Shirley Jump's Blog: Eating My Words, page 8

Quick and Easy Spaghetti Pie

Quick and Easy Spaghetti PieI'm all for a dinner that's quick and easy, especially when it's hot outside and I don't feel like being in the kitchen. I made this spaghetti pie the other night, and the entire family loved it. Quick, easy, one pot on the stove, one dish in the oven:

1 pound spaghetti, cooked
3/4 jar spaghetti sauce or equivalent of fresh sauce (I made fresh)
1 container Philadelphia Cream Cheese Cooking Cream Italian Herb flavor
8 ounces fresh baby spinach
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the spaghetti, drain it, and return it to the pot. Add the spaghetti sauce and Philadelphia Cream Cheese sauce, stir, then add in spinach and stir until it's wilted. Pour the spaghetti mixture into a greased pie plate. Top with grated Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes. Done! :-)

FYI, I used the reduced fat PCCC, and it tasted the same as the regular. Saved a few calories there :-)

Shirley

Chipotle Pork and Low-Fat Creamed Spinach

I love Cooking Light magazine. It's one of my must-buys at the grocery store, and I have both Apps for my phone and iPad :-). Tonight I had two recipes from them that were a hit!

Anyway, when I saw this Chipotle Pulled Pork recipe in the February 2012 issue, I had to try it. My family doesn't like things super hot, though, so I only used two chipoltes, instead of the three in the recipe. It's one of those recipes that you have to plan ahead for--it marinates for an hour and cooks for 2 1/2 but it was great. If you can't find a Pork Shoulder that small, just cut the one you buy and freeze it (I got a 3-pound one and put half away for another dinner). The recipe says 300-odd calories a serving, but I found it made enough servings for 6, not four, so I get less than that calories per serving.

I also love Creamed Spinach--when it's homemade, not in a can or from a freezer package (eww). I've made a low-fat version before (that I used to make high fat, LOL) but this one looked awesome. And it definitely didn't disappoint! It's only 102 calories a serving, so not bad at all!

I served this with mashed sweet potatoes--just baked them and mashed them with a little honey, some cinnnamon and a dash of salt--a healthy, really good dinner all around :-) I can see using the Chipotle Pork to make pulled pork nachos...though that might undo all the low-cal goodness I had tonight! ;-)

Enjoy!

Shirley

Easy Spanish Rice

Spanish rice is one of those things that I figure should be easy, but has never really turned out that good for me. I hate the packaged stuff, but love what I get in a Mexican restaurant. This tried and true Spanish Rice recipe is a favorite with my whole family. I forgot to take a picture -- sorry!

Easy Spanish Rice

2 T vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups white rice (I use Jasmine just because I always have that but you can use whatever)
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups chicken broth
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 lime
1 scallion, green and white parts chopped

Heat a pan over medium heat. Add oil and heat until it shimmers. Add the rice, onion and garlic, stir until the rice is coated with the oil, and the onions soften. Add the cumin and salt and stir for one minute (it helps release the spice when you heat it in the pan). Add the chicken broth and canned tomatoes (with juice). Simmer the rice for about 15 minutes, until it absorbs all the liquid. If you need to add more liquid, add 1/2 cup at a time and simmer until gone. When the rice is cooked, top with cilantro and scallion, then squeeze the lime juice over it.

An easy, quick side and a big hit with my family!

Shirley

Calendar of Appearances Updated

Lots and lots of upcoming writing classes on my schedule! I'm also thrilled to be part of Kristen Lamb's WANA International and will be over several webinars through that site. And yes, I know I've been recipe sparse lately, but that's mainly because I've been doing Self Magazine's Drop 10 Diet, so it's been pretty plain fare lately ;-)

Hope everyone is having a fabulous summer!

Shirley

Taking a Book from Good to Sold

For those writers out there who have come THIS close to selling their book, or who want to take their writing up just a notch more, I'm blogging today about Taking a Book from Good to Sold. Come on over and join the discussion!

Also, speaking of discussions, tomorrow night (Tuesday, June 12), at 9pm EST, I'll be doing a free hour-long online chat at Writerspace about Revision. If you want to find the secrets to revising your book, come on by!

Shirley

Win Godiva! Kindle links for Devil and Angel, too!

Okay, I have to admit, they had me at Godiva ;-) but here's my agent's newsletter about the Sweet and Savory romance series, and they make it easy and fun to win Godiva Ice Cream!

Just go to the newsletter and read the rules--no purchase necessary to enter, but the contest is short, only a couple weeks, so enter FAST!

