A Christmas Carol Review & New Book

I hope you had a lovely Christmas!

If you didn't get a chance to read A Christmas Carol, you should give it a try.

Since I've seen so many renditions of this story, it was a quick read. I'm sure most everyone is familiar with this classic tale. Ebenezer Scrooge is a grumpy old miser. He has no great love for anyone or anything, with the exception of financial gain.

This compassionless old geezer is visited by the ghost of his former business parter, Jacob Marley. Marley warns Scrooge that his deeds in life will lead him to a miserable afterlife spent doing arduous penance.

After Marley's visit, Scrooge is visited by three other spirits: that of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come. By visiting his former, present, and future selves, Scrooge gains a sense of his own humanity.

This change of heart leads Scrooge to act not just with the common courtesy he had neglected to employ heretofore, but with a generosity those around him had never known. He vows to "honor Christmas in [his] heart, and try to keep it all the year." In fact, "it was always said of him that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge." I loved the ending of the book: "May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One!"

My copy included notes that explained colloquialisms that Dickens used in his novel. Most of them I figured out based on context, but there were a few that I found enlightening. For example: "the name [Scrooge] is derived from a slang term for squeeze or crowd." Maybe I'm just nerdy, but I thought these explanatory notes were interesting.

Dickens has a bit of a sense of humor. After Scrooge has seen Marley's ghost and the ghost of Christmas past, "nothing between a baby and a rhinoceros would have astonished him very much."  

A Christmas Carol is a sweet story that embodies the spirit of Christmas. I think this story has endured as a classic because it speaks to something in each of us, even if we only remember it during the Christmas season. Around Christmastime there is an almost palpable change—people become a little more thoughtful, a little kinder, little more honest, a little bit better. Maybe throughout the coming year I will try a bit harder to honor Christmas in my heart.

Speaking of the coming year, can you believe SBC is almost a year old? That's right—I started this virtual book club in January of 2013. Time flies!

To kick off the new year, I've chosen to read

(source)

The Beekeeper's Apprentice
by Laurie King

From Amazon: What would happen if Sherlock Holmes, a perfect man of the Victorian age--pompous, smug, and misogynistic--were to come face to face with a twentieth-century female? If she grew to be a partner worthy of his great talents?

Most everyone is familiar with Sherlock Holmes, but this book puts a twist on the classic. I love the modern series Elementary, which has Sherlock Holmes-based storyline that strays from the original. I hope that I will like this twist in the story, too.

From Barnes & Noble: In 1915, Sherlock Holmes is retired and quietly engaged in the study of honeybees when a young woman literally stumbles into him on the Sussex Downs. Fifteen years old, gawky, egotistical, and recently orphaned, the young Mary Russell displays an intellect to impress even Sherlock Holmes—and match him wit for wit. Under his reluctant tutelage, this very modern twentieth-century woman proves a deft protégée and a fitting partner for the Victorian detective. In their first case together, they must track down a kidnapped American senator's daughter and confront a truly cunning adversary—a bomber who has set trip wires for the sleuths and who will stop at nothing to end their partnership. Full of brilliant deductions, disguises, and dangers, this first book of the Mary Russell—Sherlock Holmes mysteries is "wonderfully original and entertaining . . . absorbing from beginning to end." 

This book has an average rating of 4.11 out of 5 stars on Goodreads, 4.4 stars on Amazon, and 4.5 stars on Barnes & Noble. I have high hopes for this one!

See me next month for my review. Happy Reading!

Merry Christmas!

A very Merry Christmas 

from Sara & Hamilton (my house plant)

I hope your Christmas is filled with hugs, love, and all-around goodness.

Cranberry Orange Muffins with Crunchy Almond Topping

I love fresh cranberries. Unfortunately, these little beauties are only available for a limited time each year. I usually buy a bag or two to stick in the freezer for the off season :-)

These muffins are a great way to use the cranberries I so love. The first bite is crunchy and sweet, but the tender centers are filled with punches of tart cranberry. These muffins are perfect for breakfast or brunch. You can even package them up for a gift basket! They're not overly sweet, which is a perfect contrast to the overload of sugary treats around the holidays.

Cranberry Orange Muffins
Recipe by Sara (stuff-by-sara.blogspot.com)

¾ cup sugar
Zest from 1 orange
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
1 beaten egg
¾ cup milk
½ cup oil
Juice from 1 orange
½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp orange extract (optional)
1 cup cranberries, coarsely chopped*
½ cup sliced almonds

In a mixing bowl, combine sugar and orange zest; smush together with the back of a spoon until fragrant. Set aside 2 Tablespoons for topping.

