Tuesday Blue Plate Special: Irresistibly Delicious

When Midnight Comes welcomes guest author Debra Ann Fisk. Her most recent book certainly is delicious, and wait until you prepare and taste her recipe, omg—so good.

Irresistibly Delicious is set at a bed and breakfast in Cozy Cove, Florida. This recipe is from the setting of the Cozy Cove Inn where many wonderful meals were prepared by the heroine Olivia.

I have been working on the sequel to Irresistibly Delicious and although the sequel takes place in the same town, it's quite different. One thing that is consistent is the cooking and good food served at the Cozy Cove Inn. 

One feisty Southern chef. One sexy city doctor. One thousand miles apart. Trauma draws them together, but will circumstances pull them apart? Chef Olivia Carson's painful past haunted her until she discovered the healing solace at the Cozy Cove Inn. 

She fell in love with the bed and breakfast and its owner, Myra. But her world is rocked to its core after Myra has a life threatening emergency. When Brady Matthews, Myra's son and a well-known cardiologist in NYC, shows up to care for his mother sparks fly in more ways than one.

Olivia and Brady disagree about everything, all the while fighting the sexual attraction that draws them together. 

As Brady begins to reevaluate his life and Olivia creates a new career for herself, the risk of scandal and past secrets threatens to rip them apart. Will a headstrong surgeon and a gourmet chef learn to accept love? Or will they choose professional success with a side order of loneliness?

Amazon buy link - http://tinyurl.com/qfccp9f

Barnes and Noble buy link - http://tinyurl.com/o7d4rdq

Broccoli Chicken Casserole

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients List:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts diced into 1/2 inch pieces.

1 large frozen package of broccoli florets or one bunch of fresh broccoli florets

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup of milk

8 ounces of cheddar cheese shredded

1/2 cup Durkey Fried onions

Salt 

Pepper

Garlic powder

Onion Powder

In a large casserole dish place broccoli. Add chicken on top. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste.

In a bowl mix cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and milk. Pour over chicken and cover completely. Now add a layer of shredded cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the top with fried onions.

Bake for 1 hour or until top is browned and chicken is cooked all the way through.

Tuesday Blue Plate Special: Outlander

Quite a while back, I was browsing in a bookshop, waiting for my car to be repaired, and spied something intriguing. I've always loved time travel romances and anything set during the WW2 era, so when I saw this book that seemed to combine the two, I wanted to see if anyone else had read it. The girl working behind the counter said it was a truly amazing novel, and I should try it. Good enough for me.

So I bought this oddly named book, Outlander, and rubbed my fingers over the slightly embossed thistle and crown on the cover. Since I'm also part Scots on my mum's side, I thought it might be fun to read something of the history of Scotland set to fiction.

I had no real expectations, despite the girl at the bookshop saying it was amazing. I'd been told that before, only to realize my taste in reading and other readers tastes can vastly differ.

To say I was floored by this epic story was an understatement. Only three times in my life have I read something that affected me so profoundly (Stranger In A Strange Land, and The Power of One). This work of fiction touched my soul, and I knew I would read the book again and again, in some special kind of literary pilgrimage. My old copy is so beat up, dog-earred, and the spine so cracked, anyone could tell at a glance it was a well read and loved up book.

A few years ago, I bought Outlander in ebook format to reread. It's just as great a story, but I admit something was lost in the feel of a real book in my hands, so I bought it again in paperback.

In celebration of one of my favorite books of all time (and the ever delicious Jaime Fraser) plus the new Starz mini series coming this month, I'm sharing some Scottish recipes today, both old and new.

Enjoy!

Grandda's Scottish Shortbread

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup pure cane sugar
pinch of sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

In mixing bowl, place butter, salt, and sugar then mix on medium speed until well blended. Add flour and change setting to slow, mixing thoroughly.

Press thickened dough batter into a rectangular pan/jelly roll size. Prick cookie dough repeatedly (close together) with a fork making sure the fork hits bottom.

Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 300º degrees and continue to bake for 40 additional minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, then cut shortbread into two inch long bars. Let cool to room temperature, then place on decorative tray or in treat bags or cookie jar. Servings 12.


