Category Archives: Cocktails

#Mocktails, Books worth checking out, Cocktails, Liquid Friday with Eden Freed, My Book, Short Stories from Eden's Garden

Debut of Knot A Midnight Ballerina

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Book 11 of the All Tied Up in Knots Series is officially out! I have some goodies for you below including a recipe for a Pink Pony Cocktail, I think will be your new favorite!

Amazon.com: Knot a Midnight Ballerina: All Tied up in Knots Series eBook : Freed, Eden: Kindle Store

Here is the blurb:

Artemis wants two things out of life, becoming a certified tattoo artist and owning a haunted house. She accompanies her friend Jinny to a BDSM conference hoping for a fun diversion from the mundane, nothing more.
What she doesn’t count on is meeting Devlin. He hits all the right buttons at the conference, but can she trust Devlin with her heart after she finds out Will, her boss from the tattoo parlor, has been murdered? Will Artemis uncover the truth about Devlin’s diabolical schemes or will she reveal her own?

Goodies:

I couldn’t be more excited to bring this new book to you, so in honor of Knot A Midnight Ballerina’s debut, all of the Kindle eBooks in the All Tied Up in Knots series are specially priced from 8/7/2026 to 8/14/2026 at only 99 cents per title. Grab yours before the offer expires. Here is a link to the series.

All Tied Up In Knots (11 book series) Kindle Edition

More goodies!

Download your FREE Kindle Ebook!

Feeling all kinds of bubbly at Book 11 of the series priced at just 99 cents for Kindle for a limited time, and I’m throwing in a FREEBIE! I’ve pulled another of my favorite hot kinky geeks for you, Andrew Stern from the Knot A Princess book. FREE on amazon for Kindle download from August 7th, 2026 to August 11th, 2026-make sure you get your FREE download while it lasts.

Amazon.com: Knot a Princess (All Tied Up In Knots) eBook : Freed, Eden: Kindle Store

Briar, a young mother, and a military widow, struggles to cope with the loss of her husband. No man can ever measure up to him, the hero who had given his life for his country. Briar bravely puts on a smile and a princess dress to entertain children for work so she can support her son, alone. The party is filled with rich snobs that give her a hard time, but she meets her prince charming.
Andrew Stern is an eccentric billionaire who does not take a no for an answer. Tired of dating among snobs and women only interested in him for his money, he will use any means possible to get to Briar. Will this be just another gig for Briar, or will it be her happily ever after.

About the author-

I am usually the one behind the camera, so you won’t find too many images of me. It’s always the shy ones you have to watch out for. Many of my readers know of my battles with autoimmune disease and when I look at images of myself, I see the telltale lupus rash and am reminded that I’m actually sick. Yeah, I could probably go for one of the glamour shots where they do something with my unruly hair and put some makeup on me, but I’m too much of a tomboy. I’d rather be out somewhere on an adventure than spend my time trying to look a certain way. Not a girly girl, sorry.

I take pictures of other people, butterflies, and anything that delights me like my two crazy Chinese Crested perpetual puppies. Like me, they will be eternally little and goofy, and I just love them to bits, the bacon kind. They run through a bag so fast I can’t blink, but I’ve taught them some tricks, so they get rewarded for their efforts. It helps keep them focused and since they aren’t huge eaters (same flavor kibble everyday) they aren’t chubby and get a thumbs up from the vet at every visit.

Even unruly Mooshu tries his best doing tricks which says a lot. He’s dealing with an incurable bleeding disorder which makes me travel with Chinese medicine just in case I need to plink a pill down his throat in a hurry, and having been born a swimmer puppy, his joints are kind of a hot mess. I guess he found the right home with us, because we’re all kind of a hot mess here but an abundance of love to share.

Delight is where you find it and for me that’s my family (Including the crazy Cresteds) and silly things like playing the DDR, having some sunset beach time or one day adventures. My hands are always busy with a project, everything from sewing to metal work, so lots of the goodies I give out at author events are something I made personally. I just love personal touches 😉

Since the hubby was diagnosed with diabetes and steroids have upped my blood sugars, I’ve taken a break from baking and switched to meal prepping which still includes the oven but it’s savory instead of sweet. I’m not strictly Keto, since the amount of veggies I eat puts me over carbs for keto and under the fat requirements (macros) but I’m trying to get those micronutrients in, so… OCD is my superpower and both hubby and I are now in the 5.6 A1c range, prediabetes as opposed the A1c 10.0 he was and the 8.0 I was which is a huge victory. He’s lost about 60-70 pounds and goes to the gym five days a week or more. I’ve lost about 50 with diet while still eating my dark chocolate and playing DDR on the wii. I avoid the gym and get my steps in with the dogs. Two different approaches that work, so if you’re in the same situation and can’t do the gym because of germs, there are plenty of ways to get your exercise. Even if you just walk during your lunch break and start eating less processed food, it’s something. I still go out to eat with the imps and can find something on the menu just about anywhere I go. If not, I ask for something special. I don’t do dairy, artificial sweetner, or soy, but most sit-down places have grilled chicken or fish and some kind of vegetables. Though the imps like fast food, I don’t miss it.

