The Nightingale

I have been a fan of Kristin Hannah for awhile. The Nightingale did not disappoint me. She is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than 20 novels, all with very different twists. In The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah captures the epic panorama of WWII and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women's war, with courage, grace and powerful insight. The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experiences, by ideals, passions and circumstances, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France--a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime.

In the quiet village of Carriveau, France in 1939, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn't believe that the Nazis will invade France . . . but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a German captain requisitions Vianne's home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.

Vianne's sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can...completely. But when he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and never looks back, risking her life time and again to save others. "In love we find out who we want to be. In war we find out who we are." The Nightingale is definitely a book worthy of the reading time. It will have you crying and smiling, sometimes within the same chapter.

And as always, a delicious meal was thoroughly enjoyed as we discussed the intricacies of The Nightingale. Our meal's theme was French, of course! Bon appetit!

APPETIZER

Prosciutto, Apple and Goat Cheese Pinwheels

Serves: 12 pinwheels

Ingredients:

6 slices prosciutto, cut in half lengthwise

12 arugula leaves

12 slices/pieces of goat cheese-I used goat cheese with cranberries 

12 thin slices of Fuji apple

 (Can add chopped walnuts, pecans or other nuts on top of the cheese)

Instructions:

1. Place a strip of prosciutto on a cutting board.

2. Place one arugula leaf in the center of the prosciutto strip.

3. Place a thin slice of Fuji apple at one end of the prosciutto strip.

4. Top apple with a generous amount of goat cheese. Make sure to spread goat cheese evenly on apple. (Top with nuts if desired.)

5. Beginning from edge with the apple and cheese, roll prosciutto tightly to make a pinwheel.

Recipe adapted from: http://www.bemindfulbehuman.com/index.php/prosciutto-apple-goat-cheese-wraps/

ENTREE

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:

4-5 lb. pork tenderloin

1 pound thick sliced bacon

Salt and pepper, to taste

Long’s Peak Dry Rub (from Savory Spice shop) or other rub of choice

Butcher’s twine

Medium sized potatoes, quartered and lightly coated in olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste.

Rub salt, pepper and dry rub over all of tenderloin.  Wrap bacon around roast, stretching the bacon to have ends meet.  Use butcher’s twine to tie and secure the bacon around the roast.  In large skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, then brown all sides of the roast over medium heat.  Transfer to roasting pan, baking uncovered at 350 until internal temperature reaches 155°.   Add potatoes around the roast at the beginning of baking.  The roast may need to be covered during the baking process to avoid drying out.  Remove roast from oven, let rest for about 10 minutes, during this time, internal temperature will continue to rise.  Slice and serve with apple/wine sauce.  

Apple/Wine Sauce

Ingredients:

3 large Gala apples, peeled and diced into fairly large pieces

3 tablespoons of butter

½ cup white wine (sweet wine such as Pinot Grigio)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 cup apple jelly

In large sauce pan, melt butter, then add apples and saute covered for 3-5 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients, cooking over medium heat until apples are tender.  Reduce heat, uncover and let apples simmer until liquids are reduced.  Serve with pork tenderloin, on the meat or alongside. 

                    

DESSERT

Raspberry Clafoutis

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups milk

4 eggs

1/2 cup sugar                                                                          

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup flour

3 cups fresh raspberries (or other seasonal berries)

*Garnish with fresh mint, if desired

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8 small ramekins or creme brûlée dishes with nonstick  cooking spray.

2.  In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. Slowly whisk in flour. Beat well until no lumps remain. Mixture should be the consistency of thin pancake batter.

3.  Arrange raspberries in a single layer in bottom of prepared dishes.  Top each with batter.

4.  Bake 30 minutes or until center is set and top is lightly browned. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with mint, if desired.

Gloria Steinem: My Life On the Road

Gloria Steinem is a writer, lecturer, political activist, and feminist organizer. She travels in this and other countries as an organizer and lecturer and is a frequent media spokeswoman on issues of equality. She is particularly interested in the shared origins of sex and race caste systems, gender roles and child abuse as roots of violence, non-violent conflict resolution, the cultures of indigenous peoples, and organizing across boundaries for peace and justice. She lives in New York City, and just published her first book in over twenty years, My Life On the Road.

