Showing posts with label Deadly Undertaking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Deadly Undertaking. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Hot Fudge Sundae Cake Recipe for Fun by J.Q. Rose

Deadly Undertaking by J.Q. Rose
Mystery, paranormal
Click here to find mysteries by J.Q. Rose at BWL Publishing

Hello and welcome to the BWL Insiders Blog! 


Hot Fudge Sundae Cake Recipe for Fun
Hot Fudge Sundae Cake Recipe for Fun by J.Q. Rose

March is the month of shamrocks and leprechauns. It's also the month of waiting. Waiting for the sun to shine up north, the winter weather to wind down, the March Madness college basketball frenzy to begin, and for that first glimpse of spring to show up in your yard.
 

Needless to say Up North in the USA, folks are worn out with the horrible record-breaking snowstorms and floods. (I'm sure many of you reading this post are feeling the same about winter.) So let's have some fun today and bake a cake, a unique chocolate cake.

This cake is extra special because not only is it a tasty cake, but it also makes fudge sauce to top off ice cream so you can enjoy cake AND a hot fudge sundae all-in-one. Now, what's more fun than a hot fudge sundae? My favorite!



Ooey-gooey Hot Fudge Sundae Cake
Courtesy of Starr Roan
How lucky I was to come upon a recipe in my Church Ladies Cookbook. In my experience, all the best tried and true recipes are found in these cookbooks. No bowl or beaters to clean up after putting it together because it is mixed in the pan. Finish the process by pouring hot water over the batter and put the dish in the oven. Yeah, really! 
Caution: Be sure to use a large enough dish and place it on a piece of aluminum foil just in case the sauce boils over out of the pan.

Here's the recipe! Thank you Starr for sharing this in The Fruit of the Spirit Cookbook, Fremont United Methodist Church.


Hot Fudge Sundae Cake Recipe

Step 1 in the Recipe
1. Stir the following ingredients together in an ungreased 9 x 9-inch pan.
1 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt


Step 2 in the Recipe
2. Add the following ingredients to the pan.
1/2 c. milk
2 T. oil
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix with a fork until smooth.

Spread evenly in pan. 
Step 3 in the Recipe
3. Mix together 1 c. brown sugar and 2 T. cocoa. Sprinkle over batter.
Pour 1 3/4 c. hot water over batter. Do not stir.



Step 4 Place the cake in the oven and check it as it bakes for 40 minutes.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes. Spoon cake into dishes and top with ice cream. Spoon extra sauce from pan over top.


Ta-dah! Be sure to let it stand for 15 minutes.
I must admit I didn't take a picture of the hot fudge sauce topping on the cake and ice cream. I didn't even think of it until my card-playing group had cleaned their plates!  

Have you made this cake? Did you like it? Do you like chocolate cake? Let me know in the comments below. 

I hope this recipe has added some fun to your March day. 
Thank you for stopping in.
***
Author J.Q. Rose

Click here to connect online with J.Q. Rose


Thursday, December 20, 2018

Charity Donations: Use Your Head as Well as Your Heart to Make a Wise Decision by J.Q. Rose

Happy Holidays from J.Q. Rose


Happy Holidays and welcome to the BWL Publishing Insiders Blog. 

During this special holiday season, many folks decide to open their hearts and their wallets to make donations to support an organization. 

Giving is a good thing, but not everyone who is asking you to give is good. Scammers will try to take advantage of kind hearts. It's important to use your head as well as your heart to make a wise decision to support an organization that will make the best use of your dollars. So, please, whatever charity or person you choose to support, talk to your friends about it or research online to make sure the money you give will be used toward actually making a difference in their stated mission.


I use Charity Navigator to find out about groups. I especially like to know what percent of the monies donated are spent on administration fees. 


Other sites recommended by the New York Times are GuideStar and BBB Wise Giving Alliance. Click the highlighted names of the sites to research charities and help make your choice no matter what time of year you wish to make donations.


I assume a charity would appreciate a gift of money. But according to the Giving Tuesday #GivingTuesday website, a person can also give of their time, goods, and their voice. 

Today I'm using my voice through blogs and my novel, Deadly Undertaking, to bring awareness to fight Alzheimer's Disease, "the only cause of death in the top 10 in America that cannot be prevented, slowed or cured", according to alz.com. 

