Really Random Tuesday #87: Veterans Day, a Book Winner, and Shakshuka

Thank you for your service.  November 11 is Veterans Day in America.  Today we honor the service of all U.S. military veterans.  Pictured above is World War I veteran Joseph Ambrose, at the dedication day parade for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1982, who lost his son in the Korean War.  (Photo from Wikipedia.)

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Eriko is the randomly chosen winner of Me Before You by bestselling author Jojo Moyes. Congratulations, Eriko!  I'm pretty certain you'll become a fan of this bestselling author.

If you didn't win this book, why not take a look at the other tempting giveaways listed on the right side of my blog?

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I'm feeling like a bit of a recipe thief today!  My son, Oliver, and his sous-chef, my daughter, Angela, made us Shakshuka for breakfast a couple of months ago.  I had run in a 5k earlier that morning, and was famished.  I'd never heard of Shashuka before, but now I've made it several times, for dinner.  Oliver's girlfriend, Becca, taught him how to make this traditional, tomato-based dish, which is usually made with eggs, and often served for breakfast in Israel.  However, since I'm not a fan of eggs, they made mine without eggs, and instead added some ground turkey.  You can easily make it vegetarian (like I will for my daughter, Jasmine), or if you don't add meat or eggs, vegan.  I use as many organic ingredients as possible.  You can easily add additional ingredients to make more servings. 

Suko's Shakshuka

Ingredients:
4 or 5 tomatoes, chopped
3 or 4 bell peppers, chopped
1 to 3 chopped jalapeños*, according to taste
1 small or medium onion, chopped
2 or 3 cloves of freshly minced garlic
6 white mushrooms, sliced

Olive oil
16 ounce can (or larger) fire roasted diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons of tomato paste
Spices: oregano, cumin, paprika, black and/or cayenne and/or crushed red pepper, all to taste

Optional: 8 to 10 ounces of ground turkey, or vegetarian ground crumbles, and salt to taste
 

Directions:
Pour about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and spread around pan with a paper towel.  Add peppers, onion, garlic, and spices to taste to the pan, and cook for about 7 minutes, on low to medium heat. 

Add the chopped up tomatoes, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, more spices to taste, and a bit more olive oil.  Stir together, and continue to cook the mixture.  If you want to add ground turkey or vegetarian ground crumbles, cook it in a separate skillet for about 7 minutes on low to medium heat (I add some salt and other spices to the turkey), before adding it to the veggie mixture.  

Continue to cook the Shakshuka on low heat, stirring every so often, for about 10 minutes, or until everything looks thoroughly cooked, and you're ready to eat.  This is a hot, savory, and healthy stovetop meal that's delicious for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Shakshuka

Serve in bowls, along with bread (pita is perfect), and a fresh green salad.  Makes about 4 servings.

*Important note: Please be careful when you handle or slice jalapeños!  I learned the hard way.  One evening I was not careful enough, and I paid the price--my hands were burning for several hours afterward.  I was in agony.  I had to search online for home remedies to control the pain.  (I ended up slathering yogurt on my hands so that I could sleep that night.)  Now I handle jalapeños gingerly, with paper towels, and am extra careful not to touch their seeds with my bare hands when I chop up these peppers.

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Appearing on random Tuesdays, Really Random Tuesday is a way to post odds and ends--announcements, musings, quotes, photos--any blogging and book-related things you can think of.  I often announce my book giveaway winners in these posts, and sometimes, like today, I share a recipe. If you have miscellaneous book news to gather up and are inspired by this idea, "grab" the button for use on your own blog, and add your link to the "master" Mister Linky on the Really Random Tuesday page.

Thanks for reading!  Your comments are welcomed.

Me Before You: Review and Giveaway

As I mentioned before, I picked up Me Before You by bestselling author Jojo Moyes at the airport because my daughter's flight was delayed, and I decided to put my waiting time to good use.  I'd been planning on reading this novel, so when I saw it at the airport shop I knew I'd found my next book.  It took me a long time to read it though--my reading is incredibly slow these days.  I don't know how some of you manage to read so many books!