When people ask Gloria why she still has hope and energy after all these years, she always says: "Because I travel. Taking to the road—by which I mean letting the road take you—changed who I thought I was. The road is messy in the way that real life is messy. It leads us out of denial and into reality, out of theory and into practice, out of caution and into action, out of statistics and into stories—in short, out of our heads and into our hearts."

Gloria Steinem had an itinerant childhood. When she was a young girl, her father would pack the family in the car every fall and drive across country searching for adventure and trying to make a living. The seeds were planted: Gloria realized that growing up didn’t have to mean settling down. And so began a lifetime of travel, of activism and leadership, of listening to people whose voices and ideas would inspire change and revolution.

My Life on the Road is the moving, funny, and profound story of Gloria’s growth and also the growth of a revolutionary movement for equality—and the story of how surprising encounters on the road shaped both. From her first experience of social activism among women in India to her work as a journalist in the 1960s; from the whirlwind of political campaigns to the founding of Ms. magazine; from the historic 1977 National Women’s Conference to her travels through Indian Country—a lifetime spent on the road allowed Gloria to listen and connect deeply with people, to understand that context is everything, and to become part of a movement that would change the world.

In prose that is revealing and rich, Gloria reminds us that living in an open, observant, and “on the road” state of mind can make a difference in how we learn, what we do, and how we understand each other.

Courtesy of gloria steinem.com

Now for our meal . . . terrific discussion fueled by delicious food. Enjoy!

APPETIZER

Easy peeezy - store bought hummus and naan bread. Delicious!

ENTREES

THREE SISTERS SOUP

Recipe by The Hoove:  “The Iroquois Indians cultivated and used the Three Sisters (corn, squash and beans) in their diet.  This is a recipe passed down by our relative.  You may use regular corn instead of hominy, but hominy is more traditional”.

Ingredients:

2 cups canned white or yellow hominy, reserve liquid to add for soup broth*

2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped

2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash

1 ½ cups diced potatoes, I scrubbed the potatoes and did not peel them 

5 cups water

1 ½ tablespoons chicken bouillon granules (or reduce water and add one can of chicken broth, also the liquid from the canned hominy can be added)

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Black pepper

Renaissance Gardens Seasoning from Savory Spice (this is a salt free blend of herbs and dried vegetables)

*I used dried hominy and precooked it about 12 hours in a slow cooker, always making sure that the hominy was covered in water.

Directions:

Place the hominy, green beans, squash and potatoes into a pot, adding water and chicken bouillon.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer until vegetables are soft, but not overcooked.  In a separate small dish, blend flour into the butter, making sure it is smooth, then stir into the soup.  Increase heat to medium and cook for 5 more minutes, or until soup thickens. Season with pepper and Renaissance Gardens Seasoning and serve.

Tandoori Chicken

Adapted From America's Test Kitchen Season 10-my changes in bold italics

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

We found a few ways to simulate tandoori chicken that marinates for 24 hours before being cooked at a very high heat in a traditional beehive-shaped clay oven. For marinated flavor in no time, we rubbed the chicken with spices, then dipped it in yogurt. Next we cooked it in a low-temperature oven before giving it a quick broil to char the exterior. The result: a chicken tandoori recipe with juicy, well-seasoned meat and a lightly charred crust.

We weren’t going to let a 24-hour marinade or the lack of a 900-degree oven keep us from turning this great Indian classic into an easy weeknight dinner.

