M.K. McClintock's Blog, page 14

Delicious and Moist Ginger Loaf - Writer in the Kitchen

Ginger and spice with rich cream cheese frosting . . . I'm hooked. I've always enjoyed a good gingerbread, and while flavorful and moist, they were never quite this moist. Of course, the frosting might have something to do with it.

This recipe is super easy and quick. First tried before the holidays, and baked a few times since, this ginger loaf offers a perfect balance of ginger, spice, sugar, and well, everything else. It's so delicious and addicting, but also rich enough where even half a sli...

Homemade Soft Multi-Grain Bread - Writer in the Kitchen

“If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens.” – Robert Browning

I dabbled with different bread recipes over the years, though have become more adamant about making all my own breads in the past year. This super-soft, all-purpose bread gets top billing alongside the sourdough and peasant bread I make regularly.

“Bread is the king of the table and all else is merely the court that surrounds the king. The countries are the soup, the meat, the vegetables, the sa...

How To Get Rid of Stress ~ 5 Surefire Ways to Smile More

According to a list—that of course I found when doing a search (the irony is not lost)—"How to get rid of stress" was one of the top searched phrases in 2021. If you're like me, coming out of 2020, you might have thought that 2021 has to be better. I am determined to welcome 2022 with a great deal more optimism than I had going into 2021. After all, it's what is ahead that matters. Of course, a lot of it comes down to how we look at each moment, and what we do in those moments to turn a tough da...

Snow and Smiles Ring in the New Year

The original post was from 2017, but it so happens that we're having another lovely arctic winter, and so much of what I said then applies now. It has been too cold to spend any great length of time outside taking photos, so I've rounded up some of my favorite winter pictures from over the past several years. Enjoy!

*Original post with slight modifications*

While many are bemoaning the cold snap we're getting in Montana, I couldn't be more pleased. I read somewhere that it's the coldest win...

Apple Huckleberry Coffee Cake - Writer in the Kitchen

Variations of coffee cake are popular in the Gallagher family, and at Tilly's Cafe in Briarwood. This one is a variation on the Huckleberry Coffee Cake. I was in the mood for something a little different, and a dash of extra spice, so the apple variation was born.

As I write this, snow covers the ground outside and the mercury is closing in on 19°F, so apples aren't the obvious choice for a dessert this time of year. Thank goodness for canning, which is how someone in the 1880s would have apples...

Christmas Movie Recommendations

If you haven't already read them, don't miss Favorite Christmas Movies This Year - So Far (from 2020) and Favorite Christmas Movies, Part Two.

A new year means adding more great Christmas movies to my growing list of holiday movies I'm glad I took a chance and watched. I don't have cable or subscribe to streaming channels that feature Hallmark movies, so I am usually a year or two behind on new releases unless they come available on DVD.

Just like in the previous movie posts, I'm going to giv...

Reading Room: Visit Regency England with Two Great Books

My choice of reading material lately has either been rereading Johanna Lindsay's Malory series, or escaping into sweet reads like Shadows of Swanford Abbey and The Letter from Briarton Park. Both are enjoyable books by talented writers. Scroll down for more.

I wasn't sure what to expect from Shadows of Swanford Abbey, so I kept an open mind, and glad I am that I did. Part mystery, part sweet romance, and part history, the story drew me in and kept me interested enough to want to know what was g...

Behind the Scenes with MK McClintock: CHRISTMAS IN BRIARWOOD

This exclusive, behind-the-scenes special feature will make more sense if you have read The Healer of Briarwood and Christmas in Briarwood. If you haven't yet (don’t wait!) then you will be left wondering about what really happens and eager to read the books. :) This behind-the-scenes feature includes deleted scenes from . . .

Christmas in Briarwood did not begin as a heartwarming tale embodied with what I refer to as a sweet temperament, and yes, books have temperaments. I planned on a short nov...

Spend the Holidays in Montana with CHRISTMAS IN BRIARWOOD

The newest Montana Gallagher/Tales from Briarwood installment has arrived!

CHRISTMAS IN BRIARWOOD is in Kindle Unlimited, plus print for those who like to hold paper. Don't waste another minute! Join me and my friends for a snowy Christmas in Montana!

KINDLE UNLIMITED | PAPERBACK | LARGE PRINT

During a season of hope and healing, two souls find an unexpected gift in love.

Learn more about the book and read a free sample >

Nutty Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls - Writer in the Kitchen

These are not a low-fat, low-calorie, low-sugar, low-carb dessert. If any of those things frighten you, please turn away now. For everyone else, these are the most delicious cinnamon roll variation I have ever tasted.

Sweet rolls have been around for centuries, but it is thought that the cinnamon version we have today most likely originated in Sweden, and brought to America by German and Swedish immigrants, so be sure to thank them for that.

Gooey, delicious, and chock full of chocolaty-nutty ...