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Friday, August 30, 2013

Friday Recipe: Mexican-Style Meat

No, it's not that time again. Not the early sun-sets, not the cold morning walks with the puppy, not the crockpot! Except the crockpot really is handy. I normally reserve it for winter-themed meals but then this recipe popped into my email: Charley's Slow Cooker Mexican Style Meat

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 8 Hours
Ready In: 8 Hours 50 Minutes
Servings: 12


Ingredients:
1 (4 pound) chuck roast
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/4 cups diced green chile pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 (5 ounce) bottle hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions:
1. Trim the roast of any excess fat, and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the beef in the hot skillet, and brown it quickly on all sides.
2. Transfer the roast to a slow cooker and top it with the chopped onion. Season with chile peppers, chili powder, cayenne pepper, hot pepper sauce, and garlic powder. Add enough water to cover 1/3 of the roast.
3. Cover, and cook on High for 6 hours, checking to make sure there is always at least a small amount of liquid in the bottom of the cooker. Reduce heat to Low, and continue cooking for 2 to 4 hours, or until meat is totally tender and falls apart.
4. Transfer the roast to a bowl and shred it using two forks (reserve 2 cups of cooking liquid, if desired). Serve in tacos or burritos (see Cook's Note).

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Books to Movies: What are you reading?

www.goodreads.com
Have I posted about this yet? The list of 14 books to read before you see the movie. Granted, there are lots of books to movies these days, and I still haven't seen Life of Pi because I loved the book so much! Haven't read the Game of Thrones series, either. Especially since the series is part way through book 3 (Storm of Swords) and I don't want to be spoiled for the rest of the show!


Besides, I like reading! And would rather read the book than see the movie.

Originally published on Buzz Feed, this is a list of excellent books (according to them) that will soon hit the big screen. I've read 4 of them; 2 I have no interest in; 1 looks depressing as hell. What about you?

Divergent by Veronica Roth (TBR pile)
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (TBR pile)
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (5 stars, 3 hankies, 1 fantastic book!)
The Maze Runner by James Dashner (only OK, it's a trilogy and I didn't read books 2 and 3)
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (TBR pile)
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (Fantastic story, highly recommended!)
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare
If I Stay by Gayle Foreman
by Jordan Belfort
by (very informative and enjoyable but I love WWII stuff!)
by Ron Rash
by Joe Hill (is that Stephen King's son?)
by Tim Tharp
by

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

I Have a Dream

Today is the 50th anniversary of Dr. King's speech, given on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. I've been to the Lincoln Memorial and can honestly say it's a wonderful place--inspiring with a beautiful view of the Mall. A few days ago I read an interesting story on BBC about the Race Riot that Never Was. Insightful to say the least.

history.denverlibrary.org
I won't go into a debate on Dr. King's dream. That's not what this is about. It's about bringing us all together. That's what it should be about. So on this anniversary, let's think about that. Let's think about how to get us all together no matter where we come from, who we are, or what we look like.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

#BookBlast Annabeth Leong and her #newrelease Get Laid



About Annbeth:
Annabeth Leong has written erotica of many flavors. She loves shoes, stockings, cooking and excellent bass lines. She always keeps a new e-book loaded on her phone and a paperback stashed in her purse, but her eyes are still bigger than her stomach whenever she visits a bookseller. She blogs at annabethleong.blogspot.com, and tweets @AnnabethLeong . Watch for her next contemporary erotic romance from Ellora's Cave, Design and Scandal.


