– by Neil White (on my Kindle) – a really, really interesting book. It’s a memoir about the year the author spent in prison in Louisiana. About his sanctimonious attitude when he arrived there (he was convicted of kiting checks trying to keep his publishing business afloat) and what he learns during his year. But as much as it’s about his life as a prisoner, it’s more about the other residents of the prison – the last remaining lepers (Hansen’s Disease) who are provided for in the facility. Neil White is quite a character and I wondered more than once if he was ever going to “get it,” that he was greedy and egotistical. The book wasn’t published for about 10 years after his release, so at least he didn’t profit immediately by telling tales. The epilogue was so sad – listing the deaths of many of the leprosy patients and some of the inmates he came to call friends. One person at amazon commented that it was not worth reading because the author profited from his incarceration, and that he didn’t appear to have redeemed himself. I disagree – I think he did. If he didn’t, then he knows how to spin a good yarn. I choose to believe he learned a whole lot about himself and where his life took a (wrong) left turn, and that he’s trying to atone for his failings by publishing the book. You decide.
- by P.D. James (on my Kindle) – if I hadn’t read about this book in the Los Angeles Times a week or so ago I’d never have pursued this book. It’s nothing even close to her wealth of books of the mystery genre. But yes, it IS a mystery (not something I normally read) but it takes place about 5 years after Pride and Prejudice leaves off. That was the hook for me. An entertaining read and a way to keep in touch with all the lovable (and not-so) characters from Jane Austen’s classic. It’s not a page-turner in the true mystery-murder style, but it’s fun to read.
– by Judith Ryan Hendricks – I picked up this book at a lending library I use now and then. I have to laugh, though – the collection of books (probably numbering about 350 or so) is divided by paperback and hardback. And then by color. COLOR? I find that so ludicrous. But anyway, the title caught my eye. It’s definitely a novel, about a youngish woman who’s been a baker and a chef, but who is suddenly single. It’s about her struggle to find herself, to find a new rhythm of life. In the telling of the journey some recipes are included (baked goods, including bread-bread), which are available on the 
– by Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) – most everyone who reads blogs knows about Ree – the Pioneer Woman, from Pawhuska, Oklahoma. She’s always entertaining, whimsical and enjoyable to read. A couple of years ago she wrote a memoir of her romance with Ladd, her now husband. I can’t count how many times, as I was reading this, that I was LOLing (Laughing Out Loud). She is such a witty writer and knows how to tell a story. Even though I know she married Ladd and has since had 4 children, I was caught up in her story from the first page. I wrote it up in more detail on
– (on my Kindle) Michael Tucker (from L.A. Law some years ago) and his wife, on a whim almost, buy a home in Umbria. An old, old, old house with two bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, I think, and a nice terrace (where a lot of living goes on in Italian homes and families). It’s the story of the purchase itself, the friends they meet, the neighbors, how Michael finds the best butcher(s), bakers and candlestick makers. It made me long for another trip to Italy, actually. They enlarge the home, although they’re not there for most of the construction. It’s a similar tale to Frances Mayes’ books and Peter Mayle’s books too, but it’s different. Tucker is a TV star; his wife’s a stage actress. They live on some higher plane than I do, for sure, with lots of friends with connections. But it’s a cute story and I enjoyed it clear to the end.
(Stacy Schiff); 
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Knowing that we’d have family around this past weekend, I knew I needed some more cookies in the freezer. And, knowing that the grandchildren coming to visit vote for peanut butter as their number one favorite cookie type, I combined a bit of their likes, with a bit of mine.
Anna, over at Cookie Madness, as I’ve mentioned before, makes oodles of cookies. And I mean oodles. But when she wrote up this one recently, and mentioned that it is reminiscent of peanut butter cookies from long ago, they appealed to me. AND, they’re a refrigerator cookie. Even better. Mix it up and chill.
That’s exactly what I did – I mixed up the dough – a very soft dough - slathered the melted chocolate on the inside of the flat rectangle of dough – rolled it up and chilled it. Then later that day I took them to our kids’ house locally and baked them up for dessert that evening.
There is nothing difficult about these cookies – they’d make great ones for Christmas, even – although I found the dough to be quite soft. A little hard to handle. It required more flour than I wanted to add to the board, but there was no hope of rolling it up unless I did. It was a very humid day, so perhaps that was the reason why. Next time I may add a tablespoon or two of extra flour to the cookie batter. And then, I used chocolate chips. I think that might have been a mistake. Nestle’s chocolate chips do contain some minor amount of wax or some substance that discourages melting in cookies. So when I sliced these (after they’d chilled for several hours), it took some wrist action to slice through the cold chocolate. And it sometimes roughed up the cookies. So that’s why my cookies pictured are kind of oblong. I couldn’t keep them in a circle. But none of those things were any “nevermind” when it came to the taste. I thought they tasted like Reese’s peanut butter cups in a cookie. The grandchildren and family all ranked them as wonderful. Just what a cookie-bakin’ Grandma wants to hear!
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Peanut Butter Pinwheel Cookies
Recipe: From Anna over at her Cookie Madness blog
Servings: 32
2 sticks unsalted butter — (8 oz)
1 cup light brown sugar — packed
1 cup peanut butter — creamy style
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
Filling:
2 teaspoons butter
6 ounces semisweet chocolate — chopped
1. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in peanut butter, vanilla and egg. Add baking soda and salt, stir until well distributed, then add flour and stir until it is absorbed. Chill dough for 45 minutes (no longer).
2. Meanwhile prepare the filling. Melt chocolate with butter in a bowl over hot (not boiling) water. Do not cook any longer than to melt it, as it will dry out the chocolate. Let cool slightly.
3. Divide chilled dough in half. On a lightly floured surface roll each half into 10 X 8 inch rectangle and spread each rectangle with half the chocolate mixture, stopping about ½ inch from sides.
4. Starting from long side, roll up each rectangle jelly roll style to form 2 long rolls. Wrap separately seam side down in plastic wrap. Chill until firm (at least 3 hours).
5. Using a sharp knife, cut into 1/4 inch slices. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
Per Serving: 174 Calories; 12g Fat (58.9% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 23mg Cholesterol; 135mg Sodium.
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