Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

Kimberly A Cook

In The Mood For Chicken And Dumplings?

By 1 Comment

by Kimberly A. Cook                     (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

We are in the full court press run up to the holidays and things are getting wacky. From crazed drivers to potluck parties and trying to get two minutes to think, taking a break is a great idea. A comfort food timeout is even better.

Dumplings cooking away on the stove, right before the lid went on. Can you smell the magic?
Dumplings cooking away on the stove, right before the lid went on. Can you smell the magic?

I’ve been trying to make chicken and dumplings for two months and I finally accomplished it Sunday.

My co-worker gave me her quick and easy recipe which included using meat from four leftover baked chicken thighs, 6 cups low sodium chicken broth, 1 bag frozen peas and 1 bag frozen corn, 1 drained jar sliced mushrooms, 3 stalks cut up celery, 1 bag cut up baby carrots, minced garlic, 1 small white onion and 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to sauté the onions and then veggies.

The fun part was making the dumplings. All it required was 2/3 cup of Heart Smart Bisquick mix and 3 tablespoons of milk. Mix together and drop on top of the simmering soup, leave for 10 minutes uncovered and then put the lid on for another 10 minutes and dumplings! Too easy.

When I got home from the day job on Monday night, heating up the chicken and dumpling leftovers in the microwave was super easy and left me to watch Monday Night Football. Sometimes we just need to slow down and smell the dumplings.

You could even put these dumplings on top of canned soup. The possibilities are endless. Try the Crock Pot too. The next best thing to Bisquick strawberry shortcakes is dumplings. So take some time in this busy holiday season to treat yourself. Dumplings for all!

How About Some Bells For Holiday Fun?

By Leave a Comment

by Kimberly A. Cook              (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Just when I think I’ve got the holidays under control, my schedule goes nuts and I get behind. Happens every year. One thing I do love this time of year is my Claymation Christmas favorites. This stop-action clay show was made in the mid-1980s by the then Will Vinton Studios. It’s a family tradition to watch the DVD and this is one of my very favorite songs.

Enjoy and Happy Quirky Friday!

Are You A Holiday Decorating Diva?

By 1 Comment

by Kimberly A. Cook                     (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Spent Sunday putting up a few holiday decorations and getting the Christmas tree up. Each year I decide whether to go all out or pace myself. This year is a simple but classy holiday decorating agenda. In the process of putting up the three fake wreaths on my front porch, I spied an industrious woodpecker getting snacks from the tree across from my porch bannister.

Mr. red feathered woodpecker on the left side of the tree. See, he's only a couple feet off the ground!
Mr. red feathered woodpecker on the left side of the tree. See, he’s only a couple feet off the ground!

This tenacious little bird, all decked out in his holiday red-head feathers, did not leave the tree. When a car came flying by, he scurried to the other side of the tree trunk.

When the boy walking his dog strolled by, the bird circled again so he was hidden from view. I got the camera and began taking pictures of him to see how long he would last. Then I went back to work.

I put up the other two wreaths, which involves me climbing up on my three-step stool and then getting on my railing and popping the wire backs of the wreaths into the hooks.

Still able to do it and haven’t fallen in the bushes, yet. When I finished Mr. Red Bird was still eating and enjoying his obviously tasty finds on the tree.

 

Digging in for snacks on the right side of the tree.
Digging in for snacks on the right side of the tree.

For all I know he’s still out there, since he never went away and kept pecking for insects.

Seems to me this is a perfect plan for getting through the holidays; focus on food and ignore the rest of the distractions or move out of the area if things get too noisy or bothersome.

Several people walked by the tree with the bird and never saw him, right there in front of them.

Take time during the holidays to enjoy the simple things. Slow down and see if you find a holiday decorated visitor in your yard or area park. Who knows who might be Santa’s helper this time of year.

Happy Holidays!

 

My best up close and personal woodpecker pic. Maybe he was posing for me.....
My best up close and personal woodpecker pic. Maybe he was posing for me…..

 

 

Time For A Summer Surfing Break?

By 2 Comments

by Kimberly A. Cook              (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

We are finally out of the cold weather for a bit and back to the warm rain here in Oregon. With putting up holiday decorations and trying to get my list ready for Santa, thoughts turn to a warmer time of year and surfing goats! Who knew there are actually surfer goats besides the ones we met at Surfing Goat Dairy in Maui. Maybe they could be spokesgoats for the Dairy.

