Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Bride for a Bit



I haven't had time to read in forever, but now that I have a brand new baby here, I can read a little bit while he's eating. My sister had this book in her bedroom and it peaked my interest. Here's the description of it:

"Misreading an order for bridles, a New England farmer sends his four sisters-in-law as mail-order brides to Lickwind, Wyoming. When the four women step off the train, astonishment turns to mayhem as the men of the town suddenly spruce up and make time for courting. Since James Collingswood - still without tack for his horses - can't afford train tickets to send the women back, they'll have to stay. But what future is there in Lickwind for:
Matty, the sociable sister who irritates James' very soul with her unending friendliness to the eager men of Lickwind.

Corrine, the mom-to-be still so pained over her young husband's death that she barely knows Luke Collingswood is alive.

Bess, who insists that the town must have a church, reform the brothel women, and straighten up the saloon keeper, Gideon Rikers.

Bertie, who can outperform any man she ever meets...until the mysterious Thomas Hardin becomes her personal protection agency.

Under such absurd circumstances, the sisters will certainly find laughter in Lickwind...but will they also find love? One thing's for sure - the town will never be the same again!"

My review: This was such a cute book. It is composed of four short novels, each one telling the love story of each sister.It was a really clean romance novel with scattered humor about it. Kinda cheesy but it was cute.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

San Antonio Salad

I love taco salad. I particularly love this recipe for taco salad because it's all in one bowl instead of adding everything individually. I modified it just a smidge from the original.

San Antonio Salad

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 package taco seasoning
1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 (15.5 ounce) can pinto beans
2 tomatoes, cubed
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (12 ounce) package corn tortilla chips,broken
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped(optional)
1/2 cup chopped green onion (optional)
1 cup salsa (optional)
Directions:
1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef. Season with taco seasoning and follow directions on packet. Remove from heat when beef is cooked through.
2. In a large salad bowl, toss together the lettuce, tomato, Cheddar cheese, cilantro and pinto beans with their juice. Mix in the ground beef and corn chips. Toss in the jalapeno, green onion, and salsa, if desired.

Here are the results:

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Kidney Bean Tuna Salad

I was looking for something to make that I had all the ingredients on hand and that was light. This fit the bill and was delicous. I'm keeping this one.

Kidney Bean Tuna Salad


1 cup canned kidney beans, rinsed and
drained
1 (6 ounce) can water-packed tuna,
drained and broken into chunks
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons sliced ripe olives
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro DRESSING:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Lettuce Leaves

Directions:
1. In a bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. For dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, dill, salt and pepper. Pour over tuna mixture and toss lightly. Serve on a bed of lettuce if desired.

Here are the results:

Friday, June 4, 2010

Amazing Carmel Popcorn

My sister makes this amazing caramel popcorn and it is truly AMAZING. It's ooey-gooey and I don't think I need to search anymore for the perfect caramel popcorn recipe, I've found it. Pretty Easy too! We've made it a few times and love it. Here is her recipe:

Amazing Caramel Popcorn

2-3 Bags Microwave popcorn (I prefer 2 so it covers everything nicely)
1/2 C. Butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 C. Brown Sugar
1 C. Corn Syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Pop bags of popcorn and pour into large bowl, removing any unpopped kernals. Meanwhile, mix butter, sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar and corn syrup in a sauce pan over medium-high heat and bring to boil. Bring to soft ball stage. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour over popcorn and let cool before digging in.

Here are the results: