Preheat oven to 350°. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients; beat on low 30 seconds. Beat on medium 2 minutes. Fill prepared cups half full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
For frosting, in a large bowl, combine all ingredients, except additional strawberries; beat until smooth. Frost cupcakes. Garnish with additional strawberries. Store in the refrigerator.
A NEW ORIGINAL HALLMARK MOVIE: THE SECRETS OF BELLA VISTA!
From #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Susan Wiggs
“…sweet, crisp and juicy.”—Elin Hilderbrand
“A powerful story of love, loss, hope and redemption.”—Kirkus, Starred Review
Tess Delaney makes a living restoring stolen treasures to their owners. People like Annelise Winther, who has just been reunited with her mother’s long gone necklace, worth a sum that could change her life. To Annelise, whose family was torn apart during WWII, the necklace represents her history, and the value is in its memories.
But Tess’s own history is filled with gaps: a father she never met, a mother who spent more time traveling than with her daughter. Then the enigmatic Dominic Rossi arrives on her San Francisco doorstep with the news that the grandfather she never knew is in a coma and that she’s destined to inherit half of his apple orchard estate called Bella Vista. The rest is willed to Isabel Johansen, the half-sister she didn’t know she had.
With Dominic and Isabel by her side, Tess discovers world where family comes first and the roots of history run deep. A place where falling in love is not only possible, but inevitable. And in a season filled with new experiences, Tess begins to see the truth in something Annelise once told her: if you don’t believe memories are worth more than money, then perhaps you’ve not made the right kind of memories.
Wiggs deftly weaves a narrative that takes the reader from present day California to Denmark during WWII to tell a story of family ties both old and new—and the moments that connect our hearts.
What a delightful book! And I couldn’t predict the outcome at the beginning! Really appreciate the history and its generational pull. In these tough times it’s nice to read a well done book and one that makes me feel good-even if there are too many trite cliches.
12 oz raspberries, fresh or frozen thaw if using frozen
¼ cup sugar
2 Tbsp Raspberry Liqueur
Combine the fresh or frozen raspberries with the sugar in a medium saucepan. Simmer until the the berries break down and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat; strain, and refrigerate until cool.
Add the Raspberry Liqueur and stir to combine.
cocktail
3 oz half and half
2 oz vodka
2 oz raspberry syrup
1 oz white chocolate liqueur
Chill the glasses in the freezer for at least 5 minutes.
Rub the edge of the glass with white chocolate liqueur. Dip into either pink, red, or white crystals or a combination of all three.
Combine the half and half, white chocolate liqueur, vodka, and raspberry syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake until ice cold. Pour into chilled glasses and serve.
A cowboy and a career-focused city girl can’t agree on anything—until they fall into bed in this latest installment in the Texas Cattleman’s Club: The Wedding.
He’s Texas. She’s Hollywood.
…and together they’re playing with fire!
Dionna Reed is in Royal, Texas, to help plan her starlet bestie’s wedding. But when the bride and groom bail, all the planning falls to Dionna…and the too-hot, too-sexy best man who’s convinced Texas can outdo Hollywood for this wedding event of the year. Well, bring it on, cowboy.
Tripp Noble has one week to convince city-slicker Dionna that Royal is the perfect place for his cousin’s wedding—all the while keeping his hands off the gorgeous maid of honor. But cowboys don’t always follow the rules…
From Harlequin Desire: A luxurious world of bold encounters and sizzling chemistry.
You’ll be swept away by this bold, sizzling romance, part of the Texas Cattleman’s Club: The Wedding series:
Book 1: A Cowboy Kind of Thing by Reese Ryan Book 2: Designs on a Rancher by LaQuette Book 3: Four Weeks to Forever by Karen Booth Book 4: Make Believe Match by Joanne Rock Book 5: Oh So Wrong with Mr. Right by Nadine Gonzalez Book 6: The Man She Loves to Hate by Jessica Lemmon
ARC Book Review:
This is a Steamy Cowboy Romance, and this is the first book in the Texas Cattleman’s Club: The Wedding series . Casting director Dionna is in Texas to help plan her BFF’s wedding. She clashes with best man Tripp, who’s trying to convince her that his small town can produce a glamorous event to rival Hollywood. After meeting there’s a strong spark between Dionna and Tripp from the beginning, but it takes time for them to trust. She’s something of an introvert, while he’s a charmer. They’re both kind, open, and respectful to each other. They expect the affair to be short-term, but come to realize that they fit together better than they expected. It’s a steamy, heartwarming, and uplifting book. A hot opposite attract book that will lead to love? or Will it? Read the book and find out.
This Saturday Lagniappe we finish January with this Hot Spiced Apple Cider.
2 cups apple juice best to be homemade
1 orange zest
1/2 cup orange juice you’d need 1-2 oranges
3 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 star anise
1 inch ginger
1 cup water
Wash and chop the apples (I usually half or quarter – big enough to fit into my juicer chute) then pass them through your juicer.(If you’re using a blender: you’ll need to add a little water to the blender to help it along. Once blended, strain it through a cheesecloth or nut milk bag. Peel the apples beforehand if preferred)
Sieve the apple juice to remove any leftover pulp and foam. Zest one of the oranges. Then juice the oranges using your preferred method. Add the apple juice, orange zest and juice, spices, and ginger to a large enough saucepan. I also add water to dilute the drink a bit.
Bring to a boil over medium heat and reduce to a simmer. The longer you simmer, the more intense the flavor will become so I suggest giving it a try once it’s boiled and then continuing to try every 5-10 minutes for up to an hour
For hot Spiked apple cider: you can add rum (plain or spiced), bourbon, brandy, or even a little wine (like Madeira wine). You could also swap out some or all of the apple cider with alcoholic apple cider or use some apple brandy like Calvados.
Welcome to Saturday’s : Little Something Extra. January is Hot Tea month and I thought i would share Grams Hot Toddy recipe. Perfect for when you have a cold.
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 ounces bourbon/whiskey
1 black or rooibos tea bag
In a small sauce pan add cinnamon stick and water. Over medium-high heat bring to a boil. Once it hits a boil take off the heat. Add you tea bag and steep for 5 minutes.
Remove tea bag and stir in the honey.
In a large mug add the juice of half a lemon, bourbon/whiskey, and the tea with the cinnamon stick for a garnish. Drink while still warm.
Welcome to my Saturday Little Something Extra edition to my blog. Today I am sharing a cookie recipe to enjoy while you are reading your latest book. So make a batch of these and Enjoy!!!
1 cup all-purpose flour 120g
▢1/2 tsp baking soda 3g
▢1/2 tsp salt 5g
▢1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature, 113g
▢1/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light-brown sugar 140g, packed
▢2 tsp pure vanilla extract 10mL
▢1 large egg
▢1 1/2 cups rolled oats 135g
▢1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside.
Combine the butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute.
Add flour mixture; mix until almost combined.
Stir in the oats and chocolate chips. Chill dough for one hour to overnight.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Use a small ice cream scooper (two tablespoons) to Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.
Lisa Everyday Reads 