Sherri Stewart's Blog, page 2
August 18, 2021
Hop in the car and let's go to Houston!
August 2021 Newsletter
Sherri Stewart
www.stewartwriting.com
Which one do you prefer: Whataburger or In-N-Out Burger?
Five Surprising things about Houston, Texas
1. Residents in Houston eat out more times a week than in any other city in America.
2. More heart surgeries are performed in the Texas Medical Center than anywhere else in the world.
3. The first traditional Hindu Mandir in the nation was built in Houston.
4. Houston Was The First Word Spoken On The Moon: “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.”
5. Before air conditioning was available in Houston, people used to put ice blocks in front of fans.
Texas Chicken Fried Steak
From The Urban Cowgirl
Ingredients
4 (1/2-inch-thick) steaks of eye of round
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon seasoning salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1/4 liter canola oil, for frying
West Texas Gravy:
3–4 tablespoons oil, reserved from the pan you cooked the steaks in
3–4 tablespoons flour (grab some of the seasoned flour from breading the steaks)
2 cans evaporated whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder and onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Begin with the round steak. Place the round steak inside the butcher paper it comes in, or use parchment or wax paper to cover the individual steaks on both sides while pounding flat. Pound out your steaks with a tenderizing mallet to thin 1/4-inch slices. They will get bigger and wider as you go. I alternate between the spiky side and the flat side of the mallet as I go.
Combine the flour, seasoning salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk it well, then place it on a large platter.
In a glass dish (big enough to dunk a whole steak) combine the three eggs and milk and whisk into a thin mixture to make an egg wash.
Dip each steak into flour, shake it off, then into egg wash, shake it off, then back into the flour. Place each steak on a nice big cookie sheet. Repeat with all the steaks, then transfer into the refrigerator for a half-hour. Do not skip this step. This is giving the flour mixture time to bind and develop. Meanwhile, you can clean up, remembering to reserve 4 tablespoons of seasoned flour for the gravy.
To cook the steaks, fill a cast-iron skillet about halfway with canola oil. Heat the oil to 350°F on medium-high heat. (You can test the oil with the back of a wooden spoon. When it bubbles around the spoon, it’s hot enough. This happens at about 350°F.)
Using tongs, place a steak in the oil. It should immediately start to bubble and cook, but not explode with activity. If it does, you will want to turn the heat down a nudge. Depending on the size of your skillet, you can cook two or more at the same time. Especially if you preheated that cast-iron skillet. You may have to monitor the heat when adding new steaks. I think a good secret is to let the majority of the first steak get nice and well fried on one side before trying to add in another one.
Watch the edges of the steak for a golden-brown color. The edges will tell you what it looks like underneath! When you feel like the sides look golden brown, flip the steak and repeat frying on the other side, 4-5 minutes depending on the pan used.
As each steak is done, remove it from the pan and immediately salt it on each side. Hold on a cookie sheet in a preheated oven at about 225°F. This will keep them hot while you cook the other steaks, but they are best served quickly for maximum crispiness.
When all of the steaks are resting and toasting in the oven, pour all the grease out of the skillet except about 3–4 tablespoons and turn the heat down to low. Sprinkle in the reserved flour and whisk until a brown paste begins to form.
Slowly whisk in one can of milk and whisk until it is thoroughly combined. Turn the heat up to medium and whisk as the gravy begins to take form and thicken, which happens when the mixture starts to simmer. Little bubbles will begin to form. Keep the heat around medium.
I usually add another 1/2 can of milk as I decide how thin/thick I want my gravy . . . that’s just a preference thing. Feel free to do what you like. Add the lemon juice, onion and garlic powder, and salt. We crack freshly ground pepper in just before serving and sprinkle on fresh thyme from our herb garden.
Meet Author, Eliza Scalia
My name is Eliza Scalia, I am a 25 year old therapist at a juvenile detention center for boys. I am the author of soon to be twelve books (4 self-published, 8 traditionally published) as well as two published short stories. I have a master’s degree in clinical mental health, and the knowledge I obtained through that education is used throughout my written works. I am also in charge of instructing a study group for traditional Japanese swordsmanship, the school that the study group is part of being several centuries old. I may be a young author with a busy life, but I have plenty of other stories to tell.
I currently live in the panhandle of Florida around twenty miles from the beach. Naturally when here, the best places to go center around the beach and water sports. We also have many shopping areas, places where small or big kids can have fun, and endless fabulous restaurants.
I am currently writing the children’s chapter book series, The Adventures of Silver Dove . This series is all about superheroes and has an anti-bullying premise. Two teens are given superpowers in their freshman year. Colomba transforms into the hero, Silver Dove, the defender of peace. Luis transforms into the Crow. One power that the Crow possesses is that he can give other people superpowers. Luis has always been bullied, so he decides to give superpowers to other bullied kids so that they can get revenge. Each book focuses on a different reason for why a person would get bullied; such as shyness, obesity, or disabilities. Silver Dove recognizes that these are kids in pain and chooses to convince them that revenge is not the way to go and helps them realize how to solve their problems. https://elizascalia.com/
The setting of my book, Death’s Assistant , is mostly within a high school in a small, rural town. Honestly I did not have to do any research for my setting. I went to a high school like this in Winchester, KY, a place so small and insignificant to most people that even people who lived in nearby towns didn’t know where it was. An actual state is never mentioned in my books since I want this to be a small town anywhere. I want this story to be read by anybody so they can see their local high school in the story. The place does not matter to me; what matters are the people within the place.
https://amzn.to/3yjWDJq
Hot Crab-and-Artichoke Dip
This creamy crab dip is coming in hot. Artichokes, cream cheese, Old Bay seasoning, a hit of lemon, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheese combine to create an appetizer that hits all the right notes. The process is easy: All you need to do is melt the cream cheese, stir in the rest of the ingredients, and sprinkle the top with the remaining Parmesan before popping the baking dish into the oven. Just make sure to set the timer because this Hot Crab-and-Artichoke Dip will be bubbling to perfection in a flash. For the best-tasting dip, look for freshly picked unpasteurized crabmeat at your local seafood counter. Your second-best option is frozen fresh crabmeat. Avoid the canned kind; it is pasteurized to have a longer shelf life and doesn’t have as much flavor or aroma as the fresh stuff. Serve with crackers or Belgian endive leaves.
By Karen Schroeder-Rankin
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 scallions, chopped (about 3 Tbsp.)
3/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
3/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
1 teaspoon lemon zest, plus 1 Tbsp. fresh juice (from 1 lemon), divided
1/2 cup finely chopped artichoke hearts (from 1 [14-oz.] can)
4 ounces lump crabmeat, drained, picked over, and squeezed dry
1 ounce low-moisture mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1/4 cup)
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded (about 3/4 cup), divided
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 1-quart gratin baking dish with cooking spray.
Microwave cream cheese in a large microwavable bowl on HIGH until very soft, about 20 seconds.
Stir in mayonnaise, scallions, Old Bay, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce (if desired), and lemon zest until well blended.
Gently fold in lemon juice, artichokes, crabmeat, mozzarella, and 2/3 cup of the Parmesan.
Spread mixture evenly in prepared baking dish; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan (about 1 1/2 tablespoons).
Bake until dip is hot throughout and bubbly around edges, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Serve with crackers and endive leaves.
Meet Patricia Lee
Patricia Lee has had a fascination with words and what they can do since she wrote her first short paragraph at the age of six. She worked as a stringer for a local newspaper during her middle and high school years representing the school's news to the community. She received her B.A. in Journalism from the University of Oregon, then went on to work as a tabloid newspaper editor at her local church.
After she married, she began her freelancing career and sold to various publications, including Expecting , Moody Monthly , and Power for Living . More recently she has published in two anthologies, Cup of Comfort Bible Promises and Heavenly Company , as well as featured articles in Focus on the Family's Clubhouse magazine . An Anchor On Her Heart , her debut novel, released in July, 2017 with Mountain Brook Ink, and she has since released three more novels, Love’s Autumn Harvest, Love Calls Her Home , and A Kite on the Wind . The Descendant’s Daughter released in December 2020 with Winged Publications.
She lives with her husband and a handful of furry friends in the Pacific Northwest. The couple has two grown children.
Tell us about your book, The Sister’s Plight
Will a pair of long lost treasures recovered a continent apart pave the way for two eager hearts to find each other?
Realtor Blake Bergstrom stumbles upon an ancient barn while checking fences along a deserted property. A cursory inspection reveals a prairie schooner stored at the building’s back. He climbs into the wagon and discovers a rusted lockbox. Secreted within is a water color portrait of a young man. Whose picture could this be and why is it here?
When her mother needs her to check an abandoned cabin before the plantation where it sits is sold, Emberly Chastain uncovers her great-great-great Uncle Fred’s Bible and takes it with her. Tucked inside is a watercolor portrait of a young woman Emberly can’t place. Her uncle never married. Who can she be?
Curiosity sets Emberly on a quest to solve the mystery, a journey that will take her across the continent following a long ago wagon train. Will whatshe finds help her own heart mend and open the door to a new love?https://amzn.to/3shXLel
Meet Diana Shuford
All of my life I’ve loved to read. When I had poetry published in middle school and high school, a kernel of desire to see my words in print took root. After marrying the most important man in my life, I attended and graduated from Georgia State University (Go Panthers!) with a degree in Education and a teaching certificate. During my years in the work place and focusing on my family, my desire to write intensified. After much discussion with my husband, I once again began pursuing my dream of becoming a published author.
I consider the desire, ability, and opportunity to write stories a gift. As with any gift, the written word must be used with thought and care. Through printed words, others can be encouraged, edified, and entertained. Where else can all three be accomplished?
My goal with every story is to create characters that inspire and encourage others to follow their faith. God’s grace, mercy, and provision are more than sufficient in every situation: through trials, through conflicts, through happiness. Each individual character must decide what role faith plays in their life just as we (you and I) must decide how important faith is to us. Each created character brings their faith into the real world to find victory and blessings.
In addition to writing, I am also a mother, grandmother, part business owner, and full-time teacher/learning specialist in the public school system.
Readers can connect with me through my website: www.diannashuford.com, on Facebook @authordiannashuford, or on Twitter @DiannaWrites. I would love to hear from you.
Tell us about where you live
I live in a small Georgia town called Senoia. A fun fact about Senoia is that it is the home of the Walking Dead and Riverwood Studios; we even had an episode of the Walking Dead filmed in our neighborhood, and our yard became the actors’ break area for a day. Zombies walked back and forth in our backyard all day. It did make getting in and out of our neighborhood difficult though, so I don’t want to repeat the experience. Here is a picture of the town featured in season 3 when Senoia became Woodbury, GA. I showed my husband that they put him in the Walking Dead through the setting even though he didn’t get to be an actor during season 2. (Neither of us are lawyers. LOL)
Tell us about your book
Dangerous Exposure won the 2021 National Excellence in Romantic Fiction Award for the Inspirational category, and it is a 2021 Finalist for the prestigious Maggie Award! Amazon Link
Talking and walking faith is easy when life is going well, but how do you rely on God in the midst of an assailant’s attention? Addison Parker, a resident of small-town Massey, Georgia, works to serve and protect as a homicide detective in the city of Atlanta. Facing burn-out from constant exposure to society’s dark side, Addison vows to locate the newly emerged murderer, Jackdaw. This killer, hunting women who serve their community on the Southside of Atlanta, has targeted Addison Parker as his next quarry in this deadly scheme.
Joe Vaughn, a news reporter and newly-arrived resident of Atlanta, is trying to start over. His mother’s long struggle with cancer and a journalistic mistake left him with a career nearly ended. Skeptical of police procedures after the botched investigation that let his father’s killers go free, he finds his current articles provide the only link between Jackdaw’s murders. Evidence that at first implicates Joe leads to an unwilling alliance aimed at drawing out the killer.
Together Addison and Joe lay a trap to catch the elusive Jackdaw but become ensnared by each other in the process. Addison, still running from a past relationship gone wrong, and Joe, a backslidden soul still hurting from his parents’ untimely deaths, battle each other in an attempt to deny a budding relationship. Will Addison and Joe stop seeing life through past hurt and betrayal so God can gift them with the relationship neither has dared to dream about? Can they find the killer before it’s too late, protecting Addison from the threat of death? Addison and Joe discover faith through their tumultuous journey together, trusting in Him when the natural world around them falls apart.
