I'm in a great collection of short stories. The best news is that it is completely FREE! You don't have to sign up or give your email address or anything, just click the link and download, then enjoy!
https://bookhip.com/VLRCGG
Monday, September 30, 2019
FREEBIE!
Hey, everyone!
I'm in a great collection of short stories. The best news is that it is completely FREE! You don't have to sign up or give your email address or anything, just click the link and download, then enjoy!
https://bookhip.com/VLRCGG
I'm in a great collection of short stories. The best news is that it is completely FREE! You don't have to sign up or give your email address or anything, just click the link and download, then enjoy!
https://bookhip.com/VLRCGG
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Thursday Recipe - Nightshade-Free "Chili" Soup
Okay, it isn't really chili because it has no chili powder in it. Or tomatoes. Or green chilies. (Those are all part of the nightshade family, which I'm allergic to.) But it's a good enough version to replace it. It works great in a crockpot, too.
Use fresh squash or pumpkin in this soup. The canned pumpkin is too fine of a puree. I like to bake pumpkins after Halloween, then freeze the flesh in old whipped topping bowls. It keeps for months and is really easy to just chuck into soups like these. No need for thawing, just add an extra 30-60 minutes to the cook time. You can also use baked sweet potatoes, butternut squash (no need to pre-cook), or other yellow-orange flesh winter squash like acorn, hubbard, turban, banana, etc. I should do a whole post on squash...
We found a lovely Stripetti squash at the store the other day. It's a cross between delicata and spaghetti squash. My daughter had some as noodles, then we threw the rest into this soup. Tasty stuff.
To bake squash or pumpkin, slice it in half and scoop out the seeds. Large pumpkins may need to be sliced smaller, depending on how big the pumpkin is and how much your oven can handle. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Add 1-2 T. butter and 1/4 c. water to each half, just drop it into the center hole where the seeds were. I usually skip this with the pumpkin because it's usually larger and cut into flatter pieces. Cover the squash loosely with foil, mostly to keep it moist. Bake at 375-400°F for 1-2 hours, until it is easily pierced with a fork. Spaghetti squash should easily flake into strands.
Pull it out and let it cool, then scoop the flesh off the rind. You should have plenty of delicious squash flesh for use in pies, muffins, custards, or soups like this one.
Nightshade-Free Chili Soup
2 c. dried pinto beans
5 c. water
5 c. water
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 c. cooked spaghetti squash or fresh pumpkin (not canned pumpkin)
1 c. cooked, crumbled hamburger
2 t. salt
2 t. oregano
1 t. ground black pepper
1 t. cumin
1 t. celery seed
Rinse off the beans, then place in a 3-qt saucepan with the 5 c. water. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let them sit for about an hour.
Drain beans. Rinse several times. Add 5 c. fresh water to the saucepan, bring to a boil.
Dump pan of beans with the water into a 4-qt crockpot or slow cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours. Remove lid and give it a good stir. Add more salt, pepper, or cumin to taste. Cover and continue to cook for another 2-4 hours, until soup is thick and beans are tender.
Serve hot with plenty of sour cream, shredded cheese, or whatever you like to top your chili with. Half my family, the half that can eat tomatoes and peppers, added salsa to their soup.
Use fresh squash or pumpkin in this soup. The canned pumpkin is too fine of a puree. I like to bake pumpkins after Halloween, then freeze the flesh in old whipped topping bowls. It keeps for months and is really easy to just chuck into soups like these. No need for thawing, just add an extra 30-60 minutes to the cook time. You can also use baked sweet potatoes, butternut squash (no need to pre-cook), or other yellow-orange flesh winter squash like acorn, hubbard, turban, banana, etc. I should do a whole post on squash...
We found a lovely Stripetti squash at the store the other day. It's a cross between delicata and spaghetti squash. My daughter had some as noodles, then we threw the rest into this soup. Tasty stuff.
To bake squash or pumpkin, slice it in half and scoop out the seeds. Large pumpkins may need to be sliced smaller, depending on how big the pumpkin is and how much your oven can handle. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Add 1-2 T. butter and 1/4 c. water to each half, just drop it into the center hole where the seeds were. I usually skip this with the pumpkin because it's usually larger and cut into flatter pieces. Cover the squash loosely with foil, mostly to keep it moist. Bake at 375-400°F for 1-2 hours, until it is easily pierced with a fork. Spaghetti squash should easily flake into strands.
