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Looking Out The Window: Celebrating The Christmas Season With Carol James And Her New Novella, Mary's Christmas Surprise. Carol Will Give Away an eBook.



A Warm Welcome to Carol James

To enter to win Mary’s Christmas Surprise leave a comment and an email address below.

Carol shares a Bible verse to nourish our souls and a recipe to whet our appetites. 

One of Carol's favorite Bible verses is Psalm 91:1-2

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”




One of Carol's favorite recipes is her mother’s Cookie Canes

My mother had the gift hospitality. Not only did she enjoy cooking and entertaining, but she was good at both. One of my favorite possessions is her recipe book. I love looking at the stained pages and wondering how old I was when those markings were made.

Some of my fondest holiday memories are the times she and I made Christmas cookies together. My favorites were her cookie canes, maybe because my special job was using a hammer or meat cleaver to crush the peppermint sticks for the topping. (What child wouldn’t love such a noisy activity?)

Her cookie canes were her masterpieces, and over the years, she probably made thousands to give as gifts. I hope you will enjoy the recipe.



Lillian’s Cookie Canes

Mix together:
1/2 cup of shortening 
1/2 cup of butter
1 cup of confectioner’s sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift together:
 2 1/2 cups of flour and 1 tsp salt 

Stir flour mixture into butter mixture. Divide the dough into half. Color one half red, then chill the dough. Roll a small portion of each color into a “rope” about 4-5” long. Twist the red and white ropes together, and then shape into a cane. Bake at 375 on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes.

While the cookies are baking, mix 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup crushed peppermint sticks.

Remove cookies from oven and sprinkle immediately with the peppermint stick and sugar mixture. Cool and store in an airtight container.





Fun! And they sound yummy too!





About Mary's Christmas Surprise

Mary Sherman’s Christmas is nothing like she’s planned. Her fiancé has called off the engagement just days before Christmas, and her parents have gone on an anniversary cruise around the world.

Suddenly alone for the holidays, Mary returns to the comfort of her childhood home to spend Christmas in her parents’ empty house. There’s only one problem. The house is not empty. Unbeknownst to Mary, her parents have taken in a boarder, a handsome carpenter named Jake Wolesky.

Mary's Christmas surprise may make this the best holiday ever.

Buy Mary’s Christmas Surprise on  Amazon and Pelican Book Group

Bio: 

Carol James is an author of inspirational fiction. She lives in a small town outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, Jim, and a perky Jack Russell "Terrorist," Zoe.

Having always loved intriguing stories with happy endings, she was moved to begin writing to encourage others as she'd been encouraged by the works of other authors.

Her upcoming novel, The Waiting, will be available January, 2019.

Connect with Carol on

her website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter


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Comments

Carol James said…
Gail, thanks so much for having me here today!
November 27, 2018 at 4:04 AM
Unknown said…
Sounds like a terrific book! Thanks for the yummy cookie recipe:-)
November 27, 2018 at 6:02 AM
Carlene said…
Carol's book intrigues me. I just preordered. Meanwhile, I simply have to try making those cookies! Thank you.
November 27, 2018 at 8:18 AM
Emily Conrad said…
Was your mom's name Lillian? That was my grandma's name :) I think my mom used to make similar cookies. Thanks for the recipe! And your story sounds sweet, too :)
November 27, 2018 at 9:12 AM
Gail Pallotta said…
It's my pleasure to have you, Carol!
November 27, 2018 at 9:51 AM
Sonja said…
The recipe looks wonderful! I am going to try them. The book soumds so good, maybe a little sad, at least at first, I'm guessing. Would love to read this.
November 27, 2018 at 10:10 AM
Anita Klumpers said…
The cookies look wonderful and so does the book! Merry Christmas, ladies!
November 27, 2018 at 10:25 AM
Unknown said…
Those cookie canes sound delicious! May have to try that with my kids this year. ��
November 27, 2018 at 10:28 AM
Carol James said…
Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy the cookies.
November 27, 2018 at 12:30 PM
Carol James said…
Thanks, Carlene. Have fun with the cookies.
November 27, 2018 at 12:31 PM
Carol James said…
Yes, my mom was Lillian. I think it was a popular name for that generation, and it seems to be making a comeback. I hope you enjoy the recipe.
November 27, 2018 at 12:32 PM
Carol James said…
Thanks for stopping by, Sonja. The cookies are delicious! And since the novella is a romance, we know it will have a satisfying ending. ;-) And I LOVE happy endings.
November 27, 2018 at 12:34 PM
Carol James said…
Merry Christmas to you, Anita. And thanks for stopping by.
November 27, 2018 at 12:35 PM
Carol James said…
Making memories. Have fun! Thanks for stopping by.
November 27, 2018 at 12:36 PM
Mary A Felkins said…
So sweet to picture you and your mom baking these candy cane cookies together. They're beautiful! I have precious memories of baking Christmas gingerbread cookies with my mom. She allowed me to do the honor of icing and sprinkling...and eating. Thanks for sharing this memory.
November 27, 2018 at 1:24 PM
Carol James said…
Thanks, Mary. These sweet memories are priceless. I was often on “sprinkle” duty, as well.
November 27, 2018 at 1:58 PM
Unknown said…
Yum! I wonder if you could use almond flour in place of regular flour? I have family who can't have any kind of grains so almond flour it is for us. I love your writing too by the way :)
November 27, 2018 at 3:32 PM
Carol James said…
Ooooo. Almond flour sounds yummy. I’m not sure how it would work as a substitution. But, the cookies are somewhat soft, and from time to time my mom would add almond extract. If you try it, I’d love to know how it turns out. Thanks for stopping by!
November 27, 2018 at 3:37 PM
Pamela S Thibodeaux said…
Those cookies sound delicious!
Congrats on your new release.
Good luck and God's blessings
PamT
November 27, 2018 at 4:24 PM
Carol James said…
Thanks, Pam. They are yummy and melt in your mouth.
November 27, 2018 at 4:32 PM
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