Thanksgiving in the North Carolina Mountains

November 29, 2011 – 5:16 pm

We had a wonderful trip to Asheville, NC for the long Thanksgiving weekend, and boy did I need it!  We went to Biltmore on Thanksgiving Day and finally got to see the house and grounds decorated for the holiday season.  IT WAS MAGNIFICENT!!!  In my opinion, Biltmore is one of those must see places.

We stayed in a house at Lake Lure, NC and the weather, for the end of November, really cooperated with highs during the days in the mid 60s.  I love the NC mountains – the fresh crisp air, the views, and the stars look like they’re close enough to touch. We visited the little town of Chimney Rock one day and I was pleased that it had not changed a lick in 40+ years. (Pardon my Southern slang.) We ate lunch at one of the restaurants that had a deck overlooking the river and afterwards, we all went rock hopping. (Climbing or jumping from boulder to boulder in the river without falling in.) The mountain water is really cold, so while getting wet in the summer would be fun… in November – no thank you!  Although we did not make it up the the Chimney Rock State Park for hiking on this trip, there’s always next time.

I also want to let everyone know that a new Sage and Cheddar Cornbread recipe has been posted, thanks to Caroline, on the Jacob’s Two-Cleaver Cornbread Blog.  It looks yummy and I can’t wait to try it!  I absolutely love cheese…

Well now that I’m all rested up, I’m looking forward to getting back to work on my new manuscript.  And I’ll be posting some new seasonal recipes soon, so check back often.

By LynneMarie | Posted in Inside Info | Tagged , | Comments Off on Thanksgiving in the North Carolina Mountains

Apples – Suger, Spice, & More

November 17, 2011 – 4:51 pm

With Thanksgiving only a week away, I thought I would post a few apple recipes.

I use fresh crisp slightly tart apples for baking.  Granny Smith Apples are available just about everywhere, but older varieties such as York or Stayman (NC mountain apples) work great too!  Once again, I use pre-made pie crusts that you unroll.  I have a crust recipe that was handed down from my great-grandmother, but I can’t tell the difference and I’ve made a lot of pies.  If anyone wants this crust recipe, email me, and I’ll send it to you.

Apple Pie :                 Preheat oven 375 degrees F

8 – 10 Apples – depending on size of apples – peeled and sliced (approx.  1/4 inch thick slices)

Unroll the pie crust and place a tsp. of flour on one side. Spread the flour evenly over the crust and place the floured side down into the pie pan. (This will help keep the crust from sticking)

Place half of the sliced apples into the pie crust – making sure that the first layer evenly covers the crust.  Sprinkle apples with 2 Tbsp. of sugar and 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon. Place remaining apple slices on top. (It’s better if they are domed up a little – the apples will cook down and the pie will level out). At this point, you can sprinkle the second layer of apples with more cinnamon sugar, unroll the other pie crust and place it on top of the apples (don’t forget to cut vents in the top crust) or the topping I use is the Sugar Crumb Topping from Silvy’s Peach Cobbler. This way, I have the other crust to make another pie!!!

Sugar Crumb Topping –
3/4 C   light Brown Sugar  (pack it down)
1/4 C    White Sugar
3/4 C    Flour  –  plain
1/4  lb  Butter  (1 stick)
1/4 – 1/2 tsp.  Cinnamon  (optional) This is to taste… I like cinnamon.
Grate in a little nutmeg (approx. 1/8 tsp.)

Cream butter and sugars together in a bowl with a pastry blender or large tined fork.  Add flour and cinnamon.  Blend together.  This should end up being crumbly in consistency.  If it gets too soft, just put it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Carefully pour the topping over the apples a little at a time.  I usually divide it up into thirds.  Cover the apples as well as possible, and pat down lightly so that it won’t fall off when you move it to the oven.  It may be a good idea to place the pie on a small cookies sheet to catch the syrup when the apples in the pie start to bubble.  Bake 45 – 60 minutes.  Pie should be bubbling…

Next, where would we be without our Sweet Potato Pie?  Now, down here, there is a difference between Sweet Potatoes and Yams.  Sweet potatoes are red and have a higher sugar content, while Yams are yellow.  I use the second crust in the package for :

Nana’s Sweet Potato Pie –        Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

3  C   Sweet potatoes – baked  (approx. 2 large or 3 medium size) The potatoes can be baked a couple days ahead of time. Place them in a plastic zip-lock bag once they’ve cooled and store in the frig.
6  Tbsp.  Butter
1/2  C  Milk
1 tsp.  Vanilla
1   Egg  (slightly beaten)
1  C   Sugar  –  white
1/4 tsp.  Salt

Place peeled Sweet potatoes and Butter into a large bowl and cream together.  Add all other ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Bake for 40 – 50 minutes.  This pie is not spicy like Pumpkin Pie, it has more of a mild vanilla pumpkin custard flavor.