Now, onto the cocktail!

Pink Pony Cocktail

What you’ll need:

A large glass with ice

Blender if you want to make it a frozen drink, shaker if you want it shaken with ice-both are fabulous

Measuring cup

3 oz. Pink grapefruit Juice

1 1/2 oz vodka (Omit if you’re not imbibing)

1/2 oz Cointreau (you know it’s one of my favorites, but you can switch it out for the same amount of orange juice if you’re not imbibing)

Fruit to garnish

Optional: splash of cranberry juice for an extra pink color or grapefruit flavored seltzer for a little bubbles

What to do:

  1. Mix your grapefruit juice, vodka, and Cointreau. if you want the alcohol-free version, replace the vodka with seltzer for a little kick and the Cointreau with orange juice and you have a brilliant mocktail.
  2. If you want a frozen drink, add liquids and ice to a blender and blend until smoothie like consistency, otherwise add to shaker with ice and shake vigorously until mixed.
  3. Serve in a tall or hurricane glass and garnish with fresh fruit.

NOTE: As with any adult beverages, drink responsibly and don’t operate a vehicle or heavy machinery. The life you save may be your own.

    Hope you enjoy and don’t forget that free download on Amazon!

    Books worth checking out, Cocktails, Liquid Friday with Eden Freed, Uncategorized

    Liquid Friday With M. Flagg

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    You know I love a good vampire book, so I was delighted when this week’s author decided to join us. I hope you enjoy the book and give the cocktail a try safely at home. The air smells like burnt tires in NJ from Canadian wildfires, so I’m staying inside and reading today. Enjoy!

    This week we’re hosting M. Flagg on our blog. Here’s a little about the author.

    I’m a multiple award-winning paranormal fiction author whose imaginative world building echoes with the promise of destiny. Adventure, suspense, and romance are woven through plots brimming with supernatural tension where fate will always have one last card to play. After spending 40 years in education and administration, I’m now retired and loving it. I’m a member of Liberty States Fiction Writers, NJRW, and the NJ Author’s Network. Always an avid reader, paranormal anything is my favorite genre. I enjoy the edit process and snuggling with my rescued Maine Coon. You can easily consider me a Jersey Girl, being a life-long New Jersey resident. Find out more about my novels at www.mflagg-author.com

    Amazon Buy link:Amazon.com: Memories of A Hunter’s Moon (The Champion Chronicles Book 5) eBook : Flagg, M. : BooksAmazon Author Page: Amazon.com: M. Flagg: books, biography, latest updateSocial Media links: 

    Facebook – @mickey.flagg    X – @mickey_flagg       

    TikTok – @micheleflagg7   Instagram – @mickeyflagg   

    Excerpt from Memories of a Hunter’s Moon:

    He stood in front of a massive desk. Reaching out, her fingertips gently ran down his face. Their gaze locked to each other, drawn like magnets as he took her hand away and kissed her open palm. His touch trembled through her. Blood tears glistened in her eyes. They both stepped in at the same time, falling into an embrace she had yearned for every single night of this undead existence. Her head rested on his shoulder as his hands pressed to her back. Anxious to hear his rich, deep voice, she whispered, “My eternal love.” 

                “You should not be here,” he whispered in reply.

    Luna heard just a trace of a French accent, yet his tone sounded like a scold, like she’d done something wrong. Her body stilled. Something inside shattered. It felt as if invisible shards of glass ripped open every vein. His hands braced her shoulders, pulled her away from the place of comfort she had longed for throughout decades without him. The study of his face told her nothing, the hollow look in his eyes, as though she stared into an abyss. The vampire standing before her appeared to be less about who he was and more about who he had become.

    She took a step back. “Is this what the modern world has done to you, or was I so blinded by love that I did not see this coldness, Henri?”

                “One sees what one wants to see. And please do not call me Henri. I prefer Draven.”

