Ginny’s Favorite Cookbooks

  Cooking takes time and when I have the time I love spending the day in the kitchen. That happens about twice a year! Every other day of the year cooking comes at the end of a day’s work -which usually means home at six then cook; eat by seven and clean up by eight. It’s a routine that does not inspire elaborate meals! That’s why, when I get the chance, I love to read cookbooks that will inspire and keep the cooking process ‘fresh’, enjoyable and easy! The “e” words being the most important!Because cooking has to fit into my lifestyle I’m always on the lookout for cookbooks or recipes that fit into my timeframe. Recently I’ve run across two cookbooks that are filled with recipes I can make and have on the table within 30-40 minutes, yet are delicious and fun to make. 

  At the top of the list, barefoot contessa at home by ina garten. (The title/author information is all lower case, that’s not an error!) The pictures alone instantly ignite the cook within!  Pictures of Garlic and Herb Tomatoes, Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes and Chicken Piccata literally spoke to me! 

The first recipe I tried was the Garlic and Herb Tomatoes because the gardens I tended this summer produced a lot of tomatoes, making tomato recipes particularly appealing.  This one takes about five minutes, uses whatever cherry tomatoes you have on hand and the results are very satisfying plus it looks great on a plate!

Chicken Piccata is another yummy discovery and easily fits into a 20 minute preparation time limit. A short list of ingredients adds to the appeal.

This is one book that will definitely appear on my Christmas wish list! 

  A close runner up, Just One Pot, offers a variety of options, all simple to make with preparation times of 20 minutes to two hours. 

One of my favorite recipes (so far) is the Pork, Sweet Potato and Apple Bake. It takes 15 minutes to prepare, has a 40 minute cook time, combines great flavors, looks good on a plate and tastes great! You’ll find other greats including: Green Curry with Chicken and Green Beans, Vegetarian Chili Supreme and Lamb Tagine with Raisins, Almonds and Honey! 

This is a fun book to read and with over 300 recipes to choose from there is something for just about everyone! It too will appear on my Christmas wish list!

What cookbooks inspire the cook within you?

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Christmas Gift Ideas from Your Local Library!

Are you looking for unique gift ideas this holiday season? Visit MPL! If you have friends and family who live close to Muncie, but not within Center Township, you can purchase a county card gift certificate which they can redeem for a Library card. The cost varies for 6 month to 12 month cards and for individuals and families.

Another unique gift idea is a set of J. Ottis Adams notecards, available at all MPL locations. These $5 notecard sets are unique to Muncie and feature historical Hoosier art.

Your friends can forget about the paper vs. plastic debate when they receive a canvas tote or two which you can purchase from the Friends of Muncie Public Library. These heavy duty totes are cream and blue and feature sturdy webbed nylon handles. The totes are $10 each and available at any Library location. Your purchase supports the Friends, who support programs and services at Muncie Public Library. So you get a useful gift for a friend, the Friends get your support-and the Library benefits. Definitely a win-win (and win) situation!

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It’s Christmas Craft Time @ Maring-Hunt!

  Teens and tweens come make a Christmas Craft. We’ve got the supplies, you bring your creativity! You can learn how to create Christmas Crafts and Gifts in the Fort at Maring-Hunt on Wednesday, December 5 from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m.

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Come Knit with Us!

 What’s a purl? How do you purl? Find out at the Teens Knitting event at Carnegie Library on Tuesday, November 6 at 4 p.m. Grab some needles and yarn and try your hand at this old fashioned skill that is so popular again. Teens (girls and guys) in grades 6 through 12 can attend.

You might just get hooked on this slow paced and creative pastime!

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Magic Tree House After School Book Club

 Sign up for the Magic Tree House Book Club at Carnegie Library! The club will be held every Monday in November from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Kids in K-2 will enjoy reading together as we explore the exciting Magic Tree House book Thanksgiving on Thursday by Mary Pope Osborne. In addition to reading a GREAT book, kids will enjoy activities, crafts and fun! Call 765.741.5158 to sign up TODAY!

