Sherry Morris's Blog, page 26

Cookie Recipe: Betty Crocker's Low-Fat Angel Macaroons

Betty Crocker's Low-Fat Angel Macaroons1 pkg Betty Crocker 1-step white angel food cake mix1/2 cup water1 teaspoon almond extract1 pkg (7 ounces) flaked coconut (about 2 cups)1 tablespoon baking cocoa1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon butterl tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking cocoa1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon water2/3 cup powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350°. Cover cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Beat cake mix, water and almond extract in large bowl on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl occasionally. Fold in coconut. Drop half of the mixture by teaspoonfuls about 3 inches apart onto parchment paper.
Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until light golden brown around edges. Cool completely before removing from parchment paper.
Sir cocoa into remaining mixture. Bake and cool as directed above.
Prepare Glaze. Drizzle small amount of glaze over each cookie.
Glaze: Heat butter, cocoa and water in 1 quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until margarine is melted. Stir in powdered sugar.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
***So quick and easy, you can bake these the same day you do one or two other types.

Recipe: Butterscotch Haystacks

1 pkg. Butterscotch Morsels
1/2 cup Nuts (any variety)
2 cups Crunchy Chow Mein Noodles

In a very large bowl, mix together nuts and noodles. Set aside. Melt butterscotch morsels either in the microwave or over a double boiler on the stove. Stir often, be careful not to burn them. Add the melted butterscotch to the bowl and quickly stir to coat everything. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper. Allow to set, about one hour. Store in airtight container or ziplock bags in refrigerator. Serve cold or at room temperature.

My husband LOVES THESE!

Dear Reader: The Truth Behind THE IMMACULATE DECEPTION

Dear Reader,

I wrote THE IMMACULATE DECEPTION to deal with a bizarre and painful family incident. It began with a phone call from my father that I really received, and after that my muse took over. My heroine, Oh-Donna, said and did things Sherry never could or would. The story just poured out into my keyboard. The first draft of this 116,000 word paranormal romantic suspense was completed in five weeks. It sold to the first publisher I submitted it to, Cerridwen Press, an old mainstream imprint of Ellora's Cave. I have my rights back and have now Indie published it.

Here is an excerpt of the true incident with names changed to protect us all:

On a gusty July Thursday, my telephone reverberated to the tune of “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”. I shuddered because I knew who was calling. I had set that distinctive ring tone to my father’s number. I was screening his calls because he always had something vile to say about my mother and I had listened to too many of his outrageous lies. My stomach churned while I waited for him to hang up after the fourth ring like he always did when the automatic answering machine kicked on. I held my breath, hearing with relief the click of the machine. The robotic voice said, “Hello, no one is able to come to the phone. Please leave your message after the tone.” When I heard the beep, I swallowed the big wad that clogged my throat. “Oh-Donna, she’s trying to kill me!” I ran to the portable handset and punched the talk button. “Dad! Daddy! Who’s trying to kill you?” In a strained breathless whisper, he said, “Your mother.” “What? When?” “Right now!” he whimpered. I overheard Momma’s voice in the background. “Nobody’s going to care about you. You damned old fool!” After a dull thud, the line went dead.        Oh my God. I detected my breath echoing out in audible pants. I couldn’t believe this. What was I supposed to do? Call the police on my own mother? Not an option. No way! I shook my head. This was just too bizarre to wrap my mind around. Momma was a good girl through and through. She might get furious with Daddy once in a while but she’d never ever hurt him. But what if she was really trying to kill him? Lord knows, he’d manipulated, stifled and belittled her for decades. Had he finally done something so dastardly to drive her across the line of sanity? Or perhaps he’d just pulled another one of his everyday mind games and Momma just reached her breaking point? What if she really was trying to kill him? Think, Donna, think! The Meddlesteins! Yes! I would call the Meddlesteins.      Pressing the end button on my phone, I automatically plucked the number of Gloria and Roderick Meddlestein from the cobwebs of my childhood. They’d been my parents’ across-the-street neighbors for more than thirty years. When I was little, I could always count on them to help me when I was home alone and needed an adult to relight the furnace or check out a strange noise that had me frightened. They were such good people. I prayed they hadn’t changed their number. I felt a flush of heat rise up and envelop my body as I dialed with trembling fingers, agonizing in the seemingly slow motion. Gloria Meddlestein answered on the second ring. “Hello?” “Mrs. Meddlestein?” My voice sounded unnaturally shrill. “Yes.” “This is Donna Payne. You know, I used to live across the street from you?” She cheerfully said, “Yes, of course. Hello, Donna, how are you, dear?” “Listen, I just received a phone call from my father. He said my mother was trying to kill him.” I faked a laugh. “Will you please go over and check on him?” Without much of a pause, she said, “I’ll send Roddy over. You want to give me your number so I can call you back?” “Thank you so much, Mrs. Meddlestein.” I gave my phone number and ended the call.   The Immaculate DeceptionBy Sherry Silver The Good Girls of Washington Book 3

