Sunday, December 28, 2014

Bon Appetite - A Weekend Treat: SWEDISH ALMOND LACE COOKIES

Below is my very favorite cookies I learned to make in Sweden when I was an exchange students. It is a delicate, crispy but crunchy cookie that is worth the time to make. Many people prefer not to roll the cookies over a round object, but leave them to cool flat.



                       ALMOND LACE COOKIES


2/3 cup blanched almonds, ground
½ cup sugar
½ cup butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour4               

2 tablespoons milk
confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour large cookie sheet. Into a large skillet, measure all ingredients except confectioners’ sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring, until butter is melted and mixture is blended. Keeping mixture warm over very low heat, drop 4 heaping teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto cookie sheet. Bake 5 minutes or until golden.

Remove cookie sheet from oven and, with pancake turner, quickly remove cookies, one by one, and roll around handle of a wooden spoon, or drape over a rolling pin. (If cookies get too hard to roll, reheat in oven a minute to soften.) Cool. Repeat until all batter is used, greasing and flouring cookie sheet each time.

Lightly dust cookies with confectioners’ sugar. Makes about 2 1/2/ dozen cookies.

NOTE: Mixture will be hard to handle on humid days.
 

Monday, December 22, 2014

A POLISH CHRISTMAS EVE: Wigilia - The Vigil



A POLISH CHRISTMAS EVE:  Wigilia – The Vigil

For people of Polish ancestry, Christmas Eve is a special night. It is a night of magic when animals are said to talk and people have the power to predict the future. It’s a time for families to gather and reconcile any differences, and to remember loved ones who have gone before them. It’s call Wigilia (vee-GELL-yah) which means, “vigil,” or waiting for the birth of Baby Jesus.

As dusk approaches, the mother of the family places a lighted candle in the window to welcome the Christ Child. Straw or hay, a reminder of Christ’s birth in a stable, is placed under a white linen tablecloth, which symbolizes Mary’s veil which became the Babe’s swaddling cloth. The eldest woman of the house places the blessed Communion-like wafers called oplatki (Oh-PWAHT-kee) on a fine china or silver plate. In modern times, straw and evergreens are assembled on a serving platter and covered with a white napkin. The oplatki is then placed on the napkin.

An extra place is set of any weary stranger who happens to pass by, in the same way Joseph wandered from home to home looking for a place for Mary to give birth, and in memory of those who are departed. (The extra place is also set in hopes that Christ will dine with the family.)

After sunset, the youngest child is sent to watch for the first star. This is why the wigilia dinner is also known as the Star Supper. Only then are the candles on the table lit and the dinner begun. But not a morsel is eaten before the “breaking of the oplatki.”

The eldest family member takes the wafer, breaks it and shares it with the next eldest with wishes for good health and prosperity, and a kiss on each cheek. Each person then exchanges oplatki with everyone else at the table. It can be a very emotional time as grudges are forgotten and deceased family members are remembered.

Instead of sending Christmas cards to friends and family not present, Poles send oplatki, first tearing off a small corner to show that the donor has broken it with them as a token of affection. (In America, Polish families often enclose oplatki in their Christmas cards.)

In some regions of Poland, at the end of the supper, Father Christmas, known as The Starman (very often the parish priest in disguise), accompanied by singing Starboys, pays a visit. He brings rewards to good children from Starland, and scolds the naughty ones, who eventually get their reward, too.

Typical food dishes on Christmas Eve include borscht, mushroom dishes, herring, white fish, meatless cabbage rolls, gingerbread cookies, pierogis, poppy seed rolls, spice cake, fruit, chocolates, tangerines, and cognac, liquers, and vodka made into a variety of drinks.

[Information taken from “About Food – Polish Christmas Recipes and Traditions” - by Barbara Rolek, Eastern European Food Expert.]

Saturday, December 20, 2014

CHRISTMAS AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Barbara Bettis



THE HEART OF PHOENIX - by Barbara Bettis
GENRE: Romance/Historical (Medieval)
 LENGTH OF BOOK:  287 pages

BLURB:
Some call him a ruthless mercenary; she calls him the knight of her heart.

Memories - Lady Evelynn’s childhood hero is home—bitter, hard, tempting as sin. And haunted by secrets. A now-grown Evie offers friendship, but Sir Stephen's cruel rejection crushes her, and she resolves to forget him. Yet when an unexpected war throws them together, she finds love isn’t so easy to dismiss. If only the king hadn’t betrothed her to another.

Can be cruel - Sir Stephen lives a double life while he seeks the treacherous outlaws who murdered his friends. Driven by revenge, he thinks his heart is closed to love. His childhood shadow, Lady Evie, unexpectedly challenges that belief. He rebuffs her, but he can’t forget her, although he knows she’s to wed the king’s favorite.

And deadly - When his drive for vengeance leads to Evie’s kidnapping, Stephen must choose between retribution and the love he’s denied too long. Surely King John will see reason.Convict the murderers; convince the king. Simple. Until a startling revelation threatens everything

LINKS:
AMAZON:   http://amzn.to/1vSZgLF    
THE WILD ROSE PRESS:   http://bit.ly/1nIViQy
BARNES AND NOBLE:    http://bit.ly/1twpN3o

CHRISTMAS AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Kayden Claremont



HELL’S BOUNTY – Book One of the Heaven and Hell Series
by Kayden Claremont
BLURB:
Raven Hart, a succubus bounty hunter for Hell, is on a hunt. With her query in sight, she hits a brick wall, or rather the very hard chest of a giant sexy man. She might have lost the prize for now, but she's a winner when the hottie wants to get physical.