Share a local Georgia Recipe.
This is a recipe I created based on my mother-in-law’s macaroni and cheese (she makes it from memory) that is served to the family every holiday. It wouldn’t be a holiday feast without baked macaroni and cheese.
Dianna’s Macaroni & Cheese
16-24 oz. shredded medium or sharp cheddar cheese
8-16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
16 oz. box macaroni, cooked and drained
5-6 eggs
1 stick of butter, cut into pieces
2 T flour
3-4 12 oz. cans of evaporated milk (mixture should be soupy)
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350º. Spray 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Mix all ingredients together. Pour into pan and bake for 60 minutes or until top is browned. Let sit for 20 minutes before serving.
**Place baking sheet underneath the casserole dish if oils from the cheese run over the top of the dish. (I learned this one the hard way.)
Suggestion: let noodles cool before combining with other ingredients, otherwise the cheese will begin melting before the dish can bake.
For a smaller serving size:
8 oz. macaroni, cooked and drained
8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded
4-8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 eggs
1 T flour
1 stick of butter, cut into pieces
1-2 12 oz. cans of evaporated milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Bake in a smaller casserole dish.
July 21, 2021
July 2021 Newsletter
July 2021 Newsletter
Hop in the car and let's go to Sarasota!
Sherri Stewart
www.stewartwriting.com
Five Surprising things about Sarasota, Florida
1. Everyone knows about Ringling Brothers’ circus museum in Sarasota, but did you know that Ringling showcases his art collection at his amazing museum—John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota?
2. Statues line the drive around St. Armand’s circle, the originals donated by Ringling back in 1902.
3.The Sandcastle hotel was the home of Trouble, the ‘queen of mean,’ Leona Helmsley’s dog and recipient of a $12 million dollar inheritance.
4. In 2020, Siesta Beach ranked as the No. 1 beach in the United States, according to TripAdvisor’s rankings, and grabbed the top spot three times since 2015.
5. Where do the Amish go to escape the harsh winters of the north? Pinecraft, a small working neighborhood in Sarasota.
Yoder's Peanut Butter Pie
By Ksteve10
Ingredients
PUDDING:
1 cup cold milk
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teasoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 egg yolks
3 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup sugar
CRUMB MIXTURE:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
A few tablespoons water
PIE:
Baked 9 to 10 inch deep pie shell
2 cups whipped topping, sweetened
Details
Servings 6
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 60mins
Preparation
Step 1
PUDDING:
Mix cornstarch, salt,milk, egg yolk and vanilla with a wire whisk until smooth. Set mixture aside.
Heat 3 cups milk, butter and sugar until scalding, stirring constantly. Add cornstarch mixture to hot mixture while stirring with a whisk.
Cook until mixture has thickened but remove from heat before boiling.
Chill in fridge.
CRUMB MIXTURE:
Mix powdered sugar and peanut butter until small crumbs form. Mix in a little water at a time, until the sugar and peanut mixture forms small distinct crumbles
. The little bit of water helps them stick together.
Place 1/2 of the crumbs onto pie shell. Spoon chilled pudding on top of crumbs. Place more crumbs on top of the pudding, keeping a little to sprinkle on whipped topping.
Top with whipped topping and extra crumbs.
Christmas in July!
The Promise Keeper
99 cents for the rest of the month
https://www.amazon.com/Promise-Keeper-Sherri-Stewart-ebook/dp/B08FTL6B9P
Meet the amazing Denise Griffon!
Go Green! (from Sherri)
With degrees in Zoology and Dentistry (go Buckeyes!), this is the author’s debut into the publishing world. An avid reader, she always knew there were books hiding away in her soul—she just needed to get to the empty nest locale to find them. Her love of romance and history (with a whisper of inspirational faith) became the framework of The Bahraini Pearls. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America.
Denise, or Dee as she prefers to be called, has two grown sons who spare her no lack of entertainment with their antics. Brian is an ER resident, who is thankfully still residing in Ohio. Anderson, the free-spirited second-born, has migrated to the warm beaches of Hawaii. To this end, Dee acquired a new puppy last year (Petunia) as a replacement. The new puppy has been such a joy in the midst of lockdown, keeping both her owner and her 11 hr. old canine sister (Clementine) entertained. Dee's secret guilty pleasure is Lifetime's tv show: Married At First Sight: who said arranged marriages won't work? Clem, Petunia and Dee enjoy biking, hiking, agility, and most of all, kayaking. Oh, Clem is also very involved in the writing process, particularly the rough draft and snack break stages...
Dee grew up in a suburb of Mansfield, Ohio and has decided to stay there for now, having recently retired from her real profession as a dentist. Carpal tunnel forced her into early retirement, however, with Covid-19, the timing couldn't have been better. She loves the Midwest with its change of seasons and Mansfield, although small in size, offers beauty in abundance. One of the best places to visit is Malabar Farm, the home of Louis Bromfield, the American Pulitzer prize winning author and conservationist. Mr. Bromfield was a bestselling novelist in the 1920's, with over 33 published books. He won the Pulitzer in 1927 for his book, Early Autumn.
Bromfield was a colorful character, with many interesting friends. In fact, one of the most exciting events to occur at the farm was the marriage between the famous movie star, Humphrey Bogart (age 45 at the time) and his beautiful young bride, Lauren Bacall (age 20 at the time).
Dee's mother vividly remembered attending the famous square-dancing parties in the Big Barn, where often Bromfield's large dogs would get in fights. (Who knew she had a life before raising 5 kids?!)
RASPBERRY ALMOND CRUMB CAKE
Combine: 2 cups flour,
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
Cut in 1/2 cup chilled butter and 4 TBS. sliced almonds
Reserve 1 cup of this for topping
Add this to the following flour mixture:
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup sour cream
4 TBS milk
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
2 large eggs
Pour mixture into sprayed 9" springform pan.
In a separate bowl, mix 8 oz. Philly cream cheese,
4 TBS sugar, and 2 large egg whites
Pour this over the other batter.
Dot the mixture with 1/2 cup raspberry jam and 2/3rd cup fresh or frozen raspberries. Sprinkle topping over batter. Bake at 350* until cake springs back (approx. 55 min). Cool on wire rack.
Bahraini Pearls: Must Reads!
BOOK ONE
Katharina shelters her Jewish friend, Elise, with her newborn at Katharina's home the night of Kristallnacht. The Nazi SS burst into Katharina’s home, seizing Elise, mistakenly taking Katharina’s baby.
Left behind, Katharina finds her world completely shattered. She watches as Elise's baby raises his tiny hands to her face, as if to wipe away her tears. And that is when she notices—he is tightly clasping his mother’s pearls.
Katharina and Elise travel individual paths through WWII. Each suffer tremendous losses, including separation from their infants, death of family, and emigration from their homeland. It is their love, friendship, and faith that navigate their life trajectories.
BOOK TWO
Katharina and Fritz are on a frantic chase across Europe to track down their missing baby, mistakenly seized the night of Kristallnacht, and now on a Kindertransport train bound for England. Katharina’s best friend, Elise, must leave Germany at once or face the wrath of the Nazis, and Elise’s husband, Michel, has come back to Berlin, but finds his wife, child, and friends have left without a trace. Can the blessings of the Bahraini pearl necklace connect the four friends at the end of the war?
https://www.amazon.com/String-Dreams-Bahraini-Pearls/dp/1946939218/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
https://www.amazon.com/Strand-Hope-Bahraini-Pearls/dp/1946939226/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Hop in the car and let's go to Sarasota!
Sherri Stewart
www.stewartwriting.com
Five Surprising things about Sarasota, Florida
1. Everyone knows about Ringling Brothers’ circus museum in Sarasota, but did you know that Ringling showcases his art collection at his amazing museum—John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota?
2. Statues line the drive around St. Armand’s circle, the originals donated by Ringling back in 1902.
3.The Sandcastle hotel was the home of Trouble, the ‘queen of mean,’ Leona Helmsley’s dog and recipient of a $12 million dollar inheritance.
4. In 2020, Siesta Beach ranked as the No. 1 beach in the United States, according to TripAdvisor’s rankings, and grabbed the top spot three times since 2015.
5. Where do the Amish go to escape the harsh winters of the north? Pinecraft, a small working neighborhood in Sarasota.
Yoder's Peanut Butter Pie
By Ksteve10
Ingredients
PUDDING:
1 cup cold milk
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teasoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 egg yolks
3 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup sugar
CRUMB MIXTURE:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
A few tablespoons water
PIE:
Baked 9 to 10 inch deep pie shell
2 cups whipped topping, sweetened
Details
Servings 6
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 60mins
Preparation
Step 1
PUDDING:
Mix cornstarch, salt,milk, egg yolk and vanilla with a wire whisk until smooth. Set mixture aside.
Heat 3 cups milk, butter and sugar until scalding, stirring constantly. Add cornstarch mixture to hot mixture while stirring with a whisk.
Cook until mixture has thickened but remove from heat before boiling.
Chill in fridge.
CRUMB MIXTURE:
Mix powdered sugar and peanut butter until small crumbs form. Mix in a little water at a time, until the sugar and peanut mixture forms small distinct crumbles
. The little bit of water helps them stick together.
Place 1/2 of the crumbs onto pie shell. Spoon chilled pudding on top of crumbs. Place more crumbs on top of the pudding, keeping a little to sprinkle on whipped topping.
Top with whipped topping and extra crumbs.
Christmas in July!
The Promise Keeper
99 cents for the rest of the month
https://www.amazon.com/Promise-Keeper-Sherri-Stewart-ebook/dp/B08FTL6B9P
Meet the amazing Denise Griffon!
Go Green! (from Sherri)
With degrees in Zoology and Dentistry (go Buckeyes!), this is the author’s debut into the publishing world. An avid reader, she always knew there were books hiding away in her soul—she just needed to get to the empty nest locale to find them. Her love of romance and history (with a whisper of inspirational faith) became the framework of The Bahraini Pearls. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America.
Denise, or Dee as she prefers to be called, has two grown sons who spare her no lack of entertainment with their antics. Brian is an ER resident, who is thankfully still residing in Ohio. Anderson, the free-spirited second-born, has migrated to the warm beaches of Hawaii. To this end, Dee acquired a new puppy last year (Petunia) as a replacement. The new puppy has been such a joy in the midst of lockdown, keeping both her owner and her 11 hr. old canine sister (Clementine) entertained. Dee's secret guilty pleasure is Lifetime's tv show: Married At First Sight: who said arranged marriages won't work? Clem, Petunia and Dee enjoy biking, hiking, agility, and most of all, kayaking. Oh, Clem is also very involved in the writing process, particularly the rough draft and snack break stages...
Dee grew up in a suburb of Mansfield, Ohio and has decided to stay there for now, having recently retired from her real profession as a dentist. Carpal tunnel forced her into early retirement, however, with Covid-19, the timing couldn't have been better. She loves the Midwest with its change of seasons and Mansfield, although small in size, offers beauty in abundance. One of the best places to visit is Malabar Farm, the home of Louis Bromfield, the American Pulitzer prize winning author and conservationist. Mr. Bromfield was a bestselling novelist in the 1920's, with over 33 published books. He won the Pulitzer in 1927 for his book, Early Autumn.
Bromfield was a colorful character, with many interesting friends. In fact, one of the most exciting events to occur at the farm was the marriage between the famous movie star, Humphrey Bogart (age 45 at the time) and his beautiful young bride, Lauren Bacall (age 20 at the time).
Dee's mother vividly remembered attending the famous square-dancing parties in the Big Barn, where often Bromfield's large dogs would get in fights. (Who knew she had a life before raising 5 kids?!)
RASPBERRY ALMOND CRUMB CAKE
Combine: 2 cups flour,
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
Cut in 1/2 cup chilled butter and 4 TBS. sliced almonds
Reserve 1 cup of this for topping
Add this to the following flour mixture:
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup sour cream
4 TBS milk
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
2 large eggs
Pour mixture into sprayed 9" springform pan.
In a separate bowl, mix 8 oz. Philly cream cheese,
4 TBS sugar, and 2 large egg whites
Pour this over the other batter.
Dot the mixture with 1/2 cup raspberry jam and 2/3rd cup fresh or frozen raspberries. Sprinkle topping over batter. Bake at 350* until cake springs back (approx. 55 min). Cool on wire rack.
