Anniversary Tunes

Today marks three years since Mike and I started dating! In just a few years, the two of us have traveled all over the country, moved in together, become husband and wife, adopted a kitten, adopted a puppy, embarked on new career ventures, and so much more. At times I can't believe that we've only been together for three years; at others I can't believe that these few years have passed so quickly.

Here are a few songs that we've grown to love together over the past few years and/or ones that I can't hear without thinking of my husband. It's quite an eclectic but nonetheless special mix. I hope you find something you like on this little video playlist. Enjoy!

The Proclaimers "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)"


Blind Pilot "3 Rounds and a Sound"


The Swell Season "In These Arms"


Rick Astley "Never Gonna Give Up"


Ryan Adams "Come Pick Me Up"


George Harrison "Here Comes the Sun"

Butternut Squash with Cranberries and Chestnuts

Much as I love food, it isn't unusual that I come home from the grocery store or farmer's market and find myself in a food rut. I'll buy all my favorite ingredients but, come dinner time, won't have the slightest idea how to put them all together into some new and delicious dish. Though my old standby recipes are tried and true, they have become so tired that prepare them yet again would be pure torture to my husband Mike.

In such situations, I turn to my trusty cookbooks. Although I often search for recipes on the internet when I have a vague idea in mind of what I'd like for dinner, there's nothing like flipping through a cookbook (preferably one full of color photos) to reignite my passion for food and to spark my culinary creativity.

The Kitchen Garden Cookbook is one such collection of recipes that I know will never fail to get me thinking outside the box no matter what I have on hand. This is a great cookbook for seasonal eaters, backyard gardeners, and amateur canners alike. Food-lovers, vegetarians, and carnivores can all find something to learn from editor Caroline Bretherton's quite brilliant cookbook which lists recipes by major ingredient and has preserving tips along with unbelievable recipes.

So when I found myself with a butternut squash and not the faintest clue as to how to create a delicious meal out of it, I turned to my trusty cookbook. The Kitchen Garden Cookbook offered me a simple and surprisingly innovative side dish recipe that I completely adored. The Squash with Cranberries and Chestnuts recipe spoke to my love of fall-flavored dishes and holiday feasting foods. Though I don't much like chestnuts (and actually omitted them from my creation), cranberries figure so largely into my diet that they deserve their own separate food group designation. With a touch of warmth courtesy of some cinnamon and allspice, plus a little added sugary sweetness to balance out the tart cranberries, this squash dish is composed of the simplest and most obvious ingredients, but I doubt I would ever have thought to add fresh cranberries into roasted butternut squash on my own. Easy to make and super satisfying, this dish is a shoo in for my family's Thanksgiving potluck this year and a great new go-to side or vegetarian main dish.

You can see the recipe here using Google books. Just go to page 274 to learn how to make this delicious butternut squash side dish and take a flip through the rest of the book's incredible tips and recipes. Be prepared to do some major salivating!

The Tiger's Wife

Though Tea Obreht's novel The Tiger's Wife wouldn't be classified within the fantasy genre, her debut novel is quite magical, a story ground in reality but elevated by her the mysterious and intriguing workings of her imagination. Set in an unspecified Balkan nation, Obreht weaves a dynamic tale of family, loss, and mystery against the backdrop of a war-torn country. Natalia is a young doctor, heading to an orphanage on the coast with her ballsy friend Zora to administer much-needed medical care to the children in residence at the orphanage. Natalia's journey is marred by the news of her grandfather's recent death. Though Natalia was the only family member privy to the knowledge of her beloved grandfather's illness, his mysterious passing in a coastal village just an hour's drive from the town to which Natalia is headed further confounds the young grieving doctor.

As Natalia works through her grief and confusion, she revisits the routines which she shared with her grandfather and the many unbelievable stories he shared with her over the years. Trips to the city zoo with her grandfather's well-loved copy of The Jungle Book always stowed in his jacket pocket are at the center of her reminiscences, while stories from his childhood in Galina and of repeated encounters with a deathless man are crucial pieces of the puzzle that is Natalia's memories of her grandfather.

The fantastical narratives that Natalia relates as shared by her grandfather offer irrefutable evidence of Obreht's storytelling talent. There is the tiger's wife, the deaf-mute girl whom Galina townsfolk accuse of having relations with a tiger that inhabits the nearby woods after a bombing destroys the zoo walls that for so long bound the tiger's world. As a boy of nine years old, Natalia's grandfather was enraptured by the mystery and danger of the tiger, seen by so few but feared by so many. But even more so, he was enamored with the tiger's wife, a mere girl with such vast power as to tame a feline beast. And then there is the deathless man whom Natalia's grandfather meets with much skepticism at multiple points over the course of his life. Natalia's grandfather, a doctor, is first called to examine the deathless man after he asks for water from the bed of a coffin, only to remain unbelievably but undeniably alive after two bullets to the head. The doctor enters a bet with the deathless man, unable to comprehend such blatant immortality, placing his weathered copy of The Jungle Book as a wager. Natalia recounts and explores these stories in an effort to better understand her grandfather and the circumstances surrounding his death, circumstances to which no one was fully privy or able to fully grasp.