I'm sure you know someone in your family or a dear friend who suffered from this disease. You have seen him or her deteriorate because AD has ravaged their brain. So many of those who lost a loved one because of this disease remark that they lost the person way before death took the victim.

The Alzheimer's Association states that "Alzheimer's is an epidemic worldwide." Click here to read the facts that back up this statement. 


When I lost my friend and mentor to AD, I wanted to eradicate this disease by

Deadly Undertaking by J.Q. Rose
Paranormal romantic suspense

A handsome detective, 
a shadow man, and a murder victim
 kill Lauren’s plan for a simple life.
raising awareness about the ravages of Alzheimer's Disease, so I included a character suffering from AD in my romantic suspense novel, Deadly Undertaking. She is the mother of the main character and plays an important part in the story.
I have pledged to donate the royalties from the October through December sales of this book to fight Alzheimer's Disease. 

If you decide to give to Alz.org or another charity, please remember to use your head as well as your heart to make the decision.
***
Do you have a favorite charity you support? Please share in the comments below. 

Click here to connect online with J.Q. Rose.

Thursday, September 20, 2018

A Stroll Through the Gilmore Car Museum with J.Q. Rose

Deadly Undertaking by J.Q. Rose
Cozy Mystery, Paranormal
Click here to find mysteries by J.Q. Rose at BWL Publishing

Hello and welcome to the BWL Insiders Blog! 

Do you remember when car manufacturers kept their new models a secret until the unveiling in the fall? My Dad and I could hardly wait to see the new, sleek vehicles for the coming year. The manufacturers made it a big event. I miss that now. But I still have my love of cars. And I especially enjoy the art of the car. Did you ever think of a car as being artwork? Especially the older cars, muscle cars, and vintage vehicles.

We are fortunate to live only a couple of hours from a fantastic car museum, the Gilmore Car Museum. They are an interactive walk through history with their displays and exhibits located in amazing old barns nestled in the rolling farmland near Kalamazoo, Michigan. 

Please join me for a stroll through the museum so you can see some of the magnificent machines on display. 

VIDEO: A Stroll Through the Gilmore Car Museum by J.Q. Rose

Curious? Make a plan to visit sometime. Click here for the Gilmore Car Museum website.

Do you appreciate the art of a car from its interior design to the lovely lines of the outside? I don't know a thing about the motor. I just want the car to go when I turn it on and press the pedal.!!! 

Thanks for stopping in today.

Click here to connect online with J.Q Rose.

Friday, October 20, 2017

J.Q. Rose Shares Her Favorite Poem for Halloween

Deadly Undertaking by J.Q. Rose
BWL Publishing believes Deadly Undertaking is the perfect read for Halloween
because the setting is in the Staab-Blood Funeral Home 
haunted by a shadow man, Henry.
Find J.Q.'s books at BWL Publishing.

Click here to listen to J.Q. Rose read James Whitcomb Riley's poem, Little Orphant Annie.

At this special time of the year, I'm  sharing my favorite Halloween poem below.
Little Orphant Annie by James Whitcomb Riley. BOO!!
Happy Halloween from J.Q. Rose
I loved reading this poem to my third grade class every year. You know how experts tell us not to write too much dialect in our stories? I guess in the 1800's Riley didn't care. The language makes the poem, I'd say. But what's even more fun is to read it out loud. Your tongue needs to twist and turn to negotiate through the words, so read it a few times to train it. Try it. Can you do it without laughing? Enjoy!

