My skillz ...

Three things I do … 

Not THE three things I do well, or the ONLY three things I do well (I hope not at any rate), but just three things I do well and enjoy doing – which is probably why I do them well. Ha!

Top of the list, rain or shine, morning or night, is needle crafts. I not only enjoy counted cross stitch, crewel embroidery, and rug hooking, but some might say I’m addicted. I always have a project of some kind on the go and feel at a loose end if I don’t.

Next up is baking, my favourite kitchen activity for as long as I can remember. I read cookbooks as if they were novels, follow many, many food blogs, and am forever trying a new recipe. A home-baked dessert every night after supper is non-negotiable.

And finally, believe it or not, I thoroughly enjoy pulling weeds. And I’ve done so much of it, I’m now an expert, LOL. I find it calming and meditative, just me sitting on the ground with my hands in the dirt and the sun on my back. The full bucket of weeds and the tidy garden are my rewards. (Psst ... am I the only weirdo who enjoys pulling weeds?)

Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. She spends her days writing many flavours of romance. When not torturing her characters, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious. She lives in Nova Scotia with her patient husband and a hen.

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Snow or sand? Give me another option, please.

Snow or sand? I’ll take a bit of either. But to be honest, my favourite time of year is autumn. My birthday is at the start of the season, as is a son, and a brother, and my hubby, and numerous cousins. As a kid, I got ridiculously excited about the new scribblers (what us NS kids called notebooks), pens, and the new box of crayons or coloured pencils at the start of the school year. Exciting too was the new teacher and classmates, though occasionally I’d worry about who I’d be sitting next to in the classroom. As a parent, I got ridiculously excited about the return to a routine after a summer of mayhem. 

I like autumn best for the relief from hot humid days. The leaves change colour to a kaleidoscope of red, orange, and yellow, and the ferns on the forest floor become a glorious russet. Apples are in abundance as are a vast array of squash.

But to be honest, and honesty is the best policy, my main reason for liking the last quarter of the year is because it’s the start of a baking marathon that doesn’t let up until well after the New Year. All those freshly harvested apples need to be transformed into pies and dumplings and cakes. And, okay, the elephant in the room, pumpkin spice rears its head. I’m not a fan of pumpkin spice in any sort of beverage, not even beer <gasp>. But I love good old-fashioned pumpkin pie, and pumpkin muffins with a buttery streusel topping, yum! 

My favourite autumn recipe is frosted pumpkin cookies. An easy drop cookie, these soft pillows of pumpkin spice perfection topped with creamy vanilla frosting will fill your house with the scents of autumn. Who cares if it’s 90 degrees F in the shade!

Frosted Pumpkin Cookies

Adapted from AllRecipes.com

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon table salt

½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 ½ cups white sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:

3 cups confectioner’s sugar

2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

4 tablespoons milk or blend (half & half), plus more as needed

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, ground ginger, and salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl using a hand mixer), cream butter until fluffy and lightened in colour. Blend in white sugar and beat until smooth. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and beat until creamy. (It will appear curdled.) On low speed, mix in dry ingredients just until fully blended. Drop on parchment-lined cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls (I use a cookie scoop), spacing about an inch apart.

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until the bottom of the cookies are just beginning to darken. Cool on pan for 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack and cool completely.

To make the frosting: Combine confectioner’s sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl using a hand mixer) and mix on low speed until blended. Add milk or blend (half & half) 1 tablespoon at a time. Mix in 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, continue adding milk or blend a teaspoon at a time until desired spreading consistency. Spread approx. 1 tablespoon frosting on top of each cookie.

 Try not to eat too many at one sitting – only your conscience will dictate what “too many” is.

Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. She spends her days writing many flavours of romance. When not torturing her characters, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious. She lives in Nova Scotia with her patient husband and three hens. 

Website ~ Bookbub ~ Instagram ~ Goodreads 

I wouldn't be me if ...

‘Tis the season for good cheer, catching up with family and friends, and endless commercials for new cars adorned with a giant red bow. It’s also, in my opinion, the season for indulging in special sweets that recall memories of childhood. You know, those cookies or cakes baked once a year that became ineluctably paired with the jolly elf, holiday decorations, and wishes.

