Delicious Memories by Bea Tifton

 

For Christmas, my father gave me some white chocolate candy bars. I love white chocolate, but like any other type of candy, some bars are better than others. This was the best white chocolate I had ever tasted. Dad hit it right out of the park for me, and I really appreciated that.

As a piece of the candy bar melted on my tongue, I had a sharp, clear memory of my childhood.  When I was a child, the Sears Department Store we frequented had a candy counter right smack in the middle of the store. If I was good (which was every time, of course, because I was a perfect child), we would stop by the candy counter. This was a big deal. A whole bag of candy I could choose all by myself.  I always walked solemnly around the display case, looking at every kind of candy, and then ordered white chocolate stars. As I clutched my little paper bag of treasure, I would take out a star, nibble it, and let the piece melt in my mouth. Heaven.  So my father’s gift of candy bars brought back one of my favorite childhood memories.

Isn’t it funny how even the smell of some foods can evoke such powerful memories? I was a sickly child before I became a sickly adult. I didn’t like chicken noodle soup, so Mamaw would make me her potato soup recipe from scratch. I could eat that when I couldn’t tolerate anything else. It was delicious and I felt special because she had gone to so much trouble for me. To this day, every time I smell potato soup or see it on a menu, I smile to myself and think of my Mamaw.

When I was very small, Mom would go to a specific bakery to buy bread. The counter seemed so far away to me since I was so young (and small for my age, anyway), so I couldn’t even see over the display case. Mom would ask for the bread, and then she bought me a sand tart. The baker was always so friendly to me. He would give me a big smile as he leaned over and handed me my cookie.  I felt so special.

Memories are powerful things. They can make us sad, happy, and even angry. But how wonderful that one can go back in time at just a mention of certain foods. Do you have any special food memories?

 

 Photo Credits: 
Pexels.com: Anete Lusina "Delicious White Chocolate on Ceramic Plate"
The Indiana Album: James Ray Coleman Collection "Sears Candy Counter, 1970s"
Wikimedia Commons: Dept of Agriculture Extension Service "Woman Cooking in a Kitchen"
Wikimedia Commons: Sara Stieneh "Bakery at Clark's, a Grocery, Drug, Sundries, and Department Store and Lunch Counter"
Pexels.com Kati Bishop "Woman Looking Up Smiling"

 

                            

When Books Make You Hungry by Laura Hunsaker

 Have you ever read a book that made you hungry? I was reading one the other day and by the end of the scene I wanted minestrone and a glass of wine. It was kind of a fitting scene since at work we are having a soup and salad potluck this week, and I shall be bringing lentil minestrone (all the dessert slots were empty and it's a soup and salad potluck).

[here's the recipe I'll be using. I substitute spinach for kale though, since no one in my family likes kale]

There are two authors I can think of off-hand whose books always make me crave whatever it is the characters are eating. Both write in such a different style than I do, that I think describing the meal to the point the food is so detailed you make the reader hungry is usually only seen in certain genres. I just don't know if I can pause the scene where a serial killer is after someone long enough to describe the meal. Then again, words are literally my job, and I like to think I'm pretty good with them, so maybe I could absolutely pull it off!

I'm going to have to ponder this. I wonder if readers are reading and thinking, "What did the characters eat for lunch?" Or even "Have the characters eaten lunch?" I think if I'm reading an action scene, I might not worry about it, but then again, don't they need the calories if they're on the run? I mean, if I'm running for my life, am I thinking about food at all? Or am I thinking that I can't run another step if I don't get a decent supper? Or are we picturing a villain chasing them while the main characters try to scarf down some fast food like this poor chap:

As I said, I don't typically describe the foods in my books to the extent that I think I would make anyone hungry. It's not really relevant to my story, but I'm wondering if maybe at least once per book I should really go all in on a meal for my poor hungry characters! 

