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  • Git In The Kichin, And…

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    …Make me some piiiiiiiieee.

    Thanksgiving – or L-Tryptophan Day, as I like to call it – was pretty good this year. I’m not one for setting aside a single day to do the “thanking thing.” I try to make sure I do it when the situation calls for it, rather than waiting. And, we all know I don’t buy into the concept of a divine being providing me with the things I need to be thankful for… Well… Except for E K, but her Supremeness is something else entirely…

    But I digress <– My favorite expression – and activity – as we all know…

    Anywho, L-Tryptophan Day was good. Did the hanging out with family thing. Got to spend time with our PhD niece, World Traveler niece, and College Freshman niece. The other niece and nephew are at that age where we Gr’ups are too boring to be around, so we didn’t see too much of them. As always, food was prepared, food was eaten, food was stored away in icebox crevices due to the overwhelming amount of leftovers – an L-Tryptophan Day tradition in and of itself.

    When dessert time rolled around, several pies were on deck – among them being the traditional Bourbon-Rum Cranberry Mince Pie, and the experimental Bailey’s Pumpkin Pie – all direct from my kitchen. After some tweetage about the pieness, I started receiving requests for the recipe for the latter. So, here it is, sans picture of a pie because we ate them before I could take one…

    MERP’S Bailey’s Pumpkin Pie

    INGREDIENTS

    3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar

    2 Cups Pumpkin (I prefer to use fresh, as we grow pumpkins here at home, but canned pumpkin can can be used instead. Generally available in 15 OZ size, simply forgo the 16th ounce and call it good.)

    2 Whole Eggs, Large

    1 Egg Yolk

    2 tsp blackstrap molasses

    1 tsp ground cinnamon

    1/2 tsp salt

    1/2 tsp ground ginger

    1/4 tsp ground cloves

    6 OZ evaporated milk

    3 OZ Bailey’s Irish Cream Liquer

    3 OZ Heavy Cream

    1 9-10 inch pie crust (homemade or store bought, your choice)

    DIRECTIONS

    Preheat oven to 425F.

    Lightly beat eggs, then combine with the rest of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Pour into pie crust (I am assuming you have put the pie crust into a pie tin and properly trimmed it. If you haven’t, go back to Home Ec and do not attempt to cook anything until you receive at least a passing grade.) Since many pie tins and pre-prepared crusts have different depths, if you have any extra filling, simply pour it into a ramekin and treat it as a custard.

    Place on center rack of oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake an additional 40-50 minutes. It is done when a toothpick can be inserted into the center and is clean when removed.

    Allow to cool, then cover and refrigerate, as it will be best when cold and dense. Serve with whipped cream, Bailey’s whipped cream, or ice cream – OR for the purists, a large slice in hand, over the sink, with a cup of coffee…

    More to come…

    Murv

     

  • Support Your Local Paperback Writer…

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    Yes… Really… It’s here. No, I’m not kidding.

    If you’ve been waiting for IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER, wait no more… Well, unless you are actually waiting for a bleak sort of midwinter. In that case you have a month or so yet to go. However, if you were waiting for the first installment of the new Special Agent Constance Mandalay novels, then you are in luck, because here it is, shiny and new, and shipping to readers everywhere.

    Links below will take you to Amazon, B&N, and direct to the publisher (where they actually have AUTOGRAPHED copies). I also highly recommend visiting your local, independent bookseller for a copy. If they don’t yet have it on the shelves, tell them to order NOW!


     

    FOR THE PEOPLE OF HULIS, MISSOURI, THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS ARE HELL…

    On December 22nd, 1975, something unthinkable happened in the small, northern Midwest town of Hulis, Missouri—something so heinous that it turned the holidays into a waking nightmare.

    Now, 35 years later, it’s happening all over again, and for those involved, Christmas will never be the same…

    In The Bleak Midwinter marks the first full-length novel spin-off from the Rowan Gant Investigations series. Featuring FBI Special Agent Constance Mandalay, a recurring character from the RGI books, In The Bleak Midwinter explores a 35 year old case that has come back to haunt a small town in Northern Missouri.

    Retail: $27.95 Hardcover / $16.95 Paperback / $4.99 E-Book

    THE 20% SOLUTION: READ A SAMPLE BEFORE YOU BUY

    PURCHASE PAPERBACK: AmazonBarnes & NobleWTP Direct

    PURCHASE E-BOOK: Kindle – Nook – Sony/Kobo/Other Readers

     


     

    More to come…

    Murv