Recipe Thursday - Asiago Chicken with Bacon Cream Sauce

 

One of my goals for 2026 is to sort through all the recipes I have laying around tucked into folders and notebooks as well as my gigantic Pinterest/food blog collection that hasn't been touched in years.  I've been having quite a good time with it.  I enjoy cooking but it can become a chore pretty easily and this has made it a lot more fun for me as I feel like I'm working on a project.   Around here we've taken to calling it Recipe Thunderdome as all recipes have to be auditioned before earning their place in the final recipe binder. 

*For context I'm a reasonably capable home cook but one who is often trying to multitask and who is pretty much completely self-taught. *

Today I'm sharing Asiago Chicken with Bacon Cream Sauce from Julia's Album

Changes:  I used olive oil instead of vegetable oil and left out the parsley because I find parsley to be more trouble than it's worth - though I am willing to hear arguments to the contrary.  I also only used bacon in the first part and did not garnish with the additional bacon.

Thoughts on Recipe Difficulty:   I don't love cooking chicken in a skillet because I'm always afraid of undercooking it but the way this recipe is done that isn't an issue.  This isn't a dump it in a pan and leave it recipe but it is pretty straightforward - seer chicken, make sauce, then simmer chicken in the sauce - and can all be done in the same pan.  I could clean up the kitchen and work on the sides while it was simmering which is always a plus.  As well, the recipe was easy to follow and I didn't have to reread for clarification.

Cook Time:  I'd say from start to finish about 30 - 35 minutes.  

Served With: Mashed potatoes (which were fantastic with sauce poured over them) and roasted green beans

Results:  So good!  It's a little rich for everyday but would be perfect for a company meal or when you're just wanting a little treat.  Serving it with rice or mashed potatoes to use with the extra sauce is a must.    

Verdict:  Survived - it has earned it's place in the final recipe binder which I need a catchy name for now that I think about it.  

The Valencia Expat Club - Fiction Review

Goodreads: The Valencia Expat Club by June Patrick

Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)
Source: Publisher

Description: Dahlia Delaney’s marriage just imploded, her friend group picked a side (not hers), and her fancy San Francisco life now fits into a single suitcase. Armed with a broken heart, a freelance marketing gig, and one blurry childhood memory of her abuela’s garden, she impulsively hops on a flight to Valencia, Spain, to reconnect with distant family—and maybe herself.

But Valencia isn’t just sunny plazas and sangria. There’s her chaotic new job at a quirky expat bar, a family she barely knows but who embrace her like she’s always belonged, and a brooding American bar owner who’s frustratingly attractive and entirely too familiar.

As Dahlia stumbles through language mishaps, clashing cultures, and late-night paella with new friends, she begins to realize that the fresh start she came for might turn into something even better—if she can let go of the life she planned and embrace the one unfolding around her.

Genre: Fiction - Contemporary/Romance

Why I Picked This Book: I love starting over books and I loved the idea of a Spanish setting.

My Impression: I have mixed feelings about this one.  I adored the setting and the author did a fantastic job of making it come alive.  I loved the side characters and the whole huge welcoming Spanish family.  The author's writing style pulled me in immediately and at the beginning I liked Dahlia as she dealt with a divorce (not unwanted but definitely unsettling), the betrayal of friends and the struggle with relearning what she wanted as an adult.  

As the book went on I liked Dahlia less and less.  Her struggles with her changing circumstances and dealing with her relationships with her friend group post-divorce came off as very authentic and relatable but the more I got to know Dahlia the less I liked her.  She just struck me as a bit whiny and pretentious.  As well, I never connected with Liam.  The man must be beyond dreamy to make up for his rudeness that never quite made it to delightful banter for me.  As well, anytime Dahlia and Liam were together I liked each of them less.  

Overall, I really enjoyed this book.  This was my first book by this author and I loved her writing style and her way of making the setting and characters come alive.  I wish I had enjoyed my time with the main characters more but overall, the reading experience itself was a winner.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Definitely!  I really enjoyed the book even though I didn't like the main characters.

Would I Recommend this Book? If you like escapism starting over books, I'd definitely give this a try.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Books I Can't Believe I've Never Read

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is Books I Can't Believe I Haven't Read.  This could probably be a top 100 list but I'm going to try and keep it to 10!