I have a new Romantic Suspense coming out in a couple of months called DANGEROUS PAST, and while there is no eating on the run, there is lots of romance. I look forward to sharing it with you all once I get a firm date! In the mean time, are you a reader who enjoys that in a book? Are you a writer who adds that in? And what do you bring to a potluck? Any recipe ideas are welcome ;)

And you can start my Fatal Instincts series with DARK PAST, available now:

Amazon  |   Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo  |  Google Play Books  |  Smashwords

The small town was supposed to be safe...

Kate Landry is tired of running. Thinking she's safe, she settles in the small logging town of Chester, California to manage a cafe. She may be keeping a low profile, but she's hoping to return to a normal life.
When FBI agent Kyle Donovan visits to Chester to stay with a friend, and to recover from his latest case, he never expects to meet sexy barista Kate.

But someone is following Kate...

Kyle worries he brought trouble to her door, while Kate worries her dark past is coming after her.
With danger lurking around every corner, her safe haven isn't as safe as she'd thought. Kate will finally have to trust someone enough to tell him her secrets. Secrets that may just get them killed...

Trends by Suzanne Rossi

Hi, everyone.

Ever notice how we seem to be governed by trends? We read where such-and-such is hot right now, and then jump on the bandwagon so we can appear to be "with it." To a certain extent, we're all guilty of this.

Let's begin with fashion. Who remembers bell-bottoms? Yep, had to have every pair of slacks or jeans with a flare on the bottom of the leg to be in style. And how about platform shoes? Come on, raise your hand if you ever fell off them and either sprained or broke your ankle. (Hand raised here. I sprained my ankle twice--first one, then the other. I'm a slow learner.) Oh, don't forget mini-skirts and hot pants. I wore both even though my body shape simply wasn't designed for them. Those two articles of clothing and thunder thighs just don't go together. Stirrup pants? I actually liked them. I could wear my boots and not worry about the slacks bagging around my knees. I could go on and on--padded shoulders, chunky-heeled and exaggerated pointy-toes shoes, elastic waistbands on everything--but then this posting would be longer than forever. However, have no fear. Fashion trends ebb, flow, and inevitably return.

Home decorating is another area of trends--only this one can be expensive to keep up with in the long run. The use of bright colors in various rooms of the house comes to mind. My current master bath is lime green. Since the entire bathroom needs to be reconfigured, I won't bother to paint. Instead, I just close my eyes. Then some designer got the idea that a bright color would look great on just one wall of a room. Eventually, neutral colors replaced the garish encouraging us to paint our bedrooms boring beige. Wallpaper was a must have in the 70s and 80s. And kitchens didn't escape. We've gone from white cabinetry to dark to white again. Granite has replaced formica, and quartz (which is really a man-made substance) is replacing granite. Brass was all the rage for a while, then polished nickel took over. Brass and gold are now making a comeback.

And let's not forget food trends. I think this is the one that irritates me the most. One day, somebody decided we all need to go fat-free. Red meat became our enemy. Lowering our fat intake is a good idea, but fat is also what makes our food taste good. So, food companies used a substitute--sugar. And since sugar was expensive, they switched to high-fructose corn syrup. We were fat-free, but gaining weight at an alarming rate. Then a few years ago, quinoa hit the store shelves along with the healthy hype that went with it. I tried it once. Once was enough. Worst stuff I've ever put in my mouth. After quinoa, kale invaded our palates. I can eat kale if it's cooked and mixed with other ingredients, but raw or just sauteed alone--no thanks. Now the big thing is cauliflower. You can't find a recipe magazine without a dozen different ways to cook the stuff. I like cauliflower--raw and cooked. Many people are using it as a substitute for rice. Okay, that's healthy, but frankly, would rather eat the rice. Still others are ricing the veggie and making it into pizza crust. Hold on! Sorry, but when I eat pizza, I want real crust.

Even our own profession has trends. Fifty years ago, point of view wasn't nearly as important as it is today. Same with backstory. In 2019 even Agatha Christie, Leon Uris, and James Michener would find it hard to get published. Whatever happened to Steampunk? Or Urban Fantasy? Or New Adult? Haven't heard much about those sub-genres lately. The problem with writing trends is that by the time an author gets the story written, edited, and published, another trend has taken its place.

