Author Archives: D.R. Slaten

Two Releases- WOOHOO!

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Show Me anthologyI have two new releases this month. My short story, Show Me, is part of the Best Erotic Romance 2014.  The book in hardcover and digital released last week. It is awesome-sauce-y. lol The story is a little risque- lol. I mean… it should be ’cause, ya’ know, it’s part of an erotic anthology. 🙂

Anyway, my couple is pretty new to their relationship and this story is a slice of their lives together. A very spicy peek into their bedroom. It’s hot, hot, hot!

Kristina Wright edited the anthology and Lauren Dane wrote the foreword. It rocks, seriously.

Enjoy!

Hat Trick (Name of the Game, #2) The second release I have this month is Hat Trick. It’s the second book in my novella series about some dudes who play poker together. Oh, they also happen to be professional athletes.

Home Run started the series. By the end of that book, the main characters had moved to Houston and gotten together. Hat Trick  introduces the guys in the poker players group.

Silas and Emma have their story in Hat Trick as a result of Dani and Noah getting married after they moved to Houston. Sparks fly as the best man and the maid of honor fulfill their duties to the marrying couple, and to each other.

Happy Valentine’s Day 2014

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It’s the day of love– for love and lovers.

To that end, I found a compilation of 80s love songs. Yeah, I know it probably dates me… but no one did or does love songs like those songster of yesteryear. So listen to the music as you finish out the post and let the notes carry you to a far, far better place. 😉 Journey, Foreigner and more.

Enjoy!

Nothing says Valentine’s Day like candy and flowers. Bet you didn’t know you could combine those two things. I’ve put a recipe for candied roses down below. But don’t limit yourself to roses. There are lots of edible flowers and a veritable rainbow can be had depending on which bloom you choose.

Sugared Rose Petals and Rose Sugar

Roses first came to the West from Persia in 1240 by way of French Crusaders. The first known cultivated rose is Rosa gallica var. officinalis, also known as the apothecary rose. I use the petals for various things: potpourri, bath fizzies, bath salts, rose water, and cooking. The petals are lovely in salads, but what I really like to do is candy them and make rose sugar.

Sugared Rose Petal Ingredients and Supplies

-pasteurized egg white beaten with a little water (if you’re concerned about using raw eggs, -you can use simple syrup or prepared meringue powder)
-Granulated sugar
-Fragrant rose petals, well rinsed and patted dry
-A small watercolor brush

Rose Sugar Ingredients and Supplies

-Fragrant organic rose petals, well rinsed and patted dry
-Sugar
-A clean, pretty jar, such as a Ball Kilner rubber-sealed jar

 

To Make Sugared Rose Petals

1. Make sure your rose petals are organic (pesticide free). Remove the bottom white tip of each rose petal and discard; the tips have a bitter flavor. Assemble your supplies.
2. Paint both sides of each rose petal with the egg wash, simple syrup, or prepared meringue powder.
3. Sprinkle the prepared petals in sugar on both sides
4. Set on a piece of parchment paper or wax paper and let dry overnight. If you use simple syrup, the petals won’t hold their shape as well as they do with the egg wash
5. Use your candied petals as edible decorations for cakes, puddings, candies, cookies, and pastries. If you don’t plan to use them right away, store sugared petals in a freezer.

 

To Make Rose Sugar

1. Make sure your rose petals are organic (pesticide free). Remove the bottom white tip of each rose petal and discard. Sprinkle sugar on the bottom of the jar and sprinkle a layer of rose petals over it. Layer more sugar and rose petals until the jar is filled. Store in a cool, dark place (such as your pantry or cupboard or “close roome”) for several weeks. When you open up the jar you’ll be met with a rosy perfume. You can remove the petals before using.
2. Use your Rose Sugar to flavor pastries, cookies, and confections or sprinkled over their tops. Stir the rose-infused sugar into tea, lemonade, or anything you’d like to give a slight rosy flavor. It’s particularly nice sprinkled on top of scones and shortbread.

***

As you listen to love songs and eat delicious things, remember… today is about love. And love is about giving to others. So don’t forget to spread and share the love. Not just today, but everyday.

Music Monday- Sweater Weather

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Up on the playlist for today is The Neighborhood’s Sweater Weather. It’s got a kinda cool sound- all easy and loose. The perfect song to chase away the cold and bring in the warm. After all, it is sweater weather. 😉

Chinese New Year 2014

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The Chinese New Year is on January 31st this year. It’s the year of the Horse. Chinese astrology is kinda fun to look up and read about. It is vastly older than most Western astrological systems.

