DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9” x 13” casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside. Add the sausage to a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon, until just cooked through. Transfer the sausage to a small bowl with a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to medium then add the spinach to the skillet with the liquid and oil left behind from the sausage. Cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted. Remove with a slotted spoon, carefully squeezing excess liquid from the spinach by pressing with the wooden spoon over the sink. Alternatively, you can transfer the cooked spinach to a fine mesh sieve and drain, pressing lightly to remove excess moisture. Place spinach on a cutting board and roughly chop. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl or large measuring cup, add the eggs. Whisk until uniform. Add the milk, 1 cup mozzarella, 2 tablespoons parmesan, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. In the prepared casserole dish, layer the sausage, cooked spinach, and sundried tomatoes. Pour the egg mixture over the top then top with remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 2 tablespoons parmesan. Transfer to oven and bake for 35 minutes, rotating halfway through (if desired), to allow for even browning. Slice into 10 pieces and serve.

NUTRITION INFO: Serving: 1 slice, Calories: 245 kcal, Carbohydrates: 5 g, Protein: 22 g, Fat: 15 g, Saturated Fat: 6 g, Cholesterol: 268 mg, Sodium: 616 mg, Fiber: 0.5 g, Sugar: 2.5 g

(Recipe and photo courtesy of Skinnytaste)

AUTHOR: Charles Dickens

REVIEW: I listened to the audiobook version on Spotify, narrated by Jacob Daniels, and he did a magnificent job. I've watched many different movie versions of A Christmas Carol and have loved all of them, but I'd never read the book. I struggle with reading the classics, but I made a goal this year to read at least three. I've tried many times reading the physical books but have always ended up sound asleep by the end of the first chapter. So, I decided to try them in audiobook format, and that seemed to do the trick. Jacob Daniels did such an amazing job with the different character voices, and I was sucked in from the very beginning. I loved Scrooge's transformation. I will say that Dicken's had a very strange way with words, and there were many times I had to rewind certain parts to grasp what was said, but overall it's a great book, and I would recommend it to everyone.

DIRECTIONS: Rinse escarole and tear into bite sized pieces. Cook pasta in a large pasta pot of salted water according to package directions for al dente. Reserve 1 cup water before straining. Meanwhile, while pasta water boils, heat a large non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add olive oil; when hot add onions, peppers, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Add sausage, breaking up with a wooden spoon and cook until golden, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add escarole, cover and cook 2 minutes; remove the cover, stir and cook about 3 more minutes or until wilted. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Add the cooked pasta, crushed red pepper flakes, reserved water and Parmigiano Reggiano, toss well and transfer to a large serving bowl. 

NUTRITION INFO: 11/2 cups, Calories: 298, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 5.5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Fiber: 7.5g, Sugar: 1.1g - WW Points: 10

(Recipe and photo courtesy of Skinnytaste) 

NARRATOR: Katie Schorr

RATING: ★★★★ 

REVIEW: I fell in love with Cussie Mary’s story in The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, so I was excited to learn more about her daughter, Honey. I listened to 80% of it on audiobook because Katie Schorr is the absolute BEST narrator I have ever heard, and she truly brings this book series to life. I read the other 20% from an ebook only because I was in a public place where audiobooks weren’t allowed. Honey Lovett is an admirable character. She’s been through a lot of heartache in her short life, but she meets every circumstance head on just like her mom, and you can’t help but love her. The injustice she and the other female characters endured at the hands of the men made my blood boil - even more so knowing that during this era in history these horrors really did exist. My only grievance with the book is the ending felt rushed, much like the first book. There were several unanswered questions. What happened with Honey and Francis? Did they marry? Did Cussie and Jackson survive prison? Did the Gillis family retaliate? There’s no epilogue included, so I guess we’ll never know.