This rich, decadent recipe has been in my family for years, and to tell the truth, nobody remembers where it came from. Because it’s so rich, we only make it for special occasions. It’s definitely a crowd pleaser and a family favorite.

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HOLIDAY SPINACH/ARTICHOKE CASSEROLE

(This recipe can be doubled easily, made ahead and frozen.)

2 – 10oz. boxes of chopped spinach. (I get the steam in the bag kind, cut a small corner off, and squeeze the fluid out, which saves a lot of mess and time.)

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese.

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 stick of real butter (can be reduced to 1/2 stick)

1 pint of sour cream

1 large can of artichoke hearts, quartered

10 slices of bacon, fried crisp and crumbled.

Steam the spinach, cool to room temp., cut a small corner off and squeeze as much liquid out as you possible can. Sauté onion in the butter. Mix all ingredients together well. Make sure to break up clumps of spinach. Put in baking dish, sprinkle the top with more parmesan and bake in 350°F oven until bubbly all the way through. (About 35 minutes)

Noah Langford narrowly survived the roadside bombing in Iraq that killed five of his men and took his leg, leaving him haunted by flashbacks and riddled with guilt. When his stepbrother Matt dies in a car accident, the loss feels like the final blow to Noah’s shattered soul. But then he learns about the girlfriend and baby Matt abandoned years earlier, and suddenly Noah has a new mission…

Ceejay Lovejoy was nineteen and pregnant when her boyfriend walked out, disappearing from her life just like her parents did. Since that day, Ceejay has devoted herself to giving her daughter a better life, avoiding any man who could threaten that security—until the day Noah Langford shows up on her doorstep. His gentle spirit has an unexpected effect on Ceejay’s guarded heart, tempting her to take one last chance on love. But when a painful secret comes to light, it threatens to break the fragile bond growing between them…and to destroy a love powerful enough to heal them both.

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www.barbaralongley.com

If you are reading this post right now, I am currently stuffed full with pierogies! That’s our family staple at Thanksgiving, and sometimes Christmas too. We love them SO FREAKING MUCH.

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As per our usual, this recipe makes about 50 large-ish dumplings, enough to feed a family of 6 plus a few leftovers.

Ingredients

· 4 sixteen ounce cottage cheese

· 3 egg yolks

· 1 small onion

· 4 cups flour

· Salt & pepper

· Warm water

Directions

1. Chop the onion and sauté until golden.

2. Drain the cottage cheese (can let sit in colander/bowl overnight)

3. To make the filling, combine the cottage cheese, egg yolks, onions, and salt and pepper.

4. To make the dough, stir together the flour, pinch of salt, and baking powder. Then add the water, a little at a time until you’ve got the right consistency for dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead until soft.

5. Roll out the dough, as thin as you can—but it can’t break. Then cut circles in the dough. Pro-tip: We use the lid of a sour cream container. Since they’re a required condiment for pierogies, we are sure to have them on hand!

6. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Using tongs or a strained spoon, drop the pierogies in. You can cook for 6 minutes or wait for them to float, then take them out. We add a little butter right after, which makes it taste better and keeps them from sticking together as they are served.

7. Serve soon after with sour cream, salt and butter to flavor.

You may not have any leftovers, but if you do, these work great! Simply put them in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag with some extra Pam spray inside so they don’t stick. You can store them in the fridge or even the freezer if it will be a long time. When you take them out, heat them in the microwave. Then you can put them on a pan with some butter and it tastes divine.

Gee, can you tell I’m a fan?

Allie prowls the club for a man who will use her hard and then ditch her. Hey, it’s not rape if she wants it. Instead she finds Colin, who looks tough but treats her tenderly, despite her protests.

He tempts her, but kindness and a few mindblowing orgasms aren’t enough to put her back together again. Allie has no hope for a real relationship. Two years ago her best friend betrayed her in the worst possible way – she’d be stupid to trust a man again. Besides, she has her daughter to think of, the only good thing to have come from that dark night.

