Atlas of the Heart served with fried artichoke hearts

 Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown and served with air fryer Artichoke Hearts 

I have read several Brene Brown books over the years and listed to her podcast.  This book is about emotion, what emotions mean and the words we use to describe them.  I know it doesn't sound like a riveting subject, put believe me it is.   At the beginning she says they asked people to name emotions and the average person was able to name 3.  I tried it and I was able to name 6.  I thought i was just super smart but it turns out she is taking us through the journey of 80+ emotions!   

I don't think you need to read this book in one sitting.  In fact, I picked it up and put it down over a couple of months.  At work, a group of us read it as a book group discussion which was nice.  It allowed me to slow down and dig in.  We met every 2 weeks and discussed 2 chapters.  I also watched the HBO series which comes directly from the book.   Overall I would say this book helped me think about what I was feeling and how to navigate that emotion.  It also made me think about the "Near Enemies" to so many emotions.  For example, sometimes people say they are curious when they are actually just trying to shoot down whatever you are saying.  We label something but then we do something slightly off from that.  You might say you are supportive but it is really controlling.   I'm sure I'm not explaining it well so read the book.    

With so much sadness these past 2 weeks over the senseless deaths caused by gun violence, it was helpful to go back and reread the stress and anxiety parts of the book.   And as the politicians started squawking their stuff, I thought about "Self Righteousness".  

I recommend this as a journey.  Pick it up as you need it, soak it in, discuss it with someone and think about it.   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I paired this with Artichoke Hearts because I thought I was being super smart 😁  I also steamed a full artichoke.  I didn't grow up eating artichokes and didn't have my first taste of them until my sister moved to California and visited her.  I still remember thinking, this is the weirdest food.  You scrape it with your teeth and barely get anything!   I felt like it was more of a spoon to eat mayonnaise!  But I do love artichoke dip so I figured they can't be all bad. 

For the fried artichoke hearts,  I had a jar of whole hearts, I drained them and cut them in half.   I put them in a baggie with some mayo, salt and pepper and shook them up!  Then I dumped them in a bowl of Italian bread crumb and parmesan cheese.  Once they were coated, I put them in the air fryer, 370 for 12 minutes.   They were delicious!   I dipped them in some ranch dressing.   

For the full artichoke, I had to search how to cook one and just followed all of the directions on triming it and steaming it.   There seems to be a debate on whether the correct dipping is mayo or butter.  I tried both and liked the mayo the best.   Still not sure the work is worth what you get.   But, it was kind of fun.  Enjoy! 

 

One Italian Summer served with Lemon Torta Caprese

 One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle and served with Lemon Torta Caprese 

This book had so much buzz on Bookstagram.   I was excited to read it and ended up having some mixed feeling about it.  

In a nutshell, Katy's mom has died and she is a mess.  She doesn't know how she will go on and decides to leave her husband and take the Italian vacation that she and her mother had been planning.  It is two weeks in Positano which was where Katy's mom Carol spent time as a young adult.   Katy goes and while there, she meets Carol, a young Carol.    The story is about the 2 weeks and Katy learning about her mother and coming to terms with her death. 

Here is what i liked, the Italian setting is wonderful.  I wanted to go there right now for a vacation.  I liked the magical realism and at first I wasn't sure if she was time traveling or imagining this or what.  I think it was a cool concept for the daughter to start to discover her mother, not as a mom but as a woman. 

What I didn't really like was the main character Katy.  She kind of bugged me that she just dumped her husband and left.  I know everyone grieves differently but she is like- I can't go on!  I just felt like she made some bad decisions.   

I'd give this 3.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐.5/5  

I've read several books in Italy this year and decided to go with a dessert for this one.  Found this delicious sounding recipe for Lemon Torta Caprese by Giada De Laurentils.   It was pretty easy to make and it is so good.   Just the right about of lemon and not too heavy.  I will definitely make it again. 

Lemon Torta Caprese https://giadzy.com/recipes/lemon-torta-caprese-giada-de-laurentiis/ 

One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot served with cucumber sandwiches

 One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margo by Marianne Cronin and served with cucumber sandwiches. 

This was a good one!  

Lenni is 17 and is on the terminal ward of the hospital.  There she meets Margo who is 83 and also in the same ward.  Lenni and Margot end up in an art class for seniors and decide to do 100 pieces of art to represent their combined 100 years.   The story goes back and forth from Lenni telling what is happening in the hospital and Margo's stories of her life.  We learn of a short sad marriage, a forbidden love and another marriage Throughout all of Margot's stories, we go back to Lenni.  Lenni and her friendship with Father Arthur and the nurses.  We see her struggles to stay alive and we feel the deep friendships she has made. 

While this book might be about some people dying, it is really about friendship and life and I really loved it.    I often find that we you have 2 separate storylines it is hard to get the reader engaged in both but the author did it .  I wanted to know about Margo's life but I also wanted to hear from Lenni.  I Loved both storylines.   

A strong ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I made cucumber sandwiches.  When Lenni visits Father Arthur in the church chapel, he tells her about his lunch everyday with is a sandwich.  I'm pretty sure he said watercress sandwich but not sure what else is on it.  To be honest, i wasn't exactly sure what watercress was.  I looked it up and it is a lettuce.   I decided to make a cucumber sandwich with a yummy cream cheese/dill spread.  It just felt like something Father Arthur would eat.  

I made a cream cheese, dill spread and sliced up an English Cucumber and there you go!  Enjoy 

These Precious Days served with Buffalo Cauliflower

 These Precious Days by Ann Patchett and served with Buffalo Cauliflower.   

I don't really read many essays.  In fact probably the only essays I've read are David Sedaris.   But, I love Ann Patchett and this book kept getting rave reviews on Bookstagram and it was recommended to listen to it.  I needed a new audio book so I downloaded it.  It was great!  It is read by the author and she does an excellent job.  Not every essay hit the mark for me but several did.    I loved the essay on her fathers and what they each mean to her.  I could so relate to her essay on remaining childless.  So many of the parts of that essay hit home for me.  Her essay on children's author Kate DeCamillo made me rush out to buy one of her books.  (That review will come next!)  and finally the title essay about her unexpected friendship with Sooki was the best.  Sooki was a friend that stayed with her those first few month of the pandemic because she was battling cancer at the local hospital.  She hadn't meant to move it but with COVID, everything changed.     That essay is 2 parts and the majority of the book.  It was lovely and heart breaking.  I wanted that friendship and it also made me do the ugly cry at the end.   These precious days indeed.  The essay will make you stop and just think about what you should be enjoying around you.  The people and the moment.  Ugh.   
 

Listening to this book was perfect as I walked and did house chores.  It was like talking to a friend.  I give it ⭐⭐⭐⭐.  This is a book full of 5 star essays with a few 4 stores tossed in.  

I decided to make buffalo cauliflower because Ann and Sooki are both vegetarians and they reference the challenge of food.  I eat mainly vegetarian but not completely.  I still will have the occasional hamburger when i go out to dinner but I don't prepare meat in my house.  Actually....  when i do prepare meat in my house it is 99% of the time seafood.   

Buffalo cauliflower is super easy in the Ninja insta pot!  

1 head of cauliflower - Chopped up into bite size pieces 

Mix 1/4 cup of cornstarch and 1/4 cup of flour together.  

shake up cauliflower in a large baggie with the flour mixture till all of the cauliflower is coated. 

Melt 6 Tbsp. of butter and add 1/2 cup of buffalo sauce.  (I use a milder version because i don't care for the super spicy.)  

Run the coated cauliflower through the sauce and place in the air fryer.  Cook for 12-15 minutes.   

Dip in Ranch and enjoy!