Camy Tang's Blog, page 134

McVitie’s Digestive Biscuits

In reading about chocolate digestive biscuits in some Betty Neels books I read, I looked them up on Amazon and bought them to try it.

The chocolate biscuits are divine and need to be locked out of my reach or else I’ll snarf the entire package. Since I liked them so much, I also looked up the regular digestive biscuits on Amazon and bought them to try them.

I must admit I’m not a huge fan of the name of this biscuit. “Digestive” reminds me of intestines and that super-creepy kidney/spit monster from the X-Files.

But I absolutely LOVE these biscuits! I think because they’re both a little salty and a little sweet, but not too much of either. I also really like the texture--it’s like a more cookie-ish graham cracker, but not as sweet as a graham cracker. I really like good texture in my cookies and so I like the fiber-ish feel of these biscuits.

I have been eating them with my afternoon and evening tea time. I feel very British. :)

Anyone else tried these before?

This much work for McDonald’s French Fries?

Captain Caffeine sent me this link for how to make McDonalds’s French Fries at home. While I will be the first to admit I love their fries, my laziness is making me balk at this two-step process.

The soaking in water I understand, and I had heard before from Alton Brown that you should fry your potatoes twice, but that fry-twice thing (plus putting them in the fridge) is the deal-breaker for me. Too much work! When I want fries, I want them NOW!

I’d rather do fries In-N-Out style, just throw the fresh potatoes in the fryer until golden brown. Actually, I do soak my fries in water beforehand and then drain in a colander before frying in my Fry Daddy. I’ve only soaked them for an hour before, but maybe I’ll go for two hours like the article says just to try it.

Do you make fries at home? If you haven’t before, it’s totally worth it. I admit it’s easier for me now that I have a Fry Daddy because I just plug it in and wait 15 minutes before frying.

Of course, fries are not good for me since I tend to snarf the entire batch down in one sitting. :)

Book-friends and book-best-friends

This is going to sound weird, but if you’re a Reader, you’ll totally understand where I’m coming from.



When you read a good book, that book becomes your friend.



It’s totally strange and maybe even a bit psychologically deviant but it’s true. That book becomes like your closest friend, someone you’re spending time with and loving the conversation.



I will admit, I have sometimes loved a book so much I will hug it like I’m hugging a person. There, I have confessed my mental disturbance to all the blogosphere.



But those of you who are Readers will completely get me.



You devour books by favorite authors because you became good friends with one of her titles, and you hope to find new friends in her other titles. Your chances are good since you already loved one of her stories.



You’re always on the lookout for a new friend. Some books disappoint, but then suddenly you’ll stumble on a book (which might not even have that great a cover or back cover blurb) and you’re caught in an amazing story with amazing characters and you know you’ve found a friend.



Some of my books are book-friends, but some are book-best-friends. They’re the ones I’ll keep because I could see myself rereading them, they were that good.



I was thinking today about why some books are book-friends and why some are book-best-friends. My book-friends are still highly entertaining, enthralling reads. I just finished one yesterday. But it wasn’t a book-best-friend.



I think that for my book-best-friends, there is something about the characters that I especially love. I relate to them on a deeper level, or perhaps I admire them greatly. Their stories move me deep in my gut rather than just being an entertaining read.



I love my book-friends, but I am also constantly on the lookout for a new book-best-friend. I also do not limit the number of book-best-friends that I have, the more the merrier, in my opinion. But since my shelves are overflowing, I have gotten some book-best-friends as ebooks and given away my print copies so that my book-best-friends take up less real estate in my house.



So my blog friends, do you feel me? I know some of you non-Readers are going to tell me to hie to a psychologist, but you Readers know what I’m talking about. What are some book-best-friends you’ve got?

