Sunday, December 26, 2010

Twas the Day After Christmas...

(Life Magazine Photo) (snow blizzard images)

And all through the land, snow pummeled the East Coast eight to 12 inches most of the day.

You made hot chocolate and sprayed whipped cream, while pondering over the pile of Christmas gifts you couldn't drive to the mall and return right away.

So you poured a second cup of hot chocolate, dust off the cobwebs from your treasured boxed games, and dug out Monopoly, Scrabble and Clue from your basement to play.

(Vintage Monopoly)

Sure, the kids whined and the husband too when enforcing the "no video game/no Web on snow days" rules, but your goal is to bring the family together and reaping big rewards, because this special snow day after Christmas surprised you and came true after all.

Enjoy the blizzard snow storm!

Nix the gourmet hot chocolate packets. Here are some delicious snow day cocoa recipes ... don't forget the whipped cream.

(allrecipes.com)

Creamy Hot Cocoa

Ingredients

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup white sugar
1 pinch salt
1/3 cup boiling water
3 1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup half-and-half cream

Directions

Combine the cocoa, sugar and pinch of salt in a saucepan. Blend in the boiling water. Bring this mixture to an easy boil while you stir. Simmer and stir for about 2 minutes. Watch that it doesn't scorch. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of milk and heat until very hot, but do not boil! Remove from heat and add vanilla. Divide between 4 mugs. Add the cream to the mugs of cocoa to cool it to drinking temperature.

(allrecipes.com)

Candy Cane Hot Chocolate

Ingredients

4 cups milk
3 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 peppermint candy canes, crushed
1 cup whipped cream
4 small peppermint candy canes

Directions

In a saucepan, heat milk until hot, but not boiling. Whisk in the chocolate and the crushed peppermint candies until melted and smooth. Pour hot cocoa into four mugs, and garnish with whipped cream. Serve each with a candy cane stirring stick.

Perhaps you want to mix it up and make a Chai Tea. Here's a great recipe from Simply Recipes.com

Chai Tea

Spice ingredients for one pot of tea:
1/2 of a star anise star
10-12 whole cloves
6-7 whole allspice
1 heaping teaspoon of cinnamon bark (or 2 short sticks)
6-7 whole white peppercorns
1 cardamon pod opened to the seeds (not pictured)

Other ingredients:
1 cup water
4-6 cups whole milk
2 heaping tablespoons of a high quality full-bodied broad-leaf black tea (Ceylon, or English Breakfast if a broad-leaf Ceylon is not available)
Sugar

Method

1 In a 2-qt saucepan, add spices to 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil; remove from heat; let steep for 5-20 minutes, depending on how strong a spice flavor you want.
2 Add 4-6 cups of whole milk to the water and spices. If you don't have whole milk, you can also use non-fat or low-fat milk, just add some cream to it, a few tablespoons. Bring the milk and spice mixture just to a boil and remove from heat.
3 Add the tea to the milk and let steep for 5 to 10 minutes to taste. (Option at this point - reheat to a simmer and remove from heat.) You can add sugar at this point, or serve without sugar and let people put the amount of sugar in they want. Traditionally, sugar is added before serving.
4 Strain into a pot. Serve. Add sugar to taste.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Baby Jesus in a Manger

Remember the Baby Named Jesus ...
Because God loved us, he shone light into a dying world and saved us from darkness with the birth of this precious baby Jesus Christ, born in a manger in a town named Bethlehem by the Virgin Mary.

We celebrate the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ and His gift of salvation. We already have the greatest gift all ... and no gift card or diamond from Jared's could take His place.

So as the turkey roasts, the yams bake, the tables are set ... let's give thanks for our blessings and share them with others.

"Glory to God in the highest and on earth

peace to menon whom His favor rests." Luke 2:14

"Be gentle and ready to forgive, never hold grudges. Remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others." Collossians 3:13

Joan B. Average Scriptwriter wishes you a Blessed and Joyous Christmas! While you're visiting with friends and families ... curl up with your favorite child. Here are a few children's books from celebrity authors who could quit their day job.

And after you've read up an appetite, why not make a few tasty, fun and fast snacks together: Nutty Caramel Chocolate Apples, Chocolate Apples (with your choice of topping or without) and Nutty Caramel Popcorn. Recipes below.

