Going Green and Galactic Defenders with author Jessica E. Subject @jsubject #romance #sfr #recipe

This Friday is St. Patrick's Day. While I do have some ancestors from Ireland, it has never been a big celebration for me. I think that's mostly because it's also the birthday of two people close to me. I was too busy celebrating birthdays to worry about the holiday side. That being said, I still like to wear green, and sometimes, I like to make things that are green. Last week I tried a new recipe that I found on Pinterest. I made Sweet Spinach Muffins. Before you say "GROSS!", hold up. They are REALLY GOOD. They taste very much like banana muffins, and I had many people who sampled them surprised at how good they tasted, including picky eaters like my son and brother-in-law. So, I'm going to share the recipe with you. I hope you'll give them a try for St. Patrick's Day. I know I'll be making them again...

SWEET SPINACH MUFFINS

(from Super Healthy Kids)

Ingredients
18 cupcake liners

Dry ingredients:
2 cup flour, whole wheat
1 1/2 teaspon cinnamon
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients:
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup honey
1 large banana
6 ounce spinach
1/2 cup butter, unsalted
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F, and line a muffin pan with paper liners (or use silicone muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray).

Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Blend the wet ingredients in a blender or food processor until completely pureed.

Pour the puree into the dry ingredient bowl, and fold together gently until just combined. (Do not over-mix.)

Spoon the batter into the muffin pan, and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the muffins are firm to the touch on top, but not quite browning.

Cool most or all of the way before serving.

If you're looking for some other food to make that's green, check out the Healthy Baked Broccoli Tots. They are kid-approved, too! :)

MORE GALACTIC DEFENDERS!

At the end of March, the second book in my Galactic Defenders sci-fi adventure romance series releases...

JAGER: Galactic Defenders Book Two

Jager's new squad of Defenders has completed training, but the spoiled princess who has grated on his nerves since her first day of training is called back to Hemera for a yearly celebration. When Princess Katrina doesn't show up, Jager must find her and drag her home, where he wishes she would stay.

Katrina is a Defender, not a princess. And there is no way she wants to return to a planet she hates for some stupid ceremony. Not when she could be out killing Erebus with her squad.

But when a new enemy threatens both their lives, they must work together to survive.

Pre-order from:

Amazon US / UK / Canada | Nook | Play | iBooks | Kobo

Also available in paperback.

Jessica E. Subject is the author of science fiction romance, mostly alien romances, ranging from sweet to super hot. Sometimes she dabbles in paranormal and contemporary as well, bringing to life a wide variety of characters. In her stories, you can not only meet a sexy alien or two, but also clones and androids. You may be transported to a dystopian world where rebels are fighting to live and love, or to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.

When Jessica isn't reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk with her giant, hairy dog her family adopted from the local animal shelter. 

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers.

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How many days till summer?

I detest winter... cold, short days, more cold, snow. Blech. Man, do I hate being cold.

But, there are times with the sun comes out, reflects off the pristine layer of fluffy snow and the world glistens.
It can be beautiful,
                looking out from inside,
                          when it's a snow day and I don't have to go to work
                                      and I can stay in leggings and a t-shirt all day and write.

But, this year has been much warmer than normal...meaning no snow and lots of rain. The short days feel even shorter because I swear we have been under a thick layer of clouds for weeks now. Everything is grey. and I can feel my body and mind getting more and more sluggish.

That's when know I have to fight back. My brain is not a happy place right now, which means a trip to the Fake'n'Bake  (tanning bed). Laying there nice and toasty warm with bright lights all around me while I imagine I'm laying on a beach somewhere really helps my mood.

I also bake because try to stay in a bad mood when you munching on a warm brownie fresh from the oven. You can't do it. :)

One of my favourite recipes is my Banga's Lemon Bars.  If you ever wondered what sunshine tastes like, here's your chance.  I've made these so many times and they're perfect for this time of year.

My recipe card is starting to show it's age. LoL I wrote this out in my late teens.

Yes, I called my grandmother Banga. It's not a cultural thing, it's a name I made up while I was learning how to talk. She loved it, so it stuck. LoL Eccentricity is  genetic ;)

If you have a favourite recipie and are willing to share, please put it in the comments. I'd love to try it :)

Banga's Lemon Bars

2cups All Purpose Flour
1 cup soft margerine (or butter)
1/2 cup fine white sugar

Combine ingredients and press into the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan.
Bake for 20 min at 350deg
~~~~

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups fine white sugar
dash of salt
5 Tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon  juice and zest from two lemons

Wisk together eggs, sugar, salt, lemon juice and zest

Combine 1/4 cup of flour and 1 teaspoon of baking powder.

Fold dry ingredients into egg mixture.

Pour combined mixture over the warm base

Return to the oven for 25 minutes

Allow to cool, cut into squares and dust with icing sugar

Enjoy!

Author Jessica E. Subject shares a Canadian holiday #recipe @jsubject #romance

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Don't forget to enter the Romance Eh? Christmas Giveaway!

When I start planning for the holidays, the first thing I do is to ask my family what goodies they want me to make for the year. I have some tried and true favourites that I make every year, and on occasion, I get asked to make something new.

One of the foods I make every year is tourtière. It is a pork meat pie with French-Canadian origins. It was something my mother always made for us to eat on Christmas Eve, and I now do the same with my own family. Though, I also make it for other occasions as well. Here's the recipe I use...

JESSICA E. SUBJECT'S TOURTIÈRE RECIPE

I use store bought pie crusts. But, if you want to make your own, this recipe includes the crust...

Pie Crust:

5 1/2 cups flour
1 lbs lard ie. Tenderflake
1 tsp salt
(cut lard into flour/salt until well combined using a pastry cutter)
1 egg
1 tbsp vinegar
water

Take a measuring cup, gently beat the egg, add vinegar and up to the one cup mark with very cold water. Slowly pour into dry mix using enough only to moisten the dough until it sticks together into a ball. Divide into six equal portions and wrap for later. If needed refrigerate for 1/2 hour.

Tourtière filling:

2 lbs lean ground pork
1 lb ground beef
1 tbsp butter or margerine
1 large or two medium potatoes (cooked and mashed)
1 large onion (chopped into tiny pieces)
2 teaspoons allspice
pepper to taste
1 tsp cinnamon

Melt butter in a large skillet, add onions until they've turned clear. Add the ground pork and beef until well cooked. Add the mashed potato and mix well. Add the allspice, pepper, and cinnamon, and mix well. Add enough water to totally cover the mixture and let simmer for a few hours allowing the potato to thicken the mixture. Add more allspice, pepper, and cinnamon to taste.

When mixture is thickened (very little water left), divide equally into prepared pie crusts. (I use deep dish pie shells, so I find this mixture is only enough for two pies). Cover with dough and pinch the edges. I always cut a star shape into the top of the pie.

Bake at 425 degrees F until edges are golden brown and pie dough cooked. Usually about 35 minutes. I will undercook one (25 minutes), so I can freeze it and pop into the oven to reheat without the pie dough getting burned during reheating.

Tell me, do you have any holiday recipes you like to make?

Jessica E. Subject is the author of science fiction romance, mostly alien romances, ranging from sweet to super hot. Sometimes she dabbles in paranormal and contemporary as well, bringing to life a wide variety of characters. In her stories, you could not only meet a sexy alien or two, but also clones and androids. You may be transported to a dystopian world where rebels are fighting to live and love, or to another planet for a romantic rendezvous. 

When Jessica is not reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk with her giant, hairy dog her family adopted from the local animal shelter.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com and on twitter @jsubject.

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