Irene Preston's Blog, page 10

$25 Amazon Gift Card GiveAway

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Well, I’m TOO excited about the upcoming release of A TASTE OF YOU. Something had to give so… I made a GIVEAWAY!

1st Prize – Amazon Gift Card

Grand Prize:

$25 Amazon Gift Card (hmmmm, what could we use that for)…

Win 2 M/M Romances

2nd Prize:

2 e-books by Cassandra Carr (yummy m/m romances, ya’ll!)

Digital ARC of MELTING INTO YOU 
E-Book copy of THE ELOQUENT JOCK


Just use the handy rafflecopter below to enter the contest.

Use as many options as you like and rack up extra entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

WANT MORE?

See more books by Cassandra Carr on Amazon.

See more books by Irene Preston (me!) on Amazon

Check out the full GIVE ME A TASTE LINE on Amazon for more foodie romance.

Join the Fated Desires Book Club on Facebook and meet all the Give Me A Taste authors!

Heather Thurmeier: Easy Turkey Meatballs Recipe

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So, in case you haven’t read any of my previous posts, I’ll let you in on my BIG SECRET. I don’t spend all my days in the kitchen producing the slowest of slow food while wearing  heels and single strand of pearls. Mostly my foodie designation means I like to eat. Okay, I sometimes like to cook, but the reality is that most of my days are filled with lots of time-consuming things that take place outside the kitchen. At the end of those days, I still like to eat. Preferably something tasty.  Is my foodie card revoked?

Welcome fellow foodie author Heather Thurmeier to the blog. Heather assures me that I can still eat yummy meals even if my kitchen time is limited and she’s brought a tasty recipe to prove it. Don’t forget to check out Heather’s latest release, Pinch of Me, Dash of You.

 HEATHER

I’m all about easy food. I wish I could say it was only that way when I’m on deadline and strapped for time, but the truth is, I cook easy meals all the time. Why? Because I’m a terrible cook. Surprised?

I know, I know! I can already hear you asking… How can a self-proclaimed terrible cook write a foodie romance? Let’s just say there’s a reason why Kali—the heroine of Pinch of Me, Dash of You—can’t cook to save her life! She gets her cooking inability from me…

How did I write a book full of food? Easy (LOL!), I watch a ton of cooking shows! I know the lingo and am familiar with how to cook different things, or what items might go well together on a plate. But when it comes to feeding my family, I kinda suck. I need meals that are fast, kid friendly, screw-up proof, and tasty, which is why I LOVE my CROCKPOT!!! There is seriously no better kitchen invention. Well, except maybe my Margarita Machine, because a kitchen without margaritas is like a cookie without chocolate chips. Not cool.

So here’s one of my super quick and easy meals that I like to make on my daughter’s figure skating nights when we’re at the rink for hours and get home without any time to fix a hot meal.

Crockpot Meatballs!

Easy Turkey Meatballs in Mushroom Soup Sauce

Pre-cooked Turkey Meatballs (Or beef if you prefer. But always pre-cooked!)

1 cup of water

2 teaspoons of Better than Bouillon Chicken Base

2 cans of Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning

½ teaspoon minced garlic (I use the stuff in water that can sit in the fridge)

½ teaspoon dehydrated onion flakes (fresh minced onion would be great too. Maybe sauté it in a touch of oil before adding.)

Black Pepper to taste

Couscous, Rice, or Pasta as desired for serving

 

** Please note: I just throw stuff in the crockpot until it looks/smells right. My measurements are estimates! J You’ve been warned.

In measuring cup or small bowl, combine Water and Chicken Base.
In crockpot combine: Soup, Water & chicken base mix, Italian seasoning, Garlic, Onion, Black pepper.
Add meatballs and gently mix to coat.
Cook on low for 2 hours until meatballs are warmed through.
Serve over couscous, rice or pasta as prepared according to package directions.

 

Just because I can’t cook doesn’t mean I can’t have a delicious, quick dinner! Enjoy!!

 

Author Heather Thurmeier

Heather Thurmeier

 Heather Thurmeier is a lover of strawberry margaritas, a hater of spiders and a reality TV junkie. Born and raised in the Canadian prairies, she now lives in New York with her husband and kids where she’s become some kind of odd Canuck-Yankee hybrid. When she’s not busy taking care of the kids and pets, Heather’s writing her next romance, which will probably be filled with sassy heroines, sexy heroes that make your heart pound, laugh out loud moments and always a happily ever after. She loves to hear from readers on social media and her website!

