After I got married, my MIL introduced me to pumpkin bread. Oh my, it’s so good, a perfect side to my favorite cup of coffee and the story I’m writing. I make double batches because it freezes so well. For this, I use real pumpkin.

~ ~ ~

Mrs. Maylee’s Pumpkin Bread

Makes two loaves

Sift together:

3 cups all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cloves

¼ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon ginger

In a bigger bowl beat together:

16 oz. can pumpkin

¾ cup canola oil

2 ¼ cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, stirring until well blended. Spray non-stick loaf pans with cooking spray and fill with the batter. Bake for about 50 minutes at 350 degrees F or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the loaf.

Jane thinks she’s ready to take the risks her business and love life desperately need. Rob’s still punishing himself for a broken relationship that wasn’t meant to last. When the pair let an opportunity pass them by, fate steps in and throws them back together.

An evening of pitch black unrestrained passion at Club Blind opens her eyes to life’s possibilities. Now, if they don’t fight past their personal demons, they might never truly discover what they need most. If they can open their hearts, it might lead them directly to each other where they can discover their truth. If not, they may forever stay in the blind.

~ ~ ~

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The bread pudding which is posted here and the pecan pie (posted on my webpage today) figure in the first seduction scene of The Caretaker’s Lady, my spicy new release from Liquid Silver Books. Read the blurb that follows the recipe to meet John and Cathy, then check out the excerpt at ritabay.com to see how the meal and seduction progresses.

~ ~ ~

Rita Bay’s Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce

3 Cups bread cut in one-inch cubes

2 Cups milk

3 eggs

1 Tbl vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

4 Tbl margarine, melted

1/2 C raisins (soaked in water with a little bourbon added)

1/2 C pecans (I soak the pecans with the raisins)

Directions: Heat oven to 350°. Combine milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter. Beat until well-mixed. Stir in raisins and pecans. Fold in bread cubes and set aside for ten minutes to allow cubes to soak up the liquid. Pour into buttered baking dish and bake for 45 minutes.

Sauce: Boil one stick margarine and one cup white sugar in saucepan until dissolved. Remove from stove and stir in a half-cup of whipping cream (can substitute a half-cup of vanilla ice cream) and a half-cup of bourbon. Serve over warm bread pudding.

Pass the grits and call me y’all. Jasmine Bloom, queen of the bodice rippers for three decades, never thought she would become a victim of writer’s block. When family stress causes Cathy Morrow, who writes as Jasmine Bloom, to miss a deadline, Blaylock Publishing accepts a mysterious invitation for Cathy to visit The Mountain Ridge Resort to revive her muse.

Divorced for two decades with three grown children and two grandsons living in her home, Cathy can’t find the inspiration she needs to write the sizzling-hot romances that gained her fame and fortune. At the resort, Cathy meets a hot maintenance worker who warms the cool nights. Will she be content to role-play his favorite scorching-hot love scenes from her novels then return home to her dull routine?

The caretaker’s job at the resort allows billionaire John Murdock to live the life he loves in the Blue Ridge Mountains and keep a centuries-old family vow. When Cathy Morrow arrives at the resort, she lights a fire he’d banked years ago. Will she look beyond his white hair and menial job to appreciate what he offers—passion with the prospect for love?

~ ~ ~

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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/

What could be better for outdoor dining than some nice easy Bruschetta? And if you don’t have fresh garden tomatoes, store bought plum ones work really well for this recipe.

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Bruschetta

1 thin baguette or loaf of Italian bread cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices

To make bruschetta: brush tops of bread with olive oil, place on either an outdoor grill, stove top grill pan turning once when golden or bake in your oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Marinated tomato topping

½ pound tomatoes (about 2 medium) seeded and chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil

Salt and pepper to taste

Shredded or grated parmesan cheese

In bowl, stir together all the ingredients except the cheese, adding salt and pepper to taste. Mound a heaping teaspoon of marinated tomatoes on top of each bruschetta. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. You can also heat these in the oven until the cheese is melted or serve at room temperature.

The summertime in Northern California is known for its hot dry weather, Beth Chadwick should know since she’s been going through a bit of a dry spell herself. Her marriage is falling apart. She has her friends to keep her together. These women really get Beth’s need for a new life. But, how is she going to get past her, stand by your man, mother and her, I’ll do anything if you’ll just take me back, soon to be ex-husband?  Can their problems be solved over a few glasses of wine?  And then there’s the matter of the hot photographer camping out in her backyard.

