Showing posts with label David Broughton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label David Broughton. Show all posts

Monday, June 11, 2012

Royal Pane Down Under - David and Linda Broughton, Authors

Dave's Good Old BBQ Sauce

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups quality tomato sauce, or ketchup
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar (more or less, suityourself)
3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1-teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder (or more,  depending on strength)
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 cup Coke
Optional ingredients
2 oz local honey
More diced onions,  Vidalia or Texas Sweets

1 cup (or more) finely diced Jalapeno peppers (orwhatever kind you like)
Half cup finely shredded cheddar or provolone cheese
Salt to taste
A few dashes of Frank's Louisiana Hot Sauce, orsimilar not to hot variety like Green Tobasco

Sprinkle of Oregano flakes,
Dash of dried Basil,
Smidgen of Thyme,
Cayenne pepper to your desired heat level.

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan overmedium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until ingredients are completelyincorporated. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer until flavors have meldedand sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 30 to 40minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Ifnot using right away, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Letting it standat least overnight in the fridge helps the flavors meld into one harmoniousflavor, rather than many individual flavors put together


The first part makes a basic barbecue sauce, theoptional ingredients will make it your own. Don't be afraid to experiment.  A tablespoon of Hershey's cocoa powderdoes interesting things, so does a tablespoon of creamy peanut butter. You canadd ingredients as spices you might not consider. Want a little more zip butnot heat? Add a smidgen of Dijon mustard, or a touch of horseradish sauce. Iknow, you were always told not to play with your food, but why not? If you'repaying for it, and the one that's gonna eat it, it's all up to you. Only youknow what tastes suit you.


Royal Pain Down Under – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; A Book and A Dish; Think With Your Taste Buds


(This book has an added bonus.  The Author is giving you a 1/2 off code for your copy of Royal Pane Down Under through Smashwords.   Here is your code  HM48Z)


When the cheeseburgers arrive Ash about falls out of her chair.  The things are huge, probably bigger than those of the Red Top back home.  They’re certainly thicker.  No wonder they’re that price.. Ravenous Ash manages to eat only one of them.  They taste fantastic.  She has the other put in a to-go container.  On a whim, Ash has the waitress get the owner to her table, acting as if she has a complaint.  When the owner comes to the table, she tells him she won’t pay that for those burgers.  Before he can say a word, she hands him the check with a ten thousand dollar pack of bills, “That’s what I’ll pay for these burgers.”  The man if flabbergasted, totally speechless.  Exactly the effect she wanted to have on him.  She and Rodger get up to leave.  She tips the waitress a thousand dollars because she can.  Outside, Rodger quips, “What do you fancy yourself?  Some kind of Robin Hood or something?”  Ash smiles, “Something like that, when I get unexpected funds like those t the mill, I like to spread it around to those that deserve it, some of it, anyway.  Some folds give to charities, I do a bit of that myself.  I also like to help out hard working people that are doing things right.”

Ashling Pane is a woman of many faces and she doesn’t mind exposing them all when the need arises.  One of her best friends just happens to be the President of the United States. After she saved his life twice, his career once, and rescuing his daughter from kidnappers, he has declared that she has free run of whatever she might need or think she might need. Nobody dares say different.  This friendship has helped her accomplish her tasks in more ways than one.  Ash normally works recovering high dollar items for major insurance companies.  Her fees are high but her success rate is even higher, since she never gives up.  On a case where she recovered a famous violin ‘Lady Blunt’ she also recovered a young Russian immigrant, Roz, that was being and used against her will.  After taking her in, Ash discovers the girl’s musical talent affording her any instrument her heart desires to help make up for what she has been through.  Money for that job was good but when Ash is asked to go to Australia to free those being enslaved by a man named Aldridge Ainsworth, the offer becomes more than she can afford to turn down.  The Queen herself is making the request and offering her over $188,000,000 and that doesn’t count whatever she and her team might find along the way. 

As it turns out, Ainsworth has the natives working the mines producing uranium as well as gold and silver.  As the mines and compounds are attacked and the slaves freed, Ash and team find themselves collecting what ends up being several billion dollars in gold, gems, art and money hidden within the compounds.  Even after making the team members rich beyond their belief, Ash still has more than she can ever begin to spend.  Therefore she becomes ‘Robin Hood’ of sorts, taking from the criminals and giving a hand up to the working class. 


