MK McCLINTOCK SHARES CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS AND STORIES

Christmas Traditions

By MK McClintock, Guest Author

"Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas." - Peg Bracken

I spent a lot of time reading through Christmas practices during the mid-late nineteenth-century. How did the soldiers and their families in the forts spend the holidays? What did miners and travelers eat while on the road or at a hotel on the open plains or a cabin in the mountains? When it came time to decorate the tree, did they use nuts, strings of popcorn or beads, oranges, lemons, and candies, or did they go for a grander ornamentation like the fancier trees seen in ladies’ magazines? Did they import their ornaments from Germany or decorate with home-made trinkets? The traditions and customs varied from home to home and region to region, but when it came down the traditions of my characters in the old west, I knew I wanted to keep the holiday simple and focused around family.

In Christmas Mountain, each year the mother made a small angel for her daughter to place on the tree. In Teton Christmas, the town had a tradition of decorating every building with festive garlands and ribbons, but they were open to including a new custom by holding a dance at the hotel. In Lily’s Christmas Wish, it’s the first season when a new family has a chance to create their own traditions.

My own family’s holiday traditions have changed over the years, but a few things remain the same. We decorate the house the weekend after Thanksgiving, and the tree remains up until the New Year. On Christmas morning, we always sit by the fire with hot chocolate and homemade cinnamon rolls. Since I’m not one who enjoys the commercialism of Christmas, there’s not a lot of focus these days on gifts, but rather on spending the day as a family. Most years I’m in the kitchen by five o’clock in the morning, baking, prepping, and cooking. I take a break for the cinnamon roll breakfast and then head back to the kitchen, taking time here and there for a board game or to watch part of a movie. Creating that extravagant evening meal is one of my own personal favorite traditions.

No matter your own traditions for this season, or whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or perhaps it’s just another day, I wish you all a beautiful season filled with hope.

"Christmas gift suggestions: To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect." - Oren Arnold

 Home for Christmas

Short Story Collection

By MK McClintock

A collection of three historical western short stories to inspire love and warm the heart.

Praise for A Home for Christmas
"The cold nips at your face and delicious Christmas cake leaves you wanting more."

- M. Ann Roher, Author of "Mattie"

“If you like the 1800's, like I do, you will love these stories!”

-Diane Holm, The Reader’s Cove, Amazon Vine Reviewer

“I really enjoyed these charming historical fictions CHRISTMAS MOUNTAIN, TETON CHRISTMAS and LILY'S CHRISTMAS WISH! . . . Ms. McClintock is a very descriptive writer, I could feel the surroundings!”

-Nicole Laverdure

CHRISTMAS MOUNTAIN
In search of family she barely knows and adventure she's always wanted, Katherine Donahue is saved from freezing on a winter night in the mountains of Montana by August Hollister. Neither of them expected that what one woman had in mind was a new beginning for them both.

TETON CHRISTMAS
Heartache and a thirst for adventure lead McKensie Stewart and her sister to Wyoming after the death of their parents. With the help of a widowed aunt and a charming horse breeder, McKensie discovers that hope is a cherished promise, and there is no greater gift than love.

LILY'S CHRISTMAS WISH
Lily Malone has never had a real family or a real Christmas. This holiday season, she might get both. From an orphanage in New York City to the rugged mountains of Colorado, Lily sends out only one wish. But when the time comes, can she give it up so someone else's wish can come true?

Settings: Montana, Colorado, Wyoming
Christmas Short Stories/Western

Book Links

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Autographed

Excerpts from A Home for Christmas

Copper Point, Montana Territory—December 1879

"Alone now, surrounded by a peace she rarely experienced, Katherine pet Crockett in front of the hearth. The fire flickered, causing the flames’ shadows to dance over the log walls. The scent of yeast drifted from the rising loaves of bread waiting on the kitchen counter. Quiet surrounded Katherine and Crockett as they enjoyed a few moments alone before the others woke."

-from CHRISTMAS MOUNTAIN

_____________________________________________

Wickliffe, Wyoming Territory—December 22, 1892

"The sun shone from the brilliant blue sky, kissing her skin and brightening the freckles scattered across her nose. McKensie Stewart closed her eyes, breathed in the frosty air, and spread her arms wide. She stood on the side of the snow-covered road where the stage coach had dropped them off and relished in the wonderment. They had finally arrived in Wyoming." 

-from TETON CHRISTMAS 

Look for the Wycliffe Hotel's Famous Coffee Cake recipe at the end of the book.

_______________________________________________

Cotter’s Gulch, Colorado—December 1868

Dear God. Please help me find a family. Love, Lily.
The forged wheels whirred and ground against the iron rails as the small window of the train car opened up to the vast landscape of the American West. Miss Abbott told her the same stories over and over again, promising that a new life waited. She wasn’t sorry to see the dingy city disappear four days ago, and she hoped to never see it again. Those memories she wanted to leave far behind."