Pull it out and let it cool, then scoop the flesh off the rind. You should have plenty of delicious squash flesh for use in pies, muffins, custards, or soups like this one.
Nightshade-Free Chili Soup
2 c. dried pinto beans
5 c. water
5 c. water
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 c. cooked spaghetti squash or fresh pumpkin (not canned pumpkin)
1 c. cooked, crumbled hamburger
2 t. salt
2 t. oregano
1 t. ground black pepper
1 t. cumin
1 t. celery seed
Rinse off the beans, then place in a 3-qt saucepan with the 5 c. water. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let them sit for about an hour.
Drain beans. Rinse several times. Add 5 c. fresh water to the saucepan, bring to a boil.
Dump pan of beans with the water into a 4-qt crockpot or slow cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours. Remove lid and give it a good stir. Add more salt, pepper, or cumin to taste. Cover and continue to cook for another 2-4 hours, until soup is thick and beans are tender.
Serve hot with plenty of sour cream, shredded cheese, or whatever you like to top your chili with. Half my family, the half that can eat tomatoes and peppers, added salsa to their soup.
Monday, June 24, 2019
New Story!
Hey! I know I'm not posting regularly. Too much life and I just had to let things slide. But I will post when I find great recipes or have news, like now.
My story, It's Always Sunny in the Fortress of Bones, is coming out in the anthology, Tales of Magic and Destiny from Inklings Press. Loads of great fantasy in this volume. It's up for pre-order!
My story, It's Always Sunny in the Fortress of Bones, is coming out in the anthology, Tales of Magic and Destiny from Inklings Press. Loads of great fantasy in this volume. It's up for pre-order!
Check it out - mybook.to/MagicDestiny
Thursday, June 20, 2019
Thursday Recipe - Black Beans, Indian Style
I ran across a vegan slow-cooker recipe book at the library and decided to take a look. The book had recipes from all over the globe. I tried this one out on a whim. I'm glad I did.
Can you cook Indian food without peppers or paprika? Yep. And it's tasty, too.
Fenugreek seeds can be found at an Indian market, if you're lucky enough to have one around. You might be able to find them at your local grocery store, you could ask to see if they ever carry them. Or you can order some online. They give a distinctive flavor to the dish so it's worth trying to track some down. If you cook much Indian food, you'll want to have some on hand.
Black Beans, Indian Style
1 c. dried black beans
4 c. water
1/3 c. onion, chopped small
1 t. butter
2 t. salt
1 t. ground black pepper
1/2 t. fennel seed
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. ginger
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. fenugreek seeds
Put onion and butter in 2-qt crockpot. Cook on high for about 30-45 minutes. Butter should melt and onion should get soft. Add spices. Let cook for another 15 minutes.
Rinse dried beans. Put in a saucepan, cover with water. Bring to boil over high heat. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes.
Drain beans. Rinse with warm water. Add beans to crockpot. Bring fresh water to a boil; add to the crockpot to cover beans.
Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, until beans are tender.
Can you cook Indian food without peppers or paprika? Yep. And it's tasty, too.
Fenugreek seeds can be found at an Indian market, if you're lucky enough to have one around. You might be able to find them at your local grocery store, you could ask to see if they ever carry them. Or you can order some online. They give a distinctive flavor to the dish so it's worth trying to track some down. If you cook much Indian food, you'll want to have some on hand.
Black Beans, Indian Style
1 c. dried black beans
4 c. water
1/3 c. onion, chopped small
1 t. butter
2 t. salt
1 t. ground black pepper
1/2 t. fennel seed
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. ginger
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. fenugreek seeds
Put onion and butter in 2-qt crockpot. Cook on high for about 30-45 minutes. Butter should melt and onion should get soft. Add spices. Let cook for another 15 minutes.
Rinse dried beans. Put in a saucepan, cover with water. Bring to boil over high heat. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes.
Drain beans. Rinse with warm water. Add beans to crockpot. Bring fresh water to a boil; add to the crockpot to cover beans.
Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, until beans are tender.
Thursday, May 23, 2019
Thursday Recipe - No-Mato Sweet BBQ Sauce
Sweet and still tangy, it looks like barbecue sauce and tastes great as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets. It's also tomato and pepper free.
