Today, I started my day by spending some time with the Perpetual Puppy and then heading out to see Blue Beetle. Overall a great movie- go see it if you can.
Still, my wandering heart wasn’t satisfied and I packed up half the crew and headed out to the beach. The sky was blue and the wind dragged sand off tiny pebbles, revealing hidden beauty.
Still more treasures were unearthed and I was shown shells of every color and size by the minions and the Mr. But the beach had one final treasure in store for me, a miniature library full of books and magazines. I’ll be dropping off copies of my books for eager readers, becuase everyone should have something to read on a long beach day.
Treasure!
I’ll be heading home for a cocktail (recipe below) and listening to Neil Gaiman on Audiobooks on the way.
PIÑA COLADA RECIPE: adults over the legal drinking age and responsible enough to not drive only please.
Ingredients-
1 1/2 OZ BACARDÍ RUM Of CHOICE
2 1/4 OZ PINEAPPLE JUICE
1/2 OZ CREAM OF COCONUT
Fill a tall glass with ice. Blend your ingredients and pour over ice. Garnish with a piece of fresh Pinapple and maraschino cherries. Just Yum!
Double, triple, or just make a pitcher for sharing with company- even a hit in the winter.
I’m here with some friends (21 and over crowd) at Brook Hollow Winery for some live music by Rich Ortiz, a glass of Rose (my company is enjoying a pitcher of cranberry raspberry wine slushy), some snacks provided by the food truck(try their mac and cheese- excellent) and majestic views despite the rain.
Everything is so lush and green in the vineyard and the surrounding hills are flocked out in summers best while a dense fog covers the caps. The ground is wet, so I’m not expecting to see fireflies on St. Andrew’s Eve, but the quiet soft noises of evening fill the space as the light wanes.
Whoever you’re with on your birthday, wherever you are, make every moment special.
Tonight our Liquid Friday Blog is on location at Brook Hollow Winery. In just a week this lovely and scenic winery will host Roz Lee’s A Day or Two of Wine Romance and More- book fair. We’ve eager attended her events as they are spectacular turn outs.
A glass of wine and a wonderful view
This year is a multi-genre event, so stop by, visit the authors, have a wine tasting and a glass of wine and buy a bottle for home. I’m drinking the rose tonight and enjoying the peace and scenic views with my editor, who knew?!
Ally Brown
As I start my second glass of wine, I’d like to take a moment to remind you to support your local authors. Hours and tears go into each and every book, and unlike AI writing you can get hooked into a series. I generally take three months to write a book and six to edit it. We now have more than ten works published (2 full books and eight quick reads). Do take a look at them and let me know what you think. I love, love, love feedback from my readers and you always make me smile. The link is below.
If you haven’t checked out the other authors I’ve hosted, you’re in for surprises. Roz Lee is a favorite of mine and she has multi genre work I think you’re going to love. Link is below.
St. Patrick’s Day falls on the same day as my Liquid Friday blog this year, so there will be enough green beer and silly cocktails to keep you busy. To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, we’re going to make a batch of cupcakes. Since it falls on a weekday and I’m up to my eyeballs multi-tasking, we’ll use a boxed mix and keep it simple and flavorful. I’m tossing my corned beef in the crock pot with potatoes, carrots, cabbage wedges, and some peppercorns, so I can keep my oven free for baking.
Let’s get started.
Grab you favorite green cupcake liners and heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, we’re baking.
Cupcake Ingredients:
1 Box chocolate cake mix (I use Duncan Hines but really any brand will do)
1 1/4 cup Guinness to replace the water portion on the box
3 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil (yes, you can still substitute 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup applesauce for oil for lower fat cupcakes)
Before you put liners in your favorite cupcake tin, sprinkle some rice in between. This gives you a little air cushion so you have the perfect bottoms on your cupcakes. If you decide to skip the liners, grab two 9″ cake pans and fill equally for a chocolate cake that will make you lick your lips. Once your done baking, save the rice to reuse next time.
Mix wet ingredients and slowly whisk in the box mix until smooth. Pour 1/2 to 2/3 full into cupcake liners and bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 23 minutes (they’ll spring back when you touch them or a toothpick will come out clean).
While your cupcakes are baking its time to make the frosting. If you used a red velvet chocolate cake mix use the doctored cream cheese icing mix at the bottom of the page, otherwise mix up a batch of Bailey’s Flavored Buttercream(recipes below).
NOTE: If you’re serving children omit alcohol from icing-most alcohol will cook out in the oven for the cupcakes, but we don’t bake the icing, so just omit the alcohol.
Bailey’s Flavored Buttercream icing
2 sticks butter (8oz total) softened
1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar
1-2 teaspoon(s) vanilla sugar (blended sugar and vanilla bean)
3 Tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream Liquor
Hand or machine blend until smooth and fluffy. Put in a pastry bag and decorate cooled cupcakes. Top with sprinkles, party picks, or shaved chocolate.
Jameson Black Barrel Cream Cheese Icing
1 stick butter softened
1 package (8oz.) Phili Cream Cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons Jameson Black Barrel Whiskey
Since you have some liquid in this recipe, you won’t need any milk. If, however you omit the alcohol, add 1-2 Tablespoon milk.
Blend until incorporated and then whip for added volume. Spoon frost or use a pastry bag with this icing and top with some sugar crystals or a light dusting of brown sugar for extra flavor.
Whichever version you went with, I hope your cupcakes come out great and you have a safe and happy holiday.
Join my mailing list or keep checking back for new recipes, cocktails, authors and their books, and some of my crazy stories.
We are featuring a paranormal teen fantasy this week, so we’ll keep our treats fun and light.
Time of the Silver Dragon: Tales of the Zodiac Shifter Book 1 currently available on Amazon
Storyline: After years of hard work, practice, and sacrifice, Silver has earned the honor of entering the coveted underground martial arts tournament in Chinatown. Her excitement is only matched by her fear of failure. Little does she knows that the tournament is not the end, but the beginning of trouble, trouble times twelve. After the tournament is over she must face the wrath of the grandmaster, her illusions about herself, and find out who her real friends are. She finds out that the myth of the twelve zodiac animals great race, the Jade Emperor, and even demons are real. In this frightening new reality, will she have the strength to save humanity?
Our recipe: Silky Onion Dip with veggies and crisps
Ingredients
1 container silky tofu
1-2 packages vegan onion dip mix
Fresh Veggies (carrot sticks, celery sticks, snow peas, sugar snap peas, cucumber slices, green and red pepper slices, blanched asparagus spears)
Crisps (your favorite chips, pretzels, or fried wonton wrappers)
Cut silky tofu into small squares and pulse in food processor with package of onion soup mix until blended. Add more soup mix to taste and put in a bowl surrounded by your favorite munchies- it’s that simple.
Serve your Silky Onion Dip and munchies to friends or just have a snack anytime. We absolutely love this with gingerale mixers (1 ounce pomegranate juice, matcha tea, grape juice, or orange juice to 4 parts gingerale).
It’s Mardi Gras and we couldn’t be happier! We’re making enough sweets and treats to keep us busy until Fat Tuesday(shrove Tuesday), but rather than give you a recipe, we’ve got a FREE ebook short story for you today on Amazon.
Just click the link below to download your copy (this weekend only) and get you in the Mardi Gras mood. Relax with a nice chicory coffee and some warm beignets or a slice of King’s Cake. Pick your favorite jazz artist from Louisiana and enjoy our short story.
If you enjoyed King of the Mardi Gras, leave us a review and check out our other books. Our All Tied Up In Knots series has 2 full books and 6 short reads- perfect to keep you busy between Mardi Gras parties.
Laissez les bons temps rouler. 🎺 (Let the good times roll.)
It’s officially February, and with 18 days left to go before Fat Tuesday and a freezing cold front moving into NJ, you know I had to give you a fantastic cocktail from New Orleans. It’s the perfect little something to make you feel warm and toasty inside and end Dry January ( For ages 21 and over. Don’t drink and drive)
There is something special about the history and charm of New Orleans and I hope you make that trip in time to see the gayety of Mardi Gras Parade floats going by. For now, let’s warm up with a nice cocktail.
Sazerac-
Ingredients-
Absinthe rinsed glass
2 parts(1.5 oz.) rye whisky
3 dashes Peychaud
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Splash of sugar, simple syrup, or Sugar cube(my favorite)
Lemon twist
How to:
Start by chilling a glass with ice cubes(or sticking in the freezer for a few minutes). The end product won’t be diluted with ice.
Once your glass is chilled rinse it with the absinthe of your choice and discard excess(or use it to rinse a few more glasses for company). This will leave a delicious flavor on the rim of the glass as well as a hint of the taste in the beverage.
Add 1.5 ounces rye whisky to your chilled and rinsed glass and in a second glass muddle a sugar cube with 2 dashes angostura bitters and 3 dashes Peychaud.
Add the sugar solution to your glass of rye whiskey and serve with a lemon twist. It’s the perfect cocktail and if you haven’t tried one yet, you’re missing out.
Enjoy! Let the good times roll.
Visit our other recipes for your cocktail parties and read some of our visiting authors.
We’re past the middle of Dry January 2023 and two weeks into Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans. What better time to mix up a batch of Virgin Hurricanes and check out the parade?
To see this year’s parade route, click on the link below. Recipe to follow.
Dubonnet and Gin, one a little stronger than the other
As a young girl my thoughts were on knights, princesses, castles, and unicorns. With news of the Royal wedding, it seemed everyone was buzzing about Prince Charles III and Lady Diane. There have been more weddings since then and one can’t help but admire how her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II managed to handle all the excitement.
As a mother myself, I strive to be part of all my children’s celebrations but I have to admit they can be exhausting. I don’t ever recall seeing the late queen waiver. Though her duties were always many, she seldom was seen without a welcoming smile.
When I sit this evening I’ll have one her of her favorite aperitifs(a cocktail meant to stimulate the appetite), a Dubonnet and Gin, and think fond thoughts.
For ages 21 and over- Dubonnet and Gin recipe:
1 part gin
2 parts Dubonnet
Mix well and we’ve in a wine glass. Drink safely and responsibly.
After a too brief beach visit to the Jersey shore on Wednesday(long story), this Jersey girl is missing ocean breezes and the feeling of sand under her toes. Knowing the beach season is coming to an end has me feeling blue and maybe I’ll just have a fun blue cocktail with Blue Curacao to perk me up.
Butler, the perpetual puppy, sits guard over a pair of my beach flip flops expectantly because he knows when I leave him with a sitter there will be many treats. Let’s face it, anytime is a good time for treats when you’re an impish Chinese Crested dog that’s too busy learning circus style tricks to figure out how to chase his own tail. There will be treats, that much we can be sure of.
As for the cocktail while I find a good book to sink my bookworm teeth into, lets make a Blue Lagoon.
Blue Lagoon Recipe:
1 fl. oz. Vodka- Belvedere if you got it
1 fl. oz. Blue Curacao
1/3 fl. oz. lemon juice
1/3 fl. oz. lime juice
Add 7-Up or other lemon lime soda to fill glass and garnish with starfruit slice and a green cherry. Have it with your favorite beach snacks and great book.
Here’s the reminder- Please use caution when drinking any alcohol beverage. We want to keep you partying and living life, so don’t drink and drive and don’t engage in any risky behavior. Save the SSC or RISK for a sober moment 😉
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