Lyn Cote's Blog, page 44
August 23, 2015
Author Patty Smith Hall & Mama’s Chili
My guest today is author Patty Smith Hall. She’s written for Love Inspired but now is writing independent romances too. After her recipe, please read about her newest book and see what you think. Here’s Patty:
I am not a cook.
At least, not in the sense my mama is. Mama is known throughout our family and friends as a whiz in the kitchen, serving up delicious meals and amazing deserts made from scratch. Her German Chocolate Cake is a little slice of heaven right here on earth(which is why I request it for my birthday every year!)
but my mama and grandma are
Mama inherited her cooking talents from her mother. Grandma made the most mouth-watering biscuits I’d ever put in my mouth. Every time I went to her house as a little girl (which was often—I lived right next door,) I’d make a beeline to the kitchen and to the pan of biscuits she kept on the stove. Grandma would pour me a glass of milk and meet me at the table, ready to spend the next few minutes asking me about my day. But Grandma’s talents weren’t limited to biscuits. No, she made a juicy chocolate cake that drew folks from two counties away. Her secret to this delicious treat was to use a fork and poke holes in the top of the cake then pour melted chocolate into each hole.
Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.
You might be asking how I missed the cooking gene? I’m not sure. It could have been the first cake I tried to bake—my friend, Virginia and I decided to make a cake for a school project but reading the directions weren’t as cut and dry as I’d thought they’d be. We couldn’t decide—was it 1/4 of a cup or 4 cups of water? The mix looked too dry with just 1/4 cup so I threw in another 3 1/2 cups of water! If you know how to bake, you know that my cake came out of the oven looking more like a pancake than a desert.
So what recipe I’m going to leave you with today? Don’t worry—it’s not mine but a favorite of our family, Mama’s homemade chili.
Mama’s Chili
Use fresh tomatoes to get the best flavor out of this chili. It will warm you up on those cool fall days.
1 1/2 pounds of ground chuck, browned and drained.
1 quart of diced tomatoes
1 small can (8oz) of tomato sauce
1 can(15oz) of kidney beans, drained
1 ounce of chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 small diced onion(optional)
Mix all ingredients in a crock pot and simmer on low for 6 to 8 hours. Serve with grated cheese and sour cream.”–Patty
BLURB:
She’s ready to take back her life . . .or what’s left of it.
After ten years of caring for her invalid grandfather, Kallie Huffman is ready to claim her life as her own. Taking a job in the laboratory of New Hope Community Hospital seems like a logic choice while she waits for her nursing license to be reinstated. That is until she meets Lab Director Jefferson Muster. Kind and intelligent, the handsome doctor is everything Kallie has ever wanted in a man. But what about having a life of her own?
He’s never needed anyone’s help. . .until now.
Patients are dying at New Hope Community Hospital, and Jeff needs help to discover the culprit before another family loses a loved one. When help comes in the person of Kallie Huffman, the walls Jeff has constructed around his heart after a family tragedy start to crumble. But Kallie craves a life on her own terms. Can two people shaped by heartache trust in a life long love?
Patty, thanks for sharing a recipe that looks easy enough–even for you! 
August 18, 2015
Author Brenda Nixon & Parenting Teens from Another Culture
I have enjoyed reading many Amish romances and have invited many “Amish” authors to be my guests here. But all of us know human nature, its dark side which can pervert God’s message of love and forgiveness and substitute rules and punishment. It happens outside of the Amish culture and unfortunately inside also.
Author Brenda Nixon has firsthand experience of young people who have fled from harsh parents and legalistic churches that remind me of the Pharisee’s that Jesus railed against. I hope you’ll pray for young people caught in these harsh situations, not the norm for Amish families I’m sure. Here’s Brenda:
“Parenting” TEENS from another culture
He slipped out of his darkened farmhouse one night. Running down a small country road, he cried wondering “who would take care of me.” Yet the determination to leave his life and traditions behind overpowered his fears of the unknown.
Months later he and I met. Through a series of conversations, I became acquainted with Mosie, a.k.a. Moses. He was eighteen years young, impulsive, passionate, hardworking, and complex – not unlike the culture he left.
