I love to read.
When I find a book I love, I sink down into it and roll around in it, enjoying every word, scene, and character. I stay up way past my bedtime devouring it, and I keep it within arm's reach so that I can sneak in a few words at every idle opportunity. I become obsessed.
This doesn't happen very often, fortunately for my family. Since Grace was born, there have been only three books that really pulled me in: Little Earthquakes, A Thousand Splendid Suns and Gods in Alabama. Now, add Sweet Life to that list.
Let me pause to say that I am obsessed with Hawaii. A colleague moved there last year, a friend just found out that her husband is being transferred there in the spring, and I've always wanted to visit for a vacation. Or maybe move to Hawaii some day? Who knows.
So, back to Sweet Life. From early on, it reminded me a lot of Jennifer Weiner's style and her book, Little Earthquakes. Both books are clever and real, with well developed characters who live in today's world. They are women you could find walking down the street anywhere and women you want to befriend.
In Sweet Life, Marissa is a fabulously successful and worldly New York business woman whose husband accepts a transfer to Hawaii. She leaves her job, her friends, her life to accompany him on the move. Then he leaves her, saddled with a dilapidated house, the care of their eight-year-old daughter, and virtually no money. What is she to do? Feeling like she's lost everything, Marissa comes up with a plan and soon discovers that the sweetness in life isn't at all where she expected.
I love everything about Sweet Life. I love the characters, especially the girls who become Marissa's friends and a handsome cowboy named Tom. I love the descriptions of the volcanoes and geology of Hawaii. I also love that the author, Mia King, has included recipes in an appendix for many of the dishes mentioned in the text and a website with even more. How cool is that?
You could make the Spambalaya that the girls enjoy for dinner or the macadamia nut energy bars that they snack on. The first one that I'm going to try is the Hawaiian Style Crispy Dumplings with Ginger Chili Sauce, which I've included below.
Yum!
Recipe
Hawaiian Style Crispy Dumplings
Ingredients
- 25 wonton wrappers round
- ½ pounds ground pork
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ tablespoon green onions thinly sliced, about 1 stalk
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 ¼ cups Chinese cabbage finely shredded
- 1 ½ cups canola oil for frying
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients, except for wonton wrappers and oil, in a large bowl and stir until well mixed.
- Place 1 heaping teaspoon of filling mixture into each wonton wrapper.
- Moisten edges with water and fold edges over to form a half-moon shape. Roll edges slightly to seal in filling. Set dumplings aside on a lightly floured surface until ready to cook.
- Set a 12-inch wok or 10-inch skillet over high heat and pour enough frying oil to cover the wontons. Heat the oil to 375 and deep fry the wontons, no more than 10 at a time, for minutes, or until crisp and golden.
- Transfer to paper towels and drain the excess oil.
- Serve with Ginger Chili Sauce (below).
Notes
For steamed dumplings, place in a steamer so that no dumplings are touching. Steam for 6-10 minutes, until centers are no longer pink.
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Recipe
Ginger Chili Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons chili sambal
- 2 ½ teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
- 2 ½ tablespoons sushi vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic pressed
- 3 slices ginger minced
- 1 ½ teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients and serve.
Tried this recipe? Pin it for later!Follow @FeelsLikeHome or tag #FeelsLikeHomeBlog!
Lauren says
My life is sweet because God (in all His wisdom) takes care of me when the checkbook doesn't balance and though there aren't enough hours in the day (or night!). Through everything, my family is blessed with love & health.
Lauren says
My life is sweet because God (in all His wisdom) takes care of me when the checkbook doesn't balance and though there aren't enough hours in the day (or night!). Through everything, my family is blessed with love & health.
Jen @ Mommay's Mayhem says
My life is sweet because of my family. Sure, they drive me nuts sometimes but it's all worth it. =)
Jen @ Mommay's Mayhem says
My life is sweet because of my family. Sure, they drive me nuts sometimes but it's all worth it. =)
Genevieve P says
My girlies make my life so sweet! This morning when one of them woke up and was snuggling with daddy, I told her she was very nice and I loved her a lot. Her response, "Yes, I am very nice!"
Genevieve P says
My girlies make my life so sweet! This morning when one of them woke up and was snuggling with daddy, I told her she was very nice and I loved her a lot. Her response, "Yes, I am very nice!"