So what will be the next trend? Will hats reappear? Hope so. I look good in hats. Will concrete furniture be the latest rage? I've actually seen photos of this in some overly-designed houses. Maybe we'll all be enticed to eat something we'd never consider eating. And will romance novels ever lose their popularity and go out of style? Lord, I hope not or else we're all out of jobs.

Do you remember a trend you'd like to see return? Or one you hope never darkens the horizon again? Let's hear about it.

Have a good February and I'll be back in March. See you then.

Suzanne

Snow in Pennsylvania

by Judy Ann Davis

This year, winter snowflakes arrived in Central Pennsylvania on November 15^th without giving advanced notice. If you didn’t get all your outdoor chores finished, like trimming the shrubs, storing or covering the patio furniture, or shoving the barbecue grill undercover, you’ll now have to wait for a sunny day and first melt. Luckily, at the Davis house, we were able to get most winterizing finished. 

I’m a fan of November. It’s the month when we celebrate the first Thanksgiving of the Pilgrims as well as offering our gratitude for all we have. We gather with our family and friends together, without the hassle of presents, and enjoy good food and friendship.

It’s the month when we can snuggle down and enjoy the many smells of the season from the cinnamon and sugar in an apple pie baking in the oven to luscious, rich scent of a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Squash of all varieties become a staple fall accompaniment to a pork or beef roast. Cooked, baked, and roasted root vegetables such as carrots, turnips, beets, and potatoes, stored for winter use, appear on our holiday tables. These are our comfort foods. And they remind us as the temperatures fall that winter is around the corner.

My favorite dessert during November and December is pie. Pumpkin, apple, and pecan pies show up on our table during the holidays. Here is my favorite recipe for pecan pie:

Pecan Pie

4 eggs

2/3 cup sugar

l cup light corn syrup

½ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons melted butter (or margarine)

2 ½ tablespoons dark rum

1 cup (about 7 ounces) shelled pecans

1.    Beat eggs lightly in a large bowl. Stir in sugar, corn syrup, salt and butter, mixing just to blend. (Do not over beat.)  Stir in rum and pecans. Pour into a prepared, unbaked, 9-inch pastry shell.

2.    Bake in moderate oven (375 degrees) for 40 minutes or until filling is golden brown and firm to the light touch. Serve at room temperature with a bowl of lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Do you have a favorite winter pie or dessert?

 If so, please share your seasonal choice in the comment box below. 

This month, I'm featuring my anthology of short stories:

UP ON THE ROOF AND OTHER STORIES

https://www.amazon.com/Roof-Other-Stories-Judy-Davis/dp/0999089609/ 

This is a collection of nineteen humorous and serious

short stories exploring the lives and relationships

of the young and old. 

These are clean, contemporary stories 

for an audience of all ages.

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Judy-Ann-Davis/e/B006GXN502/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JudyAnnDavis4 
Twitter ID:  JudyAnnDavis4 
Blog Link: “A Writer’s Revelations” ~  http://judyanndavis.blogspot.com/
Website: http://www.judyanndavis.com/
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4353662.Judy_Ann_Davis
Yahoo Groups:  wrppromo@yahoogroups.com and ahachat@yahoogroups.com and pennwriters@yahoogroups.com

A Celebration of Grease by Suzanne Rossi

Hi everyone!

Confession time. I love to eat. Come on, admit it, so do you. I can eat Mexican cuisine three times a week. Ditto with Asian. Bar food turns me on. I love a good burger, medium rare, with a variety of toppings. Italian? Oh, my God, YES!!! And since I live in Memphis, that means I have access to the best barbeque in the world--pig, of course. Do not, however, try to serve me Greek, Indian, or what passes for cuisine in Britain. Not fond of German food either. I don't like lamb, honey, or curry.

