Compounding my culinary shortcomings is the fact I’m one of eight cousins–all female–and they are all gifted and talented in the kitchen, garden, athletic field, and/or craft room.  I…am good at reading.

My cousin J, my junior by a mere 88 days, is a domestic virtuoso. This girl makes Marta Stewart look like a slouch.  From what I can tell, J thrives on about twelve seconds of sleep a night, and is able to effectively parent her three adorable (and very active!) kids, plant and harvest a garden, can her own sauces, vegetables, compotes, and jellies, bake cookies and breads, whip up elaborate dinners, and act as class mom, all while wearing fashionable 4-inch heels.

Attempting to look like serious thespians in this photo--J and I were performing a play in my backyard. We both had the same hairdresser and rocked those Bardot bangs! (J on left, me on right)

A few months ago, J gifted me with a copy of her favorite Food Network chef’s new cookbook.  Anne Burrell, famous for her shock of bleach blonde hair and love of bacon, recently published Cook Like a Rock Star, a collection of recipes that even the most daft cook (read: me) could manage.

I want to cook like a rock star, too!

J loves Anne because her recipes aren’t complex and (typically) require food that she has in her pantry.  Flipping through the book, I was struck by the gorgeous staging and photos, but it was Anne’s humorous asides in the ingredient lists and instructions that kept me turning pages.

When I originally planned this post, I had set my heart on a fried zucchini appetizer.  My fear of frying is almost as dire as my fear of being trapped in a car without an audio book, but I set to work making the fritters.  Unfortunately, there was a small ‘grease splatter incident’–only a few flames–and I’ve been assured my arm hairs will grow back and the scarring will be minimal.

I wanted to cook like a rock star...not a flame thrower.

Undaunted, I shifted gears and began preparing the dinner I’d planned, also from Anne’s cookbook.  The photo of the Bucatini all’Amatriciana had me drooling before I even read the recipe.  When I finally took a gander at the ingredient list, a single word leapt off the page at me: GUANCIALE.

Now friends, I may be a third-generation Italian-American, but have spent enough time in language classes at Parliamo Italiano to recognize the word PIG JOWLS when I see it.  Can we say deal breaker?  I was prepared to dismiss this recipe until noticing that pancetta (pork belly) could be subbed for pig’s cheeks.  Ant and I don’t really dig on any swine aside from bacon, but even we could handle bacon’s Italian cousin, pancetta.  Game on, Chef Anne!

Please ignore the garlic in this ingredient image--he photo-bombed my picture and doesn't belong in the recipe! Crushed red pepper flakes are in absentia. Also, I though I had fresh Parmesan but didn't. I subbed semi-fresh grated--it worked.

The recipe came together quite easily and it really was delicious.  The sauce is so flavorful with a hint of heat and the crispy pancetta crumbled on the top was an added treat!  I already have plans to make this pasta again soon, and if I can make it, surely you can, too!

A simple and hearty meal--perfect for Sunday dinner. Thanks to my 'Southern' Cousin for the great pasta bowls!

 Chef Anne Burrell’s Bucatini all’Amatriciana (my notes in red)

Serves 4 to 6; Time: 1 1/2 hours

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 8 oz. guanciale (or pancetta) cut into 1/4-inch strips
• 4 onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice (I only used 1 medium onion)
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Kosher salt (I used Kosher salt but accidentally photographed Sea Salt)
• 2 28-oz cans San Marzano tomatoes, passed through a food mill (or squished in my clean hands)
• 1 pound bucatini or perciatelli (I used perciatelli–it’s a similar thick spaghetti with a hole in the center)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano, plus extra for garnish
• Big fat finishing oil (I had no idea what this was and omitted it)

Thanks so much to Candace over at Beth Fish Reads for hosting Weekend Cooking!  Many thanks and much love to my ‘younger’ cousin J for the great cookbook.

Weekend Cooking: Chef Anne Burrell’s Bucatini all’Amatriciana is a post from: Book, Line, and Sinker

In the past, I’ve also taken direction from The New York Times 36 Hours column–a great feature if you’ve never read it–and have never been disappointed.  Often times, our road trips only allow for short visits–24-48 hours in a city or town–and the Times column really distills the often overwhelming information found in guidebooks into manageable pieces.

