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What’s For Dinner?: 30-minute quick and easy family meals. The Sunday Times bestseller from the Taming Twins fuss-free family food blog

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No. It's Unto Each Day. It takes place in a suburban town not unlike this one. Different families and then men going off to jobs in the city. Except the doctor. I don't know what Frank Watson sees in that secretary of his - she couldn't hoodwink me. Little schemer." I was hooked from the very first line where Jill describes a scene that reflects a constant source of frustration in my own life - ‘What would you like for dinner?’ What could be better than having a new arsenal of Stone’s recipes at your fingertips? . . . Charming for both his accent and kitchen knowledge, this man is as down to earth as they come.” —Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

In the kitchen she rested her hands on the sink and sighed. She opened the cupboard, looked at the bottle of vodka, then firmly closed the door. She felt dizzy. Norris's resolve, however, is short-lived. The set-up is obvious and the outcome is predictable. In fact, the next prediction belongs to Norris. It's Norris who urges discretion, and Norris (if I remember correctly) who suggests that Maureen is likely to catch on - neighbourhood gossip that she is... Dinner Party Saturdays: Extraordinary dishes to share with friends and family—Asian Crab Cakes with Mango Chutney; Mushroom Ragout on Creamy Grits The stories of John Cheever, Richard Yates, John O'Hara, Evan S. Connell, et al.: you might think you've read every tale of postwar suburban malaise as you'd prefer to read in this lifetime (not to mention binge-watching Mad Men). But you haven't read poet James Schuyler's What's for Dinner, so it turns out you'll have to make time for one more. In a considered, non-preachy way, ‘What’s For Dinner’ captures the conflict we face between the food choices we would ideally like to make (especially when social media tells us what we should be doing and thinking), against what’s realistic in our individual circumstances.The hypocrisy of the Delehantey family seems to be confirmed by the twin sons. Early in the dinner, the twins share a nudge - that nudge is the concealment of a secret about a Mr Marks of whom their parents refer to as "a most dedicated teacher". To the twins he is "Fruity" Marks - "Happily married, father of three, Mr Marks had a habit of resting his hand on a boy's shoulder while reviewing a score." Despite their apparent aversion to perceived homosexuals, the twins end the day with a curious ritual... His wife left the room. She returned, carrying a perfume atomizer. Placing herself at an angle to a sunbeam. she rapidly squeezed the bulb. Again, not to be taken literally. But there is a grain of truth in her prediction. Norris is dismissive of Lottie's prediction, along with her dinner suggestion - "Did you say meat loaf? I surmise you're kidding." But it is as unclear to Norris as it is to the reader the implications of Lottie's prediction. Lottie's seemingly meaningless prediction is followed by a seemingly meaningless gesture...

Celebrity chef Curtis Stone knows life can get busy. But as a dad, he also believes that sitting down to a home-cooked meal with family and friends is one of life’s greatest gifts. In his fifth cookbook, he offers both novice cooks and seasoned chefs mouthwatering recipes that don’t rely on fancy, hard-to-find ingredients and special equipment. And he breaks them down into seven simple categories: Stone delivers simple recipes, many of which can be made (start to finish) in less than 40 minutes.” — The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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Thrifty Thursdays: Yummy meals on a budget—Sliders with Red Onion Marmalade and Blue Cheese; Roasted Cauliflower, Broccoli, and Pasta Bake with Cheddar I can't tell. I think so. Or it may just stir it up. Or it's other dust that rushes in to take its place." The question "What's for dinner?" is posed in the first chapter of the novel. Enter Mary Charlotte Taylor ("Lottie" for short) - the perfect wife and housekeeper, for all appearances. But the reader soon learns her embarrassing secret. Her husband, Norris Taylor, asks the titular question "What's for dinner?" The question is posed after Lottie asks: "I wonder what you'll do when I'm gone?" The question is rhetorical. In the context of the first chapter, it is a matter of no consequence what Norris will do when Lottie is gone (dead, that is). But in the context of the novel, the question takes on a new meaning. As a consequence of her embarrassing secret, Lottie will be forced to leave Norris. In fact, the novel covers the time of her absence. The questions "What's for dinner?" and "I wonder what you'll do when I'm gone?" are thereby aligned, not as literal questions but as questions related to novel - What are we, the reader, to expect from this novel? I learnt a lot from this book, and particularly enjoyed the chapter on bees. I have no farming knowledge, and while I’d (incorrectly as it turns out) had opinions on some of the areas that are touched on, there were so many other aspects of both the Australian and global food industry that I had never thought about, until now. And don’t forget sweet treats such as Peach and Almond Cobbler and Olive Oil Cake with Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote. Loaded with enticing photos, What’s for Dinner? will inspire you and bring confidence to your kitchen and happiness to your table.

Ironically, the observation shared by Maureen and Bryan after the dinner (regarding Lottie's drinking) is mirrored during the dinner, when Lottie and Norris share a similar observation about Maureen and Bryan... But Norris isn't telepathic. Earlier in the novel, Norris remarks that he is unable to read Lottie's mind. Indeed, he isn't telepathic. This prediction is not a commentary on the strength of Norris's relationships, his ability to read Mag's mind vs. his failure to read Lottie's mind. On the contrary, this prediction is a commentary on the weakness of his relationship with Mag. The relationship itself is predictable, as predictable as the actions of the characters in Biddy's serials... But the novel hasn't relinquished the cast of the suburb in Lottie's absence. Lottie's story, taking place in the hospital, is only half of the story. The other half follows Norris, along in the suburb with the Delehanteys. To this cast another character is added - Mag Carpenter, recent widow and friend of Lottie's. The set-up is obvious. The bachelor and the widow... Indeed, her "secret tippling" does not go unnoticed. Bryan remarks: "I wonder what gives a person the idea you can't smell vodka ... Did you catch her breath?" Maureen remarks: "It went to my heart when she almost fell over that rug." Whether or not Lottie has a drinking problem (there is no question, considering she is, in the next chapter, admitted to a hospital to be treated for her alcoholism) the hypocrisy of Maureen and Bryan should be noted. Are they any better for drinking in plain sight?...A beam of sunlight came through the evergreens and into the room, disclosing in its passage the finest of hovering dust. If you are at all concerned about where your food comes from, whether or not buying ‘local’ is in fact the best option, and whether going vegan or vegetarian makes an environmental impact, Jill has done all the research for you, distilling it into this book with a sane, common sense approach. Heavy topics are presented in an informed, light and palatable way. Jill finishes the book by saying, ‘Food shouldn’t be yet another source of angst and worry in our lives. Above all, food should nourish us’. I couldn’t agree more, and her book helps us to do that - guiding us to making informed, individual choices, without all the hype. Her book remains relatable to the very last line. This is all down to Jill’s writing style. Interesting, informative, entertaining and engaging, ‘What’s for Dinner?’ is easy to read and yet it asks a lot of pertinent questions.

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