NATIONAL CHOCOLATE CAKE DAY - January 27th

by Judy Ann Davis

It’s January 2023, and everyone is setting goals or making resolutions for the new year. 

I have decided to make just one: to try to eat less sweets. I discovered—well, not just recently discovered—I’m addicted to sweets and especially chocolate. I love all kinds of chocolate: milk, dark, white, semi-sweet, bitter sweet. And I’m not fussy whether they are in eatable or drinkable forms. I like candy, cakes, cookies, chocolate covered pretzels, hot chocolate and chocolate syrups. 

Chocolate come from cacao trees. These trees are relatively short, only growing to be about 15-25 feet tall. It takes about 5 years for a cacao tree to grow mature and start producing cacao pods. The beans grow in football-shaped pods on the trunk of the tree and from larger branches.

Chocolate has been part of American society for about 252 years. In America, chocolate was consumed primarily as a beverage until the 1830s or 40s. Chocolate cakes, as we think of them today, did not exist.

Imagine my surprise when I found out January 27^th is National Chocolate Cake Day in the United States, a nonofficial holiday to commemorate this delicious treat. 

A popular Philadelphia cookbook author, Eliza Leslie, published the earliest chocolate cake recipe in 1847 in The Lady’s Receipt Book. The first boxed cake mix was created by a company called O. Duff and Sons in the late 1920s. Betty Crocker released their first dry cake mixes in 1947.

Since then, cake has its own category and is featured in recipes around the world. Who hasn’t heard of German chocolate or Black Forest cake? Chocolate fudge or molten lava cake? Texas sheet cake or chocolate truffle cake? There are even cakelike brownie recipes. 

Cocoa contains both healthy and unhealthy forms of dietary fat, and contains minerals important for human health, including potassium, phosphorus, copper, iron, zinc and magnesium. Some studies have found that regular chocolate consumption is associated with lower blood pressure, decreased stress levels, and increased alertness.   

And thus, because chocolate can be healthy was exactly why I modified my resolution not to give up all sweets, just to eat less of them. Hey, who am I kidding? A red box of deluxe chocolates sitting on my counter (a Christmas present from my son) is calling out to me this very moment. Maybe just a small piece wouldn’t hurt, would it?

Happy New Year! 

                             VISIT MY AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE FOR ALL MY BOOKS 

 

Want Some Chocolate--And Free Book? @JoanReeves #SmartGirlsReadRomance

I want chocolate. A big slab of chocolate layer cake!  Wahhh! Can't have any. I'm dieting. Yes, I've started my annual diet. Seems to be a trend with women, doesn't it?

In my quest to avoid actually eating chocolate, I started reading about the delicious melt-in-your-mouth goodness known as chocolate.

Chocolate Facts

Fact: People have been eating chocolate since around 1700 B.C.

Fact: The ancient Mayans and Aztecs valued cacao beans, the main ingredient in chocolate, so highly that cacao was used as currency.

Fact: Montezuma II, the Aztec emperor, was said to have drunk more than 50 cups of chocolate each day.

Fact: Just the smell of chocolate increases the theta brain waves, those responsible for making one feel relaxed.

Fact: Chocolate has more than 600 flavor compounds. Red wine has only 200.

Fact: Joseph Fry invented the first chocolate bar. The year? 1847.

Fact: You'll love this. Chocolate milk is considered to be an acceptable and effective post-workout recovery drink.

Conclusion: Chocolate is a health food. Sniff it to relax before bedtime or when you're stressed out. Drink it to recovery from a workout. Eat it--in moderation--because it makes you feel good.

Here's a little recipe I've shared on other blogs. It's for Chocolate Cake in a Cup, and I promise it will satisfy any chocolate urges.

5 Minute Chocolate Cake in a Cup

You’ll need microwave-safe mugs or cups or small Pyrex baking dishes. You can make this recipe in 2 or 4 cups depending on how large a cake you want. I actually use 4 cups and serve them on their matching saucers. Cute little small cakes to serve. Best of all, this tiny cake satisfies the chocolate craving without a lot of calories.

You can add a dollop of whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or chocolate frosting (recipe below) to make it extra special (which also means extra calories!).

