Cathleen Armstrong, Author at Cathleen Armstrong

Nov 21, 2018 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: Celebrations, Family, Food, Home, Hospitality, Recipes, Seasons

And Bless the Green Bean Casserole I’ve made my list. I’ve checked it twice. And in a few minutes I’ll be heading off to the market to shop for Thanksgiving dinner. Actually, if I chose to, I could just save my list from year to year, because nothing on that menu ever changes. In the early years, I tried to introduce the idea of trying something new. After all, the magazines and cookbooks were full of creative and interesting ideas for an updated Thanksgiving. My family was okay, even vaguely enthusiastic, with the idea, as long as it…

Apr 21, 2015 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: Books, Great Book Deals!, Last Chance, Uncategorized

It’s not that Dr. Jessica MacLeod hates football; it’s just that she’s never in her life seen a game–or wanted to. But that doesn’t fly in Last Chance, where football is king and where the best athlete Last Chance High ever produced has come home to coach the team.

Dec 18, 2014 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: Celebrations, Last Chance, New Mexico, Seasons

“Every path, every curb, every rooftop was lined with thousands of softly glowing brown paper bags.” Christmas Eve traditions differ from region to region, from family to family. All Lainie Davis knew, before she got in her old car and headed east was that Christmas traditions were for other people, not her. This excerpt from Welcome to Last Chance describes her first Christmas Eve in Last Chance. Ray came by just at dusk Christmas Eve to pick up Lainie and Elizabeth, and on the way to San Ramon, the orange and crimson sunset faded to purple and the first…

Dec 10, 2014 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: Celebrations, Food, New Mexico, Recipes, Seasons

You’ll find this tender, flaky cookie everywhere in New Mexico this time of year. Its sweet simplicity dates from a time early in New Mexico’s history when creative and loving cooks took the few ingredients available to them and produced celebration. It is, hands down, my family’s favorite Christmas cookie. The holidays wouldn’t be the same without them. I suppose you could use butter or shortening instead of lard, and maybe orange juice or apple juice instead of the brandy. You could even leave out the anise seed, if you wanted, and you’d probably wind up with a very nice…

Dec 2, 2014 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: Family, Food, Home, New Mexico

The Bowl of the Wife of Kit Carson is a thick and warming soup, and a great way to use the last of the turkey. I don’t know its origins, or how it came to have such an awkward name. But I do know that the wife of Kit Carson had her own name. She was Josefa Jaramillo and she was from Taos, New Mexico. So, in her honor, and in honor of all those who stir the soup while others get the glory, lets call this Josefa’s Soup. Enjoy! Josefa’s Soup Serves 6 1 1/2 quarts chicken broth 2 cups…

Jul 15, 2014 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: Celebrations, Seasons

….That you’ll wish you did next January It’s hard to believe on these warm summer days when twilight stretches to nine o’clock and later, but Autumn is already on the way. Just walk into a store and look at the Back to School displays if you have any doubts. The days will get shorter, and the nights will get cold. And these beautiful summer days will be a memory. Why not make sure they’re good memories? Here, in no particular order, are ten ways to celebrate summer. 1. Watch fireworks display.. Yes, the 4th of July has passed, and I…

May 30, 2014 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: Uncategorized

Kathryn took my hand in both of hers and said, “I’m a better person for having read your books.” I was honored and humbled, of course. What writer wouldn’t be? But mostly I was in awe of Kathryn, who, at 101 years old, was still becoming. It’s easy, I think, for most of us to reach a point where we think we’ve arrived. Oh, we may wish we were a little thinner, or more fit, or could afford just the tiniest bit of work around the eyes, but on the whole, we think we’ve pretty much got it all together….

May 27, 2014 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: Books, Celebrations

Spring days in New Mexico can be cold sometimes, and wind can fill the air with fine sand, making the sun seem pale and small and far away. I have even seen snow blanket apple trees already white with blossoms. But May 17, the day we launched One More Last Chance was perfect. The sky was a deep turquoise blue, the cottonwoods along the Rio Grande were in full leaf, and the air was fragrant with Spanish Broom and Russian Olive. A great day to be outdoors—if there weren’t so much fun going on inside! Just over fifty…

Apr 3, 2014 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: Uncategorized

Sarah Cooley has come home to Last Chance, New Mexico, for one reason—because it doesn’t change. After a relationship gone bad with a man who wanted to change everything about her, Sarah is more than ready for the town whose motto may as well be, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Chris Reed, on the other hand, wants nothing more than to spark some change in the little town. As the new owner of the Dip ’n’ Dine, he’s shaking things up to draw folks from all over the Southwest into his restaurant. As it turns out,…

Sep 7, 2013 · by Cathleen Armstrong · In: Celebrations, Creativity, Seasons

Well, September has rushed in, tossing summer over its shoulder as it came—and before we can catch our breath, Christmas, with all its attending chaos and busyness will be here! But somewhere between Labor Day and Christmas Day, autumn will come and go, and it deserves attention. And we deserve those moments of beauty that will slip past like billboards on the freeway if we don’t stop and take a moment to notice. So, in order to live a little more deliberately, I’ve created a list of things I’m going to do between now and the first of December—twelve…