Me Talk Pretty One Day Review (and Next Month's Pick)

Let's start with Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. This wasn't really a winner for me, but several of my friends loved it.

I will admit that David Sedaris has a writing style that is amusing, but I still didn't think this book was as funny as it was purported to be. To be completely honest, I ditched it about 2/3 of the way through. It just wasn't a book that I wanted to keep reading.

Don't let my review stop you from reading it, though.  Like I said, everyone else I know who has read this quite enjoyed it.

On to next month. The book I have selected for April is

Edenbrooke 
by Julianne Donaldson

From Goodreads:

Marianne Daventry will do anything to escape the boredom of Bath and the amorous attentions of an unwanted suitor. So when an invitation arrives from her twin sister, Cecily, to join her at a sprawling country estate, she jumps at the chance. Thinking she’ll be able to relax and enjoy her beloved English countryside while her sister snags the handsome heir of Edenbrooke, Marianne finds that even the best laid plans can go awry.

From a terrifying run-in with a highwayman to a seemingly harmless flirtation, Marianne finds herself embroiled in an unexpected adventure filled with enough romance and intrigue to keep her mind racing. Will she be able to rein in her traitorous heart, or will a mysterious stranger sweep her off her feet? Fate had something other than a relaxing summer in mind when it sent Marianne to Edenbrooke.

This "Proper Romance" has a gotten great reviews on Goodreads (average 4.41 stars), Amazon (average 4.7 stars), and Barnes & Noble (average 5 stars).

I hope this book is more enjoyable than my other picks :-P

Happy Reading!

Lucky Leprechaun Punch

I know this is a bit late, but things have been crazy around my house lately! My darling sister gave birth to a beautiful baby, so I've been a little distracted.

isn't she sweet?

Even in the midst of baby-excitement, my family found a way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. My family likes to celebrate St. Pat's in style. We go all out with corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and lots of green food to accompany the traditional Irish fare.

This year, I concocted what I like to call "Lucky Leprechaun Punch." My brother-in-law said he would drink it everyday, so don't think you have to save this for next St. Patty's Day. You can break out this tasty beverage anytime you want! I think that kiddos would be especially excited over a vibrantly green refreshing drink.

Lucky Leprechaun Punch
Recipe by stuff-by-sara.blogspot.com

1 packet lemon-lime drink mix  (I used Kool-Aid)
1 can frozen limeade concentrate
3/4 cup sugar
1 quart water
2 liters lemon-lime soda (Sprite, 7-Up, Sierra Mist--whatever tickles your fancy)
1-2 cups ice

Combine all ingredients in a punch bowl or gallon-size pitcher. Stir to combine. Enjoy!

Jelly Surprise Muffins

I love muffins. My mom made muffins quite a bit during my growing-up years. We ate them for breakfast but also for snacks. Yesterday, I had a hankering for my favorite muffins.

They look pretty average, right? Wait until you bite into one.

Jelly! Yum!

The jelly center is baked right into these little beauties. My favorite is strawberry jam, followed closely by seedless raspberry. You can use whatever jam or jelly tickles your fancy.

Jelly Surprise Muffins
Recipe by Sara (stuff-by-sara.blogspot.com)

2 cups flour
¼ cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
1 beaten egg
1 cup milk
½ cup oil
12 tsp jelly, jam, or marmalade

Preheat your oven to 350º F. Prepare your muffin pans by greasing them or lining each cup with paper liners.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix egg, milk, and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture, and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to over mix, since that can give you tough muffins instead of the tender, delicious texture we're after.

Gently spoon batter into each muffin cup until it is about 1/2 full. Reserve the other half of the batter. Top each muffin with 1 tsp jelly or jam. Cover with remaining batter.

Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

If you eat these little cuties warm, be careful of their jelly centers. They will be hot, so don't burn yourself!

To Pin or Not to Pin

That is the question.

(source)

I am a Pinterest lover. I loooooove Pinterest. Before joining Pinterest, I was known to bookmark a lot of webpages. I wanted to save every good idea or neat project. So I would bookmark each and every one. And then I found Pinterest. GAME. CHANGER. I can still gather all my ideas, and I can satisfy my OCD-like need for order by organizing my pins on individual boards. Win!

The only problem with my Pinteresting addiction is that some ideas that circulate Pinterest aren't worth my time. Sure, the look really cool. Or they sound good in theory. But in practice? Not so much. Enter in: To Pin or Not to Pin. My guide to what has worked for me and what hasn't. I will share with you, litte by little, my Pinterest discoveries: the good, the bad, and the ugly.


First up, homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies.

(original source)

You know you've seen this pin. With 291 likes and 1509 repins, who hasn't? I tried this recipe about a week ago. I'll start off by saying that I am a bit of a food snob. But who doesn't love an Oatmeal Cream Pie? They are one processed, pre-packaged food I will admit I enjoy on occasion. These, however, didn't fit the bill for this tough critic. The cookies were not as dark as the picture, and while tasty, lacked the signature flavor of my Little Debbies. The cookies were also more cakey than chewy. The marshmallow cream filling was pretty good, though. Don't get me wrong, I think this is a good cookie recipe, but not a good oatmeal cream pie recipe. Since I was hoping to make knock-off Oatmeal Cream Pies, this wasn't a winner for me. (Note: this review is regarding the above recipe only. There are several other Oatmeal Cream Pie recipes on Pinterest, but I haven't tried them yet.)

To Pin or Not to Pin? Not. 

Next on the line up: Yoga Routine for Better Sleep

(original source)

There are only a million-and-one yoga pins out there. Which ones are worthy? Well, let me tell you this one is. It is also the easiest yoga routine I have ever done, so it is totally do-able for you novices out there (like myself). It doesn't require any special equipment or mats, which is also a win for those of us who occasionally dabble in the yoga scene. This yoga sequence had me ready to roll over and start snoozing. It was relaxing, and I felt like I was doing my body a solid by "exercising" before sleep.

To Pin or Not to Pin? Pin!



Up to bat, that crazy Mountain Dew glow stick thing

(source)

I went camping this last weekend (yes, in March. Yes, it was freezing). My brother was with me, and he decided that it would be a good time to put the Mountain Dew Glow Stick to the test. Result: undrinkable, uninteresting Mountain Dew. No glow. Not even a dim light. After consulting with several friends who were equally disappointed with their own attempts, I label this a fail. Snopes confirms that this is just a silly hoax. Completely sad, since it would have been awesome to have a glowing bottle of Mountain Dew.

To Pin or Not to Pin? Not. 



Last one for today: let's talk Brownies.

(original source)

As mentioned previously, I am a bit of a food snob. When it comes to brownies, I am really finicky. I like a moist, chewy, rich, fudgy brownie. Emphasis on fudgy. Yum. No cake-like brownies for me. And none of those light-brown impostors. I am a fan of America's Test Kitchen, so when ATK was mentioned in the pin description, I knew I had to try this recipe. These take a little more work than your average brownie recipe, but they are soooo worth the effort. This recipe embodies everything I love in a brownie: decadent, but not overpoweringly sweet; great texture; rich chocolate flavor. I have made these brownies twice already, and you can bet I won't stop there. This is a recipe worth savoring.

To Pin or Not to Pin? Pin!



I hope this post was helpful to you! If there are pins you want me to review, leave me a comment.

Follow me on Pinterest: pinterest.com/sararachels