Readalong of State of Wonder

I'm doing a  Readalong in June with my friend Care from

Care's Books and Pie!

You can join if you want to.

I just want to point you to Care's blog and say

What she said!

Because, really---she said it best.

So go check out her blog post and join us if you will

(an interesting side note---I met and became friends with Care all because of a Readalong--see what can happen?  It's magic friendship if you read-a-long!)

How does this work?

I stole this from Care's blog: (word for word--I stole it):

How does a READALONG work?  Mostly via Twitter (and likely Litsy and IG), I will be quoting bits and my reactions to stuff. All extremely informal. Take the month of  June. No timeline other than that. Use hashtag:  #StateOfWonder

So... are you in?   Yes?

You want to know what the book is about?

Goodreads says:

Award-winning "New York Times"-bestselling author Ann Patchett (Bel Canto, The Magician's Assistant) returns with a provocative novel of morality and miracles, science and sacrifice set in the Amazon rainforest--a gripping adventure story and a profound look at the difficult choices we make in the name of discovery and love.

In a narrative replete with poison arrows, devouring snakes, scientific miracles, and spiritual transformations, State of Wonder presents a world of stunning surprise and danger, rich in emotional resonance and moral complexity.

As Dr. Marina Singh embarks upon an uncertain odyssey into the insect-infested Amazon, she will be forced to surrender herself to the lush but forbidding world that awaits within the jungle. Charged with finding her former mentor Dr. Annick Swenson, a researcher who has disappeared while working on a valuable new drug, she will have to confront her own memories of tragedy and sacrifice as she journeys into the unforgiving heart of darkness. Stirring and luminous, State of Wonder is a world unto itself, where unlikely beauty stands beside unimaginable loss beneath the rain forest's jeweled canopy

See you on Twitter! 

#StateOfWonder

The Friday Friend Cookbook Volume 2

Do you remember this?

Well my great friend Shelly, just shipped me this:

VOLUME 2!!!!

It's great, amazing, wonderful, awesome!
It's all about my friends--so how can it not be!!

Oh look---my lovely assistants:

I'll be back with more about the 2nd volume of the FF Cookbook!

I just wanted to say a big Thank you to Barb for typing up the original and for Shelly FOR MAKING ME A PRINTED HARDBACK COPY!

THANK YOU FRIENDS!

and maybe to the Handyman for saying those famous last words:

You'll never make every recipe in this book!

The Summer Before the War

From Goodreads:

East Sussex, 1914. It is the end of England’s brief Edwardian summer, and everyone agrees that the weather has never been so beautiful. Hugh Grange, down from his medical studies, is visiting his Aunt Agatha, who lives with her husband in the small, idyllic coastal town of Rye. Agatha's husband works in the Foreign Office, and she is certain he will ensure that the recent sabre rattling over the Balkans won't come to anything. And Agatha has more immediate concerns; she has just risked her carefully built reputation by pushing for the appointment of a woman to replace the Latin master.

When Beatrice Nash arrives with one trunk and several large crates of books, it is clear she is significantly more freethinking — and attractive — than anyone believes a Latin teacher should be. For her part, mourning the death of her beloved father, who has left her penniless, Beatrice simply wants to be left alone to pursue her teaching and writing.

But just as Beatrice comes alive to the beauty of the Sussex landscape and the colorful characters who populate Rye, the perfect summer is about to end. For despite Agatha's reassurances, the unimaginable is coming. Soon the limits of progress, and the old ways, will be tested as this small Sussex town and its inhabitants go to war

From Me:

I really liked this book--a lovely story about a small town in the south of England, on the verge of WWI, with a cast of quirky fun characters, some whom you will fall in love with.  It's been said if you're a fan of Downton Abbey, then you'll enjoy this book.  There is some similarities, but  it holds up on it's own I feel.  I listened to an audio version and loved the narrator, Fiona Hardingham.

Sci-Fi Summer Read-a-Thon

Michelle from Seasons of Reading is hosting a Summer Sci-Fi  Read-a-Thon.

You can check out all the facts at her blog.

I plan to join along---I've been wanting to read more sci-fi  (It's my least read genre) and this is the perfect opportunity!

Thanks Michelle.

Save the dates!

Read-a-Thon dates: Wednesday, June 1 at 12:00am CST until Tuesday, June 7 at 11:59pm CST (adjust your time zone accordingly).

