Hot Autumn Nights Blog Hop!

I live in Canada where autumn nights can be very chilly. But keeping warm on a cold night can be fun, especially if you've got someone to keep warm with! There's nothing I like better than to cuddle with my husband under a blanket while we watch TV and enjoy a hot drink. Here's a couple of my favorite hot drinks for a cold night.

Hot Chocolate & the Adult Hot Chocolate

Who doesn't like hot chocolate? I have to admit that most of my hot chocolate drinks come from a mix. But if you want to upgrade your hot chocolate, add 2 oz. of Peppermint Schnapps. It adds a depth of flavour and a touch of sweetness that will warm you from the inside out. If you like, hang a mini candy cane on the side of your mug for an even mintier taste.

Hot Buttered Rum (my favorite!)

1 small slice butter

1 tsp. brown sugar

Optional spices: ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, allspice
Vanilla extract

2 oz. dark rum

Hot water

Preparation:
1. Place butter, sugar and spices at the bottom of an Irish Coffee glass or mug
2. Mix well.
3. Pour in rum and hot water. Stir and enjoy.
    Yields one drink

Do you have a favorite cold weather drink? I'd love you to share! All comments are eligible for the Grand Prize - a $140 Barnes and Noble Gift Certificate. I'm also offering as a prize a PDF copy of my contemporary romantic comedy "Rescue Me". To be eligible you must comment on this post. Winner will be chosen at random from all comments received. So comment away!

To find other stops on the Blog Hop, go here:

http://www.bellamediamanagement.com/blog-hops/hot-autumn-night-blog-hop/ 

The Romance Reviews Year End Splash Party

Today is my Q & A day at the TRR Year End Splash Party. Answer my question for your chance to win a copy of my contemporary romantic comedy "Rescue Me". There are prizes to be won at every author's blog, plus a chance at the grand prize - a $100 gift card. The party runs from now until December 15, so come to the TRR blog and play the game to win!

Baking for Remembrance Day

For this Remembrance Day, I will pay my respects by baking a treat called Anzac Biscuits. These biscuits (don’t ever call them cookies) trace their origins back to World War One when women from Australia and New Zealand wanted to send a treat to husbands and sons serving on the front lines in Europe. They needed a biscuit that could survive the long trip and these little cookies, I mean biscuits, did the job. Here’s the recipe:

Anzac Biscuits

250 ml (1 cup) all purpose flour
250 ml (1 cup) large flake oats
250 ml (1 cup) desiccated coconut
250 ml (1 cup) brown sugar, packed
125 ml (1/2 cup) butter
45 ml (3 tbsp.) Lyle’s Golden Syrup
30 ml (2 tbsp) water

Preheat oven to 175 C (350 F). Line rimless baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, coconut, and sugar. Set aside. In small saucepan, stir butter, syrup and water over medium-low heat until butter melts. Stir into dry ingredients. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheet, spacing 5 cm (2 inches) apart. Bake in centre of oven until light golden on bottom., about 15 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer biscuits to wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 2 dozen. Can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container between layers of wax paper.

I got this recipe from the Winnipeg Free Press, where it was adapted from Canadian Living. Writer Allison Gillmor says it’s important to use the Golden Syrup (either Lyle’s or Roger’s), also known as light treacle. In a pinch, she says you can use corn syrup, but you won’t get the "subtle, slightly toasty flavor". She also recommends using parchment paper to keep the cookies from sticking.

You’ll notice that these biscuits use no eggs and no leavening. That’s because recipes such as this were developed during wartime when shortages forced home cooks to develop recipes that didn’t use some basic supplies. Their creativity lives on in these biscuits.

I want to remember those who fought on the front lines and those who served by fighting on the home front.

Lest we forget.

Do you believe in ghosts?

My post goes live today at 11 am at the LASR blog! In keeping with the Halloween theme, I'm blogging about the Fort Garry Hotel in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The century old hotel has long been reputed to be haunted - especially room 202 - and has made believers of even the most skeptical.  I will award one random commenter on my post an e-copy of my latest novella, "Home Fires". I'd love to hear if you believe in ghosts, so comment - if you dare!