Norma Gail

Traditional New Mexican Biscochitos

/ sandramervillehart / 6 Comments

Norma Gail, fellow author and friend, returns to Historical Nibbles to share a delicious cookie recipe from her upcoming release. Welcome back, Norma!

Biscochitos or biscochitos in Northern New Mexico Spanish, means “little cakes” or “bizcochos”. They are the official state cookie, and one of the favorites of Bonny MacDonell, the heroine in my novels, Land of My Dreams and the newest, Within Golden Bands, releasing on May 19th. At one point, she escapes the constraints of her new husband’s Scottish sheep farm, under attack from a mysterious stalker, and flees to a spot overlooking the islands at the east end of Loch Garry. Her lunch consists of a sandwich with turkey and green chili and biscochitos.

Simple to make, the cookies consist mainly of shortening and flour, flavored with anise and a little brandy, and generously coated in a cinnamon-sugar mixture. Known as far back as the culture of Santa Fé de Nuevo México in the 1500’s, they were traditionally shaped like a fleur-de-lis, though round is more frequent today. They probably originated in Spain or Mexico. A Christmas favorite, they are also seen at weddings, baptisms, and other celebrations, and are delicious with hot chocolate.

Here’s my favorite recipe:

2 cups lard or vegetable shortening

¼ tsp salt

3 tsp baking powder

6 cups flour

2 tsp anise seeds

2 eggs

¼ cup brandy or sweet wine

¼ cup sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

Sift flour. Cream lard with sugar, anise seeds, baking powder, and salt until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add brandy. Mix in flour gradually, stopping when dough reaches the right consistency for rolling. Turn out on a floured surface and roll to ¼ – ½ inch thick. Cut into shapes. Dust liberally with cinnamon/sugar mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

-Norma Gail

About Norma Gail:

Norma Gail’s debut novel, Land of My Dreams, won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award. Within Golden Bands releases May 19th. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals have appeared in several publications. She lives in New Mexico with her husband of 44 years.

 

Book Blurb for Within Golden Bands:

Newlyweds Bonny and Kieran MacDonell grieve the loss of her miracle pregnancy while struggling to discover the identity of the man who left Kieran beaten and unconscious. Reeling from the threat to her husband and loss of their child, Bonny fights to hold her marriage together as danger destroys the peace of their sheep farm on the banks of Loch Garry, Scotland. Will they choose to trust God when his ways are impossible to fathom?

Buy Link:  Amazon

 

Traditional New Mexican Red Chile Enchiladas

/ sandramervillehart / 2 Comments

Today’s recipe has been written by Norma Gail, fellow author and friend. She shares a recipe from her upcoming release. I can’t wait to try it. Welcome back to Historical Nibbles, Norma!

Bonny Bryant, the main character in my novels, Land of My Dreams and Within Golden Bands, is a New Mexico native transplanted to Scotland. She introduces handsome Scottish sheep farmer, Kieran MacDonell, to New Mexican food and he is soon hooked. Bonny loves to cook, and her friends in the mountains outside Albuquerque keep her supplied with the chile she craves. New Mexican food is a great way to warm up on a dreich and drookit day in Scotland or anywhere else. One of my favorites and Bonny’s are traditional red chile enchiladas.

Enchiladas originated in old Mexico. New Mexico was part of the land ceded to the U.S. by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 following the Mexican-American War. One of the rich traditions that has endured is the food. New Mexico chilies were first grown by the Pueblo Indians and have a rich, piquant aroma, varying in sweetness and heat. Both red and green varieties were quickly adapted as a sauce for enchiladas by Spanish explorers seeking the fabled Seven Cities of Gold, including Hernán Cortés.

Enchiladas, a combination of corn tortillas, chile sauce, and meat, are either rolled or served flat and filled. They can be topped with cheese, onion, lettuce, and tomatoes.

1 lb. of hamburger

Diced onion

Minced garlic

Corn tortillas (about 3 per person)

2 tbsp. butter, melted

2 tbsp. flour

2 – 8 oz. cans of tomato sauce

Red chile powder

Grated cheddar cheese

Fried eggs

Brown 1 lb. of hamburger or shredded chicken with diced onion and garlic.

Fry tortillas until almost crisp.