1.  The Dry by Jane Harper - This has been on my TBR since it came out and the second book looked even more interesting than this one.  My library has this in both print and audio but for some reason it just never quite makes it to the top.

2.  The Likeness by Tana French - I have seen so many readers who have similar tastes as mine list this as a 5 star read.  I liked the first book but was annoyed that the main plot point I was interested in never got resolved so I never picked this one up.  I have a copy sitting on my shelf so I really should just read it.

3.  A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden is easily one of my favorite books of all time but I've never read this one.  I think I tried it when I was a kid but never got very far.  I should give it another chance.

4.  Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones - This book sounds absolutely magical and I've enjoyed some of the clips I've seen of the adaptations.  It wouldn't take me long to read so I should just pick it up soon.

5.  Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros - I've read the first two books in this series and while I didn't love book two I'm invested enough in the world that I want to know what happens next.  

6.  The Girl Who Came Home by Hazel Gaynor - I'm just going to put this one on all these kinds of lists until I finally read it.  I wanted to read it since it came out and I've thoroughly enjoyed every book I've read by this author but for whatever reason have never picked this one up.  It's almost like I've got a mental block at this point.

7.  The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins - I loved The Woman in White and meant to read this one the next year.  It's been 7.  

8.  The Lion in the Living Room by Abigail Tucker - I watched a documentary by the same name and was completely fascinated.  I meant to read this book soon after that documentary but then never did - even though my library has a copy.

9.  The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon - I have a copy of this book on my shelf and so many people have just absolutely raved about it.  The premise really pulled at me as soon as it came out but somehow it just has yet to make it to the top of the pile. 

10. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson - This one sounds like so much my kind of book but I never seem to pick it up.  I just started another book by this author so hopefully I love it so much I end up picking this one up soon.

What books can you not believe you haven't read?

The Windsor Affair - Historical Fiction Review

Goodreads: The Windsor Affair by Melanie Benjamin

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source: Publisher

Description: Feuding Windsor brothers and their wives—some things, it seems, never change. The Men: Edward David Windsor, heir to the British throne, and Albert, known as Bertie, his younger brother, “the spare.” The Women: Edward’s wife Wallis, an American divorcée, and Bertie's wife Elizabeth, descended from Scottish nobility. The Feud: a rivalry that will last all their lives, make headlines, and still fuel gossip pages nearly a century later.

The Windsor Affair recreates the cataclysmic events that nearly toppled the monarchy and incited the power struggle between Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the queen-to-be, and Wallis Simpson, aka “That Woman," who fell into a calculated love affair with Prince Edward. Told from the perspective of both women, the novel propels readers into the fabulous world of the debonair Prince of Wales, café society of the 1930s, and the glittering private lives of the Windsors.

The first novel dedicated to the infamous rivalry between these two world-famous women, The Windsor Affair brings us all the gossip and intrigue between the two very different—yet perhaps more similar than they would admit—wives of royals. As Queen, Elizabeth would become the symbol of British pluck and courage during World War II and remain a British institution for the rest of her long life. Wallis would be forever forced to enact the World’s Greatest Love Story even after it sours, as she goes from being admired to vilified and, ultimately, pitied.

Against the backdrop of the Abdication Crisis, World War II, coronations, funerals, births, and deaths, these two women maintain a bitter, biting, sharp-tongued feud—until age and the long arm of history bring about a kind of understanding. For the last communication between these bitter rivals was a simple, surprising “In friendship, Elizabeth.”

Genre: Fiction - Historical

Why I Picked This Book: I've had good luck with this author and this is such a sliding door moment in history that it absolutely fascinates me.  

My Impression: I really enjoy Melanie Benjamin's writing and her ability to make characters in historical fiction come alive.  This was an interesting story with multiple POVs - sometimes Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, future Queen Consort and then Queen Mother, Wallis Simpson, otherwise known as "That Woman", and occasionally context provided by Queen Mary, Queen Consort and both women's Mother-in-law.   It would have been easy for Benjamin to lean into traditional views and portray one woman as the Saint and the other as the Devil but she doesn't at all.  

