#FoodieFriday: Roasted Asparagus #vegetarian

This is the last Foodie Friday I'll be doing for a few weeks due to my participation in the April A-Z Blogging Challenge, so I wanted to give you guys something easy.

Picture from Simply Stacie

Springtime is prime asparagus season, and nothing is more awesome than simply prepared vegetables.

In this case, Simply Stacie has the answer: Roasted Asparagus.

My personally favorite way to prepare asparagus is to grill it, but this recipe is more universal in that most of us have an oven but not everyone has a grill.

Basically, trimmed asparagus+olive oil+ salt & pepper and you're done. She uses garlic, which I think would also be fabulous, but I haven't used it when I've made this recipe yet. I'm lazy like that.

10 minutes in a 450 degree F oven, stirring/turning once at the halfway mark, and BOOM.

Such an easy side.

I hope you guys tune in for my A-Z Challenge posts!

xoxo Sarah

Important news! Blog migration soon (please read!)

Hey, everyone! I just wanted to share some news--I'm having my website re-designed, and my blog will be migrating to another platform. Currently it's on Blogger, but I'm having it ported over to a Wordpress one. I've found that Wordpress is much easier for designers to work with.

When is this happening? Probably some time in May or June. I'm participating in the April A-Z Challenge again this year, and it won't be until after the challenge is over that the blog will be migrated.

What does that mean for you? I'll post about this at least once more (probably twice) before my blog is migrated, including a big FINAL POST post. I'll also include the link to my "new" one so you can follow it there.

I'm really excited about having the website and blog makeover, and I'm hoping you'll love it, too!

xoxo Sarah

Guest Post: Rumer Haven on Film Inspiration for What the Clocks Know @RumerHaven

Thanks so much for hosting me, Sarah!

As an avid reader, I've had many literary inspirations for my writing. But as a film buff, movies make their way into my stories, too! Here are just a few that influenced What the Clocks Know:

1. Enchantment (1948) - Starring David Niven, this black-and-white classic did indeed enchant me with its graceful cinematography and delicate storytelling. I adore past-present stories and am perpetually contemplating the different lives that have existed in the same spaces. So this film immediately struck a chord, as it follows a single London household through the generations. It was based on Rumer Godden's novel Take Three Tenses: A Fugue in Time, which is equally lovely (and yes, that Rumer is my namesake!). My protagonist Margot actually watches the film during one scene, and it's Enchantment's opening narration that inspired my book's title.     

  2. Vertigo (1958) - Starring Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak, this Hitchcock classic is a haunting psychological tale as Stewart's character descends into madness and obsession. But while my Margot spirals into her own depression, her experience more so parallels Novak's character and the tragically beautiful trances she slips into as though possessed by a troubled spirit from the past.

  3. The Others (2001) - Speaking of Alfred Hitchcock, this contemporary ghost story (starring Nicole Kidman) embodies his less-is-more approach to suspense. Forget in-your-face ghouls and gore--this is the kind of storytelling that scares the crap out me. The subtle and offscreen, not the explicit. The kind that leaves more to our imagination, which we don't give enough credit these days. And with an added psychological element that makes us and the characters question our perceptions, this is the kind of ghost story I wanted to tell, too.   

  4. Dead Again (1991) - Starring the then-married Emma Thompson and Kenneth Branagh, this movie has the basic essence of what I've always loved in a story: plots that traverse time, connecting the living with the dead as those in the present try to uncover secrets from the past to make sense of their identity and what's happening to them now. Throw in hypnosis and a little Robin Williams in that wise-sage role that he used to play so well, and you've got a haunting, entertaining little mystery/thriller that I loved as a teenager, anyway. :)

  5. Before Sunrise (1995) - Starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, this indie favorite of mine is such a great example of how you don't need major action and other bells and whistles to tell an authentic and engaging story. Before Sunrise's characters first meet on a train and then simply wander through Vienna and talk, exploring unfamiliar sights and streets while their conversations range from the flirty and trivial to the weighty and existential. This suits Margot as she also finds herself in a new city and contemplates what she wants in life with unfamiliar people against an unfamiliar backdrop.    So that's the sort of cinema that I'm drawn to, and consequently the kind of story I like to tell. I recommend watching any and all of them when you're not otherwise reading What the Clocks Know. ;)

