Free Read

Today on Amazon, Kate's Kisses (Sweet Treats Bakery, is free on kindle books! Click that Buy Now button and enjoy one of Mary Manner's sweet romance novellas!

Happy 2013!!!

Hello friends! Hope all of you are doing well. We had a white Christmas here in the Ouachitas. At least seven inches of snow fell by midnight Christmas Day. I've loved seeing all the pretty white, but there are still remnants of it sticking around, and this warm-blooded Southern gal will be glad when it is all gone!

Do you make New Year's resolutions? (And do you have black-eyed peas on New Year's Day?--it is a definite tradition at our house!). I have made resolutions in the past, but these days I tend to work more on what I call 'eventual' goals for the year. In 2013, I want to eat better, read more, garden--flowers and vegetables, and, of course, I want to spend more time writing. I'm not sure how I'm going to make all of that work together, but I'm going to try, LOL!

I am still writing book two of the Chance Creek Bride series. It should be out by the end of February. I hope all of you that read Bride By Choice are looking forward to the second in the series. Several have asked if there will be another book to go with The Stagecoach Bride. For now, there is no plan for making that book part of a series, but I'll keep it in mind. And thank you for your interest.

I am now on Goodreads, so I hope all of you will join me over there, as well.

A Happy New Year to all of you:)

Healing Love

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Healing Love, the first in the new series, The Amish of Webster County, by Laura V. Hilton.  To celebrate this tour, Laura is giving away a basket of goodies, on her blog, all comments left on this blog or on her blog during the blog tour (November 1 -22nd) will be entered for the drawing of the Grate-Fall Basket.  Click on the link below the picture to go to Laura's blog to learn more about the participants and to enter the giveaway.  Don't forget a comment here also will give you an entry.  This book was provided by Whitaker House for review purposes, Blog Tour promoted by LovenGod Promotions.

                                                             Laura V. Hilton's Blog

Kristi Lapp loves her Amish life. She enjoys her job as a midwife, helping women through their pregnancies and assisting with the birth of their boppli (babies) into the world. But her life is changed forever when a speeding car sends her buggy over the edge of the highway and down a steep embankment, leaving her seriously injured.

Her recovery is slow and she is left with a painful leg and bad limp. The only bright spot she can see in her life is the fact that she was rescued by local veterinarian, Shane Zimmerman. A man that just happens to be her next door neighbor. Kristi finds herself falling for the handsome vet from the moment she sees him. But the fact that he is Englisch and she is Amish is a hurdle she sees no way to overcome. She must marry an Amish man. Her family will accept nothing less. But how will she ever reconcile herself to another relationship when her heart is lost to Shane?

Shane Zimmerman, still grieving from the tragic death of his pregnant wife, moves to Webster county to begin life anew. No woman has turned his head since his wife's passing. . .until he rescues Kristi Lapp. The beautiful Amish woman captures his every thought from the first. 

He realizes that the time has come for him to acknowledge that his heart is ready to move on. But a warning from Kristi's father to stay away from her leaves him torn between his respect for her father and the longing in his heart to love Kristi. He knows that he must trust God to find a way if the two of them are meant to be.

His own father left the Amish life many years ago to marry. It would take a leap of faith on Shane's part to leave behind his Englisch life. Will his prayers reveal that God is calling him back to his Amish roots? 

You will love Kristi and Shane from the start as they deal with the love that they have for each other, and their struggle to trust God to show them the path He has for them to take. 

Pumpkins

Nothing says fall like pumpkins! I love their bright orangey colors and their sometimes quirky shapes. The mini pumpkins make fantastic table decorations and the bigger ones give the porch a cheery look on a cool, cloudy afternoon.

For all their decorating potential, the thing we love most about pumpkins, around here. . .is eating them:) Below is our favorite pumpkin muffin recipe. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Muffins

2 cups all purpose flour                                1/4 cup softened butter
2 teaspoons baking powder                        1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon                       1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt                                         1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger                          1/2 cup of milk
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg                         1/4 cup of coconut oil or corn oil
1/8 teaspoon of cloves

Heat oven to 350. Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. In another bowl, beat together butter and sugar until creamy. Add egg, pumpkin, milk, and oil. Beat on high speed until mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in flour mixture just until moistened. Put in greased muffin tins and bake 24-30 minutes. Watch carefully if your oven cooks hot. Makes one dozen muffins.

Free on Amazon

If you're looking for a good read by a wonderful author, Laura V. Hilton's book, Patchwork Dreams, (The Amish of Seymour), is now free on Amazon for a short time. Enjoy!

Friday

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14 (KJV)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Cooking On The Trail

Men on the trail heading west had to make sure their wagons stayed in good condition, keep the livestock healthy, and watch for dangers along the trail. Women had many responsibilities. They assisted their husbands with the wagon and livestock, took care of their children, assisted other women that they were traveling in the wagon train, did laundry when there was a day available--for 'rest', and most importantly, keep everyone fed.

There were many food items to 'experiment' with along the way; sage hens, badgers, prairie dogs, rattlesnakes, etc. The main staples packed and brought along from the beginning of the journey included bacon, coffee, flour, cornmeal, soda, beans, and salt. They usually made make-shift biscuits or pancakes with bacon for breakfast in the mornings before starting back on the journey. There was usually a mid-day break so the livestock could rest. Most ate leftovers from breakfast at this time. The evening meal usually consisted of beans, some type of bread, and bacon.

After getting her fire started with buffalo chips, sagebrush, weeds, or wood, if it was available, a pioneer woman could have a meal made within an hour or two. Just in time to curl up under the wagon and rest before it was time to start all over the next morning.

Here is a variation of Irish Soda Bread that was popular on the trail:

Mix one teaspoon of baking soda with one cup of warm water. Stir thoroughly. Add 2 1/4 cups of flour and 1 teaspoon of salt. Knead well. You may cook at once, (in a covered, well greased Dutch oven or spider skillet over the coals if you are on the trail), or let rise overnight. Press down to one inch thick and bake on greased cookie sheet at 4oo degrees for about 25 minutes.