I can't wait!

One Good Earl and A Rake

From Goodreads:

Lady Philippa Marbury is odd. The bespectacled, brilliant fourth daughter of the Marquess of Needham and Dolby cares more for books than balls, flora than fashion and science than the season. Nearly engaged to Lord Castleton, Pippa wants to explore the scandalous parts of London she's never seen before marriage. And she knows just who to ask: the tall, charming, quick-witted bookkeeper of The Fallen Angel, London's most notorious and coveted gaming hell, known only as Cross.

Like any good scientist, Pippa's done her research and Cross's reputation makes him perfect for her scheme. She wants science without emotion—the experience of ruination without the repercussions of ruination. And who better to provide her with the experience than this legendary man? But when this odd, unexpected female propositions Cross, it's more than tempting . . . and it will take everything he has to resist following his instincts—and giving the lady precisely what she wants.

From Me:

Love. This. Book.

Let me just say that I'm having a real good time 'researching' how the  historical romance novels of today are different from the early RN of the late 1970's and 80's that I grew up reading.   They have taken on a more feminist leaning.  YES--feminist.  That's what I said--and I said it because Sarah MacLean the author of One Good Earl said it, as well as many professors, scholars and students of women's studies.

Read this article:

Sarah MacLean/smart is sexy, etc.

There is a section on Romance Novels as a Feminist Act

Or this article:

Beyond Bodice-Rippers: How Romance Novels Came to Embrace Feminism

The Romance Novels I grew up on, were --I don't even know how to put this---much darker and a lot of times they included non-consensual sex (rape) and kidnapping. (of course, not all of them, but a good deal of them did)  But I loved them...as did millions of women... and there are reasons for that, but you'll have to take the Women's Studies class at Yale to understand all that.  I'm sure if I went back and read them today, they would be quite bothersome to me.

Today's books are nothing like that.  They have strong, feisty  female characters, men who are strong, gentle, caring and don't treat women as property, but you know--the books still are a romance: he's not that enlightened! (and yet, by the  end of the book he is)

There is still lots of  brooding,  yearning, mixed up messages, great banter and   hot sex.

So, in the name of research,  I am obsessively making my way thru a few in a few days to see how they've evolved.

And guess what---

I'm having a great time!

These are two of my favorites!

I loved them!

Truth be told tho, I still have a little bit of a problem with the covers.  I don't  feel they reflect the story within.  But that's just me, I suppose.

I think MacLean and Enoch are great writers! 

Anybody who has the talent and skill to extract such feelings from  a reader is tops in my book.

If Stephen King can scare you just by the way he combines words on paper and is considered a great writer--  then the way these two authors put words on paper and can make you feel, so, so, so..... Ack!  Happy, frustrated, sensual, sad, ecstatic, then they are writers on par with SK!  And SK is my hero, so this is pretty high praise.

Isn't that the point for putting words on paper--to make a story to make you feel?

They've done a great job.

I don't usually read backlists, but I now what I'm taking to the cabin this summer!

From Goodreads:

Once upon a time, the notorious Viscount Dare charmed Lady Georgiana Halley out of her innocence ― to win a wager, no less! ― and now he must pay dearly. The plan is simple: She will use every seductive wile she knows to win Dare's heart...and then break it. But his smoldering gaze once again tempts Georgiana to give in to desire ― and when he astonishes her with a marriage proposal, she wonders: Is he playing yet another game...or could it truly be love this time?

From Me:

I loved this story!

The Rake turned out to be a great guy.

PS  sorry I lumped them into one post.  It probably wasn't fair, as they truly deserve their own accolades.

And the Winner is: Brother Odd!

This is the 4th time I have I joined in a monthly meme hosted by Michelle at  Because Reading is Better than Real Life, in which we put up 3 books on the first Saturday of the month, and then you readers, vote on which one I should read, I let you know--on this 2nd Saturday of the month, which one won-- I read and then I write a blog post on the last Saturday of the month.

 

It's so much fun!

I always have a hard time choosing what book to read next....as any book nerd knows, it's because our TBR Piles are so big!!  So, this is a way to read something I've been meaning to for some time.

This was the book you chose for me this month:

I'm looking forward to reading it!

You can join in this fun meme if you want to.

Just visit

Because Reading is Better than Real Life.

