Hungry Hearts Holiday Hop: Christmas

Welcome to the HUNGRY HEARTS HOLIDAY HOP! 
We are so excited to CELEBRATE the holiday season with mouthwatering cookie recipes and delicious EXCERPTS from today’s hottest food-loving ROMANCE writers! 

Hop around and fill out the Rafflecopter form on each author’s site to enter our GIVEAWAYS: a spectacular mix of Harry & David Truffles, books, gifts cards, and Hungry Hearts author swag! 

Lots of awesome prizes to win! In addition to the HUNGRY HEARTS HOLIDAY HOP prizes, Amanda Usen will be featuring Hungry Hearts authors on her site and giving their books away to lucky winners. Visit Writer.Chef.Romantic to get in on the fun! 

When the holiday season arrives, our hearts fill with CHEER. Life is a gift, isn’t it? Hop with us for the chance to win, and share your holiday JOY while we share our favorite COOKIE recipes with you!

Below is a delicious recipe for Fruitcake Christmas Cookies. Enjoy!

xoxo Jenna

Fruitcake Christmas Cookies

1 ½ cups brown sugar                                       1 tsp cinnamon

1 pound butter                                                    1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla                                                         ½ cup granulated sugar

½ pound pitted dates                                         3 eggs

½ pound green cherries                                     2 cups chopped nuts

½ pound red cherries                                         ½ pound white raisins

3 slices green pineapple                                   4 cups flour

3 slices red pineapple                                       1 tsp baking soda

Chop nuts and fruit. Sift dry ingredients together. Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Mix flour, nuts and fruit. Add creamed mixture. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Make into rolls (6) and roll in waxed paper and refrigerate at least overnight. Cut and bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes. Note: These cookies will keep in storage about two weeks before baking. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hungry Hearts Holiday Hop!

Welcome to the HUNGRY HEARTS HOLIDAY HOP!

We are so excited to CELEBRATE FALL with mouthwatering Thanksgiving recipes and delicious EXCERPTS from today’s hottest food-loving ROMANCE writers! Hop around and fill out the Rafflecopter form on each author’s site to enter our Grand PRIZE Giveaway: 

A Harry & David Crater Lake GIFT BASKET Classic!

In addition to the Grand Prize, one SWAG pack will be given away on Amanda Usen's blog on each day of the hop. Visit each day for an AUTHOR spotlight and more FALL GLEE.

When the seasons change, our hearts fill with GRATITUDE. Life is grand, isn’t it? Hop with us and share your love of all things food, fall, and THANKS-giving!

Have fun, and thanks for hopping along! Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter below to get your chance of winning the Gift Basket!!

Below is a fabulous recipe for your holiday ham!

xoxo Jenna

Peach Glazed Ham

(Adapted from Southern Food)

Ingredients:

1 fully cooked ham, about 7-9 pounds (I prefer to use the butt)

1 jar (10 oz) peach preserves

1 1/2 Tbs Dijon mustard

2 Tbs peach liqueur (Schnapps)

2 Tbs lemon juice

Dash cinnamon

Preparation:

Bake ham as directed on the wrapping, about 18 minutes per pound. Combine remaining ingredients, stirring until smooth. Score the baked ham in a diamond pattern; spoon glaze over, spreading to coat completely. Bake for about 30 minutes longer. Serves 8.

P.S. The peach Schnapps also goes great in a glass with some orange juice. ;)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hi! Welcome to Fork it Up Fridays! Each Friday, I share a delicious recipe that I've tried and enjoyed. Some may be a family favorite while others may be something my sister or daughter passed on to me. Hope you enjoy!

I don't seem to cook much pork and I'm not sure why. The recipes I choose always seem to result in the pork coming out tough and tasteless. If anybody has some tips or recipes to share, bring 'em on! The following recipe was given to me years ago by one of my fabulous sisters-in-law (I've been blessed with 6 of them!), and is one of the few recipes that turns out tender, delicious chops. Give them a try and let me know if you like them!

Pork Chops Supreme

4 bone-in pork chops

Salt

Lemon juice

Sliced onion

1/4 cup ketchup

3 Tbs. brown sugar

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place the chops in baking dish and salt. Sprinkle with a few drops of lemon juice. Top each chop with a thin slice of onion.

