Wednesday, March 28, 2012

New E-Book Available - Freewill by Elyse Draper


FreewillFreewill by Elyse Draper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you are in the mood for a paranormal romance, a dark and angry villain, and a lot of fascinating twists and turns, then this is the book for you. Freewill offers the reader a chance to look at death in the face in a way that no other writer has taken on. The story of Ellie and Christopher will capture you right away and keep you turning from page to page. Awash in beautiful words and poetic passages, Elyse Draper's start to the Freewill Trilogy will keep you begging for more.


Rated PG-13 for content and theme.

Now Available for the Kindle, Nook, Smashwords.com and more.

View all my reviews

Rated via Goodreads.com - follow me on Goodreads

Monday, March 26, 2012

Available Now on Amazon.com!


Divine by Nature is now available on Amazon.com!


Stories about nature fill the pages as Intuitive Writer, Michelle L. Hankes, takes you on a journey through the Divine world we call Nature. Meet rain entities who play and laugh inside a storm. Encounter rock beings older than recorded history whose wisdom sheds light about where we came from and where we might be going. And voyage into the insight of water – one of the most miraculous and incredible creations on planet Earth. For the first time in printed form, the souls of nature speak out sharing their stories, their insight and their wisdom about living on our planet and connecting to the Divine within us all. 







Also available on CreateSpace.com





Available soon for the Kindle and Nook. 

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The Secret To Pinterest's Success: We're Sick Of Each Other


I think this article has really hit the nail on the head. It's not that we're really sick of one another - not in the way that you might think. The truth is we're sick of watching everybody post things to Facebook and Twitter that make their lives look glamorous or fabulous in a way that leaves us feeling less than wonderful.

And the truth of all of that is that these people's lives aren't as glamorous and fabulous as Twitter and Facebook posts would lead you to believe. Most of them lead regular lives just like the one we're leading, but through a 140-word virtual post, a life can be made into almost anything.

I love Pinterest. And not for the most obvious reasons. Sure, I want people to repin  my pins and tell me if they were successes or failures when they tried to make a certain recipe or create a certain craft. But mostly, I just want a place to post the mass number of things I come across in any given day online, in magazines, in books, anywhere. I just want a place to put them so I can refer back to them with ease. This is something I have been doing for years. Some people call it vision boarding, some people create Life books (I have several), other people create collages. But in any case, they are all doing the same thing: creating a visual reminder of what you like in hopes that you'll be able to create it in your own experience.

Pinterest has become a tool for visioning our lives; a way to share and experience with others and find things that may not have been so easily found otherwise. Maybe you're looking for a holiday craft to do with the kids. Go to Pinterest and see what others have found. It saves a load of time and gets you to websites that you might never have gone to otherwise. It's spreading our love of one another around the globe - very, very quickly.

I love the creators of Pinterest for making my life easier and more fun. Yes, I like many others find myself spending hours on Pinterest or pinning various things I have come to find. But I like it. It makes me feel good to see these endless array of things I know that I myself can create or buy with the click of a button. It's awesome. It think it is officially my favorite new site.

But on the flip side to the business world, does anybody know how Pinterest makes their money? Anyone? Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest are all free, but they have one distinct difference. Pinterest has no ads. All the other major social media sites have ads, games, and the like to increase their revenue. Even Goodreads has ads. But not on Pinterest...

Anybody have an idea?

This website seems to have the best explanation.

http://buzzraid.com/how-does-pinterest-work/

Is it true? Maybe. Does it matter? Nope. I'm gonna pin all I want for right now. :)

Happy pinning, everybody!

Monday, March 19, 2012

Meatloaf Cupcakes - cutest meat you'll ever eat



Does anyone ever have a craving for meatloaf? I mean, really? Ever?

Well, on rare occasions, I do. I think back to when I was little and my mom used to make that ever so reminiscent loaf oozing over with that red ketchup sauce, baked to perfection. I watched her closely and not only did she add her special ingredient of love, but she labored over it. Making a meatloaf takes time and effort. It's not a throw-it-together-and-get-it-on-the-table-in-twenty kind of food. It takes time and love.

And patience.

Most recipes call for almost an hour baking time or more.

The Mother Loaf 
So, when I saw a new kind of bakery featured on an episode of Sugar High on the Food Network, I was intrigued by this amazing new discovery - the meatloaf cupcake. It sounded and LOOKED delicious. I was more than intrigued. I was beguiled.

I wanted to test this little savory confection for all it's worth and see if it was reminiscent of my beloved childhood dinner and worthy of being placed in the long line of memorable entrees.