Obreht is considered quite a find among literary types, especially in light of the fact that she was a mere 26 years old when The Tiger's Wife was published. Her novel is unlike anything I've ever read before, beautifully jumping between Natalia's present bewilderment, the magical and timeless stories of her grandfather, and the circumstances the structured his upbringing so many years ago. Completely enrapturing, The Tiger's Wife is not an easy read but was one I consumed rather quickly on account of its beguiling storyline and masterful storytelling. Tea Obreht is definitely a name to keep in mind and The Tiger's Wife is certainly not to be missed.

Slow-Cooker Cranberry Glazed Ribs

I'm usually not much of a meat eater. I owe this fact largely to Michael Pollan and Jonathan Safran Foer whose books have challenged the way I always thought (or more accurately, failed to think) about the meat I was eating. The reasons I maintain as much of a vegetarian diet as possible are far and vast, from my health to that of the animals providing meat, from the environment to my own wallet. But sometimes I do crave something thick and meaty. In such rare cases, I try to make the most of my carnivorous meals and choose my meat as ethically and wisely as possible.

Recently Mike was dreaming of devouring a nice rack of ribs and he got me in the mood for some as well. I had come across an interesting recipe for cranberry barbecue ribs just a few weeks before and decided this would be the perfect way to prepare an indulgent and meaty meal. Better yet, I came up with a way to do it all in the slow cooker, leaving me with very little clean up and even less prep work.

Six hours of low heat in the crock pot made the meat tender enough to just fall right off the bone by dinnertime. The interesting combination of sweet cranberry and tomato-y barbecue made these ribs even more decadent and delectable, though maybe not the healthiest of meals.

I wasn't too precise with my measurements when throwing everything in the slow cooker, but this recipe is highly adaptable and easy to alter to your particular taste. If you don't have enough cranberry sauce on hand, strawberry jelly or blueberry jam would both make for delicious substitutions. Play around with whatever flavors you like and enjoy every last bite off the bone of these ribs!

Slow-Cooker Cranberry Glazed Ribs

Ingredients

• 1 rack pork ribs
• 3 cloves garlics, minced
• 3/4 cup jarred cranberry sauce
• 1/2 cup strawberry jelly
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cut ribs to fit in slow cooker (I cut the rack into multiple two- to three-bone sections).

2. Place ribs in bottom of slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients on top of ribs

3. Cook on low setting for 6 hours. Enjoy!

The Virtue of Pets for Live-In Couples

Attempt #1 at a Finazzo Family Christmas Photo

While taking my dog Louie on one of her late night walks, I found myself feeling an unmistakeable inkling of what I like to call happiness. It's not that happiness is a necessarily unusual emotion for me to experience, but barreling through the 30 degree weather after my first 8-hour work day for many months just after the excitement and leisure of the holiday season ends isn't exactly a recipe for happiness. There were plenty of factors that could have easily contributed to my joy. The bliss of newlyweddedness, my recent meditation practice, and having just begun to read a jewel of a Haruki Murakami novel were all potential factors. But the present company seemed a pretty good reason to feel in good spirits too and I attributed the burden of my cheerfulness to her, or more accurately, to what Louie has done for my marriage.

Mike and I were never a dysfunctional or volatile couple, but when we first moved in together, the transition wasn't without its fair share of challenges. Not only was I working my first full time job back then, I was doing so for minimum wage with AmeriCorps. And this was also my first time truly living on my own with rent to pay, bills due, and a whole host of chores to finish at the end of the day. Navigating the world of independent adulthood is a transition in itself, but doing so with a significant other can be a stressful and trying experience. I watched in horror as my free time was drastically diminished and I felt the true burden of housework like I never did when living in a dorm or at my parents' house. Though it was great to live with Mike, there were times in those first few months when our roles as roommates far overshadowed those as boyfriend and girlfriend.

It was exciting to be around one another so often, but difficult to achieve a working balance between our other relationships, our personal time, and the time we shared with one another. I felt guilty when I was at home but not physically with Mike, when I just wanted to read by myself or watch a chic flick in which he would have no interest. I imagined that I was the one doing all the housework (which I wasn't) without a bit of help from him, because that's often how it felt. And having our finances wrapped up required some adjustment as well on account of the fact that we have very different attitudes toward and tendencies regarding money.

Don't get me wrong, we loved living together and our roles as live-in boyfriend and girlfriend gradually became easier once we figured out one another's expectations, quirks, and responsibilities. But I don't think we have ever been as happy as when we found ourselves owners of an adorable runt of a tuxedo cat and a rowdy pit-boxer puppy made of pure love and solid muscle.

Digby came first when we thought we couldn't afford to buy a dog. He was the very smallest kitten on offer for adoption at the Petsmart and, though we had a tough time deciding between all the adorable and tiny cats napping behind the glass, we were certain we had made the right choice once we brought him home. Though the little guy hid beneath our futon and behind a shelf lined with DVDs for the first few days, he gradually emerged and began to make himself at home in our laps, in our bed, and on our laptop keyboards (there's something about the warmth of a computer that he finds so appealing). I was never a cat owner previously and I think I played a little more roughly than I should have with young Digby because I was so accustomed to interacting with rowdy puppies. Digby has grown into a one and a half year old crybaby, a whiner who loved nothing more than to be held but would just as often purr in your arms as attack your hands with his itty bitty teeth and piercing claws. He loved to play in a more violent way than most cats, but I loved him just the same, though I think Mike, despite being a self-proclaimed cat person, has become much less fond of Digby's ways than myself.

