Greek Lentil Salad

I absolutely love most Greek cuisine, and this is a delicious dish that is easy to make, packed with nutrition, and ideal for lunch on a warm spring day. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
• 3 cups of cooked lentils, drained
• 11⁄2 cups crumbled feta cheese
• 3⁄4 cup Greek vinaigrette salad dressing
• 1 sliced cucumber
• 1 cup of diced fresh tomatoes
• 1 medium diced onion

Directions:
11. Place lentils in a large mixing bowl.
12. Stir in 1⁄2 of the salad dressing.
13. Add feta, cucumber, tomatoes and onion.
14. Cover and refrigerate for an hour or two.
15. Before serving, add the rest of the salad dressing and stir.


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Spring Fever and Starting Something New

For the past several weeks, the weather has been amazing, and I’ve had a bad case of spring fever. I love when the weather warms up a bit – before the stifling summer heat arrives. My daily walks are enjoyable and not something I dread. But by mid-afternoon, I want to open the windows and take a nap.

I’m taking a short break before I start my next writing project – a women’s fiction book for Abingdon Press. I figure spring is a great time to start something new. This story, All Prettied Up at the Cut ‘n Curl, is centered on the ten-year class reunion in a small fictional town near Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The opening of the story leads up to the events of the big weekend, with everyone getting ready to show off what they’ve accomplished…or in this case, what they want people to think they’ve accomplished.

Before I start working on this book, I'm walking an extra few minutes each day. And I just might sneak in a nap or two.

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Happy International Waffle Day!

I have this really cool calendar that shows all these obscure holidays. Today is International Waffle Day, so now you have an excuse to fire up your waffle iron and enjoy!

Here's a recipe for yummy waffles:

Ingredients:
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 whole eggs, beaten
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 2 cups milk or buttermilk

Directions:
1. Preheat your waffle iron and spray with cooking spray.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. Mix the remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir well.
5. Carefully pour the batter onto the waffle iron.
6. Close the top and cook until they are done and easy to remove from the waffle iron. They should be golden brown.

Serve with your favorite syrup, fruit, eggs, and bacon or ham.


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Happy National Goof Off Day!

Believe it or not, my calendar claims that March 22 is National Goof Off Day! How fun is that! It’s been sanctioned by someone, but I don’t recommend trying to get away with goofing off if you A) have to report to a supervisor at work, B) have a small child who depends on you for meals, transportation, or general care, or B) have any life-or-death situation that requires you to NOT goof off.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t goof off at all. If you have some freedom or even a few spare minutes in your day, you might take advantage of the holiday. I think it’s actually good for you to goof off every once in a while. So let’s think of some great ways to goof off.

Here are a few ways I can think of:

• Turn off the ringer on your phone and settle down with a good book by your favorite author.
• Close the shades, blinds and curtains, grab a blanket and pillow, and take a nap on the sofa.
• Go to your favorite park or beach and relax with nature.



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Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Are you wearing green? Do you know why you're wearing green? Any idea why you see shamrocks everywhere on St. Patrick's Day? I did a bit of research to find out.

St. Patrick’s Day is the celebration of the anniversary of Patrick, the son of an of Roman-British army officer Calpurnius. He was born in either Scotland or Roman England with the name Maewyn Succat. He was sold into slavery by pirates who kidnapped him.

After a dream of seeing God, he escaped to Britain then went to France where he joined a monastery. He trained for 12 years then became a bishop. After dreaming that he was called to Ireland to share the news about God, he went with the Pope’s blessing and managed to convert quite a few of the Irish—many of them Pagans.

Patrick was arrested a few times, but he always managed to escape. He set up monasteries and schools throughout Ireland. Legends claim that St. Patrick used a 3-leaf shamrock to show the Trinity of Christianity.



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Happy Birthday, Albert Einstein!

Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879 – 132 years ago! In addition to his brilliance in physics, I discovered some interesting tidbits about this man.

Fun facts about Albert Einstein:
• He was a chubby baby.
• Albert was a late talker.
• He didn’t pass his college entrance exam the first time he took it.
• He was known to be quite a womanizer.
• Albert lived to be 89.

Sounds to me like Mr. Einstein had a bit of slacker in him, yet he still managed to make a difference in the world. I think there's a lesson in there somewhere.

I think all intelligent and not-so-smart people should find a way to celebrate Albert Einstein's! Read a great book or learn something new. Share your knowledge with family and friends!


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Interview With Lena Nelson Dooley and Chance for a Free Book!

Lena Nelson Dooley posted an interview with me on her blog today. Go there and leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Sweet Baklava! Lena's Blog.

A Few of My Favorite Authors

Most of my friends know me as a writer, but long before that (like way back in the Dark Ages), I was an avid reader. In fact, I still am. I’m a very happy person when I have stacks of books by my favorite authors, a few current magazines, and the daily newspaper.

I have eclectic taste in reading. Sometimes I enjoy cozy mysteries or women’s fiction, but my all-time favorite books are romances or books with strong romantic elements.

Here ‘s a list of some of my favorite authors:
• Sandra Bricker
• Trish Perry
• Jenny B. Jones
• Pamela Morsi
• Shelley Shepard Gray
• Margaret Daley
• Anne George
• Kristin Billerbeck
• Diann Hunt
• Rachel Hauck
• Joyce Magnin

If you can think of an author I haven’t listed, please let me know. I might already know about her (or him), but just in case, I’d love to discover a new voice!


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Greek Pilafi (rice) Recipe

Sometimes you need a side dish that is filling and goes with anything. Here’s a Greek rice recipe that is a great go-to item.

Pilafi (rice)

Ingredients:
• 2 cups uncooked rice
• 1/2 cup butter
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 2 tsp. salt

Directions:
1. Melt butter on medium in a large pan.
2. Brown the uncooked rice in the butter.
3. Add the chicken stock and salt. Stir. Bring to a boil.
4. Turn down the heat, cover, and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.



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Blogging Job opportunity

I just learned that there's a job opportunity for people interested in blogging. It's a paid gig. If you want the details, check it out here: Quips and Tips Blog.


Most writers I know do more than one thing. Even successful novelists often have their hands in editing, proofreading, freelance nonfiction articles, web writing, teaching, and whatever else they can find to supplement their income. I think it's smart to have more than one stream of income to prevent the loss of one from being so devastating.


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