Holiday Cheer - Family Traditions and Mint Cookies

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By Sarah Hoss

Thanks for having me here today Anna! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!

I am here to talk to you today about holiday traditions. I imagine we all have them. I have many in my family.   One tradition we have with the children is that when they go to sleep, we go and get out thumb dirty with soot from the fireplace and then put a thumb print on the children’s faces. Usually the cheek or forehead. See, Santa can’t put the presents out until he knows the children are a sleep so he goes and checks to make sure. When they wake up, the first thing they do is run to the bathroom to see if Santa had left his mark!

(If you don’t have a fireplace, you can use the exhaust from a muffler. I did that once and used the black soot from a burning candle jar.)

 Another tradition that I treasure a lot is getting together with the women in my family and we spend the day making cookies and candies. We play Christmas music, talk, and ….shhh….sample a little here and there as we go!

We make anything from buckeyes, sugar cookies, rock candy, peanut brittle, chocolate covered pretzels and mint cookies. Just to name a few.

 

The recipe I want to leave you with today is for the mint cookies. It will be the easiest recipe you will get here I imagine. Do you like the Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies? Now you can make them yourselves.

 

MINT COOKIES

**You will need peppermint flavoring, Ritz crackers, and melting chocolate.

**Melt the chocolate and then add a few drops of the peppermint flavoring. We add about 2-3 but it is up to your taste on how strong you want it.

**Mix it up then dip the Ritz cracker in the chocolate and lay it on wax paper.

**THAT’S IT!  And it is as close to the real thing as you can get! 

 

 

BOOK BLURB:

When forgiveness heals the soul, love heals the heart. 

Flight nurse Tenlee Hawkins is used to making quick decisions, but one decision she made the Christmas day her mother died haunts her. Wrestling with the past, she spirals into depression—until the day she finds a man unconscious in her woods and saves his life.

When Sam awakens in the hospital with a concussion and no memory, Tenlee rescues him again. She takes him into her home and her life. But as Sam recovers and remembers who he is, he's torn. A guardian angel isn't supposed to fall in love.

As the promise of true love grows, Tenlee realizes that Sam has helped her much more than she ever helped him. But Sam is filled with guilt knowing he must soon leave. Will it take a Christmas miracle to find the life with Tenlee he’s always wanted?

EXCERPT:

Red and blue lights pulsed a beat all on their own, and even though the road was slick, people ran to and fro in a frantic pace to save a woman’s life.

A car sat mangled on the side of the road. The roof, having been cut, rested on the ground beside it. A few feet beyond, a woman lay motionless. She wasn’t breathing as the EMT’s worked desperately to save her life. Sam closed his eyes and said a silent prayer. But it was no use. If he was here for an assignment then the lady on the ground was not going to live. He said another prayer, hoping that there would be no pain and she would slip easily into his world.

The woman with the red hair sat on the ground near the deceased woman and cried, rocking back and forth.

“That is her mother.”

Malachi’s deep voice broke into his thoughts and Sam turned to acknowledge him.

“No, keep watching,” Malachi said.

The scene on the screen changed. Months passed, for now the trees were green and glorious in their summer splendor. A manicured lawn hugged a log cabin, nestled in the woods. Flowers sprung from pots here and there along the ground and deck. The place looked cozy. Scenes continued to change as did the weather. Snow decorated the landscape once again.

 Searching the scene for all of the details he could gather, Sam spotted her, just past the cabin, in the woods. She sat quietly on a swing hanging from a tree branch. The sadness etched in her features gripped Sam and tore at his emotions. He ached to go to her, to comfort her.

AUTHOR BIO:

Sarah Hoss grew up believing she could try anything and if she set her mind to it, she would succeed. Sixteen years of dance lessons, Cheerleading, and school plays proved to her that her parent’s words rang true. Writing was no exception. Reading the Outlander series made her fall in love with time travels and the historical places books could take her. Always a child with a vivid imagination, she realized as an adult, she could put her imagination to good use and began writing. Marrying her very own hero, they live in Indiana in the town where she grew up. They have three beautiful children and one hyper dog. When Sarah isn’t writing, she enjoys gardening, camping, and watching her kids’ play sports.

Where to find Sarah-

Twitter- @SarahHoss1

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sarah-Hoss/237219983049037

  Website- www.sarahhoss.com
  Blog- www.heart-of-romance.blogspot.com

  You can also find Sarah on LinkedIN, Goodreads, and Pinterest.

