Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

This is really just an ingredient list and a few instructions.

Sweet potatoes
Onions (regular or spring), chopped
Mushrooms, chopped
Spinach, chopped
Sharp cheese, grated
Sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil or butter

Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, wrap in foil, and bake until done.  Scoop the flesh out into a bowl, being careful not to tear the skins, which are quite fragile. Put the skins in a baking pan. I didn't grease the pan, but it wouldn't hurt to do so.

Look at the amount of sweet potato and take a guess at how much onion and mushroom to use. For three medium sweet potatoes, I used maybe half an onion and several mushrooms. Saute the onions and mushrooms in oil or butter.

As for the spinach, it wilts down to almost nothing, so use lots of it. Add to the onions and mushrooms and saute until the spinach is wilted.

Turn off the heat and mix in a dollop or so of sour cream and some grated cheese. I add quite a bit of cheese, but this is a matter of taste (well, so is everything else in this recipe). Sharp cheddar is good, but other sharp cheeses work well, too. Add the mixture to the sweet potato flesh. Season to taste, bearing in mind that the cheese has some salt in it. 

Fill the skins with the mixture and sprinkle some grated cheese on top. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. I usually cover them for the first 15 or 20 minutes...it depends on how moist you want them. I tried this recipe once with regular potatoes. They aren't as moist as sweet potatoes, so I think more fat and sour cream would be needed and maybe even a little milk or water...

Sorry, no picture... Maybe next time. 

My Contest is Today!!

It's Harlequin Historical Giveaway time! Every year, a group of Harlequin Historical authors hold a series of individual contests in the weeks leading to Christmas. Each author offers her own prizes, and there's a Grand Prize at the end. This year, it's a Kindle Fire HDX WiFi tablet!
 
Today, December 5th, is my contest day. I'm giving away a $25 gift certificate to Amazon or Barnes & Noble, a paperback copy of the anthology A Scandalous Regency Christmas, and a pair of Christmas socks (because I love buying socks, and I have too many of my own). To enter my contest, to to my website (http://www.BarbaraMonajem.com). There you will be directed to read an excerpt from my new historical novella, Under a Christmas Spell, and answer a question. You can even make up your own question about the excerpt and answer it, if you prefer.

Hampshire, 1815

Dissolute aristocrat Lord Valiant Oakenhurst hides a sexy, supernatural secret—as a powerful incubus, he is able to influence others through erotic dreams. At an exclusive Christmas house party, his latest mission is compromised by the beautiful but deadly succubus Lucille Beaulieu. Though still drawn to his former lover, Val cannot forget her betrayal….
Hoping to atone for her past, Lucie uses her seductive powers to help couples find happiness. But she is distracted from her task by her own delicious dreams of the dark and dangerous Val.
As the riotous festivities begin, their passion is rekindled, but can a little Christmas magic restore their lost trust?

Here is this year's calendar for the Harlequin Historical Giveaway. For a calendar with clickable links, go to Jeannie Lin's blog. (http://www.jeannielin.com/harlequin-historical-holiday-giveaway-3/) For the rules, go to Michelle Willingham's website. (http://www.michellewillingham.com/official-rules/) Enter every day for more chances to win!

Harlequin Historical Giveaway Starts Today!

Here is a list of participating authors with links to their websites or blogs. At the end there's a grand prize of a Kindle Fire LDX Wifi. Enter every day and have fun!

Cheryl St. John – November 27
Elizabeth Rolls – November 28
Michelle Willingham – November 29
Annie Burrows – December 2
Ann Lethbridge – December 3
Marguerite Kaye – December 4
Barbara Monajem – December 5
Amanda McCabe – December 6
Louise Allen – December 9
Blythe Gifford – December 10
Kate Bridges – December 11
Michelle Styles – December 12
Georgie Lee – December 13
Jeannie Lin – December 16
Diane Gaston – December 17
Terri Brisbin – December 18
Julia Justiss – December 19
Lynna Banning – December 20
Grand Prize Drawing – December 23

Giveaways Small and Large!

