Kate Collins's Blog, page 10

About Pepper Louise

by Gayle Leeson

So, today, I bring you a video post. See what you think!

https://youtu.be/p5V5kBfmf3Q

The Great Junk-Food Smack-down

Hi, Duffy Brown here and with being stuck at home I am eating way too many snacks. My goal is to finish them off then to buy no more. But until then…So what I’m talking about today is the The Great Junk-food Smack-downI’ve read the articles, listed to my doc go on and on about nutrition, listed to my kids preach at me about what I should eat but sometimes I just want a real cookie. Or hot dog. Or bag of chips. Not some fat-free, soy-based health food in disguise. Blah! So at great peril I set out to find the best-tasting genuine junk food. 

After chowing down on 20 packages of goodies (and probably around 10,000 calories), and deciding that picking up extra Zumba classes was worth it I came up with a list. Doritos! The cheesy chips are a Super Bowl party staple and a solid companion to a PB & J. The classic nacho flavor will forever reign as a snack-time favorite, but the best part is the collection of flavors like Cool Ranch, All Nighter Cheeseburger and Blazin' Buffalo & Ranch. 

And then there’s Snickers!!!!! Holy crap! I am such a Snickers fan. It’s the number one candy bar with more than 15 million bars being produced every single day. That's a whole lot of peanuts — 99 tons of them, to be exact. Pass the Snickers!
And then there’s those pork rind things. Not my personal fav but hey if it’s junk food I’m a fan. Take the fatty skin of a pig and fry it in yet more fat. The hot-oil bath balloons the rinds to more than five times their original size. Pork rinds have no carbs and top the charts in protein, making them hardly a junk food in my book. French Fries! Being honest FF are indeed junk food. Trying to assign some nutritional value to them is just plain lying. And IMO the best of the best is Mickey-Ds. There's something magical about those golden tubers extending from the bright red McDonald's fry box. Though cops in particular get a bad rap for their doughnut consumption, this form of fried dough is loved everywhere. Glazed or topped with sugar, sometimes filled with jam or custard, their most iconic shape is the round ring (though the holes themselves are really great). Despite the number of American chains like Dunkin' Donuts and Krispy Kreme, Canada actually has more doughnut shops per capita than any other country. Yea, Canada!
Moon Pies! A Southern treat!! They come in chocolate, vanilla and banana, and are such a Southern staple that since 2008, Mobile, Ala., has dropped a 12-ft. mechanical moon pie to ring in the New Year!There are few experiences more American than finding your fingers covered in sticky orange dust, the inevitable result of a cheesy-puff snack attack. Cheese puffs are a puffed-corn snack that also comes in ball and curls. Most famous are Cheetos featuring Chester Cheetah, the cheesiest cartoon cat of all time.Of course there is the all-time fav junk food…cookies and chocolate chip is the king of cookies…or Oreo! Bring on the milk!As much as we love it, pepperoni pizza is junk. Delicious, greasy, gooey junk. The grain is enriched, the cheese is piled on and the meat is highly processed. It's easy to see how pizza takes a turn from health food to junk food. But hey, I’m so not complaining.  A beer and pepperoni pizza! Bring it on.  Okay, these are my favs…what’s yours? When you gotta have junk what do you splurge on.Hugs, DuffyDuffy BrownConsignment Shop MysteriesCycle Path mysteries            

CRANBERRY ORANGE NUT BREAD---Early Tuesday post for 4/14/2020

by Maggie Sefton


I'm posting this April 14, 2020 post early.  Tons of Family phone calls are suddenly scheduled for Tuesday.  As you wonderful Cozy Chicks Blog readers know, I have a large family with four daughters, and it can be quite hectic at times.  :)  

This is one of my favorite recipes below.  Make it and have a cup of tea or coffee and try to relax in the midst of all the dramatic events going on in the News right now.   Take care Everyone and please stay safe.   



CRANBERRY ORANGE  NUT  BREAD

2 cups all-purpose flour1 ½ teaspoons baking powder½ teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon ground cinnamon½ teaspoon salt1 ½ cups white sugar1 cup orange juice¼ melted butter2 eggs1 cup fresh cranberries (not frozen)1 cup chopped walnuts½ cup grated orange peel
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease one regular size bread loaf pan (or two small loaf pans).  Dust pan lightly with flour, dumping excess.  Combine 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, & salt in large mixing bowl.  Combine the sugar, orange juice, melted butter, & eggs in another bowl, mixing well.  Stir into flour mixture along with cranberries, walnuts, and orange rind. Mix well, blending all ingredients. Pour into prepared loaf pan.  Bake for 50 minutes or into knife inserted into the center of loaf comes out clean.  Remove pan to wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then run knife around edges of pan and turn out onto rack to cool completely.      

