Please welcome my long-time
friend, Carra Copelin, who lives only about twenty minutes from me. Remember to
leave a comment to be entered into the drawing for a Kindle Fire 7 on Christmas
Eve!
What is your favorite childhood
Christmas memory?
There
are several that stand out through the years, but one I remember snips and
snatches of is the Christmas I was five years old. I had asked Santa for a
buggy to push my babies around in. When we walked into the living room, the
buggy was front and center of the tree. I was so excited to get it, and
promptly went to get my favorite doll, Janie, to take her for a spin.
Obviously, I don’t remember the details, I was five, but my mother liked to
relive the story. She said, she and my dad knew if I saw the doll Santa had
brought, I wouldn’t see anything else. So, she hid the doll behind the tree.
She felt so bad at hiding the new doll, that was the last time she hid anything
from either me or my brother.
What is your favorite adult
Christmas memory?
One of
my favorites is, I believe 2012, and the year it snowed a couple of inches. Our
son and our grandson spent that Christmas with us. We dug out an old antique
sled, had a huge Santa delivery, and just the best time!
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| Grandpa snapping photo of grandson pulled by son. |
Is there a Christmas song that’s
your favorite?
A. Secular – "Santa Baby"
B. Religious – "Hark the Herald Angels Sing"
Tell us about your family’s
Christmas traditions.
We set
up the Christmas tree onto a train board, where we have two Lionel trains on
the track running around a Texas town circa 1955. The farm house and fence were
made by my husband’s great-grandfather around 1920, and other items we’ve
picked up through the years.
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| Christmas train and tree |
What about Christmas do you most
enjoy?
Being
with family, making some wishes come true, the magic of the season, and singing
the beautiful songs.
Is there something about this
holiday that drives you crazy?
The
commercialism.
What do you hope for this
Christmas?
This
Christmas, I hope for more love and peace in our world, and a joyous time
together with our family.
Do you have a treasured Christmas
food? If so, would you care to share the recipe?
I have
several, but one we love, I just posted in my newsletter, Cheesy Enchiladas.
CHEESY ENCHILADAS
INGREDIENTS
• Enchilada Sauce
• 6 cups shredded sharp cheddar and
Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 24 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 1 cup finely chopped white onion (about
1/2 medium onion)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack
in the middle. Evenly coat the bottom of two 13-by-9-inch baking dishes with 1
cup of the sauce in each. Place the cheeses in a large bowl, and line a baking
sheet with paper towels; set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over
medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, about 5 minutes. Test the oil
temperature by carefully dipping the edge of a tortilla in the oil—it should
bubble vigorously. Once the oil is hot, use a metal spatula to carefully
submerge the tortillas one at a time until bubbles form around each, about 5 to
10 seconds. Flip and fry an additional 5 seconds or until the edges of each
tortilla are slightly crisp but not browned. Transfer to the prepared baking
sheet and arrange in a single layer. Repeat with the remaining tortillas,
separating the layers with paper towels.
3. Blot the tortillas with paper towels to
soak up any excess oil, then fill each with 2 heaping tablespoons of the
shredded cheese and 2 teaspoons onion. Roll to enclose the filling and set the
tortillas in the baking dishes, seam side down, placing 12 enchiladas in each
dish. Evenly distribute the remaining 1 cup sauce over both baking dishes and
top with the remaining cheese.
4. Bake until the enchiladas are hot and
bubbly, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes before serving.
Do you have a Christmas book
you’d like to share?
Yes, I
have a new Christmas short story out this season. A FAMILY FOR CHRISTMAS is set
in San Antonio on and around the River Walk. It’s beautiful, and a bit magical
with all the lights and decorations.
Blurb:
Tony
Medina, star quarterback for a Texas NFL team, is on the brink of making a
career changing, life altering decision. It just might take a miracle to get
him back in his wife’s good graces and their house.
Karla
Masters is a popular morning TV show host in San Antonio. Her personal life
however, is lacking on all fronts. After she becomes a foster parent, there’s
only one more item needed to bring them all together. If Christmas is the time
for wishes and miracles, is there one left for her?
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| Carra Copelin, Author |
Carra
Copelin is an award winning and Amazon Best Selling Author in contemporary and
historical romances but, unlike so many other authors, didn't write from
childhood or read long into the night beneath the covers with a flashlight. She
found romance novels as an adult. After reading about a million, she discovered
numerous people residing in her head, all looking for a way onto the printed
page.
She's a
member of Romance Writers of America and Past President of Yellow Rose Romance
Writers, plus she regularly contributes to the romance blog, Smart Girls Read
Romance. She is a member of The Daughters of the American Revolution and The
Daughters of the Republic of Texas.
Carra
and her hero live in North Central Texas, in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex
where they enjoy family and their three beautiful grandchildren. In addition to
writing and researching with her fabulous critique partners, she enjoys playing
Bridge, working on crochet projects, and tracking down relatives through
genealogy.
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