                “Ah, yes, Draven,” she said with a tilt of her head, “The Gatekeeper of the portal, the owner of a trendy club, the worldly investor for sorcerer and sire alike. So many facets to this new persona. I suppose you had to destroy—to rebuild yourself.”

    He appeared distant, disengaged. The reunion she had hoped for didn’t seem right. Instead of hearing a profession of love, perhaps even an apology, she’d been admonished for coming to him? Michael had said he needed her. Oddly, she didn’t see or feel his need at all.

    It wasn’t upset that snaked through her. Not disappointment, either. What bloomed within felt like anger, at herself and at him. Had her romantic fantasy of this reunion been distorted by love and longing? Had she failed to realize that he had experienced many, many things while she stubbornly held on to the security of sameness? After eighty long years of waiting for his return, which had never happened, perhaps anger was bound to surface.

    “Do I remind you too much of your past? Is that why I shouldn’t have come here?”

                He replied without emotion, “You were safe where I left you.”

                “Really. How would you know? You never returned. Yet every Hunter’s Moon I stand on the very spot where you left me to search the sea. How foolish I’ve been.” The realization caused another revelation, and her shoulders straightened.

                “You have had a protected existence, which I have provided,” he said in arrogance.

                “I have had a sheltered captivity, thanks to you.” She aimed the comeback perfectly and oh yes, she had much more to say. “Michael is right. You abandoned me. Left me vulnerable. That is not love. Seeing you now, I question why you ever chose to be so burdened with me.”

                “You will stop speaking at once,” he snapped at her, as if he were in command.

                “I choose to continue. Eighty years alone is more than a lifetime for most humans, and no, I will not stop speaking.” She eyed him from the top of his pulled-back hair down to the shine on his shoes. “Look at yourself. Put together in an ensemble that foretells the darkness in you. It is worshiped, isn’t it, this new persona? You, the lord and master over minions with your pockets overflowing. It gives you the thrill of power, of displaced ownership. I am thankful that Michael was candid, instead of coating the truth like honey coats a spoon.” Yet on the plane, she had insisted that he could not possibly be talking about her Henri. Well, she had been wrong.

                “My brother in blood has loose lips,” he growled with a sneer.

                “Oh, were that true. I should have listened more and defended you less. You take what is offered and crave more. You suck dry the victims and then thirst for more. Calculating. Cruel. No mercy is in you because, indeed, you believe yourself lord and master. This office screams of wealth and power. So does what I see through that door behind your desk. Yet all of this is barren. Just like you.” Her eyes slid to the side before coming back to his. Then, one strong sniff told her more about him, something he’d regret. “I smell her… The last woman you had. Do you think so little of me that you clothe yourself in the scent of sex?” She let the remark sink in, took in another nose-full of female coming from the front of his trousers. “I have remained faithful, but to what, I ask myself. Decades of dreaming of your touch, your mouth on me. For what? From the moment of awakening in undeath in that room beneath Veronique’s villa only you have touched me.”

                 “You expect me to believe that you have never taken a human lover?”

                Thinking his smirk rude, she stepped into him. That question fueled her anger.  “I do. There were never lies between us. You may have changed, but I have not.” Yet again, that annoying smirk angered her.

    “I have provided financial security. Had I known, I would have gladly provided that type of service as well.”

                “You would have paid a man to be used for sex?” Her eyes narrowed, yet he continued to show nothing on his face, kept an arrogant stance as if he were above her. “It would have suited you to see me in someone else’s arms, with someone else’s mouth on me, yet you show no shame? Like a common pimp?”

                “There is nothing common about me,” he replied with a lift of his chin.

                “Oh, I believe that underneath this impressive display common thrives in you. So does emptiness because that’s where you reside. You might have made the suggestion to take hundreds of lovers. We had all that time on the ship together. You could have sat me down and said that you’d never return, that it was goodbye forever. I might have taken the next ship back to Europe. I’d be a very different vampire, wouldn’t I?”

    Now onto the cocktail. This week we’re sipping a Hunter Cocktail.

    This one is pretty simple to make and you could make one cocktail for yourself or make up a bunch for friends. It’s all about the ratios.

    We’ll be sipping this one slowly while we enjoy our book, so put on your comfy clothes, and make it a night in. Trust me when I tell you to let the ice melt a little while sipping this strong drink.

    Here is what you’ll need:

    Glass

    Ice-I prefer a lot of ice for whiskey drinks-get fancy with one of those skull shaped ice cubes if you want, just make sure your glass is big enough.

