Today's Deliciousness

A TASTE OF MEXICO

 from Catherine Castle

The other day I wanted a quick easy meal, so I peeked into the pantry to see what I had on hand. I found cans of chicken, green chiles, corn, black beans and cream of chicken soup, and some tortillas, so I set out to create something. Here's what I came up with. We liked it, and I hope you will too.

Quick Oven Quesadilla

2-12.5-oz canned chicken, drained and broken up

1-4-oz can diced green chilies

1-2.5-oz can sliced black olives, drained

1-15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1-11-oz can whole kernel corn, drained

1 can cream of chicken soup

¼ or less cup water, start with a smaller amount. You only need enough water to mix soup other ingredients.

1 cup finely shredded Mexican style cheese.   

1 to 1½ tsp. taco seasoning, or to taste if you like it spicier.

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 high-fiber large tortillas (or corn tortillas) or enough to fit a straight sided cake pan, or 2 high-fiber street tacos to make individual servings in a smaller pan.

Preheat oven to 350° F

In a skillet over medium high heat brown the tortillas on both sides.

While tortillas are browning, mix chicken, corn, beans, chilies, olives, soup, cheddar cheese and water. Heat the mix in a large saucepan stirring until well mixed and beginning to bubble.

Lightly spray the bottom of a cake pan or baking sheet. Lay one tortilla in the pan, top with about ¼ cup mix (for a large tortilla, less for smaller tortillas) onto top of browned tortilla, spreading mix almost to the edge. Top with ¼ cup of finely shredded Mexican cheese. Repeat with other tortilla and 3/4 cup mix. Save left over mix for another day’s use, or you can double the tortillas and make a bigger meal the first time.

Bake about 10-15 minutes or until cheese on top has melted and you can see filling bubbling. (I’ve also baked this for a shorter time at a higher temp when was in a hurry.) Turn off oven and switch to the high broil setting on the oven and broil until cheese on top begins to brown.

Remove from oven. Cut and serve with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, onions, guacamole, salsa or other Mexican side toppings.

If you want to make several stacks at a time lay the base tortillas on a baking sheet and assemble as many as your ingredients allow. Number will depend on the size of your tortillas.

If you only make one stack, or 2 smaller individual servings, the first time you can use the remainder of the filling for a second quesadilla meal or as filling for enchiladas. It will make about 4-6 enchiladas depending on the size of your tortilla. Warm your ingredients before assembling the stacks or enchiladas to cut down on heating time in oven. Make a cheese sauce, or other Mexican sauce to cover the enchiladas and top with shredded cheese. Heat in a 350° oven until cheese has melted and is beginning to brown.

While your dinner is cooking, check out Catherine’s multi-award-winning Inspirational Romantic Suspense The Nun and the Narc. Partially set in Mexico, the heroine, Sister Margaret Mary, an adventurous novice, dines on some unusual marketplace snacks. 

Where novice Sister Margaret Mary goes, trouble follows. When she barges into a drug deal the local Mexican drug lord captures her. To escape she must depend on undercover DEA agent Jed Bond. Jed’s attitude toward her is exasperating, but when she finds herself inexplicably attracted to him, he becomes more dangerous than the men who have captured them by making her doubt her decision to take her final vows. Escape back to the nunnery is imperative, but life at the convent, if she can still take her final vows, will never be the same.

Nuns shouldn’t look, talk, act, or kiss like Sister Margaret Mary O’Connor—at least that’s what Jed Bond thinks. She hampers his escape plans with her compulsiveness and compassion, and in the process makes Jed question his own beliefs. After years of walling up his emotions in an attempt to become the best agent possible, Sister Margaret is crumbling Jed’s defenses and opening his heart. To lure her away from the church would be unforgivable—to lose her unbearable.

Amazon Buy Link

Multi-award-winning author Catherine Castle has been writing all her life. A former freelance writer, she has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit (under her real name) in the Christian and secular market. Now she writes sweet and inspirational romance. Her debut inspirational romantic suspense, The Nun and the Narc, from Soul Mate Publishing, has garnered multiple contests finals and wins.

Catherine loves writing, reading, traveling, singing, watching movies, and the theatre. In the winter she loves to quilt and has a lot of UFOs (unfinished objects) in her sewing case. In the summer her favorite place to be is in her garden. She’s passionate about gardening and even won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club.

Learn more about Catherine Castle on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to check out Catherine’s Amazon author page and her Goodreads page. You can also find Catherine on Stitches Thru Time and the SMP authors blog site. thors blog site.

 

Let's Have Brunch

from Emma Lane

I love Sunday Brunch and all the egg casserole dishes. This one is not for everyone, but I love onions and eggs. Perhaps you will too. It’s easy and fast. You can add small bits of bacon or ham for an extra interest. Shake a bit of Paprika to the top of the pie for a garnish with parsley. 

I grew up in South Georgia not too far from Vidalia. Although the mild popular brand of sweet onion is named for the small country town, it’s actually the surrounding soil that is the reason for the tasty veggie. It lacks sulfur which causes the biting taste of other types. 