Now… Back to Apples –  What follows are a couple very simple, but very flavorful apple recipes…

Imperial Apples –

1 can of Apples – drained  (I use Luck’s Fried Apples –  Not with the cinnamon already added)
1 Tbsp.  Brach’s Imperial Cinnamon candies (can be found in small bags in the candy section of most grocery stores, pharmacies, or Wal-Mart – especially around Valentine’s Day)

Place drained apples in a small casserole dish. Cut any of the thicker slices in two.  Sprinkle Cinnamon candies over the apples and cover.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes stirring every 10 minutes.  Be very careful, the sugar of the candy melts, covers the apples making them turn bright red and flavors them wonderfully.  This recipe can be doubled…

Bacon Apples –

2  cans of Apples
4 – 6   slices of Bacon

Pour Apples into rectangular baking pan.  Lay slices of uncooked bacon onto of apples.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 – 45 minutes.  The bacon will crisp up in the oven and flavor the apples.  I know that this recipe may sound a little strange, but there’s something about Pork and Apples – they just go together!

By LynneMarie | Posted in Recipes | Comments (1)

Seahawk’s Sanctuary Q&A: The marsh scene reads as if it’s a memory…Is it?

November 7, 2011 – 4:19 pm

Okay… You caught me!!!  Yes, this a memory of my one and only experience harvesting oysters.  It was my first summer/fall in the coastal region of South Carolina.  In the mid-1970s, the tourist season ended the middle of September and some of the local business owners would rent beach houses in Garden City on the marsh side for the month of October (at ridiculously low prices).  They would invite the employees and their families a couple Saturdays during the month and have cookouts.  It was great! You could fish off the dock, go boating, or walk to the ocean side for sunbathing and swimming.

Way back then, I was a 95 pound little bit of nothing and when we arrived, it was almost dead low tide, so no boating or fishing… Well, somebody had the big idea to send all the teenagers and under 21 crowd out into the marsh to harvest oysters.  Gave us all burlap sacks, (that stunk!) old tennis shoes, and gloves, (the oyster shells are razor sharp) and sent us on our merry way.  I had NEVER been oystering (But how hard could it be? There they were – stinking out of the mud!) and no one bothered to enlighten me to the pluff mud issues.  Yes, Pluff Mud – Google it.  It’s local to the SC coastal area and probably contains the most wonderful undiscovered healing properties known to mankind!

Well, I was like Victoria in my novel, skimming along the surface, barely getting my ankles dirty, while everyone else was sinking almost to mid-calf with every step!!!  I must have laughed a little too long and loudly, because I soon found myself up to my knees in mud…and let me tell you, it’s like being caught in soft watery cement.  If you sink in that far, (or are helped down into the goo) it is impossible to extract yourself!  It was all good, dirty, stinky fun and after a few minutes and a lot of laughing by everyone involved, they helped me out.  But the old tennis shoes I had been given to wear were too large and the marsh probably still has the one shoe that slipped off to this day! And to tell the truth, the cold rinse with the hose and a hard lump of soap afterwards was the worst part…

But there’s one great thing about memories – They all get better with time!!!

By LynneMarie | Posted in Inside Info | Comments Off on Seahawk’s Sanctuary Q&A: The marsh scene reads as if it’s a memory…Is it?

Seahawk’s Sanctuary Recipes: Jacob’s Two-Cleaver Cornbread and more…

October 31, 2011 – 4:29 pm

Since most cornbread recipes are basically pretty simple, especially the boxed ones, I thought that I would post some variations to liven-up the ordinary.  An essential item is an 8 or 9-inch cast iron skillet…seasoned, please.  If you do not have one of these, the holidays are coming and they can be purchased at Lodge Cast Iron Cookware  for under $20.  Mine is an 8-inch and black as night.  (3rd generation hand-me-down)

*** For those of you who have never cooked with cast iron, they are heavy!!!  And NEVER  wash it in water or in the dishwasher, just wipe it out with a clean damp cloth (I use a paper towel) and store it in a low-moisture area.  In the drawer under the oven, hanging up, or I store mine in the oven.  I also have one of those high-temp silicone covers that I slip over the handle when I’m getting it in and out of the oven and it usually takes a pot holder or oven mitt over the other hand as well.

Preheat oven to around 400 degrees for all of these recipes.

