Sharon Wray's Blog, page 41

Bonfires and Devil’s Boulders

Tomorrow is November 5, also known as Guy Fawkes Day or Bonfire Night. Last year I wrote an essay all about the history of Bonfire night that included a recipe for Parkin, a treat that is a predecessor to our own tradition of Trick-or-Treating.

But this year, I want to introduce you to another tradition that takes place on November 5, a pagan celebration that predates Guy Fawkes Day by centuries and is believed to be one of the oldest traditions in Europe. It’s also a tradition that lends itself more to Halloween than any of the winter festivals. This event, Turning the Devil’s Boulder, takes place in Devon, England where the Devil is also known as the “Evil One”. Outside an inn and near a church in the tiny village of Shabbear, there is an enormous stone known as the Devil’s Boulder. This stone is believed to have been dropped by St. Michael, after a long tough battle with the Devil. St. Michael, tired of the fight, dropped the stone on top of the Devil, effectively trapping the fallen angel. Legends say that if the villagers don’t turn the stone every year, to make sure the “Evil One” is still trapped, the Devil will escape and bad things will happen to the village and maybe the world.

Now, every year a 8 p.m. on November 5, six residents meet at the church to ring the church bells in a horrible and discordant way as the rest of the villagers turn the stone over with crowbars. Since this time of year, so close to All Hallow’s Eve, the veil between the living and the dead is thinner, the discordant bell tones supposedly keep away errant demons who wish to help the “Evil One.” The stone weighs over a ton and it doesn’t match any of the local geology. No one knows where the stone came from, but some believe that the stone is actually a meteorite that landed millennia ago and traveled down through the moors by moving glaciers. The last time the stone was left unturned was in 1939, not long after WWII began. As the war news got more and more desperate, the village decided to turn the stone a week late in order to save their country.

But Shebbear isn’t the only place near the remote Devon moors where the “Evil One” prowls. On the Southern edge of Dartmoor, there’s a place called The Dewerstone where the Devil and his pack of wisht hounds (hell hounds–black dogs with red eyes) run wild. It’s a remote area where, if a person were caught out there unawares this time of the year, the whist hounds would chase the person through scraggly woods, howling until the person was driven insane. The whist hounds never touch their victim, but they drive them off the Dewerstone cliffs and the poor unfortunates die on the rocks below. Sometimes, on Bonfire Night, you can hear the cries of these victims as they relive their violent deaths.

Nearby, Whistman’s Wood is one of the last of the ancient woodland forests in England. From a distance, the hardwood trees look straggly. But once you’re in the woods, you’ll discover that the short trees (less than 12 feet tall) are stunted and twisted because their roots are intertwined with large boulders. The entire wood is covered with moss and lichen, and the forest is home to the Devil’s whist hounds. The whist hounds hunt their prey nearby, forcing their victims either toward the Dewerstone or deeper into Whistman’s Wood. The hounds follow their victims all night long, releasing inhuman howls and growls, until the victim is so tired they have to stop and rest–or they fall off a cliff or break an ankle from running through the difficult terrain. When the hounds finally attack, their victims have gone insane from the horror and don’t resist.

November 5 has so many terrible associations, and Guy Fawkes chose this night to try and blow up the English Parliament. But I also know that fire burns away the evil that haunts the nights from October 30-November 5. So maybe building a fire in your fireplace, or in your backyard firepit, isn’t such a bad idea. In fact, to help you celebrate the fact that the veil between the worlds is reweaving itself to protect the living from the dead, here’s a recipe for one of my favorite treats to eat around a fire: Toffee Popcorn. It’s sweet and fun and, if necessary, you can throw it at the shadows that still lurk in the woods. I have no doubt that if given a choice, the shadows would prefer the sugary popcorn treat to any thoughts of malicious mischief.

Sharon Wray

Yields 12 servings

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Toffee Popcorn

I learned how to make this when I was a young girl in 4-H. We made it to eat around the bonfires as we worked at the Dey Mansion in New Jersey, in Revolutionary War costumes, as part of our volunteer history day project. This popcorn is easy to make and so much fun to eat, especially on Bonfire Night!

15 minPrep Time

10 minCook Time

25 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

1 Tablespoon grapeseed oil3 1/2 ounces corn kernels (about 7 Tablespoons)7 Tablespoons butter7 Tablespoons brown sugar4 Tablespoons golden syrup (light treacle)Golden Syrup3 Tablespoons filtered water1/2 cups sugar1 1/4 cup boiling water2 1/2 cups sugar1 lemon slice

