Choose 1 Fav: Bloodhound or Pitbull

In the last two books of the South Beach Security K-9 Division series, you get to meet Bongo, a bloodhound, and Mango, a pit bull. I loved pairing these dog heroes with the stories based on their best traits. For Bongo, it was helping Jose and Sara find clues and bodies with her amazing sense of scent in KILLER IN THE KENNEL. In DANGER IN DADE, former Marine Brett Madison and his pitbull partner Mango will help protect chef Anita Reyes who is a witness to a murder. Did I mention DANGER IN DADE is a second chance at love romance? But back to today’s difficult this or that choice. Are you more excited about seeing a bloodhound or a pitbull in your story? Would you rather see a different dog (and yes, you will see a K-9 corgi in next year’s CLIFFSIDE KIDNAPPING!) P.S. If you haven’t already grabbed your copy of KILLER IN THE KENNEL you can get it today and pre-order my December 24th release, DANGER IN DADE, at https://amzn.to/4dt8sk3.

this or that

Intriguing Hero from KILLER IN THE KENNEL

I’ve written lots of books with either military heroes or law enforcement. They’re your typical alpha heroes but heroes come in all shapes and sizes and sometimes it’s the hero you don’t expect that’s the most interesting. That’s why I love Jose “Pepe” Gonzalez from KILLER IN THE KENNEL. A successful real estate agent, he’s avoided getting involved with the South Beach Security side of his family because he doesn’t want to be involved in their danger and because he wants to make his own way in life, free of their powerful influence in the Miami community. But when family needs help, Jose doesn’t refuse the call. And when it gets dangerous for beautiful K-9 trainer Sara Hernandez, Jose doesn’t hesitate to help Sara and SBS in their race to find a serial killer before he kills again! Today I’ve got a short teaser from KILLER IN THE KENNEL for you! I hope you enjoy it and if you do, grab your copy of KILLER IN THE KENNEL and my December 24th release, DANGER IN DADE, at https://amzn.to/4dt8sk3.

“I was sad to leave my family in New Jersey, but I knew it was the right thing to do.”

“Do you miss them? You’re a long way from home,” Jose said.

She nodded. “I do, but I’ll go home for Thanksgiving in a few weeks, and I have some cousins in Miami. I’ll visit them once I get settled.”

“Because family is important,” he said, sadness evident in the tone of his voice.

“Why does that seem to make you sad?” she asked.

He ripped his gaze from her to peer down into his glass as if it held the answer. With another awkward shake of his head, he said, “I sometimes wish I did want to be part of SBS. Work with them. Understand why they do what they do.”

“Now’s your chance.” The words escaped her before she could bite them back.

teaser tuesday

Winter Bucket List

Somehow fall passed right by me and I didn’t get to do some of the things I used to do. No apple or pumpkin picking. No visit to the local farms to pick some lovely sunflowers. Since winter is technically here, I decided to make a list of things that I’d like to do before spring arrives. Hopefully I’ll get a few of them done in the next two weeks, namely visit a Christmas market (photos next week) and have a nice tea with a lovely neighbor. What about you? Any special things you want to do this winter? P.S. Hopefully one thing on your list is to pick up your copies of KILLER IN THE KENNEL (available now) and DANGER IN DADE (a Christmas Eve release)! Grab your copies today at https://amzn.to/4dt8sk3.

winter bucket list

Happy National Pie Day: Apple or Pecan?

It’s National Pie Day and I’m sure that many of us had some kind of pie on the Thanksgiving table. Most people probably had apple or pumpkin. Some had pecan pie, one of my favorites. If I had to make a choice between apple and pecan, I would most definitely pick pecan. What about you? Which would you choose or do you have some other favorite? P.S. KILLER IN THE KENNEL hit the shelves this week and if KILLER IN THE KENNEL has arrived, that means it’s only a few weeks until DANGER IN DADE (and Christmas Eve)! Grab your copies today at https://amzn.to/4dt8sk3.

apple or pecan pie

Happy Fall Things to Do

I can’t believe tomorrow is the meteorological first day of winter! OMG, how did that happen? I was just thinking of all the fall things I want to do! The year is flying by but just in case you have a little free time, here are some fun fall things you can do. P.S. Don’t forget that KILLER IN THE KENNEL hit the shelves this week and if KILLER IN THE KENNEL has arrived, that means it’s just a little over a month until DANGER IN DADE (and Christmas Eve)! Grab your copies today at https://amzn.to/4dt8sk3.

Turkey Pot Pie

We had a lovely Thanksgiving Day yesterday and I hope you did as well! My son-in-law made the most fabulous turkey I’ve ever had on his smoker. It was incredibly moist and so tasty. It’s almost a crime to make it into pot pie it was so good. My daughter’s ham was equally delicious while I provided some side dishes, including that corn casserole I love so much! Today I’m sharing a recipe for a hearty and comforting turkey pot pie you can make with those holiday leftovers!

Caridad’s Turkey Pot Pie

Ingredients

2 pie crust shells (Pillsbury, box mix, or made from scratch)
3 cups chopped turkey
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup peas (Fresh, canned or frozen. If canned or frozen, pre-cook and drain to eliminate excess liquid)
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup celery chopped
1 can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 can Half and half
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (the real stuff!)
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Lightly grease large 9-inch pie pan. You can do individual, but I did one big pan to save time. If you’re using dark metal pans, you may need to cut down on the cooking time.

Saute mushrooms in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Olive oil is my go-to but you can substitute vegetable oil or butter if you prefer.

Saute mushrooms for about 3 minutes to get rid of their liquid.

Add carrots and celery and saute for another 3 minutes or so.

Add onions and saute until softened, about another 2 to 3 minutes.

Add mushroom soup and the half and half and stir well. Remove from the heat and add the turkey. Mix well until all the turkey is coated with the sauce. I’m not cooking the turkey at this stage since it’s already cooked and I don’t want to overcook it since it’s going into the oven for at least 30-40 minutes.

Salt and pepper to taste and add peas, mixing them in gently. I had canned peas and they are softer, so I added them last. If you’re using frozen ones that you’ve cooked, you may add them in earlier, but don’t mush them up.

Prepare your pie pan with the bottom layer of crust, stretching it up carefully to reach up the sides.

Fill the pan with your turkey, soup, and vegetable mixture and make sure it’s level. Top with the grated parmesan cheese.

Cover this mix with the top pie crust shell. Close the edges of the pie by folding and crimping the edges all around.

Cut a few slits in the top pie crust to allow steam to escape so you won’t burst that top crust with the steam.

Cook this pie for about 30 minutes. Remove and place a tin foil collar on the crimped edges of the pie so they won’t brown too much. Cook for another 10 or so minutes or until the top crust is golden brown.

Let sit for about 5 minutes and then slice and eat.

Some people will do an egg wash on the top of the crust. That will give you a nice glaze and color, but that extra color can throw you off as to the pie crust being cooked.

Bon Apetit!
turkey pot pie