Bahraini Pearls: Must Reads!
BOOK ONE
Katharina shelters her Jewish friend, Elise, with her newborn at Katharina's home the night of Kristallnacht. The Nazi SS burst into Katharina’s home, seizing Elise, mistakenly taking Katharina’s baby.
Left behind, Katharina finds her world completely shattered. She watches as Elise's baby raises his tiny hands to her face, as if to wipe away her tears. And that is when she notices—he is tightly clasping his mother’s pearls.
Katharina and Elise travel individual paths through WWII. Each suffer tremendous losses, including separation from their infants, death of family, and emigration from their homeland. It is their love, friendship, and faith that navigate their life trajectories.
BOOK TWO
Katharina and Fritz are on a frantic chase across Europe to track down their missing baby, mistakenly seized the night of Kristallnacht, and now on a Kindertransport train bound for England. Katharina’s best friend, Elise, must leave Germany at once or face the wrath of the Nazis, and Elise’s husband, Michel, has come back to Berlin, but finds his wife, child, and friends have left without a trace. Can the blessings of the Bahraini pearl necklace connect the four friends at the end of the war?
https://www.amazon.com/String-Dreams-Bahraini-Pearls/dp/1946939218/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
https://www.amazon.com/Strand-Hope-Bahraini-Pearls/dp/1946939226/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
June 16, 2021
June 2021 Newsletter
June 2021 Newsletter
Want to drive to Europe? Let’s take a field trip to Montréal, Québec
Sherri Stewart
www.stewartwriting.com
Montréal is one of my favorite cities in North America and in the World. You want to go to Europe but can’t afford it? Go to Montréal!. A day’s drive will get you there (post-Covid). Its number of restaurants is second only to New York City!
My favorite restaurant? Gibby’s
My favorite bagel place? St. Viatur’s
My favorite husband (only) was from Montréal.
On parle ma langue favorite à Montréal.
Five Things that Will Shock You about Montréal
1. Montréal is home to the world famous Cirque du Soleil
2. John Lennon’s song – "Give Peace a Chance" – was written in Montréal during a Bed-in at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel on June 1, 1969.
3. No building in Montréal can be taller than the cross on the Mount Royal Mountain.
4. The Underground City – a series of interconnected tunnels beneath Montréal runs for over 32 kms (20 mi). In the winter over 500,000 people use the tunnels on a daily basis. The tunnels connect shopping malls, museums, universities, hotels, banks, offices and seven metro stations.
5. Language Police (OQLF) conducted over 5000 visits in 2020 to businesses to ensure that French was the primary language in every way—including making sure no English word was larger than any French word on any display.
Chicken Kiev by Guy Fieri
Ingredients
Compound Butter:
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup grated pepper jack
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds boneless, skinless ground chicken (mix of white and dark meat)
Breading:
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
2 cups panko bread crumbs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Oil, for frying
Directions
For the compound butter: Add the butter, cream cheese, pepper jack, dill, parsley, paprika, garlic, 2 tablespoons salt and 1 tablespoon pepper to a food processor and pulse, occasionally scraping down the sides, until well combined. Place the compound butter on a piece of plastic wrap and roll it in a tube shape about 2-inches in diameter, twisting the ends to secure. Place it in the freezer until completely solid, at least 3 hours.
Divide the chicken into four 8-ounce patties. Remove the log of compound butter from the freezer and place it in the center of the chicken. Wrap the chicken around the compound butter and seal to form it tightly and evenly around--like a large egg shape.
For the breading: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place a rack on top of a baking sheet.
Set up a dredging station with the flour, beaten eggs, seasoned Italian breadcrumbs and panko. Season each with 2 tablespoons salt and 1 tablespoon pepper. Dredge the chicken lightly in the flour, egg, then Italian breadcrumbs. Pass the chicken back through the egg and then finally in the panko for a second coating. Place on the prepared rack.
Fill a pot with 2 to 3 inches of oil and heat to 350 degrees F. Fry the chicken until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Place the chicken back on the rack and bake until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Let the chicken rest for 1 to 2 minutes before serving.
A Song for Her Enemies E-book only 99 cents on Amazon from June 13 to 20. A big savings! And write a review, please.
She has the voice of an angel,
but the devil is listening!
After Nazi soldiers close the opera and destroy Tamar Kaplan’s dream of becoming a professional singer, she joins the Dutch Resistance, her fair coloring concealing her Jewish heritage. Tamar partners with Dr. Daniel Feldman, and they risk their lives to help escaping refugees. When they are forced to flee themselves, violinist Neelie Visser takes them into hiding.
Tamar’s love for Daniel flowers in hardship, but she struggles with the paradox that a loving God would allow the atrocities around her. When Tamar resists the advances of a Third Reich officer, he exacts his revenge by betraying the secrets hidden behind the walls of Neelie’s house. From a prison hospital to a Nazi celebration to a concentration camp, will the three of them survive to tell the world the secrets behind barbed wire?
A Song for Her Enemies is the story of a talented young opera singer and the bittersweet love that grows amid the tyranny and fear of World War II. Set against the backdrop of neighbors willing to risk their lives in the German-occupied, war-torn Netherlands, A Song for Her Enemies is an inspiring and beautiful novel celebrating the resilience of the human spirit and the determination of Christians in the face of persecution. It is a novel for everyone seeking to understand the pain of the past and be inspired to embrace hope for the future.
Meet Diane Tatum
Finding Love in the Fog of Aphasia is Diane E. Tatum’s eleventh published book. Diane wanted to be a writer since elementary school. Her first novel was Gold Earrings , which began as a story for her creative writing class in high school. It was published after she retired from teaching middle school language arts.
Website: www.dianeetatumwriter.com
Amazon page: amazon.com/author/dianeetatum
blogs: http://tatumlight-tatumsthoughts4today.blogspot.com/
http://tatumlight.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/tatumligh t
twitter: @DianeTatum
Tell us about Finding Love in the Fog of Aphasia?
One day on his regular bike ride on the hills of Daelin, GA, Jamey Connor and his bike wound up under a car. Jamey sustained serious injuries including Traumatic Brain Injury with Expressive Aphasia, causing an inability to communicate professionally despite his three engineering degrees. Noelle Etheridge, a certified Speech Language Pathologist, is hired by Jamey’s father and grandfather, owners of Sullivan and Connor Engineering, to aid Jamey in recovery of his communication skills.
After one week, Jamey’s father decides to put Jamey back on disability and fires Noelle. After their dismissal, Noelle and Jamey fall in love. Amid a toxic environment at work, lawyers, and a new medical complication, how will they find a way to create a future together? https://amzn.to/3pPIMXy
What’s your favorite recipe?
I grew up in St. Louis, MO. The superfoods of St. Louis are Gooey Butter Cake, toasted ravioli, pasta, and pizza with cracker-thin pizza crust, cut in squares! Gooey Butter Cake is available at most grocery store bakeries in the St. Louis area. This recipe is simple, starting with yellow cake mix.
Gooey Butter Cake
Bottom layer –
1 pkg. yellow cake mix – classic style
1 stick butter, softened
2 large eggs
Blend above ingredients – pour into ungreased 13x9 or 10x10 pan
Top layer –
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
1 lb. powdered sugar
Blend together – pour on top of cake mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 min. Sprinkle additional powdered sugar on top.
**********************
Meet Diane Yates
Diane Yates writes inspirational romantic fiction and nonfiction. Her Fate Series, published by Forget Me Not Romances, an imprint of Winged Publications, begins with Melissa's Fate and continues with Impossible Fate. The third book in the series will release in the near future. Diane is the author of two biography/memoirs, Pathways of the Heart and All That Matters, published by W&B Publishers. She has served two terms as President of Ozark’s Writers League and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the Columbia Chapter of the Missouri Writer’s Guild, Boonslick Creative Writers, and Clean Fiction Writers. She teaches writing workshops and has spoken at various organizations.
Diane and her husband, Rick, have worked in youth and adult ministries in their church, where she wrote plays and skits as well as Sunday School curriculum and Bible studies. The two split their time between Florida and Missouri. She has three children and eight grandchildren who are the crown of her life.
***
Twenty-three years ago, Rick and I left the hustle and bustle of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex for Missouri small town life. We landed in Fayette, home of Central Methodist University with a booming population of just 2,887 and only one flashing red light. Two cars posed a traffic jam. It was exactly what we needed! Fayette was the county seat with the courthouse in the middle of the town square and quaint shops all around. We became active in our church and community theater. In the summer, we enjoy sitting on the courthouse lawn and listening to a community band playing John Philip Sousa’s patriotic tunes, like “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”
For the 4th, everyone gathers in the city park for fireworks. In August, a homemade ice cream competition highlights the Festival of the Arts in August and you can sample some of the best tastes you can imagine. After important elections, the results are hailed loudly from the steps of the courthouse, and cheers erupt from those who voted for the winners. If you visit us, don’t miss the Katy Trail, a biking route across the state along the paths where the rails of the Missouri, Kansas, Texas railway once existed. Sit high on the cliffs overlooking the Missouri River at the Les Bourgeois Winery and enjoy a fine meal paired with a perfect glass of wine.
www.DianeYates.com
www.Dianesponderings.blog
https://www.facebook.com/booksbyDiane
https://www.instagram.com/author.dianeyates
Tell us about Impossible Fate.
Impossible Fate is the continuing saga of the Drake Family. While the first book was set in New York City and Connecticut, this book takes the reader to Israel as a Christian David fights for the right to marry a Jewish Aliyah. During his time in Israel, David dons a disguise and celebrates Hanukkah with the Zimmermans. The traditional food of that evening included Latkes and Sufganiots.
Rick and I were blessed to receive as a gift a trip to Israel. It changed our lives. As I started writing Impossible Fate, the school bus David rode stopped to pick up a young girl with long black hair. When she sat down beside him and conversed, my hands floated over the keyboard, and the next thing I knew, she was Jewish! I love their against-all-odds story and hope you will, too.
https://www.amazon.com/Impossible-Fate-Diane-Yates-ebook/dp/B0886G9VTS
Potato Latkes
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/potato-latkes-104406
Makes 12 to 16 latkes
INGREDIENTS
1 pound potatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil
Accompaniments: sour cream and applesauce
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 250°F.
Peel potatoes and coarsely grate by hand, transferring to a large bowl of cold water as grated. Soak potatoes 1 to 2 minutes after last batch is added to water, then drain well in a colander.
Spread grated potatoes and onion on a kitchen towel and roll up jelly-roll style. Twist towel tightly to wring out as much liquid as possible. Transfer potato mixture to a bowl and stir in egg and salt.
Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches of 4 latkes, spoon 2 tablespoons potato mixture per latke into skillet, spreading into 3-inch rounds with a fork. Reduce heat to moderate and cook until undersides are browned, about 5 minutes. Turn latkes over and cook until undersides are browned, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt. Add more oil to skillet as needed. Keep latkes warm on a wire rack set in a shallow baking pan in oven.
Cook’s Note
·Latkes may be made up to 8 hours ahead. Reheat on a rack set over a baking sheet in a 350°F oven, about 5 minutes.
·Grating the potatoes, soaking them briefly in water, and then squeezing out the liquid (as we've done here) keeps the batter from turning brown too quickly.
May 20, 2021
Let’s take a field trip to Calgary, Alberta!
May 2021 Newsletter
Exclusive Offer to Subscribers of Field Trip:
I need reviews, so I’m offering a free copy of my ebook A Song for Her Enemies to the first 12 people who reach out to me at http://stewartwriting.com/contact. I only ask that you read and write an honest review on Amazon in the next 30 days.
Let’s take a field trip to Calgary, Alberta!
Sherri Stewart
www.stewartwriting.com
What a fun city! Home of the Calgary Flames Hockey Team. That’s my husband in the white sweater with someone’s hand in front of his face. An hour away from the Canadian Rockies.
Five Six Things that Will Shock You about Calgary!
1. An arch in the west can change the weather from winter snows to spring puddles in a matter of hours. The Chinook is a hot, dry wind that comes from the west over the Rocky Mountains. The wind can raise the temperature in the winter so much that you can be shoveling snow in the morning and soaking up the sun in a t-shirt by the afternoon.
