Haven’t been in the mood to sit and read much lately… but here are a few books I’ve been muddling through… (I’ve been listening to audio continually, though!)

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The Art of Living
by Thich Nhat Hanh (nonfiction) – skip

This is can be a spiritually-opening book. However, nothing felt mind-blowing to me. Perhaps I didn’t pick it up at the right time. It’s not a long book, but it took me an awfully long time to finish. Thich Nhat Hanh’s work as a Buddhist Monk is highly respectable and something that should be celebrated. This book just wasn’t for me, right now.

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Maybe in Another Life
by Taylor Jenkins Reid (fiction) – an easy read 

I know I’m describing this as an easy read, which it is… but the subject matter isn’t exactly easy or “fun”. What is fun is that the chapters alternate based on whether or not something happened. Confused? Think Sliding Doors. If you’ve seen and liked the concept of that movie, I think you’ll like this book. Hats off to my friend Julia who returned this library book to me when I accidentally left it in our hotel room!

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On Turpentine Lane
by Elinor Lipman (fiction, audiobook) – worth a listen

I downloaded this one from my library after I saw it in a list of 6 Recent Audiobooks I Thoroughly Enjoyed on the Modern Mrs. Darcy blog. Nothing too earth-shattering here, but it did pass the time nicely while I was cleaning! I thoroughly enjoyed it as well.

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Flight Behavior
by Barbara Kingsolver (fiction, audiobook) – MUST READ

I knew absolutely nothing about this book before I listened to it. I suspect I discovered it on this list of Engaging Audiobooks Read by their Authors from Modern Mrs. Darcy. After my first commute listening to this book, I told my husband that the new book I was listening to is about adultery. But boy was I wrong! Though “flight behavior” can refer to more than one theme in this book. The author’s voice was a little too timid for my tastes at first; but then I became completely engaged and it just worked, especially for the voice of the main character.

There is so much explored in this book, that I was thinking about it long after finishing it. I haven’t read any other of Kingsolver’s books, although I know she is wildly popular. I see why and I’m looking forward to reading another. Many of her books are long, but I suspect that they are worth it. Just like this book.

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Smitten Kitchen Everyday: Triumphant and Unfussy New Favorites
by Deb Perelman (cookbook) – worth a flip

To be fair, I did not read the first Smitten Kitchen cookbook. I do follow Perelman’s blog, though.

Her new book aims to offer recipes for food you’d want to eat, but that you’d actually make, too. (Hence the unfussy.) I loved reading this cookbook as a novel.  There are lots of long descriptions and introductions to each recipe.

But in the end, I flagged less than a half a dozen recipes that looked good and unfussy enough for me. You might be surprised that one of those flagged was the Carrot Salad with Tahini, Crisped Chickpeas and Salted Pistachios, but I recently tried a Parisian Carrot Bowl recipe that blew my mind. I probably never would have considered this one otherwise!

I’m still on the search for that perfect, easy (unfussy) make-at-home tomato soup and Perelman’s canned tomato version, makes it possible any time of year: Roasted Tomato Soup with Broiled Cheddar. I love that it’s a riff on both afrench onion soup and a grilled cheese!

Since I love bowls, the Romesco, Chickpea and Smashed Egg Bowl sounded like a comforting one. Besides, it’s about time I learn how to make a good romesco sauce.

And lastly, I was drawn to the Tomato and Gigante Bean Bake (aka pizza beans) because I feel like I’ve seen it again and again on someone’s blog. Perhaps hers?! It seems to get rave reviews and I’m thinking I need to add this to a game day repertoire.

But have I made any of these items as of late? Nope. Though the snow started to fall in MN this week, so it’s high time for some comfort food.

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Which of those four recipes would you make?

 

Cheers~
Carrie