Also, for those who are on Kindle, and have been dying for the rest of the series to come out there in ebook, here's the links:

THE DEVIL SERVED DESIRE (Kindle Edition)

THE ANGEL TASTED TEMPTATION (Kindle edition)

Great, tasty summer reading for you! Recipes, romance, sexiness...all in one book! For those who love my recipes here on the blog, each of these books have 30-odd recipes that have been tested in my kitchen...and by my hips! ;-)

Shirley

Say Yes to the Dress...okay, yes, I watch it ;-)

I'm blogging today over at Kelly McClymer's blog about my addiction to wedding shows. I live in perpetual wedding dress envy, LOL. Stop on by and tell me if you're as addicted as I am! ;-)

Shirley

Blogging, Books, Cooking = Busy!

Book 1 in the Sweet and Savory Romances series.
Now available on Nook!My goodness, it's been forever since I've been here. I seem to go in waves. Lots of posts, then a hiatus, then lots more. It's like there's only so much social media I can handle in a week ;-)

I'm blogging today on Word Wranglers (wanted to pass that on first before I forgot) about the planning process behind The Bride Wore Chocolate, which is newly released on Nook! This first book in my Sweet and Savory Romances series incorporates two of my favorite things--chocolate and romantic comedy! Stop on by and comment about your favorite books, or your method of writing!
I've been cooking, but nothing fun, LOL. I started doing the Self Magazine Drop 10 diet and lost 15 pounds :-) Which was basically the weight on put on at Christmas eating all those darn cookies, LOL. I'm just about at my goal weight, and looking forward to some yummy cooking again soon.

Today, though, is Memorial Day, a special day in my family. I'm married to a former Navy Operations Specialist, and am the daughter of a retired Lt. Colonel. My cousin served, many of my friends have served, and every Memorial Day I am grateful that God brought my loved ones home safe and sound. I am honored and humbled and grateful for the sacrifice made by others in the military, and think every day should honor those brave men and women.

I hope you all are having a great weekend. If you're looking for a delicious, funny read to while away those warm summer days, pick up THE BRIDE WORE CHOCOLATE. You get the bonus of some delicious chocolate recipes, too :-)

Shirley

Join Me on Mystery Lovers Kitchen!

I'm over at Mystery Lover's Kitchen today, blogging about the exciting re-release of several of my books and sharing a low-calorie cookie recipe. Join me and tell me your favorite low-call sweet treat!

Shirley

Last Chance: Sign up for Taking a Book from Good to Sold

If you've been wanting to take one of my online classes, here's your last chance for "Taking a Book from Good to Sold." Class started a couple days ago but I'm taking late arrivals until Sunday. So if you have a manuscript you'd like to take to the next level, come on by!

http://www.margielawson.com/index.php?option=com_joomdle&view=wrapper&moodle_page_type=course&id=29&Itemid=68

Taking a Book from Good to Sold,

Instructor: Shirley Jump

New York Times Bestselling Author

USA Today Bestselling Author

Feb. 1 - 29; Fee: $30

TAKE YOUR BOOK FROM GOOD TO SOLD: Ten Lessons Learned:

The biggest hurdle to selling is learning how to craft a book that is better than good. Good wins contests. Good gets requests for partials. Good sometimes gets a revision request.

But learning how to take "good" and turn it into "sellable" is the key to success. New writers may not see those small elements that make a big difference in a book's salability.

In this course, New York Times bestselling romantic comedy author Shirley Jump will share the ten lessons she learned that helped her take a book that had won the Tampa Area Romance Authors First Impressions contest and make it into one that was bought by Silhouette, plus how she turned formerly rejected books into single title sales.

The workshop will include discussion of the revision process and the various elements authors need to look for before considering their book ready for an editor's eyes. Today's editors don't have time to sit down with a fledgling writer and teach her how to take her novel to that next level. This workshop will fill in that final gap for the writer who is just ten lessons away from a sale.

Check out the BUZZ about Shirley Jump's novels!

"Sweet is the word for this anthology from four top Kensington writers...Jump's office romance gives the collection a kick, with fiery writing." -- Publishers Weekly

4 1/2 Stars, "With Jump's trademark comedic touch, readers are treated to a well-crafted story about what it means to come home to face yourself and your past. The main characters are sympathetic and intelligent, and the narrative is constently smooth and compelling."-- Romantic Times Book Reviews

Feel free to share this info! See you in class!

Shirley