With his help I learned about his upbringing as an extremely conservative Swartzentruber Amish. With my help, he was “mothered” and taught the ways of our world – jobs, insurance, cars, discernment in dating, and how much God loved him.
Often admired. Misunderstood. Mysterious. I’ve learned to know and understand inside the conservative Amish Orders from Mosie and the many other formers I know. Most left Swartzentruber – the strictest and most punitive – and a handful of conservative Old Order Amish. Predominantly guys but a few gals have come through my home and heart.
Taking in a teenager from another culture – and a boy, I raised girls – was like walking into a snowstorm. I learned that he was taught to be stoic. Withhold his emotions. Our home encourages family members to recognize and release emotions.
He was taught to bathe once a week and never go to an outside – English – dentist. My husband and I taught our daughters to care for their bodies with daily hygiene practices and bi-annual dentist visits. He was brought up to believe that deliberate inattention to the body was proof of righteousness.
I grew up with loving, Christian parents. I sat through many church services as a child hearing about God’s grace and forgiveness. How God desires relationship with us. Mosie grew up attending church services in German – his least understood language. His sermons always included the wrath of God. His suspicious supervision. His punishment for breaking Church rules.
All these and other differences made for a challenging task but one God put in my home. And I grew to love that boy. He called me, “Mama,” and I felt affection for him like he was my own kid.
Mosie was the first. After him God brought ex-Amish Harvey, Josh, Sarah, Monroe, Noah, Levi, Uriah, Uria, Andy, and others into our home and hearts.
Some lived with us. Others passed through with a meal and “Mom” hugs. A few needed a financial boost. I don’t know why God brought this cultural learning curve into my life at a time when my daughters were grown and my husband and I were empty-nesters. But I’m grateful He trusted me with His dear children. Those who needed to know that God is gracious, loving, forgiving, and desires relationship with his creation.
After a few years and pleas from friends, I put pen to paper and began blogging about my experiences and what I’d learned. The blog received 2014 Blog of the Year at Book Fun Magazine. The blog evolved into a book, Beyond Buggies and Bonnets: Seven true stories of former Amish.
Like “parenting” teens with different upbringing and parental values, giving birth to the book has been a resistant challenge. From publisher rejections to false allegations from fiction authors, I’ve persisted in providing a deeper understanding of the complex Amish culture. Maybe it’ll crack open the door to recognizing and respecting the great diversity, and to pray for those who need to experience a God of love.”–Brenda
To purchase this book, click here. Beyond Buggies and Bonnets: Seven true stories of former Amish
For more online:
August 16, 2015
Lyn Reviews Author Victoria Bylin’s Until I Found You & WINNERS ANNOUNCED!
If you would like to enter the drawing for my copy of UNTIL I FOUND YOU, please leave a comment below.
August 11, 2015
Amish Author Olivia Newport & Chocolate-Frosted Shortbread Squares!
My guest today is Amish author Olivia Newport. She is sharing about her latest Amish novel and a recipe that I WILL BE TRYING! My husband loves chocolate shortbread! Here’s Olivia:
A long-time favorite family recipe? One leaps to mind light years faster than any other.
Chocolate-frosted shortbread squares!
I can’t say that I know the origin. I suppose my mother came across it in a women’s magazine, or perhaps it came from a woman at church. But once these scrumptious treats graced our kitchen counters, they never left.
Thanksgiving is the big holiday for my extended family now, an event that beckons four generations. Not everyone makes it, and I don’t get there every year, but usually there are 35–40 people present.
And the biggest question always is,
“Who’s bringing the shortbread squares?”
I learned to make them using a mixture of baking cocoa, butter, oil, and powdered sugar for the chocolate. Years later I discovered that the original recipe called for melted chocolate chips. I suspect my mother used the mixture to substitute for chips she didn’t have on hand—just as I often don’t have the chips on hand.
One day, years ago, my mother gave me
a typed index card, and I realized it was the copy of the recipe that she’d kept in her collection for decades. It’s so spattered and stained with ingredients that I can practically lick the flavors off the card.