Royal Pane Down Under wasn’t a disappointment.  Ash Pane is still the person that you would love to be friends with while hoping that you never get on her bad side.  If she likes you, you will always be in good hands. If she doesn’t like you, don’t step into her path.  She is one macho woman who even the most macho men fear.  This would make a good character for Angelina.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

In Memory of Author Linda Broughton


In Loving Memory
In Memory of my sweet Linda
(by David Broughton)

My sweet love, now you're gone forever from this earth, but never from my heart and soul. It wasn't supposed to be this way, if I had my way, we'd have taken the final step of this mortal coil together, as we did most every other step through this earthly life.

Now I'm sad, not for you, for you are now free to be what I always knew you were, an angel of Love. I'm sad for me, and what I shall miss. Not just the big things, but simple things like folding sheets together, working as a team, like we often did in many things. I'll miss my companion, my best friend, and my lover.
I'm angry, not at you, but at the conductor that left me off that train to Gloryland with you. I would have been happy to ride in the caboose. We always traveled together, I wanted it to stay that way even on that final trip.

Feelings that cannot be named rack my body, as tears fill my eyes. Thoughts of "what if" cloud my mind. I feel guilty, what did I do or not do that could have prevented this separation? Was there anything I could have done? I know this not.

I'm lonely, for you were more than a lover, you were my companion, confidant and best friend, so I lost not one but four in one. I shall miss you always, though somehow I hope to find a way to put it in a pocket to keep for private moments, so that I can do whatever job I was left behind to complete, for when that's done, I shall be with you again, for we are, and will forever be soulmates. I loved you with all my heart, the best I knew how to love. You taught me how to love, and how to receive love in return. Love is infinite, never ending. Your capacity to Love was unfathomable. No amount of time or space can put true love asunder. Linda, I really do hope you know how much you were loved by me, and everyone you met. Farewell my sweet, until we meet again in the golden sky.

Side note of explanation to the readers: The "ride in the caboose" refers to a small gift she bought me one Christmas that had much sentiment attached. It was only a simple plastic caboose, but the reason she gave it still moves me. We were sitting at a railroad crossing early that summer, waiting for a train to pass. I happened to mention that I missed seeing the caboose on the train. She remembered that, and put a note with the toy caboose, "So your train will always have a caboose."

The Last Goodbye

Wednesday, April 13, 2011 will forever be acid etched into my memory as the hardest day I've ever had to face. This was the day I had to say that last goodbye to my beloved Linda, my wife, companion, best friend, and lover for nearly thirty years.

According to her wishes, I had to arrange for her cremation. Not only did she not want to be in the ground someplace, she didn't want to burden me with the outrageous expense of a fancy funeral, though she was worthy of a royal send-off. Of course, I couldn't just make the arrangements over the phone, and not take the opportunity to say goodbye, even though in my head I know that body is just an empty shell, I could not so much as imagine letting her go and not saying the things I had to say (they will remain private.)

After some delay by the coroner's office returning the body, I needed to be at the funeral home by six in the evening. Near the funeral parlor is a big grocery, where I stop to buy a single red rose. I gave her a single red rose when we first dated, and throughout our time together. This time of year, it's still bright and sunny at that time, allowing me to use my sunglasses to hide my bloodshot, baggy, tearful eyes from the rest of the world.

I watch carefully, looking for the funeral home, just when I think I must have missed it, I see it. I guide the truck into the lot, park and reluctantly step away from the safe haven my pickup truck provides. After two or three deep breaths to keep my composure, I walk to the front entrance. Ron, the man I'd been talking to on the phone, greets me gently.

There is always the infernal paperwork to get out of the way, so Ron gives me the choice of doing it first, or after I say farewell. Knowing that once I've said my farewell, I'll be in no shape to consider paperwork, I decide we should do that first, I'm also thinking it gives me a bit more time to ready my mind for what will be the hardest thing I'll ever do. Ron shows me to a conference room, I'm aware of the table and chairs, but not much else in the room as he gently guides me through the paperwork, signing where necessary.

While he files the paper work, Ron sets me up with an ice cold Coke, and a paper towel, then leaves me alone. At my request, he takes the wedding band from her hand at my request. I want to put it on a chain to wear around my neck. Ron gets me the ring, and gives me a just the right amount of time to face up to what I have to do. Sure I could just walk away now that the paperwork is done, but the man I am couldn't do it, no way.