Blurb:
Renovators have invaded the home of Jason and Eliza Wu. The two haven’t seen a clean surface in months and, even worse, haven’t had a moment to themselves. With stress in their work lives added to stress at home, the couple desperately needs to have some fun. Jason and Eliza embark on a bold plan to make love and get out of the house—at the same time. Through a series of hot adventures and wild mishaps in the car, at Eliza’s mother’s house, on the top floor of the library and everywhere in between, Jason and Eliza find that not only can they survive renovations, they might even be sorry when they’re over.
A Romantica® contemporary erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave
Excerpt:
By scooting the heaviest things out of the way with the side of her thigh, Eliza could open the refrigerator door just enough to slide her arm in and identify a wine cooler by shape. She snaked it out of the refrigerator, but her hand slipped on the sweating glass bottle just before she got it clear. It crashed to the floor and shattered, soaking the lower half of her stockings and the big bags of flour and rice from the pantry with pink, sugary alcohol. Shards of glass surrounded her and Eliza swallowed, thinking of her bare feet.
Her husband responded before she could. “Don’t move,” Jason said. He was barefoot himself, but that didn’t stop him from getting in close enough to sweep her up into his arms. The man might sit behind a desk all day at work, but he put in his time at the gym. His taut muscles flexed around Eliza as he lifted her out of the mess and glass and tucked her against his chest.
Jason carried Eliza to the other side of the room and set her on the table. “Are you all right? Did you cut yourself?” He lifted one sticky, stocking-covered foot in his hand and inspected it for injuries.
“I didn’t get hurt.” Eliza caught his other hand and brought it to her lips. “Thanks, Jason. Really.”
He kissed the side of her face in response, and she wished he’d gone for her mouth instead. She reached to pull him in for a better kiss, but before she could he crossed back to the refrigerator and folded his arms across his chest. Eliza and Jason both sighed.
“I think we’re going to have to throw all this food away because of the glass,” Jason said.
“I’m sorry.” She got off the table and tapped one foot, trying to remember where they’d moved the broom.
“You stay there. I’ll take care of this.”
“If you say so.”
“I do.”
Eliza smiled, a little of the tension easing. “I want to do something really fun at home for our anniversary. It’s five years, and maybe our last chance before we have to grow up for real and behave. We should jump on the beds and have sex on the kitchen table.”
“About that…”
“What?”
“If you haven’t opened the document I shared with you, then you didn’t see the note I made about the latest delay.”
Eliza’s voice darkened. “What?”
“When they checked out the master bathroom, they found a rotten beam. It needs to be fixed, but Bob said it means the job won’t be done until mid-August.”
“But that’s only two weeks before our anniversary! That’s more than a month behind schedule.”
Jason shrugged. He wrapped his hand in a dishtowel and began throwing items from the pantry into a big black trash bag. “I don’t like it any more than you. They have to finish the job eventually, one way or another.”
“He always finds something else! Did you ask him if he’s sure about the schedule this time?”
Jason stood abruptly and stepped away from the mess in front of the refrigerator. “I don’t want you criticizing me for how I talked to Bob. Why did we think renovations were a good idea?”
“Oh, Jason.” Eliza rushed to his side and tried to put her arms around him, but he shook her off.
Her husband rubbed one hand over his face. “I don’t want us to fight again. I want to have a nice time with you tonight. Do you know why I was upset when you got home? I left the office a little early and I was going to straighten up around here and make you dinner. If we could open the damn refrigerator, you’d see I picked up avocados and a bunch of other stuff you like. I got home and found the kitchen like this, and I knew I couldn’t get it sorted out in time to surprise you.”
Jason grunted and tossed a few more things into the trash bag. Eliza hovered nearby, wishing she could wave their problems away and start the fun they both wanted. She found herself staring at his firm ass, trying to remember the last time she’d really grabbed it. They’d always had a good relationship, a hot relationship. She’d been shocked to see how the stress of renovations had reduced them to sniping at each other.
“I miss you, Jason.”
He stopped moving. “What do you mean?”
“I miss your body. When was the last time we really had some time to ourselves?”
“You mean other than time we spend complaining to each other about the renovations from hell?”
“I love that you were going to make me dinner. Really, I do. It’s just there’s something I might need more than dinner. I think we both need it.”
A slow grin spread over Jason’s face. “I may have had an ulterior motive when I decided to make you dinner.”
“I hope you did.” Eliza reached out to him with one hand. “Can’t we clean it up in the morning? We have to stop letting these renovations ruin our lives.”
Jason took her in his arms before she finished her sentence.

Buy Links:

Friday, August 23, 2013

Friday Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies

I know! Sounds delicious, right?! I mean two great ideas merged into one!  I found the recipe on a few different sites but copied the one that was easiest to post. Pinch of Yum's looked tasty and with pictures! These are cupcakes from Very Best Baking that looked interesting.

I decided to use Kitchen Simple's Layered Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies. And oh my they were so delicious!

Layered Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies

Cookie Dough
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Brownie
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 3 oz bittersweet chocolate
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
For the cookie dough: Cream together butter and sugars, in a large bowl. Mix in egg and vanilla. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips until evenly distributed. Set aside.

For the brownie: Place butter and chocolate in small saucepan set over medium-low heat, stir constantly until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth; remove from heat. Whisk in sugar, egg and vanilla. Whisk in cocoa and salt. Stir in flour until evenly combined.

To assemble: Scrape brownie batter into an 8×8 inch baking pan that has been lightly greased and lined with parchment paper; smooth top. Top with chunks of cookie dough, as evenly as possible. Bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes, or until cookie layer is set and lightly browned.