    3 Parts Rye Whiskey (1.5 oz if that’s easier)

    1 Party Cherry Flavored Brandy (0.5 oz if that’s easier)

    Add alcohol to glass filled with ice and stir. You’re done. Pretty simple older drink back from over a century ago, so some of you vampires might remember it. Though this recipe may have been circulating for a while, it appeared first in Jack A. Grohusko’s 1908 book Jack’s Manual: Recipes for Fancy Mixed Drinks and When and How to Serve. Ah, the dangers of a photographic memory and a library card. Enjoy your cocktail safely, please don’t drink and drive or do anything else dangerous, like texting for that matter.

    Enjoy the book and cocktail. Please, like and share.

    #Mocktails, Cocktails, Liquid Friday with Eden Freed

    Liquid Friday with Michael J. McLaughlin

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    This week we are joined by Michael J. McLaughlin and his  latest thriller, No Harm Intended.

    Here are are few words about the book:

    Nobody was supposed to die.

    In this psychological thriller from the author of Extinction, a routine journey through the Peruvian Amazon turns into a nightmare of malicious deception and twisted morality.

    When villagers protesting a nearby oil spill seize a small tour boat, the passengers cling to hope that reason will prevail. But hostage negotiations stall, and a new arrival concealing a disturbing agenda takes control, turning the protest into a ticking execution clock.

    After escaping into the rainforest, a suspended Chicago cop must navigate hostile surroundings without weapons and evade the armed captors to reach her children before it’s too late.

    As the hostage crisis intensifies, secrets emerge and loyalties fracture. Pushed to the edge, ordinary people are forced to decide what they’re willing to do to survive.

    No Harm Intended, is a tense and unrelenting psychological thriller about resilience, revenge, and the choices that define who we become under pressure.

    For the full enjoyment of our reading adventure on this wonderful Friday , wee need a drink to go with the story, so we asked Michael J. McLaughlin to give us a suggestion.

    Here is a word from the author:

    My story is set in the Peruvian Amazon. The characters drink pisco sours on their tour boats before everything goes to hell. Pisco is a high-proof grape brandy and the national spirit of Peru. Pisco sours are tasty, potent cocktails. Here’s my recipe that serves two:

    6oz pisco

    2 oz lime juice

    2 oz simple syrup

    1 egg white

    Orange bitters

    Ice cubes

    Shake all ingredients except the bitters and ice for two minutes. Add ice, shake, and strain the foamy liquid into two glasses. Top each with three drops of bitters and draw your own signature design on the surface.

    About The Author:

    Michael J. McLaughlin, MD, is the award-winning author of several thrillers, including No Harm Intended, Fugue, Woods, and Extinction. Following earlier careers as a surgeon and the owner of a medical writing business, he now writes novels in New Jersey, where he lives with his family and two canine monsters. He strives to create characters that will inspire his three daughters and scare their boyfriends. Learn more at mclaughlinbooks.com. Follow on social media @mclaughlinbooks.

    Author Contact Information:

    REMEMBER- if you’re drinking alcoholic beverages, do so safely. Stay home with a good book and enjoy!

    Thanks for sharing this Liquid Friday with me

    Books worth checking out, Cocktails, Liquid Friday with Eden Freed, My Book

    Liquid Friday 3/6/2026

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    the skinny on cocktails just in time to release BOOK 10!

    We so excited about our recent release Knot Daddy’s Valentine, that it’s like a party here! We have a great recipe for you below, perfect for people trying to stay on lower carbohydrate diets.

    We had hoped to have this book out pre-Valentine’s Day but SNAFUs happen, so it’s taken us a little bit longer. We hope that means you’ll enjoy it even more.

    While puppy Mooshu is on mend from his latest episode(flare up of his bleeding disorder), we’re keeping our eyes on him and making sure we’ve stocked up on his meds in case another unannounced snow storm catches us off guard.

    Both puppies Butler and Mooshu are spoiled. They get steamed salmon for omega 3s, carrots for prebiotics, and frozen blueberries for antioxidants and polyphenols in addition to a specially formulated diet and more than their fair amount of treats. We’ve added glucosamine for Butler who is nine and a half and we want to keep his joints as fit as a six month old puppy. Mooshu has his own issues and spontaneous bleeds always make us gasp. Fortunately, even with an incurable disease, we have a treatment plan in place for him and he’s doing well.

    Our book sales help with some of the treatments and of course the insane cost of pet insurance, so thanks for reading and sharing. We couldn’t do it without you.