Only 20 surrounding counties may name their onions Vidalia. (Vidalia Act of 1986.) You’d never know the difference driving through the area. Just pleasant, rolling country farmland with the occasional roadside stand selling—you guessed it—Vidalia onions. (And Pauline pecans, but that’s a story for another time.)  Now we can buy them most anywhere when in season. Vidalia onion! Conjures up the tasty memory of a drive-in hamburger laden with sweet onion and cheese, doesn’t it? With your steady BF, of course. 

This pie is not a good keeper. Serve it warm from the oven.

EGG and VIDALIA PIE 

1 c. saltine or Ritz crackers, crushed (Club is okay too)

¼ c. butter, melted

2 ½ c. thinly sliced Vidalia onions

2 eggs

¾ c. milk

½ tsp. salt and pepper to taste

¼ c. shredded sharp cheese

chopped ham, bacon bits, chopped parsley to garnish, optional

Preheat oven 350° F. 

Mix crushed crackers with melted butter. Pat crackers and butter mixture to form a crust in 8- or 9-inch pie plate. Set aside. Sauté sliced onions in butter until opaque not browned.  In bowl mix eggs, milk, salt/pepper to taste. Pour over onions. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 45 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean. Serve hot from the oven in pie slices.  Add thick slices of French bread to round off your breakfast. Orange juice, small glasses of champagne, a selection of jams, will turn this dish into gourmet.

I’m afraid this dish requires both a couple of y’alls and two Y’alls come backs.

Enjoy!

Here is a little from one of my cozy mystery books under my pseudonym Janis Lane. I hope you enjoy it.

Abby Naycomb, wildlife photographer, found more than scintillating images of the birds of Central Florida. A handsome park ranger turns her world upside down even as a criminal stalker seeks to threaten her life.

Who knew trespassing in the restrictive area of a Florida State Park to get the perfect shot of the sand hill crane family would wind up with Abby Naycomb, wildlife photographer extraordinaire, meeting the most handsome park ranger in the world? Mating/nesting birds were the subject of her quest but finding those intense blue eyes in the lens of her camera was distracting and hormone inciting.

Adam Rawlings, millionaire park ranger, was as shocked as Abby when she accidentally discovered a murdered man buried in a shallow grave in the sand.

Face to face with an exciting relationship with Adam, the perfect man, leaves her no excuse for backing away from a growing intimacy. Vagabond Abby must consider relocating if she wants to continue an invaluable relationship with Adam, the original hometown hero.

Abby struggles as she continues to work deep in the breathtaking wilds of Central Florida while trying to ignore the menace of a serious and threatening stalker. Her task was to reexamine long held premises and prejudices while admiring the southern flora and fauna through the lens of her camera. Bird and nature lovers alert.

SHORT TEASER
Busted in Bird land. Still...what a calendar he would make with that uniform, that smile, those shoulders. She stifled a sigh of pure visual pleasure.

You had better stop it, Miss Smarty. He has the authority to fine and kick you out of the park permanently if he so chooses. Holy Moly-- love a uniformed hunk!

Stoppit!

She stifled a giggle which was riotously rolling around deep inside her, threatening to break out. He continued to loom, gazing thoughtfully while she fidgeted in her warm nest sheltered by the dune. Surrounding them, the sporadic wind blew the smell of something baking in the sun. With her face turned upward and her eyes half-closed against the glare, she awaited her fate. She offered a weak smile while trying to bring into focus his face which was back lit by the bright sunlight. It couldn't hurt, she thought, and tried for puppy dog eyes pleading for mercy.

"Leave this area, and I'll forget your lapse of good manners--this time. Don't let me catch you trespassing on restricted lands again. This is a nature preserve. Visitors may not wander about-- especially during nesting season," he added giving her a stern look. "And that goes for well-meaning, good-looking, lady photographers as well."

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Janis Lane is the penname for gifted author Emma Lane who writes cozy mysteries as Janis, Regency as Emma, and spice as Sunny Lane.

She lives in Western New York where winter is snowy, spring arrives with rave reviews, summer days are long and velvet, and fall leaves are riotous in color. At long last she enjoys the perfect bow window for her desk where she is treated to a year-round panoramic view of nature. Her computer opens up a fourth fascinating window to the world. Her patient husband is always available to help with a plot twist and encourage Emma to never quit. Her day job is working with flowers at Herbtique and Plant Nursery, the nursery she and her son own.

Look for information about writing and plants on Emma's new website. Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma's face.

Stay connected to Emma on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to check out the things that make Emma smile on Pinterest.

 

Happy Early Mother's Day

AN OLD FAMILY RECIPE

from C.D. Hersh

Donald's mother created this easy recipe that soon became a family favorite. While we can neither confirm or deny if this particular sweet kept the folks together, they were married for 62 years. Dad was never hungry after he ate nor complained about mom’s cooking.

CALICO FUDGE

⅔ cup milk

1½ cups granulated sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

Pinch of salt

2 tbsp. butter

4 tbsp. peanut butter

12 marshmallows, cut into pieces

Cook milk, sugars, and salt to soft ball stage. Remove from heat. 

Add butter and peanut butter. Beat until creamy. 

Lay marshmallows one inch apart in a greased pan. Pour fudge over the marshmallows. 

Cut into squares when cold.

Here is a little about our paranormal series, The Turning Stone Chronicles. We hope you enjoy it.