 

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Holiday Cheer - My Very Own Angel

by Tanya Hanson 

Last weekend, she celebrated her birthday, my daughter. She’s now a young wife with a precious baby boy of her own, a beautiful house, and a successful career. And she’s the reason I believe in angels. 

You see, some 30 years ago, I just knew I wasn’t pregnant. I just wasn’t. These things, hubby and I carefully planned. So when the doctors ordered an X-ray to investigate recurring UTI’s, I was on board. No worries. Until I was in the dressing room in Radiology. 

A voice clearly said, “don’t do this.” I was so startled, I even looked around the tiny cubicle, up to the ceiling and heater ducts. 

Nobody. But I took the words seriously and postponed the X-ray. Praise the Lord. I found out just a few days later I was with child. My little one and I had escaped disaster. I’m convinced I heard an angel’s voice in that dressing room. 

And my little girl was born healthy, happy, strong and vigorous at Christmastime. Our little picket-fence life was perfect with her, her two year old brother. Her new red velvet tiny dress... 

Then, when she was thirteen days old, disaster caught up. She was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. Even yet, thinking of those terrible days still has the power to stop my breath.  

Oh, we came so close to having to say good-bye. But on Christmas Eve, when angels sing throughout the heavens to rejoice about another Baby, the doctors pronounced her not only completely recovered, but they also promised she’d suffer no residual damages such as deafness, blindness, or mental retardation.  

If she had died, I don’t know if I could have ever celebrated Christmas again. But she lived.  

 

Homecoming princess. All-county basketball player. Cum Laude graduate from a top university. My own angel girl. 

And all because the Lord loves. 

Merry Christmas to you and yours, and may His blessings abound in 2013. 

On a lighter note (I’m sniffling....)This salad is so easy, so yummy. I found it in a magazine years ago, and it’s never failed me.   

SPINACH PEAR SALAD 

¾ cup toasted walnut halves

1 (15 oz) can sliced pears, drain and reserve 1/4 cup of the syrup

2 tsp. honey mustard (or sweeten regular mustard with honey)

1 tsp. cider vinegar

1 tablesp. olive oil

8 cups baby spinach greens

3/4 cup (about 3 oz) gorgonzola or other bleu cheese, crumbled

To make pear vinaigrette, combine the pear syrup you have saved, honey mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in olive oil.  

Just before serving, gently toss together the walnuts, drained pear slices, greens and gorgonzola, and vinaigrette. 

Serves 4 to six.

 

My latest releases: 

 

CHRISTMAS FOR RANSOM, a sensual historical Western novella, first of three in my Lawmen and Outlaws series at The Wild Rose Press. Amazon buy link: Amazon buylink: http://tinyurl.com/aswxew9

 

 

ANGEL CHILD, book six in my sweet, inspirational series, Hearts Crossing Ranch, White Rose imprint at Pelican Book Group.

Amazon buylink: http://tinyurl.com/d7s2zpw

Find out more about Tanya at: 

www.tanyahanson.com

www.petticoatsandpistols.com

www.sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com

The Holiday Season is Upon Us

By Debra St. John

“The holiday season is upon us, hmn?” Ross to Rachel: F.R.I.E.N.D.S. Season 6 – The One Where Ross Got High 

I’m a big fan of the holiday season. For me it starts with Halloween. That’s the first holiday I get out boxes of decorations and completely do over the house and porch. It’s when the heat of summer fades to the chill of Fall and brilliant color appears all around. 

In the quote above, Ross was referring to Thanksgiving. On the show, the Thanksgiving episodes were some of the funniest and the best. There wasn’t always a Halloween episode, and there wasn’t always a Christmas episode, but there was always a Thanksgiving one. 

 

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday. It’s often overlooked in the rush to get to Christmas, which drives me no end of crazy. But it’s such a cozy time when no one expects candy or presents. It’s simply a time to be with those you love. In An Unexpected Blessing (available now from The Wild Rose Press) my heroine, Katy, shares this view. When I wrote that story, it was with a plan firmly in mind to include all of the best things about the holiday. Lists of what we’re thankful for. Crisp autumn air and colorful foliage. Football games. And of course food. What would a Thanksgiving novella be without food?! I even included recipes in the back so readers can celebrate with the Roths.

 

 

Blurb:

Single Mom Katy Roth thinks life can't get any worse. In the past six months she's been let go at work, had to move back home with her parents, and found out her ex is cutting his child support payment. As Thanksgiving approaches, she finds little to be thankful for in a life that is quickly spinning out of control.

