To star in Dominique Eastwick's amazing recipe. Although chicken pot pie isn't exactly a soup, this dish works for me. Not only is it easy, it makes great leftovers. Presenting...
Dom’s Easy Chicken Pot Pie
1 whole chicken/hen
4 large eggs boiled (I like eggs so I usually add more )
2 cans of mixed vegetables
1 small can of cream of mushroom soup*
1 small can of cream of chicken soup
2 cups self rising flour
2 cups milk
2 sticks melted margarine (tub butter has too much water)
All-purpose seasoning
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Boil chicken until done (I like to put it in the slow cooker over night with a dash of all-purpose seasoning). Reserve 1 cup of broth. Pull the chicken off the bone and place in the bottom of a 13x9 casserole dish.
Slice the eggs and lay on top on the chicken.
Mix together vegetables, both soups, and 1 cup of broth. Pour over chicken and eggs.
Combine flour, milk, and margarine. Pour on vegetable mixture. Sprinkle all-purpose seasoning on top.
Bake for 1 hour or until golden.
* You can substitute another can of cream of chicken in place of the mushroom, or one family size can of cream of chicken in place of both cream of chicken and mushroom.
While you have that hour wait how about a cool glass of wine and a hot read from my three book series?
From Book 1: In a time when women have few options for their futures, bluestocking wallflower Llysa Hamilton has aged out of the marriage mart. With offers for her hand unlikely, she enlists Madame Eve’s 1Night Stand service to find the perfect man for one passionate night.
Wolfe Thane, Duke of Foxhaven, has never lacked for anything, but he’s bored with his entitled life. Winning a 1Night Stand voucher in a poker game appears to offer a perfect, commitment-free opportunity to add spice to his sex life.
Hiding behind a mask during her date with the duke offers Llysa anonymity and courage. Wolfe has never met a woman as intriguing and disingenuous.
Can true love be unmasked in just one night or will it be destined to stay on the shelf?
BUY LINK AMAZON
Award-Winning author Dominique Eastwick currently calls North Carolina home with her husband, two children, one crazy lab and one lazy cat. Dominique spent much of her early life moving from state to state as a Navy Brat. Because of that, traveling is one of her favorite pasttimes. When not writing you can find Dominique with her second love…her camera.
Learn more about Dominique Eastwick on her website, blog, and Amazon author page. Be sure to join her Newsletter for up to the minute info on new releases, contests, and more.
Stay connected on Twitter, Tublr, Tsu, and Pinterest.
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Monday, January 25, 2016
GUILT-FREE PLEASURE
by Chris Pavesic
Cooking for a family that has food allergies is challenging, primarily because those allergies may change over time (depending upon the degree of sensitivity). One food my family always enjoyed during the winter months was pea soup—until one member could no longer eat ham. So I worked out this recipe that serves four as a meatless pea soup that meets my family’s flavor standards.
Vegan Pea Soup
1 cup dried peas
3 cups water
½ cup baby carrots
½ cup green pepper. diced
½ cup celery—diced
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
½ tbsp. celery flakes
2 tsp. sea salt
¼ cup onions, diced (optional)
4 baked or boiled potatoes, peeled and diced (optional)
Rinse the peas thoroughly before placing them in a saucepan. Add 2 cups of water. Add all the remaining ingredients except the potatoes. Cover the saucepan and simmer for 2 hours, adding the final cup of water at about the 1 hour mark.
The peas should be tender. If they are still somewhat firm at the 2 hour mark, continue to simmer, checking the consistency every 15 minutes. It is fine to add a splash of extra water if needed.
Notes: I adjusted the amount of vegetables and used spices that my family members can eat. If you and yours can eat them and enjoy the taste, add ¼ cup diced onions to the ingredients.
Serving Suggestions: This can be served as the soup course of a meal, or combined with the baked potatoes to create a hearty lunch.
Evenly distribute the diced potatoes into four large soup bowls. Ladle the pea soup over the potatoes and enjoy!
Please enjoy an excerpt from my latest fantasy Heart & Mind
A princess with hair as golden as a sunflower and eyes as green as apples was blessed from birth to have beauty and power and to marry a prince on her eighteenth birthday. Unfortunately for all concerned, there is only one eligible prince in all of the kingdoms, and before he agrees to marry the princess, he wants a magical guarantee that she will look a certain way, talk a certain way, and even think only what he wants. What is a fairy godmother to do?
Sometimes a fairy godmother needs more than magic.
In a kingdom by the sea there lived a princess with hair as golden as a sunflower and eyes as green as apples. She was blessed from birth by a fairy godmother who wished for her to have beauty and power and to marry a prince on her eighteenth birthday.
Of course, the fairy godmother deliberately gave this particular blessing to the princess just to make my life a living misery.
You see, one of the benefits of being a fairy godmother is that you know the exact date of your own death. The knowledge just comes to you, sometimes decades in advance. That particular fairy godmother knew she was going to die just before the princess reached the age of eighteen; she wouldn’t be alive to see the outcome of her blessing. Even back then she could feel the magic starting to gather—starting to pour from her body into the wand as it prepared to transfer to the new host—so she decided to have a little fun with the person who inherited her position.
Lucky me.
View the Trailer on YouTube
BUY LINK AMAZON
Praise for Heart & Mind:
“The author has managed to weave an intricate web about being true to yourself. One shouldn't be guided or led by others. Above all, feel the magic in your own heart. As the fairy godmother believes sometimes it is best not to mess with destiny.” –Chief, USN Ret...VT Town—a Top 500 Reviewer on Amazon.com
Chris Pavesic is a fantasy author who lives in the Midwestern United States and loves Kona coffee, steampunk, fairy tales, and all types of speculative fiction. Between writing projects, Chris can most often be found reading, gaming, gardening, working on an endless list of DIY household projects, or hanging out with friends. Learn more about Chris on her website.
Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.
Cooking for a family that has food allergies is challenging, primarily because those allergies may change over time (depending upon the degree of sensitivity). One food my family always enjoyed during the winter months was pea soup—until one member could no longer eat ham. So I worked out this recipe that serves four as a meatless pea soup that meets my family’s flavor standards.
Vegan Pea Soup
1 cup dried peas
3 cups water
½ cup baby carrots
½ cup green pepper. diced
½ cup celery—diced
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
½ tbsp. celery flakes
2 tsp. sea salt
¼ cup onions, diced (optional)
4 baked or boiled potatoes, peeled and diced (optional)
Rinse the peas thoroughly before placing them in a saucepan. Add 2 cups of water. Add all the remaining ingredients except the potatoes. Cover the saucepan and simmer for 2 hours, adding the final cup of water at about the 1 hour mark.
The peas should be tender. If they are still somewhat firm at the 2 hour mark, continue to simmer, checking the consistency every 15 minutes. It is fine to add a splash of extra water if needed.
Notes: I adjusted the amount of vegetables and used spices that my family members can eat. If you and yours can eat them and enjoy the taste, add ¼ cup diced onions to the ingredients.
Serving Suggestions: This can be served as the soup course of a meal, or combined with the baked potatoes to create a hearty lunch.
Evenly distribute the diced potatoes into four large soup bowls. Ladle the pea soup over the potatoes and enjoy!
Please enjoy an excerpt from my latest fantasy Heart & Mind
A princess with hair as golden as a sunflower and eyes as green as apples was blessed from birth to have beauty and power and to marry a prince on her eighteenth birthday. Unfortunately for all concerned, there is only one eligible prince in all of the kingdoms, and before he agrees to marry the princess, he wants a magical guarantee that she will look a certain way, talk a certain way, and even think only what he wants. What is a fairy godmother to do?
Sometimes a fairy godmother needs more than magic.
In a kingdom by the sea there lived a princess with hair as golden as a sunflower and eyes as green as apples. She was blessed from birth by a fairy godmother who wished for her to have beauty and power and to marry a prince on her eighteenth birthday.
Of course, the fairy godmother deliberately gave this particular blessing to the princess just to make my life a living misery.
You see, one of the benefits of being a fairy godmother is that you know the exact date of your own death. The knowledge just comes to you, sometimes decades in advance. That particular fairy godmother knew she was going to die just before the princess reached the age of eighteen; she wouldn’t be alive to see the outcome of her blessing. Even back then she could feel the magic starting to gather—starting to pour from her body into the wand as it prepared to transfer to the new host—so she decided to have a little fun with the person who inherited her position.
Lucky me.
View the Trailer on YouTube
BUY LINK AMAZON
Praise for Heart & Mind:
“The author has managed to weave an intricate web about being true to yourself. One shouldn't be guided or led by others. Above all, feel the magic in your own heart. As the fairy godmother believes sometimes it is best not to mess with destiny.” –Chief, USN Ret...VT Town—a Top 500 Reviewer on Amazon.com
Read excerpts from all of the books written by Chris Pavesic on Amazon.
Chris Pavesic is a fantasy author who lives in the Midwestern United States and loves Kona coffee, steampunk, fairy tales, and all types of speculative fiction. Between writing projects, Chris can most often be found reading, gaming, gardening, working on an endless list of DIY household projects, or hanging out with friends. Learn more about Chris on her website.
Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Mom's in the Kitchen and it Smells Good
In keeping with January being National Soup Month, Alicia Joseph is here to share a hearty recipe that's easy and tasty. Here's Alicia!
Since most of my mom's recipes are all in her head and she "eyeballs" most of the ingredients, it was hard to get one from her that she can actually give me precise measurements, but I think I found one. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does.
Potato soup
6 med size potatoes
1 med size raw onion or one med - lg leek, green onions may also be used
3 to 4 stalks celery, chopped fine (some leaves are good)
2-3 cups of milk
2 tbsp. oleo or butter
Peel and cut the potatoes into approximately ¼ inch cubes.
Add them in a large kettle, along with the onion or leek and celery. Cover with enough water to be visible at the top of potatoes. (Do not completely cover with water.) Boil until potatoes are tender and slightly mushy.
Add just enough milk to make the soup a consistency of your choice.
Add oleo or butter.
Heat only until liquid appears ready to boil. Do not let this soup boil.
Place in soup bowls and enjoy!
Here's a short tease from my sweet romance to enjoy with your soup.
One moment from their past had brought two women together in a way neither could have ever imagined.
Dana Perkins lost her longtime partner in a tragic accident. Although she still struggles with the loss, her profound loneliness is evidence that it is time to move on. She knows her deceased lover, Casey, wouldn't want her living this way. Dana begins her slow process of letting go, removing reminders of Casey from her house, and dating again.
The women she meets leave Dana uninspired and missing her deceased partner even more. Just as she is about to resign herself to the belief that she will never love again, Dana meets Emily Daniels, a married woman who is deeply conflicted over her attraction to women. Soon, the two women form a friendship that leads to deeper emotions. They discover that one moment in their past had brought them together in a way neither woman could have ever imagined. Is that one moment in time enough to let both women follow their hearts, or will they let their past continue to rule their future?
