BRUNCH WITH BINGO! SWEET EXPECTATIONS: A PREVIEW WITH RECIPES AND A GIVEAWAY!

WELCOME TO BOOKIN' WITH BINGO'S
"BRUNCH WITH BINGO DAY"
I AM EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THIS WEEKEND'S
  SPECIAL "FOODIE" BOOK CHOICE IS.....

GIVEAWAY ENDED 
SWEET EXPECTATIONS

A Union Street Bakery Novel

BY MARY ELLEN TAYLOR

ABOUT THE BOOK: 
In SWEET EXPECTATIONS, Mary Ellen Taylor brings readers an intimate story echoing the emotion and sensitivity of The Union Street Bakery, as she explores dreams lost and found, the fear and joy of becoming a mother, and how the meaning of family transcends both time and DNA.
 

Daisy McCrae knows that change can be sudden—and devastating. And while it doesn’t have to be a bad thing, change has the power to turn your whole world upside down....

Running the family bakery and living in the store’s attic might not be Daisy’s dream life, but she’s beginning to understand what being content feels like. And then she gets some unexpected news. In one moment, Daisy’s calm existence turns into chaos. Now she’s struggling to keep it together, especially with renovations at the bakery spiraling out of control.

But when a box of recipes and mementos is found hidden behind a wall in the bakery, Daisy suddenly has something to cling to—a mystery that echoes her own troubles and gives her the opportunity to figure out what she really wants out of life... 

PRAISE FOR THE UNION STREET BAKERY NOVELS:
“When Daisy McCrae’s already semi-scrambled life abruptly turns even more upside down, it leads to deeper soul-searching, exploration of family ties, and a quest for the ultimate meaning of her purpose and direction . . . with Daisy’s narration alternating with her sister Rachel’s, the story unfurls at a slow yet steady pace, nicely layering characters, subplots, and backstory. “--Booklist

“Sweet and totally satisfying . . .  absorbing characters, a hint of mystery and touching self-discovery.”--RT Book Reviews (4 Stars)

“A wonderful story about sisters, family, and the things that matter most.  I loved this beautifully written journey of self-discovery.”--Wendy Wax, author of While We Were Watching Downton Abbey and Ten Beach Road

"Lots of good character development as Daisy comes to terms with herself and her family, deals with a couple of ghosts, and there are even a few recipes at the end. Thoroughly enjoyed this book."--New York Times bestselling author Mary Jo Putney at Word Wenches

"This book has mystery, history, a little romance, the paranormal, and a strong family saga. Nothing is over the top. Even the ghosts are just a thread in the pattern. Readers will love Daisy and the McCrae family and be engrossed in both the historical and the present puzzles Daisy and her family must solve. Taylor never takes the simple plot path or gives in to melodrama. The story feels real . . .highly recommended for anyone who loves family stories with intelligence and heart."--Blogcritics
 
“Taylor serves up a great mix of vivid setting, history, drama and everyday life in THE UNION STREET BAKERY. Here’s hoping she writes more like it.”--Herald-Sun, Durham, NC

"A superbly written book with emotional issues handled in a sensitive and delicate manner, and a finish with a feel-good ending." -- The Courier, Montgomery County, Texas
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mary Ellen Taylor’s southern family has always enjoyed tall tales and good yarns. Early on, Mary Ellen realized that Story had tremendous power to inspire laughter, love, sorrow and even fear. It didn’t matter if the tales were found in the pages of a book, spoken in hushed tones around a campfire, or shared at an old-fashioned southern family reunion, stories created connections.

This appreciation of story motivated Mary Ellen to earn an English degree from Virginia’s Hollins University. After a decade of working in marketing and sales, Mary Ellen became convinced she could write and sell one of the many stories swirling in her head. Fingers crossed, Mary Ellen left the marketing profession and devoted all her spare time to writing a novel.

Under the name Mary Burton, she has written twelve historical romances for Harlequin Historicals, four short romantic suspenses for Silhouette Romantic Suspense and now writes single title suspense novels for Kensington. Mary Burton is a 2005 RITA Finalist (Short Historical) and a 2006 nominee the Romantic Times’ Critics Choice Award.

Mary Ellen is an avid baker who spends many afternoons testing and tweaking recipes. She resides in Virginia where she enjoys yoga, hiking and her two miniature dachshunds, Buddy and Bella.

You can find out more about Mary Ellen Taylor at her website HERE; like Mary Ellen on Facebook at facebook.com/pages/Mary-Ellen-Taylor; on Twitter @METBOOKS .

RECIPES FROM MARY ELLEN TAYLOR AND SWEET EXPECTATIONS AND THE UNION STREET BAKERY:

 

VANILLA TRUFFLES

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 cups white chocolate
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Confectioner’s sugar
• Coconut

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place heavy whipping cream in a saucepan and heat gently, stirring often. 
2. When the cream is hot, pour over white chocolate and add vanilla. 
3. Mix until the white chocolate is melted and blended. 
4. Place white chocolate/cream mixture in a shallow dish and refrigerate for at least two hours. 
5. When the mixture is solidified, scoop out, form into bite size balls and roll in coconut. 
6. Chill.  Serve.  Enjoy!

   

JENNA’S PUMPKIN BREAD

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup corn oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups canned pumpkin 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.
2. In a separate bowl blend sugar and oil, and then mix in eggs one at a time.
3. Add pumpkin to sugar/oil mixture.
4. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth.
5. Put in an 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.75 greased pan lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes.
7. Makes 2 loaves. 

CREAM CHEESE ICING

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 box 10x powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cream together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until well blended.
2. Mix in powdered sugar until smooth.   

SOME OTHER BOOKS BY MARY ELLEN TAYLOR/MARY BURTON:

                     

                       

GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO JOAN AND THE GOOD FOLKS AT
JOAN SCHULHAFER PUBLISHING & MEDIA CONSULTING,
I HAVE ONE COPY OF SWEET EXPECTATIONS, 
TO GIVE AWAY TO A LUCKY READER

 
--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO 
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!

HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON WHAT YOU READ ABOVE ABOUT SWEET EXPECTATIONS THAT MADE YOU WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK, AND DON'T FORGET YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG AND/OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK HERE AND LEAVE ME YOUR LINK

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FIND INTERESTING AT MARY ELLEN TAYLOR'S WEBSITE HERE

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON ONE WAY YOU FOLLOW MY BLOG. IF YOU FOLLOW MORE THAN ONE WAY, YOU CAN COMMENT SEPARATELY AND EACH WILL COUNT AS AN ENTRY 

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON A CURRENT GIVEAWAY THAT YOU HAVE ENTERED ON MY BLOG. IF YOU ENTERED MORE THAN ONE, YOU MAY COMMENT SEPARATELY FOR EACH TO RECEIVE MORE ENTRIES

 

GIVEAWAY ENDS AT 
6 PM, EST, DECEMBER 16

   GOOD LUCK!

A "WISE OWL" SPECIAL GIVEAWAY

(In this case, meaning one that was scheduled before my break from blogging)