Sharing the Holiday Sweets - Christmas Minty Meltaways by Stephanie Burkhart

Lindsay, I wanted to share one of my favorite holiday recipes on the blog. I love a good "minty" candy for the holidays, so I thought I'd share my Minty Meltaways with you.

 Enjoy! Smiles Steph

******
 COOKIES
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter,
softened 1/3 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp peppermint extract

 GLAZE 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1-2 tbsp fat free milk red food coloring

 1. To make cookies place oven racks in upper and lower thirds ot the oven and preheat to 350.

 2. Combine flour, cornstarch, salt in a bowl. With an electric mixer on med speed, beat butter until creaming, about 1 min. Add confectioners sugar and peppermint extract, beat 4 mins.  Reduce speed to low. Add flour mix, beating just until blended.

 3. form dough by tablespoonsfuls into 1 inch balls. Place balls on 2 large ungreased baking sheets 1 inch apart. Bake until tops are firm 8-10 mins Let cookies cool on baking sheets 3 mins transfer to racks and let cool completely.

 4. To make the glaze, whisk confectioners sugar, 1 tbsp milk, and food coloring until smooth. Drizzle glaze evenly over cookies. Let stand until glaze sets about 30 mins. Cover and store at room temp up to 1 week.

 1 cookie: 119 calories. 3 points on the Weight Watchers Points Plus system.

 Did you know?

 The candy cane was created in Wooster, PA in 1947.

 Author Bio: Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 Dispatcher for LAPD. She loves all kinds of candy canes. Her Christmas story, "Christmas in  Bayeux" is available for 99 cents on Amazon, Smashwords, Sony, and Barnes and Noble.

Christmas in Bayeux: 99 cent contemporary romance.

 Blurb: Aiden travels to Bayeux, France to meet an old friend, Noel. Can she help heal his wounded heart?

 Opening Line: A light dusting of snow covered the Renault's window.

 4, 5 Star Amazon Reviews: This was just a wonderful and heart warming read. - Markee Anderson

 BUY LINK: http://amzn.com/B005BTLSI8

Visit Bayeux, France for Christmas in July

My .99 cent short story, Christmas in Bayeux, has just been released by Victory Tales Press. Written for their "Stimulating" anthology last year, Christmas in Bayeux is an international contemporary romance. Enjoy a little Christmas in July. *wink*

BLURB:

The ravages of war have taken their toll on Aiden. Seeking peace, he has traveled to Bayeux, France, on a pilgrimage of sorts. Noel, a former exchange student who spent time with his family years before, provides him a place to stay at the old manor she has turned into an inn.

The attraction they felt nine years before at the tender age of sixteen flares to life as they spend time together and prepare the inn for Christmas. But there has been so much loss and grief for Aiden.

Will Noel be able to help him feel again and can Aiden find what he is searching for?

EXCERPT:She pushed two wooden double doors open and they walked into a wide open-spaced entrance hall. "Is this a museum?"

"Oui. It houses our best known prize – the Bayeux Tapestry."

"What is that?" His voice was laced in curiosity.

"Dix Euros," said the clerk. He was in his mid-thirties and wore a blue uniform.

Aiden put his hand over Noel's hand as she reached for her purse. "I'll get it."

"Vous êtes Américain?"
"Oui," said Aiden.

The clerk held out his hand. Aiden slowly took it, surprised by the gesture. What was he doing?

"Américains we like. World War II, yes? Merci – thank you," the clerk said in halting English.

Aiden was stunned. Noel said this occurred, but he didn't think it would happen to him.

"De Rein. Thank you, sir."

"Non, Monsieur, merci. Keep your money."

"Oh, I insist."
"Oui, thank you, merci."

Noel smiled at the clerk, thread her arm through Aiden's, and they walked into the museum. There were a few people milling about in the halls, but it wasn't as busy as he thought it would be. Maybe everyone was at the Christmas markets.

He paused before they got far. "You said—"

She gave him an easy smile. "You handled that well."

******

Check out the Story Teaser on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-muZ0dhOvSE

BUY LINK AMAZON:http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-in-Bayeux-ebook/dp/B005BTLSI8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310233043&sr=1-1

BUY LINK SMASHWORDS:https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/72100

Stephanie Burkhart: Short Stories - 'A Christmas Collection'

I love writing short stories. I cut my teeth writing short stories. In 2008, My mainstream short story, "Spontaneous Decision" won 8th place in the 77th Annual Writer's Digest Competiation. I've also had several honorable mentions in the contest. When Rebecca over at Victory Tales Press was looking for authors for her Christmas Anthologies, I wanted to jump on the wagon (so to speak.) I offered to write a short story for the Stimulating collection.

I've been writing paranormal as of late, but I wanted to do something a little different so I decided I would write a contemporary. I haven't written contemporary in a while, so I wanted to add to it - I decided to go international, drawing inspiration from Mona Risk's awesome international contemporaries with Cerridwen Press.

That in mind, I picked France to set my story. I always thought France was a romantic local. One of the places I wanted to go but never did was the Beaches of Normandy. With those thoughts in mind, I wrote "Christmas in Bayeux."