 Little Orphant Annie by James Whitcomb Riley

Poem found at All Poetry Website


.  Little Orphant Annie's come to our house to stay, 
    An' wash the cups an' saucers up, an' brush the crumbs away, 
    An' shoo the chickens off the porch, an' dust the hearth, an' sweep, 
    An' make the fire, an' bake the bread, an' earn her board-an'-keep; 
    An' all us other childern, when the supper-things is done, 
    We set around the kitchen fire an' has the mostest fun 
    A-list'nin' to the witch-tales 'at Annie tells about, 
    An' the Gobble-uns 'at gits you 
      Ef you 
        Don't 
          Watch 
            Out! 
    Wunst they wuz a little boy wouldn't say his prayers, — 
    An' when he went to bed at night, away up-stairs, 
    His Mammy heerd him holler, an' his Daddy heerd him bawl, 
    An' when they turn't the kivvers down, he wuzn't there at all! 
    An' they seeked him in the rafter-room, an' cubby-hole, an' press, 
    An' seeked him up the chimbly-flue, an' ever'-wheres, I guess; 
    But all they ever found wuz thist his pants an' roundabout: — 
    An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you 
      Ef you 
        Don't 
          Watch 
            Out! 
    An' one time a little girl 'ud allus laugh an' grin, 
    An' make fun of ever' one, an' all her blood-an'-kin; 
    An' wunst, when they was "company," an' ole folks wuz there, 
    She mocked 'em an' shocked 'em, an' said she didn't care! 
    An' thist as she kicked her heels, an' turn't to run an' hide, 
    They wuz two great big Black Things a-standin' by her side, 
    An' they snatched her through the ceilin' 'fore she knowed what she's about! 
    An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you 
      Ef you 
        Don't 
          Watch 
            Out! 
    An' little Orphant Annie says, when the blaze is blue, 
    An' the lamp-wick sputters, an' the wind goes woo-oo! 
    An' you hear the crickets quit, an' the moon is gray, 
    An' the lightnin'-bugs in dew is all squenched away, — 
    You better mind yer parunts, an' yer teachurs fond an' dear, 
    An' churish them 'at loves you, an' dry the orphant's tear, 
    An' he'p the pore an' needy ones 'at clusters all about, 
    Er the Gobble-uns 'll git you 
      Ef you 
        Don't 
          Watch 
            Out!

First Publication Date: Indianapolis Journal (Nov. 15, 1885), originally published as The Elf Child.

Wishing you a safe and Happy Halloween!! from J.Q. Rose
Click here to connect online with J.Q. Rose.

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

A World Without Alzheimer's Disease by J.Q. Rose




Cozy mystery author by J.Q. Rose
Dangerous Sanctuary available at the Books We Love bookstore

📚 📚 📚 ðŸ“š
A World Without Alzheimer's Disease by J.Q. Rose
Can you envision our world without Alzheimer's in it? The Alzheimer's Association can. They are researching and supporting families and caregivers, not in the hope of stamping out Alzheimer's but in their belief it can be eradicated so no one will ever have to deal with the devastation of this disease.

June is Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness month. Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. 

Wear purple on June 21, the Longest Day of the Year,
for Alzheimer's Disease Awareness.
I bet Alzheimer's has invaded your life because you know someone whom you care about has disappeared into the darkness of this disease. We have not experienced it in our family, but I have friends who have. 

When my friend and mentor, Bernie, discovered she had it, she told me one afternoon after inviting me for dessert and coffee. I will never forget the sadness in her eyes as we talked about the diagnosis. Knowing this awful disease is lurking in the future shadows a person every day, waiting for the next degree of losing a piece of oneself.

I dedicated my book, Deadly Undertaking to Bernie, and I included a character suffering with Alzheimer's in the story. This was my way of trying to bring awareness to readers about this debilitating disease.

Today, I am using facts from the Alzheimer's Association site to help spread the word and marshal an army to fight against Alzheimer's.  If we don't take steps to fight and win the battle against AD, the result will be a world-wide epidemic by 2050.

  • The number of Americans living with Alzheimer's disease is growing — and growing fast. An estimated 5.5 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer's disease. Currently, there are 44 million people suffering from dementia globally. That number is up 22% over the past three years when there were 35.6 million people suffering from the disease.
  • Alzheimer's disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. It is the fifth-leading cause of death among those age 65 and older and a leading cause of disability and poor health. 
  • As the population of the United States ages, Alzheimer's is becoming a more common cause of death. It is the only top 10 cause of death that cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed.
  • Although deaths from other major causes have decreased significantly, official records indicate that deaths from Alzheimer's disease have increased significantly. Between 2000 and 2014, deaths from Alzheimer's disease as recorded on death certificates increased 89 percent, while deaths from the number one cause of death (heart disease) decreased 14 percent.
  • It kills more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined.
  • The costs of health care and long-term care for individuals with Alzheimer's or other dementias are substantial. Dementia is one of the costliest conditions to society.
  1. Join a clinical trial
  2. Get genetic testing
  3. Email, call, and tweet your Congressmen
  4. Get educated about Alzheimer’s & Dementia
  5. Speak up if you see symptoms
  6. Sign the Alzheimer’s petition
  7. Volunteer or donate to an Alzheimer’s research or awareness organization
To learn more about AD, visit the following articles.
Alzheimer's Association
Alzheimers.net