I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU SAID THAT!

   By Mary Kennedy                               

                                                      

Writers are like sponges, soaking up bits of conversation, snippets of dialogue that might eventually appear in our books.

Here's a collection of some of the odder comments I've heard, some funny, some tragic.

On a crosstown bus in Manhattan.  Two ladies sitting behind me discussing a couple they know.
"So how are Frank and Sylvia doing?"
"Not so good," her friend replies. "You know, things were never the same since he threw her through that plate glass window."

During an interview with a D-list television host.
"So tell me, Mary, do you ever wish you were Nora Roberts?"
Me: "No, I don't. Do you ever wish you were Katie Couric?"

Note: Sister Mary Immaculata taught us "never to return rudeness with rudeness," but sometimes you just can't help it, you know?

An eight year old boy at a literacy event.
I had a signing table with a selection of my childrens' books, promo materials and candy bars.
"Hi there! Would you like an autographed book?" I ask brightly.
"I'd rather have a candy bar," the boy said, looking over the table.
"Well, I'm afraid I'm out of candy bars."
"Then I'll take a book," he says with a heavy sigh.
"It's always nice to have an autographed book," I say with fake enthusiasm.
"Yeah, I can probably trade it for a candy bar," he tells me.

On a radio talk show, discussing my mysteries.
"Do you ever wish you could write a real book?"
"Um, most people think my books ARE real books. They have characters and settings and plots, you know."
"Really!" (as if I had just delivered a news flash).

In a newspaper interview.
"I'm sure our readers would like to know, which comes first, Mary, the plot or the characters?"
Me: "The check, always the check." (Yes, churlish, I know, but it was late in the day and I'd had nothing to eat but an entire box of Tic-Tacs.)

A dreadful woman at a Scholastic book signing.
"Your books are what's wrong with our education today." She picks up a chapter book and looks at it suspiciously.
"I'm sorry you feel that way." (Hah, I wasn't the least bit sorry.)
"They're part of the decline of our civilization."
"If you say so." (said with a bright smile.) Note to self: don't engage with her. Don't engage.
A long pause and then, "Do you write these very often?"
I decide it's time for a zinger. "Just when I want to spend a few weeks in Paris at George V or
buy a new Mercedes." She fades into the crowd, defeated.

Oh and my personal favorite. I found myself in Manhattan in Washington Square and had the good fortune to find a parking spot. But I had dollars and no coins for the meter. I grabbed a dollar bill out of my purse and I went up to a group of businessmen with my hand extended. "Does anyone have any change?" I said.
One of the guys looked at my outstretched hand, and didn't see the dollar bill. "Get a job!" he sneered at me as his pals all laughed.

Hope you enjoyed these!! Mary Kennedy

Have a Happy Easter

Looking Back Can Ground You

by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett



Debuting in just six day (April 17th), A LOOK BACK, the 8th installment in the Life on Victoria Square companion series to the Victoria Square Mysteries.

Why did I decide to investigate what it was that drove Katie Bonner to take over Artisans Alley? Perhaps it's because she has grown as a character. After the collapse of her marriage, she was living an unhappy life, in a job she detested, and because of that, she lost confidence in herself and her abilities.  But she is and always was a strong woman. But it wasn't until she was given a challenge she couldn't refuse that she stepped up to not only own and operate Artisans Alley, but to buy and operate a teashop -- and all while solving crimes!

You go, Katie!

Here's a brief description of the story.


On the anniversary of her great Aunt Lizzie’s death, Katie Bonner reflects on the course of events that led her to be the custodian of Artisan’s Alley--from the moment her husband took their savings and invested it in a dying business to the death of its founder, Ezra Hilton. And it’s with tears of sadness and joy that Katie contemplates her uncertain future.

This story takes place just before the events in the Victoria Square Mystery (#7) A Murderous Misconception but may be read as a stand-alone introduction to the series.

Kindle US  |  Kindle Worldwide  |  Nook  |  Kobo  | Apple Books  |  Smashwords

Watch the video on YouTube!


