Friday Fives - Five Recipes I've Made Recently

 

I'm taking a bit of a break from my usual Friday Linkups to try something a little different.  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 is one of the not so much!  I've been getting back to experimenting a little with new recipes and I thought I'd share 5 recipes I've made recently and what I thought.

1. Longhorn Garlic Parmesan Crusted Chicken from Plain Chicken - Longhorn is a steak house chain that we do takeout from A LOT as it is in Will's very short list of places that he will eat (picky kid + chemo taste buds do not make for easy eating).  I've had this chicken a few times and thought it might be fun to give this copycat recipe a try and was so glad I did!  I liked it better then the restaurant version as it was less rich and heavy and really had more flavor.  I cooked the chicken at 425 until done and for the 2nd part I just put it back in the oven for a few minutes and it worked great. I'll definitely make this again.

2.  Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies from Picky Palate - Will loves softer chocolate chip cookies and my favorite cookie recipe leans more towards the chewy so I thought I'd give this a try and they were SO good.  I mean granted chocolate chip cookies are pretty safe but these were delicious and the texture was perfection.

3.  Easy Cheesy Baked Tortellini from InstruPix - This was surprisingly good for how simple it was.  I used Rao's Marinara sauce and refrigerated tortellini and probably only about a cup of cheese and it was so good.  It also makes a ton and heats up beautifully AND you could prepare it ahead of time and just pop it in the oven when you were ready.  Another one that will make it onto our regular rotation.  

4.  Lemon Drop Bars by Mom on TimeOut - Oh my these are so good and pretty easy as far as lemon bars go.  My only issue is the candied lemon zest topping.  It tasted good but I didn't love the texture it added.  I think I'd either half it or skip it all together next time I make it (and there will be a next time)!

5.  Chicken Lazone from Plain Chicken - This blog seems to be a reliable one for me when it comes to main dishes as this is the 2nd chicken recipe I've made from them recently that I've really loved.  It's basically a spice encrusted chicken in a cream sauce and it is delicious!  I left out the cayenne pepper but used all of the chili powder and it really wasn't very spicy at all.  I served it with mashed potatoes but it would be great with rice or pasta as well.  

What have you been cooking lately?  

Death on the Night of Lost Lizards - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads:  Death on the Night of Lost Lizards (A Hungarian Tea Shop Mystery #3) by Julia Buckley

Rating: Really Liked It!
Source:  Publisher

Description:  Hana Keller and her tea-leaf reading grandmother are used to finding the perfect savory treats to pair with a delicious cuppa at her family’s tea house but when a local professor is killed, she uncovers a serving of suspects instead…

Hana Keller is getting ready for a lovely holiday season. She decides to host a tea at her apartment for her closest friends. During the cozy get-together, one of Hana's friends gets a call that a murderer is on the loose and that the women should be careful. Hana soon learns that Sandor Balog, a professor of Hungarian Studies at the local college, has been viciously killed.

Hana gets one of her visions that she is going to be pulled into the professor's death somehow. When Erik, her handsome detective boyfriend, finds several suspects at the Tea House, Hana knows she must now investigate. And when the wrong man is arrested, things come to a boil and Hana finds herself in the path of the real killer.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I read the 2nd book last year and loved it so there was no way I was passing this one up!

My Impression:  This book series is dangerous in multiple ways!  For one thing I find myself absolutely craving Hungarian food - especially desserts and we don't really have a good Hungarian restaurant in town so I'm pretty much days away from going on a baking binge and then eating all the treats on my own!  The food descriptions are that amazing.  As well, I have a huge weakness for antique porcelain and have quite a collection and there are always mentions of Herend porcelain that make me want to go down that particular rabbit hole which would hit my book budget HARD.  

But those problems aside this book (and the previous one) was just a delight from start to finish.  There are some psychic notes but not so much that the book feels paranormal.  It almost has a magical realism feel but without the magic taking over.  If you're not a fan of paranormal or magical realism it's such a side issue I don't think this would bother you.  The characters are people I'd like to be friends with - especially Hana and her family.   

With all my rambling, you'd think the mystery gets pushed to the side but it never does.  From the beginning the mystery is front and center and really kept me reading.  I loved the dive into the Hungarian community and found the investigation fascinating.  This was a fast read that I was sad to see the end of!  I'm glad that I missed the first book so that I can go back and read that while I wait for the next book in the series.  And I'm going to need to seek out some of the amazing treats Hana talks about.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  I've enjoyed everything I've read by this author though this series is my favorite.

Would I Recommend this Book?  Definitely!  This is a fun cozy mystery with a bit of a different feel and makes for a fast light read.

