Pam Binder's Blog, page 5
June 2, 2015
Vegan Mama Recipes
Selecting the Potato Cake recipe the day after the Stuffed Peppers was a happy coincidence, so keep that in mind. I used two russet potatoes, one yam and two small white potatoes. I had one of the stuffed peppers left over from the previous night so that was the base. I steamed celery, roasted garlic and onions and additional peppers, but you can use any combination you’d like. Just refer to the recipe below. I learned my lesson with the half cooked potato kerfuffle, so I made sure the potatoes were cooked and nice and tender. Then I blended the vegetables together. I had made too much of the vegetable mix, so instead of throwing it away, I added Flex Seed Oil, and a ½ teaspoon of rosemary and created a delicious sauce.
Potato Cake Recipe
Add a variety of chopped cooked vegetables, broccoli, celery, brussel sprouts, green beans, roasted onions, roasted garlic, zucchini, summer squash, peppers, etc. Add some special soup or a vegetable broth to bind together. Mix and mash or together to form potato patties or use an ice cream scoop to dish out into a glass baking sheet. Line Dish with cabbage to keep potato cakes from sticking. Bake for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
Beets and Romaine Salad Recipe
3 beets (peeled and cubed)
½ yellow onion (chopped)
1 lemon (freshly squeezed)
½ bunch romaine (roughly chopped)
Place the onions in the bottom of a cooking pan, and then layer the bets on top. Cook on low heat for 45 minutes. Remove the beets and onions from the pot and strain out any liquids. Allow to cool. Toss the beets and onions with the raw romaine in lemon juice then serve.
Enjoy and be sure to let me know how the recipes turn out.
Vegan Mama
Sizzling Summer Reads Booksigning – A Valentine For Emma – June 20, 2015
Sizzling Summer Reads Beach PartyDate: Saturday, June 20, 2015 1pm – 3pm
Location: University Book Store Bellevue, 990 102nd Ave. N.E., Bellevue, WA…
The Summer Solstice signals vacation time and the guilty pleasure of reading something fun, highly readable and captivating.
Eleven local authors have banded together to get you into the mood for fun reading this summer. With an emphasis on romance, these authors write everything from sweet contemporary romance, steamy historical romance to women’s fiction and paranormal romance.
Join authors Pam Binder, Kelli Estes, Yasmine Galenorn, Heidi Hostetter, SaraLynn Hoyt, Alexis Morgan, Ann Roth, Gerri Russell, Sibelle Stone, Pat White and Sabrina York for a Sizzling Summer Reads Beach Party at the University Book Store in Bellevue, 990 102nd Ave. N.E. in Bellevue, on Saturday, June 20th, from 1 – 3pm.
There will be contests, giveaways, a beach blanket photo booth, and free refreshments. Wear your best beach attire and get a head start on your reading list, whether you’re headed to the beach, or just wish you were — kick off your summer fun with great books.
May 24, 2015
Stuffed Green Peppers
Sometimes we need a nudge to change — sometimes we need a shove.When our son chose to conquer his cancer by making his body healthier we joined him on his journey. He spent three weeks at the Sedona Wellness Center in Amazon learning about the connection between food and cancer. When he returned, along with the food dos and don’ts, he also brought back recipes. My goal is to cook all the recipes.
The first is STUFFED PEPPERS. This was a hit! But when it says to make sure the potatoes are baked, they are serious. I thought because the potatoes would be diced and put into the peppers and then baked another hour or so, everything would work out swell. Silly me! The potatoes weren’t cooked all the way through. It was still yummy, but it would have tasted even better if the potatoes were done.
The sauce that goes with this recipe, Roasted Red Pepper Sauce was also good. Feel free to use a lot of the sauce in the stuffed peppers. I did! I’ve listed both recipes below. Be sure to let me know if you try them.
Stuffed Peppers
4 large Bell pepper (cut in half and seeded, let soak in hot water until ready for use)
1 small eggplant (peeled and diced)
3 small zucchini (grated)
1 small red onion (finely sliced)
4 small baked potatoes (finely chopped or mashed)
Combine all the stuffing ingredients together and stuff the peppers until they have a nice mound of stuffing. Bake with a small amount of water in the pan and bake for a little over an hour. Serve with rooasted red pepper sauce.
Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
2 large red bell peppers (steamed/roasted)
1 head of garlic (roasted)
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup flax seed oil
1/4 cup parsley
Blend in food processor. I used my blender and it worked great.
December 21, 2014
Winter Solstice
Winter Solstice, or Yule, as it is known in Celtic celebrations has taken on new importance this year. But is December 21, the end of the world, as some speculate, or the dawn of a new age of awareness, inspiration and kindness?