 

Three ancient Celtic families. A magical Bloodstone that enables the wearers to shape shift. A charge to use the stone’s power to benefit mankind, and a battle, that is going on even today, to control the world. Can the Secret Society of shape shifters called the Turning Stone Society heal itself and bring peace to our world? Find out in the series The Turning Stone Chronicles series.

C.D. Hersh–Two hearts creating everlasting love stories.

Putting words and stories on paper is second nature to co-authors C.D. Hersh. They’ve written separately since they were teenagers and discovered their unique, collaborative abilities in the mid-90s. As high school sweethearts and husband and wife, Catherine and Donald believe in true love and happily ever after. They look forward to many years of co-authoring and book sales, and a lifetime of happily-ever-after endings on the page and in real life.

Social Media Info:

Website 

Soul Mate Publishing

FacebookAmazon Author Page

Twitter

 

A Sweet Treat

 from Catherine Castle

Summer is coming and lots of people are planning parties. I thought it would be fun to share my recipe for popcorn balls. Most popcorn balls are made using corn syrup, but in our family we adjusted the recipe since we weren’t keen on how the corn syrup stuck to our dental fillings, especially after a corn-syrup-based popcorn ball pulled out a loose filling.

Additionally, this popcorn recipe brings back memories. The day our daughter was born I had made popcorn balls to take to a Christmas party. Instead of making the party, we ended up in the delivery room. Hubby missed most of the party, but he had the popcorn balls in the car. So, when after her birth, instead of passing out cigars (which he wouldn’t have done since he doesn’t smoke), he passed out popcorn balls to the hospital staff.

This is a simple and fast recipe and a staple at our house. It’s good any time, and will make a sweet treat whenever you need to reward yourself.

Catherine’s Popcorn Balls
¼ cup margarine
4 cups mini marshmallows
5 cups popped popcorn. Don’t use pre-bagged, pre-seasoned popcorn for this. Pop the whole kernel corn instead.

Pop the corn as directed on the package. Set aside each popped batch in a large bowl until you have 5 cups of cooled popped corn.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows. Stir until melted.

Pour over the popcorn and stir well to mix.

Working quickly, with lightly greased hands and helpers if you can get them, form the popcorn and marshmallow mix into balls. Let balls cool completely.

Serve right away or store by wrapping each ball in a square of plastic wrap.

Serves: Who knows? It often depends on how much you, or your helpers, can resist eating as you
roll them into balls.

While you’re waiting for the popcorn balls to cool, check out Catherine’s romantic comedy with a touch of drama. There’s no popcorn in the book, but there are plenty of laughs.

Beverly Walters is dying, and before she goes, she has one wish—to find a groom for her daughter. To get the deed done, Mama enlists the dating service of Jack Somerset, Allison’s former boyfriend.

The last thing corporate-climbing Allison wants is a husband. Furious with Mama’s meddling, and a bit more interested in Jack than she wants to admit, Allison agrees to the scheme as long as Mama promises to search for a cure for her terminal illness.

A cross-country trip from Nevada to Ohio ensues, with a string of disastrous dates along the way, as the trio hunts for treatment and A Groom for Mama.

Available from Amazon and Barnes and Noble

Multi-award winning author Catherine Castle loves writing. Before beginning her career as a romance writer, she worked part-time as a freelance writer. She has over 600 articles and photographs to her credit, under her real name, in the Christian and secular market. She also lays claim to over 300 internet articles written on a variety of subjects and several hundred poems.

In addition to writing, she loves reading, traveling, singing, theatre, quilting, and gardening. She’s a passionate gardener whose garden won a “Best Hillside Garden” award from the local gardening club. She writes sweet and inspirational romances. You can find her award-winning Soul Mate books The Nun and the Narc and A Groom for Mama, on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Follow her on Twitter, FB, or her blog.

 

Happy Easter

from Janis Lane aka Emma Lane 

Nothing tastes better at Easter then baked ham. Therefore, this is the perfect time of the year to share one of my favorite meals with you. The recipes are easy to prepare and are a wonderful combination of flavors that will have your family and friends asking for seconds. 

Baked Ham with Raisin Sauce 

1 ham (Cured) bone in or out by choice 

Whole cloves 

1 can pineapple rings, reserve juice 

Water 

1 or 2 dashes of bourbon or white wine, optional 

Maraschino cherries to decorate, optional 

Preheat oven to 350° F. 

Score ham ⅛ inch deep. Place 1 clove in each square. Use a toothpick to hang pineapple rings around the ham. Don’t forget the sides! 

Cover bottom of a large pan with ¼ inch of water, also bourbon or wine if you’re using it. Add ham then cover with aluminum foil to avoid drying out. Remove foil twenty minutes before serving. 

Cook 10 minutes per pound or until warmed through. Check often to avoid over cooking. 

Insert cherries into pineapple rings at serving time. 

Spicy Southern Raisin Sauce 

2 tbsp. flour 

2 tbsp. sugar 

1 pinch salt 

⅓ cup dried raisons 

¼ cup water 

1 pinch powered cloves 

⅛ tsp. powdered cinnamon 

3 tbsp. vinegar 

1 tbsp. butter 

 Mix flour, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Add raisins and water. Simmer a few minutes, stirring frequently. Add spices, vinegar, and butter, blend well. Ready to serve over ham slices. 

Cut pineapple rings in half. Add pineapple and cherries to the ham platter when you serve. 

