Lisa shares the Top 5 December Book Releases she’s excited about!

Ashes to Ashes, by Melissa Walker

“A timeless and romantic ghost story that will haunt readers long after the last page is turned.

When Callie’s life is cut short by a tragic accident in her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina, her spirit travels to another dimension called the Prism. Here she meets a striking and mysterious ghost named Thatcher, who guides her as she learns how to bring peace to those she left behind. But Callie soon uncovers a dark secret about the spirit world: Some of the souls in it are angry, and they desperately want revenge. These souls are willing to do whatever it takes to stay on Earth, threatening the existence of everyone she ever cared about.”

Rise, by Anna Carey

“When Eve lost her soul mate, Caleb, she felt like her world ended. Now, trapped in the palace, as a reluctant bride and unhappy princess, Eve’s entire life is a lie.

The only thing that keeps her going is Caleb’s memory—and the revolution he started. Eve plots to destroy the New America, beginning with the capital, the City of Sand. Will she be able to bring about a new, free world when she’s called upon to perform the ultimate act of rebellion—killing her father, the King?”

The Third Lie’s the Charm

“Katie Lowry knows she could’ve stopped Alistair from doing something stupid if only she’d picked up the phone. Now she has to live with the guilt. She’s sick of the lies, sick of the secret societies that rule life at Pemberly Brown Academy. But there’s only one way to take them down: from the inside…”

Mind Games, by Kiersten White

“Fia and Annie are as close as two sisters can be. They look out for each other. Protect each other. And most importantly, they keep each other’s secrets, even the most dangerous ones: Annie is blind, but can see visions of the future; Fia was born with flawless intuition—her first impulse is always exactly right. When the sisters are offered a place at an elite boarding school, Fia realizes that something is wrong . . . but she doesn’t grasp just how wrong. The Keane Institute is no ordinary school, and Fia is soon used for everything from picking stocks to planting bombs. If she tries to refuse, they threaten her with Annie’s life. Now Fia’s falling in love with a boy who has dark secrets of his own. And with his help, she’s ready to fight back.”

Let the Sky Fall, by Shannon Messenger

“Seventeen-year-old Vane Weston has no idea how he survived the category five tornado that killed his parents. And he has no idea if the beautiful, dark-haired girl who’s swept through his dreams every night since the storm is real. But he hopes she is.

Seventeen-year-old Audra is a sylph, an air elemental. She walks on the wind, can translate its alluring songs, and can even coax it into a weapon with a simple string of commands. She’s also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect Vane at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing her own life.

When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra’s forced to help Vane remember who he is. He has a power to claim—the secret language of the West Wind, which only he can understand. But unlocking his heritage will also unlock the memory Audra needs him to forget. And their greatest danger is not the warriors coming to destroy them—but the forbidden romance that’s grown between them.”

Lisa shares her slightly tweaked recipe for hot, mouth watering dinner rolls! Lisa says, “I made these rolls for Thanksgiving, and people accused me of buying them! They were delicious, and I hope to make them again soon… who says they need to be only made for the holidays?”

Makes 2 Dozen

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups of warm water

½ cup of honey

A pinch of salt

½ cup of butter (softened)+ more for later

1 ½ teaspoons yeast

7+ cups of flour

Directions:

(This recipe is based off of a Dinner Roll Recipe by iwashyoudry.com, but a bit modified!)

1. While I used a stand mixer, my mom made this recipe by hand. So if you don’t have a stand mixer you can still make these delicious rolls, but it will just take a while longer. Both patches tasted yummy, and there was no real difference between the two.
2. In a bowl combine warm water, honey, a shake of salt, and active dry yeast. And let sit for a while until yeast starts to get bubbly.
3. Add your butter, and start mixing in one cup of flour at a time. Mixing after each addition. The dough shouldn’t be sticky when you poke it. If after seven cups your dough is still really sticky add some more flour, but be careful, you don’t want to add too much.
4. Cover your bowl, place it somewhere warm, and allow it to rise. The original recipe said for about an hour, but I gave it one and a half to two hours.
5. After waiting, divide the dough into balls, any size you like, I made mine a little bigger (my size allowed for about two dozen). And lay them out on a baking sheet, that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Cover these rolls again for an hour or so.
6. Place them in the oven at 350 degree, for about twenty to twenty five minutes. Keep your eyes on the oven, you don’t want to burn them, or they’ll be too dry.
7. As soon as you take them out, brush the tops of the buns with melted butter. Allow to cool, or enjoy them when they’re warm!

 Lisa Smith gives up the inside on how to get Pink Ombre nails!