~ * ~

About What the Clocks Know: Finding a ghost isn't what Margot had in mind when she went ‘soul searching’, but somehow her future may depend on Charlotte's past. Woven between 21st-century and Victorian London, What the Clocks Know is a haunting story of love and identity. A paranormal women's fiction, this title is available as of March 18, 2016 from Crooked Cat Publishing. "A unique tale of the paranormal – as beautiful as it is haunting." ~ Shani Struthers, author of Jessamine and the Psychic Surveys series

 

** Add it! **

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29368003-what-the-clocks-know

** Read it! **

Amazon US - http://amzn.to/21DZoCw

Amazon UK - http://amzn.to/1QsiFfr

~ * ~

Author Bio:

Rumer Haven is probably the most social recluse you could ever meet. When she’s not babbling her fool head off among friends and family, she’s pacified with a good story that she’s reading, writing, or revising—or binge-watching something on Netflix. A former teacher hailing from Chicago, she presently lives in London with her husband and probably a ghost or two. Rumer has always had a penchant for the past and paranormal, which inspires her writing to explore dimensions of time, love, and the soul. She debuted in 2014 with Seven for a Secret (in which a Jazz Age tragedy haunts a modern woman’s love life), and her award-winning short story “Four Somethings & a Sixpence” (about a bride who gets a little something she didn’t register for) was released in 2015. What the Clocks Know is her second novel.

Learn more about Rumer at: Website - http://www.rumerhaven.com Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/rumerhaven Twitter - @RumerHaven

And my @AprilA2Z #AtoZChallenge theme is...

Since we now call the Southwest home, I decided that this year I'll be doing our new city and any surrounding things that catch my eye.

So, my official theme for this year's A to Z Challenge is......

NEW MEXICO! 

Pic from Wikipedia

I hope you all enjoy my posts in the coming month! C'mon back in another week or so for awesomeness from the Land of Enchantment.

xoxo Sarah

#FoodieFriday: Blackberry Sage Pork Chops

My poor husband and I share the same aversion to pork chops, though if you ask him, he's suffered worse.

Picture from Budget Bytes

Tortured by family who served dry, stringy, overcooked pieces of pork smothered in applesauce (his) or apples and sauerkraut (mine), I rarely bought them in order to save us both from food-related PTSD.

Pork tenderloin, on the other hand, enjoys a healthy rotation in our repertoire. And no, I don't overcook it. I pay close attention to the thermometer, thank you very much.

But this delicious recipe from Budget Bytes for Blackberry Sage Pork Chops has changed our tune.

I've made this recipe a couple of times; the first was with pork tenderloin I had in the freezer (cut into medallions), and the second was with pork chops as prescribed.

Though the recipe itself is very cost-conscious and uses simple ingredients--most of which you probably have in your pantry already--the amazing sauce is sweet and savory and makes you feel like you're eating a restaurant meal.

Just follow the directions and you're golden. If you're like me and ended up with pork tenderloin to use instead, thaw it if frozen and cut into medallions about an inch thick. Then proceed with the recipe as it's written. It'll be fabulous!

The biggest hurdle was, oddly, finding blackberry jam. I scoured the whole shelf and was only able to find a couple of brands, whereas most of the selection was strawberry, raspberry, grape, and a few others. I think, though, if you're in a pinch, you could probably use raspberry and it would come out very well.

If you're looking for a cost-conscious way to jazz up dinner, this is it!

xoxo Sarah

Rumer Haven's What the Clocks Know is OUT! @RumerHaven

NEW RELEASE!

Released March 18, 2016

Paranormal Women's Fiction

Crooked Cat Publishing

~ * ~

Summary: Twenty-six-year-old Margot sets out on a journey of self-discovery – she dumps her New York boyfriend, quits her Chicago job, and crashes at her friend’s flat in London. Rather than find herself, though, she only feels more lost. An unsettling energy affects her from the moment she enters the old Victorian residence, and she spirals into depression. Frightened and questioning her perceptions, she gradually suspects her dark emotions belong to Charlotte instead. Who is Charlotte? The name on a local gravestone could relate to Margot’s dreams and the grey woman weeping at the window. Finding a ghost isn't what she had in mind when she went ‘soul searching’, but somehow Margot's future may depend on Charlotte's past. Woven between 21st century and Victorian London, What the Clocks Know is a haunting story of love and identity.