Instead, I put it in a frame and hung it in my kitchen so this recipe, which has become a favorite with my children too, is never out of reach. Here is a slightly updated version:
Chocolate-Frosted Shortbread Squares
Ingredients:
2 cups sifted flour
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
¾ cup butter
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted (I use twice that!)
Mix the flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Press into an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 25–28 minutes. Spread the melted chocolate pieces over the hot, baked dough. Cool before cutting.
My latest release is Brightest and Best, an Amish historical in the Amish Turns of Time set. Maybe someday I’ll try using an Amish shortbread cookie recipe—but I won’t let go of the chocolate frosting!”–Olivia
To purchase, click here. Brightest and Best (Amish Turns of Time Book 3)
What’s the skinny on Brightest and Best?
The collapse of a schoolhouse puts pressure on Amish families and their long-held educational values. Ella Hilty anticipates marrying Gideon Wittmer and becoming a mother to his children. In a whirling clash of values, Ella seeks the solid ground that seems to have slipped away. Margaret Simpson, an English schoolteacher, wonders if she is losing her last chance at love. As the local authorities draw lines in the sand, Margaret puts romance at risk one final time. All eyes turn to Ella to make a sacrifice and accept a challenge that can bring unity to the Amish and understanding to the English.
Thanks, Olivia, for this recipe. So
QUESTION: When you don’t have everything a recipe calls for, do you substitute ingredients or run to the store?–Lyn
For more online:
@OliviaNewport (Twitter)
www.facebook.com/OliviaNewport
Send to Kindle 
The post Amish Author Olivia Newport & Chocolate-Frosted Shortbread Squares! appeared first on booksbylyncote.com.
August 9, 2015
August 4, 2015
Author Kimberly Rose Johnson & a Family Favorite
My guest today is author Kimberly Rose Johnson who is sharing a family favorite and her latest book. Here’s Kimberly:
This is the recipe my mom uses, and I’ve tweaked it through the years. I prefer to mix ricotta with the cottage cheese. If you choose to mix the cheeses, purchase the size down from the one listed above. The amounts of cheese and spices used are to taste and what looks good to you. I like it really cheesy.
I believe this recipe first came to us via a friend of my mothers. It’s a family favorite that we have had a Christmas, birthdays, and just because. This recipe appears in my book Island Dreams. It’s what Chase makes for Piper when he invites her over for dinner. It’s his family recipe too. ?
Lasagna
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Ingredients:
8-10 lasagna noodles
24 ounce cottage cheese or Ricotta cheese
2-3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese 2-3 cups of shredded mozzarella Parmesan
Italian seasoning
Parsley flakes
1 to 11?2 lbs. of ground beef
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
1 teaspoon of salt
1?2 cup water
Bring a pot of water to a roiling boil then add noodles. Cook for five minutes. Meanwhile brown the ground beef in a skillet. Drain off grease then add spaghetti sauce, salt, and water.
Pour half the sauce/meat mixture on the bottom of a 14-inch (or close in size) baking pan. Place three or four noodles on top of the sauce then layer according to how much you like in this order: cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan, Italian seasoning, and parsley flakes.
Repeat layers of noodles, cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan, Italian seasoning, and parsley flakes.
Add the rest of the sauce and finish off with the remainder of the cheeses.
Cover with foil and cook for one hour. Let rest five to ten minutes after it comes out of the oven.”–Kimberly
To purchase, click here. Island Dreams (Wildflower B&B Romance Book 2)
BLURB for Island Dreams:
Piper Hunt arrives on Wildflower Island to develop family property into an upscale resort knowing this may be her last chance to prove her worth to her father. With grandiose ideas, she soon finds herself at odds with adjoining property owner, Chase Grayson. As she begins to appreciate the simplicity of the island, she struggles to maintain balance between her father’s wishes, preserving the natural beauty of the island, and her attraction for Chase.
Chase Grayson values the peace and quiet of Wildflower Island. That serenity is threatened when Piper Hunt discloses her plans to develop an upscale resort that not only butts up to his property, but will turn the island into a busy tourist destination. In fighting her plans, he also finds himself fighting his attraction to her. If he doesn’t stop her plans for the resort, his life will be altered forever. If he succeeds, it means he will never see her again. Can he live with either choice?
