Spinach Artichoke Risotto for Cook the Books April/May Selection: Lessons in Chemistry

Hi Friends, it's been a while. Lots of life changes, some good (I got a new job and out of some toxicity) and some bad (I lost my fur baby Max, the best cat ever, and got bronchitis and COVID again and have some lingering breathing junk) and I'm still not doing a whole lot of cooking. I missed our last round of Cook the Books, even though I read the book and I really didn't want to miss this one, so I am coming in right at the wire with my dish for the fabulous, lives-up-to-its-hype novel, Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, hosted by Debra of Eliot's Eats. 

I think you might have to have been living under a big not-reading rock this past year to not hear about this book and see the many gushy reviews about it. It's been on my radar for a while now and this was the push I needed to read it.

Here's the blurb:

Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results. 

But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo.  

Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as original and vibrant as its protagonist.

My Thoughts: Although I bought a hard copy of the book, I ended up using an Audible credit and listened to most of the book. It was delightful, the narrator captured the characters well and I enjoyed spending time with them. I really loved this novel, it's a charming and smartly written book and a debut novel which is hard to believe, it's so good! I loved Elizabeth Zott, she is just quirky enough of a character to be endearing without overdoing it. Intelligent, strong, funny, and dealing with so much struggle and sexism while making her way as a chemist and a woman in the 1950-60s. The supporting characters were fun--my absolute favorite was Six-Thirty. I could keep talking about the book, it will go down as one of my favorites for the year, but it's been a long day and really, you should just go read it (or listen to it) if you haven't already. I am also in half excitement, and half fear that Apple TV+ will be doing the series but the end of the audiobook was an interview with the author and she seems to think it's in good hands, so, fingers crossed... 

With Elizabeth Zott and her cooking show, there was food in the book. Dishes like baked spaghetti Bolognese, chicken pot pie, broccoli and mushroom casserole, vinegar, and brownies. I know there were more mentions but it was hard to keep track with the audiobook. 

I took inspiration from a spinach casserole Elizabeth made. I was thinking spinach and rice but rather than something baked in the oven, my thoughts turned to risotto which I love to make (the zen of stirring) and to eat. Given the fact that I am working remotely from home, but still remain super busy and not wanting to spend a lot of time or dirty up many dishes, I decided to add a little pre-made magic to my homemade risotto dinner and so I bought a container of parmesan spinach artichoke dip from the deli and also added a can of halved artichoke hearts and pre-shredded cheese. (OK, so I was having a dip craving too!) I'd like to think Elizabeth would understand the shortcuts, even if she wouldn't have approved them!  

Spinach Artichoke Risotto
by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen  
(Serves 4-ish) 

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 large shallot, minced

2 tsp garlic, chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
1 tsp salt
1 cup dry white wine, room temperature
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or non-chicken stock, warmed 

1 (8 oz) container prepared spinach artichoke dip or homemade

1 can artichoke hearts, cut into bite-size wedges 
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or other favorite cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan + more to top 
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp fresh lemon juice or to taste

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over high heat add the butter, shallots and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring regularly. Add the rice and salt and stir with a wooden spoon to coat all the kernels with oil. Continue to cook for about 3 minutes, or until the rice is sizzling. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until it is almost completely absorbed. Now begin adding the chicken broth, one cup at a time, stirring frequently between additions. 

After the first cup is almost entirely absorbed, add the next cup. Continue in this way until the rice is cooked through and you have a creamy risotto, about 20 minutes in all. (The risotto should be slightly loose, not dry; it should run off your spoon. If it gets too dry, add a bit more broth.) Gently stir in the prepared spinach dip, artichoke hearts, cheeses and black pepper and warm through. Taste and add lemon juice, salt and more black pepper as need. Serve and enjoy.

Notes/Results: Oh yeah, this was tasty comfort food and other than the stirring time, quick and easy to put together. The dip blended right into the risotto and the extra cheese didn't hurt. If you wanted more protein, some chicken would be nic but I was more than satisfied with it as written. I will happily make this again. 

So, yes, the deadline for this round of Cook the Books is today, but if you want to join in the next one, Simona of Briciole will be hosting our June/July pick, Food Americana by David Page (May 2021).

