From Our Recipe Box to Yours...

Here's one that just sounded soo good when Janette was talking about wanting to make it!! Be warned, I have not tried this, but can't wait to!!! Maybe you should try it and let me know what I am missing! wink, wink...

Chocolate Monster Cookie Pie
Yield: 8 slices

Ingredients:
For the Crust:
1 C. Graham cracker crumbs (about 10 whole graham crackers)
1/2 C. quick oats
3 T. brown sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 C. butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the Filling:
1.5 oz. box fat-free sugar-free chocolate pudding (I think I'd just use regular instant pudding myself...)
2 T. brown sugar
1 1/4 C. non-fat milk
1/4 C. peanut butter
1- 8 oz. tub reduced-fat Cool Whip
1/4 C. mini chocolate chips
3 T. quick oats
3 T. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 C. peanut butter M&M's

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with non-stick cooking spray. Stir together graham cracker crumbs, oats, brown sugar, and salt until well-combined. Stir in melted butter and vanilla until mixture is moistened. Press into bottom of pie plate. Bake for 8 minutes or until crust is light golden. Let cool completely. Whisk together pudding mix and brown sugar until combined. Whisk in milk until smooth and thick. Add in the peanut butter and vigorously whisk to combine. Gently fold in Cool Whip. Stir in mini chocolate chips. Pour into pie crust. Sprinkle oats and chocolate chips on top. Refrigerate for 1 - 2 hours until firm. Sprinkle M&M's on top right before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Book Trailer Monday...

This is a cute trailer on Kay Wyma's new book Cleaning House about how children nowadays feel entitled to everything and how to turn that around....

From Our Recipe Box to Yours...

Loving the Pioneer Woman again....

Italian Sloppy Joes

Added by Ree on September 19, 2012 in Main Courses, Sandwiches

Prep Time  Cook Time 10 Minutes

Servings 1

Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

• Leftover Spaghetti Sauce
• Thick Slices Of Garlic Bread (either Storebought Or Homemade)
• Mozzarella Cheese Slices
• Minced Fresh Parsley

Preparation Instructions

Heat up the leftover spaghetti sauce until hot and bubbly.

Bake two garlic bread slices until golden brown and crisp.

Preheat broiler. Place one slice of garlic bread on an ovenproof plate. Spoon spaghetti sauce over the top, adding as much as you want. Top with a slice or two of mozzarella, then place it under the broiler just until the cheese melts. Sprinkle with parsley, prop the second piece of bread on the side, and serve with a knife and fork!

Thoughts on a Thursday...

Appropriate for today.....

hustings

   \ HUHS-tingz \  , noun;

1.

The political campaign trail.

2.

(Before 1872) the temporary platform on which candidates
for the British Parliament stood when nominated and from which they addressed the electors.

3.

Any place from which political campaign speeches are made.

4.

Also called hustings court. A local court in certain parts of Virginia.

Quotes:

But he still had to go out to the hustings , a wordwhose
meaning he'd never learned, and campaign forpeople, or at least
give speeches.

-- Tom Clancy, Executive Orders

Now, do not let them lure you to the hustings , mydear Mr. Brooke.

-- George Eliot, Middlemarch

Origin:

Hustings  is derived from the Old Danish word hūs-thing
which meant "house meeting."

What's In Your Library Bag Wednesday?

     Hey Blog Readers!! It's Wednesday again!! What's in Your Library Bag today?! I am always looking for new ideas on what to read myself... This week I thought I'd throw some different ideas your way. There is a book club at the high school that often requests books from us and I thought some of their titles looked interesting... Might be fun to read what they are for a new twist in your reading "diet"...Maybe these titles will even get you interested in joining a book club.
   
 Here they are:

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo by Stieg Larsson
Beauty Queens by Libba Bray
Two Kisses for Maddy by Matt Logelin
Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker
Why We Broke Up by Daniel  Handler

What's In Your Library Bag Wednesday?...