Joe Mason is the town's bad boy. Literally. He's just returned from a four year stint in prison. He wants nothing more than to put the past behind him and get on with his life. He’s had a secret crush on Katy since grade school, but when Katy’s parents hire him to be their handyman, she’s less than thrilled to have him around.

But soon, through her young son’s eyes, Katy discovers the good in Joe. As their feelings for one another deepen, small town gossip and prejudice threaten to ruin everything. Will Joe’s past come between them, or will they be able to get beyond it and hold onto a love neither expected?

Once Thanksgiving is done, then and only then is it time to celebrate Christmas. We don’t brave Black Friday, but we do transform the house into a Christmas wonderland that day after Thanksgiving. White lights get wound on the bushes in front and the tree in back. Two trees (one upstairs and one downstairs) go up. Ornaments we’ve gathered over the years grace the one upstairs and each one provides a memory. Everyday decorations get packed away and the Christmas ones come out. That night we watch our first holiday movie of the season. We usually start with Chevy Chase’s “Christmas Vacation”. The next Saturday is cookie baking day. Our favorites to make are the Hershey Kiss ones: generally three varieties: peanut butter cookie with milk chocolate Kisses, oatmeal cookie with caramel Kisses, and chocolate cookie with mint Kisses. Last year we also added chocolate-peppermint crunch. One of my favorite things of the season is wrapping presents. I think I have more fun wrapping gifts for others than opening my own. And those brightly wrapped packages look so festive beneath the tree. I always try to get my wrapping done as soon as possible so I can enjoy looking at the presents for as long as possible! Through it all Christmas music plays on the stereo. It was Kenny and Dolly’s “A Christmas to Remember” which inspired me to write my novella of the same name for The Wild Rose Press last year. For years I always pictured a story in my head while I listened to that song. I finally wrote it down.

Blurb:

Newly single, Heather Morgan gathers her courage and decides to take a Christmas ski vacation on her own. However, the festive holiday atmosphere reminds her how dispirited and alone she feels. When she meets a mysterious stranger, her lonely vacation takes an unexpected turn.

Sam is at the resort at the urging of his brother, who thinks he needs to get out and have a little fun. Having no desire to get involved with anyone, Sam needs a way to get his brother off his back. The intriguing Heather seems like the perfect solution to his dilemma, so he makes her an offer she can't refuse.

Sam restores the joy of the season to Heather. Their time together is magical, something she'll never forget. Soon her feelings for him deepen beyond their romantic holiday fling. But Sam has a secret, one that could prevent the fantasy from ever becoming real.

Below are two of my favorite recipes from the season: Cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving (featured in An Unexpected Blessing) and that Chocolate-Peppermint Crunch for Christmas.

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

1 bag fresh cranberries

1 c water

1 c sugar

1 Macintosh or Rome Beauty apple (cut in pieces)

¼ t salt

Directions:

Rinse cranberries through a colander. Boil water and sugar. Add cranberries, apple, and salt. Boil about 10-15 minutes until cranberries are soft. Put mixture through a sieve until it’s the consistency of sauce. Let stand at room temperature about 15 minutes.

Chocolate-Peppermint Crunch

Ingredients:

14 chocolate graham crackers

¾ c unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ c light brown sugar

¼ t coarse salt

30 white chocolate peppermint bark squares – chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place graham crackers, sugared-side down, in a single layer with edges touching. Place butter, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer until mixture reduces and is bubbly and syrupy (about 2 minutes). Pour over graham crackers. Bake until bubbling (about 8 minutes). Remove from oven. Let cool 3 – 4 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped bark. Let cool completely. Break into pieces and serve.

Debra St. John writes spicy romance with sexy heroes and spunky heroines for The Wild Rose Press. An Unexpected Blessing is her fifth release. Although she’s a country girl at heart, she lives in a suburb of Chicago with her husband, who is her real life hero. You can find her at www.debrastjohnromance.com or blogging at http://acmeauthorslink.blogspot.com, http://heroineswithhearts.blogspot.com, or www.authorsbymoonlight.com.

Holiday Cheer - Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Anna Kathryn Lanier

Why is it that there are certain foods that we only fix during the holiday season? Fudge is one thing I only make at Christmas time, yet I love it...so why don't I fix it in July?  My family also likes pumpkin bread  (find the recipe HERE), but also, I seem to only make it at Christmas. Contrary to the fact that I post a lot of recipes on this blog, I am not really a big baker/cook.  But during the holidays, from Thanksgiving through New Year's, I bake, make and cook.  Since Saturday, my family has made: pumpkin bread, Mystical Christmas Bars, Oatmeal Candied Chippers, chocoate covered peanuts (find the recipe HERE), and Santa Hats (find the recipe HERE).  I've also put together some Country Six-Bean Soup Mix and plan to make some more 'mixes in a bag' for friends....and soon, since I need to mail some of them across country. 