For more Scotland-inspired tasty recipes, check out these links:

http://www.rampantscotland.com/recipes/blrecipe_index.html
http://www.scotland.org/celebrate-scotland/recipes/
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/burns-night


Do you have a favorite book? The Tuesday Blue Plate Special honors those books with themed recipes, like the one I posted here. Anyone can submit a recipe to be featured as part of The Tuesday Blue Plate Special.  Are you an author? Promote your own book here by sending in a recipe themed around your book or books setting. It's free and it's fun.

By submitted your recipe and short article (why you chose that particular book to feature) you are giving casscandracurtis.com and Ms. Curtis, the right to electronically reprint your submission. Payment is byline only. Please remember to provide a link to the book's cover art. Thank you.

Tuesday Blue Plate Special: Spaghetti and Meatballs

Welcome to Casa Cassandra and the Blue Plate Special of the day. I've been editing a short story for inclusion into a charity anthology and there is a scene where the heroine, Eva, is making spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread. I realized this would be the perfect opportunity to introduce readers of my blog to a new featurette I'll be posting every other Tuesday.  The blue plate special will host recipes either from scenes in books, or in the back of books, or include dishes themed around a book's setting. I hope ya'll will enjoy your visit to Casa Cassandra and think about some of your favorite book-inspired meals.

Recipe from: When Eva Gets Even by Cass Curtis

(Part of the Romance Divas Charity Anthology coming August 2014)

Eva's Truth Or Lie Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients:

Meatballs:
    •    2 eggs
    •    1/2 cup skim milk
    •    1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
    •    2 pounds lean ground beef
    •    1/2 cup finely chopped onion
    •    1 clove garlic, smashed, minced
    •    1 teaspoon salt
    •    1/2 teaspoon pepper

Sauce:
    •    3 tablespoons olive oil
    •    1/2 cup chopped onion
    •    2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
    •    1 tablespoon sugar
    •    2 teaspoons salt
    •    1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
    •    1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil
    •    1/4 teaspoon black pepper
    •    1 large can (28 to 36 ounces total) crushed Italian tomatoes
    •    2 cans (6 ounces each) tomato paste
    •    16 ounces thin spaghetti
    •    Parmesan cheese

Directions:
In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk and bread crumbs until well mixed. Let stand for approx. 5 minutes. Now add ground beef, onion, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until well blended then shape into about 18-20 meatballs, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place meatballs in a well greased large shallow baking pan. Bake meatballs at 450° for 25 minutes. Drain off excess grease if needed.

Sauté diced onion in extra virgin olive oil in skillet until tender and begins to turn golden. Add remaining ingredients for the sauce in large pot and then bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Add meatballs then cover and simmer 50 to 60 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.

Cook spaghetti according to the package's directions, then drain using strainer.

Ladle meatballs and sauce over cooked noodles and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese as desired. Spaghetti and meatballs serves 6.

Attention book readers & bloggers!
If you'd like to send us a recipe or two along with the name of the book that inspired your creations, you'll be part of the Blue Plate Special Contributors club and eligible for a $25 Amazon gift card to be given away during my Reader Appreciation Week in November.

The recipe directions should be in your own words, not copied off the internet. You will retain all rights to your recipes and any accompanying photographs, but in submitting them for consideration/contest entry, you are giving Cassandra Curtis express permission to their use. All recipes/entries along with any accompanying photographs should be sent digitally c/o assistant @ cassandracurtis [dot] com (no spaces), with the subject line: Blue Plate Special Recipe Entry.

Authors, do you have an upcoming book or a recently released book you'd like to feature, that has a scene with a recipe and want to share? For more information, see the above or contact assistant @ cassandracurtis [dot] com (no spaces), with the subject line: Blue Plate Special Recipe inquiry.

Must be 18+ to enter. The odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. Contest void where prohibited by law. I strive to make my prize winners happy, however, as with all my contests, it is the participant’s responsibility to check the blog to see if their name is announced as a winner, and/or to respond to winning notification emails in order to claim your prize. Prizes must be claimed within 30 days of contest winning announcement. If not claimed within 30 days, the prize will either be added to another contest, or a second chance drawing at my discretion. Not responsible for lost/stolen mail.