Instructions

Golden SyrupIn a small saucepan, add 3 Tablespoons of water and 1/2 cup sugar. Using medium heat, simmer (uncovered) until the liquid turns into a caramel color (around 350 degrees F.)Very slowly, stir in the boiling water. Stir in the next 2 1/2 cups of sugar and bring the mixture to a low simmer, still on medium heat.Add the lemon slice which will prevent the sugar from crystalizing. Remove the pan from the stove and allow to cool.Pour the syrup into a sterilized glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. The thin liquid will thicken as it cools.Store the jar in a cool, dry cabinet until ready to use.Toffee PopcornIn a deep, large stockpot that has a tight-fitting lid, heat the oil.Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.When it begins to lightly smoke, stir in the corn kernels and put on the lid.Do not open!The corn will start popping and you can shake the pot so they kernels pop without burning. Once you no longer hear "popping" sounds, remove the pot from the stove and set on a towel on the counter.Meanwhile, in another large saucepan, melt the butter, sugar, and golden syrup. Bring to a low boil and allow to boil for 4-5 minutes.Stir in the popcorn and toss it all to coat all the kernels.Spread the popcorn on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper and allow to cool.Serve once it's cool enough to touch.7.8.1.2245https://sharonwray.com/folklore-legends/bonfires-and-devils-boulders/ { "@context": "http://schema.org/", "url": [ "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/folklore-legends\/bonfires-and-devils-boulders\/" ],"name" : "The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Toffee Popcorn","description" : "I learned how to make this when I was a young girl in 4-H. We made it to eat around the bonfires as we worked at the Dey Mansion in New Jersey, in Revolutionary War costumes, as part of our volunteer history day project. This popcorn is easy to make and so much fun to eat, especially on Bonfire Night!","prepTime" : "PT15M","cookTime" : "PT10M","recipeYield" : "12 servings","datePublished" : "2022-10-31 14:20:05","recipeInstructions":[ { "@type": "HowToSection", "name": "Golden syrup", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In a small saucepan, add 3 Tablespoons of water and 1\/2 cup sugar. Using medium heat, simmer (uncovered) until the liquid turns into a caramel color (around 350 degrees F.)" }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Very slowly, stir in the boiling water. Stir in the next 2 1\/2 cups of sugar and bring the mixture to a low simmer, still on medium heat." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Add the lemon slice which will prevent the sugar from crystalizing. Remove the pan from the stove and allow to cool." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Pour the syrup into a sterilized glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. The thin liquid will thicken as it cools. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Store the jar in a cool, dry cabinet until ready to use." }]}, { "@type": "HowToSection", "name": "Toffee popcorn", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In a deep, large stockpot that has a tight-fitting lid, heat the oil. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "When it begins to lightly smoke, stir in the corn kernels and put on the lid." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Do not open!" }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "The corn will start popping and you can shake the pot so they kernels pop without burning. Once you no longer hear \"popping\" sounds, remove the pot from the stove and set on a towel on the counter." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Meanwhile, in another large saucepan, melt the butter, sugar, and golden syrup. Bring to a low boil and allow to boil for 4-5 minutes. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Stir in the popcorn and toss it all to coat all the kernels." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Spread the popcorn on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper and allow to cool." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Serve once it's cool enough to touch." }]}],"keywords" : "The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Toffee Popcorn","recipeIngredient" : ["1 Tablespoon grapeseed oil","3 1\/2 ounces corn kernels (about 7 Tablespoons)","7 Tablespoons butter","7 Tablespoons brown sugar","4 Tablespoons golden syrup (light treacle)","3 Tablespoons filtered water","1\/2 cups sugar","1 1\/4 cup boiling water","2 1\/2 cups sugar","1 lemon slice"], "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/3-Featured-Blog-Photos..-800-\u00d7-500-px-15.jpg" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sharon Wray" }, "nutrition": { "@type": "NutritionInformation", "servingsize": "1 serving"},"@type": "Recipe"} Subscribe

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The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Pumpkin Pasta

NaNoWriMo has begun, and the kids are home off-and-on all month, so I’m looking for Fall recipes that are easy to make and taste delicious. This Pumpkin Pasta fits those requirements and I have no doubt it will become a Fall favorite.

This recipe has been adapted from a bunch of other recipes, and the spices can be easily adjusted for your preferred tastes. I use canned pumpkin puree in this recipe because while I love homemade pumpkin puree, it can sometimes be too watery. I also serve this dish with my favorite Sourdough, Pumpkin, Rosemary, and Dried Cranberry bread. Sourdough breads may seem hard to make, but it doesn’t take long to master the technique, especially if you have a great sourdough starter. Then, once you learn how to make it, it’s actually easier to make than other yeast breads.

I hope you’re enjoying these last weeks of Fall… before the crush of holiday chores take over. And if you’re doing NaNoWriMo this year, I hope it’s going well. And, remember, no matter how hard NaNo gets, you’re not alone!

Sharon Wray

Serves Serves 6

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Pumpkin Pasta

This is an easy weeknight (or NaNoWriMo) meal that is both delicious and filled with all the fall flavors that I've adapted from a few recipes I've found on the internet (a great version can be found at FeelGoodFoodie.com) You can use canned pumpkin puree or homemade as long as the homemade puree isn't too watery. I like this recipe with fettuccini but it's also great with any pasta that's heavy/wide enough to hold the sauce. And I also use whole wheat pasta because it gives the dish a richer, warmer flavor. This pasta is great served with cooked spinach or roasted root vegetables, like butternut squash or acorn squash. And I always serve it with a fresh loaf of sourdough bread (either my own or store-bought).

15 minPrep Time

15 minCook Time

30 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

1 pound whole wheat fettuccini pasta (or pasta of your choice)1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil4 garlic cloves, minced15-ounce can pure pumpkin puree1/2 cup half and halfSalt to tasteFreshly ground black pepper to taste1/4 teaspoon ground nutmegdash of allspiceGrated parmesan cheese for garnishServe with a freshly baked sourdough bread.