As a result of my lovefest with food, I watch a lot of cooking shows on TV. My husband is not as enamored as I am, but humors me by watching along. Last week, we were tuned in when one of the contestants served up a pile of something swimming in oil. (I think the show may have been Worst Cooks in America.) When questioned as to the cooking method, the lady simply stated, "I'm from the South."

I had to laugh because it's so true. Southerners love their fried food. We take a perfectly wholesome, healthy offering and turn it into a pending heart attack. If it's edible, it hits the deep-fat fryer.

So I got to thinking about those fried foods we all love and their origins.

Let's start with the obvious--fried chicken. Nothing is more Southern than fried chicken, right? Well, sorta. West Africans were frying chicken in hot oil long before it became a staple in the South. The basic recipe came over with them on slave ships. Somewhere along the line flour, buttermilk, and seasonings were added. I can't think of any restaurant that advertises Southern cooking not having it on the menu.

Chicken fried steak is one of my favorites. Visually, it resembles the German dish, Wiener Schnitzel. But it took a Southerner to add Southern spices, cover the thing in gravy--lots of gravy--and have the guts to serve it as a breakfast meat.

Let's move on to another Southern delicacy--corn dogs. The corn part says it all. Jam a hot dog on a stick, dip it in a thick coating of cornmeal and milk, and then pop it in the fryer. Garnish with lots of mustard. I know some people who consider this gourmet dining.

And who hasn't heard of fried Twinkies? This dessert was supposedly invented by an Englishman in Brooklyn, New York. Doesn't matter. It took Texans to embrace the concept and make 'em famous.

One of the newest fads in Southern cuisine is deep-fried turkey. People all over the country have been frying turkey in hot oil for years, but it took someone from Cajun country down in Louisiana to think up dropping the whole bird into a vat of boiling oil. Cuts the cooking time of an oven drastically. Make sure, however, that the turkey is completely thawed before attempting this method. I'm sure many of you have seen the YouTube video of what can happen if you don't. BOOM!!! Exploding deep-fat fryers and turkeys launched into orbit. I've heard that there are even competitions being held to see who can send those buggers the highest. Now, I can't confirm any of this, but if it's one thing Southerners like more than food, it's competition, so I can see it happening.

Last, but not least, is the ultimate in deep-frying cuisine. Here in Memphis there's a restaurant called Dyer's. It was opened in 1912. Burgers are their specialty. The buns are dipped in the fryer as are the burgers, the burger is assembled, and then redipped. A total glorification of fat. You haven't lived until you feel it run down your arm as you take that first bite. It is rumored that the grease has never been changed. Yep, not once in over a hundred years. It's strained daily and new oil is added from time to time, but that's it. Whenever the owners change locations, they hire an armored car and a police escort to transport the fryers to the new establishment. I kid you not. The last I heard they are located on Beale Street, so if you ever visit do the tourist thing and give it a try. You can do cardio workouts later.

All this talk of greasy food has made me hungry. Luckily, it's noon. A burger--fried, of course--sounds like an option. A damned good option.

Happy eating and I'll be back next month.

Suzanne

Favorite Holiday Cookie - Almond Lace Cookies

by Judy Ann Davis

It's time to think about holiday baking. Below is my very favorite cookies I learned to make in Sweden when I was an exchange student. It is a delicate, crispy but crunchy cookie that is worth the time to make. Many people prefer not to roll the cookies over a round object, but leave them to cool flat.

  ALMOND LACE COOKIES

2/3 cup blanched almonds, ground

½ cup sugar

½ cup butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour4               

2 tablespoons milk

confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Grease and flour large cookie sheet. Into a large skillet, measure all ingredients except confectioners’ sugar.

Cook over low heat, stirring, until butter is melted and mixture is blended. Keeping mixture warm over very low heat, drop 4 heaping teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto cookie sheet. Bake 5 minutes or until golden.

Remove cookie sheet from oven and, with pancake turner, quickly remove cookies, one by one, and roll around handle of a wooden spoon, or drape over a rolling pin. (If cookies get too hard to roll, reheat in oven a minute to soften.) 

