2011 Paranormal YA Reading Challenge

The goal of this reading challenge:  To read at least 12 Paranormal YA books.  This is perfect since I have a long list of books in this genre that I want to read.

1. Evernight - Claudia Gray (vampires) - finished Feb 6
2. Stargazer - Claudia Gray (vampires) - finished Mar 4
3. Keys to the Repository - Melissa de la Cruz (vampires) - finished Mar 25
4. Misguided Angel - Melissa de la Cruz (vampires) - finished Apr 15

5. Hourglass - Claudia Gray (vampires) - finished May 12

6. Afterlife - Claudia Gray (vampires) - finished June 23

7. Bloody Valentine - Melissa de la Cruz (vampires/witches) - finished June 24

Berry Cobbler

Nothing says the 4th of July like a dessert made with strawberries and blueberries.  Everyone knows about the flag cake, but I went a different route.  The recipe comes from Chef Chloe, whose blog I found after watching her win Cupcake Wars on the Food Network.  She made these delicious looking vegan cupcakes and her whole blog is filled with vegan recipes.  I want to try as many of them as I can.


Dough
1 1/3 cup flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup canola oil or margarine
1/2 cup non dairy milk (I used vanilla soy milk)

Filling
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups strawberries
2 cups blueberries

1/4 cup extra non dairy milk
1 tbsp sugar to sprinkle on top


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Dough
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil and milk and add to the flour mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon until thorough combined and dough like, but do not overmix.
Fruit
Whisk together the sugar, flour, and cinnamon and then add to the berries. Toss until the berries are coated with the sugar mixture.

1. Pour berries into a 9in baking pan or distribute evenly into eight ramekins. Using a tablespoon, scoops lumps of dough on top of berries.
2. Brush the top of dough with extra almond milk and sprinkle sugar liberally.
3. Bake for 45min or until dough is cooked and lightly browned on top. Rotate after 20min so that it bakes evenly.
Get recipe here

fresh from the oven

I followed the recipe as written, using vanilla soy milk and Blue Bonnet. I forgot to rotate the cobbler, but I think it still came out the way it's supposed to.  Chloe has a recipe for vanilla bean whipped creme, but I topped mine with Cool Whip. This would be perfect for a barbeque or any time you want a quick and easy dessert for a crowd or yourself. Definitely a keeper!

Reading Challenges Halfway Point

2010 is already half done so I thought I would take the time to update the progress of my reading challenges.

Support your Local Library Challenge (goal: 50 books) - I just started reading my 25th book and I'm planning to finish it by the end of this week.  I'm on pace to finish my goal by the end of the year.

Celebrate the Author Challenge (goal: 12 books) - I wanted to read birthday books in the month the author was born, but I found it was a little bit easier to read them out of order.  So far, I've read six books.  I have June and July books picked out and I already read the August birthday so now I just need Sept-Dec.  

2010 Pub Challenge (goal: 10 books published in 2010) - I've read seven so far, started an 8th, and have three more waiting in the wings.  This challenge will be done in the next few weeks.

Vampire Series Challenge (goal: six books) - I'm at five and have a sixth picked out, just need to find the time to read it.

Young Adult Challenge: (goal: 12 books) - Only one more to go.  My last vampire book is a young adult one so they'll overlap.

Truth is Stranger than Fiction Challenge (goal: six books) - This challenge ends in Feb 2011, but I wanted to read at least four of them this year.  I've only read one so I'm a little behind.

What an Animal Challenge (goal: six books) - This one also ends in Feb 2011, but it's been easier to meet the requirements because vampires count as animals and that works with the vampire series challenge.  I've finished four books and I'll have read at least five by the end of year because of the overlap.

To reach my goal of reading 50 books, I have to read 25 more (not counting the one I'm currently reading since I haven't finished it yet).  Without taking into account that some of the books will count for multiple challenges, I have to read 14 to fit a specific category.  If I wanted to finish my 2011 challenges, it would go up to 17, but I can subtract one since the young adult and vampire series challenges overlap.  