 

Website: http://heatherthurmeier.com

Facebook: HeatherThurmeierAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hthurmeier

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5211580.Heather_Thurmeier

 

Available Now!

Pinch of Me, Dash of You

Kali can’t cook to save her life, but she can write. As a foodie reviewer for both a huge national paper and a successful blog, she’s well on her way to achieving her dreams. When she’s offered a cookbook deal, she thinks she’s finally made it…until her latest review comes out a little harsher than expected and the restaurateur threatens to expose all her secrets.

Mac’s whole life is spent in the kitchen, running a New York City restaurant and a culinary school for underprivileged youth. When donations stop pouring in for Mac’s culinary school after a scathing review of his restaurant, he fears he may have to shut the doors if he can’t find a way to turn things around. Then he meets Kali, the reviewer who admits she has no culinary skills. Now he’s made her an offer she can’t refuse—he’ll teach her to cook over the summer and help her with recipes for the cookbook if she’ll agree to write an insider piece highlighting the strengths of his culinary school.

 

But when things start heating up in Mac’s kitchen, keeping her hands on the food and off of Mac is proving harder than Kali expected.

Where to Buy:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1vUpc9F

Kobo: http://bit.ly/S9GUHs

iTunes: http://bit.ly/1pwpPnG

Google Play: http://bit.ly/1vvAzFX

1st Friday Food Fight

Send to Kindle

 

CHECK OUT THE FOODIE FUN IN THE COMMENTS!
Want to play?

Just go to the comments and share any of the following:

Foodie excerpt  from your book (300 words or less, please!) – don’t forget a buy-link!
Teaser and link to your food-theme blog post
Title and Buy-Link to your Cookbook or other food-theme book

Help share the love with this ready-made tweet (or create your own)

FOOD FIGHT!!  Come play with your food or ours! http://bit.ly/_foodfight  #foodiefriday

Don’t forget to check out the tasty tidbits your fellow food-lovers are sharing!

I’ll throw the first pie with an excerpt from A TASTE OF YOU!

But, whatever the reason, Garrett had made a special effort.  He had not only gotten the very thing that Carlo would want for lunch, he had assembled it with his own hands, and, ah, Carlo’s eyes rolled back and he thought he might have moaned. Maybe he was going to have to revisit his stance on the bread and the cold sub. Whatever Garrett had done while assembling and warming it….

Or maybe it just tasted better because Garrett had made it special for him. A thing Garrett would never make for himself. Yeah, Carlo was that pathetic because that could be it. He took another bite and let all the flavors have a party in his mouth. He followed it up with a sip of the wine, which got kinky with the sausage and red sauce and set off another explosion of flavor.

He came up for air when the sandwich had been reduced to a few drops of sauce on the plate.

…More about A  TASTE OF YOU

 

Nancy C Weeks: Carne Asada Recipe

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Did everyone survive Christmas? I had a wonderful Christmas with my family – but the hustle and bustle has about worn me out. Even though the days are getting longer now, it still seems cold and dark and wintery. I’m in the mood for something hot and homey that I won’t have to hover over all day. Luckily, I have romantic suspense author Nancy C. Weeks here for Foodie Friday and she has the perfect dish! Nancy just finished up her In the Shadow series – if you like a little suspense with your romance (or vice versa) make sure to check them out! If you’re willing to share one of your own kitchen tricks, Nancy is also giving away three (3!) copies of In theShadow of Vengeance.

The perfect winter evening.

 

NANCY:
A CRAZY BUSY ONE-POT WINNER: CARNE ASADA

As guests arrived at our annual Christmas party last week, I repeatedly heard, “I know where to find Nancy. She’s in her kitchen.”

I’m not a master chef and I don’t spend every spare hour hiding away in my kitchen preparing culinary masterpieces. So, why do my family and friends always know they can find me there? They know that I’m constantly running behind.

I’m an author and have the habit of getting lost in my story as time slips away. I look up and [insert cuss word here] it’s dinner time! I dash around like a crazy person trying to get everything done in time. And yes, this even happens when I’m expecting fifty people for an evening of food, laughter and just old fashion fun.

Getting a meal on the table, whether for a crowd or just the family can be an interesting challenge in our busy lives. What I have found that keeps me from being totally disorganized are tried and true recipes that require little prep and cook away while I frantically meet my deadlines.