Make a sauce by melting 2 tbsp. of butter and whisking in 2 tbsp of flour, 2 – 8 oz. cans of tomato sauce, red chile powder to taste, and enough water to make it the desired consistency. Bring to a boil while stirring.

Stack tortillas, filling between with meat mixture and chile sauce. Top with a fried egg, grated cheese, and serve with a side of lettuce and tomato.

Makes 3-4 servings.

About Norma Gail:

Norma Gail’s debut novel, Land of My Dreams, won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award. Within Golden Bands releases May 19th. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals have appeared in several publications. She lives in New Mexico with her husband of 44 years.

Book Blurb for Within Golden Bands

Newlyweds Bonny and Kieran MacDonell grieve the loss of her miracle pregnancy while struggling to discover the identity of the man who left Kieran beaten and unconscious. Reeling from the threat to her husband and loss of their child, Bonny fights to hold her marriage together as danger destroys the peace of their sheep farm on the banks of Loch Garry, Scotland. Will they choose to trust God when his ways are impossible to fathom?

Amazon

New Mexican Culture Cuisine

/ sandramervillehart / 2 Comments

Today’s post is written by fellow author, Norma Gail. Her novel, Land of My Dreams, is set mainly in Scotland, but also in New Mexico—two locations dear to her heart. She lives in New Mexico and shares two yummy recipes with us from her home state. I can’t wait to try these. Welcome back to Historical Nibbles, Norma!

For those who live there, New Mexico is a bit of heaven. Admitted as the 47th state in 1912, it is a high-altitude land of arid, sun-kissed deserts and spectacular, forested mountain peaks under crystalline, azure skies.

Unique in culture, the Navajo, Apache, and Pueblo peoples of Native American origin were its only inhabitants prior to the early 1540’s. Subsequently claimed by Spain, Mexico, and partially by the Republic of Texas, portions became a US territory in 1848 through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo with the rest acquired by the Gadsden Purchase of 1853.

This conglomeration of cultures created a culture and cuisine unique in the world. Beans and corn are staples, with the locals fiercely defending the state’s largest agricultural crop of red and green chiles as the best in the world. True New Mexicans are notorious chile snobs.

Below, you will find two of my personal favorite recipes, primarily from Native American influence.

-Norma Gail

Posolé

(pō-sō-lāy)

(A traditional stew of hominy, meat, and chile)

1-2 lb. pkg posolé (hominy)

4 dried chile peppers (red)

4 cans (12-16 oz.) of green chilies (frozen can be substituted)

Juice of one lime

2 lbs. of lean pork, cut in ¾” cubes

1 lb. lean beef (optional)

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp of salt

1 tsp of black pepper

1-16 oz. can of stewed tomatoes, diced

½ tsp celery salt

2 tsp cumin

Rinse posolé in cold water. Place in a large stockpot and cover with at least 2 quarts of water. Simmer 1-2 hours, until posolé kernels pop.

Brown meat and onions until onions are tender. Place all ingredients in a large crockpot or stockpot on stove, cover with water, and simmer 6-8 hours, covered, adding water as necessary. Flavor is enhanced by cooking a day early, refrigerating overnight, and reheating.

Serves 8-10. This will freeze well, though chili tends to become hotter over time.

Sopapillas

(So-pă-pē-yas)

1 ¼ cup scalded milk

4 cups of flour

1 ½ tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp shortening

1 pkg dry yeast

¼ cup warm water

Scald milk and cool to room temperature.

Combine dry ingredients and cut in shortening. Dissolve yeast in warm water and add to the cooled milk.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add liquids and work into a dough.

Knead dough 15-20 times and set aside approximately 10 minutes.

Roll dough to ¼ inch thickness or thinner. Cut in squares or triangles.

Deep fry in melted shortening at 420° until golden-brown. Fry only a few at a time so oil stays hot. If the oil is hot enough, they will puff almost immediately. Puffing is enhanced by bouncing gently in oil during frying. Turn to brown both sides evenly.

 

Author bio:

Norma Gail’s contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, set in Scotland and her home state of New Mexico, won of the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award.

A Bible study leader for over 21 years, you can connect through her blog, or on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, or Amazon.