Serves 4

We prefer this dish with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted. If garam masala is unavailable, substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. It is important to remove the chicken from the oven before switching to the broiler setting to allow the broiler element to come up to temperature. Serve with basmati rice and a few chutneys or relishes.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil 

6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tablespoons) 

2 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger 

1 tablespoon garam masala (see note) 

2 teaspoons ground cumin 

2 teaspoons chili powder 

1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (see note) 

4 tablespoons juice from 2 limes, plus 1 lime, cut into wedges 

2 teaspoons table salt 

3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts (breasts, thighs, and drumsticks, or a mix, with breasts cut in half), trimmed of excess fat (I kept skin on and made slits in skin)

Instructions:


1. Heat oil in small, nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add garam masala, cumin, and chili powder; continue to cook until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds longer. Transfer half of garlic-spice mixture to medium bowl; stir in yogurt and 2 tablespoons lime juice and set aside. 



2. In large bowl, combine remaining garlic-spice mixture, remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, and salt. Using sharp knife, lightly score skinned side of each piece of chicken, making 2 or 3 shallow cuts about 1 inch apart and about 1/8 inch deep; transfer to bowl. Using hands, gently massage salt-spice mixture into chicken until all pieces are evenly coated; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Marinate longer-1 hour-refrigerate. Then let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.



3. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken and toss until chicken is evenly coated with thick layer. Arrange chicken pieces, scored-side down, on wire rack set in foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Bake chicken until thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 125 degrees-breasts and 130-legs and thighs (approx. 30-45) minutes. (Smaller pieces may cook faster than larger pieces. Transfer chicken pieces to plate as they reach correct temperature.)



4. After removing chicken from oven, turn oven to broil and heat 10 minutes. Once broiler is heated, flip chicken pieces over and broil until chicken is lightly charred in spots and instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 165 degrees for breasts and 175 for legs and thighs, 8 to 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to large plate, tent loosely with foil, and rest 5 minutes. Serve with chutney or relish, passing lime wedges separately.



DESSERT

Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

Pastry for 9 inch crust

3 eggs

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 cup corn syrup

3 cups pecan halves or broken pecans

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place pastry into pie plate. Beat all ingredients together, except for pecans, using a handbeater. Stir in pecans and pour into pastry-lined pie plate.

Bake until set, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool slightly. Serve warm or refrigerate. This was the best pecan pie!

NOTE: Recipe adapted from the original Betty Crocker Cookbook, copyright 1969.

11.22.63

11/22/63. JFK was killed. The world changed. What if you could change it back?

In this brilliantly conceived tour de force, Stephen King—who has absorbed the social, political, and popular culture of his generation more imaginatively and thoroughly than any other writer—takes readers on an incredible journey into the past and the possibility of altering it.

It begins with Jake Epping, a thirty-five-year-old English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching GED classes. He asks his students to write about an event that changed their lives, and one essay blows him away—a gruesome, harrowing story about the night more than fifty years ago when Harry Dunning's father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a sledgehammer. Reading the essay is a watershed moment for Jake, his life—like Harry's, like America's in 1963—turning on a dime. Not much later his friend Al, who owns the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to the past, a particular day in 1958. And Al enlists Jake to take over the mission that has become his obsession—to prevent the Kennedy assassination.

So begins Jake's new life as George Amberson, in a different world of Ike and JFK and Elvis, of big American cars and sock hops and cigarette smoke everywhere. From the dank little city of Derry, Maine (where there's Dunning business to conduct), to the warmhearted small town of Jodie, Texas, where Jake falls dangerously in love, every turn is leading eventually, of course, to a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and to Dallas, where the past becomes heart-stoppingly suspenseful, and where history might not be history anymore. Time-travel has never been so believable. Or so terrifying.

NOTE: This summary provided by 112263book.com

We enjoyed a time traveler's meal but forgot to snap photos! So please enjoy the recipes without our usual wonderful pics of delicious food . . .

APPETIZER
Crab Cocktail

1 6 ounce can crab
2-3 leaves hearts of romaine lettuce or other lettuce of choice
1 carrot, finely chopped
2-3 tablespoons finely chopped Bermuda onion

Toss lettuce, carrots, onion together; divide ingredients into 3 sundae glasses.  Sprinkle drained crab on top of lettuce mixture, divided evenly between the 3 glasses.  Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Serve with cocktail sauce:
1 cup catsup
¼ cup horseradish
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

Stir well, refrigerate until serving.
Optional - squeeze lemon juice over crab cocktail.

