May 17, 2016

Author Interview: Jack Lewis Baillot


Today I am excited to announce the up and coming book, Brothers-in-Arms, by Jack Lewis Baillot!!  It will be available on the 31st, so keep an eye out!! 

In honor of such an occasion, Jack is here on this very blog to answer some questions for us!! 


             1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?


When I was thirteen, though I had been telling stories long before that. But when I turned thirteen I wrote a story about four siblings, a goat, and a flood and I realized I wanted to write for the rest of my life.


    2. How long does it take you to write a book?
 A month when I'm not running all around trying to do boring adult things. This month there has been no new book because the state wants me to be an adult. Next month, the hermit returns and books will emerge.  

    3. What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
 Random. I usually write in the evenings with a cup of tea. But even then I am all over the place and trying to do reading, editing, and who knows what else at the same time.   

    4. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
 I make the expressions I write about. So if a character is frowning or glaring I frown and glare. If they laugh, I laugh. It amused my family.  

    5. Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
 The voices in my head. Maybe that is a cheating answer but it is true. They come and chatter to me, tell me their names and their story, and TADA! There it is. 
 
    6. What do you like to do when you're not writing?
 Eat cookies. Plot world domination. Read. Annoy my neighbors...wait, did I just say that last one? 

    7. What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
 That I cannot plot. When I do the characters change it. It's been interesting realizing this, but also fun. Most of the time when I write the plot changes and twists are a big surprise to me.  

    8. Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?
 Write every day. Even a line. And don't stress about making the first draft perfect. They aren't meant to be. They are meant to be fun and exciting and never shown to another human being. That is why we edit. 

    9. What do you think makes a good story?
 The characters. Always.  

    10. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
 An Author....as well as a detective. I still am on the hunt for a good mystery I can solve.  
 

Thank you for being here, Jack!  Congratulations on your book release!
 



Author Bio

Jack is one of those strange people who calls herself an Author. She spends a lot of her time writing and even less time editing. She likes to write about friendships which is partly how Brothers-in-Arms came to be. More than ten years in the making, this is the book she dreaded the most writing, but which also has the most meaning for her.

When Jack isn't writing, which doesn't happen too often, she keeps busy with various other hobbies – such as reading, playing the bagpipes to the dread of her neighbors, and drinking tea – which might not be considered a hobby by most but which should be.

She lives in a cabin in the woods with her dog and a library which isn't quite equal to Prince Adam's but will be given enough time and a secret doorway.



Contact Info

Facebook –
https://www.facebook.com/JackLBaillot

Twitter – https://twitter.com/JackLBaillot

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5862775.Jack_Lewis_Baillot

Blog – http://www.jacklewisbaillot.com/




Goodreads link -
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24703965-brothers-in-arms

Brothers-in-Arms Pintrest Page - https://www.pinterest.com/jackbaillot/brothers-in-arms/
 
 

March 09, 2016

Cover Reveal: Brothers-In-Arms

There's awesomness afoot!  Check out this awesome sounding book by Jack Lewis Baillot!


Can a Jew and a Nazi survive Hitler's Germany?

 
 

 
Franz Kappel and Japhet Buchanan never expected their friendship to be tested by the Third Reich. Friends from early childhood, the boys form an inseparable, brotherly bond. Growing up in a little German village, they escape most of the struggles of war until the day Japhet is banished from school for being a Jew, and later has a rib broken when other village boys beat him up. Franz learns he is putting himself in danger for spending so much time with Japhet but continues to stand up for his Jewish friend even at the risk to himself. Then one day their lives are shattered when they see first-hand that the price of being a Jew is dangerously high. 

With the war now on their doorsteps, Franz and Japhet come up with a desperate plan to save their families and get them out of Germany alive. Leaving behind the lives they've always known, they move into Berlin with nothing to protect them but forged papers and each other. Convinced their friendship can keep them going, the boys try and make a new life for themselves while trying to keep their true identities and Japhet's heritage a secret. Taking his best friend's safety upon himself, Franz joins the Nazis in an attempt to get valuable information. At the same time, Japhet joins the Jewish Resistance, neither friend telling the other of their new occupations.

