Book club meetings offer chance for bonding

Twelve women gather to have fun, enjoy each other and talk as they discuss the chosen book of the month. One of the twelve's home is the gathering place, and each one enters with a smile and a dish. There are pre-plans as each member has a time to host. No one has to ask the day or the time as each person can say it is the first Friday at 6 p.m., which means it's the meeting of the Sistah Girl Book Club.

The women have something in common: the love of reading, each a different kind of book. It is this variety that makes the book club interesting. It is a diverse group, two mother-daughter teams, cousins, classmates, working women and retirees. The ages range from one member in her late 30s to one septuagenarian.

Reading has been a pastime of Sally Wilson for many years. When Veronica Harvey returned to her native Beaufort, the two of them began to share and exchange books. They found themselves spending time after Sunday dinner discussing what they had read and thought it would be wonderful to expand this sharing of reading books for discussion with others. They wanted a diverse group with the same love of reading. They gathered information on starting a book club, and in March 2006, the organizational meeting was held.

The hostess selects the book to be discussed when the meeting is at her home. "I enjoy going from house to house to discuss what we have read," says Lillie Mae Middleton. "Each person brings a covered dish. The food is as great as the books." Many times the covered dish has been a food that was mentioned in the book.

Willie Mae Lewis said that she did not need just another meeting as she had enough of them in her schedule, but this type of meeting was different because she is with friends with whom she can share her love of reading. "The bonding is priceless," said Lewis.

The authors have become like friends. "What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day" and "Some Things I Never Thought I'd Do" are book selections from author Pearl Cleage. She is the only author whose books have been selected twice. Member-author Tracye Faulkner Stormer's book, "Hooked Up," was a selection. The books have been as diverse as the group, as each member loves to share whatever book has been interesting to her.

Can a book become a part of you? Certainly it can. The characters become real, the setting of the book becomes home for the reader and situations are carved into your heart and mind.

The reader wonders if the decision of her favorite character were justifiable, and many times the author becomes a friend. Many authors have been introduced to the club and are now household names.

Claretha Brisbane finds herself living some characters as she reads. "I find myself as some point, laughing, crying, happy, sad as I commit myself to the place of situations. The books have taken me on many adventures."

The Sistah Girl Book Club has joined a book club of Warner Robins, Ga., on a weekend of discussion, and recently the book club attended the South Carolina Book Fair.

It seems to come into place: women who read and discuss books, who care and share with each other.

Reading is powerful, and the bonding of the groups is even more powerful. There is nothing better than women of like interest getting together. There is nothing better than women getting together to discuss a book over a delightful meal with a variety of food.

Every book club member's calendar is marked for First Friday: book, discussion, food fellowship.

Bow Tie Vegetarian Salad

2 large carrots, grated

1 head broccoli flowerets

2 small zucchini,sliced

2 small yellow squash, sliced

1/4 cup basil, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup Parmesan cheese

1 pound bow tie pasta

1 bag frozen peas and corn, thawed

6 small grape tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

Zesty Italian dressing

In large skillet, heat olive oil and garlic for 5 minutes on low heat. Add zucchini and squash, cooking until tender. Boil bow tie pasta in salted boiling water until done. Drain and rinse in cold water.

In bowl combine pasta, all vegetables, salt, pepper, basil, and cheese. Add zesty Italian dressing to pasta and mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

-- Yvonne Young

Heavenly Punch

1 pint apple juice

1 pint pineapple juice

1 pint cranberry juice

1 pint grape juice

1 pint orange juice

1 pint mango-carrot juice

1 cup honey

Six lemons, sliced thin

Combine all juices and chill for two hours.

-- Lillie Mae Middleton

Spicy Country Ribs

4 1/2-5 pounds, pork loin country-style ribs, cut into serving pieces

1/3 cup salad oil

1/2 cup fresh or frozen chopped onion

1 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup white vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

4 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

AT LEAST 2 HOURS OR DAY BEFORE SERVING:

In 6-quart saucepot or Dutch oven, cover country-style ribs with water; over high heat, heat to boiling, Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour until ribs are fork-tender. Remove ribs to platter; cover an refrigerate it for later use. (Reserve broth to use in soup another day, if you like.)

Meanwhile, prepare barbecue sauce: in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, in hot salad oil, cook onion until tender. Add remaining ingredients; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is well blended. Pour sauce into medium bowl, cover and refrigerate.

ABOUT 1 HOUR BEFORE SERVING:

To cook on outdoor grill: Prepare grill for barbecuing. Place ribs on grill over medium coals; grill ribs 30 minutes, brushing with barbecue sauce and turning often.

To Broil: About 2 hours before serving, prepare ribs and barbecuesauce as above. Preheat broiler. Place ribs in broiler pan and cook about 20 minutes, brushing with barbecue sauce and turning often.

-- Alice Wright

Chicken and Cabbage

1 pound chicken fingers (salt and pepper to taste)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 medium cabbage

1 carrot

1 small onion

Wash and season chicken; set aside. Cut cabbage just a size larger than cole slaw; rinse. Using potato peeler, sliver carrot; cut up onion, set aside. Using a two quart saucepan, heat olive oil and brown chicken on both sides. Add oyster sauce and stir. Add remaining ingredients; cook for 10 to 15 minutes, being careful not to overcook.

-- Veronica Harvey

Crunchy Asian Broccoli Coleslaw

1/2 cup Zesty Italian Dressing (should zesty and dressing be capitalized? Is this a brand? I wondered the same thing in the first recipe), divided

2 packages (3 ounces each) ramen noodle soup mix

2 packages (12 ounces each) broccoli slaw

4 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup dry roasted sunflower kernels

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Mix dressing with seasoning packet from 1 of the soup mix packages. Discard remaining seasoning packet or reserve for another (later) use.

Break apart noodles; place in large bowl. Add slaw, onions, sunflower kernels and almonds; mix lightly.

Add dressing mixture; toss to coat.

-- Margaret Le

Port Royal resident Ervena Faulkner is a retired educator who has always had an interest in food and nutrition. E-mail her at features@beaufortgazette.com.