Karen Docter's Blog, page 268
May 1, 2014
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: Ham & Cheese Calzone
It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s! Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me. I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers. So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy. It might be a main course recipe. A cookie or baked item. Candy. Salads. Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is HAM & CHEESE CALZONE!
I love calzones. They’re such a great twist on pizza. But, they take so much work to prepare…or so it seems. This is a great deli-style calzone, and relatively easy to prepare. You can adjust this recipe to fashion the more traditional pizza calzone with meats and pizza sauce, if you prefer.
I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 141 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.
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HAM & CHEESE CALZONE
[Serves 8]
2 T. mayonnaise
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 cup broccoli florets
1 (8 oz.) sliced smoked deli ham
½ small onion
8 oz. cheese, grated, divided
1 T. vegetable oil, divided
2 pkg. (13.8 oz each) refrigerator pizza crust
1 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine mayonnaise and mustard in bowl; mix well. Cut broccoli into small florets; dice ham and chop onion. Grate cheese. Combine broccoli, ham, onion and half of cheese in bowl.
Lightly brush cookie sheet with 1 tsp. oil. Unroll one package of dough gently stretching and pressing dough to cover bottom. Sprinkle with remaining cheese to within one inch of edges; spoon ham mixture over cheese. Starting on one end, unroll remaining dough directly over filling, matching edges of dough and shaping to fit as dough is unrolled. Trim ½ inch off sides of dough. Press edges to seal. Brush remaining oil over dough. With knife, make 12 slits, in three rows of four each, into top crust.
Bake 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile, grate Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over calzone. Return calzone to oven; bake 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is deep golden brown. Slice and serve.
Congratulations Week 04-21-14 Giveaway Winner!
CONGRATULATIONS WEEK 04-21-14 GIVEAWAY WINNER!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with CYNTHIA WOOLF!!
Giveaway: Cynthia will give away a print copy of her book, REDEEMED BY A REBEL, to one reader who comments on her Book Bench blog. Thanks, Cynthia, for sharing your story with us!
WINNER!! KATIE SCHOENDUBE!!
April 29, 2014
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: The Merry-Go-Round by Donna Fasano
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
THE MERRY-GO-ROUND by DONNA FASANO
Book Blurb
When Lauren divorces her husband, she has one thought on her mind…stepping off the merry-go-round. However, her life quickly turns into a three-ring circus: her hypochondriac father moves in, her ex is using her shower when she’s not home, and her perky assistant is pushing her out into the fearsome dating world. She also has to decide if the vintage merry-go-round she was awarded in the divorce settlement is a blessing or a bane. As if Lauren’s personal life isn’t chaotic enough, this slightly jaded attorney is overrun with a cast of quirky characters who can’t stay on the right side of the law. What’s a woman to do? She can allow life to spin her in circles forever. Or she can reach out and grab the brass ring.
THE MERRY-GO-ROUND by DONNA FASANO
Excerpt
Her attaché thumped against the door of courtroom number three as she grabbed the handle. The room was empty and quiet as they made their way up the center aisle and took seats at the plaintiff’s table. Lauren snapped open her soft leather case and pulled out the file containing her divorce papers.
Papers that were missing a vital signature. And it wasn’t hers.
She spent a few minutes studying her notes and mulling over all the arguments and rebuttals that might arise. The court clerk entered from one of the two doors located behind the judge’s bench, perused the room and then ducked back inside the office.
“The judge must be ready to start,” Lauren told her father, glancing at her watch. One minute before nine. “It’s just like Greg to be late. Never takes a single thing seriously.” Dipping her gaze to her notes again, she murmured, “He’s probably rescuing some poor, decrepit soul out there somewhere.” If there was a poor, decrepit soul within a hundred mile radius of Sterling Greg would find it, that was certain.
A few minutes later, the door at the main entrance to the courtroom swung open and Greg waltzed in. Lauren forced herself not to turn around, keeping her eyes glued to the documents in front of her. But she could see his loose, breezy stride in her mind’s eye. And she could easily imagine his attire: battered, steel-toed Wolverines, worn blue jeans and t-shirt. If he’d decided to dress up for the occasion, he might have gone all out and donned a polo shirt.
With her arm firmly twisted behind her back, she’d have admitted the fact that, when they’d first met Greg’s blue-collar style had appealed to her. He was different from the men she’d dated—the studious collegians that had made up her social circle while she’d earned her law degree.
Soft, worn denim had the ability to hug a man’s rear like no other fabric. And the physical nature of Greg’s work tightened his glutes to pinch-tempting firmness. The memory had heat flushing Lauren’s face.
