Irene Preston's Blog, page 6

Victoria Adams: Fussy Eater to Foodie

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Are you a fussy eater? Please welcome Victoria Adams who is going to tell us tell us how a fussy eater incorporates food into her lifestyle and writing. She’s also got some suggestions to make a dessert that will really sparkle (gold, y’all – it’s GOLD).

Victoria

I’m a pseudo-foodie or in other words a – kinda sorta foodie. I’m a very fussy eater. Grew up an only child and there is a much better chance of being a fussy eater in a small family than in a big family. Mom’s rule – if I didn’t like dinner I knew where the peanut butter was. As I grew up my tastes changed – turns out pizza is pretty awesome after all, but some of my dislikes remained. I still dislike tomatoes. I don’t like the mouth feel, but I love tomato soup, ketchup and pasta sauce. Go figure?!?!?!

My “foodiness” really began when my daughter was born – also an only child.  I wanted to feed her foods that were “better” for her than the processed version. Yes we have spaghetti, but I have a pasta maker and make my own – fewer chemicals in it. I make my own peanut butter. Even been known to make my own butter for special occasions.

Where is this leading to? In my latest story, my hero and heroine have dinner at his mansion and he treats her to a fabulous dessert –

Madagascar vanilla ice cream drizzled with a hot fudge sauce made with fifteen different kinds of cacao and the whole thing is presented in a solid gold goblet topped off with edible gold!

My daughter introduced me to Madagascar vanilla and I’ve been using it for several years now. I love the depth of the flavour.

Here is the product description

Taking premium, hand-selected beans cultivated on the Bourbon Island of Madagascar, we use our proprietary cold extraction process to gently draw out and preserve the vanilla’s over 300 flavor compounds. The result is a sweet, creamy, mellow flavor with velvety after-tones, perfect for cooking and baking both sweet and savory dishes. An exceptional “all-purpose” vanilla. All I can add to that is YUM!

Cacao is not a spelling mistake. Of all the foodie things – I’m a chocolate lover. I have books and books of the history of chocolate and how to work with chocolate and recipes dedicated to chocolate. I just love typing the word – chocolate. Cacao is what the base chocolate comes from. It is from the Olmec language (pre Mayan). There is some train of thought in the chocolate world that cocoa is actually just a misspelling of the word cacao and since it is easier to pronounce that version stuck. But for a chocolate foodie the proper word is cacao.

Now to the edible gold – no I’ve never used it, but it worked well for the story. I read an article in National Geographic where the people were drinking vodka with gold flakes in it. I remembered that when I was writing my story so I researched it. Edible gold is really gold. You know, the stuff jewellery is made of. And – it’s okay to eat. Gold is biologically inert which is why dentists can use it. So if you want to impress the heck out of someone, find a package at your local gourmet store and dust your dessert, your coffee or maybe even your pasta sauce with it.

This image of a sundae topped with edible gold is from the Serendipity 3 – a restaurant in New York and the cost of the dessert – are you sitting down??? –  $1,000. Nope – not a typo one thousand dollars.

 

 

 

Excerpt from Red Tulip

You know, time does fly. You know what I mean. Those moments when you look up and say, “It’s Thursday? What happened to Wednesday?” or “It’s May already?”

That actually was the question I asked myself as I stared at my morning bowl of black cherry yogurt with walnut oatmeal granola. The kitten calendar on the fridge door read May. My cell phone said May. Who am I to argue with technology?

I guess when tulips stop appearing and disappearing and mysterious messages on paper don’t pop out of nowhere that life settles into a calmer rhythm pretty fast.

In the past four weeks, I’d quit my job, moved out of the closet-size apartment, moved into the gardener’s cottage on the McTavis Estate and took up my internship with Garry Heslop, the retiring head gardener.

Six days a week, I was consumed with studying journals and textbooks, listening and absorbing as much knowledge from Garry as my brain could handle. Every morning, we’d walk around the conservatory and he’d question me on plant genus, fertilizing schedules, or possibly propagation techniques. (Plant propagation – before you go off on some other tangent.) Oh and my favourite – plant DNA. Why did I even care if blue DNA strands made up the pretty pink flower?

But, if I did well, I received a grunt and Garry would rub his chin. Which meant I had to study even harder because the next day’s pop quiz would be harder.

If, on the other hand, I made an error or worse yet, a total FU – you know what I mean. Well, that meant I weeded and weeded and got coffee for Garry until that craggy old face broke into what he called a smile.

But, Saturday night was my favourite night of the week. Freed from Garry’s clutches, I slid into the arms of Shamus. We did see each other during the week. Sneak peeks through the conservancy window. Or quick snatches of conversation while he hid near a bush and I weeded one of the outdoor flower beds.

Last Thursday, Garry caught us chatting by the waterfall. Shamus’s deep voice and sexy blue eyes completely distracting me from the gurgling water spilling over the rocks and splashing into the koi pond. He shoo’d Shamus away with, “I can’t be teachin’ ‘er what she needs to know, if you’re hangin’ ’round getting’ her all giggly and such.

