Book Review: The Shark Club

Well it still feels like summer out there. Today the car thermostat said 92-degrees as I was driving to work. And since it still feels like summer, why not read a beach novel? 

The Shark Club, by Ann Kidd Taylor is a fun adventure to a quirky beach hotel. Run by Perri, an eccentric grandmother who loves books, each room in the hotel is dedicated to a different author. She hosts book club getaways and even a yearly costume party where the guests dress as their favorite literary character. 

Perri raised her grandchildren, Maeve and Robin after they tragically lost their parents at the age of six. Though they are twins, both children turned out very differently. As an adult, Robin seems lost and unable to find his own path. Maeve on the other hand is incredibly focused and has a distinguished career as a marine biologist. 

Maeve is a leading expert on sharks. She has traveled all over the world to research different species. On one such research project, she meets Nicolas, a fellow biologist, and there is a definite spark. Unfortunately, Nicolas has a messy divorce to deal with, and Maeve needs to face her feelings for her first love, Daniel. 

The Shark Club is a great book thta will get you thinking about what parts of your life need closure. Is there really such a thing as meant to be? Or does everything happen for a reason, but we just need to possess the maturity that comes with time in order to see how things work out for the best? 

Let me know what you think of the book, and what your favorite beach novel is. 

Until next time, 

Kristie

Almond Cupcakes with Almond Buttercream Frosting

The calendar says that it's fall, but Mother Nature seems to disagree. It is hotter than the Fourth of July out there lately. It is also my birthday week. So instead of going to pick apples in the orchard, I was busy enjoying the a/c and making celebratory cupcakes to share with my family on Friday.

While my children prefer basic flavors like vanilla, chocolate and strawberry, I tend to go for less common flavors. This year is no exception. I chose to make homemade almond cupcakes with almond buttercream frosting. I then decorated the tops with silver finishing sugar and lavender pearls. Pretty and yummy at the same time. 

Almond Cupcakes with Almond Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients for Cupcakes 

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 stick butter, unsalted, room temp

1 c granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp almond extract

1 cup buttermilk

Ingredients for Frosting

4 c powdered sugar

3 sticks butter, unsalted, room temp

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp almond extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup boiling water

Decorative sprinkles and candy pearls

Directions for the cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Line your cupcake pan with liners and set aside. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 
3. Scrape down the bowl, and then mix in eggs one at a time. Add the almond and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. 
4. Scrape down the bowl and add the the salt and baking powder. 
5. Alternate mixing in the flour and butter milk, 1/2 cup at a time, starting and ending with the flour. Be careful not to over mix. 
6. Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 of the way full. Bake in the preheated over for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the tops bounce back when pressed down. 
7. Remove from the pan and place on a wire rack to cool while you make the frosting. 

Directions for Frosting

1. Mix the powdered sugar and boiling water in your stand mixer on low speed until the sugar dissolves completely, scraping down the sides as needed. 
2. Add the almond extract, vanilla extract and salt. Allow to cool to room temperature. 
3. Once cooled, mix in the butter on low speed for 3 minutes. The mixture will be super runny. 
4. Turn the speed up to medium and continue to mix for about 6 more minutes, or until the frosting develops the consistency of whipped cream. 
5. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Finish with sanding sugar and candy pearls if desired. 

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Per Serving	% Daily Value*
Calories 568
Total Fat 31.9g	41%
Saturated Fat 19.8g	99%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 113mg	41%
Sodium 446mg	19%
Potassium 133mg	3%
Total Carb 69.9g	23%
Dietary Fiber 0.4g	2%
Sugars 57g
Protein 3.7g
Vitamin A 33% · Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 5% · Iron 5%
*Based on a 2,000 calorie diet

These are obviously a decadent treat, but so worth blowing your diet for the day. My children loved them, and I even took a couple to share at work as well. This means that I still need to figure out what I am making for my birthday celebration since the cupcakes didn't last. Any ideas? 

Let me know your favorite birthday recipes.

