Monday, January 9, 2012

MOTHER & SON SPAGHETTI SAUCE & BOOK REVIEW: THE SUM OF MY PARTS

here haven't been many blog posts from me lately, because I have been visiting family in Kentucky.  Not only was I not doing much cooking here, but I wanted to spend time with everyone, rather than cooking and blogging.  Today, however, was an exception.  Got to spend some quality time with my son in the kitchen.  He hasn't done a lot of cooking in the past, so I decided it was time he made spaghetti sauce.  He surprised me with his slicing and dicing skiills.  He even made a suggestion or two.  That's the way good cooks are made!



MOTHER & SON SPAGHETTI SAUCE

2 lb ground beef
1/4 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c green pepper, diced
1 packet GOYA® Sazon
GOYA® Adobo with Pepper, to taste
3 cans diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp oregano
1 tsp basil
dash of cayenne pepper

Brown ground beef with onion, garlic, pepper, Sazon, and Adobo, stirring frequently. Drain and add to stockpot with tomatoes, oregano, basil, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Turn heat to low; cover and let simmer 30 minutes. Serve over warm spaghetti. Top with shredded cheddar and grated Parmesan, if desired.


I wish I had taken a picture of the sauce, or at least a picture of us cooking together, but alas!  these are the things of which memories are made.


MUSIC TO COOK BY








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BOOK REVIEW



Title:

The Sum of My Parts                                            
SubTitle:A Survivor's Story of Dissociative Identity Disorder
Publisher:New Harbinger Publications
Imprint:New Harbinger Publications
Pub Date:October 01, 2011
ISBN:9781572249912
 


Format: Paperback




In Olga Trujillo's memoir, she shares an horrific tale of child abuse, neglect, and her resulting mental illness. For the common reader, a non-mental health professional, this is a comprehensive, understandable, description of Dissociative Identity Disorder. For the mental health professional, this should prove to be a fascinating case study. The beginning chapters, which deal with her childhood and the abuse she suffered at the hands of more than one family member, are graphic, yet readable. As she enters adulthood and begins to face the suppressed memories of her childhood with the help of her therapist, her story, while still painful, shows her journey as she battles her way to survivorhood.

This book is not for everyone. The graphic scenes of child abuse may bother some readers, although the scenes are not so graphic as to be explicitly detailed. Certainly someone dealing with the same problem could be bothered unless they have also managed to find some type of healing for their mental and emotional scars. The book also seems to end rather abruptly at the initial success during therapy. The epilogue does not explain the journey between the cessation of therapy and her career and life today.

4 stars

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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Until next time, Happy Cooking!  : )


"Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid, one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory." - Douglas MacArthur



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2 comments:

BeetleBuggy said...

Awwww! I'm glad you got to cook with your son. I'm sure this made a yummy meal to share :)

Unknown said...

Thanks for the comment. It was fun cooking with him, and it was yummy. I'll make a cook out of him yet. : )

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