Book Wisdom: New Year’s Eve

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In Memory: Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds

asd91293999912068737_675553362583783_3874657731296420745_o-676x447The headlines are aglow with news of the deaths of Carrie Fisher Dec. 27th 2016 and her mother Debbie Reynolds just one day later Dec. 28th 2016. Both were renowned actors and famous for iconic roles. However remarkably they were both incredible authors as well.
So as is fitting for my book blog…

 

Here are a couple of there works to remember them by:

“…I wrote things to get them out of feeling them, and onto paper.
So writing in a way saved me…”
carrie-fisher-035Carrie Frances Fisher (October 21, 1956 – December 27, 2016)
An American actress, writer, producer, and humorist. 

 

Playing off her iconic roll as Leia, Carrie Fisher writes this intimate, hilarious and revealing recollection of what happened behind the scenes on one of the most famous film sets of all time. Full of plaintive love poems, unbridled musings with youthful naiveté, and a vulnerability that she barely recognized.

 


I don’t think Christmas is necessarily about things. It’s about being good to one another, it’s about the Christian ethic, it’s about kindness.

This bestselling novel was made into a movie starring Meryl Streep and Shirley MacLaine.

When we first meet the extraordinary young actress Suzanne Vale, she’s feeling like “something on the bottom of someone’s shoe, and not even someone interesting.” Suzanne is in the harrowing and hilarious throes of drug rehabilitation, trying to understand what happened to her life and how she managed to land in a “drug hospital.”

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“Singin’ in the Rain (1952) and childbirth were the two
hardest things I ever had to do in my life.”

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Mary Frances “Debbie” Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016)
An American actress, singer, businesswoman, film historian, and humanitarian


Named after her iconic role in The Unsinkable Molly Brown, actress, comedienne, singer, and dancer Debbie Reynolds shares the highs and lows of her life as an actress during Hollywood’s Golden Age, anecdotes about her lifelong friendship with Elizabeth Taylor and her experiences as the foremost collector of Hollywood memorabilia, and intimate details of her marriages and family life with her children

“That’s what a writer does; they make things up and that makes for good reading.”

For a little bit more in depth and personal account of her like Debbie writes this autobiography. It tells her story of growing up in Hollywood during its golden age in the 50’s, and what it was like to share center stage with stars such as Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra. She also describes her marriages with Eddie Fisher and Harry Karl.

I hope you will honor there memory
by learning
a little more about them, than what meets the eye.

Heart Healthy Winter Drinks

Here are 10 comforting cozy drinks to sip on by the fire.
As a bonus they are heart healthy and easy on the waistline, in case anyone over-did the feasting 🙂

184832349Mulled Cranberry Cocktail

Simply flavor cranberry juice with a little ground cinnamon and cloves, bring mixture to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer.

 

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Dark Chocolate Cocoa

Use almond, soy, or hemp milk – that is low in saturated fat. You can also use fat-free cow’s milk or 1 percent milk. Make your cocoa with dark chocolate, this is an added health boost!

 


Spiced Cinnamon Cider6a00d8358081ff69e20168e5ddf801970c-800wi

Wrap whole cloves and whole allspice in a small piece of cheesecloth and add it to a saucepan of apple cider along with a few cinnamon sticks. Set on a stove burner and turn the heat to low; the spices will bring out the flavor of the cider as it warms up.

Healthy Eggnog

In saucepan combine and heat a can of low-fat evaporated milk, light-eggnog_7-colorful-punch-recipes.jpgfat-free
or 1 percent milk, and nutmeg, let simmer for about 10 min. In a blender or mixer beat egg until light, gradually add it a little sugar till small peaks form. Gradually add milk mixture to egg mixture as it cools. Add vanilla extract at the end of the cooking process to ensure a vibrant vanilla flavor in your drink.

apple-cider-close-upHot n’ Sweet Ginger Tea

Simmer sliced fresh ginger in hot water for about 5 minutes. Strain out the ginger and add brown sugar and honey to taste. You could also add a little lemon juice to taste, and garnish with lemon and anise.

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Herbal Hot Toddy

Make toddies with eight herbal tea bags, a gallon of water, some chopped ginger, and a few cinnamon sticks. When it’s brewed, sweeten to taste with honey and add fresh lemon.

 

hot_milk_punch_cocktail_cinnamon_half_and_half_brandy_rum_tasting_table_test_kitchen_articleHot Vanilla Milk Punch

Use fat-free milk, unsweetened almond milk, or soy milk. Sweeten the milk to taste with a simple syrup. Once the punch is sweetened to your liking, heat it until very hot, then flavor generously with vanilla extract.
ladle into cups, and dust with a light sprinkling of ground nutmeg and/or cinnamon.

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Sweet Chamo-Adenline

Simmer equal parts apple, cranberry, and pomegranate juice until steaming hot, then pour over a chamomile tea bag in a large mug. Once it steeps for a few minutes, you can sweeten the drinks with a drizzle of honey or agave nectar.

images-1Cinnamon Ginger Brew

Simmer chopped and peeled ginger with cinnamon sticks in a pot of water for about an hour to make this sweetly spiced hot drink. Add agave to taste.

 

2011-11-13-orange-spiced-cider-final-500Hot Cran-Orange Wassail

Cranberry Juice, orange juice, and/or apple cider can be the basis of a wintery Wassai. Flavor with whole cloves, star anise, and cinnamon sticks. To heighten the spicy flavor and provide some color, add some red hots or cinnamon candies while you simmer the brew for an hour.

What’s your keep it healthy winter pick?

Courtesy of mealsonwheels

12 Days of Christmas: Mini Book-Beans for Children

literary-advent-6-edited-1DAY 12 of 12

Room for a Little One
A Christmas Tale
by Martin Waddell

Kind Ox invites one visitor after another into the shelter of his stable–Old Dog, Stray Cat, and Small Mouse, who rest together in harmony. When Tired Donkey appears, he brings with him Mary and Joseph, and all of the animals welcome Jesus when He is born.

Rated 4.8 on amazon.com

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Book Bean:
Eggnog Cocoa
Simmer 1 cup eggnog and 1-2 tbsp half n’half, and add in 1 tsp dutch cocoa powder, 2 tsp sugar, marshmallows, sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg. Shoot might as well add some whip too if your up for it!

 That cold winter’s night, 

beneath the star’s light… 

…a Little One came for the world.

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Merry Christmas!

12 Days of Christmas: Mini Book-Beans for Children

literary-advent-6-edited-1DAY 11 of 12
“Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro’ the house. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.”

The night before Christmas
Illustrated by Charles Santore

This poem was first published anonymously in 1823, as A Visit from St. Nicholas“, more commonly known as “The Night Before Christmas” and “Twas the Night Before Christmas” from its first line.“The Night Before Christmas” has enchanted children with the story of St. Nicholas climbing down the chimney and filling all the stockings before springing back to his sleigh. Many families read the poem every year, and now they have an edition to treasure. The cherished verse, faithfully reproduced here, is accompanied by Charles Santore’s lavish illustrations.      Rated 4.4 on amazon.com

The poem was later attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, who claimed authorship in 1837. Some commentators now believe the poem was written by Henry Livingston, Jr.

cookies_and_milk_for_santa_by_yo04-d4k66mmBook Bean: Santa’s Milk and Cookies
In a saucepan heat up 1 cup milk 1 cup eggnog. Stir the cauldron with a candy cane. Use and immersion blender to blend the milk till light and frothy. Add to Santa’s cup and sprinkle with nutmeg. Don’t forget to leave out some pretty treats for him to dip!9781604332377-4.jpg

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”