With everyone in their world telling them a Nazi and a Jew can't be friends, it is only a matter of time before they believe all the lies themselves, until neither is certain if they are fighting against a race of people or fighting for their homeland. Somehow they have to survive the horrors of World War II, even when all of Germany seems to be against them.



 
Jack is one of those strange people who calls herself an Author. She spends a lot of her time writing and even less time editing. She likes to write about friendships which is partly how Brothers-in-Arms came to be. More than ten years in the making, this is the book she dreaded the most writing, but which also has the most meaning for her.

When Jack isn't writing, which doesn't happen too often, she keeps busy with various other hobbies – such as reading, playing the bagpipes to the dread of her neighbors, and drinking tea – which might not be considered a hobby by most but which should be.

She lives in a cabin in the woods with her dog and a library which isn't quite equal to Prince Adam's but will be given enough time and a secret doorway.



Contact Info









March 01, 2016

GIVEAWAY and Author Inteview

Today I have a very special treat for you!  I have been given the honor of interviewing the awesome author Jessica Greyson for her upcoming release, Sufficient Grace!

Hi, Jessica!  Thank you for agreeing to this interview.  Tell us a little about yourself, background, and what you enjoy doing in your spare time.

Thank you so much for taking the time, I am super honored to be on your blog.  Currently, I am a stay at home daughter who is working towards a college degree. I am the oldest girl, and the middle child of a wonderful Christian family in the midwest. In my spare time writing, art, sewing and language study fill my time.



Tell us a little about what you write and specifically your new release.
I usually dabble with fiction that feels like history and usually medieval and European history.  However, with Sufficient Grace, I changed up my genre and headed out west with a story and a message close to my heart.
Sufficient Grace:
Four years have  passed since tragedy broke Grace’s family apart, tarnished the family name, and  sent her into hiding at finishing school. Now with a new last name and a few years between her and the accident; Grace wonders if she  will be able to escape the heavy shadow of the past that smothers her with guilt and a desire to escape life.
Grace carefully guards her heart from others to prevent them from  discovering her past. However, when Mitch, a deputy, comes into her life, he seems bent on destroying Grace’s armor. Can Grace really trust someone with the  secrets that haunt her, or will they destroy her once again?


Why do you write?
At age 12 I was seeking for a life purpose. I knew I wanted to grow up to be a wife and mother someday, but I wanted something to do until husband and children came into the picture, and something that I could hopefully do while taking care of husband, children, and house...none of which exist still, which is just fine. A week or so later the pastor preached about David and Paul being ready writers for God.
I felt God asking me. “Will you be my ready writer?”
Without thinking about how much I hated writing etc. I said YES!
And I’ve been writing ever since! It’s become my relaxing hobby. It’s a gift from God, because I certainly would have never chosen it.


Where do the your ideas come from?
They come from many places. People, pictures, music, concepts, even dreams. They combine all in a lovely mixture of inspiration. I usually write medieval type fiction, however I wanted to sample a different genre, and western was the one that appealed to me. Sufficient Grace, was an idea that I really wanted to write but it wasn’t fitting with anything, in my typical genre. After meeting someone who just seemed perfect for a western character but having no story to put him into, I thought I would have to let the idea go. However, waking up from a nap on day, the idea struck and fell fully into place with the opening scene of Sufficient Grace.


How long on average does it take you to write a book?
It really depends. The fastest I’ve ever written a book was three weeks, the longest nearly two years.
For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books?
Big books, give me a hardback, also children’s books. For general reading and traveling, I love a good paperback. Traveling with the complete works Jane Austen in hardcover was a big mistake.