 

Taking a Spin with Smoked Salmon Dip on Pumpernickel Wheels for a Review of "Spin" by Peter Zheutlin

Happy June 1st and Happy Book Birthday to Spin: A Novel Based on a (Mostly) True Story by Peter Zheutlin! I recently got a chance to review a copy of this fascinating and fun novel about a fearless young woman who goes on a trip across the globe by bicycle that began in 1895. Accompanying my review is a Smoked Salmon Dip on Pumpernickel "Wheels" inspired by my reading. 

Publisher's Blurb:

Ride away on a 'round-the-world adventure of a lifetime—with only a change of clothes and a pearl-handled revolver—in this trascendent novel inspired by the life of Annie Londonderry.

“Bicycling has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.”—Susan B. Anthony

Who was Annie Londonderry? She captured the popular imagination with her daring ‘round the world trip on two wheels. It was, declared The New York World in October of 1895, “the most extraordinary journey ever undertaken by a woman.”

But beyond the headlines, Londonderry was really Annie Cohen Kopchovsky, a young, Jewish mother of three small children, who climbed onto a 42-pound Columbia bicycle and pedaled away into history.

Reportedly set in motion by a wager between two wealthy Boston merchants, the bet required Annie not only to circle the earth by bicycle in 15 months, but to earn $5,000 en route, as well. This was no mere test of a woman’s physical endurance and mental fortitude; it was a test of a woman’s ability to fend for herself in the world.

Often attired in a man’s riding suit, Annie turned every Victorian notion of female propriety on its head. Not only did she abandon, temporarily, her role of wife and mother (scandalous in the 1890s), she earned her way selling photographs of herself, appearing as an attraction in stores, and by turning herself into a mobile billboard.

Zheutlin, a descendent of Annie, brilliantly probes the inner life and seeming boundless courage of this outlandish, brash, and charismatic woman. In a time when women could not vote and few worked outside the home, Annie was a master of public relations, a consummate self-promoter, and a skillful creator of her own myth. Yet, for more than a century her remarkable story was lost to history. In SPIN, this remarkable heroine and her marvelous, stranger-than-fiction story is vividly brought to life for a new generation.

Pegasus Books (June 1, 2021)

Hardcover: 304 pages

My Review:

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and I especially love books, based on fact where strong women defy convention of the times and do brave and extraordinary things. This describes Spin: A Novel Based on a (Mostly) True Story to a T. The story of Annie Cohen Kopchovsky, aka Annie Londonderry, who set off on her 15-month around-the-world journey as part of a bet between two wealthy Boston merchants who wagered that a woman did not have the endurance, courage, and capacity to do such a thing--cycling across the globe while also earning $5,000 during the trip. Although the $10,000 prize was a factor, Annie's wish to escape the bonds of her arranged marriage and three young children seemed the bigger draw. Annie was a smart and bold woman in an age where women had little opportunity or autonomy and I admired her for that boldness. Harder to admire is how her decisions impacted her family--especially her three young children and her father, her brother and his wife who had to care for them while Annie was on her trip. I didn't like the way she treated her family, friends, and relationships--including a long-term same-sex relationship with Susie, a long-time friend and romantic partner, but I suppose if she had chosen differently, she would not have ended up on the great adventure she did. And, Annie's adventures are fun to read about--especially her travels to different countries and her encounters with legends like Annie Oakley and Susan B. Anthony.

One reoccurring thought I had while reading Spin was "why don't I have any cool relatives who have done truly amazing things on my family tree?" Author Peter Zheutlin is a second-cousin, once removed from Annie's granddaughter Mary, who had boxes full of information in her basement. I liked how he put the information he carefully researched together into compelling fiction and wrote it as if in letters from Annie to Mary telling of her sometimes fantastical bicycle trip. It put me in mind of Big Fish by Daniel Wallace and Carrying Albert Home by Homer Hickham, two books with strong storytelling themes. You aren't sure how much of Annie's stories are true, but you want them all to be. It's a shame that Annie Londonderry and her feat are not more widely known throughout America and the world. (See the links below to the author's website about her.) If you like books about history and strong and unconventional women, add Spin to your summer reading list--it's a heck of an entertaining ride. 