Instructions

Fill a large pot with water and add at least 2 Tablespoons of salt. Cook the pasta until al dente (check the directions on the box). Drain the pasta over another pot so you can reserve 1 3/4 cups of the pasta water. You can toss the rest of the water.Return the hot, cooked pasta to the original pot and stir in 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Cover and set aside until ready to use.Using a large cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir continuously until it's translucent and aromatic but not browned. Do not burn the garlic (which is really easy to do!).Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the pumpkin puree until smooth and blended.Whisk in 1 cup of the reserved pasta water. Keep whisking until the sauce is well mixed and looks kind of shiny.Slowly, (so the cream doesn't curdle), stir in the half and half. If the sauce is too thick, add the remaining 1/2 cup of pasta water 2 Tablespoons at a time.Stir in the nutmeg and allspice.Season with salt and pepper, to taste.Drain the pasta again and plate the pasta. Cover the pasta with the sauce and serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese.Serve with a warm homemade sourdough bread.7.8.1.2242https://sharonwray.com/the-hungry-writer/the-hungry-romance-writer-pumpkin-pasta/ { "@context": "http://schema.org/", "url": [ "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/the-hungry-writer\/the-hungry-romance-writer-pumpkin-pasta\/" ],"name" : "The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Pumpkin Pasta","description" : "This is an easy weeknight (or NaNoWriMo) meal that is both delicious and filled with all the fall flavors that I've adapted from a few recipes I've found on the internet (a great version can be found at FeelGoodFoodie.com) You can use canned pumpkin puree or homemade as long as the homemade puree isn't too watery. I like this recipe with fettuccini but it's also great with any pasta that's heavy\/wide enough to hold the sauce. And I also use whole wheat pasta because it gives the dish a richer, warmer flavor. This pasta is great served with cooked spinach or roasted root vegetables, like butternut squash or acorn squash. And I always serve it with a fresh loaf of sourdough bread (either my own or store-bought).","prepTime" : "PT15M","cookTime" : "PT15M","datePublished" : "2022-10-31 07:27:26","recipeInstructions":[ { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Fill a large pot with water and add at least 2 Tablespoons of salt. Cook the pasta until al dente (check the directions on the box). Drain the pasta over another pot so you can reserve 1 3\/4 cups of the pasta water. You can toss the rest of the water." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Return the hot, cooked pasta to the original pot and stir in 1\/4 cup of the pasta water. Cover and set aside until ready to use." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Using a large cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir continuously until it's translucent and aromatic but not browned. Do not burn the garlic (which is really easy to do!). " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the pumpkin puree until smooth and blended. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Whisk in 1 cup of the reserved pasta water. Keep whisking until the sauce is well mixed and looks kind of shiny. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Slowly, (so the cream doesn't curdle), stir in the half and half. If the sauce is too thick, add the remaining 1\/2 cup of pasta water 2 Tablespoons at a time." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Stir in the nutmeg and allspice." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Season with salt and pepper, to taste." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Drain the pasta again and plate the pasta. Cover the pasta with the sauce and serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Serve with a warm homemade sourdough bread. " }],"keywords" : "The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Pumpkin Pasta","recipeIngredient" : ["1 pound whole wheat fettuccini pasta (or pasta of your choice)","1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil","4 garlic cloves, minced","15-ounce can pure pumpkin puree","1\/2 cup half and half","Salt to taste","Freshly ground black pepper to taste","1\/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg","dash of allspice","Grated parmesan cheese for garnish","Serve with a freshly baked sourdough bread."], "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/15-1.jpg" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sharon Wray" }, "nutrition": { "@type": "NutritionInformation", "servingsize": "0 serving"},"@type": "Recipe"} Subscribe

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The post The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Pumpkin Pasta appeared first on Sharon Wray.

Glitches and Gratitude

Yesterday was a huge day for me. I had three holiday anthologies release to the world: Let’s Get Naughty, Wanted: Mistletoe, and Christmas Wishes & New Year’s Kisses. Let’s Get Naughty, in particular, was a huge labor of love for me because all of the authors in the group were hoping to make the USA Today Bestseller’s List. Becoming a USA Today Bestseller is a serious deal for any author, and it requires an enormous number of preordered sales and at least a year of promotion and marketing by at least 40 authors.

When I went to sleep on Halloween night, our preorder numbers for all the anthologies were great and we all thought that we might have a chance to “make the list”. Then, when I woke up yesterday morning, we learned that one of the largest booksellers in the world (“The Zon”) had experienced a glitch. A glitch that wiped out thousands of sales in under a minute, leaving us with unfilled orders. A glitch that could destroy our chance to “make the list” and halved our income.

For the last 24 hours, all we’ve been doing (in all three anthologies) is letting people know that their preorders were cancelled. But since thousands were cancelled, and we don’t know who these readers are, we’re really struggling to make up these numbers as well as to sell new books. Then, during the process of dealing with this chaos and all of the disappointment that a year’s worth of work might be for nothing, I realized this situation has reminded me of a few things–things that I am so grateful for.

First, how much I appreciate my relationships with all of my readers. The readers I’ve been able to contact directly have been so supportive and have gone out of their way to share the situation on Social Media to help us restore out numbers. Second, although I’ve only known some of these authors in my anthologies for just a short time, they’ve become great friends and have taught me so much about resilience in a tough industry. Third, I’ve realized that writing romances that make readers happy is what I want to do with the rest of my life. So if these books don’t do as well sales-wise as we’d hoped, I’m not giving up on writing.

If you preordered any of these anthologies. I’m asking kindly to check your order status. Thousands of sales were cancelled, including my own (and I’m one of the authors!), so there’s as good chance your orders were cancelled as well. Thank you so much for all of your support. We have until Sunday night to make up for these lost sales, and all of the authors in these anthologies appreciate every sale, review, and social media share. We couldn’t afford to spend the time writing these books without readers to buy them!

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Prep & Plan: Thanksgiving Preps

It’s after Halloween and I’m behind on my Thanksgiving planning. Life and deadlines took over the past few weeks, but it’s never too late to so some pre-planning for Thanksgiving (and maybe other holidays like Christmas and Hannukah). That way, if you have the time and money, you can buy some of your food/supplies early and won’t have to get caught in the rush closer to the event.

So this week’s homework is pretty easy. With your Legal Pad 2 (Food and House Inventory from week 1 homework), take a blank page and mark it with a page flag. First, note if you’re having any visitors around the holidays. Mark the dates and number of people. Include the college kids coming home because they eat a lot!. Then, once you have an idea of who’s coming home when, decide how many large and small meals you need to make. (If you’re not entertaining or cooking a large meal, are you going to someone’s house and want to bring an appetizer or a dessert? If so, mark that down.)

If you’re not doing any cooking or entertaining or bringing anything to a party, you’re don’t need to do the next activity. But if you are hosting any of these things, use the legal pad to jot down any meal ideas besides the big ones like Thanksgiving dinner. Are you doing a dinner for guests the night before Thanksgiving? Breakfast on Saturday or Sunday? Or on Friday night after a long day of shopping? Or will you be snacking while watching football games? It doesn’t matter the meals look like–write down any ideas. 

Before we start, here are some printables/downloads to help you get started with other holiday prepping, including a servings/portion chart on how to decide how big of a turkey to buy and how much stuffing to make.

Here’s a brief example of my meals idea list that starts Tuesday before Thanksgiving and ends on Sunday night:

Note: many of these recipes are included in The Hungry {Romance} Writer recipe collection.

