Wednesday, December 27, 2017

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday}

Another favorite dish that I found on Pinterest!

1 lb. Ground Beef
1 can of Ranch Style Beans (Optional)
1 bag of Doritos (I use Taco Flavor)
1/2 Onion Chopped (I use Sweet Yellow Onion)
1 can of Ro-Tel
1 Packet of Taco Seasoning
1 can of Cream of Chicken
2 cups Cheddar Cheese (or more if wanted)
Serve with Salsa & Sour Cream


Preheat the Oven to 350 degrees. Then grease your Casserole Dish ( 9 x 11 x 3) with a spritz of Pam.

Next drain the ground beef & return it to the pan. Then mix in the taco seasoning, 1/2 cup of water, can of ro-tel and cream of chicken. (Add Ranch Style Beans at this point if used). Simmer for 5 minutes. 
Now it's time to layer... divide everything into thirds. Starting with Doritos.Then Meat Mixture & Cheese.
Repeat & Repeat. 
Cover and throw in the oven for approx. 27 minutes. Cook until cheese is bubbly.
Then I add tomatoes and lettuce on top.  With a side of salsa . . . O!SO!GOOD!

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

The House on Foster Hill by Jaime Jo Wright

Book Description:  Kaine Prescott is no stranger to death. When her husband died two years ago, her pleas for further investigation into his suspicious death fell on deaf ears. In desperate need of a fresh start, Kaine purchases an old house sight unseen in her grandfather's Wisconsin hometown. But one look at the eerie, abandoned house immediately leaves her questioning her rash decision. And when the house's dark history comes back with a vengeance, Kaine is forced to face the terrifying realization she has nowhere left to hide. 


A century earlier, the house on Foster Hill holds nothing but painful memories for Ivy Thorpe. When an unidentified woman is found dead on the property, Ivy is compelled to discover her identity. Ivy's search leads her into dangerous waters and, even as she works together with a man from her past, can she unravel the mystery before any other lives--including her own--are lost?



My Thoughts:  I heard about this story and was so excited to read it.
Jaime Jo Wright in her debut novel, The House on Foster Hill, does an outstanding job of writing in two different timelines~then and now.
The suspense is remarkable in both "stories" and keeps the reader on the edge .
Now this is may not be the older view of Christian suspense for it delves into the dark side of life.
There is a mystery in the house on Foster Hill. And two women intertwined through time are trying to solve this most suspenseful mystery.
Ivy Thorpe (1900's)  and Kaine Prescott (today) may be two different women, in two different time lines but they are one in the mystery of the house on Foster hill.
Even though there is a dark theme in this read, there is also hope and love found through God.
The way that the author kept the villain from being discovered was quite a feat.  A mystery to be remembered!

*This book was provided for review by Bethany House*

  • Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (November 21, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 076423028X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0764230288

Until We Find Home by Cathy Gohlke

Book Description:  For American Claire Stewart, joining the French Resistance sounded as romantic as the storylines she hopes will one day grace the novels she wants to write. But when she finds herself stranded on English shores, with five French Jewish children she smuggled across the channel before Nazis stormed Paris, reality feels more akin to fear.
With nowhere to go, Claire throws herself on the mercy of an estranged aunt, begging Lady Miranda Langford to take the children into her magnificent estate. Heavily weighted with grief of her own, Miranda reluctantly agrees . . . if Claire will stay to help. Though desperate to return to France and the man she loves, Claire has few options. But her tumultuous upbringing―spent in the refuge of novels with fictional friends―has ill-prepared her for the daily dramas of raising children, or for the way David Campbell, a fellow American boarder, challenges her notions of love. Nor could she foresee how the tentacles of war will invade their quiet haven, threatening all who have come to call Bluebell Wood home and risking the only family she’s ever known.