2. Only in Calgary can you walk 18 kms (11 miles) throughout downtown without having to step outside. Connecting over 100 buildings, the Plus 15, consists of a series of bridges 15 feet above the ground. It’s a great way to get around when it’s -30 Celsius.
3. Calgarians enjoy more days of sunshine than any other major Canadian city - 333 days per year in fact!
4. Personally, I think Calgarians are the most hospitable people in the world. But did you know Calgary has more volunteers per capita than any other city in the world?
5. The Calgary Stampede, held every year for 10 days, is the largest outdoor event in the world.
6. Host of the Winter Olympics in 1988, Calgary was the site of the Jamaican bobsled team, made famous by Cool Runnings, and Eddie the Eagle.
Ginger Beef: My Favorite Calgarian Food
Ingredients
Beef:
2 pounds flank steak or sirloin, approximately sliced thinly against the grain
Batter
2 eggs
½ cup water
1 cup corn starch
2-3 cups oil for deep frying
Vegetables
1 large carrot finely julienned
½ green bell pepper finely sliced
2 tbsp cooking oil * I use olive oil
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced
Sauce
⅓ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons red Chinese vinegar
2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry
½ cup water
⅓ cup white granulated sugar
1 tablespoon crushed chilies
¼ cup plum sauce *add more for additional sweetness
Instructions
Slice beef into thin strips
Combine all batter ingredients and coat beef in batter.
Add oil to a deep frying pan and heat on medium.
Deep-fry coated beef, about 6 pieces at a time, until crispy, about seven to ten minutes.
Remove meat with a slotted spoon. Set meat aside on paper towel to drain. Repeat with remaining meat, frying in small batches of 6-8 pieces (depending on the size of your frying pan.
Sauce
Add sauce ingredients (except plum sauce) in a bowl and whisk together. Set aside
Vegetables
Julienne carrots by using a grater
In a wok, over medium - low heat, sesame seeds, carrots, and half the ginger in oil for about 3 minutes.
Add sauce. Bring to boil for 1 to 2 minutes and cook until reduced for 5- 7 minutes on medium heat. Add plum sauce, whisk and cook for 1 additional minute.
Assembly
Add beef to sauce; stir to coat with sauce.
Serve over white or basmati rice. Add additional plum sauce for extra sweetness, if desired
A Song for Her Enemies E-book only 99 cents on Amazon from June 13 to 20. A big savings! And write a review, please.
She has the voice of an angel,
but the devil is listening!
After Nazi soldiers close the opera and destroy Tamar Kaplan’s dream of becoming a professional singer, she joins the Dutch Resistance, her fair coloring concealing her Jewish heritage. Tamar partners with Dr. Daniel Feldman, and they risk their lives to help escaping refugees. When they are forced to flee themselves, violinist Neelie Visser takes them into hiding.
Tamar’s love for Daniel flowers in hardship, but she struggles with the paradox that a loving God would allow the atrocities around her. When Tamar resists the advances of a Third Reich officer, he exacts his revenge by betraying the secrets hidden behind the walls of Neelie’s house. From a prison hospital to a Nazi celebration to a concentration camp, will the three of them survive to tell the world the secrets behind barbed wire?
A Song for Her Enemies is the story of a talented young opera singer and the bittersweet love that grows amid the tyranny and fear of World War II. Set against the backdrop of neighbors willing to risk their lives in the German-occupied, war-torn Netherlands, A Song for Her Enemies is an inspiring and beautiful novel celebrating the resilience of the human spirit and the determination of Christians in the face of persecution. It is a novel for everyone seeking to understand the pain of the past and be inspired to embrace hope for the future.
From Ruins to Romance: Only 99 cents
https://www.amazon.com/Ruins-Romance-Cindy-M-Amos-ebook/dp/B092P51KG
Meet Jo Huddleston
Award-winning and bestseller Jo Huddleston is the author of eighteen books. She writes stories inspired by her fascination with the 1950s and the love of her native American South. Her readers describe Jo as a great storyteller whose books will inspire and entertain you. Novels in Jo’s endearing Caney Creek series, her West Virginia Mountains series, and her stand-alone release, Tidewater Summer, are sweet Southern mid-20th-century romances.
How much of you went into the characters in your chosen book?
My new book, Just You and Me, is set at Panama City Beach, Florida, in 1958 before the location became a favorite destination for spring-breakers. Any beach is my special vacation spot. In the story, Allison’s and her friend Ginny’s happy attitudes while at the beach are indeed a mirror of my own. A quote from the book: “Ginny convinced Allison that being unhappy without Jim at the beach was better than being unhappy without him in Auburn.” That’s something I would say. In fact, I’ve often said I’d rather watch it rain at the beach than watch it rain at home.
How did you choose the setting of your book?
I write sweet Southern romance stories. My books are set in the American South with a few exceptions when characters live in the south, and travel to another location. Just You and Me was scheduled to release in late spring, so I chose a summer setting—a beach—for the story. My stories take place in the 1950s, and as with any historical romance, research is essential. You don’t want your characters to wear flip-flops if they haven’t been invented yet. And you certainly don’t want to have them wearing a bikini when they were not the fashion. For research, I explored the internet and used my own experiences being in a beach environment.
Tell us what you like about your town? What should readers visit when they are there?
Of course, Panama City Beach, Florida’s main attraction, is its beach with the sugar-white sands. The place also offers total relaxation—not living by the clock and delighting in fresh seafood dinners every evening.
What is Just You and Me about?
It’s a Christian beach story of love, forgiveness, and divine providence.
In this sweet mid-20th-century romance, a magnificent mistake brings Allison and Jim together, each at the beach with a buddy. An unfamiliar instant attraction tugs at both their hearts. But when Jim gives Allison a compliment, she misunderstands it as a pick-up line. When Jim subsequently falls silent, Allison determines to find a way to get him to love her. Jim has spent half of his adult life in the Air Force and will soon leave the military. He wants Allison by his side to help him with the challenges his new lifestyle will bring. But after a horrible accident at the airfield, Jim keeps his diagnosis from Allison for fear she may not want to spend their lives together.
https://amzn.to/2PpySh6
http://www.johuddleston.com
Shrimp Boil Anyone??
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 TBSP Old Bay Seasoning
1 TSP salt
1 LB shrimp
1 lemon cut up
6 cobs of corn cut up into thirds
In a saucepan, combine the first 4 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Add shrimp, lemon slices, and corn, stir gently. Cover, steam until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, remove shells and vein on back.
I usually remove the shells/vein and then steam them.
Author, Glenn Goree, was supposed to be featured in this month’s newsletter, but sadly, he passed away a few days ago. Our prayers are with his family.
April 15, 2021
Let’s take a virtual field trip to Bean Town!
April 2021 Newsletter 
Let’s take a virtual field trip to Bean Town! Sherri Stewart www.stewartwriting.com The last time I was there was on March 18th, 2020—the beginning of Covid. Everything was closed. We had taken the train to Boston to celebrate my husband’s birthday at his favorite restaurant—closed. Ten Things that Will Shock You about Boston 
1. You won’t find happy hours in any bars in Boston. They were banned in 1984 after a woman was killed in a drunk-driving accident. 
2. The Red Sox have a patent on the color, “Fenway Green.” Fenway was originally painted blue, but the color distracted the players, so they changed it.3. A deluge of molasses once flooded North Boston when a molasses truck exploded. The force caused the molasses to travel at 35 mph.
4. The Boston University Bridge is the only place in the world where a boat can go under a train under a car under a plane at the same time. 
5. Christmas was banned in Boston from 1659-1681 because the Puritans felt the holiday had been contaminated. 
6. The biggest art heist in history happened at a Boston art museum. Twelve paintings including those of Rembrandt and Vermeer were stolen by two men dressed up like police officers in 1990—the most expensive heist at 100 million dollars. 
7. The Fig Newton was named after a Boston suburb in 1891. Many physicians believed that most illnesses were related to digestion problems and recommended a daily intake of biscuits and fruit. 8. Boston has the first lighthouse, public park, college, and subway. The first Thanksgiving occurred in Boston and lasted for three days. 9. The Red Sox were not always called the Red Sox. Unofficial former names were the Boston Americans, Boston Pilgrims, and Boston Somerset. 
10. The reenactment of the Boston Tea Party occurs every year on December 16th. 
The Temporary Governess is the book that came out of my trip to Boston 
Boston Cream Pie https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/bost...PASTRY CREAM 4 egg yolks 3/4 cup (155g) sugar 4 tbsp cornstarch 2 cups (480ml) milk 2 tbsp (14g) salted butter 2 tsp vanilla extract VANILLA CAKE 2 1/2 cups (325g) all-purpose flour 3 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 3/4 cup butter at room temperature 1 1/2 cups (310g) sugar 3 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tbsp vanilla extract 4 large eggs 1 1/4 cups (300ml) milk CHOCOLATE GANACHE 6 oz (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 tbsp corn syrup 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy whipping cream Instructions
1. To make the pastry cream, put the egg yolks in a medium sized bowl and gently beat them together. Set aside.
2. Add the sugar, cornstarch and milk to a large saucepan and mix until smooth.
3. Cook, stirring continuously, over medium heat until mixture begins to thicken and bubble.
4. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, then remove from heat. Be careful not to boil the mixture, you want to just simmer it a bit.
5. Add a little bit of milk mixture to the egg yolks and whisk together, then add egg mixture to milk mixture. This process ensures that you don’t cook the egg yolks too quickly.
6. Place everything back in the pan and the pan back on the heat and bring to a light boil. Allow to boil for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously. Don’t boil for longer than 2 minutes, or you can overcook it and it’ll actually break down, rather than get thicker.
7. Remove from heat and add the butter and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth, then pour into a bowl and cover with clear wrap pressed against the top so that it doesn’t get a film on top and set in the fridge to cool completely.
8. To make the cake layers, prepare two 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper circles in the bottom and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
9. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
10. Add the butter, sugar and oil to and large mixer bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Do not skimp on the creaming time.
11. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until completely combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated.
12. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until mostly combined.
13. Add the milk and mix until well combined. The batter will look a little curdled, but that’s ok.
14. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to be sure all ingredients are well incorporated. Do not over mix the batter.
15. Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pans and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
16. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for about 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
17. To put the cake together, use a large, serrated knife to remove any domes from the tops of the cakes so they are flat.
18. Place first cake layer on a serving platter, then top with the pastry cream. If needed, give the pastry cream a good stir with a whisk to smooth it out before adding it to the cake
19. Add the second cake layer to the top of the cake.
20. To make the chocolate ganache, add the chocolate chips and corn syrup to a medium bowl.
21. Heat the heavy whipping cream just until it begins to boil, then pour over the chocolate chips and corn syrup. Allow to sit for 1-2 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
22. Pour the chocolate on top of the cake, in the center, then spread out towards the edges, letting some of the chocolate drip down the sides.
23. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. Cake is best if eaten within 2-3 days and well covered.
A Song for Her Enemies
E-book only 99 cents on Amazon from April 26 to May 3. A big savings!She has the voice of an angel,
but the devil is listening!
After Nazi soldiers close the opera and destroy Tamar Kaplan’s dream of becoming a professional singer, she joins the Dutch Resistance, her fair coloring concealing her Jewish heritage. Tamar partners with Dr. Daniel Feldman, and they risk their lives to help escaping refugees. When they are forced to flee themselves, violinist Neelie Visser takes them into hiding.
Tamar’s love for Daniel flowers in hardship, but she struggles with the paradox that a loving God would allow the atrocities around her. When Tamar resists the advances of a Third Reich officer, he exacts his revenge by betraying the secrets hidden behind the walls of Neelie’s house. From a prison hospital to a Nazi celebration to a concentration camp, will the three of them survive to tell the world the secrets behind barbed wire?
A Song for Her Enemies is the story of a talented young opera singer and the bittersweet love that grows amid the tyranny and fear of World War II. Set against the backdrop of neighbors willing to risk their lives in the German-occupied, war-torn Netherlands, A Song for Her Enemies is an inspiring and beautiful novel celebrating the resilience of the human spirit and the determination of Christians in the face of persecution. It is a novel for everyone seeking to understand the pain of the past and be inspired to embrace hope for the future.