Add to the mixing bowl flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Add egg, milk, oil, orange juice, vanilla, and orange extract. Stir until just moistened. Fold in the cranberries.

Divide batter amongst 12 greased muffin cups. Toss almonds with reserved orange sugar; evenly distribute over muffins.

Bake at 375º for 20-25 minutes.

*if you're in a pinch, you can substitute 1 cup dried cranberries

Christmas Tunes

I love listening to Christmas music! Here's a peek at my playlist:

"White Christmas" - The Drifters

I played this for my niece a week or so ago. We danced and bounced around. The little darling giggled and giggled like she was having the time of her life.

"We Need a Little Christmas" - Glee Cast

I love how upbeat this song is. I need a little Christmas, right this very minute!

"One More Sleep 'Til Christmas" - Kermit the Frog

This is from "The Muppet Christmas Carol." Such a sweet song.
There's magic in the air this evening, magic in the air.

"Snoopy's Christmas" - The Royal Guardsmen

This song is just fun. If you want to hear part 1 of the story, look up "Snoopy vs. The Red Baron."

"Christmas Day" - She & Him

I'll never outgrow the thrill of Christmas day, either.

"All I Want for Christmas is You" - Michael Bublé

I just discovered this song this year. How long have I been living without Michael Bublé singing that he wants me for Christmas?

I hope these jams make your holidays a little brighter :-)

Peanut Butter Fingers

I don't recall where this recipe came from. Probably from one of my mom's vintage cookbooks--she has some great ones. Basically these are peanut butter bar cookies topped with a layer of chocolate and drizzled with peanut butter glaze. It doesn't get much better than that, folks.

These peanut butter fingers start out looking pretty ordinary.

But while they are still hot from the oven, some chocolate chips make things more interesting.

If you wait about five minutes, something magical happens.

The chocolate chips become smear-able!

I didn't do it this time, but you can drizzle these with a delicious peanut butter glaze. Yum either way!

I hope you enjoy these peanut butter fingers as much as I do!

Peanut Butter Fingers 
Recipe by Sara (stuff-by-sara.blogspot.com)

Cream:
½ cup butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar

Blend in:
1 egg
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla

Stir in:
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups flour

Spread into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Bake at 350º for 15-20 minutes.

Sprinkle with 1 cup chocolate chips. Let stand 5 minutes. Spread chocolate evenly.

(optional)
Combine:
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup peanut butter
2-4 Tbsp milk

Mix well. Drizzle over bars. Cool, cut, and serve.

The Pioneer Woman Review & Next Month's Book

Welcome back to SBC! I hope you had a chance to read The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels—A Love Story by Ree Drummond. It's a good one.

Before I start in with my review, I'd just like to say that I pretty much love The Pioneer Woman. She’s just so down-to-earth and funny and spunky. (see this post where she uses Cheez Whiz. I can’t say that I enjoy Cheez Whiz, but I like that she does and she owns it.) She is unapologetically herself with just the right amount of humor.

Now, for the book. It is a sweet love story with a healthy dose of reality (the funny, the embarrassing, and the tragic) added in.

I love the way the author describes her Marlboro Man. "He was a man who had a thought and acted on it immediately....He spent no time at all calculating moves; he had better things to do with his time." Even though he's a cowboy, "He wasn't a country bumpkin. He was poised, gentlemanly, intelligent. And he was no mere man—at least no man the likes of whom I'd ever known. He was different. Strikingly different....He'd taught me that when you love someone, you say it—and that when it comes to matters of the heart, games are for pimply sixteen-year-olds."

Descriptions like these make it easy to see why Ree fell in love.

When she writes about her parents' separation, the heart wrenching reality of it tore at me: "Tears of pain and confusion dampened my pillow as everything I'd ever understood about stability and commitment melted away. And for the first time in weeks—for the first time since Marlboro Man and I shared our first beautiful kiss—love was suddenly the last thing I wanted."

One thing I didn't really love was the constant references to "passion." It was in every other sentence for a while there. Of course, there are also subtle reassurances that Ree and her Marlboro Man maintained their chastity. I just didn't care for it. This is my personal bias coming into play. I think that passion/chemistry/whatever-you-want-to-call-it is important to a relationship, but it's secondary to all the rest: caring, selflessness, conflict resolution, moral character, etc. Citing passion as the foundation for a relationship cheapens the parts that are real and meaningful. But again, that is my opinion.

In her defense, I suppose, she does mention that in times of disappointment and confusion, the passion is what got her through.

I enjoy the way the author writes about how her life changed after meeting and dating Marlboro Man. "He held my heart entirely in his hands, this cowboy, and for the first time in my life, despite everything I'd ever believed about independence and feminism and emotional autonomy, I knew I'd be utterly incomplete without him. Talk about a terrifying moment."