Sounds like my kind of recipe, Kimberly. However, I like to use noodles that don’t have to be prepared separately. That makes it even easier!–Lyn
For more online:
August 2, 2015
Author Jo Ann Brown & How Strong Women Build Their Families
Today my guest is author Jo Ann Brown who is going to share about her daughter and families. She is offering a copy of her latest book Promise of a Family (US ONLY). So be sure to reply to the QUESTION below. Here’s Jo Ann:
I’m fascinated by how strong women build their families.
Some build through birth; others build through adoption and/or fostering. Then there are the strong women who reach out and build families that come together through common interest and need—families built with friends, neighbors, and those who have an empty place in their lives.
A big step into the unknown for her,
My daughter, Marianne, is doing the last. In fact, she’s been doing that all her life. She’s the friend who always has an ear to listen and a shoulder to cry on, sometimes very late at night. Recently she set aside her work on her masters in math to follow her heart to begin work on a masters in social work because she wants to make “a difference in someone’s life.” A big step into the unknown for her, because she’d done her undergrad work in math as well. But she is willing to take the risk.
While working a full-time job in finance, she’s taking a full load of classes and will begin an unpaid internship three nights a week in a renal clinic. Not the work she eventually hopes to do, because she wants to work with geriatric clients. Even though she’s my most squeamish child when it comes to needles, she sees this as a chance to help the community she will become a part of. A community that is a family, working together to help those in need.
thinking about that sense of community
When I was playing with ideas for the trilogy that would become “Matchmaking Babies,” I began thinking about that sense of community and the outreach to help others in need. That led me to the idea of what would happen to a family and a small Cornish village in the early 19th century if a rowboat with six very young children was discovered floating in the cove. Who would reach out to those children in need? How would people’s lives change? Could the children find a welcome in loving hearts and help build unexpected families? Who had put the children in the boat and why?
To purchase, click here. Promise of a Family (Matchmaking Babies)
In Promise of a Family, the first book of the trilogy (Love Inspired Historical August 2015), Susanna Trelawney needs to find answers. Her search for the truth is complicated by the man who rescued the children. He’s Captain Drake Nesbitt, a ship’s captain. Susanna’s sister’s husband was a sailor and died at sea, leaving her beloved sister bereft. It’s easy for Susanna to fall in love with the children, especially twin toddler girls, and she’s drawn to the handsome captain, but she promised herself never to risk her heart again. Once betrayed, twice shy is her heart’s motto. As the war with the French comes closer to the cove, Susanna discovers she must be courageous enough to set aside the past in order to grasp the future she wants. To do so means risking her heart one more time…if she dares.”–Jo Ann
Wow, what a daughter, Jo Ann! I admire her selfless spirit. QUESTION: Do you know anyone who puts the interests of others before their own? Who and how?–Lyn
For more online:
http://www.joannbrownbooks.com
Send to Kindle 
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July 28, 2015
Author Kristen Ethridge & Jalapeno Bullets?
My guest today is Kristen Ethridge, a new author to me and maybe to you. She sounds like my kind of girl, loves food! And is sharing a recipe with us. I’m not really into HOT food, slightly spicy is my choice. So proceed with caution. 
Here’s Kristen:
A Texas-Sized Treat on the Grill!
Isn’t it fun how food and fiction go together? I think it’s because food is often a part of memories and special times in our lives, and as writers, we can’t help but weave the things we’re influenced by into the books we write.
One of our favorite things to do is to grill.
My husband is pretty much a master at the grill. He cooks for us in the backyard and has catered events for more than 2,000 people—that’s a LOT of brisket! In fact, it’s probably pretty apropos that we met at a football tailgate, when he was behind the grill.