-from LILY'S CHRISTMAS WISH 

MK McClintock, Author

MK McClintock spins tales of romance and adventure inspired by the heather-covered hills of Scotland and the majestic mountains of home. With her heart deeply rooted in the past and her mind always on adventure, she lives and writes in Montana.

-2014 RONE Award-Nominee for Alaina Claiborne

-Crowned Heart for Excellence from InD'Tale Magazine for Blackwood Crossing and The Montana Gallagher Collection

Learn more about MK by visiting her website at http://www.mkmcclintock.com or blog at http://www.booksandbenches.com.

Genres: historical romantic westerns, historical romantic mysteries, western short stories

Contact & Connect

www.mkmcclintock.com

www.booksandbenches.com (blog)

Facebook.com/mkmcclintockbooks

Twitter.com/mkmcclintock

Pinterest.com/mkmcclintock

            

Thanks for stopping by!

REGIONAL RECIPES - SOUTHWEST

Every region has foods common to that area. Since I live in the Southwest, specifically Texas, I grew up eating foods common to this part of the country. What’s known as “country cooking” or “homestyle” was just that. My mom had eight or nine menus from which she never varied. Sunday was pot roast, Monday meatloaf, Tuesday meant chicken-fried steak, etc. At any main meal of the day, we always had mashed potatoes and a lettuce and tomato salad with French dressing. Unimaginative to the max! The variations for Mom were on weekends. On Saturdays in winter, we had stew; in summer we had pinto beans with corn bread. To humor my dad, Sunday evening in winter might mean waffles instead of leftover pot roast. My bother and I joke about it now, but when we were growing up, we didn’t realize her style of cooking was unusual.

In fact, I learned to cook from her, and copied her menus. Don't misunderstand me, my mom tried very hard to provide good meals for her family. She was a product of her upbringing.

After Hero and I married, I discovered a love for cooking and trying new foods and new recipes. I collected cookbooks and recipes cut from newspapers, copied them from magazines, and saved those recommended by friends. I experimented with family recipes until gave them my personal twist. My mom loved my cooking and the changes I made to her family recipes. Hero was taught to eat whatever was put in front of him and be grateful. You see one of the many reasons I call him Hero. Fortunately, his mom was a mediocre cook, so he loved almost anything I prepared.

Except, we once had this neighbor who was always giving me recipes she assured me were terrific. She had a degree in home economics, so I thought she should be a great cook. Often when I tried her dishes, Hero would look up from his meal and say, “This is one of ____’s recipes, isn’t it?” He never criticized, but I knew he meant he hated the dish. It didn’t take long for me to realize our tastes and our neighbor’s were very different.

Hero and I get these strange ideas occasionally (but they’re harmless). One day Hero and I decided to create a cookbook from some of the recipes I’d collected over the years. Now our cookbook is available in print or e-book. I sketched a cover and wanted to paint it, but he liked the sketch, so that's what we kept.  The result is a list of eight complete menus featuring over fifty recipes for only 99 cents.
Here are the buy links:

Smashwords for the E-book
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/265772?ref=CarolineClemmons

Amazon for print and E-book $3.98 for print, $ .99 for E-book
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=caroline+clemmons+Favorite+Southwest+Recipes&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Acaroline+clemmons+Favorite+Southwest+Recipes&ajr=0

Wishing you a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year.

Thanks for stopping by!

SHIRLEY JUMP COOKS UP CHRISTMAS!

CUPCAKES AND CHAPTERS 

By Shirley Jump

Thanks so much for having me, Caroline! I always love visiting other blogs!

This Christmas, I released my first Christmas story in my Sweet and Savory Romances series, a novella called (click for link) THE BEAUTY CHARMED SANTA. I got to revisit the Chubby Chums from (click for link)  THE DEVIL SERVED DESIRE (a quirky self-help group for weight loss), and bring back reader favorite Arnold, who becomes heroine Stephanie’s friend and fellow elf when she takes a job at the mall to make extra money during the holiday season.

I love writing these books but they do create a bit of a problem. The recipes in them ALWAYS make me hungry. Each book has recipes written by the characters, and between the recipe research and the writing, I’m craving those foods by the time I finish. Since this was a Christmas book, it had plenty of recipes for cookies and other holiday treats.

The minute I finished the book and had a day off, I was in the kitchen for the rest of that day and part of the next day, making Peanut Butter Surprise Cupcakes, Oh-Oh Santa Cupcakes, Hershey Kisses cookies and Salted Caramel Shortbread (the shortbread is the BOMB). I love, love, love the Peanut Butter Surprise Cupcakes and have had a hard time resisting the last one. Link to Shirley's recipes here.

        Okay, truth be told, I just ate the last one a minute ago ;-) I considered it…uh, research. Yeah, for next year’s Christmas book!

People ask me why I put recipes in the books, and I tell them it’s simple—I love reading and I love eating. Recipes in my family were always accompanied by a little life advice and some quirky tips from my relatives. They’re never just mix this, add that. There’s all kinds of other stories and tips wrapped in with the measurements and baking instructions. That’s the kind of mood I wanted to capture with this series.

