Recipe ; Zucchini and Pancetta Stir Fry

Zucchini and Pancetta Stir Fry. Great as a side or a meal. Either way, a great choice.

INGREDIENTS AND PREP

2 zucchinis halved and sliced
3oz thinly sliced Pancetta - roughly chopped
1 medium onion - roughly chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Olive oil - enough to coat veggies and pan
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat pan on medium-high. Add all ingredients. Cook to preferred softness of zucchini.

Book Review ; Killer Chef

I have never been able to finish a James Patterson book. Until now. I picked up a few off of other peoples shelves while visiting friends and family. We see his books everywhere. I recall even getting one from the library years ago just to see what all the hype was about. Due to the fact that when I was younger I was mainly a fantasy reader I was not drawn to any James Patterson book I had ever picked up and opened the cover of.

I won this book Killer Chef and some other bookish goodies from a book group I am a member of on Facebook. The book group is called Book Lovers of Kentucky.  If I remember correctly, when I joined, the member count was well under 1,000 and now it is over 4,000. In just a few months. That alone should speak volumes about this group of readers. The group does weekly giveaways, polls,and daily good fun discussing books and reading reviews with each other. I had won 2nd place in a contest on the page and got to have first pick of a group of Bookshots by James Patterson and of decided on Kiler Chef for the simple fact of I enjoy cooking. Along with this book I also won a necklace, an amazon gift card, and bookmarks.

A few days before learning I had won this book I had learned James Patterson books are mostly co-written. This added to the odd list of things that had turned me off to the author before. Bookish pet peeves are real over here. I have never been a huge fan of oversized hardbacks (unless they are leather bound classics). It always screamed arrogant to me that the authors name is so huge on most covers in comparison to the title name. I understand why his covers are this way but when he has actually only written by himself about 50 of the 130 books his name is on the cover of, because he is smart and loves money. But it has made me roll my eyes and pass up on his books more than once. But I must be wrong about this guy because he has sold over 300 million copies worldwide. So what do I know?

Now, with all that said. I enjoyed the book. Kiler Chef was written by James Patterson and Jefferey J. Keyes. The book was a quick and pleasant read other than he few parts that made me think to myself, okay the main character is hot and everyone wants him. We get it. Outside of that, the words were direct and the fulfillment of my need for a fast paced action/mystery was sufficed.

The main character is a popular food truck owner that works alongside his ex wife/best friend and he is also a private detective. People in New Orleans begin dying from poison being put in their food at local restaurants. This jalapeño-poppin’ hunk has a lot going on. And I am still wondering how he never gets heart burn from his eating habits. It may have had a rushed ending but the point of the Bookshots books is to keep the books short and affordable. I’d read another one of James Patterson’s ghostwriters books. I wouldn’t mind grabbing a couple to read while on vacation. Definitely fit better in my handbag than most of the books that I have read this year. That’s always a plus.

Recipe ; Bacon and white chocolate cheesecake

Bacon and white chocolate cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:

Approx 6 slices of bacon cut in half

1/4 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup stevia

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

8 oz of cream cheese

1 tsp coconut oil

3-4 Ghirardelli white chocolate chips per slice of bacon

(Fun fact : 1 serving size from this is bag is about 33 chips and that adds up to approx 9 grams of carbs per serving. Split that up into even smaller servings and it can be low carbish)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix lemon juice, lemon extract, cream cheese and stevia until smooth in mixer.

2. Cover with plastic wrap and put in fridge while cooking bacon.

3. Fry bacon slices

4. Let bacon cool and remove cream cheese mixture from fridge.

5. Pipe cream cheese on top of bacon.

6. Add a few white chocolate chips on top.

Recipe ; Keto Cheesy Garlic Loaf

Keto Cheesy Garlic Loaf

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/3 cups almond flour

1 cup cheddar cheese shredded

1/2 cup butter

8 oz cream cheese

8 whole eggs (room temp)

1 tsp sage

1 tsp rosemary

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp Italian seasoning

1.5 tsp baking powder

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Mix butter and cream until smooth with beaters in medium bowl or in mixer

2. Add Rosemary, Sage, and Italian seasoning to mixture until fully combined

3. Add eggs and continue to mix until smooth

4. Add flour and baking powder mix well. Mixture should become slightly thick

5. Grease two meatloaf pans

6. Fill each about half way with batter 

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

Do toothpick test to make sure done.

Recipe ; Almond Flour Pancakes

Almond Flour Pancakes

INGREDIENTS:

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon water

2oz cream cheese

2/3 cup almond flour 

1 tsp baking powder2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp pumpkin spice

1 tsp stevia

Butter and syrup (sugar free syrup for low carb option)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add all ingredients to blender. Start with the eggs, cream cheese and water first so the dry ingredients don't stick at the bottom.

2. Blend until smooth. Let batter settle for 2 minutes.

3. Set heat to medium heat on non-stick skillet. Use about 4 tablespoons of batter per pancake.

4. Once you see bubbles starting to form on top of the pancake, flip it. Cook until both sides are browned. 

5. Repeat until batter is used up.

6. Top with butter and syrup.

Book Review ; In A Dark, Dark Wood

In A Dark, Dark Wood --- By Ruth Ware

I have found that in a Ware book the middle tends to get sluggish and muddy but I do love her twisted endings. For the most part the book is a quick and easy page turner. A woman wakes up in a hospital bed after a bachelorette party, badly bruised and bandaged with memory loss.

No, it is not the women's edition of Hangover. Many people complain about the characters of this book from other reviews I had read about and I don't really have any except one. There is an annoying and emotional as hell friend who throws the party. And wow she worked on even my nerves at times. The characters are in their 20's or so and catty and "immature". Ummm, yeah. Most people in their 20's are exactly that. So I'm not sure what planet these people are from that I read reviews from but... it didn't make me grimace when reading how these people acted because that's how most people just are at one point or another.

The book was consistently okay and not spectacular. This was not surprising because neither was the other book I read by Ware called The Woman in Cabin 10. I will not be rushing to pre order any books by Ruth Ware but if someone gifted me one, I would read it. I at least know that the first five and last 5 chapters will be awesome.

Book Review ; The Chemist

The Chemist ---- By Stephanie Meyer

Paranormal Young Adult author to now Adult Spy author?! What?! Who does that?! Stephanie Meyer does that. The author of Twilight. I have never read a spy book and probably would not have any time soon if Meyer had not written this book. So thank you Meyer. 

This is about a bad ass scientist who has to take action into her own hands and sees the job from the other side. Action scenes in the book are pretty awesome and intriguing. The real detailed science stuff like the vile number and code had me speed reading at times through the book. 

There is a romantic interest and his brother who are also main characters. The brother is also a top notch spy but is stubborn as a 3 year old. The romantic situation happens very quickly and is odd. But when you know, you know, right? 

I'm glad I read the book even though it was so long and didn't need to be. Hats off to Meyer for refusing to get stuck in one singular category and for broadening my reading interests.