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Author Notes:  Peter Zheutlin is a freelance journalist and author whose work has appeared regularly in The Boston Globe and The Christian Science Monitor.  He has also written for The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, AARP Magazine and numerous other publications in the U.S. and abroad. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Rescue Road: One Man, Thirty Thousand Dogs and a Million Miles on the Lost Hope Highway and Rescued: What Second-Chance Dogs Teach Us About Living with Purpose, Loving with Abandon, and Finding Joy in the Little Things. Peter lives in Massachusetts with his wife, author Judy Gelman.

Here are links to the author’s website, his Annie Londonderry website, a link to the Spin reading guide, and a link to The Book Club Cookbook's Book Club Buzz about the book.

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There was more food inferred than directly mentioned in Spin. Often the book would just state that dinner or another meal was eaten. There were the global foods of her immigrant neighbors in the Boston tenements she lived in like corned beef and cabbage, pasta sauces, chicken broth and pierogis. A Shabbat dinner of beef brisket, potatoes, and a sad looking cabbage. Annie was given borscht and a loaf of fresh challah bread at one of her stops and there was mention of beefsteak in a shoe and mushrooms in one of the articles about her. She enjoys tea in a hotel with Susan B. Anthony but little is mentioned about what was served. Since I wasn't feeling the borscht and don't bake, I had to go a bit outside the box for my book-inspired dish.

In the end, my bookish dish came about because I was going to go with a more traditional Jewish recipe and make some Matzoh Brei or latkes and then add some smoked salmon I had in my fridge. When my friend mentioned she had made a big batch of her smoked salmon dip to eat on her keto diet, I got a craving for her dip, which I hadn't had in ages, and decided it was the best way to use the piece of black pepper smoked salmon. Served spread on pumpernickel rounds (like bicycle wheels), and with also some Tzatziki flavored Triscut crackers (a new favorite), it's a quick and easy recipe.  

Smoked Salmon Dip

Slightly Adapted from Deb's Friend Barb & the Galloping Gourmet

(Makes About 2 Cups)

1 lb canned or smoked salmon

1/2 tsp liquid smoke (can omit if using smoked salmon)

1 Tbsp horseradish

1 Tbsp lemon juice, or to taste

(I added 1 heaping Tbsp capers, drained)

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp dried parsley flakes

black pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Taste and add additional salt, pepper, lemon juice and liquid smoke as needed. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. 

Enjoy with bagels, pumpernickel rounds, crackers and/or cucumber slices. I garnished with a sprinkle of Everything But the Bagel Seasoning Mix. (You could try Grain of Thrones
Everything Bagel Seasoning* by The Book Club Cookbook.)

Notes/Results: This is such a tasty dip/spread. It's rich and creamy and can be used in a variety of ways. I think the capers are a great addition and you could change out the dried parsley for dill if you prefer. It gives me fond memories of my friend making it for parties and gatherings (and me, hanging out over the dip bowl!). I will happily make it again. 

Thanks to Peter Zheutlin, Pegasus Books, and The Book Club Cookbook for the review copy of Spin. I was not compensated in any way for my review and my thoughts, opinions, and feelings are my own. 

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I'm sharing this post with the Weekend Cooking event  being hosted by Marg at The Adventures of An Intrepid Reader. It's a weekly event that is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share. Here's a link to this week's post. 

 

Tangy Pimiento Cheese Inspired by "The Gravedigger's Guild" by Susan Farris

I am happy to offer up a book review today for The Gravedigger's Guild, a new Southern Gothic novel by Susan Farris. Adding to that happiness is noshing on some delicious Tangy Pimiento Cheese inspired by my reading from one of the author's own recipes. 

Publisher's Blurb:

Alice Matins is dead. With the passing of this Mississippi matriarch, estranged sisters Maggy and Quinn collide over the course of Alice's wake and funeral amidst a motley band of gossiping church ladies and feuding gravediggers.

