My pie crusts aren’t as good as the ones Bridget eventually learns to make (I use mostly store bought crusts these days) but I can still make a mean pie. I love this pie filling recipe not only because it’s absolutely delicious, but also because it came to me from my mother. Every time I make it from the rhubarb growing in my garden, I think of her.

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Rhubarb Pie Filling

2 ½ cups rhubarb

1 cup raisins (optional)

1/3 cup flour

1 cup sugar

¼ tsp. salt

½ cup sweet heavy cream or whipping cream

1 egg

Mix all ingredients together and pour into unbaked pie shell. Cover with more pastry. Bake at 350 degrees F in the middle of the oven for about 1 hour or until fruit is soft and pastry is lightly browned. Makes one pie.

Bridget Grant is back in Paradise. Paradise, North Dakota, that is.

She’s swallowed her pride and moved back to her hometown with her daughter after her divorce and the loss of her catering company. Now she’s trying to navigate the strained relationships she’d left behind – including her first love, Jack Davison.

Jack never forgot Bridget, or the day she left town – and him. When Bridget caters a lunch at Jack’s tourist ranch, old flames reignite. They have more in common than ever – Jack’s also a single parent. Though they both try to keep things casual, Bridget, Jack and their girls are starting to look a lot like a family.

But Bridget’s only planning to stay in Paradise until she’s saved enough to relaunch her business. Jack’s invested too much in his ranch to leave. And with their daughters involved both have a lot more at stake than heartbreak. How can they risk falling in love?

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http://www.janarichards.com

http://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor

This time of year my children and grandchildren all come home to celebrate the Jewish New Year. The celebration wouldn't be complete without some traditional food. My recipe is Noodle Pudding. Many ethic groups have a pasta and cheese dish. Mine is from Eastern Europe.

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Mom's Noodle Pudding

Ingredients – Serves 6

½ lb thin noodles, cooked and drained

½ lb cottage cheese

½ pint dairy sour cream

¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter at room temperature

2 eggs

1/3 cup of sugar

1 cup of milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon-sugar to garnish

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2. Turn warm, drained noodles into a bowl and add cottage cheese, sour cream, and butter. Mix well.

3. Pour into well-greased 1 ½ qt glass baking dish.

4. Beat eggs well. Beat in sugar, milk and vanilla. Pour evenly, over noodle mixture in baking dish.

5. Sprinkle top with cinnamon-sugar.

6. Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven for 1 hour.

Note: This is a short story anthology

Timeless Treasures: Stories of the Heart
A special wish of hope, strength, and love brings five couples what they treasure most in this heartwarming collection of short stories.

Ruth A. Casie ~ Whispers on the Wind

A newly minted knight plans to secure his place in his adoptive family through marriage. But the fates have other plans for him. Will he be willing to give up the life he’s always wanted to be with the woman he loves?

Lita Harris ~ Trusting Kindness

Former lovers are reunited one winter night on a boardwalk at the Jersey Shore. Will a common cause reignite their passion or extinguish it forever?

Emma Kaye ~ Losing Patience

When a wish sends a man back in time, can he save the woman he loves, or is he doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past?

Nicole S. Patrick ~ The Colors of Courage

Can a midnight kiss on New Year’s Eve lead a US Marine and struggling artist toward more than they’d ever dreamed of for the future?

Julie Rowe ~ Medal of Honor
When a Chicago surgeon is informed her homeless father has been murdered, she’s shocked to discover he won the Medal of Honor years ago in Vietnam. Now the killer has her in his sights, but the detective on the case has no intention of letting anyone hurt her. Ever.

~ ~ ~

www.RuthACasie.com
www.TimelessScribesPublishing.com

Annie’s Soup Kitchen is known for its blueberry muffins. On a visit there many years ago, I picked up their recipe and made a few changes. These muffins aren’t overly sweet, so they’re delicious with fresh fruit or eggs (or both) for breakfast or with a bowl of vegetable soup for lunch or dinner.

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Blueberry Muffins

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Ingredients

2 ½ cups whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

A pinch of salt (⅛ teaspoon)

1 teaspoon soda

Mix dry ingredients together.

3 eggs beaten until frothy (The original recipe reads “beaten till stiff”, but I can never get mine stiff.)

½ cup sugar

1 ounce melted butter (cooled)

2 cups non-fat Greek yogurt

1 ½ cups blueberries (or more)

Add sugar to eggs gradually as you mix.

Fold butter and yogurt into egg mixture.

Fold liquid into dry (do not overmix).

Add blueberries. Fold gently. The batter will be thick!

Coat muffin pans. I use melted butter, but you can use your favorite oil or non-stick spray. I use two different sizes of muffin pans. One makes 6 large muffins and the other makes 12 regular size muffins, so I end up with 18 muffins. Fill the large muffins about halfway. Fill the medium muffins to the top.

Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. THEN lower temperature to 300°F and bake for 15 more minutes.

Astrophysicist Meredith Burke’s professional life is perfect. Her personal life is another story. Years ago, a ménage with the man she loved and his roommate left her with a broken heart and a secret. She hasn’t trusted anyone since, but when she meets rugged hunting guide Charlie Connor she figures she doesn’t need to. He’s got “one night stand” written all over him.

After one night with Meredith, Charlie needs more. She’s intoxicating, and shockingly willing to give him total control of her body. When she agrees to spend an entire week with him at the lodge where he works, it’s more than he’d hoped for. But Blaine Bridges, Charlie’s best friend and boss, has his own secrets.

Blaine hasn’t seen Meredith since that disastrous encounter eight years ago, but he still has feelings for her. Now she's dating his best friend, the man he wants for himself. When Meredith invites him to join in their naughty play, his pleasure is all-consuming. But will the secrets they all hold close destroy a beautiful beginning or bring these three lovers closer than they ever imagined?

~ ~ ~

http://www.samanthaannking.com/

Hello romance lovers! We all know falling in love isn’t easy. That is, unless you’re falling for my favorite slow cooker Italian beef. Looking for a meal as flavorful as your favorite hero? Give this a taste:

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Slow Cooker Italian Beef

Ingredients (about 10 servings)

3 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon onion salt

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 bay leaf

1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix (Make it ZESTY!)

1 (3-5 pound) rump roast

Directions

1. Combine water with salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf, and salad dressing mix in a saucepan. Stir well, and bring to a boil.

2. Place roast in slow cooker, and pour salad dressing mixture over the meat.

3. Cover, and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours, or on High for 4 to 5 hours. When done, remove bay leaf, and shred meat with a fork.

4. Serve on fresh hoagie rolls.

As the nights turn cool and you’re looking for a little something to warm you from the inside out, give this recipe a shot. You can’t go wrong.

Of course, I said the same thing to the hero and heroine in my latest release, The Last First Date….

First date number forty-eight comes to a screeching halt for detective Langley Sheppard when his date lifts a pack of gum from the local convenience store. But things start looking up when he encounters spunky damsel in distress Jessica Vickers, who's stranded in the store parking lot. Now Lang is about to discover that on a night when everything goes wrong, falling for Jessica feels spectacularly right.

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Maggie-Wells.com ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ GoodReads

Who says vegan and wheat free desserts can't be delicious? These delightful, crunchy cookies are perfect with a cup of spiced tea!

~ ~ ~

Pamela Aares' Home Run Shortbread Almond Cookies

(wheat and dairy-free)

 

1 cup roasted almonds

3/4 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup canola, sunflower or safflower oil

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Optional: 1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 cup amaranth flour

1/2 cup rice flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Process almond and oat flour in food processor until they resemble a coarse flour. Transfer to a big bowl and set aside.

In a smaller bowl stir together the maple syrup, vanilla (and almond if you choose to use it) extracts, and the oil.

Sift the remaining dry ingredients into the almond oat mixture.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until well mixed.

Using 2 spoons, scoop out cookie mixture onto well-greased or parchment lined baking sheets (I prefer parchment lining).

Use a glass (dip in warm water to prevent sticking) and flatten each cookie-- they should be about bite size. Or you can flatten with your oiled finger, up to you!

Bake for 11mins, turn baking sheets at 5mins and peek at around 10 mins.

Cookies should be a golden brown. Cool on sheets for 5 mins, then remove to a cooling rack.

Store in an air-tight container.

Enjoy with a cup of spiced or herbal tea or lemonade.

In AIM FOR LOVE, rising movie star Sabrina Tavonesi has only three weeks to heal her shoulder before shooting her next film. Sexy baseball pitching phenom Kaz Tokugawa has a solution—a mysterious Japanese healing method she’s too desperate to turn down. Soon, they’re not just working on her shoulder; they’re falling in love.

But Kaz has made a promise he’s not sure he can keep, and Sabrina faces inner demons that threaten to overwhelm her. When violence strikes, their secrets may destroy their dreams, their love…and their lives.

~ ~ ~

http://www.PamelaAares.com

I hope you enjoy the cake. And since I don’t have a picture of the cake I’ve attached a picture of my butter tarts, which if you’d like the recipe let me know in the comments below. I’ll choose one and send the winner a copy of my erotic romance Hot Fusion.

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Plum Cake

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare an 8-9 inch spring form pan.

· 1/2 C butter

· 3/4 C plus 1T sugar

· 2 eggs

· 1 T baking powder

· Pinch salt

· 5 to 6 large plums [or more if you want more fruity] cut in half and pitted. My dad uses prune plums in the recipe, but when I did it I just used black plums

· 1 T cinnamon

· icing sugar

 

• Cream together butter and sugar
• mix dry ingredients together
• add eggs and beat well
• stir in dry ingredients
• spoon batter into pan
• arrange plums skin side up on hand surface. If plums are really big you can always quarter them
• Sprinkle lightly with 1 T sugar and cinnamon

Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until done, toothpick comes out clean. Let sit for a minute in the pan before removing.

Enjoy!

After fleeing her hometown years ago, Kara Sinclair has returned to breathe life back into the bakery her deceased grandmother left behind. She has a history in this town—one that involves her one true love. A boy she’d thought she’d give her life to before circumstance got in the way. She needs to focus on her task, but one look at Maxwell Stone and all the old feelings return. And it isn’t long before she can think of nothing else but reigniting the passion they once shared.

Max never understood what drove Kara away all those years ago, and once she returns to their Canadian hometown, he’s hell bent on getting her back into his life…and his bed. But when he uncovers the reason she left him behind, he must decide if he can move on from the past and trust his heart with the only woman he’s ever loved.

~ ~ ~

You can find me at:

www.cristalryder.com

https://twitter.com/#!/CristalRyder

https://www.facebook.com/cristal.ryderauthor

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When I decided to write a love story about a chef and a restaurant reviewer, several of my own infatuations came into play. Shoes and dessert. My chef is famous for his Drunken Cupcakes so of course I had to test them--all in the name of research mind you. This is my favorite.

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Jack Daniels Whiskey Cupcakes and Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup strong coffee
1/2 cup Jack Daniels Whiskey
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, stir the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, coffee, whiskey, buttermilk and oil. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Spoon the mixture into prepared cupcake wrappers.

Bake for about 18-20 minutes until the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Cool completely + frost!

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

6 tablespoons butter, softened
cocoa powder, see below
2 2/3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
For light chocolate frosting use 1/3 cup cocoa powder. For medium chocolate frosting use 1/2 cup cocoa powder. For dark chocolate frosting use 3/4 cup cocoa powder

In mixer bowl cream the butter. Add the cocoa and powdered sugar alternately with milk. Beat to spreading consistency adding more milk if needed. Blend in vanilla.

Is there anything more pathetic than a food critic who can’t cook? That’s Holly Darcy—secret socialite, wannabe author, lousy chef and “The Covert Connoisseur.” Feeling like a fraud for critiquing restaurants when she can’t boil a pot of water, Holly joins a cooking class for beginners…and quickly cooks up serious chemistry with the sexy instructor.

Mark Bennett was born to be a chef, but his foray into restaurant ownership fell far short of his dreams thanks to a scathing review from The Covert Connoisseur. Now teaching is the closest he will venture into a kitchen. Luckily the job comes with an unexpected perk: the attraction simmering between him and a curvy, clever writer with pinup-girl looks.

Flirting over pasta soon leads to passionate kisses and a sizzling relationship. But how can Holly be honest about her job when Mark blames his restaurant’s failure on her review? And when Holly’s secret is exposed, how will Mark be able to forgive her for ruining his life?

~ ~ ~

http://thequillsisters.com

Hi Guys and Gals, I wanted to share the "cake" I made for my birthday this year out of a lot of improvisation because I was too lazy to go the store. It came out as more of a bread/cake, but it's my favorite thing to have in the house, DH isn't happy if it's not around for breakfast.

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Banana Cocoa Cake On Easy Mode Recipe:

1 cup sugar (I normally use half brown and half white, but with either choice it will taste good)

2 bananas, slightly overripe

2 eggs

3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder (I use hot chocolate mix sometimes, the marshmallows give it a little extra something, something *wink*)

Preheat the oven to 350. Mix all your dry ingredients with your wet ingredients and mush up the banana enough to use it as an oil replacement, but there can still be banana chunks in the batter if you prefer, I like it extra banana-riffic. Pour the batter in a 9 inch cake pan and pop up in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. That's it, no muss, no fuss. Unless you don't like peeling bananas.

For millennia Megaera, a Fury, has functioned as Hades right hand by passing judgment on demons who break the sacred laws. Stalwart in her moral compass, but harboring a curse triggered by rage, she walks a thin line between perfection and destruction. But when she digs into a case uncovering a string of demon rapes, she incites a war with Mount Olympus that could ripple chaos throughout the ages.

Omen Cole was demon made during the Civil War after repeated torture at the hands of his enemies. Sentenced to an eternity as watchdog over his emotionally frail, once human ex-wife, he’s haunted that he couldn’t save her from a brutal assault.

Now it’s happened again. And Megaera needs his testimony. Omen will sell his body—and anything else—to avenge his fragile ex-wife. If that means an alliance with Megaera, he’ll make it the most memorable of their eternity.

~ ~ ~

www.elisehepner.com