Despite Mike's reservations regarding the cat, introducing a feline into our home was a good thing. Digby offered a place to direct our attention, a cute and cuddly plaything to take care of and foster together. It was, in some ways, a trial run for parenthood, but also a bonding experience of sorts. I think our relationship improved after Digby's entrance into our family. Though time itself could explain the general upward trend in our relationship's quality, Digby was a project of sorts in which we were both invested that strengthened our connection, offering us something positive to focus on rather than all those little aggravations that can develop into big arguments when you have too much free time on your hands and too little with which to concern yourself. And of course, owning a cat together was sort of emblematic of our commitment to one another (even if we were already engaged) because if we split up, then one of us would have to give up Digby and that just wasn't happening.

When Digby was just under a year old, Mike and I got married and decided it was due time to get a dog. We felt bad for the cat, away from his owners during our week-long honeymoon and then having his world altered by the introduction of this new rambunctious animal in his home. But Louie very quickly became a part of the family that even the cat grew to love (and fear too).

At first, I wasn't entirely sold on Louie given that she was still a six month old puppy with plenty of training and attention requirements that we may or may not have been able to meet. She also had some pit bull in her which was a little cause for worry given that we didn't know her history. At six months, she could have been inculcated with the beginnings of a fighting mentality if her early days had been spent in the hands of the wrong owner. Luckily we discovered that she was the friendliest pup we could possibly have chosen. Louie's musculature and solidity belied a sweet and playful nature towards both humans and canines that we quickly grew to love. Though she required two hours of walking a day, constant playtime, and thorough training efforts at first, these doggie duties were ones we enjoyed. In fact, we playfully bickered over them, vying for the best Louie chores. Our division of pet-related labor was so equitably split that I couldn't possibly argue that I was doing everything as I so often had previously. We each wanted to be the one to spend an hour walking Louie, procuring her affection by divvying out her daily dose of kibble, or releasing her from the confines of her cage in the morning with a barrage of wet kisses and a violently waging tail. The responsibilities that came with having a dog were fun to us and so we split them quite fairly with little argument or resentment (although I did begrudge Mike a bit when Louie started acting up on walks with me but not with him, a clearly demonstration in my eyes that Mike was her preferred walker).

Beyond feeling good about our equitable division of dog owning responsibilities, Louie required even more attention that Digby, once again displaced our focus from the small things that, without canine or feline distractions, could have erupted into greater disruptions for reasons too silly and petty to understand. Mike often says that having a dog is more work than having a child and, though we can't speak to the amount of labor required in raising a baby, we were happy to expend any amount of effort required to be excellent dog owners. Louie makes us happy, and we love nothing more than to make her happy in return. We lavish toys and attention on her, improving the lives and temperaments of everyone involved. Though I don't think she singlehandedly improved our relationship (a series of increasingly improved job situations for me and Mike's newfound comedy habit definitely helped with our own personal happinesses), Louie's presence joined us in a strong commitment to providing our dog with a great life. She was a common hobby, a shared interest, a source of laughter and conversation, and even a source of entertainment. To put it quite plainly, Louie was the best thing that happened to me and Mike, our sanity, and the state of our relationship.

A more authentic and chaotic family portrait attempt

And this is what was running through my head after my first full day on a new job in the dead of winter when the world lies dormant for months lie until spring, when the festivity and fun of the holidays have ended, and the trees are bare, and the world feels dismal and dreary. I was quite happy and not just because of a good first day. It was a larger and more general happiness, one that had become a steady undercurrent in my life, rather than an occasional pattern popping up every now and then.

Pet ownership is a rewarding experience in itself - no animal-lover will argue with that. But doing it with a significant other is even more gratifying, for it lends a larger sense of purpose, commitment, joy, and love to already positive and strong relationships. True, there are days when the last thing I want to do is take my dog for a walk in the below-freezing winter night and Mike still gets on my nerves from time to time. Adopting a dog won't solve your relationship issues and often time is the best avenue to identifying solutions to these problems in the world of love. But adding an animal to the home you share with a live-in significant other can do wonders for a relationship that you thought couldn't get any better. Digby, Louie, Mike, and I are living proof.

Chocolate Cinnamon Pots de Creme

It's a rare night that I don't crave a little bit of chocolate after dinner. But it's an even rarer event that I actually proceed to prepare a chocolatey dessert. I was recently feeling unusually ambitious and decided to finally give Martha Stewart's Chocolate Pots de Creme recipe a try. I'd been salivating over the photo of her smooth and dainty teacups of chocolate custard topped with fresh whipped cream for quite some time. 

Though my pots de creme didn't turn out quite as pretty, I amped up the dish by switching out the espresso powder for a little bit of cinnamon - reminiscent of the flavors found in mexican hot chocolate - and a topping of peanut butter whipped cream. The subtle warmth of the cinnamon makes for an interesting flavor combination and will fill your whole kitchen with the most temptingly delicious aroma while baking. 

Of course you can never go wrong with the chocolate-peanut butter combination. And your extra peanut butter whipped cream is great for topping hot chocolate or as a dip for all sorts of sweets (Oreos, brownies, and chocolate chip cookies are all made even more scrumptious with a a little spread of peanut butter whipped cream on top!).  