THE BEAUTY CHARMED SANTA (click for link) is the fifth book in the ebook series, and will be followed in February by a Valentine’s Day themed one, too. I hope it whets your appetite, not just for more books, but also for some of the Sweet and Savory Romances!

Oh, and if you’re like me and like both a bargain and instant gratification, snap up this limited edition bargain holiday bundle of four of the (click for link) Sweet and Savory Romances!

Shirley

ABOUT SHIRLEY JUMP

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shirley Jump spends her days writing romance and women’s fiction to feed her shoe addiction and avoid cleaning the toilets. She cleverly finds writing time by feeding her kids junk food, allowing them to dress in the clothes they find on the floor and encouraging the dogs to double as vacuum cleaners. Look for her Sweet and Savory Romance series, including the USA Today bestselling book, (click for link) THE BRIDE WORE CHOCOLATE, on Amazon and Nook, and the debut of her Sweetheart Club series for Berkley, starting with THE SWEETHEART BARGAIN in August 2013. Visit her website at www.shirleyjump.com or read recipes and life adventures at www.shirleyjump.blogspot.com.

Thanks to Shirley for sharing those yummy recipes along with her sensational books. I feel a round of baking coming on at our house. These recipes may become our new Christmas traditions.

Thanks for stopping by!

FOOD ON THE OREGON TRAIL AND A GIVEAWAY

Guest Post and Recipes by Charlene Raddon

Charlene Raddon has a terrific guest post for today. First, let me tell you about her generous giveaway of a copy of TENDER TOUCH and a $10 Amazon gift card. Don't forget to leave your email with your comment if you want to be entered in the drawing.

Second, let me announce the winner of the free download of HIGH STAKES BRIDE from my weekend post. The winner is Denise Z. Congratulations, Denise. I'll be emailing you about your prize. AND WATCH FOR MY BIG ANNOUNCEMENT AT THE END OF THIS POST!

Now,  here's Charlene's excellent post.



Cooking on the Oregon Trail

The trip to Oregon from Missouri took five months. How did the pioneers know what to take with them and how to be sure they were well enough supplied for the long trek? Several guidebooks existed, as well as newspaper articles. Some pioneers had the additional advantage of advice from family and friends who had already made the trip. The key lay in keeping everything in the wagon as light as possible and taking easily preserved staples. 2,000 pounds total weight per wagon was the goal. As the journey progressed and draft animals tired, pioneers faced the difficult and painful task of discarding excess food, furniture, and other goods.

Staples needed per person:
200 pounds of bread stuff (flour and crackers)
100 pounds of bacon (see note below)
12 pounds of coffee
12 pounds of sugar

Additional staples per family:
From 1 to 5 pounds tea
From 10 to 50 pounds rice
From 1/2 to 2 bushels beans
From 1/2 to 2 bushels dried fruit
From 1/2 to 5 pounds saleratus
From 5 to 50 pounds

Optional:
Medicines
Whiskey or brandy
Cheese, dried pumpkins, onions and a small portion of corn meal

Cooking utensils: cast iron skillet or spider, Dutch oven, reflector oven, coffee pot or tea kettle, tin plates, cups, and utensils, matches, crocks, canteens, and buckets or water bags for liquids.
Other basics: a rifle, pistols, powder, lead, and shot for hunting game, and for self-defense. Candles (less expensive and lighter than oil). Several pounds of soap. Two to three sets of practical, sturdy, and warm clothing of wool and linen and a small sewing kit for repairs, shovel, ax or hatchet, tools to repair wagon equipment, bedding and tents.

1,600-1,800 pounds of the supplies were food, leaving little space for anything else. Furniture, books, and treasured belongings, were too often discarded along the way. Many accounts of the journey tell of the trail being littered with the cast offs of previous wagon trains. Prices and availability of goods varied from year to year, but a minimum of $600 to $800 was needed to assemble a basic outfit of wagon, oxen, and supplies.
Note: the bacon the pioneers carried was not in plastic covered one pound packages or sliced, but "salt pork," a heavily salted, fatty side or back portion of pork, un-smoked, and preserved in a barrel of brine. Pieces were taken out, the needed amount of meat cut off and the rest replaced. The piece to be used often needed to be soaked to dissipate the saltiness before being sliced for frying or cut into chunks for soups or stews.

Butter churns were sometimes attached to the side or underneath of the wagon. By day's end, with the jolting and swaying of the wagon, there would be butter to be had for the next stop.

Recipes

Cornmeal Mush

1 cup cornmeal
4 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon lard or butter
1 teaspoon salt
dried currents (raisins) optional
Put currents into water and bring to a boil. Sprinkle cornmeal into the boiling water stirring constantly, adding butter and salt. Cook for about 3 minutes, then portion into bowls. Can be topped with milk, butter, sugar or molasses.

