Rest in Peace, Old Friend

The first clue something was wrong was when I walked in the door and didn't smell dinner...  Soy Balsamic Chicken.  The second clue was when I went to stir and the chicken was still raw!  Twelve plus long years our 6 quart slow cooker has served us well.  A sad day. 

Coconut Pork

I apologize for the lack of a picture. This wasn't a really pretty dish anyway... just super simple and very tasty. Many thanks to my friend, Jerritt, for the inspiration.

Coconut Pork - slow cooker recipe

1 pork shoulder roast (pick the right size for your family... ours was about 2 1/2 lbs)
1 can coconut milk
1 can crushed tomatoes (I used a half quart of home canned tomatoes)
1/2 recipe of garam masala (use the whole recipe for 4+ lbs of roast)
Brown rice, cooked

Place the pork roast in the crock pot.  Stir the remaining ingredients together and pour over the pork.  Cook on low 6-8 hours.  Serve over brown rice.

We cut up the pork (once cooked) and ate it with a spoon more like a stew.  Very yummy.

30 Day Book Meme - Day Thirty

Yay! Finally to the end of the list.  Maybe I'll do a photo day-of meme next.  


Day 30 - Your favourite book of all time

Easy... To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.


The Master List

Day 01 - The Best Book You Read Last Year
Day 02 - A Book That You Have Read More than thrice
Day 03 - Your favorite series
Day 04 -Favorite book of favorite series
Day 05 - A book that makes you happy
Day 06- A book that makes you sad
Day 07 – Most underrated book
Day 08 - Most overrated book
Day 09 - A book you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 10 – Favorite classic book
Day 11 – A book you hated
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13 – Your favorite author
Day 14 – Favorite book of your favourite writer
Day 15 – Favourite male character
Day 16 – Favourite female character
Day 17 – Favourite quote(s) from your favourite book(s)
Day 18 – A book that disappointed you
Day 19 – Favourite book turned into a movie
Day 20 – Favourite romance book
Day 21 – Favourite book from your childhood
Day 22 – Favourite book you own
Day 23 – A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven’t
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 – A character who you can relate to the most
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favourite title(s)
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 – Your favourite book of all time

30 Day Book Meme - Day Twenty-Nine

Day 29 - A book everyone hated but you liked


Twilight, et al by Stephenie Meyer.  I'm not a TwiFan or a Twilighter or whatever the heck the rabid fans call themselves.  It was a fun read though... angst and all.  I've actually listened to all the books while working out at the gym.  They are perfect for that... slightly engrossing but not so much I forget what I'm doing, funny, compelling characters, even if not always likable.  The only thing I don't like is the character Jasper... not the character but that my son will run into WAY more Jaspers in his life now than he would've otherwise.  At least they are all much younger. 


The Master List

Day 01 - The Best Book You Read Last Year
Day 02 - A Book That You Have Read More than thrice
Day 03 - Your favorite series
Day 04 -Favorite book of favorite series
Day 05 - A book that makes you happy
Day 06- A book that makes you sad
Day 07 – Most underrated book
Day 08 - Most overrated book
Day 09 - A book you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 10 – Favorite classic book
Day 11 – A book you hated
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13 – Your favorite author
Day 14 – Favorite book of your favourite writer
Day 15 – Favourite male character
Day 16 – Favourite female character
Day 17 – Favourite quote(s) from your favourite book(s)
Day 18 – A book that disappointed you
Day 19 – Favourite book turned into a movie
Day 20 – Favourite romance book
Day 21 – Favourite book from your childhood
Day 22 – Favourite book you own
Day 23 – A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven’t
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 – A character who you can relate to the most
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favourite title(s)
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 – Your favourite book of all time

30 Day Book Meme - Day Twenty-Eight

Day 28 - Favourite Title


I haven't read it but I love the title - A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers.




The Master List

Day 01 - The Best Book You Read Last Year
Day 02 - A Book That You Have Read More than thrice
Day 03 - Your favorite series
Day 04 -Favorite book of favorite series
Day 05 - A book that makes you happy
Day 06- A book that makes you sad
Day 07 – Most underrated book
Day 08 - Most overrated book
Day 09 - A book you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
Day 10 – Favorite classic book
Day 11 – A book you hated
Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore
Day 13 – Your favorite author
Day 14 – Favorite book of your favourite writer
Day 15 – Favourite male character
Day 16 – Favourite female character
Day 17 – Favourite quote(s) from your favourite book(s)
Day 18 – A book that disappointed you
Day 19 – Favourite book turned into a movie
Day 20 – Favourite romance book
Day 21 – Favourite book from your childhood
Day 22 – Favourite book you own
Day 23 – A book you wanted to read for a long time but still haven’t
Day 24 – A book that you wish more people would’ve read
Day 25 – A character who you can relate to the most
Day 26 – A book that changed your opinion about something
Day 27 – The most surprising plot twist or ending
Day 28 – Favourite title(s)
Day 29 – A book everyone hated but you liked
Day 30 – Your favourite book of all time

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I adapted these cookies from Smitten Kitchen who adapted it from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup chunky peanut butter at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl or the bowl of your Kitchenaid / mixer, beat butter and peanut butter together until fluffy.

Add sugars and beat until smooth. Add egg and mix well. Add milk and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in chocolate chips.

Place 1/2 cup of sugar in a small bowl.  Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, scoop rounded bits of cookie dough and roll into a ball in your hand. This is crumbly dough so work over the bowl. Drop the ball into the sugar and coat.  Place on a cookie sheet, leaving room for expansion.  I put 12 to a half sheet pan.  Using a fork, lightly flatten the ball. 

Bake 10 to 12 minutes.  I baked two trays at a time.  I rotated the trays at 7 minutes then baked for 5 more minutes.  Oven temps vary though.  The cookies won’t look 100% done but don’t overcook. They’ll firm up a bit as they cool. 

Ingredient Notes

I used sweet cream butter because that’s what I had in the house.  I usually use unsalted for recipes.  These cookies were delish… I doubt the type of butter would make a huge difference either way. 

I used Skippy Natural peanut butter… half chunky and half smooth because we were almost out of chunky. 

Tip

Warm your measuring cup up with hot water and don’t dry it before measuring your peanut butter.  Most of it will fall right back out after measuring rather than having to scrape it all out with a rubber spatula. 

Cooking with Kids

Risa and Jasper both wanted to help.  I usually let them help with measuring but they came in late to help.  Risa cracked the egg and measured the chocolate chips (sampling a few as she measured, of course).  They both helped get the cookies on the sheet, assembly-line fashion.  We each took turns doing different jobs... scooping & rolling, coating in sugar, and flattening with a fork.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!