Books News

When was the last time you allowed yourself to be caught up in another time period?

Can’t remember?

I totally understand! It’s hard to make time to read, especially uninterrupted time. For some unknown reason (or guilt) we allow ourselves to tend to others’ needs and ignore our own. Relaxation? Rest? That’s for other people, right?

Only, it’s not. In Genesis chapter 2, God rested after he completed his work the prior six days. Verse 3 says, “God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it he rested from all his work of creation.” (CSB)

Friend, if God considers resting holy, we should, too.

Okay, that’s settled, then! How will you rest?

Wait—I have an idea! Let’s read. Be it reading on the sofa, at the beach, in the mountains, or in a sudsy bathtub, let’s commit to resting our minds by allowing them to travel to another place and time.

And I’ve got just the books to send you on your way. I thought it would be fun to categorize them according to home furnishing styles.

Here are the categories: Mid-century modern, Early American, Farmhouse, Victorian, English cottage. I’ve linked the books to their description in Amazon (I have no affiliation with Amazon or anyone else). Have fun, and let yourself be transported to happily ever after.

Mid-century Modern (mid-twentieth century)

Almost Home, by Valer Fraser Luesse (one of my all-time faves), WWII Alabama

The Finder of Forgotten Things, by Sarah Loudin Thomas, 1930’s, West Virginia

The All-American, by Susie Finkbeiner, 1950’s, Midwest

Until Leaves Fall in Paris, by Sarah Sundin, WWII, Paris

The Maid of Ballymacool, by Jennifer Deibel, 1930’s, Ireland

In This Moment, by Gabrielle Meyer, 1861,1941,2001, Washington, D.C.

Secrets of a Charmed Life, by Susan Meissner, WWII, England

Shadows in the Mind’s Eye, by Janeyre Tromp, post WWII, Arkansas

Rebecca, by Daphne DuMaurier, 1930’s, England

Early American

Mountain Laurel, by Lori Benton, 1790’s, North Carolina

A Heart Adrift, by Laura Frantz, 1750’s, Virginia

The Rose and the Thistle, by Laura Frantz, 1715, Scotland

When the Day Comes, by Gabrielle Meyer, 1770’s, Colonial Williamsburg; 1914 New York City

Freedom’s Ring, by Heidi Chiavaroli

Farmhouse

The Moonlight School, by Suzanne Woods Fisher, 1911, Kentucky

My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge: Laurel’s Dream, by Pepper Basham, 1918, North Carolina

The Gold in These Hills, by Joanne Bischof, 1902, California

A Worthy Pursuit, by Karen Witemeyer, 1892, Texas

Where the Road Bends, by Rachel Fordham, 1880’s, Iowa

Short Straw Bride, by Karen Witemeyer, 1880’s, Texas

Victorian

The Lady and the LionHeart, by Joanne Bischof, 1890, Virginia

The Love Note, by Joanna Davidson Politano, England, 1860’s

With This Pledge, by Tamera Alexander, 1860’s, Tennessee

Count the Nights by Stars, by Michelle Shocklee, 1897, Tennessee

Counterfeit Faith, by Crystal Caudill, 1885, Philadelphia

Veiled in Smoke, by Jocelyn Green, 1871, Chicago

English Cottage

A Rumored Fortune, by Joanna Davidson Politano, 1866, England

A Name Unknown, by Roseanna M. White, WWI, England

A Castaway in Cornwall, by Julie Klassen, Regency, England

To Treasure an Heiress, by Rosemary M. White, 1906, England

As Dawn Breaks, by Kate Breslin, WWI, England

No Ocean Too Wide, by Carrie Turansky, 1908, London

A Noble Masquerade, by Kristi Ann Hunter, Regency, England

The Elusive Miss Ellison, by Carolyn Miller, Regency, England

The Governess of Penwythe Hall, by Sarah E. Ladd, Regency, England

I love creme brulee, but I didn’t think I could make it at home because it was so delicate…and fancy. But when I saw this recipe on therecipecritic.com, I thought maybe I could do it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right? I’m so glad I did! It was absolutely delicious and totally doable. I’ve added a couple notes to the instructions to make it foolproof for you.

The next time you’d like to have a yummy, impressive dessert, try this!

Easy Creme Brulee (and no, it’s not an oxymoron!)

INGREDIENTS  

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (1/4 if you prefer less sweet)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar for topping

What tools you’ll need:

• Glass measuring cup, large
• small pot
• rectangular glass casserole dish
• 4 ramekins
• small torch or broiler

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• In a small pot, heat cream over medium heat until hot but not boiling — small bubbles will appear just along the edge of the pot.
• Meanwhile, whisk together egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and vanilla — I like to do this in a large glass measuring cup for easy pouring! Note: if you don’t have a glass measuring cup, a bowl will do. Just be careful when pouring into ramekins.
• When the cream is hot, add it to the egg yolk mixture a little at a time, whisking well after each addition. Why? Because if you add it all at once, you’ll have scrambled eggs! I added a very little bit and stirred like crazy before adding more.
• Pour into 4, 7-8 ounce ramekins, (wider and shallower is better if you have them). I purchased my ramekins at Target, but you can find them lots of places, even grocery stores.
• Place filled ramekins in a rectangular baking dish. You’re going to fill the baking dish with hot water until it comes 3/4 of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Be careful not to get any water in the custard! This is called a hot water bath.
• Bake at 325 degrees F for 30-45 minutes. This will depend on how deep the custard is! (Smaller ramekins, deeper custard = longer bake time) The top will appear set but underneath it will still jiggle.
• Very carefully take the ramekins out of the hot water so they don’t continue to cook.
• Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours until chilled. (You can wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days).
• Sprinkle each custard with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and torch or broil just until caramelized. My husband used a larger torch that he uses for meat, and it was torch overdo, in my opinion. But either way, whether using a culinary torch or broiling in the oven, it doesn’t take long before the top hardens.

Let me know what you think!

This is a quick and easy sweet treat. Not your run-of-the-mill snack, haystacks bring back lots of memories.

Why haystacks? Besides being one of my favorites, and being almost foolproof to make, the name reminds me of jumping on haystacks at my grandpa’s farm.

And it’s in keeping with my novel, which is set on a turn-of-the-century farm in Texas.

Here’s the recipe:

Leave me a comment if you make these goodies! I hope you love them as much as I do.