My Carne Asada recipe has become one of the most requested recipes in my repertoire. I created this recipe while living in Germany over twenty-six years ago. I missed my favorite Tex/Mex flare.

I love how I can throw everything into the crock pot and it’s ready when I am. It fills the house with delightful smells and chases away the chills on a cold winter night. I always make extra because its better the next day and freezes beautifully.

What kind of tricks of the trade have you tried in the kitchen to reduce the stress of your busy day?

I’m giving away three digital copies of my new book, In the Shadow of Vengeance to three lucky readers willing to share.  My heroine, Elizabeth Merlot even makes this recipe in the story.

Carne Asada

Ingredients

1 lb beef stew meat [I also buy a nice chuck roast and cut it myself]
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
2 tablespoons chili powder ( only 1 tablespoon if friends have a weak stomachs)
Season salt [I love Emeril’s Original Essence]
1 teaspoon black pepper, ground
2 (14 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes ( I prefer the cut tomatomes with jalapeño)
1 beef bouillon cubes
olive oil

Directions

Sort through the stew meat, trimming off excess fat, gristle. Cut into 1″ pieces if necessary. In medium-sized, heavy pot, add olive oil. Sprinkle meat with Emeril’s seasoning and ground pepper. Place meat, garlic and onion in the pot and sauté until the meat is lightly browned. Add two or three tablespoons of beef bouillon, spices, the tomatoes, and enough water to cover meat. Cover. Bring to a boil then simmer on low heat until meat is tender. Toward the end of the cooking time (about 11/2 hr.), add flour to thicken and continue simmering, stirring from time to time for an additional 10 minute. Remove from heat and serve over rice. Warm flour tortillas also go well with this dish.

Arroz/Rice

Ingredients

2 cups long-grain white rice[Uncle Ben’s works very well]
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, halved
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
31/2 Cups Vegetable/chicken broth/water- enough to cover the rice

Directions

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the rice and toast, stirring, 8 to 10 minutes. (Watch it carefully or the rice will burn). Add the garlic, onion, tomatoes and spices to the pan and cook additional 2 minutes. Add 3 1/2 cups water or enough to cover rice; cover and cook over low heat until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork.