Me? Giggly!?!

Saturday night was supper and a movie with Shamus and Reginald, the sheep dog. Sometimes dinner was lavish, and dessert decidedly decadent; Madagascar vanilla ice cream drizzled with a hot fudge sauce made with fifteen different kinds of cacao and the whole thing is presented in a solid gold goblet topped off with edible gold! We aren’t going to talk about the coffee. Seems it doesn’t come from coffee bean, but a civet cat.

Then there were the less formal affairs – takeout pizza and beer.

It didn’t matter what the food was, I really didn’t taste it. All I focused on was Shamus. It felt wonderful to be with him. So natural. So perfect.

Red Tulip by Victoria Adams

Darcy O’Calahann, a junior gardener from a small mid-western town, is trying to make her way in the big city.

Shamus McRae is a wealthy bachelor with a mysterious family past.

Are Darcy’s eyes playing tricks on her? Is she losing her mind? Or is there really a Red Tulip tying her and Shamus together?

Where to buy Red Tulips

Amazon | B & N – US | B & N – Canada |B & N- UK | iTunes | Kobo | Smashwords

 

About Victoria

I’m Victoria Adams. I live in Ontario, Canada with my husband and pets. Daughter’s grown up and is now teaching. I like to garden, cook and study Raqs Sharqi (Egyptian belly dance). I’ve been writing since I was little. Being an only child, long car rides were filled with making up stories in my head about the people I saw out the car window. Now, my writing style has taken a split to contemporary romance for adults and contemporary romance for new adults.

 

Visit Victoria Online:

Blog | Facebook | Facebook  Author | Twitter | Google+ | Amazon | Wattpad

 

 

Kim McMahill: The Flavors of Mexico + Giveaway

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I love fresh tomatoes and with the mild summer we’ve had a bumper crop this year. Kim McMahill is here today helping us put those tomatoes to use with a yummy Green Chili Stew recipe. Make sure to scroll down and check out her novel, Marked in Mexico. If you comment on this post, you’ll be entered to win a copy of the book. 

Kim:

I’m thrilled to be here today on Foodie Friday to share one of my favorite recipes, and the timing couldn’t be better. Not only do I love food, but I love to garden and eat seasonally. My other passions are travel, especially south of the border, and writing adventure novels (see blurb below). Mix this all together and you get green chili stew.

For some reason I can grow tomatoes like crazy and I’ve had good luck with Big Jim Chili peppers, both are essential ingredients in this recipe and many Mexican dishes. I don’t really have room in my garden for onions and potatoes, but those are cheap and almost always in my vegetable bin. Throw in some cubed pork and garlic, and that’s all you need to make this simple hot and spicy New Mexican dish.

Green Chili Stew Recipe

Directions:

Brown a pound of small cubed pork in a heavy pot with a little salt and pepper, 3 to 4 cloves of minced garlic, and a chopped medium onion.
If you don’t have fresh ingredients, add a 16 oz. can of diced or stewed tomatoes and 8 ounces of chopped green chilies (canned or frozen). When using ingredients from my garden, I chop up about 3 medium tomatoes and use a half to a cup (depending on the heat) of roasted diced Big Jim green chilies.
Add 4 cups of water. Stir and simmer for at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add 2 to 3 potatoes (depending on size and how thick you like your stew) diced into half-inch cubes, and simmer for another 30 minutes or until tender.

I usually assemble all ingredients, except for the potatoes, and put the stew in a crock pot for the afternoon. This ensures that the pork is very tender. About an hour before serving add the diced potatoes and keep cooking until the potatoes are tender. This recipe takes a little tinkering since everyone has a different level of heat tolerance. Start out mild since you can always add more heat if needed.

To serve, spoon stew into warm flour tortillas and sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese.  Roll and repeat for as many as you desire, and then spoon more stew over the top. Spanish rice and margaritas go well with this dish. Enjoy!

My passion for Mexican food and travel has also extended to a number of my novels. Here’s a blurb from one of my favorites, Marked In Mexico. If you love the flavors of Mexico, you’re sure to enjoy the stew and the story. Enter below for a chance at an Amazon Kindle download of Marked in Mexico. Thanks for stopping by and good luck!

Marked in Mexico by Kim McMahill

When hostages are taken at one of Mexico’s most popular Mayan ruins an idyllic Caribbean vacation turns deadly. The kidnappers believe the abduction will be a simple way to negotiate the release of a colleague from a Texas prison, but matters become complicated and the stakes much higher when they realize one of their hostages is the daughter of a powerful U.S. Senator and another is an ex-Army Ranger who has no intention of playing by the rules.

 

 

Where to Buy Marked in Mexico

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords | Kobo

About Kim

Kim McMahill grew up in Wyoming, which is where she developed her sense of adventure and love of the outdoors. Since leaving Wyoming she has enjoyed many opportunities to see the world, and has lived amid some of America’s most stunning landscapes. Kim started out writing non-fiction, but her passion for exotic world travel, outrageous adventures, stories of survival against the odds, and happily-ever-after endings soon drew her into a world of romantic suspense. Along with writing adventure novels Kim has also published over eighty travel and geographic articles, and contributed to a travel anthology and cookbook.

Visit Kim Online

KimMcMahill.com

Blog | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

Don’t forget to leave a comment. One commenter will win a copy of Kim’s book, Marked In Mexico. We’ll leave the contest open through Sunday!

 

 

Squash Casserole Recipe

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I haven’t complained  about the amount of squash coming out of my garden. That would be silly. Fresh, almost-free, organic veg is great! But we’ve had a LOT of squash. I’ve been getting all kinds of creative with the zucchini, but for the yellow squash this is one of my favorite recipes and we almost never get tired of it. Warning: This is a Southern-style recipe (and what I mean by that is that we take something superficially healthy–squash!–and do our bests to load it up with tasty stuff that isn’t so healthy).

Healthy or not, this recipe is easy and tasty. Here goes!

Here’s mine – I forgot to add the breadcrumbs on top this time. Still tasty!

Squash Casserole Recipe:

Ingredients

3 lbs yellow squash (more or less)
6 Tb butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
2/3 cup bread crumbs
2 Tb sugar (for the “healthy” version, use brown sugar)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
salt & pepper to taste

Fill a large saucepan with water and heat to boil. Cut the tips off the squash and chop into chunky pieces. (Chunky is a technical term. It means whatever size looks right for cooking it.)  Return to boiling, then lower the heat and cook until the squash is tender. Just poke a fork in a piece every now and then until it goes through the skin easily.

Drain in a colander.

While the squash is draining, put the butter in the saucepan until it is just melted. Remove from heat. Return the squash to the pan and mash. (How mashed? Well, I like to use my immersion blender and get it pretty mashed, but Bones likes me to leave some chunks, so it’s really up to you. A potato masher also works well, or even a fork.)

Add the rest of the ingredients and stir.

Turn into a buttered casserole dish. You can sprinkle a few more breadcrumbs on top if you want.

Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned. (maybe 30-45 minutes? I can never remember)

Thanks to the butter and sugar, you can get almost any veg-hater in your family to eat this.

Enjoy!

 

Liv Rancourt: Smoked Salmon Pasta Recipe

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My friend Liv’s here today and she brought studs salmon.  Okay, so Liv obviously knows me because she brought both.  Below you will find a recipe with salmon, pasta, wine, and cheese. You can not possibly go wrong with this. Below that are the studs (still in my wheelhouse), in this case King Studs (construction reference goes right over my head as I zoom in on stud). Liv’s kindly included a tasty excerpt from her new release, King Stud. And if you make it all the way to the bottom of the page you can also enter for a $20 Amazon gift card.

Enjoy!

 

LIV:

Thanks so much for having me as a guest, Irene! I’m excited to have the chance to talk about food, because other than eating, I don’t know a whole lot about it, and there’s nothing I like better than having a platform to display my ignorance.

Oh, and I babble when I’m nervous.

Lol!

Since my favorite recipe usually involves knowing which take-out to order, I had to give some thought to what to feature in this post. I live in Seattle, which prides itself as a foodie town, so my first decision was to choose a recipe with a Northwest vibe.

Then, as I do with most important decisions, I called the husband.

He suggested I try a variation of chef Nick Stellino’s smoked salmon pasta, which totally worked for me. (Jump HERE if you want to see an actual recipe with, like, measurements and stuff.) Back in the late ‘80s, my roommate worked the lunch shift as a waitress at a restaurant called The 1904, and they made an amazing smoked salmon pasta. Sometimes she’d bring me home an order, or sometimes I’d meet her toward the end of her shift and have a bowl. A little white wine, some crusty bread, and the smoky, savory, salty goodness and I was DONE. Too good.

So, without further ado or delay or procrastination, here’s my take on smoked salmon pasta.

Smoked Salmon Pasta Recipe

Basic cream sauce

Butter (A tablespoon? Two? Three?)
Cream (Enough)
A splash of white wine or vodka
Chopped garlic (I’d use at least 4 cloves, because there’s never too much garlic.)
Capers or peas – something to add color and texture (Half a cup? Maybe? They’re basically decoration, so don’t go crazy.)


One good-sized chunk of smoked salmon
One box of bow-tie pasta
Grated parmesan
One loaf of crusty bread
One bottle of white wine (the 2013 Pinot Grigio from Lake Chelan Winery would be a good – and very Northwest – choice)
Like, some kind of salad if you must. I find it interferes with my enjoyment of the pasta and cheese.

Now, my instructions might not be the most specific, but here’s what I’d do with that list of ingredients. I’d melt the butter, sauté the garlic, toss in the salmon till it’s warmed up, and add the liquor and cream, a handful of parmesan and green bits. Then I’d let it all simmer while the pasta cooks, adding more cream if it gets too thick. When the pasta’s done, I’d toss it all together, add a little more parmesan on top and call it good. Plate it, pour the wine, slice the bread, and enjoy!