Will you be reading A Look Back?

A small step in the green direction

by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett

A lot of people don't believe we have a problem with plastic. I don't happen to be among them. For years, I've been trying to cut down my use of plastic, and the worst offender of all is those plastic "carrier" bags from grocery and other retailers. That's why, more than a decade ago, I started using cloth totes. Believe me, back then I was in the minority. Oh yeah, sometimes I'd forget to take them out of the car and settled for the plastic bags, but unless they ripped or had big holes, I'd reuse them. (And still do.)

Back in March, my state (New York) had a ban on them. Unfortunately, because of the corona virus, they are not enforcing it for fear that people won't wash their reusable bags. Well, that's not me. The minute I unpacked my cloth bags, they went straight into the washing machine (even the plastic ones--only they didn't go in the dryer).

Mr. L and I played snowbirds during January, February, and March. Our rental home did not have any plastic wrap. That gave me an opportunity to totally switch to waxed paper. I've been using it (and waxed bags) for about a year now, but I figured when I ran out of the plastic I'd go waxed paper 100% of the time. So, how did I make out?

I'm home now, but still exclusively using waxed paper to wrap stuff for storage in my fridge (mostly leftovers) in it. It does not cling like plastic. So instead, I bought a bag of rubber bands. Yup, rubber bands are my new best friend for both things wrapped in the paper or the bags.

FUN FACT: The waxed bags I bought came in a white cardboard box that looks like a bakery box. Like it should contain a little cake, or a dozen cookies, or maybe a small pie. It gives me a start every time I see that box. I want that cookie, or cake, or pie that isn't there!

I also use reusable plastic containers. I store leftovers in them and I also have a dedicated bag with 3 plastic containers that I take to restaurants. (Oh, I so miss going out to restaurants. And I worry my favorites may go out of business because of this virus--putting good people out of work and crushing the dreams of their owners, workers, and customers.) I've been doing this for well over a year and that means I'm not responsible for using any Styrofoam containers.

Have I totally given up plastic bags? Not exactly. I am still using freezer bags. Waxed paper does not work in the freezer.  But when I empty one of those bags, I use them again. Not necessarily for food storage, but to toss out things that might stink up the trash. Like chicken skin, bones--icky stuff. And I fill them up before tossing. (Oh, and they also work for pet waste.) But my plastic use has dropped by probably 75%. It's a small step, but one I like taking.

Would you consider giving up plastic wrap?

I Miss Hugging!

by Gayle Leeson

Is it only me, or do you also miss hugging? I realize some people don't like to hug, and I respect their space. I have a friend I only hug if she initiates it because hugs make her uncomfortable.

But I had to physically stop and remind myself prior to going into a store the other day that if a certain boy was working that evening, I had to restrain myself from hugging him. This boy is younger than my son and, in fact, looked up to him when my son and his brother played baseball together. He was in a horrible accident last year; and the first time I saw him after he'd been released from the hospital, I was delighted to see him. And, I believe, he was delighted to be seen. Eyes filling, I said his name, and we embraced.

"I'm so glad you're okay," I said. "I was really worried about you."

"Me, too," he said.

And he's not the only one of my children's friends I hug on sight. When I'm in a store and hear, "Mom!," I always turn around, even if neither of my children is with me. It could be one of their friends. I somehow became a surrogate mom or aunt or friend or something to many of those kids, and I love them all. We were once in a restaurant with our son and one of his friends, and the waitress asked, "Are these your sons?" I said, "One of them is full-time, and the other is part-time."

It's not only kids, though. When people approach me at book signings and tell me how much they've enjoyed reading my books, we often hug. It's as if we share a special connection through our love of the written word and the fact that they enjoyed a story I wove.

I even hugged Butch Patrick, a/k/a Eddie Munster, at a comic con last year. I spotted him in the hallway, squealed with delight, and opened my arms. He laughed and hugged me. He later asked the comic con director (a friend of mine), "Do you know Gayle? She's a sight." LOL I was there as a vendor for the weekend, and Butch and his wife were really sweet.

A few months ago, I met with a police officer and talked with him about his job. I wanted to understand his mindset for a character I might write somewhere down the road. Anyway, I was blown away by some of the things he's seen and done--some of which were terrible and that I never would have considered. When we left the restaurant where we'd had lunch, I shook his hand, but then threw my arms around him and hugged him. Did this bear of a man need my hug of appreciation? Of course not. But I needed him to know that I did appreciate him--not only for taking time to tell me about his job but for doing things few people stop to realize that he and other officers do.

