Bon Appetit and a Book - From Fake to Forever

Romance is in the air once again and this time, I am happy to share a recipe from award-winning author Kat Cantrell that she thinks pair well with her latest Harlequin title, From Fake to Forever



FROM FAKE TO FOREVER – After an impromptu Vegas wedding that shouldn’t be valid, Meredith Chandler-Harris just discovered she's still tied to businessman Jason Lynhurst. She needs out of their marriage, but if he's to become his company's new CEO, he needs her as a bride. Meredith can have her divorce, but only after he gets what he wants—which is more than merely a promotion.

KAT CANTRELL read her first Harlequin novel in third grade and has been scribbling in notebooks since she learned to spell. What else would she write but romance? She majored in Literature, officially with the intent to teach, but somehow ended up buried in middle management at Corporate America, Inc. After three years and many thousands of words, her dream of publication finally came true. When she's not writing about characters on the journey to happily-ever-after, she can be found at a soccer game, watching Friends or dancing with her kids to Duran Duran and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

And this is what she'd suggest you pair with this book:

Hummus and Pita Chips

This is my recipe for hummus, which I love to make fresh because store-bought generally has a high sodium content, as well as preservatives and other yucky stuff. This is easy to make and doesn't call for tahini which can be expensive.

Ingredients (4 servings)

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 drops sesame oil, or to taste (optional)

PREP

5 mins

READY IN

5 mins

Directions

Blend garbanzo beans, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, salt, and sesame oil in a food processor; stream reserved bean liquid into the mixture as it blends until desired consistency is achieved. Spoon into a serving bowl. You can let the flavors blend several hours or overnight before serving this.

To make fresh pita chips:

Cut two-three pitas into wedges (like a pizza)

Arrange on a pan and brush with olive oil

Grind or sprinkle salt and pepper to taste

Cook for 15 minutes at 375.

This is such an easy snack. I love to make it with my two boys and there are things even the little one can do. He likes to use the basting brush to "paint" the chips with oil. My older son likes to use the food processor--probably because I don't make him clean it!

You can also check out these other titles that highlight some fun I DO's this month:

·          The Billionaire's Bridal Bargain - by USA Today bestselling author Lynne Graham. To get his hands on her Mediterranean island inheritance, Cesare Sabatino must wed innocent Lizzie and ensure she's carrying his heir! Luckily the formidable Italian is legendary for his powers of persuasion. With Lizzie desperate to save her family's farm, it's only a matter of time before she gives in and discovers the many pleasurable benefits of wearing this tycoon's ring.

·          The Italian's Deal for I Do – by award-winning author Jennifer Hayward. He's conquered global markets and immeasurable hearts, but to regain control of the fashion empire that's rightfully his, Rocco Mondelli must prove his playboy days are over. His secret weapon? Supermodel-in-hiding Olivia Fitzgerald and the power to ruin her if she refuses to play his loving fiancée!

Bon Appétit and a Book: Mexican Tea Cake Cookies while you read PROTECTION DETAIL By Shirlee McCoy

For something different, I asked author Shirlee McCoy what she would want to eat while reading her latest inspirational fiction book, Protection Detail (Capitol K-9 Unit) and she suggested that it was best read with something yummy and sweet!

"There's something warm and homey about a couple of yummy cookies and a cup of hot tea. Add a good book, and it's the perfect way to spend a dreary afternoon or a cold night. My all-time favorite cookie is as easy to make as it is delicious. Even better, it's a six ingredient cookie! Quick, simple and delicious!"

Mexican Tea Cake Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp . vanilla
2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cups finely chopped pecans
extra powdered sugar

Mix butter, powdered sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add flour and salt. Stir in pecans.
Chill dough for an hour.

Preheat oven to 350.
Roll dough into one inch balls and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. While cookies are still warm, roll them in the extra powdered sugar.

If you can, let them cool before eating.

If you can't, grab your book, your tea or coffee, find a comfy chair and enjoy!

More about Protection Detail (Capitol K-9 Unit)


After a prominent senator’s son is murdered, Captain Gavin McCord of the Capitol K-9 Unit

wants answers. The senator was a mentor to Gavin, and Gavin will stop at nothing to bring the killer to justice in Protection Detail.
With his team of elite K-9 cops and his loyal dog, Glory, at his side, Gavin discovers that a child at Cassie Danvers’ nearby foster home may have witnessed the murder.
He’s drawn to the determined and beautiful woman, but she doesn’t want him interviewing her traumatized charges. Yet trusting Gavin is the only way to stay one step ahead of the deadly gunman when Cassie becomes a target.

