Gifts come in many shapes and sizes, but I believe the most precious ones are those delivered from the heart.  It’s easy to get caught up in the mayhem of life, particularly during the hustle and bustle of the Holidays, but every day, there are people amidst the chaos who help you, who take time out of their busy lives to make a difference in yours. This year, why not return that gift?

This holiday season, as wrapped gifts exchange hands, I ask you to pause, reflect on those who’ve truly made a difference in your life, and if possible, find a special way to say thank you.  This can be a simple gesture—something like a greeting card, a bouquet of flowers, or a heartfelt poem.  Maybe you could bake someone their favorite cookies?  Or, present them a coupon book filled with everyday chores, which they can tear out and give you to do on those trying days when they really need a helping hand.  The absolute best gift you can offer another person is one given from the heart.  And when special-delivered, without any strings attached, it touches their own.

This Christmas, I’m making gift baskets filled with my favorite homemade things, such as macadamia-butterscotch chip cookies, shortbread, double chocolate-orange-pecan biscotti, Vermont maple syrup, and more.  With each one, I’m sharing a part of myself with the other person.

What ideas can you think of?  Remember—the more original and inventive, the more fun!  I can’t wait to hear your ideas!

My gift to you, one of my favorite recipes:

Griffin Westcott aka Wulfe’s Chocolate Covered Pecan-Hazelnut Balls

Ingredients:

½ cup sugar                             1 cup butter                             ⅛ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. baking powder             2 ⅓ cup flour                           ¾th cup hazelnut spread

½ cup pecans                           Melted chocolate to use to dip pecan-hazelnut balls into

Directions:

Mix together sugar, salt, nuts, baking powder and butter.  Add flour, mix.   Press into an even layer in a greased 8×8 inch dish.

Bake:

Bake at 350˚F until golden brown.  (About 30-35 minutes.)

Cool. 

Once the shortbread is cool, crumble, and then mix in the hazelnut spread.  Chill.  Make balls with mixture, and place them into the freezer.  Once frozen, dip the pecan-hazelnut balls into melted chocolate.  Place on wax paper leaving ½ inch between each ball.  Cool.

Enjoy!

Author’s note:

An avid baker who enjoys creating new twists on recipes, Griffin Westcott aka Wulfe is the hero of, “His Seduction,” the 5th book in the best-selling MacGruder brothers’ Scottish medieval romantic suspense series.  For more information about the MacGruder brothers visit Diana’s website!

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I sincerely wish everyone health, friendship and happiness this holiday season.

Sincerely,

Diana Cosby, International Best-Selling Author
www.dianacosby.com
The Oath Trilogy
MacGruder Brother Series
Forbidden Series:  Forbidden Legacy-#1/Forbidden Knight – June 6th, 2017

Diana Cosby ©2016

About the Author

A retired Navy Chief, Diana Cosby is an international bestselling author of Scottish medieval romantic suspense.  Books in her award-winning MacGruder Brothers series are translated in five languages.  Diana has spoken at the Library of Congress, Lady Jane’s Salon in NYC, and appeared in Woman’s Day, on USA Today’s romance blog, “Happy Ever After,” MSN.com, Atlantic County Women Magazine, and Texoma Living Magazine.

After her career in the Navy, Diana dove into her passion – writing romance novels. With 34 moves behind her, she was anxious to create characters who reflected the amazing cultures and people she’s met throughout the world.  After the release of the bestselling MacGruder Brothers series, The Oath Trilogy, and Forbidden Legacy, book #1 of The Forbidden Series, she is now working on book #2, Forbidden Knight.

Diana looks forward to the years of writing ahead and meeting the amazing people who will share this journey.

www.dianacosby.com