~ ~ ~

www.TraceySorel.com

www.traceylyons.com

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In the mood for a little something lightly sweet with a kiss of lemon? I’ve always enjoyed this recipe from my grandmother, perfect for a relaxing break along with a cup of tea or coffee and a good book!

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Lemon Nut Bread

3/4 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons butter (or- I use Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks for non-dairy version)

2 eggs

2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup milk (or rice milk for non-dairy version)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs and lemon peel. Beat well. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Stir in nuts.

Pour into a greased loaf pan.

Baked in 350° oven for 50 minutes.

Let cool in pan 10 minutes, remove and cool completely on wire rack.

Slice and enjoy!

The Fourth of July is over, but for these summer lovers the fireworks have just begun.

An unexpected inheritance brings business consultant Christopher Gordon from Los Angeles to quaint Falk’s Bend. He’s carved a week from his demanding schedule to list his great-grandparents’ house for sale and explore his roots. However, disturbing family secrets and the sweet temptation of writer Margie Olsson derail his plans, challenging him to seize the elusive dream missing from his hectic life— love.

A recent brush with death shook Margie’s life, but not her dreams and she’s ready to move forward. Only, standing up to her loving, over-protective family isn’t easy. Helping Christopher explore the derelict mansion and unravel his grandmother’s mysterious past should be a harmless fun taste of independence. But when her experimental summer fling ignites into unexpected love, how can her small town dreams work with his big city life?

~ ~ ~

http://babettejames.com/

Has your coffee been lacking of late?  Tired of the same old donut or danish?  Then I have a treat for you. Try my grandmothers Best Banana Bread Ever...Even with the Vinegar!

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Best Banana Bread Ever...Even with the Vinegar

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Mix and sift dry ingredients together
1/2 cup shortening (Crisco)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
l/2 cup sour milk (or regular milk with 1 tsp vinegar added)
1 cup mashed bananas

Cream sugar and shortening. Add sifted dry ingredients and eggs. Add mashed bananas alternately with the sour milk. Mix well.

Add 1/2 cup walnuts if desired.

Pour into well-greased (one large or 2 small) pans.

Bake at 350 degrees.

1 hour for large pan, 40-45 mins for small pans

Two is better than one. Most would agree with that statement, but not full-blooded shifter LeAnn Turone. To accept her need for multiple partners means facing a lifetime in a one-sided triad. She’s better off denying her heritage even if that means walking away from two of the most delectable alpha males she’s ever met.

Rick Taylor and Trent Warren each think they’ve found their mate in LeAnn, but a midnight meeting deep in the woods proves them wrong. Not only do they both long to connect to the sexy, but skittish, female they also find themselves attracted to one another.

Each member of this triad must free themselves from the fear of the future and submit to the greater power of love.

~ ~ ~

www.serenashay.com

These scones are just the thing to have with a cup of tea while enjoying one of my sexy Regency romances.

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Scones

3 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

5 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c. butter

1 egg, beaten

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Cut in butter. Mix egg and milk together separately then add to the dry ingredients and butter.

Knead on a floured surface and then roll out 1/2" thick. Cut into triangles or circles and bake about 15 mins.

She's back and she's in trouble.

After a summer in the country Lady Katherine and her husband, Thomas, return to London to participate in all the festivities available to a Lord and his Lady. The scandal that forced them to marry is long forgotten and they are at the top of the social ladder.

In addition to the pleasures of an active social life, Lady Katherine is thrilled to learn that the friend who abandoned her in her time of need, Lady Lorena Arnold, is now the subject of a salacious scandal. Katherine can hardly believe her good fortune when she observes Lady Arnold en route to a tryst. But, before she can share the juicy tidbit with the other ladies of the ton, her husband lays down the law: No Gossip.

Will Katherine be able to keep her tale to herself? And if not, will her tail be at risk of a brisk spanking from the stern but loving Lord Winchester?

~ ~ ~

www.writercelestejones.blogspot.com

What do you give to a pregnant shifter whose only thought at the moment is how she will decide which possessive alpha male she is going to take down first? One of these amazing almost guilt-free blueberry muffins of course. She may be pregnant and cranky, but she’s also very very hungry.

