Pretty Sassy Cool All Things Pretty, Sassy, and Cool.
All month long, we’re featuring some of our favorite authors, along with a quick Q&A and some of their favorite recipes. We’ve got daily giveaways with chances to win some amazing (and steamy!) reads plus a month-long Recipes for Romance Grand Prize Giveaway for a box filled with books and more!
Today Karen Templeton stopped by with a recipe for Cranberry/Apricot Glazed Sweet Potatoes!
**Q&A with Karen Templeton**
Decorating the tree, hands down. We’re still doing real trees (my sons, even though they’re grown, wouldn’t have it any other way), and I try to buy at least a few new ornaments every year…which means, after forty years, I have to rotate some of them because I have so many. š
Hah. Birthing my fourth son in front of the Christmas tree definitely wins that honor. He was three weeks late, and my husband determined the tree was NOT coming down until the kid came out.
Now, the plan was to birth at home…but in our bedroom. Not the living room. However, the midwife suggested I walk to get things going, so I went into the living room, where I went from 0-60 in five minutes (4th baby, I had a history of short labors, this probably wasn’t the smartest move in the world). And once I hit hard labor, I wasn’t going anywhere. So baby arrived by the light of the Christmas tree maybe ten minutes after I walked into the room?
I’m a big fan of traditional, 19th century carols — God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and Hark the Herald Angels Sing, as well as O Come, O Come Emmanuel…among others. Movies: It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street (the original!), National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and White Christmas.
Peppermint Mocha
Egg Nog
Themed Christmas Tree. At least, by color. My living room is actually already Christmas-colored, in reds and tans and greens, so I do a very traditional tree, with pops of other jewel tones, like purples and blues. And there must be sparkle! Because Christmas is all about the sparkle. š
Old School Bulbs. White fairy lights, actually, wrapped around fake greenery with big red bows.
I love picking out the perfect gift for my kids and grandkids, and enjoy watching the chaos on Christmas morning as they unwrap everything. With five, it was always crazy…and wonderful. š
**About Karen Templeton**
Since 1998, Karen has written nearly fifty family-oriented, heartwarming romances for Harlequin Books. Her unique mix of down-to-earth characters, hard-hitting subject matter and dry humor have earned her three RITA awards and subsequent induction into Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. Mother to five boys and grandma to two more, this East Coast native has called New Mexico home for the past 30 years, where she lives with two hideously spoiled cats and whichever of those sons happens to be in residence.
We can’t wait to try out Karen’s delicious recipe for:
**Cranberry/Apricot Glazed Sweet Potatoes**
| Side Dishes | Prep Time: 20-30 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes (I always make this the day before, then heat the day of. It can be kept warm on the stove or a heating tray for up to two hours.) | Serves: 12 – 15 |
Ingredients:
- 1/2 c. water
- 1-2/3 c. chopped dried apricots (about 8 oz)
- 3/4 c. dried cranberries, such as Craisins
- 1-12 oz can apricot nectar
- 1 tsp. grated orange rind (dried is fine)
- 1/4 c. orange juice
- 2 tbs. butter (or margarine), melted
- 11 c. peeled sweet potatoes or yams, sliced 1/4″ thick (about 4 lbs.)
- 1/2 c. packed brown sugar, divided
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Boil potato slices until just tender, about 10-15 minutes. Drain well, set aside.
- Combine 1/2 c. water, apricots, cranberries and nectar in medium saucepan. Bring to boil and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Drain mixture in colander over a bowl, reserving both mixture and cooking liquid. Add rind, OJ, and butter to liquid and set aside.
- Arrange half the potatoes in a 3 quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with half the apricot mixture and 1/4 c. sugar. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Pour reserved cooking liquid over all. Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Want more Side Dishes? Get recipes for Side Dishes and lots of other delectable holiday dishes from your favorite authors all month long right here on Steamy Guys After Dark!
**About A Gift for All Seasons**
A Gift for All Seasons by Karen Templeton
Series: Summer Sisters
Published by Harlequin on October 16, 2012
Pages: 224
Hiring Patrick Shaughnessy to landscape her new inn was strictly a business arrangement. Until April Ross got to know the war-scarred single father Ā and his irrepressible little girl. Patrick made it clear he wasn’t looking for romance. Neither was April. But could she make him see that some risks were worth taking?
The lively, widowed blonde might be the most tempting woman Patrick had ever known, but the returning vet knew a happy ending wasn’t in the cards. Still, that was before April started working her magic on his daughter Ā and on him. Maybe this Christmas was a time for new beginnings ā if Patrick had the courage to go with the powerful feelings April had awakened in himĀ .
Other Books in Summer Sisters Series:
Other Books by Karen Templeton:
***GIVEAWAY***
Don’t forget to enter our month-long Recipes for Romance Grand Prize Giveaway for a box filled with books and more!
Happy Holidays!
xo-
The Steam Team
I love Chex Mix at the holidays!
I have not read any of Karen’s book. But I would love to!
I love a good, old fashioned cookies and milk cause you can’t go wrong with those, especially when cozying up in the winter
apple pie
double oatmeal cookies with dried fruit and nuts