Today I'm at Preternatura, the blog of the amazing Suzanne Johnson. (She writes such exciting books!) I'm giving away a download of Under a Christmas Spell.

http://suzanne-johnson.blogspot.com/2013/11/incubi-rampant-sex-and-holiday.html

 And coming soon:






The Harlequin Historical Authors are once again holding their Advent Calendar Giveaway!  This is an awesome contest with prizes each day and a grand prize at the end. I'll post details here and on my website soon.

NO-No-Wri-Mo

No, that's not a typo. November for me this year is No Novel Writing Month. It's partly burnout and partly chaos in life in general, so I'm taking a break.

But I'm still guest blogging and giving away books. Today I'm at the Paranormal Romance Blog giving away a download of my latest Regency novella, Under a Christmas Spell, to one lucky commenter. Hop on over to tell me what you would love to give someone for Christmas, and you might just win a download in return.:~)

http://paranormalromanceblog.com/

Happy After Halloween Giveaway! (And Release Day)

Greetings from the ghost cat, who hopes you enjoyed your spooky night. 

Another bulletin on the non-blog blog: Today I'm at the Pink Fuzzy Slipper Writers doing the Writerly Blog thingummy and also a giveaway of my new novella, Under a Christmas Spell. Hop on over there for a chance to win.

http://pinkfuzzyslipperwriters.blogspot.com/

Giveaway times two and why my incubu and succubus aren't demons

As anyone who reads this blog has probably noticed, this isn't a blog but a bulletin board. These days authors are encouraged to blog, but I don't think I have it in me. If I have to choose between writing stories or blogs, stories will always win out. But I do enjoy guest blogs!

So...today I'm a guest at Ella Quinn's blog to talk about my November 1 novella, Under a Christmas Spell, which is not only a Regency spy story, but stars an incubus and succubus who aren't demons. I'm giving away an e-copy of Under a Christmas Spell and a paperback of A Scandalous Regency Christmas, which contains 5 stories, one of which I wrote.

Do come and join us! http://ellaquinnauthor.wordpress.com/2013/10/25/spotlight-on-barbara-monajem/

Barbara

Indian Mounds and Giveaway at Beth Trissel's blog today

The title of this blog says it all. For a chance to win a copy of Heart of Constantine, go to Beth Trissel's blog, where I posted pics of my visit to the Cahokia Mounds in Illinois. I've visited many of these mounds during the years I've lived in the south, and I couldn't resist putting one in a book -- and then leaving a drugged, unconscious woman on top of it for Constantine to find.

http://bethtrissel.wordpress.com/2013/10/16/new-mystery-romance-the-heart-of-constantine-with-barbara-monajem/

Snapper soup

It's hard to get people in my house to eat leftover fish, so I made a soup. The same two people who might have eaten the fish ate the soup, but I have to say it was pretty good for a thrown-together meal.

Ingredients: Baked red snapper (bones removed), butter, (actually, it was ghee), chopped onions, chopped celery, chopped carrots, chopped parsley, lemon juice, salt, black paper, ancho chili pepper (ground), 2 bay leaves... I think that's it. I sauteed the onions and celery in the butter, added the carrots and snapper and stirred them around a bit, added water and the seasonings, and cooked until done. Good with bread and butter and more lemon or lime juice.

Ella Quinn today!

Just a quick post to say that I'm highlighting the amazing Ella Quinn today at the Pink Fuzzy Slipper Writers with her new release, The Seduction of Lady Phoebe. Drop by for a chance to win a copy! (I'm reading it now -- what a lively story!) It's the first in her series, The Marriage Game, so there are more great reads to come.

http://pinkfuzzyslipperwriters.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-astonishing-ella-quinn.html

Also, my Goodreads giveaway for Heart of Constantine is over. Thank you to everyone who entered. I'll get the books out to the winners ASAP.

Barbara

Goodreads Giveaways! Heart of Constantine & A Scandalous Regency Christmas

I'm surfacing from revisions of a Bayou Gavotte novella to say:


1) There are 15 copies of Heart of Constantine up for grabs right now on Goodreads. Go here to enter. The giveaway ends on October 10th.

2) There are also 3 copies of A Scandalous Regency Christmas up for grabs. This is an anthology of Christmas stories by Annie Burrows, Marguerite Kaye, Christine Merrill, Linda Skye, and me. These stories were previously available only in e-book form. (My story is A Lady's Lesson in Seduction.)  Annie Burrows is sponsoring the giveaway. To enter, go here. The giveaway ends on October 4th.

