Let's Talk with Debra H. Goldstein
Let’s Talk with Debra H Goldstein
October 1, 2020
October 1 – Let’s Play a Game to Celebrate it!
It’s October 1. Do you know what that means? To me, it means fall, pulling a jacket out of the closet, college football, and thinking about what kind of Halloween candy I want to buy that I like, but promise myself I’m not going to eat this year. From a writing perspective, having a new book, Three Treats Too Many, officially having been a September release, it means a series of virtual events. For the world though, October 1 offers something for almost everyone. It is International Coffee Day, International Day for the Elderly, National Homemade Cookie Day, World Smile Day first Friday of the month, and World Vegetarian Day.
Because I like games, I’m going to play a game, with prizes, against my protagonist, Sarah Blair, and you. I’ll answer for Sarah and me in this blog, and for a chance to win, you leave a comment. Ready? Here we go….
International Coffee Day – I never drank coffee until I became a lawyer. At my first job, the only time approved for you to leave your desk was to take a restroom break or get a cup of coffee. I began drinking coffee. Sarah rarely drinks coffee, but she does occasionally – especially if it means getting close to someone she wants to investigate. For a copy of One Taste Too Many, when did you begin or when do you drink coffee?
Inte
rnational Day for the Elderly – Sarah doesn’t know from old age, she was twenty-eight when she got divorced and twenty-nine when One Taste Too Many began. Me, every day that passes, I’m feeling more elderly – of course, that may be because we just moved, and I’ve been unpacking boxes and boxes and boxes (the picture was some in the kitchen area). For a chance to win a copy of Two Bites Too Many leave a comment as to whether you are or feel elderly or if you feel that is only a state of mind?
National Homemade Cookie Day – Our answer is the same on this one – we will eat them if you will make them. For a copy of Three Treats Too Many, leave an easy cookie recipe. Ours is go to store, stare at all packages, and pick whichever one hits your fancy.
World Smile Day = We all win on this one because nothing brightens up a day more than a smile.
World Vegetarian Day – Sarah and I admire people who can adhere to vegetarian diets. But, being honest, although neither of us is a heavy red meat eater, we occasionally like a good steak. In Three Treats Too Many, Riley, a rising young chef, specializes in vegan dishes. There also are some great vegan and vegetarian recipes included in the book. Share your favorite vegetarian recipe for a chance to win a copy of Three Treats Too Many.
If these aren’t enough prize opportunities, don’t forget to enter the Booklovers Bench Vault drawing this month! CLICK HERE to enter the monthly contest. It’s October, and best of all, that means more opportunities to win from all the Booklovers Bench authors. Enjoy the weather getting crisper, the leaves changing colors, and Halloween coming!
Posted in Let's Talk, with Debra H. Goldstein • Tags: BLB Discussion, Debra H Goldstein, Giveaways, Let's Talk, October 1 – Let’s Play a Game to Celebrate it!, Three Treats Too Many | 28 Comments
Happy October! I don’t remember when I started drinking coffee. It was probably at my first job as a nurse. Re feeling elderly, yes I do. There are so many more things I want to accomplish but my age makes me wonder how much time is left. Re cookies, I’m like you. I buy them at the store.
I absolutely LOVED the 1st two books, and I’m looking forward to the 3rd! I’m really excited to be represented in the book, ’cause us Vegans want all the yummy recipes too😉
Rosemary Pumpkin Biscuits
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour (or another cup of all-purpose)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
5 tablespoons vegan butter
¾ cup canned pumpkin puree
½ cup unflavored soy or almond milk
2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions:
•Preheat oven to 375°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
•In a large mixing bowl, stir together flours, rosemary, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Use a pastry cutter or a couple of butter knives to cut in the vegan butter, until the mixture is fine and crumbly.
•In a separate bowl, stir together pumpkin, milk and olive oil.
•Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the pumpkin mixture. Stir until fully blended and a soft dough is formed.
•Knead the dough a few times with your hands, adding a sprinkle more of flour if it seems too moist, and a dash of milk if it seems too dry.
•Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and roll to about ½ inch thick using a floured rolling pin.
•Use a 2-inch biscuit cutter or a drinking glass to cut the dough into rounds.
•Place the dough rounds about 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Cheers… I hope you enjoy!
Kelly Braun
Gaelicark(at)yahoo(dot)com
Kelly, thank you for the recipe. Looks delicious!
Nancy, I have some of those same thoughts. I had a “hippy” English professor who walked into our class late one morning. He was completely disheveled and distracted. “I have seen my mortality,” he announced. “My wife gave birth to our first child early this morning.” From that point, he straightened up. I sort of feel the same way since the birth of our most recent grandchild as I see our children not growing up, but watching their children and doing the things we’ve already done.
My dad introduced me to coffee when we were camping on the lake. It was always chilly in the morning, so he would make a fresh pot of coffee, add more than half a cup of milk, then drop three sugar cubes into the mix. Who wouldn’t like coffee served up that way? Age is just a number. I feel the same as I did at eighteen. I plan on staying that way. I love decorating sugar cookies for the holidays. Almost anything makes me smile so I’m glad we have an official world holiday for it. I’m mostly vegetarian these days, but I still enjoy an occasional steak, too.
I think you’ve covered all the bases. That was my first memory of coffee, too, except my mother made it that way for us to eat with matzah as a breakfast during the Passover holiday. For years when I tried making the same thing, it tasted bitter. she laughed when she realized I wasn’t using sugar or milk.
Thank you for the fabulous opportunity to win a copy of “Three Treats Too Many”!