Lunch with MaryLu Tyndall

I’m really fortunate to have several Christian novelists who live nearby and I can have lunch with them! Yesterday I had lunch with Christy-nominated author MaryLu (M.L.) Tyndall. We went to Cheesecake Factory and had their wild mushroom soup (YUM!) and salads. Yes, we were very good girls. :)



If you haven’t read any of MaryLu’s books, you should try the one coming out in July, Veil of Pearls. It’s set in the Regency time period in America, and I mean, just look at that cover!!!



Back cover blurb:



Be swept away to Charleston of 1811, a city bustling with immigrants like Adalia, who is a runaway slave so light-skinned that no one guesses her past. Terrified her secret will be discovered, she settles into a quiet life making herbal remedies for a local doctor. But when Morgan, the handsome son of a prominent family, sweeps her into his glamorous world—a world in which the truth about Adalia’s heritage would ruin them both—suspicions and petty jealousies are aroused. What will Morgan do when he discovers that the woman he has fallen in love with is a runaway slave?



Preorder the book below. Her editor said it’s the best book yet by her, so I’m anxious to read it!



Print book:

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Christianbook.com

Booksamillion.com



Ebook:

Nookbook

Kindle

Christianbook.com

“Louder” by Charice

I absolutely love Charice--she has an amazing voice--and I love this newest song from her!







"Louder"



Louder [x4]



I'm staring out of my window

And the rain is pouring down

When you left, I was so low

But I'm not gonna drown



I don't need no shoulder

I'm gonna be a soldier

I just wanna feel somethin' I don't understand



I'm just gonna run right through the rain

I'm just gonna dance right through the pain

I just wanna feel that rhythm, feel that drum

Let my heart beat louder

Let my heart speak louder than my head (head, head, head)

Heart beat louder than my head (head, head, head)

Heart speak louder

Wanna feel that rhythm, feel that drum

Let my heart beat louder

Let my heart speak louder than my head



I, I am over overthinking of how to get you back

I'm checking out for the weekend

And I ain't going back



I don't need no shoulder

I'm gonna be a soldier

I just wanna feel somethin' I don't understand



I'm just gonna run right through the rain

I'm just gonna dance right through the pain

I just wanna feel that rhythm, feel that drum

Let my heart beat louder

Let my heart speak louder than my head (head, head, head)

Heart beat louder than my head (head, head, head)

Heart speak louder

Wanna feel that rhythm, feel that drum

Let my heart beat louder

Let my heart speak louder than my head



Oh, letting go

Yet it feel so good, so right

Oh, all I know

Is that I let my heart beat

Heart speak louder than my louder than my

Heart beat heart speak louder than my louder than my

Heart beat heart speak louder than my louder than my louder, louder, louder, louder



I'm just gonna run right through the rain

I'm just gonna dance right through the pain

I just wanna feel that rhythm, feel that drum

Let my heart beat louder

Let my heart speak louder than my head (head, head, head)

Heart beat louder than my head (head, head, head)

Heart speak louder

Wanna feel that rhythm, feel that drum

Let my heart beat louder

Let my heart speak louder than my head



Camy: I like it because the lyrics are so empowering!



You can also buy the MP3 from Amazon.

What would you do with a 400-year-old diamond?

Sotheby’s is auctioning off a 35 carat diamond that’s 400 years old, estimated 2-4 million dollars. I think the diamond’s history is pretty darn neat, but really, what do you do with a diamond like that? I mean, seriously, would you set it as a pendant and wear it to a party?



A jewel like that is probably only for display. If it goes to a private collector, it’ll be in some private vault or display case that maybe a couple hundred people will ever see. That kind of saddens me, but I guess that’s the way things go with valuable jewels like that.



I think I’d rather spend the money buying books. Yes, I have just confessed my plebian tastes to the entire blogosphere.