Acorn Squash 

¼ squash per person 

1 tsp. butter per squash quarter, softened 

1 heaping tsp. brown sugar per squash quarter 

Reserved pineapple juice 

Preheat oven to 325° F. 

Mix butter, brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons pineapple juice in a small bowl. 

Microwave squash or bake in the oven until tender. This can be done earlier in the day. Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Quarter and arrange in ovenproof casserole dish. 

Add brown sugar mix to center of each quartered squash slice. Warm on low heat in oven until ready to serve. 

Marinated Raw Asparagus 

3 spears per person 

1 bottle spicy Italian salad dressing 

Wash asparagus and place in casserole dish. Cover spears with spicy Italian salad dressing or your favorite type. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove spears from dressing then set on decretive platter. Use tongs to serve. 

Here is a peek at my latest cozy mystery for your reading enjoyment. 

When is it not fun to be a blond? 

What happens when a blond beauty hits town like a tornado stirring up memories and causing turmoil? Detective Kevin Fowler and his wife, the former Beverly Hampton, owner of the local newspaper, are settling into blissful married life. Although Beverly is sanguine over the demand on Kevin’s time by the good people of Hubbard, she is more than dubious when his duties include the escort of a drop-dead gorgeous female from his past.

There is some concern over the persistent vandalism of residential mailboxes, but an infamous arsonist has decided peaceful but dull Hubbard would make a great place from which to operate. He brazenly locates down the block from the detective and his wife.

What bait and tackle shop in the village has a dual purpose? Kevin ponders why two goons have invaded town shooting at and attempting to kidnap and murder three women. A state patrolman, aptly nick named Rooster, teases Fowler at the riotous scene of a traffic accident where the press, not the police, wins the day.

Another mystery and adventure with a satisfying ending that unfolds in peaceful Hubbard, New York, small-town Americana, where Detective Kevin Fowler keeps an ever-vigilant watch.

Amazon Buy Link

Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes cozy mysteries as Janis Lane, Regency as Emma, and spice as Sunny Lane. 

She lives in Western New York where winter is snowy, spring arrives with rave reviews, summer days are long and velvet, and fall leaves are riotous in color. At long last she enjoys the perfect bow window for her desk where she is treated to a year-round panoramic view of nature. Her computer opens up a fourth fascinating window to the world. Her patient husband is always available to help with a plot twist and encourage Emma to never quit. Her day job is working with flowers at Herbtique and Plant Nursery, the nursery she and her son own. 

Look for information about writing and plants on Emma's new website. Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma's face.

Stay connected to Emma on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to check out the things that make Emma smile on Pinterest.

 

Make Breakfast Special

from Nancy Kay

These muffins are a frequent treat in Deadly Reflection, Book 1 in my Deadly Triad series. They add a comforting hometown touch amidst the danger within the story.

Raspberry Muffins

Photo courtesy of Anne-Sophie Benoit Unsplash

1½ cups unbleached flour
½ cup sugar
1 cup quick oats
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 egg
¼ cup canola oil
1 cup milk
1 hearty cup raspberries - if you prefer moister, more berry filled muffins, add more.

Note: Berries of your choice can be used. For cranberries use orange juice in place of milk.

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Combine dry ingredients. Gently stir in berries to coat and distribute.

Whisk egg, oil, and milk together in a separate bowl.

Distribute mixture in a 12-muffin pan.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Delicious, healthy muffins!

A dead body...
A female suspect...
A detective on vacation.

Can he separate duty from desire? Can she trust his mind-blowing kisses? Or will her unknown past end their future together?

When homicide detective Nick McGraw encounters upscale spa owner Cassi Burke standing over a dead body gripping a bloody knife, Nick's much-needed vacation slams to a halt. Instincts tell the seasoned officer she didn't kill the man at her feet, but he's duty bound to deliver her to local police never suspecting Cassi's brief moment of fame will make her a target.

Cassi denies involvement with the murder, and Nick strives to distance himself from the case, but sizzling attraction between the detective and the suspect escalates, putting their feeling for one another, the ongoing investigation, and the threat to Cassi's life on a collision course.

EXCERPT
"Hello, yourself, Cassi." He skimmed his gaze over her. Eye candy might well describe the type of woman Nick was usually drawn to, but Cassi Burke wasn't all frosting and fluff.

Oh no. She was taffy. Toned and sweet. No doubt providing melt in your mouth satisfaction when a little heat was applied.

"You must be exhausted, honey." Ada's voice cooled his thoughts. "Come join us and have some tea and raspberry muffins.

BUY LINKS

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iTunes

Nancy Kay resides near Lake Erie in Western Pennsylvania with her husband, a former member of the Marines and the Pennsylvania State Police Department who provides valuable insight for her stories. Nancy is a long time member of Romance Writers of America. Her stories are set in small towns and inland communities scattered along the shores of the Great Lakes. They focus on romance, intertwined with the love of hearth, home, and family. Yet, they are sprinkled with suspense, danger, and intrigue. Learn more about Nancy on her website and blog.

Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.

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Time for Tea and Scones

 by C.D. Hersh

Sharing our recurring character in our series The Turning Stone Chronicles and his favorite snack.

