Tag Archive for: Sparkle Abbey

Does Work Life Balance Exist?

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by Sparkle Abbey

If you follow us on Facebook, you know we just returned from
our first NINC (Novelists, Inc.) conference in St. Petersburg, FL. We had an
amazing time exploring beaches, enjoying local hangouts, and learning from our
fellow authors. We returned to Iowa with dozens of seashells and major brain
overload.

We attended workshops on business, marketing, and
creativity. We learned that we need to do a better job of cultivating our
mailing list (sign up here), how to
create engaging Facebook ads, new strategies for a launching book #9 (we’re
still kicking around titles so if you have one, please share it!), and
discovering new readers. We also attended a workshop on balancing two careers
by speakers Dr. Debra Holland, Heidi Joy Trethaway, and Dr. Jennifer Barnes.

Since we both still have full-time day jobs, we’re always
seeking ways to stay sane while writing the best books we can, and still giving
one hundred percent at work. It’s hard enough managing work-life balance with
one career, but add a thriving writing career in the mix and all bets are off. Thankfully, all three authors offered
practical advice on following your intuition, self-care, and weighing the cost
of taking on new projects.

Heidi Joy offered a super easy tip that resonated
with us. She suggested that if you’re going to add a new project or task, try
and subtract one that you’re already doing. What a great idea! We took it a
step further and added that if we can’t subtract anything, then maybe we needed
to say no. Now, that’s easy in theory and much more difficult in practice.
We’ve been fortunate enough to be asked to participate in special writing
projects, speaking engagements, and book fairs. We hate to say no because we
love it all, but the whole idea of subtracting before adding is a great starting point.

They also talked about being kind to ourselves, which is
something many of us, not just writers, overlook. We get so caught up in being
there for others, meeting deadlines, and multi-tasking to stay productive that
we forget to set aside time for ourselves. Or we obsess about what we did wrong
that we fail to acknowledge what we did right. If you don’t even know where to
start here are 17 ways to be
kind to yourself. Let us know what you think.
 

What’s the best advice you’ve been given or have given on
finding work-life balance? 


Sparkle Abbey is
the pseudonym of two mystery authors (Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter). They
are friends and neighbors as well as co-writers of the Pampered Pets Mystery
Series. The pen name was created by combining the names of their rescue
pets–Sparkle (Mary Lee’s cat) and Abbey (Anita’s dog). If you want to make
sure you’re up on all the Sparkle Abbey news, stop by their website and sign up
for updates at sparkleabbey.com.

Clicking Our Heels – Our Summer Reading and What We Read Again and Again

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The Stiletto
Gang are all writers, but we also enjoy a good read. In fact, we have
summer reads and books we simply enjoy reading again and again. We thought you
might be interested in both our summer and comfort reading.
Marilyn Meredith: I love to read
anything by William Kent Krueger any time of the year – but there are so many
others, especially female mystery authors. I’ve read Gone With the Wind several times – though I must admit I skipped
over some of the parts about the Civil War. At my age, I can reread about
anything and it seems new.
Paffi Flood: Stephen King. It’s great
to read horror stories late into the night, because the sun is out J.
I was amazed how timeless Salem’s Lot
by Stephen King was. Although it was originally released in 1975, when I
re-read it in 2014, the cadence, the language seemed so contemporary. Of
course, there were the references to 8-track tapes and car carburetors, and
some things from the ‘70s.
Jennae M. Phillippe: I find favorites
so hard to pick! I have more reading time in summer and usually catch up on the
recommendations my friends have sent me over the year. Recent ones that stand
out are Gail Carriger (Steampunk fantasy action romance), Anne Mendel (humorous
post-apocalyptic), and James S.A. Corey (Science fiction). If you have
recommendations, send them my way! I love to revisit my old favorites,
particularly the ones from my childhood, like the entire The Song of the Lioness series from Tamora Pierce, or the Anne of Green Gables books from L.M.
Montgomery. There is something about reading books from your childhood that
makes you feel like a kid again.
Dru Ann Love: I don’t have seasonal
authors. I read all year round and whoever I’m reading at the time becomes a
favorite, especially if their book is part of a series. Naked in Death by J.D. Robb is the only book that I have re-read
multiple times and each time I discover something I missed the first go-round
and fall in love with Eve and Roark all over again.
Sparkle Abbey: Some of our favorite
summer reads are Laura Levine, Carolyn Hart, and when we’re looking for
something a little darker, Lisa Gardner. We’ve both re-read Laura Levine books
occasionally simply because they’re such great escapes. And sometimes you need
to escape! LOL.
Linda Rodriguez: I re-read many books. I’ve
read Shakespeare, the King James Bible,
most of Dickens, Austen, Trollope, and Virginia Woolf many times. I re-read
many favorite poets again and again. I’ve re-read everything Agatha Christie
and Dorothy Sayers (at least, her mysteries) so many times I couldn’t begin to
count.
Bethany Maines: I usually try and read
something fluffy in the summer. I’ll re-read a Terry Pratchett (British humor)
or pick up an L.J. Wilson (sexy romance). The
Blue Castle by LM Montgomery – I loved it as a teenager and even more as an
adult. The idea of casting aside inhibitions to pursue the life you want is a
message that is always good to hear.
Juliana Aragon Fatula: Manuel Ramos,
Mario Acevado, and High Times Marijuana
for Everybody by Elise McDonough, Denise Chavez. The first time I read Indian Killer by Sherman Alexie, I tore
through it with vigor because I wanted to know who did it. The second time I
went through, took notes, marked pages to review, and savored the writing. It
was once for pleasure and twice for writing style. I re-read it because I
switched genres from poetry to mystery.
Kay Kendall: There is no seasonal
difference in my reading habits. For me it is mysteries, every day, all the
time. Or whatever the broadest term is that includes suspense, spy novels, and
the occasional thriller. I am not fond of police procedurals or books featuring
serial killers. Jane Eyre by
Charlotte Bronte. It has everything. Historic sweep, feisty heroine, suspense,
a touch of Gothic horror, and Mr. Rochester. Each time I have reread Jane Eyre, I marvel at its depth. It
holds up very well. I first read it as a young teen so of course I understand
some of its underpinnings better now.