What book/s are you reading at present?
By my bed are:
Fly Away Home by Rachel Heffington,
Fierce Beauty by Meeder
Lafayette H.G. Unger


Tell us about the cover and how it came about.
I am super thrilled with the cover that Louie Roybal created for this book! This is our third collaboration, and I am so grateful to be working with him again.  It’s a long funny story, however I knew his wife when we were both in highschool, we met at speech competition. We lost track of each other, then cleaning one day I came across her maiden last name on sheet of paper and looked her up! Sure enough, there she was! We became friends on facebook, she posted pictures of her husband's art work, at that time I was helping a friend find an illustrator. Then it struck me, why don’t I enlist his help, too? I love cover designing, however when it comes to making my own book covers, I struggle with perfection. It’s so nice to let Louie take the wheel and create a piece of beautiful art that speaks perfectly for my book.


What is your favorite book and why?
That is really hard to say. There are so many delightful books, but besides the One, I try to read everyday. On the top of my list are a bunch of unpublished books. A major problem when you have so many author friends. However,
Only A Novel by Amy Dashwood (sweet and funny)
Ransomed by Elizabeth Ender  (powerful)
The Viking Series by Lois Walfrid Johnson. (deep and adventurous)


What is your favourite quote?
Cur Non - The Lafayette Family Motto. (which means why not)
Or William Borden’s No retreats, No reserves, No regrets.  


What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Keep trying, keep writing. Never, never, never give up.
The writing world can be harsh, but there is always a niche for you to flourish, you just need to find the right marketing soil.


How can readers discover more about you and you work?
You can follow me at
 
Thank you for being with us today, Jessica!  I wish you success and look forward to getting my hands on a copy of Sufficient Grace!
 
To help celebrate, I'm offering this handmade framed Bible verse, inspired by Jessica's new release.  Sign up for your chance to win!  (Only US entries only, please!)
 
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

January 14, 2016

Mini White Chocolate Blackberry Cheesecakes (No-Bake)

I don't normally try the easy-peasy-make-it-in-ten-minutes recipes I find on Facebook and Pinterest, but one caught my eye today so I decided to give it a try.  Besides, how many ways can white chocolate cheesecake to wrong??  And so much could go right... and it did!  Raving reviews from the family encouraged me to share this one with you. 

Here's how it's done. 


Filling
Cream together:
8oz cream cheese
1/4c. soft butter
1/4c. powdered sugar
1tsp vanilla extract

Fold in (one at a time):
1c. melted white chocolate
8oz whipped cream (sweetened)

Set aside.





Crust
1c. graham cracker crumbs
1/4c. melted butter

Press into muffin tins with paper liners** (approx. 1 packed teaspoon per cup).  Leave a small amount of crust mixture for garnish.


They looked bad in the pan, but... you know, cheesecake and all.







Drop in equal amounts of filling (about 2 tablespoons) and smooth into cups. 

Add about 1 teaspoon of canned blackberry pie filling on the top of each cheesecake and sprinkle with leftover crust mixture. 

Freeze for at least one hour before serving. 

Tada!!  You're done! 


**I definitely recommend using the liners.  I didn't have any and it was a little tricky getting them out of the pan... luckily, mutilated mini cheesecakes don't deter brothers too much.  ;) 




December 16, 2015

Why I'm Not Waiting for Mr. Right

If you were raised like me, you were raised to believe that women are created to be helpers... helpers to God, their husband, children, orphans, widows. Helpers. But ultimately helpers to their husbands. Husbands. We learn to cook, clean, raise children, housekeep, shop, do laundry, etc. etc. etc. with the expectation that one day will be able to fulfill these duties for our husbands.

But then I look around and I see a lot of single girls in their early/late twenties who are still waiting for their man to show up. "Houston, we have a problem..." The problem is not the lack of older guys, or the lack of "mature" guys, or the lack of financially stable guys, or the lack of tall guys (*hint hint*), or even just the lack of guys in general. Let me explain.

Many young Christian women are raised from the beginning to belive that their ultimate purpose in life is to serve a husband. While this is a righteous calling, it is not who we are called to be as Christian women. Being a wife is not our end goal. Or, rather, it shouldn't be.
 
Hold on, don't freak out. Let me explain by asking you a question.

Who are we called to be? As single Christian women, who are we called to be biblically?

