Jailbird, by Heather Huffman

The book opens with the main character, Kali Langston, making her escape from prison.  So your attention is immediately demanded and easily kept throughout the story.  I will try not to include too many spoilers for those who plan to read this book, but I can’t make any promises!  So now is your chance to stop reading!

The back story is that Kali is incarcerated for murdering a very rich and powerful man from an equally rich and powerful family.  You will later find out in the book the reason that she murdered this man and the reason that she feels her actions were justified.  As I’ve already said, the book opens with Kali making her break from the prison in which she has just spent 10 long years of her life.  It’s very dramatic to say the least.  As the story continues she makes her way through the woods squatting and hiding until she stumbles upon a group of Hispanic workers laboring and decides to join them.  Taking on the name “Neena,” she is invited into the home of one of the families and they take her under their wing.  They do not know her past and don’t ask her any questions.  She begins working with them on their farm to make a small living while sleeping on their couch. 

It is through this family that she also meets the town lawyer, Charlie.  This is where the story takes a turn.  Neena (Kali) and Charlie are falling in love, but Charlie doesn’t know who Neena really is and this haunts Neena and scares her to death.  When Neena is forced to tell Charlie who she really is the story really gets interesting!  Does she get to live in that small town and live out her dreams of having a family and a normal life with Charlie and does she end up back in prison?

This book tells a very unique story and is very beautifully written.  I enjoyed the style that the writer uses and was pleased with the pace of the story.  I didn’t feel that the writer rushed the story at all, but the timing was perfectly played out so that you didn’t lose interest while the characters were being built.  I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more novels from this author.

Chicken Parmesan

Easy Chicken Parmesan (Heaven on a Plate)

What You Need:

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

½ cup Italian bread crumbs

6 chicken breasts (or 3 split if they are really thick)

Jar of pasta sauce (or use the recipe below for homemade sauce)

Mozzarella cheese slices

Oil

What to do:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Get two bowls/dishes to use for battering your chicken.  Your beaten eggs go in one

     bowl and in the other bowl mix together the parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.

3.  Dip chicken into the egg and then coat with the parm/bread crumb mixture.

4.  Heat oil in a large skillet or pan and sauté chicken for about 10 minutes or until chicken

     is cooked through (juices run clear).

5.  Pour your pasta sauce into a 9x13 baking dish and add chicken.  Cover each piece of

     chicken with a slice of mozzarella cheese.

6.  Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly.

7.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve over pasta.

This dish is so simple and easy to make, yet it tastes like you might have slaved in the kitchen over it for hours!  It’s a definite crowd pleaser at my house. 

Homemade Marinara Sauce

1 tsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced/chopped

28 oz can crushed tomatoes (I like Tuttorosso)

15 oz can diced tomatoes (again, Tuttorosso)

¼ cup fresh chopped parsley

1 tsp dried oregano (because I can never find fresh)

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

1 ½ tbsp sugar

Dash or two of cinnamon (to counteract the acidity of the tomatoes)

salt and fresh pepper to taste

First, separate your parsley and basil into two piles.  You will add half in the beginning and half at the end.

Throw the first half of your basil and parsley into a large pot along with all the other ingredients and simmer for about 20 minutes.  Then add in the remaining basil and parsley and simmer for about 10 more minutes.

Taste sauce and adjust salt/sugar as needed.  If it is still too tart and acidic, add more sugar.  If it is too sweet, add more salt.

Yummylicious Chicken Enchiladas

So I have been trying to come up with the PERFECT enchilada recipe for months now and I think I’m finally there!  I made enchiladas for my Sunday dinner crowd this week and everyone raved about them.  So this one might be a keeper!  The recipe that I used fed 8 people, so you can trim it down for the quantity that you need or you can make it as is and freeze for later!  

