Brothers and Bones-A Book Review

As you are reading this I am on an airplane heading to sunny Bonaire.  Bonaire is part of the ABC island chain, consisting of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.  We have been to all 3.  This is our second trip to Bonaire which is a marine preserve in the southern Caribbean.  Our first visit was 15 years ago and diving was the only game in town which suited us perfectly.  I am anxious to see how the Island has evolved over the years.

It seems like we had just returned from our trip to Islamorada in Florida and it was time to start packing up again.  We drove to Islamorada and helped pass the time with another audible book by James Hankins.  I had shared my review of Shady Cross by this author only a month ago.  I really enjoyed that book but, more importantly, Frank really enjoyed that book.  I knew we were going to be spending 10-14 hrs a day in the car so I decided to order up another novel by this author and chose Brother and Bones.

This book, like the first, is filled with horrible crimes against people.  This book the crimes are committed by members of the Mafia.  Unlike the first book, this novel has characters that you like. The narrator was awesome and sounded very similar to the author of Shady Cross, however it was not the same person.  This novel was narrated by John Rubinstein.

An assistant DA is on his way to a very important case being heard in court when he is approached by a homeless man who calls him by the nickname formerly only used by the protagonist's brother who has been missing for 13 years and is presumed dead.  This knocks the protagonist, Charlie Beckham, for a loop and starts him searching once again for the brother he had lost at the risk of his job, his safety, his life and his sanity.  It is a great thriller and James Hankins has become one of my favorite authors.  I am currently listening to another of his novels, The Prettiest One, which is narrated by Bon Shaw who read Shady Cross.

Whole Roasted Branzini for #FishFridayFoodies

This month's Fish Friday Foodies is being hosted by my friend, Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla.  Camilla is lucky enough to live in California and is able to get fresh seafood and fish year round.  I live in Michigan and we are surrounded by fresh water.  We have great fish but it is seasonal.  I guess I could go ice fishing if I chose but that is not really my cup of tea.  Living where she does, Camilla makes a lot of fish and has some great recipes that she shares regularly.  You really should check them out.

Camilla chose Whole Fish/Seafood for our theme.  The only time I have made whole fish was many years ago when we were visiting Frank's cousin, Eugene, up north and he brought home some Brook Trout that he had just caught.  He cleaned the fish and left it whole, I seasoned it with salt and pepper, stuffed it with some onions, lemons and tomatoes, wrapped it in foil and threw it on the grill.  This was nearly twenty years ago and my mouth still waters whenever I remember that meal.

I was excited when Cam chose this theme and anxious to try my hand at a Whole Fish again.  I wasn't sure what I was going to make.  I was actually wishing that it was a little later in the year.  In a couple of weeks the Smelt will be running in Michigan and sometimes, when I am lucky and the Smelt is plentiful, some of our friends who go Smelt dipping share with us.  Smelt are tiny little fish.  When my Pops would bring them home my Mom would snip off  their heads and slice their bellies.  I was in charge of rinsing out the innards and throwing them in seasoned flour.  Pops would fry them up and you eat them....bones, tail and all....kind of like french fries.  So delicious!!!

The fish market had several whole fish from which to choose.  Whiting which I have never tried but plan on doing so soon.  Flounder which is delicious but I wasn't sure how you would cook a whole flounder and Branzini, a sea bass from Greece.  I have had Branzini once before in a restaurant while on vacation and it was delicious.  I decided that this was the fish I would prepare for today.

I seasoned the fish inside and out liberally with kosher salt and lemon pepper seasoning.  Then I stuffed the cavity of the fish with lemons, fennel bulb and fennel fronds.  I drizzled the entire fish with some Tuscan Herb Olive Oil and topped it with more lemon slices, placed it in a hot oven for 15 minutes and dinner was served!

I wanted to show the whole fish once it was roasted in the spirit of this theme, however when serving it to guests you may want to remove the head.  Many people find that opaque eye unsettling.  I roasted one fish for Frank and I to share and served it up after removing it from the carcass.  The flesh slips right away from the bones and skin.

I served it up with a tomato and mozzarella salad and a side of mac and cheese.  The Branzini was flaky and a light white meat.  It is better suited for a lighter side, perhaps some rice or roasted vegetables but Frank was hankering for some Mac and Cheese so that was what he got.  I paired the fish with a Les Dauphins Cotes du Rhone that I posted about in last week's WinePW.

Would you like to join Fish Friday Foodies?  We post and share new seafood/fish recipes on the third Friday of each month.  To join our group please email me at wendyklik1517@gmail.com.  Visit our Facebook page and Pinterest page for more wonderful fish and seafood recipes.

Now let's take a look at what the other's are sharing with us this month!

An InLinkz Link-up

Getting Ready for our Caribbean Getaway

We were scheduled to go out to dinner Tuesday night with our friends, the Douma's, but work called for Helen and she is back on the east coast for a week so we are shooting for May now.

We have been trying to get together with our friends, the Benda's, for a couple of months now so when we had an opening in our schedule we decided to see if they were free and to our delight they were!

I hadn't put anything on the menu as we were going out so I decided to serve an Island Feast just to rub it in celebrate that we are heading to Bonaire early Saturday morning.  I am very excited, so my mind is stuck on Island life.  I love this meal that I am sharing with you today.  I found it over twelve years ago in an issue of Cuisine at Home and have been making variations of it ever since.  I have shared portions of it with you in the past.  The Caribbean Spice Rub and the Mango Mojo Salsa work with any cut of pork and is delicious on chicken too.  The Black Beans and Rice is a perfect side for this dish or any Island style meal.

I haven't made this using pork tenderloin in a long while.  This is because when I have my own hogs slaughtered, I don't want to give up any of the chops to get the tenderloins.  Since I hadn't taken anything out of the freezer for tonight I decided I would pick up some tenderloins because they are so quick, easy and delicious.  I am sharing with you, not only the Island Pork Tenderloin but also a recipe for Fried Plantains that are a perfect side dish for this meal.  I am also sharing a recipe for Lime Pickled Onions to serve along with the meal and, of course, no Island Meal is complete without a cocktail so I am sharing a Mojito recipe as well.  Enjoy, my friends....

Island Pork Tenderloin with Lime Pickled Onions

Island Pork Tenderloin

slightly adapted from Cuisine at Home, Issue #45

2 pork tenderloins, trimmed and silver skin removed

1 T. paprika

1 T. chili powder

1 T. oregano paste

1 T. olive oil

1 t. salt

1/4 t. crushed red pepper

Juice from 1 large or 2 small oranges

Juice form 1 small lime

1 clove garlic, minced

large pinch of kosher salt

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

2 T. honey

1  T. olive oil

Mix together paprika, chili powder, oregano, olive oil, salt and crushed red pepper.  Massage mixture into tenderloins on both sides.  Let sit at room temperature for half an hour before grilling.

Combine orange juice, lime juice, garlic, salt, jalapeno, honey and olive oil.  Set aside.

Heat grill to med high heat.  Place tenderloins on grill and after 3 minutes baste with juice mixture. Allow to cook another 5 minutes and baste again.  Flip over and baste other side, let cook for another 12-15 minutes, basting 3 or 4 times.  When internal temperature of thickest portion of tenderloin reaches 145* remove from grill onto a platter.  Tent with foil and rest for 5 minutes.  Cut into 2" thick portions and serve topped with Lime Pickled Onions and Mango Mojo Salsa.  Print Recipe

Lime Pickled Onions

source: Cuisine at Home

3 T. fresh lime juice

1 T. sugar

1 t. kosher salt

2 grinds fresh pepper

1 c. red onion, thinly sliced, separated into rings

Stir together juices, sugar. salt and pepper until sugar dissolves.  Place in a resealable plastic bag. Add onions and seal bag.  Chill at least one hour or up to one night, turning occasionally.  Print Recipe

Fried Plantains

slightly adapted from Cuisine at Home, Issue #45

3 Plantains, medium-ripe, peeled and quartered

2 T. Coconut Oil

Melt coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the plantains and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side.  Sprinkle with salt and serve.  Print Recipe

Mojitos

adapted from Cuisine at Home, Issue # 45

1/3 c. sugar

1/2 c. fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

1/2 c. fresh lime juice

3/4 c. white rum

1/4  151 proof rum

Ice

Club soda

Muddle sugar, mint and lime juice in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.  Add both rums, fit shaker with a strainer. Cap the shaker and shake well until combined and sugar is dissolved.  Strain the mixture into 4 tall glasses that are filled with ice.  Top with club soda, garnish with lime slices and mint sprigs.  Print Recipe

Yummy Vegetables for Blogger CLUE Society

It is with a heavy heart that I am posting this last edition of Blogger CLUE Society.  It has been a wonderful group in which to participate but alas all good things must come to an end.  Our friends and leaders, Christiane of Taking on Magazines and Liz of That Skinny Chick can Bake have other obligations and no longer have the time necessary to run this group.  I want to send out a huge thank you to them for all their hard work and effort on our behalf.  I have made a lot of great blogger friends in this group and I am sure we will be running into each other frequently in "blogland".

This month's theme was Yummy Vegetables and I was assigned to Lisa of  Authentic Suburban Gourmet.  I was planning a party featuring drinks and appetizers so I knew what direction I wanted to go when I entered into Lisa's blog.  I absolutely hit the jackpot when I searched under appetizer.  Lisa has nearly 200 appetizers listed!  This is due, in a large part, to a weekly posting she does each week called Friday Night Bites.  

Oh my gosh, you guys......there are some great recipes.  The very first thing I saw, upon opening Lisa's blog, was a recipe for a Spring Pea and Parmesan Crostini YUM!  I almost stopped right there but then I thought I should go through her blog a bit and am I glad I did.  I found several recipes that I pinned like this Tomato, Corn and Avocado Bruschetta.  I cannot wait for corn and tomato season so I can make this dish.  Or how about Apple, Gorgonzola and Pecan Salad served up on Endive?  That almost made it onto my appetizer buffet but then I saw this great recipe for  Cast Iron Skillet Salsa. Talk about Yummy Vegetables.  Just look at those tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers and shallots charring up in my cast iron skillet!!

Not only is it chock full of Yummy Vegetables but it is a perfect recipe in my book.  Yep, Folks, this recipe is Easy, Peasy and Delicious.  I make a lot of salsa around here and I love the Salsa that I can each year.  Last year I made up some Zesty Peach Salsa that was great.  For those who don't like tomatoes, although I can't believe there are people out there that don't, you can make up this Corn and Avocado Salsa.  These are all great recipes but I have to say, this Cast Iron Skillet Salsa is going to become my new go to and I think I see some large batches for canning in my future this fall.

Thanks Lisa for this great recipe.  I can't wait to try the others that I have bookmarked.  Thanks again to the ladies who started and ran this wonderful Blogger CLUE Society for over a year now.  Your efforts were very much appreciated.

Cast Iron Skillet Salsa

very slightly adapted from: The Authentic Suburban Gourmet

6 Roma Tomatoes, halved

3 Tomatillos, husks removed and fruit washed

2 Jalapenos, stemmed, halved and seeded

2 large shallots, peeled and halved

1 T. olive oil

salt to taste

1-2 t. sugar, if desired

Heat a large, dry cast iron skillet over med high heat.  Add 6 halves of the tomatoes, tomatillos, jalapenos and shallots.  Cook until vegetables start to char, turning as needed to get char on all sides. Transfer charred vegetables to a food processor and pulse until combined.  Add the remaining tomatoes, olive oil and salt.  Pulse until combined.  Taste and add sugar if desired.  Print Recipe

Garlic Pull Apart Rolls #BreadBakers

Welcome back to Bread Bakers everyone.  This months theme of Garlic was chosen by Karen of Karen's Kitchen Stories in honor of National Garlic Day that is celebrated one week from today. These posts are sure to give you tons of inspiration so you can join the celebration of Garlic on April 19th.

I am a garlic fanatic.  I don't believe there is such a thing as too much garlic.  When I go to a Lebanese restaurant I could make a meal of toum and freshly baked bread. Last year, to celebrate National Garlic Day I made my own.  Needless to say, I was very excited when Karen chose this theme.

I have decided to share with you a recipe for Garlic Pull Apart Rolls that I originally found on Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen. Melissa's recipe calls for store bought frozen white dinner rolls. The last time I made dinner rolls, I made one pan to have and then I formed the rest of the dough into balls and placed them in the freezer, so this recipe caught my attention right away.

My dinner roll recipe is very easy and I have linked you to the post where you can find the recipe.  If you choose to make the dough fresh just allow it to have the first rise, punch it down, form it into balls and proceed with the directions below.  I made a lot of other adaptations to Melissa's recipe but the gist of it is the same.  I used an Italian 5 cheese blend instead of parmesan/romano mix.  I used slightly dried Gourmet Garden herbs for all listed. I omitted onion powder and added some lightly dried crushed pepper flakes. Most importantly, I used fresh minced garlic instead of garlic powder.

Melt the butter and add your herbs, garlic and seasonings.

Cut the thawed or fresh balls of dough into quarters.

Toss in the butter, place into a sprayed baking pan.

Add cheese and toss again.

Cover with a damp towel and place in a warm spot to rise for 2-3 hrs.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.

Garlic Pull Apart Rolls

adapted from Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen

16 frozen dinner rolls, thawed or fresh dinner rolls after first rise

1 stick butter, melted

1 c. shredded 5 Italian cheese blend

2 t. lightly dried parsley

1 T. minced garlic

dash of salt

1 t. lightly dried basil

1/2 t. lightly dried chili flakes, crushed

Melt butter and place in a large bowl with the parsley, garlic, salt, basil and chili flakes.  Cut rolls into quarters.  Add to bowl and toss until completely covered.  Spread rolls into a 9x13" baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking oil.  Add the cheese and toss again to coat.  Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking oil.  Place in a warm, draft free area and allow to rise for 2-3 hrs.  Bake in a preheated 350* oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.  Print Recipe

Here are so more great garlicky breads!!

• Black Garlic Parmesan Sourdough Bread from Magnolia Days
• Buttery Garlic Cheddar Rolls from Kylee Cooks
• Buttery Garlic Knots from Sara's Tasty Buds
• Buttery Garlic Pull Apart Bread from Cook's Hideout
• Caramelized Garlic Chèvre Stuffed Bread from Food Lust People Love
• Cheddar, Garlic and Jalapeno Beer Bread from A Palatable Pastime
• Cheddar Garlic Dinner Rolls from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Cheese and Garlic Biscuits from A Baker's House
• Cream Cheese Stuffed Garlic Rolls from Herbivore Cucina
• Domino's Style Garlic Bread from Gayathri's Cook Spot
• Easy-Peasy Garlic-ky Mini Rolls from G'Gina's Kitchenette
• Garlic Batard from Hostess at Heart
• Garlic & Gorgonzola Focaccia from Baking in Pyjamas
• Garlic, Herbs and Cheese Bread from La Cocina de Aisha
• Garlic Naan with Green Chiles from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Garlic Pull Apart Rolls from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Garlic Sunflower Bread from Passion Kneaded
• Gluten Free & Vegan Garlic Breadsticks from What Smells So Good?
• {Gluten Free} Seeded Black Garlic Flat Bread from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Green Garlic Parathas - Flat Bread from Sneha's Recipes
• Herbed Garlic Butter Garland Bread from Ruchik Randhap
• Multi Grain Garlic Naan from Mayuri's Jikoni
• Pissaladière from The Bread She Bakes
• Roasted Garlic Focaccia from Sizzling Tastebuds
• Triple Garlic Knots from Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Whole Wheat Garlic Ciabatta Bread from Cooking Club

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.

Color your Palate Vegetable Soup for #The Book Club Cookbook CC and #FoodiesRead 2016.

This month's selection for the BCCBCC is Sarah of Things I Make for Dinner.  You can find out all about our group and how to join along with us by going to Sarah's invitation post.  Sarah chose the book Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier.  This fun adventure is the brainchild of my friend, Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla.  There is also a giveaway of this fun cookbook following my recipe.

It is the fictional story of the girl portrayed in the painting by Vermeer.  In the opening chapter, the protagonist, Griet, is in her parent's kitchen preparing dinner when Vermeer, who is acquainted with her father, comes to meet her.  He is looking for household help, specifically to clean his studio. Griet's father, an artist in a tile factory, lost his sight in an explosion and the family has fallen on hard times.  The teenage Griet goes to work for the artist so that she is able to help out with expenses.  

When the artist meets Griet that first time, he immediately notices how, as she is cutting vegetables for soup, she has made a colorful circle of them.  He recognizes that she has artistic instincts and this is one of the reasons he has chosen her to enter his studio that no one else in the household, other than his mother in law, is allowed to enter.

This is a story of a young girl coming to age.  It is a story of relationships and responsibilities.  I enjoyed this book very much and I would recommend it.  I have never seen the movie but I think I would like to now that I have read the story.

The author's of The Book Club Cookbook, Gelman and Krupp, featured a vegetable soup for this book.  They related how Chevalier attempted to recreate the soup using red cabbage as Griet had which resulted in a muddy pink mess that she could not eat.  Gelman and Krupp used green cabbage for their soup and red cabbage for garnish.  

I chose to make a color palette as well and it was very good on the palate so I named my soup Color Your Palate Vegetable Soup.  Aren't I clever?  Humor me here.....  I used tomatoes so there was some red in the mix, different shades of white with the turnip and cauliflower and different shades of green with the broccoli, leeks and cabbage. The carrot added a pop of brightness.

Once the vegetables are all prepped this soup couldn't be any easier...Just throw everything into the pot, bring it to a boil, reduce it to a simmer and let it cook until tender.  Taste, add more salt and pepper if needed and dinner is served.

Color your Palate Vegetable Soup

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 leeks, white and light green parts, halved, rinsed and sliced

1/2 small head cabbage, cored and sliced

2 carrots, scraped and sliced

Florets from 1 small head cauliflower

Florets from 1 small stalk broccoli

1 small turnip. diced

3 sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

1 T. slightly dried parsley

1 qt. tomatoes with juices

8 c. beef stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a large pot.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender.  Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.  Print Recipe

Giveaway

This month Sarah at Thing I Make (for Dinner), this month's host, is giving away a copy of the book.* Enter to win a copy of the cookbook so you can join us in future months, if you wish!

One of our lucky readers - US and Canada only! - can enter to win a copy ofThe Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club's Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp, courtesy of Tarcher-Penguin. Giveaway runs from April 1st till April 30th at 6 o'clock PM, Pacific time. Please see terms and conditions in the rafflecopter widget below. Many thanks to Tarcher Books. You may find Tarcher: on the web, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Pinterest.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclosure: Sarah received a complimentary copy of The Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club's Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp as an opportunity to give a copy away. Opinions are our own. We received no further compensation for our posts.

Join us at Foodies Read 2016 where we share our current reads with each other.

Diving 4 -1-16 Eagle Wreck in Islamorada, Florida

This is our second day of diving in the morning.  Just Frank and I went out to get in some deep dives before joining the kids and Randy in the afternoon for some shallow dives.  The afternoon dives will be posted shortly, I hope.

In this video we are exploring the Eagle.  It is a 285' freighter that suffered a electrical fire and was no longer usable as a ship.  It was sunk in 1985 to become an artificial reef.  It sits in 110 feet of water. The first fish pointed out is a scorpion fish.  Shortly after you will see a large shadow deeper in the water on the other side of the ship.  This is a Goliath Grouper.

The second half of the video is a reef dive.  It starts off with us seeing a green moray eel, followed by a good size puffer and a trunk fish.  A second green moray eel sighting is followed by an even larger trunk fish.  We had some spear fishers in our group so a friendly nurse shark followed us for much of the dive hoping to get fed.  In between shots of the shark we saw a gorgeous angelfish,  a trumpet fish, a conch and a baby lion fish.  Enjoy.......