We are called to be noble in character, worthy of the confidence others have in us, always doing good, productive with our time, cooks, frugal with money, willing to do (and capable of doing) hard work, generous to the poor, putting thought into and planning for the future. Striving to bring honor to our families, strong and dignified, optimistic, wise and willing to give faithful instruction to others, not remiss or idle, cherished by children, and fearing the LORD not putting stock in external beauty or vanity. (Pr. 31:10-31)

I was raised to believe that it is important for a me to be these things so that I can be a helper to my future husband... noble, so he is not scorned. Productive, so he is not required to do housework. Cook so he has something to eat... etc. However, I contend that while these teachings are not unfounded biblically, women should not strive to be these things solely for the purpose of preparing for marriage. While the Proverbs 31 woman is married, she was these things before she was married. For God is calling men to seek such women for their wives.

Let me say it again. She had these qualities before marriage. Every one of those things listed are characteristics which God outlines for a righteous woman. These things are worthy of recognition. Girls, not so we can catch a husband. So we can further the Kingdom of God.

Let me explain further.

I am currently reading a book that redefines our approach to romantic relationships, and it brought up a very poignant question (which spawned the conception of this paper). If we are seeking a spouse to complete us, to be our "better half," to be the "yin to our yang," aren't we basically telling God that He is not enough for us?  We are still yearning for something more, that thing that is missing... this emptiness we expect to be filled by a flawed and sinful man ("...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God").

Let's think about this for a minute. It's good to have a life dream, a goal, something to set your sights on. I know for me, it's motherhood. Nothing beats the feeling of a baby falling asleep in my arms. Nothing makes me happier than that baby smiling at me, or hearing that girgly little laugh... chasing down the fleet-footed one year old who is headed for the stairs and hearing the first perfectly read sentence ever to pass that child's lips. That is what I want. That is what I believe God is calling me to do. Goals are good, but goals talk about the what, not the who.

Who do I want to be? I want to be a woman who is noble, righteous, strong, frugal, kind, generous, cherished by children... I want to be God's servant, the hand that reaches out to the poor, the orphans, the needy. I want to be WHO I am, and WHO I strive to be every day, whether I am married or not. Getting married will not complete me anymore than buying a 2015 electric blue Corvette Stingray will make me a better driver. I have to work hard to become who I desire to be, who God calls me to be. Then, if at some point, a man enters the picture, I hope to be who God calls him to search for in a wife.

My point in all this? I believe many of us were raised with a flawed mindset. I am hundreds of different things – I am a homeschooler, I am an artist, a singer, dancer, sister, daughter, friend, reader, writer, cook, dishwasher, an archer, movie watcher, and a hopelessly curious soul. I am made up of bad memories, reoccurring nightmares, countless bad decisions, and the source of many peoples' pain. I am all these things and so much more... because WHO we are cannot truly be defined. Who we are can never be wrapped up neatly into a list that can be handed to someone. And who we are definitely does not hinge on future aspirations. Who we are is defined every day by the decisions we make, the words we speak, the things we laugh at, and the way we approach life.

Not being married does not make you any less powerful in the hands of God. Not having children does not make your years of child-rearing training a waste. Because whether you're chasing a one-year-old that you brought into this world, or the one year old of the exhausted mother next door who just needed one hour to take a shower and do her hair before her husband comes home, you are being who you were made to be.

Don't squander this time of singleness. It's precious. Learn to drive your 1990s Toyota pickup, so that when the keys of that electric blue Corvette are handed to you, you're not afraid to drive it because you're confident that you've done everything you can to become the best driver possible.

November 20, 2015

NaNoWriMo and What Resulted

Just as many other writers did (and are still doing) this month, I participated in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).  My goal was to reach 50,000 words before Thanksgiving, but things went well and I reached my goal at 1:30am on Thursday, November 19th.  I am terribly thankful to have reached my goal... so I decided to write some more!  :)  I'd love to tell you a little bit about the story that took up all my free time for the past 20 days.

Oh, and by the way, I hope to finish it before the end of November, but we'll see if that happens.

