What's New?

I'm officially a charter member of a new book club here in Austin! :)  It's called "Mystery Books and Interesting People, Too"...our first meeting is August 31st, and I'm thrilled to share my love of literature and mysteries with other people in the area!  I was part of one in the past, but found that rather than discuss the books, it turned into a social event and airing grievances....I loved books too much to continue and ended up leaving!

Currently, I'm reading Remedies ( http://www.amazon.com/Remedies-Kate-Ledger/dp/B003156B6S/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281552110&sr=1-1 ) and Girl in Translation ( http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Translation-Jean-Kwok/dp/1594487561/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281552149&sr=1-1 ) .  I just finished reading Mixed Blood ( http://www.amazon.com/Mixed-Blood-Thriller-Roger-Smith/dp/0312429509/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281552180&sr=1-1 ) and I positively LOVED it.  It was really fast paced, and I found myself not wanting to do anything but plow through to the end.  I had to look up a few words, due to the fact that the author is from South Africa and used slang words with which I wasn't familiar.  In any case, it was a great read....a bit graphic, but not without reason.

Cookbooks I'm coveting:

-The Craft of Baking
http://www.amazon.com/Craft-Baking-Cookies-Sweets-Inventing/dp/0307408108/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281552303&sr=1-1

-The Perfect Finish (written by the executive pastry chef for the White House!!!)
http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Finish-Special-Desserts-Occasion/dp/0393059537/ref=pd_sim_b_2

-Baked
http://www.amazon.com/Baked-Frontiers-Baking-Matt-Lewis/dp/1584797215/ref=pd_sim_b_5

We're going to need another room at the house just for cookbooks!  My collection has already taken over the pantry....

I can't forget this one:

-Sky High
http://www.amazon.com/Sky-High-Irresistible-Triple-Layer-Cakes/dp/0811854485/ref=pd_sim_b_5

For now, I'll have to settle for checking them out at the library....that's usually how I figure out whether or not I want to own them.  Pictures....the more the better!

Last weekend's culinary experiments:

-Pistachio Lemon Drops       

                                                    











                                                                                       -Langues des Chats
Both from Martha's Cookie Cookbook....the langues des chats have a great, vanilla scent to them.  They're more of a wafer that's meant to accompany ice cream or something like that.  The pistachio lemon drops looked to have a more chewy texture, as the majority of the cookie is made up of brown sugar and ground pistachios.

I think this next weekend.....these are the recipes I'm considering:
-Pecan Bars
-Oatmeal Bars with Dates and Walnuts (I've never cooked with dates before, so that should be interesting....)
-Raisin Bars
-Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Side note:  Martha's looking a little worse for wear....pages 170-178 have made a break for it.  Maybe it's a sign I should be baking Banana-Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies?  White Chocolate Chunk?  Double Chocolate Coconut?  Or the Macadamia Maple Sticky Bars?  (mmmm....those sound yummy! Anything with a description like: "Layers of texture---crumbly shortbread and a chewy toffee-like topping---balance these indulgent nut bars"  sounds like it's alright to me.