What do you usually only make during the holiday season?  Be sure to leave a comment so you're eligible for the nook HD drawing and I'll give away a copy of A GIFT BEYOND ALL MEASURE. Scroll through the blurb and excerpt for a chocolate chip cookie recipe, yummy!
 

Blurb:

Arriving home for Christmas, the last thing Jacob Scott expects in his house is a sexy, shotgun-toting stranger. Worse, his attraction to her bothers him even more than the gun. Still reeling from the deception of his long-time girlfriend, he’s not looking for romance.

Tessa Jones has learned one hard lesson—when everyone in your life has failed you the only one you can trust is yourself. Facing the whispers of the townsfolk and an arson charge, Tessa unexpectedly finds herself trusting Jacob with more than her legal troubles.

Struggling between the promise of the present and the hurts of the past, can these two lost souls overcome their pain long enough to discover a gift beyond all measure?

Unedited Excerpt:

In all of her Christmases, Tessa couldn't remember a time when she'd baked cookies. If she left cookies for Santa, they'd have been store bought. Her mother was always too busy to bother with something as time consuming as cookie baking. And the group home didn't allow such activities. Someone probably would have burned the place down.

She was happy to let Jacob take control of the cookie making; it was his tradition after all. She satisfied herself with standing on the sidelines, handing him ingredients as he needed.

"Now, comes the important part," he said. "Putting them on cookie sheets. They have to be just the right sized balls, or they don't cook correctly."
She grinned. "Really? Do they taste bad?"

He nodded. "Yes, that's why you have to eat them before anyone else does. You don't want anyone to eat yucky cookies."

Laughing, they each filled a cookie sheet with dough. Tessa noticed that more than one of his cookies were not the same size as the others. He caught her looking and winked.

She turned back to her task and sighed. It almost felt normal to be doing this with him. For a brief moment, she had a flash of them doing it together in future years, perhaps with children of their own. Ah, Christmas wishes, the stuff dreams were made of.

Best to remember reality.

"You never answered my question," he was saying.

"What question?"

He finished his own sheet of dough and put both in the oven. "How did you end up in Spencerville? Most people leave Spencerville for a big city. They don't leave the big city for it." He set the timer and faced her.

With her back to the island, she leaned against it, her hands gripping the cool marble surface. "It wasn't meant as my final destination. I was heading to Washington with a classmate from my cooking school. He wanted to take the scenic route through Montana and Idaho. His car broke down just outside Spencerville. After we got it towed and looked at, we knew we didn't have the money to fix it. So, we got rooms in the boarding house and found jobs. I got hired on at Baxter's Diner. He got a job with the feed store."

Jacob raised a brow, but didn't ask any questions.

"We planned to stay until we got the money to fix the car, which we did in about two months. We were all set to leave town when I woke up one morning to find the car, our money and Bobby gone." She brushed flour off her sleeve. "So was the daughter of the feed store owner."

Trust me, he’d said. Ha!

"Bobby did leave me a note. Something about destiny and how he needed to follow it. He always was a little dramatic. Personally, I think it was just lust between him and Priscilla."

Jacob leaned against the counter near the sink and crossed his arms over his chest. "When was this?"

His hazel eyes held interest. In her? Unexpected warmth surged through her. She cleared her throat.

"Two years ago. Old Man Baxter took me back, since I’d quit my job in anticipation of leaving. I worked there until....well, last month."

"Did you love him?"

"Old Man Baxter? Hell, no." She cleared her throat, picked up the bowl and moved to the sink.. She knew who he meant.

His lips twitched as he moved out of the way. "No, did you love Bobby?"

"I don't think so." She put the bowl in the sink and rinsed it out.. "Mostly, I trusted him. I trusted he'd fulfill his promise and get me to Washington, to the new life we discussed."

"A new life together?"

His interest was getting too personal for her comfort. She glanced at the timer. Maybe he’d end the interrogation when the cookies were done.

"Not the way you’re thinking. He had family there, but we talked about getting a place together. He thought we were already living together and that living together meant …." She stopped. Good Lord, what was she doing? Jacob didn't need to know that about her.

He cocked his head. "Meant what?"

Having sex. She clamped her mouth shut and shook her head. Thankfully, the timer went off and she didn't have to answer. Hopefully, he'd drop the subject. Mercifully, he did.