I discovered this recipe on Pinterest last year and after tweaking it a tiny bit, I instantly fell in love with a healthier version of my 2nd favorite breakfast muffin. (Sorry blueberries, nothing will ever beat pumpkin)

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HEALTHY-ISH BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Ingredients

● 2 cups all purpose flour

● 1/2 tsp baking soda

● 1 tsp baking powder

● 1/2 tsp table salt

● 1 tsp cinnamon

● 1 large egg

● 3/4 cup sugar, divided

● 3/4 cup Greek blueberry yogurt (I’m an Oikos girl)

● 1 tsp vanilla extract

● 1/4 cup fat free skim milk, divided

● 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, washed

● For the crumb topping:

● 1/4 cup flour

● 1/4 cup sugar

● 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

● 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Grab some muffin liners and your 12 serving muffin pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; set aside.

3. In another bowl, beat egg with 3/4 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Add yogurt and beat until thoroughly combined; blend in vanilla extract.

4. Add half of flour mixture and half of milk to sugar mixture; beat until just combined. Add remaining flour mixture and milk; beat until smooth.

5. Fold in blueberries (I’m pretty generous with the blueberries) and fill each muffin liner about 3/4 full.

6. To make crumb topping:

7. Combine remaining 1/4 cup each of sugar and flour in a small bowl. Pour in melted butter and combine with fingers. Divide crumb mixture over muffins; gently press into top of muffin batter with fingertips.

8. Bake for 5 minutes at 425, then reduce your oven temperature to 325. Bake for an additional 12 to 15 minutes, or until slightly golden and a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in pans for about 10 to 15 minutes and then transfer muffins onto racks to cool completely.

Get bitten by the SOUTHERN SHIFTERS in New York Times Bestselling Author Eliza Gayle's steamy paranormal romance series! Full of feisty women and the alpha men who fall in love with them!

Dean had a family once. Until tragedy and betrayal consumed them. Now he lives on his own terms keeping life simple and carefree. Then one night leads to one bite and he's forced back into a dangerous world that reminds him he's still as angry as ever and this time he's not leaving until he gets what he wants. Niki.

Niki Harris has lived a life of secrets and solitude with no interest in making a change. But an easy one night stand turns complicated and she finds herself marked. Now she has to decide, tell the sexy shifter with a possessive streak a mile wide she's pregnant and in danger or do what she's always done--run.

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http://elizagayle.net

My family goes crazy for these wholesome, moist muffins. The crumbly topping gives them a burst of sweetness. When I make these, they're gone almost instantly.

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Pumpkin Muffins

Makes about 10 average-sized muffins

Combine the following ingredients in a large bowl:

§ 1/2 cup white sugar

§ 1/3 cup grapeseed oil (or other light oil, eg: sunflower, canola)

§ 1 cup pure pumpkin puree

§ 2 eggs

In a separate bowl, combine the following ingredients:

§ 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour

§ 1 tsp baking soda

§ 1/2 tsp baking powder

§ 1/2 tsp nutmeg

§ 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Add the dry mix to the creamed mixture, beating either by hand or on the low setting of a hand blender. Don't over-mix.

Divide among muffin cups (either lined with paper or greased).

Crumbly Topping (optional, but recommended!)

In a small bowl, combine the following ingredients:

§ 1 tsp cinnamon

§ 2 tbsp brown sugar

§ 1 tsp soft butter

§ 1 tsp flour

Sprinkle over the muffin batter before baking.

Bake at 350 F, on an upper rack, for *about* 20 minutes. (Not all ovens cook at the same rate, so adjust cooking time accordingly.)

Allow to cool and enjoy.  :)

~Karla

Nia has one rule—don’t date neighbors. Simple, except the guy next door is single, handsome, and not inclined to close his blinds while naked. When her car dies, Conn takes “being neighborly” to a new level by offering a ride to her long-distance destination. Nia has resisted his looks and charm for months. Surely she can handle a few hours in his truck…

For months, Conn has blatantly put himself on display, hoping his pretty blonde neighbor would tire of secretly watching and come knock on his door for a cup of sugar—or more. No such luck—until an unusual opportunity arises. After a six-hour drive turns into a sweet-and-sexy weekend, Conn wants more than neighborly status with Nia. To get it, he must convince her to break the rule protecting her heart—by putting his on the line.

~ ~ ~

Website: www.karladoyle.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Karla_Doyle

Thank you so much for hosting me today. Something to Prove is the third book in the O'Leary series, and like the previous books, it contains a recipe that is personal to one of the characters. Colin O'Leary has been away from home for years and one of his comfort foods is his mom's Traditional Irish Soda Bread.

