Recommend Monday!

Good Monday All!

Hope you had a fabulous weekend and that you're ready to recommend some great reads to us.

I don't have anything current to suggest, however, I have another recommend from the past. Have you read Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers? I don't read a lot of inspirationals, however, this one caught my eye a year or two ago. I'd read about it online somewhere and was in the bookstore one day and saw it. I think it's been reissued several times, but this particular cover just caught my attention--absolutely beautiful. So I picked it up and quite frankly could not put it down. I ended up loving it so much, I bought three or four more copies and gave them as Christmas presents. It's a wonderful love story about redemption, marital devotion and faith and stuck with me long after I closed the book. Even if you don't normally read inspirational romances, give it a try!

Thanks to everyone who contributed such awesome recipes on Friday's blog. Wow! I can't wait to try some of these. They look incredible. And congrats again to Tigmode, who was the winner of the 'grab-bag' prize package. Tigmode, if you're reading this blog today, be sure to email your mailing address to christy@christyreece.com.

This week's Fabulous Fall Freebie Friday blog, we're going to be talking books. So get ready to share with us your top five favorite rereads. You know, those books that you have to read at least once a year. Heck, we may discover a few books that we find ourselves recommending next Monday!

Okay, I promised you some news on the SWEET trilogy and here it is. The new dates and order are:

SWEET JUSTICE - September 2011 (Honor Stone and Seth Cavanaugh)

SWEET REVENGE - November 2011 (Dylan Savage and Jamie Kendrick)

SWEET REWARD - January/February 2012 (Jared Livingston and Mia Ryker)

Not really that much of a change other than the first book will be released four months later than originally planned. There were a lot of different reasons for the calendar and order changes. However, I plan to make sure it was worth the wait. I'm about 3/4 finished with SWEET JUSTICE and am loving the story and characters. I really think you will too!

Okay, that's it for me until Friday. Going back into my writing cave and spending some quality time with the dark and dangerous Seth.

Now, it's your turn. Tell us what we should be reading this week!

Happy Monday all!

Winner of Fabulous Fall Freebie Friday

Wow, everyone! Thank you so much for the fun yesterday! What fabulous recipes you all shared! I am so impressed with everyone's talent and diversity of tastes. Some amazing selections! When you try some of these recipes, be sure to pop back on the blog and let us know how they turned out.

The winner of the 'grab-bag' full of prizes is TigMode! If you'll email your mailing address to christy@christyreece.com, I'll send your prizes out to you next week. Also, be sure to let me know which LCR book you'd like to have included in the prizes.

Next Friday, we're going to talk about favorite winter rereads, so start thinking of those special books that for some reason, you have to read at least once a year.

Be sure to stop by on Monday to give your recommendations of your great reads from last week. Also, I'll be sharing some news about the SWEET trilogy that I know you'll want to hear!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Fabulous Fall Freebie Friday

Good Fabulous Friday Everyone!

Wow, can it be October 15 already? Trees are changing to glorious colors here in Bama. We have a wooded backyard and in the fall, my favorite time of day is early morning when the sun comes up over the trees and like a spotlight, highlights the brightest of the autumn colors. This morning I saw glorious oranges, reds and a beautiful bright golden yellow. What a lovely start to my day!

Continuing our October celebration, today we're talking about our favorite fall foods and sharing recipes. I grew up surrounded by women who were fabulous cooks. My grandmother especially could make the very best of everything. And she did it with such seeming ease. Sadly, I didn't inherit those talents. When I go to make something elaborate in the kitchen, I usually come away exhausted, with a mess in the kitchen and my sweet hubby saying something like "But I thought it tasted really good". He's such a diplomatic SWEETheart!

However, I do have a couple of recipes that have become favorites in our house. They taste good and they're simple--my two requirements in making meals, especially these days. And they smell delicious. Don't you just love the fragrance of chili, homemade soup or pot roast wafting through the house. Somehow it just makes everything feel so much cozier.