We might never have found the fried chicken and mac 'n cheese at Alcenia's in Memphis (and our swell digs at The Talbot Heirs) without the 36 Hours column!

In December, The New York Times released a compilation of the US and Canadian 36 Hour columns in one gorgeous, cloth hardcover book.  36 Hours: 150 Weekends in the USA & Canada is divided by region with tons of photos, handy ribboned bookmarks by region, and an index that goes for pages.

My domestic road trip bible!

Even if you’re not into road trips, you’ll find many manageable day-trips, business travel side trips, and local adventures in this book.  The Northeast section alone covers more than 35 cities–most of which are within a 12-hour drive of our house–St. John’s and Halifax might be a bit further afield.  Here’s a small sampling of the featured locations in my neck of the woods:

• Cape May
• Princeton
• Philadelphia
• The Brandywine Valley
• Annapolis
• The Laurel Highlands
• Providence
• Burlington
• Portland (ME)
• Pittsburgh

The regions covered in 36 Hours (photo via Taschen.com). This listing of big cities doesn't include the dozens of small cities included in the book.

Anyone up for a visit to Savannah?

• Dublin, Ireland (7/13/2008)
• Hamburg, Germany (1/22/2012)
• Cambridge, MA (12/22/2011)
• Downtown Los Angeles (2/17/2011)

We're headed to Cleveland for a wedding in June and will have a chance to check out the recommendations in the book.

I haven’t been this happy with a book purchase since picking up The Night Circus in October.  This book will serve us well as we continue to crisscross the country on our little adventures!

Pack Your Bags: The NY Times 36 Hours Guide is a post from: Book, Line, and Sinker

Before meeting my friend Dishy, aka Christy of The Daily Dish, I’d never heard of Meniere’s disease.  Christy discussed Meniere’s on her blog, describing the sometimes debilitating effects of this inner ear disorder.  One of the four main symptoms is Vertigo, and as an avid sufferer of motion sickness (video games, shows/movies like The Deadliest Catch or The Blair Witch Project, and all forms of travel bring mine on), I had the smallest inkling of what Dishy was contending with.

While there is no cure for Meniere’s, Dishy has found that a low sodium diet can keep the symptoms at bay.  To this end, she created a second website where she features low sodium recipes, interviews with other lo-so folks, and a host of other information.  Dishy has taught me that low sodium recipes aren’t synonymous with bland food!

She recently wrote her first cookbook, Kick the Can!, and today’s Weekend Cooking post features her recipe for Cheesy Potato Chowder.  The book features 16 low-sodium soup recipes with great photos, easy-to-follow instructions, and all the nutrition facts for each recipe!

Now, I have the palate of a first-grader, so I *may* have omitted some of the stronger herbs and seasonings, but here is the full recipe for the rest of you doughty souls!

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups diced onion
• 1 cup diced celery
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups diced potatoes
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon ground rosemary
• 1/8 teaspoon dried basil
• freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Weekend Cooking: Kick the Can! by Christy Ellingsworth is a post from: Book, Line, and Sinker

Title: 

Author: Alexandra Potter

Genre/Pages: Fiction/384

Publisher: Plume

Publish Date: November 29, 2011

Rating: 1 Bookmark (not my cup of cocoa)

Source: unsolicited from the publisher

Natalie’s 1-Sentence Synopsis: According to the legend, the kiss at sunset under a Venetian bridge will bind Lucy and Nat together for eternity, which turns out to be about a lifetime longer than either of them can tolerate.

This confection is chick-lit in its purest form–an indulgence I wouldn’t typically pick up.  While there are many readers who love the genre, I generally read more middle-of-the-road fiction (not too literary, not too frothy).  I received You’re (Not) the One unsolicited but gave it a shot because it was (initially) set in Venice, Italy.

While I’m generally onboard with the whole suspension of disbelief, in this novel I found much of the plot too implausible and the coincidences farcical.  It’s been ten years since Lucy and Nat shared the magical summer in Venice and now both are in New York and find themselves reunited…over and over and over again.