True to his word, Jacob ate the cookies he'd made that weren't the right size. A bit of the lightheartedness returned when he did.

It was nearly ten when they finished washing the dirty dishes. She hid a yawn behind her hand.

"That was fun. Thank you, Jacob."

He stood a few feet from her, hands flat atop the counter. "No, Tessa, thank you. It helps to remember the traditions of the holiday."

A dizzying current raced through her, ending with a tingling in her stomach. She swallowed the desire rising in her breast. The desire to fling herself into his arms and beg him for a kiss like the day before.

"Well," she breathed. "I'm off to bed. I still have to get up at four-thirty."

Instead of moving toward the door, though, she stood where she was. Something in his eyes shifted. Her stomach did a flip. He stepped toward her, ran a finger down her cheek, smoothed his thumb over her lips.

"Merry Christmas, Tessa."

His lips brushed hers in a soft touch. She sighed and he pulled her closer, kissed her harder. He cupped her head as his tongue parried deep into her mouth. She suckled it, tasting decant chocolate chip cookies.

She clung to him, to the promise he held in his eyes, to the promise his mouth gave and for this moment she wanted to believe them.

Shaky fingers slipped the buttons of his shirt free, then smoothed over the hard planes of his chest. A deep groan escaped him when she brushed his nipple. She paused, then teased the nipple again, eliciting another groan. Joy erupted in her heart. She did that to him, little Tessa who nobody wanted.

A Gift Beyond All Measure - The Wild Rose Press

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp water
½ tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup chocolate chips
½ cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven 350°. Mix together butter, sugars, egg, water and vanilla. Beat well. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add oats, chocolate chips and pecans. Mix. Drop by the spoonful onto baking sheet and bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light brown.

Holiday Cheer - Feast of St. Nicholas*

*Also known as Little Christmas
By Anna Kathryn Lanier

Note: this is a repeat (word for word, except for the recipe...it's new) of my Dec. 6, 2011 post.

I first learned of Little Christmas in 1978, when I was an exchange student in Finland. My host family celebrated the day with a party and the exchange of small gifts. December 6th is the Feast Day of the Roman Catholic Saint Nicholas, a fourth century bishop of the city of Myra in what is now Turkey.

According to the website Women For Faith and Family “Saint Nicholas was renowned for his great kindness and his generous aid to those in distress. Among the kind and miraculous acts attributed to him are saving three young girls from prostitution by secretly providing them with dowries, raising three murdered boys from the dead, and saving sailors caught in stormy seas. For these reasons, he is considered the patron saint of children, unmarried girls, and sailors, among others.”

But it is wrong to assume that he alone is the legend of Santa Claus. He is one of many, including the pre-Christian Scandinavian legend of Odin, who rode throughout the world in winter on his eight-footed horse, Sleipnir, giving out gifts or punishments. Other legends include Knecht Ruprecht from Germany, Sinterklass from The Netherlands and Father Christmas from England.

The custom of hanging stockings also derives from these legends. From Bishop Nicholas comes the story that when he threw the three bags of gold to save the three sisters from slavery, they landed in their stockings, hung out to dry. Later, Dutch children would put out their wooden shoes for Sinterklass to leave them goodies – apples, candies, cookies and sometimes money to represent the dowries of the three young girls. Of course, those who were bad received coal or switches instead.

History.com explains that Santa Claus came to America via the Dutch. In 1773 and 1774, New York newspapers reported gatherings of Dutch families in honor of the anniversary of Bishop Nicholas’s death, December 6th. In the early 19th Century, John Pintard, distributed woodcuts of St. Nicholas at the annual meeting of the New York Historical Society. The carvings included background images of stockings filled with toys and fruit hung over a fireplace. In 1809, the stories of Sinter Klass was further popularized by Washington Irving when he referred to St. Nicholas as the patron saint of New York in his book, The History of New York.

I know that we complain about stores taking the meaning out of Christmas with all their advertisements. But this is nothing new. In 1820, stores were advertising Christmas shopping and by the 1840’s, newspapers were creating separate sections for holiday advertising. The first Santa in a store was here by 1841. In the early 1890’s the Salvation Army recruited unemployed men to dress up as Santa and solicit money for the free meals they gave away on Christmas. Though today it is rare to see someone dressed as Santa, the bell ringers are still holiday icons.

The publication of “An Account of a Visit From St. Nick” by Clement Clarke Moore in 1822 also helped to further the image and popularity of Santa Claus. Moore also gave the familiar description of Santa (Jolly old elf) and named the reindeer, though two of them have since been renamed. The poem has also been attributed to Henry Livingston, Jr.

