The Red Pyramid

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed the book! The narration was wonderful and I loved the personalities of the characters. I look forward to listening to the next in the series.

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Into the Wilderness

Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I picked this book up because many who like the Outlander series give this book rave reviews as well. I enjoyed the book, but it was long for me. I found myself starting to lose interest by the end. Regardless, the story is refreshing and the characters very strong and vivid.

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Butternut Squash Casserole

I don't know if you remember Kenny Roger's restaurant. It was very similar to a Boston Market and they had the best squash bake ever. I've been in search of something similar and this is pretty darn close. It's very sweet so I might cut back on the sugar by 1/3 the next time I make it. I served it at Thanksgiving and man, was it a hit! The original recipe doesn't call for cinnamon or nutmeg, but I added those based on a review. Do it! The spices are a must. This recipe below reflects me increasing the original by half.Recipe adapted from All Recipes

INGREDIENTS
about 3 pounds butternut squash - I buy the precut packages
1.5 cup white sugar
2.25 cups milk
1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1.5 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
4 eggs
1/3 cup margarine, melted
TOPPING
1/2 (16 ounce) package vanilla wafers, crushed
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1 cup brown sugar

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Put butternut squash in the microwave and cook on high, until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Cut in half, scoop out seeds and cube. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add squash and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash.
• In a 9x13 inch casserole dish combine 4.5 cups mashed butternut squash, white sugar, milk, vanilla extract, salt, flour, eggs and melted margarine.
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until set.
• In a medium bowl combine crushed vanilla wafers, 1/2 cup melted margarine and brown sugar. Crumble over top of cooked casserole and return to oven to brown.

Happy Thanksgiving (again)!

I know this is a day late, but Happy Thanksgiving again! This is now our second holiday season without my father-in-law. He was sorely missed at our table yesterday. However, I am thankful for all the time we had with him and that we now live close enough to our family to host Thanksgiving dinner. There are many things for which to be thankful and I realize that even with rough times, we have each other and that makes everything manageable.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Here's some Jib Jab fun.

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Proud of Myself

Since this is my blog, I can saw how I feel. I am quite proud of myself. Yesterday I attended a small shower for my friend who is due 10 days before I would have been due. I knew I wanted to share in this special day with her, but it was still tough. Yesterday as I stood next her I looked at her belly and couldn't help thinking that I would have had a very similarly sized bump as well. I've come a long way since July when we confirmed my miscarriage, but it's something I continue to think about. I was sad about our loss, but I held it together and I'm very glad I went.

Forever

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the narration and enjoyed having Cole as a major character, but I was not a fan of the ending.

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The Book of Love

The Book of Love: Book Two of the Magdalene Line, Narrated By Linda Stephens, 18 Cds [Complete & Unabridged Audio Work] by Kathleen McGowan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first. I wonder if the material was too much to listen to and I would have digested it better if I physically read the book. However, I enjoyed the narrator.
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Roasted Butternut Squash with Cinnamon

I'm trying to blog more of my seasonal recipes during the actual season. We'll see how long this lasts. I didn't discover butternut squash until I was into my adulthood, and let me tell you, it is quite delicious. I'm still experimenting with more ways to prepare it. I buy the pre-cut packages to save myself some time.

Recipe inspired by Ommy Nom, who was inspired by Whole Foods.

INGREDIENTS
1 butternut squash
1 tbsp olive oil
1tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Place in single layer on baking sheet, bake for 30 minutes or until tender.