Debra H. Goldstein: Summers are meant
for catching up on light mysteries, biographies, and literature. This summer’s
books ranged from The Nightingale to
Sisters in Law (Ruth Bader Ginsburg
and Sandra Day O’Connor) to the new Harry
Potter. I’m not a big re-reader but there are a few I often refer to for
style or concept like Edna Ferber’s
Giant, Agatha Christie’s books, or anything I think might incorporate a
style or an idea I’m thinking about.

Business AND Pleasure

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by Sparkle Abbey

We look forward to attending mystery conferences every year.
Congregating in the bar with book lovers and fellow writers, sipping margaritas
while chatting about what books we’ve recently read and which mystery authors
we’d invite to our fictional dinner party. In fact, next weekend we fly to
Suffolk, Virginia for one of our favorite mystery author festivals. http://www.suffolkmysteryauthorsfestival.com/
2010 RWA Conference

The festival is a partnership between the Suffolk Tourism, Suffolk
Public Library, and the Suffolk Center of Cultural Arts. They pick us up at the
airport, throw a welcome reception for all the authors, and provide our meals…basically
they treat authors like rock stars. We love them.

But as much as we enjoy attending these types of events, we’ve
really missed the “writer’s conference.” Writing conferences hold workshops where
we get to hone our craft, become a little more business savvy, and learn new
ways to reach readers who haven’t read our books.  This is where we refill our writer’s-well.

How much luggage can four writers stuff in a minivan?

For years we’ve talked about attending the annual NINC (Novelists,
Inc.) conference. Each time we talk to a fellow writer who has attended, they
gush about what a wonderful time they had and how we really have to go the
following year. Well, guess what? Next month, we’re going! We’re so excited.
And not just because the conference is at the Tradewinds
Island Grand Resort in St. Pete, Florida. Okay, maybe we’re excited about
that too. It does look pretty amazing, and the resort is ON the beach (everyone
knows we love the beach!) Plus we heard we can get the best grouper sandwich just
a mile from the hotel. We’re looking forward to brushing up on our writing
skills, learning from colleagues with all kinds of publishing experience, and picking
the brains of industry experts. A group of peers where we can discuss
challenges and opportunities unique to the writing industry.


If you’ve attended or plan to attend a writer’s conference
this year, tell us which one and why you’ve chosen that one. Maybe we’ll put it
on our list for next year.

Sparkle Abbey is the pseudonym of two mystery authors (Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter). They are friends and neighbors as well as co-writers of the Pampered Pets Mystery Series. The pen name was created by combining the names of their rescue pets–Sparkle (Mary Lee’s cat) and Abbey (Anita’s dog). If you want to make sure you’re up on all the Sparkle Abbey news, stop by their website and sign up for updates at sparkleabbey.com.