Initially, the reunion rekindles the passion and spark of their summer in Venice but in time, the two realize that they aren’t the same people they once were.  The plot grows increasingly more outlandish–Lucy and Nat can’t escape each other–and I found myself wishing I could escape them both.

There’s a host of quirky supporting characters, a sub-plot dealing with insecure Lucy’s untapped artistic potential, a hidden masterpiece, and the guy that might be the one for her, but the magic of this story was just lost on a cynical, black-hearted crone like me.

Additionally, I wasn’t wowed by the cover.  My pal Meg (from Write Meg!) and I spoke about it briefly on Twitter, and she was in the opposing camp.  She liked the Venice ‘skyline’, while it brought to mind an underwater ocean scene for me–I never even saw the ‘skyline’!

As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t relish writing less-than-glowing reviews and debated writing this one at all, but feel if I post only great reviews that I’m doing a disservice to myself and other readers.  Reading is subjective–just because I didn’t like this book doesn’t mean another reader won’t love it to pieces.  The whole book blogger-author negative review/baiting debate that’s been raging gave me pause, but I stand by my review.

If you’ve read this one, did you enjoy it or was it too far fetched for you?  Do you have a review?  Let me know in the comments and I’ll be happy to link to your post.

Review: You’re (Not) the One by Alexandra Potter is a post from: Book, Line, and Sinker

Title: 

Author: Sarah Jio

Genre/Pages: Fiction/320

Publisher: Plume

Publish Date: October 4, 2011

Rating: 3.5 Bookmarks

Source: courtesy of the author and publisher

Natalie’s 1-Sentence Synopsis: A split-second decision to enlist in the Army Nurse Corps during World War II doesn’t alter the course of Anne Calloway’s life, but the experience changes her to the core of her being.

Told in a flashback, The Bungalow is set in present day Seattle.  At 90, Anne Calloway Godfrey is enjoying the twilight of her days when a letter arrives that opens a portal to her past.

A privileged, insular upbringing and engagement to Gerald, the man of her parents’ dreams, leave 21-year-old Anne Calloway feeling like she’s along for the ride instead of piloting her own ship in life.  She wrests control of the wheel and sets herself on a course for Bora Bora in the South Pacific, joining her childhood friend Kitty, for a 9-month deployment as an Army nurse.

Upon arrival, Anne is swept up in the allure of the island, camaraderie with her fellow nurses, and the heady feeling of independence.  Kitty begins to drift away, getting cozy with the soldiers, so Anne finds comfort in a burgeoning friendship with soldier Westry Green and their discovery of a mysterious bungalow hidden along the shoreline.

As the months pass, Westry is sent on frequent secret missions, Kitty’s aloofness increases, the war heats up, and something sinister is boiling below the island’s idyllic façade.  News from home leaves Anne reeling, but Westry’s love and kindness bolster her.  As their time on the island dwindles, Anne is uncertain about the future of her relationship with Westry and concerned about returning home to Gerald, the man she left behind.

The Bungalow is an entertaining read with a bit of intrigue, a touch of adventure, a romantic storyline, and a bit of predictability and neatness in the story’s wrap up.  I enjoyed Anne as a character and loved subplot dealing with her granddaughter and the art mystery but found several plot points convenient and some characters a bit flat.  That said, the novel has merit and serves as a reminder that our parents, grandparents, and any other senior citizen has a lifetime of memories, loves, losses, and maybe even some regrets.

I spent two years volunteering in an assisted living facility and many of the residents served in World War II and Korea.  The Bungalow reminded me of the danger of marginalize the elderly, the very people who fought for freedom and liberty for Americans and so many others.

Ultimately, I enjoyed The Bungalow–Jio’s vivid imagery of Bora Bora has me itching to take a trip there–and this novel will be passed to my mom, sister, and cousins.  I know they’ll like the story and want to pack their bags and take a trip to French Polynesia with me!  Want to come along?

Review: The Bungalow by Sarah Jio is a post from: Book, Line, and Sinker