Recipe for a Cold Winter Day

If you love stuffed bell peppers but hate going through the trouble to make them then you'll love this recipe I found on Pinterest!

Here are the ingredients to shop for:

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 t dried basil
1  14-1/2 oz can Gold diced tomatoes with roasted garlic and onions (or similar)
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 t dried oregano
3 cups beef broth (or 3 cups water + 3 beef bouillon cubes)
1  15 oz can Gold tomato sauce (or similar)
1 cup cooked rice
2 cups bite-sized green peppers and/or red peppers
  
I also added 1 t salt, 1/2 t pepper and 1/4 t Slap Yo Mama. Yum!!
To make this yummy soup please go to the link:
Recipesthatcrock.com

And don't forget to use all your spare time reading our Our Cozy Books!

Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy, and Prosporous 2017!

~Nancy Jill

Nancy Jill Thames was born to write mysteries. From her early days as the neighborhood story-teller to the Amazon Author Watch Bestseller List, she has always had a vivid imagination and loves to solve problems – perfect for plotting whodunits. In 2010, Nancy Jill published her first mystery Murder in Half Moon Bay, introducing her well-loved protagonist Jillian Bradley and clue-sniffing Yorkie “Teddy.”

When she isn’t plotting Jillian’s next perilous adventure, Nancy Jill travels between Texas, California, and Georgia finding new ways to spoil her grandchildren, playing classical favorites on her baby grand, or having afternoon tea with friends.

She lives with her husband in Texas and is a member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) CenTex Chapter.

To learn more about Nancy Jill, visit these sites.

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Website

Pinterest

I Need Your Vote!

As Linda was saying the holidays are upon us. Now I'm not a person who cooks very often. I can cook I just don't enjoy it that much. But I've decided I'm going to cook Thanksgiving dinner this year. I'm also going to buck the routine and I've decided to cook a pork tenderloin. I wanted a recipe that included apples. I found three that sound yummy - now I want your vote. Which one do you think I should cook. Can't wait to hear from you and I'll be sure and take pictures and post the outcome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Lazy Day Sweet and Sour Tenderloin

   • In a heavy skillet, brown the tenderloin on all sides in 2 or 3 tbsp. of cooking oil. Place the tenderloin in the bottom of your slow cooker. Pour 1 can of apple pie filling over the browned roast. Add 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar. Place the lid on the cooker and cook on low for five to six hours for a small tenderloin and up to eight for a larger 2-lb. roast. Test for proper temperature at the end of the cooking time. Cook longer if necessary to achieve 160 F.

   Tenderloin with Fresh Apples

   • Core and slice 2 small or 1 large Granny Smith apple into 1/4-inch slices. Sprinkle or dip the slices in lemon juice to prevent browning. Slice 1 Vidalia onion into slices of approximately the same size. In a heavy, oven-safe skillet, heat 2 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Brown the pork tenderloin on all sides. Remove the tenderloin from the pan and set on a platter. Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet and sauté the onions and apples until evenly browned. Place the tenderloin on top of the apple and onion mixture in the skillet. Brush the top of the loin roast with Dijon mustard. Bake the roast in a 450 F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 160 F.

   Roasted Tenderloin and Apples

   • Place a 1 lb. to 1 1/2 lb. tenderloin in a roasting pan. Cover with a tight lid or aluminum foil. Place the pan in a 400 F oven and let cook for 30 minutes. While the roast is cooking, slice two cooking apples (such as Granny Smiths) into 1/4-inch slices. Add 2 tbsp. of fresh or frozen cranberries. In a bowl, combine 2 tbsp. dark brown sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Spoon this mixture over the fruit, coating the fruit thoroughly with the sugar and spice. Remove the tenderloin from the oven after 30 minutes and spoon the fruit mixture on and around the roast. Return the roast to the oven and cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the roast is golden brown and reaches a 160 F internal temperature.

 Deborah Malone’s first novel Death in Dahlonega, finaled in the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Category Five writing contest! Deborah was also nominated for 2012 Georgia Author of the Year in First Novel category. She has worked as a freelance writer and photographer, for the historic magazine “Georgia Backroads.” She has had many articles and photographs published, and her writing is featured in “Tales of the Rails,” edited by Olin Jackson. She is a member of the Georgia Writer’s Association. As a current member of the American Christian Fiction Writer she has established a blog where she reviews Christian Fiction.  

The Cozy (Crazy) Fall Season

by Nancy Jill Thames

Watching a lot of television is not in the cards for me, but I do get snippets of news from online friends all over the country. Posts of early snowfalls in the Northern regions, photos of crock pots plugged in with tasty stews and soups simmering, and glimpses of plans for celebrating Halloween pop up on my screen indicating Fall is here. In Texas, the seasons are unpredictable. I've been here when the temperature is 90 degrees one January, and ice storms rage the next. For now, though, the temperatures are settling into the lower 80's with 60's in the evenings. Nice. Finally, I can say we're coming into the cozy fall season! 
Or should I say the crazy fall season? 

This fall our youngest son is getting married to a lovely young lady whom we are growing to love more each day. What a blessing! And what a crazy time getting the wedding together. Maybe it's just me, but when I have company coming, I want everything in my house to be just "so." In order to accomplish this major feat, many shopping trips are needed. Yesterday I went to four stores and came home with a sleeper sofa, ottoman, bed linens, new bathroom shower curtain and accessories, and a sack full of table toppers for the rehearsal dinner we're giving at our house. Whew! Crazy! But oh, so much fun. And what better excuse to buy all the things I've been wanting for the past couple of years? The best thing about this crazy cozy fall season, though, is that my family and friends from California will be coming to visit for a few days. I'm even throwing in a family reunion luncheon for my mom's side of the family - one cousin she hasn't seen for 75 years! Crazy! Well, maybe, but the memories of this particular fall will be precious, especially when our son and his bride walk down the aisle next Saturday evening and say, "I do."

~Nancy Jill

Nancy Jill Thames is the author of the Jillian Bradley Mysteries - stories often set in exclusive hotels and resorts, based on real life travel adventures with her husband of 44 years. Her mysteries incorporate her love of afternoon tea, which has earned her the title of “Queen of Afternoon Tea.” She holds a music degree from UT Austin and lives in Leander, Texas where she is a member of the Leander Writers Guild. She has won awards for her blogs, a pie contest for her Chocolate Chip Cream Pie, and has been on the Author Watch Bestseller List numerous times. Nancy Jill is busy working on book 6 Waiting for Santa, a murder mystery taking place on Christmas Eve near Jillian Bradley’s home in Clover Hills.

To check out her books, Murder in Half Moon Bay, The Ghost Orchid Murder, From the Clutches of Evil, The Mark of Eden, and Pacific Beach, please visit the Cozy Book Store and her blogs: 

Cozy Mystery Author, Nancy Jill Thames

"Queen of Afternoon Tea" Celebrity Author Interviews