She’d grown adept at ignoring her husband altogether. The practice had kept her sane for months now. But to force those inappropriate images from her brain, she lifted her gaze to the empty court clerk’s desk and snipped, “It’s good that some people finally decided to show up.”
“Good morning to you, too, Lauren.”
About the author, Donna Fasano….
USA Today Bestselling Author Donna Fasano has written over 30 romance and women’s fiction novels. Her books have sold nearly 4 million copies worldwide.
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Links to Donna’s website, blog, books, etc.
More Books by Donna:
Blog: www.DonnaFasano.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DonnaFasanoAuthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DonnaFaz
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Donna-Fasano/e/B001HCXJW6/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1398623924&sr=8-2-ent
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1111480.Donna_Fasano
Book links:
Paperback: http://amzn.to/Uog6wK
Kindle: http://amzn.to/THT3hM
Nook: http://ow.ly/w2Zaw
Kobo: http://ow.ly/w2Zjg
iBooks: http://ow.ly/w2ZKQ
Audio: http://ow.ly/w2ZTs
~~~~
**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Donna will give away an ebook copy of THE MERRY-GO-ROUND (Kindle, Nook, Kobo, or iBook) to one reader who comments on her Monday Interview or Wednesday Book Bench blogs. Don’t miss this chance to read this story. Thanks, Donna, for sharing your story with us!
April 28, 2014
Book Bench Blog Tour: Knowing Is Not Enough by Patricia Walker Chatman
‘Knowing is not enough’
by Patricia Walker Chatman
Quick Facts
Release Date: January 12, 2014
Genre: Fiction (Romance)
Formats to buy: Book (Hard Copy) and ebook (Kindle)
Book Synopsis
“Till death do us part” comes a lot faster than Alex expects. Her husband, Jake, is very much alive, but they are apart as two married people can get.
Jake has cheated on Alex yet again, but this time, public betrayal is more than she can stomach or ignore. Alex can’t defend or justify staying in a marriage marred by infidelity and elaborate lies anymore, so she decides finally to deal with the reality of her life; it’s a mess.
After seven years of marriage, 40-year-old Alex is a newly single woman who hasn’t been without a man since college. Before embarking on a new relationship, she must take time to figure out why she is constantly attracted to men who are emotionally unavailable.
Through the help of friends and family Alex learns painfully at times, that before she can attract a “real man” she must first become a “real
woman”.
Excerpt:
PROLOGUE
Happily-ever-after ended sooner than I’d expected.
Women are the only people who can find truth in a lie. Especially when it comes to the men in our lives. I conned myself into believing our lies were true. To the outside world we had the perfect marriage, but all houses look good from the curb. Our marriage, not unlike any other, lived amid accusations and disappointments. Then it hits you, somewhere between washing dishes and folding clothes—is this all there is for me?
I didn’t know the answer to that. Wish I did. What I did know was happiness would never exist for me in this union.
It was time. Neither one of us would get what we needed to stay in this marriage from words alone. I didn’t have the passion or the energy to do anything about us. Not anymore. It was time to let go of the lie and embrace reality. Jake was being written out of my story. Now all there was left to do was tell him.
I invited him back to our, soon to my house. I sat down at the kitchen table, reflecting about how we’d argued over the buying that very piece of furniture. Dressed in clothing I’d picked out for his birthday, Jake pulled out a chair and joined me.
I examined his eyes in search of the love I knew a century ago. Initially, separating for a while seemed to be a good idea. Looking at him, I’m not so sure anymore. He appeared to be a new person, different, from the man I’d known. We both have lived six months of life apart. Considering all he achieved with other women living in the same house, I can only imagine what or whom he’s gotten into without me. Starting over would mean getting to know this man, accept his lies, and his mistakes. I had absolutely no desire to do that.
I said, “Our lives are such a mess. Let’s just get this over with.”
“I’m not going to argue with you Alex. I know what it is, but I don’t think divorce is the answer. You need to try to forgive me.”
“For what?” I got up and poured myself a cup of coffee. “Why would I do that with someone who doesn’t love me?” I returned to my seat next to him. He frowned. “You misinterpreted what I said. I didn’t mean I don’t love you at all.”
“I’m confused. Exactly what does not love you mean? You either love me or you don’t, and you clearly said you didn’t.” I took a sip. “Am I missing something?”
Jake made a dismissive gesture with his hand. “I only meant the romantic love I felt for you is gone, not that I don’t love you. Of course I love you.”
“Do you see,” I waved my finger, “those kind of statements only make sense to anybody with a penis? I love you enough to live in the same house with you, but not enough to touch you?”
“Don’t twist my words Alex. I think marriage counseling could help us find what’s missing.”
