Our family loves to try out new recipes and 2013 won't be different than previous years. I, myself, love to have recipe books and discover new flavors. So as part of the DK Start Something New Boutique promotion, I have selected The Illustrated Step-By-Step Cook. I am no stranger with the illustrated cookbooks from DK Canada since I have previously reviewed the ones for baking, ingredients, season by season, and kitchen bible. It didn't take long for me to explore the book and find a recipe that we will do one night.

This book is gigantic with a ton of recipes that will help you expand your repertoire of meals for your family! The table of contents will allow you to go directly to a specific section of the book - Starters and light bites, salads, meat free, one-pot dishes, home from work, food to share, comfort food, bread, pies/tarts/cakes, spectacular desserts. There is something for every kind of meal you might want to try during 2013.

As I mentioned above, it didn't take me long to find a recipe to try out. So one afternoon I proceeded to make the French beef and herb potato pie. It took me a bit longer than the 45-50 minutes of preparation because I decided to do one step at a time. Besides, I have decided to prepare the meal in advance and put in the over about 50 minutes before supper time.

French beef and herb potato pie

Serves 6 - Preparation 45-50 minutes - Cook 35-40 minutes

Ingredients

For the beef

4 garlic cloves
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 1/4 lb ground beef
salt and pepper
14 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 cup beef stock
1/2 cup dry white wine

For the potatoes

2 1/4 lb potatoes
1 bunch of basil
1 bunch of parsley
1 cup milk, plus more if needed

Cook the ground beef

1) Crush each garlic clove. Discard the skins and finely chop 2 of the cloves. Heat one-third of the oil in a sauté or frying pan. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft but not brown, 3-5 minutes.

2)Add the chopped garlic, ground beef, salt, pepper, and tomatoes. Reduce the heat and cook very gently, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes, until the meat is browned.

3) Stir in the stock and wine. Simmer over very low heat, stirring from time to time, for 25-30 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated but the meat is still very moist. Do not cook the meat too fast or it will be tough.

Make the herbed mashed potatoes

1) Peel the potatoes and cut each into 2-3 pieces, depending on size. Put them in a saucepan with plenty of cold water and add salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until tender when pierced with a knife.

2) Meanwhile, strip the basil and parsley leaves from the stalks. Put the leaves and the 2 whole garlic cloves in a food processor. Pulse with the remaining oil to form a purée, scraping the side of the bowl occasionally.

3) Drain the potatoes, return them to the saucepan and mash. Add the herb purée. Pour the milk into another saucepan over low heat. As soon as the milk begins to bubble, remove from heat.

4) Gradually beat the milk into the potatoes over medium heat, and stir for 2-3 minutes, until the potatoes just hold a shape. Season to taste.

Assemble and bake the pie

1) Preheat the oven to 375 F. Brush Brush a large, shallow baking dish with oil. Taste the meat for seasoning, then soon it, with all of its liquid, into the baking dish. Cover with an even layer of the herbed potatoes and smooth the top with the back of a spoon, making sure the potatoes go right to the edges of the dish and no meat or sauce shows through.

2) Make a scalloped pattern on the herbed potatoes with the tip of a dessert spoon or the tines of a fork. Dip the spoon or fork into a bowl of hot water set close to your workspace once or twice during the process, so the potato does not stick to it.

3) Transfer the pie to the heated oven and bake until the top is golden brown, the edges bubbling with gravy, and the tip of a skewer inserted in the center for 30 seconds is hot to the touch when withdrawn; it should take 35-40 minutes. Cut the pie into 6 portions and transfer to warmed plates.

The experience was interesting. It had flavor and it was different than what we usually have. It was similar to Shepherd's pie in a way. The kids ate it with ketchup. I chose to stick to the natural way of eating it - nothing else. My husband flavored his a bit more. After the meal, we agreed that next time we will incorporate some corn between the meat and potato layers and see how it turns out.

It was a nice discovery but it needs more vegetables for us. Not everyone likes veggies and might find that the tomatoes are enough. Still exploring new recipes on a regular basis is the perfect way to expand your taste buds and discover new plates that might be enjoyed my your loved ones.

If you are looking for a new cookbook this year, I would like to suggest that you check out The Illustrated Step-by-Step Cook next time you go to a bookstore. Each recipe has detailed instructions, a clear list of ingredients and fabulous pictures showing you how to proceed to make the meal. You can't miss a recipe with that kind of photos. Besides, you will also get a clear image of the final product for each of the recipes presented in this book. I love it when a recipe book contains pictures of all the recipes presented in it. It helps to have an idea of what it is suppose to look like.

