Kate Lloyd's Blog, page 6

Holiday Traditions

I am an early riser and truly enjoy the quiet start to my days that allows me to journal and write before a multitude of tasks fill up my day. I don’t suffer from SAD but the dark mornings do seem to sap my energy at times.

Thankfully there are a number of holiday traditions that buoy me up – a walk through the neighborhood to admire the festive displays, a trip to view holiday lights, a drive to the mountains to play in the snow (or at least admire it from the warm car). When my boys were younger, there were ski trips and visits to the holiday ice skating rink, followed by hot cocoa and an occasional band-aid or two.

And of course, December isn’t complete unless we watch Christmas movies, with hot buttered popcorn for munching. My favorites span decades – classics like Holiday Inn, It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol, Christmas in Connecticut, Meet Me In St. Louis; the 1960s animated A Charlie Brown Christmas and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reinder; some of the fun Christmas films of the 80s and 90s (A Christmas Story, The Santa Clause, Home Alone); and the more recent additions to my watch list such as The Christmas Chronicles, the Polar Express and the Man Who Invented Christmas.

I put a menorah in the window, symbolizing a commitment to faith and family.

Of course, no holiday is complete without food. Our youngest son has started a new tradition of making latkes and will bring them again this year.

While baking cakes to celebrate the Solstice, and later Christmas, has been around since Medieval times, the French Buche de Noel has been a delicious tradition since the 19th century. A rolled cake filled with cream and decorated to look like a Yule Log, my mother baked one for years. Like any cake roll, it’s a bit complicated, but worth the effort, even if the results aren’t always a beautiful as you might wish. After all, regardless of looks, cake is delicious!

While not exactly the same as my mother’s recipe, this King Arthur Baking recipe for a Buche de Noel is very close.  I’ve made several of their recipes, and never had them steer me wrong.

As is no surprise, I love reading, and encouraged it in my sons. I gave them books for Christmas, as well as taking them to the library to pick up books.

A new favorite of mine is The Christmas Letters, a heartwarming, feel-good holiday romance by Jenny Hale.

Elizabeth Holloway’s sparkling world comes crashing down around her when her boyfriend of seven years drops the bomb that he’s leaving her—at Christmas. In an attempt to piece her life back together, she suddenly finds herself  back at her childhood farm in the Great Smoky Mountains.

And she isn’t expecting to meet visitor Paul Dawson, chipping away at her resolve to focus on figuring out who she is and what she really wants in life.

Just when she starts to think things are moving in the right direction, a stack of letters from Elizabeth’s grandmother will change everything she thought she knew about her family and cause a divide between her and Paul that she never saw coming.

Will the Christmas letters strip her of everything she holds dear? Or will they be the biggest gift of the season?

Wishing you all my best with a Giveaway! Enter for a chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card plus a copy of my latest novel, A Lancaster Family Secret or another of my books if you’ve already purchased a copy. US and Canada only. Winner will be announced Tuesday, December 20 and has three days to respond to my email. Only by responding to my email can you win.

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Congratulations

Please help me congratulate Susan Atkins, winner of the $100 Amazon gift card and a copy of one of my books. Many thanks to all those who entered.

Thanksgivings

I often have so many things going on, I can easily be at my computer from morning until night. It’s one of many reasons I love my dog, Piper. She gets me out of the house as we go on our daily walks. This morning, as we were out and about, I was running through my list of things I needed to do to get ready for Thanksgiving, and realized that Thanksgiving just made me happy.

Many studies have shown that giving thanks can make you happier and running throughout the whole holiday of Thanksgiving is the idea of being thankful, being grateful.

I truly enjoy Thanksgiving, one of the least commercial holidays we celebrate. No presents or extravagant decorations, just a celebration of food, family, friends and traditions. I grew up watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV. One year my husband and I took our sons to New York City to watch the parade in person. We nearly froze but it was so much fun! I enjoy watching The American Kennel Club’s National Dog Show, which is almost as much fun as napping through the football games, waking up just long enough to have a snack of leftovers, usually dessert because I do have a sweet tooth.

One of my sons is gluten-intolerant, and I feel better when I reduce my gluten intake as well.  In the spirit of abundance, I’m sharing a delicious gluten-free and not overly sweet dessert that is perfect for the season. But don’t limit yourself, this is good enough to enjoy any time of year!

Maple Pumpkin Custart

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole milk
4 large eggs
3/4 cup Maple Syrup
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F.Heat milk over low heat in a small saucepan until barely steaming but not boiling.Whisk eggs and syrup in a large bowl until smooth. Gently whisk in the warm milk (a little bit at a time so the eggs don’t cook). Add pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt; whisk until blended.Divide the mixture among six 6-ounce (3/4-cup) custard cups. Skim foam from the surface. Place custard cups in roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the custard cups. Place the pan in the oven and bake, uncovered, until custards are just set but still quiver in the center when shaken, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer custards to a wire rack and let cool for 45 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until chilled.

