Okay, I admit it....I've lived in the south for nearly two decades and I never learned how to make green beans and potatoes. But I recently came across this recipe and tried it. My whole family loves it. This is a delicious side dish to any meal.
Green Beans with New Potatoes
Ingredients
6 slices of bacon, cut into pieces
3 tbls butter
1/2 to 1 cup red onion, chopped
2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped
1 large clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp pepper
8 small new potatoes, diced
1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Directions
Cook bacon in skillet over medium heat until browned. Remove bacon and set aside.
Melt butter in bacon drippings and add onion, cooking until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add bacon, green beans, garlic, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook 10 minutes. Add potatoes and cook until potatoes are soft, about 10 more minutes. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar.
Today I'm going to talk about one of my favorite historical western romances. Since I can't talk about Anna Kathryn's Salvation Bride, I'm going to yack about Holding Out For A Hero - my first historical western.
At the end of this month - Feb 28 - this story will be unavailable. So...now is the time to get it! If you want the ebook, it's only $3.00!!! Also, the paperback is still available on Amazon. This was the first book with Champagne Books where they printed on the front cover "Best Selling Author." What a thrill that was to see!!! If you like the old west - and humor with your romance - then you'll LOVE my story!
5-Roses! Ms. Campbell has written an exciting western that will have you rapidly turning the pages for the shocking climax. The secondary characters of Clint and Violet carry this story well with their own secrets. This book will have you laughing out loud with Summer’s antics. She is feisty to the core. Her and Jesse’s banter brings humor one minute and the next minute you want to cry because the book is so emotional. I love this kind of story that takes you on an emotional roller coaster. And you feel a part of the Wild West, filled with bank robbers, Texas Rangers and life on the western frontier. This book will have western lovers like me clamoring for more stories to come and waiting for your perfect hero. ~~ My Book Cravings / Sherry
**excerpt**
Jesse stood close, and his nearness was uncomfortably pleasant, crazily twisting her emotions out of control. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed his gaze skimming over her body. Her face burned.
Angrily Summer puffed and lowered the string to her waist, keeping her gaze toward the window. “Would you please stop looking at me?”
“Can’t. There’s nothin’ else to look at.”
“Then go some place else.”
“You don’t like me lookin’?”
“No,” she clipped.
“Liar.”
Summer met his stare and lifted her chin stubbornly. “I’m not lying.”
His attention moved over her hair, face, and body, and he gave her a cocky grin. “Tell me somethin’, Summer. What were you dreamin’ about when I first came in?”
She swallowed hard and she knew her heated face gave away her thoughts. “Well, if you must know, I was just fanta—uhm –” She cleared her dry throat. “I mean I was imagining what it would be like to be married and living in a place like this.”
His grin widened. “You were fantasizin’, huh?”
“No, I was imagining.”
“Same thing.”
“No, it’s not.”
Softly, his fingers caressed her cheek. “You were blushin’ just now, Summer. Your face glowed like a lighthouse. That doesn’t happen very often. What were you thinkin’?”
She knocked his hand away and faced the window. “You startled me, that’s probably why my face was red.”
He moved closer, bracketing the wall beside her with one hand. “Were you thinkin’ about being alone with a man? Were you fantasizin’ about how it would be on your weddin’ night?” he whispered in her ear.
She forced a laugh. “Of course not. Nice girls don’t think about things like that.”
He tilted his head and grinned. “But you were.”
She spun around and her hand flew through the air to slap his face, but he stopped it before it could connect with his cheek. He grabbed her other wrist and imprisoned both arms behind her waist, then backed her up against the wall. It only took a second for her to react to the hard contours of his chest as it against her bosom. Desire flowed hot through her. It felt so right, but this was so wrong.
She struggled. “Let me go.”
“No, Summer. I want to know what you were thinkin’.”
“I told you.”
“No, you didn’t. I want you to tell me how you think it’ll be on your weddin’ night.”
“You’re an animal,” she spat.
“Were his lips touchin’ yours in a passionate kiss?” he prodded.
His heart pounded against hers, the rhythm matching perfectly with the beat coming from her. “Jesse, please.” Her voice softened. “Why are you doing this?”
His lips hovered over hers as he stared into her eyes. “I don’t know. I wish I could make some sense out of this, but I can’t.”
Jesse’s mouth touched her, and she gasped, but surprisingly, she didn’t want to pull away. Softly, his lips coaxed for a response, and she didn’t know whether she should give him one. She fought the feelings, but when he hesitantly caressed her mouth, she couldn’t resist any longer. Her body relaxed, and for the first time in her life she let herself experience what it felt like to be really kissed by a man.
