Day: January 31, 2013

Monthly Wrap Up

January 2013 Books Read

Tara

Wow. Did I have one heck of a reading month! SEVEN books! Say what?! Seriously it’s been over a year since I’ve read that many books in one month! I just had some really good reads and never got bogged down. There are a couple of books that I can’t link to their reviews yet … one is scheduled for later in February and one is scheduled for April.

The One I Left BehinduntitledBloody Mary ResurrectA Murder at Rosamund's GateDeath Has its BenefitsThe Man From 2063

Clicking on the book covers will take you to the reviews …except for A Murder at Rosamund’s Gate and The Man From 2063 which are scheduled for April 23rd and February 26th, respectively.

DNF #1

Silent Partner

Books Read: 7
Pages Read: 2,322
New-to-Me Authors: 6
Fiction: 7

  • Historical Fiction: 2
  • Mystery/Thriller: 4
  • Romantic Suspense: 1

Non-Fiction: 0
Review Books: 6
Personal Books: 1
Books Acquired: 22
Books Sent to New Homes: 5
Favorite Book Read this Month: Oooh, so hard to pick …. probably The One I Left Behind with A Murder at Rosamund’s Gate very close behind.

Recipes

RECIPE: Chicken and Artichoke Pasta

Tara

Chicken and Artichoke Pasta (5 servings)

  • 4 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
  • 1 pound chicken tenderloins, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions
  • 2 tablespoons white wine or chicken broth
  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with roasted garlic, undrained
  • 1 can (14 ounces) water-packed quartered artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons cold water
  • 1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

 

Directions

  1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute chicken in 1 tablespoon oil until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.
  2. In the same skillet, saute mushrooms and onions in remaining oil until tender; add wine, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the tomatoes, artichokes, salt and chicken. Cook and stir for 4-5 minutes or until heated through.
  3. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Stir in basil. Drain pasta; serve with chicken mixture and cheese.

Recipe Source: Taste of Home

photo (18)

Personal Review: We love artichokes. Like love love love artichokes. So I was excited to give this recipe a try.

It was very easy to prepare – makes a great weeknight meal if you want something quick and easy.

My one and only complaint was that I didn’t care for the mushrooms in this one – but I’m pretty picky about mushrooms in my food … Nathan thought they went perfectly in this recipe.

I served this with a salad and garlic bread.