 

In our Turning Stone Chronicles paranormal romance series the Keeper of the Stone, an ancient Scotsman man named Eli McCraigen, serves an ever-present cup of tea and scones when serious matters need to be discussed. You’ll see him in every book brewing his tea and serving scones or biscuits of some sort. 

Our character most likely does this because tea is a breakfast ritual at the C.D. Hersh house. Catherine loves a good cup of Scottish tea and drinks either a robust cup of Scottish or Irish Breakfast tea every morning. Her Scottish and Irish teas of choice are Taylors brand, imported from across the pond. Donald prefers something with a bit more flavoring and brews a cup of Bigelow Carmel Vanilla tea. Most of the time we have high-fiber toast with our morning tea, but today we wanted to share an authentic Scottish recipe--scones (which when pronounced correctly rhymes with gone). 

 Catherine got the recipe a number of years ago from a lovely Scottish lady named Rhoda, who immigrated to America at the end of WWII after she fell in love with an American G.I. We hope you’ll enjoy Rhoda’s scones!

Scottish Scones

• 2½ cups buttermilk
  ½ tsp. salt
  6 tbsp. shortening
  2 tbsp. sugar
  3 tsp. baking powder
  2 cups flour
  
  
  Preheat oven to 375° F.

Sift dry ingredients, cut in the shortening until mixture looks crumbled. Add buttermilk, enough to moisten the flour. 

Turn mixture onto lightly floured board and pat in to a round 1 inch thick. Cut into 12 triangles. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake about 20 minutes. 

Serves 10-12 

If you want to make this more festive, you can add chocolate chips to the mix or finely diced apples and some cinnamon, or other chopped fruits. The scones won’t be purely Scottish anymore, but they’ll be more dessert worthy, as scones are really just a Scottish version of what we Americans call biscuits. 

 To go along with your scones here’s a scene from The Promised One (The Turning Stone Chronicles Book 1) that has Eli serving his tea and scones.

Alexi thumbed her cell phone off and shoved it into her pocket. “Rhys should be here in a couple of minutes. Are you sure we need to do this?”

Eli took the screaming teakettle off the stove and poured boiling water into a ceramic teapot. “Aye. We have tae make sure he’s included. We need him.” He dropped three tea bags into the water and set on the lid. “He may not be a shifter, but he has a gun and, unless I miss my guess, isnae afraid to use it. Besides, going off and doing things on our own, without keeping him informed twill only push him away. Tae get him tae accept who he is we need tae draw him in.”

She lined the three mugs on the counter next to the scones Eli had prepared. “I don’t know. He’s been very resistant.”

“So’s a salmon in a bear’s mouth. All that flopping about after he’s been caught is for naught. But if he’d heeded the shadow on the water he might have stayed in the stream.”

“So your strategy is to keep Rhys in water?”

“‘Tis tae make him see the shadow, lassie. That’ll keep him alive and hopefully coming tae our side.”

Alive was good. So was on their side. She rubbed the frown creases between her eyes. Worry deepened the two lines more every day.

“Dinna be afeart. I have a plan.”

That was good, because she was fresh out of ideas. The doorbell rang. Alexi answered it and ushered Rhys into the kitchen.

Rhys eyed the scones and teapot. “Tea party, for me?” He took a scone and bit into it. “I’m not easily swayed by sweets, old man.”

“Yer actions would say different, laddie. But ‘tis for me. I’m an auld man, set in his ways, and ‘tis tea time in Scotland.”

Now if your scones are ready and tea brewed how about checking out our series.  

C.D. Hersh–Two hearts creating everlasting love stories. Putting words and stories on paper is second nature to co-authors C.D. Hersh. They’ve written separately since they were teenagers and d iscovered their unique, collaborative abilities in the mid-90s. As high school sweethearts and husband and wife, Catherine and Donald believe in true love and happily ever after. They have a short Christmas story, Kissing Santa, in a Christmas anthology titled Sizzle in the Snow: Soul Mate Christmas Collection, with seven other authors. Plus their paranormal series titled The Turning Stone Chronicles. 

They are look forward to many years of co-authoring and book sales, and a lifetime of happily-ever-after endings on the page and in real life. 

Social Media Info:

Website

Soul Mate Publishing

Facebook

Amazon Author Page

Twitter

A Made-From-Scratch Savory Cobbler

 from Chris Pavesic
 
I enjoy baking and creating new treats for my family. This is one we especially enjoy. I hope you do, too.
 

Fruit Gingerbread Cobbler
4 medium tart apples, peeled and sliced
1 cup water
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 egg
¼ cup sugar
½ cup 1% buttermilk
¼ cup molasses
 2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. EACH baking powder, baking soda, and ground ginger
¼ tsp. EACH salt and ground nutmeg
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. cold water
Nonstick cooking spray
1 tbsp. candied ginger, finely chopped (optional)
 
Preheat oven to 350° F. 
 
Spray square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.  
 
In a saucepan, combine apples, water, brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 8-10 minutes or until apples are tender.  Remove from heat and set aside.
 
In a large bowl, beat egg, sugar, buttermilk, molasses, and oil.  In medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, salt, and nutmeg. Stir into buttermilk mixture just until combined.  
 
In small dish combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir into apple mixture.  Pour apple mixture into square baking dish.  Spread gingerbread mixture over apples.   Top with candied ginger if desired. 
 
Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the topping comes out clean. 
 
Makes 8 servings.

Why not read a good book today? May I suggest one of the books from my LitRPG series The Revelation Chronicles? ?

In Starter Zone Cami kept herself and her younger sister Alby alive in a post-apocalyptic world, facing starvation, violence, and death on a daily basis. Caught by the military and forcefully inscribed, Cami manages to scam the system and they enter the Realms, a Virtual Reality world, as privileged Players rather than slaves. They experience a world of safety, plenty, and magical adventure.

In the Traveler's Zone magic, combat, gear scores, quests, and dungeons are all puzzles to be solved as Cami continues her epic quest to navigate the Realms and build a better life for her family. But an intrusion from her old life threatens everything she has gained and imperils the entire virtual world.

Time to play the game.

Above the tree line floats an airship close to three hundred feet long with a slightly rounded wooden hull. Ropes attach the lower portion of the ship to an inflated balloon-like aspect, bright white in color with an identification symbol, a red bird with white-tipped feathers extended in flight, inside a round yellow circle in the center of the canvas. The deck is manned with archers and swordsmen. There are two sets of fore and aft catapults.

What I don’t see are cannons or any other type of a gun large enough to account for the sound of the explosion.

The ship pivots in the air, coming around to point directly at what looks like an oncoming flock of five large birds. Or creatures. They are too big and too strange looking to be birds. They drift closer, flapping their wings.

A moment passes before I realize that they are not creatures either. They are some sort of gliders. A person hangs below each set of the feathered wings, which flap and move with mechanical precision in a sky washed out by the morning sun.

The archers nock their arrows and aim at the flock.

The gliders draw in their wings and dive toward the deck, covering the distance in a few heartbeats. Most of the arrows fly uselessly past the attack force and fall like black rain from the sky. The archers aimed and released the volley too late.

The forward catapult releases a torrent of small rocks at the lead glider. It is a scatter-shot approach that proves effective. There are so many missiles that it is impossible to dodge them all.

But at the moment the stones strike, the other four let loose with fireballs. Spheres of crackling flame spring from their hands, glowing faintly at first and then with increasing brightness. The balls of fire shoot from their hands like bullets from a gun and fly toward the ship, exploding. Pieces bounce off the hull and fall to the ground, throwing hissing, burning globs of magic-fueled fire in all directions, setting everything they touch aflame.

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Want to learn more about The Revelation Chronicles? Click HERE for updates on this and the other series by Chris. Watch the video on YouTube.

Chris Pavesic is a fantasy author who lives in the Midwestern United States and loves Kona coffee, steampunk, fairy tales, and all types of speculative fiction. Between writing projects, Chris can most often be found reading, gaming, gardening, working on an endless list of DIY household projects, or hanging out with friends.

Learn more about Chris on her website and blog.

Stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, and her Amazon Author Page.

 

Happy Reading - Featuring:

Make Breakfast Special from Nancy Kay

These muffins are a frequent treat in Deadly Reflection, Book 1 in my Deadly Triad series. They add a comforting hometown touch amidst the danger within the story.

Raspberry Muffins

Photo courtesy of Anne-Sophie Benoit Unsplash

1½ cups unbleached flour
½ cup sugar
1 cup quick oats
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 egg
¼ cup canola oil
1 cup milk
1 hearty cup raspberries - if you prefer moister, more berry filled muffins, add more.

Note: Berries of your choice can be used. For cranberries use orange juice in place of milk.

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Combine dry ingredients. Gently stir in berries to coat and distribute.

Whisk egg, oil, and milk together in a separate bowl.

Distribute mixture in a 12-muffin pan.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Delicious, healthy muffins!

A dead body...
A female suspect...
A detective on vacation.

Can he separate duty from desire? Can she trust his mind-blowing kisses? Or will her unknown past end their future together?

When homicide detective Nick McGraw encounters upscale spa owner Cassi Burke standing over a dead body gripping a bloody knife, Nick's much-needed vacation slams to a halt. Instincts tell the seasoned officer she didn't kill the man at her feet, but he's duty bound to deliver her to local police never suspecting Cassi's brief moment of fame will make her a target.

Cassi denies involvement with the murder, and Nick strives to distance himself from the case, but sizzling attraction between the detective and the suspect escalates, putting their feeling for one another, the ongoing investigation, and the threat to Cassi's life on a collision course.

EXCERPT
"Hello, yourself, Cassi." He skimmed his gaze over her. Eye candy might well describe the type of woman Nick was usually drawn to, but Cassi Burke wasn't all frosting and fluff.

Oh no. She was taffy. Toned and sweet. No doubt providing melt in your mouth satisfaction when a little heat was applied.

"You must be exhausted, honey." Ada's voice cooled his thoughts. "Come join us and have some tea and raspberry muffins.

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Nancy Kay resides near Lake Erie in Western Pennsylvania with her husband, a former member of the Marines and the Pennsylvania State Police Department who provides valuable insight for her stories. Nancy is a long time member of Romance Writers of America. Her stories are set in small towns and inland communities scattered along the shores of the Great Lakes. They focus on romance, intertwined with the love of hearth, home, and family. Yet, they are sprinkled with suspense, danger, and intrigue. Learn more about Nancy on her website and blog.

Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.