Kristie

Book Review: A Tortoise for the Queen of Tonga

The kids are back in school, which means I have more time to read than I have during the summer. YAY!!!!! I usually get about 2 hours to read/relax in the morning while the baby and my husband take a nap. (He takes the early shift so I can sleep before work.) In the past week, I have finished two and a half books.

The first book I managed to finish was A Tortoise for the Queen of Tonga by Julia Whitty. I am not normally a fan of short stories, because I feel like there is never enough meat to the story for me to become attached, or have any real feelings for the characters. This collection appealed to me though, because I am a huge fan of fantasy worlds, and was hoping for some light reading. 

I was very wrong. This book is dark; not quite Edgar Allen Poe dark, but definitely not a Disney fairy tale. The title story, A Tortoise for the Queen of Tonga, tells the story of the life of a tortoise who was kidnapped from her home, abused on a ship and then traded to the royal family on the island of Tonga. The tortoise's life isn't bad per se, but it is still sad. The underlying message about how humans impact the environment and force other species to adapt or become endangered and extinct is clear, yet heartbreaking. Facts become mere legend and the humans go on as if nothing has really changed. 

There are 10 other stories in this novel. They have a moral or lesson to be learned. Whether it is the cruelty of places like Sea World, or the dangers of egos and guns, you will not finish any of these stories without looking at life a little differently. 

Definitely a good read, especially if you like to think. 

Tell me about you favorite short story in the book and let's discuss our views. 

Thanks for stopping by, 

Kristie

Breakfast Pizza

I don't know about you, but I can eat pizza any time. I love a simple pepperoni slice for lunch. A deluxe with extra mushrooms is always a treat at dinner time. And any type of pizza meets a late night craving after work.

So why not have a special pizza for breakfast?  You can add all your favorite breakfast foods to a simple crust and get a protein filled, hearty breakfast to start off your day. Who's with me?

Breakfast Pizza

Ingredients
4 oz garlic naan (comes in 8 oz packages near the deli)
2 TBSP ricotta cheese
1 egg
3 slices of Canadian Bacon, cut in half
3 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
2 oz of smoked Gruyere cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400-degrees F. 
2. Grease a cookie sheet with baking spray. 
3. Place the naan on the cookie sheet. 
4. Spread the ricotta cheese as your "pizza sauce" around your naan crust. Crack the egg in to center of the bread, and circle it with the Canadian bacon pieces. Add the tomato halves and cover with the Gruyere slices. 
5. Bake in the prepared oven for 12 minutes, until the egg sets and the crust begins to brown. 

Makes 2 servings. 

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Per Serving	% Daily Value*
Calories 328
Total Fat 16.8g	22%
Saturated Fat 8.4g	42%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 128mg	47%
Sodium 1122mg	49%
Potassium 633mg	13%
Total Carb 20.9g	7%
Dietary Fiber 3.2g	11%
Sugars 5.6g
Protein 23g
Vitamin A 63% · Vitamin C 43%
Calcium 25% · Iron 14%
*Based on a 2,000 calorie diet

I hope you enjoy this fresh, yet hardy breakfast. Slice it up and share it with a friend. You won't be disappointed. 

Thanks for stopping by, 

Kristie

Book Review: The Reason You're Alive

Five years ago, Matthew Quick published his book, The Silver Lining's Playbook. It was later turned into a movie that most people have seen. I AM NOT one of those people. 

My first experience with Matthew Quick was reading the book above, The Reason You're Alive. The main character, David Granger, is a grumpy old man who is misunderstood and often judged by his family. Throughout the book, you discover the many sides to Mr Granger and how true the phrase, "Looks can be deceiving", actually is. 

I think this is a great book for our current times. I don't know about you, but my media feeds are filled with angry people name calling and making assumptions about other people based on a single opinion. Maybe if we stopped trying to yell over one another, stepped back and listened to each other, we would make better progress than we are with all the rallies and arguing. 