These days, one of our favorite things to do
is have friends over in the summer. We’re lucky to have a pool in the backyard so we can beat the Texas heat, and there’s nothing better than snacking all afternoon long while you splash. While burgers or a brisket is often the star of the show, we’ve even been known to grill pizzas. One of our favorite recipes to kick off grill time is this jalapeno bullet recipe.
jalapeno bullet recipe
Only three ingredients: cream cheese, jalapenos, and bacon (your choice, but maple bacon adds sweetness)
Slice jalapenos in half length-wise and then de-seed them. It’s crucial to de-seed them—they’ll be too hot to eat otherwise. Gloves are recommended if you’re not used to de-seeding peppers. If you get the oils from the seeds on your hands and then you wipe your eyes, you’ll be miserable.
Spread cream cheese into the de-seeded jalapeno halves. Press them back together.
Wrap in bacon and put a toothpick through each to hold together.
Place on grill until bacon is cooked and crispy
Enjoy!
In my August release, The Doctor’s Unexpected Family,
one of the ways that Pete and Angela celebrate the island reaching a recovery milestone after Hurricane Hope is to grill burgers out on the deck of beach house that faces the Gulf of Mexico. The local grocery store has just opened that afternoon for the first time since the hurricane’s landfall. Angela celebrates the simple pleasure of just being able to bite into a salty, greasy potato chip alongside a freshly-grilled burger.
I’m so excited about the Port Provident: Hurricane Hope series that began in July with Second Chance Sweethearts, not only because I’m going to be following the town of Port Provident through their recovery from Hurricane Hope, but because I’m also sharing my own personal story as part of it.
In the wake of Hurricane Ike,
I started a non-fiction book on the life lessons I learned from Hurricane Ike. Called Storm Surge: Life Lessons I Learned from Hurricane Ike and How You Can Rise Above Life’s Storms, it is my first non-fiction book and it will release on September 13, the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Ike. I wrote this memoir with a Christian living twist because I knew that not everyone goes through a hurricane in their life, but we all go through storms. And it is how we weather them that shapes our lives.
And the best part is
that I want to share this series that’s so close to my heart with you, the readers here. The next book in the series, The Doctor’s Unexpected Family, releases on August 1. But through the end of July, you can pick up a copy for your Kindle at a special pre-order price of 99 cents! (And in August, you’ll be able to preorder Storm Surge in advance of its September release!)
I hope you’ll spend the end of the summer on the beach in Port Provident with me and The Doctor’s Unexpected Family! (Click to purchase.)
BLURB:
GRACE FINDS YOU IN THE MOST UNEXPECTED PLACES…
Dr. Pete Shipley is on a mission to save lives and he’s ready to move to another corner of the world where his skills are needed. City Councilwoman Angela Ruiz is a single parent fighting to save her hometown after Hurricane Hope tears through Port Provident, leaving destruction across the community she has sworn to serve. Together, they team up to found The Grace Space, a Christian-based community gathering spot in the heart of Angela’s district, where residents can get food, household goods, and basic medical care while Port Provident rebuilds after the storm.
When Pete’s appointment to an international medical mission comes, will the doctor follow his lifelong dream and leave Port Provident, The Grace Space, and Angela and her daughter—or will he stay with the family he didn’t expect to love and realize he can change the world without leaving home?
Hurricane Hope: One storm changes Port Provident forever…and for good.”–Kristen
For more online:
July 26, 2015
July 24, 2015
Limited Time Only 99 cent Ebook Sale–Winter’s Secret
Click cover to purchase.
WINTER’S SECRET
The first book in my “Northern Intrigue” romantic suspense series is on sale through Sunday. This is an ebook sale. To purchase, click \" target=\"_blank\">here.
BLURB:
Smashed heirlooms, ripped upholstery and rifled drawers–who is breaking into homes–stealing and vandalizing? And targeting the most vulnerable–the seniors of the small town?
As the new sheriff, Rodd Durand, home again to small town Steadfast, Wisconsin, takes on the Snowmobile Burglar. In the course of her duties, Wendy Carey, the home health nurse, discovers each new break-in. The small town reels as the burglar eludes capture and steps up his crimes.
A vindictive woman and a secret baby heighten the suspense. When Wendy and Rodd begin to fall in love, family complicates matters. But the real stumbling block to their love lies within. Can they break through their own insecurities over the past?
This goes on sale very rarely and please share it with your friends. You can click the social icons just below this post to do that. Thanks–Lyn
Send to Kindle 
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