It looks like a weird combination but it does come together as a nice sauce.
I used the cranberry jelly in a can, not the whole berry sauce. The whole berry sauce should work, but it will be a chunkier, lumpier sauce.
No-Mato Sweet BBQ Sauce
1/2 c. cranberry jelly
2 T. brown mustard (go mild or spicy, depending on what you like)
1 T. white vinegar
Mix everything in a small saucepan. Don't worry about jelly lumps, they will smooth out as the jelly melts.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce comes to a boil. Turn to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the jelly is completely melted and sauce smooths out.
Serve warm or cold.
It looks like a weird combination but it does come together as a nice sauce.
I used the cranberry jelly in a can, not the whole berry sauce. The whole berry sauce should work, but it will be a chunkier, lumpier sauce.
No-Mato Sweet BBQ Sauce
1/2 c. cranberry jelly
2 T. brown mustard (go mild or spicy, depending on what you like)
1 T. white vinegar
Mix everything in a small saucepan. Don't worry about jelly lumps, they will smooth out as the jelly melts.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce comes to a boil. Turn to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the jelly is completely melted and sauce smooths out.
Serve warm or cold.
Thursday, April 25, 2019
Thursday Recipe - Simple Fruity Frosting
I've found I have issues with food colorings. The all-natural ones in the stores are expensive and hard to work with. But sometimes you want more than just chocolate or plain white frosting.
The key to this recipe is finding a nice soft seedless fruit jelly with lots of color. I used a home-made black currant jelly and it made a lovely pinkish purple frosting. You could also use Hibiscus syrup to flavor and color your frosting. (hibiscus and mint or hibiscus ginger and lemon) I haven't tried it with jams yet, but just be aware that if your jam or jelly has bits of fruit in it, they will be in the frosting, too.
Now I want to experiment with orange marmalade...
Simple Fruity Frosting
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. seedless jelly
3 c. powdered sugar
1-3 T. milk
Cream butter and jelly with powdered sugar. Beat for one minute.
If frosting is too stiff, add milk one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition, until you reach the desired consistency.
If frosting is too soft or runny, add powdered sugar 1/2 c. at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Whip for 2-4 minutes until very light and fluffy. Use on your favorite cake or spread on graham crackers or use on cookies or whatever you like to do with frosting.
The key to this recipe is finding a nice soft seedless fruit jelly with lots of color. I used a home-made black currant jelly and it made a lovely pinkish purple frosting. You could also use Hibiscus syrup to flavor and color your frosting. (hibiscus and mint or hibiscus ginger and lemon) I haven't tried it with jams yet, but just be aware that if your jam or jelly has bits of fruit in it, they will be in the frosting, too.
Now I want to experiment with orange marmalade...
Simple Fruity Frosting
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. seedless jelly
3 c. powdered sugar
1-3 T. milk
Cream butter and jelly with powdered sugar. Beat for one minute.
If frosting is too stiff, add milk one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition, until you reach the desired consistency.
If frosting is too soft or runny, add powdered sugar 1/2 c. at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Whip for 2-4 minutes until very light and fluffy. Use on your favorite cake or spread on graham crackers or use on cookies or whatever you like to do with frosting.
Monday, April 22, 2019
Book Review - The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency
Alexander McCall Smith
First off, don't expect this book to be a mystery even though that's how it's billed. Yes, there is a mystery or two buried in the story, but it's mostly about the characters and the relationships. It's not a thriller, by any means. It's a slow, meandering, circle-within-a-circle type of story.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. I wasn't expecting to. It was a book I picked up cheap at the thrift store. I'd heard good things about it so I decided to give it a try. I'm very glad I did.
This isn't my usual type of book. It's about Mma. Ramotswe, a traditionally-built lady of African origin who decides to open a private investigator office in Gabarone, capital of Botswana. She doesn't want to handle big cases or criminal cases, just the small everyday problems of ordinary people, the kind of problems that police are too busy or too important to deal with.
So if you pick this up, be prepared for a different kind of storytelling. One that focuses on the people, on the countryside, on thoughts about life and family and love.
I enjoyed it so much I'm now on book ten of the series...
Five stars for a gentle, fun read with characters I actually like
G - no language or innuendo or anything objectionable
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