Try These Recipes For Thanksgiving by Kristin Wallace

It's November which means Thanksgiving is almost here. If you’re still deciding on a menu for the big day, I have a couple to share with you that you will love! 

Sweet Potato Casserole 

Ingredients:

3 cups mashed sweet potato

1cup sugar

½ cup milk

1/3 cut butter softened

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Blend everything together until it is smooth and creamy. Pour into a oven safe baking dish.

Topping:

1 cup chopped nuts (Use pecans or almonds. I prefer pecans.)

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup melted butter

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the melted butter and stir until it is moist. If it’s too runny or goopy add a little flour to thicken. Crumble the mixture in chunks on top so it covers the entire surface.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes

Smashed Potatoes

What is Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes? We make these in my house every year, and they are delicious. 

Ingredients:

1 -1½ lbs. of Yukon Gold potatoes (unpeeled)

½ tsp. of salt

4 Tbsp. heavy cream

2 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. milk

Salt & Pepper

Boil potatoes in a large pot, with a little bit of salt. Cook for about 15-20 minutes until you can poke them easily with a fork. 

Drain water and let the potatoes sit for a few minutes. Peel the potatoes, leaving some of the skin on as you go. Cut up potatoes and put them in a large bowl. Add the butter, milk and cream and beat until everything is smooth. Use salt and pepper to taste.

Derby Pie

What's Thanksgiving without pie? The last dish is for Kentucky Derby Pie. If you like chocolate you will love this.

Ingredients:

½ cup melted butter

1 cup sugar

½ cup flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

¾ cup chocolate chips

¾ cup nuts (walnuts or pecans)

9 inch unbaked pie crust or shell

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into the pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the top is browned. DEVOUR!

Hope your holiday is DELICIOUS!

Kristin Wallace is the USA Today Best Selling Author of inspirational and sweet contemporary romance filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith”. Her latest book, SECOND CHANCE HERO, part of the Palm Cove Tales is available now. 

AMAZON  /  APPLE BOOKS  /  B&N   /   KOBO 

Halloween History...by Kristin Wallace

So, it's October now, which means Halloween is a couple weeks away. Pumpkin Spice is everywhere. Hocus Pocus is on TV every day. Plus, there are other fall customs…carving a pumpkin, hayrides, hot apple cider, caramel apples. Choosing a costume. My mom made several of mine growing up, including a witch and a princess. There’s trick o’ treating and Halloween parties. 

Those are all big traditions of Halloween, at least in the US. But do you know the true history behind the holiday? Where did it come from and why was it celebrated? 

In the Beginning

The origin of Halloween dates back over 2,000 years with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain in Ireland and parts of England. The Celts celebrated their new year on November 1, which marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. Samhain was celebrated on October 31. On that night it was believed that the ghosts of the dead were actually able to walk the earth. To commemorate the event, the Celts dressed up in costumes and built huge bonfires to burn crops and make animal sacrifices. When Samhain was over, they re-lit their hearth fires from the sacred bonfire in order to protect their families during the winter. 

The Holiday Evolves

In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 All Saints’ Day, or All Hallows Eve, a time to honor all saints and martyrs. The holiday incorporated many of the Samhain traditions, including bonfires, parades and dressing up in costumes. Eventually, All Hallows Eve became known as Halloween. 

In the US, the more popular traditions (such as dressing up & trick o' treating) didn’t take shape until the second half the nineteenth century, mostly due to the large influx of Irish immigrants who began arriving in the 1840s. It wasn’t until the 1950s that Halloween evolved into a secular holiday aimed at children.

Check out this webpage for more in-depth history.

http://www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween

Halloween Holiday Trivia:

Jack o’ Lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits on Samhain. 

It takes an average of 252 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.

According to the National Confectioner’s Association, more than 35 million pounds of candy corn are produced every year. 

Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America.

Halloween candy sales average about 2 billion dollars annually in the United States.

Chocolate candy bars top the list as the most popular candy for trick-or-treaters with Snickers #1.

Halloween is the 2nd most commercially successful holiday, with Christmas being the first.

Bobbing for apples is thought to have originated from the roman harvest festival that honors Pamona, the goddess of fruit trees.