BUY LINKS
Affinity eBook Press - Amazon
Alicia Joseph grew up in Westchester, Illinois. Her first novella, Her Name, was published by Musa Publishing in 2014. Her Name is a sweet, romantic story about a woman who believes the beautiful woman she dreams about is the real love of her life.
Loving Again is her second published novella. Alicia is currently working on a new novel called A Penny on the Tracks, a coming of age story about love and friendship. Alicia has many works-in-progress that she hopes to finish soon.
When she is not writing, the author enjoys volunteering with animals, rooting for her favorite sports teams, and playing “awesome aunt” to her nine nieces and nephews.
Learn more about Alicia Joseph on her blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.
Since most of my mom's recipes are all in her head and she "eyeballs" most of the ingredients, it was hard to get one from her that she can actually give me precise measurements, but I think I found one. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does.
Potato soup
6 med size potatoes
1 med size raw onion or one med - lg leek, green onions may also be used
3 to 4 stalks celery, chopped fine (some leaves are good)
2-3 cups of milk
2 tbsp. oleo or butter
Peel and cut the potatoes into approximately ¼ inch cubes.
Add them in a large kettle, along with the onion or leek and celery. Cover with enough water to be visible at the top of potatoes. (Do not completely cover with water.) Boil until potatoes are tender and slightly mushy.
Add just enough milk to make the soup a consistency of your choice.
Add oleo or butter.
Heat only until liquid appears ready to boil. Do not let this soup boil.
Place in soup bowls and enjoy!
Here's a short tease from my sweet romance to enjoy with your soup.
One moment from their past had brought two women together in a way neither could have ever imagined.
Dana Perkins lost her longtime partner in a tragic accident. Although she still struggles with the loss, her profound loneliness is evidence that it is time to move on. She knows her deceased lover, Casey, wouldn't want her living this way. Dana begins her slow process of letting go, removing reminders of Casey from her house, and dating again.
The women she meets leave Dana uninspired and missing her deceased partner even more. Just as she is about to resign herself to the belief that she will never love again, Dana meets Emily Daniels, a married woman who is deeply conflicted over her attraction to women. Soon, the two women form a friendship that leads to deeper emotions. They discover that one moment in their past had brought them together in a way neither woman could have ever imagined. Is that one moment in time enough to let both women follow their hearts, or will they let their past continue to rule their future?
BUY LINKS
Affinity eBook Press - Amazon
Alicia Joseph grew up in Westchester, Illinois. Her first novella, Her Name, was published by Musa Publishing in 2014. Her Name is a sweet, romantic story about a woman who believes the beautiful woman she dreams about is the real love of her life.
Loving Again is her second published novella. Alicia is currently working on a new novel called A Penny on the Tracks, a coming of age story about love and friendship. Alicia has many works-in-progress that she hopes to finish soon.
When she is not writing, the author enjoys volunteering with animals, rooting for her favorite sports teams, and playing “awesome aunt” to her nine nieces and nephews.
Learn more about Alicia Joseph on her blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.
Monday, January 18, 2016
SOUP!
by Lizzie T. Leaf
Our grocery stores occasionally send special prices on a few items for card members. One of ours for August was sweet potatoes, or yams as the notice read. So of course, I had to take advantage of the deal.
Thank you to Elise who shared her recipe on Simply Recipes. Her swas delicious even without the tweaks I made to spice it up a little as in this recipe. Enjoy!
Roasted Sweet Potato Soup
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1½-inch cubes
4 large shallots, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. ground thyme
1 tsp. ground marjoram
¼ tsp. cumin seeds (or ground cumin)
3 cups chicken stock
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tbsp. sour cream or plain yogurt (Greek or regular, omit for paleo version) optional
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Combine potatoes and shallots in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt, thyme, marjoram, and cumin. Toss so all pieces are well coated with olive oil and seasonings.
Spread the sweet potatoes and shallots out on a foil lined baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes or until cooked through and nicely caramelized and browned around the edges. Remove from oven.
Heat the chicken stock in a 2-3 quart saucepan on the stove until steamy.
Place the cooked sweet potatoes and shallots in a blender or food processor. Add the hot chicken stock a half cup at a time. Purée until smooth.
NOTE, when blending hot liquids, fill the blender or food processor bowl no more than a third full, and start with short pulses. Depending on the size of your equipment you may need to work in batches.
Taste for seasoning, add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls with a good size dollop of sour cream.
Serves 2 to 4
Here's a brief intro to my vampire story that is guaranteed to warm your winter nights.
Socialite Deb Stein lives a life of luxury until she takes the hunk dressed as a vampire to her bed. When she wakes up one of the living dead, she’s pissed-off. To complicate matters more, she has to find a new identity since everyone thinks she's dead. Plus, if she’s dead, she can’t touch her trust fund, and that means she has to work! How can someone who has never held a job find one?
And her social life is in the tank. Her new friends are a street guy called Rat and fellow strippers at the dive where she works. If she ever sees Aaron Lowell again, she’ll put a stake in his heart.
Aaron Lowell feels guilty he took his mentor’s advice and left town after taking the sexy socialite into the undead world. Concerned, he returns to check on her and discovers she’s become a stripper—and not a very happy one when she sees him. But she’s still hot, and he can’t stay away from her, even if their meetings are explosive.
Can two vampires move beyond anger, combined with a strong sexual attraction, to find the kind of love they both crave?
BUY LINK
To read excerpts from other books by Lizzie T. Leaf please click onto Amazon.
Lizzie T. Leaf loved books since she opened her first one. Her dream was to write them herself. Lost in the hectic day to day world of family, job, laundry and housework, writing became a distant memory. When the twinkling ember did spark, it was usually doused by someone demanding their share of her time.