But when her rapist returns, threatening her sanity and custody of her daughter, Allie turns to Colin. Under his protection and patient touch, Allie begins to heal and learns to hope. Colin’s no saint, though, and his criminal past draws danger of its own. Allie must fight to protect her child and the man she loves, hoping her newfound power will be enough to save them all.

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http://www.authoramberlin.com

Over the summer, I posted on Twitter that I was making a cake for my family and the reaction to the images I posted was tremendous. So, I thought I’d share the recipe for Chocolate Café Au Lait Cake. Warning, I’m a Southern girl, so there’s nothing “lite” about this recipe.

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Chocolate Café Au Lait Cake

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 30 to 37 minutes

Serves: 12

1 stick (4 ounces) margarine

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 package devil’s food or chocolate fudge cake mix

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee powder

1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar

Melt margarine in a 1 quart glass bowl in the microwave oven on HIGH 1 minute. Stir in graham cracker crumbs and let cool. When cooled, stir in chocolate chips and walnuts, set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Prep cake mix according to package directions then turn batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle graham cracker crumb/chocolate chip/walnut mixture over cake batter, dividing evenly between the pans. Using your fingertips, lightly press the mixture into the batter (crumb mixture should not sink all the way into the batter).

Bake cake as package directs, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cakes from the oven and cool completely before unmolding. Keep layers crumb side up.

In a medium bowl, beat cream, coffee powder and powdered sugar on high until stiff. Place one cooled cake layer, crumb side up on a serving plate. Spread three-quarters of the whipped cream mixture over the cake. Top with remaining cake layer, crumb side up then frost sides of the cake with the remaining whipped cream. Do not frost top of cake. Refrigerate until serving time.

It isn’t a birthday celebration without a little pain to chase the pleasure—at least according to Dalton and Cade, the two men who stole Erin’s heart. Relationships are complicated and Erin has been retreating—both emotionally and physically—from her lovers. Pushed away for reasons they don’t understand and determined to overcome her resistance, the men devise a wicked plan. They’ll use two very special gifts and one captivating night to reclaim her submission. They don’t count on Erin’s trip to subspace exposing a heartwrenching confession…one that threatens to rip the triad apart forever.

Warning: Contains a well-trained, dirty-talking submissive who succumbs to the commands of her Master, custom nipple clamps, tongue wagging oral sex, a well-deserved punishment with a butt plug, men who share more than a few heart-racing kisses and a custom-made-work-of-art sex chair that shows this M/M/F triad just how powerful their passion for one another is. And that’s just chapter one.

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www.sarabrookes.com

Leave it to me to be on a health-kick lately! The truth is though, I have a real sweet tooth and dessert is my favorite, so I’ve recently begun working on less guilt-inducing, but delicious and satisfying end-of-meal treats. One I’ve found and is a perfect lead in to my sizzling read about two top chefs competing on a reality show and happens to be a tasty dessert to boot! The best part--it’s all done in a slow-cooker!

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Poached Pears with Raspberry Sauce

4 cups cran-raspberry juice cocktail

2 cups white grape juice (make it a fruity white wine if only serving grown-ups)

1/4 cup sugar

2 cinnamon sticks, halved

4 to 5 firm Bosc or Anjou pears (peel, core, and remove the seeds)

1 package (10 ounces) frozen raspberries (in syrup, if you’d like a little more sweetness and thawed)

Fresh berries for edible garnish

Combine juice, wine, sugar, and halves of cinnamon sticks in slow cooker. Submerge pears in mix. Cover and cook on low 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until pears are tender. Remove and discard cinnamon sticks.

Mash raspberries until smooth (or use a food processor or blender for an easier route); strain the seeds. Spoon raspberry sauce onto serving plates; place pear on top of sauce. Dress with fresh berries.

