Henry is in his 50’s and his wife (not the Japanese woman) has just died of cancer. The story pulls you in from the first page, especially when some artifacts are found in the basement of an old hotel which contain personal belongings from several Japanese families who were suddenly taken away back in 1942. You can see where it’s going, can’t you? I heard criticism of this book that it was just a little bit contrived. Halfway through I’m enjoying it very much.
(Kathryn Stockett on my Kindle); if you haven’t heard about this book, you should! It’s a novel written from the voice of the black servants and some of the people they work for, all residents of Jackson, Mississippi. In the 1950’s. The maids generally are disrespected, still have to ride in the back of the bus, and some are prevented from using the bathroom in the houses where they work. The story is about a young woman (daughter of one of the society ladies) who decides to write a book about the stories of the maids. Anonymously. But not quite, of course. So it’s not only the stories themselves, but about the society-ladies’ relationships, and about the stealth required to interview the maids and write the book. And the repercussions when it’s published. A fantastic read.
by Jetta Carleton (Kindle edition); 
by Susan Richards (Kindle edition); 
by Sally Gunning (Kindle edition)
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(Mario Batali & Gweneth Paltrow); 
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It’s been absolutely ages since I’ve had a strata of any kind. We don’t seem to entertain for breakfast or brunch much anymore, and I haven’t needed to make one of these kinds of things in quite awhile. But my friend Linda (who took a trip to Savannah last year) got this recipe from the Green Palm Inn where she stayed, and raved about it (both the strata and the inn). Linda made this for breakfast when I visited her a week ago – we had it on Saturday morning, then as leftovers on Sunday too. It is absolutely wonderful. A keeper. Linda made it with fewer tortillas (she knows I try to limit carbs), but otherwise it was the same as below. You probably could substitute turkey sausage, and you can use low fat milk. Linda prefers using Tillamook cheddar on this, but use what you prefer, or what you have on hand. But whatever you do, you need to make this.
Mexican Strata
Recipe: From The Green Palm Inn, Savannah, Georgia
Servings: 8 (maybe 10)
1 whole green pepper — chopped
1 whole onion — chopped
1 pound sausage — Jimmy Dean
14 ounces canned tomatoes — with chiles
1 small can tomatoes — Rotelle brand (14 ounces)
6 small flour tortillas — approximately
8 large eggs — beaten
2 cups milk
3 ounces diced green chiles — canned, Ortega (optional)
1 pound cheddar cheese (Tillamook if available), grated
1. Saute sausage with onion and pepper until no longer pink. Drain the tomatoes and add to the sausage mixture. Saute 5-6 minutes. Let cool.
2. Prepare 9×13″ pan with Pam spray. Tear flour tortillas to cover the bottom. Spread 1/2 of the sausage mixture over the tortillas. Cover with shredded cheese. Repeat the layers – tortillas, sausage and then cheese.
3. Mix 8 eggs and 2 cups of milk. Pour over the layers. Cover with foil and let stand in the refrigerator overnight.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour COVERED. Remove foil and bake until set, about another 30 minutes.
Per Serving: 619 Calories; 42g Fat (61.5% calories from fat); 28g Protein; 32g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 255mg Cholesterol; 942mg Sodium.
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A Year Ago: Flourless Chocolate Cake w/Caramel Sauce
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