Behind the Scenes

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by Sparkle Abbey

Every author works differently and so we thought it might be fun to take you behind the scenes in our work space.

Tech
Most of the authors we know write on a computer. Some desktop, some laptop, some tablet. Others write long-hand on a note pad and then transcribe to the computer. That’s not for us. Though we don’t think of ourselves as fast writers, that two-step process would make us very, very s…l…o…w… and drive us crazy. So, we mostly write on a desktop or laptop. Lately we’re trying out standing while writing because we’ve heard too much sitting is not healthy.

Attire
We’ll bet you think we look better when we’re writing than we actually do. Perhaps you think we actually put on real clothes and make-up. Some days we do. And then there are other days when comfort is key. Let’s just say, in some cases we really have to think about whether it’s wise to answer the door.

Surroundings
Because when we’re writing we are creating an alternate world, where we work can be really important. We both have busy families and not very quiet homes so an office with a door is essential. And noise-canceling headphones are our friend.

Music can be good, but it depends on what type of scene you’re writing. Dark intense music isn’t helpful when you’re writing a light-hearted scene. Some authors create playlists for each book which sounds like fun, but for us that could easily be a distraction as we hunt to find just the right songs.

Reference books on shelves or in stacks are a part of any writer’s décor and we’re no exception. Although we have the Internet at our fingertips, there are simply times when you have to have that book in your hands. Usually it’s a well-worn favorite with highlighting and sticky notes.

We are planners which is especially important since we write the Pampered Pets series together. We get together and plot the books, but then we write them individually. So, we’ll start with a fairly detailed story grid and then we work from plot points. So our offices have white boards and post-it notes. And also pictures of places, people and pets that help to keep us grounded in the story.

We hope you enjoyed the tour. It’s what we’ve found works for us and it’s how we’ve written our most recent books, DOWNTON TABBY and RAIDERS OF THE LOST BARK. Just like the characters in our books change, the process and the environment changes a bit depending on what other craziness is going on in our lives. But for now, we like the process we’ve landed on and we hope you enjoy the stories we create.

Sparkle Abbey is the pseudonym of two mystery authors (Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter). They are friends and neighbors as well as co-writers of the Pampered Pets Mystery Series. The pen name was created by combining the names of their rescue pets–Sparkle (Mary Lee’s cat) and Abbey (Anita’s dog). If you want to make sure you’re up on all the Sparkle Abbey news, stop by their website and sign up for updates at sparkleabbey.com.

Clicking Our Heels – What We Hate Most About Computers

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Clicking Our Heels –
What We Hate Most About Computers

I’ve had that kind
of day! (Debra speaking) My computer
ate my words written for the day before deciding frozen was the position it
would like to be in. Even though I normally love computers, today, I asked my
fellow Stiletto Gang members “What they
hate most about computers?” Here’s what they said:
Dru Ann Love: The
updates and how it messes with my settings.
Bethany Maines:
The thing I hate most about computers is that I can’t punch them. I want to
start a business selling nerf computer replicas that come with their own
baseball bat.
Juliana Aragon Fatula:
They aren’t faithful. I have a relationship with a new computer on average
about once a year and they are unfaithful and I have to move on and go with a
younger, newer model. Sometimes I hate the fact that they make me want to pick
them p and throw them out the window or at the very least take a stiletto to
the screen.

Kay Kendall: Just
when I get used to and comfy with a program, the company that produces it
changes it radically, then all the PCs move to favoring that, and then I have
to learn the new program. It is invariably trickier and just does more things
that I don’t really need. Annoying!


Jennae M. Phillippe:
The update cycle. I’ll be fresh and excited to start working on a project, turn
on the computer, and have to wait like 20 minutes for the thing to update. Or
worse, I’ll be in mid-project which it does one of those mandatory shut down
thingies. Totally throws me off.


Linda Rodriguez:
I hate that some programs (I’m looking straight at you, Microsoft Word) try to
make decisions for me that I want to make for myself.
Paffi Flood:
Nothing, now that I have an Apple J.


Paula Benson: That computers understand so many things intuitively, except how to fulfill my needs.
Marilyn Meredith:
What I hate most about computers is what I have to learn how to do something
new – which seems to happen too often.

Sparkle Abbey: We
don’t know what we do without computers. We work on them, we write on them and
we use them to keep in touch with each other. We both think we’re pretty
computer savvy, but there have been a couple of times when the computer has
eaten a work in progress or not saved it correctly. That’s frustrating!