JACOB’S TWO-CLEAVER CORNBREAD –

Place 2 Tbsp of Butter (instead of oil) into the cast iron skillet and place skillet in the oven until melted, then remove from oven.

Cornbread mix of choice… follow instructions for batter.  Add 1 to 2 chopped Chilies – remove the seeds.  You can decide how spicy you want to go!  (I have used a 4 oz can of chopped green chili peppers, drained – usually located in the taco section at the grocery store)  Mix  thoroughly and pour mixture over melted Butter.

Place skillet back in the oven (Be Careful, the skillet will still be HOT!) and bake per instructions on the package, box, or bag of the cornbread recipe that you are following.  Usually it’s 20 – 25 minutes.

Remove from skillet – the easiest way I have found to do this is to put an inverted dinner plate over the skillet (like a lid) and turn the whole deal over… the cornbread will fall right out.   Serve with Butter.  Although, if you are serving tacos, etc.,  Salsa may be good on the cornbread… I’ll have to try that soon and I’ll let y’all know.

*** I believe that my character, Jacob, would have served the chili cornbread on the ship to help combat scurvy.  He knew about herbs and plants with medicinal properties.   Here’s a link to some interesting nutritional facts about chili peppers.

CORNY-CORN CORNBREAD –

Cornbread mix of choice… Place 2 Tbsp of Butter (instead of oil) into the cast iron skillet and place in oven until melted.  Remove skillet from the oven once the butter melts.

Follow the instructions for your cornbread mix – then add 1 Tbsp.  Sugar and  1  C of  Corn.  This can be fresh or canned – drained. (I have even used a leftover combination of 1/2 creamed corn and 1/2 whole corn.)  Mix sugar, corn, and batter thoroughly and just pour this mixture over the melted butter in the iron skillet.  Place skillet back in the oven (once again, Be Careful – It will be HOT!) and bake per instructions until it’s GBD.  (Golden Brown and Delicious)

Remove from skillet and serve with Butter and Cane Syrup.  If you cannot find Cane Syrup, you can substitute Molasses.

SAVORY BACON CORNBREAD –

Fry 3 to 4 slices of bacon in the iron skillet until crisp.  Remove crispy bacon and crumble.  Leave 2 Tbsp of bacon drippings in the skillet to use instead of oil.

Cornbread mix of choice… follow instructions.  Add the crumbled Bacon to the batter and mix thoroughly.  Pour mixture over the bacon drippings in the skillet and bake in the oven.  Once again, be careful, the pan and handle will be HOT!  Bake until GBD.  Remove from skillet and serve with Butter.

CAROLINE’S SAGE & CHEDDAR CORNBREAD –

I dug out that cornbread recipe for you; I think the result is quite tasty. I don’t know how this Canadian version (from Canadian Living magazine) compares to your Southern version. My guess is that there’s not nearly enough butter!

1 ¾  Cups  Cornmeal
2/3  Cup multigrain Flour (or 1/3 cup each all-purpose and whole wheat flour)
1  Tbsp granulated  Sugar
2  tsp Baking Powder
½  tsp  Salt
2  Eggs
1 ½  Cups  Milk
1  Cup shredded Old Cheddar cheese  (Lynne’s comment:  I will assume Old Cheddar =  Sharp Cheddar)
1  Tbsp chopped fresh Sage (or 1 tsp dried Sage)
2  Tbsp Butter

In large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In separate bowl, beat eggs until foamy; whisk in milk. Pour into cornmeal mixture. Stir in half the cheese and the sage until just combined.

In 10-inch cast-iron skillet, melt butter in centre of a 450-degree F oven until smoking, about six minutes.  Scrape batter into hot pan and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake for about 25 minutes until golden and firm to the touch. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and then invert onto rack and let cool.

From Lynne – This recipe sounds yummy… I can’t wait to try it!  Caroline, you rock!!!

Another use for the cast iron skillet – It’s GREAT for frying chicken!!!

Next up:  Apple Pie and more….

By LynneMarie | Posted in Recipes | Tagged , | Comments (3)

Seahawk’s Sanctuary Q&A: Is Grant’s plantation a real place?

October 18, 2011 – 6:05 pm

I’m getting a few of these type of questions about Seahawk’s Sanctuary. — Are any of the colonial Charleston buildings or Grant’s plantation house actual places?  And, are any of the events, my memories?   So I thought that I would dedicate a post to answering these questions.  Please post questions and/or comments about the novel here and I will answer them as soon as possible.  It is my hope that this will turn out to be a very informative and fun post, so y’all, please participate!

