Thursday, September 27, 2018

PS: I Love You: A Paranormal Romance - Maggie Tideswell, Author


Honey Cake (Amber's favorite)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/8 cup milk
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup water
1/3 teaspoon lemon juice


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch square pan. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and orange rind. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Stir in the walnuts.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then cut into diamond shapes. Pour honey syrup over the cake.
For the Honey Syrup: In a saucepan, combine honey, 1 cup sugar and water. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.


PS:  I Love You: A Paranormal Romance (Roxanne's Ghost Saga Book 2) - Review by Martha A Cheves


He should have brought his tools with him.  Without their aid, he couldn't hear the whispers clearly enough.  Turning, he looked back at Ben's house on the hill, debating whether he should go back to fetch them or not. The portal might shift in the time it took him - they were not absolutes carved in stone - and he'd miss the opportunity.  He'd have to make do without the tools and channel his powers of concentration that much harder.

Slowly walking toward the headstone because it seemed the logical place for the portal to be, he kept his mind open and blank, receptive to any words that might fall into it like seeds into fertile ground.  He sensed someone talking.  Choosing a spot roughly equidistant between the three headstones, he sat down and crossed his denim-clad legs, his hands open-palmed on his knees.  

As in book one of this series, Jessica is still at the home that had belonged to Ben and Roxanne where she had gone to take up the position of the Nanny to their daughter.  In this second book Jessica is tortured by the missing Roxanne's sisters, especially the twin who has her sight set on taking Roxanne's place in her marriage to Ben and becoming the mother of their child.  And the tale continues from there.

This book is one that kept me going as I tried to make the connections between Roxanne, Daisy, the sisters and Ben.  And when the connection did come through, it was one that I never guessed making it a total surprise!  If you like a good love story, if you like a good paranormal story, if you like a good combination of both - this is a must read book.  I loved it!  But, read book one - Goodbye, My Love - 1st so you have the full story from the beginning.  You won't regret it.


Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Read and Gone (A Haunted Library Mystery) - Allison Brook, Author






Double-chocolate brownies
Carrie often makes double chocolate brownies for family occasions
12-16 brownies


INGREDIENTS
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2  cup sugar (I prefer Sugar in the Raw)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 3/4 –1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I prefer Ghirardelli chocolate chips)
  • 2/3 cup flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  •  1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
  •  

DIRECTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease and line 8” square pan with parchment paper
  2. Stir eggs with sugar, vanilla and butter.
  3. Mix flour, baking powder and salt and stir into egg mixture.
  4. Add chocolate chips and nuts to mixture.
  5. Spread mixture evenly in pan.
  6. Bake 20-25 minutes. Test with toothpick. Brownies done when toothpick comes out slightly moist.
  7. Let cool, then cut into squares.

Note: if you like, you can melt the chocolate chips before adding them to the mixture.


Read and Gone - Review by Martha A. Cheves

Jim sat down at the kitchen table while I made up a plate with slices of turkey and ham.  I also warmed up a huge piece of lasagna in the microwave.  He ate quickly and neatly as usual.  My father was a thief, but he believed in good clothes and good manners.  When he asked me to serve him more, I knew he probably hadn't eaten since yesterday.  "Coffee?" I asked.  "Please, Black, two sugars."  "As always," I murmured before I could stop myself.  I was annoyed that I'd kept his habits close to my heart.  He shot me a grin.  "You remembered."  "Why are you here? I asked as I slipped a French roast pod into the Keurig.  "I need your help, Caro."  "Do you know Benton Parr, the jewelry?"  "I've met him since he's on the Library Board with Uncle Bosco.  And I've spoken to him a few times on the phone.  He's giving a talk Tuesday evening on 'Gems: How to Tell the Real from the Fake."  "Benton Parr's a thief!"  I started to laugh but immediately froze when I caught his furious expression.  "We nabbed seven million dollars worth of perfect loose stones.  My retirement fund.  Parr took the lot for safekeeping.  I've tried contacting him several times this past month, but he refuses to answer my emails and calls.  I'm afraid I need to ask you to act as a go-between and retrieve my share of the stones."

Carrie Singleton has had her father come in and out of her life for as long as she can remember.  She spent her childhood being ashamed of him while he served time in and out of jail.  Now, just a few days before Christmas, he has shown up at her home wanting her help to recover jewels that he and another man have stolen.  Who does he think he is?  She should just tell him to get lost, which she hopes he will do soon but not before he is attacked and hospitalized, leaving her to take care of him while he's in town.