** Add it! **

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29368003-what-the-clocks-know

** Read it! **

Amazon US - http://amzn.to/21DZoCw

Amazon UK - http://amzn.to/1QsiFfr

Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/1Qsj1Tr

iBooks - http://apple.co/1QsjaWS

Kobo - http://bit.ly/1QsiQre

Smashwords - http://bit.ly/1Qsj69I

~ * ~

Author Bio:

Rumer Haven is probably the most social recluse you could ever meet. When she’s not babbling her fool head off among friends and family, she’s pacified with a good story that she’s reading, writing, or revising—or binge-watching something on Netflix. A former teacher hailing from Chicago, she presently lives in London with her husband and probably a ghost or two. Rumer has always had a penchant for the past and paranormal, which inspires her writing to explore dimensions of time, love, and the soul. She debuted in 2014 with Seven for a Secret (in which a Jazz Age tragedy haunts a modern woman’s love life), and her award-winning short story “Four Somethings & a Sixpence” (about a bride who gets a little something she didn’t register for) was released in 2015. What the Clocks Know is her second novel.

Learn more about Rumer at: Website - http://www.rumerhaven.com Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/rumerhaven Twitter - @RumerHaven

#FoodieFriday: Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

This cookie. Martha Stewart knew what she was doing.

Oh man.

Picture via Martha Stewart's website.

If I didn't have a good idea I'd make myself sick, I'd make this and eat the whole thing.

Besides serving about 8 people (fewer, most likely...), this cookie is absolutely gorgeous. It fills the cast iron skillet and looks so pretty. As if you needed another reason to use your 10-inch skillet.

Served straight from the oven (with a few minutes to cool so you don't sacrifice your poor burned mouth), it's gooey and satisfying.

It's perfect for scooping a bit of your favorite ice cream over, too.

And it doesn't get any better for parties--who wouldn't want to bring this out to the table!

Even better, it's not difficult to make. It comes together in a snap and you can enjoy your party, or enjoy making everyone else clean up while you eat the whole thing.

I won't judge.

xoxo Sarah

#FoodieFriday: Salisbury Steak Meatballs with Onion Gravy #comfortfood

I can't believe I missed last Friday's post, but no matter.  This week's will make up for it.

I've made these yummy Salisbury Steak Meatballs by Jo Cooks twice now, and both times they were a big hit with both hubs and me. The meat is flavorful; the gravy is delicious, and it's a must-serve with mashed potatoes and a good veggie. In the picture, you can see that I made roasted asparagus to go with it. 

This ain't no TV dinner Salisbury steak!

There are a good amount of leftovers (4 day's worth if there are two of you, so approximately 8 servings total), and they're even better as time goes on.

Some tips I've picked up--with this recipe, make patties, not meatballs. I did meatballs the first time, and they were very soft and didn't keep their shape, making them impossible to turn to brown when in the pan. Epic fail. I got frustrated (might be a slight understatement--I think I threw a not-very-adultlike fit that my poor husband had to witness), ended up squishing them into something resembling taco filling, then scooped the meat out and finished the gravy as directed. It tasted fine and all, but it wasn't pretty, nor did I get the nice browned fond on the bottom of the skillet as I'd wanted. The second time I'd learned my lesson--I made flat patties about the size of my palm. I think I got nine patties out of the meat mixture. This worked much better! They were easy to flip with my spatula, and I got the nice dark brown crust that I needed to make the gravy extra good. That's one patty on top of my mashed 'taters in the picture.

For leftovers, though, the rest of the meat and gravy went into a container, and we've been scooping out our desired servings that way. Add some additional stock (I used chicken stock in both the main recipe and when I re-warmed it; it's what I usually have open in my fridge) to make the meat and gravy serve-able again, and heat in a saucepan. It ends up kind of like Shepherd's Pie filling (really Cottage Pie because of the beef, but whatever), but it tastes the same.

As I mentioned above, I used chicken stock for the gravy. It says either chicken or beef, and I almost always have an open container of chicken stock in the fridge already, so that's what I used.

Mashed potatoes (either regular or mashed sweets) are my side of choice, along with a roasted vegetable or salad.

Even better, this whole thing comes together in about 30-45 minutes from start to finish, and, because of the leftovers, actually can save you time the next day. So it's a comfort food meal worth making.

What do you think?

xoxo Sarah