Foggy mornings, pumpkin spice, flank steak and horses on the loose

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by 10

First of all, I have a new release on September 10!  

I loved writing this one with its romance, suspense, and touches of humor.  And the animals too, as they’ve all factored into my own life at one time or another! Did I mention that I’ve been an animal lover since I was a toddler?   🙂

The hero’s elderly aunt has a very soft heart and an endlessly growing menagerie that she shelters.  Until she abruptly takes off for an extended, rambling European tour, that is–leaving him to deal with an unexpected house guest with a troubled past, her young daughter, and one very recalcitrant miniature goat.

Interesting in finding out more?  CLICK HERE! 

It’s FREE on Kindle Unlimited, and also for sale. I would so love to hear your feedback on this book. If you read it, please leave a few words of feedback on Amazon. It would mean a lot.


How are you enjoying September so far?  At the very end of August, we had our first foggy morning of autumn. Now that we are in September, the beautiful early morning fog appears briefly almost every day. Sometimes it’s just wisps of low-lying mist, but this morning I can barely make out the horse barn as I look out our kitchen windows. Can you find the barn and the horse in the photo?

These foggy mornings bring back memories of my elementary school days in September. I loved being in a brightly lit classroom on foggy or rainy days, looking out the windows and imagining that anything could be outside, hidden within that veil. Dragons. Adventures. Lots of horses roaming by. Or maybe even my own horse,  because we didn’t live far from school and Cherry had a penchant for adventure, too.

Cherry was tall–a seventeen hand part-Clydesdale –yet he could lay flat as a pancake, wiggle under the fence, and be off to visit the neighbors or wander far beyond until someone reported him. A deputy would occasionally show up at school to take me to wherever Cherry was. Small town life, back in the day!

Dad and I could always find the place where he’d escaped because the lower strands of wire were stretched and sagging.  But horses on the loose in our area weren’t just mine. Our county had the second-highest horse population in the entire country at the time–many big stable and farms, but lots and lots of backyard horses as well. 

My dad endlessly patched our fence. Cherry continued to outsmart him. One night, some folks heard noises outside their bedroom window, turned on the lights and peered out into the darkness only to see what appeared to be an amorphous white blob with glittering eyes peering right back at them.  Terrified, they called the cops, claiming there was an alien outside.  But it was just Cherry, with his wide, white Clydesdale blaze, standing on their roses to have a look inside.

And then there was Rebel. This aptly named little gelding was Cherry’s predecessor, and he was crafty as well about making his escapes.  When I was ten, I noticed an advertisement in the back of a magazine for return address labels. Entranced, I convinced my mom to order a set for me and then thought up names for my “stable”– actually just a one-horse addition to the one-stall garage in our backyard.  I decided on “Bittersweet Stable” because the plant grew along the side of  the garage. 

When they arrived I was so excited!  I plastered them on every brush, pail,  pitchfork, and bridle…and then I eyed the horse and merrily plastered him with labels from head to tail as well.  The next morning an unfamiliar deputy pulled into our drive. Rebel had escaped during the night and turned up miles away. The deputy just laughed, saying this was the first time he’d ever identified a loose horse by the return address labels on its rear.

Do you remember any amusing stories about your own childhood pets? I’d love to hear them!

AUGUST NEWSLETTER WINNERS: 

Thanks to all of you who replied to my questions in my August newsletter. All of the replies were wonderful, and many of you came up with excellent ideas for the title of my October book, too.  Each winner will receive an e-copy of The Mistletoe Puppy, the first of my six-novella Christmas series, plus one will also receive  $10.00 Amazon gift card.

To arrange delivery of your prize(s), these winners need to contact me via the “Contact” button at the top right of this website. 

  1. GALE C: I have two special memories from this summer. First, we were introduced to a beautiful serene local Arboretum through friends that we haven’t been able to spend time with during the pandemic. We walked for hours in total peace then enjoyed a light lunch in the on-site mansion all while enjoying the company of our good friends. Then we paid it forward by inviting and introducing another couple to join us for a wonderful morning and lunch. They were as thrilled as we were to find a safe environment to put all our troubles aside and enjoy nature. The other more special memory was celebrating, with our daughter’s family, our son’s birthday who sadly passed away 2 years ago. We were able to all be together for a bittersweet day while sharing a meal, fond memories that made us smile, cry and laugh and to make sure our son is never, ever forgotten. And of course his favorite ice cream birthday cake!

 

  1. MARIA S:  I will have a special memory of celebrating my grandfather’s 99th birthday this summer. He still lives on his own and is just amazing! We celebrated with all his neighbors. It’s inspiring how they look out for each other!

 

  1. TRACEY B:  My special memories of the summer will be of the time spent with my family on our staycation, playing miniature golf, visiting the beach, going to the movies, attending independent league baseball games, and outlet shopping.

 

TWO NEW QUESTIONS TO ANSWER FOR SEPTEMBER   (and a chance to win prizes):

In August, one question was about a good memory from this past summer. This month’s questions:

  1. Do you have a special memory from childhood—one that still makes you smile?
  2. Do you prefer covers with just pretty objects or scenery? Or a cover with a couple? Or either a woman OR a man? Does this make a difference as to whether or not you will go on to read the back cover?

 

THREE WAYS TO FIND THE PLACE TO LEAVE COMMENTS:  I’ve heard from some folks who couldn’t see how to leave their comments, so this should help!

1  There should be a “Leave a Reply” live link at the very bottom of this post.
2  If others have left comments, then there be a live link showing the number of replies, at the bottom of this post.  Just click it to open up Comments
3  Or, you can click the little “Comment” bubble symbol up at the top of this post, to the right of the title of the post.

                                                                      ~~~~~~~~

 

HERE ARE TWO ONLINE BOOKFAIRS OFFERING FREE AND BARGAIN BOOKS!  (just click these live links.)
Why not check them out and save money?

https://books.bookfunnel.com/christian-fiction-romance/h7xb6ztgd4

https://books.bookfunnel.com/fall_sweet_romance/h54d771kqj


AND HERE’S  A CHANCE AT A BIG GIVEAWAY!

