Celebrate Once Upon a Royal Christmas with Robin Bielman!

RBielman_OnceUponARoyalChristmas_300Hi Tule readers! I’m so happy to be here today.

1. What is your favorite Christmas recipe?

I love to bake during the holidays. Pumpkin bread and banana bread and lots of cookies! My family’s favorite holiday cookie is Anise Cookies. My mother-in-law gave me the recipe and don’t let the black licorice flavor fool you – these are super yummy and the anise is very subtle. These cookies seriously disappear almost quick than I can make them. Here’s the recipe:

You’ll need:
6 eggs
1 pound powdered sugar
3 ¾ cups cake flour
3 big drops anise oil
1 tsp baking powder
Beat the eggs until thick and lemon colored. Add sugar. Beat for 15 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed. Next, add flour that you have sifted and re-sifted and the baking powder. Beat for another 3 minutes. Add the anise oil and mix well. Line cookie sheets with wax paper and drop spoonfuls of dough on sheet. Let the filled sheets stand in a cool place – like the kitchen counter – overnight. In the morning bake at 300 degrees for approximately 8 minutes or until cookies are creamy beige in color.

2. Do you do anything to countdown the day?

We’ve never done a countdown, but when my boys were little we made a big production of turning on Christmas music and decorating the house and the tree.

3. White Christmas or Miracle on 34th street?

White Christmas – I love the singing!

4. Christmas shopping – are you an early shopper or last minute kind of girl?

I used to be an early shopper and then something happened. LOL I’m not sure why, but in recent years I’ve become one of those last minute girls! Luckily I don’t stress too much about it. Everything always gets done. :)

5. Do you like to spend Christmas at home or a fun destination?

Both! When I was young, I was very lucky and my family often spent Christmas in Hawaii. I loved that and have such fond memories of those trips. But once I became an adult and had my own kids, home became the place to be. We did occasionally take our boys away. The Hotel del Coronado in San Diego was a special getaway one year, but there’s nothing like seeing your kids faces when they first lay eyes on what Santa brought sitting under the Christmas tree. And even though my boys are adults now, there’s still a little sparkle in their eyes on Christmas morning.

I hope your holidays are filled with love, laughter and a little magic!
xoxo
Robin


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auth_RobinXBielman

When not attached to her laptop, USA Today Bestselling Author and RITA Finalist, Robin Bielman loves to read, take hikes with her hubby, and frequent coffee shops. A California girl, the beach is her favorite place for fun, relaxation, and inspiration.

She loves to go on adventures, and has skydived, scuba dived, parasailed, gotten lost in the wilderness (and only suffered a gazillion bug bites for it) hiked to waterfalls, and swam with dolphins. In her spare time she also tries to put her treadmill to good use while watching her favorite TV shows, indulges her sweet tooth, and plays a mean game of sock tug of war with her cute, but sometimes naughty dog, Harry.

Writing is a dream come true, and she still pinches herself to be sure it’s real. She lives in Southern California with her high school sweetheart husband and loves to connect with readers. Get the scoop on Robin, her books, and sign up for her newsletter on her website at http://robinbielman.com.

69 Comments

    1. Hi Janine! Thank you! Tropical places are my favorite! I’m actually going to be in Australia at the end of the year and am super excited. It’s summer there at that time! :)

  1. Congrats on the new release, it is an amazing story! Hope you have a great holiday season and looking forward to more from you in 2017

  2. Love the anise cookies! Could be my Scandehoovian heritage ;) Norwegian!
    Congratulations on your release!
    My favorites are traditional Christmas carols and I must hear or see a Christmas Carol!

  3. White Christmas is my favorite holiday show, I try to watch it at least once every season. I’m usually almost done by now with my shopping but I’m kind of behind this year. I think I’ve got about 1/3 of it done. Hopefully I’ll finish in the next few weeks. I can’t wait to read this one.

  4. Congratulations on you latest release!

    Enjoyed learning about your Christmas experiences. Thanks for the recipe.

  5. Congratulations on your new release!
    I’ve never done a destination Christmas before, I would love to though.
    Thanks for sharing the recipe, I love baking and can’t wait to try these cookies.
    Hope you have a wonderful Holiday Season!

  6. I love the recipe. I am so thankful to be able to shop on line. I have just gotten so tired of all the crowds. I am also a White Christmas gal. Congrats on your new release.

  7. Yay for your new book! Looking forward to reading it. I am certainly an early shopper. I can’t imagine doing it at the minute. Too much stress.

    1. Hi Jennifer! Thank you! I hope you enjoy Prince Theo and Rowan! I loved writing about them. Maybe this year I’ll get my shopping done early, too. I can always hope! LOL

  8. Huge congrats on the release I am really looking forward to this one :)

    I live in Australia so Christmas is always hot for me swimming in the pool if we are at my sisters this year we will be swimming in my daughter’s pool bring it on although one day I would love to celebrate Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere cold :)

    Have Fun
    Helen

    1. Hi Helen! Thanks so much!! I hope you enjoy it! I’m going to be in Australia for Christmas this year!! Well, I’ll just miss Christmas there – we’re leaving Los Angeles on the 25th actually. So I’ll be celebrating New Years down under! I’m super excited for the warm weather. Swimming sounds lovely.

  9. I did go away once for Christmas we went to Los Vegas,I was in awe of how beautiful the casinos decorate, the trees were fantastic. I was missing I didn’t have a gift to open then at bingo I won a beautiful wrapped package and I saved it to open Christmas morning.

