Stacey Brandon and Karen Bell – Crash

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Crash-front

Crash Synopsis:

Charli has a plan for her life. It does not include the hot guy at table four. This is the first time she’s seen him at The Crash, the bar where she works most evenings. From the moment he arrives with his power suit, condescending friends, and unnerving stare, he’s hijacked her thoughts. It doesn’t help that he keeps finding ways to insinuate himself into her life.

Logan has a plan for his life. It does not include the quirky little waitress at the new bar his friends discovered. He has a lot of obligations and very little time. If he needs a female distraction once in awhile, she isn’t the type of woman he normally looks to. Despite all of this, she has become what he wants most of all.

Working to overcome all the things threatening to separate them won’t be easy. Can they find a way to meet in the middle if it holds the promise of happily ever after?

Review:

Very fun book!  The things that come out of Liv and Charli’s mouths are fantastically hilarious.  Fortunately, for Charlie’s sake, it is just the perfect amount of insanity that makes Logan fall for her.

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The romance is also fun.  Logan and Charli’s work schedules make it difficult to do the traditional dating rituals, which lead to g0-cart racing and trips to the zoo.  Their inability to behave appropriately in a family-friendly environment is absolutely entertaining.

While I’m all about the HEA, I even liked the author’s heart break moments.

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The malicious characters act according to character and not in an over-the-top ridiculous fiction kind of way.  They both act with an appropriate amount of deceptiveness and bitchiness.

Finally, I liked the happily-ever-after because despite their major differences it was a shared belief in what is important that brings them together.  Couples don’t need to like all the same things – they don’t need to like to eat at the same types of restaurants.  Core beliefs are a must in a relationship.  The authors don’t brow beat the reader with this message, but rather subtly pose the importance of volunteering.

Buy Links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/crash-56

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1063726095

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Stacey Brandon & Karen Bell Bio:

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Once upon a time, these two hookers became best friends…

Stacey Brandon and Karen Bell both live in the same small Texas town on the Gulf Coast, are happily married and the proud Moms of awesome kids.  Stacey owns and runs a photography studio and Karen designs and sews her own children’s clothing line.  They met over fifteen years ago when they decided to turn one large professional space into a single home for both businesses.

Well, that’s all the boring facts expected to be included in an “about the author” page, right?  The reality is so much more fun.  Stacey and Karen and their families spend holidays together, travel together… and generally turn every situation into something crazy and chaotic.  They are both fluent in English, Sarcasm and Profanity and have decided the irrefutable proof of their best friend status is how often people assume they are “together” when in public.  The poor husbands are good sports about it… and might even encourage this misconception at times for sheer entertainment value.  

When Karen battled cancer… and kicked its ass… in 2014, they learned to value every day and quit worrying about what others think.  Do what you love!  Karen is happy to take advantage of the situation though.  She loves to remind everyone she “had the CANCER, dammit!”   and now she can always and forever claim the last brownie 😉

Links:

Facebook | Goodreads | Website | Instagram

International Buttercream Bake-off

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Which is better:

Swiss Meringue Buttercream or

French Buttercream?  

While looking for some recipes for my daughter’s holiday party in her French class, I kept coming across French buttercream.  It piqued my interest.  It made me wonder how is this different than the typical buttercream that I generally use?  Further hunting on Pinterest lead me to find Swiss Buttercream and Italian Buttercream recipes.

Thus, I decided I needed to do a little bake-off.

The Italian type is most closely related to the Swiss type and my time is limited, therefore I limited my bake-off to just Swiss and French Buttercream.

There are a few major differences between standard buttercream and the French and Swiss variety.

  1. American buttercream includes lots of powdered sugar and a small amount of shortening.
  2. French and Swiss contain a LOT more butter in the recipes and also contain egg
  3. French uses egg yolks
  4. Swiss uses egg whites
  5. French and Swiss include a heating process to kill the bacteria in the egg

In order to compare the buttercream recipes, I choose the purest flavor, Vanilla.  Considering the international flair to this little comparison, I thought I should splurge on some higher grade vanilla flavoring.  Luckily, I found vanilla beans on sale at Costco (the store typically sells them during the holiday season).

I choose a buttermilk devils food chocolate cupcake because I thought that it would showcase the buttercream well.  Note: I used no-fade cupcake papers that have an aluminum lining.  The baking time had to be reduced drastically to accommodate this type of wrapper.

What were the results of the bake-off?  The jury was split.  I found both the Swiss and French to be way too rich, creamy, and buttery.  Perhaps it is an acquired taste, but I’ll stick to my standard buttercream.

Standard (American) Buttercream Recipe

Ingredients: 1/2 c shortening, 1/2 c butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 4 c powdered sugar 3/8 c milk

Directions: Cream shortening and butter.  Alternately add powdered sugar and milk.  Add vanilla.  Beat until light and fluffy.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream – recipe from Cake Boss

http://www.cakebossbaking.com/recipes/swiss-meringue-buttercream/

French Buttercream – recipe from Cake Boss

http://www.cakebossbaking.com/recipes/french-buttercream/

HAPPY BAKING!

