Weekend Cooking: Molasses Hermits

Weekend Cooking, hosted by Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more info, see the welcome post.
This week's recipe is for Hermits in cookie form. Generally they're baked in a large pan and cut into bars. When we first moved from MA to FL, I had a part time job and one week brought in Hermits for the marketing department. A lot of people who live in FL are transplants. I was really surprised that only one person knew what Hermits were. In New England, they're practically a staple! Anyway, I chose this recipe because it is easier than the bar recipe which can tend to be dry if you don't take them out at exactly the right time.
Molasses Hermits:

2 c. all purpose flour
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick of butter (softened)
1 c. light brown sugar
1 lg. egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. molasses
1/4 c. sour cream
1 c. raisins

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients and add alternately with molasses and sour cream. Add in raisins.

Bake at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes. For my oven, 11 minutes is perfect. My friend Carol glazes her hermits. I don't feel it's necessary but if you would like to glaze them, here's an easy recipe :

2 tbsp butter
1 c. confectioner's sugar
5 tsp. milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Glaze while hermits are still slightly warm.

Enjoy!

Review: Last Train from Cuernavaca by Lucia St. clair Robson

Set against the backdrop of the Mexican revolution, Last Train from Cuernavaca, is the story of two very different women, the men they love and their deep feelings for Mexico: Grace Knight, a widowed British ex-patriot, has fallen for Captain Federico Martín while he was billeted in her Hotel Colonial where the Mexican elite and foreigners meet and mingle and sixteen year old Angel Sanchez whose intrepid nature and love for Antonio has led her to join the rebel forces of Emiliano Zapata.

At a pivotal point in the revolution the paths of Grace and Angel cross leading to some dramatic and harrowing circumstances. The strength and fortitude of the two women stand them in good stead but they fear for not only their own survival but also the fate of their country. Among the rebels and the Federales, conflicting loyalties abound, making the story not only one of revolution and romance but also intrigue, double dealing and peril. I couldn't wait to see how it ended!

The author's afterword is worth reading as it contains some interesting historical information. Although this is a work of fiction, the story is based upon the lives of two real women set in this time frame and location. My knowledge of the Mexican revolution is almost non-existent so this was most helpful.

Told from Grace's and Angel's perspectives, Robson achieves a smooth transition between the two. The excellent quality of Robson's characterizations will have me looking for more of this talented writer's work. I thoroughly enjoyed the pace and plot of the story and would highly recommend the book. 4****

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by GoodReads.

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Marcia of The Printed Page. ( for this week anyway) Anyone can play along. Just leave a link to your MM at the hosting blog and follow the links to other blogs to see what books are finding their way to mailboxes around the world. Caveat: participation in MM can cause your tbr list to grow exponentially. *Penguin at mailbox, a copyrighted image, is used with permission from Club Penguin*

Here's what showed up last week:

Monday: A Small Death in the Great Glen by A.D. Scott from Atria/SA.

One Day (ARC) by David Nicholls won from Vintage Anchor Books.

Tuesday: Strange Neighbors by Ashlyn chase won at Debbie's bookbag. Thanks again, Debbie!

Thursday: How to be an American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway (ARC) for review from Putnam/ LT.

Thieves of Darkness by Richard Doetsch from Atria/SA.

Saturday: Backseat Saints (audio) by Joshilyn Jackson won from Zia at My life in not so many words. Thanks again, Zia!

What exciting books showed up at your house this week?

Weekend Cooking: Best darn chocolate sauce ever!

Weekend Cooking, hosted by Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page. For more info, see the welcome post.

Hot and steamy in Florida, so what could be an easier more delectable treat than ice cream. Of course, a little scrumptious home made chocolate sauce on it never hurts! I got this recipe from a friend years ago and it is supposedly the recipe from Bailey's in Boston. A sundae enjoyed at Bailey's Ice Cream Parlor was the highlight of a trip intown for me as a kid. Those silver bowls of ice cream with creamy hot sauce poured over it was a little bit of heaven. Since July is officially National ice cream month, I thought this would be an appropriate recipe for my first weekend cooking post.


Bailey's chocolate sauce:

2 squares of unsweetened chocolate
1/2 c. ( 1 stick) of butter
2 c. of confectioner's sugar
1 small can of evaporated milk

Slowly melt chocolate and butter together.
Remove from heat and add sugar and milk alternately.
Stir until smooth.
Return to hear and simmer for 8-10 minutes stirring frequently.


