My recipe is for ‘Bendy Eggs’. In A Perfect Distraction, Maggie doesn’t like to cook, but she often makes ‘Bendy Eggs’ as a special breakfast treat for her daughter, Emily. Naturally, Maggie ends up making it for Jake too. :)

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‘Bendy Eggs’ are a poor man’s version of Eggs Benedict (my favourite!):

2 eggs

4 strips of bacon

1 English muffin

Cream cheese

1. Toast the English muffin and spread a generous helping of cream cheese on each half.

2. Cook the bacon strips and lay two on each half.

3. Fry or poach the eggs, then place on top of the bacon on each half

4. Voila - Bendy Eggs!

A Perfect Distraction

A face-off—head vs. heart

For Jake Badoletti, this year is all about his career. He has a rare second chance to make the most of being a pro hockey player, so no parties, no scandals. Too bad he's met a woman who could sideline those plans. Maggie Goodman is not his usual type—right down to being a single mom. Still, the sizzling connection with this gorgeous brunette can't be ignored.

With a little juggling and a lot of focus, Jake manages to have the game and Maggie. Then his performance on the ice suffers and a scandal erupts. Now he can't afford the distraction of Maggie…even if she is perfect for him.

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www.annasugden.com

Cooking in Texas is as varied as the types of people in the state. In my Texas Nights series, you’ll find references to everything from tofu to squirrel stew to naughty cookies. Today, I’m offering up a super-easy beer bread recipe I think is best made with Shiner Bock beer (a favorite of Cameron Wright, the hero of Personal Assets) made in Shiner, Texas!

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· 1 – 12 ounce bottle of beer (as I said above, Shiner Bock is best, but you could substitute another amber-ish beer)

· 2 cups self-rising flour

· 3 Tablespoons sugar

Mix sugar and flour. Then pour in beer and mix lightly. It will foam up, so don’t be alarmed and try to slurp off the suds. You need ’em in the bread! Bake at 375F in a metal pan or 350F in a glass pan for about 30 to 45 minutes. Mine usually takes the 45 minutes because I have a glass loaf pan. Remove from oven, drizzle with butter and beat back your family so you can have the first slice. Or the whole darn loaf!

Sex therapist Allie Shelby has the professional credentials, but she could use a bit more practical experience. Finding the right man to bring out her inner bad girl is tough in a population-challenged Texas town. So when sinfully sexy Cameron Wright rolls back into Shelbyville, Allie wastes no time inviting him to join her in some hands-on research.

Cameron has come home to fulfill his dream of restoring classic cars. Back in high school, he knew the town princess, Allie Shelby, was way out of his league. Today he has even less in common with Allie, so he’s shocked as hell when she propositions him. Still, he’s only human, so he accepts her offer—and with each encounter, she shows him another, wilder side. Before long, he’s thinking about more than just sex.

But while her personal life heats up, Allie’s business is about to crash and burn. And she has to convince Cameron that she’s one princess who’s not looking for a prince to ride to her rescue.

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www.KelseyBrowning.com

I write love stories from the crossroad of small town and suspense. In the small town of Adams Grove there’s always something cooking. I’m here to share Pearl Clemmons Blue Ribbon Chocolate Pecan Pie from the first book in the series, SWEET TEA AND SECRETS. I thought it was appropriate since the new release is PECAN PIE AND DEADLY LIES.  Hope you enjoy this recipe.

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Pearl’s Blue-Ribbon Chocolate Pecan Pie

Butter Crust:

1 cup all purpose flour (refrigerated)

⅛ teaspoon salt

½ cup cold butter

6–8 tablespoons cold water

· The trick is in keeping the dough cold. Combine flour and salt in a bowl.

· Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until mixture becomes pebbly. Stir in enough water with a fork, just until flour is moistened. Don’t overwork the mixture.

· Shape dough into a ball and flatten slightly. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

· Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Fold into quarters and place in a pie pan. Unfold, pressing dough firmly against the bottom and sides. Crimp edges.

· Prick the crust with a fork. Butter the bottom of a smaller cake pan and set it inside the pie crust in your pie pan. Heat for 8–10 minutes in a 475-degree oven until lightly browned.

Pie Filling:

4 Hershey’s chocolate candy bars (1.55 ounce size)

2 tablespoons margarine

3 large brown eggs

⅓ cup sugar

1 cup corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 handfuls of pecan halves

1 handful of coconut (optional)

Just a tap of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg

· Put your butter crust in your favorite pie dish—Pearl was partial to ceramic pie plates.

· Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

· In a double boiler, melt only 3.5 of the chocolate bars and the 2 tablespoons of margarine. Stir until smooth. Let cool slightly while you eat that leftover half of a chocolate bar.

