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National Ice Cream Day? Really? In the middle of December? This should be Wool Sock Day, or Hot Cocoa Day, or Cold Nose Day (she says whilst secretly celebrating all of those). Needless to say I won’t be taking part in any celebrations honouring the freezing of cream. Now, if this were July 13th I’d be all over this holiday. While I love ice cream of pretty much any flavour, I do have my favourites – maple walnut, coffee, and anything containing chocolate. When I was a kid we had a cottage in Malagash and on the looooong drive there (two hours but I was a kid so it was forever) we’d pass an ice cream stand. Everyone, including the dog, got a scoop of ice cream though my parents usually got milkshakes. A special treat for me would be a scoop of liquorice ice cream. I love love love black liquorice (the red stuff is an abomination) and finding it in ice cream form was like a gift from the god of liquorice. If there isn’t a god of liquorice there needs to be one. My recollection was that the liquorice ice cream was a dark khaki in colour. Not the most appealing to look at, but man, it was yummy. The few times a year they were out of liquorice I’d get orange pineapple. Since I’ve started making my own ice cream I’ve stuck to the basics like vanilla or chocolate. When I make coffee ice cream I add a shot of coffee liqueur to the mixture. It makes for a delicious soft ice cream. The alcohol prevents the cream from freezing completely so the ice cream is easier to scoop, and thus easier to eat. What is your favourite ice cream flavour? Here’s another excerpt from the fast approaching launch (THIS FRIDAY!!) of my next book, Love and Turmoil. “My understanding of the custom is that engagements are sealed with a kiss.” “You surely aren’t suggesting—” Oh, gracious. “I am.” He put his other hand on her shoulder and slowly, slowly skimmed along to her neck, brushing escaped wisps of hair out of the way. “I couldn’t possibly.” She tingled. Everywhere. She licked her lips. “You can.” He pulled her closer still until there was no space between them. Her breasts touched his chest, her knees touched his knees, and her tummy touched his—heavens. He did want to kiss her. “Mr. Payn—” “Sam.” “Sam, I’m not—” His lips touched hers, briefly. Too briefly. With a sigh she returned the kiss. She felt his smile, her stomach did a little flip, and her lips curved in an answering smile. She’d never smiled whilst in the middle of a kiss before. He trailed his lips along her jaw and nipped lightly at her earlobe. “Oh yes, I’ll enjoy this engagement.” Here’s the gist of the story: Six months after burying her wastrel husband, Lady Arabella Woodbridge has resigned herself to a lonely life in the countryside with only her two adopted nieces for company. Being a young, respectable widow is – frustrating. Then the charming and wickedly handsome Samuel Payn takes up residence in the neighboring manor house. Retired explorer and occasional pirate Samuel Payn is on a two-fold mission – retrieve buried loot, and locate the father who abandoned his mother to a life of poverty. But a gang of murderous villains is also after the buried treasure. And someone is threatening to tear apart the lovely widow’s family. Will Sam’s single-minded determination to uncover his true identity threaten Arabella’s happiness - and his life? Cheers! 
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According to a list of weird and wacky holidays and celebrations, today is National Noodle Ring Day. Um…I need a bit more information. Is it the case that we’re celebrating ring-shaped noodles? Is the creation of ring-shaped noodles so noteworthy we need to devote a day in celebration? I think someone is pulling our collective leg. I certainly won’t be running out to purchase a can of the famous chef’s ring-noodles-in-sauce to serve at my banquet. I mailed my Christmas cards today. The list of friends and relations getting an actual paper card in the actual mail is shrinking as we move more and more recipients to the email version. I think that’s sad in a way. Receiving an email card just isn’t quiet as satisfying as a paper card. And you can’t prop an email card on the mantelpiece, or stick it in a decorative card holder (ours is a wreath topped by a snowman), or suspend it along with its fellows on sewing thread around doors and windows. But with the price of postage increasing, and the relative ease of sending an e-card, using technology to spread cheer and holiday wishes makes sense. We’ll also save a few trees. Except that will mean less work for the foresters and pulp mill operators and the greeting card manufacturers. A conundrum. Do you send greeting cards? Paper, or via the Internet, or a mix of the two? Here’s an excerpt from the upcoming release (THIS FRIDAY!!!) of my next book, Love and Turmoil. You can pre-order now if you'd like to be one of the first to get your cute little hands on this fun story. Arabella and Sam are discussing a way to protect her family. “We’ll be affianced for a few hours at most. There can be no talk of—of—love. Or any other nonsense. Please, don’t mention this in front of the girls.” She licked her parched lips. “Not until I’ve had a chance to explain—” “Arabella.” He clasped her hand, enveloping it in his calloused grip. “I was speaking in jest.” “Oh—I see. Forgive me.” “There is nothing to forgive.” “Thank you.” She suspected she could lose herself in his eyes if she allowed it. Deep blue with silver flecks. Just like the ocean on a summer day. She focused on his hand as it held hers, large, tanned, strong. A man’s hand attached to a man’s body, with all its man parts. Here’s what the story is about: Six months after burying her wastrel husband, Lady Arabella Woodbridge has resigned herself to a lonely life in the countryside with only her two adopted nieces for company. Being a young, respectable widow is – frustrating. Then the charming and wickedly handsome Samuel Payn takes up residence in the neighboring manor house. Retired explorer and occasional pirate Samuel Payn is on a two-fold mission – retrieve buried loot, and locate the father who abandoned his mother to a life of poverty. But a gang of murderous villains is also after the buried treasure. And someone is threatening to tear apart the lovely widow’s family. Will Sam’s single-minded determination to uncover his true identity threaten Arabella’s happiness - and his life? Cheers!  National Brownie Day (today) should be celebrated more than once a year, in my opinion. Seriously. Does anyone eat brownies only one day a year?