We hug for so many reasons: to show affection, to comfort, to show appreciation, to reconnect, to welcome, to say, "I'm here for you." Now, we're having to find other ways to let people we care about know we're here for them. And it's hard, especially when we can't be physically present.

I hope that when the days of quarantine are behind us, we can comfortably hug again.

Weddings…the good, the bad, and the deadly!

Hi, Duffy Brown here. It’s spring and our thoughts turn to weddings…unfortunately this year weddings are not happening quite the way they were planned.
Killer in Crinolinesis set in Savannah and centers around a murder at a big old Southern style wedding with everyone dressed in GWTW period costumes. You know that old saying always the bridesmaid never the bride, well Reagan Summerside, the female sleuth in Killer, has been both. The bride part didn’t take proven by the fact that Reagan caught Hollis, her husband and the hound of Savannah, doing the horizontal hula with Cupcake right there in his office. The last wedding Reagan attended she was there to deliver a bowtie from her consignment shop to the groom as he misplaced his.  The good part of that wedding was that the cake was delicious. The deadly part was that the groom wound up dead in five tiers of icing and fondant, the bad part was that her BFF, Chantilly, the groom’s ex got accused of the murder. Round tables decked out in peach-tone wedding linens with white flower arrangements of roses and forget-me-nots dotted the room and Doreen-the-wedding-planner lay crumbled in a heap on the floor. “Oh dear Lord!” I starting for Doreen but stopped in my tracks because Simon was there too. He was face down in his very own five-tiered wedding cake with a silver cake knife sticking out of his back.Chantilly shouldn’t have been at the wedding in the first place of course but she and her UPS truck just sort of wound up there. “You shouldn’t be here,” I said to Chantilly as she swiveled round in the driver’s seat of her UPS van. White icing and cake crumbs smeared her lips and a glob of raspberry filling dripped down her chin. A pink butter cream rose stuck to the front of her brown uniform blouse. “Dear God in heaven! You went and ate the wedding cake!”“One slice,” she mumbled around a mouthful. “Who’s going to miss one little old slice? The freaking thing is five tiers high. It took three Cakery Bakery employees and the owner Delta Longford herself to lug it in. They even made GracieAnn Harlow stand on a ladder to get the bride and groom thing on top.” Chantilly held up a chunk of mangled pastry. “This here should be my wedding cake, except for the pink roses. This should be my wedding day, my wedding colors of creamy-peach and blue-morning-rain. Simon is my man. We were engaged! How could he marry someone else!” Chantilly wailed, a tear sliding down her cheek and cutting a path across a white icing smear. Hopefully none of the weddings you’ve attended were like this one with the groom dead as Lincoln right there in his own cake. So what do you think is the best part of a wedding? The cake? The first dance? The saying I Do? Hugs, Duffy Brown

Yummy Cookies

by Maggie Sefton



During this stressful time period, I thought we could all use something that brought us pleasure----like favorite cookies.  )  


This is my family’s favorite holiday cookie. They’re meant to be soft and chewy, not crispy.   Enjoy! 


NANA’S  GINGERSNAPS
2 ½  cups all-purpose flour1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground ginger2 teaspoons ground cinnamon2 teaspoons baking soda½ teaspoon salt1 ½ sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar1 large egg, room temperature¼ cup unsulphured molasses2 Tablespoons freshly grated lemon peel¼ to ½ cup granulated white sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets.  Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a small mixing bowl.  Cream butter and brown sugar together in a medium bowl, mixing well for at least two minutes until well-blended, pale and fluffy, scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in egg, then molasses and lemon peel until blended.  Slowly add half the flour mixture, mixing with wooden spoon just until blended, then add remaining flour, mixing in well.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 15 minutes.  Then take out and roll rounded tablespoons of dough into 1 ¼ inch balls (approx.). Roll balls in granulated sugar and place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets(s).  Bake just until puffed and cookies look dry---anywhere from 9 minutes to 14 minutes, depending on your oven.  (Do not overbake or cookies will become hard).   Carefully remove with metal spatula to wire rack to cool.  Makes approximately 32 cookies.
I usually double this recipe when I make it, because those amounts are easier to work with.  But--be prepared to make a lot of cookies.  J