Black cats were once believed to be witch's familiars who protected their powers.

What are your favorite Halloween traditions? 

Kristin Wallace is the USA Today Best Selling Author of inspirational and sweet contemporary romance filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith”. Her latest book, SECOND CHANCE HERO, is available now. 

AMAZON  /  APPLE BOOKS  /  B&N   /   KOBO 

Annual Back to School Celebration...by Kristin Wallace

It's the most wonderful time of the year...no it's not Chrismas...yet. It's a wonderful time for parents as kids head back to school. I don't have kids myself, but I do enjoy seeing all the posts showing those "First day of (fill in grade)" pictures all over social media. Although, I have to admit that seeing pictures of high school friends who are now dropping their kids off at COLLEGE really freak me out. Aren't we all still 17? No one I know is old enough to have kids that age.

Seeing the kids in their brand new clothes as they head off for another year brings back a lot of memories. I remember taking that list of school supplies to the store and hunting down everything you need. Pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners, erasers, protractors, Trapper Keepers. Getting new textbooks that we promptly covered with brown paper bags, which we then “decorated”. In some schools, they don’t even have textbooks anymore, but a tablet like an iPad. I guess it does save their backs from having to cart around so many books, but you can’t cover them with a paper bag and draw on them.

There’s the wonder of getting your first locker, which didn't happen for me until Junior High. Or what we referred to as Junior High. Now, I think it’s called Middle School in most places. Where I went to school, we were in elementary school until fifth grade. Then some County official thought it would be a great idea to send all the sixth graders to one school. Can you imagine? A whole school of 11-12 year olds in one place? That’s like the basis of a horror film, right?

So since I can't share back to school photos of my kids, I will share a couple featuring a VERY cute little girl who happens to be me, circa Kindergarten. 

   

So tell me your favorite “Back-to-School” memories? Did any of you do the brown paper bag book covers? What kinds of traditions do you have with your kids now?

Kristin Wallace is the USA Today Best Selling Author of inspirational and sweet contemporary romance filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith”. Her latest book, SECOND CHANCE HERO, is available now. 

AMAZON  /  APPLE BOOKS  /  B&N   /   KOBO 

Chicken Noodle Soup For Your Taste Buds by Kristin Wallace

Everyone has been talking about food lately, with many of my fellow #SweetRomance authors sharing recipes. Yesterday was #NationalDoughnutDay. Is it a coincidence that a gourmet doughnut shop just opened within walking distance of my place? They make all these amazing flavors like the chocolate on chocolate with chocolate mousse filling pictured here. Plus, they had white chocolate, dulce de leche, cookies & cream, and key lime pie, among others. Is it a conspiracy to get me to eat more doughnuts? Maybe! 

 

However, I also want to show that I’m trying to eat healthier. Tonight I cooked homemade chicken noodle soup. It’s not my recipe. In fact, I stole it from my parents…who got it off the back of the chicken bouillon jar. It is DELICIOUS and so EASY to make!

Here’s the recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup. 

Start with chicken bullion. I like the “Better Than Bullion” brand for this recipe. It’s not a powder or cubes like some brands. It has more of a thick paste consistency so it’s creamier. 

Ingredients:

·       6 Tablespoons of chicken bouillon 

·       Half of a rotisserie chicken diced into small pieces (Note: You can use whatever chicken you want, but it does need to be cooked. Rotisserie chicken is easy as you can buy it cooked at the store. You can use more than half of the chicken, it just depends on how much you like)

·       8-10 cups (2 ½ quarts) of water

·       A package of frozen vegetables (I use 2 small bags, 1-corn and 1-mixed as I like a lot of corn and most frozen varieties either don’t have corn or only a very little. Use whatever veggies you like though.)

·       Egg noodles (This recipe says to use 6 ounces but I say screw that! The noodles are the best part! Use as much as you want!)

Directions:

·       Dissolve the bouillon in the water in a large pot

·       Add the chicken (diced), frozen vegetables, and egg noodles

·       Bring to a full boil

·       Lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the egg noodles are soft.

·      ENJOY!