 

Gluten Free Christmas Treats

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Light Meringue Cookies 

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These are a truly light meringue cookie as compared to almost every other meringue recipe that I’ve ever tried.  Most meringue cookies are very solid throughout and have a powdery taste.  These, on the other hand have a lot of air throughout the cookie and the chocolate chips and nuts add a lot of flavor.  This is a recipe that has been in my family for a long time, but I’ve decided that it must be shared.  Too many people are seeking gluten free desserts and this is one of the best.

Ingredients: 3 egg whites , 1 1/8 cups sugar, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla, 12 oz chocolate chips (I used colored chips for the holidays), 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350.  Cover two cookie sheets with aluminum foil.  Whip egg whites until fluffy, keep whipping and SLOWLY add sugar (I pour it so that it appears to be a slow constant rain of sugar – should take a couple of minutes to add sugar), add vanilla and whip until incorporated.  Stir in pecans and chocolate chips by hand.  Drop by spoonfuls onto prepared cookies sheets.  TURN OFF OVEN! Place cookie sheets in the oven for at least 10 hours (I usually keep it in overnight)  DO NOT OPEN OVEN!  Gently remove from cookie sheets.

Note:  I only make these cookies during the winter when the humidity is low.

Chocolate Peppermint Bark

IMG_0275This isn’t a fancy dessert, but it tastes delicious and  is festive looking for the holidays.  Whether or not someone is gluten free, they are sure to enjoy the flavor.

 

Ingredients: 2 lbs of chopped chocolate, 1 tsp of peppermint (not mint) extract, 1 1/2 cups of chopped peppermint candy canes,

Directions:  Place wax paper over a jelly roll size cookie sheet.  Melt chocolate in the microwave, stir in peppermint extract, mix in 1 cup of chopped candy canes, spread onto prepared cookie sheet, sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of chopped candy canes.  Chill at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.  Break into serving pieces and enjoy.  As long as you live in a cool area, the bark can be kept at room temperature.

See Related Post:

Gluten Free Halloween Treats

Gluten Free Halloween Treats

HAPPY BAKING!

Kelly Elliott – Wanted Series

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Fun, young, southern soap opera.  

Watching soap operas used to be most guilty pleasure until I started reading obsessively.  This book series reads just like a daytime soap.  The couples get together and then they break up and then they’re back together.  Then repeat.

I just finished Faithful, the third book in this series.  I love that there are multiple story lines that carry on at the same time.  Each relationship continues into the next book, which I adore because I have trouble letting go of characters.  There are plenty of side characters to make the book even more interesting.

Like all good soaps – the author leaves you suspended in nerve-racking cliffhangers.  The endings/epilogues make me think the author is either a sadist or a marketing guru.

See Related Post:

Kelly Elliot – Wanted

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Frozen Hot Chocolate Meringue Cake (gluten free)

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Hot Chocolate Merengue Cake

Fabulously light, gluten free cake that can be flavored any way you like.

This is a very different kind of cake.  Instead of actual or traditional cake, there are two layers of baked meringue.  There is a layer of whipped cream between the rings of meringue and frosted on the top and outside with more whipped cream.  The entire cake is then placed in the freezer.  After one day, the meringue softens a bit and has an amazing texture.

This is the second time I made a version of this cake.  For the chocolate whipped cream I used: 2 cups of heavy cream, 6 Tbls. of Ghirardelli hot chocolate mix, and 6 Tbls. of powered sugar.  I had to go to a few stores to find this kind of hot chocolate mix, but as I have mentioned before using top notch chocolate ingredients is essential to obtaining the best flavors.

Essentially, this cake could be done using an flavor whipped creme that one desires.  The options are endless.

Note:  The top Happy Birthday decorating was done in dark chocolate.  I allowed the whipped cream to harden first before placing the lettering on top.

Original Recipe: (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/frozen-meringue-cake-recipe.html)

Frozen Meringue Cake
Recipe by Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
Meringue:
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup superfine baker’s sugar
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cream:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (6 ounces)
Syrup:
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries (6 ounces)
1 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup fresh raspberries, for garnish, optional
Special equipment: One piping bag fitted with a plain 1/2-inch tip

Directions

For the meringue: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a pencil, trace two 8-inch-diameter circles, side-by-side, on the parchment paper.

Beat the egg whites until fluffy in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Gradually add the superfine sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, with the machine running on medium-low speed, until the mixture holds soft peaks. Beat in the cream of tartar and salt. Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is thick and holds stiff peaks, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract. Place the meringue in the piping bag. Pipe the meringue into two 8-inch circles on the prepared baking sheet using the traced circles as a guide. Bake until crisp, 2 hours. Turn off the oven and allow the meringues to cool completely while still in the oven, about 2 hours.

For the cream: Beat the cream on high speed until thick using an electric hand mixer. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Continue to beat on high speed until the cream holds stiff peaks. Add the raspberries and beat until incorporated into the cream.