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Traditional Irish Soda Bread

3 ½ c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 ¾ c buttermilk*

*Although the recipe can be made using regular milk, the taste and texture are much better if you use buttermilk.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease and flour a round cake pan (8 or 9 inch).

In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. Pour in 1 ½ c of buttermilk and mix quickly. Add in remaining ¼ c buttermilk and mix. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead for only a few seconds to make sure it holds together. Shape into a round disk and place in the prepared cake pan. Cut a cross in the top of the bread. Cover with another cake pan.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove top cake pan and bake an additional 15 minutes. When bread is done, you will hear a hollow sound when you thump the bottom.

Slice and enjoy with butter.

Two ambitious people team up to prove themselves to their families—and find there may be more to their partnership than just business…

Elizabeth Brannigan is determined to show her father she’s capable of running the family business. Saving his struggling Chicago bar seems like the perfect project. But she’ll need a little help dealing with the rough crowd. Who better to assist her than the handsome co-owner of a thriving Irish pub? Of course, with so much work to do, there are bound to be a few late nights…

Colin O’Leary’s father passed away before he could prove to him that he wasn’t a screw-up. Now he wants to show his brother he’s responsible enough to own a bar of his own—and Elizabeth may be able to help him. But when their professional aspirations clash, tempers—and passions—flare. Are they mature enough to mix business with pleasure—or will they have to choose between the two?

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http://www.ShannynSchroeder.com

Most banana nut breads are too sweet for my taste, so I adapted this recipe from Muffins & Quick Breads (Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library). It’s delicious for breakfast with eggs, bacon or fruit or for a snack with a cup of tea or coffee.

It freezes well, so I often double the recipe.

~ ~ ~

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter, room temperature

½ cup sugar

1 cup mashed ripe banana (2 large bananas)

2 eggs

½ cup pecans

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Grease and flour 1 medium loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar.

Beat in the banana.

Beat in the eggs. Don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled. It’s not. It’s just really moist!

Stir in the nuts.

Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended.

Spread in the loaf pan. Bake until a thin wooden skewer (aka a toothpick) inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45-55 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Book two of Lovers and Friends

Tyler Coil doesn't do men. But it's harder to remember that each time he visits his best friend, gorgeous Landon Burke. As a political reporter, Ty is good at reading people, and he can tell the lust is mutual. But giving in to it could mean alienating his ultra-conservative family.

Landon never desired a man badly enough to explore that side of his sexuality—until he met Ty. He's waited four long years for a sign that Ty wants him too, and he can't deny his needs much longer. So when a career opportunity arises out-of-state, Landon wonders if maybe it's time to move on.

Then Ty crashes at Landon's while working on a story—and a searing kiss ignites a night of mind-blowing sex that's better than their most erotic fantasies. Forced to face his feelings, Ty must decide if love is worth the risk after all—before he loses Landon forever.

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http://www.samanthaannking.com/

I lived in Kenya for several years during the late 90's, and started this story while I lived there. Little scraps of descriptions I saw before me eventually turned into Samburu Hills, a story set in the early days of colonial Kenya. With everything happening there recently its on my mind and I wanted to share some of the country I knew.

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Pigeon Pea Sauce
1 cup pigeon Peas
2 cups water
2 tablespoons Ghee or butter
2 onions
seasoning
1 cup milk
Cook the peas in the water until soft.  Fry the onions in the ghee until golden brown and add the peas.  Cook until all the water is dry.  Mash the peas into a paste.  Season well and add the milk.  Reheat and serve with mashed potatoes or bananas.

Ugali
¾ cup water
½ cup maize meal
½ dessertspoon dried skim milk powder
salt
Boil water. Sieve maize meal, dried skim milk powder, and salt.  Add sieved flour to boiling water.  Cook for a few minutes stirring continuously.  Serve with stewed meat.