I took 3 years of French in high school and I loved the language. In my studies, I fell in love with the nation. My first trip to France was in 1987 and it was for my 19 year birthday. I went with a friend, Marc, who I had done Basic and AIT training with. We rode the train in from Frankfurt. From there, we got a hotel room and with our travel guides, we were off. The travel guides helped me get by with my French. We saw the Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, (before that pyramid in front of it) and I took a picture of the Venus de Milo. I thought my flash was off, but it was on. Yikes! The Louvre police was in hot pursuit, but I was quicker, managing to avoid them. We visited Napoleon's tomb – crafty old dodger set it up so you have to climb up a second floor and "bow" down to look at him. We went saw a mini Statue of Liberty in the Seine near the state buildings.

My research surrounding Bayeux revealed several interesting facts. There is an American National Cemetery nearby where Theodore Roosevelt Jr. is buried. The land is considered American soil. War veterans from World War I and World War II are buried there. Bayeux also has a gothic cathedral similar to the Notre Dame in Paris. There is also a tapestry there in a local museum called the Bayeux Tapestry depicting William the Conqueror's conquest of England.

Inspiration for Noel Rousseau


I'll get there - one day.

Here's a small excerpt:


Noel never let go of his hand. They made their way to the bluff and climbed the stairs that led to the cemetery. Aiden froze when he saw the crosses, row upon row. Such sadness. So many good lives lost.

"There are over 9,000 buried here."
He nodded. Speech left him.

"The French people have high regard for America. You liberated our people from severe oppression. The people in Bayeux and all along the coast will come up to American tourists and shake their hands, thanking them for the service their grandfathers gave so long ago."

Aiden was shocked. Americans were thanked for their service? "You're serious?"

"Yes. Why?"

"It's just that France seems so aloof—"

Noel held up a hand, stopping his train of thought. "DeGualle thought it best to promote an independent spirit for the French people, and in doing so, while he helped the nation get its pride back, he also harmed us in the eyes of others. It is true Parisians can be aloof, but you'll find that the people who live outside of Paris are open and friendly."

"Noel, no one in Iraq ever shook my hand."
"Je suis désolé."


Here's a link to the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-muZ0dhOvSE

A Christmas Collection, Stimulating is available on Amazon as a print book and ebook. It's also available on Smashwords.

It's Christmas time- time for stories & mintys.

Hi All, I thought I'd pop into Lindsay's Romantics and share a little bit of Christmas and mintys! Tis the season for receipes, and I have a Weight Watcher friendly minty meltaway cookies. Here's my receipe:

COOKIES
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp peppermint extract

GLAZE
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1-2 tbsp fat free milk
red food coloring

1. To make cookies place oven racks in upper and lower thirds ot the oven and preheat to 350.

2. Combine flour, cornstarch, salt in a bowl. With an electric mixer on med speed, beat butter until creaming, about 1 min. Add confectioners sugar and peppermint extract, beat 4 mins. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mix, beating just until blended.

3. form dough by tablespoonsfuls into 1 inch balls. Place balls on 2 large ungreased baking sheets 1 inch apart.

Bake until tops are firm 8-10 mins Let cookies cool on baking sheets 3 mins transfer to racks and let cool completely.

4. To make the glaze, whisk confectioners sugar, 1 tbsp milk, and food coloring until smooth. Drizzle glaze evenly over cookies. Let stand until glaze sets about 30 mins. Cover and store at room temp up to 1 week.

1 cookie: 119 calories. 3 points.


******
A Lil' bit o' Christmas

I thought I'd share an excerpt from my Christmas story, "Christmas in Bayeux" which has been included in VTP's A Christmas Collection, Stimulating. You can find the book on Smashwords and Amazon!

Enjoy!

*****

Noel pushed two wooden double doors open and they walked into a wide open-spaced entrance hall. "Is this a museum?"

"Oui. It houses our best known prize – the Bayeux Tapestry."

"What is that?" His voice was laced in curiosity.

"Dix Euros," said the clerk. He was in his mid-thirties and wore a blue uniform.

Aiden put his hand over Noel's hand as she reached for her purse. "I'll get it."

"Vous êtes Américain?"
"Oui," said Aiden.

The clerk held out his hand. Aiden slowly took it, surprised by the gesture. What was he doing?

"Américains we like. World War II, yes? Merci – thank you," the clerk said in halting English.

Aiden was stunned. Noel said this occurred, but he didn't think it would happen to him.

"De Rein. Thank you, sir."
"Non, Monsieur, merci. Keep your money."
"Oh, I insist."
"Oui, thank you, merci."

Noel smiled at the clerk, thread her arm through Aiden's, and they walked into the museum. There were a few people milling about in the halls, but it wasn't as busy as he thought it would be. Maybe everyone was at the Christmas markets.

He paused before they got far. "You said—"

She gave him an easy smile. "You handled that well."

BLURB: Aiden Seward is an Iraq war vet who has gone to the Beaches of Normandy to heal his wounded heart. Noel Rousseau was the girl he knew as an exchange student years ago. Can Noel help heal the ache in Aiden's heart?

Buy Links:

Amazon: (print) http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Collection-Anthology-Stimulating/dp/1456304410/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1289273692&sr=8-1

Ebook, Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/29148

Create Space, Print book: https://www.createspace.com/3494425

Victory Tales Press: http://victorytalespress.yolasite.com/online-store.php

Check out the Story Teaser on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-muZ0dhOvSE