I quickly lost patience with him. “Okay—again, maybe it’s me, what exactly did we lose? Considering you never stopped dating.” I threw my hands up in exasperation. “I’m so tired of us. You can’t misplace what we never had.”
“So you don’t even want to try?”I didn’t meet his eyes. “Jake—you cheated on me days before our wedding. These wounds aren’t healing anymore. I’m carrying them and it’s causing permanent mental damage now. I can’t keep doing this—I won’t.” I paused. “Nobody walks around raindrops Jake . . . not even you.”
“Alex, just think about it. We’ve got to much invested in this, but if it’s what you want me to do—I’ll sign the papers to file right now.”
I stood up and walked out of the kitchen.
“Where are you going?”
“To get a pen.”
The Author
For over twenty years, Patricia Walker Chatman has worked in the human service industry. In 2010, Patricia accepted a Faculty Associate position facilitating Financial Management for Human Services and various Business Topics. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resources with a specialization in Training and Development. A Master Degree in Public Policy and Administration, and anticipates completing her doctorate in Public Policy Administration, May 2014. Knowing Is Not Enough is Patricia’s first novel.Find more about her at:
WEBSITE
BLOG
GOODREADS
GIVEAWAY:
International. One winner.
FOLLOW THE TOUR:
April 16: Black Lion Tours Blog: Interview
April 17: Little Black Notebook: Guest Post
April 18: Mythical Books: Guest Post
April 21: Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews: Spotlight
April 22: Spiced Latte Reads: Review
April 23:
April 24: Every Free Chance Book Reviews: Spotlight
April 25: Deal Sharing Aunt: Review
April 28: Vanilla Moon: Spotlight
April 29: Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Spotlight
April 30: I know that Book: Guest Post
May 1: My Devotional Thoughts: Review
May 2: Books and Fandom: Review
April 27, 2014
**Author Peek** Interview with Donna Fasano
**AUTHOR PEEK** Interview with DONNA FASANO
INTRODUCING…USA Today Bestselling Author, DONNA FASANO.
Welcome to my blog, Donna. Before we get started talking about your writing, I want to thank you for stopping by to tell us a little about yourself and your new release. It’s always fun to introduce new writers to my readers!
1. Who would you would like your readers to know you are?
I’d like to offer a sweet, slick response and say I consider myself a polished and professional writer, but that would be a bold face lie. (I’m chuckling as I type this and hope your readers are, too.) First and foremost, I’m a wife, mother, sister, aunt, loyal friend and avid volunteer who lends a hand, a strong back, a shoulder to lean on, a listening ear and anything else those I love might need. It just so happens that I was blessed with the ability to create characters and stories that readers have found entertaining, and I am appreciative of this gift of Muse (or amusing gift, as it most often turns out to be) that I’ve been given.
2. When did you first know that you wanted to write? What inspired you to start?
My husband deserves all the blame for this one. Most authors know from very early in their lives that they are destined to write. I came to writing through my love of reading. I’ve had my nose in a book since I was a kid. When my youngest child started school and I was considering taking a part-time job, my husband looked at the piles of books sitting around our house and said, “You’ve read enough of these; why don’t you try writing one?” I thought he was nuts! But he planted a seed that sprouted and grew.
3. How would you describe the style of your writing?
Wow. I don’t really know. I wait for characters to show up in my head and start talking—to each other, to me, to themselves. I see the story unfold in my mind like a movie, and I sit down and type as fast as I can, describing everything I see and hear and feel. While that process is taking place, I laugh, I cry, I cringe, I gasp, but I do all I can to describe to my reader what I’m experiencing in my head. It’s as if my mind is the stage, my fingers on the keyboard are the narrator, the recorder, the camera. As I re-read that description, I can’t help but think it falls far short of what I feel is an awesome and mysterious event. Writing, for me, is…mystical. I don’t really know how or why it happens, it just does, and I am grateful.
4. Tell about some of your books. How did you come up with the premise for The Merry-Go-Round?
At first, all I knew was that I wanted to write on the subject of divorce. But I wanted to create a divorce story that was different from what I had ever read in the past. I knew I wanted to begin with the actual divorce proceedings, and then I wanted to set my protagonist’s world spinning until she didn’t know which end was up. I can only hope I succeeded.
5. What was your creative process for determining the cover image of Taking Love in Stride?
I love that cover! There was no ‘process’ really. I knew the picture fit the characters perfectly the moment I saw it. The story is about two type-A personalities who clash with a very romantic result; one is a businessman, the other a gym teacher with a penchant for stilettos.
6. What inspired you to write Mountain Laurel?
I used to vacation in the forests of mountainous Western Maryland, USA. It was there that I came up with the idea for Mountain Laurel. The Allegheny Mountains are breath-taking. I think it was the scenery that first inspired me for this book. I knew I wanted to set a story there. Slowly, the characters and plot took form.
