Saturday, November 24, 2012

Wanted: An Interesting Life

Wanted: An Interesting LifeWanted: An Interesting Life by Bev Katz Rosenbaum
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Meh. Another trying-to-be-cutesy romance. I couldn't get into this one - the main heroine wasn't well put together. She did a lot of things that were out of character and despite the author's attempt to rationalize it, I just didn't buy it. The main guy was waaaay too "girly" to be believable. Maybe I'm a romantic pessimist at the moment, but I couldn't get interested in this book at all.

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Sunday, November 4, 2012

Browned Hamburger



Browned hamburger isn't hard. It isn't even really extraordinary, but it is one of those things that I can't live without in my freezer. I make mine in smallish batches. I usually start with a 5lb. log of ground beef and cut it into 6 sections. Each of my "pounders" is actually less than a pound. Why? Well, 1) I don't usually have a lot of money in my food budget so if I can squeeze an extra meal out of something, I will. b) Hamburger isn't on The Spawn's "things to eat" list, so usually it's just The Diva and I eating it. This is just enough for our meal and one or two servings of leftovers.

I also like to throw in extra "stuff" in my browned hamburger - stuff like roasted tomatoes, red peppers, onions, carrots, grated zucchini, basically anything that might have a possible nutritional or flavor value. It's different every time depending on what I have on hand. On this particular day, I had onions, red peppers and shredded carrots on hand. For future reference I will likely grind up shredded carrots.

3lbs. ground beef (I use the highest quality I can afford)
finely chopped onions, peppers, onions about 1/4 to 1/3 cup each depending on your taste

Brown everything together in a high sided pan on the stove - or in a crockpot on high. If you choose the crockpot method, you will need to stir every 30 minutes for about the first 1-1/2 hours or you'll end up with meatloaf. Leave in the crockpot an additional hour to finish cooking.

Strain meat well. Allow to cool and separate into three containers. Freezes well for quick meals such as tacos, spaghetti and last minute casseroles.

The Good Life Rules

The Good Life Rules: 8 Keys to Being Your Best at Work and at PlayThe Good Life Rules: 8 Keys to Being Your Best at Work and at Play by Bryan Dodge
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was fortunate to see one of Bryan Dodge's inspirational talks a few years ago. This guy is really enthusiastic, believes what he's saying and cares 100%. But is his book as good as his talk? Absolutely. The book is just as energetic as his talks. At the end of every chapter, or "rule", there is an action plan to bring a good life rule into YOUR life. Now, don't get bent out of shape, these rules are meant for you to incorporate into your own goals, your priorities, your schedule. These rules are meant to work for everyone. Your goal list isn't going to look like my goal list, but using Bryan's enthusiasm and inspiration, anyone can do this.

I thought after reading this book that I would donate it to the work library, but I think I'm going to keep it to periodically remind myself to reset.

Synopsis: Learn one of the most life-changing messages in the world from one of its most dynamic speakers.

Bryan Dodge's message is spreading from coast to coast--and transforming lives day by day. With 600,000 radio listeners at Dallas' WBAP--and hundreds of speaking engagements each year, Dodge definitely has something to say. Something that could change your life . . . in 48 hours.

His message is this: the good life is within our reach-- once we know how to find it. His simple but powerful lessons show us the way to find more satisfaction at work and at home, how to embrace change, create upward growth, and focus on the things that really matter. These are "The Good Life Rules."



Recommended Reading:
The Richest Man in Babylon by George Samuel Clason
Steak with Friends by Rick Tramonto
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
Thank God it's Monday by Roxanne Emmerich
Second Acts That Change Lives by Mary Beth Sammons

Book Review: Shadow Baby by Alison McGhee

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