Reader Appreciation Week 2013!

Today through November 18th, 2013

 is Cassandra Curtis Reader Appreciation Week!

Post a comment on any of the blog posts during my Reader Appreciation Week time period and you'll be entered into a drawing for a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card to be given away on November 19, 2013. 

Watch for mini-contests during the week to enter to win other prizes!

I appreciate all ya'll for following me on this writing journey. Oh, speaking of following me, if you don't follow me on Facebook, or you have friends who don't follow me, head over there now and click on my like button, because once I hit 200 likes on my author page, I'm making one of my ebooks FREE! 

Fun & Games Mini Contest For Monday, Nov. 11, 2013

I love to cook and bake, so of course, collecting cookbooks is one of my passions. To get your own cookbook collection started (or add to it), today's prize is the awesome recipe and idea book Homemade Christmas by Gooseberry Patch.

Filled with wonderful kid friendly ideas for Christmas craft projects and delicious recipes the entire family will enjoy, it will make a wonderful addition to your kitchen library. To enter, please leave a comment with one of your favorite holiday dishes. Winner will be drawn at random from all entries, on or around November 18, 2013

Contest ends midnight Saturday, November 16, 2013. Good Luck!

To buy your own copy of this awesome recipe book, go to: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/homemade-christmas-gooseberry-patch/1112055117

Remember, anyone leaving a comment for the mini-contests this week are also entered for the Amazon or B&N gift card drawing. 

Must be 18+ to enter. The odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. Contest void where prohibited by law. I strive to make my prize winners happy, however, as with all my contests, it is the participant’s responsibility to check the blog to see if their name is announced as a winner, and/or to respond to winning notification emails in order to claim your prize. Prizes must be claimed within 30 days of contest winning announcement. If not claimed within 30 days, the prize will either be added to another contest, or a second chance drawing at my discretion. Not responsible for lost/stolen mail.  

 

Today is Rainier Cherry Day! Recipes & More.

July 1 is National Rainier Cherry Day! I love cherries, chock full of vitamin C, they're my favorite snack food in the summer. Courtesy of my sis and brother-in-law who have a wonderful little farm, I received an awesome surprise when I got home, a box of Rainier cherries shipped right to my door. OMG! These are so sweet and juicy and good, with just enough tartness to wake up your taste buds.

Rainier cherries are best for eating fresh or as an ingredient in ice cream, cakes, pies, pastries and tarts. Double the yum! and the fun by pairing Rainiers with apricots, plums, blueberries, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, dark chocolate and white chocolate, cream, or maple and try some cherry maple fudge—talk about a sugar rush.

For a more savory treat, try adding Rainier cherries with herbs like basil, and add arugula, or cilantro flowers. Nuts like hazelnut, pistachio make tasty snacks with this breed of cherry. You can even whip up olive oil and citrus zest with your Rainiers and spread over smoked fish, anchovies, pork, scallops for an incredible taste sensation.

I see a lot of baking and cooking with cherries in my future, and yours too, if you enjoy these recipes...from my kitchen to yours. Have fun!

Cherry Toast Hors d'oeuvres

18 slices (1/2-inch thick) small baguette-style French bread
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1-1/2 cups pitted Rainier cherries, coarsely chopped (can substitute with Bing cherries)
1/4 cup each chopped cilantro and diced yellow sweet pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

Toast one side of baguette slices at 350°F for approx. 5 minutes. Turn bread slices and brush with olive oil, then bake 5 minutes longer. Combine cherries, cilantro, pepper, green onions, lime juice, lime peel, salt, pepper, and remaining olive oil; mix well. Top each slice of baguette with a thin slice of fresh mozzarella cheese, a tablespoon of the cherry mixture and top with sliced basil. You can serve warm or cold. Makes 18 appetizers.

Savory Cherry Picnic Salad

1-1/4 cup sugar snap peas
2 cups pitted fresh sweet Rainier cherries
1 medium cucumber, halved, seeded and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1/2 cup red radishes, wedged
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon each toasted sesame seeds and grated fresh ginger root
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

Blanch peas in boiling salted water for about 1 minute then plunge into iced water to cool. Drain. Mix cherries, cucumber, radishes and peas. Combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour over cherry mixture and toss to coat. Marinate, refrigerated, at least one hour. Makes 4 to 6 servings.