Bird Box by Josh Malerman

From Goodreads:

Something is out there, something terrifying that must not be seen. One glimpse of it, and a person is driven to deadly violence. No one knows what it is or where it came from.

Five years after it began, a handful of scattered survivors remains, including Malorie and her two young children. Living in an abandoned house near the river, she has dreamed of fleeing to a place where they might be safe. Now that the boy and girl are four, it's time to go, but the journey ahead will be terrifying: twenty miles downriver in a rowboat--blindfolded--with nothing to rely on but her wits and the children’s trained ears. One wrong choice and they will die. Something is following them all the while, but is it man, animal, or monster?

Interweaving past and present, Bird Box is a snapshot of a world unraveled that will have you racing to the final page.

From Me:

Oh my gosh!  OMG!  OMG!

I really, really enjoyed this book.

As you know, I don't consider myself a book 'reviewer', but just a reader (takes lots of pressure off of myself that way), and as just a reader I feel comfortable saying what another reviewer said:

WHAT. THE. HELL.

(from Christy at Love of Books)

But she's so right!

I listened to this on audio--narrated by Cassandra Campbell,  who is excellent!

It's a little bit sci-fi, a little bit dystopian, a little bit mystery, a little bit spooky,  a lot amazing!

4.5 stars!

Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter

I read this book for my Library Book Club this  month.

From Goodreads:

Joe and Rose Kennedy’s strikingly beautiful daughter Rosemary attended exclusive schools, was presented as a debutante to the Queen of England, and traveled the world with her high-spirited sisters. And yet, Rosemary was intellectually disabled — a secret fiercely guarded by her powerful and glamorous family.  Major new sources — Rose Kennedy’s diaries and correspondence, school and doctors' letters, and exclusive family interviews — bring Rosemary alive as a girl adored but left far behind by her competitive siblings. Kate Larson reveals both the sensitive care Rose and Joe gave to Rosemary and then — as the family’s standing reached an apex — the often desperate and duplicitous arrangements the Kennedys made to keep her away from home as she became increasingly intractable in her early twenties. Finally, Larson illuminates Joe’s decision to have Rosemary lobotomized at age twenty-three, and the family's complicity in keeping the secret. 

Rosemary delivers a profoundly moving coda: JFK visited Rosemary for the first time while campaigning in the Midwest; she had been living isolated in a Wisconsin institution for nearly twenty years. Only then did the siblings understand what had happened to Rosemary and bring her home for loving family visits. It was a reckoning that inspired them to direct attention to the plight of the disabled, transforming the lives of millions.

From Me:

Very interesting read. 

Years ago, I read every book written about the Kennedy Family---I couldn't get enough.  They intrigue me. 

It's been over 25 years since I've read a book about the family, so when I found out this was a choice for this book club, I was excited to read it.

Would I recommend it? 

 Well... I liked it, but I don't know that learned any new information--but that's just me!  If the family intrigues you and you want to find out more about them,  I suggest you read this.

The Kennedy family, whether you love them or hate them, is fascinating.  

Pork Parmigiana--Cookbook Countdown #89 and Cookbook Wednesday

Cookbook Wednesday

is hosted by Louise

at 

Months of Edible Celebrations!

I love Louise's blog!  She has such interesting posts.

It's "Eat What you Want Day" in Louise's kitchen today!

Go check it out.

I am hoping to join in every week with Cookbook Wednesday, but 

as  I said the last time I posted a cookbook for the countdown,  

this isn't even making a dent in my collection.

And it's #89!

This will keep me busy until I die. (posting from each cookbook)

Check them all out here!

I love the Taste of Home Magazine.  My mom used to get me a subscription for Christmas for years.  

I didn't keep the original magazines, because Taste of Home publications is good about putting out yearly compilation cookbooks as well as specialty ones.

This one--- Busy Family Favorites---is  a favorite of mine.

Quick, Easy 30 minute meals,  made with common ingredients ---perfect!

I actually made this recipe a few months ago, took photos and made a draft, but I didn't write anything.  This morning when I went to find the recipe  in the cookbook and write up the post, I was looking in the "poultry" chapter and I COULD NOT FIND it.  

I got a little panicky,  a little hysterical  (not really, but I did laugh at myself a lot)

I thought--what did I do?  Was it not this cookbook?

Well, upon further examination---this is a pork tenderloin, NOT a chicken breast. 

