What's on your reading list?

I purchased these books from Costco on separate shopping trips.

Turns out, they're both food related in a way. 

I haven't been reading much until recently.

 Other projects and life kept getting in the way.

I took Mennonite in a Little Black Dress ~ A memoir of Going Home

 out on the boat with us Sunday

 and had time to read most of the book.

 I finished it  the next morning, rather than get started on chores. (sigh) 

When I get to a certain point in the book where I am almost finished,

 I  get reluctant to put it down. You?

  It's a  compulsion that I just have to FINISH,

no matter what else needs to be done.  

  

 Rhoda Janzen shares recipes for what she calls Shame-Based Foods from her past.

 Warmer Kartoffelsalat (warm potato salad)

Persimmon Cookies,

Platz (yeast sweet dough baked with fruit and a streusel topping),

Cotletten ( ground meat mixture) with Onion Cream Gravy,

and Borscht.

Turns out that this kind of food from her childhood

 that  was embarrassing to her then, 

 is comfort food for her now.

 Of course the book isn't about food,

 it's about growing up, being an adult,

and returning to the family roots in time of need.

The other book Starting from Scratch  (Susan Gilbert-Collins) has a similar theme.

It too, is about going  back home  for comfort, and grief sharing.

The main character turns to cooking for her family members to help her cope with the death

of her mother. She also takes a temporary job at a Senior Center

delivering food for the Meals on Wheels program before returning to her academic life.

The author also includes recipes in her book and even these are comfort foods.

Chicken Broth from a real chicken... not the canned stuff.

Annie's Favorite Meatballs

Late Night Fried Spaghetti (uses only one pan!)

Cheddar Soup with Shredded Carrots and Potatoes.

In Starting from Scratch, 

the characters served  up fresh popped Parmesan popcorn.

Yep, I tried it and it was really good.

 I've made it twice already.

What can I say~~

occasionally we have popcorn for dinner.

Especially if we've gone out for lunch and would rather not cook dinner.

Anyway,

Cook your popcorn on the stove top,  not the microwave stuff.

Dress with melted butter and salt if desired. Use the real stuff OK.

Then  cover with sprinkles of freshly grated Parmesan,

again use the fresh stuff, not from the green can.

I use fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano

 thrown into the blender and whirled around a bit to make it a bit powdery.

It's perfect for a comfy movie night at home.

Let's just pick some happy movies though,  eh.

Take care.