When Writers and Readers Get Together

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by Sparkle Abbey

We just got back from Malice Domestic, the annual conference for the traditional mystery. Though we’re not sure just how many people were in attendance suffice to say we numbered in the hundreds. Readers, librarians, book bloggers, and authors all in one place. And between the great panels, fun events, and premier Agatha Awards banquet, what do you suppose writers talk about? Books, that’s what. We can’t help ourselves. It’s so much a part of who we are. So over lunch, or over drinks, or during breaks in the sessions, we talk about the books we’re reading, the books we wish we had time to read, and the books that have stayed with us through the years.

The week before leaving for Malice we got to together with a much smaller group of authors, our local PAL (Published Author Liaison) friends, which is a group of traditionally published Iowa authors. We had a wonderful tour of the Perry Carnegie Library, which was built in 1904 with a grant from Andrew Carnegie. The building has been restored to its 1910 appearance and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It serves as both a museum and working library and the current collection includes many of the library’s original 1,000 titles, as well as special collections of Midwest literature, women’s fiction, children’s books, and books on literacy and libraries.

“For centuries, cultures have been measured by their libraries.”
– A. Arthur Davis

As we finished the tour and began catching up, what do you suppose talk turned to? If you guessed books, you’d be exactly right. Books and, in particular, the books we checked out from our public libraries when we were growing up. Interestingly enough, though we all grew up in different places, we had similar stories  of checking out as many books as we were allowed. Mary Kay Shanley, who is not only a talented author, but also teaches writing classes at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival, shared that her librarian always checked the weight of her stack of books to make sure she could carry them the six blocks to her home.

What about you? Have you always been a reader and what part did your local public library play in your early reading experiences?

Our author picture is a shot of us with the real Sparkle and the real Abbey. Don’t you love the stare down? Our real names are Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter. We write the Pampered Pets mystery series together. We’re also friends and neighbors so you’ll often find us writing at ML’s dining room table or at our local Starbucks.

We chose to use Sparkle Abbey as our pen name on this series because we liked the idea of combining the names of our two rescue pets – Sparkle (ML’s cat) and Abbey (Anita’s dog). We live in the Midwest, but if we could write anywhere, you would find us on the beach with our laptops and depending on the time of day either an iced tea or a margarita.

Our latest installment in the series is RAIDERS OF THE LOST BARK. Like the rest of the books, it’s set in southern California and this book involves “glamping” a term coined to describe glamorous camping. Let’s just say, there are no pop-up tents or sleeping bags to unfurl, the s’mores are gourmet, and the campers’ diamonds sparkle as bright as the stars.

We love hearing from readers so please connect with us via our website: SparkleAbbey.com or via Facebook at www.facebook.com/SparkleAbbey

A Working Writers’ Retreat

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by Sparkle Abbey

What do you think of when you think of a writing retreat? Do you imagine exotic locations? Maybe a mountain escape? Or a beachside resort? Or maybe an isolated lake cabin? We found some wonderful ones listed in this article from The Write Life. All incredible places we’d love to visit, but we’d argue exotic is not necessarily required for a successful retreat.

Writing Retreat Websites
http://thewritelife.com/writing-retreats/

We recently did a weekend plotting retreat with three other writers who are members of our long-time critique group. And it was a bit different than the ones listed in the article.

Our purposely not exotic location was a nearby town. We had adjoining hotel rooms, a breakfast bar, and restaurants in the area that delivered. We know our limitations and just how easy it is to get distracted if we leave the retreat. (We also brought way too many snacks, but that’s another story.)

We had white boards, flip charts, post-it notes, plenty of markers and this time we also brought magazines and poster board. It can be extremely hard to switch off the day job work week mind and move your brain to creative thinking, so we decided to start the retreat with vision boards.

Each writer chose a particular project (story) to focus on for the retreat and with stacks of magazines by our sides, scissors and glue sticks in hand, we dove in. Each of us created a vision board of images related to our stories. For some it was a story not yet started and for others a story in progress. The main idea of this exercise is not to over-think the selections. To pick out images or words you’re drawn to. As you sort through them you may discard some, add others, move pictures and words around. And through the process, you may discover some new things about your story. Things that may have been lurking in the back of your mind.

The next morning we hit the breakfast bar and then we begin the hard work part of the retreat. Each writer (or in our case writing team) gets a two-hour time slot for plotting. We need to add here that some in the group are hardcore plotters and others, well, not so much. So each writer starts their time with setting the boundaries on what kind of help they’d like during their time slot.

