Today is Friday, September 25th

G-G-Green Chartreuse-Anthony had lost his stammer in the deep waters of his old romance. It came flowing back to hi, momentarily, with the coffee and liqueurs. "Real G-g-green Chartreuse, made before the expulsion of the monks. There are five distinct tastes as it trickles over the tongue. It is like swallowing a sp-spectrum.-Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh, 1945.

When I feel stress in my life or I am exhausted, I sleep-walk. I have done this all my life. Last night I went to bed hungry. Woke up to find a food bowl and napkins, next to my bed and a open tortilla chips bag in the kitchen. Turns out I nuked shredded cheese on tortilla chips last night & then ate them-sleep eating. I guess it's a combination of stress and exhaustion that starts the sleep eating, not the first time this has happened. But it is the first time, I used the microwave while sleeping.

I know there are people reading my blog out in Internet Land. I appreciate it. Makes me feel less alone.

I'm surprised that my Christmas & Holiday cookbooks haven't sold yet. Christmas is coming. So tonight, I'm going to list my cookbooks for the Holiday season. Look for it under Valerie2901 on EBay or under the general heading of cookbooks.

Best of Holiday Recipes by Taste of Home Magazine

Ladies Home Journal Handbook of Holiday Cuisine

Holiday Cookbook by Miriam B. Loo's

Homemade Christmas-a fundraiser for Marine Toys For Tots Foundation

Treasury of Christmas Recipes-From Your Favorite Brand Name Companies

The Thanksgiving Table by Diane Morgan

So what about that 18 pound baby? Poor mother, I can only imagine her pain at childbirth.

Offered free tickets to Gino Vanelli on Sunday night. Unfortunately, I will be in Los Angeles. I would really like to see him again. Nobody ever offers free tickets for Barry Manilow either, wouldn't mind seeing his show either.

Well, I had plans to make Coconut Custard Pie, but I have run out of time today. Maybe on Tuesday, when I get back from my next trip. Lots of people don't like coconut, but I do.

Cookbook Val

Five Days Later!

Five days later, I am back to this. Really hard to do this, when I'm on a trip. Not much energy on my down time, the airplane pressurization is really getting to me these days.

Choosing The Wine: Red Bordeaux is like the lawful wife: an excellent beverage that goes with every dish and enables one to enjoy one's food. But now then a man wants a change...-My Life and Loves, Frank Harris, 1922-27.

In my ode to fund raiser cookbooks, I have four new ones for you to look over. There are gems in here I tell you.

Hip Kids Cook! by the Junior League of Omaha, NE-standard recipes for kids functions & parties, but a new twist to some familiar recipes

Gourmet Gallery Cookbook by the Stuart Society as a fundraiser for the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, FL. 440 pages of recipes-there has to be something in here for everyone.

Seasoned With Love by the Women's Ministries of Calvary Christian Center of Buena Park, CA

From Our House To Yours by the Huntington Beach/Fountain Valley Assn. of Realtors of Huntington Beach, CA

Look for these cookbooks and other cookbooks on EBay under general heading of cookbooks or my listing area-Valerie2901. Many times, people have asked me about my listing name. I have had this EBay listing area for many years and as much as I would love to change my listing name, to something like Cookbook Val, but every time you do, you need to open a new bank account for the new name. Too much work.

I just finished a book (now listed on EBay), that I thought was fiction, but in fact turned out to be a memoir (definitely non-fiction). Psychic Junkie by Sarrah Lassez. It actually was quite interesting, though a little slow at times, it was worth finishing. A true story of a women addicted to psychic readings.

So while on this past trip, I'm in my bed and look down and see something black with legs. We've had some issues lately at work with hotels and bed bugs, so immediately, I jumped up and stripped my bed for other little creatures. The thing is though, I didn't feel any bites, and anything that sucks blood out of me, I definitely feel. So I look again at this black thing and realize it is one of my mascaraed coated eyelashes-that's me with the "blonde hair". I found another one later (I rub my eyes too much, hence the loss of eyelashes-luckily they grow back fast). Speaking of which, I have yet to talk to anyone who has used that new product Latisse. I'm interested in feedback on this new prescription only product that grows long great eyelashes.