Let cool completely before removing from pan to slice. (I don't know why, sure they'll be hot but oh so chewy and delicious!)
Makes: 9-12 servings

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Lucy Felthouse and her new release Testing Tom @cw1985 #BookBlast



Testing Tom by Lucy Felthouse
Blurb:
When Katrina’s ex, Tom, turns up on her doorstep, he’s literally the last person she was expecting to see. After dumping her and running off with a vanilla chick, Tom broke the Domme’s heart and left her seriously hurting. So when he returns, begging for another chance, Katrina is understandably very confused and protective of her bruised feelings. She finds it very difficult to believe that he’s turned his back on a vanilla lifestyle for good and wants to be with her, a professional dominatrix. Rather than letting her head or her heart figure out what to do, whether to forgive him, she decides to put Tom through a series of challenges that will prove his devotion to her—or not. Testing Tom is not something she’d ever expected she’d have to do, but to her, it’s the only way she can be sure whether he’s back for good.

Available from:

Excerpt:
Katrina was halfway through an episode of her favorite drama series when her doorbell rang. She jumped, gasping as her heart lurched painfully, then pressed ‘pause’ on the remote control. Wincing slightly as she unfolded her legs from beneath her bottom—she’d been watching the program back-to-back for a couple of hours and she was stiff—she moved to the window and peered out through a gap in the curtains, careful not to let the mystery visitor see her, should she need to ignore them. Cold callers were common in her area, and drove her crazy. If she wanted to buy something, she’d contact them, not the other way around.

As it happened, it wasn’t a salesperson. She ducked back from the window, clenched her hands into fists.
“What the fuck is he doing here?”

He was literally the last person she’d expected to see standing at her door. Prince William or George Clooney would have been less of a shock.

For there, outside her house, stood the man that had broken her heart several months ago. Thomas Black. She hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him since, and now, totally out of the blue, he’d turned up.

Katrina contemplated ignoring him, going back to her show and pretending she wasn’t in. But apparently that wasn’t an option.

“I know you’re there, Katrina,” he yelled through the letterbox, “your car is on the drive, and I can see the glow of the telly through the curtains.”

Katrina decided it was time to get thicker curtains. Not wanting to cause a scene, which her nosey neighbors would no doubt adore, she moved to the front door, unlocked it and flung it open.

“Get in,” she said, quickly closing the door behind him, then turning to face her unwanted visitor. “What the hell do you want?”

He held his hands up in supplication, then spoke. “Look, I know I’m probably the last person you expected to see—wanted to see—but I have to talk to you. Please?”

He adopted the puppy-dog look he’d long-since perfected. Katrina sighed.

“You’ve got five minutes. Sit down.”

They moved over to the sitting area, and Katrina deliberately sat in the chair, so Tom couldn’t sit next to her. Settling onto the end of the sofa nearest to her, he clasped his hands together, presumably to summon his courage, and began.

“Kat, I’m here to say I’m sorry, all right? I was wrong, so wrong, to finish with you the way I did and go off with Alicia.”

“She dumped you, has she?” Katrina clenched her teeth, and felt the rage beginning to build inside her. If Tom thought he could come running back to her because his bimbo had ditched him, then he had another think coming.

“No,” he said firmly, and, she suspected, honestly. “I finished with her, actually. When I realized that I wasn’t happy with her. She never made me feel the way you do, Kat. Not once. And I know, I know it’s my fault. I wanted something… different from what we had, or at least I thought I did. I couldn’t help thinking at the time that what we did was wrong, was weird. Abnormal, even. So when Alicia started flirting with me at work, I started thinking perhaps I should try for something normal. Like everybody else out there.”

He fixed her with his soulful gaze, and continued. “But I couldn’t have been more wrong. Yes, Alicia offered me normality, a vanilla relationship, but I soon discovered it couldn’t satisfy me. Sure, she could make me come in all the usual ways—”

“Ugh, I don’t want to hear this, Tom. I don’t want to hear about your sex life with someone else!”

“Sorry, Kat. Please, just let me finish?”

When she gave a curt nod, he carried on speaking.

“Alicia could make me come in all the usual ways—I am just a man, after all—but it wasn’t the same. Wasn’t as good. It wasn’t long before I started to miss you, miss what we had together, both in and out of the bedroom. I ignored it for as long as I could, forced myself to make the effort with Alicia, but it just got to the stage where I couldn’t do it anymore. Couldn’t ignore what I was, what I enjoyed, what I needed. And that’s you, Kat. I need you, and everything that goes with you.”

As a Domme, Katrina had become an expert in hiding her feelings, whether she was aroused, angry, happy, sad… it was all stuffed behind a stern facial expression. Now, though, she almost faltered. When Tom had left her, she’d remained cool and silent until the door had slammed. Then she’d broken down. She’d been deeply in love with him, and his decision had left her devastated. Months down the line, her love for him hadn’t faded, not one bit, and the fact that he was here, right now, apparently trying to get her back, was something she’d never expected. She didn’t know whether to laugh, cry or throw something at him.