And while you’re eating your lovely smoked salmon pasta, you can check out my new release King Stud. (Lol – do you like how I worked that in there?) To give you a taste (heh) here’s a scene involving food.

Quick set-up: Danielle inherits her grandmother’s run-down Craftsman house, and hires her best friend’s younger brother to get it in shape to sell. Ryan’s too young and too closely related to Maeve, but one thing leads to another…

By the time Ryan’s headlights sliced across her big front window, she’d progressed to slouching in the wing chair, debating whether the ache in her arms was a deal-breaker for starting a new project. Any half-assed ideas about what to do next died a fast and painless death when he carried in a couple bags from Panda’s Chinese Kitchen instead of his toolbox.

“We’re taking the night off,” he said, dumping the bags on the dining room table, daring her to cross him.

Danielle curled up and rested her elbows on her knees. “I’ve been painting.”

He took an exaggerated sniff. “Your new green highlights were my first clue.”

“Shit.” She tried to rake her fingers through her ponytail, but they got stuck hard enough to make her eyes water. “I need a shower.”

He took a second exaggerated sniff. “Yep.”

“Shut up.”

He grinned hard enough to show both dimples. “Food’ll get cold if you shower now.” He spread the top of one bag and lifted out a couple small white boxes. “Cashew chicken.” He set the boxes on the table and took out two more. “Smoked pork. Rice.” He opened one box and lifted out a small browned pocket of meat. “Pot stickers.”

Danielle’s shoulders hurt. Her neck was stiff. She had blisters on her thumb from wielding the paint brush. But when Ryan lifted the pot sticker to her lips, it didn’t hurt at all to open her mouth and take a bite. The fabulous mix of crisp and soft, salt and savory made her stomach growl. He fed her a second pot sticker, nodding encouragement as she ate. He lifted a six-pack of beer out of the second grocery bag, opened her one, and passed the bottle over. She downed about half, washing away the paint stink stuck in the back of her throat and loosening some of the tension in her jaw.

“Thanks, babe,” she said.

Ryan rested against the table and his smile grew. “Anything for you, Princess.”

“Shut up.”

He raised an eyebrow, a totally sweet and sexy gesture. His five o’clock shadow was heavier than normal, as if he hadn’t bothered to shave in the morning, and his hair fell in messy curls. Sensual curls. Bedroom curls. He grabbed a pair of chopsticks and picked up one of the white boxes.

“Here.” Slowly, he lifted a chunk of chicken from its pool of rich, soy and spice broth.

She allowed him to feed her one bite, and another. Hand feeding her Chinese food was its own kind of sexy. “Why are you being nice to me?”

“Because I’m hoping you’ll suck my dick.”

Danielle giggled, all but choking on her chicken at the abrupt change of subject. “You could have just asked.”

“Okay.” He cupped his hand over his crotch. “Now I’m asking.”

“Don’t you want to eat first?”

His dimples deepened some more. “I’m not starving.” He reached over and traced her lower lip with the tip of his finger. “I want your mouth on me.”

“In the dining room?” Every possible objection made a party in her head. “There’s a big window and no drapes.”

“It’s dark outside. Nobody’s going to see us.”

Says the voice of reason.

 

In the interest of keeping things PG13, I’ll leave you to wonder what happens next. Thanks for checking out my post, and I hope your dinner tonight is delicious!

Cheers,

Liv

King Stud

Danielle’s got three months to make her Grandmother’s rundown Craftsman house livable. Her game plan is to get in, get grubby, and get back home to L.A. She needs a carpenter, and her best friend’s younger brother is a good one. It’s hard to ignore the buffed body under Ryan’s paint-splattered sweatshirts, but her friend declares he’s off-limits so Danielle reluctantly agrees.

Ryan doesn’t have the cleanest record, anyway. His recently ex-ed girlfriend wants him back, and he has a reputation for brawling. He’s also had a crush on Danielle since he was a kid. Despite their nine-year age difference, he knows she’s worth pursuing.

Soon the paint under Danielle’s fingernails starts feeling more natural than the L.A. sunshine. She’ll have to navigate plumbing disasters, money problems, and one seriously cranky best friend to find something she hasn’t had before: a real home, and a man who loves her.

 

Where to Buy King Stud

Amazon | Evernight Publishing | ARe | Barnes and Noble

About Liv

I write romance: m/f, m/m, and v/h, where the h is for human and the v is for vampire…or sometimes demon…and I lean more towards funny than angst. When I’m not writing I take care of tiny premature babies or teenagers, depending on whether I’m at home or at work. My husband is a soul of patience, my dog’s cuteness is legendary, and we share the homestead with three ferrets. Who steal things. Because they’re brats.

I can be found on-line at all hours of the day and night at my website & blog  on Facebook , or on Twitter . Come find me. We’ll have fun!

 

 

Infamous (Again) + $20 Amazon GC Giveaway

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News!