We work. We brainstorm and eat snacks. We take notes and often photos of the notes we’ve made on the white board. And then we move on to the next writer’s story. With a break for lunch, we begin again. Brainstorm, notes, snacks, photos. Then dinner is delivered because we don’t want to change from our yoga pants and sweatshirts. And then…repeat.

By Sunday morning we’ve covered a lot of ground and after hitting the breakfast bar for a dose of energy and much needed caffeine, we’re ready for wrap-up. Each writer gets an hour of clarification or additional brainstorming time because sometimes after you’ve slept on that brilliant idea you find that it’s full of holes.

Other writers’ groups do retreats in different ways, but we’ve found this to be a productive and fun way to work out the kinks in a story idea and to support each other. We’ve done this for several years and it works for us. Still..the beach or the mountains would be nice, right? Maybe next time.

Have you attended a retreat and, if so, what type? A writing retreat? Something to do with your job? Or perhaps something creative like a quilting or scrapbooking retreat? We’d love to hear about your experiences!

And for a little creative get-away at home, we’ll draw from all who leave a comment for this great Cats & Dogs adult coloring book.

Doesn’t it look like fun?

Sparkle Abbey is actually two people, Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter, who write the national best-selling Pampered Pets cozy mystery series. They are friends as well as neighbors so they often write at ML’s dining room table or at the Starbucks up the street. If they could write anywhere, you would find them on the beach with their laptops and, depending on the time of day, either an iced tea or a margarita.

They love to hear from readers and would love to connect with you via their website at: sparkleabbey.com or on Facebook or Twitter.

The latest book in their mystery series is Raiders of the Lost Bark.

CLICKING OUR HEELS – Raw or Cooked Carrots?

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CLICKING
OUR HEELS

Raw or Cooked Carrots?

Welcome to The Stiletto Gang’s newest feature – Clicking Our Heels. Each month, on the
Fourth Thursday, a number of our bloggers will share
their opinions on the same question. Hopefully, after reading CLICKING OUR HEELS you will learn some new
things about all of us.
When Debra attended the University of Michigan,
entering freshmen were given a personality/general info type test. The odd
question on the test – Do you prefer raw or cooked carrots?
Here are some of our responses:
Bethany
Maines: “I definitely prefer raw. The snap and crunch of fresh veggies is
much preferable to the mush of cooked.”

Linda
Rodriguez: “I prefer them raw, although I do enjoy a good carrot chowder now
and then, and of course, cooked with a roast of beef or pork.”


Juliana
Aragon Fatula: “Raw. I grow carrots and eat them fresh from the earth. They
are sweet and taste like love.”


Marilyn
Meredith: “Cooked carrots. I like to doctor them with butter and brown
sugar.”

Dru Ann
Love: “I like shredded carrots in my salad and cooked carrots with a
crunch.”

Cathy
Perkins: “Raw! Cooked carrots are down there with boiled okra for
nastiness.”

Sparkle
Abbey: “Definitely raw and the best part is you can always share this
healthy snack with your dog.”

Paffi Flood:
“Cooked carrots. Roasted, actually. Nothing compares to its sweetness.”

Jennae M.
Phillippe: “I prefer roasted carrots, usually accompanied by roasted
potatoes and garlic. And butter. Lots and lots of butter.”

Kay Kendall: “I like both cooked and raw carrots.
Each has its charms.”

What Michigan interpreted the question as
showing:  Raw carrot types were
energetic, aggressive and had go-getter personalities while the cooked carrot
camp was made up of kinder, sweeter, and more passive students.  We’ll let you guess how Debra answered the
question. 

People Watching – A Writer’s Hobby

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by Sparkle Abbey


If you haven’t heard, Iowa was quite a big deal this
week. According to the NBC evening news Monday night, the whole world watched
as we were the first state to caucus for the next president of the United
States. We’re not sure the whole world
was watching our state, but we were certainly watching the folks around us.

As writers we love people watch, looking for something
that might spark an idea for a character or storyline. The clothes someone is
wearing, a subtle hand gesture or facial expression, a speech pattern, any and
all of that can inspire our characters.
Photo: Laura Arenson

There’s no doubt about it, we hit the jackpot of people-watching
this week. At their core, people are fascinating. And we have to tell you, folks
are enthralling when they’re crammed in a hot, stuffy auditorium, passionately
trying to convince the room-at-large to vote for their candidate of choice.