Tuesday night: Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili party around the fire-pit (6 adults)

Wednesday: Breakfast is pumpkin muffins and eggs & lunch is sandwiches (4 adults). Dinner of Ham & Potato Soup and homemade sourdough pumpkin & rosemary bread (8 adults)

Thursday: Breakfast is an asparagus quiche (4 adults) Thanksgiving dinner, including apps and dessert (18 adults & 2 children under 8)

Friday: Dutch Apple Pancake (8 adults) for breakfast, lunch is leftovers for the men (3 adults) while the women go to Thanksgiving Tea. Dinner is leftovers (10 adults)

Saturday: Breakfast is whole wheat waffles (6 adults), Lunch is sandwiches/football snacks for the men (5 adults) while the women go thrifting and have a pub lunch. Dinner is crockpot pink salt pork sliders and leftover apps and desserts.

Sunday: Brunch at our favorite cafe (11 adults). Dinner is leftovers (6 adults)

So…. that’s a lot of meals to plan for!

Now, still using Legal Pad 2, itemize all of the meals and do a quick ingredient list. Once you have your list of ingredients, check the pantry, freezer, etc to see what you have or what you can use, even if you end up changing your menu plan. Once that’s done, take another blank page and make a shopping list. 

Once you have your shopping list, highlight the ingredients you can buy now. Canned goods, meat you can freeze, baking goods, etc. And make a separate list for last minute items like fresh veggies. There’s no getting around buying fresh veggies closer to the date unless you can have a farm/CSA deliver them to you. Meanwhile, if you collect coupons or sales flyers, begin to look for the best prices and start shopping. Now, I don’t mean run out and buy everything all at once! If you do that, you may miss out on sales that happen closer to the holidays. What I mean is take your list and your coupons and every time you go to the store, see if there’s anything on your list you can pick up now. If the shelves empty again, you’ll be happy you started now. 

Prices are going up and I do love to use coupons. So sometimes I play roulette with supply and price, where I’ll wait to get something so I can use a double coupon the next week. But this year I’m marking my shopping list with things I MUST have and buying them when I see them. Not everyone has that option, but if you figure out what you need now, and start shopping around, you’ll have a better chance of getting it at the best price. If you can’t find things at a good price, you’ll have time to determine how important each ingredient/food/drink is to your celebrations. But by making this list early, you’ll have more controlled flexibility over your decision-making. And that’s the goal of Prepping & Planning!

Okay. So that’s this week’s assignment. Figure out your menu for the next month or two (depending on the holidays you celebrate and all the things/visitors you have planned). Make an ingredient list and, from that, make a shopping list. Don’t forget to include any cleaning supplies that you might need (from last week’s list), especially any specialty or seasonal items like silver polish and lysol. Good luck!

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A Day of Three Christmas Releases

Today is a busy day! It’s not just All Saints Day, it is also a release day for me. But instead of having just one release, today I have three. And all of them are novellas in holiday romance anthologies. One of the anthologies, Christmas Wishes & New Year’s Kisses, includes The Christmas Lily, a sweet (not steamy!) prequel from my romantic suspense Deadly Force series. This story is all about Rafe and Juliet’s first Christmas together as a married couple, and it takes place months before he disappears (an action that sets off Book 1 in the series, Every Deep Desire).

The other two anthologies (both of which are steamy!), Let’s Get Naughty and Wanted: Mistletoe, include stories from my Kingsmill Courtships series. In Let’s Get Naughty, I’ve included Home for the Honeymoon which follows Clara and Jacob as they try to have a Christmas Eve wedding–and a honeymoon–during a blizzard. For those of you new to the series, Clara and Jacob were first introduced in One October Night which is included in the Mister October Anthology.

In Wanted: Mistletoe, we meet Jacob’s brother Kane Mosby–the former head of a renegade motorcycle club–as he tries to win back the wife he abandoned years ago. Eve’s Christmas Kiss is a passionate reunion story about two people still desperately in love but struggling to overcome their past. All of the story blurbs and buy links are below and I hope, between these three stories and all of the others included in these collections, that you find a romance that warms your heart and gives you all the holiday feels this season. And if you enjoy any of these collections, please leave an honest review. Reviews matter so much more than you can know and can make or break an author’s career. Happy holiday reading!! (even if it’s not even Thanksgiving yet).

Let’s Get NaughtyHome for the Honeymoon

How far will a man go to save his marriage?

Jacob Mosby is getting married on Christmas Eve and is desperate to be alone with his bride. Except when a blizzard cancels their flight and closes the mountain roads, they’re forced to honeymoon in their small hometown of Kingsmill, VA. Unfortunately, his house is under renovation, all the rooms at the inn are booked, and Clara, his beautiful wife, is desperate to save their plans. 

Clara is terrified if she doesn’t have the honeymoon she’s fantasized of, she’ll fail Jacob and their marriage will end before it begins. While it’s a ridiculous thought, past betrayals have made her determined to have a perfect wedding night. Except now that they’re stuck in Kingsmill on Christmas Eve, with no place to sleep, her fears may come true. Especially when their friends and family insist on “helping” with the new honeymoon plans, her teenage daughter goes missing, and a dangerous snowstorm puts those she loves in danger.

Now Jacob must convince Clara that true love, especially at Christmas, doesn’t promise a perfect life. It only promises a lifetime of imperfect happiness. A promise that’s worth sacrificing everything for… including the wedding night she’s always dreamed of.

Order Let’s Get Naughty here!.

Wanted: MistletoeEve’s Christmas Kiss

To save his wife, he’ll have to let her go.

Kane Mosby, the former leader of an outlaw motorcycle club, is a sexy rebel with a cause. His unexpected return to Kingsmill, VA for his brother’s Christmas wedding has rocked the small town and caused a stir in the local MC. Except he doesn’t care about gossip and is counting the hours until he can leave. Until he discovers his estranged wife is involved with the man who betrayed Kane years ago, forcing him to abandon the woman he’s never forgotten.

Eve Crenshaw is a beautiful, brilliant accountant with a secret that could tear their tiny hometown apart. A secret with direct ties to her husband Kane. No one is more shocked than Eve when Kane appears at the wedding. But she’s even more distressed when she and Kane end up stranded together in a blizzard over Christmas and are forced to confront their past. A past that includes a failing marriage and a tragedy no parents should ever suffer. 