STUFF YOUR TBR LIST GIVEAWAY
Could you use a Kindle Fire, or maybe an Amazon Gift Card? Or are you looking for the next series to feed your book addiction? How about yes to both! One lucky reader will get a Kindle Fire HD 8 and three others will get Amazon gift cards!  Click the link  below to check out some amazing books and to ENTER for your chances to WIN.

https://www.litring.com/stuff-your-tbr-list

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 AND FINALLY, HERE IS A FAMILY FAVORITE RECIPE!

Some years back I shared this recipe on my old website.  My kids were aghast. “You shared this with EVERYBODY??”  Granted, they were in high school at the time.  But they thought it should be a secret because it was sooo good.  They still hope I’ll make it when they are home. I must have been just ten or twelve when I got the recipe from an elderly and very debonair friend of my parents. Though the kids at that dinner were supposed to be eating hotdogs, I snuck a sample of the steak and fell in love.

You need fast (very hot)  coals for this. Super hot. You want it to grill this fast, so the edges of your diamond cuts in the meat become very dark and caramelized, but the inside is still rare.  If overdone, flank can be pretty tough.

I use an overflowing coal chimney to start the coals. Wait until the top coals are all a dusty grayish white, about an hour. I dump the coals onto the lower grate of our  Weber grill, then add the top grate. I toss maybe  1/4  or 1/3  cup vegetable oil  over the coals t make them flame, then put on the steak while the flames are just  starting to lower. Be careful to not burn yourself!  It may only take three minutes on one side and a scant two to three on the other side. Many thanks to our SIL Matt for helping me upgrade my charcoal grilling techniques!

Final note: Follow this recipe exactly—no substitution for the bourbon ever tastes as good.  I’ve tried other cuts of meat, but none ever approached the flavor and texture of a flank steak. And if you are concerned about the bourbon,  don’t worry—most of the marinade is left in the bag when you remove the steak, or drips off on the grill, and of what is left on the meat, I’ve read studies showing that approximately 65% of the remaining bourbon burns away during grilling.

 

FLANK STEAK  — Rustand

1/2  cup regular soy sauce

1 tsp  dry mustard

3-4 Tbsp bourbon

Fresh ground pepper—lots

3-4 finely chopped garlic cloves

2  Tbsp honey

Add enough water so you have one cup of marinade. Mix in two cup glass measuring cup and heat gently to blend in the honey.

Score both sides of a flank steak in a diamond pattern  (criss-cross angles— NOT cuts that are parallel to the longitudinal grain of the flank). Make the cuts approximately 1/4th   to  1/3rd  of the way into the meat.

Put the meat into a gallon ziplock storage bag and pour in the marinade.  Slosh it around, then lay the bag in a pan close to the size of the meat and marinate all day, turning the bag over every two hours (or so.)

Grill over HOT coals or in a hot gas grill so the outside is well seared but inside is rare.  It wouldn’t be the same at all if done in a cast-iron skillet etc.

AFTER GRILLING:   Lay the grilled steak on a cutting board and slice thinly across the grain at approx. a 45 degree SLANT. This gives you thin, wider slices that will also much more tender this way.

Don’t be tempted to pour any of the very flavorful used marinade over the grilled steak—it would be a food safety hazard.  If you are tempted, you could instead double the recipe and save the unused half in the refrigerator for drizzling over the meat before serving.

If there are kids at the meal, we do grilled cheeseburgers for them.

Have a wonderful September!
Roxanne

 

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New books, an online bargain book fair, prize winners (maybe you?!) and an amazing scone recipe

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by 7

Wow—this summer has passed so quickly. I hope you had some good times, stayed safe and healthy, and were able to make some happy memories along the way. My own favorite memory of this summer will be the excitement of having two grandbabies coming soon: one due on Christmas Day and one around  New Year’s Day—a boy and a girl. What a blessing!

Be sure to page all the way down to see if you are a winner in July’s drawing,  find a link for an online bookfair (free and discounted books from many authors), for my favorite blueberry scones recipe.

As for upcoming books, I have a few! ONE MORE KISS, the third book in my Northern Pines series, will be out September 10th. If you like small-town romance with humor and mystery, and love animals, this might be a good one to try! ?

It’s FREE with Kindle Unlimited, or just  $3.99 to buy. Available for pre-order. CLICK HERE.

Here’s a quick blurb for One More Kiss…

In One More Kiss, a disillusioned lawyer searching for a quiet life in a small resort town inadvertently ends up sharing a house with a woman who has a troubled past, a young daughter, and a menagerie of epic proportions.

The situation is challenging enough, but add a miniature goat with a penchant for roses and adventure, and an unknown enemy who will stop at nothing to achieve his own goals, and life becomes even more…interesting.

And after that release, my new, clean romantic suspense series Montana Secrets will be starting. For those of you who hate cliffhangers from one series book to the next, I promise that won’t happen in the Montana Secrets novels. Each book can stand alone (each story is complete within its pages). One of the questions I’m asking in this August newsletter is about titles for those books. Help!

Here are last month’s “Questions of the Month” and the prize winners!

The July questions were about whether or not you like to read book series, and if you enjoy seeing the family recipes I add to these newsletters. Thanks to everyone who responded. You’ve all given me great ideas on what I could add to the newsletters and also, your feedback on book series (yay or nay) was invaluable!

Here are the three July drawing winners plus two responses I just had to add, so they are winners as well. I wish I could make every one of you winners! Thanks to all for taking the time to respond. Winners, click “Contact me” at the upper right corner of my website: www.roxannerustand.com so I can arrange to send your prizes.

Lori S: I so love series. Sometimes I love short series and sometimes I love longer series. A lot depends on the author and the subject. I do love a series where I can follow along with the characters and watch them grow and learn. I also love series where each book is stand alone.
I do love to see recipes on a newsletter. I have to be careful now that I do mostly gluten free. Oh the joys of getting older. LOL. I do enjoy your newsletters. Thank you.

Robin S: I love a series that follows a family, but they should be stand-alone in case someone picks one up in the middle. For example, I love The Beach House series by Mary Alice Monroe. I like that you include family recipes! Keep up what you’re doing. I enjoy your newsletters.

