Getting Ready for the Holidays

Hello everyone! With the cold weather setting the mood for the holiday season coming up, I just had to share my new favorite (and easy) for cranberry sauce. 

And with Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner and for many of you Black Friday, too, I've decided to offer my first book "Murder in Half Moon Bay" as a free gift. You can download it now to read later when you're ready for a break during the hectic holidays. (Or January perhaps?)

Amazon
    AppleBooks
      Barnes and Noble
Kobo

All Jillian Bradley wants is to spend a quiet weekend by the ocean and enjoy her afternoon tea. But a startling discovery draws Jillian and her garden club friends into solving a mystery that threatens her life and changes her future.

"Murder in Half Moon Bay" Book 1 in the Jillian Bradley Mystery Series, introduces Jillian's little companion Teddy, a Yorkie who falls prey to danger but rises to become a sleuth dog in the next book.

Please feel free to share this offer with anyone who might enjoy a cozy mystery. Thank you! 

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving full of blessings with friends and family this year.

Cabernet Cranberry Sauce

Recipe

Cheers!

~Nancy Jill 

When I Grow Old

As I age one thing is certain-I only have today. Just today to do what’s important. For me, making a cozy home for my husband and me is the thing I care about most. 
   Around the holidays now, instead of trying to plan around our children’s families, I have laid out a plan to bake and cook meals for only the two of us. Extra cookies and candies will be gifts for neighbors and my husband’s friends at the golf course. Special meals will be shared as luncheons for friends.
   Because I’m older the holiday decorations are put up as soon as Halloween is over and not taken down until after New Years. Since it takes us four days to decorate I want to enjoy the festive atmosphere for more than one month!
  Today I baked these White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Cookies. I found the recipe on Pinterest. If all goes well, I’ll be making ten kinds of homemade cookies, four homemade candies, three special desserts (four if I can find persimmons), seven appetizers, and five holiday meals. All for my husband and me and our friends. 
   Yes, we’ll be with children on the holidays but they’ll be cooking their own special recipes. Perhaps they’ll make one or two of mine. But if they don’t, it’s quite all right. 
   Happy Holidays!

~Nancy Jill Thames

   

Chili Hot Dogs to Die For!

If you love hot dogs as much as I do, you may enjoy this delicious recipe. It’s adaptable to your tastes, of course. When we were first married a tradition was started by having chili hot dogs every Sunday night during the cold months on a cozy little table in front of the fire. Whenever we eat them now we’re reminded of those fond times.
Our son recently shared his method for making them now for his family, so I’m sharing it with you!


Yummy Chili Hot Dogs

INGREDIENTS

8 hot dogs
8 hot dog buns
1 can of chili
1/2 an onion, diced
cheddar cheese
mayonnaise
mustard
sweet relish

 DIRECTIONS

• Line inside of hot dog buns with mayonnaise and sweet relish. (I know this sounds crazy, but the mayo did something magical to the bread! It stayed super soft and yummy!)
• Evenly add mustard (I added ketchup too). Fill with hot dogs and squish into a 13×9″ baking pan.
• Top hot dogs with chili, cheese, and diced onion. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.

See you in my books!

~Nancy Jill Thames

Autumn’s Sweet Whisper

This week finally feels like Autumn here in Texas, despite an awful tornado touching down in North Texas where my grandsons live. Still, today the air is cool and crisp as Autumn should be.
   With the change in seasons the appeal for a nice cup of something warm and soothing seems a necessary part of the afternoon, along with a good book to read. I love books! Even if I never purchased another one I have enough to last a lifetime. 
  Currently my husband, daughter, and I, are reading through the Redwall Abbey series-22 books in all. They're full of adventure, good versus evil, and lovely descriptions of food enjoyed by the goodbeasts in the stories. I even have the Redwall Cookbook for added inspiration. The books are appropriate for any age.
   If you're looking for books that are more mystery than adventure and are cozy and clean please checkout our Cozy Books page and give them a try. If you enjoy them, good reviews are always appreciated.

My new teapot and cup and saucer this year serving Grandma's Pumpkin Spice tea from East Anora, NY.

Happy Autumn!

Nancy Jill Thames

Rest Your Body While Improving Your Mind

Just as a vacation is supposed to reinvigorate, reading will improve your mind while you relax, unless, of course, you are reading something bloodthirsty or vile, which I'm sure none of you lovely readers do. And even at that, the news reports say nightmares are good exercises to help get us out of difficult situations. Great! 
   Every afternoon after completing my chores, I look forward to laying on the sofa, cuddled in a micro fleece throw, with phone, newspaper, and current book in hand. When I'm finished (after about three hours) I rise, make a cup of tea, and eat a small supper. I'm rested just enough to make it though the movie du jour with my husband. 
   I believe this routine contributes to good health and a happy disposition. Some exercise their bodies. I like to exercise my mind.
   For some good cozy mysteries that probably won't give you nightmares, check out our Cozy Book Page.
   Enjoy!

See you in my books!

~Nancy Jill Thames

Choose Books Wisely-Good or Great?

For some GREAT books check our 

           Cozy Books page.
           Have a great day, dear readers!

~Nancy Jill Thames 

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