Things You’ll Need:

 -Nail Polish Remover

-Cotton Balls

-Makeup Sponges

-Clear Nail Polish

-White Nail Polish

-Light Pink Nail Polish

-Hot Pink Nail Polish

-Raspberry Nail Polish

What To Do:

1. First things first, use the nail polish remover and the cotton balls to remove any and all old nail polish. This way you’ll start with a clean slate, instead of having remains of your old color.
2. To prevent staining on your nails, paint on a clear coat. And allow it to dry. I’m using Finger Paints Base Coat.
3. To kind of give the colors a base and a boost in vibrancy, give your nails a coat of white. I’m using Sinful Colors Snow Me White. Again let this coat dry. If you don’t allow each coat to dry, and just keep painting more and more layers, your nails will become gunky and gross.

1. Take the square side of your sponge, and paint lines of each of the three shades of pink. I’m using Sinful Colors Feeling Great, Sinful Colors 24/7 and Wet n’ Wild Tickled Pink. And dab this side of the sponge on your nails. Continue to do this on all your finger nails. If this coat is to thin don’t worry.

• Once you’re done with the first layer, continue to paint more nail polish on your sponge as needed, and add a second coat of the pinks. Also don’t worry, this step should be messy!

• After letting them dry for a bit, finally cover your nails in one more coat of clear nail polish to add that shine and smoothness!

1. Finally clean up your fingers and show of your new coat of nail polish!

Lisa Smith shares a Pumpkin Pie Recipe (With a Homemade Crust)

Things you’ll need for the pie filling:

– 8 oz. cream cheese

– 1/4 cups of canned pumpkin puree

– 3/4 cup sugar

– 2 eggs

– 1/2 cup of heavy cream

– 1/2 stick of melted butter

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-1 teaspoon cinnamon

-1 teaspoon pumpkin spice

Things you’ll need for the pie crust:

-1 cup flour

-1/2 teaspoon salt

-1 stick of butter (cut into cubes)

-1/4 cup of cold water

Pie Crust:

1. Okay, let’s start with the pie crust. In a small bowl add one cup of flour, and salt. Mix these. Add one stick of butter that has been cut into cubes. With a fork combine the flour and butter, until you get a crumb texture. If you have a food processor you could do it that way, but honestly it doesn’t tale very long to do by hand.
2. When you have that crumb texture, add the cold water and mix until you have a dough ball. Take that ball into your hands, kneed it a bit, and add flour as needed. You don’t want this dough to be sticky.
3. Roll out the dough into a round shape that fits your pie pan (nine inch pan, so roll it out to about ten or so inches). This doesn’t have to be perfect. Put the dough into your pan, and with your hands position and move the dough until it covers the entire pan.
4. Take a piece of aluminum and place it on the center of your pie, covering everything except the edges. Fill this aluminum with baking beans. Throw your crust in the oven at 350 for ten minutes. Take the beans and the aluminum out, and bake for another five.

Pie Filling:

1. In the same bowl you made the dough (wipe it out if you feel you need to) mix the cream cheese until soft. Once you have that nice and whipped, add the pumpkin puree and continue to mix.
2. Add all of the rest of the ingredients, mixing after each one to make sure it’s well combined.
3. Now your filling is all done.
4. Pour the filling into your warm pie crust and put it back into the oven at 350 for another fifty minutes, or until the pie filling is stiff.
5. Take out your pie, let it cool completely.
6. And Enjoy!!

I made these cupcakes for a birthday party and everybody really liked them! They look cute and are good for any chocolate lover!

Ingredients:

For the dough:

1 box of chocolate cake mix

For the chocolate butter cream:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups of confectioner’s sugar

½ cup cocoa powder

2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

6 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream

2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Follow the instructions on the back of your chocolate cake mix box, and allow your cupcakes to cool. I used a cake mix, because I didn’t have enough time to make my own, also I wanted to focus on the butter cream and decorations instead.
2. You can make this frosting ahead of time, but I recommend not putting it in the refrigerator, because the butter inside of it will cause it to become pretty stiff and it will take forever to get soft again. Instead leave it in a cold room.
3. In a microwave safe bowl, melt down the two cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips, for about twenty five seconds. Mix the chocolate, and if there are still a lot of large chunks put the chocolate back in for another fifteen seconds.
4. Again mix the chocolate until all the clumps are melted down and it’s smooth. Add two tablespoons of heavy whipping cream and mix. If it becomes stiff, that’s okay, if it doesn’t that’s okay too. Put that bowl aside.
5. In a mixing bowl mix the butter until it’s soft and creamy.
6. Sift the three cups of powdered sugar and cup of cocoa powder. And in three sets slowly add in the dry ingredients. And after each, mix and scrap down the sides of the bowl. Continue to do this, until all the dry ingredients are gone.
7. I know it can become pretty stiff and hard for the mixer. Add in the rest of the heavy whipping cream and the two teaspoons of vanilla extract. Mix until well incorporated.
8. Finally take the bowl of semi-sweet chocolate, and mix that into the butter cream. Until well incorporated.
9. This frosted about twenty five cupcakes. Feel free to drizzle some melted chocolate, or some nuts on your cupcakes! Have fun!