Stacy says
My life is sweet because I have the cutest baby boy in the world.
hetz-junk(at)hotmail(dot)com
Stacy says
My life is sweet because I have the cutest baby boy in the world.hetz-junk(at)hotmail(dot)com
cpullum says
My life is very sweet I have a dughter and her name is Waimea!!
Yes she is 1/2 Hawaiian!!!
All the goodies would bless her heart! Aloha!
cpullum(at)yahoo(dot)com
cpullum says
My life is very sweet I have a dughter and her name is Waimea!!Yes she is 1/2 Hawaiian!!! All the goodies would bless her heart! Aloha!cpullum(at)yahoo(dot)com
Alyce says
My life is sweet because of my wonderful family!
akreese (at) hotmail (dot) com
Alyce says
My life is sweet because of my wonderful family!akreese (at) hotmail (dot) com
jenny says
wow what a grate give a way and well my life is every sweet becuse it just is
jenny says
wow what a grate give a way and well my life is every sweet becuse it just is
janetfaye says
My life is sweet because I have a wonderful family.
Thank you!
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
janetfaye says
My life is sweet because I have a wonderful family.Thank you!janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
Kimberly says
What a wonderful prize. Thanks!!!
My life is "sweet" because I have a wonderful, loving husband, two happy and healthy children, a roof over my head, food in my tummy, six "furbabies", a car to drive, I'm able to be a stay at home mom, I have a successful home business, I finally got a freelance writing job... to me life can't get any sweeter then that!
HunnyV "at" Optonline "dot" net
Kimberly says
What a wonderful prize. Thanks!!!My life is "sweet" because I have a wonderful, loving husband, two happy and healthy children, a roof over my head, food in my tummy, six "furbabies", a car to drive, I'm able to be a stay at home mom, I have a successful home business, I finally got a freelance writing job... to me life can't get any sweeter then that!HunnyV "at" Optonline "dot" net
Nancy says
My life is sweet because of my husband (we've been married 31 years) and my children, just to mention a few sweet things! Thanks for the opportunity to win!
Nancy
allibrary [at] aol [dot] com
Nancy says
My life is sweet because of my husband (we've been married 31 years) and my children, just to mention a few sweet things! Thanks for the opportunity to win!Nancyallibrary [at] aol [dot] com
barbarabaker says
My life is sweet because I have three kids that look up to me, a husband who supports me and a heck of a lot of life left to enjoy it all.
This contest is so sweet...please count me in!!!
barbarabaker says
My life is sweet because I have three kids that look up to me, a husband who supports me and a heck of a lot of life left to enjoy it all. This contest is so sweet...please count me in!!!
TXsunlover says
My wonderful hubby makes my life so sweet! Having my grown sons living nearby makes my life sweet! And my beautiful granddaughter makes my life sweet! I'm truly blessed!
This book sounds awesome and the recipes are such a bonus. Thanks for the chance to win your great giveaway!
proudyaya04 {at} yahoo {dot} com
TXsunlover says
My wonderful hubby makes my life so sweet! Having my grown sons living nearby makes my life sweet! And my beautiful granddaughter makes my life sweet! I'm truly blessed!This book sounds awesome and the recipes are such a bonus. Thanks for the chance to win your great giveaway!proudyaya04 {at} yahoo {dot} com
Lindsey@AKindredSpiritsThoughts says
My life is so sweet since my daughter was born four months ago - she has been such a blessing! 🙂
Thanks so much for the giveaway!
Lindsey
ladyufshalott at yahoo.com
Lindsey@AKindredSpiritsThought says
My life is so sweet since my daughter was born four months ago - she has been such a blessing! :-)Thanks so much for the giveaway!Lindseyladyufshalott at yahoo.com
Sweetpeas says
This past spring we moved into a little old farmhouse in the middle of nowhere, there is nothing sweeter than sitting on the front porch listening to the birds sing, the kids play, and the wind blow through the trees, watching the geese on the pond . . . we truly landed in our own mini heaven on earth, for which I am eternally grateful!
Sweetpeas says
This past spring we moved into a little old farmhouse in the middle of nowhere, there is nothing sweeter than sitting on the front porch listening to the birds sing, the kids play, and the wind blow through the trees, watching the geese on the pond . . . we truly landed in our own mini heaven on earth, for which I am eternally grateful!
torinem says
Because I have to most beautiful and sweet little girls (most of the time)!
torinem says
Because I have to most beautiful and sweet little girls (most of the time)!