Lizzie's life went full circle. The desire to put the stories that continued to play in her head on paper emerged stronger than ever, and at a time when there was someone who encouraged. Now she lives her dream.
Learn more about Lizzie T. Leaf on her website and blog. Connect with Lizzie on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
See all of Lizzie's book on Amazon.
Our grocery stores occasionally send special prices on a few items for card members. One of ours for August was sweet potatoes, or yams as the notice read. So of course, I had to take advantage of the deal.
Thank you to Elise who shared her recipe on Simply Recipes. Her swas delicious even without the tweaks I made to spice it up a little as in this recipe. Enjoy!
Roasted Sweet Potato Soup
Photo by tiramisustudio |
4 large shallots, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. ground thyme
1 tsp. ground marjoram
¼ tsp. cumin seeds (or ground cumin)
3 cups chicken stock
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tbsp. sour cream or plain yogurt (Greek or regular, omit for paleo version) optional
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Combine potatoes and shallots in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt, thyme, marjoram, and cumin. Toss so all pieces are well coated with olive oil and seasonings.
Spread the sweet potatoes and shallots out on a foil lined baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes or until cooked through and nicely caramelized and browned around the edges. Remove from oven.
Heat the chicken stock in a 2-3 quart saucepan on the stove until steamy.
Place the cooked sweet potatoes and shallots in a blender or food processor. Add the hot chicken stock a half cup at a time. Purée until smooth.
NOTE, when blending hot liquids, fill the blender or food processor bowl no more than a third full, and start with short pulses. Depending on the size of your equipment you may need to work in batches.
Taste for seasoning, add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls with a good size dollop of sour cream.
Serves 2 to 4
Here's a brief intro to my vampire story that is guaranteed to warm your winter nights.
Socialite Deb Stein lives a life of luxury until she takes the hunk dressed as a vampire to her bed. When she wakes up one of the living dead, she’s pissed-off. To complicate matters more, she has to find a new identity since everyone thinks she's dead. Plus, if she’s dead, she can’t touch her trust fund, and that means she has to work! How can someone who has never held a job find one?
And her social life is in the tank. Her new friends are a street guy called Rat and fellow strippers at the dive where she works. If she ever sees Aaron Lowell again, she’ll put a stake in his heart.
Aaron Lowell feels guilty he took his mentor’s advice and left town after taking the sexy socialite into the undead world. Concerned, he returns to check on her and discovers she’s become a stripper—and not a very happy one when she sees him. But she’s still hot, and he can’t stay away from her, even if their meetings are explosive.
Can two vampires move beyond anger, combined with a strong sexual attraction, to find the kind of love they both crave?
BUY LINK
To read excerpts from other books by Lizzie T. Leaf please click onto Amazon.
Lizzie T. Leaf loved books since she opened her first one. Her dream was to write them herself. Lost in the hectic day to day world of family, job, laundry and housework, writing became a distant memory. When the twinkling ember did spark, it was usually doused by someone demanding their share of her time.
Lizzie's life went full circle. The desire to put the stories that continued to play in her head on paper emerged stronger than ever, and at a time when there was someone who encouraged. Now she lives her dream.
Learn more about Lizzie T. Leaf on her website and blog. Connect with Lizzie on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.
See all of Lizzie's book on Amazon.
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Ward Off the Winter Chill
Regency Romance and Cozy Mystery author Emma Lane is in the kitchen today. She brings us a delicious and easy recipe for a hearty soup to keep you warm. The kitchen is all yours, Emma!
Navy Bean Soup
2 strips bacon
1 med, onion, chopped
3 cups water
1 med. white potato, peeled and cubed
1 can navy or great northern beans, drained
1 clove fresh garlic, chopped fine (optional)
Sauté' onion and bacon until onion is pearly-colored and bacon is crisp. Crumble bacon and add both to pot.
Stir in water, beans, potato, and garlic.
Simmer for at least an hour. Stir occasionally. Do not add more water before serving.
Top the serving with a spoonful of grated cheese or a dollop of sour cream.
Serve with a pear salad and a loaf of French bread or hard rolls.
Pear Salad
l can pears halves or slices, drained
lettuce
dollop of sour cream
sprinkle of nutmeg
Assemble on individual salad plates. Chill until ready to serve.
While you're waiting for everyone to come home for dinner, here's a teaser from one of my Regency books.
What happens when a strong heroine meets an arrogant, but handsome hero? Sparks fly. It's a Regency Romance Romp!
Miss Amabel Hawkins acknowledges her unusual upbringing, but she thinks James Langley, the Duke of Westerton, might be a tad unbalanced when he protests her efforts to right his badly managed properties. The duke, who has been away on the king's business, demonstrates no respect for the beautiful but managing Miss Hawkins. Amabel has taken refuge at Westerton, fleeing from a forced marriage to a man who claims to be her relative in order to gain control of her young brother's estate.
The Duke arrives home to find his estate under the firm control of a beautiful but managing female. His suspicions are fueled by his recent task of spy-hunting and he wonders if Amabel Hawkins is just who she seems. While a dastardly spy lurks, a wicked man poses as her cousin threatening to take over the guardianship of her young brother. Amabel might be falling in love, but she knows for certain the duke would never approve of a meddlesome woman, and she decides to flee his estate. Will the duke finally realize the true value of the woman he loves or will his prejudice ruin his chances forever?
Amazon Buy Link
Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes under several pen-names. She lives with her patient husband on several acres outside a typical American village in Western New York. Her day job is working with flowers at her son’s plant nursery. Look for information about writing and plants on her new website. Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma's face.
