I recently got a shipment of books, including several that have brand new covers for some personal favorites like To Catch a Princess and the At the Shore Contemporary Romance series. I’m so excited to have these for my upcoming trip to Readers Take Denver and A Day of Wine, Romance and More! I can’t wait to go to these events and if you’ll be in the area, I hope you can come by! All these books are available online and you can also order autographed copies at my website.
Throwback Visit to Salem
Several years ago my daughter and I did a girls’ trip to Salem. We stayed at the lovely Merchant Hotel and had a lovely time exploring the town and the various historical sites related to the Salem Witch Trials. One of the highlights of our trip was a visit to the Peabody Essex Museum which had a number of very interesting exhibits. I love old furniture and there were many examples of early American pieces but there was also a fun interactive exhibit with lights that created art based on your movements through the exhibit. We ate at several well-known restaurants but what we didn’t know was that a few of them were supposedly haunted. Honestly, I was too busy chowing down on my delicious lobster bisque to notice if any spirits were lurking! LOL! If you ever get a chance, head up to Salem for a few days of exploring the various witch trial sights, the Peabody, House of the Seven Gables, and just exploring all the historical homes and buildings. P.S. If you love stories with ghosts, check out Ghost of a Chance, my novella set on the Jersey Shore involving a million-dollar mystery and a bootlegger’s murder during prohibition! You can download it at https://amzn.to/4cACumA.
What are you reading?
Good morning! It’s What You Reading Wednesday! Please take a moment to share what you’re reading or what’s on your TBR pile! Sadly, I have yet to get to Payback in Death which has been sitting on my TBR pile for a couple of months now. I’ve just been too busy with my role as a Conference Chair, some writing, growing seedlings, and of course, the best little seedling of all, my daughter’s pregnancy. All is well there but I’ve been gathering items and ideas for her upcoming baby shower. I know you are all probably busy too but I hope you’ve been able to get some reading done. So please share what you’re reading or what you’ll be grabbing off your TBR pile! P.S. If you’re looking for something to add to your TBR pile, I hope you’ll consider either out STRENGTH & HONOR charity anthology or my upcoming May 21 release SABOTAGE OPERATION! Want a free copy of SOUTH BEACH LOVE? Sign up for my newsletter to get your copy!
Happy Release Day Chris Maday Schmidt!
I want to wish a very Happy Book Birthday to fellow Harlequin Author Chris Maday Schmidt whose new book releases today! Please welcome Chris and give her a big CONGRATS on her exciting day!
Hello readers! I’m Chris Maday Schmidt, and I write contemporary romance for Harlequin’s Love Inspired line. Thanks so much to Caridad for inviting me to pop in and share a giveaway of my debut novel A FATHER’S VOW which releases today—March 26!
Back cover blurb:
His daughter is his priority…
But is there room for one more?
Dedicated to protecting his daughter and the town, widower Constable Jack Wells will do anything to stop the vandalism at their beloved wildlife preserve—even partner with its new veterinarian. But fighting his attraction to Emerson Parker might be the greater challenge. Soon their on-duty stakeouts evolve into off-duty family outings. But with heartbreak in this past, is he ready to risk a second chance?
For a chance to win a paperback copy of “A Father’s Vow,” visit Caridad’s Facebook Fan page and comment on your go-to hooks and tropes. Do you prefer second chance romance, or friends to more? Single moms or dads, or surprise babies? Cowboys, or millionaires?
This or That: Bath or Shower
My daughter just loves taking a long soak in a sudsy, scented bath. I, on the other hand, prefer a nice long hot shower. There is something about the warm water cascading over me that not only relaxes me, it helps me work through things like a gnarly plot point or other mental roadblock. Sometimes I use some bath salts or a shower bomb to get some calming smells in there! What about you? Do you prefer a nice soak or a tranquilizing shower? P.S. I’ve got a number of books available on Kindle Unlimited for FREE or if you’re not in KU, specially priced at 99 cents for a limited time. You can download them at https://amzn.to/3SG2rtz.
