Quote to Pass Along From Betsy

"If you live to be one hundred,
I want to live to be one hundred minus one day,
So I never have to live without you"

~ Winnie The Pooh ~

Memoir Recommendation

I am currently reading The Gift of an Ordinary Day: A Mother's Memoir by Katrina Kenison. It is beautifully written (she's a book editor of the annual Best American Short Stories collection) and deals with issues of raising kids (she has two teenage boys), empty nesting, and midlife issues. It is inspiring and uplifting (if I don't think about how I wish I'd parented more like she did). Highly recommend! 50% off at Barnes and Noble at the moment.

Yaaaa Gayle finally joined the blog

At Leslie's lovely party and so happy we are all here.

New Pick for January!

Sally has previewed Seven Days in the Art World and, after falling asleep several times, has changed her book choice to Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout.

January and February Book Picks

Sally has chosen Seven Days in the Art World for January.

(The meeting is on January 21st at Brenda's.)

Ann selected Lark and Termite for February. (February 18 at Gayle's) This book will be available in paperback on January 12, 2010.

So sorry to have missed book club, I was in Nashville for work. I loved The Help and I am sure I would have enjoyed the discussion, thank you Marde for dropping the book off (it has been returned on time to the library). I will also be making Ann's pumpkin cake recipe, sounds yummy. Happy Halloween! Kippy

Pumpkin Cake Recipe

Nice to see you all tonight. Here's the link for the Spiced Pumpkin Cake recipe (and yes Marde, YOU can do layers!!!)

Sarah has a new job!

In case you missed the article in the Star Tribune, Sarah Caruso is the new head of the United Way! She's still reading along with us--said she loved "The Help"! Congratulations Sarah!

(and congratulations to me as I just learned how to imbed a link in a blog!)

Hi Girls, just finished Labor Day by Joyce Maynard, a good read for a rainy day--Hope you are enjoying The Help! Looking forward to seeing all of you next week.
And I am now a blogger too!
Carol

Another recommendation...

Hi girls! Love hearing about some of these new reads (sorry, am not familiar with Lorrie Moore), and have another recommendation for any of you that might be interested. Sorry, it's 926 pages, fiction but reads like a most amazing memoir (the author does have quite a colorful history)-am having a very hard time right now deciding which book to pick up, Shantaram or The Help, as they both qualify for "can't put it down" in my book (don't think I'll ever be able to use the term "page-turner" again, in deference to our fearless blog creator!). Anyway, if you're in the mood for a memorable read some time, pick up Shantaram (by Gregory David Roberts)-if you didn't like "Slumdog" (the movie) or have no interest in India, it might not appeal to you, but if you're like me and have a fascination with such an ancient and huge culture that most of us don't know that much about (yet still don't have a huge desire to visit!), you might love this book like I do! Marde

Added by Ann: Here's the NY Times Review of Shantaram

P.S. Just finished off the last piece of "Jeanine's Apple Pie", wasn't quite as fabulous as hers as I used a purchased crust but still quite delicious and a huge family hit! Thanks again, Jeanine (and Sally for bringing her and letting her make dessert)!

Leslie is joining the blog

Thanks to Ann's coaching I have joined the blog!

Lorrie Moore

Has anyone read anything by Lorrie Moore? She has a new book out "A Gate at the Stairs" that sounds good. I think she's mainly a short story writer. She was on MPR today with Kerri Miller. I'd never heard of her. Try to click here to read review. Otherwise, put Lorrie Moore into search on NYtimes.com and you'll find it.

I am loving the book for this month - The Help. I just finished a book called Still Alice. Very good but sad. Brenda

Book Suggestion From Betsy

Hello Fellow Bloggers!

I just finished (at 12:45am!) a fabulous read. "The History Of Love" by Nicole Krauss. What a wonderful love story. You will fall in love with the characters...it was hard for me to put down this book! Published in 2006 and was a NYT Bestseller.

October 2009 Selection

Next meeting October 22 at Ann's; Carol is discussion leader

Hi All -

I am testing to see if I am now a part of the 21st century! Ann, thanks for all of your hard work.

-- Sally

Thanks Ann, I am in Vegas but will contribute when I get home.

Greeting from Betsy

Thanks, Ann, for starting us on a Blog!

I am just starting "The History of Love" by Nicole Krauss. Will let you know what I think!

Some book recommendations...

Just lucky in the last couple of weeks to have met a few new women who had some highly-recommended reads, so here they are:
Driftless (Rhodes), Olive Kitteridge (Hill), Someone Knows my Name, The Help (Stockett), Those Who Save Us (Blum), Infidel (Ali)

One of them also mentioned a web site, BookCrossing. com where you can "register" your own discarded books, leave them somewhere to be found and follow their "adventures" with new readers-interesting concept! I also heard about an annual "book recommendation" session that takes place every year at St. Kate's, will try to find out more!

Jeanine’s Apple Crumb Pie

1 unbaked 9 in. pie shell

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons flour

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

5 cups peeled and sliced Granny Smith apples

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Crumb Topping

½ cup flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons butter, chilled

Preheat oven to 375°. In small bowl, combine sugar, flour, nutmeg and cinnamon. Add to apples and toss. Spoon apples into prepared pastry ( if making shell from scratch, use ½ recipe of Pie Pastry). Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice and set aside.

Crumb topping: In a small bowl, combine flour, sugar and butter. Using a pastry blender, mix until crumbly. Sprinkle crumbs evenly over apples. Bake for 1 hour or until topping is golden. Remove pan to wire rack to cool.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Garden Spread from Lisa (May, 2009)

Garden Spread
Makes about 4 cups

2 cans artichoke hearts
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
¾ cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup chopped fresh basil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup= 20 kalamata olives, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drain and chop artichoke hearts finely. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Bake in a casserole dish for 10-15 minutes, or until the top is slightly brown. Serve with French or Italian bread.

Fall Recipe from Kippy (from Oct, 2008)

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie

1 8oz. package cream cheese softened
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp. vanilla
1 egg slightly beaten
Beat together until smooth, chill 30 minutes and put in to unbaked pie shell.

1 small can pumpkin
1 cup evaporated milk
2 eggs beaten
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. salt
Beat and pour mixture over cream cheese in pie pan.

Topping:
½ cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350, use a deep pie pan (the filling makes a lot). Bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Cover pie edges with foil for the first 25 minutes if you have much crust exposed then remove foil for the last 25 minutes.

Sprinkle topping over pie and bake for another 15-20 minutes until knife comes out clean.

Book Babes circa 2007

We're missing Susan, but otherwise, we're all here!

Books and Blogs

The subject of blogs came up last night at Sally's and I thought we should give it a try. This could be a great way for our group to share thoughts on books we're reading and maybe an occasional recipe. I'm guessing Nancy wouldn't mind getting off the hook on a cookbook -- we can publish those recipes here!

Marde, will you please post the list of books you recommended last night...and I hope the rest of you will do the same, as you hear recommendations or read reviews. Keep us posted on your favorite reads.

I'm just starting "Labor Day" by Joyce Maynard. Sally said she loved it, so I'm looking forward to it. Joyce used to be syndicated in a great column in the Star Tribune, but they cut it when she got divorced. I guess you can't write about family life if you aren't married. That made me mad enough to write letters to the editor. Too bad it was before Anders Gyllenhaal was in that seat.

Leslie, "The Moonflower Vine" was a great pick. Wish you could have been there for the discussion.