Perfect Butter Pecan Cookies

I must admit that I was not a big fan of butter pecan anything—until I made these cookies. I thought I'd give them a shot and see what happened (figuring I could give them all away if they really didn't turn out well). The first time I made them I HAD to give them away to keep from eating the whole batch. They are ridiculously simple (unless your name is Kristen) and are really quick to make. Let me know what you think.

Butter Pecan Cookies

1 stick butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened (the lowfat version works fine)
1 butter pecan cake mix

Mix all three ingredients together. The dough will be quite sticky, and that is OK. Place tablespoon sized balls on cookie sheet and smash to make flat (I know—that's really technical!). Cook at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes. Enjoy in moderation (if you can). :-)

Book Review: The I Believe Bunny

When I saw this book offered in the Thomas Nelson Blogging for Books program, I knew I had to request it for Kaelan, my 20-month-old daughter. She absolutely LOVES reading. The two phrases I hear all day are, "Momma, read it, please," and "Momma, hide." She will sit in her room and sort through her books, looking at the pictures and reading them to herself, or me. We seriously never make it through a day without at least 20 readings (or various books or the same book multiple times).

With all that reading, I want to make sure I'm providing quality literature for her (one of my quirks as a former elementary school teacher). I'm REALLY picky about the "feel" of a book—language and pictures or illustrations. Some books I keep in the pile because she really seems to enjoy them, but others I'll hide, hoping that she forgets we ever had them.

The I Believe Bunny falls in the middle for me. Honestly, I love the message portrayed throughout the book, but the quality of the language was a little sub par to me. The I Believe Bunny stresses relying on God, even when we think we might be too small, and trusting in Him to meet our every need. One rainy day, the bunny hears a mouse calling for help. He tries to help her by stretching out a stick, but falls short and is afraid she's going to drown. He prays for help and his friends show up to help fish the little mouse out just in time.

Tish Rabe, author of several Cat in the Hat books, does a good job of portraying the message throughout, but she does so through telling instead of showing. Even kids' books should leave some room for children to figure things out. The book does fall in line with her work from the Cat in the Hat books, though. For example, I wasn't impressed by Clam, I Am.

Overall, it was a good selection to add to our library. Kaelan enjoys reading it, and I'm definitely able to pull good insights from the book to share with her.

Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Icing

Since entering pregnancy I have a) been terrible at continuing to blog regularly and b) been craving cinnamon rolls like crazy. I wasn't thrilled with the outcome of previous batches because of both form and taste. I like a cinnamon roll that is gooey and cinnamoney (yes, that's a word) on the inside and oozing with icing on the outside. These cinnamon rolls hit the spot and the maple icing just adds to the "yum" factor. I hope you enjoy these as much as I have...and will continue to.

Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Icing

You need:

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs

For the filling:

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup brown sugar

For the icing:

• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon maple flavoring
• enough milk to make desired consistency (not much)

1. Heat milk, water, and butter until warm (butter doesn't need to be completely melted). Add the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt, and add to the milk mixture. Mix well.
   
2. Knead on floured surface for about 10 minutes and add more flour as needed to reduce stickiness. Return to greased bowl and cover. Let rise until doubled (about an hour). Punch down, and divide into 2 parts. On a floured surface, roll each part into a large rectangle. Smear each rectangle with the softened butter. Combine the cinnamon and brown sugar. Sprinkle over the rectangles.
   
3. Roll the dough up into two logs starting at the long side. Cut each log into 12 slices. Place the rolls cut side down into two 9x13 inch greased baking pans. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled (about 30 minutes).
4. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden. Combine the confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons melted butter, maple flavoring, and milk. Frosting should be thick. Spread over baked rolls and enjoy. Yum!!

The Vanishing Sculptor: Book Review

I must say, I haven't had much luck with my book choices (or the books others choose for me) lately, and I know I haven't been a great resource in helping you choose books to add to your reading list. For that, I'm extremely sorry. This will be the last book review for a while, so we only have one more bad book to share together...for now. But at least I'm honest, and I let you know when a book really isn't worth your time.

Let's start out with the summary. Evidently this book is part of a series, the Dragon Keeper Chronicles. In The Vanishing Sculptor, by Donita K. Paul, readers will meet Tipper, a young emerlindian (we'll talk about this later) who’s responsible for the upkeep of her family’s estate during her sculptor father’s absence. Tipper soon discovers that her actions have unbalanced the whole foundation of her world, and she must act quickly to undo the calamitous threat. But how can she save her father and her world on her own? The task is too huge for one person, so she gathers the help of some unlikely companions–including the nearly five-foot tall parrot Beccaroon–and eventually witnesses the loving care and miraculous resources of Wulder. Through Tipper’s story, readers will discover the beauty of knowing and serving God.

In the summary, The Vanishing Sculptor seems to have all the right elements for a successful plot--intriguing characters, mystery to draw you in, a fantasy world that adds to the drama and interest. However, when reading this book, I just wasn't drawn in. Not that I didn't want to be--I was REALLY looking for a book to love, but this wasn't the one. I made it through 4 chapters. I think the problem, for me, was that it moved too slowly. There wasn't enough to make me want to keep reading. I want the book to draw me along, teasing me with something that needs to be discovered each step of the way. That just didn't happen here. Am I being too demanding of my books? I don't think so. I only have so much time to devote to reading, and when I do give my time to something, I want to be rewarded for it. I don't want to feel like I'm in English 101, expecting a test at the end.