As storm clouds gather, the two women unbury secrets from their past involving Quinn's husband that could resurrect their once-strong sisterly bond. But he has secrets of his own.

The Gravedigger's Guild examines the indelible ties of sisterhood and the complicated legacy we leave behind.

With a style similar to Andrea Bobotis (The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt), this novel will appeal to readers who enjoy stories of strong sibling relationships like Tara Conklin's The Last Romantics and fans of picturesque Southern tales like Sweet Magnolias. 

 

As my time is limited, I don't do a lot of extra book reviews and tours outside of the ones I do with my regular book tour group, but when Susan Farris approached me on through Instagram about reviewing her book, I was intrigued by the premise and quickly said yes. 

The Gravedigger's Guild is about a family and church community that gather for the funeral and wake of the beloved matriarch of a small Mississippi town. Alice leaves behind two grown daughters. Maggy is the youngest and arrives from New York City have recently broken up with her long-term live-in boyfriend and having lost her job as a fashion editor for daring to take time off for her mother's funeral. Quinn, her older sister, is a stay-at-home mother five children (from teenager to baby) and is married to Maggy's old boyfriend Collins. These once close sisters have been somewhat estranged ever since Quinn announced her relationship with Collins and her pregnancy of now teen-aged Allie) and they don't come together easily, with both holding on to resentments. There are secrets, resentments and other drama with the supporting characters too, primarily Collins, Allie, the single church pastor Father Derek Fry, the community's women, and the titular Gravedigger's Guild -- tasked with finding the right spot and digging the graves so the community's citizens can pass on in a traditional, dignified manner. 

Susan Farris packs a lot of drama into 317 pages in this novel that started as a short story. I was firmly "Team Maggy" throughout most of the story, getting annoyed with Quinn's attitude towards her but slowly grew to understand Quinn's side of things. The church women and the Guild provide a lot of the humor and heart of the book, with the former trying to use their years of matchmaking skills to pair Maggy with Father Fry and get her to stay in town, and the later running into all kinds of trouble finding Alice a place to rest with all of the tree roots and other cemetery occupants slowing down the process of the digging. Besides the stormy relationships, there is a real storm brewing and her descriptive prose made me see, feel and experience the rain, wind and weather. I did have some trigger's with this book, mainly the loss of my own mom coming on six years now, but the sometimes dark humor and heart in the story telling, kept it from bogging me down. I was most interested in the traditions and ceremony of the wake and burial in this community and liked the emphasis on that process as it wasn't something I was familiar with. Overall, The Gravedigger's Guild was an enjoyable and engaging read and I was sad to reach the last page of it. If you like family and sisterly drama, Southern fiction and Southern Gothic tales, you will enjoy this one as much as I did.

....

Author Notes: Susan Farris is a former marketing manager with her MFA in Creative Writing from Lindenwood University and a background in editing and tutoring other writers.The Gravedigger’s Guild is her debut novel and she has a collection of poetry coming out soon called Flooding the Delta that experiments with the Thai Nirat form of poetry. When she is not wrangling words on the page, she can be found gardening, playing board games, or snuggled up with her three cats and two dogs appreciating her husband’s amazing cooking skills.

 

Food Inspiration: 

You can't have a book set around a Southern funeral and wake that doesn't include a lot of food so the food mentions and inspiration in The Gravedigger's Guild were plentiful and included: "delicious whiffs from the Crock-Pots and towel wrapped casserole dishes," barbecued meatballs, pecans, PB & J sandwiches, jars of sweet tea and tubs of sliced lemons, finger sandwiches (cucumber finger sandwiches were mentioned a few times), cake, potatoes, scotch, popcorn, marinara sauce, pea salad, poppyseed chicken, chicken cacciatore, syrup over pancakes, Stouffer's lasagna, Mac-and-cheese, biscuits, eggs and bacon, cream, "Mrs. Greave's infamous chocolate chip muffins," hot chocolate, a pot of soup or hearty casserole, Sunday roast, tea cakes, fragrant buttery cookies, turkey, pimento cheese sandwiches, sausage rolls, broccoli salad, pimiento cheese, cheese balls, and sausage wheels. 