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Depression Support Group will continue:

   It started with a book discussion focusing on post-partum depression. It has turned into a Depression Support Group offering hope and caring to anyone who would like to join. Down Came the Rain, is the memoir of post-partum depression written by Brooke Shields. Her book was the basis for a support group that began meeting at Carnegie Library in September. The group expanded to include any individuals who are struggling with depression or have had loved ones touched by depression. The group was scheduled to meet through October 15, but has decided to continue meeting on a weekly basis. Leading the group discussions are caring people from Delaware County Mental Health Association, a part of Mental Health Association America of Indiana.

The group is meeting every Monday from 5 - 7 p.m. at Carnegie Library. No reservations are needed to join. Contact Lorraine at 765.741.5157 for additional information.

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College Café

 Meet with friendly people from Ivy Tech and Muncie Community Schools @ Carnegie Library on Thursday, October 18 from 2 - 4 p.m. or Thursday, November 15 from 2 - 4 p.m.

It’s a relaxed atmosphere and free refreshments will be served, along with plenty of helpful advice on earning a GED, enrolling for college classes and how to get financial aid.

Maybe you’ve been thinking about your future, but didn’t know where to start or how to get the answers you need. College Café is a great place to start.

Call Lorraine Munson @ 765.741.5157 for more information.

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Wanda Lou Willis is coming to MPL

     On Wednesday, October 10 at 5:30 p.m. Hoosier folklorist and author Wanda Lou Willis will get you in the Halloween spirit by taking you on a tour of Indiana’s haunted landscape through the telling of stories from her two Books: Haunted Hoosier Trails and More Haunted Hoosier Trails.

Join us for this and other events during the MPL Harvest Fest!

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Need a Break?

Take a virtual tour! Travel without having to leave the comfort of your own home. In this day and age of inflated gas prices, what could be better?

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LOL @ your library® during Teen Read Week!

Come read for the fun of it as Muncie Public Library celebrates the tenth annual Teen Read Week, October 14 - 20, 2007. You’ll join thousands of other libraries, schools and bookstores across the country who are encouraging teens to celebrate this year’s theme, “LOL @ your library®.” Teen Read Week is the literacy initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), the fastest growing division of the American Library Association. This year, we want teens to read humorous books and graphic novels just for the fun of it.

At Muncie Public Library we hope to increase teen literacy by offering a series of programs for all young adults grades 6-12 during Teen Read Week including:

Zombie Movie Night - LOL at those old zombie movies that made your parents and grandparents afraid to go out at night. But you’ll just LOL when you see some crazy attempts at filming real Zombies.  Monday, October 15, 2007 Maring-Hunt, Loft: 4:30 pm. For registration or more information call Adam at 741.7338.

Final Vampire Book Club - If you’ve read “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer, you won’t want to miss this last chance to enjoy Vampire activities. Pick the characters for the movie. Test your skill at “Twilight” trivia and enjoy real Werewolf and Vampire fun. Thursday, October 18, 2007, Carnegie, 5:30 pm. For registration or more information, call Jody at 741.5158.

ComedySportz Improv Workshop - Straight from Indianapolis. You will LOL and ROFL because this workshop will help you learn how to be hilariously funny. If you’ve never done a comedy improvisational workshop, this afternoon is for you. Saturday, October 20, 2007, Maring Hunt, Loft 2:00 - 3:15 pm. For registration or more information call Jenny at 747.8212.

Set aside some time to read each night - even magazines count. Just read! Surf the Internet to learn about new books or authors. Check out the YALSA booklists.

Check out the ALA’s Top 10 Reasons to Read for the Fun of it!

Hey Parents! We know that today’s teens seem to have less and less free time. That is why teens need to set aside some time to read. Stop in at any Muncie Public Library location today and pick up a harvest bookmark with staff picks for October fun reads.

Studies show a regular reading habit increases reading proficiency. Being around adults who are avid readers can counteract the latest statistics from The Nation’s Report Card, which indicate that in homes across America need to encourage diverse reading materials. 

Teen Read Week(TM) is held annually during the third week of October. An updated sponsors and supporting organizations list can be found here.

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