Last month, I looked out my office window and blogged about what I saw -- dark, dreary, cold weather and more snow than we usually have here in the South. What a difference a month makes. Today it's sunny, going to be about 60 degrees, and my daffodils are on the verge of blooming. I don't think there's anything that says spring to me more than bright yellow daffodils. We even just had our first spring-like storms a couple of nights ago -- tons of rain, lightning, thunder and wind. In parts of the city, the tornado sirens were wailing. Okay, so I could do without the tornadoes, but it's just another sign that spring is fast approaching.
This time of year (as opposed to January), I feel good, like anything is possible. My mood is great and I'm concentrating on lots of positive things:
1. My exercise/eating -- I've lost 7 pounds so far in February. That's because I've been tracking my calories and exercising a couple of hours a day. It is a thrill to get on the scale in the mornings and see the number go down. And that positive feeling propels me to keep doing what I'm doing.
2. I've dug out the genealogy records I haven't looked at in a decade and started working on them again. Yes, watching Who Do You Think You Are? partially inspired this, but I'm hoping I can eventually find out where my family came from when they came to America. I know my maternal line's history, but my paternal one is a mystery to me.
3. I'm headed to the Hill Country of Texas soon to do some on-site research for the trilogy I'm currently writing for American. I've been there before, but I wasn't in "writer mode", if you know what I mean. Now I'll be taking tons of photos and picking up every tourist brochure and local newspaper I can find. Plus, OMG, it's going to be in the 80s in Texas. I'll get a taste of not only spring but summer!
4. We had a new driveway and walkway put in over the winter, so now it's time for new landscaping. I can't wait to see what it looks like after Jason the lawn guy gets finished. I need to do before and after photos.
5. Even though both of my grandmothers were good seamstresses, they both died before I was old enough to be much interested in sewing. So I missed the opportunity to learn from them, and consequently I can't do much more than put a button back on my hubby's shirts. So I think I'm going to take a sewing class in April at the local Jo-Ann Fabric. I like to do cosplay at Dragon*Con each year, and it would be awesome to someday be able to make my own costumes, not to mention, you know, regular clothes. :) Maybe even a fabulous dress for the RITA ceremony at RWA National.
6. I used to cross-stitch before I got really serious about writing, and I have a half-finished project I'd like to finish, not to mention several cool patterns I haven't used yet. So after I meet my next deadline at the end of March, I think I'll pull out the cross-stitch stuff and get back into that again.
Does spring rejuvenate you? What new things would you like to try this year? What things haven't you done in a long time that you'd like to start again?
Saturday, 26 February 2011
Friday, 25 February 2011
A Different Kind of Launch Day
Usually, when we talk about launches on this website, we're talking about our newest Harlequin American releases. Today, though, let's talk about a different kind of launch.
That’s a NASA photo of the shuttle Discovery sitting on the launch pad at Cape Kennedy. As I’m writing this, it’s lift-off day on Florida’s Space Coast. The shuttle Discovery is set to blast off on its final trip to the International Space Station a little before five pm. And that means tourists and visitors have thronged Brevard County. Titusville, especially, has taken on a carnival-like atmosphere.
There’s not a hotel to be had—for love or money—between New Smyrna and Palm Bay. Campers, tents and motor homes line the shore along the rivers. They crowd the parking lots at the beaches. Restaurants are jam-packed, and souvenir stands have popped up on every street corner.
Any rocket launch is an awe-inspiring sight, and a shuttle launch is extraordinarily spectacular. The thunder of a thousand freight trains fills the air. The ground literally shakes as more than two million pounds of rocket fuel provides nearly seven million pounds of thrust to get the big bird off the ground. Flames spew from the huge engines, creating a fiery trajectory that can be seen from as far away as Orlando.
But if you still have a shuttle launch on your Bucket List, you’ll want to book your travel plans soon. Discovery will be moth-balled when it returns from this flight. Endeavor makes its final trip to the Space Station in April. And after Atlantis lifts off in June, that’s it. Now that our space program is headed in a new direction, who knows when—or if—there’ll ever be another manned flight.
Pictures of Discovery on the launch pad and at lift-off courtesy of the National Air and Space Administration. View these and additional photos at www.nasa.gov
Discovery at Lift-off on 2/24/11
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Oscar Night
Where will I be on Sunday evening? In front of the television watching the Academy Awards! Even though I haven't yet seen any of this year's nominees—no, not even The King’s Speech—I love Oscar night! The red carpet, the MCs (I adore Anne Hathaway), the entertainment, the acceptance speeches...I can't wait!I'm not one of those people who goes all out for Oscar Night, but I'll still be doing some extra-special snacks for the occasion. Here's one of my favorites.
Baked BrieHappy Oscar Night!
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
8 ounces brie cheese
Heat the olive oil in a small skillet. Lightely saute the garlic and tomatoes. Stir in the basil and parsley and continue cooking unitl the parsley is wilted. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and cook for another minute or so, till evaporated. Put the brie in an ovenproof dish, heap the tomato mixture on top and bake in a 350-degree oven for ten minutes. Serve with crackers or a baguette. Enjoy!