Though the two small pots of fluffy chocolate custard may not look very substantial, they're rich and filling. All the heavy cream in these gorgeous desserts quickly adds up, but using the individual custard cups serve as an excellent portion control measure. 

These are an elegant but super simple dessert to make. Though the recipe recommends letting the custards cool on wire racks for one hour and then refrigerating them for another four, I enjoyed them at room temperature after an hour-long cooling and they were perfectly delightful. And the recipe which follows is for just two custards but it can easily be increased to four or more for a dinner party.

Cinnamon Chocolate Pots de Creme
adapted from Martha Stewart Living Magazine, February 2012

Ingredients

• 3/4 cups heavy creams
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 ounces (1/4 cup) bittersweet chocolate (70%), finely chopped
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp sugar
• Coarse salt
• 1 Tbsp peanut butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bring 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cream, the cinnamon, and vanilla to a simmer; pour over chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Let sit for three minutes (this is important so you don't get scrambled eggs in the next step!); whisk until smooth.
2. In another medium bowl, whisk together egg yolk, sugar, and a pinch of coarse salt; add warm chocolate mixture in a slow stream, whisking constantly. Strain custard through a fine sieve into a 2-cup glass measuring cup. Let cool completely, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
3. Place 2 teacups in the center of a baking dish. Divide custard between cups, and fill pan with enough boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the teacups. Cover tightly with foil; poke several holes in the foil. Bake until custard is set around edges but wobbly in the center, about 25 minutes.
4. Remove cups from water bath, and let custards cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days. Before serving, whisk remaining 2 tablespoons cream to soft peaks, folding in melted peanut butter just before serving. Dollop peanut butter whipped cream over pots de creme.

The Sounds of February

I posted a random selection of songs that I was crazy about during the month of January, but I still had more songs to share, so here's my February collection of tunes and videos I currently dig.

J.D. McPherson "North Side Gal" - J.D. McPherson is one of the most unique modern artists, primarily because his sound is so reminiscent of early rock'n'roll with touches of doo wop. Though his musical aesthetic is definitely influenced by the likes of Buddy Holly, Elvis, and Chuck Berry, McPherson puts his own stamp on this tried and true musical sound that is sure to get your feet tapping.



Damien Rice "Wild and Free" (skip to about 1:45 to bypass Damien's guitar tuning and get to the music) - I was ecstatic to find some new (at least to me) Damien Rice songs. His music is reminiscent of, or maybe more accurately a precursor to, that of The Swell Season and Mumford & Sons. Though Rice has released a few excellent albums, it's been quite a while since I've heard anything new from him so the simple and gorgeous "Wild and Free" was quite a treat to find!



Damien Rice and Melanie Laurent "Everything You're Not Supposed to Be" from Laurent's album En T'Attendant - I adored Laurent when I first saw her opposite Ewan McGregor in last year's Beginners. And just like McGregor, Laurent has quite a set of pipes. Some of the songs off her 2011 debut album were produced by Damien Rice and he performed alongside Melanie on "Everything You're Not Supposed to Be." Though the sound is definitely a departure from the typical Rice tune, I really enjoy this lovely and refreshing duet. It makes me think of warm spring days and sunny skies which is always a nice treat around this time of year.



Ingrid Michaelson "Can't Help Falling in Love" - Since it's February, the month of Valentine's Day, I thought it'd be fitting to end this one with a love song. Though I had heard Ingrid Michaelson's version of "Can't Help Falling in Love" many years ago, it wasn't until I saw the trailer for Like Crazy that I really fell for this song. Come to find out, a lot of people are also crazy about this song as Ingrid's version is listed before Elvis' when YouTube suggests videos from the song title. I've long been a fan of Ingrid's vocals and I think this stripped down cover highlights her talent better than nearly any other songs of hers.

Vaclav and Lena

Haley Tanner's debut novel Vaclav and Lena is a particular brand of boy meets girl story that was a true delight to read. Vaclav and Lena are both Russian immigrant children living in the same Brooklyn neighborhood. They meet when placed in the same elementary school ESL class. On a trip to Coney Island, an outing that marks their first real foray into friendship, the two find themselves unable to board a single ride on account of their short stature.

But a quick trip to the sideshow is within their budget and bars no restrictions on short or young patrons. Vaclav and Lena are transfixed by the magic show and spend the rest of their afternoons perfecting their magic act at Vaclav's house until his mother sends Lena home after dinner. Vaclav the Magnificent and his assistant the Lovely Lena anxiously await the day they can take their own act to the boardwalk at Coney Island.

Lena's is a heartbreaking story. She never knew her parents and so lives with her aunt, a woman who works as a stripper and only agreed to take custody of her niece for the monthly check Lena's presence brings in. Vaclav's mother Rasia takes pity on the poor girl, doing her best to care for the motherless girl. But when her desire to do right for Lena leads Rasia to take matters into her own hands, Vaclav's mother's actions put an untimely end to her son's relationship with the young girl. Nine year old Vaclav is unable to comprehend why his mother would make such a decision that serves to remove Lena from his life. But after a seven year separation, the two childhood friends find themselves reunited under sensitive circumstances.

Though the true crux of Tanner's story is Vaclav and Lena's reunion, it isn't until the final 70 pages of the book that we are even introduced to their teenaged selves. But this late placement is far from detrimental to the book as it allows readers an opportunity to really get to know both Vaclav and Lena. Tanner narrates with an authentic voice, describing with alarming clarity the unique situation in which these immigrant children find themselves. Though Lena has lived in the United States for as long as she can remember, her exposure to the English language has been rather minimal, wrecking havoc in her school life and loading an overwhelming degree of anxiety upon young Lena's shoulders. Quiet and subdued, Lena often follows behind Vaclav and remains practically invisible among groups of adults, so frightened is she of speaking incorrectly and embarrassing herself.

Though Vaclav has picked up on the English language more readily than Lena, his is still an outsider among most of his peers. In fact, before Lena's entrance into his life, Vaclav had no friends to speak of. For both Lena and Vaclav, magic offers a welcome respite from the real world and all the fear, misunderstandings, and confusion it brings. Though this magic act is the source of their tight bond, it is a worrisome hobby in the eyes of Rasia who imagines that Vaclav and Lena's performance will only end with the two subject to further ridicule and embarrassment.

Tanner's novel is as unforgettable as Vaclav and Lena are to one another during their teenaged years apart. Unpretentious and honest, Vaclav and Lena was a fairly simple story, both in narrative style and structure but completely affecting nonetheless. Tanner's no frills writing, paired with a unique imagination, delivers a stand out debut novel that I highly encourage readers of all sorts to try.

***While seeking out more information about Haley Tanner, I found this piece from the New York Times about Tanner and her husband who was diagnosed with Stage 3 melanoma just months before they met. The article provides some brief background and the video clip is pretty moving as well. The piece offers some interesting insight to Tanner after completing her novel.

Homemade Granola Bars

Granola is one of my very favorite breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, and snack foods. It plays an extremely versatile role in my diet and I love to mix up both store-bought and homemade varieties with different dried fruits, seeds and nuts, and healthy additions such as wheat germ and ground flax seed.

But sometimes a bowl of crumbly granola just isn't convenient when I'm at work or need a snack on the go. For one thing, I find granola much more satisfying when enjoyed in a bowl of milk. And for another, it's quite a messy snack to enjoy when attempting to maintain a professional appearance. Thus I decided to make granola bars, full of the same wholesome flavors and healthy ingredients as my beloved granola but much more easily edible!

Just like when making granola, this recipe is highly adaptable. I actually came up with my own version by scoping out tons of granola bar recipes from all over the internet and each one is completely different, but I'm sure they all yield highly delicious products. So feel free to mix up the following recipe, whether you'd like to switch out the dried fruit and nuts included with other varieties or would rather skip the peanut butter and apple butter entirely. Whatever changes you make, just try to keep to the wet-dry balance as much as possible - add a little more honey or butter if you remove the peanut butter or include a few more cranberries if you decide to steer clear of the golden raisins.

Homemade Granola Bars

Ingredients

• 4 cups oats
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped cashews
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 6 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup apple butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare 9 by 13 inch pan with butter or line with wax or parchment paper.

2. Combine oats, pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds, cinnamon, salt, dried cranberries, and golden raisins in a large bowl.

3. Over medium heat, warm brown sugar, butter, honey, peanut butter, and apple butter until sugar dissolves and butter is completely melted. Lower heat as needed to prevent burning and stir occasionally to fully incorporate.

4. Pour melted warm ingredients over dry ingredients, making sure to fully coat all the dry ingredients.

5. Transfer granola bar mixture to prepared baking pan. Pressly the bars firmly down, ensuring that the mixture fills all corners of the pan.

6. Bake for 35 minutes until bars are golden brown and fragrant.

7. Allow the bars to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. If used, grab the ends of the waxed or parchment paper to turn out the granola. Cut into bars of desired size. Enjoy!

The New Kings of Nonfiction

Though I've recently started listening to a lot of public radio, I'm fairly unfamiliar with Ira Glass and This American Life. In fact, I've never heard a single minute of the award winning program that Glass hosts and produces, nor do I have the slightest idea what he looks like or why he is so widely beloved at the moment.  But when I picked up The New Kings of Nonfiction and saw his name listed as editor of the collection, I figured it was about time I discovered what all the fuss was about.

The book is an assortment of nonfictional stories compiled by Mr. Glass himself. At first I requested it from my library assuming it would appeal to my newfound taste for essays. But in the introduction, Ira explicitly states that the pieces included therein are not essays at all, but rather true stories that are authentically, intelligently, and memorably told. The New Kings of Nonfiction is a testament to those modern writers who have mastered that delicate balance of skills required in any journalistic endeavor. Among them he includes Chuck Klosterman (a personal favorite of mine), David Foster Wallace, Bill Buford, Lawrence Weschler, Malcolm Gladwell, Dan Savage, Michael Pollan, Susan Orlean, and many others.

Glass offers a selection of intriguing stories that present some larger truths in the telling of single events or encounters. The writers don't always adhere to the standard rules of journalism, many of them allowing their own voices, thoughts, impressions, and emotions to become part and parcel of their final pieces. Others infuse their writing with a sense of humor and level of personality that many nonfiction writers consider anathema to the medium. But after reading all of these stories and digesting the central tenets of Glass's introduction, it becomes clear that such a style of writing imparts immeasurable strengths to a writer's nonfiction pieces, rather than detracting from them. Glass makes explicit the basic facets of great storytelling by carefully selecting a diverse collection of well-told stories.

Apart from demonstrating Ira's aptness for story selection, The New Kings of Nonfiction offers some intriguing, entertaining, and memorable reading. A piece on Lois Weisberg, one of Chicago's most well-connected and socially productive Renaissance women, unexpectedly but nonetheless aptly offers commentary on the pros of affirmative action. The first story included profiles a teenager who engaged in white collar stock market crime and ultimately speaks volumes about our nation's economics and the at-times dangerous reach of technology. The lessons to be learned from each of the stories in Glass' collection are often surprising and always significant.

Each story highlighted in this volume, though maybe not concerned with topics I would normally consider to be of interest, proved compelling and educational. Glass' collection gave me pause to reflect upon my feelings toward nonfiction storytelling. In all honesty, I almost returned the book without reading a single story after I finished the introduction, so adverse was I to the notion of nonfictional stories. Few among the array of topics considered, from the stock market to soccer, sounded the least bit appealing. But I decided to give the first story a try, and then the second, and so on until I found myself converted.

I enjoy learning and reading is one of the primary venues through which I aim to educate myself. But these appeared, at first, to be arduous profiles of people, circumstances, and the like which had no relevance to me. Though I would still argue that most of the topics are far from relevant to my everyday life, the pieces within The New Kings of Nonfiction were entertaining rather than arduous and not completely irrelevant in theme. The factual nature of these stories makes them compelling in themselves,  and my impulse to continue reading was only enhanced by the quality of the writing.

For the endlessly interested individual, the type of person who finds anything and everything about the world we live in to be a source of excitement, Ira Glass' The New Kings of Nonfiction is a no-brainer. But even to those of us who may be harder to convince, this nonfiction collection offers a captivating look at just a select few of the vast number of subjects about which and from which we can learn. And for those who love the written word, as a creative medium, a personal outlet, or a source of leisurely entertainment, Glass' compilation is a wellspring of inspiration proving that good writing can transform just about any old topic into the stuff of a brilliant composition.

Coconut Thumbprint Cookies with Caramel and Sea Salt

Though sea salt and caramel has been all the rage lately, I was one of the last few to indulge in this sweet and salty combination. I'm not one for coffee, so salted caramel macchiatos were out of the question and I like my chocolates pure and simple, so salted caramel truffles weren't really tempting me either. But then I saw these incredible cookies in the latest issue of Martha Stewart living. Coconut Thumbprints with Salted Caramel. I love caramel and I am a huge of macaroons, so this seemed the perfect combination of two delightful sweets. And with a little bit of sea salt on hand, I figured I better go all the way and add the requisite saltiness on top so I could see for myself what all the fuss is about.

As usual, Martha's recipe does require a bit more work and attention to detail than seems necessary - but once you finish off these cookies with a little sprinkle of sea salt, every last minute will be totally worth it! 

The dough is simple and whisk-licking delicious (I probably ate about 4 cookies worth of dough before I even prepared my baking sheets)! Just butter, sugar, flour, and vanilla, coated in egg wash and coconut. Melted caramel and heavy cream makes the perfect filling for the cookies' thumbprint indentation and the tiny taste of sea salt really makes the caramel pop. Melting the caramel was surprisingly simple - it was forming the cookies and maintaining their shape when doused in a beaten egg and rolled through shredded coconut that proved the most challenging aspects of this recipe. I found it easiest to periodically wash my hands and clean as much excess coconut and dough from my hands between each rolling as possible. Adding a little water to the dough helped a bit as well.

The finished product is dainty and scrumptious. I was tempted to eat the cookies sans caramel because they looked so tasty after emerging from the oven. Luckily the caramel, once spooned into the little thumbprints, hardens up fairly quickly, so by the time you've finished salting the final cookie, the first one is ready to eat. Just don't wait too long to sprinkle your salt on since the caramel will harden pretty quickly!

These cookies are light, flavorful, and buttery. I was a little mislead in imagining they would taste like macaroons. There is great coconut flavor but these were much less dense than a traditional macaroon. Both the saltiness and the sweetness will keep you coming back for more, but these adorable cookies aren't heavy enough to weight you down after eating a few. And don't be alarmed by the 3 sticks of butter the recipe calls for - it yields a hefty 54 cookies. I halved the recipe myself (which was a good idea given how labor-intensive cookie-dough-shaping proved to be) and was much more pleased to be using a mere one and a half sticks of butter for my 25 cookies.

Coconut Thumbprint Cookies with Salted Caramel

from February 2012 issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine

Ingredients

• 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 12 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
• 44 small soft caramel candies (12 ounces)
• 6 Tbsp heavy cream 
• Large flakey sea salt, such as Maldon

Directions


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. With mixer on low, gradually add flour and 1/2 teaspoon table salt, and beat to combine. Press dough together in plastic wrap, then roll into 1 1/4 inch balls. Dip each ball in beaten egg, and roll in coconut. Place balls on parchment-lined baking sheets, and press an indentation into each with your thumb. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove sheets from oven, and re-press indentations. Bake cookies until golden, 9 to 10 minutes more. Let cool on wire racks. Repeat with remaining dough.
2. Place caramels and heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the caramels are melted and mixture is smooth, 4 to 6 minutes. Spoon into indentations in cookies, and sprinkle with sea salt. Rewarm caramel if it hardens before all cookies are filled. (Store in airtight containers for up to 2 days.)

The Summer of the Bear

Bella Pollen's The Summer of the Bear was an absolutely incredible novel. I read all 430 pages in a matter of three days, so enraptured was I with the story Pollen beautifully wove out of the tragic suicide of Nicky Fleming, an English diplomat stationed with his wife Letitia and three children, Georgie, Alba, and Jamie, in Berlin. 

Nicky's sudden death sends Letty and her children to the Hebrides, the sparsely populated Scottish islands where Letty grew up. Though she imagines a return to her childhood home and favored relaxation spot will help heal the wounds of widowhood, Letty realizes that her decision was rather brash and potentially at odds with the wishes of her grieving children. Nonetheless, Letty wallows in grief at her seaside home, damaging her relationship with her children in the process. But thorough investigations from the British Embassy into Nicky's death force Letty to question the circumstances of and motives behind her husband's suicide. As Letty grows more suspicious of the man she thought she knew so well, she further distances herself from the children who hold the greatest potential as sources of both happiness and truth about Nicky.

For teenaged Georgie, the Fleming's stint in the Hebrides is simply transitory as she hopes to attend college in London and enter the world of dating and intimacy. A classic middle child, difficult and stubborn Alba incessantly picks upon both of her siblings. No one is spared her harsh criticism and biting sarcasm, until Georgie crafts a deal with Alba that she cannot refuse, one that protects Jamie from Alba's meanness for an entire month. And young Jamie stumbles through the world of fatherlessness, lost in his imagination and inability to process the death of Nicky. So confused is Jamie by the euphemisms employed by family and friends to protect the youngest Fleming child from the reality of his father's death that he begins to question whether his father truly is dead, if he can return from heaven, and what elaborate mission has kept Nicky from his family for so long. But all of the children demonstrate a great fondness for their late father, from the imaginative stories he told his children to the fascinating way he had of making them each feel like his special favorite, Nicky was a very attentive and present father despite his high-powered political post.

The entire story is situated against the tense backdrop of the Cold War, the bleak environment of Scotland's northernmost islands, and the mystery of a grizzly bear who has supposedly inhabited the island. Though there have been numerous sightings by island natives prior to the Fleming's arrival, it is Jamie who continues to hold out hope that the grizzly is still prowling the land long after the rest of the Hebrideans reason that the bear must have perished. And the cast of island characters are themselves a wellspring of great intrigue, each one presented with their own unique story and all of them devout believers of island legends that frame the Flemings' story. 

Jamie's imaginative and colorful theories about the fate of both his father and the bear are juxtaposed with the unapologetically realistic portrayal of an insensitive Cold War era investigation into the lives of a grieving family. The Summer of the Bear seamlessly transitions through the various Fleming family members' anguish; from Jamie's immersion into a fantasy world built upon reticence and denial to Georgie's desire to break free from the bonds of her sorrowful family, from Alba's hardened facade which requires constant reminders to be maintained to Letty's anger as the facts reveal Nicky to have been an incomprehensibly different man from the one she knew. Pollen demonstrates an enviable talent for storytelling and construction, for balancing the stuff of childlike imagination and more mature and weighty content. 

What's even more, Pollen's novel isn't heavy or daunting. Though the story itself is far from lighthearted, the narrative is engaging and as easy to navigate as a bestselling beach read. Pollen has a way with words, crafting the most tantalizingly apt descriptions in her own mellifluous but intricate style. The world of the Hebrides and the Fleming family tragedy is one that Pollen quickly reels readers into almost without their knowledge. I found myself completely hooked by the time I reached page 10 and surprised to see that I had made it nearly a quarter of the way through in a single sitting. 

The Summer of the Bear is not to be missed and I imagine that Pollen will continue to be source of great fiction in the future. This novel reminded me a lot of the Barbara Kingsolver's The Lacuna and I can easily see Pollen finding her place amongst writers of Kingsolver's distinction. I only wish that I could get my hands on one of Pollen's four prior novels, especially Hunting Unicorns which was a bestseller, so as to spoil myself with another spectacular read by one of my new favorites Ms. Bella Pollen.

January Tunes

Here are just a few lovely songs/videos that have been helping me get through the January cold lately. Hope you find something in here to love!

Feist "The Bad in Each Other" from Metals - Feist's latest release has certainly delivered the same mournful melodies that I've come to love from this talented lady! "The Bad in Each Other" is a bit more upbeat and I love this live version from Jools Holland.



Wilco "The Good Part" from War on War B Side - I am quite the Wilco fan but there last few releases have been a bit disappointing to me. While recently scouring YouTube, I've come across a few B-sides and demos that have re-instilled my love for the Chicago-based band. "The Good Part" is the most catchy of the bunch and easily my favorite Wilco song of the moment.



Dan Mangan "Pine for the Cedars" from Nice, Nice, Very Nice - I've posted about Dan Mangan recently but had to share yet another one of my favorite tunes from this Canadian singer-songwriter. "Pine for the Cedars" is a simply beautiful song and I love the Mumford & Sons-esque build up he's got going on (sorry I am not better versed in musical terminology to more aptly describe the beautiful compositional elements of Mangan's and Mumford's music!).



Mumford & Sons "Ghosts That We Knew" - New Mumford & Sons! Need I say more?

Blind Sight

The last week of December offered me an unusual wealth of free time that I occupied primarily with eating, sleeping, and reading. There were plenty of prize-winning novels in my pile from the library, but it was Blind Sight, Meg Howrey's debut novel, that proved the most entertaining and left the most lasting impression upon me heading into 2012.

Howrey's narrative structure is completely unique and compelling from the get-go. We find ourselves privy to the musings of Luke, a teenager heading into his final summer before senior year. The beginning of each chapter is composed of Luke's attempts at college essays and other written ramblings, followed by a third person narrative closing out each chapter. I'm pretty sure this is one of the only books I've ever encountered that offered both types of perspectives on a central character without the use of multiple narrators. But Howrey's narrative ingenuity is just the beginning of Blind Sight's many virtues.

Luke is considered an accident among his family, the first male descendant in twelve generations which have followed a very distinct pattern when it comes to producing offspring. The youngest of three children, Luke's mother Sara is all New Age, taking each of her children on ritualistic pilgrimages on the cusp of their thirteenth birthdays, prohibiting any entertainment that promotes violence, and encouraging meditation, natural healing, and the like among her progeny. Luke's sisters Aurora and Pearl are positive figures in his life, providing him with a firm handle on how to talk to women and an unusual level of knowledge regarding menstruation. And they all live with Nana, Sara's widowed mother who is a devout Christian and prays for her grandchildren on a daily basis. As the sole male in his family's sea of women, Luke was brought up in a way largely different from that of his male friends.

Though Luke's family is obviously outfitted to provide some comic relief (though I probably identified with Sara a bit more than Howrey intended), the real story pertains to the long-missing family member, Luke's father Anthony Boyle, better known as the actor Mark Franco. Luke's mother shared one night with Anthony/Mark after Aurora and Pearl's father divorced her and left the family. Anthony/Mark met Luke just once when he was a newborn. When he became famous, however, Sara was so far removed from celebrity culture and popular entertainment that she barely knew who Mark Franco was, let alone came across his well-known face and recognized Anthony Boyle, Luke's father.

When Anthony/Mark contacts Sara in the hopes of meeting with his now-teenaged son, plans are made so that Luke can spend the summer with his father in Los Angeles. Though the relationship is at first strained by lack of familiarity between the two and the vast number of years spent apart, a unique rapport develops between father and son as they travel around the country for Anthony/Mark's various acting gigs and publicity stints, to visit Luke's paternal grandmother, to relax in Hawaii, and to camp in Sequoia National Park.

Blind Sight is part family saga, part coming of age story. Humorous situations are devised, undercutting some of the heavier aspects of Luke's written ramblings and his at-times difficult relationships with various family members. Luke and his father attempt to forge a father-son bond against the backdrop of a Hollywood career and exorbitant vacations, a completely alternate reality for Luke whose Delaware upbringing prized mindfulness, simplicity, and the renunciation of material goods. Though Howrey's story is largely that of Luke negotiating his newfound role in his father's life, all that he learned and valued via the female household in which he was raised begins to come into question too.

Though the situation itself isn't entirely unique (I believe I've read a story or two about absent parents, at least one containing a famous or remarkably rich father), Howrey creates an extremely relevant, relatable, and engaging story out of this basic construct. For a first-time novelist, Howrey's ability to narrate as an authentic and sympathetic teenaged boy is truly remarkable and her storytelling was entirely enrapturing throughout. I was quite pleased to find a book that I could read for two hour stretches at a time (since I finally had the opportunity to do so!) without growing bored or simply logging pages until reaching the final one.

I love to read and make as much time to do so as possible. Each book I begin with the hope that it will instantly grab my attention, keep me hooked through the last page, and stay on mind even after I finish. I'm constantly seeking the next novel that will stand apart from the others, and Blind Sight stood up to the test. Reading Bling Sight was a delightful experience, one that I didn't want to end (save for the ten books waiting to be opened as soon as I finished). Though the book wasn't exactly as profound as those I place among my very favorites (Markus Zusak's The Book Thief and Nicole Krauss' The History of Love for instance), the experience of reading Blind Sight was very much like that of reading those books that have become my favorites for the first time.

Dan Mangan

Canadian musician Dan Mangan is quickly becoming one of my new favorite artists (and not just because he reminds me of a charming Seth Rogen). With soaring compositions reminiscent of Mumford and Sons and melodies comparable to those of Josh Ritter, Mangan's sound could be described as polished folk, indie singer-songwriter, or alternative acoustic rock. His songs quickly get stuck in my head in the best way possible and I have yet to hear a single song of his that I dislike.

I'm pretty new to Mangan's whole catalogue, but I was glad to see that my local library carried both of his CDs. I'm still waiting for Mangan's most recent album, Oh Fortune, to come in, but I'm loving the songs off his debut release, Nice, Nice, Very Nice. Here are just a few of my favorite tracks from that album, and there is plenty more to listen to on his website. Enjoy!