So the grand total would be either 13 or 16 specific books and then 12 or nine books of my choosing. The numbers could change because there might be some overlap, but that's not too bad! 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

If you're a fan of chocolate chip cookies, but don't have the time to make individual ones, this is the recipe for you. 

Chocolate Chip Pan Cookie

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan.

2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in large bowl.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips. Spread into greased pan.

3. Bake for 20-25 minutes in preheated oven, or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack, then cut into bars

I followed the recipe exactly except I used only a cup of chocolate chips. It was enough chocolate, but not too much to overpower the cookie.  I also used a 13x10 pan instead for a thicker cookie and was able to get 24 servings. The chocolate was nice and melty and the cookie tasted delicious.  This will be my go to recipe for making pan cookies and maybe next time, I'll experiment with a different chocolate or candy.  

Trashtastic

With my regular tv shows being on break until the fall, I decided to check out some of the new summer fare being offered. One of my guilty pleasures is trashy reality tv. I've seen all three seasons of Tool Academy and was disappointed when Megan Wants a Millionaire went off the air due to that tragic murder/suicide. Now I've discovered True Beauty, You're Cut Off, and Toddlers & Tiaras.

True Beauty is about ten beautiful people who think they're competing for the title "The Face of Vegas." They participate in challenges and the two with the lowest scores are in danger of elimination. What the contestants don't know is that they're being watched 24/7 and all their actions and catty behavior are being caught on tape. That also plays in to who gets kicked off because the show's trying to find someone with beauty both inside and out.

In You're Cut Off, nine pampered spoiled princesses, who have never paid for anything in their lives, are made to live together in a house in the suburbs and forced to sleep in bunk beds, share two bathrooms, and cook and clean for themselves. It's only been on for one episode, but it's been hilarious. They struggled to figure out how to pour boxed wine, how to downsize their five suitcases into one duffle bag, and marveled at the fact that ground beef came in tubes. Plus these girls are used to being the alpha female so egos are colliding. I'm looking forward to seeing if they're ever going to change and get jobs and learn how to make their own beds.

Toddlers & Tiaras is strangely fascinating in that train wreck sort of way. Little girls and boys compete in pageants for crowns, trophies, money, and puppies. Their parents spend so much money on outfits, spray tans, and manicures. They're as young as newborns and as old as nine (that's what I've seen so far). Watching little girls parade around in too much make up and costumes not appropriate for their age is a little weird, but add in the drama from bratty children and overbearing stage moms and you can't stop watching!

Moral of the story is: I wish I was super hot and had lots of money, but I wouldn't trade who I am for that. Of course, I still want to get in shape and maybe have a little more financial freedom, but at least I know how to keep house somewhat (it's a little more like organized chaos), cook my own food, pay my own bills, and be an independent person. That'll help out in the long run.

Bloggity Blog

The reason I created this blog was to keep track of my reading challenges. Then I decided to expand it to include any random thoughts, recipes, comics, etc. Of course, I hardly ever post even when I do have something to write. Not like anyone reads this except for me, which is fine. I'm having fun nonetheless. Since it's the summer and I have more free time, I'm determined to post something new at least once a week. Ideally, I would like to do something more like every other day, but if I aim low and exceed my expectations, I'll feel that much better about myself, lol.

Tempeh Reubens

Since I'm trying to eat at home as much as possible, I thought it would be a good idea to start trying out some new recipes so I don't get bored. I found a recipe for tempeh reubens a few months ago and bought some tempeh especially for it, but I didn't get around to making them until now.

Megan's Tempeh Reubens

I pretty much followed the recipe for the marinade except I didn't use the paprika, thyme, or chili flakes. I also didn't have garlic so I used garlic powder and regular soy sauce instead of tamari. For the dressing, I mixed together mayo, ketchup, and some Sweet and Spicy Relish This! from Sunshine Specialty Foods, a local company in Chandler, AZ.

I didn't have any cheese either so it was just tempeh, sauerkraut, and the dressing. I used my George Foreman grill to toast the sandwich up and it was delicious. It had a nice soy sauce and sesame oil flavor, which went surprising well with the sourness of the sauerkraut. I haven't had a chance to buy more tempeh, but when I do, it will be just for this recipe.