Until next time,
Lee
The Wedding Bargain (January 2011)
http://www.leemckenzie.com/
Sunday, 20 February 2011
A Very Melancholy Birthday
Today is my 60th birthday, which under any conditions is a mixed blessing. On the bright side, I'm still around, alive and kicking despite my own "best" efforts and a family history of early heart attacks, and I get even more senior discounts for movies and restaurants. On the other side, I'm 60.
I was going to post lots of photos from my birthday dinner and party last Saturday night, but we had to cancel the momentous occasion. My beloved father-in-law, whom I've mentioned several times as I've written about where I learned about small Texas towns, is dying. He is almost 93 years old and he's tired. His body is worn out and he's ready to be reunited with is wife of more than 60 years who passed away in 2005.
We understand that it is time and he wants to go to sleep and not wake up, but it's never easy to say goodbye. He's the family patriarch. When he spoke, we all listened. He enjoyed life so much, especially after retirement when he and Sudie, as we called my mother-in-law, went dining and dancing. They traveled to every state except Alaska, putting lots of miles on their big Cadillac sedan which was like a rolling living room. No matter what happens this week, I know that Dad's stories and words of wisdom will be with me always. Thank you for allowing me to share this with you. I want to thank you in advance for your thoughts and prayers as I may not be able to comment in a timely manner. I know you'll understand. Please, tell your loved ones how much they mean to you because even after 60 or 92 years, life seems short and at times, unbearably fragile.
Friday, 18 February 2011
A Sentimental Journey
Mr. Rotter came to our high school at the beginning of my freshman year. It was a small school of less than 200 students, but we had a larger band then than there is now. And Mr. Rotter made us one of the best in the state. Part of that had to do with the fact that he wasn't a whole lot older than we were. As a band director he worked us hard. He expected the best from us, and we gave it to him. We won a I rating (the best) at a state-wide marching contest in the fall of his second year, his last at CHS. He could play a mean saxophone, but he loved the trombone best. Many of us still remember enjoying his rendition of Little Egypt on the piano...if we were lucky enough to talk him into doing it.
I won't be able to go to the celebration this weekend. Life sometimes gets in the way of the things we'd really like to do. But I'll be thinking of him and the students and adults who've been lucky enough to know him. He's one of a kind.
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Roughneck heroes
New release--Roughneck Cowboy *Men of the West* (Feb 2011) by Marin Thomas
Blood Is Thicker Than Oil
When his mom passed, roughneck Travis Cartwright thought he’d lost the only family he and his daughter Charlie had. That is until he discovers an estranged father and siblings living just a few hours away. They might be strangers, but they’re blood; and Travis needs to protect Charlie should tragedy strike at his dangerous job.
Dominick Cartwright offers his son more than peace of mind. He gives Travis a new job, a place to live, and a side project--to convince Dominick’s stubborn neighbor, Sara Sanders, to sell her ranch. Travis is confident he can smooth talk the plain-Jane teacher into selling quickly; but there’s more to Sara than meets the eye. Soon Travis loses sight of his mission…and his heart.
As their relationship grows, they uncover painful family secrets, and Dominick’s real motives. Then, the sparks fly!
Why a Roughneck for a contemporary romance hero?
These rough and tumble men have always fascinated me. These guys don't flinch when hot oil splatters their hard-hats or drips down the back of their necks. Their duties on the "rig" consist of pulling cables, chains and thongs around the platform for eight to twelve hours per shift. They work in terrible weather conditions on rigs in the middle of the ocean or rigs in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma. They're risk-takers by nature and genuinely fearless individuals. While researching material for my story I learned some fascinating facts about Oklahoma.
The setting for Roughneck Cowboy is outside Tulsa in the fictional town of Tulapoint, OK. The oil history of this state dates back to 1859 when oil seeps, known to Indians as "Medicine springs" were discovered in Indian Territory. The first unintentional oil find was made near Chelsea, OK in 1889 and it produced one half barrel per day. In 1897 The Nellie Johnstone #1, the first commercial well drilled in OK hit pay dirt in the Bartlesville Dewey Field in Washington County. Tulsa changed from a small frontier town to a boomtown.
The discovery of oil in 1901 at Red Fork, a small community southwest of Tulsa on the opposite side of the Arkansas River brought in wildcatters and investors. In 1901, an official survey was done and streets lay out and neighborhoods were established in Tulsa on the opposite side of the river from the drilling sites. In 1905 the Glenn pool oil field was discovered. The strike created such a large supply of oil Tulsans were forced to build storage tanks for the excess oil and later pipelines. Tulsa soon became a leader in the growing petroleum industry, resulting in many oil companies choosing Tulsa for their home base. In 1906 Oklahoma Natural gas Company was formed. In 1907 Oklahoma and the Indian territories became the State of Oklahoma. Also in 1907 Oklahoma becomes the largest oil producer, with Tulsa claiming the title of "Oil Capitol of the World." Below is a picture of an oil-producing well that sat out front of the Oklahoma City capitol building in 1939.
