A Writer’s Sweet Tooth: Christmas Cookies

Who likes Christmas cookies? Do you have a favorite kind, or do you pretty much like them all, like someone I know, ahem?

We asked our authors to share some of their favorite cookies (or their character's) with us and we're delighted to share them with you. Share yours with us in the comments! We even located some recipes for you - just click on the cookie name.

Jerusha Agen says, "For snow lover Nye Sanders (in This Dance), her favorite Christmas cookie is a big snowflake-shaped, frosted sugar cookie."

(This Dance is FREE on Kindle 12/3-12/5!)

Betty Thomason Owens says Nancy Sanderson's favorite is Thumbprint cookies with currant jelly.

Fay Lamb tells us that Libby’s favorite cookie is an M&M Cookie, no matter the season.

(Meet Libby for the first time in Charisse - FREE on Kindle 12/2-12/4!)

Sheryl Holmes - Chocolate dipped Almond Biscotti


Elizabeth Noyes provides a recipe for her hunky rancher/ranger cowboy Garrett Cameron's favorite Christmas treat, Snickerdoodles. You can read about Garrett in Imperfect Wings.

Snickerdoodles

Ingredients

½ c. salted butter, softened
½ c. vegetable shortening
1½ c. plus 2 T. sugar
2 medium eggs
2¾ c. all-purpose flour
2 t. cream of tartar
1 t. baking soda
¼ t. salt
2 t. ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine the butter, shortening, 1½ cups sugar with the eggs. Beat with an electric mixer on medium until creamy and well mixed (about 2 minutes).

Sift together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the shortening mixture in small amounts, until well blended.

In a separate bowl, stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar with the cinnamon.

Shape the dough into 1½-inch balls. Roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar until coated. Arrange the dough balls 2-inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake until edges are set, but center is still soft (8-10) minutes. Cool on wire rack.

What's YOUR favorite Christmas cookie?

Today's the last day to get Peggy Cunningham's Really Rare Rabbits: Giant Green Ghosts and the Secret at Peppermint Pass for free, so grab it now!

Fay Lamb's Charisse is free today and tomorrow, so be sure to tell your romance-loving friends to get their copy. And don't forget about the next book in this series, Libby. She's quite the character, and there's a hunky hero involved in her story, in case you're interested. 

Join more of the Five Golden Days of Christmas here:

Wednesday's Blogs:

PNP: Treasured Christmas Ornaments of Authors and Characters

WIP: A Writer’s Sweet Tooth: Christmas Cookies

Sheryl Holmes: Give Hope: Be His Hands, Lips, and Feet

PNP BLOG: Writing and Teaching Romance Easier than Living It

WIP BLOG: The Unstoppable Power of Words

Tracy Ruckman: Immersed in the 1920s as Historical Fiction Writer

Julie Arduini: Christmas Music

Fay Lamb: On the Ledge: Miracle at 1782 Ayshire Drive

Tuesday's Blogs:

PNP BLOG: Does Your Nativity Set Have Personality? 

WIP BLOG: Authors and Characters Dream of Christmas Vacations 

Sheryl Holmes BLOG: Give Hope: Dump an Omelet in the Trash

PNP: Cancer Survivor and Mom of Nine Offers Hope All Year Long

WIP: Romantic Suspense Author Living on Faith 

Tracy Ruckman: Christmas at Rumi Rancho

Julie Arduini: The Focus of Christmas

Betty Owens: Authorview: Elizabeth Noyes

Fay Lamb: On the Ledge: A Very Special Mom

Monday's Blogs:

PNP: Writers’ Favorite Christmas Songs

WIP: Writers Play Secret Santa on Characters

Sheryl Holmes: Give Hope: Carry!

PNP: Rare Rabbits in Bolivia

WIP: Just Don’t Take Her Chocolate!

Tracy Ruckman: Romance, Suspense, Cruises, and Retirement: An Author’s Life

Julie Arduini: Christmas Present Memories

Fay Lamb: On the Ledge: Is that All?