Amazon has bought up the digital rights to Infamous and they will be re-releasing it on July 28.

If you are keeping track, this is my third version of this eye-catching hot pink cover. Yes, we are still rocking those killer shoes!

And if you are a new reader and missed Infamous the first time around – it’s my flirty little fantasy about a Hollywood socialite that falls for a totally (maybe not totally) boring soccer dad who lives in the ‘burbs with his teenage daughter.

Here’s the updated cover, the blurb, and yes – of course I’m celebrating the release with a giveaway!

Socialite Meets Soccer Dad

INFAMOUS
Four years ago it was pure Hollywood – the windswept beach, the whirlwind romance, the runaway marriage. Unfortunately, the ride into the sunset didn’t survive the publication of the bride’s tell-all book two months after she said ”I do.”

 

Reclusive venture capitalist Morgan Riley isn’t interested in fame. He prefers a quiet life in the suburbs. For his daughter’s sake, he agrees to give his notorious wife another chance to be part of their family. Even though she’s back at home and fulfilling all his late-night fantasies, he can’t help wonder if she misses her high-profile lifestyle and famous friends.

Everyone knows Jessica Sinclair. She’s that girl on the cover of all the tabloids. As a Hollywood insider, Jessica has spent her life partying with A-list celebrities, shopping on Rodeo Drive, and living through scandal after scandal. When her estranged husband offers her a second chance at an ‘All-American’ lifestyle, she can’t pass up her shot at real happiness. Back in suburbia, Jessica spends her nights in sexy role-play hoping Morgan will overlook her deficiencies as a homemaker. She spends her days attending P.T.A. meetings, burning cookies, and asking herself, ”What would June Cleaver do?” More to the point, what will Morgan do when Jessica winds up back in the tabloids – with his teenage daughter right next to her?

More Info | Free Chapter | Buy on Amazon

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Roberta Roberti: Minty Peach Salsa Recipe

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I’m from the south where, yes! Mint! and Peaches! Check out this yummy recipe that combines them both for a refreshing salsa.  Also, there’s rum  – but Roberta had me at mint and peaches.  If you enjoy this dish, make sure you check out Roberta Roberti’s cookbook, Vegetarian Italian

Roberta:

If you’ve ever planted a little mint in your garden, you probably started out with one lovely little plant and ended up with a mint farm. You know what I’m talking about. Mint is one of those herbs that proliferate wildly, all their own with very little work on your part.

My mint comes up year after year, and so lushly that I don’t know what to do with it all. There are only so many mojitos one can make (although, I’m sure some would argue that point with me), and you can’t put too much mint in any one dish because it easily can become overpowering.

So, one summer, it was nearing the end of the season, by which time my mint was completely out of control, and I was looking for a way to use it up, as well as make the most of the remaining summer fruits. I came up with this salsa.

I was inspired by a peach salsa I bought at a farmer’s market in Virginia during a road trip. My traveling companion and I pulled over to this farmer’s market, where they had their own jarred products. It was mid-summer, and we had been pulling over at farmer’s markets all along the Eastern seaboard on our way up from Florida to New York. By Virginia, the coolers were stuffed and my pockets were running dry. But this farmer’s market had such wonderful products, I had to buy a little something.

It was difficult choosing what I wanted, but I finally settled for a couple of things, including a delicious peach salsa. I set out to replicate it and made a few modifications to make it a little less sweet and a bit spicier. I also added the mint because a) I had such an abundance of it, and 2) I thought it would go well with the fruit. It did. It’s savory, sweet, a bit spicy, and utterly delicious. It’s very simple and perfect for summer picnics or barbecues. It also makes a great condiment for grilled veggies, chicken, or fish. You can substitute the peach with nectarines, plums, or apricots, but I find that peach works the best. It has the right flavor and texture to complement the other ingredients.

I hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy it as much as I do. And feel free to drop me a note about it at the original blog post , or at any of my social networking places. If you like what you see, you might want to check out my cookbook, Vegetarian Italian: Traditions, Volume 1. I will have more cookbooks available in the coming months, so I’d love to connect with you to keep you posted.

Buon Appetito!

Minty Peach Salsa Recipe

Makes about 2 ½ cups.

2 cups chopped peaches

1/3 cup chopped shallot or finely chopped Vidalia onion

¾ cup chopped red pepper

1 small jalapeno, minced

2 tablespoons minced mint

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons spiced rum (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Refrigerate for an hour before serving to allow the flavors to blend.
Taste for seasoning and adjust, if necessary, before serving. Serve with tortilla or pita chips, or as a condiment to grilled proteins or vegetables.

This recipe originally appeared on MizChef.com

Vegetarian Italian: Traditions, Volume 1

When Roberta Roberti first gave up meat, she discovered that she didn’t know how to prepare vegetarian meals that were fulfilling and nutritious. While there were plenty of vegetarian cookbooks out there, they didn’t reflect the flavors and techniques she’d grown up with, so she decided to write her own. She wanted to create authentic Italian meals that were meatless and satisfying, and that meant rethinking her favorite recipes from her family and her Italian heritage. Vegetarian Italian: Traditions offers a variety of recipes that range from simple and rustic to nuanced and elegant. So take your senses on a journey of classic and ancient culinary delights as Roberta shares with you the precious offerings of her family and Italian culture.