When his grasp on her wrists relaxed, she slid her hands up and stroked his neck, then threaded her fingers through his hair. She kissed him back, thrilling over the feeling of his soft lips touching hers. He pecked first on her top lip, then her bottom, then suckled them one at a time. Seconds later, his tongue entered her mouth. She gasped, but it felt so good. A soft moan released from her throat and she stilled, waiting for him to show her the way.
He slanted his mouth over hers, and suddenly the kiss turned wild. She exhaled a throaty moan and clung to him, her fingers digging into the collar of his shirt while her tongue copied the stokes his made in her mouth.
“Summer,” he whispered and pulled her closer with an urgency she really didn’t understand. She had no desire to stop him. In her mind, she replayed her fantasy and wished for the reality.
His had moved to her breast, and rested. Her nipple stiffened against his palm. As he plucked softly through the fabric of her dress, her nipples responded even more.
She let him caress her for a brief moment until she heard her aunt’s cautious voice ringing through her head. It was wrong for her body to experience this kind of pleasure. It’d be different if they were married. But they weren’t. And he was promised to her sister.
She tore her mouth from his. “Jesse, no.” She tried to pull away, but his tight hold prevented her from moving.
“Oh, Summer,” he sighed.
The thrill of everything happening brought another moan from her throat, but she knew she couldn’t surrender. The strange feeling began to overwhelm her, but she couldn’t forget he was her sister’s fiancé.
Well, the Super Bowl is just around the corner....and for the record, I'm rooting for the Saints! It's been a long time coming and I hope they can pull it off....I thought I'd post an appetizer that would be great for a Super Bowl party....though they'd be good for any party, I think.
Which ever team you're rooting for, or even if you couldn't care less, I hope everyone has a wonderful Super Bowl Weekend!
Bar-b-Que Spareribs
Ingredients
1 ½ lbs spareribs 1-10 oz jar plum jelly 1/3 cup soy sauce ¼ cup dark corn syrup 3 tbsp minced onion 2 tsp ground ginger 2 cloves garlic, minced
Directions
Instruct butcher to cut rib section lengthwise into 2 to 2 ½ inch long pieces. Place ribs in a marinating pan.
Combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour over ribs and chill for 2 hours. Place ribs in a greased 13x9x2 inch pan. Bake, uncovered at 375° for one hour.
Who are you rooting for? Or do you even care? Leave a comment to be eligible for my monthly drawing (see right for prize).
As a little girl, as most little girls are, I was intrigued by fairy tales. The opulent settings, the handsome princes, ready and willing and oh-so-able to whisk the heroine away to live happily ever after were truly the stuff of dreams. So, naturally, when I grew up I found a fabulous way to satisfy my need for romantic happy endings—by reading romance novels. I devoured them! Sometimes I read two a day. I was truly thrilled when I discovered the historic romances were morphing and branching out to include contemporary tales. I loved contemporary romances because it made me feel as though not only could they possibly happen, they could happen to me. It was a powerful notion. Sort of a modern fairy tale, right?
After a while, I became more selective in the romances I read. The more I read, the more jaded I became. Yikes! I’d morphed into a romance writer! Now I was not enjoying them nearly as much as I mentally tore the writing style and plot apart to see what helped these authors sell to my favorite publishers.
What I discovered was this: there is no concrete thing, no secret plot or handshake that will get an aspiring writer published. Only ability and dogged determination will get the job done. Happily, I was one of the lucky ones who wrote the right manuscript at the right time and had it read by the right editor. Truly, the stars must have been aligned. Thank goodness!
Okay, I’m published. Now what? What happened to all those brilliant ideas I had as an aspiring writer? My editor wants me to do what by when? Really? No one told me I’d have to actually work at this writer thing!
And so I came to the place where my editor was actually expecting me to come up with a new plot for my next novel. Suddenly, the fairy tales I’d loved as a girl came buzzing back, whispering in my ear to give them a new, contemporary twist. The idea was exciting but I knew I didn’t want to do the same old retelling, even set in modern day. Did I mention I write humorous erotic romance?
So began the “what if” game writers love to play. What if I retold Red Riding Hood with a modern—and erotic--twist? And what if the persona of the Big Bad Wolf was the heroine? In my version—REDD HOT—in my February release, BETWEEN THE SHEETS, my wolf is tamed and learns some valuable life lessons, including what it means to give your heart. And just to make things even more interesting, I had the heroine have age as well as control issues. Boy, did I have fun writing that story!
The second tale, JUST RIGHT, is a modern take on Goldilocks and the Three Bears, with the heroine being romantically involved with the hero’s two best friends before realizing he was the only one who was “just right” for her.
