Book Club: Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen and Elaine's Famous Chicken Enchiladas~
“When
you’re happy for yourself, it fills you.
When you’re happy for someone else, it pours
over.”
Where
did the time go, a year ago Elaine along with adorable Chloe hosted book club
and we were back at Elaine’s last March where she whipped up her famous Enchiladas’,
served with a tossed green salad and of course chips and salsa! Hey when you
have a winning recipe we all agree that you should stick with it!
And
for dessert…Lemon Balm Pudding Cake, well not sure if Elaine actually infused
the cake with Crushed Violets but it was delicious!
Elaine
also greeted us with a surprise, her husband John usually creates a
presentation on their TV with great photos of the book and a welcome greeting,
which always makes us feel special. Well this month John outdid himself! He
created a booklet which included Elaine’s menu for the evening, the book club
questions, a list of Sarah’s other books and a description of the magical
effect of Claire’s plants, you will just have to read the book to get the list!
I
first read Garden Spells back in 2008 and fell in love with the Waverly women;
Claire, Sydney, Bay and Evanelle. When Ann suggested this book I thought it
would be fun to read it again. Who doesn’t’ love a book about a mysterious
apple tree, magical plants and recipes, secrets, love and family. A story of
unusual women that are quirky, secretive and just plain fun to spend time with.
Claire
and Sydney are sisters who each have a particular gift, some might call it
intuition, others hmmm maybe a little magic. Bay is Sydney’s daughter, who has
a particular talent for making sure everything has a place and Evanelle is just
plain fun and we all agreed she is our favorite character. Toss in a little
mystery, a dash of romance, family love, friends lost and found, magic and you
have the perfect recipe for a great book.
One
of the book club questions asked “If you possessed magical powers what would
you do?” My response without even thinking was cure cancer, we all agreed that
was a good one. My Mom, Mother-in-law and so many of my friends are breast
cancer survivors and we have lost too many to cancer. My Dad is a colon cancer
survivor, need I say more. As always we shared laughs, a little bit of our inner thoughts, opinions, yes we all have those and just had fun!
If
you haven’t read any of Sarah Addison Allen’s novels spring is here and a
perfect time to spend time with some of Sarah’s great characters. What books
are you reading, we love suggestions!
Just cook something! Oh and read something! Cheers! Kary~
Elaine’s Famously
Delicious Enchiladas
4
cups boiled chicken breast cut in cubes
1
can mild enchilada sauce
1
small onion diced
16
oz. sour cream
4
cups four blend shredded Mexican cheeses
1
can minced green chilies
12
tortilla shells, Flour, wheat or corn- My favorite is corn tortillas, that said
Elaine's are my favorite with flour!
Pre-heat
the oven to 350 decrees.
Place
the chicken breasts in a sauce pan and cover with water, about 1-inch-high,
bring to a boil, turn down and simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes. Watch closely,
when the chicken is fork tender it is done.
Mix
chicken, sour cream, 2 cups of cheese, minced green chilies and onion in a
large bowl. Dip the tortilla shells into the enchilada sauce and fill with a
spoon full of the chicken/cheese mixture, roll with the seam side down.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the rolled up enchiladas and bake 30 minutes
@350 decrees.
It’s
that simple, now enjoy!
And
for a side dish, a green salad, black beans & corn or Spanish rice well do
nicely. Oh don’t forget the tortilla
chips and salsa!
Just
cook something! Cheers! Kary~
2016 Selections:
2016 Selections:
Month Book Author
February Garden Spells Sarah Addison Allen
April Rogue Lawyer John Grisham
June~August Summer Break
September Comfort and Joy Kristen Hannah
October Marriage of Opposites Alice Hoffman
November The Nightingale Kristen Hannah
December Christmas Party and Book Selection for 2017
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