Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Food Love - Capellini with Tomatoes and Basil

Have I expressed how much I do not cook? My ex-husband was the chef of the house so when we split households I needed to become the chef uber-fast. Here is a quick, easy and yummy way to make it happen!


Ingredients
Kosher salt
1/2 cup good olive oil, plus extra for the pot
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
4 pints small cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
18 large basil leaves, julienned
2 tablespoons chopped fresh curly parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 pound dried capellini or angel hair pasta
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Extra chopped basil and grated Parmesan, for serving

Preparation
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of salt and a splash of oil to the pot.

Meanwhile, heat the 1/2 cup of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan. Add the garlic to the oil and cook over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, basil, parsley, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, the pepper, and red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to soften but don't break up.

While the tomatoes are cooking, add the capellini to the pot of boiling water and cook for 2 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water.

Place the pasta in a large serving bowl, add the tomatoes and Parmesan and toss well. Add some of the pasta water if the pasta seems too dry. Serve large bowls of pasta with extra basil sprinkled on top and a big bowl of extra Parmesan on the side.


 View on foodnetwork.com

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Monday, June 5, 2017

Character Research - Reiki (Spiritually Guided Life Force Energy)


In my new book Finders, the main character, Claire Westin, suddenly finds herself interacting with the dead, her abilities suddenly awakening from a dormant sleep. In developing the character and experiences of Claire Westin, I began researching Mediumship and Physical Mediums. Reiki is a recommended practice for keeping balance and clarity within the soul. 

Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's "life force energy" is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy.

The word Reiki is two Japanese words - Rei which means "God's Wisdom or the Higher Power" and Ki which is "life force energy." So Reiki is actually "spiritually guided life force energy."

A treatment feels like a wonderful glowing radiance that flows through and around you. Reiki treats the whole person including body, emotions, mind and spirit creating many beneficial effects that include relaxation and feelings of peace, security, and wellbeing. Many have reported miraculous results.

Reiki is a simple, natural and safe method of spiritual healing and self-improvement that everyone can use. It has been effective in helping virtually every known illness and malady and always creates a beneficial effect. It also works in conjunction with all other medical or therapeutic techniques to relieve side effects and promote recovery.

An amazingly simple technique to learn, the ability to use Reiki is not taught in the usual sense but transferred to the student during a Reiki class. This ability is passed on during an "attunement" given by a Reiki master and allows the student to tap into an unlimited supply of "life force energy" to improve one's health and enhance the quality of life.

Its use is not dependent on one's intellectual capacity or spiritual development and therefore is available to everyone. Successfully taught to thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds.

While Reiki is spiritual in nature, it is not a religion. It has no dogma, and there is nothing you must believe to learn and use Reiki. In fact, Reiki is not dependent on belief at all and will work whether you believe in it or not. 

Because Reiki comes from God, many people find that using Reiki puts them more in touch with the experience of their religion rather than having only an intellectual concept of it.


To learn more about Reiki, visit http://www.reiki.org.




Finders is coming Fall 2017 – When demonologist Luke Melloy meets ghost hunting producer Claire Westin sparks fly, and the devil himself takes notice. What makes this pair so special?

Read a Sneak Peek of Finders Here!

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Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Food Love - Deep Dish Taco Pizza

Fast, easy and yummy -- kids will love to help with this fun family dinner! 

Pillsbury Grands! Homestyle biscuits serve as the pizza crust for our Deep Dish Taco Pizza made with ground beef, taco seasonings, cheddar cheese, olives, tomatoes, and lettuce


Ingredients
One can Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Homestyle refrigerated biscuits
One pound ground beef
One package taco seasoning mix
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
Shredded lettuce
Chopped tomato or halved cherry tomatoes
Halved or sliced pitted ripe olives
Sour cream

Preparation 
 
Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.  

In 10-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat, 5 to 7 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. Add taco seasoning mix and water called for on seasoning mix package.  

Separate the dough into biscuits and press into the bottom and up the side of pie plate to make the crust. Spoon beef mixture into crust. 

 Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until crust is very light golden brown. Top with cheese; bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese melts.  

 Serve topped with lettuce, tomato, olives and sour cream, or your favorite taco toppings.



 
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