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.

REVIEW OF BETH TRISSEL'S THROUGH THE FIRE

By Mary Adair

Through The Fire by Beth Trissel takes place during one of the most turbulent times of American history, the French and Indian wars. Rebecca Elliott is fleeing an abusive father and taking her sister, Kate, with her to Fort Warden. The plan is to meet up with an uncle she has not seen in many years but remembers him as a kind and loving man.

As they travel by horse back through the forest, they are attacked by Shawnee warriors who are allied with the French. The battle is fierce, many men are killed, and a few are taken captive. Rebecca helps Kate to escape capture, but is captured herself by a warrior named Shoka.

This battle scene reminds me of the movie version of Last of the Mohicans.  Beth Trissel’s ability to bring together the sight, sound, and emotion of the scene is amazing. This scene in her story places me perfectly into the time and fills my mind with a perfect representation of how it would look and feel to be there. Ms Trissel’s story, Through The Fire, is not a rehash of the classical Last of the Mohicans. After that first scene, so brilliantly told and placing the reader right where she wants them, Ms Trissel weaves a beautiful story of growing love and respect between Rebecca and Shoka.

This journey through the frontier is nothing short of just plan hard for a woman raised as a Lady. But you soon learn there is more to Rebecca than just a pretty face. Her past abuse has molded her into a person determined to take care of herself and those she cares about. This inner strength helps her to survive and to help others dear to her heart to survive as well.

I love when a book is so well written that it transports you right into the story and holds you captive. This book did that for me all the way to the end. Through The Fire is filled with tremendous challenges, and heroic rescues. It contains a touch of Native American mysticism and ends it with a mystery.

Need I say it? This story rates 5 STARS for me in all aspects, plot, strong     characters, adventure, and I always get excited when an animal wanders into the story and you know there is a special meaning. 

Buy link is http://amzn.com/B00BJL0K0Y

No Rest for the Writer....

I’m sorry to be so late with this post. I’m knee deep trying to reach my NaNoWriMo2015. 

Are you participating this year? http://nanowrimo.org/

C’mon! It’s only like 1666 words a day. You can do it! If you’re looking for a writing buddy.. I’m there at cchectorhall

With NaNoWriMo2015 I haven’t had time to do much reading like I’ve wanted to. MY TBR pile is growing and growing and my time to do anything is shrinking and shrinking. Six kids in one household.. with a knock every 5-15 minutes on the door of a problem or school something has made it very hard.

Wah wah wah I know.

So what’s ahead for this month? My book comes out on the 17^th YAY ME!  

Tuesday Harlequin Kimani posted a teaser...

“Thanks for the offer, but—” he brushed his lips gently across hers “—I feel it’s important to know that I am extremely interested in you.”
“Extremely?” Macy squeaked out. Her heart thudded against her rib cage so loudly that she just knew he could hear it.
“Extremely and only.”
To confirm his words, Duke pressed his lips against hers. He tasted like coffee, strong and sweet. His mouth moved with an expertise that she’d never experienced before. Their connection was magnetic. His bottom lip curved perfectly against hers. Regardless of their height difference, their bodies fit together like a glove, molding against each other. His large hands supported her lower back, pulling her close to him. She could feel the
hardness of his body and swayed. Macy closed her eyes and allowed the feeling to take over her. It was as if she was floating on a cloud and she never wanted to come down. She could be kissed like this forever. But forever wasn’t an option for them.
Every fiber of her was on fire. How long had it been since she’d been properly kissed like that?

You can pre-order ---

Amazon http://tinyurl.com/ozcbd92

Barnes and Noble http://tinyurl.com/q276ue4
Harlequin http://tinyurl.com/nvaorhl

COMING OR GOING?

By Caroline Clemmons

Today, I'm late getting this post up. I'm in a tizzy and don't know if I'm coming or going. Honestly, things will be progressing along well and...ZAP!....life happens. All because I'm trying to accomplish too much in too short a time and think I have everything under control, only to learn--whoa--I SO don't.

I have several deadlines looming. Here I was writing away toward achieving them when life sneaked in and slapped me upside the head and suddenly I'm pulling out my hair. You've had times like that, I'm sure. We all do, which is why we call it LIFE.

Not that you're probably interested, but the reason for my dither is our eldest daughter broke her leg badly and has been in the hospital a week and rehab in the same hospital two weeks. Being the sort of overprotective parents we are, Hero and I spent a good deal of time going back and forth to stay with her in the hospital which is two hours away. Friday, she will come to stay with us until she can walk safely on her own, which should be about three months. Yes, she's an independent grown woman, but she's still our kid to us.

I hope you attended the Sooper Sekrit Facebook Party on Sunday evening. Truthfully, that was the most fun of any online party of which I've been a part. I'm so grateful to Kween Kirsten Osbourne for inviting me to be a part of this amazing record-setting endeavor. Forty-five authors are writing books in the American Mail-Order Bride Series for the fifty states and territories in 1890. Several authors have two books, which accounts for the difference in the numbers.