7. Are you working on anything new that you’d like to share?
I’m nearly ready to publish a non-fiction, inspirational book. I’m a little nervous about how my romance readers will react to my book about a simple prayer practice I use, but I feel compelled to publish the book. I’m also working on a women’s fiction novel called Katy Did and I like to think of it as Step-Mom (with Julia Roberts) meets Divine Secrets of the Ya-ya Sisterhood. These characters are fun to work with.
8. Where can we find your books?
Readers can find my books in Amazon’s Kindle Store, in B&N’s NookBook Store, and at Smashwords.com. My e-books are also available for Sony, Kobo, Diesel, iPad/iPhone and other e-readers. If readers prefer paperback novels, my books can be purchased through Amazon.com. Just go to Amazon and plug my name into the search box.
I’d like to thank Karen for this opportunity! It’s only through blogs like Karen’s Killer Book Bench that authors like me can get the word out about our books.
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Links to Donna’s website, blog, books, etc.
More Books by Donna:
Blog: www.DonnaFasano.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DonnaFasanoAuthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/DonnaFaz
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Donna-Fasano/e/B001HCXJW6/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1398623924&sr=8-2-ent
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1111480.Donna_Fasano
Book links:
Paperback: http://amzn.to/Uog6wK
Kindle: http://amzn.to/THT3hM
Nook: http://ow.ly/w2Zaw
Kobo: http://ow.ly/w2Zjg
iBooks: http://ow.ly/w2ZKQ
Audio: http://ow.ly/w2ZTs
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BE SURE TO COME BACK to read more about Donna and her book, THE MERRY-GO-ROUND, on Wednesday’s Karen’s Killer Book Bench. Happy Reading!
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**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Donna will give away an ebook copy of THE MERRY-GO-ROUND (Kindle, Nook, Kobo, or iBook) to one reader who comments on her Monday Interview or Wednesday Book Bench blogs. Don’t miss this chance to read this story. Thanks, Donna, for sharing your story with us!
April 24, 2014
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with Tracy March
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL** with TRACY MARCH!
Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!! Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of her favorite recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors. Introducing author, TRACY MARCH, and her favorite recipe for CORNBREAD CASSEROLE!
A SHOT OF RED by TRACY MARCH
Book Blurb
After fleeing DC following a one-night stand that had her reeling, biotech company heiress Mia Moncure has thrived working with a humanitarian aid team administering vaccines in Haiti. When the United States is threatened with a flu epidemic, Mia’s grandmother demands her return to unveil a new flu vaccine for Moncure Therapeutics. She arrives to find that her ex-boyfriend, the company’s PR Director, has died in a suspicious accident in Switzerland that Mia soon suspects was murder.
Determined to reveal a killer, Mia heads to Switzerland, where she’s threatened as she discovers a plan to infiltrate the vaccine for nefarious purposes. Desperate for backup, she turns to sexy Gio Lorenzo, Communications Director for her mother, a high-ranking senator—and Mia’s one-night stand. While negotiating their rocky relationship, they race to uncover a deadly scheme that could ruin her family’s reputation. But millions of people are being vaccinated, and there’s more than her family’s legacy at stake. Mia and Gio struggle to discover the truth about the scheme and their feelings for each other, but it just might be too late.
A SHOT OF RED by TRACY MARCH
EXCERPT
Excerpt from Tracy March’s sexy new romantic suspense, A Shot of Red:
Mia tentatively grabbed two handfuls of Gio’s leather jacket as he veered onto the parkway and picked up speed, easing the motorcycle through the graceful wooded hills and valleys of Rock Creek Park. The night air was cold and invigorating, much of it blocked from her by Gio’s sheer size and his broad shoulders. Mia wrapped her arms around him and tucked her hands in his coat pockets. She scooted up close and rested against his back, enticed by the scent of leather, leaning in and out of the curves with him, exhilarated by speed and adventure. Exhilarated by him. He felt strong and sturdy in her embrace, raw power emanating from him and the rumbling motorcycle.
At this late hour, they were often alone on the parkway, encountering only an occasional passing car. The surreal thrill of it all swirled through Mia, and her blood tingled. She couldn’t help but wonder what other enticing adventures she’d been missing out on. If any of them were half as exciting as this, she was totally game.
After a good twenty minutes, he pulled onto Wyoming Avenue in Northwest DC. Mia’s quiet, upscale neighborhood practically vibrated with the noise of the motorcycle. She squeezed Gio’s biceps and pointed up the block to the house where she lived, disappointed her time on the bike was nearly up.