It doesn’t take long for sparks to fly and buried emotions to take over in a passionate-yet-tender way that will change both of their lives–until Eve’s secret drives Kane away again. And this time he may disappear forever.

Order Wanted: Mistletoe here!.

Christmas Wishes & New Year’s Kisses The Christmas Lily

Is Christmas Magic worth risking everything for….

Juliet Capel, from a remote southern sea isle shrouded in history and secrets, has never truly belonged anywhere. But now that she’s married to the man she’s always loved, she’s determined to share her dream of the perfect Christmas with her new family and the people of the Isle of Grace who’ve never accepted her. Except on Christmas Eve, a rare snowstorm hits the isle, her father disappears, and Father Thomas threatens to cancel Midnight Mass. 

Including the love of those they care about most?

Green Beret Rafe Montfort will do anything for his new wife, even if that means hunting down everyone on the godforsaken Isle of Grace and forcing them to attend Midnight Mass. Although he doesn’t understand why his beautiful bride needs the acceptance of the people of the isle–especially those who treated her terribly during her poverty-stricken childhood–he knows this perfect Christmas is important to her. But what he’s willing to do for her could threaten everyone’s Christmas… along with their future happiness.

Order Christmas Wishes & New Year’s Kisses here!.

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The Write Prepper: Thanksgiving Preps

It’s after Halloween and I’m behind on my Thanksgiving planning. Life and deadlines took over the past few weeks, but it’s never too late to so some pre-planning for Thanksgiving (and maybe other holidays like Christmas and Hannukah). That way, if you have the time and money, you can buy some of your food/supplies early and won’t have to get caught in the rush closer to the event.

So this week’s homework is pretty easy. With your Legal Pad 2 (Food and House Inventory from week 1 homework), take a blank page and mark it with a page flag. First, note if you’re having any visitors around the holidays. Mark the dates and number of people. Include the college kids coming home because they eat a lot!. Then, once you have an idea of who’s coming home when, decide how many large and small meals you need to make. (If you’re not entertaining or cooking a large meal, are you going to someone’s house and want to bring an appetizer or a dessert? If so, mark that down.)

If you’re not doing any cooking or entertaining or bringing anything to a party, you’re don’t need to do the next activity. But if you are hosting any of these things, use the legal pad to jot down any meal ideas besides the big ones like Thanksgiving dinner. Are you doing a dinner for guests the night before Thanksgiving? Breakfast on Saturday or Sunday? Or on Friday night after a long day of shopping? Or will you be snacking while watching football games? It doesn’t matter the meals look like–write down any ideas. 

Before we start, here are some printables/downloads to help you get started with other holiday prepping, including a servings/portion chart on how to decide how big of a turkey to buy and how much stuffing to make.

Here’s a brief example of my meals idea list that starts Tuesday before Thanksgiving and ends on Sunday night:

Note: many of these recipes are included in The Hungry {Romance} Writer recipe collection.

Tuesday night: Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili party around the fire-pit (6 adults)

Wednesday: Breakfast is pumpkin muffins and eggs & lunch is sandwiches (4 adults). Dinner of Ham & Potato Soup and homemade sourdough pumpkin & rosemary bread (8 adults)

Thursday: Breakfast is an asparagus quiche (4 adults) Thanksgiving dinner, including apps and dessert (18 adults & 2 children under 8)

Friday: Dutch Apple Pancake (8 adults) for breakfast, lunch is leftovers for the men (3 adults) while the women go to Thanksgiving Tea. Dinner is leftovers (10 adults)

Saturday: Breakfast is whole wheat waffles (6 adults), Lunch is sandwiches/football snacks for the men (5 adults) while the women go thrifting and have a pub lunch. Dinner is crockpot pink salt pork sliders and leftover apps and desserts.

Sunday: Brunch at our favorite cafe (11 adults). Dinner is leftovers (6 adults)

So…. that’s a lot of meals to plan for!

Now, still using Legal Pad 2, itemize all of the meals and do a quick ingredient list. Once you have your list of ingredients, check the pantry, freezer, etc to see what you have or what you can use, even if you end up changing your menu plan. Once that’s done, take another blank page and make a shopping list. 

Once you have your shopping list, highlight the ingredients you can buy now. Canned goods, meat you can freeze, baking goods, etc. And make a separate list for last minute items like fresh veggies. There’s no getting around buying fresh veggies closer to the date unless you can have a farm/CSA deliver them to you. Meanwhile, if you collect coupons or sales flyers, begin to look for the best prices and start shopping. Now, I don’t mean run out and buy everything all at once! If you do that, you may miss out on sales that happen closer to the holidays. What I mean is take your list and your coupons and every time you go to the store, see if there’s anything on your list you can pick up now. If the shelves empty again, you’ll be happy you started now. 

Prices are going up and I do love to use coupons. So sometimes I play roulette with supply and price, where I’ll wait to get something so I can use a double coupon the next week. But this year I’m marking my shopping list with things I MUST have and buying them when I see them. Not everyone has that option, but if you figure out what you need now, and start shopping around, you’ll have a better chance of getting it at the best price. If you can’t find things at a good price, you’ll have time to determine how important each ingredient/food/drink is to your celebrations. But by making this list early, you’ll have more controlled flexibility over your decision-making. And that’s the goal of Prepping & Planning!

Okay. So that’s this week’s assignment. Figure out your menu for the next month or two (depending on the holidays you celebrate and all the things/visitors you have planned). Make an ingredient list and, from that, make a shopping list. Don’t forget to include any cleaning supplies that you might need (from last week’s list), especially any specialty or seasonal items like silver polish and lysol. Good luck!

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Happy Halloween & A Tell-Tale Heart!

Happy Halloween! To celebrate, I thought I’d write about Edgar Allan Poe who published his most famous short story, “The Tell-Tale Heart”, in 1843. This story is a first-person narrative about an unnamed narrator who tries to convince the reader of his sanity while, at the same time, describing a murder committed by the narrator. This story first appeared in the publication known as “The Pioneer” in January 1843 and is considered one of the best examples of the gothic fiction genre. It’s also one of the first, and best, examples of the protagonist being an unreliable narrator.