Almond Joy Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla
4 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
5 cups chocolate chips
2 cups sweetened coconut
2 cups chopped almonds
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 375°F Lightly grease cookie sheets.
Combine dry ingredients, set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, stir in the vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients until well mixed then stir in the chocolate chips, coconut and almonds. Drop by rounded full tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
These sound divine!
I finished Two Bites Too Many about a week ago, but haven’t read One Taste Too Many yet.
I began drinking coffee in college. Lots of it, with loads of milk and sugar. (Wait! I actually drank coffee with my mother in the mornings when I was 3 or 4 … yup! lots of milk and sugar … ) After a few months of that, I suddenly got the shakes, my stomach was truly quivering inside me, and I couldn’t have told you my name. I switched to decaf, lots of milk, no sugar (who needs the calories?). Since I still need some caffeine kick, I now blend 2/3 half-caf with 1/3 flavored decaf. That gives me the start I need but I’m limited to 2-3 cups/day. By 10 am, no more coffee for me–no more caffeine at all unless it’s in chocolate!
Chocolate… maybe I should have added a line and prize for that.. I love dark chocolate. Coffee not so much unless it is flavored, though I drank it regularly when i worked (most of my caffeine came from soda)
I drank all of my coffee consumption between the ages of 4 and 25. I would get up early with my dad before he went shrimping to drink coffee and eat breakfast with him. My coffee was much like Cheryl’s above with lots of milk and sugar. Dad drank his black. I eventually drank less sugar and milk in my coffee. Gave it up at the altar though, but that’s another story.
Can’t wait to hear the other story…..
I never was a coffee drinker when young, though at some point I began liking Mocha ice cream. Then, because that’s what grown-ups did, I started drinking the occasional cup, black (what kind of wimp adds cream and sugar!). A couple of years ago I got hooked on latte and that’s pretty much all I drink, coffee-wise. Unless someone whips up a batch of Cuban coffee, and then I’ll slam that down. 🙂 My mind doesn’t feel old but my bum knee sure does! 🙂
Bum knees, backs, .. that’s what gives us all away.
I started drinking coffee at 14. I usually only drink it in the morning. I am elderly ,but don’t always feel it. We are expecting our 11th great grandchild in the spring. Cookie recipe as follows they are called simply BUTTER COOKIES 1 cup soft marg. 2 cups flour 1/2 cup sugar. Heat oven to 350, mix
all ingredients roll out and cut put on a cookie sheet and bake 10-12 mins. You don’t even need eggs. My family loves them
11th great grandchild is something to be excited about. Than you for the butter cookie recipe. It looks like one Sarah and I can handle.
Coffee – I was about 19 when I started drinking coffee semi-regularly. I had just had a baby, was going off to work in the big city (Chicago), took the train to work, and stopped to pick up coffee for my boss on the way upstairs (yes, it was that long ago). So I thought why not and had a cup each day, too. I can’t believe how much sugar I put in it.
Cookies – My granddaughter is the baker around here, so right now my favorite cookie recipe is when Costco has their annual sale on big boxes of Biscoff cookies and I get the max of 10. Why cook it when you can buy it?
Vegetarian – What is that :)? Not going to give up meat anytime soon but I do enjoy a nice helping of roasted vegetables.
Happy October and thanks for the giveaways!
Thanks for participating. Love your recipe for cookies! It is so much like mine.
Coffee- mid 20s, and I think how old you feel is a state of mind. My favorite meatless meal is cheese quesadilla. Very basic.
You’ve covered it all. I enjoyed cheese quesadillas, too. Made mini ones for breakfast this morning.
No coffee for me. Can’t stand the flavor or smell.
Most of the time I don’t feel old, but then my boss or co-workers say something that reminds me they’re younger than me (I just had my 44th birthday), then I start to feel old.
Easy cookie recipe…
12 ounces Rolo’s caramels
1 box Devils Food Cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 c. oil
1. Mix cake mix, oil, and eggs. Take a small ball of dough and form a ball around the rolo. (Only use enough dough to cover the rolo so it can spread through the cookie.)
2. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 7-8 minutes. Yields about 3 dozen.
3. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.
😀
And no vegetarian recipes from me seeing as I don’t like most vegetables…
Ignore them.. You are as young as you feel!
I started drinking coffee in college, a cup after dinner each night as we sat around the cafeteria talking. After college I would have a cup of coffee first thing in the morning when I got to work. I didn’t become a big coffee drinker until I had a baby who refused to sleep. Coffee kept me going. Ever since then it’s 4 cups a day, but I figure a caffeine addiction is better than most other addictions. 😉
so that’s why you are always on the go
I drink tea not coffee. I used to drink coffee but it bothered my tummy so I switched. I am 74; however, I usually feel -mentally- about 45 or so My body tells me otherwise. Age is mind over matter, if you don’t mind it doesn’t matter. Love your books, Debra. Thank you for all the hours of enjoyment you’ve given me. Love and hugs and stay safe.
Glad you enjoy my books….. True how our body sends messages our brain doesn’t feel or acknowledge.
Let’s Talk Winners – Please send me your mailing address – One Taste Too Many (camauthor); Two Bites Too Many (Marion Ryder), Three Treats Too Many (Kelly/Galicork, Dukefn, and Beth Medrano).
I need to tell you about a quite amazing video of Getting Through The middle of Indonesia Forest for Very Traditional Cooking in the Ricefield https://www.youtube.com/embed/gEUqYxb-I7w
I’d seriously be thankful if you would go watch the video