I’ve shared many recipes for such treats over the years and I wouldn’t be me if I let this season go by without another offering. However, rather than dip into my family’s recipe vault, I’m sharing a long time favourite from my friend Judi. She always talks about these soft, delicious, spice cookies at this time of year, a firm family favourite in her house. By the time I got around to asking for the recipe and baking a batch, I could only wonder why I waited so long! 

Legend has it these cookies keep for weeks. I cannot confirm because they don’t last more than a week in this house.

For a brief history behind the name of these cookies, check out this link.

Joe Frogger Cookies

(adapted from Judi Phillips' recipe)

Makes about 2 dozen.

3½ cups flour

2 teaspoons sea salt

2 teaspoons ground ginger.

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon allspice

1 packed cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons white sugar

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup molasses

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons dark rum

1/3 cup hot water

Adjust oven shelves to top and bottom thirds and preheat oven to 350F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice.

In a large bowl, beat together brown sugar, white sugar and butter until smooth. Mix baking soda into the cup of molasses and add to the butter mixture along with rum and hot water and blend. The mixture will curdle, that's okay. With the mixer at low speed, blend in the flour mixture until well-combined. Dough will be soft.

Drop by liberal tablespoon-fulls onto parchment-lined cookie sheet, spacing two inches apart. Bake for 15 minutes, switching the top and bottom cookie sheets halfway through. Cookies will be slightly plumped and appear dry on top. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely .

Store at room temperature in a covered container. 

These cookies freeze well. 

From my home to yours, may the blessings of the season fill your hearts with joy.

A blizzard … Krista Rhodes has seen a few in her lifetime. 

Snowed in for days … once, when she was a kid. 

Trapped in a house with Dr. Dreamboat … never saw that one coming. Not only cute, he’s also funny and kind and strong and how can she resist? 

Eric Monroe has it all mapped out – drive cross-country to a new job with a brief stop to celebrate a buddy’s engagement. A giant detour with a beautiful, witty, no-nonsense woman makes the journey more fun than he ever thought possible. And bonus – he’s moving to her town.

Except she’s got something she has to do. Maybe. And he can’t ask her to change her plans. Can he?  

Buy now!

Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. She spends her days writing contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, and historical romance. When not torturing her characters, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious. She lives in Nova Scotia with her patient husband and five hens.

Website ~ Bookbub ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

What's new, pussy cat?

Ah, those lofty New Year’s resolutions. For many of us, if written down, they’d make great birdcage liners by February. Unfortunately, I no longer have a birdcage and the hens prefer wood shavings.

I’m pleased to say I’ve learned a thing or three in the nearly sixty years (gulp) I’ve been alive. One thing I’m finally accepting is life is a marathon, not a sprint. Another thing I hold to be true is that one tiny, inconsequential decision, good or bad, can change your life.

Case in point:  Many moons ago, I saw a notice in the local paper for a writing workshop. This was before I started writing in earnest and was just playing around and had less than a clue what I was doing. I almost talked myself out of attending due to a combination of introvert tendencies and fear of the unknown, i.e. real writers. Who’s to say how my life would have evolved if I’d hesitated? I did go, discovered a whole new world, and now have good friends and a strong support network. One two-hour meeting of an RWA chapter slowly and gradually (that marathon thing) changed my life. I believe my evolution as a writer hasn’t ended, but I feel stuck. I’ve set goals for this year, both writing and non-writing, but they’re similar to last year and the year before, and the year before that. I need another “two-hour meeting”, except it’s not safe to breathe the air of a bunch of strangers for that long!

Funny story. I was scrolling through my Kindle the other night/early morning when Mother Nature’s furnace woke me and I couldn’t get back to sleep. And what did I find? A whole bunch of unread or partially read writing craft books that I’d been excited to buy but never got around to reading. I’ve decided that this year’s writing “two-hour meeting” is the challenge of reading and absorbing one of those books per month. I even created a page in my planner to keep track. Perhaps I’ll learn something that will be life-altering, or at least settle once and for all where the blasted commas go.