But now on to the fun part.  My NaNo Novel last year focused on Kellen (you can read about it on the Books page above).  This year, I focused on Kellen's sister, Jenna, in the story Jenna.  (I'm not very original with titles as you can tell... but there's time to work on that.)   Here's a summery of Jenna's story in her own words. 
 
My name is Jenna Lynn Fayette and I'm a lover of many random things... old movies, new games, dry humor, and practically anything that makes me laugh or think outside the box.  My story unfolds on an evening, just like any other.  At least, that's what I thought, until I descended the stairs after my evening shower to find both my parents lying dead on the floor in the living room of my family's old Denver townhome. 
 
Needless to say, that was the last day of my life as I knew it.  After a blur of florescent lights, questioning, IDing mug shots, and trying not to think about the horror I'd seen just hours before, I agreed to being enrolled in the National Witness Protection Program, also known as WITSEC (for Witness Security, I guess).  My death would be faked and an empty coffin would be buried beside my parent's in the cemetery not far from our house.  Friends and family would attend the funeral... it would be sad, them thinking me dead, but I knew faking my death was the only option.  
 
But first I had to testify.  Until the trial, they told me I would be kept at a safehouse in the Rocky Mountains, protected by four deputy marshals. I had no idea what I was in for.  Not that things were terribly different than I expected.  The days were long, the food became monotonous (when it was edible - it all depended on who cooked it), and the company....well, quite honestly, that's what surprised me the most. 
 
Jason, married with an adorable daughter, offered me the only shred of conversational entertainment in the entire safehouse.  We joked, insulted each other, and warred at our favorite childhood board games.  I'll remember him forever.  
 
Next were Pete and lane, and I lump them together because they are practically clones of each other.  Mum is the only way to describe them.  Mum and dull.  They possessed no entertainment value whatsoever.  As you can see, the paragraph describing them both is quite short. 
 
Lastly, Agent Tael Dante (and I use his full titled name because it describes his character better, perhaps, than I can).  I call him Man in Black, partially because I'm a stickler for old movies and partially because he never wears anything but black.  He intrigues me, possibly too much for my own good.  He seems to me a walking contradiction, a paradox, my friend and my enemy at the same time.  So, of course, me being who I am, I set about unveiling the mysteries that surround this altogether mysterious man.  
 
The day of the trial comes and goes, but I never make it to the courthouse.  Instead, I'm whisked away to another hideout in the mountains... however, in contrast, this one is not safe, a house, nor am I taken there with my consent.  The day goes from long to torturous in length.  Mostly, I just want to die, but no matter how hard I try, I can't.  Tael won't let me. 
 
 
That's pretty much all that can be said without exposing spoilers, so I'll end the summery there.  However, I will leave the first chapter here, in case you're interested in taking a peak at Jenna's world.
 