I've heard from several of you who are planning to share lots of recipes, but don't feel that you have to give recipes. Today's post is all about favorite fall foods, so if you want to just tell us your favorites for this time of year, that's great too. However, if you also want to tell us how to make those fabulous dishes? Well...yum!

Here are two of my tried and true, extremely simple (did I already tell you I don't do anything else) favorite fall recipes:

Crock Pot Pot Roast (We both love this dish, as do my girls. The fragrance is amazing!)

Eye of Round Beef Roast

1 - 2 cans of Campbell's Mushroom Soup

1 package of Lipton Onion Soup Mix

Put roast in crock pot, pour canned soup and packaged soup over roast. Close lid and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. (If you want it faster, you can cook on high.) About every two hours or so, spoon gravy over the roast and after about three or four hours, turn roast over in the pot to cook more evenly.

LOL, yes, simple but oh so good! Makes a wonderful gravy that's fabulous with mashed potatoes.

The other dish that is super easy and a definite favorite of my husband's is my chili. I've tried the packaged 7-alarm stuff you get at stores and while it's good, if I have to read directions of things I already know how to make, I tend to get bored. (: I'm more of an experimenter about some dishes. Adding one thing one time, then maybe something else the next. Here's my chili recipe that I experimented with until I got it the way we like it.

Chili

1 lb. ground sirloin

2 cans diced tomatoes with mild green chilies

2 cans dark red kidney beans

2 cans light red kidney beans

2 cans mild chili beans

cayenne pepper

chili pepper

cumin

Brown ground sirloin, sprinkling cayenne pepper, chili pepper and cumin over meat as it browns. Drain ground beef, return it to the pan, open up all the cans and pour on top of the meat, mix together. Bring it to a boil and then simmer for at least an hour.

I deliberately left out measurements on the pepper and cumin. Hubby doesn't like spicy meals, so I maybe use 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of each of the peppers. And a couple of sprinkles of the cumin because I love the fragrance of cumin. If I found I went overboard with the peppers, I'll add a can of plain stewed tomatoes. That's cuts the heat down quite nicely.

I serve it with cheese, crackers and Fritos Chili Cheese chips. (Oh, and my hubby likes it with cut up dill pickles because that's the way his mom fixed it when he was a kid.)

I know those are probably the simplest recipes you've ever come across, but they are definite hits in our house.

Now, it's your turn to share. Tell us what your favorite fall foods are and if you have recipes, go for it! If I think of some more later today, I'll post those too.

And remember, one random commenter will win a 'grab bag' full of goodies, including books! Winner announced tomorrow.

Okay, so let's have some fall Friday food fun!

Recommend Monday!

Good Monday All!

How was your weekend? Did you read anything fabulous? Want to share?

This is a short post today. I'm hitting a pivotal point with SWEET JUSTICE and want to keep the momentum going. Seth and Honor are trying to work out their issues, but little do they know I'm about to throw them into the fire! Oh, I do love my job! (insert evil laughter)

I did get a CHANCE to read one book last week and really enjoyed it. Though it's been recommended here several times, I hesitated to try it because it's written in first person and I'm not usually a fan of first person. However, I must say that I was thoroughly entertained. What's that book? Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas. I know many of you have read and loved it, so thanks so much for the recommend!

Okay, your turn now. What are you recommending?

And don't forget to come back on Friday when we'll be talking favorite fall foods and sharing recipes. Yum! Can't wait!

Hope everyone has a lovely, productive and wonderful week!

Winner of Fabulous Fall Freebie Friday is...

Shelly Estes! Congrats, Shelly! You are the winner of a 'grab-bag' full of goodies.

Please email your mailing address to christy@christyreece.com. Also, be sure to tell me which LCR book you'd like to have sent with your goodies.

Thanks everyone for joining in the fun discussion yesterday. I now have several movies and books I'm going to look for to get me into the Halloween spirit.

Be sure to come back on Monday for Recommend Monday. And yay, I will have a book to recommend!

