Elissa Schappell wrote a collection of short stories, Blueprints for Building Better Girls.

I did not like it.

It commenced with a story of two teens having sex, blow-by-blow detail.

In the following stories I met characters that I tried to like, but couldn’t.

Here it is, the month of June, my favorite. It’s finally warm enough to sit on the deck and read. I’d already read all my other library books. Schappell’s was all I had. Ugh, do I have to?

This forced me to turn to a challenging paperback that I actually own. Turns out I really like it. Tune in next week for more.

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I hope you enjoy chicken dinners, because I now offer you yet another chicken recipe:

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I got this Oriental Chicken recipe from Taste of Home. (It has since disappeared from their website.):

 

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 oz. each)
2 TB butter
1 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/2 to 1 tsp. minced garlic

In a large skillet, brown chicken on both sides in butter. Combine the teriyaki sauce, water, marmalade and garlic; pour over chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear.

We ate it with Fruited Rice Pilaf, substituting Craisins for the raisins. As for the pineapple, I embarrassed myself at the grocery by asking the workers in produce to core and peel a real pineapple for me. I had read that they’ll will do that kind of thing, which made me assume that it wasn’t something you ought to try at home.

They looked at me strangely. “We don’t do that.”

At least they gave me a couple hints. It went pretty much like this. Didn’t take long at all.

Turns out you can do exotic tricks at home.