The aroma will be enough to have you running to the freezer for your favorite flavor of ice cream. I've also used a little of this over cream puffs instead of making a glaze. I think my cooking skills are better than my photographic skills. Enjoy!

Review: Secret Keepers by Mindy Friddle

Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (April 28, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312537026
ISBN-13: 978-0312537029

Set in the small South Carolina town of Palmetto, we spend the summer with the Hanley family; Emma, 72 year old whose dream of a "Trip of a lifetime" has gone by the wayside with the recent unexpected death of her husband. Now she spends her days taking care of her schizophrenic son, Bobby, and helping her grandson, Kyle, in a mild deception. Emma gave up her longed for trip but fate may just have something even better in store for her.

Dora, Emma's daughter, is married to the overly controlling and religious Donny. Life is one constant financial struggle after another. Dora does her duty, both wifely and motherly, but looks back to her younger, more wilder days with nostalgia and pangs of regret.

When Jake Carey, Dora's first love, returns to Palmetto and starts his landscaping business, lives in Palmetto are turned upside down. The flowers he and his crew plant around town have the magical ability to bring back haunting memories to those who smell them. For Jake, it's the memories of Dora and lazy summer days. It may never be too late to find or reclaim love in the most unlikely places and when the characters least expect it.

Secret Keepers is a quiet story that just steals your heart. I was so taken with these characters right from the start. Southern atmosphere done to perfection with Friddle's beautiful writing:

"At Amaranth, precisely where Emma Hanley's grandfather once planted his beloved Animus mico in full view of an appalled audience of dour businessmen in the drawing room, tender green buds now clasped in folds, shy as virgins. Fronds unfurled like geisha's fans, flashing lacy pleasures."

These characters felt like friends I have known for a long time and their personalities will stay with me for quite a while. 4****

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Picador through LibraryThings early reviewer program.

Review: Roseflower Creek by Jackie Lee Miles

From the publisher: Thus begins the story of Lori Jean, whose short life and early death are woven into this worldly-wise novel set in the rural South of the 1950s. Told from the point of view of ten-year-old Lori Jean, a sensitive dreamer of a child who longs for a "normal" family, Roseflower Creek boldly explores the dynamics of a dysfunctional Southern family. Abandoned by her father when she was five years old, her world consists of a weak-willed mother and an alcoholic step-father who can't—or won't—keep a steady job. Yet Lori Jean is filled with the curiosity and hope common to all children.

After Lori Jean's step-father, Ray, begins attending AA meetings, he seems like a changed man, and Lori Jean begins to think that finally she and her mama are going to experience some long-overdo happiness—to be a real family and "git ourselves one of them futures, just like regular folks." But when Ray returns to his former ways and Lori Jean uncovers his secret, everything begins to spin out of control and she pays the ultimate price for what she knows.

My Thoughts:

I wanted to like this one a lot. Really, I did. Unfortunately, I found it slow going. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for it even though I usually love southern lit or maybe it was the dialect the narrator used or the fact that none of the characters grabbed me or even the predictability of the plot. Granted it was a sad story, and the characters had pitiful lives but a lot of that was due to their own choices for which I had no sympathy.

Roseflower Creek is a short read, a litany of one tragic event after another, but at the end of it, all I felt was depressed. This is just how the book made me feel, please make your own judgements. One thing I did like is that Miles evoked the atmosphere of a small Georgia town quite well. 2**

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Sourcebooks, Inc.

Book Tour: Beachcombers by Nancy Thayer

Hardcover: 368 pages
Published by Ballentine Books (June 22, 2010
ISBN 978-0-345-51828-6

Emma Fox has just been dumped by her fiancé, fired from her high powered brokerage firm and has fled back to the family home on Nantucket. Her younger sister Lily is so worried about Emma spending her days crying and sleeping that she e-mails their older sister, Abbie, to come home from London.

That's not Lily's only worry; their dad has rented out the playhouse to a complete stranger who Lily thinks is after their dad. Marina, their new tenant, has come from the midwest and is on Nantucket to help herself heal after a heartbreaking divorce and dealing with the fact that she could never have children. But then finding out her husband Gerry is having a baby with her best friend Dara is the last straw. Over the course of her lease Marina finds a lot more on Nantucket than just a small rental on the ocean and the ability to take each day as it comes.

When Abbie arrives home, things go right back to the old pecking order. Lily is again the family baby and expects everyone to take care of her while she can just be her irresponsible self but over the course of the summer, Lily is in for quite a few surprises from her two sisters, her dad and in the end she manages to surprise herself.

