Bookish Tuesday: #11 - #20 of 30 Day Book Challenge

The 30 Day Book Challenge should probably just be called "The 30 Book Challenge. 

11. Book from your favorite author:

    Persuasion is my favorite book by my favorite author, Jane Austen.

12. Book that is most like your life:

 Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Bunker Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey. It's painful to admit, but it's true.

13. Book whose main character is most like you:

This is another one of those awkward questions. Do I pick a book whose main character is like the me I want to be? Or the me I think I am? Or the me people say I am? When I was little, my grandmother always told me that I reminded her of Meg in Little Women. She was an English teacher, so her authority must carry some weight in this discussion. Then again, I was seven years old. So that may be irrelevant. 

14. Book whose main character you want to marry:

This one creeps me out. One can't marry the character in a book. I can't buy into the question. But I suppose Mr. Knightley in Jane Austen's Emma embodies humility, courage, and compassion, traits anyone should value in a spouse. 

15. First “chapter book” you can remember reading as a child:

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. 

16. Longest book you’ve read:

Middlemarch by George Eliot is definitely the winner. Tristam Shandy by Laurence Sterne was required for a class and is definitely longer, but I don't honestly remember reading more than part of it, so it doesn't count.

17. Shortest book you’ve read

Goodnight, Moon by Margaret Wise Brown.

 
18. Book you’re most embarrassed to say you like:

Books are like people and decisions. You might change your mind; you mind move on to new ones; you might make some bad choices, but embarrassment is never a good response. Read wisely and well; treasure the good; toss the trash.

20. Book you’ve read the most number of times:

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is probably catching up with Number The Stars. That's what happens when one takes too many English Lit classes.

In case you missed them, here are #1, #2, and #3-10 on my list.

What are your answers?

Waffles and Chicken: A Miscellaneous Tale

My mom made chicken and waffles once for Easter. I secretly thought she made up the whole miraculous event. Then, recently, Mancredible discovered them on a menu and we ordered them, mostly because we were incredulous. But they are a real thing. A real and beautiful thing.

Of course we wanted to re-create the masterpiece. Until we encountered An Obstacle. At the ripe age of 24, I own a few earthly possessions. But not a waffle-maker. Neither does he. So Operation Waffles and Chicken was abandoned. 

That would have been the end of the saga...until I remembered that most groceries actually sell an amazing invention, the frozen waffle. Obstacle overcome.

And so, on a sweltering D.C. Sunday afternoon, while smart people were sipping iced tea in very dark cool shady locales, four of us were instead enthusiastically breading chicken and toasting waffles in a hot kitchen. 

Of course I didn't remember to write down the steps to our creation. We used Fluffy Eggo Waffles and combined the chicken recipe in this recipe with the sauce in this one. Except I used a lot of red wine instead sherry. The sauce recipe needs tweaking certainly. It wasn't quite sweet enough and was a little too thick, more like a glaze than a marinade. 

But overall, it was wonderful. And on Waffles and Chicken Round #2, syrup was added to the combination. This improved the dish immensely. All of it was gone within six hours, which says something, I like to think.

What experimental dish have you cooked lately?

Friday Linkage

It's been a wild week on all fronts. I am looking forward to a weekend full of rest and fun and, oh yes, homework.

Here's some weekend reading for your browsing pleasure.

On writing, reading, and blogging:

• The danger of information overload.
• A humorous reminder about civility online.
• Some inspiring quotes on writing.
• An honest reflection on the writing process.

On life, work, and relationships:

• Some simple ways to meet needs in your community.
• A sweet article shares tips for building a strong marriage.
• A reminder about the inconvenience of the Gospel.
• Ideas for becoming braver.

Some miscellany:

• A postcard finally finds its way home.
• Inspiring and beautiful home offices.