I really have lots to say, but it's bedtime now. Cookbook Val

My niche in life

I think I have found my niche in life-filling you with useless and not-so-useless information. As well as recipes to keep you cooking and your stomach filled. I think that's it. That's what this blog is for, my unrequited need to teach people about food and the flavors, tastes, scents and seasonings.

My Wine Tribute: SHERRY: A self-willed wine!

Sherry is a self-willed wine which gives a good deal of trouble to its guardians during its early years; it must have its own way, but like many a difficult child, when Sherry reaches the age of sweet reasonableness, it is the most amenable of all wines, the only one that will not let its nose be put out by being left overnight and even for some days in a decanter; the only one to put up cheerfully with cigarette smoke and over-scented women-A Wine Primer, Andre Simon 1986.

This next book up, I would love to own, but I'm afraid if I did, I would use it all the time. Look for the next 2 books under cookbooks on EBay or Valerie2901. "Mini-Fryer Cookery" by Barbara Melhven. 211 tested recipes from hot appetizers to main dishes, beef fondue to desserts-all deep-fried. Just the way I like it. I had chicken wings about 2 months ago and felt so guilty. I still have french fries once in awhile, that is my comfort food, when I'm not feeling good-so I save it for that time. I think my writing my chicken wings cookbook is the way I can warrant eating chicken wings once in awhile, because I have to test the recipes.

The other book I can recommend is: "Grilling With The Perfect Flame Cookbook". The author is the Grill Company published in 1995. It is not a big book by any means (only 36 pages), but good easy grilling recipes, great marinades, sauces and ideas.

An example: Key Lime Shrimp

1 lb. large raw shrimp, 1/4 cup- lime juice, 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, 1 tsp. garlic, minced.

Peel shrimp, leaving tails intact and thread shrimp on skewers. Mix remaining ingredients in bowl. Grill skewers for about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Brush on sauce while grilling. Arrange on platter and serve immediately.

I don't even have to make this recipe, to know it will work and taste good.

I spent the day scouring thrift stores for cookbooks and hit the mother lode at the Outreach Community Center on Lake Mead Blvd in North Las Vegas. Overall today, I bought approximately 70 new and used cookbooks.

I also hit the Poker Palace for bingo-me and all the old people. Of course, I didn't win, I never do, but I was throughly entertained.

Cookbook Val

Turkish Cookery by Inci Kut

Turkish Cookery is my cookbook to talk about today. Listed on my EBay website-Valerie2901 under the general headings of cookbooks. I have been to Turkey a couple of times, so I'm really enjoying reading this. The culinary art in Turkey is made of a great variety of delicious dishes which are a mixture of various delicacies inherited from different regions of the vast Ottoman Empire. Among different parts of Turkish Cookery, the most notable are hors d'oeuvres (meze), pastries (borek) filled with meat, cheese, vegetables or any other filling, stuffed vegetables and vine leaves (dolma) of two different kinds with meat or rice, broiled or roasted meat dishes (kebab and kofte), different kinds of rice dishes (pilav) and finally vegetables cooked in oil (zeytinyagli). There is so much more in this book to learn about the food and culture. One of my exotic books.

I thought of another cookbook that sells really well: George Foreman cookbooks! I love my George Foreman Grill-use it all the time. The books are well worth getting.

One of my favrite places to eat in Las Vegas is at Ellis Island Casino-one of the best deals in town-for $6.99, you get a 16 ounce beer from their micro brewery on site, a large salad, a baked potatoe and a 10 ounce top sirloin (and the steak is really good). What a deal!

Also, yesterday, besides picking up the fabulous rasberries, I picked up a bag of 6 pears and a bag filled with a dozen plums, for $.99 each.

That,s all for n0w.
Cookbook Val

Soybeans-another Protein?

I don't eat much in the way of beans. Occasionally, I may have some chickpeas in my salads, but that's it. But today in listing my books on my EBay website-Valerie2901, I came across two new books that seemed interesting. One was The Art of Tofu and The Proteins for Pennies Cookbook-the first book of gourmet soybean cookery. Over 200 delicious, super-nutritious recipes. Did you know that soybeans contains three times as much protein as roast beef, but none of its built-in fat? Soybeans are filled with all-important minerals and iron and it's virtually starch-free. It still hasn't convinced me to be a soybean eater yet, but it's something to keep in mind for the future.