I was expecting a book. I received a booklet. My first reaction was "What the heck?" but when I started to read it I realized that I could improve my prayer time for my kids. And I got new ideas and opportunities to do so.

The booklet contains nine chapters which starts with an introduction on praying circles if you haven't read the book The Circle Maker - like me. From there, you are propelled into praying in circles for your kids. The first circle consist of circling the promises of God for your kids. Then you are instructed in making prayers lists, creating prayer mantras, forming praying circles and praying through the Bible. The book can easily be read in one day but I suggest that you take one chapter at a time and ponder on what you have read. It will help you to stretch the potential of praying for your kids and develop new techniques in doing so.

Needless to say you can judge a book by its cover or the size of it. This little gem is packed with great ideas on how to get your prayers for your kids even more meaningful and according to God's will for them. No two children is the same. I sure know that praying for my four kids differ in many ways. I have three boys who are quite different in character from each other and then God blessed us with a marvelous spunky girl. Each of these kids are unique in many ways whether in their learning or in their way of dealing with things. Consequently, I can't think that one prayer fits all... No sometimes, I will need to pray for God to help one of my child to understand his math lesson because he has more trouble learning or pray that another one learn self-control when we ask him to stop doing something instead of continuing whatever he is doing that gets on our nerves. This booklet is a great reminder for me that my kids are different and consequently my prayers for each of them should be different as well.

I would recommend that every Christian parents get this booklet in order to spice up their prayers for their kids.

On another note, I had received two other copies of the booklet to give away. I have decided to bless my two sister-in-laws with them because I know that they would want to expand their prayers for their own kids as well. With the guidance of Mark Batterson, I suspect that my kids, nephews and nieces will be covered in prayers in various ways through their life.

2013 arrived slowly in our family as we had to deal with sickness over the Christmas vacation... On New Year's Eve, my husband and oldest son drove through the state of New York and back in order to pick up a comic collection. Needless to say, when they arrived at home later that day, they were tired and we all went to sleep. However, that doesn't mean that I haven't decided to try something new or get healthier in 2013.

I will admit that I am overweight and I am pleased to say that this week (after postponing it since the beginning of January), I have decided to become more active at home. Winter is difficult... Back in the fall, my husband and I had taken the habit to go walk every day for about 30 minutes. When the cold temperatures came.... well it got put on the backburner. So in order to get back in shape and while waiting for the warmer days to come, I have decided to get back on the Wii Fit. A couple of years ago, I have lost quite a bit of weight with Weight Watchers and the Wii Fit. So I thought I could get back at it and be careful at my calories intake during the day. With the help of an app and the Wii Fit, I have done three days of exercises and healthy eating. But I don't want to stop there. I want to learn more about eating well and making wise choices.

So when I go approached in promoting the DK Start Something New Boutique, I quickly selected four books to promote. One of these book is the Nutrition for Life. Before I share my thoughts about book, let me present you the table of contents:
Assess your health and lifestyle - nutrition-energy balance, look at your lifestyle, check your physical health, assess your shape and weight, do you need to change? and making changes.
Food for life - why we need food, the need for fats, good fats/bad fats, reducing saturated fat, proteins for growth, carbohydrates for energy, facts about fiber, what are vitamins, phytochemicals, what are minerals.
Elements of a healthy diet - making the best dietary choices, dietary guidelines, wholesome grains, vegetables for health, fruits for health, benefits of dairy, healthy protein sources, legumes, seeds, nuts, eggs, fluids, vegetarian and eating away from home.
Eating for the time of your life - when our needs change, children, growth, baby, toddlers, preschool children, school-age children, adolescents, adulthood, pregnancy, motherhood, menopause, athletes. middle-to-later years.
The truth about weight control - why weight control is important, looking at diet plans, extra help with weight loss, your personal diet plan, regular exercises and weight loss, children and weight management, when you need to gain weight.
Food as medicine - improving health through diet, cardiovascular disease and nutrition, respiratory disorders, digestive disorders, disorders of the urinary system, bone and joint disorders, diabetes, food allergies and intolerances, migraine headache, cancer, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, dietary supplements.
The food you buy - nutrition and modern food preparation, how food is preserved, smart shopping, how to store food, preserving food at home, food preparations and cooking, food hygiene.
Food analysis - what is in the food you eat?

