Our pick for next month is The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. This book comes highly recommended by Melody, who we are so happy to have join our little group. We will meet April 7th @ 7:00 at Melody's house.

Remember to search for a "Mexican book" idea for our May book club, which will be on May 5th. Remember to prepare a special Mexican dish that night in honor of Cinco De Mayo.

If we don't come up with a different idea we will be reading "The curious incident of the dog in the night time" by Mark Haddon for anyone who wants to get a jumpstart on the book. It will be on our list in the next couple of months.

Meatball and Vegetable Stew

(1) 16-18 oz. bag of frozen cooked meatballs
8-10 oz. pack frozen broccoli, corn, sweet peppers or other veggies
1 can diced tomatos with onion and garlic (I actually use the lime and cilantro ones)
1 can mushroom gravy
1/3 c. water
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil

Put meatballs and veggies in crockpot. Mix together all other ingredients and pour over top of meatballs. Cook 3-4 hours.

Baguette Spread

1 cup mayo
1 stick of butter soft (but not melted)
1 can diced green chilies
1/2 lb shredded monterey jack cheese
2 to 3 baguettes sliced (fairly thin)

mix the first 4 ingredients
spread over the baguette pieces
place on cookie sheets
broil on high until cheese melts and just starting to brown

CHEDDAR CORN CHOWDER

8 ounces bacon chopped

1/4 cup good olive oil

6 cups yellow onions

4Tbs unsalted butter

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric

12 cups chicken stock

6 cups med-diced white boiling potatoes

unpeeled(2lbs)

10 cups corn kernals

2 cups half and half

1/2 pound sharp cheddar, grated

Cook bacon in olive oil until bacon is crisp.  remove with slotted spoon and reserve.  reduce heat to medium, add onions and butter to the fat and cook for 10 minutes. Stir flour, salt, pepper, and tumeric and cook for 3 minutes.  add chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.  add corn to soup then add half and half and cheddar.  cook 5 more minutes until cheese is melted.  Salt and pepper to taste and garnish with bacon.

i often cut this recipe in half unless i have lots of people to share it with!  Enjoy!

Chandi's cookie recipe

Here you go Keri!

1 c. butter flavor Crisco
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

cream together, then add

1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 1/4 c. flour (sometimes I use as much as 2 1/2 c.)

Bake @ 375 for 12 minutes.

February's book is the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

February 10th @ 7:00

Kamie's house

Decembers Book

So we are reading The Color of Water by James McBride. We will meet at Chandi's on Dec. 2nd, at 7 PM. Hope everyone can make it.





Also, we have picked the book The Island by Victoria Hislip for January.