Happy New Years Eve - Champagne Cocktail

Photograph by Levi Brown

Champagne Cocktail

Something easy and fun. Drink safe and Happy New Years Eve!!

Toast to the new year with this elegant cocktail that starts with a sugar cube soaked in bitters. As the sugar dissolves, it will sweeten the Champagne (This may be why I'll like it :-) )

Directions

Soak a sugar cube with 2 to 3 dashes bitters. Drop the sugar cube into a chilled flute. Add 3/4 ounce brandy, if desired. Top with champagne.


Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine

Total Time:
5 min
Prep:
5 min
Yield:1 drink
Level:Easy

On the road to ... Recovery ...

I guess recovery is the word I'd use. Yesterday was the first time in nine to ten months that I sat down at my computer and wrote.

Yes, Finally, I wrote!! I started a Sci-Fi story and it just flowed and flowed to me. The plot is thickening in my skull as I write 

So you could say I'm excited!!!! YAY ME!!!!

Obviously the regiment of vitamins is working!!

I have noticed a change, slowly but getting better from the B12 weekly shots, and all I can say is YAY!!!!!! Thank the creator!!!! 

It's not easy not being oneself and knowing something is wrong but it's damn hard to figure out what it is. I actually felt like I was losing my mind  It's very frustrating. 

Hey when the lady from corporate calls and says 'what's going on with you? you don't make simple mistakes like this, you never have in the five years you've been here. Are you alright?' ... you know something's up. Thankfully mine was totally fixable!!

I feel so much better now and on the road to my old self ... uh -oh you may want to run hahahahaha LOL  

So, YAY a new story on the way!!!!

The Hero: Alpha all the way 

The Heroine: Independent, No shit taker  ...

Ah the stories of erotic romance

To bad I have to go out today 

That's OK, it's an hour drive ... hehe ... and I'm not driving =

that's how stories are made

Fun Drink Friday - Orange Scented Mulled Wine

Photo: Thomas J. Story; Styling: Dan Becker

Orange-Scented Mulled Wine

Mulled wine is a classic holiday drink that brings together rich spice flavors, red wine and for this recipe, fresh oranges and orange liqueur.

Ingredients

1 large orange $

Seeds from 8 cardamom pods

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

3 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger

8 to 9 tbsp. sugar, divided $

2 bottles (750 ml. each) dry red wine $

1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur (optional)

Thin orange slices (optional) $

Preparation

1. With a vegetable peeler, pare 8 thin strips zest (4 in. by 1/2 in.) from orange. Juice orange and reserve juice.

2. Wrap cardamom and coriander seeds and ginger in a piece of cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine.

3. In a nonreactive saucepan, crush orange zest and 7 tbsp. sugar with a wooden spoon to release oils from zest. Add reserved orange juice, wine, and spice packet. Cover and bring to a simmer over high heat, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered, 30 minutes. Discard spice packet and orange zest.

4. To serve, heat wine, covered, over medium heat just until steaming. If you like, stir in liqueur and more sugar to taste. Ladle into heatproof glasses. Garnish with thin orange slices if you like.

Note:

Linda Lau Anusasananan,

DECEMBER 2009

Find more interesting Drinks over at: 

My Recipes 

https://sites.google.com/site/authorcasalo/

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Merry Christmas

May you all have a safe and Merry Christmas!

C~

https://sites.google.com/site/authorcasalo/

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Fun Drink Friday - Candy Cane Cocktail

Candy Cane Cocktail

INGREDIENTS

• 1 candy cane, crushed, for garnish
• 2 ounces strawberry vodka
• 4 dashes white creme de menthe
• 2 1/2 ounces cranberry juice
• Ice cube

DIRECTIONS

1. Place crushed candy canes on a small plate or saucer. Wet the outside rim of a chilled martini glass with water. Holding the glass by the stem, rotate the rim to coat with candy.
2. In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, creme de menthe, cranberry juice, and ice; shake until well combined. Strain into prepared glass; serve immediately.

• YIELD: MAKES 1 COCKTAIL

SOURCE: THE MARTHA STEWART SHOW, DECEMBER WINTER 2008

I've always been a big fan of Martha Stewart! This drink just sounds too yummy!!

There's also a video that will walk you through making the drink so it comes out just right :-)

CANDY CANE COCKTAIL

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Fun Drink Friday - Arctic Kiss

From our Friend over at: Midnight Mixologist

I'm really not a champagne drinker, wondering if I could change that out with a sparkling white wine...hmmmmm

https://sites.google.com/site/authorcasalo/

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GREAT Review @ B&N for Mercenaries of Neris

The Mercenaries of Neris Series

I found one of 'The BEST' reviews a reader could leave over at

Barnes and Noble,

Check it out ...

Anonymous

Posted November 17, 2014

 AMAZING

WOW WOW WOW! I was so mad that it ended? I wanted to keep reading more. If you enjoy 

SciFi/Romance with a kick, then C.A. Salo is the writer to go too. I could not not stop reading 

her books. I didn't want to get anything done except read, lol!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

To the Reader: 

Thank you for taking the time to write a review!!!! 

I'm so happy you enjoyed reading the Series!!