Where to Buy Vegetarian Italian

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bedazzled Ink Publishing

About Roberta:

Roberta’s passion for writing has been with her since elementary school, but her passion for food and cooking is a family trait. She got her basic culinary skills from her mother and taught herself the rest. She launched her own personal chef service, called A Whisk In Time, in 2002, and began a brand new journey in cooking. Since then, Roberta has graduated from the Chef Training Program at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health & Culinary Arts, won a James Beard Scholarship, and had a blast doing her internship at the James Beard House.

Her cookbook, Vegetarian Italian: Traditions, Volume 1, is currently available from all online retailers. Volume 2 will be available in the coming months, as will her second cookbook, World Party. Roberta is also a fiction writer and has published a novel, novella, and numerous short stories, and has co-edited several anthologies under a pseudonym.

Visit Roberta Online:

www.MizChef.com

Facebook Page | Facebook Profile | Twitter | Pinterest

LinkedIn: Roberta Roberti

Peggy Bird: Ropa Vieja Recipe

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I’m thrilled to welcome Peggy Bird to the blog today. Peggy and I met as launch authors for Crimson Romance  a few short years ago. Peggy’s been quite prolific since then in comparison to my slow self. I think she also makes a better brisket than I do. (pouts). At least she is sharing her recipe.  Don’t forget to check out The Gift of Love at the bottom!

Peggy

In every romance novel I write, I include a scene where my couple eats a meal together. The reason? I think feeding someone is one of the most intimate and caring things we can do. It engages all the senses and the food doesn’t have to be overtly aphrodisiac to be sensual. Sometimes pasta is sexier than oysters and champagne.

For example, one of my heroes cooked the Italian food his mother taught him to love in childhood. The fact that it brought back good memories for the heroine certainly helped his cause! Another of my heroes put together a romantic picnic at the Oregon coast for the woman he was trying to impress. Even heroine who get called back on duty before she can get the hero to the table eventually had her chance to win over her men with a great meal.

In my latest book, “The Gift of Love,” Isabella Rodriguez invites Taylor, the man who’s been showing her around her new city of Seattle, to dinner in her apartment. She’s Cuban-American and promises a typical Cuban meal. The main dish is ropa vieja. She explains the story behind the meal to him: a poor man makes a meal for his children, adding shredded old clothes to the meager bit of meat he has. Magically, the clothes turn into meat and his children are satisfied.

There’s no magic—or old clothes—in this recipe based on one from Cook’s Illustrated—just good beef brisket and spices.

Ropa Vieja Recipe

(serves 6)

2 pound beef brisket

salt and pepper

vegetable oil

2 onions, thinly sliced

2 red bell peppers, sliced into ¼ inch strips

2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced

4 minced garlic cloves

2 tsps. Cumin

1 ½ tsps. Dried oregano

½ cup dry white wine

2 cups chicken broth

1-8 oz. can tomato sauce

2 bay leaves

¾ cup chopped green olives

¾ tsp white wine vinegar

 

Heat oven to 300 degrees.
Cut brisket into 2 inch wide strips and season on all sides with salt and pepper.
In a Dutch oven, brown beef in oil, remove from pan and set aside.
Cook onions and bell peppers until just soft. Remove and set aside.
In 1 tsp oil, add anchovies, garlic, cumin and oregano. Cook until fragrant about 30 seconds.
Stir in wine, scraping the bits from the sides of the pan, cook until wine is evaporated, about 1 minute.
Stir in broth, tomato sauce and bay leaves.
Return beef and accumulated juices to the pot and bring to simmer.
Transfer to oven and cook, covered, for 2-2 ¼ hours, stirring beef halfway through.
Transfer beef to cutting board and, when cool enough to handle, shred into ¼ inch pieces.
While beef cools, add vegetables and olives to pot. Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes or so.
Stir in beef. Add vinegar. Adjust seasoning. Serve with rice and beans with flan for dessert. Enjoy!

The Gift of Love

Isabella Rodriguez put her life on hold to return to Portland and take care of her ailing parents, but now they’re gone. When her four overbearing brothers confront her insisting it’s time for her to move on with her life and that they’re selling the house, it might just be Bella’s worst birthday ever. Luckily, an unexpected promotion and a transfer to Seattle might mean a bright new future awaits.

Tech consultant Taylor Jordan’s career is on a huge upswing and he’s sure to make partner soon. He has no time and little interest in a personal life, especially after an embarrassing breakup with his last girlfriend. But when he meets the gorgeous Bella at a business mixer, he can’t help but be intrigued.

Sparks fly between them immediately, but when Taylor discovers Bella was behind one of the most humiliating experiences of his life, will they be able to find a future together?

