Cooking With Author Linda Rondeau

Today I welcome author Linda Rondeau to the Patchwork Quilt Blog. Hello, Linda! She has a recipe for us and a book to read. Let's start with the recipe.

MAC SOUP

Linda says: Since childhood, this has been my son’s favorite meal. Though he is now 48, he still asks me to make this for him whenever he visits us or we visit him. I’ve given his wife the recipe, but he still likes me to make it for him. Maybe the aromas send him back to those cold winter days when Mac Soup was a must. No matter how old I get, I’m happy to do these little things for my now mature children. There may come a day, when I won’t remember how or am too feeble to make MAC SOUP. So during these twilight years, I will never refuse for as long as I’m able.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. ground beef

1 small box elbow macaroni

6-8 cubes beef bouillon (according to taste … may use reduced sodium if needed)

1 large can tomato juice or V8 juice

Suggested seasonings: onion salt or minced onions, seasoned salt, black pepper, red pepper, tabasco sauce (go easy), should have a little “kick” when you take a trial taste

1. Brown ground beef, drain, and set aside.

2. Dissolve bouillon cubes in 1 cup boiling water (you can use instant bouillon if you prefer).

3. Cook elbow macaroni according to directions on the box. Drain. Set aside.

4. Put tomato juice or V8 juice into a large pot. Add ground beef, bouillon, and macaroni.

5. Heat to slow boil.

6. Season to taste, simmer for about five to ten minutes to allow seasoning to blend.

ABOUT WHO PUT THE VINEGAR IN THE SALT?

"Linda has hit a home run once again! Her book, Who Put the Vinegar in the Salt? is filled with wisdom, encouragement, and the power found in God's Word. This book is oh so much more than shaking the salt shaker. It is about being wrapped up, tied up, and tangled up in Jesus. It truly makes the reader evaluate where they are and where they wantto be. Linda shoots straight from the hip to touch our heart!" ~ TammyWhitehurst.com

The world offers much beneficial self-help advice. Shouldn’t the Christian seek to be the best possible version of themselves?

Aren’t we supposed to be good people?

Why not look to the world to solve life’s problems?

Because God has called us to be salt.

While there is much good to be found, like vinegar, the world’s best advice falls short of God’s recipe to live a victorious Christian life.

In a down-home, friendly manner, the author provides analogies, inspirational stories, anecdotes, a wealth of Scripture, and optional study guides for both individuals and groups, inviting the believer to discover God’s desires for his salt.

Buy Linda's newest book here.

ABOUT LINDA WOOD RONDEAU

By the author of I Prayed for Patience, God Gave Me Children.

A veteran social worker, Linda Wood Rondeau’s varied church experience and professional career affords a unique perspective into the Christian life. When not writing or speaking, she enjoys the occasional round of golf, visiting museums, and taking walks with her best friend in life, her husband of over forty years. The couple resides in Hagerstown, Maryland where both are active in their local church. Readers may learn more about the author, read her blog, or sign up for her newsletter by visiting www.lindarondeau.com.

You can connect with Linda on these Social Media Links:

Facebook

Goodreads

Instagram

LinkedIn

Bookbub

Cooking With Author Susan Mathis!

Today we welcome author Susan Mathis who has a new novel for us. She also has a recipe from that novel. Welcome, Susan!

“Gloom turned to joy, and it was time for cake. Mr. Bernheim led them to the dining room and even invited Daniel to join them. When they were all seated, a waiter served them a layered orange sponge cake with pecans on top and tart lemonade with raspberries floating in it. How elegant!”—from Reagan’s Reward by Susan G Mathis

In Reagan’s Reward, Reagan Kennedy assumes the position of governess to the Bernheim family’s twin nephews, and they celebrate their ninth birthday with Orange Sponge Cake. But Reagan's life at Cherry Island’s Casa Blanca becomes frustratingly complicated when service to a Jewish family when she is a Gentile and tending to eight-year-old, mischievous boys yields challenges galore.

