Fiber-licious Muffins, and other good things

Have you ever noticed how muffins that taste really, really good tend to be more like cake? And how muffins that are reasonably good for you can be a little like cardboard? I think I finally found a solution, and I'm calling them fiber-licious!

Lee's Fiber-licious Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup ground flax seed (not whole)
3/4 cup oat bran
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely shredded
2 medium apples, peeled and finely shredded
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup chopped pecans
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 melted butter
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in the carrots, apples, raisins and nuts. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and stir in the melted butter, milk and vanilla. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and blend just until the dry ingredients are moist. Line a muffin pan with paper cups and fill the cups 3/4 full.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, using a toothpick to test for doneness.
Makes about 16 fiber-licious muffins.
Enjoy!

I also have some rather delicious news this month!

The Daddy Project (Harlequin American Romance, December 2012) is being reissued as a Mills & Boon Sweet romance in Australia and New Zealand on April 1, and they've given it a brand new cover.

One book...two covers...worlds apart!

I'm also thrilled to have two May releases! Maggie's Way (Harlequin Heartwarming) will be available on May 1.

...and Daddy, Unexpectedly (Harlequin American Romancce) will be out on May 7.

I have a blog tour lined up for early May and will be doing lots of giveaways, including copies of my books and other fun stuff. Links and details will be posted on my website and in my newsletter, Life in the Slow Lane.

Happy reading! Until next time,
Lee
www.LeeMcKenzie.com

How lucky can you get!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all the Irishmen—and the honorary Irishmen—who celebrate the holiday!

Every year when this date rolls around, I'm happy my once-a-month blog post here falls on the 17th because it allows me to share with y'all on St. Patrick's Day.

In past years, I've talked about food, luck, corned beef and cabbage, my Harlequin American Romance featuring an Irish heroine (Kerry Anne MacBride and the rest of her wild and crazy clan in Family Matters), and...well...more food.

Food and writing are pretty much my favorite topics.  J

March 17th allows me to toss in my thoughts about luck, too.

I am lucky...to celebrate a holiday that carries on the traditions of my family.  To share part of this fabulous day with you.  And to have a career I love.

I can't tell you being an author is the most fun job I've ever had, because it involves a lot of work, sweat, and tears. 

The work stems from trying to bring the ideas in my head to life on the page and not lose anything along the way.

 

The sweat comes from waiting to see how my editor reacts to those ideas.  J 

And the tears—oh, the tears! They're the best part of the job. 

Sad tears when I learn what has happened to my characters in the past and when things go wrong in their lives now.  Frustrated tears when the hardheaded hero and heroine can't see beyond their conflict to realize they belong together.  Uncontrollable tears when one or the other of them—or a character who plays an important role in their lives—gets hit with a heartbreaking dose of reality.  And the best tears of all, the ones that flow when the hero and heroine have finally reached their happy-ever-after.

No wonder I say I'm so lucky!

And as if that's not wonderful enough, I must add that I'm married to my all-time favorite hero, which means I'm also lucky in love.  J

How about you?  Irish or honorary Irish, what makes you a lucky person today?

