A Cookbook Sent From Above: SkinnyTaste Fast & Slow

The biggest issue I have with "adulting" is feeding myself. It just requires too much patience and too much planning. In addition, my husband (no, family, I didn't get secretly married) likes more ethnic dishes while I enjoy the same dishes as a typical 7-year-old. Cheese, carbs, and sauce is pretty much my motto when it comes to what I enjoy eating. So, coming up with recipes we can agree on is pretty hard.
The main challenge I find with cookbooks is that they're either overly reliant on canned soup and prepackaged things, or they're overly "gourmet" and end up costing about $40 per person. Looking at you, my beloved Ina Garten. Thus, I wasn't overly hopeful upon receiving a copy of SkinnyTaste: Fast & Slow by Gina Homolka. I'd never heard of her blog, but saw that the book had a lot of reviews on Amazon and said "what the heck."
Well, it feels like this book may have been sent to me from above and may possibly save my life. The book has a ton of recipes, and they all have clear directions for my impatient and easily flustered self. No soups, cheese, cream, packaged items, etc. Just normal, accessible vegetables and other ingredients. My husband said, "If these are healthy, then I'm going to start eating healthy." Though we aren't officially married, this cookbook may have saved us from an unofficial divorce.

Currently Reading: The Inglorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney

I recently picked up a copy of this bright yellow book, and I'm glad I did. From the first page, the prose is deft and hard-hitting.
With lots of crazy characters and a unique and well-described world, this book is a refreshing change from other "family novels."
Thanks to Blogging for Books for this review copy!

Currently Reading: The Inglorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney

I recently picked up a copy of this bright yellow book, and I'm glad I did. From the first page, the prose is deft and hard-hitting.
With lots of crazy characters and a unique and well-described world, this book is a refreshing change from other "family novels."
Thanks to Blogging for Books for this review copy!

Getting Back to Journaling

For me, writing has always been an escape. When I'm enraged, shocked, or overwhelmed, I write about it. I have a hard time just sitting down and writing "on demand." It's weird that although I absolutely hate thinking of writing as an assignment or any type of work, I love writing prompts. They get me in the right head-space to trigger memories and images to write about.
As such, I was excited to try out a journal called Extraordinary Ordinary Moments by Jorey Hurley. It's a thick paperback with cute illustrations and topics on each page, such as "things you don't want to end." While the journal is cute, it's not too cute, and would probably work for all ages and genders.

A Fun & Unique Coloring Book

I like to believe that I started the whole adult coloring book trend because I've always loved the unique Dover sticker and coloring books sold at book and gift stores. These often feature natural scenes or focus on a classic fairy tale. While these things are all lovely and quaint, it would be nice to see a coloring book that's a little more punk rock. That's why I was excited to hear about Marked In Ink, the coloring book by tattoo artist Megan Massacre. This coloring book looks like a lot of fun and is great for tattoo enthusiasts. The designs are basic but detailed enough to let you go crazy with color, and the pages are perforated and one-sided for easy sharing or hanging.

I was thrilled to receive a free copy from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Unfair by Adam Benforado

Unfair seeks to outline the science behind many issues facing the criminal justice system in the United States. Classic and not-so-classic psychological research is cited alongside (only slightly related in many cases) anecdotes about unfair situations that have really happened. The lack of citations was extremely annoying, leaving the reader to look everything up in the back of the book. Many cited experiments and the accompanying anecdotes lacked a concrete link. For instance, I find it extremely hard to believe that DNA result interpretation bias is widespread, and the author doesn't provide a single example of this happening, only cases where jury bias persists in spite of exonerating DNA evidence. Overall, I would recommend this book, especially to someone without much of a psychology background, as a primer and a jumping off point for major discussions that need to be had in our country. I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

Plated Cookbook Offers Formula to Get Dinner on the Plate

Plated is a cookbook from the meal delivery service of the same name. The recipes included are simple, fresh, and arranged by occasion. While there is nothing too exciting or mind-blowing, this is a great cookbook for people who are struggling simply to get food onto the plate for dinner. Most recipes include sides, which is very convenient. Recipes call for simple, but flavorful and fresh ingredients. To bolster meals even more, most recipes include seasonal substitutions. There are recipes for generic rubs, dressings, and easy and fresh sides. Overall, the cookbook is a staple for someone needing simple and straightforward meals. I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Cookbook Tested and Reviewed: Country Cooking from a Redneck Kitchen

I was excited to try Country Cooking from a Redneck Kitchen by Francine Bryson, as the recipes didn't seem too complicated. There are over 100 recipes, and they are all family-friendly recipes, except maybe the squirrel casserole that is thrown in to make it truly authentic! I found many dishes that sounded great for dinner, such as meatloaf, a chicken casserole with homemade cream of chicken soup, lemonade rolls glazed with Country Time mix, and the Sunday Supper Pie.
This evening, I made the Redneck Hawaiian chicken and it came out great. It actually restored my husband's faith in me that I may be able to feed him. Here is a picture of it simmering in the slow cooker:

In addition to the awesome dinners, there's also a bunch of dessert bars and other treats included, since the author is an award winning baker. As an amateur cook with simple tastes, I will get tons of use out of this book, and am happy to have received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

America's Best Breakfasts Cookbook Review

I have been on a breakfast kick for about the past 12-14 years, so of course I had to have the America's Best Breakfasts cookbook. The book is arranged by region and includes breakfasts from local restaurants across the United States. Each recipe has nice pictures and anecdotes from the restaurant or about the meal.
The recipes are varied, and also vary in difficulty, which was nice. Recipes range from a simple yet unique granola to lemon curd waffles. I am excited to cook my way across the country!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Blogging for Books.

Cravings by Chrissy Teigen Lives up to its Name

My boyfriend has liked Chrissy Teigen for a while, and I kind of assumed it was just for the obvious reasons: she's gorgeous and voluptuous. But when I saw an article about her cookbook, it actually sounded pretty good. I was puzzled by the negative reactions to a swimsuit model making a cookbook because I believe her when she says she loves to eat. She seems like a sincere person, so I decided to try out her cookbook. I am happy I did because it is full of fun pictures, funny introductions, and varied recipes that could become regulars.
I really liked the salad section, because I've been wanting to try some simple homemade dressings and didn't know where to start. Likewise, I have had a "craving" for biscuits and gravy for a while, and a simple and delicious recipe for this is included, along with some other breakfasts that sound good but are not over the top. Most recipes called for things I actually have on hand, unlike some cookbooks that expect you to have an unlimited budget and a fish monger, cheesemaker, herb garden, and a baker all next door. I think I can actually cook the recipes in this cookbook, and I'm confident some will become favorites.
I received a review copy of Cravings from Blogging for Books, but my opinion is always my own!

A Mental Memoir from Rob Roberge

In his memoir Liar, author and apparent seedy degenerate Rob Roberge presents us with non sequitur entries addressed, oddly enough, to himself. In these passages, he recounts some wild and personal stories, but his memory is a bit foggy due to likely CTE from experiencing multiple concussions while going hard on the stuff for 20 years. The whole thing seemed like an exercise in self pity, especially as the author interspersed his personal memories with accounts of the suicides of notable artists, as if wishing he would one day be remembered among them. This book won't be the one to earn him that (morbid) spot. I received a copy from Blogging for Books, and the book's out now.