To serve, top each custard with a dollop of whip cream and a sprinkling of maple sugar or crystallized ginger.  Can be made ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Gratitude shifts your focus from what your life lacks to the abundance that is already present. It reminds us that whatever our individual challenges and difficulties, it is important to pause every now and then to appreciate what we have.

Unfortunately, I find that gratitude doesn’t come naturally to me. It’s a skill and a habit I’ve worked hard on over the years, and I start every morning thinking of the many things for which I am grateful. What helps you cultivate thankfulness?

In this season of thankfulness, I’d like to thank each and every one of my readers for taking the time to read and review my books, follow me on social media, and encourage me with their emails and postings. I am also grateful for the many authors who have helped me through the years, and whose words have inspired me to be a better writer.

The Christmas season starts after Thanksgiving, and if you can’t wait to get started, I’ve partnered with 15 other Amish fiction authors to bring you a collection of Christmas stories. Let me help you discover someone new!

A Lancaster Family Christmas – Kate Lloyd

An Amish Christmas Bakery – Kelly Irvin

First Christmas on Huckleberry Hill – Jennifer Beckstrand

Christmas Grace – Mindy Steele

The Amish Author’s Christmas – Ashley Emma

Dorothy (An Amish of Morrissey County Christmas Romance) – Sylvia Price

The Christmas Collection – The Men of Amish Fiction

An Unexpected Amish Christmas – Rachel J. Good

The Amish Christmas Gift – Laura V. Hilton

A Christmas Gift for Rose – Tricia Goyer

An Amish Christmas at the Apple Blossom Inn – Tracy Fredrychowski & Debra Torres

Unlikely Season – Jennifer Spredemann

In a Sniper’s Crosshairs – Debby Giusti

The Forgiving Quilt – Lenora Worth

Snowbound Amish Christmas – Jo Ann Brown

Enter my Thankfulness Giveaway for a chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card plus a copy of my latest novel, A Lancaster Family Secret or another of my books if you’ve already purchased a copy. US and Canada only. Winner will be announced Tuesday November 22 and has three days to respond to my email. Only by responding to my email can you win.

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Congratulations

Please help me congratulate Sabrina Templin, winner of the $100 Amazon gift card and a copy of one of my books. Many thanks to all those who entered.

Feelings of Fall

I absolutely love Fall! It’s the setting of several of my novels, including my latest, A Lancaster Family Secret. Ignoring the scary Halloween décor that intrigues Piper, I see so many cute Autumn decorations as we walk in the mornings. Not to mention all the lovely displays in store windows and even at the grocery store.

While my husband and I no longer carve pumpkins, I do put a few arrangements of leaves, pumpkins, gourds and cinnamon sticks around the house. It’s also a wonderful time to treat yourself to something during this cozy season!

Of course, Fall means scrumptious foods as well. Soup, hot spiced cider, and anything apple is a big hit with me, so my grandmother’s Apple Bread Pudding is a must.

Apple Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups bread cubes (roughly ¾” cubes), from stale bread
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups milk or cream
1/4 cup apple juice concentrate
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups apples, diced, unpeeled
3/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoon butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Generously butter a 9″ square baking dish.Place the bread cubes in a large bowl. Beat together the eggs, milk or cream, apple juice concentrate and vanilla plus the brown sugar and spice; pour over the bread and stir.Add the raisins, apples, and nuts. Stir and transfer to the prepared pan. Drizzle the melted butter over the top.Bake for 35 minutes, or until the pudding is set and no liquid shows when you tilt the pan. Remove the pudding from the oven and serve warm with caramel topping and vanilla ice cream (for a decadent dessert), or refrigerate until ready to serve and reheat.

Fall is all about feeling comfy and snug. I love to wear a soft sweater and wrap myself up in a quilt and take a bit of time to read. Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of novellas, squeezing them in between my writing and editing.

My Aunt Leda was an amazing quilter, making exquisite award-winning miniature quilts as well as fullsize.

Are you reading Christmas books yet? Here’s a new novella I recommend by fellow Pacific Northwest author, Melody Carlson, A Quilt for Christmas, a warm and touching story of lonely strangers coming together to bring joy and love to a young family in need. A delighful read, plus I adore quilts!

Christmas should be celebrated with family and close friends. But for Vera Swanson, that’s not an option this year. Widowed and recently relocated, she is lonely in her condo-for-one—until little Fiona Albright knocks on her door needing help. Vera will have to get a ragtag group of women together in order to fulfill the request. Between free-spirited artist Tasha, chatty empty nester Beverly, retired therapist Eleanor, and herself, Vera has hopes that Christmas for the Albright family will be merry, after all—and she may find herself a new family of friends along the way.

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of more than 250 books, including many bestselling Christmas novellas that I’ve enjoyed. She and her husband live in central Oregon. Learn more at www.melodycarlson.com.

Enter my Feelings of Fall Giveaway for a chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card plus a copy of my latest novel, A Lancaster Family Secret or another of my books if you’ve already purchased a copy. US and Canada only. Winner will be announced Tuesday October 25 and has three days to respond to my email. Only by responding to my email can you win. Sorry, I don’t read Facebook or Instagram messages.