C~

https://sites.google.com/site/authorcasalo/

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Fun Drink Friday - Christmas in a Glass

Christmas in a Glass

Ingredients

1 bottle Prosecco, or other sparkling dry white wine, well chilled

1 bottle gingerbread flavored syrup (or cranberry flavored syrup)


Directions

Pour the Prosecco into glasses. Add a capful of the syrup to each glass of the Prosecco, to

taste.


Recipe courtesy Nigella Lawson from Nigella's Christmas Kitchen, 2007

Read more at: Food Network

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The Minotaur's Mate - Pinterest Board

The Minotaur's Mate

Ok, so I have no idea, why I didn't release the board on Pinterest when The Minotaur's Mate came out. 

Could have been the start of that B12 deficiency?? Old age?? To much on the noggin'?? who knows...

ANYWHO ... It's up!!

The Minotaur's Mate - Pinterest Board

https://sites.google.com/site/authorcasalo/

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Fun Drink Friday - Thanksgiving Spice

I know it's the day after Thanksgiving, but hey 

It's all good 

From our friend at: Midnight Mixologist

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Eat lots of 

Stay safe my friends!!

Writer's Block, No, Writer's ....

It's not writer's block -- It's no writing energy. The worst thing I could be going through! It's not that I don't have plenty of ideas swirling around my brain, but to sit at my desk and put them down, well ... *sigh*

There's this little thing called B12 & D Deficiency that I'm going through and the suckers are so low, I have to give myself weekly shots and take the pills. 
Good Grief Charlie Brown!! 

Well the little suckers are messing with my energy levels, thought process, memory and sleep patterns, it's highly frustrating when your in the middle of something and -- BOOM -- GONE. Grrrr Arrrggg!!  thankfully I have noticed some improvement since I stated my shots and vitamins.

It takes all my energy to come home from work and make dinner, then I end up falling asleep on the couch and being woken up by my husband or son, saying ' hey, go to bed.' I do and then I'm wide awake two hours later

Thank goodness for those two! The left over's get put away and the dishes have been rinsed and put in the  dishwasher. 

So I'm hoping this will pass quickly, and I'll start feeling like myself again. It frustrates the crap out of me when I want to write, but can't dredge up the energy to get there. But from what I've read it takes a little bit for the levels to even out. *sigh*

Well, I guess I'll just have to -- eat a lot at Thanksgiving!

Good luck to anyone going through the same thing!! No, you're not going crazy ... well we're all a little crazy, but you're not losing your mind!! Well we could be losing our mind ... OH HECK, just eat pie!! 

Fun Drink Friday - Smoky Apple Cider Cocktail

Smoky Apple Cider Cocktail

This delectable sipping cocktail combines the intense smoky flavor of mezcal and crisp hard apple cider.

• Prep Time 5 min
 
• Total Time 5 min
 
• Servings 1

Ingredients

Ice

2

tablespoons brandy or cognac

1 1/2

teaspoons reposado mezcal

1

teaspoon real maple syrup

3/4

cup cold hard apple cider

Fresh apple slice

Directions

• 1Fill glass with ice.
• 2Add brandy, mezcal and maple syrup; stir.
• 3Add hard apple cider; stir gently. Garnish with apple slice.
• *  Mezcal is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from agave.

• Serving Size: 1 Serving

   

  Calories

  180

   ( 

  Calories from Fat

  0),

   

  Total Fat

  0g

   

  (Saturated Fat

  0g,

   

  Trans Fat

  0g

   ), 

  Cholesterol

  0mg

   

  Sodium

  10mg

  Total Carbohydrate

  11g

   

  (Dietary Fiber

  0g

   

    Sugars

  4g

   ), 

  Protein

  0g

   ; 

  % Daily Value*:

   

  Vitamin A

  0%;

   

  Vitamin C

  0%;

   

  Calcium

  0%;

   

  Iron

  0%;

  Exchanges:

  0 Starch; 0 Fruit; 3 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 0 Fat; 

  Carbohydrate Choices:

  1 
  *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Drink from: Betty Crocker 

Author Linnea Sinclair at SSRA

Linnea Sinclair

I had the pleasure of attending the Sunshine State Romance Authors meeting yesterday and being present for Ms. Linnea Sinclair's workshop on World Weaving.

I did meet her in 2009 at the RWA conference in Orlando, so I was excited to attend a smaller workshop with the SSRA, It was fabulous!! She's a great speaker and teacher! 

Linnea and I

So Yes, it was a bit chilly in our neck of Florida yesterday morning LOL, hence the sweaters hehehehe. :-) 

And ... I finally found someone as short as myself

There were so many awesome folks at the SSRA meeting yesterday I can't name them all, but I did take a few pics where I could (Don't mind the hair peeps, I need a trim LOL ) ...

Dylan Newton and I 

Jessica Nelson and I

(We were posing for a head shot & got a full length LOL, It's all good!)

So, Yes, I do believe these are the most photos I've posted of myself ... like... eeevvvvaaa. LOL. 

Usually I'm behind the camera and happy to be there, but I had such a wonderful time yesterday I couldn't help but want to be in front of the camera with all these wonderful ladies!