There are two camps when it comes to brownie texture – fudgy and dense, or lighter and more cake-like. I fall in—both camps. I confess that I more-often-than-not bake a fudgy brownie but I wouldn’t refuse a cakey brownie if offered one. (Full disclosure, I won’t refuse any sweet baked good. And if it’s chocolate there had better be another portion with my name on it.) Here’s the recipe for brownies I make most often. Actually, this is the brownie recipe in my house. Super easy and super chocolatey. Quite often – ah, most of the time – erm, all the time I put icing on these babies. Vanilla icing is good. Vanilla icing with the addition of finely grated orange zest and a few tablespoons of orange juice instead of milk or cream is even better. (Makes a chocolate-orange kind of flavour – yum!) Cocoa Brownies (adapted from Bon Appetit) ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 1 ¼ cups white sugar ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ½ kosher salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 cup chopped pecans (optional) Preheat over to 325F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, leaving a one-inch overhang, pressing firmly into corners, and spray with non-stick oil spray. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over low heat. With a spatula or wooden spoon stir in white sugar and cocoa powder until blended (sugar will not melt). Remove from heat, stir in salt and vanilla. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then stir in eggs, beating well. Stir in flour and chocolate chips (and pecans if using). Pour into prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until centre is set. Remove from oven and cool completely on wire rack. Using edges of foil, lift from pan and cut into squares. Makes 16 (for normal people, makes 8 in our house - ha!). Are you a fudgy brownie or a cakey brownie person? Cheers! P.S. Pre-order links for Love and Turmoil, just in case you’re in the mood for a fun, steamy romance. This book goes well with brownies. Amazon B&N Happy Saint Nicholas Day! Jolly old St. Nick was a bishop in the early Catholic church – around 350 A.D. – in Greece. Legend has it that he was in the habit of throwing small bags of coins in through the windows of those in need. One of those bags happened to land in a child’s stocking. Word spread and others hung their stockings too in hopes that St. Nicholas “soon would be there”. Nowadays, the Christmas stockings in our house are filled with chocolate bars, chocolate oranges, gift cards, and ear buds. Our cats get cat treats and catnip mice in their stockings. As promised, here is a photo of our new house as seen from across the inlet. I guess we need to cut down a few dead trees.  For those who missed Monday’s blog post, my next book, Love and Turmoil, is available now for pre-order. (See how I made all those words into hotlinks to make is so incredibly easy for you to pre-order my next book? Aren’t I sneaky? All the marketing whizzes say to make buying easy, one-click, with lots of opportunities. Keep scrolling for a couple more. <grin>)  Six months after burying her wastrel husband, Lady Arabella Woodbridge has resigned herself to a lonely life in the countryside with only her two adopted nieces for company. Being a young, respectable widow is – frustrating. Then the charming and wickedly handsome Samuel Payn takes up residence in the neighboring manor house.
Retired explorer and occasional pirate Samuel Payn is on a two-fold mission – retrieve buried loot, and locate the father who abandoned his mother to a life of poverty. But a gang of murderous villains is also after the buried treasure. And someone is threatening to tear apart the lovely widow’s family. Will Sam’s single-minded determination to uncover his true identity threaten Arabella’s happiness - and his life? Love and Turmoil from Amazon Love and Turmoil from Barnes & Noble If you celebrate Christmas, what are the usual stocking stuffers in your house? Cheers! |
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