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Essay for Halloween: Undertaker's Daughter


Deadly Undertaking
A handsome detective, a shadow man, 
and a murder victim kill Lauren’s plan for a simple life.
Halloween is an exciting time with parties and treats and scary stories. Deadly Undertaking is the perfect read for this season of the year.  This romantic suspense, set in a funeral home, isn't a scary story with monsters, zombies, and werewolves, but it does have a shadow man, Henry.
Deadly Undertaking grew from the short essay I am sharing with you on this post. The novel's setting is a funeral home because I'm the daughter of an undertaker. And I have two brothers who are funeral directors. When I wrote this story for a fun blog post four years ago, I had no idea I would have a published mystery from the idea. Find out more about Deadly Undertaking after the short essay.
It's Halloween, so you'll have to decide if  the tale I'm spinning is a trick or a treat. Take a break and have fun with this. You'll get to know me better after learning about my "growing up" years.
Is this essay a trick or a treat?
Undertaker’s Daughter
By
J Q Rose
Right away, I must tell you I am not an eccentric, peculiar person. I’m just a regular woman who is a wife, mother, grandmother. I like eating a burger at McDonalds, shopping at Walmart, and reading mystery novels. But, perhaps some would think my childhood was different. You see, my father was an embalmer and funeral director. I was reared in a funeral home.

It was not unusual to have a dead body laid out in a casket several days in a row in our living room which converted to the funeral chapel. In fact, sometimes we’d have more than one body in our home. The embalming room was in the back of the house, and yes, I wore lots of perfume and soap to cover the pungent odor of formaldehyde on my clothes and hair.

We had knee caps for ashtrays in the private area of our home…not in the public area because that may upset some folks. But Dad was a heavy smoker, so he appreciated having the convenience of an ashtray nearby at all times.

In our kitchen, boxes of ashes of the departed sat in the pantry shelves next to the canned green beans and corn. Some families squabbled over who was going to pay the funeral expenses for their dearly departed, so they never showed up to claim the ashes for fear of being left with the debt.  In one case the family of Ida Mayberry never claimed their sweet aunt. So Aunt Ida took up residence in the cupboard next to the pork and beans.

Life as an undertaker’s daughter did not seem to be any big deal. My friends, well, most of them, were happy to come over and play hide and seek in the casket room or to swipe flowers out of the funeral arrangements to put in our hair for dress up.

My girlfriends did get upset when one of the spirits who regularly hung out in the funeral home flew by. The whoosh of air was the only indicator of their presence. Yes, I lost a couple of friends that way because they were scared to death…well, not literally. They just were creeped out especially when one of the spirits would knock over the Barbie doll house or send the collection of Barbies swirling around the room.

Needless to say, I enjoyed going to my friend’s house. It was a treat to open their pantry door to get a can of pineapple and not see the boxed ashes of poor Aunt Ida. I could never shake the sadness I felt for her because noone cared enough to bury her ashes or at least sprinkle them on their garden.

So, yes, some may believe it was an unusual childhood compared to the experiences of others. But I felt loved, secure, and safe at all times. And that’s what counts for a kid.

The growing up years certainly shape the adult one becomes. I don’t know if this is the reason I can write a horror story or not, but I can assure you I am a normal, well-rounded person, not eccentric or peculiar at all. In fact I got rid of the knee cap ash trays just last week. I do have Aunt Ida in the cupboard. Her family never claimed her and I have grown attached to her company.
# # #
BOO! So do you believe what you read? I must confess most of it is made up. And of course, Deadly Undertaking is fiction, but I did have my funeral director brothers help me with the story. So, it's loosely based on the real funeral business. Keyword here is loosely!

Back of the Book: Deadly Undertaking by J.Q. Rose
Deadly Undertaking
Cover art by Michelle Lee
FREE at Amazon on October 31.