Stay connected to Emma on Facebook and Twitter.
Navy Bean Soup
2 strips bacon
1 med, onion, chopped
3 cups water
1 med. white potato, peeled and cubed
1 can navy or great northern beans, drained
1 clove fresh garlic, chopped fine (optional)
Sauté' onion and bacon until onion is pearly-colored and bacon is crisp. Crumble bacon and add both to pot.
Stir in water, beans, potato, and garlic.
Simmer for at least an hour. Stir occasionally. Do not add more water before serving.
Top the serving with a spoonful of grated cheese or a dollop of sour cream.
Serve with a pear salad and a loaf of French bread or hard rolls.
Pear Salad
l can pears halves or slices, drained
lettuce
dollop of sour cream
sprinkle of nutmeg
Assemble on individual salad plates. Chill until ready to serve.
While you're waiting for everyone to come home for dinner, here's a teaser from one of my Regency books.
What happens when a strong heroine meets an arrogant, but handsome hero? Sparks fly. It's a Regency Romance Romp!
Miss Amabel Hawkins acknowledges her unusual upbringing, but she thinks James Langley, the Duke of Westerton, might be a tad unbalanced when he protests her efforts to right his badly managed properties. The duke, who has been away on the king's business, demonstrates no respect for the beautiful but managing Miss Hawkins. Amabel has taken refuge at Westerton, fleeing from a forced marriage to a man who claims to be her relative in order to gain control of her young brother's estate.
The Duke arrives home to find his estate under the firm control of a beautiful but managing female. His suspicions are fueled by his recent task of spy-hunting and he wonders if Amabel Hawkins is just who she seems. While a dastardly spy lurks, a wicked man poses as her cousin threatening to take over the guardianship of her young brother. Amabel might be falling in love, but she knows for certain the duke would never approve of a meddlesome woman, and she decides to flee his estate. Will the duke finally realize the true value of the woman he loves or will his prejudice ruin his chances forever?
Amazon Buy Link
Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes under several pen-names. She lives with her patient husband on several acres outside a typical American village in Western New York. Her day job is working with flowers at her son’s plant nursery. Look for information about writing and plants on her new website. Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma's face.
Stay connected to Emma on Facebook and Twitter.
Monday, January 11, 2016
Vive la French Soup!
In my middle grade/young adult time travel books I try to write in a scene where my characters sit down for a meal or share some food together. In The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, I’ve got a scene where Melody Spencer is dishing out rabbit stew in bread bowls for the kids. In Legend of the Timekeepers, two of the characters—She-Aba and Tau—are introduced to a ‘long yellow fruit’, a.k.a. bananas. Why do I do this? Simply put, so readers can relate to my characters. We all need to eat, and coming together to eat gives my characters a place to talk over their dilemmas, make plans, reassess the situation, and recharge their batteries.
So when I finally got my hands on my grandmother’s coveted French Soup recipe, I thought it fitting to share this fabulous meal. It’s so easy to put together and a bonus for those cool days or evenings. Many a tale has been told digesting this soup around the table, and my hope is that this meal will spark new conversations between you and your loved ones. Bon Appétit, mes amis!
Vive la French Soup!
1 lb lean ground beef
2 small cans or 1 large can of tomato soup
1-14 oz can of green wax beans (do not drain)
1-14 oz can of yellow wax beans (do not drain)
1-14 oz can of peas (do not drain)
1 can sliced mushrooms (if desired, drained)
4 medium-large potatoes (cubed)
½ teaspoon of salt
Dash of pepper
Worcestershire sauce or Tabasco sauce to taste (your preference)
Garlic powder to taste (if desired)
Crock pot
Fry the lean ground beef and drain.
Add the canned vegetables, potatoes, tomato soup, drained ground beef, and seasonings into the crock pot.
Cover and cook on slow for approximately 8 hours.
Serve with biscuits or rolls.
NOTE: Please feel free to experiment with this recipe. My mom adds one small can of tomato sauce to add flavor to the soup. The above recipe will serve a family of eight.
Voila. Dinner is done. Now what will you do with all that time on your hands while the soup is cooking in the crock pot? How about indulging in one of my books from The Last Timekeepers series?
There is no moving forward without first going back.
Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.
Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.
BUY LINKS
Amazon Kindle - -Paperback - Mirror World Publishing eBook - Paperback - Barnes & Noble Nook - Paperback
If you haven’t already read Sharon Ledwith's novel, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, here’s the blurb…
When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they're given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn't a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.
Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers--legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial--Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don't, then history itself may be turned upside down.
To read more of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis or purchase a copy, please click a vendor's name
Mirror World Publishing - Amazon US - Amazon CA
BONUS: Download the free PDF short story The Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE.
Check out The Last Timekeepers series Facebook Page.
Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, available through Musa Publishing, and is represented by Walden House (Books & Stuff) for her teen psychic series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS.
When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.
Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.
So when I finally got my hands on my grandmother’s coveted French Soup recipe, I thought it fitting to share this fabulous meal. It’s so easy to put together and a bonus for those cool days or evenings. Many a tale has been told digesting this soup around the table, and my hope is that this meal will spark new conversations between you and your loved ones. Bon Appétit, mes amis!
Vive la French Soup!
1 lb lean ground beef
2 small cans or 1 large can of tomato soup
1-14 oz can of green wax beans (do not drain)
1-14 oz can of yellow wax beans (do not drain)
1-14 oz can of peas (do not drain)
1 can sliced mushrooms (if desired, drained)
4 medium-large potatoes (cubed)
½ teaspoon of salt
Dash of pepper
Worcestershire sauce or Tabasco sauce to taste (your preference)
Garlic powder to taste (if desired)
Crock pot
Fry the lean ground beef and drain.