The reader never really knows who the narrator is nor of the narrator’s relationship to the old man who the narrator murders. The reader also never learns about why the narrator committed the crime. The basic premise is that the narrator doesn’t like an old man because he has a filmy pale blue “vulture eye”, so the narrator works out the details of a perfect crime. From the murder to dismembering the body to burying the body beneath the floorboards of the narrator’s home. It’s a very spooky story, especially because the reader can’t trust the details laid out by the narrator who ends up trying to rationalize the murder but ends up proving his own insanity. There are tons of analyses about this short story available on the internet, but I’m not repeating them here because don’t want to spoil the ending for you.

I’ve included the entire story below because it is now in the public domain. But I recommend not reading it while alone in a dark house on a windy Halloween night. You may never be able to fall asleep again!

The Tell-Tale HeartWritten by Edgar Allan Poe, January 1843

True! — nervous — very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses — not destroyed — not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily — how calmly I can tell you the whole story.

It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! One of his eyes resembled that of a vulture — a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees — very gradually — I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever.

Now this is the point. You fancy me mad. Madmen know nothing. But you should have seen me. You should have seen how wisely I proceeded — with what caution — with what foresight — with what dissimulation I went to work! I was never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before I killed him. And every night, about midnight, I turned the latch of his door and opened it — oh, so gently! And then, when I had made an opening sufficient for my head, I put in a dark lantern, all closed, closed, so that no light shone out, and then I thrust in my head. Oh, you would have laughed to see how cunningly I thrust it in! I moved it slowly — very, very slowly, so that I might not disturb the old man’s sleep. It took me an hour to place my whole head within the opening so far that I could see him as he lay upon his bed. Ha! — would a madman have been so wise as this? And then, when my head was well in the room, I undid the lantern cautiously — oh, so cautiously — cautiously (for the hinges creaked) — I undid it just so much that a single thin ray fell upon the vulture eye. And this I did for seven long nights — every night just at midnight — but I found the eye always closed; and so it was impossible to do the work; for it was not the old man who vexed me, but his Evil Eye. And every morning, when the day broke, I went boldly into the chamber, and spoke courageously to him, calling him by name in a hearty tone, and inquiring how he had passed the night. So you see he would have been a very profound old man, indeed, to suspect that every night, just at twelve, I looked in upon him while he slept.

Upon the eighth night I was more than usually cautious in opening the door. A watch’s minute hand moves more quickly than did mine. Never before that night had I felt the extent of my own powers — of my sagacity. I could scarcely contain my feelings of triumph. To think that there I was, opening the door, little by little, and he not even to dream of my secret deeds or thoughts. I fairly chuckled at the idea; and perhaps he heard me; for he moved on the bed suddenly, as if startled. Now you may think that I drew back — but no. His room was as black as pitch with the thick darkness, (for the shutters were close fastened, through fear of robbers,) and so I knew that he could not see the opening of the door, and I kept pushing it on steadily, steadily.

I had my head in, and was about to open the lantern, when my thumb slipped upon the tin fastening, and the old man sprang up in the bed, crying out — “Who’s there?”

I kept quite still and said nothing. For a whole hour I did not move a muscle, and in the meantime I did not hear him lie down. He was still sitting up in the bed listening; — just as I have done, night after night, hearkening to the death watches in the wall.

Presently I heard a slight groan, and I knew it was the groan of mortal terror. It was not a groan of pain or of grief — oh, no! — it was the low stifled sound that arises from the bottom of the soul when overcharged with awe. I knew the sound well. Many a night, just at midnight, when all the world slept, it has welled up from my own bosom, deepening, with its dreadful echo, the terrors that distracted me. I say I knew it well. I knew what the old man felt, and pitied him, although I chuckled at heart. I knew that he had been lying awake ever since the first slight noise, when he had turned in the bed. His fears had been ever since growing upon him. He had been trying to fancy them causeless, but could not. He had been saying to himself — “It is nothing but the wind in the chimney — it is only a mouse crossing the floor,” or “it is merely a cricket which has made a single chirp.” Yes, he has been trying to comfort himself with these suppositions: but he had found all in vain. All in vain; because Death, in approaching him had stalked with his black shadow before him, and enveloped the victim. And it was the mournful influence of the unperceived shadow that caused him to feel — although he neither saw nor heard — to feel the presence of my head within the room.

When I had waited a long time, very patiently, without hearing him lie down, I resolved to open a little — a very, very little crevice in the lantern. So I opened it — you cannot imagine how stealthily, stealthily — until, at length a single dim ray, like the thread of the spider, shot from out the crevice and fell upon the vulture eye.

It was open — wide, wide open — and I grew furious as I gazed upon it. I saw it with perfect distinctness — all a dull blue, with a hideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow in my bones; but I could see nothing else of the old man’s face or person: for I had directed the ray as if by instinct, precisely upon the damned spot.

And now have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but over acuteness of the senses? — now, I say, there came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I knew that sound well, too. It was the beating of the old man’s heart. It increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage.

But even yet I refrained and kept still. I scarcely breathed. I held the lantern motionless. I tried how steadily I could maintain the ray upon the eye. Meantime the hellish tattoo of the heart increased. It grew quicker and quicker, and louder and louder every instant. The old man’s terror must have been extreme! It grew louder, I say, louder every moment! — do you mark me well? I have told you that I am nervous: so I am. And now at the dead hour of the night, amid the dreadful silence of that old house, so strange a noise as this excited me to uncontrollable terror. Yet, for some minutes longer I refrained and stood still. But the beating grew louder, louder! I thought the heart must burst. And now a new anxiety seized me — the sound would be heard by a neighbor! The old man’s hour had come! With a loud yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the room. He shrieked once — once only. In an instant I dragged him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him. I then smiled gaily, to find the deed so far done. But, for many minutes, the heart beat on with a muffled sound. This, however, did not vex me; it would not be heard through the wall. At length it ceased. The old man was dead. I removed the bed and examined the corpse. Yes, he was stone, stone dead. I placed my hand upon the heart and held it there many minutes. There was no pulsation. He was stone dead. His eye would trouble me no more.