I think another turn-off for me in this book was the need for a glossary. I despise a book that requires a glossary. I don't mind if the author uses a made-up word in such a way that you understand it's meaning and then includes a glossary just in case you forget it's meaning later. I really mind it when the author uses a made-up word and offers no explanation in the text, requiring you to look it up while you're trying to get into the plot. No fun--back to English 101.

So, for me, this book was not a winner. If it sounds interesting to you, by all means, try it out in the local bookstore. But I'd suggest you read a little before you actually commit.

Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes: Book Review

So, lately with the book reviews, it's been kind of hit or miss. They've either been so bad I couldn't finish them or so good I couldn't put them down. Well, for me, Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes was middle of the road. I had no problem putting it down when I needed to go on to something else, but I did have enough motivation to actually finish the book. I know, I know. That doesn't tell you much, so let me go on.

When Summer gets the call that a mammogram has come back abnormal, she decides to do something for herself, for a change, and heads to Holland on a whim to see her lifelong pen pal, Noelle, in person for the first time. It turns out to be a visit that they both needed, and they have the time of their lives during her week long trip. It is a tale of unquestionable support and friendship, even through life's toughest challenges.

The message is one of learning to trust in God and the people He has placed in our lives as supporters. Both Summer and Noelle see God's hand shaping their paths as they travel through the country visiting the sites. It is a good story of the deep friendship that can form between two women, even though they are miles apart.

This book doesn't really fall into one of my favorite genres, but the heartwarming story kept me going. Now onto the next one. :-)

Stealing Home and Saints in Limbo: Book Reviews

When I looked at Stealing Home by Allison Pittman, I must say that I wasn't anxious to start it. I had just finished a book that I loved, and I was afraid of being disappointed by a dud. Not to mention the fact that it was about baseball (to some degree)--which I am not interested in at all. But since it was next on my list, I grudgingly picked it up and started in. I must say, by the end of the first chapter I was hooked. I read through the book in about 4 days, needing to find out what happened next. I am a sucker for a good love story, though. :-)

In 1905, Chicago Cubs baseball superstar Donald "Duke" Dennison is sent to Picksville, Missouri, to complete the end of his rehabilitation from alcoholism. He is staying with the father and sister of David Voyant, the sportswriter who exposed the truth of his disease, in a dry town away from the spotlight. Ellie Jane, David's sister, and Floyd, the town sheriff, take him in and try to help him adjust to small town life. Duke finds his own way when he starts a town baseball team, but before he heads back to Chicago, two drifters out for revenge take what doesn't belong to them.

The story comes from 4 different perspectives, Duke, Ellie Jane, Ned Clovis, who owns the local feed store and is in love with Ellie Jane, and Morris Bennett, a 12 year old Negro boy who finds he is a natural at baseball. I really enjoyed the unique perspective of each character. Definitely a good read!


I was not on a roll, however, with the attention grabbers. I know that Saints in Limbo by River Jordan comes highly acclaimed and has already received the positive attention of readers and critics alike, however, I could only make myself read the first eight chapters...and that was pushing it. I guess I kept hoping that it would get better and really draw me in, but it didn't, and I wasn't.

To be fair, here is the summary:
Ever since her husband Joe died, Velma True’s world has been limited to what she can see while clinging to one of the multicolored threads tied to the porch railing of her home outside Echo, Florida.

When a mysterious stranger appears at her door on her birthday and presents Velma with a special gift, she is rattled by the object’s ability to take her into her memories–a place where Joe still lives, her son Rudy is still young, unaffected by the world’s hardness, and the beginning is closer than the end. As secrets old and new come to light, Velma wonders if it’s possible to be unmoored from the past’s deep roots and find a reason to hope again.

I guess it just wasn't the type of story that I'm really sucked into. I don't know what was really missing. Maybe it sounds like it is right up your ally. If it does, and you read it, let me know how it ends, because I know I won't be sticking around long enough to find out. :-)

The Night Watchman: Book Review

When I sit down to read a book, I want that book to draw me into the story from the first page. I don't want to have to suffer through a chapter or two before I really get hooked in the plot. It has been a while since I've read a book like this...a long while. That's why I was so excited to read The Night Watchman by Mark Mynheir. From the first page I was hooked. I read the 300+ page book in only a few days (which says a lot considering my limited reading time).

The book tells of policeman, Ray Quinn, who was forced into early retirement after a shooting that crippled him and killed his partner, Trisha. Feeling sorry for himself, he struggles through life searching for the reason he was left and his partner was not. When a murder-suicide of a pastor and dancer takes place at the condos he guards by night, he is drawn into investigation again by the suspected murderer's sister, needing help to clear her brother's name. After several twists and turns, and an action-packed plot, he finds that this case and his own shooting may be tied together.

I am a big fan of NCIS, and this book was right up my ally. It gives hints and leads, but you never really know the truth of the outcome until the end of the book. I like it when I can't guess the guilty party. This is definitely one to add to the nightstand pile! I loved it!