And, finally, is STROKE OF MIDNIGHT, the third story in BETWEEN THE SHEETS. I had to actually do research for this one, which added to the fun. Claustrophobic romance writers do not do well when they attempt to don a wet suit and dive. Trust me.
So what is your favorite fairy tale and why? Leave a comment and you will be entered in a drawing to win a book. Thanks, Anna Kathryn, for allowing me to share!
Here's another recipe from my September Recipe Extravaganza, curtsey of Robin L. I love Black Forest Cake, and now that I recently purchased a trifle bowl, I can make this! Won't this be a great dessert for Valentine's Day??
Black Forest Trifle
1 chocolate cake mix, 1 tin Cherry Pie filling 1 box Instant Chocolate Pudding Whipped Cream
Bake caje according to package directions. Once cooled, cut into bite-sized pieces and put half in a Trifle bowl.
Mix up the instant pudding according to package directions. Pour half over the cake. Next put half the cherry pie filling as next layer. The last layer is half the whipped cream.
Repeat above layers, reserve a few dollops of pie filling for topping. When finished add a few dollops of cherry pie filling on top of whipped cream.
Anna Kathryn Lanier Where Tumbleweeds Hang Their Hats www.aklanier.com
My fascination with Gypsies began more than 20 years ago after I read a historical romance that had a hot Gypsy hero. The culture's dark mystique lured me into the Gypsy's independent and nomadic lifestyle. Although I own a dozen books on Gypsies, they were well-known for not documenting their history. Researching Gypsies in the medieval period was definitely a challenge.
I had planned much more for this article; however, I had knee surgery two days ago and am rather groggy from the pain meds. So I will leave you to the blurb and short excerpt and, hopefully, I'll return in the near future to talk about what I learned from the Gypsies.
Blurb: Charlotte Nikolos keenly feels the difference between the dark coloring of the Gypsies who raised her and her own pale hair and skin. When she learns she has two sisters somewhere who share her looks and psychic powers, she's determined to search for her lost family and find answers about her past. But how?
For three years, Rafael Cazares has been away from the Gypsy camp and the woman who makes his blood boil. He's determined to win back Char's trust and recapture her heart. He insists on helping her to find her true family, but someone or something is determined to keep them apart. When a deep dark secret is revealed, Rafael would do everything in his power to keep the only women he has ever loved out of harm’s way. Even if he must die.
Excerpt:
“Return me to my father at once.” Rafael planted his hands on his hips and gazed down at her with a long-reaching light of amusement. A light that brought clarity to Char. “You wouldn’t dare!” “But I did.” “I’ll not be your wife by abduction.” “You have no say in this, Char. I’ve paid the bride price. Your sire gave his blessing for our union.” He handed her a kerchief to wear. Char refused to tie it around her head to show her acceptance. “You’ll not touch me.” His raised brows mocked her. Char straightened her shoulders. Rafael ignored her stubborn stance and gripped her upper arms, dragging her up his length. “In time, you will beg me to take you to my bed.” His mouth quashed her protest. No matter how much she abhorred Rafael, she succumbed to his meaningless kiss.
She rode into town for her own deliverance, but will Doctor Laura Ashton heal Sheriff David Slade’s pain before the dark secret in her past turns up to steal his Salvation Bride?
February Contests and Prizes
February is the unofficial month of love. In honor of that, I'll be giving away two "Romance Baskets."
On my website this month, you can win a book bag, "Smart Women Read Romance" t-shirt and the romance novels Out of Time by Samantha Graves, Hungry for More by Diana Holquist and Before the Scandal by Suzanne Enoch. Just leave a comment in my guestbook telling me 'what you look for in a hero.' The link to my guest book as at the bottom of my Home page.
For my monthly blog prize, I'll give away a book bag, "Smart Women Read Romance" t-shirt, and the romance novels Don't Tempt Me by Loretta Chase, Break Up to Make Up by Fiona Harper, The Wicked Ways of a Duke by Laura Lee Guhrke, and Having the Billionaire's Baby by Sandra Hyatt. Just leave a comment on any one of my posts to be eligible for the drawing.
Help fund mammograms for women in need — low-income, inner-city and minority women whose awareness of breast cancer and opportunity for help is often limited. Just follow the link button below and 'Click to Give."
Pro ball player Marcus Slade wants to run the bases with author Leah Smith, but will his past pitch him a strike out instead of a home run?
The Priceless Gift
Little do Christina and Gavin know, Santa's elf has more than coal up his sleeve. Ho ho ho and a badgering we'll go before reindeer two-step on their rooftop and deliver THE PRICELESS GIFT that will leave their snowy days sizzling.
Tempt Me Twice
In Victoria England, Peter wants nothing more for the Holiday than to gain Meghan’s forgiveness, but her secret could rip them apart before he can work his way back into her heart.