Cool. Repeat until all batter is used, greasing and flouring cookie sheet each time. Lightly dust cookies with confectioners’ sugar. Makes about 2 1/2/ dozen cookies.

NOTE: Mixture will be hard to handle on humid days. 

~*~    ~*~   ~*~

Looking for a gift for the holiday season for the person who reads? My collection of eclectic short stories, "Up on the Roof and Other Stories, which was republished recently, might be a great choice. Available in paperback and eBook.

UP ON THE ROOF  Amazon Buy Link: 

https://www.amazon.com/Up-Roof-Other-Stories-Revised-ebook/dp/B07364JF79/ref=sr_1_6?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1511731917&sr=1-6&keywords=Judy+Ann+Davis

                Visit her on: 
Blog: www.judyanndavis.blogspot.com 
The web: www.judyanndavis.com 
Facebook: Judy Ann Davis Author 

Twitter: JudyAnnDavis4 
Pinterest: JudyAnnDavis44/ 
Author Page: Amazon Author Page 

Goodreads Author Page 
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4353662.Judy_Ann_Davis

Other Judy Ann Davis titles 
KEY TO LOVE
RED FOX WOMAN
UNDER STARRY SKIES
SWEET KISS [A Novella]
UP ON THE ROOF AND OTHER STORIES

 

Gluten-Free Butternut Squash Bread Recipe for the Holidays

This recipe is made with our homegrown butternut squash, but you can buy some in the fresh produce section of your grocery store or from a farmer’s market. Canned pumpkin may be substituted but the consistency will be a little different, so adjust your flour accordingly and check to be certain the pumpkin is gluten free. I use Jules Gluten free flour (ordered from the Jules website) and it’s fabulous, but there are other gluten-free flours. (***Image of bread and squash from our garden by my talented daughter Elise)

The first step in the process is to cut one large or several smaller butternut squash in half and spoon out the seeds. Place the halves in a rectangular glass or metal baking pan with the open sides facing up and drizzle them with olive oil. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven until well done, approximately 45-60 minutes. The time all depends on the size of the squash. Remove from oven to cool. You can stop right now, sprinkle the halves with salt, add some butter or pure maple syrup, and eat them as they are. But for the purposes of the bread, we forge ahead. I always bake extra. (***Image of the bread baking by Elise)

Dry Ingredients: Mix together: 1 2/3  cups Gluten Free flour (I use Jules) ¼ tsp. gluten-free baking soda (I used Bob’s Red Mill) 1 tsp. gluten-free baking powder (I used Rumford) ¾ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. cinnamon, ¼ tsp. cloves (I use McCormick spices which are gluten-free). The amount of flour may vary with the consistency of your squash so you may need a little more or less. A whisk does a good job of mixing these together.

Moist Ingredients: Whisk together: ½ cup shortening or oil (I used Smart Balance Omega), 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 cup of mashed up squash, ¼ cup dark molasses (I used Brer Rabbit Full Flavor but have used other brands). The molasses is my secret ingredient. If you use the same cup you measure the oil in for the molasses, it will slide right out. Another tip, blend your moist ingredients in a bowl large enough to accommodate the dry because they’re going in next.

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until well blended, never the other way around. I use a large whisk to blend  them. Yes, the same whisk used above. Pour the mixture into a greased bread pan and bake at 350 for one hour or until a sharp knife comes out clean. This recipe makes one large loaf, but I always double it and make three medium loaves. This is a delicious, moist bread reminiscent of gingerbread, on the dense side, but gluten-free bread is denser. It also freezes well. Everyone in the family loves it, even those who can eat gluten. I’m gluten intolerant, as are my two young nieces and my sister, so we are always seeking good gluten-free options. I gave the brand names because some companies are far more conscientious than others about avoiding cross contamination, and anyone with Celiac or gluten intolerance knows what a problem that is, so the chatter is frequently about which brands are ‘safe.’ You can use any brands that are approved for this recipe. 

And Happy Holidays to you all.