I find this book packed with useful information that could help anyone no matter at what stage of life they are. There are some sections that doesn't touch our family anymore - pregnancy, baby food, and toddlers - but still I can gain much in reading the book. One of the first section I have read was the menopause one because even if I am in my early 40s I have been in menopause for almost 3 years now. However, my bones are healthy and I have turned toward a natural way of dealing with the effects of menopause and to this day I do not have to use hormones. I also explore the diet directory and read about some of them. In this section you will learn more about the diets out there and how it claims to work and the regimen impose to the followers. You will also get a paragraph explaining to you if the diet is healthy (and indirectly if it will work...). Personally, I have a positive experience with Weight Watchers and know that one of the reasons I gain some weight or stayed on a plateau is because I stopped calculating the point. So using an app for the calories help to determine if I am eating my daily quota and not more.

As I write this review, I am still reading some part of the book in order to absorb as much information on the subject. I am planning to change some eating habits of mine in 2013 and discover new flavors as well. One of the food I want to try this year is the fig as I have never had any before. I also want to continue to try out new recipes (that's another review I promise! *grin*) with my family. And moving is a big one on my list. I have already started with the Wii Fit and plan to include more activities in my day-to-day life with the kids.

Well presented and worth checking it out. Contains plenty of information to help you to eat more healthy.

When I applied to review this book, I wanted to try something different than my regular genres... Something more intense and out of the regular type of books I usually read. When I am adventurous, I never know if I will enjoy the book or not. The book is a suspense and I have enjoyed that genre in the past. But this particular book is written in the context of a war and unfortunately I quickly discovered that it wasn't speaking to me.

I tried and tried and tried some more during Christmas to read this book but I wasn't hooked with the story and with the characters. Mind you I totally realized that many people would enjoy a good war novel with suspense at every corners. Consequently, if you are the type of person who loves suspense and war type of novels, you might be interested in this book.

Bottom line is that there is a war between China and Taiwan. The president of the United States need to decide if he will be part of the problem or not. His hesitation mostly lies in the fact that his own daughter is on board of one of the ships in the area. How will he decide what to do when a loved one might be caught in the middle of the war?

I don't know how the book concludes because as I mentioned above I couldn't finish the book. And it's not because the author isn't good at all... It's more because this kind of novels do not speak to me in any way, shape or form. So please do not base yourself on my opinion but instead search for other reviews for this title.

If you love war type of books with suspense then I suspect you will enjoy Fire of the Raging Dragon.

I was very happy when I received the latest Imagination Station book because I know that there is quality behind the cover of this title. Having reviewed the previous nine titles of the series, I know that my kids will be exposed to Christian values and historical events as they never experienced before. In this particular book, you will follow the cousins Patrick and Beth to Ireland in the time when Saint Patrick was a Bishop in the land. They will be kidnapped and saved in a miraculous way. They will learn more about Saint Patrick and how he shared the gospel with the people of authority during that time.

I think this book is a fabulous read to do with your kids when you are close to Saint-Patrick Day in March. Not only will they learn a bit more about Saint Patrick but they will also get expose to values that should be instilled in children. This book is great for read-along or for a child who has become more independent in his reading. Even though these books are written for kids ages 7-9 in mind, my 11 year old son really love the series as he has learned to enjoy the radio show Adventures in Odyssey. Reading these books allow him to re-connect with the characters in a different way. I suspect that he will grab this title and read it in one sitting.

What I particularly like about The Imagination Station is that the stories found in them are based on historical events as well as contain Christian values and lessons. Not only do I think these are a great series in itself but there is a fabulous bonus attached to each book in the series. At the end of each book, you will find a puzzle for the kids to resolve in order to get a special prize from the website. Once you find the secret word, you simply go to [...], click on the words Secret Word for any of the titles you have just read and obtain one episode of the Adventures in Odyssey absolutely FREE! One episode is all we need when driving to swimming lessons (okay make that two episodes if we come back... though I take the habit to talk about the one we listened on our way to swimming usually.).

The River is a wonderful book to read and ponder on. I have read the e-book version during the Christmas vacation and I just couldn't put it down. I travelling through the life of Gabriel and along his side as he witnessed a tragedy and went to live in Kansas. I have seen him grow and become more self confident though at times he was lost in his pain. And he ventured in unknown territories with the help of friends and adults in his life. At some point he travels back to Colorado and learn to conquer The River. He has to go back to Cairo in Kansas but out of the blue he is asked to come and work at the camp for four months. Will he accept the challenge? What else can happen to him if he does?