Add the canned vegetables, potatoes, tomato soup, drained ground beef, and seasonings into the crock pot.
Cover and cook on slow for approximately 8 hours.
Serve with biscuits or rolls.
NOTE: Please feel free to experiment with this recipe. My mom adds one small can of tomato sauce to add flavor to the soup. The above recipe will serve a family of eight.
Voila. Dinner is done. Now what will you do with all that time on your hands while the soup is cooking in the crock pot? How about indulging in one of my books from The Last Timekeepers series?
There is no moving forward without first going back.
Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.
Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.
BUY LINKS
Amazon Kindle - -Paperback - Mirror World Publishing eBook - Paperback - Barnes & Noble Nook - Paperback
If you haven’t already read Sharon Ledwith's novel, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, here’s the blurb…
When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they're given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn't a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.
Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers--legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial--Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don't, then history itself may be turned upside down.
To read more of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis or purchase a copy, please click a vendor's name
Mirror World Publishing - Amazon US - Amazon CA
BONUS: Download the free PDF short story The Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE.
Check out The Last Timekeepers series Facebook Page.
Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, available through Musa Publishing, and is represented by Walden House (Books & Stuff) for her teen psychic series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS.
When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.
Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.
Wednesday, January 06, 2016
Steaming Hot
by HL Carpenter
Now that cooler weather has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere, the human residents of Carpenter Country have started thinking about soup. And quackers too of course. We’re duck fans and ducks generally show up in our neighborhood this time of year. However, much as we like both, we restrain ourselves from combining soup and quackers.
Speaking of combining things, did you know January is National Soup Month in the US? What we don’t understand is why April is national grilled cheese sandwich month. Those two celebrations belong together. Someone should right this wrong.
We think we’ll have soup while we work up a petition.
Won’t you join us in a bowl? It’s big enough for all.
Easy Potato Soup
1 tbsp. butter
4-5 potatoes, peeled and diced
Chopped or diced onion to taste
1 tbsp. cornstarch or flour
¼ cup water
2 cups water
1 cup milk (whole, evaporated, or 2%)
1 tsp. salt
1 packet chicken bouillon
Shredded cheese optional
Melt butter in 2 quart saucepan.
Add onions and potatoes and cook until soft (5-10 minutes).
Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with ¼ cup water (pre-mixing prevents annoying lumps). Add cornstarch mixture, water, milk, salt, and bouillon to softened potatoes and onions in saucepan.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes.
Serve with a topping of shredded cheese and a chunk of fresh bread.
Bonus goodness:
Crave added richness? Substitute ½ cup whipping cream for half of the milk.
Are you a vegetable fan? Toss in the veggie of your choice, either frozen or fresh, when you add the milk and water. We like frozen carrots and corn. They add color and they cook right along with the potatoes.
Like things meatier? Put in leftover ham or chicken.
Bland potatoes? Mix in sweet pickle juice. Six teaspoons give the soup a little zing.
Want some zest? A ½ teaspoon dry mustard provides zip.
Need more soup? Add more stuff. The converse works too.
Fighting off vampires? Switch out the regular salt for a teaspoon of garlic salt. If you have a bad infestation, add ½ teaspoon crushed garlic to the soup and serve with a wood spoon.
Looking for a no-calorie accompaniment? Read an e-book while you’re enjoying your soup! We recommend our young adult novel, The SkyHorse.
Fourteen year old Tovi thinks finding a flying horse is fabulous luck—until a mysterious stranger says finders aren’t always keepers.
When fourteen year old Tovi Taggert moves to Honeysuckle Hollow to take care of her grandmother, she has a hard time fitting in. For one thing, she’s been tagged with the hated nickname Too-Tall Tovi. For another, everyone at Honeysuckle Hollow High believes Tovi played the Choking Game with someone else’s boyfriend and made out with him besides.
As if she doesn’t have enough problems, after the latest stand-off in the school hallway, Tovi finds a gorgeous speckled egg nestled in a feather lined nest.
She takes the egg home. Mysterious visitors begin appearing almost immediately. Even more worrisome, whatever is inside the egg starts chipping its way out.
When the egg hatches, revealing a winged horse, Tovi’s troubles multiply.
As she struggles to return the horse to the magical land where he belongs, Tovi must make a courageous decision—and accept what that decision will cost her.
To read more of The SkyHorse, please click a vendor's name Amazon - Amazon UK - Smashwords
HL Carpenter writes sweet, clean fiction suitable for your entire family. Visit their website for gift reads and the latest Carpenter Country news.
Stay connected on Pinterest, Linkedin, Google+, and their Amazon Author Page.
Now that cooler weather has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere, the human residents of Carpenter Country have started thinking about soup. And quackers too of course. We’re duck fans and ducks generally show up in our neighborhood this time of year. However, much as we like both, we restrain ourselves from combining soup and quackers.
Speaking of combining things, did you know January is National Soup Month in the US? What we don’t understand is why April is national grilled cheese sandwich month. Those two celebrations belong together. Someone should right this wrong.
We think we’ll have soup while we work up a petition.
Won’t you join us in a bowl? It’s big enough for all.
Easy Potato Soup
1 tbsp. butter
4-5 potatoes, peeled and diced
Chopped or diced onion to taste
1 tbsp. cornstarch or flour
¼ cup water
2 cups water
1 cup milk (whole, evaporated, or 2%)
1 tsp. salt
1 packet chicken bouillon
Shredded cheese optional
Melt butter in 2 quart saucepan.