Kristen C: I’m pretty indifferent about the series vs. stand-alones debate. I see the pros and cons about both sides of the argument. If I’m invested in a storyline/character(s), then reading a series is awesome. If I want to bounce around and try different authors or different storylines, I’m not able to do so if it’s a series because I will have missed important things, jumping into the middle of one or if I read just the first book, they usually end on a cliffhanger. Personally speaking, I enjoy reading a series that isn’t necessarily connected to the others in the series or doesn’t have to be read in a certain order. But having said that, if I’m invested in the characters/setting/storyline, then I’m totally there for the entire series.

I love the family recipes that you include in your newsletters and I do try some of them for myself or my family! You should definitely keep them coming!! What I love most about authors’ newsletters, the ones that actually engage with us readers, is getting to know you, your life, your motivations for writing and your workspace. Where do you prefer to write or even read? Is there a certain process you use, for example, do you physically write it first or do you old-school type it out?

Nina T: I don’t mind if the characters of one book show up as side characters in the next but I do like my books being standalones. That way I can read the story of how couples meet from the beginning not having to worry I need to read the previous books first. I feel like with trilogies there’s always unnecessary drama. And cliffhangers are a huge no-no for me. It also sucks if you accidentally buy a book that is second in the trilogy. That way you have to buy the first and there’s a chance it’s not available anymore for purchase.
I don’t mind the recipes I like recipes for lunch ideas because I never know what to cook.

Glenda M: I love recipes! Cliffhangers are evil and authors who use them without plenty of warning have earned an eternity stuck in Chuck E Cheeses birthday party with children suffering from a stomach bug – oh and no adult beverages around. Yess I have strong feelings of hatred towards cliffys. That said, I love series that are interconnected. HOWEVER, each story has to be able to work as a standalone.

AUGUST’S QUESTIONS & PRIZES YOU COULD WIN:

Three winners of a drawing from those who leave comments will receive an e-copy of The Mistletoe Puppy, the first of my six-novella Christmas series  (all just $.99 each!)  plus a fourth person will receive a $10.00 Amazon gift card. Don’t forget to check the next month’s newsletter to find out if you are one of the winners in August, and then contact me about receiving your prize!

1. Will you have a special memory of something you did this summer?

2. My upcoming five-book romantic suspense series, Montana Secrets, takes place in the Rockies. The books are written and ready, but I’m still working on the titles. I find titles so difficult! I’m thinking about using the word “Danger” in the title of each book, preceded or followed by a single word—or maybe two—that convey these one-sentence descriptions below. But if you think of a better word than “Danger” then I’d love to hear that idea as well. Our last baby didn’t have a name for four days because I have such a time with naming!

Book #1 – A man takes in his young orphaned nephew, now a killer is after them both.
Book #2 – Involves an arsonist and a woman who owns an animal shelter.
Book #3 – Involves a female deputy and a violent criminal hiding in the mountains.
Book #4 – Involves a white water raft guide and a woman on the run.
Book #5 – Involves a woman in a witness protection program and a rancher.

TO LEAVE AN ANSWER: CLICK HERE to leave your comment at the bottom of my August blog post (the content echoes this newsletter.) Be sure to check the September newsletter to see if you are a winner!

ONLINE BOOKFAIRS!

I love sharing these opportunities with you every month. I always have a book in each of them, but you’ll find lots of books by other authors—all at discounted prices, and some are free. Who knows? You might find your new, all-time favorite author! There’s just one link today, but there will be more in my September issue.

August-September – Christian Fiction | Christian Romance | Clean Romance Full eBooks – $4.99 or less – some are even free!
https://books.bookfunnel.com/christian-fiction-romance/h7xb6ztgd4

 

And finally, here is a family recipe I love to make when the mornings grow cooler.

photo: scones

BLUEBERRY SCONES

Blend and set aside:
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk

Mix in a separate large bowl:
3 cups AP flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar

Next step:
1/2 cup COLD regular (salted) butter–not margarine!
1 1/2 cups blueberries… fresh or slightly thawed blueberries.

Add the butter to the flour mixture, and using a fork, cut into flour until you have large crumbles. Don’t use your fingers as that will warm the dough and alter the texture (a trick I learned at a one-day cooking class in Paris.)

Next, gently work the egg & buttermilk mixture in with a fork. Gently add the blueberries and toss.

The mixture will seem very dry and crumbly. It is not going to be a smooth cohesive dough. If it is, you have overworked it.

Pat into the scone pan (you might not believe it at first, but yes–it will all fit!) or into appox. 9.5″ circle, approx one inch high on a baking sheet, or into a 9 inch round cake pan. The crumbly dough will result in a nice bumpy top.

Sprinkle heavily with sparkling sugar if you have it (coarse, large grain sugar, which stays glittery after baking) is so pretty!) and bake 375 degrees for 20-25 min, let cool in pan. You can find scone pans on Amazon…which will give you perfect slices.

Blessings,
Roxanne

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WInners, prizes and COMEBACK COWBOY, a romance mystery!

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

I hope you’ve been having a good summer. Can you believe we’re approaching the end of July already?

Just a quick heads-up: COMEBACK COWBOY, a full-length clean & wholesome novel is now FREE if you use Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited, or just $3.99 to buy.  A quick summary:

Can bullrider Jake Landers undo the biggest mistake of his life?

Rodeo cowboys and clowns are often close—cheering each other on, helping each other throughout the rodeo circuit. But Jake was badly injured last year and forced to retire, and now he’ll lose touch with the folks who’ve become his second family.

Buying a faltering rodeo company is his ticket back into the life he loves. The one person who can help him succeed is the woman he stood up at the altar ten years before. If she’ll agree…and if dark secrets from the past don’t tear them apart once more. Will they ever have a second chance at love?

To learn more about Comeback Cowboy, CLICK HERE!

 

JUNE WINNERS: Thanks to all of you who replied to my question in the June newsletter, which was “What are some of your favorite summer memories?” All of the replies were wonderful! The winners:

Mary S: My favorite memories involve my birthday. I was born on July 3, so we usually celebrated on July 4th with a family cookout. It was always so much fun. I have a rather small family, so it wasn’t all that big, but it was small. And a few years ago I visited my daughter and her husband on my birthday and that year the town they live near had fireworks on July 3. My daughter said she planned it just for me. Summer is just fun times.