Gio eased the bike into her driveway, stopped, cut the engine, and set the kickstand. He stood and took off his gloves and helmet, his dark hair wild and tousled. Mia’s stomach fluttered at the sight of him, his dark eyes glinting in the moonlight. She fussed with the chin strap of her helmet just to have something else to focus on.
“Let me help you with that.” He hung his helmet on the handlebar, hoisted one of his long legs over the bike, and sat facing her.
Gio had been magnetic, even with his back to her. But facing her, he was irresistible. Her insides were a knot of nerves and excitement…and expectation? Was he experiencing the raw chemistry she was feeling?
He tried to unclasp her chin strap, but had difficulty with the catch. Leaning in, he took a closer look. “Enjoy the ride?” he asked, his lips mere inches from hers.
“More than I even imagined I would,” she said softly.
The strap loosened and she tipped her chin with the shifting weight of the helmet. Her lips brushed his ever so lightly and he drew back.
Mia’s heart clamored as he captivated her with his questioning gaze, and she willed herself not to look away. He gently swept his fingertips along her jawline, threaded his fingers through her hair, and pulled her toward him. Her helmet fell to the ground as his lips met hers—strong, supple, and searching.
Mia melted into his kiss, alive with anticipation and overcome with an aching need she hadn’t realized was there. A cool night breeze rustled the shrubs in the nearby hedge, and she shivered. Gio clutched her waist, lifted her onto him as if she were nearly weightless, and wrapped his jacket around her. His lips never left hers, each slow sweep of his tongue seducing her senseless.
He braced his feet on the ground as she straddled him, one hand around his neck with a fistful of his silky dark hair, the other stroking his sandpapery cheek. She’d never pictured herself in a position like this—but that made her even more into it. Her blood ran hot, pulsing through her as if it carried sparks. She shifted on his lap and his breath hitched—maybe the sexiest sound she’d ever heard.
“Gio,” she said breathlessly, liking the sound of his name on her lips. “Let’s go inside.”
About the author, Tracy March….
Award-winning author Tracy March writes romantic thrillers influenced by her interest in science and politics. She also writes lighthearted romances inspired by her real-life happily ever after.
Always up for travel and adventure, Tracy has flown in a stunt plane, snowmobiled on the Continental Divide, ziplined in the Swiss Alps, and been chased by a bull in the mountains of St. Lucia. She loves Nationals baseball, Saturday date nights, and Dairy Queen Blizzards—and rarely goes a day without Diet Coke and Cheez-Its.
Tracy lives in Yorktown, Virginia, with her superhero husband who works for NASA.
~~~
Links to Tracy’s website, blog, books, etc.
Website: www.TracyMarch.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tracy-March/151834621538910
https://www.facebook.com/tracy.march.7
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tracy_March
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/tracymarch/
Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4575285.Tracy_March
Amazon buy link: http://www.amazon.com/Shot-Red-Entangled-Edge-ebook/dp/B00F8HRQCU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398400183&sr=8-1&keywords=a+shot+of+red
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-shot-of-red-tracy-march/1115438191?ean=9781622661268
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I hope you enjoy the recipe Tracy is sharing with us today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 140 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CORNBREAD CASSEROLE
[Recipe from AllRecipes.com, submitted by HOBOLTH4]
Photo By: Tricia Jaeger
Note from Tracy March….
It’s widely know that I’m severely kitchen-challenged, so I was thrilled when I came across this easy and super-delicious recipe for Cornbread Casserole. It complements lots of yummy dishes—everything from chili to barbeque to gumbo. You can slice it into squares, or make it even more fun and serve it with an ice cream scoop like spoon bread. Imagine my surprise when I took this casserole to several potluck events and people asked me for the recipe!
CORNBREAD CASSEROLE
A deliciously moist and dense cornbread with a topping of melted cheese.
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Ready In: 40 Minutes
Servings: 12
Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained and 1/2 liquid reserved
1 (14.75 ounce) can cream-style corn
2 eggs
1 (8 ounce) package dry corn bread mix
1 cup sour cream
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine corn, reserved liquid, eggs, corn bread mix and sour cream; stir until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan; sprinkle with cheese.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until golden brown.
Recipe from AllRecipes.com, submitted by HOBOLTH4
Photo By: Tricia Jaeger
~~~
**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Tracy is conducting a rafflecopter giveaway on all of her blog stops with a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble giftcard. For a chance to win, go to: a Rafflecopter giveaway
Don’t miss your chance to read this story. Thanks, Tracy, for sharing your story and recipe with us!
April 23, 2014
Congratulations Week 04-07-14 Giveaway Winners!
CONGRATULATIONS WEEK 04-07-14 GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with JAVA DAVIS!!
