My Internet Connection Has Been Down Forever!!!!

Another day without Internet. Here I am on the Public Library system, while I wait for my Internet to be repaired in my apartment building. It has been down for a week now-modems,lines, etc. But supposedly, it will be up and running and I can get caught up on business.

Sorry there's not much listed under my EBay books-Valerie2901 or under the general heading of cookbooks. Again, it has been hard with only one hour per day on the library computer to do all the work I need. I have about 200 books to be re-listed and at least 100 new ones to list. So keep checking back and they will be listed and re-listed soon.

I have a new recipe to list, that you might want to try. It is from a book that is not listed yet-Cape Cod Kitchen Secrets by the Monomoy Branch Cape Cod Hospital Aid Association. I had fresh cranberries that needed to be used up soon and this fit the bill. Easy, took only a few minutes to throw together. Just the sweet I needed:

Cranberry Apple Crunch

6 tbsp sugar, 1/2 cup water, 3/4 cup raw cranberries, 2 medium apples (peeled and sliced)

Boil the sugar and water together for one minute. Add the cranberries and boil two minutes more. Add apples. Put everything into a baking dish.

Topping:

1/2 cup rolled oats,3 tbsp melted butter or margarine, 1/4 cup flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 tsp salt.

Combine dry ingredients. Add melted butter and mix until crumbly. Sprinkle over fruit mixture. Bake at 350 F for 40 minutes. Serves four. Can be topped with ice cream or whipped topping.

When I was making this, I didn't think there would be enough topping, because it only covered about 3/4 of the dish-but I was wrong. The topping is just a taste with to be included with the simple fruits included.

On Friday night, I went to a Chili/Macaroni and Cheese Bake-Off at a friend's house. I was impressed. About 50 people showed up and there a dozen chili entries and 6 macaroni & cheese entrees. Alas, I didn't get to have an entry this time. A specific size was required for the macaroni and cheese and my oven was too small to accommodate the dish required. Maybe next time. In the meanwhile, the food was great and I met many new people. Lots of fun.

That's all for now.

Cookbook Val

I was a very lucky woman last night. My musician friend arranged for me to go see Barry Manilow and I had a front row seat. What a wonderful musician and singer. Last night was a promotion with QVC the shopping network, to plug his latest CD-Romantic Love Songs. Barr will soon be starting at the Paris Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas (March 5th). Hopefully more comp seats will come my way.

It's tax time and I did my taxes-how about you? Taxes put the fear of God in me when I do them and truly I have nothing to every worry about, but I still worry. So it's done and now behind me. Prior to moving to Las Vegas, I was living in GA, where I didn't do my state taxes for many years, but they caught up with me. Honestly, it was enough each year just to get my federal taxes done. So now I'm being audited by the State of GA, but we (State of GA Revenue Dept. & me) agreed, that by the time we're done, they will owe me a nice check.

I've also started my own Meetup group www.meetup.com/WomenTravelingTogetherOnCruises

I have joined some other meet-up groups, this is the new thing now. Look in your city for meet-up groups for things that you enjoy. It's been a wonderful opportunity for me to meet new people here in Las Vegas. My meet-up groups are the Romance Writing Group, Magicians (I'm not a magician, but I love magic), The Chef's Table (meeting in different homes & restaurants, sharing food) and the a Travel & Social Club (does day-trips, cruises & meets at different restaurants for socializing). So I decided to start up my own group. I love cruising and I know alot of women are intimidated by traveling alone-so "men" and women-if you want to join me on my cruises, come along. At least you'll know one person-me!

Now for my plug for my EBay listing-Valerie2901 or under the general heading of cookbooks on EBay:

2 books that haven't sold, but should have:

From Sunrise to Sunset, a hardback book down as a fundraiser for the Sunrise Children's Hospital Foundation in Las Vegas. It is such a well-presented book with original art and sketch's of children. For you bread makers out there, there are over thirty original bread recipes. Over 200 great recipes can be found in this book-unique, new, clever and very tasty.

Casual Entertaining by Good Seasons (the salad dressing people)-this is not a big book, but it does have 59 fresh and super simple recipes, with beautiful color photographs. If this one doesn't sell soon, it's going to go in my personal collection.

A new festival to attend: Alabama Chicken & Egg Festival-April 10-11, 2010. They will have wing eating contests, clucking contests, chicken motorcycle run, and much more. www.chickenandeggfestival.com It sounds like alot of fun.

So do you think you make a great barbecue sauce. In just two weeks, applications will be online for the 2010 American Royal Barbecue Contest. This is an invitational contest where individuals are able to secure applications on Feb. 10th and team applications on March 8th. www.arbbq.com

That's all for now.

Cookbook Val

I'm On A Roll With Blogging!