Janine: Some of my favorite summer memories include hanging out with my friends. Summers in Texas are very hot, so we used to enjoy doing things after the sun set. One thing I looked forward to was swimming in the creek to cool down. Now that I am older, I know it wasn’t very smart with snakes in the water. Luckily, we never encountered any when we were out for a swim.

Debra J.P.: Some of my favorite childhood memories were going to West Virginia every summer. The home place where my Mom was born and raised still stands. We would go down the last two weeks of August every year along with most of my Mom’s family. We would all be together. There would be campers as well as some would stay in hotel rooms in a nearby town. We would play in the creek across the road as well as visit family we only get to see once a year. I learned to fish as a child in West Virginia. Thank you for the opportunity.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The current winners can select any title from my 2020 clean & wholesome Coupled by Christmas novella series. To read about the six titles CLICK HERE to decide on your choice, then let me know via the Contact Button on my website (www.roxannerustand.com) so I can arrange to send your prize!

NOW, FOR TWO NEW QUESTIONS TO ANSWER IN JULY:

1. Series books: Do you like reading series of connected books? Do you want them all to be very closely connected, or do you prefer that the books can also be read as “stand alone” titles without needing to read the previous book first? Do you have any pet peeves regarding books published in a series?

2. So far, I have included a family favorite recipe in each newsletter, but is this something you like? Or should I skip it? What do you enjoy most when you read author newsletters?

Just click  below to leave answers in the comment space.  July winners will receive a free copy of ONE MORE DANCE, or ONE MORE WISH, the first two books in my Northern Pines series. Three more books in the series will be out this fall!.

**Note: if you send answers to my questions of the month, be sure to check the next month’s newsletter to see if you are a winner!

 

 

 

HERE IS A FAMILY FAVORITE RECIPE:

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE
Adapted from an old New Orleans’ cookbookphoto: strawberry shortcake

SHORTCAKES (makes twelve)
2 cups AP flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup butter (regular. Not unsalted)
2/3 cup milk

Mix dry ingredients. Cut in butter until it resembles corn meal.
Stir in milk just until dough holds together. Bake at 400 degrees until browned.
***NOTE: Instead of rolling out, I drop the biscuits to achieve a nice crunchy texture on top, and before baking I sprinkle heavily with sparkling or sanding (coarse) sugar for a nice glittery top.

STRAWBERRY MIXTURE
4 cups hulled, washed strawberries 6 Tbsp Splenda (could sub sugar) 2 Tbsp Grand Marnier

Puree 1/3 cup of the strawberries with the Grand Marnier and sugar or Splenda. Mix into remaining strawberries. Let sit at least 30 minutes.

WHIPPED CREAM
2 cups heavy cream
6 Tbsp white corn syrup (for more stability)
2 tsp vanilla extract
Extra sweetener to taste, if needed

ASSEMBLY
Split biscuits in half. Dust top half with powdered sugar.
Put bottom half on a plate and top with strawberries plus a big mound of whipped cream. A scattering of a few blueberries can add another pop of color. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.

 

 

THREE ONLINE BOOKFAIRS RUNNING NOW –find lots of bargains!

I love sharing these opportunities with you every month. I have books in each of them, but you’ll find lots of books by other authors—all at discounted prices, and some are free. Who knows? You might find your all-time favorite author by clicking on these links!

CHRISTMAS IN JULY
https://books.bookfunnel.com/christmas_in_july/spk2umtdn7

SUMMER LOVE
https://books.bookfunnel.com/jmsummerlove/3p02jdrurq

LOVE IS IN THE AIR AT KINDLE UNLIMITED
https://books.bookfunnel.com/amazon-kindle-unlimited/o2imhux3o7

Blessings,
Roxanne

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Free books, prizes & a fabulous summer recipe!

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

 

Love bargains, and enjoy winning prizes?  Read on!

A Montana Legacy, a full-length clean & wholesome novel is now available * FREE *  if you use Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited. For the first time ever!    Otherwise, it’s only  $3.99.    To find A Montana Legacy on Amazon, CLICK HERE!

In A Montana Legacy, a burned-out Minneapolis cop must deal with a stubborn Montana rancher. All she wants is to claim her unexpected inheritance, but will he claim her heart?  Maybe not, because someone is lurking in the shadows, planning to ensure that she’ll find no happy endings.  Ever.

*****

YOUR COMMENTS LAST MONTH:   There were such nice responses to the questions in my May newsletter  Over twenty-five of you, and it’s always so lovely to hear from everyone. All of the replies were wonderful but here are four winners selected via a drawing. The fourth one was by R. Shelley—about a surprise she is planning for a family member–but I haven’t included it here, in case it might give the surprise away.   🙂

The winners can select any title from my clean & wholesome Coupled by Christmas novella series.  To read about the six titles CLICK HERE to decide on your choice, then let me know via the Contact Button on my website  (www.roxannerustand.com ) so I can arrange to send your prize!

Conrad: My husband surprised me one year with a Honda Accord for Valentine’s day since I needed a car to drive back and forth to work. Needless to say I helped pay for it but it was so sweet that he wanted to do that. As for me surprising someone else…our last name is Conrad and he found a used Conrad guitar that needed to be completely redone one year, but did not feel that we could afford it. I bought it for him for Christmas and the look on his face was priceless.Thoughts on new puppies is to just give them plenty of love and lots of exercise and good luck. There is nothing sweeter than a new puppy.

Hager My fond memory of a gift is when I surprised my granddaughters with a 5 day stay at Rocking Horse Ranch in New York. They had so much fun!

McDonald I surprised my mom with a blanket with a poem on it that was a part of me. I did the same for my dad, but made his into a glass etched piece for Christmas last year. I have never had a dog so can’t give any advice, but I know to keep puppy pads down, and provide lots of chewing toys so they don’t chew on your belongings!

*****

THE NEW QUESTION FOR  JUNE:   What are some of your favorite summer memories?  Those who answer will be in a drawing for a free copy of ONE MORE WISH, a clean and wholesome, full-length romance mystery!  Just leave a comment below.

My favorite summer memories are of riding my horse bareback, in shorts and with barefeet,  all day long throughout the surrounding countryside. Remembering some of the misadventures I had with friends who also had horses, I was never as lenient and carefree with our kids as my parents were with me!  But oh, what a Tom Sawyer childhood that was…starting when I got my first horse at the age of six! I am so grateful to have had that opportunity.

