Adventures N Writing

Having the girls over for some good conversation and wine?  Try this tasty appetizer, it is guarenteed to be a hit! 5 ounces Portobello mushrooms 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms 2 ounces oyster mushrooms 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 shallots 2 minced cloves of garlic ¼ cup of chicken broth 1/3 cup dry white wine 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried basil Salt and red pepper flakes 12 slices rustic baguette: sourdough, Italian, even whole grain for the health conscious 4 ounces goat cheese 2 ripe red tomatoes, cored and diced Chop the mushrooms. Heat olive oil and butter over medium heat in a sauté pan. Add the shallots and garlic and mix for 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Add the mushrooms and raise the heat a bit. Mix everything for about 8 minutes. Add chicken broth, white wine, and dried seasonings and cook until liquid is evaporated. Season with salt for taste. Pre heat broiler. Spread the bread slices with goat cheese and spoon t...

You can find more than recipes in my book Happy Hour, there's an interview with myself, and book club questions.  Kat’s Fettuccine, Goat cheese and Pancetta 1 cup dry white wine 2 Tbs. minced shallots 5 oz goat cheese Salt and freshly ground pepper Pinch crushed red chili flakes ½ lb. dried fettuccine ½ cup chopped pancetta or bacon (you can also use chicken or shrimp) 2 Tbs. olive oil 4 oz. fresh baby spinach 2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil In a medium saucepan combine the white wine, shallots. Over high heat, reduce the liquid b half, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the goat cheese until the mixture is smooth, season with ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper, and the red chili flakes, and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just cooked, 9 to 11 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta, and set aside. Heat 1 tbs. of the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat brown up pancetta or bac...

Trail riding is often not viewed with the same respect as “real” horse events like dressage or jumping. But I use trail riding as a great training tool. I have both an eventer and a reiner, and these horses are shown often. Like any high demand schedule for both humans and horses, the pace of intensive showing and training makes them prone to burn out. My favorite option to enable them to relax and reconnect with their inner horse, is taking them out on the trail. Trail riding is a great way for any horse to adapt to strange noises like cracking twigs, the birds and mystery critters lurking in bushes. A truly well trained or “broke” horse should be able to go out on trail either by itself or as part of a large group. All horses need a break from the monotony of the same repetitive tasks and life in the corral. The trail outing presents all new smells, sounds, and sights; lots of things to really pick up those ears. The different footing and terrain feels good on the feet and captures t...

Happy Hour is about every woman and that group of friends in her life ~ her "go to girls" The friends that she can turn to who "get it." The ones who are there for you no matter what. The ones who laugh with you and cry with you. The ones that will always be there. These are the women of Napa Valley. Danielle’s Mexican Style Quiche served with Champagne or margaritas if preferred Pastry dough 1 large garlic clove ¾ teaspoon salt 1 lb poblano chilies (about 4 large), roasted and peeled 6 large eggs 1 cup whole milk ½ lb Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated (2 ½ to 3 cups) Special equipment: a 9-inch (2-inch deep) round fluted tart pan with removable bottom; pie weights or raw rice Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375 Roll out dough into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Fit dough into tart pan, without stretching, letting excess dough hang over edge. Fold overhang inward and press against ...

Reading making you hungry?  Try out another recipe, you can find this one in Murder Uncorked. Not quite as quick and easy as the last recipe I posted but equally as delicious! Pork Tenderloin with Salsa Verde 2 pork tenderloins 1 8-ounce jar of salsa verde (Herdez is a good one) 1 package of Lawry’s taco seasoning 3 large cloves of garlic 2 seeded, drained, and chopped canned chipotle peppers (these are spicy so be careful if you don’t care for spicy) 2 tablespoons minced red onion 2 tablespoons brown sugar 4 tablespoons of fresh lime juice ½ cup red wine Salt to taste ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce 2 cups orange juice 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons canola oil Mix together all of the ingredients except for garlic, onion, and 1 cup of orange juice, half the salsa verde jar, and pork, in a large Zip lock bag. Place the pork in the bag and marinate overnight. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425. Remove pork season with salt...

You know you're a mystery author when your assistant walks into your office and you're saying out loud, "I have to figure out how to kill this guy," and she replies, "Do I have to clean it up?" My response to that was, "It depends on how messy it is." Thank God my wide-eyed, very efficient assistant (a.k.a) Cassie understands my eccentricities and has said on more than one occasion, "At least you're never boring to work for." I am still trying to figure out how to kill this character off and now I am in a real dilemma (not the killing off part--that should come fairly easy once I put my mind to it)--the title. I am horrible, terrible, awful (yes, I suck at titles). I need help. Now I know a bunch of you e-mailed me about the name of my victim (the nun) for book 7, but I hate to tell you that I realized after a week or so that there is one more book that must be written in the Nikki Sands' series before I can write the one where ...

Some of you may have read this last year when I posted it, but I'm digging it back out because I was just listening to "If I was a Rich Girl," by my favorite celeb and then I remembered this post.  And then, I also remembered that I really needed to write a new blog post but the day is getting away from me, so I'm reposting. C'est la vie. I know that I'm a bit "eclectic." I suppose that is a nicer term than weird, but I'm a writer and many of us (I think) are a tad "eclectic." For example, on my bedside table you will find my Mother Mary and Baby Jesus paperweight (my middle child bought me for Mother's Day at the swap meet last year), the little Buddha set in jade (got them at one of those tables on a corner in NYC), there is a little change thing in the shape of a pretty butterfly, and another one of a frog, then on the lower shelf are my kitty Tigger's ashes, and then there is my Gwen Stefani Bratz doll (she does not share...