Snack Attack

Chapter Five:

According to my owners... I have been bad, very, very bad. Today I was left behind while they went on a beach walk. I even ran to the patio window, pawing at the glass barking ..."take me, take me!" But the loud roar of the surf drowned out my barks. I couldn't stand watching them crossing the dunes out to the beach without me.

Perhaps you are wondering how a sweet tempered dog like me could be in "the dog house". Seems like my voracious appetite got the best of me. I was having the best time running free, exploring and investigating all the mysterious objects along the sand when I came across what I thought was a tasty morsel. When my owners yelled "Drop it! Drop it!", I thought it was a game and went flying around with it in my mouth while my owners chased after me. When they caught up I refused to let go of it and clenched it even tighter in my jaws. Before I knew it I surprised myself-swallowed whole a broken bird's wing and then licked my chops. Needless to say my owners were not amused. They put me back on the leash and led me down the beach trying to keep me in check. As we were returning back to the boardwalk I spied yet another tasty morsel. Even though I knew I shouldn't I just had to have it! So right before their eyes I plucked it up, clenched my jaws so they could not wrench it from my mouth and I swallowed it whole. My owners gasped to see a small star fish disappear. For the time being on I am temporarily banned from the beach till my owners recuperate from all my antics.

End of Bella's guest blogging for today.

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Do you enjoy historical fiction? If so I have just the book for you The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. It is a debut novel written by Jamie Ford. The story is set in the area in and around Seattle in the 1940's and the 1980's. The two eras are linked through the memories of the protagonist Henry, a Chinese American. In the beginning of the story we meet Henry who is 12 and his school friend, Keiko, a Japanese American girl. Both children attend a white school with the hopes to get a good American education. Their friendship meets with sadness when Keiko's family is forced to evacuate and go to an interment camp.

This novel explores an age old conflict of traditions between father and son and the turmoil that occurs when the Japanese families were ordered to internment camps. Four decades later Henry finds himself on a mission to find something in the basement of Hotel Panama which has been closed and now facing renovations. It is here secrets are uncovered and memories stirred as Henry uncovers abandoned Japanese families' belongings.

The book has hope and commitment at its center. I think it would be a great read for book clubs and there are even discussion questions to be found online.

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Key Lime Pie

Key Lime Pie first made its debut in the Florida Keys where key limes are grown. Key limes are more yellow in color when ripe than green. Every recipe I looked at highly encouraged using REAL key limes since bottled lime juice has a more acidity taste. So I suggest go for the real deal. I was searching for a recipe that had a lighter filling than the traditional one that seems heavy to me. It seems to be personal preference for topping making a meringue one or use whip cream. The following recipe worked well for me.

Crust:

In a blender or food processor: mix 2 cups crushed graham crackers, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 2 TB. sugar, 1/2 cup pecan or slivered almonds, 5 TB. melted butter

Pat into a pie pan and bake @ 325 for 10 minutes-cool some before adding filling

Filling:

1- 140z. can of sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup Key Limes (3-4 depending on size)

3 large yolks (save whites)

2 tsp. grated lime zest

1/3 cup powdered sugar

In a separate bowl beat egg whites with 1/4 tsp. creme of tartar

Directions:

Whisk condensed milk with egg yolks and powdered sugar

Whisk in lime juice and zest

Fold in beaten egg whites

Pour into prepared baked graham cracker crust

Bake at 325 15-20 minutes-remove from oven and add meringue

Bake 12-15 minutes more but a word of caution watch so doesn't get too brown

Meringue

Beat 3 egg whites with 1/2 tsp. creme of tartar till foamy

Add 3 TB. sugar