Beachcombers is a wonderful story of a family in flux who find themselves in some new and unexpected relationships. The story is told from the perspective of each of the four women changing with each chapter. I love the way Thayer managed to transport me mentally and emotionally to Nantucket with these well developed and oh-so-likeable characters in such a delightful setting. The writing flowed smoothly and the story kept me engrossed to the point that I hated to see it end. Another endearing book by Nancy Thayer perfect for a light summer read. I just loved it! 4.5****

For your convenience in purchasing the book or just for more info, please use this link.

Disclosure: A review copy of this books was provided by Pump up Your Book Tours (VBT). Thanks, Cheryl!

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Marcia of The Printed Page. ( for this week anyway) Anyone can play along. Just leave a link to your MM at the hosting blog and follow the links to other blogs to see what books are finding their way to mailboxes around the world. Caveat: participation in MM can cause your tbr list to grow exponentially. *Penguin at mailbox, a copyrighted image, is used with permission from Club Penguin*

Monday:

Desire Me by Robyn DeHart won from Marta's Meanderings. Thanks again, Marta!

Fur and Feathers by Janet Halfmann for book tour and giveaway August 9th. Thanks, Janet, for sending along the book! Don't miss this unique giveaway open internationally ! Winner choice: 1 book or possible 55 books!

Wednesday:

Dirty Rotten Tendrils (a flower shop mystery) by Kate Collins for review and giveaway in October. Don't you just love the title? Thanks again, Kate! Can't wait to get to your latest cozy.

Review: That Way Murder Lies by Ann Granger

When Alison Jenner opened the mail and found the poison pen letter, she was taken aback. Way back, 25 years to be exact, to when she was acquitted of murdering her aunt Freda Kemp in Cornwall. When her husband confronts her with the malicious missive, he insists on having the police look into it.

The investigation stirs up a hornets nest and two more murders occur right in the Jenners' back yard, so to speak. The search for the poison pen writer and murderer leads investigations to Cornwall and back. Attempted murder number three is the undoing of the perpetrator and the resolution of the case.

A plot of murder motivated by greed, resentment and cover-up makes this a highly recommended novel. For some reason, I really like books that have a Cornwall setting. If you like British based mysteries with a little amateur help thrown in by the Inspector's fiancée and some truly believable supporting characters, romantic sub-plots, good local flavor, then this is the book for you. 4****

Review and Giveaway of Killer Plot by Ellery Adams

In Killer Plot, the first in the Books By the Bay Mystery series, Ellery Adams introduces us to the delightful little town of Oyster Bay and some equally delightful characters. We meet main character Olivia Limoges, single, wealthy business owner who has recently returned to town. Up to now, Olivia has minded her own business and kept an aloof demeanor. Some of the townsfolk have taken this the wrong way and accused her of being unfriendly or stuck up. That proves to be not the case as Olivia steps up to the plate when it is called for.

Having breakfast at the local diner one morning, Olivia is introduced to Cameron Ford who asks Olivia if a local group of writers can use her empty cottage for their writers group meetings. Cameron writes celebrity gossip and is in town from LA to do research for his book about the local controversial Talbot family. At the first meeting, Cameron does not show up but one of the other members remembers seeing him enter a seedy bar while he was driving to the meeting. When Cameron fails to show up, Olivia and the group, The Bayside Book Writers, track him down only to find him dead in an alley. The only clue: a poem left at the scene. Oh, ho, what do we have here? An erudite haiku writing murderer? Well, that should narrow it down. Unfortunately, it doesn't make it any easier especially after the second murder and another poem! Olivia puts the group to work to try and decipher the poem before there is another victim.

This was a really fun little cozy with some terrific characters. Even though they were quite diverse, their common goal of writing and interest in mystery solving brought them together. The haiku clues stumped me but I loved the way it was all tied up at the end. This is a new series not to be missed! I really look forward to more adventures with the Bayside Book Writers.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by the author, Ellery Adams. Thanks again, Ellery!

Now for the giveaway. Ellery is generously allowing me to pick three winners to receive a copy of her new book and a "themed surprise". Hmmm, wonder what that is!

As always, please be sure to leave an e mail address in your comment. Open to US and Canada.

+2 Bonus entries if you are a follower ( old or new) Remind me how you follow.

