durhamonthecheap

Monday, July 8, 2013

Summer Time in a salad!

I love the summer because it means that my garden is actually producing vegetables that I can put on the table and all the removing of weed and mulching the rest of the year actually paid off. The above image shows an average week and this year is definitely better than usual. This is in part due to the ample amounts of rain we have had this year. I have not even once watered the garden, but then we have rain on a regular basis and that certainly helps letting the garden look lush. I have only peppers, tomatoes and herbs in the garden, but at the rate everything is growing that selection seems to be plenty.

One of my favorite ways to use vegetables from the garden is in salads. So tonight, a home-made salad with fresh garden tomatoes and peppers was on the menu. I added some olives out of the jar, cheese and a lettuce base. Since there was some left-over pork schnitzel in the fridge, this got cut into small pieces and added as protein source. There was also some left over cole slaw from the July 4th stock and so each plate got a spoonful of that added. The result was a very filling salad plate that had a variety of textures and flavors. In terms of the salad dressing, I use mostly oil and vinegar since I do not like the salad dressings available in stores. Often they use too much garlic, are too rich or have some other ingredient that creates an off taste.

So if you want to save on organic vegetables, start your own garden. A porch or small balcony is enough for a couple of pots with tomatoes or pepper plants. And an herb garden can be grown on a window sill.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

The New Neutrals - nail polish by L'Oreal from the Color Riche Nail Color Shades Collection (new in 2013)

Through House Party and Redbook I had received several new nail polishes by L'Oreal and was pleasantly surprised that not all colors were red and red and more red. L'Oreal has really created some great colors this season, almost neutral in hue and for someone like me who loves to wear neutral colored clothing, these colors work out great.


copyright Durhamonthecheap - above I am using Royally Reinvented by L'Oreal, a light lavender shade

Today, despite it being in the 80s and humid as usual (we just had another rain shower), I ventured outside to work in the yard. The shrubs needed cutting - badly. Not my favorite job, but it is also good exercise for my shoulders since I get to lift the heavy duty hedge trimmer above my shoulders for more than an hour. Then raking up all the twigs and branches and trying to stuff them into the yard waste container, I was definitely exhausted coming in around Noon and then noticed that my toes had lost most of their polish. No problem, this just gave me an excuse to apply a different color and I was overdue for a change anyway. So I picked a blueish color and figured it will go well with workday clothing.

As you can see, the colors are more muted and thankfully not all in various shades of red. I do not like red as a make up color and prefer greens, blues or more neutral shades. For both color, two applications was enough to achieve a good coverage. I just bought a new pair of open toed shoes and the Now You Sea Me will go well with the light brown color.

So after all this work, I allowed myself a nice iced coffee made from regular coconut-flavored coffee and regular milk.

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Book Review: A Killer Maize by Paige Shelton

What starts out as a small town fair with some rides and a few market stalls changes quickly into a murder scene swarming with police. In the middle of it all is Becca Robins, who was asked to set up a small market stand to sell her products and help attract more visitors to the fair. While neither she nor the Swayton County Fall Festival saw a marked increase in visitors, that changes when the operator of the ferris wheel is found dead.
The day before all hell breaks loose, Becca had started a conversation with the murder victim and had intended to learn more about his background. Now she wished she had not delayed this talk because she is looking at very few useful clues to solve this mystery. But she muddles through and with the help of the local police she can sort things out in the end. The storyline has some interesting twists and additional facets, such as a gypsy curse, are thrown in to make the storyline more complex. Despite the twists and turns, the author never gets distracted from the actual goal of solving the crime and the reader can leisurely follow the step Becca takes to determine the identity of the killer.

With the mystery moving along at a good speed, the author also manages to weave a good bit of romance into the storyline. Becca, while trying to solve the murder, also needs to solve her problematic love life. She is torn between two equally attractive men, her boyfriend Ian and police officer Sam. Since she had to work closely together with Sam to solve the murder and Sam, much to Becca’s dismay, is a tad old-fashioned in his moral view of commitment, Becca is struggling equally to sort out this mess as she is to determine who is responsible for the murder. Add in that her ex-husband Scott is operating the shooting gallery at the fair and her personal life can be at times overwhelming. Despite this tumultuous build-up, the author manages to lighten these problems through witty comments by Becca. The tone of the story is definitely light and the book overall is entertaining the reader in the tradition of cozy mysteries that have a bit of romance thrown in.

I like this book because having lived in the Midwest for a number of years the fictional town of Orderville is reminiscent of many small towns I encountered during these years. Even the fair resembles some of the fairs I attended. And while I was initially wary of the many lovers and personal connections that Becca has, the author does a very good job of interweaving the romance with the mystery story without confusing the reader. Overall, for a mystery story that has a very strong romance subplot, this book is excelling at keeping both angles separate enough throughout the book to avoid that the reader feels being sidetracked by the subplots.

Book Review: Recipe for Treason by Andrea Penrose

Let me start off by saying that if you like historical mystery books, this is one will be right up your alley. Throw in a good old-fashioned spy story, murder, a noblewoman turned amateur sleuth with a capable husband by her side and an interesting character as a sidekick and you get the main framework for this series of cozy mysteries. As an added bonus, each chapter starts with an intriguing chocolate-based dessert since Lady Arianna and Lord Saybrook are both known for their exotic dessert creations.

