Sunday, December 16, 2012

We'll Muddle Through Somehow


I'm not really tuned in to the Happy Holidays wavelength this year. My life got turned upside down and I'm still struggling with the fallout. But it's my turn to post for the R8, so I'm going to give you a few  songs that make me smile no matter what I'm struggling with, a recipe that might get you through the office cookie exchange (fingers crossed!), and last but NOT least, a chance to win a copy of MacKenzie Lucas' debut novella!

To Have and To Hold is the first story in the Derkesthai Mage series. Is that a great cover or what? And the story is sexy and hits that emotional chord that I just love. Plus, did I mention, DRAGONS?!? Yeah. So leave a comment (and contact info) and at the end of the week I'll give the lucky winner the ebook of To Have and To Hold.

Okay. Lets start with some music to make you smile. I know I need it! So here's a link to Misty Mountain Wonderland, a genius melding of Winter Wonderland with Led Zeppelin's Misty Mountain Hop, by Fleming and John.

And if that doesn't work, here's South Park's version of O Holy Night. Actually, I might be the only one who finds that one so funny . . . but I'm linking it anyway because I read somewhere that it's important, this time of year, to do things just for YOU, too.

Or in this case, just for me. LOL.

And now that you're smiling--I hope!--here's the recipe I'm bringing to the office cookie exchange. If anyone out there can explain why I signed up for this thing, 4 weeks into Weight Watchers, please tell me in the comments because I can't for the life of me figure it out . . .

Blurry but delicious!
Anyway, I'm sure this recipe was on the bag of Nestle's chocolate chips at one time, but my mother got it from her sister-in-law (who my father--the annoying little brother--called Granny Annie), so we've always called them:

Granny Annie's Seafoam Chocolate Chip Bars

1/2 cup soft butter or margarine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 egg yolks (reserve whites)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 12 oz bag of semisweet chocolate chips

Topping:
2 egg whites
1 cup brown sugar, packed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.

First, sift together the dry ingredients and set the bowl aside.

Next, in large bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla extract. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and blend together. Gently press dough into greased baking pan.

Sprinkle the bag of chocolate chips evenly over the pastry and press down lightly.

For the topping, in a medium bowl, beat the two egg whites until soft peaks form. (Tip: let the egg whites warm to room temperature first.) Gradually beat in brown sugar and blend until stiff. Spread evenly over the pastry and chocolate chips.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Topping should be light brown.

Remove pan to wire rack to cool.

Cut in squares when almost cool. Freezes very well. Tastes divine!

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And finally, as a performer at the concert I attended last night reminded us, sometimes, for some people, the best holiday song is a melancholy one. So I leave you with Judy Garland.


And the hopes that next year, all our troubles will be miles away.

Happy Holidays!
Evie

p.s. Don't forget to comment for a chance to win To Have and To Hold!

28 comments:

  1. Love it, Yvonne. I will try Granny Annie's cookie recipe. Thanks for sharing songs that make you smile and sweet treats and a book giveaway. Wow! If that's not the Christmas spirit, I don't know what is . . . and, yes, here's to all your troubles being miles away going into the New Year! Your giving nature comes through even in the midst of world-turning events. I applaud you!

    P.S.:And make sure you give those darned cookies away--okay all but one or two--before they land in your own house (and other places)! ;0)

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  2. That cookie recipe looks amazing. I will be trying it.

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  3. Love the Winter Wonderland/Misty Mountain Hop song! I posted it on FB.

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  4. Candy, I saved 2 for Mx and boxed the rest for the cookie exchange! However, I think I breathed in at least 5 points while they were baking . . . LOL.

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  5. Lynne, hope you like the cookies! I've got you in the drawing. :-)

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  6. Marla, isn't it the best? "Hey, hey Rudolf with your nose so bright . . . won't you guide my sleigh tonight . . ." I've got you in the drawing. :-)

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  7. Evie!! You know the best music!

    I *love* Mackenzie's cover, OMG! Hot! and DRAGONS, just as you say! I already have my copy (heh, heh, can't wait to dive in!), so no need to put me in the drawing.

    Here's to taking cookies to the party, but not bringing any back home with you...

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  8. Thanks, Keely! My cookie fu is strong. I'll let you know, tomorrow, how it goes. :-)

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  9. Wow, those cookies look great! Thanks for sharing the great music and great eats. :)

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  10. Hi there, sorry I'm getting here so late! There's no way I'm not making those cookies. I always judge a recipe by how easy it sounds to prepare but how delicious the results sound so I'm sold :) You do know some good music! I was listening to an old Elvis Christmas album and the last song was called Mama Loved the Roses. It was very sad but sometimes you just have to go there to those places. And then get to the other side where you get to enjoy cookies and silliness with good friends and food :) And ridiculously hot book covers! Wow! Happy Holidays Yvonne!

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  11. Inspired by Yvonne's giveaway, I'm going to up the ante by adding another free e-Book giveaway.

    I've been reading a ton of holiday novellas over the past few weeks while I recover from surgery. So I'm going to give away a copy of my favorite holiday novella--Mistletoe & Mararitas by Shannon Stacey to the person who retweets this post the most this week.

    Cutoff for the holiday novella will be Saturday, December 22nd at midnight. See @candylyons or @rockville8 for the live tweet in a few minutes! Good luck!

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  12. Hi Carlene! I'll have to look for that Elvis song. My mother was a big fan. :-)

    And oh my yes, To Have and To Hold has a HAWT cover. LOL.

    Thanks for stopping by. I've got you entered in the drawing. :-)

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  13. Happy Holidays Candy! What a fun post. The cookie recipe looks great. What if you dropped some blue and green food coloring in the egg white to replicate sea foam? Weird? maybe.

    That MacKenzie Lucas book cover is HOT. I googled MacKenzie Lucas and got a lot of hits, including Smashwords.

    Also got Ian Albert MacKenzie Lucas who's written a scintillating tome on "how to reduce cost in pig production." Honest!

    "To Have & To Hold" looks WAYYYYY more interesting and a much better Christmas present for moi.

    thanks!



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  14. Yvonne, thank you so much for the Christmas cheer! It's kind of you to look out for the rest of us when you are dealing with so much nowadays. But it sounds like you are dealing with your upheaval a lot more gracefully than you're giving yourself credit for! I so enjoyed the Judy Garland song--and I may have to borrow the cattle prod idea from South Park. :-) Merry Christmas, Rockville 8!!

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  15. Yvonne - I love this! I'm always looking for a good cookie recipe. This one looks great. How did Mx like the cookies?

    And, Judy Garland - I love her too. She always had that sweet, sad-eyed thing going on. No wonder Mickey Rooney couldn't resist her! LOL!

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  16. Okay, Lisa & Evie are tied for most retweets. So you both get a copy of my favorite Christmas novella! Yeehaw! Thanks for playing. ;0)

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  17. Merry Christmas to you, too, Kathy! LOL about the cattle prod. I might remember some things too, if I had that as motivation.

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  18. Hi Lisa! We win!! :-)

    Mx said the cookies were tooooo sweet--which they totally are, in a GOOD way--and her sister asked for the recipe. :-) I've still got one in the fridge, which I'm saving for Christmas. :-)

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  19. Carlene--you're the winner of "To Have and To Hold". I'll be emailing you . . .

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  20. Woo Hoo! I can not wait to read that (and stare at the cover a few billion times ;))
    Thank you!

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