Kristin Wallace is the USA Today Best Selling Author of inspirational and sweet contemporary romance filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith”. Her latest book, SECOND CHANCE HERO (Palm Cove Tales), is available now.

   AMAZON  /  APPLE BOOKS  /  B&N   /   KOBO 

Re-launching A Series by Kristin Wallace

After five years, I’m returning to my roots with the re-launch of my inspirational romance series. Covington Falls Chronicles represented my first four books and after getting the rights back from a publisher, I’m putting them out on my own. I've missed my quirky little Southern town and the equally quirky characters who live there. Eventually, I hope to add more Chronicles. There are so many side characters that I know have great stories to tell. 

On a side note, you have the privilege of seeing the new covers for the first time.

Marry Me (Book 1)

A lifetime of watching her parents treat relationships like the flavor of the month taught Julia Richardson that love is for fools. Then a crisis has Julia returning to the small Southern town she’s been avoiding for years. Before she knows it, Julia’s been pressed into service running her former stepsister’s wedding planning business. Julia doesn’t know a garter from a garden hose, but now she must navigate couples along the bumpy path down the aisle. In the midst of it all, Julia makes the most unexpected discovery of all…love, with widowed minister, Seth Graham. Julia’s been running from love and everything spiritual for most of her life. It’s not until she finds the courage to stop running and learns to believe in the power of love, faith and family that she finds her own “I Do” moment.

Acting Up (Book 2)

Addison Covington is the reigning Ice Queen of television. Until her producer husband falls in love with her on-screen daughter and a well-placed punch on national television casts her as the wicked ex-wife. Fired and disgraced, she escapes to Covington Falls, the idyllic Southern town where she found comfort in a time of turmoil as a teenager. Before Addison can say “casting call” she’s been recruited to direct the high school musical. Soon she’s dealing with some off-key caterwauling, a bitter stepson showing up on her doorstep, and Ethan Thomas, the boy-next-door turned sexiest high school principal she's ever met. In the end, Addison and Ethan will choreograph a happy ending with the help of Grace, Love and a Curtain Call.

Imagine That (Book 3)

Children’s author Emily Sinclair was supposed to be the next J.K. Rowling. Until her second book flopped and her imagination went on the fritz. So Emily sets out on an epic adventure to find inspiration again. Till a dead car lands her in Covington Falls, Georgia. Soon Emily is taking up her quest, looking for inspiration driving a mobile library van, as a companion to a crotchety old woman and her insomniac dog, and as a very ungraceful baker’s assistant. Of course, what really sparks her romantic fantasies is Nate Cooper, a valiant hero who yields a paint roller instead of a sword. On paper, these two would seem the least likely couple and a happily ever after nothing but fantasy. But with faith and imagination, Emily and Nate are about to write a new chapter that will lead to unexpected love.

By Christmas (Book 4)

Jilted bride, Noelle Robinson, had planned to leave town and skip the holidays. A family crisis changes everything, and now she’s out to save the family business and Christmas for Covington Falls. Soon she’s dealing with parades, a cantankerous ass (the animal kind) and negotiating disputes with Santa’s elves. However, it’s Michael Campbell, the brother of the man who shattered her dreams, who is threatening to disrupt her peace on earth and claim her heart. In the end, Noelle and Michael will have to move beyond past heartbreak to find their holiday happy ending…By Christmas.

 

I’m very excited to introduce you to these wonderful characters again! Look for more news about this series once they are available for pre-order. 

Kristin Wallace is the USA Today Best Selling Author of inspirational and sweet contemporary romance filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith”. Her latest book, SECOND CHANCE HERO, is available now.

Cruise With Your Muse by Kristin Wallace

Sunrise on the Caribbean

If you’ve been swamped by late-winter storms…I’m sorry. I might make your suffering worse with this blog, which is about the cruise conference I just went on last week. It was a conference with my local writer chapter, Florida Romance Writers…on a cruise ship. We do this conference every other year, but this time I somehow wound up as the conference planner. 

