Christmas with W. Lynn Chantale

Welcome W. Lynn Chantale as she shares her family Christmas traditions and her Christmas release. Thank you, Lynn for being here today.

Can you sense the excitement in the air? Here, in Michigan it’s a little colder and we’re gearing up for a harsh winter. At least that’s what the weather man says. No snow yet, but there’s something else. Christmas!


Christmas, for me, is snow and family. I love spending time with my loved ones. A couple of our traditions is to open gifts at home, then travel to my Dad’s for breakfast. Driving to Dad’s is a little more treacherous in the winter months as we live an hour and fifteen minutes away, but we make the trip, faithfully.

We’ve done this for at least eighteen years. My parents are divorced and remarried. All of us kids are now grown with children of our own. So on Christmas Day we’re cooking for at least 35 people, I may have missed a niece or two. As I’m usually the first to arrive I takeover help in the kitchen. The menu is simple. Pancakes, French toast, bacon, scrambled eggs, sausage, and caramel pecan sticky buns, or just sticky buns for the few who are allergic to nuts.

In all the time I’ve been away from my hometown we’ve only missed 1 Christmas. My hubby promised me that would never happen again. So even though Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, we’ll make our way up the highway to see Dad and the rest of the rest of the family.

I’d give you my sticky bun recipe, but my sister would kill me. So here’s my biscuit and gravy recipe that my family loves.

2c. flour
1/2 (1 stick) cold unsalted butter
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
3/4c milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease bottom only of biscuit pan. Combine dry ingredients. Stir. Add butter. Using a fork mix in butter until mixture resembles small peas. Add milk. Dough can be rolled onto a floured board and cut using a biscuit cutter. Me, I’m lazy and take a forkful of dough and shape into rounds. Place biscuits in pan with sides touching. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy.

Sausage Gravy

1/4 to 1/2lb of Bob Evans Sausage or your favorite.brand
1/4 c flour
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
2c milk

In a 2 qt saucepan brown sausage. Drain and reserve 2TBLS of oil. Sprinkle dry ingredients over sausage. Gradually stir in milk. Stir until thickens. Boil about one minute. Serve alone or over hot biscuits.

Excerpt: Mistletoe Mambo in Christmas Treats #1 Anthology Santa’s Naught List



Blurb: Only one man dances to the music of Madeline’s heart.

She was aware of the crowd parting to accommodate their slow foxtrot, but she kept her focus on Max. Her knees wobbled so badly, if she ignored the intensity of his gaze she might stumble. He held her closer than necessary. Each glide of his hips brought his erection against her thigh. Surprised, she held her breath. Was it possible the attraction wasn’t one-sided, after all?

As if sensing her thoughts, he winged a brow. When his hand drifted lower on her hip, her heart thudded harder. Maybe he was flirting with her and merely used their dance as an excuse to hold her. Or perhaps this was wishful thinking on her part. Dancing wasn’t unusual at the Christmas party, but somehow dancing with him, knowing how she felt made the experience more exhilarating. Each brush of his pelvis sent an answering tremor through her body. She wanted more than three or four minutes in his arms. For a brief second, she rested her head on his shoulder. He tapped her right arm and she rotated into a spin. She completed two turns before he clasped her hand and drew her against the heat of his body once again.

She became lost in the depths of his eyes, glimpsing a longing she never noticed before as they circled the dance floor. The strength of his arm clasped her waist. The sure grip of his hand tightened on hers and the smooth texture of his trousers met her skin when he dipped her over his leg. Every nerve ending crackled at the sensual slide of his hard, powerful thigh beneath her bare back. He pressed his lips to the hollow of her throat and she forgot to breathe.

He stood her upright and glided them around the well-worn linoleum. Amazement must have shown on her face because he smirked. She followed his lead, too unsettled to do anything else. Did his little kiss mean he was interested, or was that just part of the dance? One more twirl around the floor, and then his steps slowed. Swaying in time to the music, he held her in his arms.

All too soon the song ended and they were forced to bow when thunderous applause cascaded through the room. Madeline pressed her hands to her cheeks while she struggled to catch her breath. She cast a sidelong glance at Max, his hand resting in the small of her back.

“I love dancing with you,” he whispered, leading her to the edge of the dance floor. “The scent of your perfume, the slide of your skin against mine, and when I lift you in my arms all I can think about is the way you would taste.” He squeezed her bottom.

Thank you for sharing with us today, Lynn. We too love biscuits and gravy. What a beautiful cover for your Christmas release. Best of luck with sales.

Please leave Lynn a comment.

Join me (Linda) today as my blog tour continues on Dawn Alexander's blog.

Thanks for Reading and Writing!

Linda
http://www.lindalaroque.com/