Debra Butterfield Interview with Elizabeth Noyes

And be sure to mark your calendar! We're having a Facebook Party on Friday, December 5, and you're invited! We're giving away books, jewelry, Christmas ornaments, a Nativity, gift cards, and more! 

Today's Special Valentine: Stephanie Craig

Love and romance are year-round so we continue to recognize the authors of Heart Bouquets. Stephanie Craig is our Special Valentine today.

(Heart Bouquets is still on sale for only 99 cents!)



Stephanie's Favorite Romantic Meal:  Chicken Cordon Bleu. Stephanie says, "It was the main dish at our wedding, just like the couple in my book.  Whenever I eat it I think of our wedding day."

Tyler Florence has a great traditional Cordon Bleu recipe and as a bonus, I'm including a Cordon Bleu Casserole of my own below. (Yes, I'm a foodie!)

 

 

 

 

 

Cordon Bleu Casserole

 

by Tracy Ruckman

(Originally published on SheKnows)

 

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 slices deli ham
3 slices Swiss cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cups small button mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3 tablespoons sherry or red wine (broth may be substituted)
1 cup chicken-flavored stuffing cubes (like Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and coat a large casserole dish with olive oil or cooking spray. Place chicken in the bottom dish. Top with ham and cheese. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook onions, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until tender. Add soup and sherry and stir well. Remove from heat and pour over chicken. Top with bread cubes.

 

Bake for 45 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown.

 

 

 

Stephanie's Favorite Love Song: "As Long As Our Hearts Are Beating" by Jenny & Tyler

 

 

   

 

 

About Stephanie:

Stephanie is a freelance writer from Michigan.  She is a wife and a mother of two young boys.  She has written articles on many subjects ranging from Christian living to pediatric cancer.  Currently she is the Flint Christian Fiction Examiner and shares her love of Christian books and the NOOK on her blog Christian Booksfor your NOOK.  When she’s not writing you can find her reading, crocheting, scrapbooking, or enjoying time with her family.  Stephanie loves romance and wonders why most stories stop when the character gets married.  She believes that is where true love and fun begins. 

 

If you missed all the fun last week, check out these links:

Marji Laine - Special Valentine, Top 5 Romantic Couples, PINK Party (Marji had a PINK party all last week, with lots of special guests and fun, so check them all out!)

Jennifer Fromke - Special Valentine, Top 5 Romantic Destinations

Lynda Schab - Special Valentine, Top 5 Romantic Comedies

Peggy Cunningham - Top 5 Romantic Movies

Stephanie Craig - Top 5 Romantic Songs

Traci Tyne Hilton - Top 5 Romantic Gifts on a Budget

 

Come back tomorrow for another Special Valentine!

 

 

Call for Grandparent Recipes

In celebration of the upcoming release of Life Lessons from Grandparents: A Trip Down Memory Lane, we want to honor grandparents here on this blog all during the month of November.

We're going to share recipes from grandparents, and we'd love for you to share with us. During the month, we'll include some recipes from the contributors of Life Lessons, but we'll also share some of our readers' recipes.

To submit your grandparents' recipes, please follow these directions:

Please send the recipe and information in one e-mail with a subject of GRANDPARENT RECIPE, so I can keep them all straight. 

You may share a little about the recipe and/or your grandparent if you wish - 100-200 words, and if you wish to share one COOKING tip your grandparent(s) gave you, please do. 

If you have a picture of the food in the recipe, send it. We'll post food pictures with the recipes. Be sure to include your bio at the end, with any links to websites you'd like to share with readers. So to make it a quick list - here's what to submit in a separate Word document attached to an e-mail:

Brief Introduction of Recipe

Recipe

Cooking Tip (optional)

Food photo (optional)

Author Bio

Website Links (optional)

We will start featuring these on the WIP blog on November 1, and run them all month long. We'll start scheduling them to post as soon as I receive them - in the order they are received.

Thanks for helping us honor grandparents.