Protection Detail is available in paperback and e-book.

SHIRLEE MCCOY knew early that she wanted to write inspirational fiction and began writing her first novel when she was a teenager. Still, it wasn't until her third son was born that she truly began pursuing her dream of being published. Three years later she sold her first book.

Now a busy mother of four, Shirlee is a homeschool mom by day and an inspirational author by night. She and her husband and children live in Maryland and share their home with a dog and a guinea pig.

MMMMonday - Bean Round-Up for Bean Day!

I was checking to see what today was for a question on Monday Quiz About Me... and lo and behold it's Bean Day!  Aren't you excited?  I actually love me some beans so I put together a few of my favorite bean recipes and asked my friends to share a few of theirs too:

Red Beans and Rice
from Day By Day in Our World

Red Beans and Rice
Green Beans with Coconut
White Bean and Tuna Salad
Polish Mushroom and Barley Soup
Sweet Potato, Sausage, and Kale Soup

Easy Pumpkin Spice Muffins: Smart Holiday Baking with #CartonSmart #ad

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Carton Smart for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
We are really trying to be greener and more thoughtful this holiday season and one of the ways that we are doing this is trying to Become Carton Smart!  It's so easy to make the change from cans to Tetra Pak® cartons!  With 1/3 of the packaging compared to cans, and made of 70% paper that is FSC-certified (Forest Stewardship Council), Tetra Pak® cartons help preserve the flavor and nutrients of food without preservatives!

Celebrating Halloween With Hershey's: York Peppermint Spiders #HersheysHalloween #sponsored

This post is sponsored by Global Influence with product provided by Hershey’s. 

Robyn got invited to a pot luck Halloween party at her friend's house and immediately wanted to find something fun, creative and yummy to take to the party - she immediately went to check out Celebrate with Hersheys for fun ideas... and she found that she was drawn to spiders - she saw these fun Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Spiders, but she knew that there was potential for a peanut allergy at the party so she decided to change things up and dug through the  care package we received from from Hershey's and found the perfect option - York Peppermint Patties!  And so it was set... she'd make spiders - minty, yummy spiders...

She made triple chocolate cupcakes with mint frosting and then added her pumpkin shaped York Peppermint Patty, eight pretzel legs and used two yummy Reese's Pieces for eyes (she just used icing for the peanut-free ones)!  She decided to go with straight pretzel legs to give her spiders a little character and she also made some alien spider variations that combined Rolo bases with her yummy minty creations:

She took them to her friend's Halloween Party and got rave reviews - both for the artistry and they yummy Hershey's taste!  Her brothers were big fans too!  She also looked great as a Greek Goddess!

I love that she was able to take an idea from the Celebrate with Hersheys and turn it into something of her own!  Hershey's made our Halloween much more fun and yummy this year!  Have you done something creative with your Hershey's candy?  Got ideas for using up your leftover Halloween Candy?  Share here:

MMMmonday - Fall Pie Round up

It's a little early but since I haven't been getting all my Monday posts up lately, I'm posting while I can... Here are twenty five great pie ideas for your autumn parties or to spice up your holidays:

1. Apple Cider Pie
2. Pear and Almond Tart
3. Berries and Cream Custard Pie
4. Crustless Pumpkin Pie
5. Warm Buttermilk Custard Apple Pie
6. Biscoff No Bake Pie
7. Easy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
8. Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Pie
9. Mixed Nut Tart
10. Mirabelle Tart
11. Individual Crustless Pumpkin Pies
12. Cheddar Cheese Apple Pie
13. Caramel Walnut Pie with Dried Cherries
14. Gluten Free Raspberry Custard Pie
15. Apple and Almond Tart
16. Lemon Chess Pie
17. Dulce De Apple Streusel Pie
18. Sweet Potato Pie With Marshmallow Meringue
19. Rhubarb Tarte
20. Deep Dish Pecan Pie
21. Nutella Cheesecake Lasagna
22. Heirloom Cottage Cheese Pie
23. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pie
24. Caramel Apple Pie
25. French Apple Tart

MmmMonday: 25 Spooktacular Halloween Recipes!