Whoopie Goldberg

Toeshoe Trouble (Sugar Plum Ballerinas, Book 2)

Coming January 5, 2011

Sugar Plum Ballerinas #3: Perfectly Prima

President Barack Obama

Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters

Queen Latifah

Queen of the Scene Book and CD

Jamie Lee Curtis

My Mommy Hung the Moon: A Love Story

Jason Alexander (George Costanza of Seinfeld)

Dad, Are You The Tooth Fairy?

Tim McGraw

My Little Girl

You'll enjoy reading these books with your child, grandchild, nephew, niece, the kid next door ... from two popular series that embrace individuality, "Fancy Nancy and Junie B. Jones."

Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas

Junie B. Jones's First Boxed Set Ever! (Books 1-4)

After you finish reading, you'll probably want a snack. Here are two yummy recipes you can make together. Warning: be prepared for chocolate-smeared kisses.

(nutty chocolate caramel apples - from E-How.com)

For the Nutty Chocolate Caramel Apples above first follow the instructions on the package of Kraft Caramels, then refrigerate the caramel apples for 15 to 30 minutes, or until caramel has set. Here's how to make chocolate covered apples.

Here's Tyler Florence's Recipe for Chocolate Covered Apples from Food Network Television.

Gourmet Chocolate Covered Apples
(They're gourmet because they look like apples
you'd find in a chocolate cafe.

Ingredients

6 medium sweet-tart apples, such as Braeburn, Fuji, or Gala
Popsicle sticks
1 pound semisweet chocolate, cut into chunks
1 cup M & M's, chopped pistachios, shredded coconut, toffee pieces, or crushed Oreos

Directions

Twist off the stems from the apples and push a Popsicle stick down into the core. Put the apples in the fridge while preparing the chocolate; they'll coat better if they're cold.

Slowly melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot water or in a microwave set on high for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through the heating time to smooth it out. Remove from the heat and stir until completely melted and warm, not hot. Dunk each apple into the chocolate, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. Roll the apples around in the chocolate, turning with the stick, so it's coated all the way up to the top. Use a spoon to baste any hard to get spots.

Put the desired coating in a separate bowl and roll the dipped apple around so it is completely covered. Set the chocolate dipped apples on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set.

This Nutty Caramel Corn treat will satisfy your sweet and salty craving when you're watching a movie on your Christmas Blue Ray. (Note: These recipes are for children without peanut allergies)

Here's What You'll Need:

popcorn
cashews
brown sugar
corn syrup
butter
salt
cream of tartar
baking soda
waxed paper

Nutty Caramel Corn (From E-How.com)

Use 5 quarts of popped popcorn, 1 cup of unsalted cashews, 2 cups of packed light brown sugar, 1/2 cup of light corn syrup, 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar, and 1 teaspoon of baking soda.

Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Mix the popped corn and the cashews into a roasting pan

In a 3 quart saucepan, combine the sugar, syrup, butter, salt and the cream of tartar. Bring the mixture to boiling and stir it over medium high. Without stirring boil it until is becomes the hard ball stage which is around 260 degrees on a candy thermometer for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove it from the heat and quickly stir in the baking soda. Pour the mixture over the popcorn into the roasting pan. Stir it to coat all of the popcorn in the pan.

Bake in the oven at 200 degrees for 1 house. Occasionally stir the mixture. After it is done spread the popcorn onto the waxed paper lined baking sheets. Let it cook. Break the popcorn apart and serve.

Merry Christmas!

Monday, December 20, 2010

Stocking Stuffers for Writers

Social Networking: The 21st Century Way to Find New Clients

(Book Christmas Tree - Oddee.com)

Are you stumped as to what kind of stocking stuffer to give your writer spouse, boyfriend, sister-friend, best bud...?

Don't be ... we're a pretty easy bunch to please, especially if we're aspiring or career-changing. If the writer in your life is an Average Joan or Joe, it's probably easier than you think. It's true, fiction writers, novelists, scriptwriters, playwrights ... never really retire, so you need to find a gift-giving system that'll produce great gifts for your prolific loved one for Christmases to come.

