Summer on Mirror Lake Book Review

I have sadly gone though all my library books and I had to go through my book shelf.  Summer on Mirror Lake: A Novel (Honeymoon Harbor) by Joann Ross was the one that I picked because I think that it was the next in the series that I had already read.  I was excited to get back to the great series of Honeymoon Harbor.

Summertime is the best time to lose yourself in the romance of Honeymoon Harbor…When he lands in the emergency room after collapsing at the funeral of a colleague and friend, Wall Street hotshot Gabriel Mannion initially rejects the diagnosis of an anxiety attack. But when warned that if he doesn’t change his adrenaline-fueled, workaholic lifestyle he could end up like his friend, Gabe reluctantly returns to his hometown of Honeymoon Harbor to regroup.

As he adjusts to the sight of mountains instead of skyscrapers, Gabe discovers advantages to this small Pacific Northwest town he once couldn’t wait to escape. But it’s irresistible librarian Chelsea Prescott who, along with the two foster children she’s taken under her wing, makes slowing down seem like the best prescription ever.

Over the course of their summer romance, Gabe gets a taste of the life he might have had if he’d taken a different path. But with his return to New York City looming on the horizon, he’ll have to choose between the success he’s worked tirelessly for and a ready-made family who offers a very different, richly rewarding future…if he’ll only take the risk.

Gabriel Mannion comes back to Honeymoon Harbor to recover after he passes out during his best friends funeral.  He has decided to make the most of the time that he has taken off work but it takes him a long time to recover from the schedule that he had when he was working.  He decides to stay away from the community but still be involved by building a boat to donate.  Chelsea is looking for people from the town to help her with her summer program where she takes kids out of the library.  Chelsea asked Gabriel to help teach the kids about the boat building and he refuses.  She isn't willing to accept it and goes to lengths to make sure that he changes his answer.  You have to pick up the book to find out what she does and if it helps.  I think that you will be surprised at the results.  I hope that you check out this book and the rest of the series soon. Enjoy some great reading!!

Menu Plan Monday 4/27

Penne and Ravioli with garlic bread
Tacos with corn bread
Grilled Perfect Portion Chicken with rice
Leftovers or Homemade Pizza
Chicken Fingers Fried with House Autry seasoning and mac and cheese or mashed potatoes
Turkey and Rice Soup with Paninis
Chicken Fries or Chicken Wraps with homemade fries

Last week, we had everything in the plan but I moved everything around.  Starting to miss the meals where I go to the store and get clearance meat that needs to be used up or deals that I couldn't pass up to work into the meals but limiting going to the store means that I know exactly what we have at the house and we use it up.

We went with Easy Chicken Parm with bucatini while my son had Penne with garlic bread on Monday.  Tuesday was my son's favorite dinner because we didn't have it on Sunday so we had Chicken Wraps with tater tots.  Wednesday was Grilled Spiedies Chicken with white rice.  Thursday was leftovers Bucatini Pasta Bake and Stonefire Pizza. Friday was Simple Fried Rice with Sweet and Sour Pineapple Chicken with egg rolls.  Saturday was my son's favorite dinner with Chicken fries, Chicken Wraps with homemade french fries.  Sunday was Lemon Parmesan Chicken with Egg Noodles. 

Freezer to Table Book Review

I decided that I wanted to look up some new freezer cooking books from the library to see if there were any that might be of interest to me.  I reserved From Freezer to Table: 75+ Simple, Whole Foods Recipes for Gathering, Cooking, and Sharing: A Cookbook by Polly Conner and Rachel Tiemeyer.  I was excited to read the new ideas and new recipes and see if there were any that would be a fit for our family.

Freezer cooking has never been so easy, fun, and totally delicious.

From Freezer to Table is the ultimate guidebook for transforming the way your family cooks, eats, and freezes. The chapters are packed with freezer cooking basics, practical tips for Freezer Cooking Parties and Freezer Clubs, and plenty of motivation and tools to make freezer cooking second nature. With more than 75 simple, family-friendly recipes—all made from whole food ingredients—this book shows how you can stock your freezer with favorites like Mixed Berry Oat Scones, Parmesan and Herb Chicken Tenders, and slow-cooker Killer Carnitas.

Prepare to reclaim your kitchen from processed foods, all while saving your wallet, your waistline, and your time! With a freezer full of the easy dishes in this book, you can enjoy tasty, stress-free meals around the table with those you love, even on your busiest days.