Marcus Dionysius, a Nephilim working for Heaven, has one mission—to prevent Hell’s beauty from stealing souls meant for the higher plane. But he soon realizes he’s met his sexual match. She’s naughty enough to tempt his senses, but her innocence means he can’t walk away when she needs him most.

Working together to discover who’s snatching souls from Heaven, they realize the true danger is falling in love.


AUTHOR’S BIO:
     Kayden loves sexy, well-crafted stories of lust and love.  Her sensuous style drives the characters in lustful romps. Hell’s Bounty is her first publication with The Wild Rose Press.
      Kayden is a member of Romance Writers of America, Toronto Romance Writers; Kiss of Death Chapter, Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal Chapter.When she’s not at her day job she’s crafting more tales of love and crime or spending time with her husband and children.
      She lives outside Toronto with her husband.

Visit her at:



Wednesday, December 17, 2014

CHRISTMAS AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Louise Lyndon and Barbara Edwards

OF LOVE AND VENGEANCE – by Louise Lyndon
Length: 322 PAGES
Genre: Historical Romance (medieval)

BLURB:

Forced to marry Lord Aymon to ensure her nephews survival, English Lady Laila vows undying hatred for the Norman she holds responsible for so many deaths. Discovering Aymon has committed an act of treason gives her the chance to seek vengeance he deserves. But will Laila really let Aymon die once she learns the truth?
A hardened Norman warrior, Lord Aymon has lived through atrocities no man ever should. With the invasion of England over, all he wants is a quiet life and a wife who will give him heirs and obey his every command. Instead, he finds himself wed to feisty and outspoken Laila. But when she learns the truth of his treasonous act, can Aymon count on her to keep his secret?

LINKS:
AMAZON - http://ow.ly/FM5Vf
THE WILD ROSE PRESS - http://ow.ly/FM5Fz


THE ANCIENT CURSE – Finding Rhodes End Book Three
by Barbara Edwards
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Fantasy/Faery
Length: 238 pages
BLURB:
Evil never dies. And this time it wanted Rainie. It wanted more than her life, it wanted her soul. The artifacts Rainie Gamble handled came from every era and she could read their past with a touch. After her Father’s deceit, she’d lost her beloved career until Thomas hired her.
Thomas Broquette needed Rainie for more than her psychic ability. She would unknowingly bring her father into his reach. Thomas needed him to return the stolen paintings in Mason’s estate. He needed Rainie to destroy the evil items Mason left behind. Then he realized he needed her for much, much more.

EXCERPT: 

Changing took a few minutes. She pressed her hand to her throbbing forehead and  studied her reflection in the mirror. Pain lined her forehead. She wondered why Thomas touch eased it. Her tangled hair had escaped her twist and needed combing. Humming, she took the time to neaten it. 
Silence enveloped the second floor. With the power off, the soft music she played in her bedroom had been silenced. She half expected her footsteps to echo when she exited the room and walked down the hall.  
            Thomas had probably finished mopping up, and she needed to lock her computer and file her notes  before the back-up battery failed.
            Her pulse beat faster. She looked forward to spending some time with him. Hopefully, he was still in the library. She shook her head. She paused as the hair on her nape stirred like she was being watched.
            A cool draft washed over her nape and she glanced back along the hall. All the doors had been closed. They still were. She frowned, and then shook the feeling off.  No-one watched although her skin itched.
            Pausing to enjoy the light emotions held by the smooth banister, she stroked the wood.
            A violent shove between her shoulders tumbled her down the stairs like a thrown doll.
http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=5911#.VF0EYvITPLg.gmail

ANCIENT BLOOD:

THE WILD ROSE PRESS
http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=177_136&products_id=4511

ANCIENT AWAKENING (KINDLE):

http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Awakening-ebook/dp/B002TG4NFG/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1375903756&sr=1-1

AUTHOR’S BIO:

 Im Barbara Edwards and a native New Englander. Im a graduate of the University of Hartford with a Masters degree in Public Administration. I write poetry for myself and novels when I need to tell a longer tale. Im fascinated by the past so naturally turned to writing historical romance. The dark paranormal stories evolve from nightmares. The romance comes from my belief in peoples basic goodness and longing for love.
            I lived in Florida for several years and am past president of the Central Florida Romance Writers and a member of Romance Writers of America.
            When I returned to Connecticut, I founded the Charter Oak Romance Writers, a Chapter of Romance Writers of America, along with several close friends
            My husband is a retired Police Sergeant. We share an interest Civil War re-enacting and travel the Eastern states to participate in events. I love visiting museums, galleries and battle sites, gathering information for my stories.
            I taught Romance Writing at Manchester Community college for three years.
            Im fond of gardening and growing antique roses with limited success.
            Most of my exercise is when my Belgian Shepherd, Dixie, demands a walk.

BLOG: http://barbaraedwardscomments.wordpress.com/
WEBSITE: http://barbaraedwards.net
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraEdwards.Author
TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/Barb_ed
AMAZON’S AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003F6ZK1A
GOODREADS http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/496095.Barbara_Edwards