Recipes

It's pumpkin season! That means there is no reason not to make these delicious bars. This version is an adaptation of three of my mom's pumpkin bar recipes. It's the best from each! You can add raisins and/or walnuts if you like, but since my children are opposed to finding "debris" in their bars, these are simple and still so delicious. This recipe makes a LOT of bars, so it's great to share with others. OR make a pan, frost them, and freeze as many as you want to! I experimented with this, myself, since you all know my love of making food ahead and freezing it. I was going to wait two months to see if the bars were just as good after thawing, but alas, I only lasted one month before I had to eat them again. Yes, they were just as good as when they were fresh. Here you go: 2 cups sugar 1 can (15 oz) solid-pack pumpkin 1 cup vegetable oil 4 eggs 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon cloves FROSTING: 1/3 cup butter, softened 1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened 1 tablespoon milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, pumpkin, oil and eggs. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and all the spices and salt. Gradually add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Pour into a greased 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. For the frosting, combing butter, cream cheese, milk and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Beat until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Spread over bars. Store in refrigerator, or freeze. Enjoy!

Short and sweet update for you today--very sweet, in fact! First, I've got two French recipes to share with you in this easy-to-print PDF file. Here you'll find directions to make Classic French Palmiers, and Crepes, along with pictures of how mine turned out! I experimented with these recipes with book club treats in mind for those of you planning to use The Mark of the King, but these are just fun and delicious to make at any time, for any reason. Enjoy! Second: Litfuse Publicity is currently running a 5-book give-away for The Mark of the King. It's open from now until Feb. 6. Enter here! Speaking of give-aways, there's still time to enter the drawing for my French New Orleans-themed give-away too! It's open until Feb. 16. Check it out over here.    

Have you ever read a book that made you hungry enough to head to the kitchen? That's what happened to Pegg Thomas last week when she was about half way through Spy of Richmond. Apparently the references to ginger cakes (gingerbread) that the Kent household cook prepared for the Union prisoners were just descriptive enough to convince Pegg it was high time she had some herself. Thankfully for the rest of us, she's sharing her family recipe with all of us! Thank you Pegg! 2 1/4 cups flour 1/3 cup sugar 1 cup molasses 3/4 cup hot water 1/2 cup oil 2 eggs 1 tsp soda 1 tsp ginger 1 tsp cinnamon 3/4  tsp salt Mix all and beat well. Pour into well-greased 9” square glass dish. Bake at 325 for 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm with whipped cream or applesauce. About Pegg Pegg lives on a hobby farm in Northern Lower Michigan with Michael, her husband. They have a few animals including Trooper – the horse, Tam and Murphy – the dogs, 3 barn cats, 2 rabbits, 8 sheep (plus lambs in spring), 9 laying hens, and several pigs in the summer months. They also have a large garden, a small orchard, and a growing berry patch.Besides writing, she enjoys a variety of crafts including spinning her sheep’s wool into yarn, knitting, counted cross stitch, quilting, scrapbooking, and card making. She and Michael enjoy camping, fishing, boat-nerding (you have to be a Great Lakes person to know about that), and thoroughbred horse racing. A life-long history geek, it’s no surprise that historical fiction is her genre. Colonial America and the Civil War era are favorite time periods to both read and write. Her favorite type of book centers on a great fiction story surrounded by factual historical events. Find more about Pegg here. *Do YOU have a recipe to share that was inspired by any of the Heroines Behind the Lines Civil War books? I'd love to put it on the blog! Message me through the contact tab or email me: jocelyn@jocelyngreen.com. Spy of Richmond (Heroines Behind the Lines Civil War Book 4) [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"1170", "attributes":{"class":"media-image alignleft size-full wp-image-2014", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"125", "height":"193", "alt":"125Spycover"}}]] Compelled to atone for the sins of her slaveholding father, Union loyalist Sophie Kent risks everything to help end the war from within the Confederate capital and abolish slavery forever. But she can’t do it alone. Former slave Bella Jamison sacrifices her freedom to come to Richmond, where her Union soldier husband is imprisoned, and her twin sister still lives in bondage in Sophie’s home. Though it may cost them their lives, they work with Sophie to betray Rebel authorities. Harrison Caldwell, a Northern journalist who escorts Bella to Richmond, infiltrates the War Department as a clerk–but is conscripted to defend the city’s fortifications. As Sophie’s spy network grows, she walks a tightrope of deception, using her father’s position as newspaper editor and a suitor’s position in the ordnance bureau for the advantage of the Union. One misstep could land her in prison, or worse. Suspicion hounds her until she barely even trusts herself. When her espionage endangers the people she loves, she makes a life-and-death gamble. Will she follow her convictions even though it costs her everything–and everyone–she holds dear?     

