Recent Reads

I'm currently avoiding reading a book that I'm just not that into, so I figured what better way to avoid it than writing about what I've been reading lately!

Based on a recommendation from a friend, I started The Grant County series by Karin Slaughter.  I'd never read anything by her before, but after just a few chapters of the first book, Blindsighted, I knew she was going to be an author I like.  I would classify this series as a thriller with romance mixed in.  It follows a doctor (who is also the coroner) in a small town and her ex-husband who is the police chief through several years of personal loss, drama and heartache.  Every book was a page turner, I highly recommend picking starting this series!

http://alphareader.blogspot.com/2010/07/broken-grant-county-7-by-karin.html

One of my favorite bachelor alums is Ashley Spivey who is not only a feminist and skincare addict, but she's also really funny and loves to read.  She started a book club on Facebook, that I of course joined immediately.  The page has monthly book club voting, book exchanges and also provides a forum to discuss books you've recently read or to get recommendations on great reads.  Click here to go to the Spivey Book Club page if you're interested in joining.  Don't forget to answer the questions in order to be allowed into the group!   Anyways, Ashley herself recommended a book called All Is Not Forgotten by Wendy Walker, and wow, it was really, really, incredible.  It is written from a very interesting perspective which pulled me in from the start.  

https://www.amazon.com/All-Not-Forgotten-Wendy-Walker/dp/1250097932

Now let me tell you about a book I read in ONE DAY.  I started it on my lunch break at work, and then finished it after work.  I'm serious, 300 something pages, in one day.  I could not put it down.  I even ate cereal for breakfast to limit the amount of time I was not reading because I had to know what happened next.  The book is The Couple Next Door, by Shari Lapena.  Read more about the book here if you'd like!  

The Light We Lost is a book about a couple who met on 9/11, in New York.  Reese Witherspoon chose it as her February book of the month for her book club and I did really enjoy this book about this couple and their relationship spanning many years. 

https://www.amazon.com/Light-We-Lost-Jill-Santopolo/dp/0735212759

Onto the book I'm avoiding, it's called Coming Up for Air, and sadly it just doesn't compare to the amazing books I've read lately, so that's disappointing.  I'm committed to getting through it, even though I've now had to renew it from the library 👀.  My goal is to finish it this weekend while my husband is out of town, I have plenty of time on my hands to accomplish this goal!

Next on my reading list is The Last Mrs.Parrish.  I've heard amazing things about this book, it's another Reese Witherspoon recommendation as well, she picked it for her December 2017 book club book.  I've also got The Heir and The Spare on hold at my library, which if you know me, you know I love me some British Royals and so that's why I can't wait to get my hands on this royal inspired fiction.

Leave me a comment to let me know what you've been reading lately!  I am always open to suggestions and book discussions.  I keep adding to my digital book list on my phone, you can never have too many books on deck!

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend.

Xo, Britt

This Weeks Menu

Things We're Eating this Week!

We recently started and ended the meal service Home Chef.  We did it for a few weeks, and I did really like it, but I felt the value wasn't there when I looked at the meals we were eating and what I really thought they would cost if I bought the ingredients myself.  And here's the thing, I like cooking!  I am happy to try new recipes I find on Pinterest and I am not lacking time for grocery shopping, which is where I feel the meal service companies can really benefit folks.  Also, I was still having to go to the grocery store weekly because we don't only eat dinner three times a week and we need breakfast and lunch items too.  Overall I did like the variety of meals I was eating, but I couldn't justify $60 a week for three dinners, plus a decent amount in groceries.   

Home Chef

With that being said, I am back at my first week of cooking based on my own planned meals so I thought I would share a couple of our favorite recipes and a new recipe we tried this week!

Monday - we had a favorite in our house Baked Pesto Chicken.  I found the recipe on guinesskitchen.com and we really like how fresh this meal is!  Not to mention we also recently got the Costco size and brand of Basil Pesto and now I find myself pinteresting (that's a word right?) "recipes with pesto" because I can't get enough of it!   Back to the recipe, I've embedded the link above but essentially you coat chicken in pesto, bake it, add fresh tomato slices and mozzarella (I prefer fresh) and bake it for a few more minutes and it's done.  It's really very simple and like I said really delicious.  Along with the chicken we had a side salad and used our favorite dressing Garlic Expressions.  If you haven't tried this dressing yet, stop everything you're doing and go to the store immediately.  It's in the vegetable/fruit section of my grocery, it's low calorie and incredibly flavorful.  I haven't tried it this way, but it can also be used in pasta salads or as a marinade!

Basil Pesto Chicken

Tuesday - we tried something new, Greek Feta Turkey Burgers sans bun!  I love feta, seriously I love it so this was a no brainer for me.  I did modify it slightly for Chris because he is not a feta fan.  He tells me this story of his younger days, he worked at Little Caesars where the feta came in a huge bin (I picture a Home Depot orange bucket with lid) and when he opened it, it smelled like the worst dirty feet and so ever since he won't dare give feta a chance.  So for him, I used shredded colby jack cheese as a substitute (I also added Zataran's blackened flavoring to his because I know he likes it).  I was anxious to try them because they did seem to be a little loose while I was cooking them, I think because I only chilled them for a half hour or so instead of the recommended an hour, but nevertheless they were really good and FRESH.  I feel like that's the theme of the week for us, fresh, healthy food!

Greek Burgers

Thursday - yes I skipped Wednesday, we are naughty and ate out.  In my defense there's this restaurant by us that does $1 bottles of domestic beer and sometimes we give into those hump day temptations and have a couple cheap beers and dinner.  Okay confession over, onto Thursday.  We really like stir fry in our house and this is a great way to switch up your typical stir fry with chicken.  The recipe is by Yellow Bliss Road and it's called Teriyaki turkey rice bowl.  It's carrots, broccoli and ground turkey simmered in a homemade teriyaki sauce, its relatively quick to whip up and it has a lot of great flavor.

Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowl

Tonight we will probably have tacos, I do have to pick up some guac mix and Coronas for my hubs but I don't have anything exciting to add about tacos because I really don't fancy them up, wraps, ground turkey, onion, lettuce, cheese, salsa, the usual.  

I know it can be hard to get out of the weekly grind and everyday recipes, but I really encourage you to try to throw at least one new recipe in a week, you might just find your next new staple dinner!  

Have a great weekend everyone!  

Love, Britt