All my best to you,   

Barbara

~~~~~~

Barbara White Daille

Latest release: Honorable Rancher

http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com

http://www.facebook.com/barbarawhitedaille

https://twitter.com/BarbaraWDaille

Fall Quick Five

Quick, give me your five favorite things about fall. To give you some ideas, here are my five.

1. Perfect temperatures. When the temps are between 65 and 75 with clear, sunny skies, it's perfect weather for outside activities, whether that's going for a hike in the woods or doing yard work.

2. Harvest festivals. When I worked for newspapers and magazines, I covered a lot of harvest type festivals. I loved the walk through yesteryear filled with blacksmiths, women cooking on wood-burning stoves, harvesting crops, the making of beeswax candles and cornshuck dolls.

3. The smell of the woods with the leaves falling and even the smell of fires if the smoke isn't too strong.

4. The color of the fall leaves. My favorites are the orange and yellow ones.

5. Pumpkin-flavored treats, particularly pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread.

Okay, your turn!

November Memories

The crunch of leaves, the bite of the wind, the layering of clothes. Did you just turn on your heater, or has it been on for a few weeks? Is it still pouring rain? Are there mums blooming where you are? Are you counting the days till Christmas?

What does November mean? Simply put, it marks the eleventh month on our calendar. But I'm wondering what the word brings to mind to different people.

To a writer, November might mean participating in NaNoWriMo, also known as National Novel Writing Month, where the goal is to write 50,000 words, and not edit, not doubt. Turn off that internal voice that tells you you're doing it wrong. Dedicate yourself to turning out pages.

To a child, the time between Halloween and Thanksgiving counts off the days till the next break from classes. It might mean raking leaves at his/her home or for neighbors. Or shoveling snow! A high schooler might look forward to the Fall Dance. Or not. LOL In some areas, it's Girl Scout cookie time! Yum.

As a mom with little children, November meant visiting Santa, shopping for Christmas presents, and getting an annual picture taken, printed and stuffed in Christmas cards to mail on December 1st. It meant making sure my kids were wearing sufficient clothing--does every child fight putting on a jacket? Wearing a coat? Taking an umbrella? Okay, okay. I know. There's not enough room in the locker at school. It's bulky/hot/stupid looking. Don't get me started on hats and gloves!

Early in the month, I start planning holiday meals. First I have to think of Thanksgiving--what to take to each house I go to on Thanksgiving, when to shop, when to cook. Can I make anything ahead of time or will it just get eaten?

Thanksgiving was usually the first holiday when my mom would make noodles. Egg noodles in chicken or turkey broth. My mouth is watering just thinking of it. I remember sheets of waxed paper with rounds of uncut noodle "dough" drying. Mom taught me to roll the rounds, cut into thin noodles and unroll them to finish drying. The strips always stuck together, and the challenge was to unroll each without tearing it. In my own small house, I've had my dining table filled with drying noodles, plus a card table, plus several TV trays. (Did you guess I like noodles?) My husband asked how much of each ingredient I needed and I had to calculate--for my family of noodle-lovers or for his? How many leftovers did we want? For how long? For how many people who'd want to take home some noodles?

I've never cared for turkey. For me, a plate of noodles on top of mashed potatoes (yes, I said on top of, not instead of), with some buttery corn is sufficient.

Until it's time for chocolate pie!

I try to be thankful for the blessings in my life every day, not just on Thanksgiving. So, now it's your turn--what does November mean to you?

Megan Kelly
megankellybooks.com

American Diner

This morning I indulged in a weekly ritual that I always look forward to: Breakfast at Norma's.

Norma's is a diner about five blocks from where I live. It's been in its current spot for about 15 or 20 years, but before that it was down the street a piece (as we say here in the south). I don't remember it from those days--that was before I moved here to Oak Cliff, one of the oldest sections of Dallas. But I understand it was pretty much the same as it is now.

Norma's serves a lot of really yummy but not-exactly-healthy food. I prefer the breakfast to anything. Best biscuits and pancakes on earth, bacon and eggs, sausage gravy, grits, all that good stuff. But the best thing about Norma's is the people--the people who work there and the people who eat there.

If a newcomer enters, he'll be greeted with, "Just have a seat anywhere you like!" (No one says that to us anymore, because we know the drill.)

Pam is the manager, and she's almost always there. She knows all of the regulars by name and stops by everyone's table, coffee pot in hand, to relate the latest gossip about the neighborhood. She's got a huge heart, and she's always involving the restaurant in various charitable events--food drives, feeding the hungry on Thanksgiving, raising money so a needy child can have an operation.

A number of the waitresses have been there for years and years. If they see us come in, two hot coffees will be whisked in front of us the moment we sit down. Sometimes they don't even give us menus because we have it memorized, and it doesn't change. (Pam tried introducing whole grain pancakes once, but it didn't take.) The only thing that changes is the chalkboard specials, but even those are predictable depending on what day it is.

I like to watch the patrons, too, an eclectic mis of after-church ladies all dressed up, working men in overalls, old and young, all races, all education levels. Many of us are such regular patrons that we've gotten to know each other, and chats from booth to booth are common.

If you read any of my "Blond Justice" books of a few years ago, the diner in those books was based on Norma's. And when the books came out, I had a booksigning at the diner and I sold 75 books.

When I move to California (if it ever happens!) I will miss Norma's almost more than anything. I'm sure we'll find other favorite breakfast spots, and we'll become regulars some other place. But Norma's will always hold a special place in my heart.

Top o’ the Morning to You!

Or whatever time of day you’re reading this, I hope you’re having a grand time!

Lucky me, to find my blog date coinciding with St. Patrick’s Day. And seeing as I’m a good part Irish--in fact, more Irish than anything else--I couldn’t have asked for a better day to send a shout-out to you all.

Since I’m on a diet at the moment, I imagine you’ll understand when I say food is all I can think about. And one of my favorite things about St. Paddy’s Day is the delicious dinner that’s such an essential part of the holiday.

Mmm.... Corned beef, cabbage, and carrots, of course. My mouth is watering at the thought of a plateful! Or maybe two....

My next Harlequin American Romance (publication date and title to be determined) will be about an eccentric Irish family. Sure and you know they’ll be enjoying the traditional meal.

Will you?

If you’re Irish, or even if you’re not, is your mouth watering in anticipation of that delicious Irish dinner, too?

Of course, the Irish don’t have a monopoly on good food. I think every nationality has its own time-honored traditions when it comes to meals. Again, since I’m on that nasty diet and all I can do is think about food, naturally I’m a glutton for punishment. So, please tell me...

On special occasions, what does your family put on the table?

All my best to you,

Barbara

~~~~~~

Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com