Halloween is only a month and a day away and I wanted to do something a little different for MMMmonday and share some great recipe ideas that I've found around the net so here are

1. Chocolate Pumpkin Spider Donuts
2. Bloody Eyeballs
3. White Chocolate Dipped Oreos
4. Sparkling Water Lollipops
5. Easy Halloween Spider Cookies
6. Carrot Ginger Quinoa Pepper Jacks
7. Cookie Candy Pizza
8. Curried Pumpkin Seeds
9. Halloween Bark
10. Spooky Ice Cream Sandwich Spiders
11. Pumpkin Ice Cream
12. White Chocolate Bones
13. Ghost Cupcakes
14. Hemlock Cocktails
15. Spider Deviled Eggs
16. Pumpkin Chocolate Tart
17. Halloween Chocolate Apples
18. Spooky Gluten-Free Cookies
19. Spooky Meringue Bones
20. Black Cat Chocolate Chip Spookies
21. Spiderweb Brownie Bites
22. Dark Chocolate Orange Sugar Cookies
23. Jello Worms
24. Avocado Witches Fingers
25. Meringue Ghosts

Soup Round-Up: 25 Fabulous Fall Soups to warm you up! #recipe #soup

We are finally getting cooler weather here in Charleston and of course the first day it wasn't over 85F and muggy my thoughts turned to pulling out the Fall and Winter recipes to mix up our menus!  I've put together a few (or twenty-five) great recipe links to help you get your soup on!

1. Creamy Roasted Carrot Soup
2. Tortellini Soup with Chunky Tomatoes and Spinach
3. Chilled Tomato Basil Soup
4. Pattani Pea Masala
5. Chilled Cherry Soup
6. Goan Sorak Curry
7. Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Chestnut Soup
8. Butter Chicken Curry Soup
9. Vegetarian Minestrone Soup
10. Cashew Curry Soup
11. Chili Verde with Black Beans and Kale
12. Aloo Simla Mirch
13. Chinese Style Tofu with Radish and Shiso
14. Roasted Eggplant Chickpea Soup
15. Homemade Vegetable Stock
16. Chilled Asparagus Soup
17. Simple Vegetable Curry
18. Mulligatawny Soup
19. Gazpacho with Rosemary Focaccia
20. Miso Soup for the Soul
21. Root Stew
22. Spinach and Mushroom Curry
23. Minestrone with Borlotti Fennel and Kale
24. Creamy Lettuce Soup
25. Kadala Curry

MMMmonday - Pizza, Pizza and More Pizza, a round-up of favorites!

One of our go-to meals that everyone loves is pizza and with back to school coming up for us this week, I thought it would be a good time to go around the blogosphere and check out some great and different Pizza recipes!

Let's start with some dough ... cause it's tough to make pizza without a crust:

Quick and Simple Yeast Pizza Crust
Heather's No Yeast Pizza Crust
Gluten-free Pizza Crust
Bread Maker Pizza Dough
Cauliflower Crust Pizza
Gluten-Free Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Pizza Made at Home

Twenty-five fabulous Back To School Lunch Ideas!

Hands up if you are looking forward to back to school?  I am totally ready to get back to a structured household - although our routine will be very different this year... no more sleeping in for me!  I am going to be volunteering for an hour every morning at Liam's school helping with the safe arrivals and attendance program and whatever else needs doing in the office!  What that translates to is that I am going to need to have everything ready to go the night before - including lunches for Liam, Robyn and Wayne and snacks for Erik and I, so I've started searching the internet already and have found some great lunch ideas that I'd love to share with you!

1. Tomato Mac & Cheese
2. Southwest Grilled Chicken and Corn Pasta Salad
3. PB&J Hummus
4. Tortilla Pinwheel Lollipops
5. Italian Egg Salad Sandwiches
6. Peachy Pecan Salad
7. Sunny Tuna Salad
8. Kid's Favorite Paninis
9. Veggie Roasted Tomato Grilled Cheese
10. Slow Roasted Tomato Hummus Veggie Wraps
11. Strawberry Muffins
12. Happy Lunch Rice Cakes
13. Shrimp Avocado and Pasta Salad
14. Creamy Avocado Quinoa
15. Peanut Butter Chicken Nuggets
16. Loaded Veggie Quinoa Sliders
17. Vegetarian Beans and Rice
18. Sandwich Kabobs
19. Whole Wheat Pretzel Dogs
20. Chicken and Apple Balls with BBQ Dip
21. Pizza Balls
22. Cheese Quesadillas
23. Colorful Tortilla Roll-Ups
24. Savory Appl and Cheddar Waffle Sandwich
25. Waldorf Chicken Salad

Please consider pinning or sharing if you find something you like!