You Will Need:

2-3 pounds of chicken breasts or tenders

1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes

1 can green chilis (I can’t remember the ounces on this one, but it was small.  I might use two next time though)

1 15oz can green enchilada sauce

1 packet of taco seasoning

1 8oz package of cream cheese

1 package of shredded quesadilla cheese

1 package of shredded Mexican cheese (the Kraft or store brand)

½ can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

15oz can of red enchilada sauce

16 burrito size soft tortillas (depending on how full you fill them, you may need more or less)

To Prepare:

You will be cooking the chicken in the crockpot (high for 6 hours or low for 8).  Combine the crushed tomatoes, green chilis, green enchilada sauce, taco seasoning, and half of the red enchilada sauce in a crockpot and mix well.  Add chicken and let cook.

Once the chicken is done, remove from sauce and shred.  Return to the sauce after shredding and mix well.  Add the cream cheese to the chicken mixture and stir until melted and mixed well.

In a small dish, mix your ½ can of cream of chicken soup with your one cup of sour cream.  Set aside for now.

Line the bottom of your backing dish (if cooking this recipe as is, you will need two 9x13 pans) with the other half of the red enchilada sauce.

Begin filling your tortilla shells with the chicken mixture and placing them seam side down in the baking dish.  Once you have filled the baking dish, bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until the tops of the tortillas are browned. 

Remove from oven and spread the sour cream mixture on top of the enchiladas.  Top with copious amounts of the quesadilla and Mexican blend cheese.  Return to oven to bake for about 15 more minutes or until cheese is bubbly and melted.

Enjoy!

Sometimes and Always #4

Sometimes: I get really depressed when I think about all the bills I have to pay.

Always: I remind myself how blessed I am that I can afford to pay them.  I might be broke, but my bills are paid!

Sometimes: I plan to spend a Saturday doing absolutely nothing.

Always: I end up getting bored around lunch time and have to find somewhere to go or something to do.

Sometimes: I wish that I would have completed college when I graduated from high school like I should have, instead of slacking off.

Always: I remind myself that everything happens for a reason and that I might not be where I am today if that would have made different decisions.  My path could have led me elsewhere and I may not have my wonderful husband and baby boy by my side.

Sometimes: I really wish I knew how to deal with emotions and stress a little better.

Always: I keep it inside and end up feeling physical effects from it rather than letting out my emotions and showing them to people.  I’d just rather not burden others with my problems….which is a problem in itself.

A Little Photography Practice

I mentioned a while back myinterest in photography.  I wanted toshare a few things I have done recently and get your honest feedback!  I’m still learning, so I am definitely openfor constructive criticism from anyone!

A little background….

I have always been obsessed withtaking pictures.  I was always the girlwho brought the camera along and took ten thousand pictures of everything andeverybody.  Then when my son was born, myinterest was magnified and I wanted to be able to take BEAUTIFUL pictures ofhim.  I wanted crisp, clear, memoryinducing pictures of him.  So I spent alittle money and got a DSLR, because the pocket point and shoot cameras arecrap.  Since learning to shoot with aDSLR I find it physically impossible to shoot with a point and shoot…literally.  They are soooo slow and half the time comeout blurry….so no thanks to that.

After getting my DSLR, I wasstill shooting in auto because I had no idea how to use the dang thing.  I eventually taught myself SOMEWHAT how toshoot half manual, half auto by taking the picture once with auto and once withmanual.  Then I decided that I needed totake it a step further and actually learn what all the camera lingo meant andhow to make my camera work for me.  So I signedup to take an online class with the wonderful Tracy Lynn Deis at TLD Photography.  She taught me all about shutter speed,aperture, ISO and my FAVORITE thing – BOKEH! I loveeee some beautiful bokeh in my pictures!

So now, here I am.  Trying to apply all the things I have learnedfrom her and am still learning (I have two more classes with her).  So in the course of my evolving photographypassion, I wanted to share some of my recent pictures with you all!  I’m sure there will be PLENTY more to come :)

Let me know what you think!