MAIN ENTREE & SIDE
Meatloaf

The recipe for the best meatloaf can be found on the back of the Meatloaf Starter from Williams-Sonoma.  I used a mixture of Italian sausage and bison instead of ground beef. I also stuffed the meatloaf before baking with small balls of mozzarella. YUM!

We do have one picture of an empty jar! This starter is the best!

A side of baked potatoes with all the fixings - butter, sour cream, etc. - was served as our side dish.

DESSERT
Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:
For the Peach Filling:
2 pounds (about 8 medium) firm but ripe summer peaches, pitted and cut into roughly 3/4-inch cubes (about 5 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fresh juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)
3/4 teaspoon corn starch
Pinch kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 drops almond extract

For the Biscuit Topping:
5 1/4 ounces (1 cup) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar (4 ounces), divided
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup whole milk

Ice cream or whipped cream, for serving

Directions:
1. For the Peach Filling: Preheat oven to 400°F and set rack to middle position. In a large bowl, combine peaches with sugar, lemon juice, bourbon, cornstarch, salt, nutmeg, and almond extract. Stir well to combine. Scrape peaches and any juices into an 8- by 8-inch baking dish and set on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake on middle rack for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, for the Biscuit Topping: In a large bowl, stir together flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add butter and quickly toss to coat with flour. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into dry ingredients until it resembles coarse meal. Alternatively, cut butter into dry ingredients by pulsing in a food processor until it resembles coarse meal, then transfer to a bowl. Using a fork, stir in milk until mixture just comes together into a slightly sticky dough; avoid over-mixing.

3. Drop spoonfuls of biscuit dough all over peaches, smoothing slightly to avoid any overly thick sections and mostly covering the fruit (though a few gaps and cracks are fine); leave a small opening in the center. Alternatively, if you prefer individual sections of biscuit instead of a more complete covering, use less dough and space the spoonfuls farther apart.

4. Return cobbler to oven and cook for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar with 2 tablespoons water. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, swirling frequently. Cook until all sugar is dissolved and syrup thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Keep syrup warm. Using a pastry brush, brush a thin layer of syrup all over biscuit topping; discard any remaining syrup.

5. Return cobbler to oven and bake until browned on top and biscuit is fully cooked through (a cake tester should come out clean when inserted into biscuit near the center of the baking dish), about 25 minutes longer. Let rest at least 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream on the side.


Recipe from http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/09/how-to-make-the-best-peach-cobbler.html

Dancing With The Devil In The City of God

Dancing with the Devil in the City of God is a deeply reported and beautifully written biography of the seductive and chaotic city of Rio de Janeiro from prizewinning journalist and Brazilian native Juliana Barbassa.

Barbassa moved a great deal throughout her life, but Rio was always her home. After twenty-one years abroad, Barbassa returned to find the city that once ravaged by inflation, drug wars, corrupt leaders, and dying neighborhoods was now on the precipice of a major change.

Rio has always aspired to the pantheon of global capitals, and under the spotlight of the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games it seems that its moment has come. But in order to prepare itself for the world stage, Rio must vanquish the entrenched problems that Barbassa recalls from her childhood. Turning this beautiful but deeply flawed place into a predictable, pristine showcase of the best that Brazil has to offer in just a few years is a tall order—and with the whole world watching, the stakes couldn't be higher.

With a cast of larger-than-life characters who are driving this fast-moving juggernaut or who risk getting caught in its gears, this kaleidoscopic portrait of Rio introduces the reader to the people who make up this city of extremes, revealing their aspirations and their grit, their violence, their hungers and their splendor, and shedding light on the future of this city they are building together.

Dancing with the Devil in the City of God is an insider perspective into a city on the brink from a native daughter whose life, hopes, and fortunes are entwined with those of the city she portrays.

It was a great book to read as we watched the 2016 Summer Olympics. Unfortunately, some of the problems encountered in Rio were not surprising to us after finishing Dancing with the Devil in the City of God.