Before answering that question, lets explore the meaning of Winter Solstice.
This time of year was seen as a great reversal of the Sun’s presence in the sky and stories of the birth or rebirth of the sun gods were a common thread in the world’s cultures. The Celts believed that on this night the Holly King, as the God of the waning year, would battle the Oak King, the God of the waxing year – and lose.
Winter Solstice Celebrations from hundreds and thousands of years ago to the present:
Christmas, Natalis Domini (4th century Rome, Christian) Christmas or Christ’s Mass is one of the most popular Christian celebrations as well as one of the most globally recognized mid-winter celebrations. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, called the “son of God,” the second person of the Holy Trinity, as well as “Savior of the World.” The birth is observed on December 25. Activities include feasting, Midnight Masses and singing Christmas carols. Many observe the holiday for twelve days leading up to Epiphany.
Rozhanitsa (12 Century East Slavs, Russia) In 12th century Russia, the eastern Slavs worshiped the winter mother goddess, Rozhnitsa, offering her honey, bread and cheese. Bright colored winter embroideries depicting the antlered goddess were made in her honor and white, deer-shaped cookies were given as lucky gifts. Some Russian women continued the observation of these traditions into the 20th century.
Brumalia (Roman Kingdom) Influenced by the Ancient Greek Lenaia festival, Brumalia was an ancient Roman solstice festival honoring Bacchus. The festival included drinking and merriment. The name is derived from the Latin word bruma, meaning “shortest day” or “winter solstice”.
Dongzhi (East Asian Cultural Sphere) The Winter Solstice Festival or The Extreme of Winter is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Chinese on or around December 21 when sunshine is weakest and daylight shortest. The origins of this festival can be traced back to the yin and yang philosophy of balance and harmony in the cosmos.
Hanukkah (Jewish) Hanukkah, also know as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December. The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a unique candelabrum, the nine-branched Menorah of Hanukkah.
Makara Sankranti (Hindu, India and Nepal) Makara Sankranti, is the only Hindu festival which is based on the celestial calendar rather than the lunar calendar. In some parts of India, the festival is celebrated by taking dips in the Ganges or another river and offering water to the Sun god. In many cities, families fly bright colorful kites from their roofs all day and into the night. It is a form of celebrating and welcoming the longer days.
Shab-e Chelleh, Yalda (2nd millennium BC Persian Empire, Iran) Shab-e Chelleh is celebrated on the eve of the first day of winter in the Persian calendar, which always falls on the solstice. According to Iranian mythology, Mithra was born at the end of this night after the long-expected defeat of darkness against light. Shab-e Chelleh is now an important social occasion, when family and friends get together for fun and merriment. The presence of dried and fresh fruits is reminiscence of the ancient feasts to celebrate and pray to the deities to ensure the protection of the winter crops.
Inti Raymi (Inca: Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador) Inti Raymi, or “Festival of the Sun” was a religious ceremony of the Inca Empire in honor of the sun god, Inti. One ceremony performed by the Inca priests was the tying of the sun. In Machu Picchu there is still a large column of stone called an Intihuatana, meaning, “hitching post of the sun”. The ceremony to tie the sun to the stone was to prevent the sun from escaping.
Soyal (Zuni people and Hopi people of North America) Soyal is the winter solstice ceremony of the Zuni and the Hopi. It is held on December 21, the shortest day of the year. The main purpose of the ritual is to ceremonially bring the sun back from its long winter slumber. It also marks the beginning of another cycle of the Wheel of the Year, and is a time for purification.
Yule (Finnic and Germanic peoples) Yule or Yuletide, is a winter festival that was initially celebrated by the Northern European people as a pagan religious festival, though it was later absorbed into, and equated with, the Christian festival of Christmas. The festival was originally celebrated from late December to early January on a date determined by the lunar Germanic calendar. The festival was placed on December 25 when the Christian calendar (Julian calendar) was adopted. Scholars have connected the celebration to the Wild Hunt.
So why did our ancestors single out Winter Solstice as a celebration in the first place? There are many theories, but one caught my attention. Starvation was common during harsh winters and as a result, communities joined together, and shared lodging and food in order to survive. It was a time to take a break and appreciate their blessings.
Winter Solstice is not the end of the world. It is the continuing of our awareness of the good in everyone. The signs have always been there. We just have to think with our hearts.
December 1, 2014
Christmas In The Highlands
Christmas in Scotland is a wonderful blend of the old and the new. All the usual holiday trimmings are on display, but with a warm twist that is pure Scotland. Bagpipes weave their magic throughout cities both large and small, a Christmas Santa might wear a kilt and haggis might be decorated with holly. The use of holly in this Celtic region is not an accident. It harkens back to ancient times when holly was one of the only flora that was vibrant and colorful during the long winter months, or what was referred to as the white realm. Holly and its bright red berries gave hope that spring was right around the corner.
During the Reformation, however, the celebration of Christmas was discouraged and solders were tasked with sniffing out anyone baking Christmas breads. Christmas celebration went underground. Only the High Church of England and the Catholics kept the old traditions alive. Thankfully, the Reformation did not have as large an influence in Germany. So when Queen Victoria married, Albert, the German Prince Consort, the Victorians brought Christmas out into the light of day.
Customs were revived. Bakeries were reopened, trees were decorated once again, and people went from house to house singing carols. The joy of the season had returned.
The season of Christmas has always been my sister’s favorite. So much so that I had always wanted to write a Christmas book and dedicate it to her. This year I accomplished my goal. Christmas in the Highlands was released November 25th and over Thanksgiving I presented her with a surprise copy.
What is your goal for the season?
Have a great day,
Pam
November 26, 2014
Writing Tips – SOUND
SOUND —–The tone of a person’s voice can provoke a rainbow of emotions. A deep voice can make us feel grounded whereas a high pitched screech can put us on edge. Experiment the next time you are watching a television show or movie. Close your eyes and try to picture the person from the tone of their voice. The same can happen when you are writing setting. If you add music in your scene what instruments are being used, do they blend together, or fight each other? Does the music fit the rhythm of your book, or feel out of place? Or is the out of place music making a point?
Why do some sounds make us feel calm, while others grate on our nerves like fingernails on a blackboard? If a baby cries, we know they are in stress and we come to their aid. But why can that same cry also be annoying if we hear it in a restaurant or on a crowded plane?
Maybe because we human beings are complicated. Sound, like the other senses, evoke memories. But not everyone enjoys the same music. When writing your novel go the next step. Instead of adding random noise, consider how sound affects your characters. To see this in action, all you have to do is pay attention to the music during a movie or play. The music helps set the mood.
What type of music is your main character’s favorite?
Have a great day writing,
Pam
November 20, 2014
Where do story ideas come from?
Last week I was invited to a bookclub to discuss my book,The Inscription. These amazing readers call themselves the Bibliobabes. They asked me where I got the inspiration for my newest novel, Christmas in the Highlands.
That really was a cool story in itself.
I was cleaning out some old keepsakes I’d found that belonged to my grandmother and found a gold locket. Because I’m an author, and of course the curious type, I tried to open it, but it wouldn’t budge. The more I tried, the more I wondered what could be inside. Then an idea blossomed. Was the locket soldered closed to hide a secret?
BLAM. The idea for my Christmas novel took hold. I still haven’t opened the locket. I’m thinking that there is a reason why it has been kept a secret for so long, but I realized something else. Authors get their ideas from asking questions and then thinking- what if? What did a shoe wash onto shore? Where is Maylasian Flight 370? But don’t overlook the seemingly innocent things that happen to you everyday. Why did you bump into a friend that you hadn’t seen in five years? Why did your battery die? There are logical explanations for all of these questions. As authors we look for the extraordinary. Keep asking questions.
So where do you get your story ideas?
November 19, 2014
Book Signing – A Valentine For Emma
June 20, 2015
1;00 – 3:00 p.m.
Book Signing – Christmas in the Highlands
December 4, 2014
6;00 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
December 7, 2014
1:00 p.m.
November 13, 2014
Writing Tips
The Sense of TASTE
How do we learn? You’re probably wondering what an odd question. But ponder the question for a moment.
In school, we are taught through listening to a lecture, through reading textbooks or through writing down answers or constructing sentences. When you read a novel those same principles are in play.
Taste is a sense that is so much fun. Memorable scenes can be created using this wonderful sense. One of my favorite movies, as my students all know, is CHOCOLATE, with Johnny Depp, Juliette Binoche and Judi Dench. The appreciation and meaning to each character plays a major theme throughout the movie. My love of chocolate even appears in every book I write. So much so that in THE INSCRIPTION, I did extensive research just to make sure chocolate was available in Europe during the time my story took place. I still love that scene.
When you add taste into your novel choose wisely, however. First think about the emotion you wish to create in your novel. What do you want your characters to feel when they are eating? Is the food in your novel seasonal? Yes, I know that in modern times, all foods are available. But when we see pumpkins we think about fall – pumpkin pie, Thanksgiving turkey. In the winter it is all about the hot cocoa, thick soups, and during the Holiday season we think about sugar cookies. Refer to your family traditions and add them to your story. These are the emotions you are searching for that will make your characters come alive.
What seasonal foods would you use in your novels to evoke spring and summer?
Have a great day writing,
Pam
