I got so dang sick over the holiday! Diego’s son had a 105 fever a few nights before we left for NYC and I was with him hours. I caught it. The first few days in NYC I was tired. After that I was running a fever and struggling. So sorry to be so absent. I got really really behind on a deadline too because the fever made it hard to think.

But here is me in NYC before the sick hit (the night before) at a Borders where my book was on the shelf. And look at the crowds.

Oh my gosh, you couldn’t walk in Time Square! It was nuts!

Lots more pictures soon. I am still not myself but I’ll be back!

So sorry I have been gone. Thursday night until today when we leave for NYC has been nuts. We ended my son’s football banquet with a call that D’s 4 year old had a 105 temp. We went to the ER and it just goes on from there. He is fine now though so that is good. Packages and CD’s are in the mail. I still have a couple more prizes and I will pick random winners from all the recipes as soon as I get settled. I will be in NYC until the 27th though so the prizes will be mailed from there. I will be posting pictures and news from NYC though!

I did find out I have my Blaze edits to do while in NYC but I don’t mind. Glad to have the opportunity to write for Blaze!:) I’ll be going to the Harlequin corp office on Wed so I’ll try to take pictures to post!

Thanks for baring with me and my tardiness!

Lisa

Okay I had a hard time—there are several chocolate recipes there I loved!! Tami wins though BECAUSE I just wrote about eclairs in my BLAZE novel and I have been craving them ever since!!

So Tami email me your address! I’ll announce the next winner tomorrow. Actually ZARA that dang recipe looks so good too. You win too! Shoot me your address. Email me ladies at LISARENJONES@aol.com

Tonight we finished wrapping presents. I am sooo glad to be done. That is not one of my favorite things but I love the after part. Seeing them all under the tree and thinking about each person opening theirs…

Tomorrow Night my son has his senior football banquet. I can’t believe my baby is growing up! Ok GROWN up. Then Friday night we are having a mock Christmas EVE here and then Santa comes Saturday morning. Diego’s ex and my ex both have the kids for XMAS thus why we are going to NYC. I think that will be better. It’s hard to be away from them. Though mine is older and the holiday is very about watching football lol ! I am really excited about it. I got my son something I know he will love and can’t wait to see his face.

I did santa for my kids long after they didn’t believe. We all just winked and said Santa is coming. Funny thing. When my oldest finally admitted he knew about the Santa Secret he told me he’d found the easter bunny stuff in my closet playing Hide and Seek with his brother. He figured it was a pretty good gamble we were Santa too but he didn’t want to believe it so he just went with the flow !

So even my 17 year old will wake up to Santa with Diego’s 4 year old Saturday morning. Ronald, my son, loves little kids so he will help make it fun for little Joshua…

So recipes…we’ve done chocolate, easy…How about any kind of sidedish. I am getting a Honey Ham…so what should I make to go with it?

That way people like me who can’t cook and look good!

Okay so the CHOCOLATE winner will be announced tomorrow…Post for the EASIEST recipe will have a winner too and that will be announced THURSDAY morning…so post your easiest recipes now until Wednesday night.

My easy recipe…I did this with my kids for years and years and they LOVED doing it..

Get Oreos and Whip cream and a premade pie crust…

The kids get to help in a big way..

Line up oreas to cover the pan, then put whip cream, then more oreos and so on.

When you store it over night in the fridge the oreos get soft and I swear it taste like oreo pie you would order in a restaurant. And the kids got to be very involved!

I thought I posted this yesterday! I hit SAVE instead of publish!! ARG

Okay so to win - Post a favorite recipe where on my blog to enter. I’ll pick my favorite everyday to give out the rest of my prizes.

So today is Favorite Chocolate recipe!!

And thank you to Linda who sent me these gorgeous bookmarks!!! What a nice surprise! Darn it…the picture won’t load right…tomorrow I will post it!!

Here is a recipe from me. This is like the brownie’s I LOVE at Starbucks!

Chocolate Mint Dessert
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups (16-oz. can) HERSHEY’S Syrup
MINT CREAM CENTER(recipe follows)
CHOCOLATE GLAZE(recipe follows)
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350° F. Grease 13×9x2-inch baking pan.

2. Combine flour, sugar, butter, eggs and syrup in large bowl; beat until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Spread MINT CREAM CENTER on cake. Cover; refrigerate. Pour CHOCOLATE GLAZE over chilled dessert. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Cover; refrigerate leftover dessert. About 12 servings.

MINT CREAM CENTER: Combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter or margarine and 2 tablespoons green creme de menthe (OR 1 tablespoon water plus 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon mint extract and 3 drops green food color may be substituted for creme de menthe) in medium bowl; beat until smooth.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE: Melt 6 tablespoons butter or margarine and 1 cup HERSHEY’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips in small saucepan over very low heat. Remove from heat; stir until smooth. Cool slightly.

CHOCOLATE MINT TRIANGLES: Cut dessert into about twelve 3-inch squares; cut each square diagonally into halves. About 24 triangles.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MINT DESSERT: HERSHEY’S Mint Chocolate Chips may be substituted for HERSHEY’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips in Chocolate Topping. Omit creme de menthe in Mint Cream Center.