In this book, the third of the series, Lady Arianna and Lord Saybrook are traveling to Scotland to find and apprehend a traitor. From the detail filled description of the travel north to the well researched explanation of life in Regency England, this book could fall into the "typical historical mystery" brand, but the author manages to create an interesting female protagonist that sets this series apart. Several historical mystery series focus on women that are more modern than the period expected and suffer because of their independence and strong opinions. But Lady Arianna is a step up from even these women; she can shoot and use a knife just as good as her husband or any of her male enemies that she encounters on her missions. And she certainly is not afraid to use these weapons as the reader is jolted into the excitement of the first chapter.
Arriving in Scotlan
d, the pair is too late to save a chemistry professor, but find papers that may yield clues to find a traitor called "The Fox", who is suspected of trying to leak secrets to France. And off to the races we are in an entertaining read that is perfect for a holiday weekend or quiet afternoon at home. The characters are interesting, the story background is well researched and the mystery is just moving at the right pace to keep the reader going.

While billed, not surprisingly with the protagonists a married couple, as a romantic mystery, the romance angle is definitely not the major focus of this story. I am happy about this since I prefer mystery novels to romance books, but some readers may find the relationship between the married couple somewhat stale and boring.

Book Review: A Cookbook Conspiracy by Kate Carlisle

I am a little bit ambivalent about the title because while the book is a mystery, I am not sure that the term bibliophile is really appropriate to this book. It is nowhere near as focused on books at Eco’s In the Name of the Rose. To me this a very good cozy mystery that plays in gourmet cooking circles and an old cookbook is central to the plot. But this is really the only criticism I have about this book.

In the story, we get to follow Brooklyn Wainwright along as she tries to perfect a traditional dessert (it will take some time to perfect even simple sounding dishes). Unlike her sister Savannah, Brooklyn is not professional chef. Moreover, she gets seriously side-tracked when a murder happens during her stay in San Francisco.
Both sisters are on the West Coast because one of Savannah’s old classmates from the Cordon Bleu school in Paris has invited the sisters to California for his new restaurant’s gala opening. And Savannah, who used to be romantically linked to Baxter Cromwell, the restaurant owner, thinks it would be nice to restore an old gift from Baxter to new glory. And old it is in more ways than realized, this cookbook that Brooklyn is supposed to restore for Baxter.

Brooklyn immediately realizes that this book is a true antiquity and definitely more than just old. But Savannah will not hear any of her concerns and presents the restored book to Baxter. Shortly thereafter, Baxter is found dead and Savannah is the main suspect. So as the responsible sister, Brooklyn jumps into action and seeks to clear her sisters name, find the old book and identify the real killer.

This is an entertaining cozy mystery that weaves the professional cooking process (and Brooklyn’s amateur attempts) into a good old-fashioned whodunit.

Friday, July 5, 2013

FREE Orville Redenbacher's® Pop Crunch™ - Kroger digital coupon download - TODAY only

Go here and select the free Orville Redenbacher's® Pop Crunch™. You will need to have your card registered online with Kroger. The coupon will be automatically added to your card and will be applied at check out.

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Moms Meet Sampling Event - Zevia soda, naturally sweetened and no calories

Thanks to Moms Meet I was able to sample with my group the no calories soda by Zevia. It comes in a large variety of flavors. Since Moms Meet provided me with free coupons for four six packs, I picked up plenty of party supplies. I selected Black Cherry, Dr. Zevia, Cherry Coke and Ginger Ale for the party. Zevia in several flavors is currently on sale at the local Kroger stores and so the coupons that I received for my guests will bring the sale price down 50%, making this soda quite affordable at the current time.

I combined the Zevia sampling with a party that I had planned for that day anyway and so we had a table full of goodies to share and sample. The Zevia was surprising to many. No one had heard of Zevia before the party and many were surprised by how many flavors are availalble. The black cherry flavor was a huge hit, everyone really liked this flavor. But the Cherry Coke and Dr. Zevia were surprising many as well by how good a no calories natural soda can taste. Zevia has no artificial sweeteners and several in my group are really looking for all natural products and sodas are hard to find, especially if you want to have low or no calories as well. So Zevia is a great option. Currently on sale for $4 for 6 cans, the coupons that I got from Moms Meet cuts that sale price in half and makes Zevia a bargain!

I also brought my hostess gift to the party. I got a really nice PackIt cooler from Moms Meet for hosting the sampling event and the cooler is perfect for everyday lunch. You put it in the freezer to cool it overnight, then add the lunch in the morning and the cooler keeps the food cold, even if you leave it on your desk all morning long. I love this cooler and have used it since the party. It works great!

If you are curious about trying Zevia. It is currently on sale at Kroger for $4 a 6-pack. Harris Teeter used to carry it, but I went to two stores in S Durham and the shelf still had Zevia tags on it, but no more Zevia soda. So I do not know whether Harris Teeter still carries it. You can also find Zevia at Whole Foods, but I do not know the price.

Disclaimer: I received coupons and hostess kit for sampling Zevia soda through Moms Meet. The opinions expressed in this blog are solely my own and have not been influenced by any third party.