. After reading No Angel (see below) I couldn’t wait to start the 2nd book. A friend said to me that she liked #2 better than the first one, and I think I agree. It carries on the saga of this gentrified family in the publishing business in WWII era England. There are wartime injuries, even deaths as the family spreads out some (France and America), but it’s still about the London-based core family group that get themselves into trouble at several junctures. Loved this one. Do read them in order, though.
. No, not that Homer, but Homer, the blind cat. It’s a charming, funny, sweet, riveting book that any animal lover should read. We haven’t owned cats for decades, but I enjoy reading about them even if I don’t have one. Homer was a tiny kitten when found, with a dangerous eye infection. The vet who saved him had to remove his eyes, so the little kitten never knew sight. He’s adopted by a patient gal who is a writer already, and I can imagine that little Homer almost wrote the book himself. He’s very brave, willing to take risks – she almost loses him once. If you love animals, you’ve got to read this. I found it at Costco, but it’s also cheap at Amazon in paperback.
by Sarah McCoy. A really really interesting story. About WWII but told from the side of loyal German Hitler-loving citizens. The kind of local people who could be your neighbors, who were very nationalistic and truly believed Hitler was leading them to a better future. I’ve never read anything with a German perspective. The book isn’t political. In a way it’s a type of chick lit (which is why I didn’t suggest my DH read it) as it’s got a moderate amount of romance in it. The entire book is enveloped in the story of the family, who live in Garmisch (a place I’ve visited twice), who own a bakery. Mostly it’s about one of the bakery owner’s daughters. One daughter goes to a 
– by Erik Larson (hard copy) – wow, what a book. In all the literary fiction I’ve read about Nazi Germany, I’d never read that much about what it was like living in Berlin leading up to Hitler’s demonic rampages. This biography is about America’s ambassador to Germany from 1933-37, William Dodd. An academician, Dodd was probably unsuited to the job, yet he brought a kind of humility and clarity to the unrest. Accompanied by his wife and two adult children, they assimilated into the gay life of diplomacy. Dodd was not liked by his counterparts at home, yet he had the ear and appointment specifically because of Roosevelt, but only after 5 other career diplomats turned down the job. Dodd took his position very seriously, hoping that he’d make time to write a book he had worked on for much of his life (a detailed history of the American South). With no internet, no commercial jets and little but old fashioned typewriters or often written by hand, communiques sailed back and forth in diplomatic pouches. Dodd originally was lenient with Hitler, wanting to believe the hype Hitler broadcast. In time, though, he came to realize that Hitler had an insidious master plan. Dodd’s vivacious and beautiful daughter dated all manner of diplomats, Nazis and Russians, and very few Americans. She leaned left. Very far left, to the point of socialism. She had affairs – very inappropriate ones (says me), which undermined her father’s role (yet he seemed oblivious). This book is a real picture of the day to day life back then, well written, well researched and riveting. The Ambassador never did finish his book. But this book – well, everyone should read it. Erik Larson is the famous author of 
– by Willa Cather (on my Kindle) – what a joy to read. I’ve been a big fan of Cather’s writing most of my adult life, although I’ve not read all of her books. She had such a gift of words – such an ability to write a liquid picture – a conjurer of time and place that just doesn’t happen anymore in today’s writing world. The story revolves around a young girl (yes, it’s a coming of age novel) the daughter of a minister in the Midwest who has a musical gift. Her mentors help her to go to Chicago to study. Thea, the heroine here, is a very serious and studious young woman and not given to joy in life. She struggles with loneliness, yet seems to have no ability to reach out of her box to find friends or companionship. As with any young person who moves to a new place for work or study, there is that soulful pull from “home.” Does she give in? I’m not telling. A very good read.
– by Penny Vincenzi (hard copy from the library) – when two friends of mine recommended this book I knew I needed to read it. It’s not new (2004), but it is part of a trilogy by this English author. And I just refused to pay the very high Kindle price so that’s why I visited my local library and found it on the shelf. Vincenzi writes about the day-to-day lives of English gentry, and since I’m addicted to Downton Abbey these days, it sounded like a natural to read this book. It chronicles the lives of this particular family including marriages, births, affairs and chicanery, with their lovely home as the surround, the life style of the then-rich-and-famous, formal dinners. See? Downton Abbey. The difference is that there’s not much in this book about the servants, the below-stairs family. It takes place during the same pre-WWI era (1910′s). Prominent in the story is the book publishing business the family maintains (and with difficulty during the war years run by the two women left at home). Now I need to find the next in the series. If you enjoy family sagas, this one is a gem.
