The Christmas Bus

We had such a great time last night! Thanks for hosting our discussion, Marlyce. :) There were 17 chicks who showed up to discuss our December book, The Christmas Bus. I posted both pictures so we have proof of both Cindy and Judy being there! :) hahaha

We rated the book and gave one word to describe the book. Here are our words.....

Cute
Delightful
Predictable
Nice/Light
Soft/Fuzzy
Sweet
Fluffy
Christmasy
Joyful
Festive
Cliff-Hanger
Cozy
Vegeterian
Sappy
Repetetive
Ho-Hum

The average rating on this book was 5.47. We missed you girls who couldn't make it, but we will hopefully see everyone in January.

Our next book to read is Three by Ted Dekker. It is a Mystery Theme. There is a change in the place to meet, but I have to get it all squared away before I post. Watch your email! :)

And Have a SUPER, WONDERFUL CHRISTmas! :)

The Christmas Bus

Our December book club discussion will be about The Christmas Bus by Melody Carlson. The fun will be at Marlyce's house and will be a dessert. We'll meet at 7 on Thursday, Dec. 20.

Here is a small tidbit to get you excited....Grab a copy and get reading! :)

Glass Castle Discussion

What a good book!!! What a great discussion. If you didn't get a chance to read this book, I totally encourage you to get a copy and read it. Carol read the book in one night! We met at Carol's house and here are some words we used to describe the book.......(thanks, Teri, for writing these down!)

Resilient
Forgiving
Inspiring
Exciting
Harmful
Strength
Determination
Non-judgmental
Put-downable
Eccentric
Triumphant
Unconditional
Thought provoking
Unbelievable
Daring

The average rating was.... 7.46 (on a scale from 1 to 10 ~ 10 being the bestest)

Here's a group shot of all the chicks that got to be there that night! *Julie C was our photographer...Thanks Julie!!

The Glass Castle

Good day, Ladies! Our next book discussion will be about The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. It will be held at Carol B's house on Thurs., November 15. Grab a copy of the book, and we'll see ya on the 3rd Thursday of this month!! :) Here is one review of the book... The Glass Castle

Indian Recipes

Here are some websites with Indian Recipes. I figured I'd throw these out there for everyone since our next discussion will be an Indian Themed Dinner.

http://www.recipesindian.com/

http://www.indianfoodforever.com/

http://www.syvum.com/recipes/ivrindex.html

Left To Tell Readers

This link was sent to me from Morgan. If you read Live to Tell by Immaculée Ilibagiza, you might want to check it out. It's a blog by some people who are missionaries in Rwanda today. It's pretty interesting. Thanks Morgan! :)

Travis and Astrid

Corn Bread Casserole

This is the cornbread casserole that Tammy brought to the book club discussion night. YUMMY-LICIOUS! :)

Corn Bread Casserole

1 can cream style corn

1 can whole kernal corn, drained

1 stick butter

8 oz. sour cream

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 pkg corn muffin mix

Heat cream style corn in saucepan with butter. Add drained sweet corn to creamed mixture. Cool. Add sour cream, slightly beaten eggs, & corn muffin mix. Blend completely & pour into a 8 x 12 pan. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 - 60 min., until golden brown.

Hot Corn Dip Recipe

Here it is! :) Enjoy!

HOT CORN DIP WITH CRISPY TORTILLA CHIPS

Ingredients needed:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 1/2 cups corn kernels (from 4 ears fresh white or yellow corn)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell peppers
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions (green and white parts)
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 cup Mayonnaise
• 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• Crispy Tortilla Chips or Fritos

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the kernels turn deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. (The corn will make a popping sound as it cooks.) Pour the corn into a mixing bowl.

Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the skillet. Add the onions and bell peppers and cook, stirring often, until the onions are wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the green onions, jalapeño, and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the corn and let cool.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Add the mayonnaise, 1 cup of the grated cheese, and the cayenne to the corn mixture and mix well. Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

Serve hot with the chips.

Our First Discussion of the '07-'08 Season

Our first discussion of the season was very fun. We enjoyed a fantastic dinner at Julie C's house. Great discussion of the book A Walk Across America. We all shared our favorite parts and our least favorite parts of the book. Here are some pictures from last night....

Our next discussion will be an Indian Themed Dinner at Tami P's house chatting about The Life of Pi, by Yann Martel. Grab a copy and start reading!! :)

Here's a little about it to get you excited.....

The Life of Pi is the story of a 16-year old Indian boy adrift at sea for 227 days with only a dangerous Bengal tiger for a companion. Pi Patel's journey, and survival through the use of his wits and sheer determination, is one that grabs you and never lets go. Yann Martel is a master story teller and he weaves a tale that is entertaining and thought-provoking and at the end, he challenges you to believe it all. A top-notch read. From our review, "Life of Pi is a delicious treat to savor."