UPDATE: The winner, using random.org, is Laurel! Congrats! Today I am so excited to have Kathleen L. Maher with us to share her family recipe for Irish stew. She is also graciously giving away a $15 gift card to Amazon to one lucky commenter! But first, allow me to tell you about her new Civil War novella, Bachelor Buttons. Here's the blurb: The daughter of immigrants who fled the Irish Potato Famine, Rose Meehan longs for a better life than the tenements of New York City. Courted by two men--a young doctor who represents material security, and a poor violin instructor who has captured her heart--she must choose between a life of advantage-grabbing or a life of faith. When Manhattan explodes in mob rule following Lincoln's unpopular draft, the heroic action of one suitor brings provision for those she loves, and reveals God's plan. I knew I would like this novella even before I opened it because it dares to set the story against a very tumultuous piece of American history: the New York City draft riots of 1863. That's why I started reading it in the first place. But what kept me reading--and what made me LOVE it--was Kathleen Maher's commitment to history (even the parts we're not proud of), and the sweet romance that  unfolded against the backdrop of war. Having researched this time and place myself, I found myself nodding and mentally applauding the author for capturing cultural nuances and delivering them to us in such an intriguing package. I can't wait to read more from Kathleen Maher. Even more delightful: the romance in this story is based on the true courtship story of Kathleen's Irish immigrant great-great-grandmother. Now for her recipe! I'll let her take over from here... Irish Stew Irish immigrants like my great, great grandmother were often poor and had to make due with whatever they might have had from their gardens and in their larders. Stew was a perfect fallback meal, utilizing what was on hand with room for embellishment. For my stew, I like to use the same plain staples like carrots, onions, potatoes and meat that most kitchens would have had handy 150 years ago. Simple, easy, and hearty enough for the coldest New York winter day. [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"872", "attributes":{"class":"media-image alignright size-full wp-image-1452", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"300", "height":"252", "alt":"stew"}}]]Ingredients for “shanty” Irish stew 2-3lb roast or stew meat—bite sized squares 1 large onion—chopped in 1-inch chunks 3-4 cups water 1-2lb carrots, peeled coins or baby carrots 5 lb potatoes peeled, 1 ½ inch chunks 3-4 Tablespoons flour 1 cup milk Salt and pepper to taste Optional extras for “lace curtain” Irish stew: 1lb lamb, cut into chunks 1  tbsp Garlic 2 Celery stalks, chopped into ½ inch crescents ½ cup peas beef broth in lieu of water Cut meat (chuck roast, and optional lamb) into bite sized squares, sear in Dutch oven or sauce pot on high heat with 3 Tablespoons oil. Add onion (and garlic), caramelize on medium heat.   Add water (or broth), , cover and simmer for 1 hour on low. Add potatoes, carrots, (celery) and simmer for another half hour. Separate juices into medium saucepan: measure flour into mason jar and add 1 cup warm juices, seal jar and shake vigorously together (for fewer lumps in gravy), return to pan of juices on low heat, stirring until bubbling, add milk, then salt and pepper to taste. Combine gravy with meat and potatoes and serve! Yield: Enough for one large Irish Catholic family The Give-Away To enter the drawing for the $15 Amazon gift card, simply leave a comment answering the following question: What's your ethnic heritage? We know Kathleen's is Irish, and I can tell you mine is Swedish and Norwegian. Now it's your turn! A winner will be selected using random.org on Friday, May 24. HINT: Bachelor Buttons is only 99 cents at Amazon through the month of May! So regardless of whether you win the gift card, hopefully those of you who are interested can treat yourselves to a great summertime read! [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"771", "attributes":{"class":"media-image alignright size-full wp-image-891", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"125", "height":"193", "alt":"Widow cover 3 125"}}]]Bonus Give-away This week on her blog, History Repeats Itself, Kathleen shares why she was skeptical of my novel Widow of Gettysburg before she read it, what she thought afterwards, AND she's giving away a copy of Widow as well as a copy of her novella Bachelor Buttons. Hop on over to enter her drawing-it closes on Friday May 24! [[{"type":"media", "view_mode":"media_large", "fid":"955", "attributes":{"class":"media-image alignleft wp-image-1454", "typeof":"foaf:Image", "style":"", "width":"138", "height":"180", "alt":"meatDanswedding_zpsadd38b2d"}}]]About Kathleen: Kathleen L. Maher’s novella Bachelor Buttons releases through Helping Hands Press in May, 2013 as part of a Civil War sesquicentennial collection. Her Civil War manuscript won the historical category of ACFW’s Genesis contest in 2012. She has finaled in several writing contests since 2009. Represented by Terry Burns of Hartline Literary Agency, Kathleen blogs about New York State history and enjoys reading and writing reviews for historical CBA releases.  She and her husband live in a 100-year-old farmhouse in upstate NY with their three children, two rescued Newfoundland dogs and a tuxedo cat.