(Stacy Schiff); 
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Do you still have leftover turkey in your freezer, needing some way to use it? Try this delicious, head-to-toe-warming soup with lots of full-bodied flavor.
As soon as I read this recipe over at Kalyn’s Kitchen, I knew I’d be making it – what with leftover turkey in my freezer and all the ingredients I needed to make this. Kalyn said the original recipe came from a Sunset cookbook. She adapted it some, and I did too. We all put our own little twist on things, don’t we? I added some peas. Some of the packaged “Minted Peas” from Trader Joe’s. Those little guys are really delicious – they’re nothing more than plain frozen peas with a few little cubes of butter with some minced mint in it. As it cooks the butter melts and provides flavor. If you don’t have a TJ’s or can’t find the minted peas, just add regular frozen peas and some fresh mint (probably about a tablespoon) in addition to the fresh cilantro. I doubled the recipe and used the full 15-ounce package of peas. Use less, or whatever you’d prefer. Another great addition to this soup would be some sugar-snap peas or Chinese pea pods (chopped). I always try to figure out a way to add some other vegetables to soup. This soup is fairly carb-centric if you don’t. And peas just added to the carbs as well.
The making of this soup is a slight bit different – you start with some chicken broth – add some coins of fresh sliced ginger and fresh garlic – plus some soy sauce and freshly squeezed lime juice. That simmers for awhile, then you add in light coconut milk, some brown sugar or Splenda, the cubed or shredded turkey or chicken meat and allow that to simmer briefly. Add in a few seasonings, then the cooked rice only long enough to heat it through. That’s when I added the peas – but I really dislike peas that have cooked much – they turn gray. Not appealing. So in this soup you heat through the peas and serve it right away quick with some fresh cilantro sprinkled on top. This soup came together in less than 30 minutes. I served it with a slice of fresh ciabatta bread and that was dinner. I have enough leftover for another dinner for 2 and a package I’ll freeze to serve 2. Doubling the recipe serves 6 if you’re eating it as dinner.
If these flavors appeal to you, I’m sure you’ll like it. Thanks, Kalyn, for a great recipe.
What I liked: how easy it was to put together. It’s full of flavor too. Loved the peas in it with the addition of mint. And a great use of leftover Thanksgiving turkey!
What I didn’t like: nothing at all.
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Coconut-Lime Turkey (or Chicken) and Rice Soup
Recipe By: Adapted slightly from Kalyn’s Kitchen blog, and she adapted it from The Sunset Cookbook, 11/2011
Serving Size: 3
NOTES: I didn’t try this, but I think some sugar snap peas and/or some Chinese pea pods (chopped) would be nice additions to this soup. I used Sriracha sauce in lieu of the green Tabasco – you don’t use very much so it doesn’t color the soup at all.
3 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons lime juice — fresh-squeezed
5 thin slices fresh ginger root — (5 to 6)
2 medium garlic cloves — sliced in half
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar — or Splenda
12 ounces light coconut milk
2 cups diced turkey — or chicken
1/2 teaspoon green Tabasco sauce — (or more) or use a diced fresh chile if you really like it spicy (or other hot sauce of your choice)
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
3/4 cup frozen peas — or use Trader Joe’s “Minted Peas”
1/2 cup chopped cilantro — or use 1/4 cup chopped basil, Thai basil, or sliced green onions
1. Slice 5-6 thin slices of ginger root. Peel 2 medium garlic cloves and slice in half. Put chicken stock into a heavy soup pot and start to simmer, then add ginger root slices, garlic cloves, lime juice, soy sauce, and Splenda or brown sugar. Let simmer on low for about 20 minutes, or until flavors are well blended.
2. While the soup base simmers, shred the leftover turkey (or chicken) into bite-sized pieces until you have 2 cups. After 20 minutes add diced chicken, light coconut milk, and green Tabasco sauce (or other hot sauce or diced chile) to the soup and let it continue to simmer on low about 6 minutes more. Be sure the heat is low enough that the soup won’t boil after the coconut milk has been added.
3. After 6 minutes add the cooked brown rice and peas and let it simmer for a couple of minutes while you wash and chop the cilantro (or other herbs of your choice.) Add chopped herbs or green onions and simmer for 1-2 minutes more. Serve hot, with sliced limes to squeeze into the soup if desired.
Per Serving: 441 Calories; 13g Fat (27.1% calories from fat); 29g Protein; 50g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 59mg Cholesterol; 3163mg Sodium.
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