Waits - Downtown Train

It's not my favorite song by Tom Waits, but it's lovely. Sigh.

Super Bowl - German Potato Salad

German Potato Salad
Recipe courtesy Anne Burrell
Yield: 4 servings


2 pounds white new potatoes, cut in half
Kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
8 bacon slices, cut into lardons
1 onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 bunch fresh chives, finely chopped 

Toss the potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover generously with water and season generously with salt. Bring the pot to a boil and reduce to a simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and reserve.
Coat a large straight-sided saute pan lightly with olive oil. Toss in the bacon and bring the pan to a medium heat. When the bacon is brown and crispy, toss in the onions and cook them until they are very soft and aromatic, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the stock and vinegar. Toss in the potatoes when they are still warm and cook until the liquid has absorbed into the potatoes. Taste and season with salt if needed. Toss in the chives and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes: This was the first time I made this recipe. I used Dutch yellow baby potatoes, about 1.5 pounds. They were adorable, but kept rolling off the damn counter. I did make a few changes to the process though. I removed the bacon after making it crispy and reduced the fat to a couple of tablespoons to cook the onion. I added the bacon back in when I added the chives. The chives were garlic chives from the garden. I also added a tablespoon of vinegar at the end. The vinegar taste had kind of mellowed with cooking, so this brightened it up considerably.

Highlander's Prize - Mary Wine

Summary: Beautiful Clarrisa is sent to Scotland to marry the king, but is soon thwarted by the handsome Laird Broen MacNichols. For Broen, Clarrisa becomes far more than a kidnapped prize. Sparks fly as he enjoys sparring with the intelligent and independent-minded lady from York. Captive turns captor when Broen loses his heart and risks everything to keep Clarissa for himself. (Source: Netgalley)


Comments: The objectification of women is never more prominent than when done by the Scots, unless it's when it's done by the English. Clarrisa is just an object to be used, but even though she's raised in a fashion that makes her acutely aware of her status as a bastard only worth marrying off for money, she finally breaks free of that upbringing to become independent-minded and tough.
The story was paced nicely and the main characters were believable. My one quibble with the book was the late edition of many characters which was a bit of puzzle to keep up with. Overall, a nice story for mature audiences.


BTW - where do they get these covers - ugh. 

A Waltz at Midnight by Crista McHugh

Summary: When her mistress receives an utterly unromantic letter from a potential suitor, servant Susanna Parkwell is asked to craft an appropriate response. Though hesitant to take part in the deception, Susanna agrees, never dreaming the scorned suitor will write back.
Theodore Blakely abhors being pressured by his family to marry, but he's intrigued by the witty refusal he receives from "Charlotte." After exchanging more letters, Ted believes he's found a soul mate in his thoughtful and understanding correspondent, and asks permission to formally court her.
Though racked with guilt over her lies, Susanna can't resist the opportunity to meet Ted in person. So she poses as Charlotte at a holiday ball, where she vows to tell him the truth. But when the clock strikes midnight, will Susanna have the courage to reveal her identity and risk losing the man she loves. (Source: Carina Press)


Comments: Do you ever make assumptions? I do and did with the summary above. I assumed that this would be a Regency era story, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Set in New York state in 1866, this story follows the life of a young brother and sister from the south following the Civil War. I'm pleased that it is a American story and includes Vassar College and the education of women.
This is a short story and therefore a quick read. Told largely through the letters that Susanna and Theodore share. It is a sweet story that's paced fairly well. The main characters, of which there are only four, are well sketched out and have their own reasons for doing what they are doing which is believable and the ending is happy. And therein lies the problem. Based on what you know of Theodore's father, there would still be a battle ahead. I won't say more, but it's like the one difficulty to overcome was just glossed over.
Would I read any of Ms. McHugh's other works - most certainly and I enjoyed this story a great deal, but I think she took the easy way out on this one.
To be released February  12th.
Source: Webgalley

Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage - Jennifer Ashley

Summary: Lady Isabella Scranton scandalized London by leaving her husband, notorious artist Lord Mac Mackenzie, after only three turbulent years of marriage. But Mac has a few tricks to get the Lady back in his life, and more importantly, back into his bed. (Source: Amazon)


Comments: This is the second in a series of four books about the four Mackenzie brothers. Obviously, you met all four brothers in the first book (here) and they make a return, except for Hart, the Duke of Kilmorgan. Mac is desperate to get his wife back in life and to prove he's changed all his habits that made him leave her over and over, not for another woman, but just to give her some peace from his huge personality. Isabella has reasons for her resentment and her hesitation to set aside their separation and be Mac's wife again. You get a good sense of their entire marriage from it's beginning and how they ended up separated.There certainly is tension created by a stalker-like character who thinks he's Mac and Inspector Fellows, from the first book in the series, has returned to help Mac track him down.
I think the characters are well developed and again, I like the interplay between the brothers, it's not stress-free, but seems realistic. My only real problem with this book, and it's not huge, is it seems to wander a bit, like it needed to be tightened up just a bit. This is a mature audience book.  I'm looking forward to the next in the series and I understand the fourth book will be out sometime this spring.

Super Bowl means a party just for the commercials

While the Boy is quite interested in the game, the MotH and I prefer to watch the commercials unless something interesting happens in the game. It's definitely the second food holiday of the year, the first being New Year's Day. Up next the Valentine's food holiday and more chocolate than you can think of - yuck.
Menu
Spicy Brazil Nuts - I'm just going to wing it on this.
Spinach Dip - for the Boy - he has been know to make sandwiches with this, yes, disgusting.
California Garlic Bread - so decadent and only for special occasions or I'd be a blimp.
Citrus Couscous - new, but have some ideas to change the recipe to incorporate an older couscous recipe I have.
German Potato Salad - new, because I like it.
Carmel Corn - new, it's a little sweet, but hopefully, not too much.
M&M Cookies - maybe, if I get to it. 
We'll just see how it goes. 