  10. I make all my own chocolates for Christmas. Chocolate covered cherries,caramels and of course Buckeye Balls. Love all the goodies I make LOL.
    Thank you for the chance. And Congrats on the new release

  11. I love cranberry-almond biscotti. My husband loves Russian
    tea cakes with extra walnuts. We both feel “there is no place
    like home for the holidays. We’re older now. Enjoy whatever
    destination you choose. Happy Holidays!

  12. Congrats Roin on your new release. Looking forward to reading it. My family loves anise & ameretta cookies both. Wishing you Happy Holidays.
    Carol L

  13. Hi Robin, I spent 3 weeks in Australia with a girl friend, and would go back in a minute. Very friendly people, beautiful scenery. The wineries are wonderful. I loved how all the wild birds that we have as pets in North America fly free there. Flocks of budgies, and cockatiels. So neat. Love the sound of your books, will have to add you to my list of authors.

  14. congrats on your new release! i like to buy gifts for Christmas early since i am on a fixed budget. it is fun to look for stuff early before all the hustle and bustle begins.

  15. Congrats, on your new release & the contest.
    I would love to win. Can’t believe that you lady’s do not like crowds…get in the spirit; that’s half the fun. Love the all the great food & recipes to share with all the family. This is the best time of the year, but it goes too fast. Family gatherings & gifts for the young children are awesome. Let’s don’t forget all the people in need & pass on all the love. Have a great Holiday everyone!!!

  16. Congratulations on your new release!!! Thank you for sharing the cookie recipe. My husband loves black licorice so I will have to try making them for him. Some years I get my shopping done early, others, not so much. I suspect this might be a not early year.

  17. Hi Robin!! Congratulations on your new book!! I can’t wait to read it!!! I love to turn on the Christmas music too while decorating the tree!!! It is so fun to sing along as you are untangling lights!! Lol!!!

  18. Hi Robin! Congratulations on the release of ONCE UPON A ROYAL CHRISTMAS !! We became complete homebodies for Christmas after the kids were born. My husband mentioned a trip a couple times, but the kids always wanted to stick close to home for Christmas. :-)

  19. Congratulations on your new release. I think you should probably try to write a Christmas story every year.

    I would love to spend Christmas in New York. But I love watching the girls run down stairs and open presents.

  20. It was great to learn about your Christmas’s. The cookies sound yummy, I love to bake. Loved your book!!!

  21. Ha ha! I grew up wanting to be anywhere but tropical Miami, FL, at Christmas. I spent 25 years there and it was 25 years too many. I LOVE snow and cold. I am one of those weirdos who wear shorts and summer clothes all the way up until it gets to be 20 F. I have a few favorite recipes for Christmas…there’s the buttery cinnamon goodness of the streusel coffee cake, and the clove butter cookies, the cardamom spice cookies, and the yummy lavender butter cookies. Yes, I go through soooo much butter at this time of year! LOL

  22. Hi Robin, big congrats on the new book! Wow, spending Christmas in Hawaii would be so different since we always have tons of snow here in my part of the world be Christmas time, I can’t imagine not having a white Christmas! Thanks for letting us get to know you a bit more today! :-)

  23. Happy congrats on the new release, Robin! Thanks for sharing your recipe and your thoughts! Can’t wait to be reading your holiday book :)

  24. Thanks for your recipe and the new book release .
    I also love baking for Christmas and sharing it with family and friends in NZ We are going to be at home with family and grandchildren coming for Christmas

  25. Our family loves anise seed cookies which, I make & roll out with a rolling pin that has pictures on it which was my grandmothers . I guess my German heritage must be strong as all I asked for when she died was her German pancake skillet ! Both our kids wanted the German pancake skillet, our son got it & his sister bought one when she went Europe for business. We are going to New Zealand for the holidays, kids, grandkids 10 of us!

  26. Congratulations on your new release. I’ll be sure to check it out.
    And I love baking, so I’ll be sure to try out the receipt.
    Being from Scandinavia, anything with anis is always a hit.

  27. Congrats on your newest release. It’s always interesting to learn how others celebrate the holidays and their own traditions.

  28. Congrats on your new release. I love your choice of Christmas movies. I love the music too and the dancing. I always wanted to dance like Vera Ellen.

  29. My favorite Christmas goody is a really good Pecan pie and I am one of a handful that loves fruit cake. This seems to be the only time of year I eat these particular desserts.

    Your book sounds really good. Enjoyed reading the article

  30. I’m thinking of trying your recipe, I do like black licorice. I used to shop ahead but not so much now. Thanks for the chance of getting your book. Your new to me.

  31. Thanks for the recipe! I love black licorice and have never had these type of cookies before.

    I can’t imagine Christmas in Hawaii. I need lots of snow to feel the Christmas spirit.

    Congrats on the new release!

  32. I don’t bake anywhere near as much now as I used to, but still remember mixing up huge batches of different types of cookies to take to work during the holidays. Very appreciated by coworkers, my daughters loved to ‘help’ and the house smelled so good!

  33. Would love to read your new book. I have a favorite fruitcake recipe I like to make at the Holiday season. Better than any storebought fruit cake. My students in Cooking class liked it and they usually were very picky seventh graders.

  34. I like to make Christmas fondant. It’s been something I’ve done for a long time. Makes it seem like the holidays when I do.

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