A second oil boom hit Oklahoma between the years of 1925-1930. The population rose over 72,000 and many of the new residents came from Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York. Wealthy oilmen Waite Phillips, William Kelly and J. Paul Getty built their mansions and modern headquarters in the state. Another community that flourished in Tulsa was greenwood. It was the largest and wealthiest of Oklahoma's African American communities and was known as "Black Wall Street." The neighborhood was a hotbed of jazz, and blues music in the 1920's. The area over 600 businesses and 36 square blocks with a population of 15,000 African Americans. "Black Wall Street" is now also sadly remembered as a "Black" mark in the state's history. On June 1, 1921 one of America's most affluent all-black communities was bombed from the air and burned to the ground by mobs of envious whites. It took fewer than 12 hours to destroy the model community. Over 3,000 African Americans died, over 600 businesses were lost: 21 churches, 21 restaurants, 30 grocery stores, 2 movie theaters, a hospital, a bank, a post office, libraries, schools, law offices, a half dozen private airplanes, and even a bus system.
Like a lot of western states, Oklahoma's history is filled with men and women who've risked their lives performing dangerous jobs in order to provide for their families. You'll find that pioneering spirit in Travis Cartwright, my hero for Roughneck Cowboy.
A Roughneck's Dream--Author Unknown
I was working in the oil fields one cold West Texas day,
And there on the rig floor a dying roughneck lay,
He said, "I am off to the Big Rig, the Big Rig I'm told
Where the crown is purest silver, and the kelly's made of gold
Where a diamond studded cat line hangs from a pearl gin pole,
And the the driller makes all the connections,
and you never come out of the hole.
I run a Wild West Trivia Contest each month in my author newsletter. Sign up for my newsletter at www.marinthomas.com and I'll e-mail you my February Wild West Trivia Question. If you answer the question correctly your name will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a copy of Roughneck Cowboy.
Happy reading!
Marin
www.marinthomas.com
Blood Is Thicker Than Oil
When his mom passed, roughneck Travis Cartwright thought he’d lost the only family he and his daughter Charlie had. That is until he discovers an estranged father and siblings living just a few hours away. They might be strangers, but they’re blood; and Travis needs to protect Charlie should tragedy strike at his dangerous job.
Dominick Cartwright offers his son more than peace of mind. He gives Travis a new job, a place to live, and a side project--to convince Dominick’s stubborn neighbor, Sara Sanders, to sell her ranch. Travis is confident he can smooth talk the plain-Jane teacher into selling quickly; but there’s more to Sara than meets the eye. Soon Travis loses sight of his mission…and his heart.
As their relationship grows, they uncover painful family secrets, and Dominick’s real motives. Then, the sparks fly!
Why a Roughneck for a contemporary romance hero?
These rough and tumble men have always fascinated me. These guys don't flinch when hot oil splatters their hard-hats or drips down the back of their necks. Their duties on the "rig" consist of pulling cables, chains and thongs around the platform for eight to twelve hours per shift. They work in terrible weather conditions on rigs in the middle of the ocean or rigs in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma. They're risk-takers by nature and genuinely fearless individuals. While researching material for my story I learned some fascinating facts about Oklahoma.
The setting for Roughneck Cowboy is outside Tulsa in the fictional town of Tulapoint, OK. The oil history of this state dates back to 1859 when oil seeps, known to Indians as "Medicine springs" were discovered in Indian Territory. The first unintentional oil find was made near Chelsea, OK in 1889 and it produced one half barrel per day. In 1897 The Nellie Johnstone #1, the first commercial well drilled in OK hit pay dirt in the Bartlesville Dewey Field in Washington County. Tulsa changed from a small frontier town to a boomtown.
The discovery of oil in 1901 at Red Fork, a small community southwest of Tulsa on the opposite side of the Arkansas River brought in wildcatters and investors. In 1901, an official survey was done and streets lay out and neighborhoods were established in Tulsa on the opposite side of the river from the drilling sites. In 1905 the Glenn pool oil field was discovered. The strike created such a large supply of oil Tulsans were forced to build storage tanks for the excess oil and later pipelines. Tulsa soon became a leader in the growing petroleum industry, resulting in many oil companies choosing Tulsa for their home base. In 1906 Oklahoma Natural gas Company was formed. In 1907 Oklahoma and the Indian territories became the State of Oklahoma. Also in 1907 Oklahoma becomes the largest oil producer, with Tulsa claiming the title of "Oil Capitol of the World." Below is a picture of an oil-producing well that sat out front of the Oklahoma City capitol building in 1939.