My Thoughts:  Reading about World War II is one of my most favorite subjects.  How people survived and helped each other overwhelms me.
Claire Stewart is an American who has a romantic view of what is really happening in the war.  So when she joins the French Resistance it all kind.of.comes to reality.  It sure doesn't seem romantic when one is stranded with five French Jewish children who need care and food.
When Claire members that she has an estranged aunt who has a magnificent estate where she can possibly take the children.
Nothing ever goes as planned but Claire and the children make it to the estate.  And Claire didn't realize that the arms of war are long and far reaching.
This is a magnificent story!  So realistic and so heart wrenching.
Sometimes circumstances will bring out the worst in us or the best in us.  Each individual chooses the outcome of how he will respond.
Loved, loved this read!

*This book was provided for review by Tyndale*

  • Paperback: 432 pages
  • Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (January 9, 2018)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1496410963
  • ISBN-13: 978-1496410962

Mermaid Moon {A Sunset Cove Novel} by Colleen Coble

Book Description:  Mallory’s mother died fifteen years ago. But her father’s last words on the phone were unmistakable: “Find . . . mother.”
Shame and confusion have kept Mallory Davis from her home for the last fifteen years, but when her dad mysteriously dies on his mail boat route, she doesn’t have any choice but to go back to Mermaid Point.
Mallory believes her father was murdered and childhood sweetheart Kevin O’Connor, game warden in Downeast Maine, confirms her suspicions. But Kevin is wary of helping Mallory in her search. She broke his heart and left—without a word—years ago.
When Mallory begins receiving threats on her own life—and her beloved teenage daughter, Haylie—their search intensifies. There’s a tangled web within the supposed murder, and it involves much more than what meets the eye.
As answers begin to fall into place, Mallory realizes her search is about more than finding her father’s killer—it is also about finding herself again . . . and possibly about healing what was broken so long ago with Kevin. She just has to stay alive long enough to put all the pieces together.

My Thoughts:  At first I didn't understand the title to this book, Mermaid Moon seemed like it might be a moon with a special meaning but no, Mermaid Moon is named after a place Mermaid Point in Maine.  
This is the second book in the Sunset Cove series.  And packs quite a punch.
As the story begins we find that Mallory has been away from home for fifteen years.  Mallory decides to go back to Mermaid Point because she believes that her father was murdered.  And when she gets home her childhood sweetheart, Kevin O'Connor confirms her fears.
As Mallory begins to search for answers...including the mystery of her father's last words to her, "Find . . . mother."
What a read!  
The cat and mouse game, the twist and turns in this suspense read are all trademarks of Colleen Coble's great writing.  
Even though Mallory went home to find answers to her father's death, she ends up finding out more about herself and the man she left behind.
I loved this read...I hope you will check it out, too!

*This book was provided for review by The Fiction Guild of Thomas Nelson*

  • Series: A Sunset Cove Novel
  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Thomas Nelson (January 12, 2016)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1401690289
  • ISBN-13: 978-1401690281

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Christmas Eve tradition

We have a tradition at our house, we read, The the Night Before Christmas, on Christmas Eve and then each child gets to open their smallest gift, usually a book!

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Unwrapping the Names of Jesus: An Advent Devotional by Asheritah Ciuciu

Book Description:  This devotional can be used by readers in their own personal worship times or as a tool to engage in family worship during the busy holiday season. Either way, participants will gain a greater sense of awe and wonder at who Jesus is.
By focusing on the person and character of Jesus throughout the Advent season, readers will prepare their hearts so that when they admire the live nativity, sit in the candlelight service, or wake up on Christian morning, they can join the faithful who sing from the bottom of their hearts, "O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!"

My Thoughts:  This is a book cover that draws me in.  It's beautiful and colorful and seems full of the real reason for Christmas.
As we are in the Advent season this is a most wonderful devotional to use.
This is wonderful book to use as an individual or a family since the pages are numbered for that day of Advent.  Then there is a challenge, a prayer, and a study section for those who like to study further into the Scriptures.
But my favorite of all are the ideas and inspirations for Christmas.  Baking a Happy Birthday, Jesus cake, bake cookies, take hot chocolate to the homeless.  And once you get started on these fabulous ideas you and your family may come up with more ideas and inspirations to make your Christmas most joyful.
May the unwrapping of the names of Jesus bring you and your family a new and wonderful way to celebrate the Savior's birth!