Here’s the recipe for Jake and JoJo’s Birthday Orange Sponge Cake

Prep: 30 min. Bake: 45 min.

Ingredients

8 large eggs, separated, room temperature

1 cup flour, sifted

1 1/3 cup sugar, divided in two

1/2 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons grated orange zest

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar



FROSTING:

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 tablespoons flour

2/3 cup orange juice

3 tablespoons grated orange zest

2 large eggs

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°

CAKE:

In a large bowl, beat egg yolks. Gradually add 2/3 cup sugar, beating until thick. Beat in orange juice and orange zest. Fold in sifted flour.

Add salt and cream of tartar to egg whites; with clean beaters, beat on medium until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until soft glossy peaks form. Fold a fourth of the egg whites.

Pour into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Bake on lowest oven rack 45-55 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool cake in pan, about 1-1/2 hours.

FROSTING:

Mix sugar and flour in a large saucepan. Whisk in orange juice and orange zest.

Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, whisk a ¼ cup of hot mixture into eggs; return to pan, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Immediately transfer to a clean bowl.

Cool 30 minutes. Press plastic wrap onto surface of orange mixture; refrigerate until cold.

In a large bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form; fold into orange mixture. Run a knife around sides and center tube of pan. Remove cake to a serving plate. Using a long-serrated knife, cut cake horizontally into three layers. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake.

Sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate until serving.

About the Novel

Daniel Lovitz serves as the island’s caretaker and boatman. He tries to help the alluring Reagan make sense of her new world, but she calls into question his own faith background and forces him to face the hurts of his past. Then there’s the jealous lady’s maid who seems intent on wedging herself between them. Can he and Reagan ever find common ground on such a small island?

About the Author

Susan G Mathis is an award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Her first two books of The Thousand Islands Gilded Age series, Devyn’s Dilemma and Katelyn’s Choice are available now, and she’s working on book three. The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy, Christmas Charity, and Sara’s Surprise are also available. Susan’s books have won numerous awards, including the Illumination Book Award, the American Fiction Award and the Indie Excellence Book Award. Visit her website for more.

Connect with Susan

Read more about Susan and get a copy of Reagan's Reward on Amazon.

Random Reflections of a Passionate Neglector

This morning I announced that I'm a Neglector.

I said it aloud: "I am a Neglector," and instead of feeling bad or beaten up, I felt honest and authentic. I had admitted a truth about myself and apparently, that's okay to do.

I neglect so many things from the master bathroom to friends to projects to this blog. I think one of my problems is that I have great ambition but the follow-through is lacking.

Acknowledging that I start things and don't complete them actually frees me to focus on what I have started and have finished. And it brings me to what I want to do, what I would do if I had more hours in the day.

Life can be crowded with all the things you have to do----pay the water bill, buy groceries, earn money, sleep, take a shower-----and pretty soon you realize that you are going to have to make time for the passionate things, the things that call your name when you stand before a sunrise and take in its beauty.

I'm all about lists, especially To-Do ones, so I made a list.  This was not about want needed to be done, but the kind of list to boost my ego.  I jotted down the recent small tasks I had accomplished: cutting old clothes for rags in our workshop (our woodworking business), having family over for Mother's Day, crafting my own recipe for a summer iced drink, arranging for a lawn service to mow our weeds--- er----yard, washing the car (that was on my to-do list for three weeks) cleaning the downstairs bathroom (guests do have to use this one).

As I reflected on my list, I realized that often it's important to have only a few projects at a time.  What's the point in overdoing it?  And is it wise to put whimsical ideas down on a To-Do list?  Learn to play the saxophone, learn to paint like Monet.

As much as I love the feel and smell of the Lowe's and The Home Depot nurseries at spring, I know that I'm not going to be a gardener.  Yes, I love the idea of growing our own tomatoes and have enjoyed sun-ripened juicy Better Boys from a small garden we used to have.  But when I hear my gardener neighbors talk about how they find peace and serenity while working in their beds of lettuce and Swiss chard, I know that right now in my life, gardening is a whim; I am not willing to take the time to dig in dirt and remember to water. That does not bring me any tranquility. I do, however, appreciate the produce from their gardens that my neighbors share with me. I'd like to be passionate gardener, but I'm not going to throw myself into it because I have other things that are calling me in louder voices.