I place a nice scoop of rice in the bottom of a bowl and top with carne asada. Garnish with a few diced tomatoes, onions and jalapeño. Yum!

~~~

Here is a brief blurb of In the Shadow of Vengeance.

Detective Noah McNeil has his cases under control, but the same can’t be said for his personal life in Fells Point, Maryland. Elizabeth Merlot, the mother of a troubled teen Noah is mentoring, is freezing him out of the family’s lives – especially criminal given how hot this single mom is.

Elizabeth Merlot can’t afford to let the handsome detective close to her son lest he discover she’s in the witness protection program. Until the day, that is, when the teen tries to fend off a gang attack and her entire world of secrets begins to crumble – and Noah may be the only one who can save their lives. Don’t miss this exciting conclusion to the McNeil family saga!

More information about Nancy C. Weeks:

For a peek at the five books in the In the Shadow series, your readers can visit my WEBSITE, click on the BOOK PREVIEWS icon and enjoy the first three chapters of each book free.

Buy links:

AMAZON | B&N | ITUNES | GOOGLE PLAY

Find Nancy at:

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS | PINTEREST

 

Thank you again for hosting me today, Irene. If your readers have any questions about my books or anything about me, please don’t be shy. Interacting with readers is as fun as writing.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season filled with love and laughter.

((Hugs to all!))

Nancy C. Weeks

COMMENT TO WIN

Don’t forget, Nancy want’s to know, “What kind of tricks of the trade have you tried in the kitchen to reduce the stress of your busy day?.” Leave a comment to be entered to win on of three (3) copies of In the Shadow of Vengeance. As usual, I’ll leave the contest open until at least Noon (US Central) tomorrow.

 

 

Jax Garren: Elves and Apple-Ginger Pancakes (gluten free, nut free, vegan)

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Foodie Friday Magic! Jax Garren is here today with Apple-Ginger Pancakes. What’s the magic part? They are gluten-free, nut free, and vegan (and still yummy!). Jax writes very modern urban fantasy romance. I’m a huge fan of her Tales of the Underlight trilogy. Today she’s brought along her ambiguously paranormal (Is he? Or isn’t he?) holiday foodie romance, The Elf and the Ice Princess. There are five FREE copies up for grabs if you’re willing to talk breakfast temptations in the comments.

JAX:

Brett grinned slyly. “I make a good breakfast. Pancakes. Waffles. I have experimental lox at the house. You could give me your professional opinion.”

“You want me to stay the night to critique your salmon?” Carrie meant it to sound like a joke, but it came out more like an accusation.

“No! No. I’m trying to convince you to stay the night with breakfast incentives.” His face lit up. “I will be highly motivated to make an amazing breakfast.”

Sex was one thing, but…“I’m not sure I’m ready for breakfast.”

Though his shoulders may have sagged a bit, Brett’s smile stayed intact and his voice light. “Okay. That’s fine. I understand. But it’s a package deal for me.” He wagged a finger at her. “I may be easy, but I’m not cheap. Or, something like that. Basically, I’ll wait.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I offered to get naked with you, and you’re turning me down?”

“I offered cuddling and pancakes, and you turned me down.” He snatched her hand and kissed it again. “I’m A-plus-plus boyfriend material, Carrie Martin. You’re going to figure that out—I hope—and then there will be nakedness and cuddling and pancakes. All of it. It will be epic.” Until then . . .” He yanked on her hand, and she stumbled forward, landing against his chest. “Until then, I’ll just have to work on convincing you.”

~ from The Elf and the Ice Princess

 

I love pancakes (and nakedness and cuddling), but when I went grain free, I thought I’d never have them again. (At least not the pancakes.) Then I discovered plantains! Plantains are related to bananas, and are usually found next to them in the grocery store. When green, they have a high starch content and neutral taste, so they can replace flour in all kinds of recipes. These apple-ginger pancakes are one of my favorite ways to use them; I make these about once a week for breakfast. They’re super easy, require just a few ingredients and a food processor, and have enough room for error that they’re almost impossible to mess up. I love them! Of note, they’re not cake-y like pancakes. They’re more like funnel cake–crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. Which, in my book, makes them even better!

 

I never measure my ingredients; I just toss stuff into the food processor until it looks right. The recipe below is approximately what I shoot for each time, but you can miss the proportions by a wide margin and still get the same results. Plantains are cool that way. After years of baking fancy cakes and breads, it’s a relief to put something together that doesn’t require any fastidiousness.

 

——-

Apple-Ginger Pancakes Recipe (gluten free, nut free, vegan)

Makes 4-6 pancakes (and I can eat them all in one sitting, but should probably share with another person)

1 medium-sized green plantain*, peeled and chopped for your food processor

1/4cp applesauce (or peel and chop half an apple)

1 tbl coconut cream or milk (can sub regular cream or whole milk. Of course it’s not vegan then! These will still work if you leave this out entirely, but the texture will be hard all the way through instead of crunchy outside, soft middle)