Susan sent along a couple of PDFs to accompany the e-book link including her a marked-up chapter she sent to her pre-order readers (so interesting to see her writing process) and a packet of recipes she created inspired by the book including Burnt End Lasagna, Cucumber-Dill tea Sandwiches, Mrs. Greaves' Chocolate Chip Muffins, Tangy Pimiento Cheese, Southern Sweet Tea, and Old-Fashioned Tea Cakes. Because I am such a fan, I had an immediate hankering for pimiento cheese and so I used that recipe (see excerpt below) for my book-inspired dish.

 
 

I kept to Susan's recipe for the most part. My only addition were these frozen Sautéed Glazed Onions (my new secret weapon in many dishes) and adding a little apple cider vinegar to make my  not-so-tangy mayo a bit more like the Duke's brand she recommended. I forgot to buy some chives or onions to top my dip, so I grated a little extra cheese on top at the end. 

Notes/Results: What can I say, I love pimiento cheese and this is a good one, thick and creamy, not gloppy and well seasoned with just a little kick. I didn't have the beloved Southern Duke's mayonnaise, which has more of a tang than the Kraft Mayo I had on hand so I added 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in to add that tangy kick. It was delicious on crackers and again the next day as a sandwich. I am looking forward to making a grilled cheese with it this weekend. I'd happily make it again.

I'm sharing this post with the Weekend Cooking event  being hosted by Marg at The Adventures of An Intrepid Reader. It's a weekly event that is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share. 

Note: A review copy of The Gravedigger's Guild was provided to me by the author in return for a fair review. I was not compensated for this review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

"Lord of the Fries" Avocado Fries with Garlic-Sriracha Aioli & a Book Review for #AllGirlsBlogParty

I've had such fun these past few weeks having blog parties with The Book Club Cookbook and other bloggers where we make dishes inspired by books. Tomorrow is the book birthday of All Girls by Emily Laden and I am celebrating with some "Lord of the Fries" Avocado Fries with Garlic-Sriracha Aioli.

But first, our book...

Publisher's Blurb:

A tender and unflinching portrait of modern adolescence told through the shifting perspectives of nine female students, All Girls explores what it means to grow up in a place that promises you the world - when the world still isn't yours for the taking.

An all-girls boarding school in a hilly corner of Connecticut, Atwater is a haven for progressive thinking and feminist intellectuals. The students are smart, driven and worldly; they are also teenagers, learning to find their way. But when they arrive on campus for the start of the Fall term, they're confronted with startling news: an Atwater alumna has made a troubling allegation of sexual misconduct against an unidentified teacher. As the weeks wear on and the administration's efforts to manage the ensuing crisis fall short, these extraordinary young women come to realise that the adults in their lives may not be the protectors they previously believed.

All Girls unfolds over the course of one tumultuous academic year and is told from the point of view of a small cast of diverse, interconnected characters as they navigate the social mores of prep school life and the broader, more universal challenges of growing up. The trials of adolescent girlhood are pitched against the backdrop of sexual assault, consent, anxiety and the ways that our culture looks to young women as trendsetters, but otherwise silences their voices and discounts their opinions. The story that emerges is a richly detailed, impeccably layered, and emotionally nuanced depiction of what it means to come of age in a female body today.

St. Martin's Press / St. Martin's Publishing Group

On Sale: 02/16/2021 | 320 Pages

My Review: 

So first, I am kind of a sucker for boarding school settings. Something about be a public school student all of my life and not going away to college I guess. I find the traditions and life fascinating and Atwater in Connecticut, was a great place for a story. All Girls takes place throughout a school year in 2015 and is told from the perspectives multiple students in chapters titled by school events. The book opens with the incoming students coming across a hundred signs placed to be seen from all of the approaches to campus. These signs state "A Rapist Works Here" and it's the opening salvo of a year where a mysterious someone (or someones), push the school to confront and answer for a 1995 incident where a former student reports a rape from a teacher she was having a consensual affair with. She ends up getting kicked out of Atwater while the teacher is apparently still there, 20 years later. There is a lot of teenage angst and young women facing their sexuality in an environment which positions itself to support them, but really does not. The mystery at first is who the teacher is that the school has protected for so many years and then it becomes the identity of the person pushing the school to step up through various rebellious acts. The story is intriguing but the challenge with the book is that there are so many perspectives that it becomes jumbled and hard to follow which makes it hard to care about every character. All Girls is billed as a Young Adult novel and it would be good to read and discuss with older teens. It's a coming of age story in the time a few years before the #metoo movement got started, and is topical and relevant, but it didn't quite come together for me as much as I wanted it to. 