Cake Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons self-rising flour
• 4 tablespoons any kind of sugar (white, raw, brown)
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 3 tablespoons oil (canola, safflower, sunflower, or other veggie oil)
• 3 tablespoons chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Into a small mixing bowl, place flour, sugar, and cocoa. Mix together. Add the egg and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips. Add the vanilla and mix well.

Place mugs in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts power. The cakes will rise beautifully. Remove from microwave and allow to cool a little. You can tip it out onto a plate or serve the cup with its saucer and a spoon.

If you want to get fancy, you can mix up a batch of chocolate frosting. Here's my recipe for that. It makes a bunch, but you can actually divide it up into small freeze bags and defrost a bit when you need it.

Best Chocolate Frosting Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2/3 cup Hershey's Cocoa Powder
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter and stir in cocoa. Add powdered sugar alternating with the milk. Beat on medium speed until mixture is spreading consistency. Add more milk, teaspoon by teaspoon, until consistency is perfect. Beat vanilla in last. Makes about 2 cups of the most delicious frosting. Store in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator, and you always have ready-to-go frosting.

Sweet Treat With NO Calories

Try Last Chance New Year, (Highly Sensual Romance short story.) It's currently free on Smashwords and will be on Amazon as soon as they price match!!

Free through March 31.

(Sheesh takes so long to get Amazon to price match. Make sure it shows as free before you click to buy. Otherwise, get it from Smashwords.

A Moment in Time is all the heart needs for Love to blossom.

Cheyenne Smith, better known as C. A. Smith to her co-workers, decides New Year’s Eve is the perfect time to give in to insanity and throw herself at Luke Harper, the man she loves, and hope that he catches her.

This romance short story has David and Noelle Morales, featured in last year's LuvU4Ever, playing matchmaker for Cheyenne and Luke. (LuvU4Ever is free on Amazon Kindle and other ebook sellers.)

Joan Reeves is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Sassy, Sexy Contemporary Romance. Her books are available at all major ebook sellers with audio editions available at  Amazon, Audible, and iTunes. In 2017, new print editions of her books will be published.

All of Joan's books have the same underlying theme: It's never too late to live happily ever after. Joan lives her happily ever after with her hero, her husband, in the Lone Star State.

Readers, sign up for Joan's mailing list/free NL and receive a free ebook. Find Joan online: Blog, Website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.

2016 Holiday Gift Guide For Writers

It's that time of year again, and every year I update the gift guide for writers. For those of you who have writers in your life (and we all do. We're like black sheep, we're everywhere!) don't miss this list!

Here’s a simple guide of various gifts that writers would greatly appreciate, including a few items to avoid. :)

~Reviews! - 2nd year in the row on the top of the list! Reviews on novels through whatever medium you use. Amazon, GoodReads, B&N Nook. If you loved a novel, write a review and let others know! Can't tell you how much this one is appreciated, especially by Indie authors like us, more than any other 'gift!'

~Wireless laser printer (color or black & white) - With the amount of paper we go through printing out our masterpieces, the faster the better. Preferably one that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to replace the toner.

~ Subscription to PicMonkey or Canva - Most authors are now involved in areas of marketing or promotions for their own novels and brand, if not 100% responsible for it. These sites help us create graphics and appealing ads to market our lovely books! (Writers, if you don't know about these sites, you must check them out!)

~Printer paper - A whole case doesn't cost that much, and we'll go through every single sheet. It's like chocolate or coffee, they don't last very long in a writer's household.

~Ink or Toner - See paper.

~Coffee mugs - Speaking of coffee, we go through ridiculous amounts of this life-saving beverage. Though feel free to spread the wings a little bit and include some kind of special flavored hot teas. Just to shake things up. But be unique with these mugs. Show us something different, and of course must be dishwasher safe!

~Coffee, or Starbucks gift cards – We need something to put in those lovely mugs you purchased. Since we're not allowed to filter coffee through an IV, we'll settle for the next best thing.

~Pens – But not just any pen. Give us something different, like those coffee mugs.

~Books – Obviously! Was there any other guess? We'll settle for giftcards to bookstores, too.

~ Chocolate or Fruit Bouquets - Something snack size so we can munch as we write. Chocolate because this is my guilty pleasure, and fruit bouquets because it would be nice to have something healthy in there. Or perhaps chocolate-dipped fruit! Ooh, best of both worlds!