Forged In Fire - Trish McCallan

Summary: Beth Brown doesn't believe in premonitions until she dreams a sexy stranger is gunned down during the brutal hijacking of a commercial airliner. When events in her dream start coming true, she heads to the flight's departure gate. To her shock, she recognizes the man she'd watched die the night before.
Lieutenant Commander Zane Winters comes from a bloodline of elite warriors with psychic abilities. When Zane and two of his platoon buddies arrive at Sea-Tac Airport, he has a vision of his teammates' corpses. Then she arrives—a leggy blonde who sets off a different kind of alarm.
As Beth teams up with Zane, they discover the hijacking is the first step in a secret cartel's deadly global agenda and that key personnel within the FBI are compromised. To survive the forces mobilizing against them, Beth will need to open herself to a psychic connection with the sexy SEAL who claims to be her soul mate. (Source: Trish McCallan website)

Comments: I tend to like paranormal traits in my books in very small, perhaps believable ways, most notably with Hannah Howell's Wherlocke/Vaughn Series and this story fits that same sensibility. Could someone dream about something that could happen - sure. Could you communicate on some level with someone you were close to? Sure - happens all the time with me and MotH* - we say the exact same thing at the exact same time. Could a guy believe in soul mates? Well, that one I'm not so sure about.
I find the timing of the book impressive. Most of it takes place in about twelve hours (I didn't time it, but it's half a day or so) and that's pretty neat, at least to me. The friendship and brotherhood of Zane, Rawls, and Cosky is believable as is the language. Those boys know how to cuss - that's for sure, but that doesn't bother me. I can cuss like a sailor too. One of the things I like the most is that people don't keep secrets and if someone tries to, their friends tend to know and call them on it. Zane's supervisor is his best friend Jace Mackenzie and he calls Zane on lying when he tries to lie about Beth's dream. It's a good plan to me, so many stories do the whole not telling people what's going on as the way to make the story move along. I thought this was refreshing. Mac's attitude towards women is intense - he does not trust them and thinks Beth is leading Zane down the wrong road, but thankfully, Beth is tough enough to handle him. He'll met his match, I'm sure. Beth, understandably does not believe in the whole soul mate thing when it's dumped into her lap, but I can't say I blame her, especially coming from a guy.
The story was fast paced. I read it in just over a few hours and  enjoyed it. Although I realized it was setting up a second book fairly early on, but that didn't bother me. I also liked that we got an understanding of why the bad guy was a bad guy - not that made him good, but it was, again, refreshing.
What did bother me was the way it just sort of ended. Like that, it was over. I did not like that. I would have preferred something a little less sudden.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series which I hope will give some idea of what happens to Zane et al.


*Man of the House

Groundhog Day

One of my favorite days of the year and only really for one reason...

January on the Gulf Coast

You know you're on the gulf coast when it's January and you are running your a/c in the car on the way home from work at 7:00pm. 

Embrace the Highland Warrior - Anita Clenney

Summary: When the powerful demon that left Shay for dead discovers her empty grave, he comes seeking retribution, believing she possesses an ancient book he has sought for centuries. Knowing she can't fight the demon alone, Shay returns to her clan and the Scottish Warrior who betrayed her…the only man she's ever loved, where she discovers that betrayal isn't always what it seems. Sometimes it's far worse. (Source: Anita Clenney website)


Comments: This books takes place chronologically within days of the end of Awaken the Highland Warrior. There are a few new characters, including the female lead Shay, her aunt Nina and her aunt's slightly crazy cousin Matilda. We also meet Cody McBain's brothers, Marcus and Lachlan. Shay has returned home, reluctantly, to Virginia and her childhood home which is on the same property of her former best friend, Cody McBain. Why is he her former best friend? Well, because nothing in her life is what it seems and Cody, the one person she trusted above all others, had betrayed her. Apparently, there are many many secrets within the Connor Clan, and we find out about them in this book. 
The premiss is still interesting, that warriors battle daemons here on earth to protect humans, but I'm concerned about the loss of three dimensionality in a couple of characters. A character from the first book in this series I found believable, if annoying at times, Faelen, seems to become a caricature of himself and it is disappointing. Faelen and his wife Bree seem to do little more than constantly disagree with each other. I realize that their relationship is challenging because of his insistence that women should be protected (read: have no fun or adventure), but it's a bit much. I liked them better in the first book - individually and as a couple. Shay and Cody are obviously to be a couple in this story, but there are hurdles to cross before that can happen. Oh, and there are vampires too. Cody seems the most real character and I can see how the relationship will work with Shay. Shay's aunt Nina is also believable, but Matilda pushes the boundaries of reality in what I think was meant as comic relief, but it reminds me of Miss Bates in Emma when she prattles on which were the parts of Emma that I tend to skip over. 
Overall, I find the plot interesting, but some characteristics of the author still bother me - especially repeating remarks over and over. In the first book (review here) it was the litany of things Bree had done for Faelen after she rescued him. In this one, the repeated concept that Shay perceived that people were hiding things from her. It's true. They were. You don't have to beat us to death with it. 
I realize it sounds like I'm complaining a lot, but that's partly because I think these stories have real potential. My biggest hope is that there will be a book for Ronan, probably my favorite character from the first novel that makes an important appearance in this book as well. Somehow he is linked to Bree and I think Shay also. I want to know what's going on there.