Spread one-third of the cream over each meringue circle. Place 1 circle on top of the other to create 2 layers. Spread the remaining cream on the sides of the cake. Garnish with fresh raspberries if using, and freeze the cake until firm, 3 hours.

For the syrup: Mix the raspberries, vinegar and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Lightly mash the raspberries using a fork. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until thick, 25 to 30 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and allow to cool.

To serve: Allow the cake to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Cut the cake into wedges and place on serving plates. Drizzle with the syrup and serve.

See Related Post:

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Frozen meringue cake with Bailey’s Vanilla Cinnamon Whipped Cream

For this version of the whipped cream I used: 2 cups of whipped cream, 1/4 cup of powered sugar, and 1/4 cup of Bailey’s Vanilla Cinnamon Irish Creme.

HAPPY BAKING!

 

Tara Sue Me – The Exhibitionist (Submissive Series # 6)

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What if a couple’s sex life moves in a direction where both are no longer comfortable?  Where is the long standing BDSM relationship between Nathaniel and Abby going?

Abby takes great pleasure in exhibitionism.  It arouses her, but this desire doesn’t necessarily mean that it is all encompassing.  She still has her limits.

Nathaniel may be dominant but that doesn’t mean he’s fearless.  What if his wife’s sexual interests are heading towards a path that go beyond his hard limits?  How can he reconcile this with his desire to sate his wife’s pleasures?

Tara Sue Me does an amazing job of balancing hot kinky BDSM with typical relationship concerns.  The sex is crazy hot and the love is real and tender.

See Related Posts:

Tara Sue Me – The Chalet (#3.5 Submissive Trilogy)

Tara Sue Me – Enticement (The Submissive Series #4)

Tara Sue Me – The Collar (The Submissive #5)

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Hud Saunders – The Beasts of Belmont Park

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SUMMARY

Paul Marston is an out-of-work actor struggling with the hardest role of his life, being a stay-at-home dad. While he’s changing nappies, his wife Laura Holland, a famous author, is wrapped up in a world of boutique book festivals and champagne receptions.

Then a drunken post-pub party rears its head, and Paul falls full tilt into a bizarre world of drugs, gangsters and high-stakes fishing. This family confessional flips the lid on the middle-class dream and grinds its boot into the new-daddy dynamic.

REVIEW

This is an Antiromantic book.  (It is an actual word – I checked the dictionary).

This book is antiromantic because it centers around a couple whose marriage is faltering.  Both husband and wife consider having an affair.

Normally, I wouldn’t share a book like this, but the fact that around 50% of marriages in the U.S. end in divorce, I felt compelled.  Surprisingly, both the man and woman struggle with the notion of actually engaging in sex outside their marriage.  It is this resistant struggle that made the book  interesting.

This story was anything but simple.  There are in fact a lot of mixed plot lines that carry the story.

Based on the ending, I hope the author plans on following up with a sequel.

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Find book at: https://thepigeonhole.com/books/the-beasts-of-belmont-park

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About the Author

A born and bred West Londoner, Hud realised from an early age he wanted to be a writer. Yet despite this aspiration, he turned his creative energy towards music following a fateful encounter with a folk guitarist who also claimed to be a wizard. Becoming a father to a daughter aged 22 meant that while he pursued this fascinating but largely fruitless career, he donned many other hats in order to pay the bills, including decorator, dispatch rider, software salesman, and professional rebirther, as well as songwriter, producer and rock band manager.

His writing break came as a script editor working on independent films, but finding this too limiting, he turned to writing screenplays himself. Within a year he had an agent and a contract to write the potential blockbuster movie Brothers in Arms for Moulin Rouge producer Martin Brown. After a year in Australia trying to persuade the two outlaw motorcycle clubs involved to agree on the screenplay, Hud returned to the UK chastened, but definitely a writer.

Several screenplays and a computer game followed as well as a fruitful role as Creative Consultant on the Grammy-nominated cult music documentaries 1 Giant Leap and 1 Giant Leap: What About Me? In the past he has run and facilitated men’s groups and workshops. Since then he has founded a successful writers’ group in Queens Park where he lives and has taught Creative Writing to people of all ages and from all walks of life.

Profoundly influenced by his childhood with his radically feminist single mother, Hud is an ardent equalitarian who has been deeply inspired by all the women and the men in his life. His first novel The Beasts of Belmont Park reflects this even-handed approach – none of the characters come out looking good!

Robert T. Germaux – The Backup Husband

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Samantha is ultra sexy – the epitome of sex appeal.  This point is emphasized over and over again.  The attractiveness of her husband and his best friend are almost equally emphasized.  So, three incredibly attractive people – something was bound to go awry.

There is a very long build up in the tension.  Would it end in menagerie or an affaire?  The anticipation of this answer kept me turning the pages quickly.  However, the fact that the author ya-da, ya-da, ya-da’d all of the sex scenes should have been a clear indicator.

I really liked how the external characters influenced the perceptions of the main characters at all points during the plot.  I thought it was interesting how outsiders’ comments impacted the main characters’  actions.

In the end, literally, the set-up, timeliness, and verbosity of the apology scene was outstanding.

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