Meet Robin Densmore FusonRobin recently moved to Sugarmill Woods, Florida, with her husband Jimmy and their Belgian Malinois, Kenzi. She and her husband celebrate with an overflowing cup of blessings with seventeen grandchildren. An award winner for romance and flash fiction, Robin is multi-published in both fiction and nonfiction and has written well over a hundred stories on her blog for children. Two of her novellas were finalists in the 2020 Selah awards. Her historical and contemporary romances, as well as her Christian women’s fiction are wrapped around a twist of intrigue. The Rosita Valdez series for children lends itself to character-building lessons through an adventure. Robin loves company and challenging her young guests to discover the many giraffes in the obvious and hidden nooks and crannies of their home.
How has your own life informed your character in Worthless to Priceless?
I have never gone through the exact things that Jenny went through, but I have experienced emotional and physical abuse. Her raw emotions came from my groaning deep in my heart. I felt her pain and cried for her. I do every time I read her story. Small parts of my story are etched into Worthless to Priceless. Jenny needed Samuel to come to her rescue and my husband, Jimmy is my rescuer.
How did you research the setting of your book?
My husband and I lived in Rifle, Colorado, and I chose this for the setting of Worthless to Priceless. I have been to Rifle falls and climbed into the many caves and enjoyed the beauty and the water. Some of the buildings and a church from the1880s are still standing. I joined the historical Rifle Facebook page for pictures of the area and read news clippings from the era. Interesting stuff. I also read many pages on Wikipedia about the Ute Indians and talked with another writer who also researched them. The Utes were a gentle tribe but there are always renegades in every culture and family. I have been to Rifle falls and climbed into the many caves and enjoyed the beauty and the water.
What should readers be sure to visit in Rifle, Colorado?
Readers would enjoy Rifle for the ‘old meets new’ feel of the town. Buildings from the 1800s are still being used and are intermixed with modern structures. Cute boutiques and old taverns line downtown. The bluffs and mountains surrounding the town, as well as the arid climate, draw the imagination to unbelievable places. Rifle Falls is a great destination where three waterfalls crash down into a natural pool. There are caves to explore and trails to trek. One trail, with stairsteps, takes the hiker up above the falls and right next to the powerful spray. Rifle Falls is open year-round but can get pretty cold in the winter and the rocks and pathways surrounding the falls can ice up. The snow on the mountains is exquisite as it sparkles against the blue sky. If fishing or boating is on your radar, you can stop off at Rifle Gap reservoir. My husband and I caught the action of a majestic eagle fishing. He swooped toward the surface and came up with a large fish in his talons. Unbelievable.
Nearby is Glenwood Springs where you can travel up a mountain on a tram and play in the amusement park or go on an adventure into large caves where a tour guide will take you deep into the earth. The town boasts some of Colorado’s best hot springs. A wonderful ski resort will let you play in the powder during the snowy months. Hiking trails traverse all over the surrounding mountains and clear streams flow into picturesque lakes. Standing sentry in the backdrop of Glenwood Springs is Mt. Sopris, towering at over 13,000 feet. Wildlife abounds on the western slope of Colorado where these amazing towns sit nestled in the Rocky Mountains.
Worthless to Priceless , a Christian Historical Fiction novella.
At the tender age of thirteen, orphaned Jenny Low, decides to take matters in her own hands and runs away from her captive life in a Ute tribe. Rescued from near death by a kindly teamster Samuel Baunof, Jenny is sent to live with a family in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, in 1886. She learns the truth of wickedness and runs again straight into true evil.
Meanwhile, Samuel holds his head up while facing life’s cruelty head on. A few years later, he crosses paths with the orphaned girl he once rescued. Now a beautiful young woman, Jenny is a godsend in his time of need. Their trials aren’t over and Samuel finds himself tracking her through the wilderness where, unbeknownst to him, someone else is after her too. Will he reach her in time?
Can these two people with completely different backgrounds and beliefs help each other and those around them? Can Samuel rescue Jenny from the horror her life has been drawn into? Is his faith strong enough to help her understand that God loves her and hasn’t abandoned her? Jenny is challenged to accept love and forgiveness even when she feels the world closing in.
https://www.amazon.com/Worthless-Priceless-Robin-Densmore-Fuson/dp/B08DSNCYWW/ref=
www.pinterest.com/revelation411/worthlesstopriceless/
Links to webpages: The first is my main one and the second is for children.
Robin Densmore Fuson (www.robindensmorefuson)
Author Robin Densmore Fuson (kidbiblelessons.com)
Robin’s recipe for Johnnycake Here is a line from Worthless to Priceless : “Kindness and caring poured from him like hot butter off a Johnnycake.” (Jenny thought as she looked upon Samuel) 1 cup yellow cornmeal 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon white sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 ½ tablespoons shortening melted 1 cup boiling milk 1 egg separated Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x9 inch baking pan cast iron skillet is preferred. Sift cornmeal and flour together and spread thinly on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until lightly brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool. Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a large bowl, combine cornmeal mixture, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Pour in shortening and milk; stir to blend. In a separate large bowl, beat egg white until stiff. In a third bowl, beat egg yolk then fold into egg white. Gently stir flour mixture into beaten egg. Pour into prepared baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden brown. Per serving: 81 calories; protein 2.2g; carbohydrates 12.1g; fat 2.6g; cholesterol 17.1mg; sodium 141.9mg.
March 25, 2021
March 2021 Newsletter
March 2021 Newsletter
It’s Field trip time!!!
Join me for a trip to the Big Easy!
Sherri Stewart
www.stewartwriting.com
Favorite NOLA Restaurant: Brennan’s
Favorite NOLA Site: Oak Alley
Favorite NOLA Movie: Double Jeopardy
Ten Things that Will Shock You about New Orleans
1. Covid isn’t the only reason for mandatory masks.
It's illegal to ride on any Mardi Gras float in the city without wearing a Mardi Gras mask.
2. NOLA is the birthplace of the poker game, as well as craps.
The first game of poker was played in the city in the 19th century using a 20-card pack of cards.
3. New Orleans has the Largest Urban Park in the US.
Located in New Orleans, City Park is one of the largest parks in the nation and was once a popular spot for Creole men to meet and duel to settle their scores with swords, pistols, and Bowie knives.
4. New Orleans was the birthplace of the Mafia in the US.
New Orleans is the first home of the American Mafia because it was the original destination for Italian immigrants.
5. NOLA is the home of Grits.
Popular in the city, grits originated from sagamite, a mixture of Indian corn boiled with either bacon fat or butter.
6. New Orleans is home to a pyramid.
A pyramid tomb in St. Louis Cemetery was built by actor Nicolas Cage. Many theories surround the creation of the tomb, including one rumor that the actor is a member of the Illuminati.
7. Hurricane Katrina affected an area roughly the same size as the United Kingdom.
It was the largest and third strongest hurricane ever recorded in the United States.
8. Most of the tombs in New Orleans are not built above ground because of the high water table.
They were built above ground to continue the tradition that was popular in Roman Catholic communities in Spain and France.
9. Most of the mansions have floor-level mirrors.
Women once used these mirrors to ensure their ankles weren’t showing.
10. Shiny colorful bead necklaces, also known as “throws,” are now synonymous with Mardi Gras
The city estimates around 25 million pounds of beads get thrown into the streets each year.
www.travelawaits.com
http://www.experienceneworleans.com/facts.html
A Song for Her Enemies—Fresh Off the Presses
She has the voice of an angel,
but the devil is listening!
After Nazi soldiers close the opera and destroy Tamar Kaplan’s dream of becoming a professional singer, she joins the Dutch Resistance, her fair coloring concealing her Jewish heritage. Tamar partners with Dr. Daniel Feldman, and they risk their lives to help escaping refugees. When they are forced to flee themselves, violinist Neelie Visser takes them into hiding.
Tamar’s love for Daniel flowers in hardship, but she struggles with the paradox that a loving God would allow the atrocities around her. When Tamar resists the advances of a Third Reich officer, he exacts his revenge by betraying the secrets hidden behind the walls of Neelie’s house. From a prison hospital to a Nazi celebration to a concentration camp, will the three of them survive to tell the world the secrets behind barbed wire?
A Song for Her Enemies is the story of a talented young opera singer and the bittersweet love that grows amid the tyranny and fear of World War II. Set against the backdrop of neighbors willing to risk their lives in the German-occupied, war-torn Netherlands, A Song for Her Enemies is an inspiring and beautiful novel celebrating the resilience of the human spirit and the determination of Christians in the face of persecution. It is a novel for everyone seeking to understand the pain of the past and be inspired to embrace hope for the future. https://amzn.to/2M09u0n
Eggs Benedict from my favorite
restaurant in New Orleans: Brennan’s
Serving Size: 8
No dish says brunch better than Eggs Benedict.
A world-renowned classic that is timeless.
To assemble dish, place one heaping tablespoon of the hollandaise in the center of warm plates. Using the spoon, make a little well for the English muffin; top with Canadian bacon; then top with 2 eggs each. Then top with more hollandaise sauce. Garnish with fresh chives or chervil.
Meet June Foster
An award-winning author, June Foster is also a retired teacher with a BA in Education and a MA in counseling. She is the mother of two and grandmother of ten. June began writing Christian romance in 2010. She penned her first novel on her Toshiba laptop as she and her husband traveled the US in their RV. Her adventures provide a rich source of information for her novels. She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her next book.
To date, June has written over twenty contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels and novellas. She loves to compose stories about characters who overcome the circumstances in their lives by the power of God and His Word. June uses her training in counseling and her Christian beliefs in creating characters who find freedom to live godly lives. She's published with Winged Publications. Visit June at www.junefoster.com to see a complete list of her books.
Tell us about where you live.
I am privileged to reside in Cullman, Alabama. It is a small southern town of a little over 15,000. I love living here because most people still hold Christian values. The teenagers say yes, ma'am and yes, sir.
One almost finds a church on every corner. If you came to visit, you'd find green tomatoes, fried okra, and catfish. People will treat you politely and remind you to return when they say "y'all come back now."
Tell us about the setting of your newest book.
The setting of The Inn at Cranberry Cove is the fictional name for the real-life community of Ilwaco, Washington. Here's the story behind the story.
Twenty years ago, my husband and I lived in Washington state – in Olympia, the capital. I love the Pacific northwest and frequently set my stories there. In fact, the first five or so were inspired by the forests of Douglas fir, majestic mountains, and lakes and streams that are perfect for fishing.
One weekend during our time in Washington, we decided to travel west as far as we could go until we reached the ocean. Our trip brought us to a delightful B&B in Ilwaco in the southwest corner of the state, between the Pacific Ocean and the Columbia River. I hadn't realized that a sleepy, historic fishing town nestled there.
The B&B was once an old place of worship, and today boasts of guest rooms, lush gardens, and a large meeting room where the sanctuary used to stand. At the time we were there, I hadn't written my first book, but years later, upon thinking back to the lovely inn, my imagination began to percolate and The Inn at Cranberry Cove was born.
Today the B&B is owned by a sweet couple by the name of Leanna and Kevin Moos and is now called the Inn at Harbor Village. The picture on the cover of my book is the real inn that the Moos graciously allowed me to use.
Here is a bit about June’s newest book!
Keep reading for a recipe from The Inn.
The Inn at Cranberry Cove
After her boss fires her on unfounded grounds, twenty-nine-year-old Ashton Price leaves Denver for Cranberry Cove, Washington. She's inherited her aunt's B&B and is determined to carry on her legacy. Upon preparing for guests, she learns of a century-old tale of treasure within the inn. Many have searched for the illusive gems but to no avail. She discovers a man working on the inn's grounds, but is he the gardener Gina Price hired? Perhaps he's searching for the hidden treasure.
James Atwood, corporate executive, works in the Atwood's thriving cranberry business. Tragedy strikes, and he's numb and riddled with guilt. Befriended by Gina Price, he finds solace working evening and weekends in the fresh earth, fescue grass, and aromatic blossoms of the inn's gardens, helping to divert his mind from his dishonest cousin Robert, bent on destroying the Atwood business. He continues tending the grounds after Gina passes, and the new owner believes he's a gardener. After she calls late one night upon hearing a prowler, James races to her rescue and discovers his feelings are more than protective.
Ashton's first guests, the Claxtons, appear out of nowhere saying they've had reservations for a year though she finds no record of a deposit. She chalks the failure up to faulty accounting before she arrived. When an elusive intruder continues to make frightening midnight visits, Ashton fears for her own safety and that of the Claxtons. But then, their odd comings and goings cause Ashton to wonder. Are they really vacationing visitors from California, or do they have other motives for staying at the inn?