The American Mail-Order Bride Series books begin releasing one a day on November 19th, but you can pre-order them now. My book is number 42 on December 30th and is PATIENCE: BRIDE OF WASHINGTON. Here's the cover designed by Erin Dameron Hill:

What do I know about Washington state? Not much. My husband was visiting right after Mount St. Helens erupted several decades ago. I think we have a jar of the ashes somewhere.  I have three nieces living there in addition to their parents (my sister in law and brother in law). My good friend Jacquie Rogers lives there. So, I do have resources for assistance. Then there's always the writer's friend, Google. ☺

Usually, I try to write Texas settings because I live here and have traveled over most of the state. But, writers have to stretch ourselves a little to keep growing in our craft. You may remember that THE SURPRISE BRIDES: JAMIE was set in Colorado. At least I've traveled in Colorado several times. By the way, I still need a sweater or blanket when I think about a particular scene in that book. ☺

Fortunately, this book, PATIENCE: BRIDE OF WASHINGTON, takes place in spring, so the weather is great. In fact, Patience arrives in Destiny, Washington when the apple trees are in blossom. If you like big band swing music as I do, you may have heard the song "I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time". I am reminded of that tune when I think of this book.

Another help for me is the fact that Hero and I used to own an orchard of several hundred trees peach trees, four plum trees, sixteen Delicious apple trees, one Granny Smith apple tree, one crabapple tree, a pecan tree, and some grape vines. Writing about orchards is a lot more fun than owning one. Trust me!

Anyway, please think about pre-ordering PATIENCE: BRIDE OF WASHINGTON, American Mail-Order Brides 42. Don't you love those pre-orders? I forget about ordering the book but then open my Kindle and, Voila!, there it is waiting for me. Technology actually can be our friend at times.

Here's the link:  http://amzn.com/B017HLR6CE

Secondary Character Are Important, Too.

By Suzanne Rossi

Hello everyone.

Wow, it's hard to believe the end of October is here already. I've heard it said that the older you get, the faster the time goes. Must be right. Whew.

Today, I'd like to talk about secondary characters in a book. They're just as important as the hero and heroine to our stories. They can be a best friend, a relative, a troublemaker, or anybody with whom the main characters interact. Sometimes, it's easy to just mention them in passing, but I like to flesh them out.

In several of my books, I've even gone to the extent of giving them a back story. For instance, in my first book, Along Came Quinn, the villains, Rod and Victoria, had their own distinct personalities and motives. I delved into this deeper in the sequel, A Tangled Web. I set up Victoria to have redeeming qualities. She hated being a con artist, but knew no other way of life--until she met the hero. Her scheming brother, Rod, however, was never going to learn, yet I liked writing him.

All in the Family is a mob story with the heroine a mafia princess working for the Feds. The hero is a jaded, former undercover FBI agent who is also her handler. The secondary characters in this story are the son of a mafia don, a hood, and a stripper named Bubbles LaRue. I think I had the most fun with her. She had a back story straight out of the backwoods, and considered herself a rags-to-riches kind of gal.

Occasionally, I write several secondary characters. Giving all of them a history would slow the pace to a crawl and put the reader to sleep. So, I concentrate on one or two. In The Reunion, I put Dave Coryell and Suzanne Wayland Crocker front and center. I loved writing Suzanne. She was a total bitch, yet I liked her. In fact, I liked her so much, she almost took over the story. About two-thirds of the way through the first draft, I realized I needed to tone her down, so the heroine could shine. To this day, I think she's my favorite.

In my soon to be released book, The Assassin, the heroine's mother, Priscilla, not only had a back story, but if left to my own devices, would have become the heroine in another novel. I had close to ten pages of information dreamed up about her childhood, her marriages, divorces, and all the baggage that goes with it.

And of course, no novel, especially romantic suspense, would be complete without the secondary character who's the killer. Now they are fun to write, but I have to be careful not to divulge too much too soon or the reader will figure it out in chapter four. I generally leave a lot of the back story to the end after he or she has been caught. It's a bit like Hercule Poirot explaining how and why to his amazed audience in Agatha Christie books. However, I love Agatha Christie and Hercule Poirot, so I use it.

I've also discovered that the setting of the story can be as much of a character as any person. A cruise ship, a tropical isle, a big city, a small town in Indiana, as long as the writer can make the reader feel like they are there, then it's a character. I try to use places I've lived in or visited to make them sound more believable. Many of my stories are set in the Memphis, Tennessee, or South Florida locales. I've called those two places home for most of my life.

The next time you pick up a book give special attention to those secondary characters. Like 'em or hate 'em, they are part of what makes the story and keeps you coming back for more.

Have a great day and I'll see you in November.

