Possession by Rene Gutteridge

Rene Gutteridge's new thriller novel, Possession, follows a former policeman and his family as they head to California for a fresh start by starting a deli. Instead of breaking free from the past (and specifically the D.C. shooting rampage), the past begins haunting them in some scary ways.

The story begins well. I found the premise plausible and the characters believable. The author writes well for a thriller and uses good pacing. The beginning sucked me in because I wanted to know the "secrets" constantly mentioned.

As the story progressed, though, I found the plot less and less believable. I guessed who was behind the whole ordeal and didn't think that the characters came to God in a realistic way. I am in favor of getting out the word on PTSD, but the portrayal in the novel was confusing. The grandmother figure was complex and acted as a deus ex machina during one scene. Plus, they never say if they started the deli or not! On a scary rating, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 10. If you like thrillers that are relatively clean, you might want to read it. Otherwise, I'd pass. [I received an advance review copy from Tyndale in exchange for an honest review.]

Seed Saving

Before this little article at Blissfully Domestic, I knew nothing about saving seeds (except that hybrid sunflower seeds come back strange). Now I know why and a few other tips about saving your own seeds. Check it out!

The Old Dead Elk in the Truck Trick

I suppose I should get used to this already, but for some reason it still jars me every time. On our way home from church yesterday, a truck passed us in another lane...with a dead elk in the bed.

There was nothing natural about the position of the animal, which was quite large and contorted to fit in the back. I feel somewhat better knowing that around here, people don't waste their game meat. They have it processed, stick it in large chest freezers, and then serve it to unsuspecting dinner guests.

My inner self says, Get over it you big weenie! But it's still a shock to the system to see anything that big and dead pass me on the road. (Or in the Super 1 parking lot. Nothing makes me more eager to purchase food than seeing dead deer before shopping.)

I was just getting over it (hours later) and of course we had to see another one on the way home from the in-laws. Terrific.

Grandma's Pecan Pie

I don't eat pecan pie, but I ended up making one anyway for Thanksgiving. I started with a homemade pie crust from Ratio by Michael Ruhlman. After that, it was all downhill. 

Homemade Pie Crust

(from Ratio)

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

   6 oz. flour

   1 Tbsp. sugar

   1/4 tsp. salt

Cut in 1 stick butter that is cold and has been cut into lots of little pieces. Ensure that it's well-blended and the butter is in little pea-sized chunks.

Add about 1-3 oz. of ice water. (Butter already has some water in it, unlike lard or shortening, which can be substituted for the butter. Therefore, go easy on the water and only add enough so that the crust comes together.) Pat the dough into a small disk and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Then, roll out the dough on a floured surface and place in a pie crust. Cut the extra little bits of dough off from around the pie tin with a knife and decide if you want to try a fluted edge or just go straight. You do not need to prebake this crust for pecan pie. (If you do want to prebake it, you'll have to do it for about 30 minutes or so at 350°F. I had disastrous results the last time I tried it.)

Grandma's Pecan Pie

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, mix:

   1 c. lite corn syrup

   1/3 c. melted butter

   3 eggs, beaten

   1 tsp. vanilla extract

   1 c. brown sugar

   1 pinch of salt

When finished blending, add 1 1/4 c. chopped pecans. Pour into pie crust. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until the pie is cooked through and doesn't jiggle too much in the middle. Cool and eat.

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving. Here are a few of the many things I'm thankful for this year:

• My family, including my husband and wonderful daughter
• My church family
• Friends and acquaintances (that includes you, dear reader)
• That my husband has a job he loves
• Being able to stay home with my daughter
• Good health
• A cozy, warm house
• Hank, our car with 4-wheel drive (yes, we name our cars)
• Having an abundance of food
• That my baby sleeps through the night

Thank you for continuing with me and sharing this little corner of my life. Blessings and peace to you on this beautiful day,
Bitterroot Mama

It's Negative What?

Apologies for the strange reflections in the picture, but it's the best that I'm going to get because I am not going outside today.

It's -10°F.

We received a large deposit of snow over the past couple of days. At negative ten, with no windchill, I could get frostbitten in 30 minutes. Let's not give Jack Frost that opportunity.

Instead, I'm going to stay inside and bake rolls and a pecan pie for our Thanksgiving meal tomorrow. The oven should help heat the house and we'll be plenty toasty.