Tasty Tuesday: Greek Style Shrimp

Any dish that adds feta cheese is tops in my book!  It does take a few pans, but the extra dishes are worth it!

Greek Style Shrimp

2 lbs (1 Kg) shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 Tbs (30 ml) lemon juice
2 Tbs (30 ml) olive oil
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped onion
2 scallions, finely chopped (green and white parts)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup (250 ml) tomato puree or canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup (125 ml) dry white wine or water
1 Tbs (15 ml) butter
1/4 cup (60 ml) ouzo or brandy (optional)
1/2 tsp (2 ml) dried oregano (Greek if possible)
3 Tbs (45 ml) chopped fresh parsley
1/2 lb (250 g) feta cheese, cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) cubes

Mix the shrimp with the lemon juice and let stand while preparing the sauce.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over moderate heat, and saute the onion, scallions, and garlic for 3 minutes, until limp. Add the tomato puree and wine and simmer for 15 minutes.
In a separate pan, melt the butter and saute the shrimp for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ouzo or brandy and ignite it carefully, shaking the pan gently until the flame dies down. Add the oregano and parsley and toss to combine.
Place the shrimp in the bottom of a 2 quart (2 L) ovenproof dish, along with the juices from the pan. Pour the tomato sauce over the shrimp, and top with the feta cheese. Bake in a preheated 375F (190C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Serves 4 to 6.

MMMmonday - Rosemary Skewered Scallops

This is another great recipe from my favorite Chef - Joe from wwrecipes.com.  The rosemary skewers also work on shrimp, chicken and more... the sky is the limit!

Rosemary-Skewered Scallops (Serves 4 to 6.)

1 1/2 - 2 lbs (675 - 900 g) large sea scallops
3 Tbs (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup (60 ml) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 - 6 branches of fresh rosemary, each about
6 inches (15 cm) long

Toss the scallops with the olive oil, season them with salt and pepper, and sprinkle them with the Parmesan cheese.
Strip the leaves off the rosemary branches, leaving only about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of leaves at the tip.
Skewer the scallops onto the branches - it may help to form a sharp point on the tips of the
branches by cutting them at an angle.
Grill directly over hot coals or under a preheated broiler for a total of 3 to 4 minutes,
turning them halfway through the grilling time.

Shopping tip: When you are looking for fresh scallops, you don't want to buy them if they are sitting in a murky/milky liquid or, like any seafood, smell seafoody... fresh scallops should have a very mildly salty smell and if there is any liquid present it should be clear...

MMMmonday - White Bean and Tuna Salad

Wayne is changing his diet to eat more fish, so I am trying to find some great lunch options for us and this is one of my new faves because it is quick and easy, beautiful and oh so tasty!

White Bean and Tuna Salad

1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs (30 ml) lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cans (15 oz, 420 g each) cannellini or other white beans such as white kidney, Great Northern, or navy beans, rinsed and drained
2 scallions (spring onions, green and white parts, chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 7-ounce (195 g) can tuna

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and pour over the drained beans. Add the scallions and parsley and toss gently. Break the tuna into chunks and arrange on top of the beans. Serve at room temperature. Serves 4 to 6.

MMMmonday - Citrus Shrimp Salad

This is an easy, refreshing salad that makes a great statement!

Citrus Shrimp Salad

2 oranges
1 grapefruit
1 ripe avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
1 lb (450 g) cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined if necessary, and coarsely chopped if large
Chopped lettuce for garnish

For the dressing:
1 cup (250 ml) sour cream (or yogurt)
3 Tbs (45 ml) orange and grapefruit juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Peel the oranges and grapefruit and cut out sections over a bowl to collect the juices. Arrange the citrus sections, avocado slices, and shrimp attractively on a bed of chopped lettuce.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients using the juice collected from sectioning the fruit and drizzle over the salad.
Serves 4 to 6.