Giveaway: Java will give away her audiobook, DEPRESSION CARPENTER (read by Justin D. Torres), to TWO readers who comment on her Monday Interview or Wednesday Book Bench blogs. **You must specifically state you want to win a copy to be put into the drawing.** Thanks, Java, for sharing your story with us!
WINNER!! bn100!!
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s with CATE BEAUMAN!!
Giveaway: Cate will give away eBook copies of her book, JUSTICE FOR ABBY, to THREE readers who comment on her Karen’s Killer Fixin’s *Author Special* blog. Thanks, Cate, for sharing your story with us!
WINNERs!! CHRISS, bn100, & ANITA A.!!!!
April 22, 2014
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Healed By A Heart by Cynthia Woolf
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
HEALED BY A HEART by CYNTHIA WOOLF
(Destiny in Deadwood Series, Book 2)
Book Blurb
All Liam Anderson wanted after the War Between the States, was a little peace. After seventeen years in the army, he’s tired of fighting and killing. Having lost his beloved wife to influenza, he’s tired of hurting. And seeing his baby brother framed for murder, he’s tired of injustice. He left everything behind to help his brothers escape, packed up his children and possessions, and took them all to a gold claim in Deadwood.
Miss Eleanor Smith is a thirty-two year-old spinster. She gave up her dream of a home and family a long time ago. Instead, she has spent her life traveling the world, ministering to the weak, the injured, the poor, and the forgotten, following her preacher father from one hell hole to another. From what she’s seen of men and the world, she’s better off taking care of herself. And she gets along just fine, until she literally falls into Liam’s arms, gets in the middle of a fight that isn’t hers, and becomes a pawn for an enemy’s revenge.
Deadwood was supposed to be a fresh start for Liam Anderson and his younger brothers, but trouble followed him and his children. And when Eleanor disappears, only Liam can rescue her. The headstrong, independent woman awoke his dead passion, but refused to surrender to his touch. Can he convince her that merely surviving isn’t enough? Despite his sins, he’s the only man who can save her, and she’s the only woman strong enough to heal his broken heart.
HEALED BY A HEART by CYNTHIA WOOLF
Excerpt
PROLOGUE
April 1876
St. Louis, Missouri
Liam Anderson sat in front of a blazing fire, in his pajamas and robe, puffing on his pipe, reading, for the last time in this house. The place he’d called home for so many years. The kids were asleep upstairs. Sleep had eluded him and he’d risen to read until he got tired.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
He looked up from the book he read and glanced at the mantel clock. One of the few things he hadn’t packed away. “What in the world? Who would be out in this weather at this hour?”
What the hell?” said Liam, when he opened the door to his two younger brothers. “Jake? Zach? What are you two doing here? It’s the middle of the night.”
Zach growled from behind Jake. “Are you going to let us in or make us stand in this rain all night?”
“Come in. Zach put that gun away,” said Liam.
“Can’t until the kid here,” he poked Jake in the back with his gun, “is inside and we’ve talked to you.”
Jake, the youngest of his brothers, walked into the foyer of the house, followed closely by Zach. He stared down the hallway, packed with luggage and boxes down to the parlor, but didn’t question it. Didn’t even seem to notice that the house was packed up ready to move.
Both of them were haggard, completely worn out. Their coats were soaked through and they couldn’t have been comfortable. He’d never seen them looking so exhausted or…desperate.
“Sorry to do this to you, Liam. I know you’re leaving tomorrow,” said Zach as he holstered his gun and dripped water onto the foyer floor. He threw his had onto one of the steamer trunks. Jake followed suit.
It was times like these that the difference between his brothers was so striking. Zach with his nearly black hair and dark blue eyes. There was one in every generation with the coloring of their Gypsy great grandmother, Zach was theirs and their father had been the one in his generation. It was rare to have two gypsies in the same family, usual it was an uncle or aunt rather than a parent of the latest child with the coloring.
Jake with dark blond, overly long hair and light blue eyes most resembled their dear mother.
Liam was somewhere between the two, with light brown hair and gray eyes. His children were different as night and day, too. Ten year old David resembled Liam not only physically but mentally too. David always seemed to weigh his words before he spoke them. Whereas Hannah, the gypsy of her generation, said whatever came into her little head. She was only five, but even at her age, David had been as contemplative as he was now.
He smiled thinking of his children. They were his joy. His reason for living. He closed his eyes and grounded himself in the present and answered Jake.
“Yes. At first light. Now, tell me what’s going on and why you brought Jake here at gun point.”
“Only way I could get him to come,” growled Zach.
“And?” Liam said, exasperated. “Don’t make me beat the story out of you word by word, little brother. Just tell me the problem.”