Enjoy your day. And happy almost Thanksgiving dear readers.

My Antonia

My book club is having a book exchange at our next gathering instead of the typical white elephant cruddy gift exchange. That meant I needed a book. I ended up purchasing a used copy of My Antonia by Willa Cather. I wish I could say that I picked this particular book for a reason, but it was because my daughter was running around the store and I really wanted to get out of there. (Book stores and libraries are the worst! So many books to pull off the shelves!) Then, I had to read it to see to whom I could recommend it. (Turns out, I think everyone would like it.)

My Antonia by Willa Cather
This novel is set around the turn of the 20th century. It begins with Jim Burden, the narrator, moving to his grandparents' farm in Nebraska after his parents die. On the same train is a Bohemian family that ends up being neighbors and contains the namesake of the novel, Antonia. The story follows Jim and Antonia from age 10 (and 14) until their 40s, following the changes of the prairie landscape, the assimilation of foreigners, and their educations in life and love.

I enjoyed the beautiful language and the morals of that day, when bad things weren't spelled out in gory detail (although the story of the Cutters was quite tragic). The book is short on plot, but full of vivid imagery and delectable characters. I can almost feel the bitter wind of the prairie. Oh wait, that's because it's supposed to get below zero here today. My Antonia is a classic for a reason. (Rated PG, recommended)

The Hutterite Convention and Sucre Pie

It was my turn last week to host my long-standing book club. To fit with the theme of My Hutterite Life, I had the girls dress in long skirts (we ironically all chose black attire) and made them wear headscarves I had sewed. Here's the gang. (We are much less menacing than when we dressed as pirates and gave ourselves pirate names for the Treasure Island discussion.)


I'm the one kneeling in the back. My pirate name was Peppy Bree,
in case you were wondering. Also pictured are Black-Hearted Jess,
Christina, Bonnie, and Karen.

I tried to make a Hutterite meal of beef noodle soup, fresh bread, and a pear mozzarella salad. (I'm not sure if the salad was authentic, but these girls like their greens.) For dessert, I tried out the Hutterite Sucre Pie mentioned in I Am Hutterite by Mary-Ann Kirkby. I enjoyed this well-written memoir and the different perspective on Hutterite culture. I mostly enjoyed the pie, though.

Hutterite Sucre Pie

(makes one 9" pie)

1 baked and cooled pie crust

1 c. heavy cream

1 egg

2/3 c. sugar

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix all ingredients (except pie crust) in a bowl. Pour it in a pie crust. Cook for 35-40 minutes. (Mine started to crystallize on the top, but I thought it was better than being mushy. I have a tendency to overcook for safety.) Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve warm.

A Few Things to Share

Dearest Readers,
Book Reading Update
On Sunday, I finished reading my 103rd book of the year! I'm not sure if I'll make it to 120 (10 a month or about 1 every 3 days), but I'm glad that I at least passed 100. I started the year thinking that I would just track the number of books I read; it quickly turned into a competition with myself. (How the inner competitor always shines through!)

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 and The Jesus I Never Knew
My latest reads have been A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller and The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey. Both are deep books designed to strengthen faith. I enjoyed A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 because I am not a sheep farmer and enjoyed the insights of the author into how sheep and human behavior mirror each other so closely. It's filled with excellent spiritual wisdom and touching stories from the author's life. (Although it's not for the faint of heart! He talks about butchering sheep.) Yancey took a journalist's view of Jesus, mining the rich historic context of his life, drawing insights about his character and kingdom, and putting to rest outdated, fundamental approaches to Christianity. I thoroughly enjoyed both of them and highly recommend them.

Ebates
As you go Christmas shopping this year, before purchasing anything online, I suggest starting at ebates.com first. It's a website that gives you cash back for your purchases. You just go to the site, pick which website you want to purchase from, complete the sale, and wait for your check. I've made $36 back just for buying things I would have purchased already. If you use this link, I'll get $5 for each referral. (You can get money for your referrals too!)

Swagbucks
I also use swagbucks, but think that their search engine is worthless, so I cannot recommend it with a clear conscience. You earn swagbucks through using their search engine and toolbar, taking polls, answering surveys, and through random point giveaways. For 450 swagbucks, you can get a $5 Amazon.com gift certificate. I've earned $40 in gift cards over the past year or so, which is nice. Sometimes I get excited when I answer surveys and get 100 swagbucks, but then I realize that I'm only making $1 an hour. It's not the easiest way to get money.