Our business calls me because it allows us to make money to pay things like the electric bill and buy wine and cheese. When a business is new, it takes all your time and then some.  You have to promote it, come up with new ideas, iron out the kinks, make it work. It's both exciting and exhausting (as is working with my husband).

Lately, I ask myself if my desire to accomplish something stands the test of time. This comes with knowing myself and doing some serious self-examining. Is this a goal I really want to accomplish? Is this goal feasible? Do I need another task to neglect?

It seems these days I have few hours in the week to read for pleasure and to write. I dream of spending a week at a cabin by a river and eating chocolate, reading for inspiration, and being creative. Writing my memoir has not just been softly calling me; it's been hounding me  After four years, I still want to do it. Over the years, I've written articles for publications about making time for writing. I made it all sound possible and I know it is, but that was when I was a full-time author.  Now we have a full business and between promoting it online, emailing customers, and helping my husband with crafting the orders, there leaves little time to be creative.

I steal moments here and there to work on my memoir.  I might be 60 when it's finished, but I won't neglect it because it is my passion.  I want to persevere. I just hope I get it completed before I die. 

How about you?  What do you neglect?  What have you given up in order to pursue your passion? How do you find the time/make the time to do what beckons you at sunrise?

Writing in Spring

Spring is the time to sit down and write!  Or take a walk and see what you come up with.  Let the warmer weather and the beauty around you open a world of writing. 

I like to take my pen and notebook to a park and see what transpires. While seated near a stream, I've met talking turtles and a team of dancing flowers.  (They were included in one of my books.) After writing for a bit, I get up and walk. Walking generates a host of ideas, dialog, and emotions. These can be used in your writing.

Spend fifteen minutes a day writing whatever comes to mind.  You'll be surprised at what those moments with your thoughts can produce. Writing for a specific amount of time each day is an opportunity to get some problems solved (the more you write, the better chance you'll have at coming up with solutions). I call it cheap therapy.  It's also a great way to boost your word count for your current work-in-progress.

Let this spring cultivate your writer's heart!

Cooking With Author Jo Huddleston & a Giveaway!

Happy to have author Jo Huddleston at my blog today!  She's sharing a recipe and her newest novel, Wait For Me.  She is also offering a Kindle giveaway!   Read on . . . 


5 in 1 Salad/Dessert


Mix gently
10 ounces cool whip
1 small package Jell-O dry mix, any flavor
Add: 12 ounces cottage cheese
Add: 1 small can mandarin oranges, drained (whole or in chunks if desired)
1 small can pineapple (crushed or chunks), drained
Mix all together gently, chill overnight, serve in clear bowl to enjoy the color.

BACK COVER BLURB for Wait for Me

Can Julie, an only child raised with privilege and groomed for high society, and Robby, a coal miner’s son, escape the binds of their socioeconomic backgrounds? Set in a coal mining community in West Virginia in the 1950s, can their love survive their cultural boundaries?

This is a tragically beautiful love story of a simple yet deep love between two soul mates, Robby and Julie. The American South’s rigid caste system and her mother demand that Julie chooses to marry an ambitious young man from a prominent and suitable family. Julie counters her mother’s stringent social rules with deception and secrets in order to keep Robby in her life. Can the couple break the shackles of polite society and spend their lives together? Will Julie’s mother ever accept Robby?



You can purchase eBook for Kindle and print copies of Wait for Me at this link.

Also, Jo is offering a free Kindle giveaway of her book.  To enter the giveaway contest, read here:

1) Make sure you are a follower of this blog.  You must be to play.  Then leave a comment below about what you like about West Virginia or what you know about the state.
2) Include your email with your comment so that I can email you if you have won.
3) A winner will be picked by Jo and announced by June 3, 2015.  
4) Have fun!