Almost 3 days in a row, that I have been blogging-this is almost a new record for me.

Lots to talk about today. I've been busy-running errands, picking up new cookbooks to list, etc. I will also be listing music books I picked up from an estate sale today. I have quite a few song books for vocal, guitar and piano, but it will take me awhile to get it all sorted out. My musician friend was upset to hear I was selling these on EBay. I explained to him, that actually I was sharing the music, in my way. Most of the people that purchase my song books when I have them are from Montana, North Dakota or Alaska-in areas where they probably don't have access to purchase them . I make very little money off these and I do like to think that I'm sharing these with someone else. Probably some collectibles in here for music buffs.

Remember when I told you yesterday about the Romance Writers' Conference I went to. A fact I forgot to mention, but I find interesting-most of the published writers there, are with Mensa (the super smart group of people). Unfortunately, I don't fit in that catalog-hopefully I can still write mynovel, finish it and then get it published.

Today, I finally got to a free art exhibit that is being offered at the Paris Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Right off the hotel lobby, as you come into the Casino. Celebrate with Harlequin. You know those romance novels. This exhibit featured 60 years of Harlequin Cover Art, 1949-2009. It was very well done. I don't know how long the exhibit is going to last, but more information can be found at http://www.harlequincelebrates.com/.

I am going to share three cookbooks, that are worth looking at on my EBay listing-Valerie2901 or general heading of cookbooks: Cool Cooking-Recipes of Your Favorite Rock Stars by Roberta Ashley. Many rock stars of the 70's included personal favorite recipes. A few of them are: Elton John, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Tom Jones, Kris Kristofferson, Helen Reddy and many, many more. Impressive list.

Also today, I listed a book Middle Eastern Cookery-Foods of the World/Time/Life series. There are very few books on Middle Eastern Recipes-so this may be one for your collection. Beautiful photographs and travel stories are also included.

And lastly German Cookery by Hans Karl Adam. This cookbook was translated from German to English in 1970 and includes recipes for foods from Berlin, North & East Germany, Hesse, Westphalia, Thuringin, A Silesian Childhood, Bavaria, Swabia. Also included are stories and legends about eating and drinking in Germany.

Something to consider if you are in the Detroit area, Feb 20, 2010-the 3rd Annual Glass Slipper Ball. The Zonta Club features the best of Detroit Metro Chefs. For more information, go to http://www.zontasouthfield.org/.

That's all for now.

Cookbook Val

Happy Saturday!

I have had a long tiring day and I'm glad to be home. Nothing to do with cookbooks though. I went to a Romance Novel Writers' Conference here in Las Vegas, put on by the Cactus Rose, the Las Vegas Chapter of Romance Writers of America. Sometime in this lifetime, I will write my romantic adventure. Actually this was a large group and there were wannabe writers and published romance writers, but also a children's writer and male mystery author. Looking for new ideas to write their next book. I was pleased at all the workshops included and I have learned a lot. Now I have to just write the book. I won one of the door prizes and I received a basket full of writers' type prizes: books on writing, chocolate, wine, pens, notebooks, etc. Actually I did get a very good book, Breaking Into Fiction-it gives you a template to show you exactly what publishers want. One of the published authors in the room, said this is how she finally got her first book published by Penguin (one of the big ones)-by using that darned template.

The other night I went with friends to the Boulevard Bar & Grill on Las Vegas Blvd S near the South Point Casino. I had this wonderful dinner-Chicken Francois. Chefs, you should pay attention. They had their regular dinner menu and then they had a 24-hour/7 days a week special menu. Approximately 10 items on this special menu-all for $7.95 each. Mine-Lightly breaded chicken breast (huge chicken breast) sauteed in a wine sauce over linguine. I will be back to this restaurant to try this dinner again and maybe some of the others. My wine bill was bigger than my food tab. Maybe chefs you can't offer 24/7-but in this recession, maybe a few simple dishes offered for less, will bring the customers back to your restaurant. After all, what did my dish cost, maybe $1.37-1.50-maybe.

For those of you wondering, I'm still on my starvation diet, but you only live once. I was with friends and that alone is a reason to enjoy a good dinner, in the company of others. Plus I had only had 150 calories earlier in the day-I was saving up for dinner calories.

A new contest to enter on July 23, 24 & 25, 2010, make it with Garlic. The Gilroy Garlic Festival in Gilroy, CA is in it's 32nd year , with attendance over 108,000 in 2009. I'm sure the area smells heavenly for weeks after the festival. The money prize is not big$1,000 to the top prize winner, but amateurs from all over the U.S. compete for an opportunity to win in this contest. Lots of publicity for those wishing to surpass their amateur standing.