 

 

 

Scottish Influence in American & World History

/ sandramervillehart / 6 Comments

Today’s post is written by fellow author, Norma Gail. A large part of her contemporary romance is set in the beautiful country of Scotland.

I first became fascinated with Scotland when I discovered a Scottish great grandmother in a family tree as a child. Since then, I’ve discovered many Scottish ancestors. Following a visit in 2006, I can truthfully say, “My heart’s in the Highlands …” (Robert Burns)

Americans of Scottish ancestry make up more than half of the American population. Almost half of the signers of the Declaration of Independence had Scottish or Scots-Irish ancestry, including Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and Alexander Hamilton. Scots comprised three quarters of Washington’s army, and along with Scots-Irish, made up half of his officers. Nine governors of the original thirteen states were Scottish.

Following the disastrous Battle of Culloden in 1745 in their nation’s quest to be free, English victors forcibly removed large numbers of poor Scots from their homes. English aristocrats and wealthy Scots who supported the British cause received large estates in reward for service. Over 40,000 Scots emigrated to the United States between 1763 and 1775.

Scots have changed our world. Scotland played a key role in the Protestant Reformation through the influence of John Knox. Famous inventors include James Watt, inventor of the steam engine and Father of the Industrial Revolution; Alexander Fleming, discoverer of penicillin; Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone; John Logie-Baird, inventor of the television; Thomas Telford and John Loudin McAdam, both of whom contributed to modern road building technology; Alexander Cumming, inventor of the flush toilet; William Cullen, the refrigerator; Alan McMasters invented the toaster; Charles MacIntosh, inventor of the waterproof macintosh; Alexander Bain, inventor of the electric clock; and the list goes on.

Today, 20 to 25 million Americans claim Scottish ancestry. It is impossible to look at the history of America without including the great contributions of the Scottish people and their descendants.

-Norma Gail

Author Bio:
Norma Gail’s contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, set in Scotland and her home state of New Mexico,  won of the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award. A Bible study leader for over 21 years, you can connect through her blog, or on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, or Amazon.

Book Blurb:

Land of My Dreams:

An American college professor struggling for faith and finding love when she least expects it. Land of My Dreams travels from New Mexico’s high desert mountains to the misty Scottish Highlands with a story of overwhelming grief, undying love, and compelling faith.

Amazon buy link

 

Land of My Dreams by Norma Gail

/ sandramervillehart

The author drew me into this contemporary romance right away.

To escape from painful losses, college professor Bonnie Bryant accepts a position to teach in Scotland. She meets Professor Kieran MacDonnell, a grieving widower and sheep farmer. She soon falls in love with him.

Though Kieran loves Bonnie, he feels guilty for loving her. He still grieves his wife’s passing.

To make matters worse, Bonnie’s former boyfriend keeps trying to contact her. He wants to make amends.

There are plenty of obstacles in Bonnie and Kieran’s way. Just when I thought I knew what would happen next, a twist came. There are many unexpected twists and turns in this novel that kept me guessing until the end.

I also fell in love with a land I’ve never seen—Scotland. The author’s descriptions brought the beautiful land alive in my imagination. I’d love to visit there someday.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas     Use coupon code SandraMHart for a 20% discount on Lighthouse Publishing books!

Blog Tour Giveaway!

/ sandramervillehart

An autographed print book giveaway!

The blog tour continues on Norma Gail’s wonderful blog, 2 Me from Him. Norma interviews me and shares the first scene from my new Civil War novel release, A Rebel in My House, which is set at the time of the Battle of Gettysburg.

As a special bonus, enter for a chance to win an autographed print copy of the new release! Go to Norma’s blog  and enter on Rafflecopter. Good luck!

Third Blog Tour Stop

/ sandramervillehart

I am thrilled to be a guest on the blog of Norma Gail, fellow author. This is the first of two posts on Norma’s blog. She gives all the important links for my Civil War romance releasing tomorrow!

A Rebel in My House is set during the historic Battle of Gettysburg and the tumultuous days that followed. The soldiers didn’t leave–after the battle the uniforms on men in the streets were blue. In a town filled beyond capacity with wounded, some soldiers are caught behind  enemy lines.

Click here to get the pre-release price!

Please visit Norma’s blog and leave a comment. There will be a book giveaway on her blog that you can enter starting next week!