Sandra Byrd's Blog, page 13
November 28, 2016
Blind Date With a Book Giveaway
My friend Amy Sullivan had the concept of Blind Date with a Book on her Facebook page. I thought it was so cool I asked her if I could borrow it – and she said, yes! So this month’s giveaway is a blind date book. I’ve carefully wrapped it and left a few clues on the outside. In the comment section below, please leave a comment about your favorite Christmas book, song, or movie. Renee will draw a winner from all those who answer. Winner must be willing to share a picture with me, of the package opened, so that all who participate can see. I’ll also share it with the author of the blind-date book!
Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies
I adore these crunchy, soft, pillowy, chewy cookies. They are perfumed with woody, mellow ginger which instantly evokes the holiday season, and the pearl sugar scattered across the tops brings snowflakes to mind. They are not difficult to make, either; once baked, they are little bites of Christmas perfection. Do use the ginger syrup: I buy it online, and the pearl sugar, too, but you can make it yourself and it’s easy to do. Everything else should be readily available at your local grocery store!
Find the recipe by clicking here.
November 15, 2016
October 25, 2016
A Lady in Disguise
“A Lady in Disguise, the final—and most romantic!—novel in the Daughters of Hampshire series, balances moments of sheer loveliness with things dark and deadly. Author Sandra Byrd ushers readers onto a story-rope pulled taut by social, political, criminal and sigh-worthy romantic tension. On the surface, theatre seamstress Gillian and aristocrat Lord Lockwood are a wonderfully mismatched pair, but each time they cross paths an undeniable zing of chemistry draws them further into the other’s heart . . . and a disguise-driven world. As that attraction grows into love, Gillian’s doubts about Lord Lockwood’s motives become much more painful to sort—and bear.
Both main and minor characters are richly built, and as they circle around each other, each must battle questions of honest love versus blind loyalty . . . and painful truth versus pretty pretense. Fans of historical Victorian and Gothic romance will feel right at home in these tightly-spun, suspenseful pages. Highly recommended!”~Serena Chase, USA Today‘s Happy Ever After, author of The Ryn
September 26, 2016
2016 Teacup and Coffee Mug Exchange
I’m delighted that you’ll be joining us for my annual tea cup exchange! It’s very simple to participate! You agree to send a carefully packaged teacup and saucer (or a coffee mug) to someone, and she will agree to send one to you. Please select something to give that you would like to receive, and please use tracking or insurance, as I cannot be responsible for lost or damaged mail.
Once all of the names are gathered, Renee will match partners and notify each set of exchange partners about the email and mailing address of their tea-pal. You and your tea-pal will correspond via email if you like, and ship one another your treasures.
Please, send a picture of your teacup or mug to Renee, after you receive it. One name will be drawn from among those who send a picture, and that winner will receive a lovely package of 60 teabags from Fortnum and Mason on Piccadilly, in London.
Sign up here to participate in the exchange!
Easy Lemon Drizzle Cake
Easy Lemon Drizzle Cake
1 Box Lemon Cake Mix, (not one with pudding in it)
1 Box Instant Lemon Pudding
1 jar of Lemon Curd, British if you can find it
4 extra large eggs
1/3 C Vegetable oil
2/3 C Water
¼ Cup Sugar
Zest from 2 lemons
~ 2 Tbs Butter
Preheat oven to 350. Thoroughly butter a Bundt pan, so it is well greased. In a small bowl, mix sugar and lemon zest. Pour into the buttered Bundt pan and swirl it around, completely coating the pan, as if you were flouring it.
Using an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, mix the cake mix and pudding till completely blended. Add the eggs, oil, water, and 1/3 cup of the lemon curd. Blend for 2 minutes on medium, and, after scraping bowl, mix on high for 20 seconds. The mixture should be very creamy.
Pour into Bundt pan and bake for 45ish minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool on a rack for 20 minutes, then gently flip and ease out of the pan and onto a serving plate.
While cake is cooling, gently warm the remaining lemon curd in the microwave so that it is pourable, but not liquid. Stir the jar, and then use a spoon to drizzle over the top of the cake. Sprinkle zested lemon bits over the top for decoration.
Let cake cool completely and serve!
July 25, 2016
Candy Sushi
Easy-peasy and so much fun. Simply purchase the ingredients below and make whatever you’d like, however you’d like. Here are some ideas to get you started!
For the “sushi rice” you simply make Rice Krispies treats, and while the mixture is still warm, mold into the shapes you’d like. We liked to drape “fish” over it, so we molded it with our hands.
We also rolled it up in “seaweed” so save some for that, too!
Seaweed = green Fruit Roll-Ups, or Fruit by the Foot
Roe on top of the roll-ups = candy pearls from the baking section of any craft store
Fish = Fruit Gel Slices, with the edges cut off. You can also use Swedish Fish candies!
Fish inside of the rolled up sushi = gumdrops, cut in half.
London Confidential Giveaway
Thank you!
May 30, 2016
Victorian Grab Bag Giveaway
To be entered into the giveaway, please comment below on the things you most like to find in the books you read. I will read each comment, though I won’t remark on them until the end so I don’t skew the drawing numbers!
I’ll prepare all of these treats for mailing and place a number on each wrapped package. My assistant Renee (doesn’t that sound like I’m a magician?!) will draw names from the comments and assign numbers via Random.org. I’ll match names/numbers with the numbers of the packages, and then ship out as many hidden treasures as I’ve found. Don’t worry if you don’t win this time. I’ll hold my grab-bag giveaway every year. Winners can be US based or international, but I release responsibility for the post once it leaves my local post office!
Cherry Cheesecake Truffles
I have always loved the combination of chocolate and cherry, especially chocolate-dipped cherries. Last year, I experimented with cake balls and cake truffles, so this year, I thought, why not try a cheesecake truffle—with a twist? A cherry inside!
A truly simple recipe, this is one you can do on your own, or with a friend, a child, or a grandchild. My daughter and I made these for Mother’s Day. You can expand or contract the ingredients to make as many or as few as you like. They freeze well, before dipping, so they’d be nice to have on hand for unexpected guests. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
5 slices of cheesecake, prepared or homemade
25 small maraschino cherries, or large ones, cut in half
1-2 bags of Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Melting Wafers (at stores in the baking aisle, or at Amazon.com)
How To:
-Mush up all of the cheesecake slices, lightly, with a fork, crust and all. You just want it soft and blended, but don’t over mash.
-Place about 2T into the palm of your hand, and soften into a circle. Each slice should make 4-5 truffles.
-Place a cherry in the center of the cheesecake circle and then “wrap” the cheesecake around it, enveloping the cherry. It’s okay to patch if you need to!
-Place on a tray which has been lined with parchment paper. Freeze.
When the balls are frozen solid, melt the melting wafers, and dip the frozen balls one at a time. Place on the parchment paper again till the coating is solid; you can drizzle colored candy melt over the tops if you like. Enjoy!