*****

Here is a family favorite recipe:   BECKY’S PARMESAN BACON SALAD
Becky, my best friend in high school (and a lifelong friend since) gave me this recipe many years ago. It is my all-time favorite salad for family gatherings!

Salad:
1 head lettuce, shredded
1 head cauliflower
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 lb bacon fried crisp and crumbled
1 cup carrots sliced thinly

3 cups seasoned croutons (add only at the last minute)

Dressing:
¼  cup sugar
½ cup parmesan (the kind the comes in a cylindrical container)
2 cup Hellman’s regular mayo (not fat-free, not less fat, not the olive oil kind

Break cauliflower into big chunky flowerets and slice thin (a food processor works great)
Place first five ingredients into a large container with a lid.
Mix dressing ingredients and spread over the carrots.
Refrigerate until serving time, then add croutons and toss all ingredients until well mixed with the dressing.
This is a wonderful salad for company!

*****

 

HERE ARE THREE NEW ONLINE BOOKFAIRS….. FOR FREE AND DISCOUNTED BOOKS

I love sharing these opportunities with you every month. I have books in each of them, but you’ll find lots of books by other authors—all at discounted prices, and some are free. Who knows? You might find your all-time favorite author by clicking on these links!

SWEET ROMANCE SUMMER

https://books.bookfunnel.com/sweet_romance_summer/9skbf2x96fSWE

                                 *****

START A NEW SWEET ROMANCE SERIES FOR $.99 OR LESS

https://books.bookfunnel.com/sweetromanceseriesstarter/r90gh88cc3

*****

SUMMER LOVE

https://books.bookfunnel.com/jmsummerlove/3p02jdrurq

 

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Spring: flowers, a new release and a PUPPY!

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

First of all, I’m happy to report that ONE MORE WISH, the second book in my Northern Pines clean and wholesome, small town romance series has released this month!

Here’s a quick blurb:

What do you do when your summer plans are turned upside down?

After an injury, Ethan needs help with his son and small farm as much as Abby, a registered nurse, needs a temporary home that will accept her rescue dog.  A perfect situation, right?

It is…until she has to deal with his flock of ornery goats, a herd of cattle escaping, and a litter of new puppies born while he’s away. And now, someone is trying to destroy her professional reputation. Worse, a dangerous stranger is lurking in the shadows, and threatening great harm…  CLICK HERE to read more about it and find buy links.

ONE MORE DANCE, the first book in the series, is still just $.99! CLICK HERE to read more about it and find buy links!

***

It’s spring here, in the upper Midwest.  A time of new beginnings. Our perennial flowers are blooming, the grass is lush and green. The scents of lilacs, Lily of the Valley, and new-mown grass fill me with joy. The emergence of wood ticks and gnats, not so much!

Speaking of new beginnings, have you ever received a completely unexpected gift?  Folks who have followed me on Facebook and my blog know I’m a passionate animal lover. I’ve had horses since first grade, and I’ve never been without a variety of rescue animals. When Elmo died, the sweetest border collie ever, my husband insisted that our golden retriever rescue Sage was all we needed. He was adamant…but apparently other plans were afoot.   🙂

When he surprised me with an eight-week-old golden retriever puppy for Mother’s Day this year, I was nearly speechless, and overcome with excitement! Little Doogan is such a sweetheart! But boy, has life changed.  He is like a new baby who doesn’t have diapers, and who can run through the house like an antelope. J We are working on crate training, though, so things are getting better  And better yet, his older “grandpa” Sage, also a golden, is adapting to the rambunctious new kid on the block.

Read on for your chances to win books, see one of my family favorite recipes, hear about a dear friend’s latest release, and find links for the latest “online bookfairs” where you can find free or bargain books.

***


NEW QUESTION FOR MAY…
Each month, I select some winners from the readers who answered one or more of the question(s) I posted  in the previous month’s newsletter. The winners of this May drawing will receive an e-copy of one of my Coupled By Christmas novellas—their choice of title.  To enter, just leave a comment on this blog  post. If you are reading this at another site where my posts are shared, just CLICK HERE.

The questions are:

  1. What is one of the most unexpected, fun, or unusual gifts you have received?
  2. Do you have a fond memory of completely surprising someone else with a gift?
  3. If you have (or had) dogs, what advice could you give about new puppies?

 

***

 

The contest winners in the last newsletter drawing:

Laurie G: This year we spent the winter in Wisconsin. Luckily it was a pretty mild winter! I used my old Nordic Track machine so much that it broke! I’ve spent time going through my 4 children’s stuff: school mementos, clothes, toys, all broken or stained items were tossed. I’ve had them give me a list of things they want me to save or donate.

I was able to help my daughter with her 4 children, 3 were homeschooled (3rd grade, 1st grade and 4K). It is quite time consuming. This past month we went to Florida to get my 96 yo mom’s condo ready to sell. We closed on it April 30th. YAY! Next, I need to get the yard ready for summer.
I read any chance I get!

 

Sandy S:  Positive in a pandemic? A good question which really made me stop and think. I think the most positive was finding out that I love working from home. I also just out-and-out love my home. I like being here and I like the things I have surrounded myself with. It’s also made me appreciate even more the nights when my husband and I are able to go out to dinner. Where we sit across from each other and just talk and talk about anything and everything. I appreciate that so much more than I did before the pandemic!

 

Beth M: How has the pandemic affected me? Well both my husband and I telework from home and that can be challenging at times. I have been reading more than ever. I also have been spending more time with my Mother in law and Father In law. Unfortunately my FIL passed away, not COVID, but he had dementia and other issues, therefore we have been spending more time with MIL and do all of her shopping for her.

 

***

 

RECIPE OF THE MONTH:   GRILLED TURKEY TENDERLOINS

I’ve been making these for many years, and my family loves them. So easy! I like to serve them during the summer with fresh sliced tomatoes from the garden, sweet corn dripping in butter, crusty garlic buttered French bread, watermelon and cherry pie with homemade ice cream.  The sweet corn season can’t come soon enough for me! J

1# turkey tenderloins 1” thick
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup canola or extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup dry sherry
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp dehydrated onion
¼ tsp dry ginger
Dash of pepper, dash of salt

Marinade the tenderloins in a gallon food storage bag  in a shallow pan, several hours in the fridge. Flip the bag over several times.