1 to 2 tsp ginger ( I really like ginger, so I use a lot!)

pinch of salt + sprinkle extra

pinch of cloves **

coconut oil (or other cooking fat)

maple syrup for serving

 

In a food processor, chop the plantain into bits (and the apple if not using applesauce)
Add the applesauce and process to combine
Add the coconut cream, ginger, salt, and cloves. Process until a thick batter is formed.
Meanwhile,  over medium high to high heat, melt enough coconut oil to cover the bottom of a frying pan
Once the coconut oil is hot, scoop dollops of batter onto the frying pan and flatten into pancake-like shapes, the flatter the crunchier. I shoot for ¼” thick (½ cm for you metric types.) Add another sprinkle of salt to the wet tops.
After a couple minutes, when pancakes are brown on the bottom, flip them. Add more coconut oil if the pan is drying up.
When browned on both sides, remove them to a plate. Repeat until all the batter is used.
Serve with maple syrup or, for something fancier, a berry compote (I love these with leftover cranberry sauce!)

 

* Yellow will work, but a fully ripe plantain, i.e. black, will be much sweeter, have a banana-like taste, and make the recipe wetter. They’ll take longer to cook, but it would probably still work if that’s all you have (and you like the flavor of bananas). If you’re unfamiliar with cooking with plantains, they’re like extra-firm bananas. To peel them, I chop off both ends, half the plantain, and then cut each side in half the long way. That makes them easy to peel with your fingers. Here’s a great video on working with them.

 

** Spices can be changed at will. Instead of cloves, sometimes I use a little nutmeg and a dash of vanilla. Cinnamon would undoubtedly be good, too. Use your favorite spices to make the pancakes your own.

 

——-

Pancakes, waffles, or french toast; which should Brett best use to tempt you? (I’m a pancake girl, but if anybody has a good grain free, egg-free waffle recipe, I’d love to hear it!) I’m giving away 5 copies of The Elf and the Ice Princess, a holiday foodie romance, to commenters. If any answers particularly catch my eye, I’ll give copies to those commenters, then randomly select the rest.

 

Holiday Foodie Romance – Available now!

The Elf and the Ice Princess

A frozen heart…

Three years ago the man who made Carrie Martin believe in happily-ever-afters deserted her after a holiday tragedy. Ever since, she’s seen no reason for holiday joy amid the materialism and chaos of the most stressful time of year. So at happy hour when a drunken man in an elf costume falls into her lap and spouts poetry, it’s just one more reason to be disgusted at the season’s excess.

A prince in disguise…

Brett Virtanen, however, proves a lot steadier than his tipsy entrance. With a buoyant humor and a knack for giftwrap, Brett sparks her interest in the man behind the green polyester. But when Carrie’s ex returns with devastating results, it’ll take more magic than a costumed elf can conjure to make an ice princess once again believe in love.

Jax Garren is the author of hot, urban paranormal romance like the Austin Immortals and the Tales of the Underlight. Though descended from Valkyries and Vikings (she’s part Swedish), Jax was raised a small town girl in the Texas Hill Country. She graduated from The University of Texas with a degree in English and a minor in Latin then found her own Happily Ever After with a handsome engineer who is saving the world through clean energy technology. Jax can be found at jaxgarren.com, at facebook.com/JaxGarren or on Twitter as @JCGarren. She loves meeting new people, so online or in person, make sure to give her a Viking Hail!

Don’t forget, Jax wants to know Pancakes, waffles, or french toast; which should Brett best use to tempt you? and she is picking her favorite comments to win first before any random drawings! To enter, leave a comment below. We’ll leave the contest open until at least noon Saturday. Make sure to leave your email or other contact so we can reach you if you win!

Katie Graykowski: Hand over the cinnamon rolls and no one gets hurt

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Best-selling romantic comedy author Katie Graykowski is here for FOODIE FRIDAY today. I still remember the first time she shared the opening to her first book, Perfect Summer, in our local writer’s group. I laughed out loud then. I laughed out loud again when I read the actual book, and I’m still a fan today.

Katie’s brought along some FREE BOOKS and CINNAMON ROLLS. To be clear, the books (5 copies of CHANGING LANES) are free to a few lucky commenters. I’m going to eat the cinnamon rolls. All of them. Back off my cinnamon rolls. I doubt we could squish them into an email attachment anyway.

Katie’s Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing

 Katie:

For me, the holiday season is all about the food…specifically breakfast. On Christmas morning, I make cinnamon rolls and an egg/sausage casserole. For drinks, we have mimosas. This Christmas morning food ritual is one that I carried over from my mother, Barbara McCelland. She likes to fill her cinnamon rolls with apples and cherries while I prefer straight up cinnamon.

For those of you who don’t know, my mother has written three cookbooks and has written a cooking column in the Longview News Journal for over forty years so baking comes naturally to me.