Can two people allow the majestic northwest and fragrant coastal air heal their wounded hearts? Will they discover the secret of The Inn at Cranberry Cove?
A recipe Ashton Price serves at the Inn at Cranberry Cove:
Ashton's Easy Clam Chowder
INGREDIENTS:
4 slices bacon, diced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup vegetable stock
2 (6.5-ounce) cans chopped clams, juices reserved
1 bay leaf
2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup half and half*
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
DIRECTIONS:
Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving 1 tablespoon excess fat; set aside.
Melt butter in the stockpot. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, vegetable stock, clam juice and bay leaf, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in potatoes.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 12-15 minutes.*
Stir in half and half and clams until heated through, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more half and half as needed until desired consistency is reached.
Serve immediately, garnished with bacon and parsley, if desired.
February 19, 2021
Five Things that Will Shock You about the Netherlands
February 2021 Newsletter
It’s Field Trip Time!
Five Things that Will Shock You about the Netherlands
Sherri Stewart
www.stewartwriting.com
Escape with me from the wintry climes of the US to the Netherlands. We’ll read some historical romances and chew on some warm, comfort food.
1. Did you know that many Amsterdam houses lean forward? There are many theories: For one, the first floors were built to be narrow because people were taxed based on width; therefore, the upper floors may have been built to be larger. Or it could also be because they have shifted a bit since construction many centuries ago. Not to worry. If they’ve stood this long, they’ll last a bit longer. https://whatsupwithamsterdam.com/amsterdam-houses-crooked/
2. Did you know Dutch people throw their bikes in the canals?
The government has to regularly dredge for discarded bikes to keep the water safe. They do so with a boat-mounted claw.
3. Did you know that the Netherlands has the highest percentage of people who speak English? 90-93% speak English as a second language, so it makes for a great place to visit.
4. Did you know that the Dutch made carrots orange? The transformation was for political reasons. Dutch growers cultivated them as a tribute to William of Orange who led the struggle for Dutch independence. https://www.expatica.com/nl/moving/about/netherlands-facts-108857/
5. Did you know that Dutch people open their curtains so passersby can see inside their house? It could be because they want to show they have nothing to hide, or it could be to showcase their décor, in the same way that Americans do with their gardens.
A Song for Her Enemies—Release Date March 2!! Pre-order $3.99
After Nazi soldiers close the opera and destroy Tamar Kaplan’s dream of becoming a professional singer, she joins the Dutch Resistance, her fair coloring concealing her Jewish heritage. Tamar partners with Dr. Daniel Feldman, and they risk their lives to help escaping refugees. When they are forced to flee themselves, violinist Neelie Visser takes them into hiding.
Tamar’s love for Daniel flowers in hardship, but she struggles with the paradox that a loving God would allow the atrocities around her. When Tamar resists the advances of a Third Reich officer, he exacts his revenge by betraying the secrets hidden behind the walls of Neelie’s house. From a prison hospital to a Nazi celebration to a concentration camp, will the three of them survive to tell the world the secrets behind barbed wire?
A Song for Her Enemies is the story of a talented young opera singer and the bittersweet love that grows amid the tyranny and fear of World War II. Set against the backdrop of neighbors willing to risk their lives in the German-occupied, war-torn Netherlands, A Song for Her Enemies is an inspiring and beautiful novel celebrating the resilience of the human spirit and the determination of Christians in the face of persecution. It is a novel for everyone seeking to understand the pain of the past and be inspired to embrace hope for the future. https://amzn.to/2M09u0n
Zuurkoolstampp
Sauerkraut-Potato Puree with Crispy Bacon
The ultimate comfort food—creamy, sour, and smoky goodness
https://www.thespruceeats.com/zuurkoo...
Ingredients
3.3 lb (1.5 kg) floury potatoes
3/4 lb (350 g) lean unsmoked cured bacon/zuurkoolspek
1 3/4 lb (750 g) sauerkraut
2 cups (475 ml) milk
2 tbsp butter
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup (40 g) celery leaf (selderieblad, see Tips), to taste
Steps to Make It
Peel and dice the potatoes and cook in salted water in a large soup pot for 20 minutes, or until tender.
In a skillet or frying pan, fry the bacon until just crispy, and drain on kitchen paper. Add the sauerkraut to the bacon fat in the pan and allow to warm through. Meanwhile, warm the milk in a small saucepan.
Drain, shake and dry the potatoes with kitchen towels before mashing with a potato masher or ricer. Quickly add the warmed milk and butter to the potatoes and season to taste.
Fold the sauerkraut through the mashed potatoes. Crumble the bacon and finely chopped celery leaves over the dish, fold through, and serve piping hot.
Meet Faye Roberts
Where did your love of writing come from?
Rudyard Kipling wrote that if history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten. In my early years, I grew up spending summers with a grandmother who poured her love of history into me through her stories. Later, I was blessed with a high school history teacher who taught using that philosophy. We read The Good Earth by Pearl Buck to get the real history of China, and Dr. Zhivago by Boris Pasternak to explain the Russian Revolution. His class was during the year of 1971 when our own history was being fought by former upperclassmen sent to a place called Vietnam. We were encouraged to debate the pros and cons and form our own opinions. And to remember those who never came back - hard lessons learned.
Tell us about your first book?
My first novel, Fragile Treaties, used the same concept that I learned in school, showing the everyday lives of the Ute people and what led up to the removal from their homeland in southwest Colorado. It was an honor to have the book used by a high school teacher in her Colorado History class. She stated that her students “got it” – the sacrifice, the greed, and the betrayals - woven into a story they actually read.
I’ve read your whole series of the Silver Cross Ranch Legacy. Tell us a bit about them.
Fragile Treaties was the foundation of what would later become a series – The Silver Cross Ranch Legacy . Historical facts are woven into the lives of four generations of ranch women who run the Silver Cross over a period of one hundred years. The series brings to life the moments in history that have formed us both as a people, and as a nation. Now, more than ever, it's imperative not to erase the lessons of history, but to heed the warnings.
Tell us about the setting.
The location of the Silver Cross Ranch series is based on an actual ranch called The Last Dollar Ranch between my hometown of Montrose and the ski resort of Telluride, Colorado. The old buildings on the ranch, from the main house to the barn and outbuildings, were painstakingly taken apart and rebuilt, keeping every aspect of the ranch as authentic as possible. The movie True Grit was filmed there, as well as many other commercials. What I loved about the character Rose Bodeen in the first book of the series, was her tenacious spirit as caretaker of the family ranch. Certainly not perfect, she came to trust and rely on her faith as she worked to bring the ranch into a new era. Being faced with our own challenging times today, Rose is a good reminder to look not to ourselves for answers, but to seek guidance from our Great Creator.
The Legacy of Rose Bodeen on Amazon
Imagine opening a long-forgotten trunk to find diaries written by your foremothers. Four generations of thoughts, heartaches, challenges, and triumphs. What lessons did they write inside the yellowed pages? What lessons could they gift you now?
THE LEGACY OF ROSE BODEEN – Book One of the Silver Cross Ranch Legacy
Rose Bodeen is a hard-living kind of girl who can out-ride any hand on the ranch. After being jilted, she sets out for adventure and finds it with Bill Cody’s Wild West Extravaganza. Yet the land draws her back like warm sun draws flowers from the ground in spring, just as her sweet Mama said it would the day she rode away. With matter-of-fact conviction and bull-headed determination, she strives to survive during the fast-changing times that follow—The Great War, the fight for a women’s right to vote, the Industrial Revolution, the high-kicking Roaring Twenties followed by the Great Depression, and yet another devastating world war. She celebrates thrilling triumphs and endures deep tragedies, along with losses that go hand-in-hand with loving. With hard-won faith, Rose comes to accept what she calls God’s anvil time that hammers and hones her into all she’s meant to be.
Faye Roberts
silvercrossranch@gmail.com
www.fayerobertswriter.com
Visit Faye Roberts on Amazon
Hearty Elk Stew in a Crock Pot
In our country, elk meat is a staple. If you don’t have access to elk, substitute using beef.
4 slices thick cut bacon cut into ½ inch pieces.
3 T. flour
1 t. salt
½ t. pepper
3 lbs. elk meat cut into one-inch chunks
1 c. beef broth
1 c. dry red wine (substitute additional beef broth if you would rather use)
2 T. beef flavored Better Than Bouillon
2 T. tomato paste
1 c. sliced mushrooms
2 carrots cut into one-inch pieces
2 large peeled potatoes cut into one-inch chunks
1 cup diced onion
3 cloves minced garlic
1 T. Herbs de Provence
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Place the elk meat in a one-gallon plastic bag. Add the flour, salt and pepper and shake until coated.
In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon pieces to a paper towel, then add the elk meat to the bacon grease in the skillet. Spoon the meat into the Crock Pot when all sides are browned.
De-glaze the skillet by adding the wine, beef broth, bouillon and tomato paste. Bring to a boil and stir, scraping the browned bits on the bottom into the broth. Pour the mixture into the Crock Pot over the elk meat.
Add in the vegetables and herbs and cook until the meat is tender, about 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. Add the reserved bacon bits before serving. Serve with hot biscuits or over buttered noodles.
Meet Linda Knowles
Linda was raised in Prichard, Alabama with her three brothers until 1954. Their parents, Gladys and Eddie Summers, built a house on Strange Avenue in Saraland. Linda was in the fifth grade when she entered Satsuma High School. (her stepfather always answered to “Mr. Sealy” even though his name was Summers)
Linda graduated from SHS in 1963 and was a cheerleader from the 7th grade to freshman year at Livingston Teachers College. Linda recalls that she always wanted to be just like Pat Pierce Hicks in school. A great cheerleader!
In 1964, she married Phillip (Pete) Knowles. They have two children: Kelli Williams and Pete Knowles, II, and three beautiful teenage granddaughters. They all reside in Niceville and Destin, Florida.
How did you start writing?
I began my writing career one night because I was depressed. It was the week of my wonderful husband, Pete Knowles, Sr’s death anniversary. He had been passed for ten years. I sat down at my computer and began a short story about a young girl who had a little sister and a mean old stepfather. Before I knew it, I was on a stagecoach headed to heaven knows where and that became the name of a 100,000-word “short story.”
Once I began this story and gave birth to my characters, it was funny, I was never depressed again or lonely. I fell in love with my characters and I could not stop writing about them. I have four other books written about them to prove that statement.
I write every day, have completed my seventh book and am busy writing my eighth. I hope whomever wins a copy of my books will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing them.
Tell us about the setting of your book?
My sister had suggested that I write about my hometown, Satsuma, Alabama. She said, “Don’t call it Satsuma because you might not describe it just right to satisfy everyone that lived back then. Name it Orchard, Alabama,” so I did just that.
As my story began to unfold, it took me away from Orchard up toward Tennessee.
My main character, Jack Mills, had a career as an attorney in Montgomery, Alabama, to become a trapper in the hills of Gibson, Tennessee. He built a nice cabin and learned from an older man how to trap and care for the hides of the animals. He introduced him to many creek beds and deep valleys in the dark forest where critters were plentiful.
Living about five miles from town, he loved the isolation of the quiet forest where he lived.
I chose this setting because the story unfolded near the quaint cabin where my main character lived. I never know from paragraph to paragraph where my story is going to take me.
A Stranger’s Love
Who am I? Where am I? What’s happened here?” These were questions going through the lovely, red-haired beauty stretched out on the sandy, dirt trail.
With bright sunlight in her eyes, she tried to focus on her surroundings. She had to get up, but everything in sight was fuzzy. She felt her head and discovered a bloody gash on the back of her skull. Crawling to an overturned covered wagon, she managed to stand. On the ground lay two corpses. Who were those people?”
Lightning flashed and loud thunder meant a storm was brewing. “Oh, Lord, please protect me.” She had to find someplace to ride out the bad weather. A trail often led somewhere, so she stumbled along until she came upon an opening in the thick forest. There in front of her, stood a quaint log cabin. Thank you Lord, for leading me to my safe haven. https://amzn.to/2ODHrVg
Smothered Rabbit
Here is a dish that Sally or Faith cut several times in A Stranger’s Love.