Cobbler La Rainier

3 cups of Rainier cherries, pitted
1-1/4 tablespoon of cornstarch
1/3 cup sugar (1/4 cup if substituting with Stevia powder)

**Combine ingredients above in a bowl and set aside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, and ready a cooking dish with low-fat cooking spray or oil.

Cobbler
1 1/4 cup flour (can substitute for rice flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup brown sugar (can substitute with brown rice sugar or Splenda for baking)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
4 tablespoons low-fat butter blend (or your choice of lower-fat substitute), melted and cooled

Combine dry ingredients into a bowl, then add egg to the buttermilk, followed by butter blend.

Fold wet mixture into flour until thoroughly moistened and mixed together well. Add cherry mixture to the baking dish, Spoon flour/buttermilk mixture crumbled between fingers and evenly spread. Bake for 20 minutes (tented with foil) or until golden brown and bubbly. Serves four to six servings.


 Rainier Cherry Relish

1/2 pound Rainier cherries, pitted, and halved
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 Fuji apple - peeled, cored, and diced
2 tablespoons white sugar  (can substitute for powdered Stevia herb)
2 tablespoons brown sugar  (can substitute with Brown Splenda)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Place the cherries, cider vinegar, rice vinegar, onion, apple, white sugar, brown sugar, salt, and nutmeg into a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid, and continue simmering until mixture has thickened to relish consistency. Chill before serving. Serves 6-8.



Cherry Pit Spell Recipe

What, you thought all my recipes were edible? Goodness no, I saved the best for last! This is a fun sort of spell to try on a rainy day with all those pits left over from making your cobbler or pies. You can use either Rainier cherries or Bing cherries, as both will work for our purposes.

Collect cherry pits in a fire safe ceramic bowl and make a spot in the center for a small pillar candle, white is best. Note: The candle should be tall enough that the flame cannot heat the cherry pits or pop them. Stand or sit at least a good foot or two away, just in case. This should be done anytime when you feel like your life is in the pits (the universe loves a pun, trust me).

If you happen to do the spell during a waning moon cycle, so much the better! Sprinkle a little sea salt in a circle around you and the bowl. Now light the candle and invoke the Goddess.

Say something like: Mother of Nature and all that is giving, My life is in the pits, so I return these to you as seeds of potential, to rid my life of negativity and allow room for change positively. With harm to none, I release my gift into your care. Blessed be!

Now snuff the candle, clean up the sea salt, and bury the cherry pits in your backyard. Unless you live in the eastern part of Washington state, you should be okay and not have concern this spell will grow a cherry tree, lol. But what it will do is take away the negativity and undue worry of a situation and make room for you to change your perspective on life for the better. Sometimes we simple get cluttered with unnecessary pits and need to realize we do have the power within ourselves to make things better.

May everyone reading this be blessed with love and light.
Cass

Baking and Making Goodies for the Holidays

I surely come by it naturally, this passion for baking goodies around the holidays. I'm making two pineapple upside down cakes, Yule time holiday fudge, peanut butter cookies, mulled apple cider, peppermint bark candy, star lollies, and plum pudding! Oh yes, I will be waddling down the hall once the holidays are over. No way to avoid it, because as you probably know, the best treats are taste tested during cooking to make sure they are just right. lol

Give the recipe below a try over the holidays and let me know if it was a hit with your family and friends. :)

Yule Time Fudge
1 teaspoon plus 1/4 cup butter, divided
2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2/3 cup milk
12 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Line a 9-in. square pan with foil and grease the foil with 1 teaspoon butter; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the confectioners' sugar, milk and remaining butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until combined. Bring to a boil; boil for 5 minutes without stirring. Reduce heat to low; stir in white chocolate. Cook and stir until chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in extract. Fold in the almonds, cherries, and cranberries. Immediately spread into prepared pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Discard foil; cut fudge into 1-in. squares. Store in the refrigerator.

I want to thank all my readers and fans for their support this year, and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Season's Greetings, and an especially awesome New Year 2013!