    It has been the craziest winter in NJ and I’m waiting anxiously for spring. I think even the puppies that run around like little snowballs are over it too. Fingers crossed this weekend marks the turn of the season, because getting these puppies up an hour earlier is going to be insane.

    Despite the delay, we hope you love our latest book in the All Tied Up series.

    https://www.amazon.com/Knot-Daddys-Valentine-Tied-Knots-ebook/dp/B0GQNYB1D2

    Skye has dreamed of doing the flying trapeze since she was a young girl. In pursuit of the goal, there just isn’t time for romance. Valentine’s Day is coming up, and she’s resigned herself to be alone for yet another holiday. She’s working for Johnny as an aerial silk artist for parties and events. It’s a long way from her work in the circus but she’s hoping it’ll make the difference between being stuck in the silks or flying high on the trapeze.

    Tommy, an MMA cage fighter, is a gentle giant of a man that has left the rodeo circuit to save the family farm. He’s been attending Johnny’s events, hoping to find a nice girl he could bring home to mama that’s still into his brand of kink.


    Will Skye follow her dream? Is Skye be the perfect match for Tommy and his appetites? Will they naturally click together, or do they need a little push from Johnny?

    Our crazy boy Mooshu
    Butler’s beautiful smile

    Hope you have as much fun with this book as we did!

    Onto the cocktails!

    Skinny Hurricane for our Knot Daddy's Valentine release party
    Skinny Hurricane

    Since our heroine Skye is managing her weight for aerial arts, we’ve opted for a skinny Hurricane.

    Skinny Hurricane Recipe

    What you need:

    Glass

    Ice

    Straw- fancy if you have one

    Cocktail ingredients below

    Ingredients:

    • 1 1/2 ounces White Rum
    • 1 ounce Light Orange Juice or Sugar-free Orange Drink
    • 1 ounce Light Cranberry Juice or Sugar-free Cranberry Drink
    • 1 ounce sugar-free or reduced sugar Passionfruit Juice
    • Enough ice to fill glass
    • Garnish with a Maraschino cocktail cherry or two

    How to:

    1. Fill your glass with ice

    2. Add white rum

    3. Add Fruit Juices

    4. Stir

    5. Garnish with cherries and serve

    6. Enjoy responsibly!

    Thanks for joining us again for another Liquid Friday.

    #Mocktails, Books worth checking out, Cocktails, Liquid Friday with Eden Freed, My Book, Short Stories from Eden's Garden, soccer mom updates

    Last Weekend of Dry January

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    And yes, we’re expecting another snowfall

    We’ve been buried by snow this year and I find myself writing my latest work while alternatively holding a several times microwaved cup of hot tea, because I just can’t get warm enough. I have Reynaud’s Syndrome, it’s part of my overlap autoimmune disease, but in a nutshell it means my fingers and toes can blanch due to cold, emotional states, and well… just whenever the hell it wants to. I’m sure in the larger picture it is just the body redirecting blood back towards the heart and vital organs but zombie-hand is visually disconcerting.

    Wine has been suggested for the condition as it is a vasodilator, and if it lasts more than 30 minutes I may just grab a glass of Pinot Noir and get a dose of resveratrol, a polyphenol antioxidant found in grapes, red wine, berries… I’m always looking to improve my health and if you saw the hand full of supplements I take on the daily to mitigate the symptoms of autoimmune disease you’d wonder how I had room for breakfast. My endocrinologist has asked why don’t I just get one good supplement from one of the larger health food stores, but my allergy to blueberries and mushrooms has made it near impossible to find one that doesn’t contain either. I am the person that calls every company before buying the bottle to find out if either of my two troublesome ingredients are in their “proprietary formula” and for most they are so I end up taking single vitamins. It’s costly and time consuming and frustrating. I eat healthy and I’m one of those weirdos that actually enjoys their veggies (lightly steamed, blanched, or pan fried so they are still crunchy), but when my bloodwork says I’m deficient in something I turn to formulary.

    I know some of my readers are living with chronic illnesses and after dealing with this nightmare for decades, I don’t know how you do it. Thanks for being my support and trying to keep me sane in all this bedlam. Stay strong.

    HUGE ACORNS IN NOVEMBER!!!

    Back to snow, I knew this winter was going to be rough because I read the signs, from the wider banding on woolly bear caterpillars to the size of the acorns. Sometimes even the smell of the air can give you clues to what is coming your way and like a bloodhound I can smell snow before it comes, OCD is my superpower and with it comes complete body awareness-sometimes annoying body awareness. There is something special about every season, and seeing my children and the now less chubby hubby(more on that below) pitch in to clear snow while leaving treats for the non-migratory birds in our area makes me beyond happy. We have a large wildlife population since we live next to a salt marsh.