Free Sites for Environmental Goodness
If you want to make sure that the gifts you're getting for others and yourself are as environmentally and health conscious as possible, check out these sites:
Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
Good Guide All types of products safety, green, and health ratings. (Thanks to my friend Jen for recommending many of the sites listed on today's blog, including this one!)
Of course, after hearing about the dangers of reusable shopping totes yesterday, you have to ask yourself if anything is really, truly safe. (No, it's not.)
What ways are you using to save money this year while shopping for Christmas presents? What have you read lately?
Love,
Bitterroot Mama

At the Ball

On Saturday night I attended the social event of the year, the 235th annual Marine Corps Ball. I never attended a ball with my husband while he was in the service, but the Marine Corps League does a great job every year holding a ball for about 80 people down at the Eagles. I enjoyed attending this year's ball for several reasons:

1. I visited with other couples I've gotten to know through the years, including a few new people.

The live music.
Note the electric bass and revolvers.



2. I enjoyed a dinner without having to cut food into bite-sized portions and dump it on a toddler tray. (Grandma, Grandpa, and Auntie babysat the little one.)

3. I got to hear live music. (Although my date refused to dance with me.)

4. A woman I've known for awhile told me that she ran across my blog and really enjoys it. (That made my night!)

5. The guest of honor delivered a passionate and stirring speech about service. While wearing a kilt.

6. The ceremony included, as it always does, a tribute to veterans that are MIA or POW. I think it is a beautiful way of remembering.

7. I got to dress up and hear my husband call me the Belle of the Ball.

Now, just 362 more days to find a dress for next year...

The Birthday Journal

Every year, my friend's mom gave each of her (7!) kids a birthday book. In it, the mom wrote down funny things that had happened that year and other thoughts that she wanted to share with her kids. Where she found the time, I don't know.

My husband, upon our engagement, started keeping a journal that he presented to me on our wedding night. It was my favorite gift.

I love these ideas, so I started a little birthday book for my little girl. Every Sunday, I try to write a page or two to her with the highlights from the week. She's too small to read or understand it, but I'll put it in her box and save it for her so she (and I) can remember what things were like when she was that small. I also just received a scrapbook of her first year from Shutterfly. (Gorgeous!)

Of course, you could also present them to your children or family members at Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any other special day.
How do you record your family's memories?

Visit Works for Me Wednesday for great ideas and tips.

Introvert Introspections

I recently learned the big difference between introverts and extroverts. Extroverts are energized by being around other people, while introverts are energized and recharged by being alone.

So, while some extroverts lend life to parties, others are just content to be around other people. On the other hand, some introverts can act much like those boisterous extroverts, but need some alone time later.

It's all a matter of inner motivation.

I am an introvert. This explains why going to large parties or conferences with thousands of women sends me running away, cringing, to a fetal position in my armchair.

It also explains why I have difficulties with company. I enjoy being around other people for a few days, but after doing everything together, including every meal and free moment of the day, except for possibly using the restroom (which is no longer sacred thanks to my baby) and sleeping, I need a break. And if I don't get one, I start getting crankier, until I am so vile that they want me to leave. (So, I end up getting what I need through a very passive-aggressive route.)

It's not their fault. I love people dearly, but I need some time by myself, either reading or walking, doing a puzzle or pondering.

Once I have my time, I'm ready to rejoin the party, cut some embarrassing dance moves, and give a few boisterous laughs. What about you? Are you an introvert or extrovert? If you're an introvert, how do you get your alone time?

*UPDATE* Here's the link to the Atlantic article that Joan references in the comments: Caring for Your Introvert by Jonathan Rauch. Thanks for the insightful article suggestion!

Tasty Cookies for the Troops

If you read my (in)courage piece, you know that I had to give up baking for the troops on a regular basis. However, I thought that baking once this fall for wounded troops would be an honor. So, I joined Round 25 at Operation Baking Gals.

Recuperating men and women will be enjoying two types of tasty cookies. Making Sneaky Snickers Cookies by The Cooking Photographer was an easy way to use up my mini Snickers bars from Halloween (Final Count: 21 candies to 7 trick-or-treaters; 45 candies to Bitterroot Mama).