 
JENNA - CHAPTER ONE
“Look at you, so dashing and beautiful.” It would have sounded better if it wasn't her own voice saying it, but the frizzy haired, half-drowned looking rat of a twenty year old needed all the encouragement she could get. “With a little work...” she drew a brush through her wet hair, “you will take Mr. Darcy's breath away.”
Leaning close to the mirror she investigated a suspicious redness on her forehead. “Ah, perhaps a bit of apple cider vinegar will be needed on that bambino of a pimple.” Not that it mattered much... Mr. Darcy wouldn't be looking at her, only Elizabeth.
“Well, at least Rick Blaine needs a new leading lady.” Then mimicking Humphrey Bogart's voice as best she could, “Here's looking at you, kid.”
Sighing with resignation, she finished taming her mop of thick almost-black hair. Casablanca was an option for tomorrow, but she already promised her parents that Pride and Prejudice, the five hour version, would finally play in their living room theatre tonight. No use upsetting the public for a small childhood infatuation.
Glancing at her bathrobe hanging on the back of the door she twisted up her face. Bathrobe or blanket? “I'm already dressed.” Though a t-shirt and jeans didn't really flatter her figure, it was almost as comfy as a robe. “Blanket it is, then.”
Her father often complained about the extended length of the Pride and Prejudice, but Jenna shook her head as she descended the stairs. She whispered, “Too much of a good thing is probably just the right amount.” Yes, she talked to herself all the time, but she didn't want to worry her parents. Mental stability had very little to do with who one talked to, despite what most people believed.
As she rounded the landing halfway between the first story and the second story in their old-fashioned Denver town home, she expected to see her parents sitting on the couch waiting for her.
First her eyes caught two large men, tattoos shadowed their faces.  Her feet stuck on the stairs.
Blood. That's what she saw next. Lots of it. The man kneeling beside the couch stood, an eight inch long knife dripped blood like a leaky faucet leaks water.
God, no. This wasn't happening. Her father lay across the couch, her mother on the floor at the second man's feet. Blood poured from gashes in their necks.
Three seconds passed, maybe less. Fear, the kind that lends you wings, gripped her insides. It was too late, the men already saw her.
Run!
Her feet fled, but her mind stuck on the image of her parents. A single bound carried her over the banister and onto the tile floor of the dining room. Four more steps to the kitchen door. Three, she was off the porch. Right? Left?
The men pounded behind her but she barely heard them over the thundering of her heart. Across the grass, the porch lights faded as she plunged further into the yard. Darkness reached out to her. She dashed between the fence and the shed, using a wooden crate to help her over the six foot privacy fence that hid them from their neighbors.
The men's voices faded into the night as she ran. She didn't know where she was going, but she didn't stop until she no longer recognized any of the houses around her. Her muscles cramped and her lungs burned as she slowed to a walk.
An Elm tree stood between two houses, shading the ground from moonlight. Jenna stopped beneath it, listening for the first time. Crickets. The sound of distant sirens.
Sinking onto the grass, she leaned against the trunk of the tree as she hugged her knees tightly. The air wasn't cold, but she shook uncontrollably. Her mind was blank. Somehow, not even the image of her parent's mangled bodies found its way there. Nothing. Simply the silence of the night, the wailing of the sirens, the blackness before her. Nothing else.

By the time she stood again, her joints ached from her position. How long had she sat there?
The sirens fell silent sometime between then and now, all was peaceful again. She felt trapped, knowing the horror that faced her back in her living room but unable to prevent her feet from taking her there. It was like a magnet drew her back to the scene that was her worst nightmare made a reality. Bile soured her mouth at the thought of what stood before her as she stopped in front of her house. Yellow crime tape stretched out into the front yard, emergency vehicles took up the rest of the street. Red, white, blue flashed constantly, dizzyingly. Floodlights lit up the house like a dancer on stage.
Her eyes drifted and stuck to the front window of the living room where they remained.
She couldn't even feel her feet, her body was completely numb. How was she still standing? Her eyes couldn't move. There. That's where her entire life lay, bleeding out on the carpet. Disappearing from life like snow melting in spring. Nothing left but a muddy mess. Sticky red mud.
“Miss? Miss, are you alright?” A hand touched her shoulder and she flinched. The man was tall, dressed in a black uniform, a peaked cap set precisely on his head. “Are you alright?” He repeated his question, but she didn't need him to.
Glancing back at the house, she folded her arms tightly over her chest, as if that would keep her heart from breaking. A deep breath – the night air chafed her throat. “Yes.” Her voice was strong, fake.
“Are you Jenna?” He spoke carefully so as not to scare her, though she didn't spook easily.
“I am.” With a blink and a hard swallow, she turned toward the officer. You can do this.
“Will you come to the station with me? I have some questions for you.” He motioned towards a squad car parked across the street.
Looking down at her bare feet, she nodded. Where else would she go? “My shoes... they're inside the front door...”
He nodded quickly, reaching out and taking her elbow. “I'll get them for you. Would you please climb into the car?”
Another deep breath. A step off the curb, the magnet was reversed now. Walking this way was hard.
The officer matched her pace, allowing her slow tight steps to carry her across the street. She climbed in and soon after, her shoes were handed to her. She half expected them to be covered with blood, too, but they weren't. Not a drop. Not even a freaking speck.
She leaned back against the seat as the drone of the wheels against the asphalt hummed constantly. The darkness covered her like a blanket. Warm. Safe.
The next several hours blurred together. She told the story at least a dozen times. Blood, tattoos, the knife... she ran. She ran. How she hated that fact. Florescents flooded every inch of the police station with yellow light. People spoke incessantly. With every recounting, the blood turned redder. Her head ached. Her heart lay in pieces at the pit of her stomach.
She just kept remembering the night, the darkness, warm, safe.
Finally, darkness came with a blanket that smelled strangely like sourdough. But it came. She settled on a short couch in a back room. With the door closed, only a slice of light peeked beneath. Her eyes wouldn't close, so she didn't force them. The darkness was enough. The quiet, though she could still hear lots of activity beyond the door. At least it didn't involve her.
Witness Protection was being arranged. “WITSEC.” She whispered the word to herself. Somehow, somewhere along the way, she had agreed to give up her old life for a new one. Whatever that meant. A safehouse until the trial, and then a new life. What is left of my life to salvage? She never made many friends. The guys were too pompous and the girls too giggly. Her parents were her best friends. But now?
She rolled over and pressed her face against the cool leather of the couch back. Now, she would sleep. But sleep didn't come.
   