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Congratulations

Please help me congratulate Lesa Howard, winner of the $100 Amazon gift card and a copy of one of my books. Many thanks to all those who entered.

Change of Seasons Giveaway

Walking Piper this last week or so, I’m noticing the leaves are just starting to change color. With the first day of autumn being Sept. 22, I shouldn’t be surprised, but it seems as though summer has gone by in a blur.

After our walk, I poked my head in the fridge to decide on lunch, and noticed a bunch of blueberries and blackberries tucked way in the back that needed to be used up. What does one do with a lot of berries? Why, make a crisp, cobbler or crumble, of course. Is there a difference?  They’re all a juicy fruit filling just topped differently.

I pulled out a friend’s tried-and-true end-of-summer berry crisp recipe. It’s quick to put together, and oh-so good!

Crisps and crumbles cook up much faster than a pie!

End-of-Summer Berry Crisp

Ingredients:

Topping:
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup ground almonds (almond flour)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup cold butter (cubed)

Filling:
6 cups mixed berries
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, almonds, cinnamon, and salt.Add in the cold, cubed butter, and using your fingertips rub it into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.In a 9-inch deep pie dish, add the fruit. I used blueberries and blackberriesToss the berries in the cornstarch, brown sugar, and lemon juice.Generously sprinkle the crisp topping over the prepared fruit.Bake at 375°F for roughly 40-45 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown.Serve hot with vanilla ice cream. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes on substitutions: Feel free to use fresh or frozen berries in whatever combination you like. By the time it’s all done baking, the berries will be deliciously sweet and mushy, so if you don’t have fresh on hand, frozen will do nicely. If you don’t have ground almonds, chopped almonds or quick cooking oats work well, though the topping will have a slightly coarser texture.

I was so busy working on a new manuscript that I totally missed Read A Book Day on Sept. 6. But while I’m sad to see the end of summer, autumn days are perfect for curling up with a book.  One of my favorite authors, Denise Hunter, released her new book, Harvest Moon, appropriately enough on Sept. 6.

She thought he was arrogant. He thought her walls would never come down. Then they fell in love.

“A tragic accident gives a divorced couple a second chance at love… Inspirational fans will find this hard to resist.” – Publishers Weekly

I always enjoy receiving Denise’s newsletters. (Sign up for them at www.denisehunterbooks.com) Besides being a lovely woman she is a very accomplished author. Denise is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 40 novels, three of which have been made into Hallmark movies.  Denise writes heartwarming, small-town love stories, peopled with layered characters who struggle with real-life issues.

Learn more about Denise by visiting her Facebook page.

Enter my Change of Seasons Giveaway for a chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card plus a copy of my latest novel, A Lancaster Family Secret, or any of my books if you already own a copy. US and Canada only. Winner will be announced Tuesday, Sept. 27 and has three days to respond to my email.

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Congratulations

Please help me congratulate Deb Simmering, winner of the $100 Amazon gift card and a copy of one of my books. Many thanks to all those who entered.

The Dog Days of Summer

I have always wondered what the Dog Days of Summer meant. Now I have found out that there is actually a National Dog Day on August 26. For me and Piper every day should be National Dog Day.

I got to thinking about how much I love dogs and how I have rarely been without one.

Photos of my favorite dogs. Do you recognize the younger me with short hair?

I can’t remember if I’ve written a book that does not include a dog as a character. Fictitious dogs count, don’t you think? I remember asking my husband if he could recall what happened to Rascal, Armin’s dog in my novel Forever Amish. For the life of me I could not remember, so I ended up reading the whole book! I usually don’t go back and reread a novel that I’ve edited and edited and edited and finally published, so this was a first. I don’t know about other authors, but I am ready for the next adventure once I finish writing a book.

Since I made up the dog, I had the pleasure of creating his name too. Doesn’t Rascal say it all? His owner was a bit of a Rascal too.

Our dog, Piper, is a Cairn terrier. She is my daily walking companion and is devoted to me. And she’s played an important role in my last two books.

As I have mentioned before, many authors have helped me in my writing journey. One of them is bestselling author Rachel Hauck. I was delighted to see that Rachel was recently honored by her publishing house for selling 100,000 copies of her novel Once Upon a Prince.

I met Rachel at a writer’s conference where she was keynote speaker. Chatting over a leisurely lunch, I found her to be delightful, genuine, and warm. And she gave me great advice I still use today. I have been contacting her with writing and publishing questions ever since. A prolific author, Rachel Hauck is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestseller, but she has always answered my questions without making me feel dumb. And she even kindly endorsed my novel Stage Fright.

Her novel Once Upon a Prince was filmed for an original Hallmark movie!

Visit her website (www.rachelhauck.com), or find her on Instagram (@RachelHauck ) or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/rachelhauck) to learn more about her many accomplishments.

Please enter my Giveaway for a chance to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card plus a copy of my latest novel, A Lancaster Family Secret. US and Canada only. Winner will be announced Tuesday August 23 and has three days to respond to my email.

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Congratulations!

Please help me congratulate Brenda Murphree winner of the Old Order Mennonite handmade Amish doll and a copy of one of my books. Many thanks to all who entered.