· Whisk eggs lightly in medium bowl. Add sugar, corn syrup, chocolate mixture, and vanilla; stir until well blended. Mix pecans into chocolate mixture and then combine with the egg mixture.

· Set pie shell on heavy-duty baking sheet and pour in filling. Sprinkle the coconut across the top.

· Bake 50–55 minutes. The crust will be golden and a toothpick should come out clean when inserted into the center.

· Cool pie on wire rack to room temperature before cutting. Serve with whipped topping and a few shavings from the last bit of the chocolate bar if you haven’t already eaten it.

Welcome to Adams Grove…where the pies are delicious but the lies are to die for.

America’s beloved country superstar Cody Tuggle never expected to be one of America’s most wanted. At least that’s how he feels since he’s been accused of murdering his scheming agent. Desperate to prove he’s innocent, he turns to his only alibi, award-winning photographer Kasey Phillips, who recently toured with him and his band.

After an exciting life on the road, Kasey has settled down in small-town Adams Grove with her five-year-old son. Unexpectedly reunited with Cody, she finds herself open to love again. But just when she’s ready to fall, everything she ever believed about him is called in to question.

Cody has waited a long time for genuine love, and he can’t let this chance with Kasey slip away. But as the evidence stacks up, the accusations against him put a damper on the sparks flying between them. Can he convince Kasey he’s innocent, and will she clear his name in time? Or will their dreams of the future be the victim of a deadly lie?

Pecan Pie and Deadly Lies is a sweet, down-home story of love overcoming all obstacles—from the crossroads of small town and suspense.

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http://www.NancyNaigle.com

I usually save the prettiest layer for the top and thinly ice the cake.

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The cake

Round version

Six eggs, separated

Salt

Butter

2/3 cup vanilla sugar (you can use a vanilla bean to flavor the sugar but I just add a tablespoon of vanilla extract)

1 cup flour

My version (in case you mess up a layer or want thicker layers)

9 eggs

1 cup vanilla sugar (you can use a vanilla bean to flavor the sugar but I just add a tablespoon of vanilla extract)

1 ½ cups plus 1 tablespoon of flour

Butter

I use the amount of ingredients for the oblong cake, baking them in round cake pans, but I gave you both.

Prepare six 9 inch cake pans for baking: cut 6 circles of waxed paper to fit the bottom of the pans, grease the bottom of each one with butter, place the paper in and grease that as well. Set the pans aside until ready to use. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy; continue beating until stiff peaks are formed. Set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks and the remaining sugar together until lemon-colored and very thick. About ¼ cup at a time, sift the flour on top of the egg yolk and sugar mixture and fold it in. mix a tablespoonful of eaten egg whites into the batter to lighten it, then gently fold in the rest of the whites. Keep a light touch throughout, handling the batter just enough to make sure it is evenly blended. Take a prepared pan and spread one-sixth of the batter on the bottom as evenly as possible.

I only have two round cake pans, so I usually put them in two at a time and it works out fine.

Let the batter touch the sides of the pan at several points. Place it in the middle of the preheated oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cake hardens and begins to turn color. Remove from the pan with a spatula, invert and quickly but carefully tear off all the paper. Cool on a cake rack.

The cream filling

It calls for 6 ounces of semisweet baking chocolate, but I use the whole box which I think is 8 ounces?

3 tablespoons of strong coffee (my secret is get some flavored coffee like Raspberry or Tiramasu but I never told my mother-in-law) J

1 cup of salted butter (don’t use margarine for this one)

1 cup vanilla confectioner’s sugar (you can use a vanilla bean to flavor the sugar but I just add a tablespoon of vanilla extract)

3 eggs

Melt the chocolate with the coffee over very low heat. Cream the butter with the sugar and  beat until fluffy. Add the melted chocolate and beat until it is well blended. Beat in eggs, one at a time and continue beating until the cream is light and fluffy. Keep in fridge until ready to use.

Kendra Prescott, a high-powered Atlanta real estate broker, is sent England to coax the owner to sell a beautiful cottage. Family portraits line the stairway, and Kendra finds one man, Benjamin Sheffield fascinating. Too bad he lived almost two centuries ago.

In eighteen sixty-three, Benjamin Sheffield escaped England because of a trumped up murder charge. He came to America to disappear in the vast Western frontier, but is delayed by a little thing called the War Between The States.

When Kendra falls and loses consciousness, she wakes up in the middle of Civil War torn Georgia. She doesn’t know what happened to the cottage, but when she sees Ben, she realizes he is the key, her only chance of returning to her own time. Trouble is, now that she’s met him, she isn’t sure she wants to.