I don't have a clue to how long I spent with my bride, how many tears were shed, or exactly what was said. I wouldn't make it public if I did. With Ron's help, I took a lock of her hair, for no particular reason that I can think of, but something inside wouldn't let me not do it. Now I'm in a more confused state of mind, I want to, to run away, but I also want to stay, to spend every more moment possible with the remains of my loving wife. I turned to leave, but instead grabbed another tissue, turned back kissed her head, and said my final goodbye. Ron shows me out, and at my question points out the restroom.

After some time in the rest room, splashing cold water on my face, I get it together enough to go out to my truck. I get in, but don't start it, I just sit there in a daze. I try to call my friend in Kansas, she has a way of calming me that nobody else can do. She doesn't answer, so I put the phone down, shake hands through the window with Ron, minding my manners as my Linda would have wanted. I drive a few blocks, before the cell phone rings, I can't answer it, I'm trying to drive, I'm in a daze and all thumbs, I drop the phone on the floor. I leave it there until I can pull over to talk to my friend. She takes the time to talk to me for a while, just hearing her voice is calming, though it doesn't take the pain away, it allows my mind to focus better.

I had to do some other things, like give most of my wife's clothes to a thrift store operation where the profits benefit orphaned or abused children. I know Linda would have wanted that, she insisted we shop there and help out as much as we could.

The drive home is pretty much a mystery to me, though I do remember stopping once to take a call from one of Linda's daughters, by her first marriage. All I can remember of the drive home was the tunnel vision and going so slow people behind me would honk when they couldn't pass. Thirty-four miles seemed like a thousand miles in a dark tunnel.

When I get home, I try to eat, but can't get down much, I try to talk to friends online or by phone, but can't get the one I really need to speak with, the only one that can calm me. Soon, I take off my outer clothes, collapse on the bed, my mind and body are exhausted from days of little or no sleep. Soon, I fall into a sleep more akin to passing out from the emotional overload. Four hours later, I wake and find myself writing this down. Why I must, I haven't a clue, self-therapy, I suppose. Oh, by the way, I did find it odd that we were married on the 13th, and I said my last farewell on the 13th.

Please, do me a favor if you can, reach out to help a child, in any way you can. Many times some attention alone will make a big difference. Read a story, help a children's charity, do but what you can feel good about, help me honor my Linda in that way.

The Last Goodbye, a poem to my Lost Love

Ninth of April, the very worst day
My angel has gone on her way,
To God I must stand and say,
Why take my love away?

Now it's a forever goodbye, no reprieve.
I must question exactly what I believe.
If I get to meet the Father someday,
I'm certain I'll have a lot to say.

I must say goodbye to an empty shell.
I feel like telling God to go to hell.
To take my love away is wrong.
I don't want to stay here long.

Life without love is not worth a damn
It hurts so much to be alone as I am.
My joy has been stolen in the night.
No way in the universe that's right.

Linda, my love, I hope I join you someday
Maybe then I can tell you all I didn't say.
Until that time, open your wings to fly
closer dear, for the Last Goodbye.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Black Lightning - David & Linda Broughton, Authors


David Broughton's 
Chocolate Chicken

(The ingredients are all to taste.  David Broughton's nickname is 'TooTall' and from what he tells me, skinny people don't taste as they cook)

Lightly brown some chicken in a slight amount of oil in a big,  deep skillet.
When lightly browned, add mushrooms, if fresh, saute in butter with the chicken juices in the same skillet. Add diced onions and green pepper, saute until about half cooked. Add some water, or better yet chicken stock if you have it handy. cover the chicken. add some garlic, either fresh or powdered, but if you use powdered go lightly. You may add basil, fennel, or cilantro if you have it and like it. While it simmers, add three or five semi-sweet Hershey's chocolate kisses, two tablespoons of prepared cocoa mix, and a tablespoon of peanut butter, unless you're allergic, then of course you leave that out. Add some seasoned salt, some lemon pepper, then simmer until the water or stock is down to half. Baste well with the remaining liquid, cover with Swiss cheese, or whatever your favorite kind is. Allow to rest in the liquid. When you plate it, you can serve it on rice, with or without mushrooms. Portabello's are particularly good with this sauce over it.

The point here, is you can use things not ordinarily used as seasonings with the common ones to create new flavors. The chocolate and cocoa powder don't make it taste like chocolate, but give it a unique flavor, as does the peanut butter.
I also use peanut butter in my spaghetti sauce, just a bit, it adds a nice mellow flavor and cuts the acid of the tomato a bit.

