I love books. Maybe a little too much. I could not even begin to say how many hours of my life have been spent reading. Sometimes it has been for inspiration, sometimes for education or instruction, but the majority of it has been reading for pleasure. Some books combine the previously-mentioned reasons, which makes time spent reading even more enjoyable.
After I became an author myself, I have had more opportunity to meet other authors. I met Mary Wilkinson at a book event held by our local bookstore (Three Sisters) in September of 2016. Since then, Mary and I have become friends. Mary’s latest book Room 101 debuted a couple of months ago. Written for the middle grades, Room 101 tells the story of a boy who makes a positive difference in his community.
When my granddaughter Maggie heard that Mary had published a new book, she was eager to read it. She already had a copy of Mary’s first book for that age group, Call Me Lizzy, which she very much enjoyed. I had Mary send me a signed copy, but I must admit that I read it myself before mailing it to Maggie. Even though the book is written for a younger audience, I found it to be well worth the time spent reading it, as the story is quite inspiring.
Some friends from the past have been writing as a husband-wife team for several years now. I knew Danny and Wanda Pelfrey from the years Danny pastored a church in Shelbyville. It had been quite a while since I had seen them; we were able to renew our acquaintance when they came do a book signing at Three Sisters in April of last year. Since that time, Danny and Wanda had a new book published, On Level Ground. I plan to be at Three Sisters for the book signing for their new mystery, which will be held this coming Saturday.
In case anyone is wondering, the title of my book is Seeds of Light, Seeds of Joy. It contains stories much like the ones found in my column, with an inspirational twist. If the bookstore doesn’t have it in stock, they can readily obtain copies.
Many of the books in my possession are cookbooks. I love browsing through them and finding recipes to try. Here is a meal idea I put together from some I have prepared before:
Roast Sirloin with Black Peppercorn Crust
2 tablespoons black peppercorns, very coarsely ground or crushed
1 pound boneless lean sirloin steak, 1 to 1-1/2 inches thick, trimmed of fat
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
2 or 3 green onions, chopped fine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 cup low-sodium beef broth or beef stock
Preheat oven to 550 degrees (a high heat, not a typo). Top rack should be in upper third of oven. Coat both sides of the steak with the crushed peppercorns.
Set a heavy 10-inch skillet with an ovenproof handle over moderately high heat for 1 minute. Add olive oil and heat until almost smoking – about 1 minute more. Add steak, cook for 30 seconds on one side, then turn.
Transfer skillet to upper third of oven and roast, uncovered, about 4 to 5 minutes for rare, 6 to 7 minutes for medium rare, 7 to 8 minutes for medium. Transfer the steak to a heated platter and slice thin.
Add green onions to skillet and cook, stirring over moderate heat for 30 seconds. Add vinegar and cook, uncovered, for 1 minute. Add broth and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits, until 1/2 cup of liquid remains. Serve steak with sauce. Serves 4.
Sour Cream Potatoes
4 medium potatoes, peeled and boiled
1 cup white sauce (see below)
1/2 pint sour cream
1 tablespoon seasoned salt (I used 2 teaspoons Mrs. Dash plus 1/2 teaspoon salt)
2 cups shredded cheese (any flavor).
Mash cooked potatoes in a large bowl. Add other ingredients except cheese and mix together well. (I used mixer). Pour into square pan (8-9″ square) or casserole dish and cover with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted.
White sauce: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir well. Add 1 cup milk all at once and cooked and stir until thickened. Yields 1 cup.
Salad with Red Grapefruit-Lemon Vinaigrette
1/3 cup fresh red grapefruit juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons honey
1-1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 (10-ounce) package chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup red grapefruit segments
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
1/4 cup dry-roasted sunflower seeds (optional)
Whisk together first 8 ingredients in a small bowl.
Combine romaine lettuce, carrots, grapefruit segments, and sliced onion in a large bowl. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds, if desired. Serve with vinaigrette.
Note: Store remaining vinaigrette in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week.