And interestingly enough, my biggest purchasers of vegetarian cookbooks are those living in Canada, not California. Times are changing. I can remember going to Canada to a local drugstore (similar to Walgreen's), and there would be 2-3 full store aisles of diabetic foods available. Family has a summer cottage in Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada-I didn't want you to think I only ever went to one drugstore in Canada and this was my full perception of the health and lifestyle of the average Canadian. Like I said, times are changing, so are eating habits.

Is anyone out there reading this? I spend all day trying to think up topics and ideas. But again, this is good for me, it's getting me to write again. Even if it is only to myself.

The only cooking I've done this week is grilling some turkey hot dogs, and chicken-filled polish sausage (not bad, actually). I just can't seem to get motivated to bake or do real cooking.

You may not know this, but I am a great wine drinker. Did you know that you get a liter of wine at Trader Joe's for $2.99 per bottle (sometimes great, sometimes not so great) and at Wal-Mart for $2.49 per bottle. Again, sometimes very good, sometimes not so good. Some Kroger's stores (Smiths stores out west) have become competitive with a $2.99 bottle, but usually only those close to a Trader Joe's store. Kroger's wine is actually pretty good most of the time.

On September 5, 2009... there is going to be a Bridal Show at the Green Valley Resort, Spa & Casino. I so want to get married. It's not going to happen, but I so want it. Anyway, things planned are a Bridal Gown Giveaway, Bridal Fashion Shows-all day long, One-Stop Planning, Battle of the Bakers-Wedding Cake Bake Off, Catering Contest (free food) and more. I'm going, everyone needs a little pain and free food in their lives. Maybe I'll win the Bridal Gown, then I just need to find a man to marry me-I'm halfway there! If you need more information, please go to www.lasvegasbride.com.

That's all for now.
Cookbook Val

People Get A Grip!

Once again, I am politically incorrect. I am so sorry, that I have an opinion in life. All's I want to do is enjoy life, sell cookbooks (EBay-Valerie2901), and have my own cooking show someday. I have opinions on many things in life and America has become so sensititve to each and everything. You make a comment about an individual and you're a racist-except you weren't making an opinion based on the race of the individual, or the nationality, just about the individual. Or you're a major gossip. People, if you don't want personal information passed around, you should stop bragging about your sex life and such. There is such a thing as saying "don't say anything, this is between us", but if you don't say anything, then all is fair game.

When I was young and beautiful, I made a career out of dating spies-CIA, DEA & FBI. I had a documented profile, that said I had a big mouth and to qualify anything that shouldn't be repeated. Again, if you didn't qualify confidential information, then it was great gossip to pass among my friends.

Moving on, releasing the anger. Every cook needs an apron. Why, to keep the spills and splotches from getting all over your clothes, while you're cooking. That's going to be my christmas present to friends and family this year. An apron, with their name embroidered on it-like Chef Nick (for my son). Everyone will be a Chef this year.

I'm back in Las Vegas, shipping and packing off all my cookbooks for EBay and visiting my thrift stores. Today, among many, I visited the New Vista Emporium on W. Charleston. Their best buys are the great leather couches (sets) that they receive as donations. Selling for an individual sofa from $200 to a 3 piece set for $800. I keep trying to catch one of them, but I haven't achieved it yet. I just see them as they are getting packed off to the new owner.

Do you ever think you receive signs from above? I do, but I'm trying to find out the latest signs and their meanings. When I reached my home late last night, I found a white feather (in my home) and a set sapphire. The white feather suppp0sedly means cowardice-me or someone else and the sapphire. The sapphire was already set in white gold. Now, I set gemstones, especially sapphires, but this wasn't one of mine that I set. I have housekeeping, so I assume that the sapphire was left in error by the housekeeper. The white feather is another story, still looking up what it might mean.

But I have had other signs, the most recent was on my laptop. A few months ago, I lost the letter V on my laptop, it just popped off. I let it go. Not the end of the world, just have to press down harder on the letter V. On Friday, 6 new letters popped off, all at once, within minutes of each other. I contacted Dell to see if my warranty was still intact and they arranged for repair. The warranty is set to expire in less than 2 weeks! The repair man said, if I had to repair this on my own, the hardware would have cost more than a new computer.