Mix together the ketchup and brown sugar. Spread mixture over the top of each chop.

Cover and bake for 1 hour. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes.

Fork it up Fridays

Hi! Welcome to Fork it Up Fridays! Each Friday, I share a delicious recipe that I've tried and enjoyed. Some may be a family favorite while others may be something my sister or daughter passed on to me. Hope you enjoy!

Today I've got a simple cold macaroni salad that will take you minutes to make, but give you lots of time to enjoy. Great for a side dish for sloppy Joes or hamburgers, and is always a hit at barbecues or family reunions. I've had this recipe so long it's falling apart; I have no idea where it came from. This should be made at least a few hours ahead of time. Hope you try it!

24 Hour Mac Salad

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup vinegar

1 cup water

1/2 tsp. turmeric

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 pint of mayonnaise

1 pound of twist macaroni

Cook macaroni per directions on box. Combine vinegar, sugar and water. Stir until dissolved. Mix all ingredients together. Will be soupy at first. Place in refrigerator and stir occasionally. (The liquid will absorb into the cooked macaroni after a few hours).

Fork it up Fridays!

Hi! Welcome to Fork it Up Fridays! Each Friday, I share a delicious recipe that I've tried and enjoyed. Some may be a family favorite while others may be something my sister or daughter passed on to me. Hope you enjoy!

As we head into fall, we're still able to get plenty of delicious fresh fruit. I've actually never met anyone who doesn't like some kind of fruit. It's a great item to take to parties or serve at a potluck. Today I'm going to share with you two different fruit dip recipes. Hope you find one you enjoy!

Fresh Fruit Dip:
1 small pack of vanilla instant pudding
1 1/2 cups cold milk
1 (16 oz) container of sour cream
2 Tbs. orange juice concentrate

Beat pudding and cold milk together well. Add sour cream and orange concentrate. Beat until well blended. Refrigerate and serve with fresh fruit.


Fresh Fruit Dip:
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 (8 oz.) marshmallow cream
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Blend first two ingredients and the the next two. Serve with fresh fruit.

Fork it up Fridays!

Hi! Welcome to Fork it Up Fridays! Each Friday, I share a delicious recipe that I've tried and enjoyed. Some may be a family favorite while others may be something my sister or daughter passed on to me. Hope you enjoy!

Today I've got a Lemon Cake recipe from my big sis, Diana. She's a wizard in the kitchen. She's never afraid to try a recipe, she can whip up something delicious with whatever she's got in her fridge, and at last count she had over 400 cookbooks!! Hope you enjoy this great recipe! (You will need a tube pan.)

Lemon Cake

Cake:

1 pkg yellow cake mix

1 pkg (3 oz) lemon Jello

3/4 cup water

1/2 melted butter

4 eggs, unbeaten

Glaze:

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar

2 Tbs. melted butter

1 Tbs. water

Cake: Empty cake mix into large bowl. Add remaining cake ingredients. Beat 3 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Pour batter into 10 inch tube pan that is lined on the bottom with paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes then remove from pan and cool on rack.

Glaze: Gradually blend lemon juice into the sifted confectioner's sugar. Add melted butter and water. Punch holes through cake with toothpick. Pour on glaze, allowing it to run into holes.

Enjoy!

In case you missed it...

Happy Tuesday, everybody! Hope everyone in the States had a wonderful long weekend!

As writers, we're often reminded that our writing life is lonesome and secluded. While that's true for the most part - unless you co-author books - you don't always have to be alone. To have a network of other writers in your life is a huge bonus. 

Yesterday, I guest blogged at Romance University and talked about Building a Network. If you've never checked them out, please do so! In their words, they are "Dedicated to helping writers establish and advance their careers, introducing readers to a variety of authors, and delving into the ever-inscrutable male mind." And boy do they live up to it.   

Networking doesn't have to just be about writers. People who knit, moms of young children, or people who love to cook can all benefit from having others like themselves to offer support.

If you care to check out my post , here's the link:
http://romanceuniversity.org/2013/09/02/building-a-network-with-jenna-rutland/

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Please stop by Fork it up Fridays this week where I'll be sharing a recipe for Lemon Cake.