12 Days of Christmas-Day 11

One of my new favorite Christmas Cocktails is a White Chocolate Peppermint Martini. It's more of a dessert than a cocktail.

Ingredients

• Crushed ice
• 4 parts Godiva white chocolate liquor (4 ounces)
• 2 ½ parts vanilla vodka (2 ½ ounces)
• 1 ½ parts peppermint schnapps (1 ½ ounces)
• Red sugar sprinkles for garnishing the glass rim (optional)
• Chocolate syrup for garnishing the inside of the glass (optional)
• Small peppermint stick for garnish (optional)

 

Instructions

1. Fill a cocktail shaker half-way full with crushed ice.
2. Pour in all of the liquor ingredients and shake until well mixed.
3. Spread red sugar sprinkles evenly onto a large plate.
4. Wet the rim of a martini glass with water, then tip the martini glass rim into the sprinkles and spin the glass to coat the rim.
5. Drizzle a small amount of chocolate syrup in a spiral design inside the glass.
6. Pour contents of shaker into the martini glass.
7. Place a small peppermint candy cane along the edge of the glass.

Today's author on the Christmas Blog is Linda O'Connor. I just love the cover of her book, Perfectly Honest. Welcome, Linda.

Perfectly Honest by Linda O'Connor

You never know where your words will take you. When Mikaela Finn agreed to be Sam’s ‘fiancée’ for a weekend, she probably should have told him that she’s a doctor. Sam O’Brien, aka ‘Dr. Eye Candy’, is trying to shed his playboy reputation and convince a small town hospital that he’s ready to settle down. But when his ‘fiancée’ helps deliver a baby in the middle of the meet and greet, it’s a bit of a shock. If he’d known the whole truth, he might have done things a little differently because somehow his ‘fiancée’ ends up stealing his job and his heart. Not exactly the change he wanted. Lies and deceit – it’s a match made in heaven! Perfectly Honest will be available at Amazon on January 14, 2015.

As part of The 12 Days of Christmas celebration, Linda donated a $5 Amazon card and ebook copy of Perfectly Honest to the prize list. Click HERE for this and many more random drawings. To follow the celebration, find a new recipe, pick up a holiday decorating or shopping tip, click HERE.

About the Author

I’ve been writing for three years, and I’m thrilled that Soul Mate Publishing will be publishing my latest novel, Perfectly Honest.I love reading romantic comedies so naturally that’s what I write. I never aspired to be a writer, but now I’m addicted. I love it. I balance writing with my work as a physician at an Urgent Care Clinic and being a mom to three sons (luckily grown and capable of throwing together a decent meal, in a pinch). Plus I like to keep active and cycle, cross-country ski, skate, walk with my husband, or dance every day.The idea to write came after working with young adults. There were some basics I thought they should know – mental health symptoms, birth control myths, how to take ownership of their health. I thought hey, if David Chilton of The Wealthy Barber fame can dole out financial advice in a barbershop, maybe I could dole out medical advice in a Romance novel. That’s how my first novel, She’s Not a Fan, was born. For many years, I taught clinical skills to medical students and spent a lot of time writing detailed roles for actor-patients. It was great practice for developing characters in my stories. Joining the Romance Writers of America, taking online workshops, (and reading) all helped improve my writing. Medical school was challenging, but it was nothing compared to figuring out where commas go, POV, or sorting out verb tense (simple past, past perfect, past perfect progressive – did they know there were 25 other letters they could have used to name those things?) Obviously I’m still learning, but I love the process. I don’t write about people I know, but I definitely take inspiration from snippets of conversations or from the emotion I feel when I talk to people. My designated writing space is any place with a view of Lake Ontario, preferably outside (for three of the four seasons). Connect: Website | Facebook | Twitter