First of all, Grant’s plantation home of Bent Oaks.  Yes, it is a real colonial home that dates back to the 1740s.  It was the home of one on the signers of the Declaration of Independence – Thomas Lynch Jr.   It is located south of Georgetown, SC  on the North Santee River.  It is… (drum roll please)  Hopsewee Plantation.

Hopsewee is open to the public and tours of the house and grounds are available.  In  the novel, I  moved its location  to north of Georgetown, near what is currently Brookgreen Gardens which is located on the Waccamaw River to take advantage of the Murrells Inlet marsh area.

Next — The marsh scene, where Grant and Victoria are harvesting oysters, rings as if it is a memory… Is it?

By LynneMarie | Posted in Discovering History, Inside Info | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (2)

“How Did You Come Up With The Stories?”

September 30, 2011 – 5:20 pm

I have been asked this question more than once.  Actually, having no professional training in creative writing, I thought that all authors wrote through inspiration.  When I attended my first book conference, boy, was I surprised!!!  Outlines everywhere… story lines, plot development, character names with development, etc, etc, etc.  And I am quite certain, if they had known what I am about to divulge in this post, these authors would have been shocked!

But here it goes…
I was inspired to write these novels!  Sometimes inspiration is a small tickle in the back of your unconscious or conscious mind as you go about your daily life.  Mine was NOT like that at all!  Mine was a wake up from a vivid dream in the middle of the night – grab me by the throat – in my face demand… “WRITE ME!!!  NOW!!!”   I tell you… How do you say NO to that?!

I believe that at some point, on the way to steal one of our daughters’ spiral notebooks, that I did mumble something along the lines of  needing my sleep, had to work tomorrow, and not even liking to write Thank You notes.  And received a very glib remark, “That doesn’t matter.  Just write!”  And write I did.

So began my writing career.  I don’t know where the stories came from, but I do believe that they, for some reason, needed to be told.  It has taken many years and a lot of hard work on my part to learn the skills necessary to prepare them for publication, and the first draft is not even close to the final product, it’s more like the skeleton.  But as most authors will tell you, they become your children, you conceive them, nurture them, mold them, and then, let them go…  And as every parent knows, this is the most difficult part.  Sure it’s hard, most things in life are, but if you want to succeed, you never ever give up.

I remember one evening, as I was writing in the kitchen (in my spiral notebook) while dinner was cooking, my husband asked me, “How does it end?”  (At this point I was about halfway through Seahawk’s Sanctuary) “I don’t know,” I responded, “I’m not there yet.”   He gave me the strangest look and left the room shaking his head.

By LynneMarie | Posted in Inside Info | Comments (1)

Seahawk’s Sanctuary Recipes: Silvy’s Peach Cobbler

September 28, 2011 – 3:43 pm

I thought that it would be fun to post a few recipes that the characters in my novel baked, or wanted to make, as the case may be…  So I’m going to start with something sweet.  I believe we should start eating desserts first… I rarely have room for them afterwards!
I hope you will try some of these recipes and their variations.  They’re also good cold, if there’s any leftover!
AND y’all, this is something Paula Deen and I have in common, when the recipe calls for BUTTER, that’s what I mean… not that other congealed, artificially flavored oil.  What’re you going to do?  Eat the whole cobbler!  Well, if you don’t tell anyone, nobody will know!!!

Sugar Crumb Topping –

(Makes enough for 2 cobblers.   Store extra in a covered container in the frig)
3/4 C   light Brown Sugar  (pack it down)
1/4 C    White Sugar
3/4 C    Flour  –  plain
1/4  lb  Butter  (1 stick)
1/4 – 1/2 tsp.  Cinnamon  (optional) This is to taste… I like cinnamon.

Cream butter and sugars together in a bowl with a pastry blender or large tined fork.  Add flour and cinnamon.  Blend together.  This should end up being crumbly in consistency.  If it gets too soft, just put it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork. (This gives you time to fix the peaches)

PeachCobblerFilling–
10 to 12  Fresh Ripe Peaches  – peeled and sliced
Or,  2 – 15 oz cans or (1 – 29 oz can) of sliced Peaches in light syrup – drained
Or,  2 –  15 oz bags of frozen Peaches  –  thawed and at room temperature
1/2  C  White Sugar
1/4  tsp.  Cinnamon  (optional)

Mix peaches, sugar, and cinnamon together and put into an 8 x 8 baking pan.  Sprinkle Sugar Crumb Topping over the peaches.  Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 45 – 60 minutes.  Let cool for at least 30 minutes or you will burn your mouth!  ENJOY  –  ** I have been reminded that ice cream helps to cool off  the cobbler and sends it over the top!  Vanilla, Caramel Praline Crunch, Butter Pecan, and Black Walnut are a few suggestion…  Experiment!!!