Grill over hot coals on a grill, approximately 7 minutes per side, until internal temp via an instant-read thermometer reaches 165 degrees. Allow to rest 5-10 min. Do not overcook or they will be dry.

 

***

 

CURRENT ONLINE BOOKFAIRS:

Inspirational Romance Sweepstakes  
The contest starts Monday, May 24, and ends on Wednesday, June 2.
https://www.booksweeps.com/giveaway/may-2021/inspy-romances/


Sweet Romance Summer
This promotion starts May 30th and runs through June 30th   https://books.bookfunnel.com/sweet_romance_summer/9skbf2x96f

 

Finally, here is a new release written by a dear friend—the USA Today Bestselling author Lyn Cote!

Book 2 in her New Neighbor Lane series, Rosa’s Forever Home, is available now for 25% off.  Here is a blurb and the link:

A little boy chases a stray dog into the path of a cement truck. This heart-pounding meeting brings two wounded souls together. From a USA Today Bestselling author, a heartwarming story of love, faith and God’s healing power. And the joy of furry friends! Why not download today?https://booksbylyncote.com/SWBS/books-by-lyn/rosas-forever-home

 

 

 

 

 

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ONE MORE WISH, a May 14th release, and a chance for prizes!

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

I’m so happy to announce that the second novel in my Northern Pines series will be out May 14th, and it’s now available for preorder! Here’s a quick blurb:

Facing emergency surgery, Ethan needs help with his son and small farm as much as Abby needs a temporary home that will accept her rescue dog, too.  A perfect situation…until she has to deal with his flock of ornery goats, a herd of cattle escaping, and a litter of new puppies born while he’s away. Those challenges she can manage.

But now, someone is trying to destroy her professional reputation. And out in the country, a dangerous, threatening stranger is lurking in the shadows… 

CLICK HERE  for a link where you find out more or find the Buy Links.

How have you been spending your spring thus far?  Have you accomplished any long-delayed projects? With travel and dinner with friends still off the table for now, I’ve been going through our endless stuff, and have sent untold numbers of boxes and bags of it to Salvation Army and the Olivet Mission (where folks in need can pick up what they need for free.)  Strangely, the closets and cupboard still seem full. How can that be?!

Tired of that for now, I’ve now started to go through boxes and boxes and boxes of old photographs and correspondence from my parent’s generation. Oh, boy. I apparently come from a long line of savers!

My mom had three siblings in rural Kansas who never married, and neither the siblings nor my sweet little Swedish grandpa had a phone until around 1990. So everyone wrote letters. Long ones–whether the recipient was in the next town, or back in Sweden. And, they apparently saved every card, letter, and document they ever received, going back to at least 1923. Many, many boxes of it all. Annual teaching contracts for a one-room school, 1924. A bill for a five-day hospital stay, 1937: $33.00.

After the Kansas folks all passed on, Mom ended up with their boxes of saved correspondence. And since Mom had also saved every card and letter she received—even the Valentines exchanged during her elementary school years—I now have a treasure trove of family history. I’ve always wished that I’d kept a journal all my life. And now I essentially have one, via all of those exchanged letters.  I’ll never stop missing Mom, but now it’s so fascinating to read all about the events in her life (and mine) that she shared in her letters. I can imagine she’s still here, telling me those family stories.  But it also makes me wonder.  Texts, emails, and a cell phone always close at hand are convenient, but also so transient.  What will we leave behind to pass on to future generations about us?

Here is my question of the month:  All of us have been affected in many ways by the pandemic. Have you found any positives throughout this long experience? More time to tackle long-delayed projects, work through your to-be-read book stack, or resume some hobbies?

Or have you been even busier, with working from home and homeschooling to boot? Have you found new ways to stay in touch with loved ones? How has it all gone?

Prize drawings: To leave an answer or a comment click  at the bottom of this blog post and you’ll be entered in a drawing for a free e-copy of SAVE THE LAST DANCE (my March, 2021 release), THE MISTLETOE PUPPY, or a $10.00 Barnes & Noble gift card. Three separate winners.  Good luck!

Here are the winners from last month, who can click CONTACT  to receive their prizes. Be sure to put “WS newsletter winner” in the subject line. Thanks!

Rebecca H:  I like the cover to be about the book.
But if I had to choose, scenic pictures, mountains and farms. Don’t care for beach scenes.
People as long as it is the character of the book. A person with animals is good too.

Robin in NC:  I’m drawn to scenic covers. I don’t care for people on the cover, especially faces, because my imaginations idea of how a character looks never matches the cover characters.

Joy I:    I like a colorful cover with something on it that gives me a hint of what the story is about. Maybe a horse or a lighthouse. Does not need a person on the cover but it is helpful if we can see what they are wearing.

Here is my family recipe of the month. All of us love this, because it’s like eating at a popular Italian restaurant, but it’s very low carb!

LOW CARB ZUPPA TOSCANA

1# mild Italian sausage
1/2 #  ground beef
2 cups broth, made with Better Than Bouillon (Roasted Chicken Favor) *
4 cups water
4 garlic cloves minced
16 oz fresh, sliced mushrooms browned in butter**
1 large onion, diced, sautéed in bacon fat or pan after browning meat
5 strips bacon, crumbled

Add later:
2 cup fresh spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream

Brown the ground beef and ground sausage. Drain and crumble, add to slow cooker with everything except the cream and fresh spinach.  Slow cooker on Low, four hours. Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper. Stir in spinach and cream, and serve promptly.

* Note: I add in extra Better Than Bouillon paste for more flavor.  If you don’t have it, you can substitute a 16 oz can of chicken broth.
* You can substitute quartered small red potatoes if you don’t like mushrooms, but they are higher in  carbohydrates

FINALLY, HERE ARE LINKS FOR THREE NEW VIRTUAL BOOK FAIRS FEATURING BARGAIN PRICED BOOKS!