In my mother’s house, after breakfast, she starts on a lavish feast that includes turkey, ham, and a billion sides dishes. And don’t get me started on the desserts. While in my house, I figure that the effort of making homemade cinnamon rolls is enough. If you want a Christmas dinner…there’s the kitchen and don’t forget to clean up after yourself. I’ll be right here on the sofa drinking the rest of the mimosas.

What are your holiday food rituals?

{Katie is giving away 5 free copies of her new book CHANGING LANES – make sure you leave your email or other contact with your comments to be entered to win}

Excerpt from Changing Lanes by Katie Graykowski

“Are those the ones she made last Christmas with the cream cheese icing and the little bits of orange zest?” Devon’s stomach sat back on its heels and begged like a dog for a treat.

“Yes.” Clint eyed him suspiciously.

Devon and Keshaun exchanged a look.

Keshaun crossed his arms. “Think we can take this skinny-assed white boy?”

“With my eyes closed and one hand tied behind my back.” Devon nodded. “Hand over the cinnamon rolls, and no one gets hurt.”

Recipe: Summer’s Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

Rolls:

3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)

1 cup milk

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

3 1/4 ounces active dry yeast (7 1/2 teaspoons)

1/2 cup orange juice

5 large eggs

Zest from 2 oranges

8 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

5 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 1/4 cups unsalted butter (2 1/2 sticks)

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Frosting:

1/2 lb cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup whipping cream, approximately

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Directions:

For the dough- heat the butter with the milk, 3/4 cups of the sugar and the salt in either a small saucepan or in the microwave, until the butter is melted. Set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm orange juice (110-ish degrees) and add the remaining teaspoon of sugar, stir and set aside for 10 minutes, until the mixture is bubbly. Add the lukewarm mixture and the eggs, beating until well combined. Add the flour a cup at a time, stirring and using enough flour to form a stiff dough. Turn out onto a floured board and knead until smooth and satiny, approximately 10 minutes. (Or place in the bowl on a heavy duty electric mixer and knead with a dough hook until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl, approximately 5 minutes). Place the dough in a very large buttered bowl, turn to butter the top and allow to rise, covered loosely with a kitchen towel, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, approximately 1 hour. Punch the dough down and roll out to a large rectangle, 24″ x 36″. Butter two 9″ x 13″ baking dishes.

 For the filling- beat together the brown sugar, butter and cinnamon until it looks like wet sand. Spread evenly over the surface of the dough. Roll up lengthwise and cut at 2″ intervals to make 12 rolls. Place 6 rolls in each buttered dish. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel and allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350. Bake the rolls for about 20-30 minutes or until puffed and browned.

For the frosting- beat the cream cheese, cream and vanilla until well combined. Add the confectioners sugar and beat until smooth and soft, not stiff. Frost the rolls and serve immediately.

RECIPE: Katie’s Sausage Casserole

Here’s the recipe for the casserole. I don’t have a book reference because well…I don’t like eggs so none of my characters do either. For me, breakfast is all about the baked goods.

 Ingredients:

1 lb. breakfast sausage cooked and drained

1 lb. grated cheddar cheese

1 large can green chills

8 eggs beaten

16 oz. sour cream

Directions:

Grease a 9×13 casserole dish and preheat oven to 350.

Mix sour cream and chills into eggs. Layer casserole starting with sausage, cheese, and then pour the eggs mixture on top.

Bake for 1 hour or until egg mixture is set.

Changing Lanes is available now!

Changing Lanes:

Professional Football Player, Devon Harding found his soul mate at the age of seventeen. Trouble is, he can’t remember her last name. For the last fourteen years, he’s been waiting for The Universe to send her back to him. When that day comes, he nearly falls all over himself to get to her. But he plays it cool and waits for her to come to him.

And she walks right past him.

Pediatric Oncologist, Laney Nixon has only been in love once—at the age of sixteen. For the last fourteen years, she’s looked for him, but not knowing his last name has made finding him impossible. But when she comes face-to-face with him, she doesn’t recognize him.

Can Devon get her to remember the past so they can have a future?

Because all is fair in love and football…and the past is just the beginning.

Buy Changing Lanes on Amazon

Katie Graykowski

Katie Graykowski is a bestselling author who likes sassy heroines, Mexican food, and glitter nail polish. She’d love to hear from you.

Visit her at www.katiegraykowski.com.

See all Katie’s Books on Amazon

Comment to Win!

Don’t forget, Katie wants to know, “What are your holiday food rituals?“

To enter, leave a comment below. We’ll leave the contest open until at least noon Saturday. Make sure to leave your email or other contact so we can reach you if you win!

A TASTE OF YOU Available for Pre-Order

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My gay-foodie-friends-to-lovers-contemporary (whew!) upcoming release is now available for pre-order at Amazon and most of the major e-tailers.