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Author Notes: EMILY LAYDEN is a graduate of Stanford University, and has taught at several girls' schools nationwide. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, Marie Claire, The Billfold, and Runner's World. All Girls is her first novel.

You can connect with the author on her website, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Food Inspiration: 

There was definitely food in All Girls and mentions included iceberg lettuce, Korean food, matcha lattes, açaí bowls, buttered pasta, Mac and cheese, grilled cheese, cheese quesadillas, and sandwiches of American cheese on white bread, sneaking vegetables into foods like pureed zucchini folded into banana bread, butternut squash roasted and pureed and stirred into stovetop macaroni and cheese, cauliflower steamed and mashed and used to replace half the potatoes, wheat toast, Instant Pot casserole, coffee, powdered electrolyte mix, teas and decaf coffees, sunflower seeds sprinkled over salads, chickpeas, turkey sandwich, a banana, a granola bar, eggs, maple syrup, oatmeal, birthday cake, Frosted Flakes, acorn squash, green beans, roasted turkey, protein bars, Atwater's designer egg McMuffins (served on little ciabatta rolls instead) and maple sausage, food trucks with banh mi tacos and grilled cheese with smoked gouda and caramelized onions, apples and paper cups of steaming cider, cider donuts, kettle corn, Sour Patch Kids, pizza, jam, past-its-prime winter fruit, Nantucket oysters, a really good burger, rosewater macarons, chicken Parm made with frozen chicken tenders, vodka, orange-red tofu stew, grilled peel-and-eat shrimp, tikka masala, stir fry, roast chicken, poke, bibimbap, and California cheeses. 

As soon as I read the words "avocado fries", I knew that was going to be my bookish dish. I've been wanting to try them, and reading that Atwater served them at their prom gave me a great excuse. 

"Guys!" Karla gasps from two tables away, clutching a cocktail napkin in one hand. "They did the avocado fries again! With the aioli!" She takes a bite and makes an exaggerated groan, a food-induced orgasm. 

I decided to serve them with my favorite Garlic-Sriracha Aioli. Although I didn't set out to use a The Book Club Cookbook Book Blend, how could I make any kind of fries and not use my "Lord of the Fries" Brew Pub Garlic Fries Seasoning  I used it both in my aioli and in the panko coating on the avocado fries. 

"Lord of the Fries" Avocado Fries with Garlic-Sriracha Aioli

By Deb with Lots of Inspiration from Online

(Serves 2 to 4)

2 to 3 medium-large avocados, ripe but still firm

fresh lime juice

sea salt and black pepper

2 tsp Lord of the Fries Brew Pub Garlic Fries Seasoning or garlic powder blend of choice

1 heaping cup panko breadcrumbs

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup flour

avocado or olive oil cooking spray

Sriracha-Garlic Aioli (recipe below)

Preheat oven to about 425 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Slice avocado fairly thickly (each half into about 5 slices) so they won't break as easily. Drizzle with fresh lime juice and lightly salt and pepper then. 

In a small bowl or container, mix garlic seasoning into panko and add salt and pepper to taste. Add the flour to another small container or plate. To a third small container, beat an egg until blended. 

Dredge avocado slices into flour and gently shake off excess, then dip in egg and gently shake off excess before coating in the panko mix--lightly pressing/patting the panko in so it sticks and avocado slices are well covered. 

Spray your parchment covered pan with cooking spray. Gently lay coated avocado slices in a single layer with a little space in between them. Lightly spray them with cooking spray to help them brown. Bake about 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. You can gently turn them mid way through to ensure they brown on both sides. 