A second oil boom hit Oklahoma between the years of 1925-1930. The population rose over 72,000 and many of the new residents came from Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York. Wealthy oilmen Waite Phillips, William Kelly and J. Paul Getty built their mansions and modern headquarters in the state. Another community that flourished in Tulsa was greenwood. It was the largest and wealthiest of Oklahoma's African American communities and was known as "Black Wall Street." The neighborhood was a hotbed of jazz, and blues music in the 1920's. The area over 600 businesses and 36 square blocks with a population of 15,000 African Americans. "Black Wall Street" is now also sadly remembered as a "Black" mark in the state's history. On June 1, 1921 one of America's most affluent all-black communities was bombed from the air and burned to the ground by mobs of envious whites. It took fewer than 12 hours to destroy the model community. Over 3,000 African Americans died, over 600 businesses were lost: 21 churches, 21 restaurants, 30 grocery stores, 2 movie theaters, a hospital, a bank, a post office, libraries, schools, law offices, a half dozen private airplanes, and even a bus system.
Like a lot of western states, Oklahoma's history is filled with men and women who've risked their lives performing dangerous jobs in order to provide for their families. You'll find that pioneering spirit in Travis Cartwright, my hero for Roughneck Cowboy.
A Roughneck's Dream--Author Unknown
I was working in the oil fields one cold West Texas day,
And there on the rig floor a dying roughneck lay,
He said, "I am off to the Big Rig, the Big Rig I'm told
Where the crown is purest silver, and the kelly's made of gold
Where a diamond studded cat line hangs from a pearl gin pole,
And the the driller makes all the connections,
and you never come out of the hole.
I run a Wild West Trivia Contest each month in my author newsletter. Sign up for my newsletter at www.marinthomas.com and I'll e-mail you my February Wild West Trivia Question. If you answer the question correctly your name will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a copy of Roughneck Cowboy.
Happy reading!
Marin
www.marinthomas.com
KIDS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS!
Given that I had so much fun writing the two kids in my March release, Second Chance Dad, I thought it might be fun to share a couple stories about raising my two boys. I’m happy to report that they are both now grown and still living thanks to my strong willpower in not killing them.
My youngest son, Justin, was about four when I was trying to teach him and his brother to pick up after themselves. I had held strong for an hour that they could not go out and play until the Legos were picked up. They were not happy.
Justin procrastinated for awhile then strolled into the kitchen where I was cooking and looked up at me with those big blue eyes and said, “You’re getting pretty old.”
I shook my head and said, “No, not really.” I was twenty-eight.
My sweet little blond-headed angel flashed those dimples and continued, “But you’re going to die pretty soon, right?”
In spite of the above story, my youngest son was the sweetest, most loving kid. His older brother on the other hand...When my oldest son, Jeremy, came out of the womb--and I’m not stretching the truth here--they laid that baby on my chest, he arched his five pound, premature little body, looked at me with that steely blue gaze and pretty much said, “I’m not sure who you are, but just so you know, I’m in charge.”
Jeremy was ADD and able to out-logic me by the time he was two. I was on a first name basis with his kindergarten teacher just trying to get him through school. After a particularly bad day, I was trying to talk to him about his unacceptable behavior. He asked how I knew what he’d done. Not wanting him to realize that his teacher was snitching on him, I answered, “A little birdie told me.”
A week later he finally learned to ride a bike. We lived in an extraordinarily kid friendly, small town neighborhood where all the moms watched out for the kids. Jeremy was out front riding his bike with very strict boundaries set that he could only ride as far as one house down each direction. There were kids everywhere as usual, but when I went outside after a few minutes to check on them, his little blue bike was in the middle of the street, but no Jeremy.
The other kids looked around and said he’d just been there. Needless to say, I was frantic. I felt like the worst mother ever. Myself, the other moms and a couple teens that were in the crowd started searching. He was shortly located a couple blocks over where he’d followed a friend he knew from school. He was only missing a few minutes, but all moms surely know the terror that went through my mind. When I got him home, I tried to explain how frantic I was and that he couldn’t just take off like that. Mommy didn’t know where he was and I was afraid.
He looked at me with those penetrating blue eyes and calmly asked, “So why didn’t you just ask that little bird?”
Any other cute kid stories out there?
My youngest son, Justin, was about four when I was trying to teach him and his brother to pick up after themselves. I had held strong for an hour that they could not go out and play until the Legos were picked up. They were not happy.
Justin procrastinated for awhile then strolled into the kitchen where I was cooking and looked up at me with those big blue eyes and said, “You’re getting pretty old.”
I shook my head and said, “No, not really.” I was twenty-eight.
My sweet little blond-headed angel flashed those dimples and continued, “But you’re going to die pretty soon, right?”
In spite of the above story, my youngest son was the sweetest, most loving kid. His older brother on the other hand...When my oldest son, Jeremy, came out of the womb--and I’m not stretching the truth here--they laid that baby on my chest, he arched his five pound, premature little body, looked at me with that steely blue gaze and pretty much said, “I’m not sure who you are, but just so you know, I’m in charge.”
Jeremy was ADD and able to out-logic me by the time he was two. I was on a first name basis with his kindergarten teacher just trying to get him through school. After a particularly bad day, I was trying to talk to him about his unacceptable behavior. He asked how I knew what he’d done. Not wanting him to realize that his teacher was snitching on him, I answered, “A little birdie told me.”