1 frying rabbit
Flour
Salt and pepper
2 large, sliced onions
Water to cover
Grease
Carrots
Potatoes
Heat the grease and dropped the floured rabbit into it and brown on both sides. Drain the exact grease and put back the rabbit into the frying pan. Cover with water. Let meat cook slowly until tender. Place sliced onions, cut-up carrots and potatoes over the meat and cover with heavy lid. Allow to cook until vegetables are tender. Serve with corn bread or home-made biscuits. Gravy will be delicious!
January 15, 2021
January Field Trip to Florida
January 2021 Newsletter
It’s Field Trip Time!
Let's go to my favorite places in Florida!
Sherri Stewart
www.stewartwriting.com
Our trip to California was cancelled due to the virus, so we’ll make like elementary students and partake of a field trip closer to home—that would mean FLORIDA. We’ll visit my favorite beach, my favorite town, my favorite restaurants, the oddest place in Florida, my favorite theme park, and sample a Floridian recipe. Welcome to my world!
Florida is literally surrounded by beaches, but my favorite is on Sanibel Island near Fort Myers. Why? Because it has more of a tropical feel than a tourist mecca. I’ve seen the most unusual insects and flowers on Sanibel. And it’s famous for its abundance of shells at dawn.
Walks abound all year around in Florida. My favorite time, of course, to walk is November to February when it’s not too hot. Celebration is a cute little town—a throwback to the thirties—for cyclists and walkers. I love to walk around the lake and look for alligators, usually visible in the spring and summer. I almost stepped on an alligator one night when I was walking my dog. I have a picture to prove it.
I also walk Disney’s parks three times a week. I like to go to Epcot, walk around the world, and sample the small plates during their food and wine festivals, which now are available throughout the year. That’s why I never lose weight.
Colombia Restaurant, the oldest eatery in Florida, is actually in Ybor City in Tampa, but there is a Colombia in Celebration. I love to sit outside and eat their 1905 salad, which they make at the table, steaming warm Cuban bread, and Crème Catalan for dessert.
Another favorite restaurant that’s a bit of a drive but worth it is Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami. (not to be confused with Joe’s Crab Shack). Joe’s is famous for its stone crab served cold with mustard, accompanied by hash browns. YUM.
Last but not least is the oddest place ever: Coral Castle
The extraordinary Coral Castle, located in the suburbs of Homestead, Florida, is made entirely of oolite limestone, and one man single-handedly built it. Ed Leedskalnin, a Latvian immigrant, pursued his project as a dedication to his long-lost love. The massive work took place over the course of 28 years, and it still stands today as an ode to love imbued with mystery.
How the remarkable work was built remains an enigma. Leedskalnin never divulged how he was able to lift and position the gigantic stones. Residents had noticed the trucks carrying the coral rocks along the South Dixie Highway, but no one ever saw how Leedskalnin was able to unload them. To protect his privacy during construction, he was very particular about working at night—to avoid any detection—and even went on to build “lookouts” along the castle’s walls.
Columbia’s Original “1905” Salad®
Columbia Restaurant Recipe
“One Of America’s Top 10 Best Salads” - USA Today
In the 1970s, this flavorful salad was the Columbia’s answer to the ubiquitous salad bar. Created by waiter Tony Noriega in the 1940s, it was adapted by the Columbia, eventually phasing out the use of black olives and celery.
The Columbia kitchen designed a new dressing that features Worcestershire sauce, lemon, and Parmesan cheese.
Salad Ingredients
4 cups iceberg lettuce, broken into 1 ½" × 1 ½" pieces
1 ripe tomato, cut into eighths
½ cup baked ham, julienned 2" × ⅛" (may substitute turkey or shrimp)
½ cup Swiss cheese, julienne 2" × ⅛"
½ cup pimiento-stuffed green Spanish olives
“1905” Dressing (see recipe below)
¼ cup Romano cheese, grated
2 tablespoons Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce®
1 lemon
Salad Preparation
Combine lettuce, tomato, ham, Swiss cheese and olives in a large salad bowl. Before serving, add “1905” Dressing, Romano cheese, Worcestershire and the juice of 1 lemon. Toss well and serve immediately. Makes 2 full salads or 4 side salads.
“1905” Dressing Ingredients
½ cup extra-virgin Spanish olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
⅛ cup white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Salad Dressing Preparation
Mix olive oil, garlic and oregano in a bowl with a wire whisk. Stir in vinegar, gradually beating to form an emulsion, and then season with salt and pepper. For best results, prepare 1 to 2 days in advance and refrigerate.
Joe’s Stone Crab Key Lime Pie
INGREDIENTS
Graham Cracker Crust
1⁄3 lb graham cracker (or 1 cup plus 2 1/2 Tablespoons graham cracker crumbs)
5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1⁄3 cup sugar
Filling
3 egg yolks
1 1⁄2 teaspoons grated key lime zest
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2⁄3 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice
Topping
1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
DIRECTIONS
For the crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Butter a 9-inch pie plate.
Break up graham crackers, place in processor and process to crumbs (if you don't have a processor, place crackers in large plastic bag, seal, and crush using a rolling pin).
Add melted butter& sugar and pulse until combined.
Press mixture into bottom and up sides of pan, forming a neat border around th edges.
Bake until crust is set and golden, about 8 minutes.
Set aside on wire rack; leave oven on.
For the filling:
Meanwhile, in an electric mixer with the wire whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and lime zest at high speed until very fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to beat until thick, 3-4 minutes longer.
Lower the mixer speed and slowly add lime juice, mixing until just combined.
Pour mixture into crust and bake for 10 minutes, or until filling has just set.
Cool on wire rack, then refrigerate.
Freeze for 15-20 minutes before serving.
For the topping:
Whip the cream and the confectioner's sugar until nearly stiff.
Cut pie in wedges and serve very cold, topping each wedge with a dollop of whipped cream.
Garnish with a slice of key lime if desired.
I’m excited to announce that my book, A Song for Her Enemies, is available for pre-order on Amazon. It will be released on March 2nd. $3.99 for eBook. More for paperback. https://amzn.to/3oMOmZt
Fresh off the presses. If you’re game for dipping your toe in time travel, and have always wanted to see what would happen if the #metoo movement met Hollywood in the sixties, read A Friend in High Places. $2.99 eBook and $6.99 paperback. https://amzn.to/2LLAboZ
Meet Lisa Worthey Smith
Multiple award-winning and bestselling author, Lisa Worthey Smith, weaves stories brimming with faith, hope, and love. She draws from her many years as a Bible student and Bible study leader for both profound and simple layers that add spiritual depth to the canvas. Her passion is sharing biblical truths in such a way that readers gain a fresh understanding of how the Word of God is relevant to their lives.
Lisa and her high school sweetheart husband are empty-nesting in north Alabama where she serves as president of North Alabama Word Weavers, tends her hummingbird garden, and tippy taps on her keyboard with a cup of Earl Grey beside her.
My most recent release is a unique blend of biblical fiction and contemporary Christian fiction with a twist of suspense and political intrigue. Set in our time, the main character of The Elijah Mandate lives out many parallel situations as that of her namesake, Elijah. As she navigates through increasingly dangerous situations, Eliana draws strength from how God provided for Elijah, empowering her own prayer life.
The Elijah Mandate on Amazon
Tell me about a character in your book, and how that person is like you.
I am probably most like the main character’s mother, Grace, whose dedication to her family and her faith define her. Grace and I both have led fairly simple lives, have worked in the legal field, and enjoy cooking for others. We also each received a prophecy about a child before they were born. Although Eliana—the main character—battles the enemy face-to-face, her mother equips her for the challenge with her prayers and wisdom from God’s Word. Grace’s love for her children might blind her somewhat, but her unwavering faith in God is her abiding strength.
Tell me about where you live and what you like about it. What's one thing people should do or try if they come to your town?
I live in a slow-paced rural area in the Appalachian foothills of north Alabama near the Tennessee River, rich with southern drawl, where our schedules are arranged by the college football calendar (insert your own “Roll Tide” or “War Eagle” here). We are blessed with churches planted on nearly every block, and restaurants that offer (very) sweet tea. If you hanker for intellectual conversation, a few miles away you will find a diverse and highly educated population of engineers and rocket scientists.
We are best known for two things. First, Redstone Arsenal, where Dr. Werner VonBraun developed rockets and missiles in the era of the Kennedy presidency, and the home of the Space and Rocket Center and its Space Camp for young people. Second, the barbeque from Bob Gibson’s is famous worldwide. Their barbeque chicken (slow-smoked and served with a white sauce) is worth the trip. Any visit to north Alabama should include both.
We will welcome you to our homes and our churches, and the staff at Wal-Mart will fill you in on anything that I missed.
Write about the setting of your book, and why you chose that setting.
Some scenes are in the time of Elijah. I greatly enjoyed researching, then envisioning life in his time and setting the stage for his emotional journey.
Modern-day scenes alternate between the rural area where Eliana grew up and Washington DC. I drew heavily from my own home for the hometown scenes. Her move to Washington for a job at the US Supreme Court allowed me to review the history and symbolism that tied in the urgent modern-day relevance to the time of Elijah.
What recipe would your character enjoy eating?
Pound cakes are considered a staple in the south, and a good pound cake recipe is passed from one generation to the next. We serve them with fruit in the spring and summer, and drenched with chocolate ganache in the fall and winter. This is my favorite recipe for a perfect classic pound cake.
In The Elijah Mandate, Grace uses her mother’s recipe to prepare a pound cake for her daughter, Eliana, who comes for a visit. They lavish it with fresh sliced peaches.
Classic Pound Cake
½ cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
½ cup shortening
3 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs, room temperature
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Madagascar is a good choice)
½ teaspoon butter flavoring
~~
Preheat oven to 325°
Grease and flour 12-cup cake pan (10” pan)
With a stand mixer, cream together butter and shortening. Gradually add sugar, beating well at medium speed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix just until blended. Stir in flavorings.
Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool in pan 10-15 minutes before inverting it onto plate or wire rack. Do not cover it until it is cool or it will “sweat” and become soggy.
Notes – It is imperative that all ingredients be at room temperature before mixing. Only mix until blended. Overmixing will make the cake too fluffy, instead of dense. Avoid opening the oven door or slamming doors will the cake is baking so the cake doesn’t fall. If it does, the center will be gooey. This recipe can also be divided to make two loaf pans. Leave one out for dessert. Freeze the other, wrapped in aluminum foil and sealed in a zip-type bag for up to about six months. This cake is also better a couple of days after it is baked.
I often serve this cake at Easter with sliced fresh strawberries and whipped cream.
Variations
Lemon – add two tablespoons of instant lemonade mix, plus the juice and (most of the) zest from two lemons to the batter. Glaze with 1 cup powdered sugar mixed with a few drops of vanilla extract, enough lemon juice to make the right consistency. Sprinkle remaining zest on glazed cake. (If you don’t have another lemon, add a sprinkling of lemonade mix for color and tang.)
Coconut – add ¾ cup flake coconut to batter and substitute ½ the dairy milk with coconut milk.
Chocolate – add 3 tablespoons cocoa to batter, and glaze with chocolate ganache.
Meet Jill Boyce
Jill writes inspirational romantic fiction with a medical theme. Her two debut novels are part of the A Dose of Love series. Each story can stand alone, but both feature strong female leads facing challenging life circumstances while finding love along the way. The third book in the series will release soon. Jill’s debut novel, Harte Broken, was inspired by her love of romance and her walk through the grief of losing her mother on the same day of her daughter’s birth. It raises the question, “What happens when the best day is also the worst one?”
Jill is a physician turned stay-at-home mom, who loves coffee, travel, and anything glittered. She treasures spending time with her husband and children, who are her heart and greatest joy. Check out www.jillboyceauthor.com to join her monthly newsletter, and Instagram @ JillBoyceAuthor
Tell me about your book , Harte Broken.
Time doesn’t heal all wounds. Love does.
Amy Harte, an emergency medicine physician, lost her mother to cancer suddenly on the day of her residency graduation one year ago. As a doctor, she struggles with not saving her mother and experiencing her best day on her worst. Since then, she has turned from her relationship with God in her guilt and grief. Near the fateful day’s anniversary, her father calls to tell Amy the bank may take her childhood home. Amy knows she must save the house that holds the last precious memories of her mother.