*This book was provided for review by Moody Publishers*

  • Hardcover: 128 pages
  • Publisher: Moody Publishers; New edition (October 3, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0802416721
  • ISBN-13: 978-0802416728

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday} A quick treat for the holiday


Bakeless Cake

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 small can crushed pineapple, undrained
40-50 vanilla wafers
1 8-oz. carton cool whip, thawed
2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut (we don't like coconut, so optional)
12-16 maraschino cherries, rinsed

Whisk together sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice in a small bowl until thoroughly combined. Mix in pineapple with juice and set aside.

Line the bottom of a small glass baking dish (8x8 or 7x10) with vanilla wafers. Pour all of the pineapple mixture over vanilla wafers then add another layer of vanilla wafers on top of pineapple mixture. Spread cool whip evenly on top of vanilla wafers then sprinkle with coconut. Top with cherries then cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours before serving.

Monday, December 18, 2017

The Jazz Files (Poppy Denby Investigates #1) by Fiona Veitch Smith

Book Description:  Introducing Poppy Denby, a young journalist in London during the Roaring Twenties, investigating crime in the highest social circles!
In 1920, twenty-two year old Poppy Denby moves from Northumberland to live with her paraplegic aunt in London. Aunt Dot, a suffragette who was injured in battles with the police in 1910, is a feisty and well-connected lady.
Poppy has always dreamed of being a journalist, and quickly lands a position as an editorial assistant at the Daily Globe. Then one of the paper's writers, Bert Isaacs, dies suddenly--and messily. Poppy and her attractive co-worker, photographer Daniel Rokeby begin to wonder if it wasn't a natural death, but murder.
After she writes a sensational exposé, The Globe's editor invites her to dig deeper. Poppy starts sifting through the dead man's files and unearths a major mystery which takes her to France--and into deadly danger.

My Thoughts:  Ohhh!  A new series and an new author!  Love at first read!  
The Roaring Twenties, mystery, and  young journalist.
The Jazz Files, Poppy Denby Investigates, is about a young lady in the 20's who moves to London to be with her paraplegic aunt.  Poppy's (don't you just love her name) parents think she is going to help Aunt Dot and live with her as a sort of companion.  Little do her parents know that Aunt Dot used that "companion thing" as a ruse because she wants Poppy to have a career and a go at life. 
And, oh, Aunt Dot was a suffragette. But Poppy feels she is deceiving her parents.  But not to worry...
Poppy answers an ad in the paper to be an editorial assistant and lands the job.
This is where the mystery comes...one of the paper's ends up dead and it ain't pretty dead.  Poppy and her ever so handsome co-worker decide that this wasn't a natural death and decides to write a sensational expose, which get the attention of the editor who then tells Poppy to dig deeper.  
As Poppy goes through the dead man's files, a  mystery evolves and takes her into France and deadly danger.  
What a mystery!  Loved this read!  
No spoilers!  This one book you'll want to read for yourself!  

*This book was provided for review by Kregel Publications*



  • Series: Poppy Denby Investigates
  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Lion Fiction (November 27, 2015)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1782641750
  • ISBN-13: 978-1782641759

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Noelle: A Novel (A Dog Named Christmas) by Greg Kincaid

Book Description:  A Dog Named Christmas comes this heartwarming Christmas story about the power of family and the strength and love that comes from our pets.  Matriarch Mary Ann McCray is determined to shake up Christmas by accepting the role as Crossing Trail's first woman Santa Claus. Mary Ann, always a bit of a rebel, is looking to offer a more progressive voice in the staunchly conservative town at Christmastime and has a few ideas up her red velvet sleeves.

