From Joe Mack Crawford's Kitchen

 In one of my interviews about Joe Mack Crawford, the hero in The Little Girl in the Bayou, I stated that Mack loves barbecue. That's an understatement. Most of his meals are from his homemade grill and all meats are marinated in his special sauce. I wanted to share his recipe with you, but it's his "mystery sauce" and he doesn't give that recipe to anyone. Not even me--his creator.

Of course, any Texan worth his salt loves Mexican food, and Mack is known for whipping up a batch of Ninfa's Green Sauce. Ninfa's is a famous Mexican restaurant in Houston that Mack frequents, and Mama Ninfa created this "Green Sauce" for her customers. Mack likes to think he has the original recipe for Ninfa's Green Sauce, but it's common knowledge that the family shared a modified version of Mama Ninfa's original recipe. Modified or not ... it's still good, and Joe Mack Crawford shares it here:

Ninfa’s Green Sauce
Servings - 5-6

Ingredients

– 3 medium-sized green tomatoes, coarsely chopped

– 4  tomatillos, husked and chopped

– 1 to 2 jalapeños, stemmed and coarsely chopped

– 3 small garlic cloves

– 3 medium-sized ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced

– 4 sprigs cilantro

– 1 teaspoon salt

– 1 1/2 cups sour cream

Instructions:

Peel avocados, remove seed and place avocados in a blender. Set aside.

Combine chopped tomatoes, tomatillos, jalapeños, and garlic in a saucepan. Bring to a boil (tomatoes provide the liquid). Reduce heat and simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until tomatoes are soft. Remove from heat and cool slightly, then place all ingredients in blender with avocados. Blend until smooth. Stir in sour cream

Cover.

Chill.

Enjoy with your favorite chips or raw veggies.
 

Mack reminds anyone who tries the Green Sauce that it won't last more than a couple of days: one, because it's so darn good and two, because the avocados turn dark, making it look yucky.

 

 

J.R. Ferguson is a staff writer for Southern Writers Magazine and the author of The Little Girl in the Bayou. She enjoys imagining what kind of meals her characters prepare in the kitchen.

Time is Valuable!

Use your time wisely. Don't waste time. Time is precious.
Time waits for no one, it marches on, and it slips away.  There are so many time idioms! But I don't have time to list them all...

I budget my time between family, day job, and writing, for the most part. And there's never enough time in the day to get everything done I want! I have to prioritize my many projects and activities into set blocks of time. I set reminders and timers on my phone so I don't forget duties and deadlines too, because time flies when you're having fun (if you want to call work fun...) I'm sure you can relate.

When I found out the latest IWSG Anthology theme was time, the perfect story popped into my head. But I didn't know if I would have time to write it! I set all my other writing aside and gave it a shot, writing it as fast as I could. I had my beta readers take a quick look at it and edited it at the speed of light.

But after all that concentrated effort, I knew I probably still wouldn't make the deadline!

Miraculously, I was able to gather all my spare moments and put the finishing touches on my story. I sent it in the nick of time. I doubted the caliber of my hasty submission, but I crossed my fingers and began the worst aspect of time - waiting!

To my sudden surprise, I couldn't believe I'd been selected. Ecstatic was I! And it's been a whirlwind ever since. I have to praise Dancing Lemur Press for the fine job they are doing finding us promotional outlets. I'm so happy to be a part of it.

In TICK TOCK: A STITCH IN CRIME, time is a major factor in each story. Racing against time to solve mysteries, traveling through time to save a family, solving crimes in the nick of time... The time element in these stories makes them suspenseful, exciting, and readers will be anxious to turn the page. So many great authors and a wide range of stories!

In my story, RESET, the characters don't value the time they have until they gain some perspective. Luckily, they learn they can change their ways for a better future.

Twelve-year-old Casey has no time for her quirky family.
Mr. Zander has been searching his whole life for a way to save his.
When Casey walks into Mr. Zander's clock repair shop, he sees her as a prime contender and coerces her to help him. Hopefully, the machine will work this time.

I can't wait for TICK TOCK to release (May 1)!! Mark your calendars!
And thanks for taking the time to stop by!

Tara Tyler is a math teacher who writes to inspire others to follow their dreams -- anything is possible! She loves dogs, coffee, and is the lazy housewife, living in a world of boys with three sons and a coach husband. Join her for an adventure!

Before One More Minute

The short story I wrote for the Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime anthology is about a woman who is making a major change in her life. She faces great danger in doing so and has a limited amount of time to pack up her life and leave. The title is One More Minute.

S.R. Betler (Three O'Clock Execution) created these amazing badges for each of our stories.

What I love about having my first mystery/crime/thriller story published in an anthology is the great collaborate effort all the authors and publication team are making to promote the book. Each story is unique, yet holds true to the theme: a time sensitive story.

The main character in my story is someone who has kept a journal throughout her adult life. I shared an excerpt on C. Lee McKenzie's blog (Heartless) this week, on how they got their Golden Retriever Bo. I'll share another entry here.

March 25, 20--
Well, Mother Nature had her last laugh. She dumped several inches of snow on us last night. Bo, in true puppy form, wasn't daunted in the least. He leapt out the door and immediately stuck his nose into the snow, coming up with a comical goatee. It reminded me of when the boys were small and I shared my ice cream cone with them. They took a taste, looked up with big eyes, and stuck their tongues out for more, licking their lips trying to get all the creamy sweetness. They each had a dollop of ice cream on their noses, just like Bo's snow wash!

I'd rather be prepping my gardens today instead of shoveling snow. I bought the boys light shovels so they can help me. Of course, Grayson just drove over the snow and went to work.

Bo becomes a loyal companion to this lonely mother and wife. Read about her and the rest of the unfortunate characters in Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime anthology from Dancing Lemur Press. Coming May 1, 2018. It will thrill and delight you!

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Mary Aalgaard is a playwright and piano/theater teacher, living in the heart of Minnesota. She writes theater reviews and supports the arts through her blog Play off the Page. She teaches youth theater workshops in the Brainerd lakes area, writes articles for regional magazines, and works with both seniors and youth in multi-generational programs to enhance quality of life and build community. Her website is PlayoffthePage.com. You can follow her on her Playoff the Page Facebook page, @MaryAalgaard on Twitter, and email her at Mary@playoffthepage.com.