Stacey's Favorite Books

Monday, February 24, 2014

I learned something new!

     My daughter and I decided to tackle arm knitting! We sat down one Saturday after lunch and created 4 beautiful infinity scarves in less than 2 hours! I had so much fun! And I am telling you, if I can figure it out, so can you!

Here's the youtube video we followed...You should try it to beat the winter blues...Super easy and super fun!


 

Saturday, February 22, 2014

This is Interesting....

     I was chatting while checking out books today and one of our patrons was checking out one of my favorite historical romance authors, Jude Deveraux. Jude Deveraux has written tons of funny historical romance. More currently, she writes books that are more current in time period and have a strong sense of community. Anyway, what led this patron to reading Jude Deveraux was this interesting article she found in Reader's Digest....http://www.rd.com/culture/psychic-scams-novelist-17-million/

Check it Out...

Friday, February 21, 2014

From Our Recipe Box to Yours...

Slow-Cooker Lasagna

Slow-Cooker Lasagna recipe

what you need


1
lb.  ground beef

1
jar  (24 oz.) spaghetti sauce

1
cup  water

1
container  (15 oz.) POLLY-O Original Ricotta Cheese

1
pkg.  (7 oz.) KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

1/4
cup  KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided

1
 egg

2
Tbsp.  chopped fresh parsley

6
 lasagna noodles, uncooked

make it


BROWN meat in large skillet; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water. Mix ricotta, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 Tbsp. Parmesan, egg and parsley.
SPOON 1 cup meat sauce into slow cooker; top with layers of half each of the noodles (broken to fit) and cheese mixture. Cover with 2 cups meat sauce. Top with remaining noodles (broken to fit), cheese mixture and meat sauce. Cover with lid.
COOK on LOW 4 to 6 hours or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses; let stand, covered, 10 min. or until melted.

This recipe is courtesy www.Kraft.com. I am hoping this will make taking food to share fast and easy for the event we are attending this weekend.:) Happy cooking all!

Friday, February 14, 2014

From Our Recipe Box to Yours...

     Here's one of those recipes that they say you can only get from the Amish themselves...But, if you take care of it, it can last forever and you can make any number of different items with it! Here's the recipe for the starter...next week I'll include a recipe using this starter that my family enjoys...

Amish Friendship Bread Starter
recipe image
Rated:rating
Submitted By: GINNY LEE
Photo By: Linda (LMT)
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Ready In: 9 Days 40 Minutes
Servings: 120
"Yeast, sugar, milk and flour ferment to make starter for sweet bread. Because the recipe produces so much starter, give some away to friends."
INGREDIENTS:
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45
degrees C)
3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3 cups white sugar, divided
3 cups milk
DIRECTIONS:
1.In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Let stand 10 minutes. In a 2 quart container glass, plastic or ceramic container, combine 1 cup flour and 1 cup sugar. Mix thoroughly or flour will lump when milk is added. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk and dissolved yeast mixture. Cover loosely and let stand until bubbly. Consider this day 1 of the 10 day cycle. Leave loosely covered at room temperature.
2.On days 2 through 4; stir starter with a spoon. Day 5; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Days 6 through 9; stir only.
3.Day 10; stir in 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 1 cup milk. Remove 1 cup to make your first bread, give 2 cups to friends along with this recipe, and your favorite Amish Bread recipe. Store the remaining 1 cup starter in a container in the refrigerator, or begin the 10 day process over again (beginning with step 2).





Now for the recipe that usually gets handed out with your first batch of starter...


DO NOT USE METAL UTENSILS WHEN MAKING THIS BREAD! It will change the process of the dough!

Take your one cup of starter and add to it:

Add 1 cup oil (or 1 cup applesauce)
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Mix well.

Add 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup nuts (optional)
1 large pkg instant vanilla pudding
Mix thoroughly. Batter will be thick.

Grease 2 large or 4 small loaf pans.
Sprinkle all around pan with cinnamon sugar.
Pour batter in to pans.
Sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar.

Bake on 350* for 1 hour (or less if you use 4 smaller pans) or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Allow to cool on wire rack for approx 15 minutes. Run knife around inside edges of loaf pans and remove from pan and continue to cool on wire racks.
I hold the pan, with a pot holder in one hand, and turn out loaf on other hand, then place bottom side down on cooling rack.

 I wish you could smell this bread...

Just look at all it's cinnamon sugar goodness!

Enjoy!

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

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

     It's Wednesday and I'm here to ask "What's In Your Library Bag?" today. How's the winter reading streak going? It sure has been cold enough and snowy enough to want to stay inside and curl up with a good book.
     I've been reading haphazardly. Some weeks I have time and others I don't. Just like any other time:). Anyway, one of the recent books I've read is After the Storm by Maya Banks. It's part of her KGI series, number 8, I believe. I've read all of the rest of this series and really enjoyed them. KGI is a secret covert agency not working for the government, but not working against it either. These guys and some gals go in and kick some major butt and save the day, taking on missions that save women and children from trafficking and private missions where the parents want their daughter back from the drug cartel. By book 8, a lot of the characters in the book are matched up, likely having rescued their spouses on some mission they were involved in.
     These novels are usually quite fast paced and exciting, not to mention "hot." After the Storm, is Donovan Kelly's story. He's one of the main guys in KGI from the very beginning. He doesn't say much, but he's the brains behind the operation taking care of the mainframe computer systems at their base. Donovan, by no means is just brains, though. When either women or children are involved, he has as much brawn as the next KGI member. In this story, the mission comes to them in their hometown. A young man is in trouble and looking for work to help support his two sisters, one of which is quite ill. As the story unfolds, and the Kelly's/KGI gets involved, Donovan becomes enamored with one of the sisters and vows to protect them at all costs, which means going up against their father, a very wealthy connected man who is also cruel and ruthless. This story definitely had the makings of a great one, but I found it to be quite sappy, off course from Maya Banks' usual wit and verve. Every page it seemed like was "Oh I know I've found the one. She is soo perfect and I'm going to make her love me. I know they are a ready made family, but I am happy with that." Blah blah blah. As far as I was concerned this novel needed a bit more excitement and danger and less lovey dovey. Sorry, Maya I give it a 3.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Book Trailer Monday...

     Here's the latest book to be passed around at the library....


Monday, February 3, 2014

Book Trailer Monday...

     I saw this book advertised and ordered it for the library. Can't wait to read it!!!