Two months ago, my battery died on my car. Found someone to help me jump the car. Next day, went to the auto repair place and he said the battery was fine. 2 hours later, someone hit my car in a parking lot at a superstore & then waited for me (miracle all on its own). While getting my car info available for insurance company, found out my tags were expiring in 5 days. Now, I would have been very upset, if the police had stopped me and told me my tags were expired and fined me additional money-which I couldn't afford at the time.

Many other signs. I have to keep reminding myself that I am a lucky woman. I have so much more than most. I have a good career, good health, family and 2 men who love me (son & someone else). What more do I need in life!

Still looking for a recipe which features almond paste-something unusual untried, something with chicken or beef involved. I have found a pie recipe I would like to try, but so many ingredients-this would be one expensive pie.

That's all for now. Cookbook Val

Apology for being polictly incorrect

In my last blog, I referred to a group of mentally retarded young men and women (in reference to: Opportunity Village). I have just been told, the correct term is disabled. I do apologize if I offended anyone. People are so sensitive these days. Today, I encountered a young boy with sensory issues (bottom-line-autistic). I know what autistic is and I know how to assist the needs of an autistic child/adult. I don't know know how to assist an all-encompassing disabled or sensory sensitive individual. We are way too sensitive these days.

Alright, how many of you drink diet coke or diet products with aspartame in them. Next time you drink one, look on the side panel of ingredients. Look for the word phenylalnine-translation: embaling fluid. The FDA requires products with aspartame to list this preservative. It is the consumers responbility to know what they're drinking. I discovered this, because a colleague of mine, convinced me that by not drinking diet coke, I would actually lose weight. She had lost 33 pounds in a one-year period, losing diet coke,detoxifying her body of it. Note-she didn't need to lose weight, she had other health issues. So, I looked it up on the internet and came up with embalming fluid. While I have only lost 5 pound in the last 6 weeks, she predicted I would lose all my back fat first-which I did, in the 1st 4 weeks. Now I see little pockets of fat lost in my stomach-not overall, just pockets.

Two weeks ago, I dyed my hair red. Then I changed my mind and decided to go back to dark blonde. The hair color box assured me that I would go from red to blonde. I even bought the expensive hair color..Red beats blonde. Still red haired, I've decided to strip my hair color with cheap hotel shampoos. Will keep you posted on the cheap shampoo stripping of color.

This week's cooking will include almond paste. I have one recipe for stuffed chicken breasts, stuffed with almond paste, mozzarella cheese. & bread crumbs & sauteed in a sherry cooking sauce, that is incredible. I will try and find something new to do with almond paste this week.

Peace be with you.

Cookbook Val

Spicy Avocado Dressing?

I love the chicken at El Loco Pollo or is it El Pollo Loco (translates-The Crazy Chicken) & one of their salsas/sauces they serve is a spicy avocado dressing-which they won't divulge the ingredients. I thought maybe it was really just a jalapeno dressing, but that isn't it. My wish list also is to have their marinade that they put on their chicken, prior to grilling. The best grilled chicken in town. They have fast food stores (but all grilled chicken) in most major cities.

I'm in Charlotte, NC, sitting in a hotel on a Sunday afternoon with no TV reception, due to the pouring rain outside. I'm surprised the internet has held up with all the thunder and lightening outside. My flight will be delayed tonight, I can see it already.

I'm amazed how many people are obessed with weather. Did you know that there are 3 hurricanes in the Atlantic right now. My co-workers are constantly huddled over their Blackberry, tracking the progress. Like maybe it will fly off its path and maybe hit Charlotte, as we lounge in our hoel rooms.

Back to my thrift store shopping in Las Vegas. No, I'm not obessed with it, but I do enjoy the buys, I sometimes find. The Oppotunity Village on Main St. Not the best of areas. It seems to be a fledgling art/antique district. The store is located next to a Bail Bonds office. Inside the store it is kept neat and clean, with 3-4 supervisors on duty and approximately 15 mentally retarded young men & women. The staff is amazingly so patient with their workers-while teaching them basic skills in a retail environment. This store has some local connection with Pier One Imports and donations. Lots of new Pier One stuff sold here all the time for $.99 and up. I have bought some future good Christmas presents here. They also recently got a huge brand new wedding dresses donation-in every size from $20 & up. Every time I visit, there is at least one future bride trying on a wedding dress that she can actually afford to buy. It is so sweet to see!

I know some people are reading this now. It feels good to be interactive (is this a correct statement) on the internet.

