11 November 2008

Thanksgiving, Recipes and Works in Progress


I live in Ohio and believe it or not it's just now starting to feel like fall. For some strange reason we've had unusual weather in which summer would not let go. But autumn is now knocking on our door and I'm loving it. Of course ask me in January and I'll be singing another tune.

Now that the leaves are off the trees and the hat and mitten tub is out again, I've been thinking a lot about Thanksgiving. I love Thanksgiving almost more than Christmas (notice I said almost). Thanksgiving is less rushed, less hectic and a wonderful time to indulge yourself and bond with your family.

I don't host Thanksgiving dinner. Instead I get the luxury of going to two houses and eating two huge turkey spreads. But I do cook a lot of the dinner for my mom. Deserts are my favorite to make. If I could toot my horn a little, people rave over my deserts and each year I try to outdo the last. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.

This year I've decided my "new" recipe will be the Pumpkin Roll. Click here for the recipe and tell me what you think. Just looking at the picture makes me smell ginger and cinnamon and pumpkin. Oh, wait. That's the pumpkin pie candle I have burning.

Now I'm hungry.

My other favorite and one my kids beg me to make all the time and the guys my husband works with just die for is Chocolate Caramel Brownies. This is a favorite everywhere:

Chocolate Caramel Brownies

1 German chocolate cake mix

1 bag caramels

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 stick butter

1 cup chocolate chips

preheat oven to 350 degrees

Melt caramels and 1/3 cup evaporated milk in saucepan. Mix cake mix, 1/3 cup milk, and butter until crumbly. Press half of the cake mixture into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 6 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Pour chocolate chips over cooked cake layer. Poor melted caramel over chocolate chips. Crumble remaining cake mixture over caramel.

Bake 15-18 minutes.



As for Works In Progress, well I just finished another Vampire story that I am completely excited about. I can't tell you much because I haven't even submitted it to my editor yet, but I can say I absolutely love the two main characters and their journeys to each other (yes, I did say journeys). My romantic suspense, Redemption, was on Samhain's bestseller list for two weeks in a row and I couldn't be more thrilled. Thank you all for purchasing it and I hope you loved John and Hope's story.

I won't be posting again before Thanksgiving so here's hoping you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

3 comments:

Carolan Ivey said...

Mmm, pumpkin roll! My brother in law's ex used to make the best pumpkin roll on the planet. It's the only thing I miss about her. lol

Anonymous said...

LOL, Carolan. I hear you. Maybe you can try this one and then you won't have to miss her at all.

Carolan Ivey said...

Nah. Better cooks in the family than I have tried and it's good, but not quite the same. She had a magic touch when it came to baking - maybe because of her Amish ancestry (she isn't, herself, but her maiden name is a common one among the local Amish).

Me and baking don't get along too well. I can do simple things like biscuits and pound cakes pretty well. Anything more complicated than that, fergit it. :)