And a plug for my EBay listing-Valerie2901 or under a general heading of cookbooks. I am going to feature a cookbook from my listing that hasn't sold and should have: Great American Menus Cookbook from Pillsbury. This book features Regional American Foods and their menus. In fact, I tried one of their low-calorie recipe and I loved it: Iowa Corn Stuffed Tomatoes.

1 1/2 cups Green Giant Niblets frozen corn, 4 medium tomatoes, Pepper, 4 oz (1cup) shredded cheddar cheese, 2 tbsp dry bread crumbs, 1/4 cup diced green pepper, 1 green onion, thinly sliced, 3 tbsp butter, melted

Heat oven to 350F. Cook corn as directed on package. Cut tomatoes in half crosswise. Spoon out seeds; discard. Sprinkle cut surface of tomatoes with pepper. In small bowl combine cooked corn and remaining ingredients. Fill tomato halves with corn mixture. Place stuffed tomatoes in 15x9 inch baking dish. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until center is hot. 8 servings. 150 calories per tomato half.

This was a special treat for me on my starvation diet of 1250 calories per day. I am not a true lover of baked tomatoes, but I do love anything with cheese in it.

And one of my favorite chefs from the Food Network: Giada De Laurentis. You may or not be aware that her grandfather is the well-know film producer Dino De Laurentis. I enjoy her show, but don't watch too often, because she makes me hungry (for food). I do have her cookbooks-love her cookbooks. www.giadadelaurentis.com Check her out, easy, great Italian recipes.

That's all for now.

Cookbook Val

Hi! Busy today, shipping off the many cookbooks that have sold this week on my EBay listing-Valerie2901. Thanks again for the sales! Many new cookbooks to be listed, as soon as I find the time.

Yesterday, my first day back from my trip and I booked an amazing massage with Christa at the Las Vegas Hilton Spa. There are not many masseuses that can relax me enough to make me fall asleep, but Christa did and I am totally relaxed from it. The mysterious aches and pains in my knees and calves are gone.

I was reading something forwarded to me today that I found interesting and wanted to pass it along. If you know any women receiving Chemotherapy, there is a cleaning service that provides free housecleaning for 4 months. You're required to get a note from your doctor faxed to Cleaning For a Reason and they will contact the cleaning service in the zip code of the woman.

www.cleaningforareason.org. Honestly, I can't believe it doesn't, but this group does not include men in this free house cleaning, though I am sure there are exceptions allowed. It's part of the breast cancer group and is offered nationwide.

The starvation diet seems to be working-I lost 5 pounds last week. I'm not really starving myself, but it is limited calories to 1250 per day and to me that's starving myself. I have found a new sandwich bread that travels so well. Orowheat Sandwich Thins is the name, stays fresh longer than most breads, try not to refrigerate-dries it out, but for people who travel, this is a great little bread to carry around. It's hard to find in the grocery stores,-so keep checking back-100 calories per sandwich bread (2 slices). And I don't know if turkeys cluck, but I have eaten so much turkey breast, that I feel like clucking!

Always looking for new ideas to heat up in a coffee pot in the hotel or on the plane-one of my friends brought a can of french onion soup, poured it in a plastic bag, added some croutons and a slice of provolone cheese and re-heated/cooked in the coffee pot water-amazingly good!

A new chef website you may not be aware of www.chefjeffcooked.com. He is on Sunday afternoons on the Food Network and has a new cookbook out.

A food event you may or may not want to attend-August 4-8, 2010 Testicle Festival in Clinton, MT. The Rocky Mountain Oyster festival, serving deep-fried bull testicles. I think I will skip this one!

This food event sounds a little better: March 6-7, 2010, The Festival of Chocolate in Orlando, FL. Be a kid in the candy store and enjoy two days of chocolate treats at the Orlando Science Center. The event will have competitions, demos by awarding winning pastry chefs, & a Kids-4-Chocolate area.

I sell a lot of biography's (not just cookbooks) on my EBay listing that I have already read. Not read yet, but I'm looking forward to reading is an early book done by Louie Anderson, the comedian. Titled Dear Dad-Letters From An Adult Child. Once finished, I'm hoping to get this autographed by Mr. Anderson at the Excalibur Hotel, where he performs nightly. Look for this in the next week or two if you are interested in purchasing it on my EBay listing-Valerie2901.

That's all for now.