Kisses and Sweethearts (but hurry–ends today, April 30, 2021)
https://books.bookfunnel.com/kissesandsweethearts/4q69gdcof9

Craving Christmas
https://books.bookfunnel.com/cravingchristmas/6w9bmrl1z0

 Make Mom’s Day
https://books.bookfunnel.com/makemomsdaywithanebook/ykhb4rtme8

 

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Three new “Virtual Book Fairs” for finding bargain books!

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

Happy spring!

Do you enjoy finding bargains?  I just wanted to stop by and let you know about three opportunities for free and bargain books.  🙂

  1.   SPRINGTIME ROMANCE  –This one runs until April 15th:
    (One More Dance is in this one)

https://books.bookfunnel.com/inspy-springtime-romance/mgj7a9yvom

 

2.    KISSES AND SWEETHEARTS –April 1st to April 30th
(One More Dance is in this one)
         https://books.bookfunnel.com/kissesandsweethearts/4q69gdcof9

 

3.    CRAVING CHRISTMAS –April 22 to May 13th
(The Mistletoe Puppy is in this one!)
       https://books.bookfunnel.com/cravingchristmas/6w9bmrl1z0

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ONE MORE DANCE, a new release, and a chance for prizes!

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

How did you fare over the winter? Are you seeing signs of spring where you live?  Our record-breaking cold and snowy winter is (hopefully) a thing of the past, and we’re actually seeing bare ground!  Even the peacock is revving up for spring. He has been growing out his plumage and struts around the barnyard with his long, beautiful tail feathers raised in full display. Not quite so lovely is his ear-piercing mating call, which sounds like a woman screaming for help.  J

Page down for info on ONE MORE DANCE, a chance to win prizes, a favorite family recipe, and news of a good friend’s latest book release!

How badly can a relationship be broken before there’s just no chance to save it?

When veterinarian Kate Mathers drives past the scene of a terrible accident and sees two ambulances race away, she whispers a prayer for those involved, not realizing that it’s her husband’s car in flames down in the ditch, and that a woman in the car with him was killed—a complete stranger. And now Jared is in the ICU on the verge of death, and only a miracle can save him.

She’s at his bedside, trying to face his precarious situation and also deal with the fact that someone is targeting both her husband and her veterinary practice, and wondering how the most perfect, joyous marriage could have gone so wrong. Or did it?

If only they can have one more chance to talk and to forgive, and one more dance in each other’s arms…

ONE MORE DANCE  is a clean and wholesome, full-length contemporary romance mystery. It’s available right now for just $0.99  at all e-book retailers.
For more information or to buy, click on the BOOKS tab along the horizontal bar above this blog post.

 

Here is my question of the month…and your chance to win prizes in my drawing! 

After ONE MORE DANCE, there are four more books coming out in my Northern Pines during 2021, and they need covers! Which cover styles attract you the most?  A setting, such as charming little cottage in the woods, or the mountains, or the seashore, or do you prefer either a hero or heroine alone on the cover? Or…maybe both of them?

Leave an answer or a comment at the bottom of this blog post to be entered in drawings for a free e-copy of SNOWBOUND WITH THE COWBOY or a $10.00 Barnes & Noble gift card  (two separate winners.)  Good luck!

Here are the answers from last month’s winners, who can click CONTACT  to receive their prizes. Be sure to put “WS newsletter winner” in the subject line. Thanks!

Colleen C:    Favorite memories… waiting by the window and watching for my grandparents to arrive. When I saw them I was filled with such happiness. I would run to the door to open it for them and it was the best feeling on Earth to get a hug from them.
Food, we always have pumpkin pie from my grandma’s recipe and make M&M cookies together.
Happy Holidays!

Pat S:         My favorite memory of Christmas was the year the whole family got together and rented a cabin in Colorado Springs. The snow was perfect even if my skiing was not! My brother arranged a wagon ride to a huge tent in the snow that served grilled steak and fixings served while people performed music and we sat on hay bales at plank tables. We also went to hot springs that even had waterfalls, oh my, what a wonderful celebration!
We always start baking on Thanksgiving weekend while we decorate the tree and house. Christmas movies are playing (starting with White Christmas) and our hearts are happy. After all, we are celebrating the birth of Christ!

Here is my family recipe of the month. All of us love this, because it’s yummy and it works for those of us trying to follow a keto diet. If you skip blending in the whipped cream to make it a mousse instead of a pudding, it’s also low fat!

Keto Chocolate Pudding (or Mousse)

2 cups almond milk
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp Dutch process cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1/3 cup Splenda (0r other granular sweetener)
1/2 cup almond milk
3 Tbsp cornstarch
3/4 cup Lily sugar free chocolate chips
1 tsp real vanilla

Heat the first four ingredients in a saucepan until hot.

In a separate, small bowl, slowly stir the extra 1/2 cup cold almond milk into the cornstarch until smooth, then add to saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir for two more minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the Lily chocolate chips and vanilla until smooth.

For pudding: Chill (or serve warm–yum!) and top with whipped cream sweetened with Splenda or a similar sweetener.
For mousse: chill pudding, then gently blend in real whipped cream sweetened with Splenda. Top with additional whipped cream.

Yummy!

Finally, here is an excerpt,  cover and a link for my friend Lyn Cote’s newest book, AMY’S FOREVER LOVE,  which is out now. Don’t miss it!

Even though Amy Broussard is their aunt, her twin little girls call her “mom.” In the midst of a harsh winter, Amy is helping build her Habitat for Humanity home, just the security she’s always wanted for her girls. But one frigid evening on their way to the church potluck, she and her girls find two orphaned kittens. And there she meets the local veterinarian and surprises him by volunteering to adopt the kittens on the spot, fulfilling another promise to her girls. The vet’s basset hound Bummer in turn surprises everyone by instantly “adopting” the two golden tabbies too! From then on, like it or not, Amy and the vets’ lives intersect with the “help” of Bummer and the twins. Yet before love can bloom, both adults must work through a winter of heart-healing as family secrets and grudges are unraveled.

From a USA Today Bestselling author, a heartwarming story of love, faith and the power of forgiveness. And the joy of furry friends!

https://booksbylyncote.com/SWBS/books-by-lyn/amys-forever-love-clean-christian-romance

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Happy holidays!

Roxanne Rustand Posted on by

BEST WISHES TO YOU FOR A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON!

