Late Summer

Hard  to believe the summer is almost over.  I know that Labor day is considered the end of the season but we still have a few weeks of warm weather so I don't want to let it go yet.  I do love summer.  Vacation time is when I typically get my reading done. This year,  my family vacation didn't allow a lot of reading time.  I had to suffice with the long airplane ride there and back.  I did have a few days in Hawaii that count.
So here is what I read this summer ;
Mr Penumbra's 24 hour Bookstore-  this was a book group book so I will let you check out the notes on our blog.  Really enjoyed this one.  Fun, fast and kept me guessing. (check out our book group blog with the link below.- Beehive book group)
Behind the Beautiful Forever's- Also a book group book.  Really interesting.  this is about the community in Mumbai India that lives near the airport in the slums.  Hard to believe folks can survive this way but they do.  Some folks found it inspiring .  I found it a bit depressing.  But really well written and one of those I would not have read had it not been for book group.
Off the Menu and Hotshot- Both light weight reads that are perfect for vacation.  Off the menu about a chef and her dog and a new love in her life.  Hotshot a suspenseful romance with a beautiful girl and a hotshot detective.  all fluff but fun fluff.

The last one is the one I cooked for.  Still Life with Bread Crumbs by Anna Quindlen.  I just adore Anna Quindlen.  I've followed her career and have read everything she has written.  Her books are smart and well written.  This one really spoke to me.  It is the story of a woman in the middle of her life who isn't sure what is next.  She was a well known photographer earlier in her life but now isn't sure what to do.  She is short on cash and has rented out her NY apartment and moved to the middle of nowhere to figure it all out.  It is the story of finding love late in life and sometimes heading in a different direction then you thought you would go.  I really enjoyed it.  I appreciated that the entire book wasn't a love story and that love didn't happen overnight.  I thought the main character was flawed which made her interesting.   One of the reviews I read called Anna's work comfort food.  in this case I agree (not all of hers are comfortable , some  take you by surprise).  This one felt good.  Maybe I related because I'm of that age or maybe it was nice to read something that showed there is more after middle age. 

In the book there is mention of lasagna.  I love lasagna.  Also one of those things in life that makes you feel good.  true comfort food.  I choose lasagna for those reasons. 
What I like about making lasagna is that you can do whatever you want.  The only rules are noodles and cheese.  For this one I made the typical lasagna but added some zucchini.  Nothing fancy here but I believe the more cheese the better.
Noodles
Sauce (I admit I used a jar- Prego- I use to make my own but found it better to take a jar and doctor it up with some spices and such.  In this case I added some oregano and garlic)
mushrooms
zucchini
lots of cheese- I used a mix of parmesan, mozzarella and provolone
lots of ricotta cheese- the more the better.  just coat that thing with Ricotta!   
I didn't cook the veggies because I kind of like the zucchini still being firm.  Since I didn't add meat in this one, the zucchini gave it some texture.
Assemble and bake.  Nothing easier.  I always teach my nieces and nephews how to make lasagna because even a kid can do it and it gives them a dish to make.
Bake until bubbly 
Eat it while reading a good book and feel warm inside!


the finished product