Sample recipes include:


Breakfast: Blueberry Avocado Muffins with Lemon Streusel Topping, Peaches and Cream Baked Oatmeal, Southwest Breakfast Burritos

 
Chicken: Chicken Parmesan Casserole, Individual Chicken Pot Pies, Sheet Pan Lemon-Garlic Chicken and Veggies
 
Beef: Cheddar Chive Burgers, Easy Beefy Quesadillas, Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce 
 
Pork and Turkey: Foolproof Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Super Stuffed Baked Potatoes, Turkey Pesto Paninis 
 
Seafood: Straight from Alaska Salmon Burgers, Not So Fishy Sticks, Shrimp Coconut Curry Bowls
 
Pasta, Pizza, & More: Chicken Pesto Pizza, Baked Pink Pasta with Sausage, Make-Your-Own Calzones
 
Soups: Tomato Bisque, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili, Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup
 
Slow Cooker: Chicken and Cheese Chimichangas, French Dip Sandwiches, Killer Carnitas
 
Freezer Staples: Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce, Whole Wheat Pizza Dough, Cream of Chicken Soup

I read the whole book and I can saw that while I like the stories in the book, this couldn't have come at a worse time when we were all social distancing.  It talks about getting together with friends and cooking which even if that was something that I wanted to do, I certainly couldn't make it happen now.  I read the recipes to see if there was anything that I would be interested in and my first bookmark wasn't until page 161 which is Cheesy Lasagna Pockets.  They sound pretty tasty and the other recipes after it including making your own calzones and pesto chicken lasagna rolls.  The pizza, pasta and more section was my favorite one because the other sections didn't have any recipes that really called out to me.  The slow cooker recipes were also interesting but I didn't have any of the items in the house so they weren't something that I could make without a special trip to the store.  It isn't the normal meal that we make with large roasts and other bigger meat but there were some that sounded tasty.  I hope that you check out this book for yourself and enjoy the recipes as much as I have.

Coconut Almond Granola

I have been really into watching YouTube videos since a little before we got trapped in the house but it has gone to a higher level since I have been looking at different recipes.  I was watching tons of videos and thought that I would enjoy this recipe as soon as I saw it.  If you want to check it out, feel free to check it out here at Frugal Fit Mom.

I was so excited to find all the ingredients in the house to make and they were things that I had no plans to use.  I was happy to pull everything out to assure that I could make it.  The oats were in the basement fridge in a container that I combined a few different oats that I used to keep in the freezer but the freezer has been so full it was moved into the refrigerator.  I found the coconut in the fridge too (also displaced from the freezer).  The sliced almonds were in the freezer.  I just got some honey from a neighborhood friend and Mexican vanilla from my mother in law. 

I measured the oats to see if we had enough and I was excited that I had plenty.  I moved what was left into my smaller container in the fridge so I was sad that I didn't have enough for a second batch.

I added coconut which was the entire the bag.  It was sweetened coconut which I am not even sure how long ago that I bought it but it needed to be used.  I have had this in the freezer for a long time but with all of the stocking up it came out and went into the downstairs fridge so I was glad to find a tasty use so that I would enjoy the coconut.

I mixed in the almonds with the rest of the dried ingredients.  Another thing out of the freezer to use for yummy food.

 The next step was the cinnamon which I am super happy to say that I still have some from Amish country that my parents bought me.  I super love the added flavor so I put in a bunch of cinnamon.

I was a little worried because the first container was near empty and I had to go searching through the pantry to dig it out.  It was a little shocked at the price difference in these two containers.  My parents normally get this for me for holidays from the Amish markets that they go to in Pennsylvania.

I mixed in the wet ingredients and mixed it all up.  It doesn't look a lot different on camera but it is was actually much more wet then I thought it would be.

The hardest part was that it three cookie sheets full and I only have two cookie sheets so I had to pull out another

It was bake one at a time for 7 minutes and then 5 minutes and another 5 minutes.  I probably could have cooked them one more time but they were starting to get browned and I didn't want to burn them.

Super happy to have about two boxes of cereal worth of granola and it is the most tasty!  I might even have to buy the ingredients to make this for myself after we get back to normal grocery store routine.

I hope that you check out this recipe because it was amazing!  It is good with and without dried fruit.  My father bought my favorite dried cherries from Trader Joe's so I was happy to add those to my morning granola when I ate them.  You could also mix them in and store them but I wasn't sure how I would prefer it.  I like it both ways so I was glad that I left the fruit on the side.