My Thoughts:  Now that the Christmas season is officially here it's so nice to read books that put one in the holiday mood.
This is the fourth book about the McCray family and their dogs.  And the books are about different dogs so one doesn't have to read the books in order since each book is a stand alone story.
It's so nice to read a Christmas story that is fun and uplifting.
And Mary Ann McCray is a hoot!  She is determined and mean determined that Crossing Trails have Christmas.  
Quite a few plot lines running through this story...kind of like life...so many things going on at once.
It's interesting how the dog, Noelle, brings the story together.  So, whether your dog lover or not, I believe that you'll find this short story full of holiday cheer.
A fun, entertaining, and light read about Christmas and man's best friend.  This is also a small, nice hardback book making it perfect for gift giving and to slip into one's suitcase or travel bag for holiday traveling.

*This book was provided for review by Waterbrook/Multnomah*

  • Series: A Dog Named Christmas (Book 4)
  • Hardcover: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Convergent Books (October 24, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1524761192
  • ISBN-13: 978-1524761196



WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday}

Christmas is just around the corner
 and the parties have begun! 
And I'm making these cuties for the Friday Teacher's Meeting!  

A healthy snack . . . 

Layer on a plastic toothpick (going up):
mini marshmallow
topped off strawberry 
slice of banana 
green grape

Fun and healthy!!



Tuesday, December 12, 2017

The English Son: The Amish Millionaire by Wanda E. Brunstetter (Author), Jean Brunstetter (Author)

Book Description:  Meet businessman Joel Byler who has gotten himself into a financial bind and his eccentric, wealthy Amish father who is done bailing out his spoiled son. When will Joel learn he most pay for his own mistakes—and at what cost to his business, his fiancée, and his Amish siblings?

My Thoughts:  I was so excited to receive this new six part serial novel in the mail from authors Wanda E. & Jean Brunstetter.  
I have been waiting for this mini novel to make it's appearance on the book shelves.  
Joel Byler has decided that he needs to see the world so he decides to leave his Amish roots and go to the city.  
Much like the prodigal son story in the Bible, Joel too squanders his money and is left with nothing. 
He misses his home and wonders if his father would give another cash loan?  
An interesting beginning to the Amish Millionaire serials.  
My only complaint is that the books are only 124 pages long and then it's another month before the next issue.  
Ahhh! the life of a reader.  {smile}
I love this story....an Amish millionaire?!?!?  
To be honest I have never thought about the Amish bering millionaires.  
I guess the Amish didn't need much money because they grow and can everything or build it by themselves.  But being people I realized they have needs outside of the things they can't make, like tennis shoes or carriages. So, I love the way Wanda and Jean have portrayed a different line of thought in Amish life!  

*This book was generously provided for review by the author*



  • Series: The Amish Millionaire (Book 1)
  • Paperback: 128 pages
  • Publisher: Shiloh Run Press (March 1, 2016)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1634092031
  • ISBN-13: 978-1634092036

Monday, December 11, 2017

Unforeseeable {Road To Kingdom, book 3} by Nancy Mehl

Book Description: Callie Hoffman has a good life in Kingdom, Kansas. She's engaged to Levi Housler, the new pastor of Kingdom Mennonite Church, and she spends her days working with Lizzie Housler, her friend and soon-to-be sister-in-law, at the town cafe. 
When a body is discovered on the road outside Kingdom and the deceased turns out to be the victim of a serial killer, the new county sheriff begins questioning Kingdom residents. Unsettled at the prospect of a killer in Kingdom, Callie is desperate to find answers for herself, especially when her own fiance seems to know more about the murder than he's telling. 
As the town battles an entirely unforeseen danger and Callie's very life is threatened, the stakes are as high as they've ever been and the people of Kingdom must learn anew to put their trust in God alone. 