Beef stew
Ingredients
1 lb beef (not ground) i.e..: Cut meat
2 carrots
2 green peppers
4 tomatoes
4 onions
Coriander
Curry powder
Black pepper
Seasoning salt, Crisco cooking oil, salt
1. Fry the onions that have been chopped until they turn brown (use Crisco oil)
2. Add tomatoes and chopped green pepper
3. Add carrots, black pepper and coriander
4. Wash the cut meat and sprinkle it with seasoning salt
5. When the carrots have become slightly soft add the cut meat
6. When meat is almost cooking add some curry powder and salt to taste

Pilau rice
Ingredients:
1.5 LB rice (water according to rice)
0.5 LB green peas
2 tbls pilau masala (type of spice)
3 onions
3 tomatoes
Crisco oil
Salt
1. Wash the rice with cold water
2. Boil the peas until it’s cooked
3. Chop onions and then fry them until they turn slightly brown. Then add tomatoes that have been peeled and cut
4. Boil some of the rice water with the pilau masala until it boils. Add some salt to taste
5. Add the rest of the water to the fried onions and tomatoes
6. Then add the green peas when the water starts boiling and the rice.
Let it cook.

Chapati
Ingredients
1 cup of flour (white)
1 tablespoon shortening
1/2 tea sp or less salt
Directions
Melt shortening in a small frying pan DO NOT boil it.
Mix shortening with flour and salt.
Then mix with warm water (add just a little bit of water at a time and mix the dough thoroughly, make sure the dough is not hard) keep for at least one hour. Then separate dough into small rolls similar to oven cupcake buns. Use rolling pin and roll the dough balls each on a large flat surface as you roll the pin spread a little shortening on the dough and then tear the now flat pizza like dough spread from the center by pulling evenly to all edges and cut one side so you are left with a long lean piece of dough in your hands. Roll it into a coil (snakes) from each end in opposite directions (one clock wise and the other end counter clock wise) when they get together, then twist one of the collected coil and put it over the other.
Clean area over the oven top and keep a wide flat heavy/thick frying pan on the cooking range, turn on the cooker at low. Leave the dough for about 10 minutes then roll with rolling pin on flat surface into an evenly spread round (pizza like) thin spread. Turn the heat on to medium using oiling brush, spread a little shortening evenly all around the pan and cook the chapatis. Keep turning (rotating it) to ensure even cooking and turn over and keep pressing after turning and also put shortening on top but not too much and keep on pressing in the frying pen until light brown.

When Celeste Reed steps off the boat in the fledgling colony of Kenya, East Africa she finds out the man that she was to marry doesn't even care to get to know her let alone listen to a word she says.

Life is miserable and then he has the nerve to die leaving her to run an estate without any money. It seems he spent all he had to impress the colony and she was just part of the package.

Africa is unforgiving to the weak, but it can be the people that you least expect that make it.

And then there's Edward.

~ ~ ~

www.jennifermuellerbooks.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!

~ ~ ~

· 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.

~ ~ ~

www.KelseyBrowning.com

This is my grandmother’s recipe and I’ve been making it since I was a kid. I can remember standing at the counter next to her and she’d let me cut the biscuits out of the dough using a juice glass. Easy to make and so good hot out of the oven smothered in butter.

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RECIPE: Raisin Tea Buns

4 Cups Flour

8 tsp baking powder

½ Cup Butter

2/3 Cup Sugar

1 tsp Salt

2 eggs (well beaten)

1 Cup Milk

1 Cup Raisins

Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar and salt). Blend in butter. Add eggs and milk. (You may need to get in there with your hands at this point.) Add raisins.

Roll out and cut into circles. Or simply pinch off dough and roll into circles.

Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes. (I sometimes pop the oven on broil for a minute if the tops aren’t browned enough.)

VARIATION:

Make dough without raisins and roll it out into a rectangle shape. Lightly butter it then sprinkle brown sugar and raisins (or you can use brown sugar and cinnamon). Carefully roll dough into log shape. Cut into ½”-1” circles. Place in pan and bake for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees. Makes great cinnamon rolls.

Seventh in the Tapestries series.

Samantha Calloway is desperately working to keep her farm from financial ruin. It’s the only thing she has left from her deceased family and she’s determined to make it a success at any cost.

Darian and Jace Hunter live in a world where women are in short supply and brothers must share. The magic tapestry has always brought a potential tapestry bride to Javara, but this time it transports the two brothers to a strange land.

When Samantha finds two strangers on her land she doesn’t believe their stories of magic tapestries and other worlds. But when she suddenly finds herself in Javara, she doesn’t know what to believe. And when the tapestry transports them all back to her farm, Sam has a choice. She must decide if she will be true to her family and their legacy or if she will abandon it all for a chance at love.