I remember now. It's all coming back to me!

I am getting old,  you know.

Anyway...mystery solved and here is the recipe for some great, easy, tasty,

Pork Parmigiana!

Pork Parmigiana

Taste of Home

1 1/3 cup uncooked spiral pasta

2 cups meatless spaghetti sauce

1 pork tenderloin

1/2 cup egg substitute (I just used a couple of eggs)

1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs

3 T grated Parmesan cheese,divided

1/4 cup shredded part-skin mozzarella cheese

1.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Place spaghetti sauce in a small saucepan; cook over low heat until heated through, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, cut tenderloin into eight slices; flatten to 1/4 inch-thickness.  Place egg in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs and 1 T Parm cheese.  Dip pork slices in egg then roll in the crumb mixture.

3. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 425F for  5-6 minutes on each side or until meat is tender.  Drain pasta; serve with spaghetti sauce and pork.  Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and remaining Parmesan cheese.

Check out all my sticky note reminders of how many recipes I want to make from this cook book!  

LOTS!

I better get to  cookin' !

And you can go check out Months of Edible Creations!

Lady Killer and Ms. Marvel

Am I too old for this??

(comics that is)

 

Seriously, that is my question.  But I only ask myself.  (not you--I don't want to be judged for being an old lady reading comics--I wonder what I'll write to describe myself when I really get old--ancient?)
 

Do I really care if I should be too old  for this stuff  (  THIS stuff)? 

No, not really. 

Because I really had a fun time reading these two  comics.

 

 

From Goodreads:

Josie Schuller is a picture-perfect homemaker, wife, and mother—but she’s also a ruthless, efficient killer for hire! A brand-new original comedy series that combines the wholesome imagery of early 1960s domestic bliss with a tightening web of murder, paranoia, and cold-blooded survival.

 

From Me:

Now this one is just funny!  I love Josie.  I love the graphics.

This is pretty dark, but funny just the same.

 

From Goodreads:

Kamala Khan is an ordinary girl from Jersey City — until she's suddenly empowered with extraordinary gifts. But who truly is the new Ms. Marvel? Teenager? Muslim? Inhuman? Find out as she takes the Marvel Universe by storm! When Kamala discovers the dangers of her newfound powers, she unlocks a secret behind them, as well. Is Kamala ready to wield these immense new gifts? Or will the weight of the legacy before her be too much to bear? Kamala has no idea, either. But she's comin' for you, Jersey!

 

 

From Me:

Ms. Marvel---I loved how her teenage angst was an integral part of the story.  Her teenage ups and downs and insecurity and parent issues AND how she has to deal with being a Muslim in country which is suspicious of those religious  and cultural ideals.

I liked the diversity and I like seeing how her confidence grows and I like her friends.

*******

 

 

The only thing I do care about-is that I spent $16 for 20 minutes of pleasure.

(That sentence  sounds really weird to me, but you get it, right? It's because I live in Nevada, where you really can spend money for pleasure ~smiles~)
 

They were really good, but it's pricey when you read fast.

Any ideas on how to do this cheaper,  you graphic book readers out there?

 

I don't regret it (too much) tho, as I really enjoyed the books and I know I will continue reading these two series.

 

 

 

 

These Vicious Masks

From Goodreads:

England, 1882. Evelyn is bored with society and its expectations. So when her beloved sister, Rose, mysteriously vanishes, she ignores her parents and travels to London to find her, accompanied by the dashing Mr. Kent. But they’re not the only ones looking for Rose. The reclusive, young gentleman Sebastian Braddock is also searching for her, claiming that both sisters have special healing powers. Evelyn is convinced that Sebastian must be mad, until she discovers that his strange tales of extraordinary people are true—and that her sister is in graver danger than she feared.

From Me:

So Amazon said

 that this book can be compared to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice meets the X-Men.

That intrigued me I had to read this book.

I think what I wrote on Litsy is "I liked it at the beginning, the middle was "eh" and then I LOVED it at the end!  It was exactly as  Amazon said:  regency era and superpowers!  (that's kind of a weird combination).

There was a little bit of romance, a lot of mystery, and---well superpowers.

I enjoyed reading this YA novel and am looking forward to the sequels. I understand it is the first in a trilogy.

3.5 stars!

