Comfort Food 106

February 23, 2015Nancy Pennick Books, Food, Writing 3 Comments

It’s the end of February and I hope the end to this cold weather. Hopefully March will come in like a lamb. But since the weather’s still cold I have more recipes up my sleeve!

Today I welcome Marilyn Gardiner to my blog. Here’s her recipe for chicken stew!

BARBI’S “STEWP”

Cook chicken thighs until done – take off the bone. (I buy a whole chicken at the market, already roasted.) Cut into bite sized pieces.

Layer in crock pot in order:

Quartered and peeled large sweet onion

8 Chicken thighs

1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced

1 bunch celery, sliced

3 chicken boullion cubes

Fill with water until contents are covered

Cook on low for 6-8 hours if chicken is still on bone. 4-6 if boneless.

That’s all there is to this wonderful bitter-cold winter night recipe.

Delicious!

Marilyn Gardiner. Author of:

Windmere Series
Flight of Angels, Golden Wings Award
Window on Windmere, Golden Wings Award
Comanche Moon, EPIC Winner
FROZEN, A Winter Romance Anthology

Comfort Food 105

February 16, 2015Nancy Pennick Books, Food, Writing 2 Comments

Today I invited my author friend, Val Clarizio to share her favorite comfort food. Thanks for joining us, Val!

Hello everyone! Below you’ll find my warm-me-up winter meal!

This week has been horrendously cold up here in northeast Wisconsin. Our temperatures have ranged from 13 below zero to a balmy 9 above zero, and that’s without the wind chill factor which actually reached 35 below zero this week. These are the days I nearly run from the car into the house so my nose doesn’t freeze. There’s nothing better than entering the house to the wonderful aroma of a venison roast that’s been cooking in the crockpot all day long. First it warms my nostrils and then it satisfies my tummy. BBQ venison roast is one of my favorite warm-me-up winter meals. Below is my famous BBQ venison roast recipe:

1/2 C Ketchup

1/2 C Water

2 TBL Brown Sugar

Dash Vinegar

Dash Lemon Juice

Dash Worcestershire Sauce

1 LB Shredded venison

My husband’s favorite way to eat this is served over rice, I’m more of a mashed potato person so I rotate to be fair. 🙂

When not working and forging out in the cold to enjoy winter activities such as snowmobiling, I’ve been known to pen a few tales. I write romantic suspense and contemporary romances. You can find out more about me and my books here:

Website/Blog: http://valclarizio.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Valerie.Clarizio

Twitter: VClarizio

Thank you, Nancy, for allowing me visit your wonderful blog. Keep warm!

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Comfort Food 104

February 9, 2015Nancy Pennick Books, Food, Writing 2 Comments

Cold winter day. Need a new recipe? Today we hear from Frozen- The Anthology author, Christina Kirby!

As soon as the weather gets cold, I can’t wait to make this recipe. If you like potato-cheese soup, you’ll like this. Stay warm!

If you try it and like it, I’d love to hear from you: @CKirbyWriter

Cheesy Ham Chowder

10 bacon strips, diced

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup diced carrots

3 Tbs flour

3 cups milk

1 1/2 cups water

2 1/2 cups cubed potatoes (roughly 2 cans)

1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn, drained

2 tsp chicken bouillon granules

pepper to taste

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups cubed fully cooked ham

In a large soup kettle or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels, to drain. In the drippings, sauté onion and carrots until tender. Stir in flour and then gradually add milk and water. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the potatoes, corn, bouillon and pepper. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add cheese and ham; heat until cheese is melted. Stir in bacon. Makes roughly 10 servings.

Find Christina here:

Satin Romance

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Comfort Food 103

February 2, 2015Nancy Pennick Books, Food, Life, Writing

Frozen. It was a popular word last year. So popular that my publisher wanted to name a winter anthology after it. The theme of the book is winter and that’s what gave me the idea to ask some of the authors of Frozen-the Anthology for their best winter comfort food.

We’ve had a giant snowstorm sweep across the U.S. in the past few days. People from Chicago all the way to New York City are affected. It could be a great time to make the following comfort dessert as sent in by my author friend, Charmaine Pauls.

Charmaine wanted to share her comfort food recipe even as she enjoys the summer weather in the southern hemisphere. She is a fellow Melange author and also one of the authors of Frozen: The Anthology. You may want to whip up some pudding and curl up with a short story from Frozen.

I will turn the blog over to Charmaine now.

Malva Pudding – a traditional South African dessert

Every South African knows Malva pudding. It’s a traditional dessert served warm with custard or ice cream. My grandmother used to make this on Sundays, and it’s still a favorite of my mom. I like to serve it after a winter meal to our Chilean friends. Everyone who tastes this, always asks for the recipe. You can read more about this and other South African food favorites in the humorous historical short story, The Grayton Christmas Supper Contest, in the anthology, A Holiday to Remember.

Jakoba’s Malva Pudding (serves 6)

250ml cake flour

250ml sugar

20ml butter

1 egg

20ml apricot jam

250ml milk

5ml bicarbonate of soda

5ml apple cider vinegar

Cream butter and sugar until light and mix with egg and apricot jam. Sift dry ingredients together. Dissolve bicarbonate of soda in vinegar. Mix egg and vinegar mixture with dry ingredients, adding milk little by little. Add salt. Pour into an oven dish and bake 35 minutes at 360°F. In the meantime, prepare the syrup.

250ml cream

5ml vanilla essence

125ml butter

250ml water

500ml sugar

Boil everything together, and pour over pudding as soon as it is removed from the oven. Prick the pudding with a toothpick before sauce is poured over for better absorption. Serve with vanilla ice cream while warm.