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

The Art of Betrayal - Mystery Review

Goodreads:  The Art of Betrayal (A Kate Hamilton Mystery #3) by Connie Berry

Rating: Really Liked It
Source: Publisher

Description:  Spring is a magical time in England--bluebells massing along the woodland paths, primrose and wild thyme dotting the meadows. Antiques dealer Kate Hamilton is spending the month of May in the Suffolk village of Long Barston, enjoying precious time with Detective Inspector Tom Mallory. While attending the May Fair, the annual pageant based on a well-known Anglo-Saxon folktale, a body turns up in the middle of the festivities.

Kate is even more shocked when she learns the murder took place in antiquity shop owner Ivor Tweedy's stockroom and a valuable Chinese pottery jar that she had been tasked with finding a buyer for has been stolen. Ivor may be ruined. Insurance won't cover a fraction of the loss.

As Tom leads the investigation, Kate begins to see puzzling parallels between the murder and local legends. The more she learns, the more convinced she is that the solution to both crimes lies in the misty depths of Anglo-Saxon history and a generations-old pattern of betrayal. It's up to Kate to unravel this Celtic knot of lies and deception to save Ivor's business.

Genre:  Mystery

Why I Picked This Book:  I really enjoyed the 2nd book in the series so I couldn't pass up the 3rd book!

My Impression:   Oh I enjoyed this!  I really liked the previous book in the series so going in I was a little concerned that this one wouldn't hold up but if anything it was even better.  This isn't quite a cozy but lacks the gore and graphicness of a police procedural so it's kind of in the middle.  Kate is a widow with adult children and Tom is in a similar setup.  The primary difference is that while Kate's mother is a delight (though unfortunately an ocean away) Tom's mother is not quite so lovely and in a much closer proximity which does lead to the occasional tense moment.   There is some regular life stuff like parents and children and talks of the future mixed in with the mystery which helped add dimension to Kate and Tom's otherwise intelligent and professional demeanors.

The mystery involves antiques, a present day murder and a past scandal which are all some of my favorite things.  I loved the exploration into all three aspects and seeing Kate and Tom work together as she works with an estate appraisal was really fun.  This wasn't the fastest paced mystery but I never felt like the story was dragging.  I thoroughly enjoyed all of this from the characters to the mystery to the history and this is an author I'm looking forward to reading more from!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Definitely! I'm hoping to go back and read the 1st book before the next book in the series comes out.

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you enjoy straightforward mysteries with clever characters I think you'll enjoy this one!

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

Ten Books I Want to Buy - June 2021

 

It's been awhile since I've made a book buying list so I thought now was the time to make one!  Here are ten books I'm hoping to buy soon!

1.  The Spy Wore Red by Aline, Countess of Romanones - I read this tons of times when I was a teenager and loved it and now that I'm reading The Princess Spy by Larry Loftis and finding out a lot of the behind the scenes stuff I feel the need for another copy!

2.  Into the Lion's Mouth: The True Story of Dusko Popov by Larry Loftis - I'm reading another book by this author and enjoying it so I want to pick up another book by him and this one looks intriguing.

3.  The Missing Sister by Lucinda Riley - This is a series I'm working on this year and am so excited for this final book.

4.  The Killings at Kingfisher Hill by Sophie Hannah - I've enjoyed the previous Poirot books by Hannah.  Even if the character doesn't read exactly like Christie's Poirot there's an affection and respect to the original creator that makes this series a great read.

5.  The Alice Network by Kate Quinn - This has been on my TBR for ages and now that I'm reading some other World War II espionage books now seems like the time to pick this one up.

6.  Seeing Darkness by Heather Graham - The Krewe of Hunters series by Heather Graham are just candy bars of books.  There isn't much substance but they're still tasty treats and this is the next one on my list to read.

7.  The Lion in the Living Room: How House Cats Tamed Us and Took Over the World by Abigail Tucker - This has been on my TBR for awhile and I think it'd be a fun read and one my son might enjoy too.

8.  The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher:  Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective by Kate Summerscale - This one caught my eye quite awhile ago and I still haven't picked it up.  I love the look of it and am just curious about the subject matter.

9.  The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict  - I'm a little bit on the fence about this one.  Agatha Christie is one of my very favorite authors and I've read quite a bit about the incident that this book is supposed to be about but I've heard some mixed reviews about Benedict's books.  I have a feeling this will either be a book I absolutely love or one I DNF.

10. The Daughters of George III: Sisters and Princesses by Catherine Curzon - I heard this one mentioned on a bookish YouTube channel that I always enjoy and I instantly added it to my TBR.  I'm always fascinated by the lesser known royals - especially from this era.  

What books do you want to pick up this month?

