Apr 25, 2018 | Books, Contests, Events, News |
Heads up! Want to win a free eBook copy of A PIXIE’S PROMISE? I’m running three contests, giving you three chances to win!
April 27-29: BAD JOKE CONTEST – Come up with an answer to that age-old question, “Why did the dragon cross the road?”
May 4-6: FAN ART CONTEST – Draw your favorite characters and places from A WITCH’S KITCHEN and post them on my Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram feeds.
May 11-13: FANTASY BAKING COMPETITION – Think no cake is complete without twizzler sea serpents or unicorn horns? Make your fantastic confection and post photos on my Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram feeds.
Contests begin at noon Friday and end at midnight Sunday each week. You may enter as many times as you like. For each contest, one entry will be selected at random to receive a free eBook. Winners will be announced on our Kickstarter campaign page the Monday after the competition (April 30st, May 7th, and May 13th).
So get your creative juices flowing and stay tuned for further developments.
Apr 25, 2018 | Cooking, Recipes |
I am super busy with the Kickstarter campaign, so no time to bake, let alone test complicated recipes. Let’s go with something really simple this week: No-Bake Nutella Tart. The original recipe for this claims to require only five ingredients (also has much prettier pictures. I’ve whittled it down to four. It’s the perfect dessert to whip up in a hurry. Just keep Oreo pie crusts in stock (never a bad idea). In the photo above, I actually ran out and used a brownie mix as the base, pouring the ganache on top. Decadent!
NO-BAKE NUTELLA TART
- 1 Oreo crust pie shell
- 6 oz Nutella
- 10 oz bittersweet chocolate
- 8 oz heavy cream
- raspberries (optional)
- chopped hazelnuts (optional)
In a small saucepan, heat heavy cream until just starting to boil. Add chocolate and reduce heat to a simmer, stirring until the chocolate is fully melted. Remove from heat and add Nutella, stirring until fully blended. (Note: you can also just heat the cream and chocolate in the microwave, but I like the stove for finer control.) Pour into pie shell. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the fridge for 2 hours. Decorate with raspberries and chopped hazelnuts, if desired, then serve.
Apr 10, 2018 | Books, Events |
It’s live, folks! You can now order A Pixie’s Promise at Early Bird prices! And if you and/or your child enjoy paranormal mysteries, please consider supporting Twain’s Treasure as well. I thought it was a rollicking good read.
Also, a quick reminder that we’re holding a Facebook Party tonight, 5-7PM Eastern time, when I’ll be reading the first chapter of A Pixie’s Promise on Facebook Live! I hope you can join us.
Apr 4, 2018 | Cooking, Recipes |
I found the original version of this recipe in Tapas and Spanish Cookery by Hilaire Walden, and I adapted it to more Southwestern tastes, as well as simplifying it for Instant Pot cooking. As the descendent of many generations of sheep ranchers, I love lamb passionately, and this is probably my favorite lamb dish.
For those who do not live in the Southwestern United States, you can find adequate canned Hatch green chiles at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods, but I recommend ordering El Pinto’s Green Chile on Amazon.com. Likewise, any red chile powder, or even some good quality smoked paprika, will do, but Hatch or Chimayo red chile powder is best. Note that if this seems too spicy to you, you can simply substitute bell peppers for the chiles.
LAMB CHILINDRON
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-1/2 lb lean lamb, cubed (lamb stew meat will do in a pinch)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small Spanish onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup dry sherry (optional)
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup diced Hatch green chiles
- 4 beefsteak tomatoes, peeled seeded and chopped, or a 12-oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon red chile powder
Set your Instant Pot to saute and heat the olive oil. Brown the lamb thoroughly, in batches if necessary. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Add the onion to the Instant Pot and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add sherry and deglaze the pot. Stir in green chiles, tomatoes, and red chile powder. If using fresh tomatoes, simmer for about five minutes until the tomatoes break down into a chunky sauce.
Return the lamb to the Instant Pot and stir briefly to coat with sauce. Close the Instant Pot and set it to Meat/Stew for 45 minutes. Allow the Instant Pot to depressurize naturally. Serve with rice. Serves 6.
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