Make it :: Lyon Roasted Chicken

I know big deal Roasted Chicken (it looks fabulous), but I loved how AmberLee at Giverslog decided to make it after reading Hemingway's A Moveable Feast. Deciding to try something based on what you've read in a book is not only fun but a tribute to a great author if their words have made you long to try what they're eating.

I'm currently in the middle of A Moveable Feast and I adore it. I should say I've been in the middle for about a two months because I started to read it just after reading The Paris Wife. I decided that I needed a break from the Hemingways so I could really get to Ernest Hemingway's voice without Paula McClain's mixed in there. So I'm back to A Moveable Feast and I'll admit I never really wanted to read Hemingway. I've always read the classics but I've always skipped works by him, his larger than life, macho persona preceded his novels and turned me off. Anyways Ernest sorry I gave you the blow off because you're pretty cool despite your boozy philandering. I might even make a chicken in your honor!

{image and recipe from Giverslog}

Blog Crush :: Dinner, A Love Story

I first found this blog when Mamacita kindly told me that I NEEDED the Time for Dinner Cookbook. It would change my life or something. I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't bought it yet but don't fret Mamacita it's been in my Amazon cart since you mentioned it. I need to buy something else with it to get the free shipping, I'm cheap like that. Anyways I've loved it ever since she tuned me in and these illustrations and descriptions in A Picky Eater Taxonomy crack me up every time I look at her Picky Eating label.  

Big is a combo of The Negotiator/The Pint Sized Paggro/The Starch King of Starchy McCarbLand

Little is easy he's The Refusenik.

What are yours?

{image via Time for Dinner by Jessica Zadnik}

Book List

I love it when things happen organically like tonight with Big and book reading. I'll give you a little back story, I love to read. I've always loved to read, I remember in first grade learning in the little reading groups starting with Rockets, moving to Surprises then the third one Footprints, it was like finally! Amazing what you can remember when you really enjoy something. Big had a book fair at his school a couple of weeks ago and I picked up a few new chapter books. He isn't reading chapter books yet but since I read aloud to the kids I decided that from time to time I needed stories with a little more meat than picture books. I usually stick to the classics, stories I enjoyed as a child that I think he would like too. We've read Stuart Little, some of Henry and Ribsy, a few Junie B's and The Magic Tree House series. This time I picked up Mouse and the Motorcycle and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. We started with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and I think we've both fallen completely in love (well me again) with it. Oh Roald Dahl, you are so good with words and imagery, I've forgotten and it's been a joy.

Last night we read two chapters and tonight since the story was so good we read seven. And I'll try to do my best not to cheat and read ahead so it's a juicy surprise for both of us. After every couple of chapters I would stop and we would chat a little bit about the story, like how some of the kids that got the Golden Tickets didn't seem very nice and how it was sad that Charlie was so poor and how fortunate we are, I loved that the lessons happened naturally and Big was excited to read more of the story. At the end of our reading session he was sad that we were done so I mentioned that there we movies too and it might be fun to watch them and then compare how the movies were different than the book. Then we decided that Big would write a little about the book and do some illustrations of the story (his idea, well the drawing part). It made my heart swell just knowing that hopefully the kids will share my love of books and reading. Now I just need to compile a list of those books that I think they will love. I already know he'll get a kick out of Ramona, the rest of Roald Dahl and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle any other suggestions?

Read It :: Downtown Chic

Merry Christmas to me! I've always wanted this book and someone was nice enough to send one my way. Yippee! I've seen the Novogratz's homes on various blogs but now getting to see them big and pretty in photos made it much more fun.

All this style and all those kids, wish I was as cool.

This house...to die.

Do you all like Mark Bittman?

This cookbook has totally made it's way on to my must-read list. I really like Mark Bittman, so I had to read the reviews on Amazon and it looks like a goodie. Any of you have it? Do tell.

I'm a carnivore, I will eat beef, chicken, fish, pork, duck (my favorite), not a huge fan of lamb; but you get the picture. My only thing is that I try to eat meat sparingly. I try to eat it no more than once a day and not a lot of it. Sometimes it's more and sometimes it's less but when I go out to dinner I almost always order red meat because we rarely cook it at home. I think I need a few more tricks up my sleeve to make my meat-free meals a bit more appealing to the rest of the crowd in my house, namely Mr. SFD. The kids rarely eat meat unless it's of the processed chicken variety, gag. (Maybe one of these days they'll grow out of it.) So where do you all stand on the meatless meals?

Check her out, Adrienne Hedger

Just a heads up for all of you local moms out there, there will be a book signing for the hilarious author and illustrator Adrienne Hedger at (one of my favorite places to hang) Changing Hands.

Changing Hands

Wednesday, October 7th at 7:00 pm

I was sent the heads up by Pittsy's Place and I've since been laughing daily at her blog. If you can please go, I'm sure it's bound to be funny.

Looking for a book?

Lovely Sarah Jane from Walking Around-Where the Sidewalk Begins asked me and a few other bloggers what books we were currently reading. Check them out here.

{Thanks Jaimee for my book on deck recommendation}

Kindle 2

I'm not a techie but I have a crush on the Kindle 2. My husband and I went to Hawaii a couple years ago and I read the two books that I brought and made him stop at a bookstore to pick up a couple more. It would have been so much more handy to have my picks all loaded and ready to go on this baby.

Do any of you have one? I would love to hear your feedback.

[image via Gizmodo]

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

I'm currently reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle at the recommendation of a friend, it's a memoir of Barbara Kingsolver's family starting the journey of eating organic, locally grown and raised food for one year.

It's really good, although it got off to a rocky start (just a wee bit preachy in the beginning) but it's really got me thinking about trying to be a little more conscientious about what we eat. Do you guys try to eat locally or is heading to your local groc much easier?

Confessions

I have another confession...I'm very eagerly awaiting the book Breaking Dawn the 4th book in the Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series. I know, I know what am I like 16?

But it's so good I can't wait!

Movie Night

I love old movies and I can't wait until the boys and I can settle in on the couch with a bucket of popcorn and classic flick. Until then I'm going to have to get this book so I can get my picks all lined up.

{via Cool Mom Picks}