Lauren Staab knew there would be dead bodies around when she returned home. After all, her family is in the funeral business, Staab and Blood Funeral Home. Still, finding an extra body on the floor of the garage between the hearse and the flower car shocked her. Lauren’s plan to return to her hometown to help care for her mother and keep the books for the funeral home suddenly turns upside down in a struggle to prove she and her family are not guilty of murdering the man. But will the real killer return for her, her dad, her brother? Her mother’s secrets, a killer, a handsome policeman, and a shadow man muddle up her intention to have a simple life. 

Welcome home, Lauren!


 
Have a Happy and Safe Halloween!
from J.Q. Rose


Friday, November 20, 2015

12 Pointers on Poinsettia Care by J.Q. Rose

Deadly Undertaking
Click here to purchase 
‘Tis the season of the year when the transformation occurs from the darkness of winter to the joyful brilliance of colorful lights and decorations of the holidays. The poinsettia plant, introduced to the US by Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first US Ambassador to Mexico, remains the all-time favorite of decorators. I know because before I turned to writing full time, my husband, Gardener Ted, and I owned and operated a floral shop, greenhouse, and garden center for almost twenty years. Our top-selling holiday plant was the poinsettia. Today I’m passing along the 10 pointers on poinsettia care we offered our customers.

12 Pointers on Poinsettia Care by J.Q. Rose

Purchasing a poinsettia

The poinsettia flower is
 in the center of the pink leaves
Photo by J.Q. Rose
·         Do you know the beautiful shades of red, pink, and white are not the poinsettia flower? The flowers are located in the center of the colored leaves or bracts. When purchasing, look for buds. The freshest plants have the buds and will last longer than plants with flowers opening or already opened or missing.
·         Check the rest of the plant to be sure leaves are a rich green, not yellowed, wilted, or curled.

Wrap it up

·         In cold areas, your newly purchased plant should be wrapped or sleeved before taking it outside to your car or truck. Poinsettias hate cold drafts.
·         Don’t leave the plant in the vehicle for a long time in the cold weather even if it’s wrapped.

Watering and Fertilizing

A red poinsettia plant, the traditional favorite
Photo by J.Q. Rose

·         When you get home with the plant, immediately unwrap it.
·          Dig your fingers into the soil to see how wet it is. Go about an inch deep.  Poke a hole through the foil wrap or remove the

foil before watering to allow the water to drain.
·         Always set the poinsettia in a tray to catch the water that drains through. After an hour or two, empty the tray of remaining water.  Just like you and me, the roots of the poinsettia don’t like their feet wet all the time.
·         Don’t fertilize while the plant is blooming. To keep the leaves green after blooming, fertilize once a month with a liquid fertilizer.
·         With any plant you have in your house, always feel the soil to determine how wet or dry it is before watering.

The Best Location in your house

·         Poinsettias do well in bright light, but not hot sun. Find a brightly lighted area in your home.
·         Don’t put the plant in a cold window or near a heat vent.

Poisonous?

         Poinsettias have been wrongfully accused of poisoning pets and children. The Pet Poison Helpline  states, “While poinsettias are commonly “hyped” as poisonous plants, they rarely are, and the poisoning is greatly exaggerated.” PetMed  adds “If the leaves are ingested, they will often cause nausea and vomiting, but it would take a large amount of the plant’s material to cause poisoning, and most animals and children will not eat such a large enough amount because of the irritating taste and feel from the sap.” You can be assured the poinsettia can safely claim its place adding a pop of color and beauty to your home or workplace during the holidays.

If you have any questions about caring for your poinsettia plant, please ask in the comments section below. I’d be happy to answer. Do you usually have a poinsettia plant in your home during the holidays? What is your favorite color? (I’m traditional because I prefer red.) Do you have other holiday plants like the Christmas cactus, amaryllis, and cyclamen?)
# # # #

About J.Q. Rose

Mystery author J.Q. Rose has been working with flowers most of her life. She began by helping in the family’s funeral business setting up flowers for visitation and

Author J.Q. Rose

funeral services.  Later she and her husband owned and operated a floral shop, greenhouses, and garden center where she designed floral arrangements which included casket sprays, wreaths, and more. In her latest mystery, Deadly Undertaking, her main character is the daughter of a funeral director performing many of the jobs J.Q. knows so well. Visit J.Q. online at the J.Q. Rose, Author site.

Popular Posts

Books We Love Insider Blog

Blog Archive