If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body. The night waned, and I worked hastily, but in silence. First of all I dismembered the corpse. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs.

I then took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings. I then replaced the boards so cleverly, so cunningly, that no human eye — not even his — could have detected any thing wrong. There was nothing to wash out — no stain of any kind — no blood-spot whatever. I had been too wary for that. A tub had caught all — ha! ha!

When I had made an end of these labors, it was four o ‘clock — still dark as midnight. As the bell sounded the hour, there came a knocking at the street door. I went down to open it with a light heart, — for what had I now to fear? There entered three men, who introduced themselves, with perfect suavity, as officers of the police. A shriek had been heard by a neighbor during the night; suspicion of foul play had been aroused; information had been lodged at the police office, and they (the officers) had been deputed to search the premises.

I smiled, — for what had I to fear? I bade the gentlemen welcome. The shriek, I said, was my own in a dream. The old man, I mentioned, was absent in the country. I took my visitors all over the house. I bade them search — search well. I led them, at length, to his chamber. I showed them his treasures, secure, undisturbed. In the enthusiasm of my confidence, I brought chairs into the room, and desired them here to rest from their fatigues, while I myself, in the wild audacity of my perfect triumph, placed my own seat upon the very spot beneath which reposed the corpse of the victim.

The officers were satisfied. My manner had convinced them. I was singularly at ease. They sat, and while I answered cheerily, they chatted of familiar things. But, ere long, I felt myself getting pale and wished them gone. My head ached, and I fancied a ringing in my ears: but still they sat and still chatted. The ringing became more distinct: — it continued and became more distinct: I talked more freely to get rid of the feeling: but it continued and gained definitiveness — until, at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears.

No doubt I now grew very pale; — but I talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased — and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound — much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath — and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly — more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men — but the noise steadily increased. Oh God! what could I do? I foamed — I raved — I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder — louder — louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God! — no, no! They heard! — they suspected! — they knew! — they were making a mockery of my horror! — this I thought, and this I think. But anything was better than this agony! Anything was more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt that I must scream or die! — and now — again! — hark! louder! louder! louder! louder! —

“Villains!” I shrieked, “dissemble no more! I admit the deed! — tear up the planks! — here, here! — it is the beating of his hideous heart!”

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Preptober: NaNoWriMo Meal Plans

NaNoWriMo is almost here! While my project is all set, I’m trying to get my life ready for such a huge project. One of the things I do ahead of time is to plan out some of my meals, for my self and my family. So I make a basic weekly menu that will allow me to mix-and-match foods and snacks. While each menu isn’t enough for the entire week, it’s a start. And each recipe offers lots of leftovers (especially if they are doubled) so I can eat yesterday’s dinner for lunch, and then eat the homemade bread with a soup or salad for an afternoon snack or late dinner. If you collect all of the recipes that you want to make for the week, you can place an order with your favorite grocery store and just do a quick pickup instead of a full grocery shop which could take hours (at least that’s how long it takes me).

Below is just an example of a weekly menu that can be made on Sundays (I try not to write on Sundays to give my hands, body, and brain a rest) and stored for the week. I start the bread in the morning and then begin the soup. While the soup is simmering and the bread is baking, I prep the dinner and the salad/veggies for the rest of the week. While I don’t eat a lot of sweets, I do make a weekly cookie for NaNo that I can eat with my afternoon tea. But the deal I make with myself is I can’t have the cookie unless I’m working on my WIP.

I also never drink alcohol during NaNo so I make sure I have my Berkey water filter filled and keep some of my favorite sparkling water in the fridge. I LOVE coffee, but during NaNo I try not to overdue the caffeine otherwise I’ll be suffering from headaches all of December. (I know this hell of caffeine withdrawal well!) It is much easier to buy fast food, or rely on UberEats, during NaNo. But I know from experience that not only does that get expensive, it can widen your waistband, especially if you’re not moving/working out like normal. So while making meals takes more time, I promise you’ll feel better in December and then you’ll thank me when your favorite holiday clothes still fit.

Each menu below offers a homemade bread, healthy (lower carb) breakfast, a hot soup, a filling dinner, a salad/veggie that can be eaten any time day, and a cookie. All the titles link back to the recipes in The Hungry {Romance} Writer Index, and they are all printable. Good luck with you WIP and I’ll check in later this month!

NaNoA Writer’s Meal Plan: Week 1nanowrimo Meal Plan: Week 1

Whole Wheat Molasses Bread

Apple Oatmeal Cookies

Baked Cranberry Oatmeal

Hard Cider Brats

Autumn Vegetable Soup

Southern Broccoli Salad

NaNoA Writer’s Meal Plan: Week 2NaNoWrimo Meal Plan: Week 2

Sourdough & Rosemary Bread

Gingersnaps

Asparagus & Cheese Quiche

Beef & Sweet Potato Stew

Butternut Squash & Bacon Soup

Hearts of Palm & Artichoke Salad

NaNoA Writer’s Meal Plan: Week 3nanowrimo Meal Plan: Week 3

Irish Soda Bread

Garza’s Almond Cookies

Apple Cinnamon Granola

Turkey & Sweet Potato Chili

Cock-a-Leekie Soup

Winter Salad

NaNoA Writer’s Meal Plan: Week 4nanowrimo Meal Plan: Week 4

Bannock (Scottish Sweet Bread)

Juliet’s Apricot Oatmeal Bars

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Pink Salt Pulled Pork

Winter Squash & Apple Soup

Classic Cole Slaw

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NaNoWriMo Preptober: Part 4

November is coming up fast and I have a basic outline for my NaNoWriMo story. But I also have two other writing deadlines and a houseful of people coming to visit for Thanksgiving. I’m cooking three dinners for 12-14 people over the holiday weekend and am still very worried about supply chain issues and the rising costs of… everything. But I am determined to “win” NaNo this year, although I’ll be working on a project that I’ve been struggling with all year instead of starting something new.