Of course no book club is complete without food, and what better way to add flavor to your experience than to sample some of the foods eaten by characters in the novel? Below you’ll find recipes for Civil War foods enjoyed by characters in Wedded to War. Some of these have been modernized so you can try them at home, and some are taken straight from cookbooks published during the Civil War. 1. Charlotte Waverly’s Tea Time Sighing, Charlotte reached for the Blue Willow teacup on the walnut table next to her, and breathed in the fragrance of orange and cloves. She picked up the New York Times and froze. Without taking her eyes off the paper, she rattled the cup back on its saucer. ~Wedded to War  Afternoon tea was a regular routine in the Waverly household. Try these Tea Cakes with Charlotte’s favorite tea—orange spice—or her sister Alice’s favorite—raspberry. Ingredients: 5 cups flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg 1 cup butter 1 cup buttermilk 2 large eggs 2 cups sugar Heat the oven to 375 F. Grease the cookie sheets with butter. Combine flour, soda, and nutmeg together in a large mixing bowl. Cut in the butter with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 Cup milk, 2 eggs, and sugar. Pour into dry ingredients. Stir well. Wash hands and lightly coat your fingertips with butter. Shape the dough into 1 inch round bowls. Place the balls on baking sheets. Dip a fork in flour and use it to flatten the balls in a criss/cross pattern like you might do for peanut butter cookies. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 5 dozen. *Recipe courtesy of Total Gettysburg 2. Dr. Caleb Lansing’s Hardtack Wiping his glistening forehead with the back of his hand, Caleb looked through the haze of smoke at the rest of the camp. The men sat on the ground or overturned barrels, unwrapping small bundles of hardtack from their haversacks. He pulled out his own, placed it on a flat rock, and rammed a Sharp rifle butt onto it, breaking it into pieces. ~Wedded to War Hardtack was a staple food in the Union soldier’s diet, but notorious for being either rock hard or full of weevils. Imagine drilling and marching for miles with very little but hardtack to eat! Ingredients: butter for greasing the baking pan 5 cups all-purpose flour 1 TB baking powder 1 TB salt 1 2/3 cups water Preheat the oven to 450 F. Grease the baking sheet. In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and water. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon. With freshly washed hands, squeeze the flour mixture with your fingers, this will be a very stiff dough. Flatten the dough to about 1/2 inch into a large rectangle. Using a knife, lightly trace lines into the dough to divide the pieces into 3 X 3″ square pieces. Use a toothpick to prick holes across the entire surface in neat rows 3/4 of an inch apart. Be sure the holes go all the way through the dough to the baking sheet. Bake the dough about 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool 10 minutes. Remove the hardtack from the baking sheet with a metal spatula. Makes about 9 hard crackers. *Recipe courtesy of Total Gettysburg 3. Matthew O’Flannery’s Camp Potatoes We don’t get to see Matthew eating his camp potatoes with his fellow soldiers in New York’s 69th regiment in the novel, but as an Irishman, you can bet he was eating these as a welcome break from hardtack whenever potatoes were available. This recipe is a simple one, from Camp Fires and Camp Cooking, or Culinary Hints for the Soldier, by Capt. James M. Sanderson (1862): “Cut the vegetable into thin slices and throw them into cold water for half an hour; then put them into fat hissing hot and fry them until they acquire a golden hue. Some persons cut them only into quarters, but they are not near so crisp and nice.” Which Civil War recipe would you like to try? What food would you not want to live without during wartime?   Find three more Civil War recipes to try here.