j. rose allister

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Superfruit Chia Seed Muffins-Gluten Free and Heavenly!

It's Too Yummy Tuesday!

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious!

Recently, my family decided to head over to Souplantation for dinner, something we hadn't done for ages (a year or so at least). For those who don't have a Souplantation around, it's a buffet-style restaurant that focuses on a variety of salads, soups, and muffins/breads. Think Hometown Buffet with a slightly healthier edge. In any case, while we were there I tried their gluten-free, Chia seed and superfruit muffins, and it was love at first bite. You would never know these babies were gluten free and packed with nutrients! As soon as I got home, I launched an intensive web search to find something similar, and I hit on a recipe from the Gluten Free If You Please blog.

So today, I'm posting a link to these heavenly babies and encouraging everyone to give 'em a whirl. You won't regret it!

Gluten Free Mixed Berry Chia Muffins by Gluten Free If You Please

Enjoy!

~~~

J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night. Connect with her on Twitter or Goodreads. She loves talking to people!

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Christmas in February - Snippet Sunday

J 12:00 AM 10 Comments

~~Warning: drunk Santa themes~~

On Sundays, I share tidbits of my works in progress as part of Weekend Warrior’s 8-Sentence Sunday.

Today I'm sharing the opening snippet from Two Santas for Sarah, a project I've monkeyed with off and on after seeing a submissions call for holiday-themed menages.

“What do you mean, Santa’s passed out in the break room?”
Sarah barked the question into her cell phone loudly enough to widen the eyes of a little girl whose mother was pulling her along down the sidewalk by a mitten-covered hand.
She attempted a reassuring smile at the tot and lowered her voice by hissing the rest through clenched teeth. “I thought the replacement Santa was starting today?”
“This is the replacement Santa,” Claire replied. “He arrived all boozed up--and it gets worse.”
“What could be worse?”
“Since he passed out on top of the donations, half of the toys we planned to give out to the shelter kids are crushed.”

So, what do you think?

~ * ~ *~ * ~ * ~ *~ * ~ * ~ *~ * ~ * ~ *~ *~ * ~ *~ *

For more awesome snippets, check out

Weekend Writing Warriors!

~~~~

I'm J. Rose Allister, wife, working mom, and the author of over twenty-five books. Somewhere in between one and the next, I love hanging out here on my blog and over on Twitter. Give me a comment or follow-I love chatting with people!

# #8 Sunday # Post

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Easy Peasy Peanut Butter Fudge

J 12:00 AM 0 Comments

It's Too Yummy Tuesday!

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious!

If Valentine's Day didn't quite satisfy your sweet tooth, I've got a quick and easy one for you today that is guaranteed to melt in your mouth and make you smile!

I'm a fan of practically anything with the word "fudge" in it, and this recipe is no exception. For those of you interested in saving a little in the fat/calorie department, try this recipe with the PB2 powdered peanut butter featured in my post Chocolate Peanut Butter with only 1 Gram Fat! (The chocolate variety is what I mentioned there, which would be great with this--but it isn't required.)

Easy Peasy Peanut Butter Fudge

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup peanut butter (prepared, if using the PB2 powdered style)

Directions

Bring sugar and milk to a low boil in a medium saucepan. Stir carefully and often so the milk doesn't scald/burn and stick to pan (I like to use a heavy, nonstick pan for this recipe.) Boil for 2 minutes; remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla until well mixed.

Pour into a greased 8" pan. Cool and cut into squares.

Enjoy!

~~~

# Post # Recipes

Sunday, February 15, 2015

A Wild Storm- Snippet Sunday (ER)

J 12:00 AM 12 Comments

~~Warning: mature themes~~

On Sundays, I share tidbits of my works in progress as part of Weekend Warrior’s 8-Sentence Sunday.

I'm glad to be back after an extended hiatus! This snippet is from Brigid's Awakening, a short erotic fantasy from my upcoming Sons of Herne series.

While on an ill-fated tour of the countryside in the Emerald Isle, Brigid finds refuge from a sudden storm in a stranger's barn...

With her hair tossed over the pillow and a slight smile curving her lips, Brigid relaxed into a welcome sense of peace despite the raging storm outside. The next thing she knew, she was awakened by the crash of the side door banging open, bringing with it a burst of cold wind, a flurry of rain, and the glowing figure of a man who appeared to be as shocked to see her as she was him.

“So,” he said, while waves of golden hair blew in wild chaos about his wide shoulders. “You have come at last.”

She blinked at the stranger. “I’m sorry?”

“And why is the goddess of Imbolc sorry to meet her consort?”

She sat bolt upright, barely remembering she was naked beneath the quilts while she blurted out, “The who?”

So, what do you think?

~ * ~ *~ * ~ * ~ *~ * ~ * ~ *~ * ~ * ~ *~ *~ * ~ *~ *

For more awesome snippets, check out

Weekend Writing Warriors!

~~~~

# #8 Sunday # Post

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Spicy Asian Chicken Wings

J 12:00 AM 0 Comments

It's Too Yummy Tuesday!

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious!

Today's recipe is quick to throw together and a fun snack for family movie night or while watching the big game. I like to serve with those crunchy Chinese noodles, or alongside a pizza or plate of sandwiches. This version was adapted from a recipe I saw on scdfoodie.com.

Spicy Asian Chicken Wings

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Honey
1 Tbsp oyster sauce (for Paleo and related diets, switch this for 1 tsp fish sauce or 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar)
1 squirt Siracha sauce (or to taste)
Garlic powder to taste OR 2 tsp garlic paste
1/4 tsp dried ginger
1 tsp sesame oil--optional, but I recommend including it if you can. It imparts a unique depth of flavor.
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb chicken wings, washed and patted dry

Directions

Combine all ingredients except chicken in a medium bowl OR a large, sturdy Ziploc bag, mix well. Add chicken to bowl/bag and mix until well coated. Let marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes up to a couple of hours. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, turning wings after 10 minutes.

4-6 appetizer servings.

Enjoy!

~~~

# Paleo # Post

Monday, February 9, 2015

True Confessions and Writing Pitfalls-Monday Musings

J 12:00 AM 0 Comments

Happy February! My, but January flew by in a big, hot hurry.
It's been a while since I wrote a general "what's up" post, so I felt it was long overdue.

WRITING STUFF
Last week I posted about getting back into a writing habit after a break. As with any of my "how to" posts, I am my own guinea pig for using the advice I pass along. So rest assured I dutifully worked up a new writing (cleaning, etc) schedule, posted it beside my writing chair, and determined to get back to business.

My fancy shmancy Organized Writer schedule

So how did it go? True confession time, it's been a hit and miss thing. On the up side, I FINALLY succeeded in getting some new writing done--3/4 of a short story. Brigid's Awakening was intended as the first in the Sons of Herne series, a set of tales based around the 8 pagan holidays. As it had been almost 9 months since I began a new writing project, this was good news indeed.

The not so great news is that I'd wanted to release this in time for the holiday it is centered around (Imbolc/Brigid's Day), but I didn't get it finished. Worse, last week derailed on my completely and I only got 3 sentences written. Yes, sentences. Not chapters or even scenes. So as far as getting back in my old groove goes, there are still many miles to go. But I'm pleased that after the better part of a year, I am at least back on the road.

LIFE AND OTHER STUFF

My main house on the Vanilla Life Minecraft server

Since today's post seems to involve some true confessions, let me make this announcement: My name is J. Rose, and I'm a Minecraft addict. User name= MomWritesFiction.

Don't get me wrong. It's not that I don't get writing done because I play Minecraft. I play Minecraft because I've been unable to write. Writing is my natural state of being, and I would jump right out of my skin without some other creative outlet. This is likely why, for the first time in years, I dug out the knitting needles over the holidays and went project-crazy: scarves, ear warmers--and yes, even crocheted soap cozies with little scrubber nubbies on the back.

Anyway, Minecraft is the new black right now, and I suspect it may continue that way until the writing dam finally bursts. Then MC may likely join the archives of former "writing downtime" pursuits, like The Sims. That's how I am when it comes to video games. I binge hard for a while, then I'll go a year or two without touching a game. We'll see.

This coming week I'd initially planned to ditch Brigid's Awakening for the time being and move onto a new Sons of Herne focused on the next sabbat on the calendar (Ostara). But I've been thinking perhaps it isn't ideal to wait and release each tale seasonally with their related holiday. Maybe one a month is a better option. And of course, the sooner they're out, the sooner I can also offer the whole series in an anthology. Hmm.

~~~

On select Mondays, I like to gab about writing or whatever's going on with me. For more gab, please join me on Twitter or Facebook. I love talking to people!

# Mild-Mannered Mondays # Monday Musings

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Here Comes Spring Hummingbird Cupcakes

J 12:00 AM 0 Comments

It's Too Yummy Tuesday!

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious!
I'm taking a break from the soup recipes I've been sharing lately to bring you a cupcake that is fun to make to hail the arrival of spring. Just the name "hummingbird cupcakes" conjours up images of early spring, when birds flit out from their nests and the first blossoms appear in the garden. This version is a blend of recipes gathered from books and the internet.

Hummingbird Cupcakes

Ingredients

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups sugar (I've also used brown sugar, half brown/half white, and 1 cup honey while reducing the amount of pineapple liquid by half or more--drain and separate the juice and add sparingly until you've got a normal cake batter texture. I prefer the half/half version, but it gives a slightly different taste and the batter a darker appearance than a yellow cupcake normally has.)
1 tsp cinnamon
3 large eggs
1 cup oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups bananas, ripe, mashed well (the kind you'd usually make banana bread out of)
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple--do not drain
1 cup chopped nuts or chocolate chips, optional

Directions

Sift together dry ingredients into a small bowl. Place sugar and oil in a stand mixer or large bowl with electric hand mixer. Beat until well combined.
Add eggs one at a time until incorporated. Add flour and blend just until combined into batter. Add vanilla, bananas and pineapple. Mix until just combined. Add nuts/chips if using and stir to incorporate. Pour into greased or lined cupcake pan to about 1/3-1/2 full. Bake at 350 degrees 20-30 minutes until toothpick inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean. Let cool and frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. :)

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
8 ounces cream cheese, well softened (at room temp)
2 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Combine all in a large mixing bowl. Make sure cream cheese is at room temperature, or frosting will be lumpy. Beat with a hand mixer on low until combined, then on high 1-2 minutes until smooth/creamy.

Makes 1 batch of cupcakes (around 12, depending on the size of your cupcakes.) Enjoy!

~~~

# Post # Recipes

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Superfruit Chia Seed Muffins-Gluten Free and Heavenly!

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Christmas in February - Snippet Sunday

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Easy Peasy Peanut Butter Fudge

Sunday, February 15, 2015

A Wild Storm- Snippet Sunday (ER)

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Spicy Asian Chicken Wings

Monday, February 9, 2015

True Confessions and Writing Pitfalls-Monday Musings

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Here Comes Spring Hummingbird Cupcakes

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