Serve warm and crisp with Sriracha-Garlic Aioli or your favorite dipping sauce. 

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Sriracha-Garlic Aioli

By Deb, Kahakai Kitchen
(Makes about 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup mayonnaise 
2 1/2 Tbsp sriracha, or to taste
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder (I used "Lord of the Fries Brew Pub Garlic Fries Seasoning")
1/2 Tbsp pickle or caper juice + more to taste

Stir together ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and add additional Sriracha or seasoning as desired. Cover and chill until ready to use. Will keep for about a week to ten days in fridge. 

Notes/Results: OK, these are a little slice of heaven, crispy on the outside, soft and creamy inside, with the garlic blending so well with the sweet avocado and spicy aioli. I admit, they aren't very pretty but they more than make up for it in flavor. I think the hardest part is finding the right avocado ripeness--not too soft but also not hard, I had a couple of bad avocados in my "collection" so I was happy to get three good medium ones that were pretty close to being just right. I ate more of these than I should have--they are pretty addicting. I'll happily make them again. 

Check out this link for the #AllGirlsBlogParty at The Book Club Cookbook to see the other bloggers taking part and their delicious recipes!

Mahalo to St. Martin's Press and The Book Club Cookbook for the review copies of the book and for hosting this fun event. I received no compensation for my participation and, as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.  

Find The Book Club Cookbook here: 

Facebook: TheBookClubCookbook

Twitter: @bookclubcookboo

Instagram: @thebookclubcookbook

Pinterest: @bookclubcook

 

The Book Tour Stops Here: A Review of National Geographic's "America the Beautiful" Served with a Recipe for Fluffy Apple Caramel Dip

Happy Friday!  I am excited to be today's stop on the TLC Book Tour for America the Beautiful, a gorgeous new book from National Geographic. Accompanying my review is a recipe for a tasty Fluffy Caramel Apple Dip inspired by the book and perfect for noshing on while you read it.  

Publisher's Blurb:

This glorious book of photography, featuring more than 200 magnificent National Geographic images of all 50 states, is a gift-worthy celebration of America’s unique natural and cultural treasures.

America the Beautiful showcases the stunning spaces closest to our nation’s heart–from the woods in the Great Appalachian Valley that Davy Crockett once called home to the breathtaking sweep of California’s Big Sur coast to the wilds of Alaska. It also celebrates the people who have made this country what it is, featuring a wide range of images including the Arikara Nation in the early 1900s and scientists preparing for travel to Mars on a Hawaiian island. Culled from more than 130 years of National Geographic’s vaunted archives, this provocative collection depicts the splendor of this great nation as only National Geographic can, with a dramatic combination of modern and historical imagery–from the creation of architectural icons like the Golden Gate Bridge and Lady Liberty to the last of the country’s wild places currently preserved in our national parks.

Organized by chapters focused on region (west coast and the Pacific, east coast, the south, and the Midwest) that are themselves inspired by verses of the original poem America the Beautiful, this book also features a moving introduction offering perspective on the country’s unique journey. You’ll also find behind-the-scenes commentary from the world-renowned photographers who captured this unforgettable imagery, and observations from the conservationists, activists, and historians who help keep America beautiful today. Profound and inspiring, this is a book for everyone who has ever marveled at the beauty of the United States.

Hardcover : 400 pages
Publisher : National Geographic (October 20, 2020)

My Review

National Geographic knows how to make a gorgeous coffee table book and America the Beautiful is no exception. It is visually stunning, with gorgeous photos and insights about each of the states by a famous person (Barack Obama, John Irving, Jimmy Buffet, Maya Rudolph and Robin Roberts to name a few) who loves it. I found myself paging through it and then looking through it again and again, each time caught up in the beauty of the country we live in. At a time when America doesn't always feel beautiful, it's a way to remember places visited and loved and perfect for the armchair traveler during a time when travel isn't possible or desirable for many of us. I have included a few photos below so you can see how impressive this book is. America the Beautiful would make a great gift but I am going to hang on to my copy--it's too pretty not to keep it around. 