And, come back next Friday when we'll be talking favorite cool weather foods and sharing recipes.

Hope everyone has a fabulous fall weekend.

Chat Monday!

Fabulous Fall Freebie Friday

How did the week treat you? Are you ready for the weekend? Ready for some football maybe? Or a fall festival?

Our fall weather is on a mini break while summer returns just to say, "You're going to miss me when I'm gone!" So, I'm going to do my best to be nice and appreciate those warm temps in the hopes that summer will make frequent visits this winter. That's probably not going to happen, but it never hurts to be nice, now does it?

However, it is October, so despite the summertime temps, I'm eager to continue our discussions on fall topics. I can't think of October without thinking of Halloween, so lets talk favorite scary movies and books. I've always enjoyed both. My hubby and I used to see horror flicks the first week they came out at the theater. We don't do that anymore though. Not only are we busier than we used to be, the gore in the new movies just doesn't appeal to us. However, when we see some of our favorites on television, it's popcorn and cuddling time and two hours of frightmares!

Some of our favorites are: House on Haunted Hill (the original, not the remake)
Fright Night (the first one with Christopher Sarrandon)
Stephen King's Silver Bullet
Halloween (Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasance. We've seen them all, but the first one is the best)
Dracula (I'm fond of the Gary Oldman and Frank Langella. Hubby only likes the Bella Lugosi version)
The Wolfman (We both prefer the original with Lon Chaney, Jr.)
Dracula Meets the Wolfman (Abbott and Costello comedy. Hilarious!)

I'm sure there are many I left out, but these are the ones that come to mind. As far as books go, I used to read Stephen King all the time. Loved him! My favorite is Bag of Bones. LOL Probably because it has a love story and a ghost too. Also loved Bram Stoker's Dracula. Several years ago, I found an original copy of it at a used book store--what a deal!

I know some of you don't care for scary movies and don't get into Halloween, but is there a movie or book that you feel lends itself to reading during the fall? Have you seen the movie October Skies? Great movie and book!

So what about your movie and book favorites? Got any recommends for either? Got any fun fall plans for the weekend? Lets chat and share and one random commenter will win a 'grab-bag' full of fun fall freebies. I'll announce the winner tomorrow morning.

Next Friday, we'll talk favorite fall foods. Get those recipes ready to share! And don't forget to come back on Monday to recommend your great reads!

Happy Fall Friday all!

Recommend Monday!

Good Monday Everyone!

How was your weekend? Are you having fabulous weather in your neck of the woods? The weather here in Bama is beyond gorgeous. Low 70's, perfect, azure blue sky, just a slight breeze and sun so bright even the birds are squinting.

Thanks to everyone who commented on Friday's blog. Your comments made me appreciate autumn all the more. I even made a batch of chili yesterday and beef stew or vegetable soup might be on the agenda next weekend. That is, if I can persuade the hubby that he doesn't have to have pizza EVERY weekend! The man does love my semi-homemade pizzas.

SWEET JUSTICE is coming along very well. Seth and Honor are amazing together and I love watching them try to deny their feelings. Last week, I wrote a scene so steamy, I do believe my windows fogged up. Whew! However, there is a villain to catch, so this week, it's time to concentrate on finding this creature so JUSTICE can prevail!

I didn't get a CHANCE to read this weekend, however, I realized that I've read enough great books that I can easily make a recommendation every Monday. What was I thinking? So, this week's recommendation is one of my all-time favorite authors, Judith McNaught and my personal faves are: Almost Heaven, Once and Always, Something Wonderful, A Kingdom of Dreams, Paradise, Perfect and Someone to Watch Over Me. (The last three are contemporaries).

What about you? What did you read or have you read you want the world to know about so they can enjoy it too?

Don't forget to come back on Friday for another Fabulous Fall Friday Freebie. We'll be talking movies and books specifically geared toward October. And I'll be giving away another 'grab-bag' box full of goodies.

Until Friday, happy reading all!