A week later he finally learned to ride a bike. We lived in an extraordinarily kid friendly, small town neighborhood where all the moms watched out for the kids. Jeremy was out front riding his bike with very strict boundaries set that he could only ride as far as one house down each direction. There were kids everywhere as usual, but when I went outside after a few minutes to check on them, his little blue bike was in the middle of the street, but no Jeremy.
The other kids looked around and said he’d just been there. Needless to say, I was frantic. I felt like the worst mother ever. Myself, the other moms and a couple teens that were in the crowd started searching. He was shortly located a couple blocks over where he’d followed a friend he knew from school. He was only missing a few minutes, but all moms surely know the terror that went through my mind. When I got him home, I tried to explain how frantic I was and that he couldn’t just take off like that. Mommy didn’t know where he was and I was afraid.
He looked at me with those penetrating blue eyes and calmly asked, “So why didn’t you just ask that little bird?”
Any other cute kid stories out there?
Monday, 14 February 2011
Happy Valentine's Day!
Ah, Valentine's. The day our thoughts turn to chocolate and hearts and flowers and chocolate and love and chocolate and romance...and the authors here on the Harlequin American Romance Blog wish their readers an abundance of all those things!
On Saturday I celebrated at a luncheon with fellow romance writers in my local chapter of Romance Writers of America. This is always a special occasion and I look forward to it every year. This year was really fun because I was on the decorating committee.
I filled my favorite vintage milk glass bowls (I have three of them) with red carnations to use as centerpieces. With the black and white table linens, black-and-white printed paper, votice candles, and chocolate hearts wrapped in red foil, I was going for understated yet elegant. What do you think?
Do you do something special to celebreate Valentine's Day? If so, please share the love!
Until next time,
Lee
The Wedding Bargain (January 2011)
Visit Lee's website!
On Saturday I celebrated at a luncheon with fellow romance writers in my local chapter of Romance Writers of America. This is always a special occasion and I look forward to it every year. This year was really fun because I was on the decorating committee.
I filled my favorite vintage milk glass bowls (I have three of them) with red carnations to use as centerpieces. With the black and white table linens, black-and-white printed paper, votice candles, and chocolate hearts wrapped in red foil, I was going for understated yet elegant. What do you think?
Do you do something special to celebreate Valentine's Day? If so, please share the love!Until next time,
Lee
The Wedding Bargain (January 2011)
Visit Lee's website!
Monday, 7 February 2011
Winter Planning by Megan
In the midst of Winter, with storms ravaging cities coast to coast, my DH and I have been struck with cabin fever. He even had a day off work because the snow and ice were so bad, which is remarkable enough to...well, remark on. Most of that day he spent preparing our tax return (boooo) and the rest cleaning. While I was trying to answer emails, preparing for a special program for our RWA writing chapter, and balancing the Program budget. It's very distracting to sit while people are tidying around you. lol This does not bode well for the future when he retires. I'll have to think on this.
In the meantime, the project we've taken on is more fun. Planning our summer vacation. Ahh, the lure of heat (but not too much!), warm breezes, and exploring a new place. I was leaning toward a spring trip to Destin, Florida, just because I'm so antsy to go somewhere else, but it doesn't work with the kids' school schedules. We had thought of the glorious National Parks of Utah this summer, but the desert in summer? I wouldn't last ten minutes. I'm now rooting for the mountains of Colorado, and my husband, who loves it there, might be swayed, but he and the kids also want to go somewhere different. So far, my DH has planned a family fishing trip!
Help! I need a destination idea. Beautiful scenery for them, motels with air conditioning for me. National Parks, state parks, wildlife areas. (Are you sensing a trend?) Or a favorite city that's tolerable in the summer months. And, remember, I'm from St. Louis, where the summers are typically in the 90's with 100% humidity, so I'll need a break from that heat I so long for now. Where would you suggest? Where have you/your family been that took away your breath? Where's your dream vacation? Any ideas will be appreciated.
My husband thanks you, my children thank you, and I thank you.
Megan Kelly
The Marriage Solution, May 2011
www.megankellybooks.com
In the meantime, the project we've taken on is more fun. Planning our summer vacation. Ahh, the lure of heat (but not too much!), warm breezes, and exploring a new place. I was leaning toward a spring trip to Destin, Florida, just because I'm so antsy to go somewhere else, but it doesn't work with the kids' school schedules. We had thought of the glorious National Parks of Utah this summer, but the desert in summer? I wouldn't last ten minutes. I'm now rooting for the mountains of Colorado, and my husband, who loves it there, might be swayed, but he and the kids also want to go somewhere different. So far, my DH has planned a family fishing trip!
Help! I need a destination idea. Beautiful scenery for them, motels with air conditioning for me. National Parks, state parks, wildlife areas. (Are you sensing a trend?) Or a favorite city that's tolerable in the summer months. And, remember, I'm from St. Louis, where the summers are typically in the 90's with 100% humidity, so I'll need a break from that heat I so long for now. Where would you suggest? Where have you/your family been that took away your breath? Where's your dream vacation? Any ideas will be appreciated.