For a great timeline of St. Nicolas in America, check out The History of Christmas’s America’s page.

 

 

Santa Hats

 

Bite-sized bits of North Pole magic are just what your holiday party needs! This delectable balance of salty and sweet is a wonderful way to give everyone an irresistible taste of the Christmas spirit.

Ingredients

• Mini Twist Pretzels
• White Chocolate Almond Bark
• Red Sugar
• Mini Marshmallows

Instructions

1. Melt the white chocolate almond bark according to the directions on the package.
2. Dip each mini twist pretzel halfway into the melted white chocolate almond bark.
3. Dip each almond bark covered pretzel into the red sanding sugar until only a small amount of the almond bark is showing. Place on waxed paper.
4. Cut the mini marshmallows in half. Use additional melted almond bark to adhere a mini marshmallow half onto the side of each pretzel. Allow time for the almond bark to set.

1. Now, for some promotional stuff. In my novella, A GIFT BEYOND ALL MEASURE, Santa Claus pays a visit to Tessa and Jacob in this excerpt:
   
   “Did you open your stocking?”
   
   “My stocking?” She closed the dishwasher and turned it on.
   
   “Yeah, that red thing hanging on the mantle. Did you open yours?”
   
   She cocked her head and smiled. What had he done? “No.”
   
   He hustled her out of the kitchen to the living room. Two red velvet stockings with white trim hung from the mantle, both obviously stuffed with gifts. He removed one and handed it to her, then retrieved his own.
   
   She squeezed the stocking, the soft velvet rubbing her hands as a hard object pressed back. It had been years since she’d had a stocking, not since leaving the home. Childish excitement bubbled inside her, along with gratitude at Jacob’s thoughtfulness.
   
   He waved a hand to the couch and she sat on one side while he sat on the other. She watched as he removed a candy bar, then a small, thin wrapped gift. He shook it.
   
   “No rattle. I wonder what it can be.” He ripped off the paper to reveal a little black date book. “Santa gets me one of these every year. Hey, you’re not opening your stocking.”
   
   The heat of a blush crept up her face. “I’ve had a stocking before. The group home always gave us one.” She delved into the red velvet, anxious to see what Santa had left her.
   
   He opened his candy bar and took a large bite. “I never said you hadn’t,” he spoke around the chocolate.
   Bright green paper fell away from a bottle of perfume, the sort you got from the drug store. She loved it.
   
   The next few minutes revealed a pair of gloves, aftershave and a movie DVD for Jacob. She received bath salts, a word search book and her own candy bar. Both stockings had an orange and nuts in the bottom.
   Sighing happily, Tessa fell back against the couch. “That was a pleasant surprise.”
   
   “Well, I’d love to take the credit, but Christina did it. She gave me the gifts last night.”
   
   Ah, so that was the bag he’d carried home.
   
   “But you played Santa.”
   
   “I suppose I did.” His hazel gaze bore into her. “And you played Mrs. Claus.”
   
   Her forehead wrinkled in confusion. “How do you figure?”
   
   “Last night you helped me make cookies. And you’ve fixed that strudel for Pee Wee and Taylor. Isn’t that what Mrs. Claus does, bake cookies?”
   
   Tessa grinned. “I suppose it is.”
   
   She couldn’t remember a time when she’d felt so…joyful, if she’d ever felt joyful. She laughed.

Blurb – A Gift Beyond All Measure

Arriving home for Christmas, the last thing Jacob Scott expects in his house is a sexy, shotgun-toting stranger. Worse, his attraction to her bothers him even more than the gun. Still reeling from the deception of his long-time girlfriend, he’s not looking for romance.

Tessa Jones has learned one hard lesson—when everyone in your life has failed you the only one you can trust is yourself. Facing the whispers of the townsfolk and an arson charge, Tessa unexpectedly finds herself trusting Jacob with more than her legal troubles.

Struggling between the promise of the present and the hurts of the past, can these two lost souls overcome their pain long enough to discover a gift beyond all measure?"This is a must read for anyone who needs a good dose of Christmas romance. You won’t be disappointed." A Five Star Review by Ginger Simpson

Available from The Wild Rose Press, Kindle and Nook.