I don't want to reveal too much about this book but it was an inspiration in stepping out of the comfort zone of sadness and embark on a new journey of joy. It also gave me the interest of doing White River Rafting eventually. I think it would be a great out-of-the-comfort-zone activity for me. Bottom line is I think that this book will be a great eye opener and a wonderful book to read in 2013. It will change your life as you realize that living in the past is not an option and it is important to face the future. So many people live in the past for various reasons - betrayal, death, a dream that didn't come true... What is yours? I know from experience that having a loved one living in the past can be hard to deal with. I wish this book could help the person I have in mind but it isn't written in her language.

I will admit that it took me some time to read the e-book but now I see why it is a great book to read and re-read. I would like to challenge my readers to read this book in 2013 and let God show you where you need to change and step out of your comfort. You will be surprise how much it will affect you!

I was so excited when I got the opportunity to review the latest Neta Jackson's book. I have read all of the Yada Yada Prayer Group Series and I was hooked with her SouledOut Sisters series when I reviewed the first book - Stand By Me.

I was so looking forward to re-connect with her beloved characters - Nick, Kat, Rochelle, and Bree. And let me tell you I was not disappointed. When sickness hit me during the Christmas holidays, there was nothing else than take it slow and read... I devoured this book and I am left wanting more. I want to know what will happen next as many new events happens like a whirlwind in the last quarter of the book. I won't expand in what happened on characters met in the Yada Yada Series and for some characters in the SouledOut Sisters Series but let me tell you that a lot of excitement is guaranteed for the next book. Well at least I am expecting it.... I suspect that there will be road blocks as well but in the end, walking through the story with these characters makes you feel as though you are part of their little group.

This book will bring you a refreshing story. It can be read independently even if you haven't read the previous book but I will be honest with you - Neta Jackson is an author worthy to discover in 2013. I would seriously consider getting all the Yada Yada and her other books before reading this one. I , myself, have missed some titles in between the Yada Yada Series and the SouledOut Sisters Series. I am planning to correct this during the new year. Come to the Table touches the subject of feeding the ones who are in need of physical food and spiritual food. It might also give you a nudge in doing something different to help people in need during 2013. I has given me some food for thought - no pun intended - on doing something different to help others.

Space. The final frontier.

Okay I couldn't resist. We are big fans of Star Trek, Star Wars and any kind of science fiction television show that are worthy of watching. Astronomy is something I would like to do more in the future but in the meantime I find it important to teach my kids about our solar system and the planets you can find in it.

I will note that this book is not creation based and does mention the Big Band and evolution thinking with the millions/billions of years. However, if you want your kids to be prepared for college/university and be able to understand both side of the coins, I find it extremely important that Christian homeschoolers use both theories to teach their kids. Besides, you can also find a ton of interesting information about space in this book.

The book starts with information about how big the space is, the Big Bang theory, as well as how the night sky look like when you are at different places on the planet. Then you get five sections which will highlights information on specific subjects.

Studying space - in this section you will learn more about telescopes
The Solar System - Our solar system is a wonder in itself. Explore the different planets and its star in this section.
Stars and Nebulae - Learn more about starts and nebulae in this section.
Galaxies - Discover galaxies throughout the universe.
Exploring Space - Learn more about spacecrafts, rockets, missions and the space station.
At the end of the book, you will also get a timeline of space exploration which can be handy when studying the history of space exploration as well as fun facts about space. A glossary and an index complete the book.

As I explored this book, I have learned that the ISS (International Space Station) makes 16 trips around the Earth in 24 hours, which means that astronauts on the station see 16 sunrises. I have seen stunning pictures of galaxies far away and of fabulous Nebulae. I have also learned that the Hubble Space Telescope is so sensitive that if two candles were places 6 1/2 ft (2 m)apart at 7,000 miles (11,265 km) away, it would see them both separately. I wonder how they made these calculations....

This fun little book is easy to carry when you go to an appointment in order to entertain your kids. Let them explore by themselves the space as they turn the pages of this book!

The Pocket Genius series has eight titles at this point in time: Rocks and Minerals, Animals, Sharks, Dinosaurs, Space, Earth, Bugs, and Ancient Egypt. Other titles comings in 2013 will be Mammals, Horses, Human Body, and Science.

Bugs - some hate them like there is no tomorrow while others study them. What is your take on them? Me I don't mind most of them while others I could live without like the mosquito for example. Spiders I don't mind while camping but I don't particularly enjoy finding one in our house.