 

An Italian Favorite

from Sharon Ledwith

Picture this – savory, sautéed chicken cooked in a cheesy, creamy sauce with Roma tomatoes, served atop a bed of fettuccini pasta. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine is. One of my go-to meals I order at a restaurant includes this classic pasta dish. So, I thought I’d bring this Italian favorite from the restaurant into your kitchen to enjoy with 8 of your family or friends wherever and whenever you choose to get-together. 

 With a prep time of 30 minutes, and a cook time of 30 minutes, you can divvy up the duties and make it a culinary collaboration. Wine, of course, is optional, but encouraged.

Classic Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo

6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves, cut into cubes

6 tbsp. butter, divided

4 cloves garlic, minced, divided

1 tbsp. Italian seasoning

1 lb. (454 g) fettuccini pasta

1 onion, diced

1 – 8 oz. (227 g) package sliced mushrooms

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. salt

¾ tsp. ground white pepper

3 cups milk

1 cup half-and-half 

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

8 ozs. (227 g) shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese

3 Roma (plum) tomatoes, diced

½ cup sour cream

In a large skillet set over medium heat combine chicken, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 cloves garlic, and Italian seasoning. Cook until chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Meanwhile, melt remaining butter in the skillet. Sauté onion, remaining garlic, and mushrooms until onions are transparent. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes. Slowly add milk and half-and-half, stirring until smooth and creamy. Blend in Parmesan and Colby-Monterey Jack cheeses. Continue to stir until cheese is melted. Stir in chicken mixture, tomatoes, and sour cream. Serve over cooked fettuccini.

IF by any chance you have leftovers, the Alfredo mixture freezes well.

Has all this cooking made you ‘stir’ crazy? After your guest have departed, may I suggest settling in with a good book and a glass of wine? How about a visit to Fairy Falls, or if you’re feeling really adventurous, a trip back in time with The Last Timekeepers? Whichever you choose, I guarantee either series will take you on a journey far away from dirty dishes and messy pots. 

Here's a glimpse into one of the books from Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls, my teen psychic mystery series.

 

The only witness left to testify against an unsolved crime in Fairy Falls isn’t a person… 

City born and bred, Hart Stewart possesses the gift of psychometry—the psychic ability to discover facts about an event or person by touching inanimate objects associated with them. Since his mother’s death, seventeen-year-old Hart has endured homelessness, and has learned ways to keep his illiteracy under wraps. He eventually learns of a great-aunt living in Fairy Falls, and decides to leave the only life he’s ever known for an uncertain future. 

Diana MacGregor lives in Fairy Falls. Her mother was a victim of a senseless murder. Only Diana’s unanswered questions and her grief keeps her going, until Hart finds her mother’s lost ring and becomes a witness to her murder.

Through Hart’s psychic power, Diana gains hope for justice. Their investigation leads them into the corrupt world threatening Fairy Falls. To secure the town’s future, Hart and Diana must join forces to uncover the shocking truth, or they risk losing the true essence of Fairy Falls forever.

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Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and the teen psychic mystery series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. 

When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, exercising, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter, Google+, Goodreads, and Smashwords. Look up her Amazon Author page for a list of current books. Be sure to check out THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS TIME TRAVEL SERIES Facebook page.

 

CHRISTMAS DAY BRUNCH

MADE EASY BY SLOANE TAYLOR

After we entertain Christmas Eve, we tear through the house cleaning up before the kids and grands come for brunch Christmas Day. This meal is wonderful because so much can be prepared well in advance and stored in the fridge until it’s time to cook. 

MENU 

Breakfast Soufflé 

Hash Browns 

Fresh Fruit Salad 

Mini Croissants 

Christmas Cookies & Leftover Desserts 

Mimosas 

Breakfast Soufflé 

1 lb. (½kg) ham, bacon, or breakfast sausage 

9 eggs, lightly beaten 

3 cups (750ml) milk 

1 tsp. (5ml) dry mustard 

Diced green, red, and/or yellow pepper to taste 

½ lb. (57g) sharp cheddar cheese, grated 

½ lb. (57g) Swiss or Gruyere cheese, or a combination of the two, grated 

Diced onion to taste 

Freshly ground black pepper to taste 

4 – 1 in. (2.54cm) slices Vienna or French bread, cubed 

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). 

Dice ham or bacon. If you use ham, set aside in the bowl you use for the eggs. Fry bacon to the crispness you prefer. Drain on paper towels. If you use breakfast sausage, fry meat until no longer pink. Be sure to break up any clumps. Drain meat in a colander while you continue to prepare the soufflé.

Add all ingredients, except bread, to eggs. Stir well. Gently stir in bread. 

Pour mixture into an ungreased 9 x 13-inch (33 x 22cm) glass baking dish. Bake 1 hour or until a knife inserted in the center has no egg clinging to it. 

This dish can be assembled one or two days ahead of time. On serving day allow the soufflé to sit on your counter 1 – 2 hours before you bake it. 

Leftovers are excellent from the microwave. 

Hash Browns 

If you need to increase the hash browns recipe for a larger group of people, it’s best to sparingly add more garlic powder. As is this recipe serves 6. Leftovers reheat beautifully. 