Trail Beans

Prepare 4 cups of beans by rinsing and placing in large pot, covering with water and letting stand overnight for at least 12 hours. Drain, then place in pot with 1/2 lb. ham hock or 1/2 lb. bacon, covering with fresh water to simmer on low fire for 3 hours. At start of 4th hour add these ingredients: 1/4 cup dark molasses, 2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. cayenne, 1/2 tsp. ground pepper. Optional ingredients to add if you have them, and according to taste: 1 garlic clove, 1 tsp. mustard, can chopped tomatoes. Stir and let simmer an additional hour, then serve. If additional liquid is needed, use the water beans soaked in.


Soda Biscuits

Take 1 lb. of flour, and mix it with milk enough to make a stiff dough; dissolve in a little milk 1 tsp. carbonate of soda; add this to the paste with a teaspoon of salt. Work it well together and roll it out thin; cut into round biscuits, and bake them in a moderate oven. The yolk of an egg is sometimes added. (Sarah J. Jale, Mrs. Hales New Cookbook 1857)

Molasses Pudding
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup milk
2 cups flour
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
raisins, optional

Blend molasses and milk. Add in butter, baking soda, salt and mix well - butter will be chunky. Add in flour, 1/2 cup at a time. Add raisins of you like. Pour this thick dough into a buttered deep bread pan, spreading evenly. Put pan on top of pebbles in a large kettle of slow-boiling, shallow water. Liquid should only go half way up the sides of the pan. Cover and steam for 1 1/4 hours. Serve sliced, as is, or drizzled with syrup.

Vinegar Lemonade
Mix 1 to 2 Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar into a 12 oz. glass of water. Stir in 2 Tablespoons of sugar or to taste, and Drink Up!

Dandelion Greens
Cut off leaves of plants that have not blossomed yet, pick over carefully, wash in several waters, put into boiling water, boil one hour, drain well, add salted boiling water, and boil two hours; when done, turn into a colander and drain, season with butter and more salt if needed. Or boil with piece of salt port, omitting butter.

Sandy Duff
Mix flour and water into thick batter, add raisins, and boil in small canvas bag. Sweeten with syrup or sorghum before eating if preferred.
Gravy and sourdough were the food staples of the pioneers. Nearly all meals could be prepared using a bake oven, and gravy was made to complement the main dish. Gravy served as added nutrition, but mostly it served as a filler when other food was not available. Sourdough was so precious to the pioneer cook, she often slept with her sourdough starter so the yeast action would not be killed by the cold.

Pioneer remedies:
Eye ailments—Put a few drops of castor oil in eyes.
Eyewash—Gun powder dissolved in water.
Fever—Boil two roots of wild ginger in a cup of water; strain and drink.
 Hiccups—Hiccup can usually be stopped very quickly by taking a teaspoonful of granulated sugar and vinegar. If it does not give relief, repeat the dose.
 Infection—For drawing out infection on burns, use raw grated potatoes.
 Scrapes and abrasions—Smear rabbit fat over raw areas.
 Bee stings—Put mud or red clay on area.

And here's the a blurb from Charlene's story about travel on the Oregon Trail:

They had lost everything that mattered . . .

Three nightmarish years of marriage has shattered Brianna Wight's sheltered world. Leading her husband to believe she's been murdered, she flees to St. Louis . . . harboring terrible secrets that could be the death of her.

The tragic loss of his Indian wife left Columbus Nigh a wanderer; necessity made him a wilderness guide. But now he finds himself drawn to the enigmatic woman who's hired him to lead her westward. Her gentle strength stirs his lonely heart . . . her tender beauty arouses his deepest passions.

Would they find love again on a western journey?

But the perils of the Oregon Trail pale beside the murderous wrath of the man who tracks them across the harsh frontier. Briana knows the only way to save herself and Columbus is to risk their tender love. Only then can she free herself from the horrors of the past -- and embrace a rapturous future . . .

Here's an excerpt from TENDER TOUCH:

Chapter One

St. Louis, Missouri, April 1849

Brianna Wight’s heart pounded as she reluctantly fol­lowed her housekeeper’s son inside the dingy, cavernous livery stable. She felt as though she were entering the very bowels of hell.

Heat from the blacksmith’s shop blasted her delicate skin through her clothes and fluttered the veil covering her face as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the dark­ness. The flames leaping from the forge and the murky silhouettes of men, dancing about the fire like so many devils, were all she could make out.

Harsh, angry voices flew at her out of the blackness, like hurtled knives. Instant terror stiffened her body and she threw up an arm to shield her face.

“Wait your turn, stinkin’ squawman. Whaddya need yer horse shod for anyways? It’s only one o’ them Injun ponies. Get back to yer slut squaw an’ have her pick the lice from yer hair, why doncha?”

The voice that answered was soft, deep and—Brianna thought—deceptively calm, but the words were unclear.

“Why, you bastard!” the first voice yelled.

The sound of flesh and bone striking flesh and bone froze Brianna. Her heart stuttered. That sound was entirely too familiar, as was the pain that always followed. She tensed, waiting to feel the expected blow. Instead, a man sailed toward her out of the smithy. Brianna screamed in the instant before he slammed into her. Together, they tumbled to the straw-littered floor in a tangle of arms, legs and skirts.