Chocolate Truffle Cookies have been my favorites since an old co-worker's boyfriend made them and brought them in to share. (She later married him. Yes, they're that good.) Allrecipes has the same recipe I have, except I highly encourage you to substitute Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips for the ones that you stir in at the end. Add a few drops of almond extract when you're adding the vanilla. If you want to save them for an unexpected guest, the dough freezes well.

I highly recommend the truffle cookies for your Christmas goodie plates. You'll be glad you did.

Of Memory and Remembering

My husband and I have been attending a Bible study going through The Truth Project for the last couple of months. We participate in a group discussion after the movie, but then usually talk the whole way home in the car about it. It's spawned some interesting conversations.

Last night's topic was history.

The lecturer emphasized that the past determines the present and future. He warned against revising history to suit our own needs and becoming trapped in a myopic view of history where we forget where we came from and that only includes ourselves.

What struck me (other than the need to quit focusing on myself) was the command to remember.

I have an awful memory.

I can remember stupid things, like phone numbers and extensions. I forget whole episodes of things that happened growing up, or even a few years ago. Maybe I block them out of my memory, but the things that actually happen to me in life are gone. (That's why blogging is good, and why I should also be journaling and scrapbooking.)

What can we do to remember our role in history? To remember what God has done?

Reading the Bible is an excellent reminder. It sounds like an easy answer, but if you want to remember why you loved your spouse in the first place (not that I ever forget that!), you read those early love letters. It's the same with God. Praying and entering into the presence of God is another way to refresh that relationship.

Collectively, we hold weekly services and special services for Easter and Christmas and sometimes Thanksgiving. But it seems like daily remembering is often left as a personal task.

One that's easy to forget.

I'm interested to know how the rest of you refresh your memory, day after day. How do you remember the past? Where do you see yourself in history? It's easier to remember together.

Moroccan Cumin Chicken Soup

My husband, the avowed soup hater, loves this soup. It's fairly easy, tasty, and perfect for colder weather. I found the recipe in a library book about soups. Unforunately, I failed to take a picture of it, but I do have a photo of the carrots I used for the soup, freshly dug from the garden.

Moroccan Cumin Chicken Soup
Serves 8
Sprinkle both sides of
12 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
with
2 tsp. ground cumin.
Heat
1 Tbsp. olive oil
in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until done, adding more oil if needed. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Add:
1 onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced, and
2 cloves garlic, minced
to the skillet. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until softened. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a large soup pot. Add a small amount of chicken stock to the skillet to deglaze it (get all the gunk off the bottom). Add that to the saucepan along with:
8 c. chicken stock
Bring that to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
While that's simmering, cut the chicken up into cubes. Then, add the chicken and any juices on the plate,
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 c. dry uncooked couscous (or 1 c. cooked rice)
1 tsp. lemon juice.
Simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in
1/4 c. finely chopped fresh coriander or parsley.
Adjust seasoning as needed and serve in warm soup bowls.

Although you can use rice, I really like the feel of the couscous. The baby loves this soup too! For more great fall recipes, visit Works for Me Wednesday.

The Ultimate Gift

The Ultimate Gift is a sweet read by Jim Stovall. A feature film of the same name was also produced, which we own and love.

The main character, Jason Stevens, is a party boy who has to meet certain stipulations to inherit a fortune from his grandfather. Along the way, he learns lessons about hope and family and meets some endearing friends that change his way of life.

Although it's somewhat of a gift book and a tearjerker, I like the book for its message of hope and redemption. If you don't like to read, at least try out the movie. It's a good one. (G or PG - recommended)

My Two Mothers-in-Law

We took the little one to the Halloween Parade on Saturday. It's not really a parade. Kids in costume line up and trick-or-treat at the businesses on Main Street.

As my mother-in-law owns a business there, she and my sister-in-law were handing out candy. They were almost done when a man (a stranger, mind you) in a mother-in-law costume sat down for this picture and said, "Take a picture of your mother-in-law."

Two mothers-in-law.

I said, "But, this really is my mother-in-law."

The man mother-in-law seemed to get a kick out of that. He visited for a moment like we were his old best friends before moving down the line with his wooden spoon.

Just for the record, my mother-in-law wouldn't be caught dead in the granny socks he was wearing.