Meanwhile, Amy meets a gorgeous Christian man, Seth, who slowly restores her belief in love and God’s goodness. Their happily ever after may have to wait because Dr. Mark Blakely, Amy’s dashing hospital colleague, has never met a woman he couldn’t woo. Still, Amy suspects Mark values the chase more than her heart. Time is running out for Amy to save her family home and release her anger and guilt. Will she discover that love, especially God’s love, heals all wounds? https://amzn.to/3il7KKL
How is your lead character like you?
Amy Harte is an emergency medicine physician who lost her mother on what was to be the best day of her life. I, too, lost my mom on a “best” day. My mother passed away on the same day as my daughter’s birth, and it presented one of the most challenging times of my life. As I walked through the grief journey, I learned that God gives us beauty for ashes, and amidst the pain, we can find comfort, love, and hope. Out of all of my characters I’ve written thus far, I’m the most like Amy. I studied abroad in college, I like small towns, and family is important to me. My mother was my best friend, so I can relate to Amy’s loss, for it is my own. I hope readers will find encouragement in this story, experiencing both laughter and tears along the way.
Where do I live and what I like about it?
I live in a small town in WV. I love the beauty of my state and enjoy the four seasons. I would encourage visitors not to miss seeing the New River Gorge National Park, hiking Seneca Rocks, and biking one of the many trails throughout the state.
How did you choose the setting of the book?
Amy’s story takes place in a fictional small town called Scottsburg, VA. It is loosely modeled off Bridgeport, WV. I love the tight-knit community in a small city, and I love my home state, so I wanted to represent that in the book.
What recipe would your character enjoy eating and what is one that is representative of where you live?
I am a terrible cook…absolutely awful. However, if I could cook or bake, I’d share a pepperoni roll recipe as they originated in West Virginia. There are so many bakeries and shops that make excellent versions of this that it’s hard to name one—Country Club Bakery, Tomaro’s Bakery, Abruzzino’s Bakery are all great. Amy Harte’s favorite food is coffee, so I’d probably recommend that. I, like, Amy, have a deep love for coffee in any of its forms. Plus, it’s one of the few things I can make without burning, setting on fire, or accidentally cooking in the wrapper.
I hope you’ll join me on Facebook for #faith, fun, hope…and a little coffee.
My second book, Perfectly Imperfect , introduces a germaphobic, infectious disease doctor. The third book in the series, A Prescription for Beauty, presents an insecure plastic surgeon who suffered physical and emotional scars in childhood. www.facebook.com/jillboyceauthor
December 17, 2020
December Field Trip to Frankenmuth
December 2020 Newsletter
It’s Field Trip Time!
Let's go to Frankenmuth, Michigan!
Sherri Stewart
www.stewartwriting.com
What are your Christmas or Hanukkah traditions? If you’re from a different country, what are some of your unique traditions ? Email me with your answer, or try one of the recipes in this Christmas edition, and score a chance to win an Amazon gift card.
This month we’re taking a field trip to Frankenmuth, Michigan. Growing up near Frankenmuth, our family always made the trip to Bronner’s to buy our yearly Christmas tree ornament, enjoy a traditional German chicken dinner at the Bavarian Inn, and stopped at Kern’s for a stick of summer sausage. Even as an adult, whenever I return to Michigan to visit family, I try to fit in a trip to Frankenmuth. Love the fried chicken and spaetzle!
On Christmas Eve, we always enjoy a bowl of cheese soup, along with charcuterie and Christmas cookies. If you’ve been to Epcot, you’ll recognize this recipe.
Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup
½ lb. bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 medium red onion, cut into ¼ inch pieces
3 celery ribs, cut into ¼ inch pieces
4 tbs. butter
1 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. chicken stock
4 c. milk
¾ lb. grated white cheddar cheese
1 tbs. Tabasco sauce
1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
½ c. warm beer
Chopped scallions or chives, for garnish
In a 4-5 quart Dutch oven, cook the bacon, stirring over medium heat about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned
Add the red onion, celery, and butter, and saute until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes over medium heat. Whisk in the chicken stock and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the milk and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Do not boil after you add the milk.
Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper until the cheese is melted and the soup is smooth. Stir in warm beer. If the soup is too thick, add some warm milk.
Serve the soup hot, garnished with chopped scallions or chives.
Relax with one of Sherri's Christmas books
Entertaining Angels
God has a very special plan for each person, and sometimes He sends an angel to help things along. In this series, Entertaining Angels, you will meet Maude and Claude, two sweet, rather clumsy angels whom God assigns the job of bringing together two worthy people. Enjoy these six romances that received a helping hand from an unlikely source. https://amzn.to/2WpA9oK
The Promise Keeper
Meadow meets Jonathan by chance in London. Two American strangers sharing the same seat at a concert. What are the odds? Thus begins a whirlwind fairy tale in London and in Wales. But all good things must end. They promise to meet at Christmas on the rooftop of Cardiff Castle in Wales in two years if they’re not already spoken for. Will Jonathan keep his promise? If you enjoyed Serendipity and Sleepless in Seattle , The Promise Keeper is the book for you.
https://amzn.to/3eY49Av
Sleeping through Christmas
Lily Rountree wishes she could skip December all together. In fact, for the last two decades, memories of the death of her twin, Poppy, have traumatized her so much that she forgets the simplest things. And she falls asleep at the worst times in the most embarrassing places. But if it weren’t for that unscheduled nap at Simon-Morrisey Department Store, she wouldn’t have met Justin Knight, or overheard his plan to rob the store, an art museum, and a bank. When Justin learns about Lily’s presence, their cat-and-mouse game begins, and the holidays take on a whole new meaning. May contain mild Christian references.
https://amzn.to/2KrF3yV
Meet Best-Selling Author, Cynthia Hickey.
Multi-published and Amazon and ECPA Best-Selling author Cynthia Hickey has sold close to a million copies of her works since 2013. She has taught a Continuing Education class at the 2015 American Christian Fiction Writers conference, several small ACFW chapters and RWA chapters, and small writer retreats. She and her husband run the small press, Winged Publications, which includes some of the CBA’s best well-known authors. She lives in Arizona and Arkansas, becoming a snowbird, with her husband and one dog. She has ten grandchildren who keep her busy and tell everyone they know that “Nana is a writer.”
What is your favorite Christmas tradition?
Our favorite tradition is done first thing Christmas morning. Before we dig into our stockings and gifts, we say a prayer and toast Jesus with sparkling cider, then write on a slip of paper only something we can give Him. Then, without anyone knowing what our gift to Jesus is, we put it in his stocking. We've done this since our children were small.
Tell us about where you live.
Although we're snowbirds, spending the winters in Arizona, the small town of Atkins, Arkansas is where we spend the majority of our time. Small town, friendly people, crazy mishaps...we had a long horned steer run through our front yard a few days ago. Pleasures are simple and Christmas is focused on the real reason for the season.
What’s your favorite restaurant in your town?
If you want a taste of Atkins, you'd have to go to Jose's International Cafe. The building has been around since the 1940s. Mismatched furniture and a massive oil painting covers the old brick walls. They serve everything from hamburgers to enchiladas and never lack for business.
CAPER STEALS CHRISTMAS
Missing diamonds…again
A snooty cat with a penchant for trouble…
The last thing she wanted was another mystery to solve.
It’s Christmas, CJ Turley’s favorite holiday, only something hovers over the festivities. A cat’s collar disappears and it seems as if Caper, CJ’s darling pup, might be the culprit. It’s easier to believe than suspecting the owners of the cat from stealing from themselves.
Hilarity and mayhem follow CJ and her friends as they try to solve the theft. All CJ really wants is to have a nice holiday with a Christmas party no one will forget.
Full of twists, turns, and laughs, this Christmas novella is sure to please cozy mystery fans.
Caper Steals Christmas: A Small Town Cozy Mystery (A Tiny House Mystery Book 6) - Kindle edition by Hickey, Cynthia. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
Website at www.cynthiahickey.com
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Cynthia’s Old-Fashioned Strawberry Pretzel Salad
A cool strawberry gelatin salad with a cream cheese middle and pretzel crust.
Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins
Servings: 10
Ingredients
• ¾ cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 ½ cups crushed pretzels
• 1 (6 ounce) package strawberry flavored Jell-O®
• 2 cups boiling water
• 3 cups strawberries, chilled
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Directions
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cream butter or margarine with the brown sugar. Mix in the pretzels and pat mixture into the bottom of one 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water and stir in the strawberries. Chill until partially thickened.
• In a small bowl beat the cream cheese and white sugar together until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream. Spread mixture over the top of the cooled crust, making sure to seal the edges. Chill then pour the gelatin mixture over he cream cheese layer. Chill until firm.
Meet Author Colleen Snyder
I've always had a passion for writing. I authored two previously published books: Journey to Amanah: The Beginning and Return to Tebel-Ayr: The Journey Continues (B&H Publishing)(1991, 1993). Vicki Crumpton was the acquisitions editor, and I was her first acquisition! I currently live on a 5-acre “ranchette” in California with my mom, my sister and her husband, four dogs, one (mostly invisible) cat, two horses (one a quarter horse, and one a mini horse.) I will forever be in training as the (very) juniorest ranch hand. I serve on my church prayer team and exercise ministries of encouragement and intercession. I have worked as a factory line worker, pharmacy technician, USAF missile systems analyst, nanny, janitor, teacher, and whatever else the Lord required. My story is for His glory, always.
Describe where you live.
My official mailing address is "Madera, CA, but we live way outside of town. We are at the entrance to the "Gateway to Yosemite." Sounds picturesque, doesn't it? The only ones who see the Gateway are the cows that inhabit the fields on either side of the highway. I love living where I wake up to cows lowing, goats baying, ducks and chickens clucking, along with the sounds of hawks and other birds.
I also love seeing the Milky Way with naked eyes. There isn't an abundance of trees, so I can see for miles and miles...My sister and I have sat through the night to watch meteor showers and even saw a comet. If you come this way, you need to keep driving and go to Yosemite National Park! The map says 40 miles, but those are 40 mountain miles, so plan on taking a couple of hours to get there!
Tell us about your new book, Verdict at the River’s Edge. It looks like a page-turner.
Collin Walker, a social worker from the inner city of Oakton, Ohio, has come to Camp Grace for what is billed as “an extreme sports camp.” Her single purpose: to show her ward, Rob Sider, that there is more to life than the streets “…show you can be strong and still love, win without cheating, and succeed in life without all the bells and whistles…” Collin has no way of knowing that God has other plans for her week: facing a lifelong terror of rushing rivers, and perhaps her greatest fear of all, the possibility of love. https://amzn.to/34mF12x
What is your favorite Christmas tradition?
The one I remember most was with my children in Ohio. They would leave cookies for Santa, and Santa would always write a letter to them, directing them back to the Lord’s birth, but there was usually some incident that would make Santa leave in mid-sentence. My daughter and son would keep track of whose year it was to put the star on top of the tree. We would attend Christmas Eve service at church, then come home and open the presents from Aunt Tippi from California. Hers were the only ones allowed to be opened on Christmas Eve.
I found this recipe for Peppermint Dip, and thought, hey, it would make a really good pie, too! And it does!
Colleen’s Peppermint Dip Pie
2 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powder sugar
½ tsp peppermint extract
8 oz Cool Whip
1 package (12 oz.) Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips
1 package (12 oz.) Andes chocolate mint pieces
If you can’t find the Peppermint baking chips, used crushed peppermint candies/candy canes.
1 9” Oreo (or graham) pie crust.
Directions
Beat the cream cheese until smooth, about 1 minute.
Add the sugar and peppermint extract and beat until smooth.
Add the Peppermint chips (or Andes chocolate mint pieces and the candy canes)
Fold in the Cool Whip until well blended.
Place in pie crust; refrigerate for 4 hours; preferably overnight.
Sprinkle with crushed peppermint pieces before serving.
Unless you can pulverize the candy canes (or can buy them pre-crushed) letting the pie sit overnight will “melt” the candy canes, leaving a wonderful taste, but not breaking anyone’s teeth on a chunk of hard candy.
June 19, 2020
blog post
Try this wonderful Welsh version of our grilled cheese, called Welsh Rarebit. Easy, inexpensive--like fondue on crusty bread. Check out the recipe and other interesting tidbits about Wales in my newsletter. http://eepurl.com/gZ-mv9