Another funny story. Regular readers of this blog, or my personal blog when I had one, or my newsletter will know that I love to bake. I especially love trying new recipes. I also enjoy cooking, though baking is my first love because I have a serious sweet tooth. For years and decades, we’ve subscribed to Cook’s Illustrated magazine – yes, an honest-to-goodness bunch of pages that are delivered to the mailbox.

Any guesses as to the last time I tried a recipe from the massive collection of back issues? Exactly. So my non-writing “two-hour meeting”, and a great way to relax, is my second challenge – cooking or baking two recipes from each new issue, which will work out to be one per month since it’s a bi-monthly publication.

I’m not expecting life-changing consequences from a new cookie recipe, but I may discover a new food culture that will enrich my soul as well as my body. As for learning where the blasted commas go, I have a feeling that ship sailed long ago.

Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. She spends her days writing spicy contemporary romance, paranormal romance, and historical romance. When not torturing her heroes and heroines, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious. She lives in Nova Scotia with her patient husband, one spoiled cat, and five hens. 

Website ~ Bookbub ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads 

The season for cookies...

It wouldn't be a December blog post from me without a recipe for a festive treat. The house smells delicious while these cookies are baking, and the tiny bits of crystallized ginger will warm you on even the chilliest of days. I’ve been baking these cookies for years and they are even mentioned in my newest book when my heroine, Jill, tells her friend of her holiday plans.

Soft Ginger Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

1/4 cup molasses

3/4 finely chopped crystallized ginger

Place one oven rack in top third of oven, and one rack in bottom third. Preheat oven to 350 F. 

In large bowl, combine flour, soda, salt & spices.

In another large bowl, or bowl of stand mixer, beat butter for 2 minutes, beat in brown sugar until creamy, additional 3 minutes. Add egg, molasses & chopped crystallized ginger & beat to blend.

On low speed, add flour mixture in two batches to combine.

Scoop 1 tablespoon size portions onto parchment lined baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart.

Bake 15 minutes, until edges are firm but centre is soft.

Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to rack to cool completely.

Note:  For even more ginger flavour and heat, add 1 ½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger to the butter mixture before stirring in the flour mixture. 

When a minor health scare dampens Jillian Sinclair’s Christmas glee, she retreats to a beach cottage with the goal of fixing her life. Owning a car dealership is no longer exciting and she wants a change. But to what?

 

While the snow collects and the wind blows, Jill makes big plans that don’t include the handsome-as-sin recluse with the charming smile. She’d tried the love thing before, but flings are more fun and less prone to heartache. Too bad the holiday romance didn’t get the memo. Now the L word keeps popping into her head and crowding out common sense.

Patrick Evans has his own reasons for hiding in a big empty house with a killer view of the ocean, number one being to write his next book by deadline. Still not recovered from a tragedy and the secrets it uncovered, the last thing he needs is to be enticed by the beautiful woman next door. But there’s no avoiding her, and after one kiss, he stops trying. 

Their days together are numbered. Jill will head off on her adventure and Patrick will resume his lonely existence. 

Exactly what they both want – right?

https://books2read.com/ifsnowflakeswereforever 

Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. She spends her days writing spicy contemporary romance, paranormal romance, and historical romance. When not torturing her heroes and heroines, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious. She lives in Nova Scotia with her patient husband, one spoiled cat, and five hens. 

Website ~ Bookbub ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

My personal peace...

According to the online Oxford Dictionary of English, peace can mean freedom from disturbance and/or tranquillity; or, mental or emotional calm; or, a state or period in which there is no war or a war has ended.

In no particular order, here are five things that bring me personal peace, i.e. tranquility and mental calm:

Baking – I’ve only recently come to realize that baking for family and friends is my love language. Hey, I’m a slow learner. Not only does time spent in the kitchen with flour, sugar, butter, and eggs fill me with a sense of peace, but it also brings me joy when the fruits of my labours are enjoyed by those I care for. 

 

Knitting – An excuse to sit and let my thoughts wander while being productive. Like day dreaming with permission, hehe. Particularly calming are dish cloths knitted with a pattern I make up on the fly. Quick, easy, and if I purl when I should have knit, no one will care about the goof because the dish cloth will still do its job. No pressure.