Where to Buy The Gift of Love

Amazon | ARe | B&N

About Peggy

I’ve always been a writer: stories when I was a kid, plays for my cousins to perform, terrible adolescent poetry. For the price of a few cigarettes, I ghosted love letters and “Dear John” letters for classmates in nursing school. During a checkered and wildly varying work life, I wrote speeches for politicians, brochures, fact sheets, press releases and newsletters for anyone who asked me to, and the occasional proposal and/or report for consulting clients. On vacations, I wrote memoir pieces, a number of which ended up being published in anthologies and magazines.

A few years ago, I began writing fiction (although writing for a politician is considered by some to fall in that category.) I started out writing what I believed were mysteries but the characters wanted their love stories told instead. Crimson Romance subsequently contracted for the “Second Chances” series of six books set in and around Portland, Oregon and the Northwest. In each of the stand-alone books, one (sometimes both) of the lovers needs a second try at the brass ring to find happily-ever-after. As many of us do. I know I did.

Visit Peggy Online

PeggyBirdWrites.net | Amazon | Facebook |

No-Bake Pie Recipe for the 4th of July

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It’s the 4th of July. There will be barbecues and picnics and family and desserts. And it’s hot. Most of the food can be grilled outside, but you really don’t want to turn the oven on to make those desserts. I’ve got a yummy no-bake refrigerator pie that is perfect for this situation. This is a pie from my childhood and I can’t remember a family Independence Day gathering without it. My mother was wrangling four kids, making all that food, and ready for some short-cuts when it came to dessert. This pie is EASY. If you can operate a hand mixer, you can make it. I’m not even sure you need the hand mixer!

Cream Cheese and Lemon Pie with Berries Recipe

Graham Cracker Crust Ingredients 

(Easy-Peasy Cheat! Buy a ready-made graham cracker crust!)

10 sheets of graham crackers (1 1/2 cups)
6 Tablespoons melted butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar

Pie Filling Ingredients

12 oz cream cheese (1 1/2 package) softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pie Topping Ingredients

(Easy-Peasy Cheat! Buy a can of cherry or blueberry pie filling)

Fresh Strawberries and Blueberries (or berries of your choice)

FYI – the fresh berries are  my substitution – Mom always just used a can. I love fresh berries and think the pie is still yummy without the extra sugar. If you want to keep the fresh berries but can’t stand the thought of passing on that extra sugar you can the glaze the berries. Just sprinkle a little sugar over them and let them sit in the fridge while the pie is chilling. The natural juices from the berries will combine with the sugar to form the glaze. 

Make the Crust

(If you bought a crust – skip this step!)

Put your graham crackers in the food processor or blender and whir until they are crumbs. Gadget challenged? Stick them in a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling-pin.

Stir the crumbs, melted butter and sugar together  in a bowl until it all starts to sort of hold together. Then press it into your pie pan. When I say press, I mean really press. I like to put a piece of plastic wrap over it to help smooth it out and keep from getting  my hands as greasy. If you want, you can use the bottom or side of a small cup to help you press. It will be crumbly at first, but keep pressing the bottoms and up the edges until you have something that looks like a crust.  Now stick it in the fridge for a couple of hours to set.

Before the topping

Make the Pie Filling

Put the cream cheese in a bowl and beat until it is fluffy.  Add in everything else and beat until well blended.

Pour in the crust and put in the fridge for at least three hours. Overnight is better.

A little note here – I actually modified this recipe from the original, which called for 8 oz (1 pkg) of cream cheese. I find that version really sweet.  The extra cream cheese also helps the pie set a little firmer. On the other hand, I’ve never seen any leftovers once the old version went on the table.  My point is you can experiment a little with the ratios.

Top the Pie

Seriously, you need instructions for this? If you got the strawberries and blueberries and are way more artistic than I am, you can probably make something very patriotic-looking with stars or stripes or something. I generally just jumble them on top because, duh, red-white-and-blue pie already. Ta-da! I’m a patriot!

If you got the pie filling, just dump it on top. Mom always used cherry – red-white-and-use-your-imagination.

That’s it. You have pie!

Keep the pie in the fridge except when serving.

Happy 4th of July from our family to yours!

TGIF! A Yummy Pisco Sour Recipe

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I know it is Foodie Friday – but this Friday I thought we would do a drink. This is mostly because I just got the bill for my car repair and I need one.  Also, last time I posted a picture of a pisco sour on my Facebook,  people seemed to approve. Yes, I am that desperate for approval. Also, it is summer, and pisco sours are a yummy and refreshing drink.

Pisco!

Before we start, let me say I am not exceptionally finicky about my pisco. Some people will insist on Peruvian pisco and others favor Chilean pisco. Yes, they are slightly different, but they will both work for this recipe.   If you want to embroil yourself in a 400-year-old debate about who has the better pisco, google away. If you want a tasty drink, read on!

