"I've discovered that my own little postage stamp of native soil was worth writing about and that I would never live long enough to exhaust it."
- William Faulkner




Tuesday, December 8, 2009

read my lips

Is it week 2 of December already? How can it be?

Well, I finished Nineteen Minutes, and let me tell you: it took something out of me. Like all of Jodi Picoult’s novels, it is strung together by a thread of an ethical issue. Maybe it’s the same part of my brain that loves Law and Order, but I love that she presents all facets of the story in such a realistic, empathetic way. And this book was no different.

Peter is a high school student who has been bullied all his life. He was tortured by other kids each day since getting on the bus the very first day of kindergarten. Feeling completely isolated and invisible to his parents, Peter arrives at his high school one morning and kills a number of his fellow students and wounds many more, both physically and emotionally. The book takes you through the years of his life, giving accounts from his family, attorney and one former friend, Josie, who is keeping a secret that changes everything. Nineteen Minutes is not for the faint of heart – I had a hard time reading all the instances of bullying and loneliness Peter encountered. That said, it was a great book, and another A from me for Ms. Picoult.

I just started Pillars of the Earth, which came highly recommended to me by my friends, Kate and Liz. They are so enthusiastic about the book, I just had to get it. It’s a big, fat book, so the next review might be a while. Hold on to your hats, kids.

I’ve also got a Delicious Dish for you Crock Pot-lovers (I got my very first one a few weeks ago!). Who knew how great this invention is? And how is it that I got married in Mississippi and didn’t get one as a wedding gift?

Crock Pot Chicken

Package of 3 chicken breasts, cut in half with fat trimmed (or you could actually use chicken tenderloins – whatever you have on hand)
8 oz block of cream cheese, sliced into small chunks (I used fat free)
1 package dry Italian dressing mix
1 can of cream of mushroom soup (again, I used fat free)
1 can of water or ½ cup of white wine
1 package button mushrooms, halved (optional)

Dump everything into the Crock Pot and give it a good stir to mix the water/wine with soup and dressing mix. Cook on low for 8 hours or so. Serve over rice. So good and even better the next day!

Have a great Tuesday, my friends. Stay warm and dry out there!

2 comments:

derek and brittney said...

You will LOVE Pillars of the Earth! Liz got me to read it too:) It is a long one for sure, but worth it. Derek is now listening to Liz's book on tape of it and he is hooked too!

Jessica & Clif Barnes said...

Thanks for the recipe in Greenwood!

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