Photo by Margarida Afonso on Unsplash

Camping – What I’ve called communing with nature is what some now call forest bathing. I’ve been reaping the benefits of camping under the stars, far away from civilization, for years. Sure I miss the flush toilet, sure I curse the biting bugs, but watching the moon glimmer on the lake whilst I’m serenaded by loons and owls is worth the primitive conditions and the occasional itchy bite. And waking to the sounds of birds tweeting, squirrels chattering, and frogs practicing their diving is something I treasure. Even the astoundingly loud patter of rain on the tent is calming.

Kayaking – Exercise whilst sitting, surrounded by the mysterious depths of ocean, lake, or stream. Though the streams I’ve explored aren’t terribly deep, so there’s not much mystery, unless the flash of a fish catches my eye and makes me wonder what species it is. The lake is a bit more mysterious, but I’m pretty sure the dark water is hiding only fish, diving turtles, and slimy weeds. I find the ocean a bit scary so I tend to not think about what lies in wait beneath the surface. (Particularly in recent years when Great White Sharks have been spotted in my area.) I’ll happily sit and let the tide or wind carry me where it will whilst I watch the Ospreys fish, wait for the Great Blue Heron to catch something, and pray the seagull doesn’t poop on my head.

Pulling weeds – Another mindless and productive activity that allows for wandering thoughts, and gives me something to show for the time spent outdoors in the sun. I’m striving for a meadow rather than a lawn and so am judicious in the weeds I pull. They are just misplaced wildflowers after all. I have a large planting of what is called bog thistle that I’ve decided needs to go – it’s in the way of foot traffic to and from the hen house. But I’ll wait until late fall to dig it up so the goldfinches will have time to feast on the seeds.

Photo by Gary Fultz on Unsplash

What all these activities have in common is they give me time and space for my thoughts to wander. I can’t tell you what I’m contemplating as I sift flour or wind yarn, not because it’s a scandalous secret (I wish! Wouldn’t it be fun to hold a scandalous secret?) but because it’s ho-hum stuff like “I wonder what that bug is” or “the neighbour’s dog WILL NOT SHUT UP!” or “I wish I had pre-cut parchment paper for my round cake tins”. After a while, even those thoughts fade and I’m left with a feeling of tranquility, a large pile of weeds added to the compost pile, or a few dozen ginger snaps.

Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. She spends her days writing spicy romance ranging from contemporary to paranormal. When not torturing her heroes and heroines, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious. She lives in Nova Scotia with her patient husband, two spoiled cats, and five hens.

Website ~ Bookbub ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads 

Another cookie recipe?!?!?!

As we enter the holiday season, many of us are coming to the realization that celebrations are going to look very different from previous years. Gatherings will be smaller, parties won’t happen at all, and relatives and friends won’t be coming home to visit. But even though much will be different – in a sucky way – one thing will remain very much the same in my house – in a yummy way. 

My fruitcake is baked and “curing” with periodic infusions of rum. The mincemeat (with real meat, apples, and lots of spices) is packed up and frozen for future pies, tarts, and cookies. And my freezer is full of butter for all the cookies I’ll be baking in the coming weeks. (I made sure to nab a large bag of flour this week in case our partial lockdown leads to a full lockdown and an interruption in the food supply chain.)

The cookie menu always includes traditional family recipes, plus one or two new-to-me confections that seem interesting. Grammy’s Shortbread Cookies take price of place, buttery and light and very more-ish. Soft Ginger Cookies, with bits of crystalized ginger, are perfect with an after dinner cup of tea. Pecan Fingers, similar to almond crescents, are packed with pecan flavour. About twenty years ago I added Swedish Christmas cookies to the line-up. An easy slice-&-bake buttery cookie, they’re flavoured with lemon peel and ground cardamom  – super yummy. Two years ago, I added Blueberry Streusel Thumbprint Cookies. Not strictly holiday cookies, they are nonetheless rich and special and a real treat.