It’s hard to believe that we’re already approaching mid-December. Like every other holiday this year, it will certainly be different—at least at our home. We usually have a houseful of family here to celebrate. Our daughter comes home early to help me cook and bake up a storm because we both love to cook! But this year, everyone is trying to be cautious and I’m not sure if any of the family will want to come.

And that makes me think fondly of years past.

Until last year, I’d always followed the Christmas traditions of my late Swedish mother, with a smorgasbord of Swedish foods on Christmas Eve—Christmas ham, Swedish meatballs, a potato casserole, platters of cold meats and cheeses, pickled herring, steamed veggies, lefse (which we love, though it’s Norwegian, not Swedish), cardamom buns, rice pudding with lemon sauce, and Swedish cookies like rosettes, pepparkakor, and lingonberry hearts. But NO lutefisk. Ever! I have such lovely memories of those Christmas Eve meals, but last year our kids voted for lasagna!

Please read to the end for the Christmas cookie recipe our family has been making since the 1970s!

Speaking of memories, my very favorite Christmas Eve was when our second son was born that very day. What a blessing!

Here are my questions for December:

  1. What is one of your favorite memories from holidays past?

2. Do you serve certain favorite foods during the holidays?

To answer these questions, just reply in the “Comments” section below.
From those who answer, three winners will be chosen. Their replies (with just a first name and last initial) will appear in my January newsletter, and each winner can select a free e-copy of one title in my 2020 Coupled by Christmas six-novella series. Two of the novellas, CHRISTMAS IN PARIS and A SCOTTISH CHRISTMAS, are shown above.

Here are the winners from last month:

Debra P. said:
I am blessed to live with my 82 year Mom who is home from a rehab center after seven weeks. My Dad lives six blocks away. He is in and out a few days a week. We will have both of them for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We usually have an open house type day, but that will not be happening. I had planned on making some gifts, but my heart has not been in it this year. This year I will be focused more on the birth of the Lord, not the commercial, gift giving. I am struggling to get into the spirit of the holidays.

Natalya L. said:
How are you coping with the pandemic? With faith…trusting the Lord! What will you change this year? Nothing, I’m not going to let fear kill all the joy. Not one of us is guaranteed the next hour; why are we acting as if we will somehow live forever? We won’t. I respect genuine caution and take necessary precautions but I refuse to stay away from my loved ones, especially since we don’t know if they are going to be around for the next holidays.
What will you miss the most? I miss traveling. But we already have people walking around who are doing such ridiculous things that it’s just going to end up breaking all their hearts in the end…. And that’s the saddest part of all of this.

Colleen C. said:
Thinking of gift ideas for family is hard this year, no one really gave me any ideas. I feel like time is flying by… looking forward to decorating soon.

 

 

Here are my newest releases–in the six novella series “Couple for Christmas”

CHRISTMAS IN PARIS released December 4.

Christmas in Paris—a dream come true. Holly had planned every moment of their perfect, romantic honeymoon on an Excel spreadsheet.

To her utter shock, she found herself jilted just before her wedding. When she heard her fiancé had eloped with someone else that very morning and had absconded with her savings, it took her minutes to realize she’d escaped a very close call. And just a few more to decide she was not missing the trip of a lifetime that she’d paid for herself.
But when she steps out of her tiny Paris hotel and bumbles into the path of a man jogging by…

 

 

 

 

A SCOTTISH CHRISTMAS

Lucy Davis has fourteen days to settle her late aunt’s estate in Scotland, then she needs to be on her return flight to Chicago. As her Aunt Maura’s only remaining relative, she figures it won’t be difficult–she’d never met the woman who just died at eighty-nine, but assumes the most challenging aspects will probably be rehoming a pet cat or two, and taking a few things to a donation bin.

She doesn’t expect to find Maura still owned a charming B&B, complete with a collection of quirky guests who have no intention of moving out…plus one tall, mysterious man who just might be the man of her dreams….

HERE ARE FOUR GREAT PROMOTIONS THIS MONTH—WITH LOTS OF PRIZES TO WIN!

Inspirational Romance Holiday Extravaganza – Dec. 7-16
Click here to enter!

Click to Enter

Click to Enter

The Gift of Reading Giveaway ?? WIN A NEW SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB ?? – Dec. 4-10
From LitRing. Rewards one lucky reader with a Samsung Galaxy Tablet and two others each with a $25 Amazon gift card, just for following authors on BookBub! Go here now to see which authors are participating and claim all your entries for the big prize.

 

“Clean Christmas Shorts” Promotion – Nov. 27-Dec. 25
This is a place to find lots of wonderful Christmas novellas. Come check it out!

 

Clean Christmas Romance 25 Days of Christmas Facebook Event! – Dec. 20
Click on this link to join the group and find out more.
I’ll be there chatting with readers on December 20th from 5-6 pm central time, and giving away prizes. Be sure to stop by then!

 

 

OUR FAMILY’S FAVORITE CUT-OUT COOKIE RECIPE SINCE THE LATE 1970s!

photo:cookies

This is a favorite because the dough is so easy to work with—which means much less trouble when making Christmas cookies with little ones. It can be rolled out over and over again, as you use up the “scraps” for the next batch.

I keep this dough in my freezer for when grandkids come, so we can roll out cookies for whatever season it is. The floor has a definite sugar crunch by the time we are done, but the kids have a ball.
And what they come up with always involves lots and lots of decoration—as you can see in the photo!  🙂

ROLLED COOKIES—ROXANNE RUSTAND

CREAM:
2 cups Crisco-type shortening
3 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/4 cup milk

MIX DRY INGREDIENTS, THEN ADD TO CREAMED MIXTURE:
1 Tbsp cream of tartar
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
8 cups flour

Roll out (thin)  and cut your cookies, then bake at 350° 8-10 minutes until lightly browned.

Note:  This is a copy of my December newsletter. If you would like to be on the mailing list so you don’t miss any of my newsletters, just look over to the top right for a quick and easy way to sign up.  In each issue, there are chances to win free books by simply answering one–or all–of the monthly questions listed in the newsletter (and this blog post) and you’ll be entered in the drawing!  I’ll also include links to any current promotional events where you can win all sorts of prizes!

God bless,

Roxanne

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