I know my own life has gone drastically away from my chosen plan. That’s a big part of why I relate to Ree, the “accidental country girl.” There are some situations that I never dreamed I would face, and I reacted differently than I ever thought I would. But here's the best part: Somehow, it's okay. It's better than it would have been, in fact. That's what I get from The Pioneer Woman. I'm not going to say this book is on the same literary level as others I've read, but the author writes things that are true for her, and some of those things resonate with me.

And now that you’ve delved into my soulful self, I give you my pick for December:

A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens

I thought that A Christmas Carol would be appropriate for the holiday season. I have heard retellings of this story since I was a child, the first being Mickey's Christmas Carol. I love it every time.

But I have a confession. I have never read the real thing: the original book by Charles Dickens. I intend to remedy that this year. I hope you join me!

From Goodreads: Cruel miser Ebeneezer Scrooge has never met a shilling he doesn’t like...and hardly a man he does. And he hates Christmas most of all. When Scrooge is visited by his old partner, Jacob Marley, and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come, he learns eternal lessons of charity, kindness, and goodwill. Experience a true Victorian Christmas!

From Amazon: Charles Dickens’ masterfully crafted Christmas fable tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a man with wealth to match the coldness of his heart. On a mystical Christmas Eve, a visitation with spirits forces Scrooge to make a choice: change, or perish.

This Christmas classic gets an average rating of 3.97 stars on Goodreads, 4.7 stars on Amazon, and 4.5 stars at Barnes & Noble.

Get in the Christmas spirit by reading A Christmas Carol with me.

See you next month!

No-Fail Pie Crust

'Tis the season for pies! If you usually buy pre-made pie crusts or pie crust dough, you are missing out. While the convenience can't be beat, homemade pie crust is so much more delicious than anything I've ever tried from a store. Pie crust dough can be hard to work with, especially if you aren't experienced. This recipe is easier than most--I dare you to give it a try. It's not as difficult as you think.

One of my roommates in college shared this recipe with me. Most pie crust recipes don't call for the use of an egg. And with reason! Eggs are typically used as a binding agent. Since pie crusts are meant to be fall-apart-flaky, using an egg seems counterproductive. However, in this particular recipe, the egg will help bind the dough long enough for you to work with it--it's easier to roll out and doesn't crumble. But adding vinegar is the key to getting a flaky crust. The vinegar breaks down the protein in the egg, and it ceases to act as a binder. This gives you the best of both worlds! Dough that is easy to work with, crust that is tender and flaky when baked.

This recipe makes quite a bit, so you only have to make one batch for several pies. Alternatively, you can use part of the dough and freeze the rest for your next pie-making adventure.

The dough starts off a bit crumbly.

But that's okay as long as you can press it into a ball. (It's okay to add a bit more water if you need to)

Roll it out on a floured surface, such as a clean kitchen counter or Roul'Pat.

To transport the rolled-out dough to a pie pan, I like to fold it in half or in quarters.

Put the folded dough in your pan and unfold.

Make sure your dough isn't stretched. You want room for filling, after all!
Next, trim the edges. You can do this with a sharp knife or kitchen scissors.

Save those scraps!

Once the edges are trimmed, you can flute them (pinch them to make a pretty border).

If you are making a double crust pie (one with a bottom crust and a top crust that covers the filling), wait to flute the edges until you assemble the top crust.

Make sure to cut vents in the top crust, and you're ready for the oven.

No-Fail Pie Crust
Recipe by Sara (stuff-by-sara.blogspot.com), lightly adapted from her college roommate

3 cups sifted flour
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1 ½ cups shortening or butter or some combination of the two (I prefer all butter)
1 egg, beaten
5 ½ Tbsp cold water
1 tsp vinegar

Combine flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in shortening and/or butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add water, vinegar, and egg. Toss together until moistened.

Refrigerate dough for 10 minutes or until you are ready to use it (no worries if you leave it in the fridge overnight).

Flour your counter top or other surface for rolling out your crust. Use a rolling pin to flatten dough to about ¼ inch thickness. If you need to re-roll your dough, be sure to stack or fold it, rather than just gathering it into a ball. This will help give your pie crust flaky layers.

Line pie plate with crust. Flute the edges.* Fill and bake according to recipe directions.

Makes 2 double pastry crusts.

flaky, buttery pie crust

*If you are pre-baking your crust (as for a refrigerated pie, like this one), prick the bottom and sides of your crust with a fork (this will prevent giant air bubbles from forming). Bake at 400º for 10-12 minutes. Let cool, then add filling.