There are a few people who literally thumped their
chest in emphasis, others who shared heartfelt stories of how a candidate had
personally helped them, moving listeners to tears. There were some who were so relieved
to be surrounded by like-minded people for the first time in months they
radiated relief.

There were a couple of young twenty-something girls who
caught our eye. Or more accurately, our ears. They chatted excitedly, heads
together, giggling about how there were so many good-looking single men in the
room. Men with jobs. They plotted how to snag a picture of a good-looking guy
on stage who was about to make a speech. Within seconds, the tall blonde pulled
out her cell phone to capture a quick photo of the “hot guy” under in the guise
of recording a woman’s impassioned speech. Somehow, those twenty-somethings
will make it into a story.

All thanks to the Iowa Caucus, we’ve collected details this past week and have refilled our pool of creative ideas. What about you? Where do you people watch?



Sparkle Abbey is the pseudonym of authors Mary Lee Woods and Anita Carter. They write a national bestselling pet-themed mystery series set in Laguna Beach. The first book in the series Desperate Housedogs, an Amazon Mystery Series bestseller and Barnes & Noble Nook #1 bestseller, was followed by several other “sassy and fun” books in the series. The most recent installment is Downton Tabby and up next is Raiders of the Lost Bark. www.SparkleAbbey.com

Feeling Blessed

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By Sparkle Abbey

The
holiday season is in full swing. Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday…all were
officially over in a swift five days. Unlike us, most of you have probably not
only finished your Christmas shopping, but have your gifts wrapped, and tucked
tenderly under your beautifully decorated Christmas tree.

What
were we doing while you stashing your presents under the tree the Saturday
after Thanksgiving? We were getting our hair done. Yes, we go to the same salon
and see the same hairstylist. Sheron has been taming our locks for almost ten
years now. While we were sitting under the dryer, in our deep conditioning
stage, we were talking about how we’ve gotten caught up in the business side of
writing and in the process have forgotten to share with you how much fun we
have behind the scenes. (No, we don’t have a photo of us with colored hair and
a plastic bag on our head. ) 

Colleen’s Turkey.
So before we get too caught up in the great hunt for the
perfect gifts, we wanted to spend a few more minutes to share some Thanksgiving Day
moments with our families. So here’s a few “behind the scenes” snapshots or our peeps. We ate fabulous food, created turkey themed
decorations, played games, and Skyped with loved ones who couldn’t be with us. 
Evie’s Turkey.
Group Selfie.

One of us even tried our hand at making dessert in a jar. We’ve
posted the recipe at the end of the blog. It turned out pretty darned good.
Maybe we’ve got a cooking mystery series in us after all. 

Serious gaming.

We
hope your Thanksgiving was filled with love, laughter, family, and friendship. We’d love to hear how you
spent your Thanksgiving. Did you stay home? Did you travel? Did your brave the
crowds and shop ‘til you dropped?
Pumpkin
Pecan Jar Dessert


Yes, this is a photo of the actual dessert. Yum!

Ingredients

  • 12 Wide mouth ½ pint jars
  • 1 can (15oz) pumpkin
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • (or 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon allspice)
  • 1 box of yellow cake mix
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
  • 3/4 cup butter, melted
  • whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream, for serving


Directions

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350*F
Step 2. Lightly spray 12, wide mouth 1/2 pint jars with non-stick cooking spray. Place on large cookie sheet and set aside.
Step 3. In a large bowl combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, and spices. Whisk together until combined completely.
Step 4. Pour ½ C of the pumpkin mixture into each jar. Use a measuring cup for best results.
Step 5. Sprinkle heaping tablespoons of dry cake mix on top of pumpkin layer. Gently spread cake mix to cover pumpkin as evenly as possible.
Step 6. Add 1 tablespoon of chopped pecans on top of cake mix.
Step 7. Pour 1 tablespoon of melted butter on top of pecans. Jars should be filled almost to the top. Once baked, dessert will rise to fill jar.
Step 8. Bake jars on a large baking sheet (so they are easy to put in and out of the oven) for about 40 minutes. Test doneness with a toothpick. Inserted in the center of a jar, if it comes out clean, it’s done. Dessert should be golden brown.
Step 9. Cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

If desired, serving with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top.

Once cooled, the dessert will shrink some, leaving the enough room to seal jar with lid. If you’re going to give dessert away as a gift, jars should be completely cooled before sealing. Wrap with your favorite holiday ribbon. Sealed dessert will stay fresh for 5 – 6 days.

Recipe Source: Betty Crocker, Holiday Recipes booklet, 2000.



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