November 12, 2015

What's For Dinner: Chicken Katsu Curry

I love eating Asian food, but I don't eat out enough to satisfy my cravings. So I decided to give one of my favorites a try: Japanese Curry. The hardest part was finding a recipe that actually looked like what I wanted to make (and had at least half-way normal sounding ingredients). 
 
Anyway, after hours of recipe searching, ingredient checking, and finally actual food making, here's what happened... 
 

Over all I am very pleased with how it turned out! I changed the recipes some, so I'll put the original sites at the end of the post so you can check those out if you want.   

First I had to make some Garam Masala, a traditional Asian spice blend, because that seems to be a staple in Japanese Curry. This recipe turned out to be amazing: 

Garam Masala

1TB ground cumin
1 1/2tsp ground coriander
1 1/2tsp cardamom
1 1/2tsp ground black pepper
1tsp ground cinnamon
1/2tsp ground cloves
1/2tsp ground nutmeg

Mix together and store in an airtight container.  


  
 
 
Curry Sauce
 
1/4c. bacon fat
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
Garlic (the recipe calls for 5 cloves but I totally forgot to add it, so I don't know if that's the right amount or not... it tasted fine without)
6 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
6TBS white flour
4TBS curry powder (3TBS might be enough for some, though)
7 1/2c. beef stock
1/3c. honey
1/4c. soy sauce
3 bay leaves
1TBS garam masala (aren't you glad you made some??)
Heat bacon fat in Dutch oven (or stock pot of your choice) and add onion and garlic (if using) and cook until softened. Stir in carrots and cook over medium/low heat for 10-12 minutes.

Add flour and curry powder; cook for 1 minute. Gradually stir in stock until combined; add honey and soy sauce. Bring to a boil and boil for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Sauce should thicken to a light gravy consistency.) 

Strain out the onions and carrots and blend them in a food processor until smooth. Return to the pot with the rest of the sauce. Stir in garam masala and bay leaves. Boil for another 20 minutes or until thickened sufficiently (you can decide how thick you want it).
 
 
Chicken Katsu

12 thin chicken breasts (I used about 9 and cut the thick ones in half so they were thinner)
1/2-1c. of milk
1c. white flour
Salt
Pepper
Vegetable oil
 
Dunk chicken in milk and then coat with flour. Fry on both sides over medium heat until crispy on the outside and cooked through. 

 
Serve It

I sliced the chicken breast, laid it on a bed of brown rice, and poured a generous amount of sauce over the top. The family loved it! There was plenty of sauce left over, so if you wanted to make a bigger batch it would probably be good up to 15-17 chicken breasts.

Serves about 10 adults.