MORE INFO | WHERE TO BUY

 

1st Friday Food Fight

Send to Kindle

 

CHECK OUT THE FOODIE FUN IN THE COMMENTS!
Want to play?

Just go to the comments and share any of the following:

Foodie excerpt  from your book (300 words or less, please!) – don’t forget a buy-link!
Teaser and link to your food-theme blog post
Title and Buy-Link to your Cookbook or other food-theme book

Help share the love with this ready-made tweet (or create your own)

FOOD FIGHT!!  Come play with your food or ours! http://bit.ly/_foodfight  #foodiefriday

Don’t forget to check out the tasty tidbits your fellow food-lovers are sharing!

BONUS ROUND for foodie authors – pop over to my Facebook page and add one (1) FOODIE Book Cover/buylink in the comments of the FOOD FIGHT POST!

I’ll throw the first pie with an excerpt from A TASTE OF YOU!

He picked up the little ball and inhaled, looking for the first clue. The fresh tang of citrus hit him first, followed by a more subtle hint of aromatic spice. Not ginger or nutmeg, something with a slight floral bouquet. Cardamom. Definitely. Now the citrus—not orange or lemon. Lime? The filling had a beautiful blush tint, but that didn’t mean anything. Grace had been known to cheat and color it.

Time for a taste, and he would get only one chance. The whole pastry barely made a bite. He let the delicate morsel dissolve slowly on his tongue, enjoying the cool cream and trying to nail down that elusive citrus flavor. He had a good palette, but, among the crew at Ransom, that was like saying he could breathe air. Garrett won this game every time, but Carlo was going to have to guess.

…More about A  TASTE OF YOU

 

Pork – I’m not so open-minded after all

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Today I was going to write a post about pork and buttermilk. Mostly this was for my own benefit. I had two questions – is it safe to eat medium-rare pork? What is “cultured” buttermilk? (Or “uncultured” buttermilk for that matter.)

And, in case it wasn’t clear to any of you before – I’m a “Mom” cook. My specialties are things like “stuff you can make with canned tuna.” Don’t ever think I know anything. There. You’ve been warned.

A few years ago, restaurants started asking us how we wanted our pork cooked. Pork. The first time it happened, Bones and I just stared at the poor waiter until he started to sweat.

“We recommend medium rare,” he finally offered.

Greatly daring, we went medium. In my head, I was screaming. WELL DONE.

After he left, we stared at each other across the table. Medium-rare pork? Recommended? Now I knew how those people who order well-done prime rib felt (tastes just like roast beef!).

We had just committed the dining faux pas of ordering over-done pork.

Now, you have to know, Bones and I consider ourselves adventurous eaters. I’m down for head-cheese, boudin noir (which is illegal to sell, btw), frog legs, and snake. I’m pretty sure I could eat roasted crickets (so far, no one has offered me any). I’m not shy about trying International dishes I know nothing about (What’s good? How do I eat it?) I’m not skittish about not-so-cooked-meat either. If my beef doesn’t make it all the way to medium-rare, well, as long as it doesn’t moo, I’m happy. Fish? Okay, I’ll eat fish almost any way you offer it, but I’ll eat sashimi until you stop bringing it to me. I’m not even a huge stickler for FDA warnings (the expiration date post is here).

I’m happy to take server recommendations.

Except medium-rare pork. My self-image crashed and burned. It must be safe or restaurants wouldn’t be serving it that way. So why couldn’t I order it cooked as suggested?

Because when I was growing up, you did not eat under-cooked (by which I mean well-done) pork. Period. Despite the fact that I have abandoned quite a few of the beliefs that I held growing up, I can’t shake this one.

I’m stunned to realize that it was easier for me to change my religion than deeply held food safety guidelines.

I’m obviously not as open-minded and free-thinking as I thought I was.

Well.

On the up-side, we managed “medium.” Baby steps.

Oh, and in case you think I took some college kid’s word that the pork was safe…yes, of course I looked it up.

Here’s Bon Appétit calling my feelings on the issue seriously outdated as far back as 2009. I’m only slightly mollified that their expert recommends medium rather than medium-rare.

Here’s the Chicago Tribune reporting the change in the FDA guidelines back in 2011 and here are the actual, current FDA guidelines for internal temps.

This post debunking 9 Cooking myths was fun – although they lost cred over the pasta thing. If you have left-over pasta you aren’t storing in sauce, the olive oil DOES keep it from sticking (I put leftovers in the fridge like this all the time, then heat and eat with a little fresh pepper and Parmesan). No oil and it’s a clumpy mess when you take it out.

And here are some statistics about trichinosis showing that only about 11 cases per year are reported in the US. Logic and statistics. This really should make me feel better. But somehow it is now an unreasonable phobia – like my fear that I’ll drive into a puddle some day and fall through to China.

So – my lesson for today: Question what you know. Seriously, keep questioning.

We’ll get to that buttermilk thing some other time. Today I’m still grappling with my stunning inability to accept modern thinking. Next I’ll deny climate change and insist that creationism be taught in school.

Left-Over Chicken and Dumplings Recipe for Two