Ruby Red Herring - Cozy Mystery Review

Goodreads:  Ruby Red Herring (An Avery Ayers Antiques Mystery #1) by Tracy Gardner

Rating:  Liked It
Source: Publisher

Description:  After their parents' deaths, Avery Ayers and her teenaged sister, Tilly, take over the family business, Antiquities & Artifacts Appraised. Life in Lilac Grove is filled with jewels, tapestries, paintings...and the antics of eccentric Aunt Midge. But their world is rocked when they learn that the theft of a priceless ruby may be connected to their parents' demise.
The trouble starts when the Museum of Antiquities hires Avery to appraise a rare, resplendent ruby. It bears a striking similarity to a stone in the museum's bejeweled dragon's-head medallion. One of the dragon's ruby eyes was stolen long ago--replaced with a fake. Now, Avery's colleagues--pompous Sir Robert Lane and fatherly Micah Abbott--suspect they may have the missing gem. But facets of the case remain cloudy. Detective Art Smith is snooping around. Another body turns up. And Avery finds mysterious notes that, impossibly, seem to be written by her father.
Accompanied by her Afghan hound, Avery enlists Art's help in cutting the list of suspects who might have polished off her parents and swiped the jewel. Was it art collector Oliver Renell? Curator Nate Brennan? Actor Tyler Chadwick? Or was the theft an inside job, perpetrated by someone all too close to Avery? If she can't find the culprit, Lilac Grove may be the setting for Avery's own death.

Genre: Mystery - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I can never resist a new cozy series and I love books about antiques and rare jewels so this one was calling my name.

My Impression: This is a fun start to the series.  At the beginning of the story Avery is starting to gain her footing at her parents' appraisal firm following their tragic death over a year ago.  Between herself and her glamorous Aunt Midge they are keeping Avery's younger sister, Tilly, focused on finishing up her senior year of high school and getting ready for college.  This hasn't been an easy transition for anyone and the trauma is still present but the family is starting to move on.  And just a sense of normalcy is returning a disturbing message arrives at the door warning Avery off a new job assessing a ruby that has connections to the last piece her parents worked on.  

What follows is quite an intriguing tale of collectors, rare jewels, mysterious keys, and things are not always what they seem.  Watching it all unfold was quite an adventure.  I always enjoy a mystery that isn't just a straightforward murder and this was definitely one of those.  It's definitely a first book with a lot of setup but that didn't bother me.  What kept this from being a 4 or 5 star book for me was that there is a lot more telling then showing which made for a slow start but once the story started gaining traction I was definitely pulled in.  I'm really curious to see where the series goes and to spend more time with the Ayers family.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  I would!  While this wasn't my favorite mystery of the month it is an intriguing start to a series.

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you enjoy cozy mysteries and books involving antiques I think you'd enjoy this mystery.

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

Life with Leukemia (And Some Reading) - June 6

 It's Sunday Post time!  This is hosted by the awesome Caffeinated Book Reviewer and gives us all a chance to recap our week.

This week has been okay.  Will was on steroids last week and it actually went pretty well though steroids are always tough.  He's started having some pain and weakness which unfortunately is normal for this treatment and thankfully pretty mild for now.  We have a great physical therapist at the St Jude affiliate here and she's been really working with us on preventing things from getting worse and getting things better so we have a few treatment plans going there.  We are hoping my dad's pool will warm up enough soon so we can start using the pool which is great therapy and fun too.  

Other then that nothing too exciting.  We've been trying to tackle some of the projects that got neglected around the house.  I've been reading some but think I might need a genre shakeup so I might throw something a little different into the mix soon to shake things up.  I'm getting my hair cut this week after a year!  I'm not going to do anything massively different but I am excited.  

Currently:

Reading:  The Princess Spy by Larry Loftis and Death on the Night of Lost Lizards by Julia Buckley

Listening:  Death Brings a Shadow by Rosemary Simpson

Watching:  Just YouTube.  I found a true crime channel I'm really liking called That Chapter and I've been especially been enjoying an old favorite - The Try Channel where Irish people try all kinds of crazy food or drinks.

Have a great week and happy reading!

May 2021 Reading Recap

 

Number of Books Read:  18 (This surprised me - it had kind of felt like a slow reading month)

Bookish Breakdown:

Mystery: 15
Romance: 1
Middle Grade: 1

Fiction: 1

Reread: 4

Print:  8
Ebook:  5

Audio: 5

Favorite Book of the Month

A Pretty Deceit by Anna Lee Huber -  Despite getting quite a number of books read this month I pretty much enjoyed all the books I read equally but the glamour of the characters made this post-World War 1 adventure stand out in my memory.  

Least Favorite Book of the Month: 

The $64: How One Man Nearly Lost His Sanity, Spent a Fortune, and Endured an Existential Crisis in the Quest for the Perfect Garden by William Alexander - I had such high hopes for this one and was so disappointed I ended up DNFing it  I think everyone who has ever grown tomatoes can relate to the title but the author came off as more then a bit pompous and after awhile I just couldn't care that he could see the faucets from his professionally installed irrigation system raising out of the professionally built raised beds in his professionally landscaped yard.

How was your May reading?