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http://selenafulton.wordpress.com

Hi all! This is an old recipe, from back in the day when quiche was cool, but it’s still yummy.

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SPINACH AND FETA QUICHE

2 pie crusts, frozen or homemade

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 c. cottage cheese

6 green onions, sliced (tops too)

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. dry basil

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

4 eggs

1/2 c. milk

Prepare crusts and bake (frozen pre-made works fine). Squeeze moisture out of spinach, set aside.

In a blender or food processor, mix feta cheese, cottage cheese, green onions, oil, basil, pepper and garlic salt until smooth. Add eggs and milk. Blend well. Pour into bowl and add spinach. Pour into baked pastry shells. Bake at 350 degrees until knife inserted in center comes clean, 30-45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Serves 6.

There are no skeletons in her closet…only ghosts

Rose Ramos was a reference librarian, until she inherited her grandmother’s house—and the family talent for connecting with the other side…

Moving into the lovely Victorian in San Antonio’s King William District is a dream come true for Rose—and also a nightmare. That’s the only explanation she has for the man hovering above her bed. But Skag is a ghost who’s been part of Rose’s family for generations. And now he’s all hers.

When Evan Delwin, a reporter out to debunk the city’s newest celebrity, posts an ad looking for a research assistant to investigate a famous medium making his home in San Antonio, Skag suggests that Rose apply for the job. Delving into the dark side has its own dangers for Rose—including trying to resist Delwin’s manly charms. But as the investigation draws them closer together, the deadly currents surrounding the medium threaten to destroy them all…

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Medium Rare will be released by Berkley InterMix on August 20. Check my Facebook page for giveaways and updates. You can find more information on the King William District and my Texas romances at

http://www.MegBenjamin.com

By the end of summer I’m often bored by the same old salads and start wishing for winter warmers. A curried chickpea salad is the perfect compromise. Enjoy!

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INGREDIENTS:

1 can of chickpeas

1 small can of pineapple pieces

½ cup of coconut milk

¼ onion, finely chopped

1 stick of celery, chopped

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger

1 handful coconut flakes

½ or 1 teaspoon curry powder

Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

This is one of those recipes that is instantly tweaked to suit your tastes—or your family’s J You can definitely add chillies, for instance, or cherry tomatoes. The aim is to have a salad with all the flavour of a curry, but fresh and zingy.

Drain the can of chickpeas. I also rinse them in a colander under the tap. Put them in a bowl with the tomato, onion, celery and ginger. Whisk the curry powder into the coconut milk, add about 4 teaspoons of juice from the canned pineapple. Drain the tin of pineapple and add the pineapple chunks to the salad. Pour over the coconut milk dressing. Season to taste. Toss.

Refrigerate three or so hours, tossing a couple of times, so the flavours mingle and the salad is chilled. Just before serving, add the coconut flakes; that way they’ll keep their crunch.

Saul knows he crossed the line when he claimed a surprise engagement with Grace. But her hysterical denial – and the way she's avoided him ever since – has made things awkward, but it can all be worked out. The Australia Day long weekend down at her family’s beach house is the perfect time to show everyone that they’re friends, with not a broken heart between them. But can a fake engagement become life-changingly real?

10,000 word short holiday romance

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http://authorjennyschwartz.com/

This variation of a traditional English rarebit toast is an easy to make appetizer or snack. Kids especially love the cheesy gooeyness of it, and it will keep them busy for a bit while you sneak off to read a few more pages of your book.

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Irish Cheddar Rarebit Toast

Ingredients

1 cup shredded Dubliner or other Irish cheddar cheese – I like Dubliner because it has a little tang like American sharp cheddar but with a richer flavor. I buy it at Trader Joe’s but I’ve also seen it at Costco and Fresh & Easy.

½ cup finely chopped chives or scallions, depending on your onion preference.

8 slices of English toast bread or thick white bread. I’ve found toast bread at Fresh & Easy.

1 tsp. mustard, yellow or Dijon. I prefer yellow, but some people like the Dijon kick.

1 egg, beaten.

Instructions

Preheat broiler to 325 degrees or you can use a toaster oven. Place the bread slices on a non-stick or foil lined cookie sheet and toast one side while preparing the rest of the ingredients.

In a wide, shallow bowl, mix the beaten egg, chives, mustard and Irish cheddar cheese.

Remove the toasted bread from the broiler and pour equal measures of the cheese mixture on the untoasted sides and return them to the tray. Toast bread, mixture side up until the cheese is melted. Pour yourself a thick Irish beer like Harp or Guinness and enjoy!

London, 1817

Devon, the Earl of Malton, is a hero for his deeds at the Battle of Waterloo. But he suffers terrible nightmares, and drinks himself to sleep most nights. A habit he vows to break when he awakes one morning to find a woman sharing his bed, no memory of how she got there, and her angry brother at his door.

Cathleen is mortified when her wastrel brother and his greedy wife propose a blackmail scheme involving the earl, but as a penniless war widow she's at their mercy. She goes along with the plan and sneaks into Devon's bed one night, and ends up comforting him through a night terror.

Charmed by her beauty and kindness, Devon determines that rather than pay the blackmail, he will offer his hand in marriage to Cathleen. Although she is deeply attracted to the stoic earl, Cathleen cannot understand why Devon would want to marry her. What she doesn't know is that Devon owes her a debt that can never fully be repaid…

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Website: www.georgie-lee.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Georgie-Lee/259729314054846?ref=hl

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2985551.Georgie_Lee

Blog: http://georgielee.blogspot.com

J L Wilson here, with a recipe from one of my earlier books. It's a tried-and-true recipe that I've used over and over. And it's the casserole that the heroine in my novel, Brilliant Disguise, happens to be eating when the hero pops the question -- hence the title of the recipe.

If you'd like a PDF of the recipe, just go to my recipe page (http://tinyurl.com/q7e6cgn) for this and other recipes from my other books.

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Wedding Proposal Casserole
(I can’t guarantee a proposal, but it worked for Nick!)
1 ¼ c brown or white rice (instant or regular)   
1 can each:
  cream of mushroom soup
  cream of chicken soup
  cream of celery soup
¼ -½ c sliced mushrooms         
¼ cup sliced almonds         
½ c cooking sherry or white wine         
3 oz. parmesan cheese (small can or grated)   
1 soup can milk
1 chicken or 10 split chicken breasts

Butter a 9x12 pan and put rice on bottom. Mix soups, mushrooms, wine, and 1 soup can of milk.
Pour half of the mixture over the rice. Arrange the chicken pieces on top and cover with the remaining liquid.
Top with cheese and sprinkle with almonds.
Bake 275 degrees uncovered for 2.5 hours.
Don't peek while baking!

Nick Baxter, an undercover FBI agent, thinks his brilliant disguise will fool the hicks in New Providence, Iowa. They won't suspect he's there investigating widow Shannon Delgardie, under suspicion of treason. What Nick doesn't know is that everybody in town is conspiring to protect her and investigate him in return.

Shannon needs help. The men her late husband blackmailed are closing in and the FBI might be involved. When Nick approaches her, can she trust him? With the aid of computer hackers and hair stylists, she uncovers the truth, finding a love she never expected in a tiny Iowa town.

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http://jayellwilson.com

This is a great appetizer or something quick to whip together yet looks difficult. Maybe to impress that special someone. *wink wink* My kids love this, especially after a day spent skiing.

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Ingredients:

1 tube of crescent roll dough

1 round of brie cheese (do not remove rind) (For those who never tried brie, it’s very mild)

Raspberry jam or other sweet jam

Brown sugar

 

Instructions:

· Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

· With a paring knife, cut a thin layer of the rind off the top of the brie. This will make the pastry dough stick to the cheese when eating it.

· On a non-stick cookie pan flatten crescent roll dough and set cheese in the center.

· Place jam on top of cheese. The amount is to your liking. Fold the dough corners over the cheese and pinch together.

· Place a handful of brown sugar on top.

· Bake for 30 mins then let cool for 10 mins before serving.

 

Options:

Instead of brown sugar you can use maple syrup.

You can eat it with crackers.

You can add apples slices.

Love blooms across species, culture, and time.

Chronicles of Eorthe, Book 1

Stranded in another dimension, on a primitive version of Earth, Dr. Susan Barlow needs to find a way to survive. There’s no electricity, no cities, and to her shock, no humans. Instead, she faces a population of werewolves, vampires and incubi. The people are vicious but she must find her place among them. And live.

An illness is killing Sorin’s pack. As alpha it’s his responsibility to save them, but it’s a battle this warrior doesn’t know how to fight. Then a blue light in the sky brings a creature he’s never seen. She calls herself human, but to him she smells like hope.

Sorin offers Susan a safe haven in return for a cure, but she’s not that kind of a doctor. She’s a doctor of physics, not a physician. Yet as they search for a cure to save a dying people, they find something special—each other.

But even with Sorin’s protection, Susan can’t help but wonder how long she can survive in a world without humans…

Warning: Feral shifters, power-hungry vampires, and a sole human female suffering culture shock.

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http://www.annienicholas.com/