(Dolen Perkins-Valdez, hardback). From the title you might think this is a book about the s-x word. It’s not. By a long shot. But the story, set in about 1852, is about a black slave woman, and her somewhat misguided “love” for her master. About the children she bore him, under the eagle eye of the master’s wife. But it’s all tied together with a yearly journey made to a place called Tawawa House, a rural inn of sorts in southern Ohio (a free State), that for some years allowed white slave owners to stay at the resort in rustic cottages with their black slaves, as couples. This place existed, according to the author’s afterword, and finally closed because some of the regulars (white couples who stayed in the main house) didn’t fancy this concubine business going on out in the woods. It’s about Lizzie’s relationships with the other slave women, about their desire to run to safety through the local underground, about them secretly meeting some free blacks, finding out more about abolition, and about the hardships all these black mistresses endured, and how little their lives were valued. A real stunning book. (I was sent this book as a perk from Harper Collins – because I had mentioned The Help. No strings attached – I could choose to mention this book, or not, here on my blog. I’m glad to because it’s a very good read.)
(Jamie Ford, on my Kindle). A poignant story about a Chinese-American, growing up in Seattle at the beginning of World War II. Henry falls in love with a young Japanese girl before her family is interned in a relocation camp. It a very secretive relationship because his parents would highly disapprove. The story goes back to the 40’s and forward to the 1980’s when Henry is in his 50’s and his wife (not the Japanese woman) has just died of cancer. The story pulls you in from the first page, especially when some artifacts are found in the basement of an old hotel which contain personal belongings from several Japanese families who were suddenly taken away back in 1942. You can see where it’s going, can’t you? I heard criticism of this book that it was just a little bit contrived. Halfway through I’m enjoying it very much.
(Kathryn Stockett on my Kindle, an excellent read); 
by Jetta Carleton (Kindle edition, eh); 
by Susan Richards (Kindle edition, good book); 
by Sally Gunning (Kindle edition, very good read)
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(Mario Batali & Gweneth Paltrow); 
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One lone biscuit left when I arrived . . . maybe I’ll even get my DH, Dave, to post something about today’s recipe. He declared the other day, that when his Bible study guys were to come this past week, HE wanted to bake something. He gave me this kind of cheeky grin – like “give me something easy to make, okay?” So, I scrounged around my repertoire of recipes and spied this one. Terrifically easy. It came from an old newspaper clipping (Orange County Register, our local paper), and the article was written by Nancy Byal, of Better Homes & Gardens.
We don’t eat refrigerated biscuits much (they likely have trans fats in them, but I didn’t check). But they certainly do make for some easy cooking. I only have one other recipe I’ve posted here on my blog for such biscuits, the lemony Herbed Biscuit Ring, which is actually delicious, in case you’re interested.
But this needed to be a sweet type dish. It is, but not overly so. Dave found a new refrigerated biscuit product at the market – a Pillsbury crescent biscuit – so by phone I told him that would work, I thought.
I set out all the ingredients for him, and he and I read through the recipe the night before. As I came downstairs the next morning and popped my head into our dining room where the guys were gathered around the table I asked, “So, how did he do?” Well, there were a bunch of wild comments – all teasing ones. It sounds like all went well. I ate the last one, pictured above, and thought it tasted really good, considering it’s mostly a refrigerated biscuit! Here’s what Dave had to say about it:
For my Thursday morning Bible study, I decided that I’d show off and “bake” for the guys. Carolyn readily agreed [indeed, I was delighted]. With her great instructions, but not with her in the kitchen at 6:30 in the morning, I proceeded to put together this dish without telling the guys, and they all went nuts. They ate all but one. I was a total success. They said it tasted like pineapple upside down cake. Some of the guys who don’t cook are now worried about their status in the group – like peer baking pressure. . . . . from Dave T
Pineapple Breakfast Biscuits
Recipe: From the Orange County Register (old), by Nancy Byal
Servings: 8
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 ounces crushed pineapple — or tidbits, or slices
8 ounces Pillsbury Place ‘n Bake Crescent Rounds — or rich refrigerated biscuits
1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Using a large pie plate or similar shaped microwave-safe baking dish, microwave the butter just until melted (30-40 seconds). Add the brown sugar, corn syrup and cinnamon. Stir mixture until sugar dissolves.
3. Arrange the pineapple on top, as evenly as possible. Separate the refrigerated biscuits and place on top.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes until top is golden brown. Invert onto a platter to serve.
Per Serving: 187 Calories; 9g Fat (43.2% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 24g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 8mg Cholesterol; 258mg Sodium.
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A year ago: Irish Soda Bread
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