My husband thanks you, my children thank you, and I thank you.
Megan Kelly
The Marriage Solution, May 2011
www.megankellybooks.com
Friday, 4 February 2011
Texas-Style Super Bowl Party Recipes
We always have a Super Bowl buffet of finger foods and easy to serve items so we can nibble our way throught the big day. It's very important to have time to see the commercials that run during the Super Bowl. I love them! So much, in fact, that my hero in the July, 2011 "Brody's Crossing" Harlequin American Romance, The Texan and the Cowgirl, gets to star in a 2012 Super Bowl commercial. Okay, it's fictional, but it's a good idea!
I haven't made this first recipe yet, Bacon-Apple-Jalapeno Pop 'Ems, but it looked good to my daughter, April Renno, so I'm posting the link. We're going to try it on Sunday. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/bacon-apple-jalapeno-pop-ems-recipe/index.html
In Texas we like our blackeyed-peas, and since the real Black Eyed Peas are entertaining during halftime at the Super Bowl, here's a recipe we call Texas Caviar. You can serve it with any type of crackers or chips, or as a side dish to barbecue or almost anything. (Have you tried the seasoned baked pita chips? They are great and wonderful for dips.)
Texas Caviar
2 cans (15 or 16 oz each) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 or 16 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (11 oz) corn or equivalent of defrosted frozen or fresh corn
1 large red onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup (or a little more to taste) cilantro or Italian Parsley washed and chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Cumin Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Mix all ingredients and let marinate in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Makes 8 - 10 servings (or more if you use as a dip.)
Cumin Vinaigrette: Combine 2/3 c apple cider vinegar, 1 T. Dijon mustard, 1 1/2 t. ground cumin, 1 t. minced garlic, 1 t. ground blackk pepper and 1/2 t. salt. Whisk in 1/2 c. olive oil.
(Victoria's Note: Cumin contains tumeric, which has been shown in some tests to reduce dementia, so this is actually a health food dish, especially when you consider that blackeyed-peas are a traditional good luck food served on New Year's Day!)
You can't go wrong fixing a Crock Pot full of queso. Use a brick of Velveeta and two cans of Rotel tomatoes with green chilis, or substitute "real" cheese for half of the Velveeta. Add everything in a big microwave bowl and "nuke" it until it's hot, stirring often. You can also add 10 - 12 ounces of browned sausage or up to one pound of browned lean ground beef to the hot queso.
From my Facebook friend and high school classmate, Barbie Kinney, I have this meatball recipe we are trying on Sunday. I'm not sure of the name of the recipe, but several people have mentioned it as the "one with the grape jelly."
Easy Meatballs
1 pkg frozen meatballs or make you favorite meatballs from scratch, about 2 pounds of meat
(I make my meatballs from lean beef/eggs/breadcrumbs/salt & pepper, roll them into small balls, and bake on aluminum foil, sprayed with PAM, in a 400 degree oven until browned. Turn once. Much easier than frying!)
3 bottles Heinz Chili Sauce
1 c. grape jelly
Warm meatballs in Crock Pot/slow cooker if not already hot, stir together chili sauce and jelly, pour over meatballs and warm.
From another Facebook friend and former classmate, Jan Caffee Lewis, here's a suggestion. "I love [the] spinach dip on the back of Lipton's vegetable soup mix. Put in Hawaian bread [make a bowl] (cutting up some pieces to dip too!). Put out some veggies and yum yum." Note from Victoria: Spinach dip goes well with the Texas staple, tortilla chips, also. I love the blue corn ones with flaxseed from Target.
Since we're talking about a Texas Super Bowl, you can't go wrong with barbecue, either. Buy some shredded/chopped beef or pulled pork barbecue at your favorite place to make Barbecue Soft Tacos. You can also get it prepared in the meat section of your grocery. Serve it with flour tortillas to make barbecue soft tacos. Provide shredded cabbage and/or lettuce, shredded cheese, corn relish, salsa, and anything else that would make a yummy taco. Keep the beef warm in a slow cooker.
Last but not least, here's an idea from Memphis that involves barbecue beef or pork. My friend Becky Russell and I did a girl's road trip last summer to my hometown of Louisville, KY, up to Indianapolis, and over to her hometown of Carey, Ohio. Our first night we stopped in Memphis and ate at B.B.King's on Beale Street. Becky had some delicious and unusual nachos. Here's how they were made (I think!)
Barbecue Nachos
Multi-color tortilla chips (red, white/yellow, and blue)
Shredded or chopped barbecue
Barbecue sauce (slightly sweet - not too "vinegary")
Sour cream
Shredded Mild Cheese
On a large plate or platter, layer tortilla chips, barbecue and cheese. Drizzle with sauce. Repeat until you have a nice mounded platter. Warm in oven until cheese melts. Drizzle with sour cream. (Note: I believe the restaurant used a pastry bag or a squeeze bottle for the barbecue sauce and sour cream because of the excellent "presentation.") You can also add pinto or red beans to this dish, or serve the sour cream on the side.