Need title ideas

I wrote a book for Guideposts that’s one in a continuing series and I need a title for the book. Here are the themes in the book, in no particular order:






Lighthouse

Maine coastline

Beach

Tourist town

Old historical church building (250 years old)

Bell tower in the church

Bronze bell in the church bell tower

Secret rooms in the church

Mysterious times when the bell inexplicably rings to warn of danger

A cipher found in the back of an old (250 years) Book of Prayer

A secret treasure hidden in the bell tower

A woman novelist working on her second book, and also working on interviews and guest blogs for a blog tour

A pastry chef shipping cakes, cookies, and other goodies in an internet business

A widow selling her husband’s grand home and packing up the remnants of her married life, needing to move on but it’s difficult

An artist whose painting has been stolen from her gallery






My editor said that titles should be only TWO WORDS.






So who’s game to help me out? Any ideas?




Update: Sorry guys, I didn't realize that it had cut off earlier! I corrected it and here's the full post.

Unusual grilled cheese sandwiches!

I couldn’t resist when I saw this article on Yahoo about unusual grilled cheese sandwiches. I could totally try some of these at home, I think.



I’d actually like to try the glazed donut grilled cheese (I can hear your collective eeewwwwwww!!!s). Captain Caffeine would probably enjoy the short ribs grilled cheese--since he smoked ribs yesterday maybe we should try it!



If you click the link on the bottom of the article, you’ll be taken to a few more grilled cheese sandwiches, and one of them caught my eye because it’s so unusual: brioche bread, black bean hummus, guava jam, smoked gouda cheese, and pickled jalapenos! It sounds so weird I want to try it!



Which one would you try?

Smoked meatloaf

Captain Caffeine fired up the smoker yesterday and made meatloaf and ribs. The meatloaf was a little bit of an experiment. He combined veal chorizo and ground beef (1:1 ratio), plus 3/4 cup oatmeal and 1/4 cup crushed saltine crackers, one egg, 2/3 cup milk, and 1-2 tablespoons of ketchup.





It turned out extremely tender and delicious. The chorizo spices were so strong that even cut by the ground beef, the meatloaf had a chorizo kick to it. I would have expected it to be a little drier, because of the veal, but it was actually very juicy. The Captain even poured off some of the oil that pooled on top and the sides.



Any favorite meatloaf recipes you want to share? I absolutely love meatloaf!

Garden of Madness by Tracy L. Higley giveaway winner

The winner is apshokes! Congratulations! I’ll be emailing you.



I know, those of you who didn’t win it are crying in your coffee right now. Why not order a copy? There are links below. You won’t be disappointed--I read it in one sitting, it was that good!



The untold story of King Nebuchadnezzar's daughter



For seven years the Babylonian princess Tiamat has waited for the mad king Nebuchadnezzar to return to his family and to his kingdom. Driven from his throne to live as a beast, he prowls his luxurious Hanging Gardens, secreted away from the world.



Since her treaty marriage at a young age, Tia has lived an opulent yet oppressive life in the palace. But her husband has since died and she relishes her newfound independence. When a nobleman is found murdered in the palace, Tia must discover who is responsible for the macabre death, even if her own freedom is threatened.



As the queen plans to wed Tia to yet another prince, the powerful mage Shadir plots to expose the family's secret and set his own man on the throne. Tia enlists the help of a reluctant Jewish captive, her late husband's brother Pedaiah, who challenges her notions of the gods even as he opens her heart to both truth and love.



In a time when few gave their hearts to Yahweh, Tia must decide if she is willing to risk everything-her possessions, her gods, and her very life-for the Israelites' one God. Madness, sorcery, and sinister plots mingle like an alchemist's deadly potion as Tia chooses whether to risk all to save the kingdom-and her family.



"The biblical story of Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar's seven years as a madman, found in the Old Testament Book of Daniel, deepens and broadens thanks to veteran author Higley's historical research and vivid imagination . . . Readers will find much to enjoy here: fine writing, suspense, mystery, faith, love, and a new look at an old story." -Publishers Weekly



Read an excerpt at Christianbook.com.



Print book:

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Christianbook.com

Booksamillion.com!



Ebook:

Nookbook

Kindle

Christianbook.com