Cooking with The Writing Sisters!

Happy Cinco de Mayo to all my readers!

Today I have two sisters as my guests. They write, and they write books together.  How cool is that?

Here there are with a recipe, as well as their novel, The Shepherd's Song, just released in paperback.

~*~*~*~


We love to have friends and family gather around the table and so we are always on the lookout for good recipes, especially recipes with a high Wow factor. Sometimes it’s simple comfort food, like a big pan of mac and cheese. Other times it’s something more unusual. Dishes with a little Wow in them make our guests feel special. This year the WOW dish was Brussels sprouts - not just the usual collection of little green balls. This was a full Brussels sprout stalk! Magnificent looking, and delicious too - And much easier to make than you would think. Lot’s of Wow for a small amount of work! And everyone loved it.

1 Brussels sprouts stalk
½ c olive oil
¼ c maple syrup
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse the stalk. Trim off the leaves and the tough shoots poking out from between the sprouts. Trim off a few sprouts from under the stalk so it will sit flat.

Cover with damp paper towel and microwave the damp stalk for 5 minutes including the loose pieces (I had to cut the stalk in two pieces and microwave in two sections).

Put the stalk including the loose sprouts in a roasting pan. Stir the oil and syrup together and baste generously over the sprouts. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast at 350 for about 45 minutes until golden brown. Check with a fork to make sure they are tender.

Place the stalks on a long skinny platter and drizzle with the oil and syrup from the pan. Serve with kitchen shears for removing the sprouts.

Looking for some Wow? This might be it.

~*~*~*~
The Writing Sisters, Betsy Duffey and Laurie Myers were born into a writing family, and began critiquing manuscripts at an early age for their mother, Newbery winner Betsy Byars. They went on to become authors of more than thirty-five children’s novels. Their first book for adults, The Shepherd’s Song, was released in paperback April 2015.

You can connect with Laurie and Betsy on their monthly newsletter where they send out updates and their popular free devotional books. Contact them at WritingSisters.com and find them on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

Grab your copy of The Shepherd’s Song here.

Guest author Kimberley Payne!

Welcome to Kimberley Payne! Kimberley's newest book is out and she's here to talk about it. I love the cover.


Adam’s Animals – Fun Facts About God’s Creation just released this spring!

Is your church running a Vacation Bible School (VBS) program this summer based on the Weird Animals curriculum?

Consider using Adam’s Animals along with the accompanying craft book, Super Simple Animal Crafts in your Sunday School program leading up VBS. It’s a great resource for your church to generate interest in your summer programs.

Adam’s Animals is an entertaining and educational book that offers children loads of fun while they learn about the Bible.

Inside you’ll find:
• Bible stories about the animal
• Fascinating facts about each animal
• Whimsical illustrations for creative colouring fun
• Word search puzzles to learn new words and improve spelling

Watch a video of author Kimberley Payne reading from Adam’s Animals

View sample pages from Adam’s Animals


What others are saying about Adam's Animals
"Kimberley looks at the creatures found in the Bible and gives children some incredible scientific facts about them. She then follows those facts up with Scripture references from the Bible on what God has to say about the many animals she has listed in this book. If your child is one who likes "Did you know...?" books, they'll love this one. Included in the book are word search activities and pictures to colour." – Laura Davis

"Author Kimberly Payne has done a thorough job of researching the animal kingdom and combining it with scripture and biblical stories. This book has many fascinating facts about animals and is laid our in a very organized manner with pictures to color and word puzzles." – Carol Stratton

"From ants to worms, children will not only find the facts interesting, some will even make them giggle. At the same time, they are learning how creative God is that he would make so many animals with distinct characteristics."
– Carol Round

"I plan to use this book in our home school program as it integrates faith, science, language and art. My kids love it - there is much information in it, our 12 year old couldn't get through it in one sitting." – Michelle Evans

"This is a delightful book filled with (as promised) fun facts about God's creatures. I appreciated the focus on scripture and how Kimberley aligns God's word with God's creatures. The word challenges are a wonderful way to hone other skills such as spelling and reading, too, so this is a great activity to go along with the information."
– Glynis Belec

"This children's activity book cleverly ties in scripture, so not only does it teach the inquisitive child about God's creations, but also about God's word." — Melanie Fischer

Buy the Book
On Amazon


About the Author
Kimberley Payne is an award-winning author who combines her teaching experience and love of writing to create educational materials for children about family, fitness, science and faith. You can visit her website at www.kimberleypayne.com.