I hope these recipes give you some ideas for having a Super Bowl party or family buffet. If you don't feel like cooking, you can always get a pizza and cut it into squares or triangles to make it fancy. Have fun and I hope your team wins (although I'm cheering for the Packers.)
I haven't made this first recipe yet, Bacon-Apple-Jalapeno Pop 'Ems, but it looked good to my daughter, April Renno, so I'm posting the link. We're going to try it on Sunday. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/bacon-apple-jalapeno-pop-ems-recipe/index.html
In Texas we like our blackeyed-peas, and since the real Black Eyed Peas are entertaining during halftime at the Super Bowl, here's a recipe we call Texas Caviar. You can serve it with any type of crackers or chips, or as a side dish to barbecue or almost anything. (Have you tried the seasoned baked pita chips? They are great and wonderful for dips.)
Texas Caviar
2 cans (15 or 16 oz each) black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 or 16 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (11 oz) corn or equivalent of defrosted frozen or fresh corn
1 large red onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup (or a little more to taste) cilantro or Italian Parsley washed and chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Cumin Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Mix all ingredients and let marinate in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Makes 8 - 10 servings (or more if you use as a dip.)
Cumin Vinaigrette: Combine 2/3 c apple cider vinegar, 1 T. Dijon mustard, 1 1/2 t. ground cumin, 1 t. minced garlic, 1 t. ground blackk pepper and 1/2 t. salt. Whisk in 1/2 c. olive oil.
(Victoria's Note: Cumin contains tumeric, which has been shown in some tests to reduce dementia, so this is actually a health food dish, especially when you consider that blackeyed-peas are a traditional good luck food served on New Year's Day!)
You can't go wrong fixing a Crock Pot full of queso. Use a brick of Velveeta and two cans of Rotel tomatoes with green chilis, or substitute "real" cheese for half of the Velveeta. Add everything in a big microwave bowl and "nuke" it until it's hot, stirring often. You can also add 10 - 12 ounces of browned sausage or up to one pound of browned lean ground beef to the hot queso.
From my Facebook friend and high school classmate, Barbie Kinney, I have this meatball recipe we are trying on Sunday. I'm not sure of the name of the recipe, but several people have mentioned it as the "one with the grape jelly."
Easy Meatballs
1 pkg frozen meatballs or make you favorite meatballs from scratch, about 2 pounds of meat
(I make my meatballs from lean beef/eggs/breadcrumbs/salt & pepper, roll them into small balls, and bake on aluminum foil, sprayed with PAM, in a 400 degree oven until browned. Turn once. Much easier than frying!)
3 bottles Heinz Chili Sauce
1 c. grape jelly
Warm meatballs in Crock Pot/slow cooker if not already hot, stir together chili sauce and jelly, pour over meatballs and warm.
From another Facebook friend and former classmate, Jan Caffee Lewis, here's a suggestion. "I love [the] spinach dip on the back of Lipton's vegetable soup mix. Put in Hawaian bread [make a bowl] (cutting up some pieces to dip too!). Put out some veggies and yum yum." Note from Victoria: Spinach dip goes well with the Texas staple, tortilla chips, also. I love the blue corn ones with flaxseed from Target.
Since we're talking about a Texas Super Bowl, you can't go wrong with barbecue, either. Buy some shredded/chopped beef or pulled pork barbecue at your favorite place to make Barbecue Soft Tacos. You can also get it prepared in the meat section of your grocery. Serve it with flour tortillas to make barbecue soft tacos. Provide shredded cabbage and/or lettuce, shredded cheese, corn relish, salsa, and anything else that would make a yummy taco. Keep the beef warm in a slow cooker.
Last but not least, here's an idea from Memphis that involves barbecue beef or pork. My friend Becky Russell and I did a girl's road trip last summer to my hometown of Louisville, KY, up to Indianapolis, and over to her hometown of Carey, Ohio. Our first night we stopped in Memphis and ate at B.B.King's on Beale Street. Becky had some delicious and unusual nachos. Here's how they were made (I think!)
Barbecue Nachos
Multi-color tortilla chips (red, white/yellow, and blue)
Shredded or chopped barbecue
Barbecue sauce (slightly sweet - not too "vinegary")
Sour cream
Shredded Mild Cheese
On a large plate or platter, layer tortilla chips, barbecue and cheese. Drizzle with sauce. Repeat until you have a nice mounded platter. Warm in oven until cheese melts. Drizzle with sour cream. (Note: I believe the restaurant used a pastry bag or a squeeze bottle for the barbecue sauce and sour cream because of the excellent "presentation.") You can also add pinto or red beans to this dish, or serve the sour cream on the side.
I hope these recipes give you some ideas for having a Super Bowl party or family buffet. If you don't feel like cooking, you can always get a pizza and cut it into squares or triangles to make it fancy. Have fun and I hope your team wins (although I'm cheering for the Packers.)