Months after he stole her affections—then her executive chef position—Shyann and Luke meet again under sizzling circumstances, competing head-to-head on a televised cooking show called Kitchen Twist. Each arrives with a motive: Luke intends to win back Shyann’s heart, even as she wants closure on the not-so-tasty heartbreak he once served up.

Luke knows culinary masterpieces require a delicate touch, but that knowledge is tossed out with the leftovers as he works to show Shyann he’s not such a bad guy. Now he pushes his skills to the limit to win the competition and satisfy a bet.

Can two top chefs resist each other as they move out of the pan and into the fire?

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http://www.cheriemarks.blogspot.com

Red velvet brownies are easy to make and totally sinful.

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Red Velvet Brownies
Recipe courtesy of Food Network Magazine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.

Whisk 1 cup of flour, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and baking powder in a bowl. Bring 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, 1 stick of butter and 2/3 cup water to a simmer in a saucepan. Off the heat, whisk in 2 ounces chopped unsweetened chocolate; cool slightly. Whisk in 3 eggs, one at a time (make sure your chocolate mixture is cool enough that it doesn’t scramble your eggs), 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and 2 teaspoons of red food coloring. Stir in the flour mixture. Spread in pan; bake for 20-25 minutes, then cool. Top with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
Beat 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened, 1/2 stick of butter, softened, 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until smooth.

After saving her love, Princess Elyne returns to the Otherworld by order of her mother. But it’s not the homecoming she expects. Furious Elyne has meddled with humans, the queen imprisons her and strips away her magic. The only way Elyne can get it back is to perform one selfless act.

When Queen Maeve sends Derron to find the Guardian of the Sword of Light, he can’t leave without releasing Elyne. After all, she altered time to save his life. But freeing the princess comes with a steep price—he must take her with him on this dangerous quest. And the two must deal with feelings of past hurt and the love growing between them.

Their search becomes more than a pursuit for the missing Guardian as Lord Kieran rises to dominate the Unseelie court. He will stop at nothing to gain control of both the Otherworld and the human realm. Even with the help of Elves, dragons and their human friends, the odds are stacked against Derron and Elyne.

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http://www.michellemiles.net

Hi, Romance Cooks! As a foodie romance author, I couldn't have invented a better place to hang out. I hope you enjoy this recipe from my newest release and the chef at the Misbegotten Gaines Ranch in Freewill, Wyoming: Vengeful Gaines.

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Kyle’s Caramel Apple Sauce

10 medium apples
4 T. butter
2 T. grape seed oil
1 c. apple cider
½ c. lemon juice
½ c. white sugar
½ c. brown sugar
4 T. cinnamon
1½ t. salt
1 c. heavy cream

Peel the apples and cut into slices. I don’t like to cube them, because if I set aside to use for pie filling, I want big chunks of apple. You can always mash it down later. But I really do like the bigger chunks of apple. Just make sure, however you cut them, that they’re all the same size. Squeeze the lemon over them as you peel, just to keep the oxidation away.

In a warmed skillet (medium-high heat), put the butter and oil in just to let the heat element get ready, then add the apples with the lemon juice (and add the rest of the lemon juice if you didn’t use the full ½ cup for oxidizing the apples.

Cook the apples for about five minutes in the cider and juice, then add the sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Cover and simmer for another twenty minutes (if cubed) or twenty-five minutes (if sliced). Test the apples to make sure they’re spiced and sugared the way you like them. Add the cream and stir in well, then let simmer for another two minutes.

Makes a great sauce over ice cream, or a pie filling, or just a great treat. Don’t omit the salt—that’s a temptation in dessert-type items—but salt and lemon really enhance the taste. Hope you enjoy.

Mattie Gaines has so much to be thankful for—three beautiful children who are well on their way to making great love matches, a successful family business that keeps her challenged every day. But a part of her will never forget her first love, and she longs for her own romance du jour.