Cookbook Val

January 8, 2010

Last night, I met a group of people and we went to the new City Center in Las Vegas. This complex is supposed to be a city within a city. We parked at the Bellagio and took the tram over to Crystals (which is the first stop of the City Center). The Crystals is a giant shopping center with very, very expensive designer stores, few customers, but very pretty to look at. No restaurants open yet either. It is multi-level and circular, which leads you back to the tram. Next we moved on to Aria which is the hotel and casino. The entrance to the Aria on one side is a wall of water convulsing down over and over-very impressive. The hotel does have restaurants, I don't think they have the ventilation system quite fixed yet, because we could smell fish or sushi everywhere. The casino, very nice, nothing special-another casino with lots of high dollar machines. There is an impressive Fine Arts exhibit that is free and worth seeing, starting with a sculpture by Henry Moore, as you enter the Aria from the Crystals level. Comdex was in town (biggest consumer computer/gadget convention of the year), so there were lots of people staying at the Aria. But I think this new City Center is going to take about 2 years or a heck of lot more advertising, before they see any business.

Living in Las Vegas has been interesting to me. The recession has been good to me. I say this because now that the City Center is complete, there is no new construction of any kind here in Las Vegas-no housing, no hotels, no casinos. Where are these people with all of the others going to find work? Even McDonald's can hire only so many people.

Sales are still up on my EBay listing Valerie2901. And now the van is here to take me to the airport, so I will try and blog more later.
That's all for now.
Cookbook Val

Happy New Years!

I know I'm a few days late, but I have been flying the friendly skies for many days now-spent New Year's Eve in West Palm Beach at the City Place at the BB Kings Blues Club. Music and fine wine-what a wonderful combination. The City Place in West Palm Beach, FL is an all-inclusive little town on its own, with numerous restaurants, night clubs, comedy clubs, music venues & boutiques. All within an easy walk. Plus we were staying at the Marriott, though a 15-minute walk away, they were kind enough to drop us off and pick us up.

I still have the horrible cold or at least the chest congestion, that never gives up.

My EBay business is going great. Over 50 cookbooks sold last week! Please look under the general listing of cookbooks or Valerie2901 at EBay. Still over 200 great cookbooks listed for you to buy. Lots of great finds, celebrity cookbooks, collectibles, specialized cooking.

Today, I will promote vegetables and vegetarians. I don't have a lot of vegetarian cookbooks right now-they go as quickly as I get them in. The vegetable cookbooks, well, so many of them can be used for the vegan-not everything is prepared with chicken or beef broth or pork lard. Some very good recipes-each unique in its own way. I liver a vegetarian lifestyle for weeks at a time, but I still love my steak, chicken and shrimp. Have you read the book "Skinny Bitch"? Supposedly it's a diet guide, but really the book is to convince you to become a vegan. Nothing wrong with that. Promotes the Morningstar and other Vegan products. I love Morningstar products-when they are on sale. Otherwise they are a little pricey for me on a regular basis.

But back to my cookbooks for sale on EBay:

The Vegetarian Guide to Diet & Salad by Dr. N.W. Walker-publishing date unknown

Of These Ye May Freely Eat-A Vegetarian Cookbook by JoAnn Rachor, Pub 1999

Favorite Salad Recipes by Publications Intl, pub 1986

The Art of Salad Making by Carol Truax, pub 1968

Classic Potato Dishes, edited by Lisa Dyer, pub 1996

Sunset Ideas for Cooking Vegetables by Sunset/Lane Pub, pub 1974

Better Homes & Gardens All-Time Favorite Vegetable Recipes by BHG, pub 1977

Great Taste, Low-Fat Vegetables by Time/Life Series, publishing date unknown

Simple Foods for the Pack by Vikki Kinmont & Claudia Axcell, by Sierra Club Books, pub 1976

Vegetable Cookbook by Nitty Gritty Publications, pub 1975

Zucchini Cookbook by Nancy Ralston & Marynor Jordan, Garden Way's Pub, pub 1977

The Carrot Cookbook by Audra & Jack Hendrickson, Garden Way's Pub, pub 1987

Cookinb with Herbs by Patricia Lousada by Bloomsbury Books, pub 1987

Totally Chile Pepper Cookbook by Helene Siegel and Karen Gillingham, Celestial Arts,pub 1994

Hot & Spicy Recipes by Cookbook Publishers, pub. 1998

Have you seen the advertising by Taco Bell? They are advertising their DriveThruDiet. Their Jarrett of Subway fame is now Christine who lost 54 lbs by eating the Fresco food items offered by Taco bell. Interesting, maybe there is something to this. www.DriveThruDiet.com

I've spoken before about my favorite food at El Pollo Loco-the Taco Al Carbon (flame grilled chicken on corn tortillas with cilantro & onion) is only $.79 each! It won't fill up the average guy, but for me, 2 of these are perfect for lunch, 307 total calories and no fat.

Next time you're in Tunica, MS for a little gambling, make your way over to Harrah's for Paula Deen's Buffet. This buffet features many Southern favorites, including hoecakes and biscuits to fried chicken and collard greens. I can't go there too often or I will never get my weight off.

That's all for now.

Cookbook Val