In honor of the Chinese New Year (yes, other Asian countries also celebrate this New Year even though it’s called the Chinese one. lol), I thought I’d share a fortune cookie recipe. Red is the lucky color so make the little fortunes inside red ink on white paper or red paper with a dark or metallic ink.

Enjoy!

Fortune Cookie

3 egg whites
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons water

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets, or line with parchment paper. Have fortunes ready to go on small strips of paper.
  2. In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites and sugar on high speed of an electric mixer until frothy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and stir in melted butter, vanilla, almond extract, water and flour one at a time, mixing well after each. Consistency should resemble pancake batter. Spoon the batter into 3 inch circles on the prepared baking sheets. Leave room between for spreading.
  3. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges begin to brown slightly. Quickly remove one at a time, place a message in the center, and fold in half. Fold the ends of the half together into a horse shoe shape. If they spring open, place them in a muffin tin to cool until set.

* try lemon extract instead of vanilla or a different taste.
** don’t overbake the cookies or they won’t be flexible enough to mold.
*** they are also good dipped in chocolate.

Random Thoughts

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I always thought New Year’s resolutions were completely stupid. Not a little dumb, or even a small amount of not-so-bright. But out and out moronic.

Needless to say, I’ve had a change of heart. Yes, I still think resolutions are an arbitrary goal set on a fake date to accomplish something, or at least feel like we accomplished something. However, if all of us set goals that are way out of our comfort range and maybe a bit into the stars, AND even if we fall short of the high mark we set for ourselves, we have still done something. Which is probably more than we would’ve done without setting that arbitrary goal on a fake day. So set a goal that’s way out of reach. Have fun trying to make it. And even if you don’t hit the finish line, know that you’ve gotten a lot further than many, many… many others. 😉

 

Music Monday- Counting Stars

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by OneRepublic is the featured song for this Music Monday. You know, cause everything that kills me makes me feel alive.  😉

Happy New Year 2014

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Another year. The ending of one and the beginning of the next.

Looking back… it’s been a good year. For my writing. For my personal life. 2013 is the year I decided to stop thinking about being a published writer and instead took steps to make that happen.

After my mom died, I realized that there’s no time like now. Sometimes, there are no tomorrows. Instead, today is the day. So I took a deep breath and took the leap. My second career dream was realized this past year. I’ve been lucky that way. My first career choice was awesome. Fabulous, really. It was just time to do something else. Writing was that something else.

Looking forward, I still have some milestones I want to reach. There are several goals that I hope to meet in the coming year. As spectacular as 2013 had been, I have a feeling that 2014 is going to be even better. At least, it will be for me.

My hope is that it will be a great year for all of you as well. Don’t let anything stop you from being and doing and becoming. You got 12 months in the next year. Start small and end LARGE.

Happy New Year, y’all! 🙂

Manday

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And the devil wears blue jeans. But seriously, is there anything hotter than a guy in no shirt with faded jeans on? Not that I can think of at the moment. lol

Maple Glazed Walnuts

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Maple Glazed Nuts

6 cups Walnuts
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup brandy
1-1/4 cup maple syrup
1tbsp cinnamon
3 tsp salt- course sea salt is best
1/2 cup maple sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake walnuts on a cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, combine cinnamon, salt and maple sugar. Set aside

3. In a deep skillet, combine butter, brandy and maple syrup. Cook until reduced by half. Add in walnuts and cook until almost all the liquid is absorbed.

4. Turn off heat and take skillet off stove. Add cinnamon mixture until evenly coated. Spread out on cookie and let cool.

YUM. Enjoy!

Merry Christmas

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I hate Christmas. I didn’t used to. I used to love it. But it’s become something crazy, something not right and something that is a little scary. It’s like the whole country is waiting with bated breath to see if the rest of us are willing to go into debt to ensure loved ones gets shit they don’t need or want or even asked for. Stupid.

Back in the day, my little nuclear family would travel to visit my extended family. And that’s what Christmas was about– getting together with family and friends and visiting with loved ones. Now, not so much. And it sucks.

It sucks so bad, I hate Christmas now. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday currently because it’s still about family and friends and getting together.

If Christmas didn’t suck so much, here’s what I’d wish for. I wish that each and every one of you reading this is healthy and safe. I wish that the world is kind to you. That you are loved as fiercely as you love. I hope that you have family and friends to share the good, the bad and the ugly. I wish each and every one of you peace and happiness.

Eat a piece of pie or cake for me. That’s the best gift I could be given. Sharing food and good times. Being thought of and thought of well. Of loving and being loved.

I wish you JOY!