World Blog Tour

I'm glad to be part of the World Blog Tour! First I am going to introduce a fellow author, Diane Tatum. Then per the Blog Tour instructions, I'll tell you a bit about myself and why I write what I write.

Diane Tatum grew up in St. Louis, MO. She started writing her own stories in elementary school. Her first novel grew out of a short story she wrote in high school. College was a detour to a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Business Administration and later a Masters in Teaching Language Arts. Between degrees, she stayed home raising her boys and began writing again. She started freelance writing for magazines and church Sunday school curriculum. She also finished her novel, Gold Earrings.

After teaching middle school language arts in Tullahoma City Schools for 11 years, she retired with her husband’s encouragement to write the historical fiction books that she had been starting and saving on her computer. Gold Earrings was published in 2011. She has started a generational series of historical fiction novels set in American history. The first in that series is Colonial Dream and is completed. She has started the second in the series set in 1809, Transforming Bitterness Into Joy. The third book in the series is set during the Civil War is completed, A Time to Choose. She has also added college professor to her resume teaching English as an adjunct professor for Motlow State Community College.

Read more about Diane at her blog.

Now I get to answer these four questions.

1) What am I working on?

I am breaking from novel writing and cultivating bits and pieces of what keeps me up at nights----the desire to write a memoir. My agent is currently pitching this memoir titled I Came To Life Late. Yep, that title says it all, doesn't it? Everyone else seems to have things figured out and I am still out in the cold wondering where the front door to get into the party is. That's been me as a child and even as an adult! The memoir reflects on my childhood in Japan as a missionary kid and also how my past illusions about life have kept me from living life as it really is----tough, filled with disappointments and multiple heartache, and in need of God's grace, mercy and patience. As I write, I want most of all to be authentic in my story, not taking the easy way out by sugar-coating anything and that includes my marriage, my financial woes, my children, and the death of my four-year-old son Daniel. I know that there are many----especially women and mothers----who expected their lives and families to turn out differently than they have. This memoir is for them, a way of holding their hands and encouraging them to keep on looking up. As long as there is breath, there is hope.

2) How does my work differ from others in my genre?

Since I have five novels published (with the sixth due out this fall), I'll focus on them when answering this question. I think that my published novels are a bit more literary and quirky than many who write inspirational fiction. I like to write in first person, it makes it easier for me than third. My novels are also less subtle in their Christian message because I want to entertain first and master that. People pick up my novels to be entertained and so I want to deliver a well-crafted story in the best way I know how.

3) Why do I write what I write?

I love to have that unique voice and am working hard to improve it with each novel and story I create. My characters are flawed and in need of mercy. I want readers to know that they are not alone in their struggles and heartache. There is a God who listens, is full of compassion and love.

4) How does my writing process work?

I get an idea that usually comes to me on one of my walks, jot down the story briefly, make a chapter by chapter outline and go from there. Ideally, I like to write about three hours every morning. But I have to admit that I don't live in an ideal environment.


One thing I must say is that I don't always follow directions or read the instructions, and today will show you an example of that. I was to invite three other authors to participate in this tour. They were to post on May 19th. Here it is May 12th, and as I craft this post, I realize I am behind because I have yet to ask anyone to be the bloggers for that date.