Super Bowl Party Recipes - Coming Soon
The monthly recipes will be up soon. I have all of them in a little pile beside my computer, but we had a family medical crisis this morning with my 92 year old father-in-law, delaying the input of the recipes. I thought you might enjoy some Texas treats since the Super Bowl is in my "backyard" this year. I will get those up very soon this afternoon and apologize for the delay.
Thursday, 3 February 2011
A Few Things I've Learned...
On Saturday, it will be my daughter’s 18th birthday. We won’t be home~we’ll be in Orlando, Florida. She and I and some friends of ours are all going to Universal Studio’s Harry Potter World. I’m very excited about this trip for a couple of reasons:
1) I get to spend time with my daughter, who isn’t around much now and will be around even less when she goes off to college in August.
2) I love the Harry Potter series. I read all but the last one aloud on car trips. (I had a great sorting hat voice, if I do say so myself). As a writer, I never cease to be amazed at what a fellow writer can dream up. As a mom, thinking about the books brings back memories of a far different time in our lives.
3) Orlando is warm. Okay, maybe not sitting-out-by-the-pool warm. But it’s a far cry from Cincinnati’s weather. Tonight’s low? 8*.
Mainly I’ve been excited because it’s given me something to think about besides, well…that my daughter is eighteen. (how did that happen?) When Lesley goes off to school, I know it won’t be the end of our relationship. But things will probably change at little bit. They did for my son and me.
However, I would like to think I’m a little bit smarter now. After all, she’s taught me a lot. So, with that in mind, here’s one more list…of things I’ve learned from my daughter:
1)It’s okay to laugh. A lot.
2)It’s okay to change your mind. Again.
3)Sometimes texting really is the best way to communicate.
4)Chi Hair Straighteners really are worth the money.
5)Haagen-Dazs Chocolate ice cream can make any day better.
6)It’s a perfectly fine dinner, too.
7)A girl can’t have too many cute coats. Or shoes.
8)Or purses.
9)Boyfriends are great to have…for three months.
10)Shopping is a necessary way to expend energy.
11)Telling someone you have PMS and to leave you alone isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
12)Girls. Love. Dads. No matter what.
13)Everything changes~Always. Even if you’re not ready.
So tonight when we hop a plane to Florida and get ready to explore Hogwarts in person, I plan to thoroughly enjoy my time with her. I’m ready to laugh, go shopping, eat ice cream, and maybe even be warm. And, I’m willing to bet that Lesley might even teach me something else…
Anyone else care to share what you’ve learned from one of your kids?
Shelley Galloway
1) I get to spend time with my daughter, who isn’t around much now and will be around even less when she goes off to college in August.
2) I love the Harry Potter series. I read all but the last one aloud on car trips. (I had a great sorting hat voice, if I do say so myself). As a writer, I never cease to be amazed at what a fellow writer can dream up. As a mom, thinking about the books brings back memories of a far different time in our lives.
3) Orlando is warm. Okay, maybe not sitting-out-by-the-pool warm. But it’s a far cry from Cincinnati’s weather. Tonight’s low? 8*.
Mainly I’ve been excited because it’s given me something to think about besides, well…that my daughter is eighteen. (how did that happen?) When Lesley goes off to school, I know it won’t be the end of our relationship. But things will probably change at little bit. They did for my son and me.
However, I would like to think I’m a little bit smarter now. After all, she’s taught me a lot. So, with that in mind, here’s one more list…of things I’ve learned from my daughter:
1)It’s okay to laugh. A lot.
2)It’s okay to change your mind. Again.
3)Sometimes texting really is the best way to communicate.
4)Chi Hair Straighteners really are worth the money.
5)Haagen-Dazs Chocolate ice cream can make any day better.
6)It’s a perfectly fine dinner, too.
7)A girl can’t have too many cute coats. Or shoes.
8)Or purses.
9)Boyfriends are great to have…for three months.
10)Shopping is a necessary way to expend energy.
11)Telling someone you have PMS and to leave you alone isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
12)Girls. Love. Dads. No matter what.
13)Everything changes~Always. Even if you’re not ready.
So tonight when we hop a plane to Florida and get ready to explore Hogwarts in person, I plan to thoroughly enjoy my time with her. I’m ready to laugh, go shopping, eat ice cream, and maybe even be warm. And, I’m willing to bet that Lesley might even teach me something else…
Anyone else care to share what you’ve learned from one of your kids?
Shelley Galloway
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
JANUARY WINNER
In case you missed it ESTELLA was the January winner of free books from Lee McKenize and Cathy McDavid.
I posted it early by mistake, my bad.
Please leave a comment, if it's only to say hi, and your name will go into the drawing for free Harlequin American books in February.
Thank you and stay warm. It's bitterly cold in Texas.
Linda
www.lindawarren.net
Her Christmas Hero - Dec '10
I posted it early by mistake, my bad.
Please leave a comment, if it's only to say hi, and your name will go into the drawing for free Harlequin American books in February.
Thank you and stay warm. It's bitterly cold in Texas.
Linda
www.lindawarren.net
Her Christmas Hero - Dec '10
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