Note –  You can use other fruits – 2 cans  Cherry filling or 2 bags of  frozen mixed berries or Blackberries – thawed and at room temperature. *If there is a lot of juice, you may add 1-2 Tbsp of Flour to the sugar and mix these together before you add it to the berries. This will cause to juice to thicken as it bakes.

And you will need a pie crust. (I use a pre-made one) Just unroll it and cut to fit  in the bottom of the 8 x8 pan.

An EZ Topping –
1 1/4  C   Sugar
1  Egg   slightly beaten
1  stick  Butter –  melted but not hot
1/4  tsp.  Cinnamon  (optional)

3  slices of day old Bread cut into 1″ strips  (because nothing was ever wasted)

Place strips of bread across fruit in an 8 x8 baking pan.  (Drained, canned apples or peaches works best here)
Stir sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, and slightly beaten egg together and pour over bread slices.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Let cool…and enjoy!

*****   I ran across this cobbler recipe the other day and I can’t believe I didn’t post it!    It’s one of my favorites and sooooo easy…

SUPER EASY COBBLER –

3/4  C   Flour                                                              1/4  C   Butter
Pinch of Salt   (told y’all they were old)           2  C  Peaches – peeled and sliced
2   tsp.  Baking Powder                                      (I have used canned peaches – drained)
3/4  C   Sugar                                                            1/2  C   Sugar
3/4   C   Milk                                                              1/4 tsp.  Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix flour, salt and baking powder together in a bowl.  Add the 3/4 C sugar; then slowly stir in the milk to make the batter.  Melt butter in 8×8 baking pan.  When butter is melted, remove pan from oven and pour batter over the melted butter.  DO NOT STIR OR MIX TOGETHER!  Mix peaches with 1/2 C sugar and cinnamon.  (I just put them in the same bowl that had the batter in it – less to clean up)  Carefully spoon peaches over the batter… DO NOT MIX!!!    Bake for 1 hour.  Be careful the baking pan may still be hot.    Serve hot or cold.   Ours never makes it to the cold stage!    6 Servings

Jacob’s Two Cleaver Cornbread will be postin’ soon…

By LynneMarie | Posted in For Fun!!!, Recipes | Tagged , , | Comments (10)

Charleston Book Signing

September 22, 2011 – 9:37 pm

I took the past few days to reflect before I let everyone know what wonderful experiences I had at the Lowcountry Women Authors Book Signing this past weekend at the Citadel Alumni House in Charleston, SC.  This event was co-sponsored by the Center for Women, the English Dept. of the Citadel, and the Mt. Pleasant Barnes & Noble.

This was my first true book signing event and it felt great to be in the presence of sooo many women authors.  I wanted to soak up as much of the ambiance as possible.  These women who were, in a sense, in competition with each other, instead showed what it was like to be colleagues that shared a passion for writing and were very supportive of one another — for when one of us succeeds, the group as a whole is raised up.

I must say that, for me, the highlight of the afternoon came at the end of the day.  Dorothea Benton Frank, NY Times Bestselling Author of Sullivan’s Island and many other novels, and who had been signing copies of her newest release, Folly Beach, came over to my table while we were packing up.  She asked me about my book, The Seahawk’s Sanctuary, and purchased a copy before leaving the event.  All I can say is: Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!

And yesterday she sent me a message through Facebook:  “Can’t wait to read it – great meeting you!”   Such kind remarks from a fellow author who has been where I am currently (at the very beginning) and has made it to the highest level of our profession!

By LynneMarie | Posted in Book Signing Events | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (2)

Lines by Lynne

August 20, 2011 – 5:49 pm

Over the years, I have developed a passion for history.  I love discovering little-known or forgotten facts that makes the history, for me, come alive.  In The Seahawk’s Sanctuary,  I have attempted to  depict the historical time period as accurately as possible.  The events, personal wear and language, as well as the mannerisms and habits of the times are all incorporated.   And to stay true to the historical period, it is very much a “man’s world,” for during the 1700s, women have few rights.   Nonetheless, my women characters are strong-willed and opinionated for the times.  The main characters are purely fictional, however, the conditions and circumstances surrounding them are factual.  The actions of historical individuals, such as Christopher Gadsden, that make appearances are fictitious to blend in with the storyline.

By LynneMarie | Posted in Discovering History | Tagged | Comments (1)

Reviews

June 20, 2011 – 11:29 pm

Welcome aboard my new blog page. Enjoy the view, write a review, and stay tuned for more…

By LynneMarie | Posted in Reviews and Comments | Comments (17)