A Romantica® time travel erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

~ ~ ~

Website: http://www.njwalters.com

Blog: http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com

Newsletter Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/awakeningdesires/

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.J.WaltersAuthor

This is one of the first things I taught my kids to make when they were younger. It's so yummy and fast! These are great when you're busy writing and want something quick and easy, or on those mornings when you're on the run.

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3 tbsp. butter
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. water
1 pkg. refrigerator biscuits

Combine butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and water in a microwave-proof dish (I use a glass pie plate). Microwave on high 45 seconds-1 minute until melted together. Place biscuits on top of butter mixture (you can leave whole or cut in half to make smaller servings). Cook 2 minutes on high until done. Biscuits will not brown, but will rise and look dry/set up. If not done, microwave in additional 15 second increments until finished. Let cool 2 minutes before serving.

When Gillian receives an erotic striptease video that was meant for someone else, she winds up making a cellular connection she never dreamed of. Her mystery man, Kent Johnson, inspires her to indulge in phone sex in places she never dared, like the back booth in a bar or even huddled in her cubicle at work.

Kent is unbelievably hot, daring and ready to take on every naughty toy in her nightstand drawer. But he is not just her “safe” sexting partner—he turns out to be the boss at her new job. She might be ready to take on any position he can throw at her, but company fraternization is a strict policy the boss won’t compromise on—not even for her hot charms.
Gillian’s lonely nights are destined to return unless Kent can find a way for them to steam up the boardroom without jeopardizing their careers.

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http://jroseallister.com

I'm a big fan of playing with recipes, and this is a variation of a basic pumpkin bread. I've traded pie filling for basic puree because the added liquid helps break up the oats. I've also take out the cloves and ginger, Which downplays the traditional pumpkin-pie flavor. One reason I love making these is that I usually bake them with my mom, and that is a rare
treat for me.

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    1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin pie filling

    4 eggs

    1 cup vegetable oil

    2/3 cup water

    2 cups white sugar

    1 cup brown sugar

    3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
   
    2 cups rolled oats

    2 teaspoons baking soda

    1 1/2 teaspoons salt

    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three loaf pans. Set aside.
   
(Stand mixer works best for this recipe. If one is not available,
use a hand mixer for the wet ingredients.) In a mixer blend pumpkin filling and one cup oatmeal. Blend until oats begin to break up.

Add The remainder of the wet ingredients. Blend until fully incorporated. Add sugars and blend until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the remainder of the dry ingredients except the remaining oats, mix. Add remainder of the oats and mix lightly, until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans. (Optional) Sprinkle a few oats over the tops.
   
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, Or until a toothpick comes out clean.

*note: depending on the pie filling used, finished product may appear to have dark swirls. This is caused by a higher moisture content in the mix and can be corrected in future batches by adding more flour.

 

Evangelos has loved Philomela since before time began. He’s dreamed of having her in his arms and his bed. But she never once looked his way. Instead, she chose a Fall that transformed her into a monstrous creature. He never forgot the one he loved, and he’s determined to bring her back
home.

Cut off from the power that fed them, Meela and the other Fallen angels became demons, thriving on vice and preying on Creation. Hell holds too much pain and Meela wants nothing more than to give in to the temptation Evan offers. But a demon has no place in the arms of an angel.

Meela knows Evan’s determination to save her will be his downfall, because Lucifer wants to feast on the power of angels, and she’s the perfect bait.

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http://www.voireylinger.com

Food in many cases can set the place of a story more than any other factor.  Landscapes can repeat across the world, but put a plate of clotted cream on the table and you know where you are immediately.  English tea anyone.

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Clotted Cream

Ingredients:
2 pints full cream milk

Preparation:
Pour milk into a basin or dish, and leave in a cool place for at least 8 hours. The cream will rise to the top. Put the dish over a pot of boiling water. You may want to use a double boiler. Simmer the water until the cream begins to show a ring around the edge and the surface just begins to bubble. After about 45 minutes to an hour, remove from heat. Let the cream cool, and skim the clotted cream from the surface.

Splits

Ingredients
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups lukewarm milk
1 tablespoon white sugar
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

Directions
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the milk and add the sugar. In another bowl, sift the flour and salt together and add the cooled melted butter.

Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture, and turn out onto a floured counter and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a clean towel and let rise in a warm, draft free place to 45 minutes.
Turn dough out onto the freshly floured board and shape into 9 balls. Place dough balls into a buttered and floured 9 inch square pan. Let them sit, covered for another 15 minutes to rise again. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Bake for 15-20 minutes until browned and puffed. Split open and serve warm.