“You blasted squawman!” someone bellowed. “Look what ya done now. Get up, damn you! That’s a lady you’re laying on.”

Brianna fought for air and shoved frantically at the heavy man weighing down her already bruised and bat­tered body. Pain from a hundred places threatened to rend her unconscious. Inside her head, a voice shouted,“It’s not Barret!  Not Barret!” But the fear had her in its grip. She could not stop batting for her life, as she had been forced to do, so many times before.

Close to her ear a low rumbling voice muttered, “Hell- fire! Give it up, woman. I ain’t gonna hurt you.”

Hands like steel bands pinned her wrists to the hay-and horseshit-strewn dirt floor. His panted breath warmed her cheek, smelling of tobacco, and, oddly enough, apples. Brianna felt her breasts flatten against his hard chest, felt that same hard chest expand and deflate along with hers, as they each gasped for air. Something stirred inside her, something she had never felt when Barret held her this way, something that left her confused, as well as scared.

“All right,” the low voice rumbled. “I’m gonna get up now.”

The weight lifted from her body. He towered above her, ten feet tall and at least three across. As she lay there staring up at him through her veil, still fighting off the fear, he reached down to offer her a hand up. She could see better now, well enough to note that his palm was dirty and callused, the smallest of the long, slender fingers missing a joint.

“You all right?” he asked, not unkindly.

Before she could gather enough sense and wind to answer, Sean and his mother were there, bending over her. Brianna groaned as they hauled her to her feet. Every bone in her body ached. It was all she could do to stay upright while Mrs. O’Casey brushed the dirt and straw from her rumpled skirts. She refused to give way to the tears and pain and terror that threatened to engulf her. If she couldn’t even survive one day of freedom without knuckling under, how would she live long enough to start a new life?

You can find TENDER TOUCH here:
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Tender-Touch-ebook/dp/B009OMPHEY/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1351879968&sr=1-3&keywords=Charlene+Raddon

Smashwords:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/244139

 Charlene Raddon began her fiction career in the third grade when she got up and told her class that a little sister she didn't have died of a black widow bite. Many years later, a particularly vivid dream drove her to drag out a portable typewriter and go to work on her first novel. In 1990 her second completed book, TENDER TOUCH, brought her a first place win in a writing contest and the following year became a Golden Heart Finalist. She has five romance novels set in the American West, published by Kensington, one, THE SCENT OF ROSES, under the pseudonym Rachel Summers. Her books have placed or won other contests and one, FOREVER MINE, received a Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award nomination. Charlene has always loved the Old West and her novels reflect that emotion in their depth and vividness.

When Charlene isn't writing, she loves to travel, do genealogy, digital scrapbooking, and dyes eggs in the Ukrainian style. And she enjoys camping and fishing with her husband in the Utah wilderness.

You can learn more about Charlene here:
Charlene's website http://www.charleneraddon.com/
Blog http://charleneraddon.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CharleneRaddon
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1232154.Charlene_Raddon

Remember to leave your email with your comment if you want to be entered in the drawing for a copy of TENDER TOUCH and the $10 Amazon gift card!

Now that you've read Charlene's post, please go to her blogsite where I have a guest post, http://charleneraddon.blogspot.com I have a giveaway there also. 

And if you sign up for my newsletter at the link about midway on the sidebar, I will include you in a special drawing for a Kindle Fire on December 15th, in plenty of time to give as a gift or load up with your own holiday reading.

Thanks for stopping by!

RECIPES FOR CINCO DE MAYO

Fiesta time! Do I hear mariachis playing? I have a strong yearning for a margarita. Here in the Southwestern United States, especially in Texas, we celebrate some of the customs of Mexico. Especially if they’re fun! So put on your dancing shoes and pick up your maracas for the party.

Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for "fifth of May") is a celebration held on......May 5. I'll bet you saw that one coming, right? This holiday is celebrated pretty much nationwide in the United States and regionally in Mexico's state of Puebla, where the holiday is called El Dia de la Batalla de Puebla (In English, that's The Day of the Battle of Puebla). The date is observed in the United States as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride, and to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American Civil War. In the state of Puebla, the date is observed to commemorate the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín. (We have a town named for him in Texas.) Contrary to widespread popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day—the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico—which is actually celebrated on September 16, on my birthday! Imagine, all over Mexico, people are having parties because it’s my birthday. Yeah, right.

In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is widely interpreted as a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with substantial Mexican-American populations. Revelers mark the occasion with parades, parties, mariachi music, Mexican folk dancing and traditional foods such as tacos and mole poblano. My family and I were fortunate to see Folklorico Mexico perform colorful dances one May 5th. We've seen similar performances at the State Fair of Texas and in San Antonio. Love those swirly skirts the ladies wear.

In Texas, a cuisine known as Tex-Mex is very popular, especially with my family. So, I’ll share versions of Mexican dishes for Anglo kitchens. I’ll start with a salad/relish that can be used on chips, with lettuce to fill a tortilla bowl, or as a garnish with the meal.