The first book in this series, Death Overdue, was a very enjoyable read.  Carrie moved to her father's hometown and found herself a job working as the Program and Entertainment Director for the local library.  She also found herself becoming the major factor in solving a murder.  In Read and Gone, Carrie is again involved in several murders as well as the search for the jewels her own father helped steal.  The question is, was he involved in the murders too?

This book takes you around many curves.  There are many suspects to choose from, keeping the reader running from one to the other until the end.  I must say I was surprised.

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Cassie's Tale - Brian Porter, Author



Slow cooked lamb shanks with roasted root vegetables recipe
(Perfect recipe for cold winter nights like when Cassie was found)

1 tbsp olive oil
4 lamb shanks
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
4-5 thyme sprigs
1 chicken stock pot
500ml pomegranate juice
450g Tendersweet or Chantenay carrots, trimmed
300g frozen peas
handful mint leaves
3 tbsp pomegranate seeds (optional)

Cooked slowly, this easy lamb shanks recipe makes a great alternative to a Sunday roast or Easter lunch. Simmered in sweet, tangy pomegranate juice, the lamb shanks become meltingly tender and the sauce develops a rich, meaty flavour. Serve with mashed potato for a traditional feel, or some simple couscous for a hassle-free side.

Preheat the oven to gas 3, 160°C, fan 140°C. Heat the oil in a large casserole dish over a medium-high heat, add the lamb shanks and brown all over, turning with tongs. Once browned, remove the shanks to a plate and set aside.

Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, garlic and a pinch of salt to the pan and fry for 4-5 mins until softened. Return the lamb to the pan, add the thyme, stock pot and pomegranate juice. Season to taste and bring to the boil, then cover, transfer to the oven and cook for 2 hrs.
Remove from the oven, turning the shanks over in the liquid so they cook evenly, and add the carrots. Return to the oven for a further 1 hr 30 mins or until the shanks are tender and the carrots are cooked through.

Transfer the shanks and carrots to a plate and discard the thyme sprigs. Set the casserole over a high heat on the hob and simmer for 10 mins or until the sauce has slightly thickened and reduced.

Stir in the peas, then return the shanks and carrots to the casserole. Allow to simmer for 3-4 mins until the peas are cooked and the everything is heated through. To serve, garnish with the fresh mint and pomegranate seeds (if using).

Freezing and defrosting guidelines
The cooked lamb shanks can be frozen if making ahead. Follow the recipe to the end of step 3. Leave to cool completely then transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container, seal and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, defrost thoroughly in the fridge overnight before reheating. To reheat and serve, place over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until the dish is heated through then continue to reduce the sauce and add the peas as in steps 4 and 5.



Cassie's Tale - Review by Martha A. Cheves

Cassie was found one rainy night when a lady named Linda heard cries and whimpering coming from the direction of the garden of a house she was walking past.  She stopped to try and discover where the noises were originating from and actually climbed the wall into the garden and there she discovered the source of the crying - a tiny, wet and bedraggled, shivering little pup with nowhere to go to get out of the rain.  Barely twelve inches long, she was a grey haired, little terrier with a long tail that curled upwards and with white 'socks' on the bottom of her paws.  After being passed to what was thought to be her 'forever' home, Cassie ended up being rescued yet again and ended up being taken in by Brian, Juliet and their 'pack' of four legged bundles of fur. Cassie's Tale is her story from her first rescue to date.

I've had dogs my whole life and when I read Cassie's Tale it brought back memories of each individually.  Cassie is so full of spirit with antics that make her unforgettable.  When I read about her being a ball thief and how she would take a ball away from dogs as large as a Rottweiler, Doberman or West Highland Terrier, it makes me think about my own West Highland who does the same.

When I read about her cow pat rolls, I remembered my poodle named Peaches who would head straight for the cow pasture when I took her camping with me.  She always looked for the biggest, freshest one she could find.  Thank goodness I also camped near a stream.

When I read how she was found, I remembered Tipsey who was living in a storage facility with nothing to eat and no place to get out of the summer heat.

And then she reminds me of my Soul Mate Jesse who chooses those he likes and when.  Fortunately for me, he really loves me and stays at my side always.

All-in-all, if you're a dog lover you can't help but enjoy this beautiful book about Cassie and her ups and downs.  If you aren't a dog lover, who knows, after reading this you must might become one.

 
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