Add onions and potatoes and cook until soft (5-10 minutes).
Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with ¼ cup water (pre-mixing prevents annoying lumps). Add cornstarch mixture, water, milk, salt, and bouillon to softened potatoes and onions in saucepan.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes.
Serve with a topping of shredded cheese and a chunk of fresh bread.
Bonus goodness:
Crave added richness? Substitute ½ cup whipping cream for half of the milk.
Are you a vegetable fan? Toss in the veggie of your choice, either frozen or fresh, when you add the milk and water. We like frozen carrots and corn. They add color and they cook right along with the potatoes.
Like things meatier? Put in leftover ham or chicken.
Bland potatoes? Mix in sweet pickle juice. Six teaspoons give the soup a little zing.
Want some zest? A ½ teaspoon dry mustard provides zip.
Need more soup? Add more stuff. The converse works too.
Fighting off vampires? Switch out the regular salt for a teaspoon of garlic salt. If you have a bad infestation, add ½ teaspoon crushed garlic to the soup and serve with a wood spoon.
Looking for a no-calorie accompaniment? Read an e-book while you’re enjoying your soup! We recommend our young adult novel, The SkyHorse.
Fourteen year old Tovi thinks finding a flying horse is fabulous luck—until a mysterious stranger says finders aren’t always keepers.
When fourteen year old Tovi Taggert moves to Honeysuckle Hollow to take care of her grandmother, she has a hard time fitting in. For one thing, she’s been tagged with the hated nickname Too-Tall Tovi. For another, everyone at Honeysuckle Hollow High believes Tovi played the Choking Game with someone else’s boyfriend and made out with him besides.
As if she doesn’t have enough problems, after the latest stand-off in the school hallway, Tovi finds a gorgeous speckled egg nestled in a feather lined nest.
She takes the egg home. Mysterious visitors begin appearing almost immediately. Even more worrisome, whatever is inside the egg starts chipping its way out.
When the egg hatches, revealing a winged horse, Tovi’s troubles multiply.
As she struggles to return the horse to the magical land where he belongs, Tovi must make a courageous decision—and accept what that decision will cost her.
To read more of The SkyHorse, please click a vendor's name Amazon - Amazon UK - Smashwords
HL Carpenter writes sweet, clean fiction suitable for your entire family. Visit their website for gift reads and the latest Carpenter Country news.
Stay connected on Pinterest, Linkedin, Google+, and their Amazon Author Page.
Monday, January 04, 2016
Teacher Learns a Lesson
by Michael Weitz
When it comes to my books, Even Dead Men Play Chess and The Grandmaster’s King, I’ve been asked, Why chess? Why is Ray Gordon (the main character) a chess teacher? For some people chess is an enigma, that interesting looking but mysterious game in grandpa’s den, but for others chess is much more than a game. Former World Champion Anatoly Karpov said, “Chess is everything: art, science, and sport.” His predecessor, Bobby Fischer, took it a step further by saying, “Chess is life.” I agree with Karpov, and while I think I understand what Bobby was getting at, he may have been a little obsessed.
I taught chess for a while at a Montessori school in Phoenix. My students were between 6 and 10 years old. Most of them had seen the game but never played while others had a rudimentary idea of how some of the pieces moved. I was nervous because I’d never taught chess before, let alone been the only grown-up in a room full of children. How was I going to hold their attention long enough to explain that a Rook is not a castle, or that a Knight is not a…I can’t bear to say it…a…horsey? Augh!
Deep breath. I had to step back and think about my own chess history. I had played against kids in tournaments and I’d been beaten by kids in tournaments and it was a mistake to underestimate them. This was proven later in the semester when one morning I arrived and began setting up only to discover a cockroach staring at me. It was tucked within the folds of a stack of paper towels the children used on a daily basis and it was as long as my hand. It stared out of the towels like it was tucked comfortably into bed and its long antennae swam lazily back and forth daring me to make a move.
Not cool! My students would freak once the giant creep fest was spotted and they would all run screaming. I had to move it, right? But I didn’t want to move it! So I did what any sane adult would do; I slowly backed away and hoped the cockroach would skitter into a dark hole when I turned on all the lights.
Once my master plan of ignoring the creature was in place I went about setting up my display board, rearranging the desks and so on. By the time my students began to arrive I’d forgotten about the cockroach. I was deep into a lesson about how sacrificing your Queen could be a beautiful and dramatic way to win the game when a little girl of about 7 went to the sink. I braced myself for the imminent panic and thought about how I could stop the mad rush of students toward the door.
“Mr. Michael,” I heard her say. “There’s a bug.”
The rest of the class looked in her direction, acknowledged that one of their own had identified the intruder and then returned their attention to me. No screams, no panic, no freaking out.
Huh?
Was it the power of chess that kept everyone in check? Perhaps. Chess has so much depth it teaches us lessons to use even when we’re away from the board. Look before you leap, there are consequences to your decisions, work with what you have, and so many more.
And I’m not the only one who thinks so. A New York area organization, Chess in the Schools, is on a mission to improve academic performance and build self-esteem among inner-city public school children. According to their website, Chess helps promote intellectual growth and has been shown to improve academic performance. Also on their website are several quotes from teachers and others praising what chess has done for their students. Here’s an example from a Manhattan elementary school Principal, “Our teachers believe that the game of chess fosters concentration, critical thinking and positive self-esteem.”
Read more about Chess in the Schools here.
