Complicated and beautiful. That's my best descriptions of M.O. Walsh's debut novel, My Sunshine Away. It's not that the subject matter or plot is complicated, it's not really. An upper middle-class suburban neighborhood is shaken by the rape of a young girl on her way home one night. The story follows the community over the next several years as it deals with the loss of innocence that is inevitable when people are involved. It's the purpose that's more complicated. The narrator, who ... Read More about My Sunshine Away
Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Tart
I make this bourbon chocolate pecan tart for our family holiday get-togethers every year. I'm on year 23 and still cooking, so I've had a lot of practice getting this one right. It's probably the first recipe that earns the honor of The Dirty Pages. The filling is rich, crunchy, and sweet, and the cream cheese crust gives it just enough tartness to balance the richness. It's best served warm with some bourbon whipped cream on top, but it does just fine at room temperature. I found the ... Read More about Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Tart
37 Best New Reads for Fall
Who is ready to settle into fall with good books, warm fires, and comfort food? Fall is the perfect time to get lost in good stories, so I tried to find as many new stories as I could. This year I decided to broaden my reading tastes a bit by purposely looking for books about other cultures as well as genres I usually pass by. I've done all the legwork for you and put together an exhaustive list of books from many genres; there is something for everybody on this list, and if you want to ... Read More about 37 Best New Reads for Fall
Pecan Coffee Cake Muffins
We're starting a challenge with over 100,000 people tomorrow that encourages healthy eating and lifestyle habits. We're also adhering to a few dietary constraints our doctor put on us for a short bit as we work through some sensitivity issues. That means I spent a good bit of time today preparing food for the week so we don't fall off the wagon and accidentally find ourselves in an artisanal doughnut shop foaming at the mouth. Breakfast was becoming an issue for me. I have made smoothies ... Read More about Pecan Coffee Cake Muffins
Tennessee Wedding Soup
It's been so much warmer here than we're used to in December- mostly mid-70s. It's not uncommon to have a day or two of warm weather in the winter, but we've had an honest spring revival here. My hydrangeas are budding, the cherry blossoms are blossomed, and my Facebook feed is full of children swimming in pools, washing cars in swimsuits, and feeding the reindeer in bare feet. I'll be honest, I don't have the wardrobe diversity or the skin tone for a long warm-spell in December, but I ... Read More about Tennessee Wedding Soup