Book Club

Tonight was our book club meeting and another evening with a great group of women. I've only been a part of this book club for a few months, and at the evenings end... always feel so lucky to have this group. Discussions are always lively, philosophical, and intriguing. Ranging from a bit of psycho-analysis to the perils of childbirth!

Our book of the month was Reading Lolita in Tehran and we all pretty much agreed that we didn't like the book. I really wanted to enjoy the book, but had a hard time getting into it. Felt too much like reading a book report on the Nabokov novels then of the plight of Iranian women. Disappointing.

Next month's selection is a regional book The Winemaker's Daughter by Timothy Egan, set in the Pacific Northwest (Cascade Mts). It is about a young woman trying to save her fathers vineyards from drought and fire.

I hosted book club this month and I used my favorite chef's - The Barefoot Contessa - menu:

Turkey Lasagna

2 tbs olive oil
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 lb sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaved parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper
1/2 lb lasagna noodles
15 oz ricotta cheese
3-4 oz creamy goat cheese
1 cup grated parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 egg, beaten
1 lb fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Preheat over to 400.

Heat oo in large skillet. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8-10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tbs parsley, the basil, 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Simmer, uncovered , over medium-low heat, for 15-20 minutes, until thickened.

Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup parmesan, egg and remaining parsley salt, pepper. Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of sauce into a 9x12 baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom . Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, 1/3 sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.


Pesto Pea Salad

Spinach
Frozen Peas
pesto (Barefoot Contessa makes her own, but I used the store bought kind)
Toasted pine nuts.

Combine!

Frozen Berries with Hot White Chocolate
(this is soooooo good... and sooooo easy!!)

1 bag white chocolate morsels
1 cup cream
bit of vanilla
Frozen mixed berries

Melt the chocolate, cream and vanilla. Pour the hot chocolate over the frozen berries.