Banana Cream Pie

I made a banana cream pie the other night and finally got around to tasting it last night. The taste was wonderful, the looks, not so good. In many fruit pies, you can use over ripe fruit and it doesn't make any difference. But not so with bananas-I had used bananas starting to go to mush, sliced them up in my pie and when the pie was sliced, that's what I saw-small pieces of light brown mush bananas. I will know next time-firm ripe bananas only.

Last night I tried a recipe called Chicken on a Diet. It sounded good. 3 chicken breasts baked at 325 F for 1 hour with 1/4 cup soy sauce and 1 can of orange soda. The chicken was tender, but otherwise no distinguishable flavor to it. Then again, you don't know how it's going to work out, until you at least try.

I don't know where I'm going with this blog. Just writing to keep the creative juices flowing. For years, I wrote travel articles pubished in newspapers all over the U.S. Now, I write this. Maybe this will inspire me to finally write my Romantic Adventure Novel or maybe this will lead to a cooking show that I want to do. Or maybe I'll just cook my little heart out and finally finish my cook books. In the meanwhile, I am writing this for me, a place to talk about my cooking adventures.

I live in Las Vegas and I found a new store chain here where everything is priced .99. Not the Dollar Tree, the $.99 store. All there vegetables and produce are all $.99. Fresh raspberries, blueberries, asparagus, red, orange and yellow peppers-I am so amazed at this. Of course, you have to be there at the right time and place. I have watched women buy 20 pints of blueberries and then eat them in the check-out line like candy. This is obviously the place to buy fruits and vegetables in Las Vegas. They said new shipments come in Tuesdays, but I tried one of the big stores, at Charleston & Decatur and I didn't notice more or less. I do know not to go in Saturday afternoons for fruits and vegs, because everything is gone. Even their food in the frozen section-which is adequate, but nothing to write about.

I also found a thrift store chain I like for kitchen ware called Savers. I have noticed they get alot of commercial kitchen equipment. So I'll be there each week checking out the kitchen ware. They also have clothes, furniture, etc, but I'm be there for the kitchen ware. I found the other day, a heavy duty sauce pan I need for $5.99 with cover, thought it looked good, felt heavy. Found it on the internet as Professional cookware. The next day, I went to pick up some more pieces and they were already gone. I did manage to get an electric fondue, perfect for some deep frying, when you don't want to use a big pot or fryer for $4.99 and a solid 24-inch one-piece wooden rolling pin for $2.99. I love getting great buys.

Your friend on the internet, Cookbook Val

My Cooking Show

Since this is my blog and the chance of anyone reading it is slim, I can express my hopes and dreams in the land of cooking. One day, I want my own Cooking/Travelling Show. I have had TV producers interested in my concept before, but then they want to change it to their concept, of me on a cooking show-that's it. I don't cook everything, I cook whatever I'm in the mood for. Though I can be a little flexible, the type of show I want someday will be held in different cities of the U.S. each week. I will find some restaurants (possibly 2 per 30 minute show), find out what the specialities of these restaurants are and then have the chefs show me and the audience how to make it. I was asked for an example of what I meant and the TV producers were located in Palm Springs, CA, so I started with restaurants in Palm Springs. What I came up with was Sherman's Deli & Bakery, in business since 1953. For this restaurant, since it is a kosher restaurant and I'm not jewish, I thought they could show me how to make Beef'n Latkas and also how to make Passover Honey Cake. The other Chef I was interested in was actually a local caterer, who was well known for his Malayasian appetizers-Chef Heng Ngooi-he could do various appetizers in his commercial kitchen for me.

Right now I'm in my pie baking phase, testing pie recipes for my pie cookbook that I am writing. If anyone has a pie recipe to forward to me and I use it, you will get credit for it. So the other night I made a pear pie, but the topping wasn't quite right. It was supposed to be a crumble topping, but a friend had suggested I melt the butter, before mixing it with the flour & brown sugar. What a mistake, it was good to taste, but gooey and wouldn't cover the whole top of the pie. This time I will cut the butter into the crumble topping and it should work out better. I had never had a pear pie before, but the price was right for a bag of pears, so I decided to try it. Firm pears take alot longer to cook, then soft going to mush pears-more cooking time needed for this recipe. And pears when cooked actually taste alot like apples.

CookbookVal