Suzanne Rossi

I See Dead People--An Author Thing

Actually, anyone writing historicals featuring those who've gone before us see dead people. Most of the folk who've ever walked this earth are departed, if you think about it. But not necessarily gone. Characters speak to me, unless they're sulking. And I see them, unless they're being elusive. Conversations and scenes unfold like watching a movie. Some only in snatches; others are far more in-depth. The trick is to capture these tantalizing glimpses before they fade like mist in the sun. I'm certain this time I'll remember. How can I forget something so vivid, right? A faulty assumption on my part. The bold enactment that played so brightly before me only last evening, or a few hours ago, grows hazy. I struggle to recall the details. Life intrudes and the clarity is lost. I'm learning to jot down some notes before the words zoom away, except for the scene I'm flirting with now that I'm positive I'll remember...tomorrow. 

Speaking of communing with characters, sometimes out of the blue, I was walking in our meadow one afternoon when I heard  a woman say, "Master Stuart do not venture here." And she floated toward me in the mist so that I wasn't certain she was real. Neither was Stuart Monroe, hero of the story, especially as he was in the graveyard at the time. That's how ghostly Gothic historical romance novel, Traitor's Curse, opens, and now you know why. I never know how inspiration may come, only that it will.

Traitor's Curse (out Nov. 6th) is available for pre-order in Kindle and Nookbook and will also be available in print. The novel is the third in my Traitor's Legacy Series and the sequel to Traitor's Legacy, released by The Wild Rose Press

Excerpt from Traitor's Curse:

 “Turn back. A man watches you.”

Again, the warning carried from the unseen source.

What man, and how did she know Stuart was observed? He could barely discern anything.

“Who are you? Show yourself.” Uneasiness lent indignation to his demand.

Through the haze, he spotted the figure of a young female dressed all in white. A death shroud?

Pray God, it wasn’t. His gut knotted, and he stood staring at her.

Ethereal, ghostly, she seemed to float toward him, but must have walked.

 Must have.

A cold shiver stood the hair on the back of his neck on end. Was she flesh and blood, or spirit? Had she crossed the divide between the two worlds?

He scarcely dared to breathe.

Still, he stood rooted to the trail. And not only from fright. Fascination. Despite fear of being haunted, an aura about her drew him.

He waited, every muscle taut, poised betwixt heaven and earth, the scent of crumbling leaves in his nose. At least, that was real.

Whiteness swirling around her, she neared.

Then he spotted it, an ivory coverlet draped over her head and around her slender shoulders pinched together in front with pale fingers.

No shroud.

The blanket reached to her ankles and trailed behind along the ground. Mist muted the flowers stitched into the cloth. This accounted for him not spotting her sooner. She’d blended in with the vapor.~

***Visit my Amazon Author Page where ALL my books reside.

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Will They Buy It Tomorrow?

Book three of "A Highlander's Beloved Novel", my bear-shifter series--BEARING IT ALL--releases tomorrow. I'm nervous, as I always am. I'm worried if I've done everything I can to get the word out. Lucky for me, my publisher, Random House Loveswept, has helped promote me, too.

The series thus far has been about the Matheson brothers--Creighton, Ronan, and Bryce. In Scottish, mathe means bear and these men are sons of bears, or bear-shifters.

Book one, A HIGHLANDER'S OBSESSION, is Creighton's romance with an American who's traveled to Scotland as a companion for her Grandma Effie to attend her uncle's funeral. For Creighton, it's almost love at first sight. For Paisley, who has a boyfriend back home, meeting Laird Creighton is like a nightmare. She can telepathically communicate with animals and she hears Creighton's bear speak to Ronan's bear. Poor thing thinks she's finally crossed the line of insanity.

Book two, A HIGHLANDER'S PASSION, was Bryce's romance with his childhood friend, Kenzie. Bryce, a widower, is father to a precocious four-year old who's liable to say most anything. He's spurned Kenzie once before. Now, realizing his mistake, he's out to win her love. She's not having any of it.

 

 

Ronan, the middle brother, has said repeatedly, "I have nay time ta hunt fer a lassie. If she wants me, she'll have to drop from the feckin' sky." Men should be more careful what they say, don't you think?

 

A Scottish hunter and a French secret agent find themselves on a collision course with danger—and irresistible desire—in Vonnie Davis’s new bear-shifting Highlander novel. 

In the pine-dense mountains of the Scottish Highlands, shape-shifter Ronan Matheson is taking a couple weeks off from his duties at the family-run lodge to find solace at the cabin he built. His bear is running free when a desperate woman parachutes out of the sky, directly onto his furry, powerful chest. Instead of clawing her to death, Ronan’s inner bear longs to keep her safe. Once he’s back in human form, Ronan is amused by the mysterious beauty’s fearless attitude—and tempted by her expertly toned physique. But what could she possibly be doing in this isolated stretch of the Highlands?

French intelligence agent Anisa Brosseau (think 007 with boobs and curly hair) never imagined she’d be on the CIA’s bad side—until she’s framed for treason and forced to flee in a stolen drone. Hiding out in a remote cabin, Anisa just needs some time to clear her name. What she doesn’t need is a brooding, muscle-bound Scot in a skimpy kilt to drive her crazy with lust. But when Anisa’s enemies come knocking on his door, Ronan calls on a secret weapon to protect his turf and the bonny lass he’s come to love.

BUY LINK: http://amzn.com/B00TCI2A5E