SOUTHWESTERN SALAD
1 (10 oz.) box frozen corn kernels
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28 oz) can chopped tomatoes, drained
1 cup canned or jar salsa (We use Pace Medium)
1 bunch scallions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Optional garnishes: Shredded cheese, cilantro, avocado slices, sour cream, or guacamole.

CHICKEN CHALUPAS
1 dozen corn tortillas, quartered
4 large chicken breasts, cooked, boned, and cut into pieces
1 lb. Cheddar cheese, grated
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
1 cup sour cream
2/3 cup milk
1 medium onion, diced
Cook onions in small amount of butter until clear. Combine soups, peppers, sour cream, milk, and onion. Grease 9x13 inch casserole dish. Layer tortillas, chicken, sauce, and cheese. Continue until all ingredients are used, ending with cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees F. for one hour, covered, until last 15 minutes. Remove cover and add a little more cheese or butter crumbs, if desired. This freezes well and serves 6 to 8 people.

You’re all set for a fiesta. Enjoy! Now I'm hungry for Tex-Mex food. Oh, right, I'm always in the mood for Tex-Mex dining.

You know I can't pass up this opportunity to promote one of my books, right? BRAZOS BRIDE is only 99 cents at Amazon. The heroine is Hope Montoya, one of the Hispanics in Texas. She is fighting for her life, and convinces Micah Stone to help her find the person who is trying to kill her. And BRAZOS BRIDE is set in 1870, only 8 years after the Battle of Puebla.

This book was a Top Pick from Night Owl Reviews. Reader response has been very encouraging. If you are one of those who bought and read this book, thank you. I'm writing book two, HIGH STAKES BRIDE, now. In the meantime, why not choose another of my books to read?

Thanks for stopping by!

PASS THE FUDGE, PLEASE...

Before I launch into my post for today, the winners of the last day of our Black Friday Mini-Blog Hop are Irene and Sue. Congratulations, ladies. Thanks to both of you for leaving your comment.

Just last week I came across the large old red White Swan storage tin my mom always used to keep her candy fresh, separating layers with waxed paper. She would make batch after batch of divinity fudge and chocolate fudge to give to my brother's family and mine, with little packages of divinity for her granddaughters. Once the White Swan can was filled, she had old Collin Street Bakery (of Corsicana, Texas) fruitcake tins she used.

My mom was not that great a cook overall, but she made truly wonderful pies and candies! Her family-famous divinity fudge is more than I can master. I have no idea what I do wrong, but it never tastes as good as hers did. She usually lightly colored half the divinity with red food coloring so it was pale pink. When I was a small girl, I was always certain the pink tasted better than the plain white. When we lived in California, Mother used walnuts, but switched back to pecans in Texas.

I also make my Aunt Elizabeth’s Million Dollar Fudge. I’ll share both recipes with you, as well as tell you about a wonderful recipe book free from The Wild Rose Press.


                        AUNT ELIZABETH'S
                 MILLION DOLLAR FUDGE

Aunt Elizabeth added the nuts
to the fudge, but this looks yummy!

4 1/2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons butter
1 large can evaporated milk (12 1/2 oz)
1-12oz. package chocolate chips
1 jar marshmallow crème
Nuts chopped

1. Pour chocolate chips and marshmallow creme into a large bowl. (My aunt used a crockery bowl)

2. Boil sugar, butter, milk together for 7 minutes after first bubbles come, or until soft ball stage is reached. Take it off stove and pour syrup over chocolate chips and marshmallow creme.

3. Stir until chocolate is dissolved. Add nuts if desired. Beat until cool and creamy. Pour onto a buttered pan.

4. Cool and cut. Keep with waxed paper between layers and store in airtight container until served.


This candy is suitable for vegetarians provided you insure the marshmallow creme does not contain animal products as marshmallows do.

   MAMAW'S DIVINITY FUDGE

Divinity Fudge (photo
from
www.ChoosingVoluntarySimplicty.com
but this looks
just like my mom's divinity)

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup whie Karo syrup
2 large egg whites, beaten stiff
1/2 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Adam's Best vanilla
1/8 tspn. cream of tartar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
Food coloring optional

Beat egg whites until stiff and set aside. Cook sugar, Karo, water, salt and cream of tartar until it forms a hard ball in cold water. Pour over stiffly beaten egg whites. Add vanilla, nuts, and coloring if desired. Beat and pour into a lightly buttered bowl to harden. When cool, cut into squares and store in an air-tight container.

The Wild Rose Press has a gift for all readers who love to cook at http://www.thewildrosepress.com/ to download the pdf cookbook...OR just click on the image in the upper right sidebar to be taken to the download page. Due to my daughter's hospitalization, I missed the deadline for this year's book, but included in the 2011 edition are delicious-sounding recipes by some of my favorite authors. Yum!

Thanks for stopping by!

