Vanessa Riley's Blog, page 180

Austen’s World Wrap Up. March 23, 2017

Looks What’s Brewing in the Regency

Call for Films for 2017 Annual General Meeting in Huntington BeachThe Steering Committee for the 2017 Annual General Meeting in Huntington Beach invites films for
their Young Filmmakers Contest related to the conference theme, “Jane Austen in Paradise: Intimations of Immortality.”Some possibly unpopular thoughtsA few things have happened in the last month or so to put diversity in historical romance at the forefront of my mind. All of them came to a head when I was reading tweets discussing the recent post on … Continue reading →

Digest powered by RSS Digest

Originally posted 2017-03-23 06:20:17.

The post Austen’s World Wrap Up. March 23, 2017 first appeared on Vanessa Riley's Regency Reflections.

Austen’s World Wrap Up. March 16, 2017

Looks What’s Brewing in the Regency

Who wore it best?Yesterday, my daughters and I went out to shop for a prom dress for my youngest. We had a lot of fun and she found a lovely princess-y dress that fits her perfectly. It’s making me think about pretty dresses … Continue reading →

Digest powered by RSS Digest

Originally posted 2017-03-16 06:20:51.

The post Austen’s World Wrap Up. March 16, 2017 first appeared on Vanessa Riley's Regency Reflections.

Austen’s World Wrap Up. March 9, 2017

Looks What’s Brewing in the Regency

The Argyll RoomsWhen I was writing Bound By Their Secret Passion, the final book in the Scandalous Summerfields series, I needed to invent a masquerade that would attract the most scandalous of London’s aristocracy and the Cyprian world. I decided to place … Continue reading →Spring Thinking: Looking Forward, into the PastAs I pondered a topic for this month, a friend suggested “spring fashions” and here’s what happened: 1) I decided fellow Risky Isobel’s expertise on Regency fashions so far exceeds my own, I should leave that topic to her, and … Continue reading →

Digest powered by RSS Digest

Originally posted 2017-03-09 06:20:04.

The post Austen’s World Wrap Up. March 9, 2017 first appeared on Vanessa Riley's Regency Reflections.

Austen’s World Wrap Up. February 23, 2017

Looks What’s Brewing in the Regency

The Life and Opinons of Ignatius SanchoOne of my favorite Georgian novels is The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman (and not just because I also adore the movie with Albert Finney!). I own a Victorian copy in two volumes that I found at a … Continue reading →

Digest powered by RSS Digest

Originally posted 2017-02-23 06:21:41.

The post Austen’s World Wrap Up. February 23, 2017 first appeared on Vanessa Riley's Regency Reflections.

Austen’s World Wrap Up. February 16, 2017

Looks What’s Brewing in the Regency

Imaginary tripsI know there are reasons why college financial aid paperwork and income tax paperwork have to done at the same time, but I don’t have to like it! When I am up to my eyeballs in Things I Don’t Enjoy, … Continue reading →Ahem. Yes. HelloBoy, it’s been a tough several months for me, in case anyone was wondering. In fact, I’ve essentially missed making this post, too, because I thought I was supposed to post the 10th. Hopefully things right-size in a bit. I’ve … Continue reading →

Digest powered by RSS Digest

Originally posted 2017-02-16 06:20:41.

The post Austen’s World Wrap Up. February 16, 2017 first appeared on Vanessa Riley's Regency Reflections.

Consistent Prayer

Vanessa here,

I am guilty. I am guilty of loading my plate to high, of volunteering for too much, of getting so busy that I forget to pray. This year I am going to be more consistent. Face it. There are a lot of things that need prayer. I have friends waking up in fear and depression. Truthfully, I counted more sad days that happy ones.

But God is in control. I thank him that the bad wasn’t so horrid, that tomorrow never came. Yet, I am convicted of forgetting or being too tired to do the one thing I can to alleviate the anxiety that wants to take hold.

Prayer. I am going to keep it simple, but I am going to be consistent.

I’m ordering a new prayer journal to keep me on this path. Yes, I am not just an author but a believer in the product too.

For your free PDF version of the Prayer Journal sign up here.

Here is the link to Amazon to order a print copy.

Originally posted 2017-02-12 21:42:04.

The post Consistent Prayer first appeared on Vanessa Riley's Regency Reflections.

Austen’s World Wrap Up. February 9, 2017

Looks What’s Brewing in the Regency

Registration Is Open for 2017 Tour to EnglandJASNA is now accepting registrations for its sponsored Tour of England in July, 2017.
The 2017 Tour is sure to be popular because the County of Hampshire and Austen sites are making
special arrangements to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen?s death.How Rich was Rich?Money is not an acceptable topic of conversation among the gently-bred, so I beg forgiveness for breaking the taboo. We people our books with wealthy, dashing characters who are the equivalents of today’s super rich –dukes and earls instead of … Continue reading →

Digest powered by RSS Digest

Originally posted 2017-02-09 06:20:18.

The post Austen’s World Wrap Up. February 9, 2017 first appeared on Vanessa Riley's Regency Reflections.

New Year, New Day, New Ketchup

Vanessa here,

First I’d like to start by saying Happy New Year and thank you. Thank you for reading my romances. Thank you for all the notes, tweets, and emails of encouragement. Thank you for telling your friends and aunties about by stories. You gave so many smiles this past year, on days where I couldn’t lift my head. The year of Lord, Two-Thousand and Sixteen was a very difficult year for me personally, loosing two important people in my life to cancer and heart disease. These two helped shape my life. I pray their influence continues. I know the love will.

Nonetheless, 2017 is a year of new beginnings. I am taking back power this year. My first battle is on salt. Yes, salt, sodium chloride. Those little delicious crystals are in everything. Why does the good tasting bread have to have over 150 mg a slice?

I digress. My goal is to improve my health, so I have to reduce the salt. Currently, I’m on salt punishment, and I am limiting my intake to 300 mg. Sadly, that means limiting my intake of the lovelies: Cheese, Bread, Ketchup.

Ketchup, that yummy sauce of wonderfulness can have over 150 mg of salt per a tablespoon. First, I can eat more than a tablespoon of ketchup on a small portion air-fried french fries.  Secondly, why Hunts and Heinz, why?

I tried to drown my sorrows in Hunts’s salt-free ketchup. Ummm, no. Facing life with no ketchup was not an option so I decided to make my own. I did, and I am in hog heaven.

Vanessa’s Low-Salt Ketchup

1 Large can (28 oz) of no salt tomatoes, diced

1 Small bottle (187 ml) of Cabernet Sauvignon

Blend the tomatoes until smooth in a blender and add them with the cabernet into a sauce span. Simmer the two on low heat, almost boiling. Add the following:

1 Tbsp of Garlic Powder

2 Tsp of Ground Celery Seed

1 Tbsp of Ground Mustard

1 Tbsp of Balsamic Vinegar

2 Tbsp of Tomato Paste (This is the only salt of the recipe. The amount you add should be 30mg of salt.)

1/2 to 1 Jar (13.8 oz) of Pepper Jelly (This must be salt free.)

Add as much of the jelly as you want to your taste. It add a smokey sweet heat to the ketchup. Add black pepper to taste.

When the sauce has reduced by 1/3, use a stick blender and blend the sauce (the remaining 2/3) to make smooth the spices and any thickened bits of the sauce. Continue to simmer sauce for another 30 minutes. Cool the sauce then put in air tight containers. Keep in the refrigerator.

You have yummy low salt ketchup which is down to 3 mg of sodium per tablespoon. I love it. It was even great baked on trout. 

Enjoy!!!

 

Originally posted 2017-01-20 22:40:42.

The post New Year, New Day, New Ketchup first appeared on Vanessa Riley's Regency Reflections.

Austen’s World Wrap Up. January 19, 2017

Looks What’s Brewing in the Regency

Who needs an excuse for trifle?My daughters and I have a tradition of trying new recipes out for New Year’s Eve dinner. This year, I’d planned to try a new macaroni and cheese recipe (with smoked gouda, bacon, and peas) followed by a chocolate brownie … Continue reading →

Digest powered by RSS Digest

Originally posted 2017-01-19 06:20:22.

The post Austen’s World Wrap Up. January 19, 2017 first appeared on Vanessa Riley's Regency Reflections.

Austen’s World Wrap Up. January 12, 2017

Looks What’s Brewing in the Regency

Cover Reveal & an Unusual Topic -Cheetahs! Happy 2017! I had hoped to give you a date for the re-release of The Magnificent Marquess, but I am finishing up my revisions and still aiming for the end of this month or early February. I just can’t sit … Continue reading →The Return to the Follies, or, Writing Regency AgainHappy New Year, dear Riskies readers! I’m sorry I’m late with my very first post of the year; I meant to write it on Wednesday evening after walking the doggies. But as I was about to fall asleep after walking … Continue reading →

Digest powered by RSS Digest

Originally posted 2017-01-12 06:21:21.

The post Austen’s World Wrap Up. January 12, 2017 first appeared on Vanessa Riley's Regency Reflections.