I hope that you check it out and make it for yourself.  I think that this is totally flexible recipe that you can make with ingredients that you enjoy.  I have really enjoyed having it around for breakfast or a snack.  It is super filling and stays with you through the day.  After making it, I literally told everyone that I talked to that they needed to make this because I was that excited about it.  I ate so much when it came out of the oven that I wasn't hungry for the next two meals so make sure you take it slow and don't sample too much.

Coconut Almond Granola

Ingredients:

8 cups oats 
1 bag coconut (14 oz)
4 tbsp cinnamon 
Sprinkle cloves and nutmeg 
1 tsp salt 
1- 1 1/2 c. Sliced almonds(or nut of choice)
1 cup honey 
2/3 cup oil 
2 tsp vanilla 

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Add the liquid ingredients and mix until combined:  Spread on 3 baking sheets.  Bake at 400 degrees for 7 minutes rotating pans. Stir each time a pan comes out of the oven.  Put them in for 5 minutes the second time and stir when removing.  Bake for additional 5 minutes if needed until lightly browned and watch for burning.  Let cool on the counter. Add dried fruit after cooled and put in sealed containers.

Menu Plan Monday 4/20

Easy Chicken Parm with Spaghetti and garlic bread
Taco Rice with tortilla chips and corn chips
Grilled Chicken with rice
Wine Chicken with Egg Noodles
Leftovers or Homemade Pizza
Fried Rice and Egg Rolls
Chicken Fries or Chicken Wraps with homemade fries

Last week went fairly well with Pasta with sausage sauce Monday finishing the sauce that I made that was in the fridge.  Tuesday was French Dip Sloppy Joes with mac and cheese.  Wednesday was Grilled Chicken with rice.  Thursday we did Homemade Pizza with leftovers.  Friday was Chicken and Rice Casserole.  Saturday was Grilled Hamburger, Hot Dogs and Chicken with tater tots.  Sunday is my son's favorite meal with Chicken Fries, Chicken Wraps and french fries.

I went through the pantry and freezer to double check everything that we had and used to update my list.  The menu for April and May is totally filled and I started to fill in a little bit into June.  The great thing is that we have lots of meals but we are running low on a few things like milk, butter, lettuce, potatoes and other perishables.  I am hoping to get a list together and go to the store but I am going to put it off as long as I can and try to make it last as long as I can.  I am not the greatest at planning for a month but that is my goal going forward and to hopefully spend under budget.

The Innkeepers Bride Book Review

I was both happy and sad to get to my last library book in the reading pile.  The Innkeeper's Bride (An Amish Brides of Birch Creek Novel) by Kathleen Fuller was the that last book.  I was happy because this book followed after the short story that I read in my last book so it was a great flow for me to get read.  In addition, I was super sad because the library was still closed during the stay at home order.  I couldn't believe that I was out of library books without the option to get anymore for at least a month.  I am glad to have a shelf of books that I haven't read yet so I need to pick up some and make myself a new pile.

With two matchmakers on the loose in the Amish community of Birch Creek, the new innkeeper doesn’t stand a chance in this sweet Amish romance.  When Selah Ropp returns to Birch Creek, she is a different person than when she left. I know I haven’t done much listening in the past, Lord, she prays. But I’m listening now. Her new friend, Cevilla Schlabach, urges her to let go of regrets and allow this to be a fresh start. Cevilla herself, though, hides a secret longing behind her weathered face.  Levi Stoll and his family spent a year transforming a large English house into a small inn. Now that they are open for business, Levi is pleased to have Selah join them as an employee—as long as his grandmother doesn’t try any matchmaking schemes on the two of them. After all, Selah seems as guarded as he feels, and the last thing he wants is for anyone to remind him of his history. With Kathleen Fuller’s trademark humor and memorable characters, The Innkeeper’s Bride reminds us that God’s grace in the present and our hope for the future is stronger than any pain of the past.