3 russet potatoes (about 1½ pounds), peeled 

1½ tsp. (7.5ml) garlic powder, not salt 

Freshly ground pepper, to taste 

¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil 

Shred potatoes on the large holes of a box grater or use the coarse grater disk on a food processor. Transfer them to a bowl of cold water. Allow them to soak for 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and then rinse under cold water. You do this to remove the starch that makes hash browns gummy. 

Transfer shreds to a kitchen towel. Gather together ends of towel and twist over sink, squeezing firmly to wring out as much liquid as possible. This step creates crisp hash browns. Transfer potatoes to a medium bowl and toss with garlic powder and pepper. Be sure to evenly distribute the seasonings. 

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes, press down to form a thin layer and cook for a minute or two. Stir and then press down again. Cook until a dark golden crust forms, about 5 minutes. 

Turn potatoes in sections. This is easier than trying to turn the food as a whole. Continue to fry until hash browns are crisp and browned all over, 5 minutes or so. Transfer to paper towels to absorb excess oil. 

Fresh Fruit Salad 

1 banana, peeled 

1 pear, cored 

1 tbsp. (15ml) lemon juice 

¼ pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced 

1 kiwi, peeled and sliced 

10 seedless red grapes, halved 

10 blueberries 

10 raspberries, optional 

Slice banana into bitesize pieces. Scoop into a medium-sized bowl. Dice pear and add to bowl. Sprinkle lemon juice over fruit to stop it from turning brown and mix well. 

Gently fold in remaining fruit. 

Spoon into a glass bowl, cover with cling wrap, and chill until time to serve. Leftovers are still good the next day.

Mimosas 

1 bottle sparking white wine or champagne, cold 

1 carton orange juice, cold 

Tall slender glasses 

Fill glasses half full with wine. Tip the glass slightly as you pour to retain the fizz. Top off with orange juice. Don’t stir. That will destroy the bubbles. 

May you enjoy all the days of your life filled with good friends, laughter, and seated around a well-laden table!

Sloane

Sloane Taylor is an Award-Winning author with a second passion in her life. She is an avid cook and posts new recipes on her blog every Wednesday. The recipes are user friendly, meaning easy.

Taylor's cookbooks, Date Night Dinners, Summer Sizzle, and Recipes to Create Holidays Extraordinaire are released by Toque & Dagger Publishing and available at all book vendors.

Excerpts from her books and free reads can be found on her website, blog, and her Amazon Author Page. Connect with Taylor on Facebook and Twitter.

 

A Date Night Dinner

 

from Sloane Taylor 

Every cook in this busy world needs a fast yet tasty dinner ready in minutes, not hours. Here is just the recipe you are looking for. You may want to increase the proportions for this mouthwatering dish since it freezes well.

Photo by Vitchakorn Koonyosying on Unsplash

Easy Baked Chicken Breasts

Non-stick cooking spray

3 boneless chicken breasts

½ cup mayonnaise

5 tsp. Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 425° F.

Spray a light coating of cooking spray into an ovenproof dish that will hold the chicken comfortably.

Rinse chicken and pat dry.

Set on a plate. Mix mayo and bread crumbs together in a small bowl. Spread onto both sides of chicken.

Lay chicken in prepared dish. Sprinkle Parmesan over the top of coated chicken.

Bake 20 minutes or until the juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a sharp knife.

Easy Baked Chicken Breasts, Baked Sweet Potatoes, and Steamed Asparagus are just three of the easy and delicious recipes you will enjoy from my fun cookbook. Here's a little more info for you.

Ready to ignite that old flame? Or perhaps spark a new one? Take your partner by the hand and turn on your stove.

A true romantic, award-winning author Sloane Taylor brings her creativity to the kitchen with easy-to-make meals sure to spark the intimacy and quality time you want with your special someone. Cooking together is only the start of the fun!

Create 45 complete dinners for two and flavor your evenings with a new dish. These 80 recipes use everyday foods already on most kitchen shelves. The recipes are easily increased for those fun times friends or family join your table.

Date Night Dinners, Meals to Make Together for a Romantic Evening, is an ideal gift for engagements, bridal showers, anniversaries, or for anyone who wants to spice things up.

 

What People are Saying About Date Night Dinners

Bring your date nights back home! Sloane Taylor's delicious meals are the perfect prelude to romance.

Helen Hardt,#1 New York Times, #1 USA Today, and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author

These recipes are sure to please the palate and make your romantic night a perfect memory. Enjoy!

Jan Springer, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Romance Author

With Date Night Dinners Sloane Taylor reminds us that our relationships should be savored like a fine meal.

Chris Pavesic, Award-Winning Sci-Fi/Fantasy Author

Any recipe is a perfect date night dinner because it can quietly simmer away while the diners are doing umm…other things. 

Vonnie Hughes, Romantic Suspense Author

 

BUY LINKS

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May you enjoy all the days of your life filled with good friends, laughter, and seated around a well-laden table!

 Sloane

Sloane Taylor is an Award-Winning romance author with a passion that consumes her day and night. She is an avid cook and posts new recipes on her blog every Wednesday. The recipes are user friendly, meaning easy.

Learn more about Taylor's cookbooks, Date Night Dinners and Recipes to Create Holidays Extraordinaire on Amazon. Excerpts from her romance books and free reads can be found on her website, blog, and her Amazon Author Page. Connect with Taylor on Facebook and Twitter.