Like it or not, bugs were created by God and have a purpose (even if we don't see it). This book will highlight everything you will need to know about bugs. The book starts with informing you what are arthropods and what is not an arthropod. You will also get an idea of the life cycle, feeding habits, habitats as well as some tips on how to study bugs. Then you will get specific information on various bugs:
Insects - silverflish, bristletails, mayflies, damselflies and dragonflies, stoneflies, rock crawlers, earwings, mantises, crickets, grasshoppers, cockroaches, termites, thrips, ture bugs, lice, alderflies, lacewings, beetles, scorpionflies, fleas, ture flies, caddisflies, moths, butterflies, swaflies, wasps, bees and ants.
Arachnids - scorpions, ticks, mites, spiders, sun-spiders, pseudoscorpions, and more.
Other arthropods - myriapods, crustaceans, non-insect hexapods.

You will also have information on incredible bugs and record breakers. Each bug has a little section presenting the Latin name, a description, as well as information about the size, the diet, the habitat and the distribution. You will also get tidbits of fascinating facts throughout the book. For example, did you know that bites from the tarantula spider were believed to be poisonous in 16th-century Taranto, Italy and the remedy involved a form of wild dancing called the tarantella? Though the tarantula may look venomous, it is actually harmless to humans. When threatened a tarantula will first rear up on its hind legs and raise its fangs in an aggressive posture to scare off the attacker.

As you can see you can learn interesting things about bugs in this book. If you have a child who enjoy observing bugs and want to learn more from them you might have a little entomologist in your hands. Why not encouraging him/her by providing a fun book to bring along in their science discoveries?

The Pocket Genius series has eight titles at this point in time: Rocks and Minerals, Animals, Sharks, Dinosaurs, Space, Earth, Bugs, and Ancient Egypt. Other titles comings in 2013 will be Mammals, Horses, Human Body, and Science.

Are you still looking for the one gift for a child who adores animals? Well I have a great book for you - How Animals Work. This book will give you the why and how animals do the things they do like for example defense or hunting. There are nine sections in the book:
Body basics - Soft bodies,shells, exoskeletons, bony skeletons, skin, fur, feathers and scales are covered here.
Animals on the move - This section will highlights every way an animal can move whether it is creeping, sliding, on legs, jumping, climbing, gliding, flying, swimming, diving or more.
Life support - How does an animal live? Discover the secrets in the breathing, circulation, nerves, brain, temperature control,rhythms, migration and survival skills.
Animal diet - Food to fuel their bodies from grazing to scavengers and let's not forget the omnivores either.
Hunters and hunted - Learn about the tips and tricks of the hunters and how other animals will survived by camouflage, mimicry or other emergency escapes.
Senses - Eye, ear,taste, smell, and touch faculties of the animals.
Keeping in contact - How do animals communicate between each other.
Animal families - Everything you want to know about the families in the animal kingdom.
The animal world - Learn more about the various species in the animal kingdom.

This book is packed with interesting information and facts about the animals we might encounter when travelling or exploring your own backyard. The photos are stunning and you also learn quite a bit while reading the pages.

For example,one year we went fishing as a family and I was able to taken a fabulous picture of dragonflies. I discovered in this book that these dragonflies were mating and it is a perfect example of how their exoskeleton can be flexible. Their abdomens are made up of many jointed section that enable the male to arch its body and clasp the female behind the head during mating.

Another thing I have learned while reading the book is that many animals will feast on berries during the winter months. Well I knew about that as I have caught some birds on my street having a late afternoon snacks recently. What I have not realized is that they help to scatter the seeds when - well you get the picture... These berry bushes/trees are not just good for flying birds but we also spotted two wild turkeys feasting on such a bush near the retirement residence close to a busy street in our area.

find animals are full of wonder. Our family enjoy observing them whether in the wild or at the zoo. My daughter's favourite bird is the flamingo and my third son's is the bald eagle. Totally different birds but there is so much we can learn from them. Did you know that flamingos are the only birds that eat entirely by filter-feeding? Their tongue works like a pump, pushing water through the edges of its beak, which in turn is lined with fibrous plates that trap its food. I find this fascinating to learn this kind of information. When you are homeschooling and your child has a specific interest on an animal, you can dig and discover about that animal anytime you want.

How Animals Work is a wonderful book to own and discover while studying animals. It has beautiful pictures, graphs, as well as charts to help you understand how and why certain things happens in the animal kingdom. It is definitively a great book to offer as a gift to the child who is passionate about animals.