Anna Kathryn Lanier

Holiday Cheer - A Different Kind of Holiday Celebration

By Linda Carroll-Bradd

My Thanksgiving holiday release was a bit different than one might expect. Over the years we lived in Texas, my husband and I loved to travel to small towns throughout the state and visit museums. In Fredericksburg is a pioneer museum that highlights the German immigrants who settled the area more than one hundred and fifty years ago. When I started plotting my story, I remembered the museum and created characters of German descent proud of continuing on the land (ranching and shop keeping) since that time. They don’t celebrate the fourth Thursday in November with the same traditions most of us know (turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie), and I had lots of fun researching cultural events and recipes. Here’s a recipe for hot chocolate like the one that the main characters share in On With the Show, my latest release from The Wild Rose Press.

German Hot Chocolate

·         4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

·         1/4 cup sugar

·         3-1/2 cups milk

·         ½ cup sweetened condensed milk

·         ¼ teaspoon cardamom

·         1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

·         1/4 teaspoon vanilla

·         miniature marshmallows

Mix cocoa powder, sugar and spices in small bowl. Heat both milks to scalding. Mix about 1/3 cup of the hot milk into the cocoa-sugar mixture, then pour cocoa mixture into hot milk in the saucepan; stir until well blended. Stir in vanilla. Serve with mini marshmallows. Serves 4.

 

www.lindacarroll-bradd.com

BUY On With the Show NOW:

The Wild Rose Press   http://bit.ly/Ybzi89

Amazon                       http://amzn.to/WolfXF

Barnes & Noble          http://bit.ly/S3sG72 

On December 7^th, I will draw two names of those who either subscribe to my blog (http://blog.lindacarroll-bradd.com) or follow my author Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Linda-Carroll-Bradd-author/440814942635289) and those individuals will win a 2013 calendar highlighting covers from The Wild Rose Press.

Holiday Cheer - Pumpkin Bread

by Anna Kathryn Lanier

 

This wasn’t called Grandma Scott’s Pumpkin Bread until I put it in my short story THE PRICELESS GIFT. Before that, it was just plain Pumpkin Bread. The recipe was given to me by my friend Jill Masters more than 25 years ago. I didn’t actually make the recipe for 5 or 6 years, but now, I make it every holiday season. I love the smell of the bread as it cooks; the scent of the spices fill the house.  The bread is wonderful warm or cold, but with lots of butter. And what makes it even better….if you use the one-pound bread pans, you get SIX breads with one batch….great for friends, neighbors and teachers.  My girls’ teachers started getting the bread when my oldest was in middle school. They weren’t so sure about slogging them to school, especially when they were in High School, but I made them take the bread anyway.  I know that the teachers in the upper grades don’t get gifts the way elementary school teachers do.  And when I went to college a few years back, well, my professors got the bread, too.  No, I don’t think it helped my grades, lol.  Oh, do you remember when they told us a couple of years ago there was going to be a canned pumpkin shortage because of all the rain that ruined the pumpkin crops?  Well, I went out and horded cans of pumpkin, but I never noticed a shortage, did you?

 What one ingredient do you have to have for your holiday preparations?

Before we move onto the recipe and an excerpt from THE PRICELESS GIFT, I just want to remind you to leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of THE PRICELESS GIFT, as well as The "Best of the Best", a CD that features classic Christmas tunes that you're sure to love. With 12 holiday hits, this CD is sure to get you in the ho-ho-holiday spirit and benefits Kohl’s Cares.  AND leaving a comment also makes you eligible to win the nook HD we’ll be drawing for right after New Year’s Day.

Grandma Scott’s Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients

3 C sugar 1 C oil
4 eggs, beaten
2 C cooked pumpkin (16-oz can)
3 ½ C flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground allspice
¾ C water
1-1 ½ C chopped nuts

Directions

1) Combine sugar, oil and eggs until light and fluffy. Stir in pumpkin.
2) In another bowl, combine dry ingredients. Stir into pumpkin mixture.
3) Add water and nuts.
4) Spoon batter into well greased and floured pans (2-3, depending on size*).
5) Bake at 350º for 60-70 minutes.

*If making 1 pound loaves, use 6 loaf pans.

THE PRICELESS GIFT

By Anna Kathryn Lanier

Blurb:

The last thing Christina Scott expects Santa to bring her is a sexy—and very familiar—cowboy. Gavin Holloway’s just as shocked to discover she’s the woman he’s sent to pick up from the airport for a Christmas visit with her brother.  They'd spent one hot week together months ago—a week where they both left their identities and individual problems behind.  Neither ever expected a reunion.  

Little do they 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.


Unedited excerpt.

After they hung up, Christina took a relaxing shower. Just as she slipped into a pair of Jacob’s sweatpants someone pounded on the front door. Only one person would disturb her peace in such a manner. She slipped into the matching overlarge sweatshirt, wrapped a towel around her wet hair and went downstairs.