LET VIRGINIA CAMPBELL TELL US A STORY

"LET ME TELL YOU A STORY"

by Virginia Campbell

Join Virginia on the porch swing

while she tells us a story or two.

http://www.logfurnitureplace.com/images/outdoor/swings/4-ft-porch-swing.jpg

I am so delighted to be visiting with you all here today at "A Writer's Life". Many thanks to our gracious and talented blog hostess, Caroline Clemmons. I  have my storytelling hat on today, and you are all invited to join me here on the porch for a day of tall tales, twisted truths, and tempting treats. Yes, refreshments will be served! I'll be settled here in my swing, but you can pull up a rocker or porch chair and make yourself right at home. I was born and raised, and still reside, in the beautiful mountains of Southwestern VA. The true tall tales of Southern mountain folk are often stranger than fiction!

My father's hometown was Jonesborough, TN, which is the oldest town in the state of Tennessee. Jonesborough is also the home of the International Storytelling Center. Each October, the town hosts the National Storytelling Festival, a world-renowned event which celebrates storytelling at its most magical http://www.storytellingcenter.net/festival/ .



Virginia's storytelling hat

http://i.ebayimg.com/02/!BqJ75T!B2k~$(KGrHqIOKjwEuuiC8Jw!BLuiZ5OFhg~~_35.jpg

 



An older gentleman, whom I knew as “Lucky”, was very outgoing and lively up until his death at age 93. I was surprised to learn that as a younger man, he had been very abrupt and somewhat “antisocial”. He had also been quite superstitious. However, this all changed after he survived being struck by lightning…on three separate occasions! After the third strike, he threw caution to the wind, set aside his fears and superstitions and began to live. He began to attend church, interacted with others, and became involved in community concerns. He met a nice woman, and they married and had four sons. Lucky considered himself to be a blessed man. If you look closely at the headstone on his grave, in one corner you’ll find a small lightning bolt.

“LIGHTNING LEMON MERINGUE PIE”

That extra zing will make your taste buds tingle!

1-1/2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
Dash salt
1-1/2 cups water
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
1 Tbsp. grated lemon peel
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked

MERINGUE:

3 egg whites, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar

In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in water. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 additional minutes. Gradually stir in 1 cup of hot filling to egg yolks; return to saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butter, lemon juice, lime juice, and peel. Pour hot filling into pastry shell. For meringue, beat egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar in a bowl at medium speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar gradually, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff and glossy. Immediately spread over pie, sealing edges to pastry. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until meringue is golden. Cool. Store in refrigerator.

Granny Tate's home. Where's the skillet?

http://www.thebulletin.ws/images/photos2008/311ddmhomestead3.jpg

“Granny” Tate was an eccentric little country lady who lived off the beaten path and grew wonderful vegetables, fruit and flowers. She was wise in the ways of herbs and plants and also kept honey bees. She sold her wares at the local farmer’s market, but some who knew where she lived would just stop by her house and “go shopping”. Granny Tate also canned her produce and honey, and she usually made several quilts a year to sell. When the local sheriff started receiving calls from Granny about a prowler, he paid a duty call and told her it was probably a bear after the honeycombs. He had always thought that Granny took a nip now and then, and probably made her own “Mountain Dew”. Finally, she called and said that there was a dead man on her back porch, and she needed him removed. What the sheriff found was a live man with a large lump on his head, and one angry Granny. Southern women wield a mean skillet and rolling pin, and Granny was no exception. What made her so made was that she had used her favorite old black cast iron skillet, which had become thin on the bottom from long-time use. When she whacked the prowler on the head, it broke her prized skillet! Everyone looked at Granny with new respect. The sheriff searched high and low until he found her a good used skillet…blackened and “seasoned” just right. In return, she sent him off with a basket of preserves and home-canned goods and a large chunk of honey-on-the-comb.


“HONEY, YOU'LL LOVE THIS COFFEE CAKE!”

One sweet way to use a skillet!
Cake
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 8 pieces

1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Topping

1/2 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 stick chilled butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 cup chopped walnuts

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. For the cake: Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add brown sugar and honey and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Blend in vanilla and sour cream. With a rubber spatula, fold in flour and baking powder until completely blended. Generously butter a cast iron skillet and spread the batter evenly in the pan. For the topping: Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and chilled butter with your fingers until well blended. Sprinkle evenly over the cake batter. Sprinkle with walnuts over the top. Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 35 – 40 minutes. Serve warm.

Freed White Tail Deer

http://www.littlewinnie.com/images/whitetail_deer.jpg

The love of my life was tall, wiry, and quick with wit, temper, and laughter. His voice was raspy and he had a goofy laugh. He had dark golden blonde hair, and the most beautiful green eyes ever! His outward bravado was matched only by the size of his heart. For me, an inner core of compassion is essential in a man. They may fuss, cuss, rant and rave, and act like spoiled little boys, but those big hearts are there when it counts. Here in the mountains of VA, hunting is a way of life (not mine) and also a necessity to thin the deer population. My guy loved the outdoors, and he was raised in a family of hunters. However, he once told me that he freed a deer which he found trapped in barbed wired. He determined that the animal was not badly injured, just caught, so he cut him free. He would hunt animals on their own turf, but he could never kill one for sport that was trapped. Sometimes the men who seem to be the most easily defined turn out to be the ones with the most layers. If they are good guys, then it is very much worth your time to work through those layers to the heart of gold found inside.

BEAUTIFULLY BASIC BEEF STEW

I made a version of beef stew for dinner the other evening. When I make soup, stew, pasta sauce, chili, etc, it's usually a little different each time. I sort of have a basic idea, and then use what's on hand. This time, I used two different cheaper cuts of beef that were well-marbled. I trimmed the excess fat and cut the meat into bite-sized chunks. I browned the meat well in a little olive oil with a large onion for flavor. I let the meat cook down, and then added enough water to the pan to loosen the good bits and make a nice juice. I added several bay leaves, salt, pepper, and garlic salt. I cut up at least one large potato per person into big chunks, and then added some carrots and celery, also in large chunks. The meat is better in smaller pieces, and the veggies are better in larger pieces. This is the point where you add more liquid. Water, beef broth or red wine (or some of each) are best. (One time when making beef stew, I also added a jar of mushroom gravy with some additional water and it was delicious). Simmer stew covered until meat and veggies are tender, adding more liquid if needed. If desired, you can thicken the stew with flour or corn starch which has been blended smooth with a little cold water before stirring it into the hot stew. Remove bay leaves before serving. Stew is pretty basic, and the simpler the better.

SAVORY WILD RICE CASSEROLE

1 1/2 cups uncooked wild rice, rinsed
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
4 slices bacon, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, sliced
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup dried cranberries or golden raisins
seasoned salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper


Place rice, water and salt in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer; cook 45 minutes or until tender. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Simmer for 5 additional minutes. Drain any liquid. While rice is cooking, fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet and drain on paper towels. In bacon grease skillet, saute onion, celery and mushrooms until tender. Add rice, cranberries or raisins, seasoned salt, and pepper. Heat through. Place cooked rice mixture in a 2-qt. buttered casserole. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes. Delicious with Cornish Game Hens, Roast Chicken or Roast Turkey.

BEEF AND CABBAGE SOUP

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 head medium cabbage, rough-chopped

2 ribs celery, sliced

1 large onion, rough-chopped
1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (32 ounce) carton beef broth
1/2 tsp garlic powder
several bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Brown ground beef and drain. In a large stock pot, combine remaining ingredients and add ground beef. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and cover, simmering for one hour or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves before serving.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYy36QXFT5T7mrODTlQUxC5MVn2xTdki-JfOcpW42E72a4DLddO3feE6HVf6Ezre3Fmf6-JYKiTLmkCm2Ny7xNY4zuyskm05nF8Vzg5XUYR2NYAfn7pyMETEBJ78qDmBFgAE3O/s1600/Halloween-Scary-House-ecards.jpg


A lot of myths and tall tales started with a little nugget of truth and embellished it until it became a legend. Paranormal fiction is intriguing because it takes our fascination with fearsome things to a whole new level! Many of us have had unexplainable “supernatural” events in our lives, which leaves the door open for our imaginations. I have lived in the same house for over 30 years. My mother and I owned the house together. She passed away several years ago. I have had many paranormal experiences in my home, both before and after my mother passed away. The first experience was to glance over at a living room window late one night and see the "Scream" face looking in! I rushed to the door and turned on the front porch light, and not a "soul" was about! Another time, on Halloween night, I heard distinct footsteps on the wooden floor of the upstairs hallway. My mother and I were both downstairs and no other "human" was in the house. One night, I went upstairs to my room without turning on the stairway light. When I got to the doorway of my room, a large misty shape moved from the area of the doorway and went across the room and out the window. One bright Sunday morning, I had overslept, which is a rare occurrence. A voice from the doorway of my room said: "Are you getting up?" I looked over through sleep-filled eyes and saw the blurred image of a large friendly blonde woman dressed in red and royal blue. I answered, and then realized it wasn't my mother! The "woman" was twice the size of my mother (who was actually downstairs in the kitchen).

Since my mother passed away, I have noticed unusual scents in the house. I have smelled my grandfather's pipe tobacco, my grandmother's lily of the valley, and my mother's fingernail polish remover. All of these people are deceased, and none of those items are in the house! The time that I was the most afraid was when I came home to find my house almost in a vacuum state. There seemed to be no air, no sound, and no smell of any kind in the house. My cats were in hiding. I don't know what had been in the house, but it had some kind of mojo!

MIDNIGHT MADNESS CAKE

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 tbsp. instant coffee powder dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and coffee water mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a well greased 12 cup bundt pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pan at least an hour and a half before inverting onto a plate If desired, dust the cake with powdered sugar.

What are your favorite family fables, local legends, and spooky stories? Any good recipes to share? I'd love to hear what you have to say : )