Who's your favorite fictional hero

Does he have black, blond, brunette, or auburn hair, or is his hair color unique only to him and displays who he is? (green, purple, etc.) Does he keep it short, shoulder length or does his hair swirl lusciously down his muscular back to stop above  his slim waist or firm buttocks?

What color eyes draws you into him? Green? Hazel? Blue? Brown? Or are his eyes as unique as his hair choice.

Is he physically flawless, perfect in every way? What's his greatest accomplishment? His biggest fear?

Is he a doctor, lawyer, insurance salesmen, bookstore owner? Or one of our brave police officers, firefighters, or in the military? A duke? A viscount?

Alpha? Beta? Or somewhere in between?

I tend to read what I write. In romantic suspense I love to read and write about the strong cops who keep our heroine out of harm. But as a switch up, in the book I'm currently writing, my hero is a psychic with visions that scare the daylights out of me--and him. This hero is unusual for me to write, but I'm finding myself very comfortable with him. :) I've never written a book where my hero has auburn hair and a scar on his face. To me, he's the perfect hero, definitely strong and alpha with a twist of vulernability. The scar added distinction and his story drew me in. He's a man fighting his inner demons, torn but all too ready to help the police stop a serial killer before he takes his next victim. And, of course, saving his beautiful heroine and helping her find her true self. Awww...my hero. :)

What type of hero do you like to read about or write? Is the hero who initially draws you into a story?

Happy reading and writing!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Recipe of the week - Vegetable Medley

Vegetable Medley

Makes 12 servings

1 16-ounce can garden peas (sweet petite peas)
1 12-ounce can shoe peg corn
2 16-ounce cans French style green beans
1 large onion finely chopped
1 cup celery finely chopped
1 16-ounce can green lima beans
2 2-ounce jars chopped pimentos
1/3 cup corn or canola oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar or Raspberry wine vinegar (my personal favorite)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Drain canned vegetables into a large bowl. Mix vegetables with onion, celery and pimento
In saucepan combine oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
Pour dressing over vegetables and marinate in refrigerator overnight.

This dish will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Actually gets better the longer it marinates. :)

Happy Thanksgiving! 

True stories that make for a great comedy

Like locking yourself in the bathroom unable to get out. You have no phone, towel, robe, no nothing. Oh, wait, you can knock on the wall to get your neighbor's attention. You finally have their full attention, and yes, talking to you through your jammed bathroom door. And aren't you lucky. Since they can't get you out, they insist on being a good Samaritan and call the fire department to release you from your dungeon. Yep, and opening up a hole you wanted to bury yourself in because the firefighter saving your naked butt is drop-dead gorgeous. Oh, yeah, the neighbor was male as well. Don't ask. lol

Or the time when you're performing a professional dance routine with your model (real male model) dance partner in the good 'ole disco days. (Okay, I'm showing my age.) Add in the fact your stiletto heel breaks off, down you go with your wrap around skirt swallowing you whole and revealing everything, well almost everything except for your scant pair of panties, the good Lord gave you. Hmmm...I think I'm seeing a routine here. :)

I'd like to say the above two incidents were fiction. Truly I would. Awww...those moments you'd like to forget. Don't you agree that they'd make great scenes in a comedy. With a different face. Different body.

Come on, spill. What's happened in your life that would make for a great comedy?

Okay, you can quit laughing now. :)

Until next time.

Recipe of the week - Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole

5 Sweet potatoes
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teasponns apple pie spice
marshmallows
raisins
1 1/4 cup water

Boil potatoes. Peel and slice. Make syrup out of sugar, flour, butter, water and spices. Put layer of potatoes in casserole dish, add some syrup, and a thin, sparse layer raisins. Cook at 400 degrees until bubbly. Cool. Cover with marshmallows and brown.

Enjoy!

Most Memorable, Heartfelt Moment

My husband and I used to dance quite a bit in our younger days, but for some reason as we grew older we got out of the habit. Caught up in other things, we somehow forgot the small things in life.

The night that I was to undergo a 75% liver resection because of primary liver cancer, the nurses piped music into my hospital room and my husband and I danced what possibly could have been our last dance together--forever. After spending three out four months of my time in the hospital and time away from my husband, we refused to let another wasted second tick by of those small things that had meant so much to us. I died on the operating table and God gave me a second chance to cherish sharing other dances with my husband.

It's a moment in my life that will forever remind me of the smaller things in life.

What's your most memorable, heartfelt moment that changed your life forever and how you view life now?

Recipe of the week - Turtle Pumpkin Pie

Turtle Pumpkin Pie

1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons caramel topping, divided
1 Graham Cracker Pie Crust (16 oz.)
1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons pecan pieces, divided
1 cup milk
2 pkg. (4 serving size) Vanilla flavored instant pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
t teaspon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tub (8 ounce) Cool Whip, thawed, divided

Pour 1/4 cup caramel topping into crust; sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans

Beat milk, dry pudding mixes, pumpkin and spices with whisk until blended. Stir in 1 1/2 cups whipped topping. Spread into crust. Top with remaining whipped topping.

Refrigerate 1 hour. Top with pecans and drizzle remaining caramel with fork.

Yields 10 slices of delicious pie.

Happy eating!

Seasons

Since I live in Florida, sometimes we go straight from summer to summer. Hot to hotter. :) Hopefully, this year we'll have a cooling down period. Please give me 70 degrees all year long. :)



Before I moved to Florida, my favorite season was autumn.  The trees are absolutely gorgeous with their vibrant colors dancing in the cool fall breeze.

My next favorite season was winter, with all the wintry white (and I don't mean blizzards) sprinkling delicate tree branches and dusting the now baron ground. Just cold enough to bundle in my favorite flannel jammies and drink a nice cup of hot chocolate with the sweet little marshmallows melting on top. Nope, don't care to drive in it or shovel it. :)

Spring back home was always a beautiful season, too, with all the trees, fruit trees and flowers blossoming, freed from their winter hibernation.

Here's a picture of my Angel's Trumpet, which blooms throughout the year--or at least it does in Florida. It's a night garden flower with a nighttime exotic scent.

All breathtakingly beautiful.

What is your favorite season? Why?

Recipe of the week - Twice-baked Zucchini

Twice-baked Zucchini

4 whole zucchinis cut in half lengthwise

3 cups of Italian seasoned bread crumbs

4 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar cheese (I prefer mild)

1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese

1/2 cup of finely minced onion

2 eggs beaten

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon of paprika

Whole zucchini cut in half lenthwise

Bake zucchini halves in water @ 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until soft

Scoop out zucchini flesh to make a boat

In a mixing bowl combine zucchini flesh, bread crumbs, cheddar cheese, 2/3 of the parmesean cheese, eggs, onion, salt, pepper and paprika.

Once mixed thoroughly, place mixture in boats, dot tops with butter and sprink remaining parmesean cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees until light brown on top, approximately 30 minutes.

Yields eight servings.

Enjoy!