The pounding didn’t stop until she opened the door. Gavin stood huffing and puffing on the porch.

“Where the hell have you been? I’ve been calling for the past fifteen minutes.” He pushed past her and amped into the great room. She shut the door and followed.

“I was taking a shower. So sorry I didn’t get your permission first.”

He whirled on her and his dark eyes grazed over her body. She stood transfixed, remembering, as she was sure he was, the several showers they’d taken together while on the cruise.

She hugged her arms around herself. “Did you want something?”

“Jacob called and said the roads were too bad for him to make it in tonight. I wanted to make sure you were all right and knew where the emergency supplies were.” He slipped out of his coat and tossed it on a nearby chair.

“Jacob said the generator was outside.”

“Yeah, it is. I’ll come over and start it if you need it. But if the electricity goes out, it’s best just to hunker down in front of the fireplace.”

His aftershave triggered memories of sensual nights, while his jeans hugged his hips and legs like a second skin. Naked images of him caused desire to whip through her only to pool low in her belly.

He went to the den and opened a closet. “Jacob keeps the supplies in here.”

She stood in the doorway and nodded. She had no desire to get within touching distance. If she did, she just might do something really stupid, like kiss him.

His handsome face rose and he sniffed. “What smells so good?”

You. She shook off the arousing thoughts.

“I baked. It’s a family tradition.” She started for the kitchen. “I made plenty. You can take some home.” Leave and stop being a temptation.

He fell into step behind her. When she reached for the plastic bags, his hand gripped her arm and whipped her around. Before she could react, his lips were hot and demanding on her own. She opened her mouth, eager to taste what she knew so well.

The towel fell to the floor and her wet hair tumbled to her shoulders. His hands slipped around her waist, pulling her close. Fire shot through her as a whirlwind of emotions engulfed her—desire, need, love and a bit of fear of the known—and unknown.

His fingers slid under the sweatshirt, brushing her bare skin, sending shivers of delight up her spine. He deepened the kiss with a sensual glide of his tongue.

Yes. Oh, God, yes. She needed this as much now as she had six months ago. She molded her body against his, feeling every rock hard inch from breast to thigh. She heard a moan, but wasn’t sure if it was hers or his.

He broke the kiss to feather his lips down her neck and lick the skin behind her ear. Her whole body shivered. He cupped her bottom, holding her against his length.

“Oh, Paul,” she whispered.

He stiffened and withdrew a few inches. Passionate brown eyes smoldered, but he placed his hands on her shoulder and stepped away. His fingers flexed, then dropped away. She reached out, but let her hand fall before touching him.

Desire and regret battle in his eyes. “That wasn’t a good idea,” he said.

No, it wasn’t. This is Gavin, not Paul. This wasn’t the man she’d fallen in love with, the man who’d been missing for the past two days except for a few glimpses.

Would he ever let Paul loose again?

She reached down and picked the towel off the floor.

She still didn’t know what Jacob had in mind when he’d sent her on the cruise with his landlord. It’d be no use questioning Gavin, she wanted answers from Jacob. And it wasn’t just about the cruise—Jacob had recently gotten her involved with Gavin Holloway and his business. Gavin didn’t seem the least aware of Jacob’s plan and she wasn’t about to enlighten him, not when he already seemed to distrust her.

Christina squeezed the towel. There was nothing she could do about it until Jacob got home—then she’d damn well get her answers so she could figure out the puzzle that was both Gavin and her Paul.

“Let me get you some of these baked goods, Paul.”

She turned to the task.

He stepped to the far side of the kitchen. “People around here call me Gavin.”

She nodded. Guess it’s time to put their intimate week together on a high shelf to be forgotten.

“And I go by Christina.” She placed a loaf of pumpkin bread in a bag, then gave him samples of the fudge and cookies. She put the items on the counter and leaned against the oven.

He pushed away from the counter and cleared his throat. “I’ll be leaving then. If you need anything, call.”

“Sure.” Yeah, like that’s going to happen. A girl can only take so much rejection.

His brown eyes stared intently, as if looking for something. She stared back, defiance replacing the desire of a few minutes before. His lips thinned and he stalked to the counter to swipe up the plastic bags of goodies. She kept pace with him to the front door but froze a moment when his gaze locked on her lips. He let out a deep breath, then left without another word.

She lifted a hand to her lips, still tingling from his kiss. Tears blurred her vision. Why couldn’t love be easy?

 

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Anna Kathryn Lanier
www.annakathrylanier.com