So here is what I am going to do. (This breaks all the rules, but like I said, I often don't follow instructions well.) If you are a Christian author of books and would like to be part of this tour, then email me. I need three authors to sign up, three authors willing to host me on their blog by including my book covers and a photo of me and then answer the four questions about the writing process. Next is to get three other authors of their choice lined up to post on their blogs. This is sort of like one of those chain letters. Your three authors you ask to post will post on May 26th. Confused? Obviously, I have been too. Email me at awisler3@gmail.com. I will have had another cup of hot tea by then and will be able to explain it all to you. :-)

Is Your Workspace Killing Your Creativity? Eight Tips to Get the Muse Back

When I was a little girl, I wrote anywhere I could. I lived back in the dark ages, so there was no computer with which to create my stories on and the only typewriter was in my dad’s home office where we weren’t allowed unless something was on fire or bleeding. A notebook and pencil were my faithful tools. I wrote when commuting to elementary school on the train, wrote at the kitchen table while Mom made dinner, and on nice days, wrote outside underneath the trellis in our back yard.

Now, a full-time author and workshop instructor, I have my own laptop. I also have a work space set up in the home office. Well, I did, up until three months ago when my eldest came back to live and gained my office (her old bedroom) once again. After this change, I had to set up on the end of the dining room table. While that was an adjustment due to having to move a lot of my writing gear (desk calendar, notebooks, notes, etc.) down stairs, the experience has taught me a lot.

At first having a new work place increased my writing. I chalk that up to the view from the dining room windows. Who wouldn’t be inspired by a butterfly bush with delicate purple blooms and a colorful butterfly stopping by every hour?

But after a month I was back to spending more time on Facebook than actually writing. Writers block? No, because I don’t believe in that. However, I do believe there are things that keep us from productivity and steps that we can take to avoid or deal with any form of lack of creativity that can come our way.

1) First, make sure your desk is in a comfortable location. This doesn’t mean it has to be in a posh office, it just has to be accommodating to you. The chair has to feel right and the desk able to hold your computer or stack of books, resources and other paraphernalia.

2) Think about clutter and distractions. Everyone is different. Sometimes the messiest desks belong to the most prolific. However, if your desk is piled too high and it takes you twenty minutes to find anything, then the clutter distracts from your work. Spend a day cleaning up to create a workable environment. Place necessary items needed every day like a desk calendar to your left or right.

3) Take a walk. Pulitzer Prize winning poet, Wallace Stevens, walked over two miles to his office each day. During that time he composed poetry, claiming, "I write best when I can concentrate, and do that best while walking."

4) Put on music. I like Celtic music without words so as not to distract me when I write my novels. But on bleak days when I need energy, U2 gets me going. With or Without You.

5) Head out to a coffee shop. Get there before the lunch crowd so that you can chose a table removed from a busy counter.

6) Find a secluded park bench. This works best when the weather is ideal, like a day in the spring or fall. Don’t neglect what the outdoors can do for your writing. D. H. Lawrence called trees “living company” and preferred to write beneath their shade.

7) Mix it up a bit. If you normally use a computer, spend some time writing by hand and vice versa.

8) Know thyself! Know when it is time to get up and get moving to a different room, a new view or a new place. Ask yourself the important questions: Am I too distracted or lacking when I sit here? What can I do differently so that I can be productive? Know what you need and make sure you get the most out of your writing hours.

Try these tips to enhance your work space and watch how that demon known as writers block is erased like an over-used adjective.

~*
Alice J. Wisler dreams of writing in a woodsy cabin with multiple windows. She is the author of five novels with a new one on the way next year, and the grief and loss devotional, Getting Out of Bed in the Morning: Reflections of Comfort in Heartache. She teaches writing workshops both online and at conferences. Read more about her workshops here: http://www.alicewisler.com

John 3:16 Blog Hop Event

Fifty of us from the John 3:16 online network will be having a blog hop. This blog hop will be from May 7th to May 14th. What will you do? Go to the various author blogs, leave comments, and enter to win lots of giveaways. The grand prizes include two Kindles. I'll be giving away some of my novels and cards, so stay tuned! Sign up for the blog hop here.