(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)
; 
; 
(Mario Batali & Gweneth Paltrow); 
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Lately I’m sounding like a broken record – seems like every recipe is a winner. Five star. This one is no exception. And it’s another one of those recipes that has nothing but ordinary food in it. Italian sausage, onion, garlic, canned tomatoes, broth, canned cannellini beans, orzo, then some fresh basil and Parmesan cheese. With the exception of the beans and orzo, it’s a lot like spaghetti sauce. But don’t forget that anything you make is only as good as the ingredients that go into it. That means, in this case, using good quality Italian sausage. Fresh garlic. Oh yes, there’s a bit of bacon in this too.
It doesn’t take all that long to prepare this soup, either. The recipe is yet another Phillis Carey one. Wow, that gal is one stupendously good cook. I liked this at the cooking class, and liked it almost more so when I made it myself. I used Niman Ranch no-nitrate/nitrite bacon. I used Italian specialty meat market sausage. I used high quality frozen beef broth and some of Penzey’s concentrated pork broth. Trader Joe’s canned beans. Muir Glen fire-roasted canned tomatoes. Real Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Fresh basil leaves. I made a double batch – made enough for entertaining friends, and two portions for freezing, and some for another meal this week. If you make this as a main course, you probably won’t get 8 servings. You’ll have no trouble getting rid of it, I guarantee.
Italian Sausage & Tomato Soup
Recipe: Phillis Carey cooking class
Servings: 8
2 slices bacon — thick sliced, diced
1 pound Italian sausage — sweet (or hot, if you prefer)
1 cup red onion — chopped
3 cloves garlic — minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 whole bay leaf
28 ounces diced tomatoes — with juice
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup orzo
15 ounces cannellini beans — rinsed and drained
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh basil — chopped
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese — grated (or more if desired)
1. Cook chopped bacon in a large pot over medium heat to render out the fat. Add the crumbled sausage and continue cooking and stirring occasionally, until sausage is browned. Add the onions to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano and red pepper flakes and toss for 30 seconds.
2. Stir in bay leaf, tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Add the orzo and cook for 5 minutes. Add the beans and simmer until heated through and orzo is tender, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh basil just before serving. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle top with cheese.
NOTES: You can use turkey sausage, but the pork provides a lot more flavor. If you increase the quantity, don’t increase the amount of red pepper flakes.
Per Serving: 456 Calories; 21g Fat (38.8% calories from fat); 31g Protein; 45g Carbohydrate; 10g Dietary Fiber; 45mg Cholesterol; 490mg Sodium.
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A year ago: Chicken Hamburgese
Two years ago: Heavenly Cream Cheese Brownies (yum, makes my mouth water, guess I need to make these again soon)
Melynda
said on October 18th, 2009:
It does sound really good! Broken record or not, love to visit your blog.
Thanks very much, Melynda. . . carolyn t