~Massage or Spa Day gift card – This one is still on the list, because it's vital. Can't stress it enough. This forces us out of the house to relax our writing muscles.

Don’t Bother With These:

X Thesaurus – Once again, top of the Do Not Purchase List. Every writer already has one, and every good writer knows not to use it. Still #truth.

X Subscription to Writer’s Digest or Writer’s Journal – This was on the list last year as an option, but this year it got kicked to the curb. Why? Because all of the information in these subscriptions are now available online through other means, and mostly free of charge. Sorry!

X Digital Voice Recorder – Every phone has something already on it that works. My phone came with 3 different apps.

X Journals – Unless specifically requested, stay away from these! Every writer has a billion of these shoved somewhere in drawers. Plus, it’s a cliché. Writers are supposed to hate clichés.

That's this year's gift guide for writers. Do you have any suggestions for this list, something that we missed?  Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanza! Happy Holidays! PEACE ON EARTH

*This post originally appeared on Smart Girls Read Romance blog on 12/10/15.

Susan Sheehey writes romantic suspense and contemporary romance. Her latest series, Royals of Solana is currently being recovered and packaged, and will be available early 2017. Her original debut novel, Audrey's Promise, was rereleased November 2016, and is available on e-retailers now. Susan is a strong advocate for autism awareness and acceptance, and includes the healing element of water in every story. She lives and laughs in Texas with her husband and two boys. Follow Susan on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and SusanSheehey.com. Sign up for her monthly newsletter of goodies and exclusive contests Here.

Tuesday Treats: Fall Recipes

In honor of this month’s Thanksgiving holiday and fall season, this posting is dedicated to Tuesday treats! In Audrey’s Promise, Audrey Allen brings journalist Ethan Tanner home for Thanksgiving to introduce him to her family. There was a very special, subtle addition I included for the Thanksgiving dinner meal. My mother’s Cream Sherry Turkey recipe! Of course, I had her permission to put it in the novel. (Love you, Mimi!)

Today, I will be sharing my mother’s recipe with all of you! Also, I will include two of my favorite dessert recipes! Get ready to drool!

Stuffed Roasted Cream Sherry Turkey

Ingredients:

18-20 pound turkey, defrosted, cleaned and patted dry
1 large loaf sandwich bread, dried overnight and broken into ‘chunks’ (can be white or wheat, or combination)
1 large onion, chopped
6 –7 stalks celery, chopped
1 stick butter or margarine (8 Tbsp)
Salt & pepper to taste
poultry seasoning
dried sage
2 to 3 cups chicken stock (or turkey stock)
Heavy-duty aluminum foil (large size sheets)
2 cups Cream Sherry (must be cream sherry)

Directions: In a large pan, melt 1 stick butter or margarine, along with the chopped onion and celery; add in 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper, 3 tsp. poultry seasoning, and 1 tsp. sage.  Cook over medium heat about 10 minutes, until onion is cooked.

Tear dried bread into ‘chunks’ and place in a very large mixing bowl or pan.  Pour cooked onion-celery-butter mixture over bread and toss to combine.  Pour 2 cups chicken stock over bread/vegetable mixture, and continue to toss.  Add enough stock to help bread hold together, but being careful not to over-mix so that bread does not completely dissolve.  Taste stuffing to determine if more seasoning is needed.

Line a large roasting pan with heavy duty aluminum foil, with pieces long enough on all 4 sides to fold over the turkey.   Stuff turkey with prepared stuffing, being sure to place stuffing at both ends of the bird.  Tuck wings under to form a solid base at neck-end of the turkey.  Place stuffed turkey in aluminum foil-lined pan.  Fold aluminum foil over the bird, long ends first, then sides, being sure to completely cover the bird.  Tuck in ends so that steam, or juices, won’t leak out.

Roast in a 325 degree oven (preheated) following roasting directions (For a 20 pound turkey, it will need to bake for 5 1/2 hours.)  No need to uncover and baste.  At the last hour, remove turkey from oven and fold back the aluminum foil, being sure to catch any accumulated juices (leave in the pan with the turkey).  Pour cream sherry liberally over the turkey, and place back in the oven to cook for the last hour.  Use meat thermometer to make sure meat has reached the desired temperature; thigh area should reach 180 degrees F and breast should be at 170 degrees F.  Remove stuffing from bird and carve.  Enjoy!

