Book - The Beach House

I can't remember if I have read any other of Jane Green's books, but after this one I am tempted to pick one up. This book is about an eccentric old woman, Nan, who lives on Nantucket and has just found out she is out of money. In order to save her house, she rents rooms to two different people.

I easily fell into the lives of the different characters and was trying to figure out what would happen to each of them. It was an enjoyable read, nothing spectacular, but enjoyable none the less.

Pork Chop & Potato Bake

4 -6 Pork Chops
1/2 c milk
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese
1 can Cream of Celery Soup 98% Fat Free
1/2 C. Fat Free Sour Cream
24 oz. frozen hasbrowns - thawed
1 can french fried onions

Brown chops.
Combine soup, milk, sour cream, & pepper.
Stir in the hasbrowns
Add 1/2 cup cheese & 1/2 can onions
Spoon the mixture into greased 9x13 pan.
Put pork chops on top of mixture.
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes
Top with cheese and onions
Bake for 5 minutes more

Light Pie

2/3 Cup boiling water
1 small pkg sugar free jello - any flavor (Strawberry is great)
Ice cubes
1/2 cup cold water
1 tub Fat free cool whip (8 oz) Thawed
1 reduced fat graham cracker crust

Stir boiling water & jello until dissolved.
Add enough ice to the cold water to make one cup & add to jello.
Stir until slightly thickened. Remove any unmelted ice.
Add 2 cups whipped topping
Stir with wire whisk until blended
Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes or until the mixture is very thick and will mound
Spoon into crust
Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm

*Also very good from the freezer!

Zucchini Cheese Manicotti

1 - 8 ox. Manicotti Shells*
2 cups reduced fat Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated reduced fat parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup fat free sour cream
1/3 cup light prepared Italian salad dressing
1/2 cup shredded zucchini
1 - 14 oz. can spaghetti sauce (I used Huntz)

Cook Manicotti according to package directions; rinse in cold water & drain.
In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups mozz cheese, parm cheese, salt, & pepper.
Stir in egg, sour cream, salad dressing, & zucchini.

Carefully stuff manicotti (use a pastry bag or put in ziploc bag and cut off the tip)
Place in greased 13 x 9 pan
Pour spaghetti sauce over top
Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 35 minutes
Sprinkle with remaining cheese
Bake 5 minutes longer

* I just made this with Jumbo Shells instead of the Manicotti. I found it much easier to stuff the pasta. I put a small amount of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of the pan, then covered the shells with the rest.

Zucchini Bread

Here's another way to get rid of some of that summer squash!
Thanks Carrie!

Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. oil
1/2 bag of choc. chips (optional)
1 tsp vanilla
2 c. grated zucchini
3 c. flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix eggs, sugar, oil, choc. chips and vanilla
Stir in zucchini
Mix in dry ingredients
Divide into two 9x5 loaf pans
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour

Book - The Tenth Circle

I decided to read this book because Lifetime was showing the made for TV movie version. As with all movies, I prefer to read the book first. So, the movie was recorded and sat on my DVR pretty much all summer. When I went to my parents in August, I decided to read the book.

As it turns out, I could have waited a lifetime to read the book. It wasn't worth my time & I deleted the movie after only 10 minutes. I have liked other Picoult novels, but this book just didn't make the mark. It was hard to connect to the characters and after awhile, I didn't really care about what happened to any of them.

The book is about a teenage girl who supposedly gets raped by an ex-boyfriend. Her dad, who has a secret past, is obviously very upset about it and seeks to help his daughter. At the same time, his wife is having an affair and the daughter keeps getting caught in a web of lies.

If you want to read a novel by Jodi Picoult, read My Sister's Keeper (even if you have already it) -- this one isn't worth the time!

Zucchini Casserole

This is perfect for all those zucchini growing in your garden!

Zucchini Casserole

1/2 cup melted butter (I only use 1/4 cup)
6 cups zucchini - diced
1 onion - diced
1 cup sour cream ( I used Fat free)
1 can Cream of Chicken soup (I use 98% fat free)
1 box of stuffing mix

Cook zucchini and onion till soft. Drain well.
Combine soup & sour cream. Fold into zucchini mixture.
Melt butter & add stuffing crumbs. Mix well.
Place 1/2 of stuffing in bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.
Top with zucchini mixture
Top rest of stuffing mixture.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes

I sometimes use two boxes of stuffing as that seems to be the favorite part in my house!