Tanley's boring life on Saint Michael's Mount gets a lot more complicated when a man is washed up on the beach. With her father dead, the neighbor smuggling, and a knife wound in the man's shoulder she's all alone with a whole lot of trouble.  At least she's not stuck getting rid of a body when he wakes up at long last, but delivering papers for the government to help pay the debt after the war with Napoleon makes the stakes higher than just a little smuggling.  Alone with James though temptation is hard to resist, if only getting caught didn't bring up a whole new set of problems.

 

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www.jennifermuellerbooks.com

What could be nicer than curling up with a pot of tea, some warm scones and jam, and your favorite book? Forget about the hockey pucks masquerading as scones that you find in most bakeries. These are tender, moist and buttery, with only a hint of sweetness.

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Sugar-Crusted Scones

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, frozen (very important!)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plain yogurt
White sugar for rolling, about 1/3 cup

1) Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or a Silpat mat if you have one).

2) In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Using a hand grater, grate the frozen butter into the dough, mixing with a fork as you go, until all the butter is grated in and the mixture is a gravelly consistency.

3) In a small bowl, stir together the egg, vanilla and yogurt. Make a well in the center of the butter-flour mixture and stir in the yogurt mixture. Using your hands, gently knead mixture until a soft dough forms, adding a few drops of water if necessary.

4) Turn out onto a work surface or board that has been lightly sprinkled with white sugar. Gently smooth and fold dough, using more sugar if necessary as an aid to prevent sticking, and shape into a cohesive mass. Let rest two minutes.

5) Place white sugar in a saucer or small, shallow bowl. Pat dough into a rectangle that is about an inch thick and cut into squares, then cut each square in half. (Use your own judgment as to the size of the scones...as long as the dough is no more than an inch thick they will cook at the same rate no matter their overall size.) As each triangle of dough is cut, press it into the sugar, making sure each side of the triangle is well-covered with sugar. Space evenly on cookie sheet.

6) Bake until very lightly browned, with some darker spots at the edges where the sugar has caramelized; about 15-17 minutes.

7) Serve warm with whipped cream (or clotted cream if you can find it) and your favorite preserves. If there are any leftovers, store at room temperature for no more than a
day. Reheat before serving in a 300 F oven or in toaster (split in half horizontally before toasting).

 

When Hannah is caught watching her late husband’s cousin debauch the maid in the library, she’s mortified—but also intrigued. An unpaid companion to his aunt, she’s used to being ignored. The black sheep of the family, Leo has nothing but his good looks and noble birth to recommend him. Hannah ought to be appalled at what she’s witnessed, but there’s something about Leo that draws her to him. When Leo claims he can prove that women can feel desire as passionately as men, Hannah is incredulous, for her own experiences have been singularly uninspiring. Yet she can’t bring herself to refuse his audacious proposal when he offers to tutor her in the art of lovemaking. As the tantalizing, wicked lessons continue, she begins to fear she’s losing not just her inhibitions, but her heart as well. The poorest of relations, she has nothing to offer Leo but herself. Will it be enough when their erotic education ends?

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www.julianaross.com

I’m no chef, but a friend of mine gave me this recipe years ago, and I’ve made it more times than I can count. It’s fresh-baked bread for any occasion…just add a touch of whatever the occasion calls for. Add a little garlic to the bread, dill or some chocolate chips!

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And now, the fast, easy bread I call 3-2-1 Bread:

3 cups self-rising flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 beer

Mix it all together, and put the dough in a greased bread pan (I use my meatloaf pan). Bake at 350 for an hour. Pull it out, eat it.

(I’ve never had any leftovers when I make this.)

Rent-A-Husband, Inc.

Crete Gannon witnesses his brother’s murder and finds himself next on the hit list of a killer notorious for eliminating witnesses under police protection. He discovers the perfect place to hide, a location no one would think to look for him -- Rent A Husband, Inc. His plan is simple: he’ll work under a false identity, cloistered safely away inside some anonymous, lonely, old lady’s house then put his brother’s killer away when he testifies at the trial.

But Tasha Henslow, a bed and breakfast owner whose building faces foreclosure, is not lonely and she’s not old. Nor, unfortunately, is she anonymous. He can get the work done while avoiding the killer, but not if she recognizes him. How long until she remembers the perfect night they spent together before she left him in a cold bed alone?

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www.readmoore.com