Buckeye Candy

Ingredients (makes 30 buckeyes):

1 ½ cups peanut butter (I use Jiff)

1 cup softened butter

6 cups confectioner’s sugar

4 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I like milk chocolate)

½ tsp vanilla extract

wax paper roll

30 toothpicks (minimum)

Prep: 15 minutes  Bake: 5 min  Ready in 50 min

Directions: In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and sugar. The dough will look dry. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Press a toothpick into the middle of each ball (to be used later for dipping), and chill in the freezer until firm (about 30min). Melt chocolate chips in double boiler or in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir chocolate frequently until smooth (do not leave unattended). Dip cold peanut butter balls in chocolate holding onto toothpick. Leave a small portion of the peanut butter showing at the top to make them look like buckeyes (pictured above). Put back on the cookie sheet and refrigerate until serving.

Frozen Lime Dream

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups finely crushed Ritz crackers

4 T sugar

7 T butter, melted

½ Gallon Vanilla ice cream

1 Qt Lime Sherbet (or more, if you love lime)

Topping Ingredients:

4 T lemon juice

1 cup sugar

6 T butter, melted

2 eggs

Cool whip or whip cream (optional garnish)

Mint leaf (optional garnish)

Directions:

Mix the Ritz crackers, 4 T sugar, and 7 T melted butter and press into a well-greased 9x13 pan.

Mix the vanilla ice cream and lime sherbet. Blend thoroughly. Press on top of crushed Ritz; freeze until set.

Topping:

Melt 6 T butter, add 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs and 4 T lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Do not boil. Let it cool. Then pour the cooled topping over frozen ice cream layer until set (overnight).

When ready to serve, put a dab of Cool Whip or Whip cream on top with a  mint leaf garnish.

Follow Susan Sheehey on Facebook, Twitter, and GoodReads.

Susan Sheehey writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense and women's fiction.

For Audrey's Promise Nook version, click here.
For Audrey's Promise paperback, click here
For Audrey's Promise Kobo version, click here.
For romantic suspense Prince of Solana, click here.

Battle of the Book Formats

Oh how the battle thickens.

It’s no longer a question between paperbacks or hardbacks. It’s evolved past physical book vs e-book. Oh no, my friends. It’s become so much more complicated.

You can’t just choose ‘e-book’ anymore. Now you must choose which format of technology to read these precious stories.

Kindle, Nook, Kobo Mobile (iPhone or Android), laptop, tablet.

.pdf, .mobi, .epub, and probably 10 more I can’t think of right now.

The choices expand every month. 

Forty years ago, you still had options of which material you wanted your book printed on, but imagine…what if not just paper, but perhaps cotton, leather, wood, chocolate (yes please!), or stone (try balancing that on your head!).

And the battle continues, with additional, equal amounts of confusion and choices.

Which do you prefer? Physical books or e-books?

If you prefer physical, the main choices are hardback and paperback.

If you prefer e-books, which format do you use most?

And an even more dangerous battle to wage: what price are you willing to pay?

I’ve realized that most e-books $2.99 and under are significantly shorter than full-length novels from just 5 years ago. My normal expectation is anything less than $3 is a novella or dime-length novel (pretty sure I just aged myself with that term). Perhaps my expectation is inaccurate, but that’s the impression I have. Or perhaps its because everyone’s attention spans are significantly shorter than a few years ago…

What was I saying?

Wait, one battle at a time.

Personally, I’m still 70% physical books. At first my reluctance to move to ebook was because I loved the feel of the paper in my hands, turning the pages between my fingers, and more importantly the smell. There are not so many things in the world better than that new book smell. But now my excuse is far more superficial. It’s more along the lines of maintaining a full battery in my electronic devices long enough to read what I want, and the data usage charges my wonderful wireless carrier imposes on me every time I download a book.

The remaining 30% for ebooks (if I actually have a charge on my device and I’m not over on my data usage), I go back and forth between iPad and my iPhone. I have evolved (slightly), as is the publishing industry.

Just in time for me to purchase my first pair of reading glasses, which I’m sure is just around the corner for me.

By Susan Sheehey

Author of Audrey's Promise and Prince of Solana

Follow Susan on Twitter or Facebook and her website