"The Mayflower II, a reproduction of the 17th-century Mayflower ship, enters the New York Harbor after a solitary voyage across the Atlantic. Upon arrival, the captain and crew received a ticker tape parade in New York City." 

Photograph by B. Anthony Stewart, 1957

"Under the light of a full moon, water cascades from rocky tidal pools at Northern Mariana Islands’s Puntan Laggua (Parrotfish Point), in the Pacific Ocean."

Photograph by Mark D. Robertson, National Geographic Image Collection

 

 

"No place else could have provided me with the environment in which I could not only grow, but also get a sense of being loved. There is no doubt that the residue of Hawaii will always stay with me; it’s a part of my core. What’s best in me, and what’s best in my message, is consistent with the tradition of Hawaii."

---By Barack Obama, 44th U.S. president  

"A pod of spinner dolphins swims through the tropical waters off the coast of Oahu in Hawaii."

Photograph by Brian Skerry, National Geographic Image Collection  

Food Inspiration:

There's not a ton of food inspiration in the book but there was some in pictures and in the writing and picture captions such as grapes from Oregon's wine country, pineapple from Hawaii, the delicious local food in Guam, diving for clams and sea urchins in Samoa, lobsters and/or lobster rolls mentioned in Maine, Massachusetts (along with Bloody Marys), and Rhode island (also from Rhode Island there were celery-salt dogs, pickles, frozen lemonade, clam strips, jelly stick donuts, coffee, milk, clams, corn and potatoes noted), pears from Connecticut, cabbages growing in Arkansas, and sunflower fields in North Dakota.

For my bookish dish, it was a photo of a young girl eating a caramel apple in New Hampshire that I took inspiration from. Halloween is tomorrow, people are vibing on Fall, and my favorite fall flavor is apple and caramel apple. Since I didn't want to fuss, caramel apples seems like way too much hassle and then I was going to dip apple slices which also seemed like a pain. So then I thought "what about a caramel apple dip?" and found one on Taste of Home that sounded good.

Fluffy Caramel Apple Dip

Slightly adapted from TasteoHome.com

(Makes about 2 cups) 

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup packed brown sugar (I reduced to 1/4 cup)

1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup marshmallow creme

3 medium tart apples

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp water

 

Beat the cream cheese, brown sugar, caramel topping and vanilla together in a small bowl until smooth. Fold in marshmallow creme. Cut apple into slices.

 

In a small bowl combine the lemon juice and water and toss apples in the mixture and drain. 

 

Serve apple (and/or pear) slices with the dip and add any other toppings you like for extra fun. 

Notes/Results: I thought that this dip might be too sweet to be enjoyable so I cut the brown sugar down by half and crossed my fingers. It turned out really delicious and fairly addicting, especially with the crisp, slightly tart apple slices. I tried two new-to-me apples, a Sugar Bee (a HoneyCrisp variation) and a Green Dragon (a small sweet-tart green apple) and liked both of them. For serving the apple slices, I thought it would be fun to enjoy it with a few topping dippers--I used what I had on hand, mini vegan chocolate chips, sliced almonds, and Heath toffee bits. Sure it's a lot of sugar but it's a fun and tasty occasional indulgence. I actually liked it even before the marshmallow fluff was stirred in, so you could leave that out and still have a creamy dip. 

Since dips don't feel quite COVID-friendly for a small group and especially for kids, I thought a fun way to serve it would be in a watercolor paint palette which you can buy for a $1-$2 each at a craft store. I put the dip into the water cup in the center and put the topping dippers in each paint compartment-which holds about a teaspoon of each. Each person could use their own dip and dippers and you can vary your dippers by what you like. (I think other nuts, sunflower seeds, sprinkles, and even flavored oatmeal or puffed cereal would be fun.) I will be enjoying this dip with a Halloween movie tomorrow and I would happily make it again. 

I'm also sharing this post with the Weekend Cooking event  being hosted by Marg at The Adventures of An Intrepid Reader. It's a weekly event that is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share. Here's a link to the current post.

Note: A review copy of "America the Beautiful" was provided to me by the author and the publisher via TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for my review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own. 
 
You can see the other stops for this TLC Book Tour and what other bloggers thought of the book here.