Liam pointed at the two chairs in front of the fire and then went to the fireplace and stoked the banked coals back to a roaring blaze. He really didn’t need this now, not when he was leaving in the morning. Not when he was so close to putting the old, hurtful memories behind him.
About the author, Cynthia Woolf….
Cynthia Woolf is the author of six historical western romance books and one short story with more books on the way. She was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in the mountains west of Golden. She spent her early years running wild around the mountain side with her friends.
Their closest neighbor was one quarter of a mile away, so her little brother was her playmate and her best friend. That fierce friendship lasted until his death in 2006.
Cynthia was and is an avid reader. Her mother was a librarian and brought new books home each week. This is where young Cynthia first got the storytelling bug. She wrote her first story at the age of ten. A romance about a little boy she liked at the time.
Cynthia loves writing and reading romance. Her first western romance Tame A Wild Heart, was inspired by the story her mother told her of meeting Cynthia’s father on a ranch in Creede, Colorado. Although Tame A Wild Heart takes place in Creede that is the only similarity between the stories. Her father was a cowboy not a bounty hunter and her mother was a nursemaid (called a nanny now) not the ranch owner.
Cynthia credits her wonderfully supportive husband Jim and the great friends she’s made at CRW for saving her sanity and allowing her to explore her creativity.
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Links to Cynthia’s website, blog, books, etc.
Amazon Bestselling Western Author
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Matchmaker and Co. Series
Tame Series
Destiny in Deadwood Series
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**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Cynthia will give away a print copy of her book, REDEEMED BY A REBEL, to one reader who comments on her Book Bench blog. Don’t miss a chance to read this story! Thanks, Cynthia, for sharing your story with us!
April 17, 2014
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: German Chocolate Truffles
It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s! Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me. I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers. So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy. It might be a main course recipe. A cookie or baked item. Candy. Salads. Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is GERMAN CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES!
Who loves chocolate truffles as much as I do? These might not be the typical candies you’d find in a candy store, but they’re easy to make and still delicious. Oh, man! My mouth is watering just posting this blog! 
I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 139 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.
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GERMAN CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES
[Makes 6 dozen]
2 cups (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (4-oz.) pkg. Sweet cooking chocolate
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 T. vanilla extract
Unsweetened cocoa, powdered sugar, finely chopped nuts, flaked coconut, or chocolate sprinkles
In heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt chips and cooking chocolate with sweetened condensed milk. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Chill two hours or until firm.
Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in any of the above coatings. Chill one hour, or until firm. Store tightly covered at room temperature.
April 15, 2014
Karen’s Killer Book Bench RELEASE: Killing Secrets by K.L. Docter
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
IT’S A LAUNCH PARTY!!
KILLING SECRETS by K.L. DOCTER
Thorne’s Thorns Series – Book 1
Buy Now!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JPQ5ZVO
Check out my 14-Stop Blog Tour
Beginning April 17, 2014 for
Interviews
Top 10 List
Reviews
Rafflecopter Giveaways
eBooks & one $50 Amazon Gift Card
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BOOK BLURB
*
Some secrets are better left dead.
Rachel James’ ex-husband is released from prison determined to reclaim her and her little girl — the child is his key to controlling the James fortune. Frightened, Rachel flees to Denver with the child who hasn’t uttered a word since her daddy went to prison.
Contractor Patrick Thorne wants nothing to do with another of his parents’ charity cases. He failed his own wife so abysmally she took her own life as well as his unborn son’s. After two years, it’s time to concentrate on the bid he’s won and the saboteur trying to destroy his construction firm.
There is no room for trust in either of their hearts. But trust is all that will untangle the secrets that dominate their lives, free a little girl of her silent prison, and save them all from a serial killer who stands too close.
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KILLING SECRETS© by K.L. DOCTER
Thorne’s Thorns Series – Book 1
EXCERPT 
Prologue
Four weeks….
Two Days….
Sixteen hours….
…’Til death.
The first time he laid eyes on her, he stood on the threshold of a doorway he dare not cross. He fell into her fathomless dark gaze, unable, unwilling to shake his soul free and, in that one moment, he knew.
She was meant for him to love.
Untouched by the sordid life that flourished around her, she was sunlight in a gray existence. A smile in a dingy room. A joy such as he’d never known. She was a gift from a cold, unforgiving God. Forever innocent.
Why God would give him such a precious angel, he hadn’t a clue. But he suddenly knew what he was willing to die for. What he’d kill for.
In that instant of clarity the monster that lurked in the dark recesses of his mind was freed. A creature designed to kill. To live and die. Over and over again. Until his angel ascended once more to her place in Heaven at God’s feet where he couldn’t reach her.
‘Til death parted them, she was his and his alone.