     Well, it's Wednesday again...some weeks I think every other day is Wednesday...:). So, what's in Your Library Bag this Wednesday? I started a new series, that I'm not sure I will finsih, The KGI series by Maya Banks. The first book, The Darkest Hour, is a good read. The KGI are men that are all brothers and are like mercenaries. The big hunky men are all ex-military and have lots of strings to pull as they run around the world saving people. The missions are dangerous and people get hurt.
     The main mission of this book, to save one of their wives, connects to the romance/relationship part of the story. In the end, not only do they save her from the drug cartel, who have held her captive for a year, but they must also help her save herself from the addictions her captors forced on her and in the end her marriage...
     This is a series of books by Maya Banks, but it's not a typical series. Or maybe it is. At any rate, it's a series where the characters are all connected, for example the KGI are all brothers, but each new book in the series is about a different person. You  might see some characters from the first book,i.e. the brothers, but they aren't really what the story is about. I like to know the back stories of all of the characters, but my favorite type of series is where it is one long continuous story. You are constantly getting back stories and front stories for all of the characters. Sometimes new characters enter into the story, but then they become part of the crowd and the whole story. So, since this series isn't one long continuous story, it doesn't hook me into the series like the other kind does. It's still a good story, but, for me, it's not the same.
     How do you feel about reading series? Do you like the ones where each  novel is about a new character? It definitely makes it easier to skip around when someone else has the book out that you wanted to read...Or, like me, do you want one big story, where everyone is connected and interconnected and the story weaves and weaves? Maybe, you don't like series at all. It does take a big time investment to keep up with. It's hard to break away from, I must admit. However you like it, it's great to be reading! Chime in and let me know your thoughts and what you are reading!!

From Our Recipe Box to Yours...

Here's a yummy recipe from Kate....Her words of wisdom: I double mine when I want to use a 9x13 pan, but I just use 3 eggs, not 4. Another tip is not to use a mixer and to stir as little as possible.

Best Brownies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
•  
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.
2. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.
4. To Make Frosting: Combine 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Frost brownies while they are still warm.

Word of the Day

Thursday, September 06, 2012

piceous

   \ PIS-ee-uhs \  , adjective;

1.

Inflammable; combustible.

2.

Of, pertaining to, or resembling pitch.

3.

Zoology.  Black or nearly black as pitch.

Quotes:

In the silent and piceous  hour just before dawn,
they advanced at a slow trot, fanning out through
the slave quarters and into the yard that divided
the ginhouse, the mill, and the buildings where
Canning and Islept unaware.

-- Geraldine Brooks, March

What's In Your Library Bag Wednesday?...

     Wow! It's Wednesday again!! Where does the time go? When school is in, everything just seems to fly by. I'm feeling like I need a change of pace in what I've been reading lately...
     When I was checking in books at the library today, I ran across Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin. Gretchen wrote The Happiness Project a few years back about her challenge for herself to find happiness in her life. She set a goal of a year and then set individual goals for each month in order to accomplish this goal. Little steps. I never quite get all the way through non-fiction titles...I really am more of fiction reader, but the idea of finding more happiness in life and being happy with what you've got where you're at has always appealed to me. This new book, Happier at Home, focuses on being happy not only in your house, but in your home life, the every day. Gretchen sets this one up the same way with one big goal and lots of smaller goals in order to get there.
     My reason for being attracted to this book is sometimes, I feel like being at home is just "work" and I'd rather go and "play" somewhere else...I have put my name on the hold list for this new book so I can gain insight into how other people look at the every day and perhaps implement something into my only daily routine because of it. I may not read all of it...who am I kidding? I likely won't read all of it, but I'll pick out the parts that interest me the most and glean all the info I can from it.
     Do you read non-fiction? If so, what types of books do you like? Do you read self-help type books or do you think they are ridiculous? Maybe you read to learn how to do something, like build a birdhouse or sew a quilt? Whatever you read, enjoy it!! If not, come in and we'll try to find you something you will...

Just Read!