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I avoid turning the oven on in the summer, but we get just the tiniest bit of fall weather, and immediately I roast a chicken. Now, I have a little bit of chicken left—Not enough for another meal but more than enough to make me feel guilty if it goes to waste. So, how can I stretch it out into another meal Bones will be happy with?

I’m from the South, and it is fall. I’m thinking chicken and dumplings will hit the spot!

I start by making a stock from my leftover chicken.

 Stick the whole chicken carcass in a stock pot.

This was a relatively small chicken, and we’ve eaten most of it, so I go light on the other flavors for my stock. I add:

 

 

½ an onion.

2-3 carrots.

2-3 ribs of celery.

Several sprigs of thyme

Sprig of rosemary

1 bay leaf

Some sage leaves

Salt and pepper

Don’t worry about chopping everything up too much. This is just for flavor.

I’m using up leftovers and just feeding Bones and myself.  If you’re feeding a family, or starting with a whole chicken, you’ll need to double or triple the above.

Add enough water to cover everything and heat on high until the water just starts to boil. Immediately turn it down to where the stock is just simmering. A rolling boil is not your friend for stock.

If I were a real cook, I would baby that thing along by skimming it every half hour or so. Since I’m inherently lazy, I leave it on the stove, go back to my office and pretend to work.  Every now and then I go turn the chicken over with a pair of tongs. When the chicken falls apart instead of turning, I know it’s done. In addition to making a tasty stock, the chicken has now deboned itself. See? Lazy.

Remove from heat. Pour the stock through a colander to separate out solids. You’re going to be using your hands for the next part, so let it cool for a bit. If you want to hurry things along, stick the pot in an ice bath before straining.

Ideally, you will now put the stock in the fridge overnight so you can easily skim off the fat the next day. If you want supper tonight, just let it settle, skim as much fat as you can, and carry on.

Now retrieve your chicken. Separate the meat from the bones and veg and set aside. I feed the carrots and safe bones to my pups. They watch that stock pot way more closely than I do because they know they are in for a treat later. If you want, you could leave the carrots for the stew, but since they are so soft, I like to start with some fresh ones.

Now let’s start the stew.

Grab your stock pot again and heat a few tablespoons of oil. Add:

2-3 chopped ribs of celery

½ an onion, chopped

chopped clove of garlic

Cook until the onions are soft. Add:

3-4 carrots, sliced

Chopped fresh sage

Salt and pepper to taste

You can also add some flour here for a light roux, but I’m going to be a little weird and add thickener later.

Pour in the rest of your chicken stock.

You’re going to let this simmer for a while until the carrots are your desired tenderness.

Meanwhile, we’ll make the dumplings.

If you have more than a passing acquaintance with chicken and dumplings, you’ll know that there are two basic kinds of dumplings. One kind is a drop dumpling, and is really light and fluffy (yum!). The other is a more traditional southern rolled dumpling. It has a little more backbone. (Okay, okay –  they can be a little chewy). We’re actually going to make the second kind, because that’s the kind my mother and little country grandmother made. There’s no flavor like nostalgia.

Here’s what you’ll need (this is actually a ½ recipe for our leftover portions):

1 cup flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

(chopped sage – optional)

3 Tbs butter

1/4 cup milk

1 egg (slightly beaten)

 

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. I like to add a little chopped sage at this point, too. Cut in the butter. Add the milk and egg. Mix until well blended and you can form into a ball.

Turn out onto a floured surface. Flour you hands and knead for a few minutes until the dough is pliable. Keep adding flour as needed to keep from sticking.

Roll out the dough very thin. Cut into small rectangles. If you have a pasta cutting wheel, it’s great for this. Otherwise a knife is fine.

Now let’s go back to our stock. First, dump in your

reserved chicken

from earlier. Now I’m going to thicken just the tiniest bit. Put a tablespoon of flour into a small jar with about 1/3 cup milk. Shake until combined and pour into the stock. If you like a thicker stock, your options are go back in time and make a roux, use more flour, or dump in a can of condensed cream of celery soup. Don’t forget that the dumplings are actually going to thicken it a little, too.  Don’t get carried away with the thickeners!

Now taste your stock and adjust the seasoning. The dumplings are going to add a little depth, so don’t worry if doesn’t seem quite right yet.

When you’re ready, bring the stock back up to just boiling. Add the dumplings one at a time.

The first time I made dumplings, I panicked at this point. You’re quickly going to run out of surface area to add more dumplings. The trick to adding more without them sticking together is to push the dumplings around with your spoon until they are completely covered in stock before dropping more on top.

Cook until the dumplings are cooked through. It’s pretty quick, maybe five minutes.

Serve immediately with fresh ground black pepper.

And now we’ve turned a tiny little bit of left-over chicken into a hearty dinner for two that Bones will love!