I’m sharing the recipe for another cookie I bake every year at this time – Bea’s Sugar Cookies. They are an easy drop cookie that are then flattened with a drinking glass that’s been dipped in coloured sugar. They freeze well and are a hit with kids.

Sugar Cookies

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup powdered sugar

½ granulated sugar

1 egg, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

Using stand mixer or hand mixer, cream together butter, oil, sugars, egg and vanilla until light and fluffy. Mix in flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar until well combined. Chill for 2 hours. 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Place rack in centre of oven. 

Scoop a heaping tablespoon of dough (or use a cookie scoop), roll it into ball, and place on parchment lined cookie sheet, spacing a few inches apart. Flatten slightly with the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in coloured sugar. 

Bake for 10 minutes, or until barely starting to colour around the edges. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack and cool completely. 

Wishing everyone a holiday season filled with peace, joy, good health...and cookies.

Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. She spends her days writing spicy romance ranging from contemporary to paranormal. When not torturing her heroes and heroines, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious. She lives in Nova Scotia with her patient husband, two spoiled cats, and five hens.

Website ~ Bookbub ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon Author Page

Her wish will be granted…

When a mysterious note directs Miss Miranda Large to a tiny village in Cornwall to find her heart’s desire, she’d be a fool to not go. The excitement mounts when she meets a strange shopkeeper who claims that a magical keepsake will make possible her dream of marriage to a man with a title. But a snowstorm forces her to accept the hospitality of a sullen earl and Miranda fears she’s made a horrible mistake.

 He’s given up hope…

Edward Penhallion, the 12th Earl of Claverlock, is not in the mood to search for yet another wife. He longs to be left alone with his books and his dreams of revenge. But the arrival of a headstrong, sharp-tongued spinster forces him to play the charming host. Not a difficult task, given her intelligence and beauty.

 

As the blizzard rages, Edward discovers there’s more to Miranda than a lively wit and a lovely face. And Miranda wonders if the trappings of wealth are enough for true happiness.

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I found my love of sewing!

by Diana Mccollum

I sit at my desk and look outside at the birds on the birdfeeder. They are happy, my husband filled the feeder this afternoon. The seeds which spill over or get scratched out and fall on the ground are greedily snatched up by the half dozen quail milling around below. 

The birds are going about their daily routine. They search for food, drink, build nests and flit and fly about. Their lives are not interrupted and their habits are the same today, as they were yesterday.

That can’t be said for humanity. The COVID-19 virus has changed my habits and my daily routine. We are readers and writers and all are affected in one way or another.

I now order groceries through Instacart and have them delivered. I carry sanitizer wipes in both cars. My purse always has a new pair of rubber gloves and a baggie to put change or debit card in.

Although, I’m not using a debit card or money very often. Mostly for the pharmacy, gas and take-out food. 

Coffee with friends, is a thing of the past for now. Shopping for clothes? Not in the store. Amazon and online stores are now where I shop. In fact, my shopping on Amazon and other online stores has increased dramatically. I’ve been buying all presents this way. I’ve been sending the little grandkids books or a craft or a surprise of some sort once a month since the middle of March. Why? Because shopping therapy is good! And it is heart-warming to make them happy.

I’ve turned to  reading and have read outside my comfort zone, and found new authors to enjoy. Making masks has renewed my love of sewing. I have 10 yds of fabric left and I'm going to make some summer blouses!



I usually bake once a week, the smell of baking cake can’t be duplicated and is aroma therapy in the home. I read somewhere that people bake in times of crisis because baking is something they can control. That’s me, baking every week now.

For structure in my life I’ve taken to making lists. I have a major chore list and an everyday chore list. Doing this I’ve managed to get some major household chores done during quarantine. The feeling of accomplishment is euphoric!

First thing on my daily list is a walk. Exercise is so important not only for health ­­­reasons, but physical exercise relieves stress, and releases endorphins. I must say I really miss my gym!

As cities begin to open up, we’re in phase 2, I am in no hurry to rush out to the store or a sit down restaurant etc. I’m of an age the virus could be deadly for me and my husband has a compromised immune system and lung issues. So we will be quarantining ourselves a while longer and always wearing a mask, rubber gloves etc.