Alternative idea: If you chop everything a little more finely you can also make yummy citrus shrimp lettuce wraps - just combine the ingredients and place a heaping tablespoon full on a large lettuce leaf and roll! You can drizzle a little extra dressing over the rolls if you desire

Other alternatives: Although it is citrus flavored, I've also added blueberries and strawberries in season.  If you want some crunch and a little extra kick I've also added diced bell peppers.

Musco Family Olives Review and Giveaway!

I received a really yummy box of treats to sample when I got home from vacation and I've been savoring them and enjoying the whole samoler from Musco Family Olives

About Musco:

Olives are the only thing Musco makes, so they put their all into making your experience with olives one to remember!  For 90 years, since the founder arrived in America with plans to start an Italian Food Distributorship, through striking out into the California Olive market to today where over 500 growers, 350 employees, and countless vendors and business partners are part of the Musco family tree, the Musco Family story has been one of striving for Olive perfection!

Most recently they've introduced two new types of olives:

·             Fresh Cured 

Olives – hand-picked, then cured immediately to retain their firm texture and natural color variations.

·             Reduced Salt Olives – large, black pitted olives with 25% less salt and pimiento stuffed manzanillas with 75% less salt than their traditional counterparts!

My favorite olives are the Pearls Reduced Salt Black Olives - they have such a wonderful flavor and they really taste fresh, not briny like some other canned olives I've tried!

I also found some fabulous recipes!  I took a look through their site and found a great Tortellini Salad recipe that I adapted to show off some of the olives I was sent:

Tortellini Salad

2 lbs ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 lb cheese tortellini, cooked until tender but firm, rinsed with cold water
1-16oz. jar artichoke hearts, marinated, drained, quartered
1/2 cup  Early California Reduced Salt Black Olives™, whole
3 Tbsp capers, drained
40 basil leaves, torn into pieces
2-3 drops balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 oz. Parmesan cheese, shaved
Salt and pepper to taste

To Prepare Salad:

1. Toss together in a large bowl: tortellini, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, capers and basil.
2. Season with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper.
3. Let cool completely.
4. Add Infusions Olives™ and shaved Parmesan. Toss again.
5.  Serve.

One lucky Acting Balanced winner is going to win the same package that I got!  And three more will receive runner up prizes of free product coupons!

*Musco Family Olive Co. Sampler includes:

MMMmonday - Mussels Stew

It's been a really long time since I posted a MMMmonday post, partly because while I was away in Canada I wasn't doing much cooking and now that we're back, I've been sadly neglecting my family and making lots of mid-summer easy fix things that really aren't recipes per say... I'm going to try and make an effort to get back into the swing of things... so without further ado...

This week's MMMmonday recipe is still quick and easy - but oh so good!

Mussels Stew

MMMmonday: Curried Chicken and Mango Salad

I love how this recipe combines sweet and spicy with something so traditional - Chicken Salad! This is perfect as a stand alone salad, as filling in a sandwich and my personal fave way to serve this is as filling in a lettuce wrap!  I got this recipe from my favorite source... Joe, the Chef at wwrecipes.com

Curried Chicken and Mango Salad

MMMmonday - Summer Fruit Chilled Soup

I went to lunch with a fabulous person that I connected with at Reviewer's Retreat today, and our conversation got me thinking about summer soup... and while it isn't terribly hot here in Charlotte, I started dreaming about chilled soup, so I thought I'd share this fabulous recipe with you! The most important ingredient of this soup is the the fruit. Use only perfectly ripe fruit, and substitute any fruits that are less than perfect.

Summer Fruit Chilled Soup

MMMmonday: Greek Shrimp with Feta Cheese

This is one of those yummy dishes that will make company think you've been slaving away for hours but is really quick and easy to prepare and oh so yummy!  Plus... it's got Feta cheese in it, so it has to be fabulous, right?


Greek Shrimp with Feta Cheese (Serves 4 to 6)

MMMmonday - Potato and Goat Cheese Galette

If you are looking for a great way to perk up a meal either as a starter or as a side, you're definitely going to want to check out these fabulous little potato cakes!


Potato and Goat Cheese Galette