This California Pismo Beach kid, too true, is the cutest ever. Have a great weekend and Happy Quirky Friday!

Want To Ride Along With Sled Dogs In Alaska?

By 2 Comments

by Kimberly A. Cook                   (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

While most fiction authors are publishing only ebooks, my author bud Cindy is advancing in another direction like the Marines. She decided to augment her latest fiction ebook by indie publishing it in paperback. I love it when one of our “quirky warriors,” as she proposed we call ourselves, slips out of the salmon stream and goes walkabout on land.

Her book “Iditarod Nights” is a great romance read, complete with a feisty heroine, a former cop hero with issues and those wonderful sled dog puppies who steal the show. It’s fast paced and the perfect gift for someone on your holiday list who likes to read paperbacks OR ebooks.

Love this cover! Her talented hubby designed it.

(Love this cover! Her talented hubby designed it.)

So what better way to say thank you to one of my favorite authors, buddies, editors and an all around wild and crazy girl, than show you her latest offering on Amazon. This is Cindy’s third romance fiction book and she is getting ready to publish her first women’s fiction novel very soon. (I’ll keep you updated on that one.)

If you’re looking for a journey to exotic Alaska, this is your romance. Besides, Cindy always comments on my blog posts, so for that she earns a medal. Check it out on Amazon and know I ordered my paperback copy last night to add to my ebook copy. I have a Cindy shelf I keep stocked with her paperbacks. Enjoy romance along the Iditarod sled dog race this winter from your favorite cozy chair!

Link to Cindy’s book: http://www.amazon.com/Iditarod-Nights-Cindy-Hiday/dp/1501059319/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417496228&sr=8-1&keywords=iditarod+nights

Cindy’s web site: www.cindyhiday.com

Unleash The Pie Baking!

By 6 Comments

by Kimberly A. Cook                              (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

My favorite time of year arrives again, Pumpkin Pie baking time. One of the great things about Thanksgiving is being grateful for all the people, family and friends in our lives; sharing pumpkin pie seems the perfect way to celebrate.

Pie logistics! Moving troops or pastry, you've got to have your supplies. Unleash the bakers!
Pie logistics! Moving troops or pastry, you’ve got to have your supplies. Bunny cookie jar and Match Dandy are on sentry duty. Unleash the bakers!

I’ve gathered my ingredients and will be in a baking frenzy tomorrow night. So while I am mixing pumpkin and pouring in evaporated milk, eggs, spices and sugar, it’s a good time to thank everyone who reads my little blog here. At last count there are 69 twitter folks and 161 WordPress folks following my activities.

Thank you for your kind attention to my work. Thought I should have a name for us. When I was volunteering for the USS Ranger Foundation I decided to use Team Ranger to describe our volunteers, board and staff. At the time the whole vampire “Twilight” thing was going on, so it wasn’t a far stretch.

I thought perhaps we should be Team Quirky. Then I realized that might lead  to all kinds of trouble I didn’t want to deal with online, down a slippery rabbit hole so to speak. So in the interest of keeping this relatively clean and fun, I’d decided on Team Cookie. My nickname in the Army was Cookie and so was my Dad’s when he served, so I feel it’s a family tradition. But I tried Team Cookie and Google told me someone else has the name. Figures.

Perplexing problem. Will have to think on it some more. But thank you all for being a part of Team to be named later with a high draft pick choice, I hope.

Since I can’t send crumbs through the digital media, how about pie? For those of you who live by a Shari’s Restaurant, they have this new program the Shari’s Café Club. I was so excited to find out about this since I’m not yet eligible for an Honored Citizen card for several more years. They’ve merged the two programs and now anyone can get a Shari’s Café Club card at Shari’s.

When you register you get a piece of free pie in that month and then another free piece of pie for your birthday. I’m already up two pieces of pie! So if you want free pie, trot over to Shari’s and get one of those cards. You earn points for every dollar you spend at Shari’s. I’m thinking earning future pie dollars….

No matter what is happening in your life right now, know I appreciate your support and did my best to get you free pie as a thank you. Hugs all around. Have a great Thanksgiving everybody!

www.mysharis.com for info.

(I am not getting pie kickbacks for this either. Rats!)