Wallis is a challenging and complicated person and while I never liked her there were times I couldn't help but admire her and feel sorry for her.  She is dealt a poor hand in life but has a driving ambition to survive and for security.  While I don't think many people would agree with how she did it and I doubt in real life she made many friends, she does survive though it is questionable if she ever truly felt secure.  Elizabeth is a product of the society she was raised in.  She understands duty and image and is well aware of her charms and the different methods of persuasion.  While I didn't particularly care for her, I couldn't help but admire her loyalty and her protectiveness of her family - especially her husband.  Both women are tough as nails but in completely different ways and it was fascinating to see their story revealed.  

The book centers around a sliding door moment in history with David's abdication but showing all events leading up to it and then the fallout.  It's interesting and a little terrifying to think just what would have happened in World War II if David had remained King as even before abdication he was pretty vocal about his Nazi sympathies.  

While not the fastest read this is a well done and compelling read about complex characters during an incredibly complicated time in history.  If this is a period of time that interests you it is well worth reading - as is any book by this author.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Definitely!  I've really enjoyed everything I've read by this author and am looking forward to reading more.  

Would I Recommend this Book? If you enjoy historical fiction this is definitely worth the read!

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

The Labors of Hercules - Classic Mystery Review

Goodreads:  The Labors of Hercules by Agatha Christie

Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)
Source: Purchased

Description:   The Labours of Hercules comprises an even dozen mysteries starring Christie's most popular sleuth, the ever-dignified Hercule Poirot. The introductory chapter of the collection sets up the rest of the book. At a dinner party, another guest compares the labors of Poirot to those of Hercules, and the little Belgian is not amused. He has already decided to retire, but makes up his mind to take on 12 great cases - each somehow reflecting the labors accomplished by Hercules - as a farewell to crime solving. All of the cases are quite different from each other, from searching for a lost poet to hunting down a particularly ferocious murderer, from solving mysterious deaths of religious cult members to saving a young would-be politician from potential blackmailers.

 
Genre: Mystery - Classic

Why I Picked This Book: This was the May pick for the Read Christie Challenge

My Impression: I really love Christie's short stories and this was a fun collection.  There are some books that you can kind of feel Christie behind the scenes having a fabulous time playing with particular plots and themes and this is definitely one of them.  The short stories have a wide range from major cases with political implications, to missing people, to the kidnapping of a small dog, along with a random assortment of other problems.  

I liked the premise and I love Poirot in this book.  He's clearly delighted with his little project and making the cases fit his idea.  I am also a big fan of Miss Lemon so any book that involves her is always a good one.  This is a fun collection of short stories and would be a good introduction to Poirot if you aren't familiar with him yet.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Of course!  I'm looking forward to the June pick - The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.  It's one I haven't read in awhile.

Would I Recommend this Book? I would.  This is a good short story collection on its own and would be a good introduction to Poirot.

Friday Fives - Five Quick Reviews for Books I've Read Recently

I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much. This week I'm sharing 5 quick reviews for books I've read recently.

1.  A Skeleton in the Family by Leigh Perry - I've been wanting to read this series for years and finally got around to picking up the first book.  It did not disappoint.  I like that the author didn't even attempt to explain how the Sid the skeleton exists.  She just leans into the fact it makes no sense and then continues on with the mystery.  Sid is a fun character - he's both funny and sympathetic and always curious.  The mystery was intriguing as Georgia and Sid try and figure out just who Sid was before he was Sid.  I like the supporting cast of characters and the details of Georgia's job with all the perils of academia.  This was an enjoyable read and is the beginning of a series that I am looking forward to continuing.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

2.  The Rose Code by Kate Quinn - This was a tense read and for the first half a very grim one.  I loved the story of the three very different women with three very different skills working at Bletchley Park during World War II.   Oslo's relationship with Prince Phillip was interesting, I really loved Mab's story, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for Beth.  The story deals with some really tragic situations and consequences, and Beth's storyline is frankly terrifying.  The first half to three quarters of the book was almost a bit too grim and there were times that I didn't feel like the story was making much progress though Quinn's writing and ability to bring characters to life kept it from being a drudge to read.  The last third was fantastic and I was absolutely hooked.  I was tackling random cleaning projects I'd been putting off just so I'd have more time to listen.  I also really loved how the epilogue was done.  I enjoy this author and the audio was fantastic.  I will definitely be looking for more of her books.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

3.  Murder, She Wrote: The Body in the Trees by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran - I really love this series and my favorites are the books set in Cabot Cove with all the familiar side characters and the cozy dynamic of the little town in Maine.  I love how Maeve especially is so kind and helpful but has a very firm limit on how much time she can spend with people.  This was a delightfully cozy read with two mysteries - one about a purse snatcher and one about a tourist in town for the fall leaf colors.  As with most books in this series the focus is more on day to day life than active mystery investigation.  I really liked the discussions of dealing with some of the more elderly residents in town who were starting to have physical limitations.  The mystery solution was a bit of a surprise but made sense.  I do wish that it and the solution to the bicycle bandit had been fleshed out a bit more but overall, it was an enjoyable cozy read.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

4.  The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth - This is my second Hepworth book and it will definitely not be the last.  This is a complex story of a family when there are adult children and a significant amount of money involved.  The two primary narrators are Diana (the Mother-in-Law) in the title and Lucy (the daughter-in-law). I really liked how the author put their version of specific incidents side by side so we can really see what the intentions were and how events transpired.  There's a mystery but I was more fascinated with the evolution of the characters and relationships.  That said the mystery aspect was very well done and quite a surprise.  There is quite a lot of talk of one of the characters struggles with infertility so if that is a difficult topic for you this may be one to avoid.  It's done well but it is the focus of a storyline.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

5.  A Beautiful Blue Death by Charles Finch - I love a good historical mystery and this was a good start to a series.  Charles Lenox is a wealthy Victorian gentleman with an interest in history and everything around him.  When a maid, previously in the employee of his friend and neighbor Lady Jane, commits suicide he's pulled into the investigation with surprising complex motives.  The setup and pacing was a bit slow but overall the mystery and investigation was enjoyable.  I liked characters and the basic setup of the series and am looking forward to continuing with the series.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

Dungeons and Danger - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads: Dungeons and Danger (A Ravensea Castle Mystery #2) by Elizabeth Penney

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source: Publisher

Description:  As Halloween approaches, Ravensea Castle is bustling with excitement as Nora Asquith welcomes the fall season guests to her family's newly converted bed and breakfast. A historian studying the movements of the Vikings has traced their exploits to Ravensea. A certain Viking woman, known as the Red Maiden, landed here and the historian believes she buried a treasure hoard before the castle was built. He is hopeful he can find the hoard now. Nora can't help but wonder if the enigmatic castle ghost she's always referred to as the woman in red could be this very Viking?

Meanwhile, a team of four ghost hunters is coming to stay at Ravensea for the filming of Britain's Got Ghosts. Former students of the historian, the group arrives with their own rivalries and baggage. They try to see who can make the most paranormal contacts and end up getting more than they bargained for.

When the historian is murdered during a Viking festival on castle grounds and his notes go missing, Nora can't help but wonder if the treasure was why he was killed . . . and could it be connected to the visiting ghost hunters? Additional "accidents" befalling the hunters raise the stakes as Nora races to find the killer—and the treasure—before another death occurs.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book: I enjoyed the first book in this series and have enjoyed other books by this author.

My Impression: I enjoyed the first book which setup the structure for the series.  I liked Nora and her family (though her sister took a bit of patience) and of course I can't resist a haunted castle turned inn.  I enjoyed this even more.  Nora is getting the hang of running the family castle as an Inn all while managing dwindling family resources and running her own apothecary business where she makes soaps and salves using herbs grown on the castle grounds.

This was a fun setup with a treasure hunter and a group of ghost hunters who don't get along.  All the characters are up to something and it doesn't seem like anyone is telling the whole truth.  When the body finally falls about 30% in it isn't a surprise but the list of suspects is long.

I loved the mix of history and cozy mystery.  The characters are likable with slightly complicated dynamics and the side characters including dogs, a cat and a castle full of ghosts in entertaining.  The investigation is well done and kept me interested.  I liked the addition of Nora's boyfriend who is also a detective.  It adds a bit of validity to Nora's nosiness.   This was a fun read with a lovely setting and a fun mystery.  I'm looking forward to reading more from this author and especially this series.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Of course!  I've really enjoyed everything I've read by this author.

Would I Recommend this Book? If you like cozy mysteries this is a good pick though I would recommend starting with the first book just for context.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review. As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *