Sandra Byrd's Blog, page 15

Ella for Bride

Birthday Dreams

Birthday Dreams is a fabulous organization which tries to ensure that every child, especially those in the direst circumstances, have a party to celebrate their special day. You can support them, or many other fine charities, with no additional cash outlay through the Amazon smiles program, if that is somewhere you regularly shop. Neat!

This month’s giveaway is a fiction OR a nonfiction pack.

The fiction pack includes my book, Mist of Midnight as well as the four-book London Confidential Series, for young teens.

The nonfiction pack includes my devotional for women and my devotional for tweens.  To learn more, click the links below.

I would love to hear about which causes are near and dear to you in the comments, so I can check them out, too! I’ll draw the winner’s name from among those who comment, below.

 

Devotions Books:
The One Year Home and Garden Devotions
One Year Be-tween You and God

Tween Fiction:
London Confidential

Fiction:
Mist of Midnight (Daughters of Hampshire, Book 1)

Angel Food Cake with Strawberry Curd

I have always loved Angel Food cake; it was my favorite birthday cake even as a child. When my husband and I first started dating, he made one for me… but in a 13 x 9 pan. It looked like an oversized dish sponge!

I’ve updated my cake just a little, using a recipe from a really good, young chef (click here). I would add about 5 minutes to her cooking time, and don’t use parchment on the base of the pan – it makes the upside-down cake fall out sometimes. Otherwise … this recipe is perfect! I couldn’t resist this picture of the cake coming out of the oven – she looks like the star of the production with stage lights upon her – as it should be!

I like to spread homemade strawberry curd on mine, too, and then dollop with whipped cream. Don’t be afraid to try making the curd – it’s very easy and SO delicious! I used frozen strawberries.

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Do tell – what is your favorite birthday cake?

Karen Harper Endorsement, Mist

“A marvelous mingling of mystery and deeply moving family and romantic love, Mist of Midnight kept me guessing until the very end. A house on a cliff, a Victorian-Gothic atmosphere, a cast of suspicious characters including a dark, brooding hero and a strong heroine: shades (or mists) of Jane Eyre and Rebecca! I look forward to the next novel in this compelling, new series.”

~ Karen Harper

NY Times bestselling author of Mistress of Mourning

Teacup Exchange!

Thank you to the 52 friends who shared in the great fun of my first Teacup and Coffee Mug Exchange. I hope you made a new “teapal” and enjoyed yourself. Be sure to open the newsletters as I email them out in 2016, so you stay active and can join our exchange next year, too. Merry Christmas!

Teacup and Coffee Mug Exchange!

When I was a schoolgirl, I especially enjoyed teachers who arranged pen pals for us. I’d eagerly await the chunky letters, sometimes stuffed with stickers or a pencil, from a new friend.

Then, a few weeks ago, I discovered the most wonderful idea – a teacup and coffee mug exchange. The creative blogger and generous heart behind this idea, Stephanie at the Enchanting Rose, agreed to share her idea with me. I want to launch my Home and Garden Devotional, which releases this month, in a homey way.



I recently purchased a double tea set trio from England, manufactured in the year in which my new historical novel is set; see it at the top of this post? I loved it so much I bought the English autumn trio: cup, saucer, and cake plate, below, also sold by The Afternoon Tea Set, to share as a part of this exchange.

Isn’t it lovely?

British tea trio, early twentieth century, sent from England.

It’s so easy to participate. There are guidelines below, but feel free to post a question if you need clarification.



I hope you’ll join us!



Guidelines:

If you’d like to participate in the teacup exchange, please fill out the Google form linked HERE.



Please remember that you are responsible for purchasing a teacup if you don’t already have one, and shipping out the teacup in a timely manner to whomever you are paired up with. If for some reason after signing up you are unable to participate in sending out a teacup, you must let Renee know by October 30, 2015. It’s not fun if someone doesn’t receive a teacup after sending out one of their own! Please send one of a quality that you would like to receive. Participants will be matched and notified of their match’s email address by October 31, 2015.



It’s a good idea to purchase some sort of tracking, so you can make sure your teacup arrives at its destination. Unfortunately, I cannot be responsible for lost items, misdirected packages, items shipped to incorrect addresses, or damaged shipments.



If you have any questions or concerns about the exchange, please contact Renee at steelergirl83@gmail.com with “Tea Cup Exchange” in the subject line.

Happy Sipping!

Classic Buttery Shortbread

For a classic, buttery shortbread cookie recipe, follow these easy directions. Enjoy with tea or coffee! {You can buy terrific shortbread pans on Amazon, by the way.}

 

You’ll need:

1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 t vanilla

1 cup flour

 

Preheat oven to 325.

 

Cream butter until whipped and almost white, about two minutes.  Add powdered sugar, and cream for one minute more till completely incorporated.  Add vanilla, beat for a fourth minute.  Add flour, beat until smooth.

Dump out on flour-dusted counter and knead about 10 folds, adding a little flour to keep from sticking, but not too much.  Press evenly into shortbread pan, bringing right up to the edges.

Bake in shortbread pan for 30 minutes, till golden brown.  Let cool on counter for 10 minutes till flipping onto serving platter.

If you don’t have a shortbread pan, you can cut the dough into fingers about 2 inches long by 1 inch wide and 1/2 thick and bake till golden brown.

 

September Newsletter Giveaway!

Laura Frantz is an author’s author – one we read for pleasure when we have a little all-too-spare reading time available. Why? Quality. She’s a fantastic novelist who is historically accurate while never letting the tenants of a good story slip.

For a chance to win a signed copy of her latest, along with some Virginia peanuts to snack on while you read, please leave a comment on what you love best – and like least – about fictional heroes {the men, that is!). Laura is known for writing great heroes!

Stuffed Sweet Peppers

I love the colors of September, and with football season at hand, I wanted new and interesting finger food.  These stuffed mini sweet peppers fit the bill perfectly!

Here is a link on how to roast peppers: there are several quick and easy methods.  After roasting the minis and cooling them, I decapitate (I’m sorry, perhaps my Tudor sensibilities are getting to me!) them. Then stuff them with softened Boursin cheese or plain old Philadelphia cream cheese. Delish! You can use a spoon to scoop in the softened cheese, or pipe it in with a pastry bag or plastic sandwich bag with a corner cut off.  

I’ll bet pitted Kalamata olives would look great with these, too.  Tasty…

Questions? Please comment below!

S’more Cake Pops

I’m on a cake pop kick. My friend Debbie and I took a class to learn the best techniques, and then my daughter and I have made several rounds, including the S’more cake pops featured here. A perfect way to end summer! I have a new neighbor moving in next week. Guess what their housewarming gift will be? The beauty of cake pops is that they are cute, tasty, and SMALL! So you can eat just one… at a time.

I found a wonderful little video that will show you how to make them, simply, and I’ve linked to it below. It’s well worth watching, just click HERE! My favorite tip? Use Costco pound cake or chocolate muffins instead of baking the cake yourself. Perfectly tasty, inexpensive, and easy! Questions? Post them below and I’ll see what I can do!