Loaf-a-Roma
The Meatloaf Bakery in Chicago, Illinois is the source of this fascination. They have taken the basic, 50's era, mainstream staple and created a work of art. The "cupcakes" are not even remotely sweet, other than by their very nature. They come in just about every variety with genius inspiration by an owner who clearly loves this vintage food. Cynthia, the creator of The Meatloaf Bakery, lovingly bakes individual portion-sizes in jumbo cupcake pans and then gets really creative with the toppings. She uses everything from garlic mashed potatoes to spaghetti with a meatball-inspired base to a gluten-free vegetarian option topped with a roasted red bell pepper coulis.

And each of them looks gorgeous, mouth-watering and incredibly yummy.

The Omega-3 Loaf
Ah, the ubiquitous meatloaf redesigned in a fresh, newly-modern, ready-to-eat package that is cuter than words can possibly say. I think I'm in love.

This culinary genius has even gone so far as to create a meatloaf cake for party-goers who just can't handle one more ultra-sweet, way-to-sugary baked confection. And I think I might just convert. Or at least make it for a special occasion like my sweet neighbor's birthday - who doesn't favor sweet treats much at all. Or for my stepdad who enjoys a piece of cake or pie on occasion, but would hands-down prefer a cake made entirely from meat and potatoes. Not only am I in love; I think I'm sold.

Thank you, Meatloaf Bakery. You have changed how I view meatloaf forever. <3

And then, my love and meat-colored glasses came to a screeching halt.

I don't live in Chicago.

I don't live anywhere near Chicago.

What's a girl to do when she needs to get her savory cupcake on? Do what I do best. Get creative.




Meatloaf Cupcakes with Mashed Potato Frosting


Recipe by Hannah Smith and Michelle Hankes 


Makes 6 jumbo cupcakes or 9 regular cupcakes


Meatloaf Cupcakes:

½             large onion, diced (about ½ cup)
1              tsp chopped garlic (about 2 cloves)
1              lb lean ground beef
4              uncooked chicken sausages of choice (we chose basil and sundried tomato), casings removed and discarded
¼             cup breadcrumbs (regular or gluten-free)
1              egg, lightly beaten
1-2          tsp Italian seasoning or Penzey’s Pasta Sprinkles
¼             cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
½             cup grated mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
Oil, for sautéing


Mashed Potato Frosting:

7-8          medium red potatoes (about 4 cups), cut into 2-inch chunks (peeling is optional)
2              oz. cream cheese, cut into small pieces and allowed to come to room temperature
1              tbsp butter, room temperature
½             tbsp ground cumin
¼             cup milk (or to taste)
Salt and pepper, to taste


1. For meatloaf cupcakes: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Generously spray a 6-cup jumbo muffin pan with cooking oil and set aside.

2. Heat 1-2 tbsp of oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic with a pinch or two of salt and pepper to the pan and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool briefly.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine beef, sausage, breadcrumbs, egg, seasonings, cheeses and several nice, generous pinches of salt and pepper. Combine gently with hands, just until mixed.

4. Taking care that the onion mixture isn’t too hot to touch, add the onions and garlic to the meat mixture. Gently mix with hands to combine. Don’t over mix.

5. Divide meat mixture into 6 equal portions and press lightly into oiled muffin pan. Gently pat down and flatten the tops of each “cupcake.”

6. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the largest meatloaf cupcake no longer shows pink in the middle and reaches a safe temperature of 165 degrees. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes.

7. For Mashed Potato Frosting: Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil and continue cooking until potatoes are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. Place the potatoes back into the pot and mash with a potato masher or fork until smooth (we liked them a little chunky). Add cream cheese, butter, and cumin and mix to combine. Add milk (if needed), 1 tbsp at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Add salt and pepper to taste.

8. To assemble: Place meatloaf cupcake on a plate (either for serving or individual plates), then frost with mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes can either be piped onto the cupcakes with a piping bag and whatever tip you choose, with a ziploc baggie with the corner cut off, or with an ice cream scooper. Once cupcake and frosting are in place, sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese on top to look like sprinkles. Enjoy!




Thursday, March 15, 2012

Now Available!

Divine by Nature is now available at the CreateSpace e-store!


Stories about nature fill the pages as Intuitive Writer, Michelle L. Hankes, takes you on a journey through the Divine world we call Nature. Meet rain entities who play and laugh inside a storm. Encounter rock beings older than recorded history whose wisdom sheds light about where we came from and where we might be going. And voyage into the insight of water – one of the most miraculous and incredible creations on planet Earth. For the first time in printed form, the souls of nature speak out sharing their stories, their insight and their wisdom about living on our planet and connecting to the Divine within us all. 






Available soon on Amazon.com in paperback and for the Kindle.