Gone Girl and Frito Casserole (yes, really)

Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl is another good e-reader choice.  I kept reading about this book all spring and summer - a breakout hit that occupied the best seller lists and was generally considered the "it" book of the summer.  Rather than wait for the paperback as is my normal practice, I downloaded the book late in the summer and read it, feverishly, over a couple of days. Since it was such a hot book, there is a lot of talk on the internet about the book and to some extent a bit of a mixed bag review-wise - some people really liked it and other thought it was a bit of a letdown.  I was surprised by the negativity - I really liked the book - it was a great addictive summer read (though I admit the ending was not as stellar as the rest of the book) - though nothing more than that. One thing is for certain - this book, which paints the picture of a truly horrible, scary marriage of two truly horrible, scary people, made me wonder  - what is underneath the surface in all the seemingly normal and happy marriages out there?

It is really hard to give a complete review of Gone Girl without giving away many of the juicy spoilers and twists that make this book so great, so I will keep this brief and won't get into any details.  Gone Girl is about a young married couple, Nick and Amy, and the narrative shifts back and forth between the two.  The novel begins right around the couple's fifth anniversary - the met in New York, both writers, and started their marriage out as great New York hipster/yuppies.  Then the economy falls apart and both of them lose their jobs.  Then Nick's mother gets sick and the pair move back to Nick's home town in Missouri.  Eventually Nick's mom passes away, Nick opens a bar with his twin sister, and Nick and Amy live in a soulless rented McMansion.   On their 5th anniversary, Amy disappears, and Nick swiftly becomes the prime suspect.  And that's really all I can tell you, other than some general thoughts.  Nick and Amy are both slippery, unlikable characters, and it is difficult to tell truth from fiction in their accounts of their marriage.  I tell you, as an unmarried person, this certainly paints a horrific picture of a marriage of two people of my generation.  These people are toxic to each other, truly twisted underneath the surface, but on the surface all pretty much looks normal.  I thought the book was addictive - really short, punchy chapters that kept you wanting to read just one more before you went ahead and lived your life. Nick and Amy were interesting, while as I said above they were totally screwed up, they had many "normal" characteristics and they could very easily be people I know.  I was genuinely shocked by the big plot twists here, even with all the press coverage the book has received this summer.  All in all, I thought it was a great read, though I didn't expect or want more from it other than being a fun page turner.

Turkey Frito Casserole
This Frito casserole came from a scene early after Amy's disappearance when a local MILF cozies up to Nick and gives him a Frito casserole to help ease the pain of his wife's disappearance.  It just stuck in my head since I totally love Frito's, so I was intrigued.  Turns out Frito pie is very popular in some parts of the country and is basically a beef chili with Frito and cheese, often served in a Frito bag.  That is sinful.  I tried to make this Frito casserole less sinful, using ground turkey and a lot of fresh peppers and cilantro, combined with regular chili ingredients like tomatoes and pinto beans.  I gotta say, this was totally yummy and I will definitely be making it again.  If the thought of Frito's horrifies you, you could easily substitute some seemingly healthy tortilla chip that they will sell you at Whole Foods, but I would recommend the Frito's - nothing will taste as good as real Frito's.

Ingredients
 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 lbs ground turkey (I used a mix of white and dark meat)
4 fresh hatch chilli peppers, chopped (or substitute 4 bell peppers of your choice)
1 small can of hatch chili peppers
1 jalapeno pepper, minced, with or without seeds depending on how spicy you like it
1 tablespoon of chili powder
1 tablespoon of cumin
1 28 ounce can of chopped tomatoes
1 14 ounce can of pinto beans
salt and pepper
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro
1-3 cups of Frito's depending on your taste
1 cup of shredded cheddar or Monterrey jack cheese

Directions:

1. In a dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook until translucent, 6 minutes or so.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the fresh peppers and jalapeno and cook until they are wilted, 5 minutes more.
4. Push the vegetables to the edges of the pan and add the turkey in the middle.
5. Cook the turkey until browned on all sides.
6. Add the canned chilies and the spices and stir until the spices are well incorporated.
7. Add the tomatoes and the pinto beans and lots of salt and pepper.
8. Let simmer over medium heat until all the flavors meld and it comes together like chili, 30 minutes.  If it appears dry, add water or chicken stock.
9. Preheat the oven to 350
10. Stir in most of the cilantro, reserving some for garnish.
11. Pour the chili mixture into a greased casserole dish.
12. Top with Frito's and sprinkle with cheese.
13. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 - 10 minutes.  The longer you cook it the more "crust-like" the Frito's become.
14. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro and serve.