New Post on Consuelo Vazquez!

Pass by my Consuelo Vazquez blog. I meant to post that here. It's for all us flower lovers and homebodies!

Au Gratin...But Not Really

Usually I don't share recipes on my blog, but this one was SO yummalicious that it's getting an entry! A friend of mine at work, who knows I love to cook, found it in our local paper and passed it on to me. The problem with getting a recipe from me is that I've become of those "a pinch of this, a dash of that" cooks (Chef Gordon Ramsay would probably stand in my kitchen going, "OH, MY GOD!!!" ). Don't think you'll have problems following it, though, so here goes:

What you'll need: an oven (duh), preheated to 350 degrees...a casserole dish, and mine was a long one...enough potatoes to layer said casserole dish, cut into au gratin-size slices. The recipe called for 4 large baking potatoes; I used about 7 smaller potatoes. Ah, I'm such a radical. Anyhoo, other ingredients: Garlic, minced or powder; Parmesan cheese; a quart of half & half; and a wonderful thing--a new discovery for me--called Gruyere cheese. The recipe called for a half cup of the cheese, shredded, but I used waaaaaaaaay more than that.

First step: After peeling and slicing the potatoes, toss them into a Dutch oven with the whole quart of half & half and the garlic, which I also varied to taste, as with salt and pepper. Cook at medium until the mixture somewhat thickens, then transfer to the casserole dish. Add both the Gruyere cheese and a sprinkling of the Parmesan, then pop that baby in the oven. Bake for 50-55 minutes.

The recipe called for allowing the potatoes to cool for about 30 minutes, but after about 5 minutes I brought that bubbly, cheesy, creamy delight straight to the dinner table. It's sort of au gratin, but sort of absolutely different, thanks to the mild and delicious Gruyere cheese. It was a hit at dinner, especially with my daughter-in-law Yesica and me, who loved it.

Enjoy!

I missed V tonight!!!

Earlier in the day when I came home for lunch, I noticed it advertised on YouTube with the words, "V Returns Tonight" or something to that effect. But of course, with the potpourri that is my life, I got sidetracked. My hubby invited me out for a walk after dinner, but I'd already made "girly plans." You know--get a pedicure first, then hit the tanning salon. After that I came home to watch American Idol with Bill, Yesica & Brandon while my granddaughter strolled around the living room wearing my flipflops (the blue ones with the little silver starfish, which that young lady just LOVES to pieces). Forgot all about V, darn it. Hopefully we can catch up with all the aliens' doings on the next episode without getting too lost.

There just aren't enough good sci-fi shows on TV. V caught my attention, and although it's not Invasion, which goes down as one of my all-time favorite shows (and it has William Fichtner playing the very mysterious Sheriff Tom Underlay, although I'd watch William Fichtner in ANYTHING--the man is sheer romance hero material!), it's definitely entertaining and worth catching.

While You Were Away

Remember those little pink pads with those words at the top of the sheet? WHILE YOU WERE AWAY, so & so called, etc. Does anybody still use those? It's been some time since I've been a secretary; my "civilian" job is as a medical records clerk, so I haven't gotten to use those WHILE YOU WERE AWAY thingies.

In any event, that should be WHILE I WAS AWAY because I've been AWOL from this blog for almost a couple months. Since I last wrote I finished a short novel, shipped it out for a publisher's review, started a new novela, and started...belly dancing classes! Whenever I can get my hip scarf away from my granddaughter Aubrey--she loves that thing, even thought it goes around her tiny hips about 7 times, I think--I zip off to class. So far I'm still a beginner, but it's fun!

More recently, my husband threw me a surprise 50th birthday party, and the weather complied with a gorgeous, sunny, blue sky. (Hey, it isn't every day a girl gets to turn half a century old. For the occasion, my best friend treated me to a gift certificate to Victoria's Secret. Only a GREAT friend would dream up that one, y'all!)

It's been a crazy weekend but I've got to get back to work on this new WIP. As for the other work, it's great to have something out making the rounds again. I don't know if it's my age or the spring slowly rolling around again, and I find the spring to be very inspiring, creatively speaking, but I've had something of a reawakening. Lately, each day I look forward to stealing away enough time to get at least 500 words done.

And of course, stealing an hour on Wednesday for some belly dancing!

Novel Spaces

Hey--I'm blogging today over at Novel Spaces. Very fun place, so drop by!

NEW REVIEW & December Hello!

Wow, it's been a long time since my last blog. I make no excuses, either. Mostly doing some writing but also the usual at this time of year, getting ready for Christmas. Also, let's be honest here--playing Farmville on Facebook! Did ya'll know you can get presents sent to you? Collect all 60 and open them on Christmas Eve, get 60 surprises for your farm??? Or are you all grown up and don't do that stuff? ;D

Okay, well, enough of that! Onto book stuff.

My latest book, FASCINATION, received 4 & 1/2 books from Long & Short Reviews! The reviewer writes: "If you are in the mood for a charming, gentle, feel-good-factor read, then this is the book for you."

You can read the review in its entirety here.

Coffee Time Romance Review

FIVE COFFEE CUPS FOR FASCINATION!

Considering I've been feeling under the weather with the flu the past couple of days, this came as a real pick-me-up today!

"This is a beautifully written story of true love." Find the full review by Hollie by clicking on the Coffee Time Romance pic below!