+ 3 Bonus entries can be earned by posting a link to the drawing (sidebar is fine) or tweeting. Please, please, please, DO NOT leave three comments that you tweeted. Either way, leave me a link please in your comment box.

Deadline is July 25 th at 5 P.M. EST
Good luck!

Review: Farm Fatale by Wendy Holden

From the publisher: The must-have novel from smash UK bestseller Wendy Holden! Cash-strapped Rosie and her boyfriend Mark are city folk longing for a country cottage. Rampantly nouveaux-riches Samantha and Guy are also searching for rustic bliss—a mansion complete with all the fancy trappings. The village of Eight Mile Bottom seems quiet enough, despite a nosy postman, a reclusive rock star, a glamorous Bond Girl, and a ghost with a knife in its back. But there are unexpected thrills in the hills, and the two couples are soon swept up in various romantic entanglements, mix-ups, slip-ups, and unlikely seductions in their search for ever-greener pastures.

My Thoughts : What seemed like a good idea at the time to Rosie, illustrator, and Samantha, actress wannabe, didn't sit too well with their respective mates. In fact Rosie's boyfriend, Mark, only agreed to go after he got a newpaper column based on moving to the country. Samantha's husband Guy, didn't have much say. He was in the throes of a heart attack when Samantha decided the move from crowded city to bucolic countryside would help move her into the limelight.

The grass is always greener on the other side might sound good as a platitude but in real life, that's not usually the case as these characters find out the hard way. Thinking that writing a column about moving to the country would be as easy as falling off a log, Mark finds nothing suits him as subjects for a column even though Rosie comes up with numerous clever ideas. How can a man write when there are so many distractions - such as the screaming horde of children living next door with their marijuana hazed parents or the perpetual screech of tires and banging of front doors from the nosy postman who has to visit each house and pass on everyone else's business.

Rosie has her own set of problems to deal with. Not being too fond of the adverse changes in Mark's personality, Rosie begins to question whether the relationship is what she really wants. When things get out of hand at a neighboring party, Rosie is faced with a few new professional challenges and personal choices that might just be right for her. Is the cute but falling down cottage in the countryside still the place to be? Is Mark still her dream man?

Holden's sense of humor, keen observational skills and sharp, satiric wit really appeal to me; she can come up with characters who are just so full of themselves and find humorous ways to give them their comeuppance. If you think you've got the end to this one figured out- think again! Holden manages to throw in a real twist at the end.

Farm Fatale had me snickering on page two and the trend continued to the finale. Is this great Literature? No! A fun, sheer escapism read? You betcha! As with Holden's Beautiful People, I enjoyed this one immensely. 4****

Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (July 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402237162
ISBN-13: 978-1402237164

For more info on Wendy Holden, please visit her website.

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Sourcebooks, Inc. Thank you, Danielle!

Review: Live to Tell by Lisa Gardner

Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Bantam (July 13, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0553807242
ISBN-13: 978-0553807240

In her just released psycological suspense thriller, Live to Tell, (4th in the series) the story is told from the point of view of three narrators: D.D. Warren is a Detective with the Boston PD. She's been working hard and enjoying an infrequent night out when she gets the call to investigate a family annihilation case. The next day, another case comes to light with almost the same circumstances; father shot, mother stabbed and children dead. The m.o. may be similar but the families are totally different socially and geographically.

D.D. Warren and her team are baffled but they try to find a common denominator. What comes to light is a link to a pediatric psych hospital in Cambridge; each family has had some dealings with the hospital. Now the investigation starts to narrow down the possible motives and suspects. All of the employees are thoroughly scrutinized including past personnel or anyone who had connections to the hospital. A daunting job to be sure!

Victoria: mother of 9 year old Evan, her psychologically challenged son with psychotic tendencies. He repeatedly tells his mother he is going to kill her and she is constantly on the alert to keep all the kitchen knives accounted for. The lead in at the beginning of the book had my heart racing. Always a good beginning of a thriller.

Danielle: a nurse at Cambridge psych hospital who is the sole survivor of a family annihilation. Her father killed both her siblings and her mother when Danielle was only 9 years old. For years she has felt survivors guilt and still has been trying to make sense of why she was spared. Is it because her father loved her or because he hated her? Now that the 25th anniversary of the tragic event is coming up, Danielle wants to spend more and more time working but at one point after a horrible, unforseen incident with one of the kids, her supervisor demands she take time off.

In Live to Tell, Gardner does a fantastic job of setting up the suspense and I really liked the way more and more of Danielle's back story was slowly revealed. Even though there is a change in narrators, I found the transition to be a smooth one and did not detract from the plot's pace.