Certain she’d been lost to him, the shock of spotting her again in LoDo, a lower downtown section of Denver, nearly brought him to his knees. His brain tried to tell him he was mistaken. She had more curves than he remembered. Her hairstyle and clothes were different.
The others were different, too.
He shook his head against the monster’s treacherous whisper. He refused to listen. Couldn’t listen. His angel smiled at him. His soul recognized her. Somehow, some way, his fractious God had been appeased and given him yet another chance.
The past seven days were hell. Watching her. Wanting to take her. He couldn’t screw up and lose her again. Tonight, his preparations in place, she’d return to his side where she belonged.
Breathing slow and measured through the full-face ski mask he’d bought at a thrift store, he sucked in a lungful of musty stench. In this uncommon late-May heat wave, he was sweating bullets, but the wool soaked it up before it could sting his eyes. The itching would drive him insane, though, if she didn’t come home from work soon.
The LoDo sports bar where she waited tables closed almost an hour ago. She couldn’t have gone on a date at two o’clock on a Thursday morning, could she?
Three times he’d entered her ground floor apartment after she’d left for work, and he’d seen no sign she was involved with anyone. No jockey shorts mixed with her panties in the hamper. No extra razor. The food in the refrigerator wasn’t enough to feed a cat, let alone her and a boyfriend, and the only scent on her pillows was floral. The sole message from a male on her answering machine had identified himself as a special research librarian from the Denver Public Library reminding her to pick up the copy of “The Warwick Genealogy” she’d requested.
That doesn’t mean she isn’t still involved with him, the almighty scion of Thorne Enterprises. She’s probably crawling into his bed like a whore right this minute, letting him do things to her, making her scream….
Screams.
Blood.
Death.
“No! Stop!” he whispered. “That was a mistake!”
Was it? The insidious question lashed him from the dark place in his pounding skull.
He rejected the smirking voice, the vivid images. Think of something else. Anything else. Forgetforgetfor—
A car alarm screamed at an outlying parking lot and dragged him out of his fugue. His eyes cleared. The pain behind them eased to a level he’d learned to carry over the years.
Soon, he would kill the nightmares forever. Patrick Thorne would die and the secrets with him. But the contractor hadn’t been punished enough yet. Before he finished, he’d ruin Thorne’s reputation, his livelihood, destroy everything he loved most in the world.
Just as Thorne destroyed our lives. The man must die! Now!
Restless to escape its bonds the monster thrust knife-hot pain in his brain, but he wrestled it back into the shadows and locked it down. Retribution was almost at hand, but not tonight. This night was about her.
Where was she?
Meet K.L. Docter….
K.L. Docter writes two different kinds of romance novels….
Romantic Suspense w/a K.L. Docter: Women hunted by killers…men who’d die to protect them.
Contemporary Romance w/a Karen Docter: Romance…With a Kick of Humor!
Karen’s contemporaries are cute & spicy romances. She loves writing about real men and women with dreams and goals that don’t allow for a relationship just so she can throw them in each other’s path…with a tickle and a smile.
Her romantic suspense novels (as K.L. Docter) are also filled with romance, although the dangers the hero and heroine face are intense, usually because a serial killer is bent on ending one or both of their lives before they can fall in love.
Karen’s an award winning author, a four-time Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® finalist, and won the coveted Kiss of Death Romance Writers Daphne du Maurier Award Category (Series) Romantic Mystery Unpublished division.
When she’s not saving her characters from death and destruction or helping them fall in love, she loves camping and fishing with her family, reading, gardening & cooking. If she can do most of those things over a campfire, all the better! FMI: http://www.karendocter.com
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Links to Karen/K.L.’s website, blog, books, etc.
Amazon eBook: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JPQ5ZVO
Amazon Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Secrets-Thornes-Thorns-Volume/dp/0988258633/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397621981&sr=8-1&keywords=Killing+Secrets+by+K.L.+Docter
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/killing-secrets-kl-docter/1119242571?ean=2940149259311
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/KLDocter
Website: www.karendocter.com
Amazon Author Page/K.L. Docter: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=K.L.%20Docter
Facebook/K.L. Docter Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/kldocter
Book Bench for Romance Lovers FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/281099382014548/
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/karendocter/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5754902.Karen_Docter
Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/karendocter
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/karendocter/
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Also writing Contemporary Romance as Karen Docter
Amazon Author Page/Karen Docter: http://www.amazon.com/Karen-Docter/e/B008TST8TY/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Facebook/Karen Docter Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karen-Docter-Author/112017712223396
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**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: K.L. will give away an e-copy of her book, KILLING SECRETS, to one reader who comments on her Wednesday Book Bench blog. Don’t miss this chance to read this story!