The birds are done with their feast and have moved on. Not a care in the world!
Not so bad looking out the window at the backyard and all the pretty flowers my husband has grown.

During this time of quarantine/pandemic what are you doing to keep busy?

Rewards for a job well done...

Happy Anniversary and congratulations to Romancing the Genres! The longevity of this blog speaks to the dedication of its founders and its many contributors, of which I’m honoured to be one.

The theme this month is how we celebrate ourselves. I must confess it took me more than a few minutes of thought to determine whether or not I actually celebrate myself. I concluded that I do though I’ve never thought of it in that way. Rather, I celebrate my accomplishments.

A book release is always accompanied by a bottle of Prosecco, along with equal parts elation and sorrow. A finished knitting project is acknowledged with a metaphorical pat on the back and a sense of relief. When I’ve reorganized a closet or a cupboard, I celebrate by opening the door and admiring my handiwork…several times…every day for about a week. When I experiment with a new recipe, I enjoy eating the fruits of my labours and am proud of my skill.

For me, the celebration is in the act itself. It’s a quiet, private, personal acknowledgement of a job well done.

Now, I do deliberately reward myself on a regular basis. Shovelling several cubic yards of soil into new garden beds was recently (last weekend) rewarded with a tall cold one and a bowl of corn chips. Keeping to a regular exercise schedule for a week is routinely reinforced by a bag (the small, single serving size) of Hawkins Cheesies (the best in the world, in my opinion). And meeting my weekly writing goals earns me a day of baking and reading.

So whether it’s called a celebration or a reward, I do recognize and take pride in what I accomplish, whether it’s baking a perfect loaf of bread or writing a novel.

Speaking of baking and novels…

Unemployed photojournalist Raynor Elliot stops at a bakery near the famous Deerbourne Inn. Not only does he get a lead on a job but the bakery’s owner is that awkward kid he knew in high school, only now she has fabulous curves and an irreverent sense of humor. The cozy bakery, with its aroma of sugar, vanilla and spice, has more to offer than tasty cookies.

Fiona MacLeod has been plagued for years by the need to make amends for telling The Big Lie. When the lie’s victim strolls into her bakery with his icy blue stare and killer charm, she feels like she’s standing too close to a hot oven.

Between running her bakery and frosting cupcakes for the Mad River Garden Party, she's pretty sure she's falling in love with this infuriating, sexy man. Can Fiona dredge up the courage to confess, face the consequences, and hope for forgiveness?

Available for purchase at your favourite ebook retailer.

Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. She spends her days writing spicy contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, and historical romance. When not torturing her heroes and heroines, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious. She lives in Nova Scotia with her patient husband and two spoiled cats.

Website ~ Bookbub ~ Twitter ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Amazon Author Page

Coping by Baking....by Kristin Wallace

What a difference a month makes. What a different world we live in now thanks to this awful pandemic that has impacted so many countries. Depending on where you live, you’ve probably been in “lockdown” mode for several weeks. Where I live in Miami it’s been over 3 weeks. Only going out for the store or for walks to get some air. I’ve been freelancing for the past several years so staying home for “work” isn’t new, but now there is so much uncertainty and fear.

In times of stress - and now in times when we can't go anywhere - many are cooking and baking as a release. I pulled out an old chocolate chip cookie recipe. I’m also trying new things. We had some old bananas that were turning brown so I decided to try and make banana bread. Never made it before so I asked around. Then finally went with a classic Betty Crocker recipe, but with a couple of added ingredients from another recipe. 

My Banana Bread + Recipe

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cup of sugar

½ cup softened butter

2 eggs

1 ½ cup mashed ripe bananas (3-4)

½ cup of buttermilk

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon (added from another recipe)

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (added from another recipe)

Chopped pecans (if you want)

Chocolate chips (if you want)

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350
 Mash bananas in a separate bowl
Mix flour, baking soda & salt in a bowl
 Mix butter and sugar in another bowl
Mix in eggs and blend well
Add in mashed bananas, buttermilk, vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Slowly add flour mixture a little at a time.
Pour into pans

You can pour the batter into bread pans, but I decided to make muffins. I still had enough batter left over to make a small loaf of bread. I set the timer for 30 minutes, but the muffins baked fast. Took them out around 18-20 minutes. The bread took the full 30 minutes. 

