with Chef Julie Van Rosendaal
Download this recipe book featuring our holiday favorites from Julie Van Rosendaal using the latest compact kitchen appliances. Follow #LDHoliday to join the conversation about the new tools for holiday entertaining.
Book of the Month – November 2013
This month we are reviewing the book The Harem Midwife by Roberta Rich
The Harem Midwife by Roberta Rich
Hannah and Isaac return in this riveting and suspenseful sequel to the #1 national bestseller The Midwife of Venice. Hannah and Isaac Levi, Venetians in exile, embark on a new life in Constantinople. Isaac runs a silk workshop, while Hannah, the best midwife in all of Constantinople, plies her trade in the opulent palace of sultan Murat III, where she tends to the women of his lively and infamous harem. One night, Hannah is unexpectedly summoned to the palace. She is asked to examine Leah, a shockingly beautiful Jewish peasant girl who has been abducted from her village and purchased by the sultan’s harem. The sultan favours her as his next conquest and wants her to produce his heir, but Leah wants only to escape. Will Hannah lie and risk her life to protect this young girl, or will she perform her duty as imperial midwife?
Reviews
“The Harem Midwife, sequel to The Midwife of Venice, follows protagonist Hannah to her new home in Constantinople. After being summoned to the Imperial Harem, she must decide whether to risk her own safety to help a young slave girl.
I found the book to be an easy read, and found the historical aspects of life in the Ottoman Empire to be interesting. However, the story was quite implausible at times, and I didn’t really find myself rooting for our heroine. I would recommend it as a very light, casual read.” – Review by Melissa
“The Harem Wife is a sequel to Midwife of Venice by Canadian author Roberta Rich. It continues on with the story of Hannah a Jewish midwife and her husband Isaac. In this book they have moved to Constantinople and Hannah is sometimes called to work in the palace of Sultan Murat III. The book has a number of twists and turns and is very interesting for the true historical information that is included as part of the fictional story.” – Review by Carolynn
“I liked the book and thought it was well written. I found it suspenseful and sad at times but also inspiring when you see some of the choices the main character has to make. I also really liked getting a glimpse of what it would be like living in that time and culture, even if it may have been a bit farfetched at times. Overall a good read.” – review by Sharlie
Book of the Month
Every month we will be featuring a new book to be showcased in our Book of the Month. Staff members and friends will be reading the book and posting their reviews. We’d love to hear what you thought of these books as well. Post your comments and let us know.
Crock-tober: Black Bean Soup
I LOVE most foods, but when I think of one simple thing I could eat as a meal, it would be black beans. In fact, I think most meat entrées pair nicely with a trio of black beans, salsa, and a smattering of sour cream. So I thought I’d find an interesting black bean recipe that goes well with these foggy days we’ve been having. After a quick Google search I found a great recipe to make Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup.
This soup is a total winner. I’ve shown two recipes—one directly from the Internet which is about 8 portions too big for this single diner, and one I amended from this recipe for one person. In the smaller recipe I skipped the carrots (not a fan) and used canned beans (I am lazy.) The “para uno” version turned out FABULOUSLY!
Black Bean Soup—Serves 9 (!)
- 2 cups dried black beans (1 pound), sorted and rinsed
- 10 cups water
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- 2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
- 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
- Sour cream, if desired
- Chopped fresh cilantro, if desired
Directions:
- Heat beans and water to boiling in 4-quart Dutch oven; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes; remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour.
- Drain beans. Place beans and remaining ingredients except sour cream and cilantro in 6-quart slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low heat setting 10 to 12 hours.
- Serve soup topped with sour cream and cilantro.
This full, 9-serving recipe pic is from BettyCrocker.com. I didn’t make this one, and if you do please let us know how it turned out!
Black Bean Soup—para uno
- 1-–540ml can black beans drained and rinsed
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1–398ml can diced tomatoes
- 1 red onion medium chopped
- 2 tsp minced garlic (from a jar)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp chili pepper (or to your taste)
- 1 handful (or your preference) chopped cilantro
- 1 dollop (or, again, your preference) sour cream
Directions:
- Put all ingredients in your slow cooker except sour cream and cilantro.
- Cover and cook on low 4-5 hours.
- Dish up and garnish with sour cream and cilantro.
My amended Black Bean Soup recipe—no carrots, canned beans.
Crock-tober and Pulled Pork Heaven
Whenever a restaurant wants to make a meat entrée sound truly delicious, they will describe it as “slow-cooked” and how you won’t need a knife to cut it. This is absolutely true for any meat made in a slow-cooker.
So naturally, using your Crock-Pot for a pulled pork recipe is a no brainer, and there are plenty hanging around the Internet hoping you’ll choose one and make it your own. I’m here to say the most important part of a pulled pork recipe is the rub, and this recipe has one so delicious it’s almost impossible to type this post.
Crock-tober—the month when slow cooking food rules!
Even though my kids are (pretty much) grown up, they still long for those things fall brings—fluffy socks, snow days and hot yummy meals. I can’t do much to conjure lost socks or change the weather, but I CAN pull out my crock-pot and make some pretty delicious food!
The thing I personally find most amazing about slow cooking is that it’s so easy and it tastes so good. You don’t sacrifice anything because the process is so efficient. Take fast food—it’s fast and cheap, but not necessarily good or healthy.
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Book of the Month – October 2013
This month we are reviewing the book The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison
The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison
Jodi and Todd are at a bad place in their marriage. Much is at stake, including the affluent life they lead in their beautiful waterfront condo in Chicago, as she, the killer, and he, the victim, rush haplessly toward the main event. He is a committed cheater. She lives and breathes denial. He exists in dual worlds. She likes to settle scores. He decides to play for keeps. She has nothing left to lose. Told in alternating voices, The Silent Wife is about a marriage in the throes of dissolution, a couple headed for catastrophe, concessions that can’t be made, and promises that won’t be kept.
Reviews
“I found this book a little difficult to get into, but after the first couple of chapters I was hooked. I enjoyed the development of the characters and I thought the story line was engaging and even provided a bit of a twist at the end. I would recommend this book.” – Review by Shelley
“The Silent Wife was a great read. Initially it grabbed me with the depiction of what seemed a somewhat ‘typical’ 20 year relationship and the slow demise of it. The author develops the characters by writing the chapters from his perspective and hers. It was interesting to read the way long term couples learn to keep a relationship together by turning a blind eye to their partner’s alternate life and who they really are so they can maintain a facade to the public and maintain the status quo. But ultimately when people make choices they have to learn to live with the consequences of their actions. The book kept me up late at night, it was a good page turner! I would recommend it.” – Review by Maureen
“For the most part, I was angry at Jodi for her composure and confidence during the falling apart of her common law marriage. But at the same time, I also respected her, which made it very frustrating. As her ‘husband’ Todd spirals out of control, my contempt for him turned to pity as he makes his own bed. This book is a well written emotionally charged page turner. I enjoyed the twists and turns, particularly the ones at the end.” – Review by Susie
Book of the Month
Every month we will be featuring a new book to be showcased in our Book of the Month. Staff members and friends will be reading the book and posting their reviews. We’d love to hear what you thought of these books as well. Post your comments and let us know.
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