Tasty Treats Anyone?
Hello Friends,
It’s winter in my corner of the world… not officially. However, the first snowflakes fell and thankfully, disappeared last week. It's also the close of 2023, my first year as an author. What a hands up, roller coaster of a sleigh ride this year has been! I appreciated the encouragement, wonderful memories, and new lessons about publishing, tapping into available resources, building a network, and honing my craft. Noodle, my beloved four-legged child, even got in on the action. He was featured in Edale Lanes’ November newsletter and K. Aten’s December author spotlight.
One of my favorite treats
I like baking this time of year and would like to share an easy cookie recipe with you. Trust me, these bite-size morsels will quickly disappear at social events! I suggest making a few for traveling or placing them in pretty tins as hostess gifts.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup 10x powdered sugar, divided in half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 1⁄4 cups sifted flour
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts (I place them in the food processor for 30-45 seconds. If you use salted nuts, cut the ¼ tsp of salt above in half)
DIRECTIONS
Cream together butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy; stir in vanilla.
Whisk together flour and salt; add gradually to butter mixture; stir in chopped nuts.
Chill dough if it seems too soft.
Form dough into 1 1/4" balls and place onto parchment-lined or ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes, or just until the cookies start to turn light golden-brown (the cookies will not spread); remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. While cookies are still warm (but NOT hot), remove them from baking sheets and roll, a few at a time, in remainder of powdered sugar. Cool cookies completely on wire racks.
Cookies may be rolled in powdered sugar a second time once cooled to room temperature.
Happy Holidays
Holiday movies almost always have a HEA (happily ever after). In reality, this time of year can be tricky for romance, keeping the peace, navigating complicated family relationships and dynamics, and/or traveling to meet our loved one with the threat of bad weather. You know, Jasmine and T attend a holiday soiree in THIS: A Simple, Complex Love Story. If you haven’t, read how it goes sideways. By the way, my ebook is 50% off through the holidays (that’s right, it’s $4.99 where ebooks are sold). And…
I’m excited to announce that THIS: A Simple, Complex Love Story will be available in a Smashwords promotion December 15 through January 1 as part of their 2023 End of Year Sale! This is a chance to get my book, along with books from many other great authors, at a deeper discount so you can get right to reading.
Starting on December 15, you will find the promo here, so save the link:
https://www.smashwords.com/shelves/promos/ Please share this promo with friends and family.
If you’re looking for more holiday gifts, maybe bundle a book and note cards from my store, consider giving local bookstore gift cards to the readers in your life, or creating something with your very own hands, like a crocheted gift (see Noodle’s sweater above).
I love the diversity of those that receive this newsletter who may celebrate a multitude of holidays. No matter the occasion, I hope you are surrounded by folks you love and I hope you receive all the joy of the season. See you in 2024.
Happy Everything!
Naomi
