What a crock!

There’s nothing better than coming in out of the cold to a hot dish!  For something easy and tasty the crock pot is king! In the Fix-it and Forget-it New Cookbook by Phyllis Good there are 250 slow cooker specialties to warm up your winter nights! There are several Quick and Easy recipes that require even less time and ingredients to feed your brood. Phyllis offers meat, meatless and pasta main dish ideas along with appetizers, snacks and beverages. A little bit of everything for a season of good eating. DB

Book Discussion Recommendation

It’s that time of year when we start seeing all kinds of “best of…” lists.  While reading about the best book discussion selections of 2013 I came across the title Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm during the GreatDepression by Mildred Armstrong Kalish.  I was intrigued by the unusual selection, and because I belong to several book groups decided to read it.  I have to admit that reading about The Good Old Days was thoroughly enjoyable.  This was not a book about the deprivations most suffered during the Depression but more about clean, honest work on a farm and finding fun in something as simple as the weather.  The book includes recipes and how-tos and reminds me a bit of a Little House on the Prairie episode.  It will leave you longing for simpler times.  SG 

Sweet!

The classic American treat finally gets its due: foolproof pudding recipes, from irresistible standards to inventive modern twists, by the chef and owner of New York City's popular pudding destination.
"Puddin'" shares Clio Goodman's secrets for re-creating--and improving on--your sweetest childhood memories. From grown-up renditions of snack-time favorites like Butterscotch Pudding (spiked with whiskey) to party-ready showstoppers like Banana Upside-Down Cake with Malted Pudding and summertime crowd-pleasers like Peanut Butter Fudge Pops and Peach Melba Parfaits, "Puddin'" serves up luscious and decadent recipes for your every dessert whim. Along the way, Clio offers suggestions for adapting her pudding recipes--all of which are naturally gluten-free--for vegan and low-fat variations. And because creamy pudding just begs for a companion, "Puddin'" also includes recipes for homemade toppings, such as Salted Caramel Sauce, Marshmallow Creme, and Brownie Crumbs, that can be mixed and matched with the puddings of your choice or incorporated into one of Clio's signature parfaits.
These surprisingly easy-to-execute pudding creations are destined to become staples of your dessert repertoire. "Puddin'" is a celebration of an American classic. ML

Light Between Oceans

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman is the story of a young couple, Tom and Isabel, but it is also a story of Australia and of life lived immediately following World War I.  Tom, recently back from the war, lives an isolated life as the lighthouse keeper of Janus Rock off the shore of Australia.  After marrying Isabel they try for years to have children with several miscarriages and stillbirths.  One day a boat washes ashore, carrying a dead man and a living baby.  How Tom and Isabel deal with the arrival of this child and the repercussions of their actions make this novel a great story and highly recommended for book groups.  In addition to the story, reading about the geography of Australia and the history of that time, gives this book an added dimension.  SG

Cookie Time

It's that time of year -- even if you don't bake during the other eleven months of the year, I'm willing to bet you at least make (or enjoy) a batch of cookies in December.  Why not try something new?  In her book, Cookies, Martha Stewart shares some of her favorite recipes, each accompanied with a full-page, color photograph.  Great for brainstorming for holiday get-togethers and cookie exchanges, or just for drooling over in your spare time.  I can't wait to try the Buttered Rum Meltaways and the Ginger Cheesecake Bars! HM

Stop into the library and check out our display of books on all kinds of Christmas goodies and treats!

Takedown Twenty

Another Stephanie Plum novel by Janet Evanovich!  If you love the Plum series then you will enjoy Takedown Twenty, with Stephanie and Lulu trying to capture a mob boss and lots of shenanigans going on as usual. There isn't much new to any of the characters and it's the same old story line but it's still a fun read as long as your expectations are to just enjoy Evanovich as usual.  I really like listening to these books on audio because the narrator does an awesome job with each character. SG

A Christmas conundrum

Holiday time finds Boston PI Spenser confronted by a strange case. A young homeless boy named “Slide” has come to ask for help for his mentor, Jackie Alvarez. Jackie runs a shelter for street kids (not entirely legal) and is receiving threats and being told to cease and desist. Spenser and his sidekick Hawk decide to look into the threats and find themselves caught up in a web of deceit, family promises, fortune, and illegal business. Silent Night : A Spenser Holiday Novel was unfinished when author Robert B. Parker passed away. His long-time agent, Helen Brann ties up the story in faithful Parker fashion. Happy Holiday reading!DB