Ingredients for 2 Pisco Sours:

3 shots pisco
1 shot fresh lime juice*
1 shot simple syrup*
1 egg white (optional)
dash bitters (Chilean or angostura – I’ve never found the Chilean ones locally)

(*adjust lime and simple syrup amounts to taste)

In case you don’t have a jar of simple syrup sitting in your fridge (and, no, I am not wondering what it says about me if I do), you can make it easily. Just put equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan, heat and stir until the sugar dissolves, then let it cool. Now you have simple syrup.

Put all your ingredients except the bitters in a cocktail shaker. Add some crushed ice, and shake the heck out of that thing. If you used the egg, be careful taking the top off the strainer – sometimes the foam gets a little out of hand.

Make sure to have more pisco on hand for the next round!

Strain into two cocktail glasses. You will have a little foam even without the egg white. If you used the egg white, you should have a beautiful froth on top.  Add a dash of bitters. If you are artistic, make some lovely foam art with the bitters (sometimes I swirl a toothpick in it, which is the end of my artistic ability).

Now comes the fun part.

Yell PISCO!!

Sit back and enjoy a refreshing cocktail.

This post is dedicated to the Digital Darlings. Last month I was stranded by flood, this month by the car repair. I promise to be at the next Happy Hour – I miss the cheese and sangria you guys!

Jenn Dease: Two Great Summer Salad Recipes

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Okay, I know it is Foodie Friday, but…. LOOK! DRAGONS! Seriously, scroll down and look! Also, we’ve got yummy salads for your cool summer dining, but… DRAGONS!  Oh… thanks to Jenn Dease for bring the salads and  the dragons. Make sure to check out her brand-new book, Dragon’s Surprise. Oh, AND, Jenn is doing a giveaway on her blog – so go there, too!

 

JENN:

Hello there.  I am Jenn Dease and in my EDJ,(Evil Day Job), I am a chef.  Yes, I would rather write then cook, but bills must be paid.

For the summer season, I thought I would give you two salad recipes.  The first is:

Fresh Broccoli Salad Recipe

2 fresh Broccoli heads

½ cup Raisins, plumped  (Soak in warm water for 10 minutes and drain)

1/3 cup Red Onion, diced

½  cup Peanuts, unsalted (If you do not have unsalted, regular works.  Reduce salt in dressing to ½ tsp.)

6 slices Bacon

Cut Broccoli into bit-sized pieces.   The top half of the stems can be peeled and cut, also.  They taste great in the salad.  And anything else you use broccoli in.

Fry Bacon and crumble.    Place all ingredients into bowl.

Poppy Seed Dressing

1 cup Salad Oil  (Do not use Olive Oil.  Does not come out right.)

1/3 cup Vinegar

½ cup Sugar

¾ tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Dry Mustard

¾ tsp. Poppy Seeds

Mix oil and vinegar.

Mix dry ingredients together and add to oil mixture.  Stir/shake well.  Do not refrigerate dressing.  Make when needed.

Add dressing to salad just prior to serving.

The salad tastes great for the next five days in the fridge.  The bacon just gets soggy.

 

Pea Salad Recipe

2 lb. bag of Peas, thawed.  No sauces.

8 ounce bag of shredded Cheddar or shred your own

8 ounces of Ham, small dice.  Tastes better with baked ham, but lunch meat works. (Have the deli cut it extra thick)

1 ½ to 2 cups Marzetti Cole Slaw Dressing

Mix it all together.  Start with 1 ½ cups of dressing and add more if needed.

Keeps for five days.  Mix when you take it from the fridge.

If you don’t like the tang of Slaw Dressing, you can use Ranch Dressing.

Hope these recipes help during your summer entertaining.  They are favorites in my family.

My new book “Dragon’s Surprise” came out on June 12th from MLR Press.  It is a follow-up to “Captain’s Mate” my first book in the Dragon Marines series.  In my world, all Marines are Dragon Shape-Shifters.

I am having a give-away on my blog, which is at jenndease.com.  Leave a comment by June 27th.  Winner will be picked on June 28th.

Many Thanks to Irene for letting me post on her blog.  Deeply appreciated.

DRAGON’S SURPRISE

Can one little green Dragon cause that much disruption on an aircraft carrier?

Franklin was unaware of the disappearance of his brother and his family while performing in Russo-China, until Dane’s squad of Dragon Marines rescues one of them from the Voldai.

Explosives, smuggling, kidnapping and security for a meeting of the World’s leaders. The USS Requiem’s sailors and Dragon Marine squadrons are dealing with all of this while watching out for a small, green Dragon.

Dane and Franklin find themselves in a new family situation. Caring for their niece brings them closer together. But, you can’t keep a three-year-old on an aircraft carrier. Can her parents be found?

Where to Buy Dragon’s Surprise:

Amazon | MLR Press

About Jenn:

Jenn lives in the Pittsburgh, PA area. She belongs to one of those families that has four generations living in a three block area.

Captain’s Mate is her first published book, which Jenn and her sisters are quite proud of. She loves books, her red-headed sisters, and books.

Visit Jenn Online:

JeanDease.com | Facebook