eBook: Apple  ARe  Diesel  Kindle  Kobo Nook  Smashwords  Sony
Paperback: Amazon  Barnes and Noble  CreateSpace  Books A Million Book Summary:After her SUV meets the business end of a deer, Oh-Donna is pulled into an exciting dreamland far away from her peon job and selfish siblings--where mystery, murder and romance take over. Her debonair angel takes her time traveling through the sordid pasts of her Secret Service Agent mother and her genius medical researcher father--who was obsessed with Marilyn Monroe. Oh-Donna discovers she is the first baby born from an ovarian transplant. She must sleuth out the dark secrets of her D.N.A. and close an unsolved murder.  Read the First Chapter

Writing Prompt #25: Tick Tock

All is quiet except for a rhythmic ticking. What is it? A clock? An electronic device? A DVR box? An animal or person snoring/breathing? A bomb?

What does your protagonist do? Is it soothing? Annoying? Maddening? Frightening?

Writing Prompt #24: Clemantines

Your protagonist is concentrating on a bowl of fruit. Small citrus Clemantines. Something is triggered in his/her mind

What is going through his head?

Does he/she remember eating Clemantines long ago? Is it a happy memory? Or something he/she wished he/she had never remembered?

Did he/she know someone named Clemantine? An old love? A pet? His/her mother/aunt/grandmother/sister?

Who put the bowl of fruit there?

What does your character do when he/she finally snaps back to the present?

Recipe: Original Chex Party Mix

Original Chex Mixa Party Favorite since 1955

3 cups Corn Chex cereal
3 cups Rice Chex cereal
3 cups Wheat Chex cereal
1 cup mixed nuts
1 cup bite-sized pretzels
1 cup garlic flavor bite-size bagel chips
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons seasond salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Heat oven to 250 degrees. In large bowl, mix cereals, nuts, pretzels and bagel chips; set aside. In ungreased large roasting pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in cereal mixture until evenly coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container.

Sherry's Alterations:Instead of 1 cup mixed nuts, I used 1 cup honey roasted peanuts and 1 cup pecan halves
Instead of bagel chips, I used Pizza flavored Goldfish crackers
Instead of 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt I used 1 1/2 teaspoons plus one big shake of Montreal Steak Seasoning
I used my little FlyLady timer to remind me to stir every 15 minutes.

Writing Prompt #23: The Well Heeled Man

Your protagonist is alone on the top tier of a parking garage. A very handsome gentleman is walking toward him/her. He oozes wealth and catnip--he is wearing kitten heeled boots. 

This is a very important rendezvous. Why? Is it business, personal or espionage?

How does your character react?

Writing Prompt #22: Meet Me Tomorrow

Someone has told your protagonist "Meet me tomorrow."

Who? A friend, colleague, relative, adversary, neighbor, authority figure, lover?

Where?  How far will your protagonist need to travel to meet this person? Is there planning needed? Is this going to cost a lot in time or money or will there be an emotional debt to pay for not being with a spouse, child, parent, friend, or will your protagonist have to miss work or something very important?

Why?  How will this meeting change things for your character? The world?

Cookie Recipe: Snickerdoodles

 Sherry's Snickerdoodles 1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 large egg1 tablespoon water
2 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon 1/2 whole nutmeg, freshly grated

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add melted butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, water and egg. Stir until well blended.

In a small bowl, stir 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg
Drop dough by rounded teaspoons into the cinnamon sugar mixture and roll around, coating evenly.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 13 minutes, depending on size of cookies. They will be done when slightly firm to touch. Don't bake them until they turn brown.

Writing Prompt #21: Travel

Your character has to leave town...

Is he/she running from the law? A bad relationship? A bad debt?

Does he/she want to go? Is it a vacation? Business trip? Pilgrimage?