Bookish Review: The Chosen

The Chosen by Chaim Potok is the story of two boys growing up in Brooklyn during WWII. Both boys are Jewish but they come from two different sects. They begin the book as enemies, but when one nearly blinds the other in a baseball game, they become fast friends. Both boys have well-respected fathers who have very different methods of raising their sons, but both fathers support the friendship, knowing especially that Danny, the Hasidic (more devout & Orthodox) Jew will need Reuven's support.

Danny's future has been laid out since birth: he will inherit his father's position as Rabbi and will have an arranged marriage. The problem is that Danny is a genius with a love for psychology. He does not want to take his father's place, but his father never speaks to him about anything but the Torah, so he doesn't know how to tell him.

The book is a wonderful picture of what Jewish life was like in America following the Holocaust, as well as a great depiction of a friendship (it follows the boys from childhood through their college graduation). You don't have to be Jewish or know that much about Judaism to understand and enjoy the book--virtually everything is explained. It really is just a great story.

Bookish Review: The Hunger Games

I had heard a lot about The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins before reading it. (As I'm sure you have, unless you've been living under a rock.) The trilogy is a sensation, and most of the coverage is wholly positive. Having read the book in one sitting, I can't say I disagree!

The book is set in a dismal future on what used to be the North American continent. A failed uprising has lead to 12 "districts" (the 13th was bombed into oblivion) toiling in service of the Capitol. Every year, the reaping occurs. One boy and one girl from each district are entered in the Hunger Games, where they will all battle each other to the death. Every year, only one can survive. When Katniss Everdeen's sister is chosen, she volunteers to take her place. Katniss has been taking care of her sister and mother ever since her father's death. When the boy from District 12 is chosen, it is the one person who showed Katniss kindness and helped keep her family alive soon after her father's death. How can she repay his kindness by killing him?

The book is fast-paced, well-written, and interesting. A definite page-turner, teens (and adults) should love this one.

Cookish: What's for dinner?

Shrimp over Coconut Rice

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine

one 13.5-oz can of Lite Coconut Milk

salt and pepper

1 1/2 cups basmati or jasmine rice

1 tbs green curry paste

6-8 oz fresh or frozen sugar snap peas

10 oz frozen peas

3/4 lbs of shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into bite-size pieces

1 tsp rice wine vinegar or the juice of 1/2 lime

1 tsp fish sauce (optional)

Cook the rice per package directions, substituting 2/3 cup of coconut milk for an equivalent amount of water and salting the liquid (but not too much--maybe 1 tsp salt) before cooking. Once the liquid has come to a boil and you've added the rice, you can prep your other ingredients.

While the rice is cooking, put the remaining coconut milk in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in the curry paste. Add the peas and sugar snap peas. When the mixture is hot, add the shrimp and cook until pink and firm, about 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and fish sauce. Serve over the coconut rice.

Cookish: What's for dinner?

Eggplant Parm Ravioli

This recipe is adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine.

1 large eggplant (1 1/2 lbs), peeled and coarsely chopped

EVOO

3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

salt and pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

1/3 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

4 small vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped

fresh or dried basil

12 egg roll wrappers

Put on a large pot of salted water to boil. Put the eggplant in the food process and process until finely chopped. (You may have to do this in batches.) In a large skillet, heat enough olive oil to coat the bottom (1-1 1/2 tbs) over medium high heat. Add one smashed clove of garlic and cook until golden, 1-2 minutes. Remove the clove. Add the eggplant, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until browned (about 10 minutes). Remove the eggplant to a bowl to cool for 5 minutes, then add the cheeses to the bowl and mix well. In the skillet add another 1-1 1/2 tbs of olive oil, the tomatoes, salt and pepper. If using dried basil, add it now, and cook about 4 minutes, until tomatoes are softened. (If using fresh basil, add at the end).

Fill each eggroll wrapper with about 2 tbs of the eggplant filling. Wet two sides of the wrapper and fold in half diagonally to make large triangular ravioli. Press out all of the air and seal tightly. Once the water boils, drop in the ravioli in batches. Depending upon the size of the pot, you can probably cook 4-5 at a time. Cook for 3-4 minutes per batch. Fill four bowls with 3 ravioli each and top with tomato sauce and a sprinkle of parm. (You can add a little of the cooking water to the sauce, if you wish, but my tomatoes were juicy enough).

These were really delish! Please give them a try.

Bookish Review: The Daughters

The Daughters tells the story of Lizzie Summers and her friends Carina and Hudson. All three girls are daughters of the rich and/or famous, and they have rules about being such a daughter. The book is about what happens when they break some of their rules. Lizzie is the daughter of a supermodel, but she unfortunately got the looks of her journalist father. She is mortified every time she has to pose with her mother for a paparazzi photo until she falls into "ugly modeling" and gets labeled the new face of beauty. In the midst of all this, the girls are starting high school and Carina is fighting with her business mogul father while Hudson struggles under her pop-star mother's creative control over Hudson's first album. Throw in a very attractive boy from Lizzie's past, who wants to be a friend...or more than a friend...or not even a friend, and it's quite an interesting story!

The friendships and angst feel real. Tweens will love these girls and be very eager for the next installment after the cliffhanger ending.

Book Review: If You Could See Me Now

If You Could See Me Now by Cecilia Ahern takes the premise "What if imaginary friends are not imaginary, just invisible to most people?" When Elizabeth's nephew begins seeing an invisible friend, she attempts to convince him the friend is not real. But soon, she begins to see and hear the friend as well, not realizing he is invisible to everything else. Ivan begins to shake up Elizabeth's perfectly controlled world, bringing out her childlike side--a side that wasn't even really present when she was a child, due to her difficult home situation.

The book was mostly a fun read, though it reinforces again why PS I Love You is Ahern's best-known work--it's simply her best. If you're only going to read one, go with that one.

Cookish: What's for dinner?

Quinoa and Tofu Salad

1 1/2 cups quinoa

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup water

8 oz extra-firm tofu

8-10 oz frozen, chopped spinach

2 medium shallots

2 cloves of garlic

2-3 shakes red pepper flakes

chopped parsley (optional)

salt

pepper

olive or vegetable oil

zest of one orange

1 handful almonds, chopped and toasted

1 handful dried cranberries

balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

Rinse quinoa under cool water. Put the chicken (or vegetable) stock and water in a pot and bring to a boil (you can use all chicken stock, if you want). When boiling, add quinoa and turn down to a simmer. Cook 20 minutes, covered, or until all liquid is absorbed.

In the meantime, cut the tofu into cubes; mince your shallots, and grate the garlic. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté shallots and garlic until soft. add red pepper flakes, tofu, orange zest, frozen spinach, salt, and pepper. When spinach defrosts and everything warms up, add cranberries, almonds, and parsley.

When Quinoa is cooked, toss with spinach and tofu mixture. Drizzle each bowl with a little balsamic. Serve hot or cold.