I loved reading about Selah in the last book in this series that I read and I was excited to get to know more about her.  Selah lives with her brother and new wife and wants to move out on her own.  She is trying to get a job so that she can make enough money to make rent.  The place she goes turns her down because there are no jobs but word spreads and she gets a job at the inn.  Levi is her new boss and she has a lot of feelings about him that she tries to fight them.  She jumps into being a server and a maid and works very hard.  Selah works hard to manage her depression but it makes it really hard to do everything that she is trying to do but she ends up having a panic attack.  Selah thinks that everyone is against her but starts to feel better the longer she is working at the inn.  I think that this book showed lots of growth for Selah and you have to read it so that you find out what happens.  The hardest part about this book is that I felt like it was a little rushed at the end and the resolution came up in the last few chapters and I didn't get a chance to enjoy the resolution.  I would have loves a few more chapters that I could get to feel all of the happy parts at the end. I hope that you check out this book and the rest of the series.  I hope that you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed it.

Amish Homecoming Book Review

I reserved lots of books at the library before they closed and if I had known that this was going to happen, I would have gotten more for sure!  I am super glad that I got the books that I did when I got them because this was the second to the last book that I had in my library pile.  Super happy that I have others in my reading pile after I finish the library books.  An Amish Homecoming: Four Stories by Amy Clipston, Beth Wiseman, Shelley Shepard Gray and Kathleen Fuller is a book that is made up of four shorter stories.  I was super happy that this came up when I was searching although it was only available in hard cover large print...although that was nice for reading early in the morning and late at night when my eyes didn't focus as well!!

Four brand new Amish stories of coming home.
No Place Like Home by Amy Clipston  Estranged daughter Eva Dienner has been staying with her in-laws since her husband was killed in a fire, but now she wants her son to meet his maternal grandparents. Upon her return, Eva finds that the man her parents always intended for her is living in their daadihaus and running the dairy farm for them for free, despite her suspicions of him taking advantage of her family. Eva knows she should put the past behind her, but is she ready to move into the future?
When Love Returns by Beth Wiseman Hurricane Harvey forces Sarah Zook to return to the home she fled six years ago when she couldn’t face her stern parents’ reaction to her unplanned pregnancy. Upon her return, Abram King can think of nothing but the pain she caused him—until he meets Sarah’s daughter and realizes that he never really stopped loving Sarah. Sarah and Abram must find a way to face the truth of their past so they can rekindle their first love.
The Courage to Love by Shelley Shepard Gray After the death of her Englisch husband, Irene Keim seeks a fresh start by staying with her new friends Mary Ruth and Henry Wengerd in exchange for helping them around the house. But when Mary Ruth and Henry’s son Marcus comes around, he isn’t pleased with the woman they’ve taken in and is determined to push her out. Misunderstandings abound, but both Irene and Marcus learn that people aren’t always what they seem.
What Love Built by Kathleen Fuller Independent and headstrong, Carolyn is determined to forge ahead with the opening of her bakery, a lifelong dream, in the Birch Creek home she left ten years ago. But she’s in over her head and needs help with the cleaning, shopping, and deliveries. Carpenter Atlee Shetler is visiting Birch Creek to escape the memories of his late wife. He takes a job renovating the new bakery and finds the project—and its owner—to be much more than he bargained for. Both Carolyn and Atlee must face pains of the past if they want to have the bright future God has planned for them.

These four stories were great reads and I was super happy to have gotten this book with lots of authors that I love.  The first story was about Eva who was staying with her in-laws after her husband has passed away.  Her son wants to meet his grandparents so they go to her hometown.  She finds out that lots of things have changed since she was there last and she has to make things right for her.  She has to fix her relationship with her mom so that they can work on making a future together.  The second story was about Sarah Zook returning to her home that she left with her 6 year old child.  She is dealing with all of the things that she left behind including the shame of being pregnant and not knowing who the father of her child is but she comes back and deals with everything.  This might have been my favorite of the stories because I immediately understand and empathized with Sarah.  The third story was by my favorite authors, Shelley Shepard Gray.  Mary Ruth and Henry take in Irene at their house because they need help and she needs a fresh start after leaving her husband.  Marcus, Mary Ruth and Henry's son, quickly makes Irene not feel welcome so she moves out into a situation that isn't best because she needs another place to live.  Marcus works to become to friends with Irene and it grows into much more.  The fourth story was by a newer author that I have just started reading.  Carolyn is opening a bakery and not accepting help from anyone even her family because she wants to prove that she can be successful.  Atlee comes to visit and ends up helping her get the bakery up and running.  Both Carolyn and Atlee work together and get over the past wrongs to make the future stronger.  The story in this book happened just before the next book in my stack which was super great because I really had no idea.  I was glad to have read this collections and can't wait to find more fun library books when they open again.