May you enjoy good health, prosperity, love, and peace this coming new year.
Brightest blessings, Cass

Toffee Apple Time

With the change in seasons and the temperature dropping to reasonable levels after an intense spring and summer, it feels good to get back to some of my favorite activities, like making toffee or caramel apples. We made some last weekend and they went pretty fast. I bet your family will enjoy them too.

Caramel Apples

4 large apples
1 bag of caramel candies

1 pack of popsicle sticks
non-stick aluminum foil

*Optional:
crushed nuts
marshmellows
sprinkles
chocolate chips
sunflower seeds


Line a baking sheet with non stick foil, non-stick side up. Wash and dry apples, and then take a popsicle stick and insert in top of apple. Set aside. Take a microwave safe bowl and melt unwrapped caramel pieces in bowl for 1-2 minutes, depending on wattage of your microwave. Remove bowl with oven mitts and stir with large spoon. Caramel should be slightly runny.

Dip and Twist apple in melted caramel. If desired, you can then roll sticky apple in an additional layer of nuts* or whatever else you want. Place caramel apple on foil and let sit for ten minutes then serve. Apples can also be refrigerated for use later. Serves 4.

What is your favorite Easter Candy?

My favs are the orange non-pareil mini eggs. They are hard to find, but the candy shop in the mall carries them around Easter time. Thank goodness they aren't year round or I'd be in trouble. lol. 

You Are Jelly Beans

For you, Easter is all about fun and sweet treats.

What Easter Candy Are You?

Blogthings: We Have a Quiz for Almost Everything

Cold Weather Soup Making

With the cold snap sweeping through the southeast, I’ve been fixing a lot of soup. Sometimes I get lazy and open a can, but the salt intake is insane in most canned and pre-packaged soups, so I do it all old school and homemade when I can. Here is a basic recipe for Irish potato soup, and it’s what is on the menu for today at my house:
http://www.irelandseye.com/aarticles/culture/recipes/cooking/tatosoup.shtm

On the writing front, I am editing a few stories and weeding through old projects that somehow were overlooked. I do think a few have a possibility of getting published. ::keeping fingers crossed::
For those of you who know me through Second Life, I have been busy decorating the beach house and minding the prims best I can. I think it’s really wild how something can look very cute and innocent and then ya check and the sucker is like 44 prim! Ouch! So the new watchword I’ve come up with is: Primmage.

Definition: The amount of prim either allocated or available for use on a parcel. The amount of prim used. Referenced: Second Life.

Example: Oh wow, I had no idea that tiny fruit bowl was 44 prim! I am already smacking my primmage limits. lol.

Roast Beast For Mum

After spending the better part of today searching for roast beef to cook for tomorrow’s family get together, I dragged home victorious. You’d think in a city the size of mine, it wouldn’t be so difficult to find a haunch of the proper beef to cook, but ahh, the hard part is it has to be perfect—the exact type that my mum cooked as a girl and young wife over in England.

A pork shoulder wouldn’t do. Nor would a Yankee beef pot roast— the horrors!  Oh no. For Easter (which is another story in itself) my mum wants all the traditional English fixings…baby potatoes, carrots, onions and of course—authentic Yorkshire pudding. Oh yeah—the works.

I should be thankful she didn’t want spring lamb. I am so not cooking lambiekins! Yikes!
Add to that, this sudden craving she has for cheesecake, and my goose is cooked…so to speak.
I forgot to go by Adam Matthews outlet and pick up cheesecakes on Friday. Eeps!

I didn’t feel like going out in a torrential downpour yesterday and drive 20 miles to go to the cheesecake factory.

So, I am spending today baking cookies (3 types) in a valiant attempt to distract her tomorrow when she realizes I still didn’t buy a cheese cake today. Adam Matthews is closed on the weekends—who knew?

But by God, I shall have Yorkshire Pudding and Roast Beef and it shall be good and all who partake of it shall be satisfied! Or else! Grrr.

Thank goodness for You Tube! I lost mum’s Yorkshire Pudding recipe, and I dare not call her, but I found this recipe and it’s wonderful! So is the sweet old lady in the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEx-vwSEr6k

Enjoy your weekend and Happy Easter or Eostre!
I plan to soak my cookies in some hot cocoa and take a well deserved break to chill.