Wanting a new start, Will Jordan returns to Freewill and wonders whatever happened to that firecracker Mattie Gaines. When he spies her at the annual Thanksgiving cook-off, old feelings roar through him. Will can’t forget Mattie’s kisses, so long ago, and he wants to make her remember, too—even if it costs them both more than they bargained.

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http://camrynrhys.com

This is a no-cook recipe because the alien Glin in my Stellarnet Series never use fire. They are hunter gatherers who eat raw fish, seeds, fruits, roots, insects and occasionally raw meat.
To find the ingredients, visit your favorite farmer's market or produce section and select one fruit of each color. Some fruits such as grapes, cherries, plums and apples come in a variety of colors.

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Red – watermelon, raspberries, pomegranate, strawberries
Orange – oranges (of course!), peaches, tangerines, apricots, cantaloupe, grated carrot
Yellow – banana, starfruit (aka “carambola,” sometimes green), mango
Green – kiwi, honeydew
Blue – blueberries
Purple – grapes, blackberries

At home, wash, dry, peel and/or cut up the fruit. Mix together in one giant bowl.

How to easily cut a mango: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvLdPjpELyU
How to easily remove pomegranate seeds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFUMLxL6IO4
Keep it healthy – no need for sugar, ice cream or whipped topping. Tastes great without it, and full of fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Enjoy!
My family also loves rainbow salad (tomatoes, yellow peppers, carrots, lettuce, bleu cheese dressing and cabbage or red leaf lettuce) or rainbow soup, with boiled veggies of all colors.
Her alien lovers call her J’ni, the sacred flower of their world. The Glin call her Truth Teller, one of the magical human travelers from beyond the sky ocean. But humanity calls her Genevieve O’Riordan, interstellar blogger, Net celebrity — and sometimes “unnatural whore.”
When J’ni brings her husband Belloc and her soulmate — rebel gunrunner turned ambassador — Duin from Asteria Colony, the two are the first aliens to set foot on Earth. But they might be the last. While they work to ally their planet with the United Nations, join the Stellarnet and restore the water stolen by Tikati invaders, dangerous secrets threaten to spark a new war and tear their relationship apart.

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www.StellarnetSeries.com
www.JLHilton.com

When my husband was still on active duty, we’d have his Airmen over for a hugely fun and laughter-filled Thanksgiving Day that began with touch football and ended with many early-afternoon naps and a lot of take-home plates. Since I’m not overly fond of candied yams or marshmallowed sweet potatoes, I “borrowed” this recipe from Emeril, then changed it to make it my own. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did, year after year.

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Orange-Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes

4 large sweet potatoes

1/2 stick butter

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/3 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup bourbon

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

· Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

· Bake potatoes in microwave 12-15 minutes, or until fork tender.

· While still somewhat hot, peel the potatoes and place in a large bowl. Discard the skins and any tough, stringy fibers. Add the butter, and with an electric mixer, beat out the lumps. Add the sugar, eggs, orange juice, heavy cream, and brandy, and mix until smooth. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, and mix well. Re-season, to taste.

· Spoon the sweet potato mixture into casserole dish. Bake until puffed and slightly golden, about 20 minutes.

When all eyes are on you, there’s nowhere to run…except TOWARD the truth.

Crime-scene photographer Sara Covington hides behind her camera from the otherworldly ability that’s caused her nothing but grief her whole life. Yet denial doesn’t protect her when she runs across a serial killer with an aural signature she’s never encountered.

Suddenly she’s without a job and with nowhere to turn…except to an enigmatic, sexy-as-hell detective with a disquieting talent for seeing right through her defenses.

Brian Roney’s fascination with Sara compels him to bring her in on the case that ultimately gets her fired. Even though he senses her mutual attraction, something holds her back from stepping into his arms. He’s as determined to find out why she’s pushing him away as he is to keep her safe.

When the killer strikes again, Sara realizes the only way to stop the madman is come clean about her painful past—and embrace the gift she has so long denied. Before the grisly trail of bodies leads right to her doorstep.

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