    Though I miss seeing the deer everyday, I know they have nice spots to hide under the wider conifers and there are still some areas of exposed green they can feed and people sneak them food, though before you feed your local wildlife, check what is safe and understand not all animals are friendly, not even deer. However, by me, these deer have learned to take food from people and all year I find offerings people have left for them. I still see them eating grasses and vegetation and occasionally someone’s tasty flowerbed, but it’s all part of getting your vitamins I suppose.

    Anyway, embracing the new healthier you is something I got the chubby hubby on board. He has a long family history of diabetes and his sugars were running super high. He is now within normal numbers (with meds, diet and exercise) and has lost around fifty pounds. He would have lost more but the biceps and quads are larger and the six pack he lost decades ago is returning. Muscle weighs more than fat-a note to everyone heading back to the gym, you might actually gain weight in the beginning as you add muscle. We are super proud of the work the now less chubby hubby has done and the example he is setting for the imps.

    As for me, I have gotten a new glucose meter and my numbers are within normal limits with diet alone (yay!), even though it means giving up my gummy bears and Dr. Pepper (stress snacks) for a while and weighing my fruit. Discipline is everything and I will be walking more once the weather lifts, hoping the groundhog says it is soon this year. I know my spring weekends are busy because of my side gig as an artist with moving 3-dimensional canvases. If face painting toddlers through adults doesn’t give you a workout, nothing will. I actually do back exercises to be ready for painting, and for any artists out there those yoga balls are great!

    Now, I normally leave a recipe and talk up a book and since I don’t have a guest author this weekend, I want to invite you to look through my previous posts at some of the incredible authors we’ve had. Since I am sans author this week, I’m going to tell you about what I’ve been writing.

    Valentine’s Day is a huge holiday for me, partly because my daughter was born on that day and partly because I am a hearts and flowers kind of girl. I love adventures and though I was offered a bed and breakfast weekend this year, I had to pass on it because I’ll be celebrating Valentine’s day with my local karate school. I’m bringing the cake pops.

    Since it’s such a huge holiday for me, I figured to write a Valentine’s day story, and with me its either monsters or mayhem. This time mayhem won out, so be ready for adventure. Fingers crossed, the Amazon entities will push it through quickly and I’ll have this out to you by Valentine’s Day.

    When the snow falls, I’ll be drinking my high-polyphenol hot chocolate which isn’t at all bad without dairy so long as I add 4 grams of sugar of in the raw or add it to decaf American style coffee.

    This is a recipe that you can spice up with alcohol, or leave it a virgin and the kids can have it too. There are probably hundreds of versions of this, this is mine. Enjoy!

    Strawberry Jello Drink-the perfect mid-winter pick me up

    Ingredients:

    1-6oz. Package strawberry flavored Jello

    2-cups hot water

    4-cups ice (lemonade ice cubes perk this up even more)

    1-2 liter Sprite to taste (substitute lemon or lime flavored seltzer if you are going for less sugar)

    2 cups pineapple juice

    1 container of fresh strawberries

    You’re also going to need:

    1- Large carafe/jug

    1- heat resistant 8 cup container

    1- kettle

    1-cutting board

    Glasses for serving

    Oven mitts

    Ice cube tray-if your making your own lemonade ice cubes

    How to make it:

    1. First, assemble everything you need
    2. Cut strawberries in half or slices, reserve a few for garnish
    3. Boil water in kettle
    4. Pour two cups boiling water into heat safe container. I use borosilicate glass or Pyrex. Don’t forget your oven mitts here. This is super hot.
    5. Add Jello and stir until dissolved. Will still be hot so be careful.
    6. Let Jello mixture cool slightly.
    7. Add your pineapple juice to the Jello mixture. The bromelain in the pineapple juice will keep the Jello from setting, so no worries about a clumpy drink. (Fresh kiwi also works if you don’t have pineapple juice-actinidin in kiwi stops Jello from setting)
    8. Cool completely
    9. Pour in a pitcher, add your Sprite or lemon lime soda and get ready to serve.
    10. Fill glasses with ice (lemonade cubes if you have them) and sliced strawberries. Fill glasses with drink and garnish with strawberry.
    11. Serve and enjoy!

    If you are skipping out on Dry January and making this for the over 21 crowd add 1.5 ounces of champagne, vodka, tequila, or clear rum to each glass or 1 cup(8oz.) per pitcher. Remember to be sure everyone has a safe way home and no one is driving anywhere-the sugar and alcohol sneak up on you.

    Cocktails, Liquid Friday with Eden Freed, soccer mom updates

    Liquid Friday-Holiday Cookie Edition

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    The weather outside has been frightful in NJ and combined with the loss of daylight hours, it’s making my children a little grinchy. There are some holiday traditions I know will always pull them out of the funk and get them smiling. Celebrations are important and help mark the passage of time, something that is always in short supply.

    This weekend my youngest is going through all his college acceptances, of which there are many and praying to the gods of finances that he can manage to attend one of them. The offers thus far have been lackluster and even with financial aid, make most of them an improbability. So far it he has gotten accepted to six of twenty fantastic schools he applied to in the tristate area and one up in Massachusetts. We are waiting anxiously on the rest.

    For a valedictorian, he’s probably gotten accepted to the most colleges & universities of anyone in his school, and with the brilliant minds at work, that says a lot. I’m hoping he is accepted to all of the schools he applied and then one of them will give him an offer he can’t refuse. He is like me with a wanderlust, making him eager to be away and explore new settings. He’s also a tireless geek like his mom and you can find him at his computer researching information for papers and reports until dawn and then going to school to apply his research.

    I don’t often talk about my children on social media because I feel like everyone has a right to their privacy, but I’m so proud of him that I had to share it. That being said, he’s a tad grumpy during this stressful time and I know the activity that cheers him up the most-making cookies. He has a sweet tooth that store bought treats can’t satisfy and I encourage his initiative in the kitchen.

    Like me he uses fresh fruit, real vanilla, and a little alcohol(the adult beverage kind) as flavoring agents since it’s more economically practical than the little expensive bottles of artificial fruit flavors. Since his grandmother sent us a crate of oranges, I saved one for sugar cookies. I use the rind and all, so I’ll leave you my recipe for drop sugar cookies below.

    I am in the process of finishing a book (quick read) and it’s absolute bedlam here, but our Christmas tree is up (it’s black this year), decorated with lights and shiny balls, and we’re having a spooky creepmas for the kids since that’s what they decided. I have creepy paper and bows and am ready to cook a roast beast in full on grinch mode, after our night of the seven fishes because traditions are important(at least a few of them).

    The dogs are getting a treat for the holidays, too, but I have to be careful with what I am feeding to Mooshu since he is willing to try anything but changes to his diet often have disastrous consequences. If you have doggies remember not everything on the holiday table is safe for doggies and it is better to make special foods for them in advance-like boiled chicken and fresh veggies or sweet potato, something that doesn’t contain any salt, garlic, onion, or sugar. We got some lovely purple sweet potatoes, full of anthocyanins to help keep them youthful, and we have a metal garbage can that is dog proof to keep them from any tempting cooked bones.

    While you wait for my quick read, I’ll pop the recipe below. As with any sugar cookie, add a little more flour, refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight, and you can roll them out and use your favorite cookie cutters. Add a little natural food coloring for fun swirl cookies.

    Drop Sugar Cookie Recipe

    Ingredients:

    3 cups flour

    1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

    3/4 tsp. salt

    3/4 cup butter or butter substitute

    1 1/2 cup sugar (granulated or 10x)

    2 eggs

    1 tsp. vanilla sugar or 1/2 vanilla bean caviar

    1 tsp. orange liqueur

    grated orange rind/zest (about 1/2 an orange)

    (optional) 1 Tablespoon orange juice

    What to do:

    1. Cream butter and sugar together
    2. Add liqueur, zest, vanilla sugar, and fruit juice (1 tablespoon if you choose to add it)
    3. Beat eggs and add in slowly
    4. Sift all your dry ingredients (salt, flour, baking powder) together and slowly add to your wet ingredient mixture until thoroughly combined and without lumps. We don’t want to overwork the cookie dough and make them touch, but we don’t want to chomp down on a lump of flour either.
    5. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight. If you are making cookie cutter cookies add at least 2 Tablespoons extra flour.
    6. When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
    7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drop cookie mixture by the teaspoon or roll out 1/8 inch thick and use cookie cutters. You can add sugar sprinkles before you bake or decorate after. Bake 6-10 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool before decorating with royal icing. If you have small children or big artsy ones this activity can take hours 🙂
    8. Serve and enjoy

    Tip: I like to sandwich some rose jam or orange marmalade between two cookies-so good with a cup of tea or coffee.

    Have a happy holiday. If you are looking for holiday cocktail mixers-check the Liquid Friday blog for lots of great recipes, some from your favorite authors.

    #Mocktails, Books worth checking out, Cocktails, Halloween, Liquid Friday with Eden Freed, My Book, soccer mom updates

    Halloween Edition Liquid Friday Blog

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    It’s time to celebrate. The decorations are up, the pumpkins have been carved, the puppies are in costume, and a big bucket of candy is waiting outside for my trick-or-treaters. I’ve got some party foods in the oven, including pigs-in-a-blanket and spooky English muffin pizzas for the kids. Since I’m having children at the party, I will have some spooky mocktails for them and something a little stronger for me. Make sure you pick one color with alcohol and one color without and please if you are using a punchbowl, put the nonalcohol version out. Keep the over 21 version safely away from children and make sure guests that are drinking are not driving-I can’t stress this enough.

    I’ve spent this month getting my newest book, Knot A Psychic out on Amazon in the many forms readers like, so I’m completely batty at this point. After the big release I grabbed my favorite horror books from Stephen King, Anne Rice, Clive Barker, and some of the original greats and have been reading. It’s Halloween here all year, so scary books are not in short supply.

    This is also the last day 10/31/2025 to pick up your free Kindle copy of Knot An Actress, book 1 of the All Tied Up In Knots series. Don’t wait until the free offer is gone.

    With the snacks in the oven and the timer set, it’s time to start making the mock/cocktails. See the recipes below and let me know which is your favorite.

    Pick one for adults and one for children (different colors so there are no mix ups).

    Dracula’s Teeth- sure to knock the teeth off your favorite vampire! It’s a fun twist on a Kir Royale.

    Adult version-(this has alcohol, so drink in moderation and don’t drive or operate heavy machinery)

    Making for children or alcohol free peeps-omit all the alcohol (use the substitutions) and put in cute spooky glasses-yes you can add some fangs ’cause its fun. I’ve also used clear plastic cups with lids and bat stickers-huge success.

    What you’ll need:

    Wax or Plastic Vampire Teeth

    Martini Glasses or Champagne Flutes

    A bottle of CHILLED Champagne, Spumante, or Moscato depending on your taste (substitute sparkling cider for children)

    Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur (substitute 1/2 ounce blackberry juice and 1/2 ounce black cherry juice for children)

    Enough Grenadine to dip your fangs in

    Recipe- double, triple, or quadruple as needed

    1 ounce Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur (5 ounces if you make it by the pitcher)

    5 ounces Champagne, Spumante, or Moscato (entire bottle if you make it by the pitcher)

    Enough grenadine to dip your glasses in and fangs to garnish your glasses(see image above for inspiration). What I like to do is take a small plate and pour about 2 ounces grenadine onto it and just refill as needed when rimming glasses. You can also add some red dusting sugar if you have sparkly vampires.

    1. Rim your glasses and soak your fangs in grenadine.
    2. Add 1 ounce Chambord to your glass.
    3. Fill to just below the rim with 5 ounces or so of your favorite bubbly.
    4. Garnish glass with fangs, and serve cold.

    Purple People Eaters

    Remember, if you are making this for ADULTS THAT DRINK ALCOHOL(over 21) you can use the alcohol version. If you are making this for children or adults that don’t drink alcohol, double the amount and put in cute glasses(not shot glasses).

    What you need:

    Gummy eyeballs, lots of them!

    Shot glasses (or fun cups for children)

    Vodka (substitute 7-up or Sprite for children)

    Blue Curaçao (substitute Blue Kool-aid for children)

    Sweet & Sour Mix (omit for children)

    Grenadine (Thicker red kool-aid works fine if you don’t have any on hand)

    Cranberry juice- the redder, the better

    Ideally, you’re looking to get that purple color so play with ingredients if you don’t like the shade.

    Recipe:

    1 1/2 ounces vodka

    1 ounce Blue Curacao

    1 ounce sweet & sour mix

    1 ounce grenadine

    1 ounce or more cranberry juice

    Add all ingredients to a measuring cup or pitcher and pour into shot glasses. Add gummy eyeball, serve.

    Remember if you are serving this variation for children, make sure everything (including your grenadine) is alcohol free. Double or triple the recipe for children and don’t forget the gummy eyeballs. Yes, you can make this all in a punch sized bowl, but I prefer cups with lids for small children. (2024 Target had these cute eyeball shaped glasses with lids, perfect for children that want some spooky fun- or you can decorate paper cups with a self adhesive googly eyeball just saying)