The ending was a tad bit of a let down for me as it was easy to see who the murderer was and I thought the motive was inane and not too believable. Up to the denoument and motive revelation it was a very fast paced and pulse pounding read with quite a few twists. I would certainly recommend the book and would be willing to read more in the series. For more info on Lisa Gardner and her books, you can visit her website. 4****

Disclosure: Review copy of the book was supplied by Bantam Dell through the Goodreads program.

Teaser Tuesday: Farm Fatale by Wendy Holden

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Miz B of Should Be Reading and asks you to:

1. Grab your current read
2. Open to a random page
3. Share 2 "teaser"sentences also citing the title of the book and the author and in that way people can have great recommendations if they like the "teaser.
4. Please avoid spoilers

This week's teaser comes from Farm Fatale , a romantic comedy, by Wendy Holden:

"I must say, I don't fancy his chances much."
"Someone else clearly does, however. Apparently our divine hostess just caught him in the bathroom shagging one of the waitresses. Tried to drown him in the bidet, I hear, but he got away."

And people think life in the country is dull! Review will be posted on Thursday of this week.

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Marcia of The Printed Page. ( for this week anyway) Anyone can play along. Just leave a link to your MM at the hosting blog and follow the links to other blogs to see what books are finding their way to mailboxes around the world. Caveat: participation in MM can cause your tbr list to grow exponentially. *Penguin at mailbox, a copyrighted image, is used with permission from Club Penguin*

Here's what showed up this week:

Wednesday:

The Gendarme by Mark T. Mustian from Penguin/SA. Love the cover!

Once Wicked Always Dead by T. Marie Benchley from Atlas Books/SA

Friday: Think of a Number by John Verdon, received from Random House/SA. I've already seen positive reviews for this one. It sounds most exciting!

How was your week? Any one book in particular elevated your heart rate?

Show Me 5 Saturday: Inside Out by Barry Eisler

Show Me 5, a meme started by That's a Novel Idea, gives each blogger a chance to answer these questions:

1. Title of book: Inside Out by Barry Eisler
2. Words to describe the book: Political thriller
3. Location or characters you met:

• Ben Treven: A black ops soldier who is asked by his unit commander, Hort, to track down the 92 missing torture tapes that have been stolen and are being used to blackmail the government. The tapes include some explosive material and have become part of a massive cover up by the powers that be in Washington, D.C. Ben's one of the few people who can accomplish this but unfortunately others are also looking for the tapes and will do what is necessary to get them even if that includes eliminating Ben.
• Daniel Larison: one of the original members of Hort's unit who supposedly died in 2007. Daniel has gone rogue and has become his own free agent, trying to shake down the US government for $100 million in diamonds; a sum that will allow him to pursue his secret life while trying to overcome the horrific nightmares from his past. His big threat is that if he is killed, the tapes will automatically be published on the internet.
• Paula Lanier: A gung-ho FBI special agent who is sent to follow Ben as she and the Bureau have their own agendas. But then, so do other agencies and they are not working well together. Although Ben prefers to work solo, he finds Paula to be most tenacious and not easy to shake off. So Paula and Ben hook up to lure Daniel out and try to retrieve the tapes. Both of them have to use all their survival skills to stay one step ahead of those who want them both out of the picture.

4. Things you liked/disliked:

• liked the fast paced, non-stop action
• liked how the author showed the personal and professional side of main character Ben Treven, and how he expanded Ben's backstory from the last book, Fault Lines. (Review can be seen here)
• liked the twists in the book; this is one of those books where the "good guys" can also be the "bad guys" but the bad guys are really, really the "baddest of the bad guys." In other words, who can be trusted? Maybe nobody !
• liked the extensive bibliography and sources at the end of the book. This shows how much research Eisler did and how closely based in reality this story is. Scary stuff!

5. Stars or less for your rating: 4**** for me and 5***** for The Big Guy. Once hubby stuck his nose in the book, he didn't surface until the end.

Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books (June 29, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0345505107
ISBN-13: 978-0345505101

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by the author, Barry Eisler. Thanks, Barry!

Aww, don't be shy!

Sitting out by the pool the other day, I just happened to see this little guy strolling across the vacant lot next to us. Luckily for me, he couldn't get away too fast and I had time to go get the camera. He wan't up for having his picture taken and immediately pulled his head in. I don't know why, I was just trying to give him his share of fame!