I learned to play chess when I was in 3rd grade. I’m not sure when it happened, but somewhere in the years of playing chess, it became more than a game for me. I appreciated the art, studied the science and enjoyed the sport. Chess had everything. When I began writing it took a while before the mantra write what you know sunk in. Once I thought about that and what kind of book I wanted to read, it made perfect sense. Chess had everything, so it needed to be part of my stories.
Even Dead Men Play Chess and the award-winning The Grandmaster’s King feature Ray Gordon, a former cop turned chess teacher. The third Ray Gordon mystery, Till Tomorrow, will be available soon!
Available in print and multiple e-reader formats.
Amazon - Smashwords
Michael Weitz is an award-winning author who grew up in the Pacific Northwest, usually reading anything he could get his hands on. He wrote his first novel in the 6th Grade -- an eight page rip-off of Star Wars.
A variety of jobs including waiter, gas station attendant, truck driver and a host of others, helped shape his world. After college he landed in the television industry where he wrote and produced a multitude of award-winning commercials, two documentaries about Mt. St. Helens and various other projects.
After a few years in Phoenix, AZ, Michael, his wife, and their dogs are back in the Pacific Northwest. Currently working on the next Ray Gordon mystery, Michael may also be found reading, playing chess or shooting pool. As an avid photographer, he enjoys traveling anywhere picturesque with his wife.
Learn more about Michael Weitz on his website and Goodreads.
Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.
When it comes to my books, Even Dead Men Play Chess and The Grandmaster’s King, I’ve been asked, Why chess? Why is Ray Gordon (the main character) a chess teacher? For some people chess is an enigma, that interesting looking but mysterious game in grandpa’s den, but for others chess is much more than a game. Former World Champion Anatoly Karpov said, “Chess is everything: art, science, and sport.” His predecessor, Bobby Fischer, took it a step further by saying, “Chess is life.” I agree with Karpov, and while I think I understand what Bobby was getting at, he may have been a little obsessed.
I taught chess for a while at a Montessori school in Phoenix. My students were between 6 and 10 years old. Most of them had seen the game but never played while others had a rudimentary idea of how some of the pieces moved. I was nervous because I’d never taught chess before, let alone been the only grown-up in a room full of children. How was I going to hold their attention long enough to explain that a Rook is not a castle, or that a Knight is not a…I can’t bear to say it…a…horsey? Augh!
Deep breath. I had to step back and think about my own chess history. I had played against kids in tournaments and I’d been beaten by kids in tournaments and it was a mistake to underestimate them. This was proven later in the semester when one morning I arrived and began setting up only to discover a cockroach staring at me. It was tucked within the folds of a stack of paper towels the children used on a daily basis and it was as long as my hand. It stared out of the towels like it was tucked comfortably into bed and its long antennae swam lazily back and forth daring me to make a move.
Not cool! My students would freak once the giant creep fest was spotted and they would all run screaming. I had to move it, right? But I didn’t want to move it! So I did what any sane adult would do; I slowly backed away and hoped the cockroach would skitter into a dark hole when I turned on all the lights.
Once my master plan of ignoring the creature was in place I went about setting up my display board, rearranging the desks and so on. By the time my students began to arrive I’d forgotten about the cockroach. I was deep into a lesson about how sacrificing your Queen could be a beautiful and dramatic way to win the game when a little girl of about 7 went to the sink. I braced myself for the imminent panic and thought about how I could stop the mad rush of students toward the door.
“Mr. Michael,” I heard her say. “There’s a bug.”
The rest of the class looked in her direction, acknowledged that one of their own had identified the intruder and then returned their attention to me. No screams, no panic, no freaking out.
Huh?
Was it the power of chess that kept everyone in check? Perhaps. Chess has so much depth it teaches us lessons to use even when we’re away from the board. Look before you leap, there are consequences to your decisions, work with what you have, and so many more.
And I’m not the only one who thinks so. A New York area organization, Chess in the Schools, is on a mission to improve academic performance and build self-esteem among inner-city public school children. According to their website, Chess helps promote intellectual growth and has been shown to improve academic performance. Also on their website are several quotes from teachers and others praising what chess has done for their students. Here’s an example from a Manhattan elementary school Principal, “Our teachers believe that the game of chess fosters concentration, critical thinking and positive self-esteem.”
Read more about Chess in the Schools here.
I learned to play chess when I was in 3rd grade. I’m not sure when it happened, but somewhere in the years of playing chess, it became more than a game for me. I appreciated the art, studied the science and enjoyed the sport. Chess had everything. When I began writing it took a while before the mantra write what you know sunk in. Once I thought about that and what kind of book I wanted to read, it made perfect sense. Chess had everything, so it needed to be part of my stories.
Even Dead Men Play Chess and the award-winning The Grandmaster’s King feature Ray Gordon, a former cop turned chess teacher. The third Ray Gordon mystery, Till Tomorrow, will be available soon!
Available in print and multiple e-reader formats.
Amazon - Smashwords
Michael Weitz is an award-winning author who grew up in the Pacific Northwest, usually reading anything he could get his hands on. He wrote his first novel in the 6th Grade -- an eight page rip-off of Star Wars.
A variety of jobs including waiter, gas station attendant, truck driver and a host of others, helped shape his world. After college he landed in the television industry where he wrote and produced a multitude of award-winning commercials, two documentaries about Mt. St. Helens and various other projects.
After a few years in Phoenix, AZ, Michael, his wife, and their dogs are back in the Pacific Northwest. Currently working on the next Ray Gordon mystery, Michael may also be found reading, playing chess or shooting pool. As an avid photographer, he enjoys traveling anywhere picturesque with his wife.
Learn more about Michael Weitz on his website and Goodreads.
Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.
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