So let's get to it. Here are some
wrong perceptions about writers

Joan B. Average, Scriptwriter will tackle first.

1. Most writers concentrate on one writing field.

Not anymore. With the electronic media explosion making its presence known, print writers have turned overnight into
Web-writing geeks. Fiction writers are venturing into scriptwriting and writing plays. Scriptwriters are now bogarting their way into the land of video games and adult novelists have found their inner child and hopscotched into the children's market, and so forth.

1a. Here's a unique and practical idea. Pay for an online writing course from AWAI - American Writers & Artists Inc.

You can create your own gift card, include the online link and stuff it in your favorite scribe's stocking. Your gift recipient will enjoy the benefits, and you'll become their personal super hero or super shero. (Click Links Below)

Copywriting 2.0 Your Complete Guide to Writing Web Copy that Converts

Desktop Marketing for Success, Independence and Income

How to Write Your Own Money-Making Websites

2. Writers Don't Want Pens as gifts.

Yes, we do. Take it from one who can never keep a good pen. But we want a pen that will live past a season. It shouldn't break the bank, but sure ... do a little research if you want a long-lasting one. Find a pen that has great reviews from consumers.

Monteverde Invincia Black Tie Carbon Fiber Ballpoint Pen (MV41150) $40

Montblanc Meisterstuck Black Ballpoint Pen 164 $199

Pilot G2 Fine Point Rolling Ball Black Gel Ink Pens, 2-Pack (31031)

3. A Coffee Bar Gift Card

A Brewmaster Coffeemaker would be a dream but we're talking about stocking stuffers here. A cafe gift card or even a McDonald's gift card used at McCafes would work just fine.

If your special scribe currently lives feast to famine, a Starbucks or The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf gift card is a delightful splurge during the famine. Like when you're in your slow season, or waiting for that big advance to arrive ... you're not buying $5.00 coffees by the cup, that's for sure.

4. Books are too obvious ... these are expected gifts.

Okay, so we create the unexpected in our literary and scriptwriting lives, but there's nothing wrong with receiving a familiar standby ... a good book ... or a good writing book is even better. We gotta eat, so we have to keep our skills sharp. You're never too experienced to learn new tricks or a new writing niche. It never hurts to expand on what you know.

Here are a few of my favorites...

An Introduction to Writing for Electronic Media: Scriptwriting Essentials Across the Genres - You can get the paperback or Kindle edition too.

Letting Go of the Words: Writing Web Content that Works (Interactive Technologies)

The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design

5. Professional Writers don't have time for leisure reading.

That's true, but we make the time. And a Kindle, well that's just the cherry on top of the writers' stocking stuffer sundae. What was that ... your loved scribe don't have one yet? Prices have dropped, this is the time to act. I'm just saying.

Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, Graphite, 6" Display with New E Ink Pearl Technology

6. Writers have enough journals.

We always welcome another one, especially if it's handcrafted by an artisan in a third world country.

Check out these great stocking stuffers from Ten Thousand Villages -- a fair trade retailer -- that'll keep giving to artisans in impoverished villages.

Kancu Leaf & Bamboo Journal (above)

APIKRI artisans, an independent association known as the Indonesian People's Handicraft Foundation, handcrafted the covers from the elegant fan-shaped leaves of the kancu tree. Pages are glued separately from the hardboard covers and tastefully bound with wood and cord.

Okay, it may be a little big for the Christmas stocking on the fireplace, but you can up the size or place it on the mantel.

However, these mini journals will fit perfectly in your writer's stocking.

Set of 3 Mini Journals

Women artisans in rural Bangladesh handcrafted these mini journals -- 3.5x2.5 inches (great for ideas and notes) -- from the cover to the pages. Shades of blue and green are accented with bits of newsprint in Bengali script.

Inspirational Bookmarks

“Hope,” “Peace” and “Wisdom” adorn these encouraging bookmarks and represents the Papyrus paper artistry from Jirmit Papyrus in Mallawi, Upper Egypt. Papyrus paper is made from papyrus reed, just as it has been done for 6,000 years.

Jirmit Papyrus Artisans preserve this ancient Egyptian Art. The Jirmit Papyrus Group is a registered fair trade organization that generates work for unemployed young adults in the Egyptian town of Mallawi.