Looking Out the Window: Jude Urbanski Talks about Nurtured in Purple. Gives Away an E-book and Shares Grandma Glady's Fudge Recipe

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Jude shares her favorite recipe. Yum. The fudge sounds delicious.

She also shares an inspirational story with her favorite Bible Verse.

She talks about her new book, Nurtured in Purple, and gives away an e-book. To enter to win leave a comment and an email address.





Nourish the Body
Below:  Grandma Glady who is so well loved!


                        Grandma’s Fudge
Family tradition has it that every Christmas and, occasionally in between, we make Grandma Glady’s fudge. Her mother probably taught her the secret recipe. Grandma Glady also bequeathed us the Christmas Coffee Cake recipe, but today you’ll make friends with the fudge of your life. This fudge is not even chocolate; it is caramel fudge, but family members call it Karo Fudge. Karo, now, doesn’t sound too appealing, but caramel—well, caramel brings out my addictive behaviors and I’ve been known to become sick from too much caramel fudge.

When made to perfection, this is the creamiest fudge to cross your lips. When the batch doesn’t quite gel, you have a very nice, thick ice cream sauce. Not a bad thing, but just not what Christmas means at this house.

So, a call is made for ‘all hands on deck’ when the fudge is started. After the blend of the luscious ingredients (nearly all sweet), a stirrer is needed for about 1-1 ½ hours. Until formation of the infamous ‘firm ball.’ Another stirring team takes over after this occurrence and is on deck for an additional 1-2 hours. Until that special ‘snap’ is heard (around the kitchen) and that sheen on the fudge glistens like diamonds.

At this point, the goal is in sight. In fact, the fudge must be dumped and spread at just this moment lest it gets too hard. I confess to the delicious satisfaction of spreading this beautiful fudge in my 9x13 pan. Wisdom says to cut into the size pieces wanted before it gets really settled for Christmas celebration. It’s a little harder to cut after this.
I can’t tell you how many years we have marched through the tradition of Grandma Glady’s fudge and how much enjoyment it has been in spite of the time required. Would that every family could have a similar tradition and you know what? It’s never too late to make memories or traditions.

Above is a photo of my old recipe and in case you can’t read the ingredients, here they are:
• 6 cups sugar
• 1 pint white Karo syrup
• 1 large can Carnation milk
• 1 small can Carnation milk
• 1 pound butter
• 2 cups English walnuts
Mix all together, bring to boil, stir continuously until firm ball forms, and beat until thick.
        
Nourish the Soul
One of My Favorite Bible Verses
I say one of my favs, because I have many. This one moved to the top of my list when I wrote a special book with our daughter. That book (2006) was called I Can’t Remember Me and the title is based on her amnesia after her tragic automobile accident in which her little son was killed and she suffered a forever traumatic brain injury.  With God’s help, our families journeyed through that dark time, came out victorious and acknowledge we have much to be thankful for.

But while going through those days, these verses from Habakkuk gave me supernatural strength. Even though nothing was right in the situation at that time, I still rejoiced in my Sovereign Lord and I knew it was not my strength. He was the one enabling me to go the heights and to have feet like a deer. 

So, even though there are no crops in the field, no grapes on the vine or sheep in the pens, yet will I choose to worship my Savior. Translated for us who write, it may go like this: even though today’s mail brought another rejection, even though I am can’t string two words together much less write a synopsis, I will still have a peace and know I am where I should be.

Hab 3:17-19
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
Though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,
Though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The sovereign Lord is my strength,
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer.
He enables me to go the heights.

About Jude's New Book, Nutured in Purple
The Chronicles of Chanute Crossing Book Two: Nurtured in Purple
Willard Wittenberg and Elizabeth Koger, antagonists in Book One of The Chronicles of Chanute Crossing, are slammed against the proverbial wall, but God's redeeming love shatters their darkness.

An Excerpt from Nurtured in Purple
Chapter One
Chill, Willard, chill.
I have to act cool if I want to bump Seth Orbin out of this big sale and I do. Oh, yes I do.

He transferred the phone receiver to his other ear. This conversation was heating up.
''Well, you see, Hansford, in my opinion, the wood from Orbin Sawmills is inferior and will not meet your expectations, by any means. I don't sell wood, but in my career as a paper salesman, I've seen a lot of wood, if I do say so. I know you're used to the best wood available."

He paused and paced around his desk.

''Now, there is this mill in Burkesville I think you'd like and I know a man who can get you the very best deal there is. Want me to talk to him?"

Willard waited, wiped sweat from his brow, and ran his fingers around the neck of his collar.

''You do?" He hesitated just slightly. "Great." A silent sigh of relief shuddered through him, but he allowed a smile to crawl up his face. ''I'll get right on it and call you back."
Maybe a few more sweet deals like this will make ole' Seth hurt.

He laughed and began dialing.

Willard Wittenberg had a vendetta to settle with Seth Orbin. His fiancée Elizabeth Koger had a vendetta to settle with Kate, Seth's pregnant wife.

Bio
Jude Urbanski writes women's fiction featuring a strong inspirational romance element. She invites you to stories of heroes and heroines who spin tragedy into triumph with help from God.

She has been writing in some fashion nearly all her life. Her mother wrote sweet romances in the 1930's, her daughters write, as do her grandchildren and several other family members.

First published in nonfiction, Jude continues to write in this field also. She has two electronic novels, The Chronicles of Chanute Crossing Series, published by Desert Breeze Publishing. She is a columnist for Maximum Living, a magazine focusing on spirituality and wellness for women. She has been a blogger for Ellechor Publishing, Hoosier Ink and her own blog.

Jude graduated from Indiana University with a Master’s Degree in Nursing. She is a member of national and area chapters of American Christian Fiction Writers and the National League of American Pen Women. She serves as president of her local Pen Women Branch. Jude and her husband Conrad live in Indiana, volunteer in the community and their church, love travel and biking and share a blended family of eight beautiful children and a gaggle of just- as-beautiful grandchildren.

Learn more about Jude at her Web site and Blog

Buy Nurtured in Purple at Amazon and Desert Breeze Publishing