We went on a Royal Caribbean ship from Fort Lauderdale to Cozumel, Mexico. Having a conference on a cruise ship is both wonderful and challenging. The best part is simply hanging out with other authors for four days. Unlike a huge conference like RWA Nationals, we had about 50 people so we really get to know each other better. We also get value time with editors and agents, which you can never get at another type of conference. There were workshops and other group events, including our famous Floridian Idol where 2 pages of a manuscript are read out loud (anonymously of course) and then the panel of editors and agents give their immediate feedback. We also had the honor of hosting NYT and USA Today bestselling author, Jennifer Ashley as our Keynote Speaker. 

The challenges come from the simple fact that you are on a ship in the middle of the sea so you are pretty much at the mercy of the crew. You never know if the projector will work the way it’s supposed to…and it often didn’t. You have to be flexible and try not to freak out if something doesn’t

go the way you planned. (Or at least fake being calm and collected.)

I think the best thing about the Cruise Conference is meeting new people and making new friends. On this voyage, we had authors from Texas, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and even Belgium. Some were just starting out and others were multi-published, both traditionally and indie. I hope we’ll all keep in touch. I know I feel like I made 50 new friends. 

Kristin Wallace is the USA Today Best Selling Author of inspirational and contemporary romance, and women’s fiction filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith”. Her next book, SECOND CHANCE HERO, is part of a new Palm Cove Tales trilogy, and is available for pre-order now.

Second Chance Hero is the follow-up to The Heiress Games trilogy. This story features Serena Douglas, who not only lost the Armington fortune, but also managed to escape the competition without falling in love…or so she thought.

It all starts with a new challenge…and hairless cat named King Tut. Serena has a chance to win a $10 million fortune. All she needs is a job. Too bad the only one willing to hire her is the one man she’s been trying to forget since she was a teenager. 

Pre-order today

AMAZON   /   ITUNES    /     BARNES & NOBLE    /  KOBO

My Annual Super Bowl Commercial Awards by Kristin Wallace

Okay, yes it is February, which means Valentine’s Day, but since I am still very much single, I tend to ignore it entirely. Instead, I’m doing my 2^ndAnnual Super Bowl Commercial Awards where I present my favorite commercials from the big game. The Super Bowl was Sunday and though the game was a bit of snooze (13-3 and the last 10 points came in the last 5 minutes), there is still the entertainment factor of the commercials. Overall, even the commercials were a bit tepid this year, but there were a few standouts.

Best Super Bowl Commercials of 2019

NFL 100

The standout for me actually came courtesy of the NFL, which celebrated its 100th with a spot that featured a roomful of past and present football greats. The action starts in a ballroom of a reward show. There’s a cake with a gold football on top. The football is knocked off…and then chaos ensues, as every player wants that football. Brilliant and funny and so many great players, it’s hard to catch them all.

The Elevator – Hyundai

You know that saying, “I’d rather have a root canal” in reference to something you don’t want to do? I think that was the inspiration for this funny spot for Hyundai. It features Jason Bateman as an elevator attendant taking passengers to all kinds of horrible places, including the dentist, jury duty, the middle seat on an airplane. Of course, car shopping is among the horrors, but since the couple has Hyundai Car Assurance, it’s actually not so bad for them. 

T-Mobile

This spots is done entirely through texting and it’s super clever. There’s a guy wanting to celebrate Taco Tuesday but knowing his girlfriend with want sushi, a case of mistaken identity with a Lyft Driver, and a clueless dad thinking he’s texting Google for a recipe, but it’s really his daughter. 

  

Amazon – Not everything makes the cut

This ad shows the “fails” when Amazon tried to incorporate Alexa into a bunch of other products like dog collars, toothbrushes, hot tubs and even the space center. Also features a hilarious cameos by Harrison Ford and his dog. 

Mercedes-Benz - Say the Word

Yeah, there are a lot of car spots, but this one is clever and touts the voice commands of the Mercedez-Benz. A guy gets magical powers that can make parking tickets disappear, lights change to green, money rain out an ATM, and Free Willie. Too bad real life doesn’t happen that way, but it can “somewhat” happen with this voice-activated car. 

Kristin Wallaceis the USA Today Best Selling Author of inspirational and contemporary romance, and women’s fiction filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith”. Look for her upcoming release, SECOND CHANCE HERO.