Are you resorting to cooking and baking to cope? What have you tried? Please share!

I hope that you are staying inside and that you are healthy. Please stay safe!

Kristin Wallace is a USA Today Bestselling Author of sweet contemporary and inspirational romance filled with "Love, Laughter, and a Leap of Faith". It's not too late to pick up her holiday box set featuring three Christmas romances (Finding You At Christmas, Falling For You At Christmas, and Loving You At Christmas). Christmas in Shellwater Key is available on Kindle Unlimited so go ahead and scoop it up now. 

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Thoughts on This Time of Year

By Judith Ashley

Do you plan your decorations well before Thanksgiving and then haul out the boxes of ornaments and lights, tinsel, and a manger scene, Santa's and snowmen instead of charging out on Black Friday?

Is your house “the One” everyone slows down to oohh and aahh as they drive by?

Is purchasing The Tree (or maybe hiking through the woods to find it yourself) part of your Christmas tradition?

My mom shopped for gifts all year long so she did not charge out on Black Friday. And, while having lights up outside was part of their tradition, it was never so spectacular people slowed down or stopped to stare.

My dad was Very particular about the Christmas tree (size, shape, and as his income grew they had to be Noble firs). My mom was Very particular about how the lights looked and where every ornament hung. Together they created magical trees that still light my memory.

While they did not live long enough for the inflated Santa, snowman, reindeer, Grinch, etc. I remember my dad climbing the ladder every Thanksgiving weekend to put the lights up along the gutters and the peak over the garage. He also draped cedar boughs along the deck railing with red ribbon bows at regular intervals – well, the bow part was my mom’s job.

Several months earlier mom would make a white fruit cake that people asked for. It needed to ‘age’ which was why she started that baking earlier. By the time my dad was putting up lights, my mom would be baking sugar cookies that we’d all decorate as well as Pfeffernusse (a German spice cookie), spritz cookies, Russian tea cookies, a short bread people fought over, and a cookie I can only remember by the name of “linoleum cookie” (it was lightly spiced dough, cut out with a round cookie cutter, and three sliced almonds decorated the center). It was kept in a tin with a piece of apple so it would stay soft. One of my dad’s favorites (he got his own stash of short bread and seldom shared) was another one whose name escapes me. It was great for dunking in coffee and had an anise flavor. Mom had a special rolling pin with designs cut into it and would roll it over the dough to make the impressions.

Memories like these bring a smile to my face and joy to my heart.

When my grandchildren were younger, I made the effort to replicate many of my family traditions. I still have boxes of Christmas decorations I inherited when my parents’ died. Even though I’ve gone through them and passed out many – the ones I still have remain wrapped and stored year after year.

Sometime this week my granddaughter will bring several bins up from the basement and we’ll get out my collection of trees (glass, pottery, fabric, wood). We’ll clear off the dining room table and set them up. Around the rest of the house, we’ll set the Santa Claus’ I’ve picked up over the years. An old string of Santa lights across the window and a new string of lights on the mantle, a bouquet or two of greens and holly will add a festive air.

On Solstice I’ll spend time with friends although I don’t stay up until dawn. I’m doing well if I make it to midnight.

I started this post with questions…not so much to learn your answers as to have a starting point on reflecting about this time of the year. For people of many faiths from Samhain/All Hallow’s Eve/Halloween through New Year’s Day is a special time with family, to celebrate their spiritual traditions, to reflect on this year and look forward to next.

When you think about 2013, what memories bring a smile to your face and joy to your heart?

When you think about 2014, what do you see? More time with family? Becoming published? Travel to a special place? Retirement? A job that you look forward to doing each day? Buying or selling a home?

Whatever you see, remember to focus on what you want, what that will look like and feel life in your daily life. There is a difference between “wishing” for something and “focusing” on the same thing.

May you find joy and happiness for at least a part of each day in 2014.

© 2013 by Judith Ashley