Easy Peasy Chicken Brocolli Casserole

EASY TO MAKE HALF THE RECIPE!

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
• 2 cups (or more) cooked chopped broccoli
• 2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 pinch ground black pepper to taste
• 2 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 ½ cups bread crumbs
• ¼ cup salted butter, melted

Directions

1.   Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2.   Combine chicken, broccoli, condensed soup, sour cream, and pepper in a bowl. Mix in 1 cup Cheddar cheese. Pour into a 2-quart casserole dish and top with remaining Cheddar cheese.

3.   Combine bread crumbs and butter in a bowl. Sprinkle over casserole.

4.   Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly and cheese is melted, 30 to 35 minutes.

Watch it on YouTube

26. Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling

listened on Chrip (although I started on Kindle)

2017
262 pgs.
MidGrades/YA Crf/Myst
Finished 4/16/23
Goodreads rating: 4.31
My rating: 5
Setting: Contemporary Phoenix, AZ

My comments: I've wanted to read this for a long time - it's set in the Arizona desert and has cacti on the cover and in the title, for cryin' out loud!  So sorry it took me so long, because this was an amazing story. It should be required reading for everyone! The way it looked at and handled Tourette's Syndrome was particularly special...heartbreaking and informative at the same time.  Great characters, interesting setting, wonderful plot.  What more could one want?

Goodreads synopsis:  Aven Green loves to tell people that she lost her arms in an alligator wrestling match, or a wildfire in Tanzania, but the truth is she was born without them. And when her parents take a job running Stagecoach Pass, a rundown western theme park in Arizona, Aven moves with them across the country knowing that she’ll have to answer the question over and over again.

Her new life takes an unexpected turn when she bonds with Connor, a classmate who also feels isolated because of his own disability, and they discover a room at Stagecoach Pass that holds bigger secrets than Aven ever could have imagined. It’s hard to solve a mystery, help a friend, and face your worst fears. But Aven’s about to discover she can do it all . . . even without arms.

25. Secret Shopper by Tanya Taimanglo

Read on Kindle, recommended by Book Girlsl and read for their monthly read
319 pgs.

2013
Adult CRF
Finished 4/14/2023
Goodreads rating: 3.65
My rating: 2.5
Setting: contemporary San Diego and Guam

My comments:  Read for a Book Girls monthly read.  I always dislike writing a non-glowing review, but I guess I must be honest with my feelings.  This one definitely didn't do it.  A 25-year-old, discovering her husband has been cheating on her, sludges her way through it with believable feelings, ups, downs, sadness, anger.  What didn't work for me was her obsession for a new guy, Thomas.  Much of the book seems trite to me, and it definitely needed some editing work.  There were so many opportunities to give the reader some insight into Guam, but this  didn't happen either.

Spring Season Quilt Block by Beth Shibley of My Sewing Room

 I love that the two hourglass blocks and all the half square triangles are made with slightly larger squares, then cut down (I'd use my BlockLoc ruler) to make accurately-sized 2 1/2 inch squares.

A 10:45 YouTube video can be found here.  Cutting directions below.

Each block is a 5 x 5 -  of 2/12 inch squares, so the end block is 10.5 inches.

Would make a super scrappy quilt, and maybe a way to work on a leaders and enders project?

Cutting info

For the center five:

Cut FOUR (4) 2 1/2” squares - scrappy
Cut ONE (1) 2 1/2” square - white
For the two hourglass blocks:

Cut TWO (2) 3 1/2” squares - Red print
Cut TWO (2) 3 1/2” squares - White

For the sixteen half square triangles:

Cut FOUR (4) 3” squares - yellow /green print
Cut FOUR (4) 3” squares - lavender print
Cut EIGHT (8) 3” squares - white

My Blog's Artsy-Fartsy Table of Contents

Quilt Patterns

     10-Inch Heart Square from Pin Cut Sew

     11 Different Patterns using leftover/scrap 2 1/2 inch strips by The Quilted Forest

     16-Patch Delight by Lori Dickman

     Arkansas Crossroads

     Color Wash Scrap Quilt by Terry Rowland

     Crumb Blocks into Crumb Quilts by Merry Mabel Market

     Fold & Sew SIMPLE Square-in-a-Square

     Fresh Start Quilt by Agilejack (scrap/crumb strips - gorgeous and easy!)

     Hidden Trails Table Runner from Charm Pack by Moonkin Stitchery

     One Charm Pack Table Runner by Sew the Distance

     Paper Pieced Mini Houses

     Potato Chip Blocks (using 2 x 3 1/2 in. blocks or 2 1/2 x 4 1/2)

     Scrap Strips Diamond Trip (Donna / Jordan Fabrics)

     Spring Season Quilt Block by Beth Shibley

     Sweet & Salty by Charisma Horton

     Unallocated by Michelle McKillop

Gifts to Sew

     Tissue Holders (TOO easy) thanks Ronda Winstead

     Easy, EASY Simple Fabric Bookmarks thanks to Jona Giammulva

Yarn Projects

     2022 Homeless Blanket Project (through Charles Bruce Fdtn.)

     Kim's Magic Blanket

Yarn Patterns

     Amigurumi Octopus 

     Linen Stitch Dishcloth

     Bathroom Mat using leftover yarn tied together

Knitting Book Reviews

Picture Books About Knitting and/or Yarn

Yarn Bombing

Art Techniques to Try

     Neurographic Art

Artists

     Blair, Mary (Disney Artist)

     Gaudi, Antoni (architect)

     Haring, Keith

     Kahlo, Frida

     Kandinsky, Vasily

     Kusama, Yayoi

     Lewis, Maudie (Canada's Grandma Moses)

     Matisse, Henri

     O'Keeffe, Georgia

     Pippin, Horace

     Rousseau, Henri

     Sumner, Kae (6' 3" Disney Artist & Founder of Int'l Tall Person's Clubs)

     VanGogh, Vincent

     Warhol, Andy

24. FInlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead by Elle Cosimano

(#2 Finlay Donovan)

listened on Libby - borrowed from library

2022
357 pgs.
Adult Humorous Mystery
Finished 4/6/23
Goodreads rating: 4.02
My rating: 3.5

My comments:  A continuation of book #1, Finlay and Vero attempt to track down whoever it is that is trying to murder her ex-husband Steven.  Another comedy of errors with two love interests, and quite ridiculous escapades by the two women.  Once again it reminds me so incredibly of Stephanie Plum and her antics, which I tired of rather easily.  It looks like there's going to be a number three where they have to track down the still unknown assassin because the bad BAD guy has a lot to hold over Finlay's head.

Goodreads synopsis:  Finlay Donovan is―once again―struggling to finish her next novel and keep her head above water as a single mother of two. On the bright side, she has her live-in nanny and confidant Vero to rely on, and the only dead body she's dealt with lately is that of her daughter's pet goldfish.

On the not-so-bright side, someone out there wants her ex-husband, Steven, out of the picture. Permanently. Whatever else Steven may be, he's a good father, but saving him will send her down a rabbit hole of hit-women disguised as soccer moms, and a little bit more involvement with the Russian mob than she'd like.

Meanwhile, Vero's keeping secrets, and Detective Nick Anthony seems determined to get back into her life. He may be a hot cop, but Finlay's first priority is preventing her family from sleeping with the fishes... and if that means bending a few laws then so be it.

With her next book's deadline looming and an ex-husband to keep alive, Finlay is quickly coming to the end of her rope. She can only hope there isn't a noose at the end of it...

Color Wash Scrap Quilt by Terry Rowland

Easy, fun, gorgeous, and perfect for lots and lots of scraps!

Great video of putting this together, leaving no questions and needing no pattern!

 

Wonderful Facebook Group with gorgeous quilts

Potato Chip Blocks

Conquering Mount Scrapmore with Brenda

She does a series of Potato Chip Blocks that are AWESOME!

The first video in the series is here.

Darlene Michaud also has a YouTube video about this, doing it in a tiny different way, with  2 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch rectangles.  She calls it Scrappy 9" block using mini bricks.

Sweet & Salty Quilt - Getting ready to begin

Getting ready to start Charisma Horton's "Sweet & Salty" quilt, using her Banana Split ruler.  I don't like the quilt shown here, but I have my own idea, and purchased a jelly roll and coordinating fabrics at Humble Stitch this weekend.

I discovered this quilt by watching the "Sew the Distance" YouTube channel, which I very much enjoy.  Not a lot of extra chatter.  Great hints.

Check it out here.

"Unallocated" Quilt Pattern by Michelle McKillop

Unallocated Quilt Pattern

If you go to the Instagram website it shows a close-up, a very easy square to make (two at a time!) which would be a great ender/starter project.

To make two blocks:
Cut two 3 3/8th" squares of a dark and a light, cut them in half diagonally.
Cut two logs 1.5"×3"
Cut two logs 1.5"×4"

April Book Bingo - 2023

1 - March BkGirls US Challenge - The Indigo Girl, South Carolina-have on Chirp

2 - April BkGirls US Challenge -  The Secret Shopper (Kindle) set some in Guam, funny, partially set in CA

3 - Whatever I'm reading on Kindle

4 - Birnam Wood - 2023 waiting on Audible

5 - Waiting on Audible

6 - Waiting on Chirp - Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus

7 - Finlay Donovan Knocks "Em Dead - Libby

8 - Wait Listed at the Library

9 - Wait Listed at the Library

10 - any Newbery Award

11 - any recent 4-8 title

12 - YA

13 - 2023 title

14 - a memoir

15 - a "real" book

16 - Kindle Unlimited/Audio

17 - Kindle Unlimited/Audio

18 - short story

19 - 

20 - 

READY TO READ next

Birnam Wood - out 3/23, just purchased with Audible credits

Fall from Grace - Time Weaver, #5 in a series...I read #4 and LOVED it.  Missing persons.

Geraldine Verne's Red Suitcase - 70 year old protagonist for BookGirls YearLong Challenge (KUnl Audio)

The Last Runaway - Tracy Chevalier

Parting the Veil (Bookbug) Kunl Audio - Louisiana to England Mystery/Thriller

The Dark Room - Lisa Gray Standalone

The Midnight Children - Dan Gemeinhart

The House at the End of the World  - Dean Koontz, 2023 KUnl Audio

Close to Home - Dugoni - Tracy Crosswhite #5 KUnlAudio

Signal Moon (Kate Quinn) short story

Knitlandia

The Unknown Beloved (Harmon) 1923

The Singing Trees (ME)

The Victory Garden (Rhys Bowen)

The Lying Club (Annie Ward) Thriller

Dark Objects (Simon Toyne)

Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper

Final Equinox - Andrew Mayne (#2 Jessica Blackwood & Theo Cray)

in Chirp:

The Girl in the Painting - Tea Cooper

Caught - Harlan Coben

The Indigo Girl - Natasha Boyd - March choice for BookGirls

Book Girls' Guide - Read Around the USA

 January, 2023:  

• Books Set in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont
• I chose Massachusetts and read Things You Save in a Fire  by Katherine Center

February, 2023:  

• Books Set in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming
• I chose Wyoming and read The Fire and the Ore by Olivia Hawker

March, 2023

• Books Set in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee
• I've chosen The Indigo Girl, which I have on Chirp

April, 2023

• Books Set in the U.S. Territories
• I chose Guam and found Secret Shopper by Tanya Taimanglo on Kindle

23. Thank You For Listening - Julia Whelan

listened on Libby

2022
432 pgs. (12:13)
Adult Romance
Finished 3/26/23
Goodreads rating: 4.07
My rating: 4
Setting: contemporary LA, Las Vegas, Venice (Italy)

My comments: This was read by the author, and is about an audiobook reader - and the industry.  Julia Whelan is an INCREDIBLE narrator.  She can flawlessly switch between characters, making male characters sound like REAL male characters, and all the characters in a book have their own particular, recognizable voice.  Quite amazing!  The story was FUN.  You absolutely had no surprises, but the humor - much of it laugh-out-loud - and the clever, quick conversation is top notch.  However, it went on and on too much, it could have been cut down by a couple of hours at least.  I got a little bored listening at the end, every single mentioned side story was wrapped up so completely that unneeded details were included.  I really did love this, and want to read (listen to!!!) her previous novel.

Goodreads synopsis:  For Sewanee Chester, being an audiobook narrator is a long way from her old dreams, but the days of being a star on film sets are long behind her. She’s found success and satisfaction from the inside of a sound booth and it allows her to care for her beloved, ailing grandmother. When she arrives in Las Vegas last-minute for a book convention, Sewanee unexpectedly spends a whirlwind night with a charming stranger.

On her return home, Sewanee discovers one of the world’s most beloved romance novelists wanted her to perform her last book—with Brock McNight, the industry’s hottest, most secretive voice. Sewanee doesn’t buy what romance novels are selling—not after her own dreams were tragically cut short—and she stopped narrating them years ago. But her admiration of the late author, and the opportunity to get her grandmother more help, makes her decision for her.

As Sewanee begins work on the book, resurrecting her old romance pseudonym, she and Brock forge a real connection, hidden behind the comfort of anonymity. Soon, she is dreaming again, but secrets are revealed, and the realities of life come crashing down around her once more.

If she can learn to risk everything for desires she has long buried, she will discover a world of intimacy and acceptance she never believed would be hers.

From the author of My Oxford Year, Julia Whelan’s uplifting novel tells the story of a former actress turned successful audiobook narrator—who has lost sight of her dreams after a tragic accident—and her journey of self-discovery, love, and acceptance when she agrees to narrate one last romance novel.

22. Exiles by Jane Harper

#3 Aaron Falk/Australia

listened on Libby
356 pgs.

2022
Adult mystery
Finished 3/25/23
Goodreads rating: 4.05
My rating: 4
Setting: Contemporary Australia

My comments:      Grew on me more and more as the story progressed.  At first it just seemed to jump all over the place (it actually did this throughout the story), but once I got used to it, it was easier to follow along a little more easily.  A complicated story that kept you wondering all the time - which I like.  Definitely a good mystery.  Happily every after...no more Aaron Falk to come.  Ever. 

Empty Bowls 2023

I finally got to go and had a wonderful time!  The Sentinel took photos, and I'm in three of them.

Link to the article.

Sandy and I have happily decided that this will be an annual outing.