Stepping down from my soap box, I definitely recommend reading this book. It is a fun read that made me both laugh and cry. I grew to love the grumpy old man and his family. By the end of the book, I was sad to have reached the last page, but happy with the outcome. 

Let me know what you think. 

Kristie

French Toast with Cream Cheese and Sauteed Nectarines

Today in Michigan, it is cold. Not like winter cold, but 60-degrees, dreary and windy cold. It's wonderful for those of us who look forward to fall weather. For my beach bum friends, it is a depressing state of affairs. The 2 week forecast that doesn't reach 80-degrees is not going to make it better, either.

My only problem with summer ending is the disappearance of the farmer's markets. I love visiting the small towns in my area and choosing fresh produce from the local farmers. July and August are prime for peaches, plums and nectarines. I picked up a half dozen of each the other day.

The plums we will probably just eat out of the fridge as snacks. The peaches will go into a pie. The nectarines were a bit of a wild card, until I got this breakfast craving; French Toast with Cream Cheese and Sauteed Nectarines. Don't knock it until you try it. It's fabulous.

French Toast with Cream Cheese and Sauteed Nectarines

Ingredients
8 slices of Texas Toast
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
2 nectarines, pitted and thinly sliced
2 TBSP sugar
4 TBSP butter
Whipped cream cheese spread

Directions

1. Melt 2 TBSP butter in a medium saute pan. Add the nectarine slices. Sprinkle the 2 TBSP sugar over them and saute until tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla and salt. 
3. Melt 1 TBSP butter on a griddle pan over medium heat. Spread it around the pan. 
4. Dip each side of the bread into the egg mixture and then transfer it to the griddle pan. (I cook these in batches of 4 at a time.) Cook over medium heat for 2-4 minutes or until golden brown. Flip the bread and cook 2-4 more minutes. Repeat with the remaining for slices of bread. 
5. To Serve: Place 2 slices of French Toast on each plate. Spread an even layer of cream cheese across each piece. Then drizzle 1/4 of the sauteed nectarines over the top. 

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Per Serving	% Daily Value*
Calories 472
Total Fat 22.2g	29%
Saturated Fat 11.3g	56%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 208mg	76%
Sodium 681mg	30%
Potassium 236mg	5%
Total Carb 53.7g	18%
Dietary Fiber 3.2g	11%
Sugars 17.5g
Protein 14.2g
Vitamin A 32% · Vitamin C 6%
Calcium 9% · Iron 18%
*Based on a 2,000 calorie diet

This is definitely not an everyday breakfast, but I definitely recommend the occasional splurge. Let me know what you think when you try it.

As always, thanks for stopping by, 

Kristie

Book Review: A Stranger in the Woods

So here's a little something you don't know about me: I am an HGTV junkie. I love seeing what people make on Flea Market Flip and I think Zombie Home renovations are inspired. I even watch the Tiny Home shows, although with a family of 7, there is no way I can do that. 

I envy them though, and their ability to go off grid. I think everyone thinks about walking away from the drama in the news and the hate in society. Maybe we are bored with our jobs and just want to get back to a simpler time. I personally would love a trip to the woods, filled with silence, yoga, hiking and book reading. I just don't think I could live that way forever. 

Christopher Knight had every intention of doing just that. In 1986, he simply walked into the Maine woods and disappeared from his life. He settled in a secluded area of the woods and lived there undiscovered for 27 years. Sure he stole food and necessities from area cabins, but in his mind that was the only way to survive and maintain the peace he had found. 

You may remember the headlines of this story from Christopher Knight's capture in 2013, but in The Stranger in the Woods, author Michael Finkel helps you to understand some of the logic behind that solo existence. What is the definition of a true hermit? Could he have truly disappeared for almost three decades? And how will he re-enter society now? Reading this book might not make you want to follow in his footsteps, but it will make you think about another way of life, and seeing the world from someone else's view is something I would recommend to everyone. 

Thanks for stopping by,
Kristie