Set in England near fictitious Stortfold Castle, the book focuses on twenty-six-year-old Louisa Clark, and is written mostly from her point of view in the first person.  After working at The Buttered Bun for six years, Louisa's job ends suddenly when the owner decides to close the café.  Because her family depends on her wages, she applies for work as a caregiver for an acerbic quadriplegic who requires twenty-four-hour care, Will Traynor.  This will be the beginning of a new chapter in Lou's life.

I don't want to give away much more here and spoil the story for potential readers, though you can probably guess what will eventually happen: Lou and Will fall in love.

"Yes only love
can break your heart."
~ Only Love Can Break Your Heart, Neil Young  

I loved this book!  I savored it, a small bit at a time.  It's a moving story, a beautiful, unconventional love story.  Jojo Moyes paces the story perfectly, and it was an exquisite pleasure to read it.  I took my time with this novel, not only because I lacked enough free time for reading, but also because I did not want the book to end.

I am now, officially and unabashedly, a fan of Jojo Moyes.  She's an exceptional writer who creates realistic characters who spring to life through her words.  Lou is a kind-hearted, likable protagonist, and I cared about her happiness.  I also cared about Will, and many of the other main characters.  I enjoyed the setting a great deal, and thought it added to my enjoyment of the story (I'm a bit of an Anglophile).  Me Before You is completely absorbing and touching, and at different times, funny and quite heartbreaking.  I shed more than a few tears while reading this book. 

“You only get one life. It's actually your duty to live it as fully as possible.”
~ Me Before You, Jojo Moyes

Me Before You is about living life to the fullest, even when faced with great obstacles and difficult choices.  Will encourages Lou, or "Clark" as he likes to call her, to push herself past her self-imposed limits.  This is my kind of book, heartrending yet positive.  And I've just learned that Me Before You is being made into a movie--I'll dash out to the theater to see it!  I'm now also very interested in reading more books by the prolific and supremely talented Jojo Moyes.

I'd like to share my enjoyment of this book by offering an international giveaway.  I'll send one copy of this book to a randomly chosen reader (U.S./Canada, print or ebook; elsewhere, ebook only).  If you've already read this book, I'll send you another book by Jojo Moyes if you win--just let me know which book you'd like to read!

• To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment.
• For another chance at winning, become a follower of this blog, or let me know that you're already a follower.
• For an additional chance, post about this contest on your blog, Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter.
• For one more chance, mention another book by this author that you've enjoyed.

Enter by 5 PM PST on Monday, November 10.  One winner will be selected randomly and announced on Tuesday, November 11.  Best of luck to my readers!

Really Random Tuesday #85: A Book Winner, and (Short-Term) Reading Plans

Please help me to congratulate Pat from Posting For Now!  She has won a copy of A Brief Moment of Weightlessness: Stories by Victoria Fish.  Pat, I hope you enjoy reading these short stories as much as I did.

If you didn't win this time, please take a look at the many other book giveaways on the right side of my blog.

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What are your short-term reading plans?  I'm looking forward to resuming my reading of Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. Caught without a book(!), I actually bought this novel at the airport about a month ago while waiting for my daughter, whose flight had been delayed.  I have a few other books that I should begin reading soon.  But tonight, if I'm not bogged down with chores, I hope to get back to Me Before You, and to read at least a chapter or two.  I've enjoyed the book so far, and can't wait to delve back into it.  (If it's cooler this evening I may light a scented candle before I begin reading.)  I'm also in the middle of reading 1984 (or Nineteen Eighty-Four) by George Orwell (a pen name; his real name was Eric Arthur Blair).  Although 1984 is powerful and thought-provoking (my apologies to any lingering Thoughtpolice), I'm finding it a bit dreary and depressing right now, and have been reading it somewhat reluctantly.

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Appearing on random Tuesdays, Really Random Tuesday is a way to post odds and ends--announcements, musings, quotes, photos--any blogging and book-related things you can think of.  I often announce my book giveaway winners in these posts.  If you have miscellaneous book news to gather up and are inspired by this idea, "grab" the button for use on your own blog, and add your link to the "master" Mister Linky on the Really Random Tuesday page.

Thanks for reading!  Your comments are appreciated.