Home and Another Bayou Gavotte Giveaway

Got back home from Europe last night -- just in time for a guest post at Collette Cameron's blog, including an international giveaway of one of the Bayou Gavotte books (winner's choice). Hop on over if you'd like a chance to win. I'm celebrating the release of Heart of Constantine and will be for the rest of the week. There will be an interview with Constantine Dufray's spirit guide on Thursday at Suzanne Johnson's Preternatura, and a post on my Native American hero on Lois Winston's blog on Friday.  (Also, there are a few hours left to enter the giveaway at GraveTells.)

I adore the owl on the cover of Heart of Constantine. He's both beautiful and menacing -- just like Constantine, although the owl is a character in his own right.


I'm no photographer -- most of the time I forget to take pictures -- but there are some of Roman artifacts in my dh's camera which I will try to post here soon. Why Roman artifacts? Because they play a part in my next two novellas, which come out in November (Under a Christmas Spell) and January (Under a New Year's Enchantment). They're mostly in the second story, where the hero has dug up a hoard of Roman coins. I will get the covers and blurbs up soon!

I wish I'd had time to visit some Roman ruins while in Britain -- maybe next time! I would love to write a romantic story about Roman Britain one day... After I write one that takes place right after the Norman Conquest... Right after finishing the Regency fantasy I'm working on now... and the Bayou Gavotte novella I'm revising.. and...and...and.... So many stories, so little time. :)

HEART OF CONSTANTINE - Release Day!

GraveTells is helping me celebrate! There's a giveaway, and I get to talk about how having synesthesia inspired me to write about a heroine who sees auras - and into the heart of the troubled vigilante rock star of Bayou Gavotte, Constantine Dufray.

To go to the GraveTells site, click here.

To purchase from Amazon.com (Kindle or paper), click here.

To purchase from Amazon.co.uk (Kindle or paper), click here.

To purchase from Barnes and Noble (paper only), click here

Winners! in the History Lovers Grand Tour and Scavenger Hunt

Just a quick post, because I'm mired in edits and copy-edits: The winner of the $50 Grand Prize was Jessica, and the winner of my prize, downloads of The Magic of His Touch and Bewitched by His Kiss, was Mel Bourn. Congrats to both of you!

Jane, who never gets in the way of a hard-working author.

History Lovers Grand Tour and Scavenger Hunt

 

I'm participating in this awesome giveaway next week. It's a great way to get to sample authors you've never tried before. I'll be doing it via the Pink Fuzzy Slipper Writers Blog -- and will post more about it there.  The list of authors is below in alphabetical order.

 Grand Prize

$50 Gift Card

to the Book Retailer of Your Choice

24 Author Prizes

—All International—

Author Participants 

Rue

 Allyn
http://rueallynauthorblog.com
Amylynn

 Bright
http://thequillsisters.com
Collette

 Cameron
http://www.blueroseromance.com
Téa
Cooper
http://www.teacooperauthor.com
Beverley
Eikli
http://beverleyeikli.blogspot.com.au
Susana
Ellis
http://susanaellisauthor.wordpress.com
Aileen
Fish
http://aileenfish.com/blog/
Debra
Glass
http://debraglass.com/debraglass/
Amy
Hearst
http://www.amyhearst.com
Evangeline
Holland
http://edwardianpromenade.com
Piper
Huguley
http://piperhuguley.com
Eliza
Knight
http://www.historyundressed.com
Kristen
Koster
http://www.kristenkoster.com/
Cora
Lee
http://coraleeauthor.wordpress.com
Georgie
Lee
http://georgielee.blogspot.com/
Suzi
Love
http://www.suzilove.com
Denise
Lynn
http://deniselynnauthor.blogspot.com
Deborah
Macgillivray
http://deborahmacgillivray.blogspot.com
Barbara
Monajem
http://pinkfuzzyslipperwriters.blogspot.com
Shelly
Munro
http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog
Ella
Quinn
http://ellaquinnauthor.wordpress.com
Eva
Scott
http://www.evascottromance.com/apps/blog/
Shereen
Vedam
http://shereentwo.livejournal.com
Elaine
Violette
http://elainevioletteblogs.blogspot.com