We enjoyed the following foods while we had a lively discussion regarding the book, and the pros and cons of holding the Olympics in a different venue every 4 years.  Food for thought!

APPETIZERS & DRINKS
Heart of Palm Salad Skewers (This recipe was used with some adaptions in italics from Salada de Palmito no Espeto by Denise Browning)
Serves:  4

Ingredients:
For the Heart of Palm Salad Skewers:
6 heart of palm stalks, cut each stalk in half and split lengthwise if large
8 grape tomatoes
Arugula or spring mix leaves
½ ham or prosciutto slice
8-16 chunks of red onion (optional)

For the Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
A pinch of salt
A pinch of freshly ground black pepper
A dash of sugar
Fresh thyme leaves to sprinkle

To prepare the salad, assemble 4 heart of palm salad skewers by inserting and alternating heart of palm chunks, grape tomatoes, salad leaves, and chunks of red onion (optional) as shown in the pictures, or as desired. Each of our skewers contained 3 heart of palm chunks, 2 grape tomatoes, salad leaves, ham or prosciutto, and 2 to 4 chunks of red onion (optional). Once skewers are assembled, chill in refrigerator for about 30 minutes, covered with a wet paper towel.

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients together well until obtaining a thick and homogeneous dressing. Drizzle the heart of palm salad skewers with the dressing, sprinkle with thyme leaves, and serve.

Caipirinha  ( Peasant’s Drink)
Referred as the national drink of Brazil

Serves:  2

1 lime quartered
¼ cup Cachaca (Brazilian rum) or another white rum
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
1 cup crushed ice
2 lime quarters for garnish

Squeeze the 4 lime quarters into a cocktail shaker, add the cachaça, sugar, ice and shake.  Pour into cocktail glasses and garnish with the additional lime quarters.


MAIN ENTREE
Grilled Chicken with Spicy Brazilian Tomato and Coconut Sauce

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 whole chicken breast, or 6 chicken legs
¾ teaspoon salt
ground pepper to taste

1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 jalapeno pepper minced with seeds and ribs removed
1 ¼ cups canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley

Light the grill.  In a shallow dish, combine 3 tablespoons of the oil with 2/3 of the minced garlic. Coat the chicken with half of the garlic oil and season with ¼ teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.  Grill the chicken over moderately high heat, basting with the remaining garlic oil, until just done, about 10 minutes per side for the breasts, 13 minutes for the legs.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over moderately low heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent.  Add the remaining garlic, ginger, jalapeno pepper, stirring for about an additional minute.   Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, and remaining salt and pepper.  Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes.

To serve:  Place chicken on a platter, spoon sauce of the chicken, sprinkle cilantro over the top.  Serve with rice.


DESSERT
Spanish Flan
Serves:  6

Ingredients:

2 cups evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 whole eggs
1/2 cup white sugar + 6 tablespoons
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium, heavy saucepan add 1/2 cup of sugar and place pan over low heat. Cook until golden caramel is obtained. Pour caramel into a 1 1/2 quart warmed round casserole dish and quickly coat bottom of dish by rotating and tilting dish until bottom is completely coated. Set aside to cool and harden caramel.
Using the same saucepan that was used to make caramel, scald milk with salt. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs with the 6 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until light and foamy. Slowly add scalded milk to egg mixture stirring constantly. Strain egg and milk mixture into casserole dish covering caramelized bottom.
Place casserole dish in shallow pan which has been filled with hot water half way up dish (Bain Marie). Cover flan mixture with piece of parchment paper cut to fit in order to prevent skin from forming on top. Place pan in center of oven and cook for approximately 45 minutes or until custard is set. Test for doneness by inserting a cake tester into center of custard. When removed, if tester is clean the custard is done.
Cool, then cover and refrigerate until well chilled. To serve, run knife around edge of custard and shake gently. Invert custard onto rimmed serving plate. The caramel will drip down the sides of the custard to form a delicious sauce.

Euphoria

Inspired by events in the life of revolutionary anthropologist Margaret Mead, Euphoria is the story of three young, gifted anthropologists of the 1930s caught in a passionate love triangle that threatens their bonds, their careers, and, ultimately, their lives. Definitely worth the read.

We chose to not cook as one of us has a Golden Retriever puppy that is oh so happy to have people come to visit HIM! Instead we ate at Cafe Terracotta in downtown Littleton. Cuisine was superb! As was the wine. It was a wonderful evening full of rich discussion, delicious food and as always, the best of friends. 

Sisters in Law: How Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went to the Supreme Court and Changed the World

Linda Hirshman tells the fascinating story of the intertwined lives of Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the first and second women to serve as Supreme Court justices.

The relationship between Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg—Republican and Democrat, Christian and Jew, western rancher’s daughter and Brooklyn girl—transcends party, religion, region, and culture. Strengthened by each other’s presence, these groundbreaking judges, the first and second to serve on the highest court in the land, have transformed the Constitution and America itself, making it a more equal place for all women.

Linda Hirshman’s dual biography includes revealing stories of how these trailblazers fought for their own recognition in a male-dominated profession—battles that would ultimately benefit every American woman. She also makes clear how these two justices have shaped the legal framework of modern feminism, including employment discrimination, abortion, affirmative action, sexual harassment, and many other issues crucial to women’s lives.

Sisters-in-Law combines legal detail with warm personal anecdotes that bring these very different women into focus as never before. Meticulously researched and compellingly told, it is an authoritative account of our changing law and culture, and a moving story of a remarkable friendship.

Here are the recipes we enjoyed that memorable evening . . .

DRINKS & APPETIZERS

Fresh Fruit Margaritas
Juice the following fruits:
3-4 oranges
5 limes
1 lemon
1 mango (optional)
Container of coarse salt, large enough for glass to fit.
Tequila of choice, we splurged and used Hussong’s Tequila.
Crushed ice
Margarita glasses

Juicing can be done earlier and stored in refrigerator until ready to use.

At serving time, quarter 1 lime, rub one section of lime on rim of Margarita glass, then salt the rim.  Pour one jigger of tequila in bottom of glass - add more to taste, if desired.  Add crushed iced, pour juice over ice to fill glass.  Stir and set lime quarter on rim.

Made 3 servings in large margarita glasses.

Guacamole
3 large ripe avocados
1 small tomato
1 small fresh jalapeño finely chopped
2-3 tablespoons lime juice
Salt, pepper to taste
Bag of corn tortilla chips

Cut avocados in half, scoop out fruit, save 2 of the pits and set aside.  Mash the avocado with fork until smooth texture.  Finely chop tomato and jalapeño. Gently stir in tomato and jalapeño to mashed avocado. Add lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.

To keep guacamole from turning brown: insert 2 pits into the guacamole, so they are entirely covered.  Smooth top of guacamole, cover with plastic wrap, press wrap onto guacamole so there is minimal space between the wrap and guacamole.  Refrigerate until serving time.

Place chips in serving container, such as a basket if desired.

Enjoy! We certainly did!

MAIN ENTREE

Chicken Tinga-slow cooker recipe 
Makes 10 servings
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 onion, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 cup chicken broth (used lower sodium)
1/4 (7 ounce) can chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce, chopped and seeded (If you like    heat add 1/2 to 3/4 can)
1 tablespoon adobo sauce from can
1 fresh med. jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped (add 1 more if you want spice)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound chorizo sausage
salt and pepper

*Serve on tostada shells or corn tortillas. Chicken Tinga is very versatile and can also be used in nachos, burritos and other dishes.

Directions:
Mix chicken, onion, tomato sauce, vinegar, chicken broth, chipotle chili peppers, adobo sauce, jalapeño pepper, garlic, oregano, cumin, chili powder, marjoram, thyme, and red pepper flakes in a slow cooker.

Cook on low until chicken is tender and no longer pink in the center, 3 1/2-4 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred using 2 forks, then return to the slow cooker.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir chorizo sausage in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 10 minutes; drain and discard grease. Stir chorizo into chicken mixture.
Cook on low for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Top with Amy’s Cilantro Cream Sauce and serve with Cilantro and Lime Coleslaw Dressing (recipes below)

Amy's Cilantro Cream Sauce
*This cilantro cream sauce can be used as a dip, or as a sauce for fish or chicken.
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 (7 ounce) can tomatillo salsa (used “mild”)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons garlic powder (used 1 teaspoon Penzeys roasted   garlic)
3/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa, pepper, celery salt, cumin, garlic powder, cilantro and lime juice in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Place in a serving bowl.

NOTE: Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.com

Cilantro and Lime Coleslaw Dressing
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream

Put first 7 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until combined. When mostly smooth, while processor is running, slowly pour in the oil. Add the mayonnaise and sour cream, pulse until combined. Taste and adjust as needed.

DESSERT
Since the rest of our meal was Southwestern fare in tribute to Sandra Day O'Connor, I decided a New York Style Cheesecake was in order in honor of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  I decided to purchase one in order to save time.  My Father's Table makes a delicious cheesecake which we all shared and thoroughly enjoyed.  Plus, 50% of profits are donated to charities.  You can't beat that!

Circling the Sun

What an amazing book and read this was to share over a meal together!  Circling the Sun by Paula McLain, who also wrote The Paris Wife, was about Beryl Markham, a largely forgotten author, aviator and adventurer.  Here's what NPR had to say about the book . . .

Circling the Sun focused on Markham's life through her 20s; she told her story from the cockpit of her Vega Gull airplane during her record-breaking 1936 flight. Her flight into the past began with her wild-child upbringing. Born Beryl Clutterbuck, raised in British East Africa ("before Kenya was Kenya") to a neglectful mother and an accomplished racehorse-trainer father, she modeled fearlessness throughout her life. Young Beryl always ran with the boys, training up as a warrior among the Kipsigis people of Kenya. Boarding school did not suit her: "I ran away half a dozen times, once hiding in a pig hole for three days." Eventually, following in her father's footsteps, she became the youngest, as well as the only female, licensed horse trainer in Kenya. This in the world of the early 20th century, when a woman simply riding astride shocked high society.

Beautiful, smart and headstrong, the independent young firebrand in trousers bewitched every man and woman she met. Her passions proved uncurbable; Circling the Sun captured the private side of a woman who appeared preternaturally self-assured, even as her world was crashing down around her ears. Undeterred by a failed affair, a wretched divorce and looming poverty, she pressed on. She turned her fortunes around with a filly named Wise Child, a long shot she brought to greatness on the turf.

Paula McLain created a voice that was lush and intricate to evoke a character who was enviably brave and independent. Markham's self-stated challenge was overcoming the "horrible crimes [of] being a woman and daring to think I could be free." Soaring high over the Atlantic at the age of 28, she finally embraced the freedom she sought when she learned to defy gravity.

Here are our delicious recipes from that wonderful evening.  Make sure to include champagne.  We did!  (Spoiler alert - the characters drank a lot of champagne in the book.)

APPETIZER
Softened Brie with pumpkin jam and toasted walnuts.  Served with a variety of English crackers.

MAIN COURSE
Rolladen, taken from the New York Times International Cook Book
By Craig Claiborne

3 large, thin slices of bottom round beef (each about ¼ inch thick and about 12x6)
Salt and pepper to taste
6 teaspoons of regular prepared mustard
½ to ¾ cup thinly sliced onion strips, about 2 inches long
¼ cup chopped onion
4 full strips of bacon
4 dill pickle spears                                                    

 ¼ cup butter
1 tablespoon paprika
2 cups beef stock

Lightly tenderize the meat slices, cut in half, so each piece is about 6x6 inches.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then spread with mustard.

Cut bacon strips in half horizontally, cut lengthwise, so bacon is ¼ inch strips.
Cut pickle spears so they about ¼ inch by 2 inches long.  Arrange bacon, pickles and onion along straight edge of meat, and all pieces are parallel to each other, roll meat around filling, so that it is all encased.  Using kitchen twine, tie at the top and bottom of the rolled meat so it all stays together.

Heat the butter in a skillet and add the remaining onion.  Cook, stirring, until golden, then sprinkle with paprika.  Cook,  stirring, about 7 seconds, no longer.  Add the beef rolls and turn them in the paprika mixture until well coated on all sides.  Add one cup of the beef stock and cover.  Cook over medium-high heat for about 30 minutes, taking care that the meat doesn’t burn or stick.  Turn the meat and add ½ cup of the stock.  Cover and cook 30 minutes longer, add the remaining stock and continue cooking another 15-30 minutes or until the meat is fork tender.

Serve with steamed potatoes.

Steamed potatoes
2-4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and quartered.

Place potatoes in large pot with about 1 inch of water and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil.  Cover and cook over medium heat until potatoes are fork tender.  Watch potatoes carefully, adding more water as needed, so that potatoes do not stick or burn.

Serve Rolladen and potatoes on large platter, serve sauce from meat in gravy boat.  Enjoy!


DESSERT
Inside-Out Apple Crumbles
Servings: 4
4 small sweet apples, such as Honeycrisp or Fuji
1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg                                  
1/4 teaspoon ground dry ginger
1 tablespoon butter
Topping:
1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon honey
*Note from book group member: Adjust to your likes. I like to grind my own cinnamon and nutmeg for better flavor. I made the recipe for 6 apples and doubled the recipe. When tightly packing each apple, I ended up using all the ingredients. Also, better if you the apples are still warm when putting on the yogurt.

Heat the oven to 400 F.
Use a melon baller to carve out the core of each apple, but leave about 1/2 inch at the bottoms (don't scoop all the way through). The goal is to create about a 1-inch-wide cavity down the center of each apple. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar, walnuts, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Break apart the butter and mash it into the sugar mixture with a fork until well incorporated. Divide the mixture among the apples, spooning it in and packing it tightly into the cavity of each apple.

Arrange the apples in a baking dish, add 1 inch of water to the bottom of the dish, then cover with foil.

Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until a paring knife slides into the apples with no resistance. Set aside to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the yogurt, vanilla and honey. Whisk in 1 teaspoon water at a time until the sauce resembles a thick whipped cream. Serve each apple with a quarter of the yogurt cream drizzled over top or on the side for dipping.

Nutrition information per serving: 240 calories; 80 calories from fat (33 percent of total calories); 9 g fat (3 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 20 mg sodium; 36 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 26 g sugar; 7 g protein.

Original recipe from: Melissa D'Arabian, The Associated Press | September 1, 2015 8:46 AM ET.

Rebel Queen

The book, Rebel Queen by Michelle Moran, was quite the page turner for us.  We all thoroughly enjoyed it.  Here's a quick summary by Goodreads . . .

When the British Empire sets its sights on India in the 1850s, it expects a quick and easy conquest. After all, India is not even a country, but a collection of kingdoms on the subcontinent. But when the British arrive in the Kingdom of Jhansi, expecting its queen to forfeit her crown, they are met with a surprise. Instead of surrendering, Queen Lakshmi raises two armies—one male, one female—and rides into battle like Joan of Arc. Although her soldiers are little match against superior British weaponry and training, Lakshmi fights against an empire determined to take away the land she loves.

Told from the perspective of Sita, one of the guards in Lakshmi's all-female army and the queen’s most trusted warrior, The Last Queen of India traces the astonishing tale of a fearless ruler making her way in a world dominated by men. In the tradition of her bestselling novel Nefertiti, which Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series, called “a heroic story with a very human heart,” Michelle Moran once again brings a time and place rarely explored in historical fiction to rich, vibrant life.

Instead of cooking Indian food, we dined at a new Indian Restaurant in Littleton called Zaikai Indian Cuisine.  The food was delicious and the service was impeccable.  All in all, a wonderful evening with friends eating, sharing a bottle of wine, and discussing a book we all enjoyed.