Writing is such a personal thing and I would never presume to tell another writer to do NaNo, or not do NaNo. To outline or not outline. To write to market or write the book of your heart. Which is why, in my previous Preptober blog posts, I put on my librarian hat and offered resources instead of advice. We all have to fight our own writing demons, whatever they may be, and I believe that going into battle well-armed offers us all the best chance of winning whatever battle we’re fighting. 

So this week, I’m just sending love and hope and offering links and free downloads that will hopefully make your NanoWriMo month more fun and planning your real-world life that much easier. 

First, here are links to the first three articles in the series:

Preptober 1: All about NaNoWriMo–what it is and how to play–along with a checklist of ideas of how to prepare.

Preptober 2: All about websites, video tutorials, and other resources out there to plan your books and get ready for a great month of writing.

https://sharonwray.com/nanowrimo/nanowrimo-preptober-part-3/Preptober 3: All about the technology I use to write and craft books.

Second, here is a link to the bibliography I’m building here on the website of my favorite craft books, classes, videos, etc. It is a work in progress and will eventually be annotated. It just all takes time! (I am not an Amazon affiliate and make no money off any of the books I mention.)

Third, here is a fun coloring page of a turkey marked out by days. For every day you write, you can color in the turkey and write the word count in the blocks on the side. It’s goofy, but my younger nieces love it. 

Fourth, here is a fun autumn word count tracker. A bit silly, but also fun. 

Fifth, here is a fun worksheet to help you figure out your settings.

Sixth, here is the Thanksgiving Planner I use to get my life ready for the holidays. This year, I’ve updated this planner to start earlier because I am stir very worried about supply chain issues and the rising cost of food. 

Whatever you decide, I hope your writing goes well and that the words flow and fill page after page!

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The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Hard Cider Brats

It’s the Friday night before Halloween, that means it’s time for my annual Hocus Pocus movie (the original!) watch party! This year, since there’s just a few of us, I’m making brats braised with apples and onions in a cast iron pan and cooked with two bottles of Bold Rock Hard Cider. It’s a super easy meal to make and can be prepped hours before making dinner.

These brats can be served in rolls but I prefer to serve the brats, along with the cooked onions and apples, over Yorkshire puddings. I love Yorkshire puddings, but I find them hard to make. This website, Serious Eats, has the best description and video on how to make different types of Yorkshire puddings that I’ve ever seen. So I’m linking it here! https://www.seriouseats.com/the-best-yorkshire-pudding-popover-recipe.

I hope you all have a great Halloween weekend and get all the candy you can possibly eat!

Sharon Wray

Yields 4 brats

Serves Serves 2-4

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Hard Cider Brats

I found this recipe years ago on the back of a hard cider six-pack cardboard bottle carrier. I've adapted it over the years, including peeling the apples and using a sweet onion and adding a second bottle of cider. This is an easy recipe for a cold fall night, and I love to serve it with Yorkshire puddings. I've added a link to my favorite Yorkshire pudding above in this blog post as I don't have my own recipe for it. I've also served this recipe with German potato salad and large French fries cooked in the air fryer.

15 minPrep Time

60 minCook Time

1 hr, 15 Total Time

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Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil4 bratwurst2 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced1 Vidalia onion, peeled and sliced2 bottles of hard cider (I prefer Bold Rock)Kosher salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a large seasoned cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the bratwursts and cook in the cast iron pan until browned, about 3 minutes per side.Remove the bratwursts to a dish and cover with tin foil. Set aside. (do not clean out the cast iron pan!)In the cast iron pan. Saute the onion slices in the oil and drippings. Stir with a wooden spoon until the onions soften and begin to brown and caramelize, about 8 minutes.Add the apple slices and saute for 3 minutes.Add in the brats, making sure to keep them surrounded by the apple/onion mixture.Pour the hard cider over the brats, onions and apples. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.Reduce the heat to medium and cook the brats until they are no longer pink inside, about 30 minutes.The brats should cook until they reach an internal temp of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).Serve immediately.7.8.1.2241https://sharonwray.com/the-hungry-writer/the-hungry-romance-writer-hard-cider-brats/ { "@context": "http://schema.org/", "url": [ "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/the-hungry-writer\/the-hungry-romance-writer-hard-cider-brats\/" ],"name" : "The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Hard Cider Brats","description" : "I found this recipe years ago on the back of a hard cider six-pack cardboard bottle carrier. I've adapted it over the years, including peeling the apples and using a sweet onion and adding a second bottle of cider. This is an easy recipe for a cold fall night, and I love to serve it with Yorkshire puddings. I've added a link to my favorite Yorkshire pudding above in this blog post as I don't have my own recipe for it. I've also served this recipe with German potato salad and large French fries cooked in the air fryer. ","prepTime" : "PT15M","cookTime" : "PT60M","recipeYield" : "4 brats","datePublished" : "2022-10-17 10:12:37","recipeInstructions":[ { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In a large seasoned cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the bratwursts and cook in the cast iron pan until browned, about 3 minutes per side. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Remove the bratwursts to a dish and cover with tin foil. Set aside. (do not clean out the cast iron pan!)" }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In the cast iron pan. Saute the onion slices in the oil and drippings. Stir with a wooden spoon until the onions soften and begin to brown and caramelize, about 8 minutes. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Add the apple slices and saute for 3 minutes. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Add in the brats, making sure to keep them surrounded by the apple\/onion mixture." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Pour the hard cider over the brats, onions and apples. Season with salt and pepper, if desired." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Reduce the heat to medium and cook the brats until they are no longer pink inside, about 30 minutes. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "The brats should cook until they reach an internal temp of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C)." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Serve immediately." }],"keywords" : "The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Hard Cider Brats","recipeIngredient" : ["1 Tablespoon olive oil","4 bratwurst","2 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced","1 Vidalia onion, peeled and sliced","2 bottles of hard cider (I prefer Bold Rock)","Kosher salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste"], "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/8-2.png" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sharon Wray" }, "nutrition": { "@type": "NutritionInformation", "servingsize": "0 serving"},"@type": "Recipe"}

 

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