Abuela’s Spanish Tortilla
My Spanish grandmother was an absolutely fabulous cook! She could make anything taste fantastic. One of the dishes she would make often is a tortilla. Now, a Spanish tortilla is not like the Mexican tortillas you use for burritos, etc. A Spanish tortilla is basically an omelet or Italian frittata. Traditionally it’s made with thin slices of potato and onions fried in olive oil and covered with beaten eggs. But it wasn’t unusual for my grandmother to make it with leftovers like some chopped ham or my dad’s favorite, with sweet ripe plantains. My favorite was her tortilla with only sweet peas and onions. My hubby likes it with just potatoes and onions but I often sneak peas into there as well. When fridge cleaning, I may add asparagus, peppers, and whatever cheese I have handy. Also, my grandmother could, even at 80, flip a tortilla in a cast iron skillet. As strong as I am, I can’t do that now which is why my recipe bakes and broils the tortilla.
Ingredients
2 large potatoes, skin on, cut into small cubes (I like Yukon gold potatoes)
1 onion (either white or yellow)
1 cup frozen peas (microwaved to defrost)
6 large eggs
1/4 cup half and half (or milk, but not skim)
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
10 inch cast iron skillet (or some other ovenproof and stovetop proof pan)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees to prep it for final steps in making the tortilla.
Use about 3 tbsp olive oil in skillet and heat until oil is shimmering. Add potatoes and fry until browned. In a traditional Spanish tortilla with slices they don’t take them that far, but I prefer the browned potatoes.
Remove potatoes from oil and add onions. Salt the onions to help them soften. Cook until soft, but not browned.
While the onions are cooking, beat the eggs with the half and half. DO NOT SALT the eggs at this point (or when making scrambled eggs. Makes them too hard).
When onions are ready, add the peas and potatoes back into the skillet. If needed, add a little more oil so that eggs won’t stick.
Add eggs and make sure peas, potatoes, and onions are evenly distributed in the egg mix. Cook on the stove for about four or five minutes.
Remove from stove and place in the pre-warmed oven. Cook for about ten minutes and then broil until top is slightly toasty!
Hubby and I love cheese so we often will top the tortilla with cheese and then bake and broil it.
You can serve the tortilla either hot or cold. Having a party? Cut into cubes and skewer with toothpicks for an easy appetizer.
Also, like I mentioned before, a tortilla is a good way to use up leftovers. Ham. Tomatoes. Asparagus. Sweet potatoes. Peppers. I like mushrooms so I cook and add those. Maybe some Spanish chorizo (Mexican can be too spicy). Of course, cheese. Cheddar, blue cheese, Swiss, ricotta, mozzarella. Anything that melts well and that you like!
Make your tortilla your own! P.S. Want more tasty food inspirations? Try SOUTH BEACH LOVE to be motivated! You can download it at https://amzn.to/48xDjKD or sign up for my newsletter at https://bit.ly/CaridadsNewsletter and download a copy for free!
Amazing Visit to the Elliott Musuem and Refuge Houses
I recently attended the wonderful Coastal Magic Convention and after took a few days to visit with a friend. We had a lovely time visiting the Navy Seal Museum (more on that next week) as well as the Elliott Museum and Refuge Houses. I’m a car buff as you might guess from automaker Owen in What Happens in Summer. In STAY THE NIGHT, my contribution to the STRENGTH & HONOR charity anthology, there’s also an emotional thread about the hero’s connection to a 1960s seafoam green Ford Falcon that was left to him by his grandfather and lovingly cared for by his wife while he is deployed overseas. The hero in that story is a Navy Seal who is coming home to a wife who is nothing like the young woman he left behind. But back to the Elliott Museum and Refuge Houses. What an amazing collection of automobiles and Florida history! While the museum doesn’t have a lot of space, they have what I guess you could call a car vending machine as you can see from the video below. You choose a car you want to see and a series of elevators, platforms, and rails bring the car down for you to view. Awesome! After we viewed the other exhibits at the Elliott, we went to their related Refuge Houses which are a series of small buildings intended to be havens for shipwrecked sailors along the Florida coast. It was so interesting to see them and the beautiful views along the coast. Turquoise waters and even a shark sighting! If you’re in the Martin County area, I highly recommend you visit. P.S. The STRENGTH & HONOR anthology is available for pre-order and all proceeds go to benefit stopsoldiersuicide.org. You can find out more at https://books2read.com/StrengthAndHonor.