This book review is written in memory of Linda Broughton who passed on to a better world last April.  Linda was the heart and love of the Circle H ranch series.  She is truly missed not only for her writing ability but also because of the person she was. Learn more about this beautiful woman by clicking on her name Linda Broughton


Black Lightning – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat and A Book and A Dish

“I saw it all.  I was hiding in the closet, trying to stay safe from that man.”  Robinson raises her eyebrows, “What man?”  She blurts in her staccato way, “My stepfather—momma’s husband, Tom Gilcrest.”  Patting Josie’s back lightly, the detective asks, “So what did you see?”  Like a blast from a machine gun, the little slip of a girl fires out, “They were fighting again. I don’t really know over what, they were always fighting about something.  He shot her four times fast, then once more when she was lying on the floor.  He started soaking the house with gasoline.  When he went into another room, I snuck out.  I hid in the tool shed where the firemen found me.”  Robinson quits rubbing Josie’s back, to start writing things down, “So, we should only find the remains of one body?”  Josie replies only slightly slower, “No, there will be two.  I saw him dragging in a man… a dead man, I think.  I don’t know who it was.  He was dressed very raggedy, nobody I recognized.” 

Josie Stevens has just witnessed the murder of her mother by her stepfather.  Her father was murdered was murdered about a year earlier.  He grandmother, whom Josie was living with at the time, died after falling into a well and now her mother was gone.  Due to the fire, the only thing Josie has left in this world is the teddy bear with the big red heart given to her by her dad before he was killed. 

Detective Lizzie Robinson knows what it’s like to be alone.  At a young age she had found herself in the same position.  The only help Lizzie feels she can give this young girl is by calling her friend Natalie (Nat) Cohen who is the head of county social services child welfare and a ward of the court survivor herself.  So with the help of Nat Josie is placed in the care of Ben and Hannah who run a working horse ranch for orphans.  These two people took Lizzie and Nat under their wings years ago and helped shape them into who they are today.  Nat is sure they can do the same for Josie. 

As soon as Josie steps out of the car at the ranch she spots one of the most beautiful horses she’s ever seen.  She immediately climbs the fence and then onto the back of this black beauty, racing him across the corral and into the pasture.  This turned out to be a surprise to Ben since the black horse had been determined as too wild for the other kids.  He was amazed to see the kindred spirit that had immediately developed between Josie and the black horse.  What Ben didn’t know was that Josie could talk to the horses and they could talk back to her.  She was in a sense what some call a “Horse Whisperer.” 

Black Lightning is one of the most loving books I’ve read in a long time.  Josie has her love for the horses, Ben and Hannah have the love for all of the kids past and present that they’ve helped through the years.  They pride themselves in the knowledge that so many have gone to college and made something of themselves instead of just being allowed to slip through the cracks of society.  But love isn’t all that I found in Black Lightning.  It has just enough murder and mayhem to keep you wondering what will Josie’s stepfather do next to get his hands on the secrets he feels are hidden inside the teddy bear belonging to Josie.  This book turned out to be a real page turner that I really enjoyed.

So, if you’re a horse fan, a fan of suspense and/or a fan of touching love, don’t miss Black Lightning.  It has it all.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Trouble Starts, Pane Follows - David and Linda Broughton, Authors


Burrito Casserole
(A Dave Special)

This recipe can be made many different ways. If you don't have an ingredient on hand, you can leave it out. There's really only one ingredient you can't leave out or change much, that's the refried beans. Here's the usual way:

one pound of ground beef. More or less, but it's good to have some for the flavor, you can leave it out.

two regular size cans of refried beans, whatever kind you like. You can add more beans than that, depending on your family and your taste.

half a large bag of taco chips (or fritos or potato chips, or you can serve it on bread, or with no base at all. Chili Chese Fritos works best, I think.)

one medium onion, diced. (or not)

One medium green pepper, (or not)

One packaged fajita seasoning, (or taco or season it to your tastes with separate seasonings."
One package of "so cheesy" taco seasoning ( or not, as above)

at least eight ounces of your favorite cheese, shredded or diced, or whatever cheese you have on hand, Campbell's Nacho Fiesta cheese sauce works well.

You might also like: Mushrooms, black olives, sliced, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and or sour cream.