She didn’t do any of those things. She kept her face straight, her thoughts whizzing through her head at a hundred miles per hour. Eventually, after letting him squirm in his seat for a minute or so, she replied. “So what exactly are you saying, Tom? What do you want?” She knew the answer, but she wanted to make him suffer, the way he had done to her after ditching her for something, someone, that could never satisfy him.

About Lucy:
Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over seventy publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline. These include Best Bondage Erotica 2012 and 2013, and Best Women's Erotica 2013. Another string to her bow is editing, and she has edited and co-edited a number of anthologies. She owns Erotica For All, and is book editor for Cliterati. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9

Friday, August 16, 2013

Friday Recipe: Mixed Drink-Coconut Water with Whiskey

I've found a new favorite drinks website. I can't believe I've never seen The Bar before! Where or where have I been? So, this week it's Coconut Water and Whiskey. Or Whisky if you prefer. I've never had Buchanan's Scotch Whisky and am not sure how it'll mix with coconut water, but this weekend I definitely aim to try!

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz.Buchanan's® Deluxe Blended Scotch Whisky
  • 5 oz.coconut water

How to Mix

Glass: Pint Glass
  1. Add Buchanan’s Deluxe and coconut water
  2. Serve over ice

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Downton Abbey Season 4

Who's excited with me? Yes, I know you are, it's been a rough few months waiting for the new season. January 5, 2014--mark your calenders! It's still a long way off, but I just saw this cast photo and needed to share.

From Yahoo! news
"Last week, several cast members from the show, which returns to Masterpiece on PBS on January 5, 2014, hit the Television Critics Association Summer Tour in Beverly Hills, where they shared with journalists new details about the upcoming season."

I won't post some of what Michelle Dockery, Lady Mary, says, you can click on the link for that in case you don't want spoilers!

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

#BookBlast @thedaisyharris and her new release From the Ashes



Birkenstock-wearing glamour girl and mother of two by immaculate conception, Daisy Harris still isn't sure if she writes erotica. Her romances start out innocently enough. However, her characters behave like complete sluts. Much to Miss Harris's dismay the sex tends to get completely out of hand.

She writes about fantastical creatures and about young men getting their freak on, and she's never missed an episode of The Walking Dead.

Want to learn more about new releases, general news and my latest inappropriate boy band crush? Sign up for my newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/b96xX

Find me on twitter, like me on Facebook, or check out my filthy Tumblr feed.

Daisy will be awarding a $20 gift card to Starbucks to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.



BLURB:
When an accident burns down Jesse’s apartment, he’s left broke and homeless, with a giant dog and a college schedule he can’t afford to maintain. And no family who’s willing to take him in.

Lucky for him, a sexy fireman offers him a place to stay. The drawback? The fireman’s big Latino family lives next door, and they don’t know their son is gay.

Tomas’s parents made their way in America with hard work and by accepting help when it was offered, so he won’t let Jesse drop out of school just so he can afford a place to live. Besides, Jesse’s the perfect roommate—funny, sweet and breathtakingly cute. He climbs into Tomas’s bed and tugs at his heart. Until Jesse starts pushing for more.

Their passion enflames their bodies but threatens to crush Tomas’s family. Tomas is willing to fight for Jesse, but after losing everything, Jesse isn’t sure he can bear to risk his one remaining possession—his heart.

Warning: Contains an angry older brother, judgmental best friends, a slobbering bull mastiff, and enough red-hot gay loving to make a porn star blush.

 
Excerpt:
“You take the bed.” Tomas stroked the top of Jesse’s foot. The connection of skin made him shiver. “I got it last night.” He wanted to kiss Jesse’s cheek. So he did. Then he got up and did the dishes.

Jesse gave him a small but cheeky wink. “You’re only giving me the bed because the sheets are gross.”

Tomas laughed. He’d forgotten about that. “I’ll put some new ones on for you, fancy boy.”

“I can do it.” Jesse went to the closet for fresh sheets, but folded out the loveseat to make that bed first. The scene felt warm and homey, the way Tomas felt with Jesse every night.

“Jess—” Tomas started.

Jesse cut him off. “Y’know...” He looked up, holding a pillow half-stuffed into a pillowcase. His hazel eyes were honest and open. “You don’t have to be perfect.”

Tomas’s chest hurt, as if Jesse had shot him straight through. His heart was bleeding, but that was okay, because it bled for the skinny, pretty boy standing in the middle of his living room. “Jess—”

“You don’t have to be perfect.” Jesse shook his head. He swallowed hard, but then smiled. “I still like you.”

“Fuck, Jess.” Tomas blinked back tears. He couldn’t tell if he was happy or sad, only that Jesse had every part of him. “I like you so much.”

Jesse nodded. He smiled down at what he was doing and finished stuffing the pillowcase. “I know.”