What Should I Read Next

 

A monthly meme hosted by Michelle at  Because Reading is Better than Real Life.

Michelle says:

We sit for hours looking through our TBR lists wondering when we will ever get to that one book we were dying to read when we added it 3 months ago or maybe even a year. As our piles get bigger we realize there is just not enough time in a day to read all the books that we wanted to read. So I had a great idea, pick 3 books from my TBR Pile and have you all pick which one I should read next. This is a monthly MEME and you are more than welcome to join me.

 

There are of course some rules, but if you want to join in go here to check them all out.

Okay people....help me out here!  I need a book to read and I need your help in choosing which one.

Below are three I want to read, but..... my decision making skills when I'm not at work are nil.

All you have to do is  just make a comment  on which one you choose for me and I'll let you know next Saturday what I'm reading next....the majority wins!

 

This is the 4th time for me to participate in the meme...You've chosen 3 first place and first rate winners, so I decided to  give you all the 2nd place books from the last three months and see what one you come up with this time.

 

Runners Up for the last 3 months are:

 

From Goodreads:

 

 A modern masterpiece from one of Italy’s most acclaimed authors, My Brilliant Friend is a rich, intense, and generous-hearted story about two friends, Elena and Lila. Ferrante’s inimitable style lends itself perfectly to a meticulous portrait of these two women that is also the story of a nation and a touching meditation on the nature of friendship.

 

From Goodreads:

Lila Soto has a master’s degree that’s gathering dust, a work-obsessed husband, two kids, and lots of questions about how exactly she ended up here.

In their new city of Philadelphia, Lila’s husband, Sam, takes his job as a restaurant critic a little too seriously. To protect his professional credibility, he’s determined to remain anonymous. Soon his preoccupation with anonymity takes over their lives as he tries to limit the family’s contact with anyone who might have ties to the foodie world. Meanwhile, Lila craves adult conversation and some relief from the constraints of her homemaker role. With her patience wearing thin, she begins to question everything: her decision to get pregnant again, her break from her career, her marriage—even if leaving her ex-boyfriend was the right thing to do. As Sam becomes more and more fixated on keeping his identity secret, Lila begins to wonder if her own identity has completely disappeared—and what it will take to get it back.

 

 

 

From Goodreads:

What's it all about?

 

Loop me in, odd one.

The words, spoken in the deep of night by a sleeping child, chill the young man watching over her. For this was a favorite phrase of Stormy Llewellyn, his lost love, and Stormy is dead, gone forever from this world. In the haunted halls of the isolated monastery where he had sought peace, Odd Thomas is stalking spirits of an infinitely darker nature.

Through two New York Times bestselling novels Odd Thomas has established himself as one of the most beloved and unique fictional heroes of our time. Now, wielding all the power and magic of a master storyteller at the pinnacle of his craft, Dean Koontz follows Odd into a singular new world where he hopes to make a fresh beginning—but where he will meet an adversary as old and inexorable as time itself.

St. Bartholomew’s Abbey sits in majestic solitude amid the wild peaks of California’s high Sierra, a haven for children otherwise abandoned, and a sanctuary for those seeking insight. Odd Thomas has come here to learn to live fully again, and among the eccentric monks, their other guests, and the nuns and young students of the attached convent school, he has begun to find his way. The silent spirits of the dead who visited him in his earlier life are mercifully absent, save for the bell-ringing Brother Constantine and Odd’s steady companion, the King of Rock 'n' Roll.

But trouble has a way of finding Odd Thomas, and it slinks back onto his path in the form of the sinister bodachs he has met previously, the black shades who herald death and disaster, and who come late one December night to hover above the abbey’s most precious charges. For Odd is about to face an enemy who eclipses any he has yet encountered, as he embarks on a journey of mystery, wonder, and sheer suspense that surpasses all that has come before. 

 

 

*************

So these are the 2nd place books from the last 3 months.  One of them will be a winner this time!

Please just vote in the comments and I'll let you know the winner next Saturday and then read it and write up a blog post for the last Saturday in the month.

I can't wait to see what you pick!

Thanks.

Book Blogger Hop

 

Book Blogger Hop is hosted each week by

Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer.

 

This week's question is:

 

 

Why did you start your blog?

 

Hmmmm....why did I start my blog.

Honestly, I thought it would be a better forum for my group of "Friday Friends" to discuss things. Better than email.  But it never really caught on with them.

If you go to the beginning of my blog in 2007,  there is a bunch of rambling that no one would ever understand. (it's my friends from all over the country discussing and answering some random questions, which I had posed to them)

That was short lived, because them I discovered food blogging.  Then book blogging, then photography blogging, etc.

I had separate blogs for each, and then I decided 'screw that' it's my blog, my hobby, I can do whatever I want in ONE blog and WAH-LA!  Here it is.

It is 68% a book blog and 32% food and other stuff.

 

And that's why I started this blog.

You?

 

To Marry an English Lord

 

From Goodreads:

From the Gilded Age until 1914, more than 100 American heiresses invaded Britannia and swapped dollars for titles--just like Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham, the first of the Downton Abbey characters Julian Fellowes was inspired to create after reading To Marry An English Lord. Filled with vivid personalities, gossipy anecdotes, grand houses, and a wealth of period details--plus photographs, illustrations, quotes, and the finer points of Victorian and Edwardian etiquette--To Marry An English Lord is social history at its liveliest and most accessible.

 

From me:

While I enjoyed it very much, I found it hard to read as the layout was very annoying and frustrating,  so I found it was the kind of book that I could put down for a few days and then come back to.  But I really enjoyed the back stories of all the American heiresses who literally gave up everything just for a title.  It was social climbing at its best.   These young women did not marry for love and didn't always have an easy time of it in England, but once in a great while a marriage of convenience did grow into love.

3 stars.

Spiced Rum Applesauce--Cookbook Countdown Number #88 with Cookbook Wednesday

 Cookbook Wednesday

is hosted by Louise

at 

Months of Edible Celebrations!

I love Louise's blog!  She has such interesting posts.

Today she is featuring "Mexican Fiestas".

It's been a while since I've posted on a Cookbook Wednesday, but 

as  I said the last time I posted a cookbook for the countdown,  

this isn't even making a dent in my collection.

And it's #88!

This will keep me busy until I die. (posting from each cookbook)

Check them all out here!

When I was little my mom made a side dish: fried apples.  It looked similar to this.
I think these look like caramelized onions kind of.  What do you think?

But cookbook 88!
It's a good one.

Goodreads says:

Hungry for something different? Then try America's Best BBQ. Here, two of the world's top barbecue experts present their favorite barbecue recipes from across America.

Only Ardie and Paul, the go-to sources on barbecue, can earn the trust--and the secret recipes--from some of the nation's barbecue legends.

Tasty sides include tips, tricks, techniques, fun memorabilia, full-color photos, and firsthand recollections of tales from the pits culled from over a century of combined barbecue experience.

With more than 100 recipes for mouthwatering starters, moist and flavorful meats, classic side dishes, sauces and rubs, and decadent desserts, this book should come with its own wet-nap.

* Whether it's spicy or sweet, Texas or Memphis, this is the best collection of American barbecue recipes.

********

While I  have many book marks in this cookbook for some good BBQ, this night I wanted something simple, so I chose these pork steaks and chunky applesauce.

I love applesauce and any apple dessert, and this was easy-peasy.

It was good, but didn't taste like any applesauce I've ever had.  First of all there was NO cinnamon and second, there WAS spiced rum.

You have to learn how to give and take, right?

The apples cooked in spiced rum was different.  It was good tho.  

I didn't add the raisins, because, well, plump warm raisins are only good in cookies.   (Seriously tho, I don't like raisins in sauces and things, but I do like them in cookies)   You can add the raisins if you want.

Would I recommend this recipe?

Yes, I would. I would definitely   make this  dish again.

It's simple, easy and tasty.

If you can't make out that recipe from above it goes like this:

Chunky applesauce

2 t canola oil

8 T butter

3-4 granny smith apples, peeled and sliced

1 cup raisins

1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup Captain Morgan's spiced rum

Place oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter melts, add the apple slices and cook until soft, 10-15 minutes.  Add the raisins, brown sugar and rum and cook over low heat until you get a chunky sauce consistency, about 30 minutes.  

Serve on the side with pork steaks or pour it over them.

I really did do the pork steaks, but the Handyman cut into it to see if it was done and it looks like Pac-man on my plate and I didn't want to share.

But then I go ahead and share!

(this is why I could never do anything naughty--I'd be blabbing to all my friends)

And that is Cookbook #88!