My Thoughts: Another favorite author,Nancy Mehl, writes a fantastic novel in Unforeseeable!
I read the first two books in the Road To Kingdom series by Nancy Mehl and loved them!  So, again, I waited ever so {im}patiently for book 3.
Now Callie has a great life in Kingdom, Kansas and is engaged to Levi, the new pastor of Kingdom Mennonite Church.  
As the story begins the reader is hoping that Callie is on the road to a better life. And it seems like all is going well and, then, a body is discovered on the road outside of Kingdom. It seems that there is a serial killer in town.
Now Callie feels compelled to find the answers about the murders and it seems that her fiancee is "hiding" something from her.  Does he know more than he is telling?  The unforeseen danger of murder is like a milestone around the sweet town of Kingdom.  Can Callie help before the killer strikes again?  Especially when her own life is at risk?
What a read!  Full of light romance, mystery and suspense! 
The first two Road to Kingdom reads were great stories but this is by far my favorite!  
*This book was provided by Bethany House for review*

The first two reads in the Road to Kingdom:

  • Series: Road to Kingdom (Book 3)
  • Paperback: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (September 1, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0764209299
  • ISBN-13: 978-0764209291






Thursday, December 7, 2017

A fun Christmas Read . . .




                                        About The First Noelle



Noelle Joy stopped celebrating Christmas ten years ago, when Trevor Holden skipped out on their long-planned Christmas Eve wedding. He destroyed her trust in men, crushed her belief in God, and left her cynical about love. Gone is the bright, cheery spirit of the girl she thinks of now as “the first Noelle.” Stronger and savvier, the new Noelle would never be found waiting at the altar for a groom who didn’t show.
When a famous-but-mysterious architect commissions her to decorate his mansion for a holiday event, Noelle finally returns to her hometown. Even as she finds an unexpected peace in facing ghosts from the past, her fiercely private client disturbs her. Michael Holliday is kind and considerate, but far too handsome…and hauntingly familiar.
Holliday didn’t choose Noelle to make his home a Christmas wonderland by accident. She’s the only one who can do the job he has in mind—and once she’s in his mansion, he never wants to let her go. But he’s hiding a secret that could destroy any chance of a relationship with the beautiful decorator.

A false persona. A shattering secret. Can love break down these insurmountable walls?




Excerpt:



She pulled to a stop at a pair of imposing gates fronted by a guard shack. To her surprise, her heart pounded with expectation. Her mind wouldn’t be quiet either, tossing out a horde of unanswered questions.
Was Holliday an older man, or was he young for his accomplishments? Was he handsome? Maybe he was hideous, like the fairy tale beast, and that’s why he maintained such a fiercely private existence. Was he kind, as seemed to be indicated by the media-inspired title? Or was that all hype? Perhaps the whole Phantom Philanthropist thing was a ruse to hide his real personality, which might be anything from a mouse to a monster.
A man’s voice crackled across the air. “Identification, please.”
Holliday should be expecting her. Why all the cloak-and-dagger? Well, his house, his rules. She dug out her driver’s license and the guard took it, his alert gaze darting back and forth, side to side, as if expecting an attack.
Noelle bit back a giggle when he broke from his fastidious survey of the surrounding countryside to peruse her license, seemingly line by line. What did he expect to find there?
At last, he returned her ID and gave a single, terse nod. “When I open the gates, follow the drive and park by the front steps. A valet will take your car.”
Sure enough, a uniformed valet met her at the base of a series of steps leading to massive oak doors that would have served well in any medieval castle. The man actually smiled as he took her keys. Having passed the intense scrutiny of the portly guard, it seemed she’d earned a bit more friendliness.
“Mr. Holliday will meet you at the door, Miss Joy.”
Potted plants lined each side of the wide steps— gorgeous bursts of azalea, bonsai-shaped miniature wisteria, hoya, plumeria, fuchsia, and a number of plants Noelle didn’t recognize and was almost certain shouldn’t survive the cold of the Northern California mountains. Holliday must have a sizeable greenhouse.
The door opened as she reached the top step. A man stepped outside but seemed reluctant to venture beyond the shade of the overhang. He towered well over Noelle’s five feet, nine inches. Muscles strained at the cloth of his sleeves and across his chest.
“Good afternoon, Miss Joy.”
Something caught in Noelle’s heart, and she swallowed repeatedly. Had she heard that voice before? Why did it make her want to cry…or maybe scream and throw rocks through the beautiful stained glass windows that fronted the huge estate?
She allowed her gaze to travel beyond the broad chest to a firm, square chin, and upward. Nicely shaped lips curved into a smile that seemed a little shaky around the edges and revealed perfect white teeth. A straight nose, not too long, or too short. High cheekbones.
For some reason, she avoided his eyes, instead moving on to take in slightly longish, golden-brown hair with a smidgen of gray at the temples.
“Miss Joy?” A hint of concern tinged the oddly familiar voice.
Noelle swallowed again and forced her cowardly gaze to his, only to be caught in a dizzying vortex of confusion and familiarity. I know this man. I’ve met him before. Where? She stood up straighter, hiked her chin, and mentally donned the ice cloak that had stood her in good stead over the course of her career. Holliday wasn’t the only one with a media-dubbed moniker. She had one of her own, and the Ice Princess of Design wouldn’t be put off by a furrowed brow and a tense expression. “Mr. Holliday. I’d like to get started right away, if you don’t mind.”
Forced to meet his gaze—his eyes were hazel, but somehow she’d known they would be—she saw a flicker of something that made her breath a little shallow. She was way off her game. Was it because those eyes held a strange familiarity?
“Of course. Come in, please.”
He indicated she should precede him into the house…no, the mansion. “House” didn’t even begin to describe the residence. Noelle had seen a great number of multi-million-dollar homes in her line of work but nothing that compared to the one in which she now stood.
“This is…quite lovely.” She was careful to maintain the chill in her tone. “Professional distance at all times” was the mantra by which she’d lived for the past decade. It had served her well. No need to change it now, just because something about Michael Holliday made her skin tingle and sky-rocketed her heartbeat. “If anything needs improvement, it’s well hidden.”
His low laughter sent something almost unbearably electric skittering up her spine. “It isn’t improvement I’m looking for, Miss Joy. It’s a mood, a certain look…an ambiance, if you will. And since my event will be held on Christmas Eve, it must be themed very specifically around that holiday.”
She nodded, despite the rock of dread that landed in her stomach with a thump. Up until now, the only Christmas event she’d ever created had been her doomed wedding a decade earlier. After that, she never again celebrated the holiday she’d once loved most. She refused to have a tree in her home and never sent a Merry Christmas card to a single soul. Stockings, mistletoe, and hot apple cider—things she’d once loved—were now just unavoidable traditions she muddled through every year while counting down the hours until the bells stopped jingling, the carolers’ songs died away, and her favorite radio station started playing real music again.
Joy Designs absolutely never, ever, ever accepted a design job with a Christmas theme. She opened her mouth to tell Michael exactly that but remembered just in time that she’d already signed the contract, without checking into the specifics of what Holliday needed or for what occasion. She uttered a pathetic inner moan. Christmas. She’d signed a legal contract saying she and her team would create a holiday environment somewhere in this castle-sized home.
Noelle steeled her spine and pasted on a smile she was certain didn’t fool the handsome architect for even a split second. Well, the contract had not included a clause that said her smiles had to be genuine. Then again, she hadn’t realized it mentioned anything about a Christmas event either, because she barely noticed anything other than Holliday’s name. She knew better than that. Now she had no choice but to design a winter wonderland in this massive mansion.

Bah Humbug.



Author bio:


Writing Heaven’s touch into earthly tales, Delia Latham puts her characters through the fire of earthly trials to bring them out victorious by the hand of God, His heavenly messengers, and good, old-fashioned love. You’ll always find a touch of the divine in this author’s sweet tales of romance.
Delia lives in East Texas with her husband Johnny. She’s a Christian wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and author of inspirational romance…with a finger or two immersed in the design pool, where she creates beautiful marketing material for other authors. Delia treasures her role as child of the King and heir to the throne of God. She’s got a “thing” for Dr. Pepper and loves hearing from readers.
Contact this author at any of the following locations: