Bloggy Carnival: A couple of my favorites

I had a lot of fun earlier this year when I participated in the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival. I won a few prizes. I spent far too much time browsing a thousand new blogs and drooling over fun prizes. So, this time around, I'm participating by hosting a giveaway of my own. Fun fun! I love to give things away!

I realize I'll have a lot of new visitors by participating. Hello! I'm glad you came by, and I hope you're having fun.

I wasn't sure what I might give away, at first. I don't have a ton of time to do something handmade right now. I didn't want to just do a generic gift card or something. But, as it happens, I just got finished reading an absolutely wonderful book - the first to go on my list of absolute favorites in quite a while! And as soon as I put it down, I immediately wanted to tell everyone about it, so they could enjoy it, too! So, it's perfect timing. Why not? I'll give the book away for the carnival!

Item #1, a treat for your heart: Book of a Thousand Days, by Shannon Hale
What can I say? I absolutely devoured this book. It was a quick, easy read - it took only about 5 hours to read, with interruptions. But more importantly, it was such a beautiful and magical story.

There are so many reviewers out there who will do it more justice than I can. But I'll try. The book is written in the voice of Dashti, an orphaned mucker who trades her last horse to gain employment. When it is discovered that she has a gift with healing songs, she is taught to be a lady's maid, and to read and write. Just after Dashti swears an oath to serve Lady Saren, she learns that her lady is to be locked in a tower for seven years for refusing to marry the man of her father's choice. Dashti feels something for Lady Saren, and agrees to be locked in the tower along with her.

Book of a Thousand Days is written as Dashti's journal, numbered by the days they began their life in the tower. You would think that perhaps the story of two lone girls locked in a dark tower would be dull and unexciting, but it actually feels rather exciting and magical, as they deal with problems, visitors (friendly and not), and the emotions of isolation. The story follows the two of them through their adventure in the tower, and their adventure out of the tower, once they break free.

This story is based on the Grimm Brother's fairy tale "Maid Maleen", which I have to admit I've never heard of before now. But it truly does read like a fairy tale, with the commoner girl being full of bravery, spirit and honor. Set in an invented land with a medieval Mongolia background, you get a lot of cultural influence into the story, which serves only to absolutely beautify it. The language is simple to read, but absolutely lyrical, almost like music on the page. Dashti is full of hope and faith, wonder of the beauty in the world, as well as profound gratitude at the merest blessings. She is an uplifting, beautiful soul, and you just want to keep reading and never stop. In contrast, Lady Saren sees her life as tragic, and often sulks and cries like a little child. Dashti is overwhelmingly gracious about it the majority of the time, and the contrast between their reactions to their situation further propels the wonder of the book.

As with many fairy tales, there is a wonderful ending. The growth of the character of Lady Saren and her relationship with Dashti, as well as the influence of people who learn to love Dashti's gifts and beautiful soul, help to bring about happy circumstances despite the laws of the culture.

It was simply one of the most magical, beautiful stories I've ever read, and so easy to get caught up in, just flowing from one entry to the next. Dashti even occasionally sketches within her book, which makes it even easier to envision the Asian influences and characters. Dashti's attitude about life is so contagious, and this story is absolutely well worth the read. I don't doubt you'll want to tell someone else about the book as soon as you're finished reading it!

Item #2, a treat for your body: Trader Joe's Natural Mint Cocoa
If you're not familiar with Trader Joe's, let me introduce you! And if you're not near one, I'm so sorry! This is a fun, quirky store full of natural groceries. There is always something to sample. There are always balloons and stickers for the kids. And everything I've ever purchased from Trader Joes is absolutley yummy and to-die-for. The Natural Mint Cocoa is no exception. Here is a partial description of the product:

Our mix has been created using only all natural ingredients, like pure vanilla extract and all natural peppermint oil, so its fresh, inviting flavor will fill your mug with invigorating chocolate warmth morning, noon or night. And it’s as delicious as it is easy to prepare. For a rich, creamy cocoa, simply mix in warmed milk.

The peppermint oil really adds a unique kick to the cocoa. If you find it a bit overpowering, it's easy to mix it half-and-half with another hot cocoa mix for a more subtle effect.

I may or may not throw in some of my favorite classical music along with these things, to make a nice rounded package. A book that will warm your heart, some hot cocoa to relax your body, and music to soothe your mind. I haven't quite made up my mind if I want to spend the extra money on the music or not. At the very least, the winner will definitely get a copy of the book and a container of the mint cocoa.

All you have to do in order to enter the giveaway is leave a comment on this post. No requirements. But I would surely appreciate something a little more fun to read than, "Thanks for the giveaway!". Because I read all my comments, I really do! I get so excited by them! But a couple hundred "Thanks for the giveaway!" comments won't be all that fun for me to wade through. Still... no pressure. But I do enjoy meaningful comments. : ) Extra warm-fuzzy/brownie points if you've been a regular lurker at my blog but have never commented before. I will love you forever if you come out and say hi!

Important notes:

1. When entering, make sure you leave an email address or at least have an email available in your profile. If I can't contact you via email if you win, I'm going to have to pick someone else.
2. Please note that the winner will be selected at random.
3. I'm sorry, but this giveaway is only open to U.S. residents! I can't afford to mail a package out of country.
4. You must be willing to provide your address if you win, so I can send the prize!
   
5. I know at least some of my family reads but doesn't comment. You don't have to have a profile in order to comment. But if you can't figure out how, and want to participate, please feel free to email me and I'll add an entry for you.
6. Contest will officially end on October 31st at midnight! I will be sure to announce and contact the winner on November 1st.
   

Many, many more giveaways can be found all this week back at the Bloggy Carnival!

Book Giveaway

Summer at Summer's Nook is having a book giveaway!

Now, you probably know by now that I just love a giveaway. But I really do only enter giveaways when the item is truly something I'm interested in. And you know from a previous post that I am currently entertaining an obsession with new books. You should also realize by now that my favorite genre is Fantasy. Well, then, it was easy to get excited about this giveaway.

The book up for grabs is called Far World - Water Keep. I've never heard of it or the author (J. Scott Savage) before. But, it's fantasy, and it's Young Adult. I don't need to read YA books, but since I liked Harry Potter (YA), and I liked the Twilight series (also YA), is there any reason I wouldn't like this one, too? I'm always up for an easy, entertaining read - especially when it's set in a fantasy world.

Summer has posted more information about the book, including a Q&A with the author, over at her blog, along with the giveaway. If you're looking for something new to read, check it out here!
http://summersnook.com/2008/09/far-world-water-keep/

Simply in Season

Recently, while visiting with a friend, I was introduced to the Simply In Season recipe book, by Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert. I was able to flip through it, and right away I could tell that this was a cookbook I wanted to have.

The format is broken up by season: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Each section is divided into the following subsections: Breads and Breakfast, Soups, Salads, Sides, Main Dishes, Desserts and Extras. This is such a fantastic difference for me - usually, cookbooks are divide into sections like Poultry, Beef, Pasta, Eggs, Cookies... But I don't plan my meals based on main ingredients, usually. I tend to look for simply a main dish, or a dessert, etc. So the Simply In Season cookbook has a HUGE positive going for it, right there.

But the even better thing about this book is that by dividing recipes into seasons, you can use it accordingly and buy food when it's at it's cheapest and freshest. As the back of the book says, "Eating in season is a great way to improve your health, support local farmers and help the environment." Health wise alone, I definitely agree with that - I believe that our Heavenly Father provided the foods that would be most appropriate for our physical needs to be harvested in the correct season. But I've always had a problem accessing ideas for eating in such a way, simply because of the cookbooks I have access to.

So I got my copy of Simply In Season in the mail just before our move. I took the opportunity to flip to the Summer section of the cookbook and plan several meals (and desserts!) for the upcoming week, exclusively from the selection provided. Tonight I tried the first one, and it was great! We ate a main dish with a huge portion of vegetables, some dairy, some grains, and a very small amount of meat. It was satisfying, tasty, fresh, easy to prepare, and easy on the pocketbook. I'm very very eager to try more of the recipes!!

There's also so much potential to make this a very whole-foods type of meal. I took some shortcuts today, since I knew I'd be coming home from the grocery store very close to dinner time, and wanted this to be as fast to prepare as possible. But I could have used plain yogurt instead of sour cream. I could have used the recipe for a Cream Soup Substitute instead of buying a can of processed cream of chicken soup. There was even a recipe for herbed croutons instead of buying them processed, or using the other option of a stuffing mix. Bottom line, it was a delicious, healthy meal, and it could be even healthier without being at all difficult. All the ingredients were easy to find and already familiar to me.

Simply In Season also comes spiral-bound... perfect for laying open to read while you're cooking! And there are enough recipes in each section that you may find that you rarely to never have to repeat them, if you're willing to try them all!

I strongly recommend checking out this recipe book, I'm very excited about it! I can't wait to see how cooking with foods in season affects our lives for the better.

Here's the recipe we enjoyed tonight (taken from page 136 of Simply In Season). As we ate it, Jesse said, "Becky, this is really good. Where did you get this idea?" I told him I got it from the Simply In Season cookbook that my friend had introduced me to, and he said, "You have that??" and went on to describe how he heard about it on NPR as he was driving to work recently, and how awesome it sounded, and came highly recommended by a local chef. I'm glad he was so impressed by my purchase. ;)

Summer Squash Bake

• 6-7 cups zucchini or yellow squash (shredded or chopped)
• 1 small onion (minced)

Combine with enough water to cook or microwave until tender, 3-4 minutes (shredded zucchini may be used without cooking). Drain, reserving the water to make Cream Soup Substitute below. Set aside.

• 1 recipe Cream Soup Substitute or 1 can condensed cream soup
• 1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
• 1 cup carrot (shredded)

Mix together in a separate bow.

• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano (chopped; or 2 teaspoons dried)
• 1 cup cooked chicken (diced; optional)
• 1 cup cheese (shredded; optional)

Add and mix thoroughly. Stir into squash mixture.

• 1/4 cup butter (melted)
• 2-3 cups Herbed Croutons or herb stuffing mix

Mix together in a separate bow. Put half into the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan or deep casserole dish. Add the squash mixture and top with the reserved croutons. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.


Cream Soup Substitute

• 2 cups dry milk powder
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup chicken or beef bouillon granules
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried minced onion (optional)

Mix together and store in a covered container in the refrigerator. To use combine 1 1/4 cups cold water with 1/3 cup of the mix in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Substitute this sauce for a 10-ounce can of condensed creamed soup. Add herbs such as thyme or dill or 1/4 cup minced fresh onion when preparing (optional).


Herbed Croutons

• 4 cups whole wheat bread cubes

Spread on an ungreased baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees until crisp and dry, 10-15 minutes. Lightly spray dried bread cubes with oil.

• 1 1/2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley

Mix together and toss with the bread cubes. Return the cubes to the oven and bake until crisp, about 5 minute.

A Wizard of Earthsea

"...As a man's real power grows and his knowledge widens, ever the way he can follow grows narrower: until at last he chooses nothing, but does only and wholly what he must do..."

The above line is taken from the book "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin. I read this book for the first time after recently watching "The Jane Austen Book Club" movie, where one of the main characters tries (for most of the show) to convince one of the women to give the SciFi/Fantasy genre a chance, this author being the one he focused on, determined that she'd like it. I've never read anything by her, but I had at least heard of "A Wizard of Earthsea," and I already know that I love Fantasy books. I enjoyed the book, the older writing style, and the whole idea behind the story. I will definitely be looking for more of her books in the near future.

As for the quote, it really struck me when I read it. It seems to me that there's a lot of truth in that statement, even from a Gospel point of view: The more you gain in knowledge and true understanding, the more set your path in life is become, until at last there really is no choosing, only doing what you know you must do to live rightly.

Obsessed with Twilight

Many thanks to my sister Melissa, who generously gifted me with Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Collection for Christmas this year. She told me time and time again that I would just absolutely *love* them...and I was sure that I would enjoy them -- when I finally got around to reading them. There are very few books out there I haven't enjoyed, after all! But I really didn't know much about the books, besides my sister just being (what seemed like) excessively eager to get me to read them. Christmas vacation, with Jesse home from work, presented a perfect time to delve into Twilight, though, putting aside more serious reading and other projects I had a mind to do. And yes, I was instantly hooked.

I've now read all three books (currently in the series) three times each. And I want to do it again. Like...right now. I can't really describe how captured I am by the characters. I'd have to go into long details about how experiences in my life help me relate Bella, the main character. Or how the intensity of a range of emotions portrayed within the books have helped me pull out of my own semi-persistent "blah" sort of mood towards my life. There is a passion in me now that I've been missing for a long time, I guess. And how on earth did three little books do that to me? I'm not sure. All I know is that the stories seem completely magical to me. I feel what the characters feel. I experience what they do. When I read the books, I am totally, 100% immersed into their lives and perspectives. And I just don't want to leave that when the book is done! I've found fan fiction to read. Extras and "outtakes" on the author's website. Forums where I can read what other fans are saying. There's a movie to look forward to, hopefully out at the end of 2008.

But one of the biggest impacts to me, outside of the books themselves, has been that Stephenie Meyer actually included "playlists" on her website - music that inspired her while she was writing these specific stories. It's been ages since I have listened to new music. At least 4 years, I guess, since I've purchased a new album for myself. I thought it was kind of a kooky idea to check out this music, but since I'm aching for more Twilight, I did it. My MP3 player that Jesse gave me for Christmas came with a free month subscription to Rhapsody, and I basically have unlimited free transfers of songs for the duration. So I found each of the songs that she included on her website, made one giant 56-song-long playlist, and stuck it on my MP3 player. And then I listened. And ya know what? I *love* this music. Who knew? A whole mix of bands I've never or hardly heard of (like Muse, Marjorie Fair, My Chemical Romance, Linkin Park (okay, that one I'm still getting used to...), Coldplay, and so on), and nearly all the songs included just really speak to me somehow...in genres I've never been exposed to before, or at least minimally exposed to (Rock, Brit Rock, and Alternative/Punk). But wow, I love this music! It's odd to say out loud, but it feels really thrilling to find new music- for me- that I really enjoy.

My Rhapsody "Twilight" Playlist (you can listen to 25 of them for free with a free account).

At any rate... all of this - the books, the music - make me feel oddly awake and aware of myself in a way I wasn't before. I LOVE it.