In a deep skillet, brown the ground beef, add the seasonings as soon as it's browned off, if the meat is particularly fatty, drain some off, but not all. There's a lot of flavor there.  add in the onions and green pepper and mushrooms if you're using them, cook until the onions and green pepper are as soft as you want them.

Add the refried beans, stir everything together and keep heating them up until the beans are hot all the way through. If using chips, crunch them up, and cover the bottom of an appropriately sized casserole dish, bread pan, whatever works. Spoon in the meat and beans mixture. level it out, then put on the cheese. If using canned diced tomatoes, you can put them on now.

When you plate it up, you can add more cheese sprinkled on it, shredded lettuce, a dollop of sour cream, and or the black olives... if you want them and have them on hand. I sometimes use salsa or picante sauce instead of tomatoes, and I might add my favorite hotsauce to my plate full. So long as you don't burn it, you can hardly go wrong with this meal. Yes, it's better some ways than others, but it's doable pretty much any time, if you have the beans.

Trouble Starts, Pane Follows – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat and Think With Your Taste Buds

    Ralph is the claims chief for a very large insurance company.  The disembodied voice is trying to be sweet, but it’s not Ralph’s way, it sounds fake, “Ash pack a bag, I have a dozy of a case for you to work your magic on.  Ash, I really need your help on this one.  A Stradivarius violin has been stolen from a courier company.  It had just been sold at auction for twenty two million bucks.  It was stolen on the way from the authenticator’s to the new owner.  The courier company is putting up an extra million bucks to whoever gets it back to the rightful owner, no questions asked.  I guess they’re worried about their reputation.  I’ll gladly pay your usual twenty five percent on top of that should you work your magic again.  I authorized the coverage on the damn thing, my neck is on the chopping block.  I’m not doing this as a favor to you, but to myself.  The leads are slim, but if anyone can find it, you will, I just know it.  I’ll fax you what info there is on this damn case as soon as I hang up.  Let me know if I can help in any way.  I’ll do so gladly.  Good hunting, oh, you have a month to find it, so don’t let it spoil your weekend.  Later.”

This was the message Ashling (Ash) Pane heard emanating from her voice mail recorder.  Ash ended up taking early retirement from the FBI after being shot with an armor piercing bullet that went right through her vest.  While an agent she  gathered the goodwill of many rich and powerful people, including the President of the United States.  Trouble was,  she had also earned a reputation for herself  of not going by the rules. That's what got her retired, truth be told. Now she does recovery work for high end insurance claims.  Her reputation precedes her, ’Ash Pane goes by her own set of rules!’ 

Following the trail takes Ash to Toronto where she meets Paul Roman, who is world known as an authenticator of musical instruments.  At the time of Ash’s visit to Paul has, two guitars locked in his safe that once belonged to David Seymour.  David overdosed on the flight back from Russia after doing a tour. For some strange reason, the guitars been shipped to Paul to authenticate.  This wasn’t to be, due to a group of Russians busting in to take possession of one of the guitars by force.   As it turns out, their unwanted visitors are from the Russian Mob and the leader of the group is none other than Anatoli Ivanovich, one of the most wanted men in the world.  He’s noted for stealing priceless art, jewels, gold and anything else of extreme value.  He also has a $20,000,000.00 price on his head.  Ash wants his valuable head, more for trying to kill her than the reward, the reward offered will see that he stays alive... maybe.

When I first started reading Trouble Starts, Pane Follows, I saw Ash as an overly macho female character, but the more I read, the more I have to say I liked her, macho and all.  She is a man’s woman and she is a woman’s woman.  She isn’t afraid of anyone or anything making her the envy of a lot of women.  She loves her toys which includes anything that makes a bang which makes her the envy of a lot of men.  When someone crosses her, she doesn’t get mad, she literally gets even plus.  Heaven help you if you’re a man coming after Ash or one of her friends for you just might lose your family jewels.  And if you come at her with a gun, you might find it stuck where the sun doesn’t shine. However, when Ash loves, she loves deep as with her new found ward Roz, a musical prodigy. Her main love interest in this episode, Paul, is quite the opposite, it's almost as if the typical male and female roles are reversed. I'm sure that was the idea, and once it gets rolling, it works well. 

Macho or not, I really enjoyed Ash in this book and am waiting for the next one to come out.  You can bet I’ll be one of the first to get my copy.
 

 
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