Author Recipe Celebration 2008

Romance Authors Bring You Their Favorite Recipes

Download These Recipies (Word Document) - updated 10/28/2008

Click on a Recipe For Directions and Author Information

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Marie Haynes - Pumpkin Pie Fudge (page top)

Author Website: http://www.freewebs.com/mariehaynes/

1 ½ cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
½ cup mashed pumpkin – unspiced
2 tablespoons butter
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
1 package vanilla flavored baking chips (12 ounces)
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Lightly grease the sides and bottom of a medium saucepan with putter. Place sugar, milk, pumpkin, butter, salt and spices in pan. Bring mixture to a boil STIRRING CONSTANTLY. Allow to boil for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and add backing chips and marshmallows until melted. Add vanilla.

Pour into an 8-inch square pan, which has been lined with foil and greased. Chill until set. Cut into small squares to serve.  Store in refrigerator.

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RED GARNIER'S Aztec Hot Chocolate (page top)

Author Website: http://www.REDGARNIER.com

In my current WIP, a nomadic tribe called the Fohers have lost their way home. This solid, sturdy, primitive tribe of people was inspired by the Mexican Aztecs, who've always mesmerized me. Aztecs were the first to serve chocolate as a beverage, mixing it with hot chili pepper to make a really spicy drink. I say there's no better way to spend the holidays than cozying up to your loved ones with a cup of hot chocolate steaming between your hands. Make that double hot, if you try this Aztec hot chocolate recipe, which has quickly become a favorite drink of mine!

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups of milk

1/2 vanilla bean, split in half

1 red chili pepper, also split, with the seeds removed

1 cinnamon stick, around 3 to 3.5"

1 1/2 oz chocolate (bittersweet would work best!)

Preparation:

Simmer milk in a saucepan with the vanilla bean, chili, and cinnamon. Heat it for over a minute. Whisk in the grated chocolate, and continue to simmer until the chocolate has melted. Remove from the fire and let it rest for about10 minutes. Then strain out the spices, snatch your favorite cup and your closest darling, then serve. Be sure to cuddle while you enjoy - and be careful, it's HOT!

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Michelle M Pillow’s Magik Bars (page top)

Author Website: http://www.MICHELLEPILLOW.com

These are also called Hello Dollys or Seven Layer Bars and very easy to make in a hurry. If I, a mess in the kitchen, can make them--anyone can!

Michelle M. Pillow

Ingredients:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (or for faster preparation, two pre-made graham cracker pie crust)

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup either white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press into the bottom of an 9x9 inch baking pan. Layer the chocolate chips, whiter chocolate or butterscotch chips, coconut and nuts over the crumbs. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the top. (If using pie crusts, dot butter over the bottom and split ingredients in half per crust)

Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool and cut into squares.

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Deborah Macgillivray’s Selkirk Bannock (page top)

*An alternative to fruitcake that people will adore*

Author Website: http://www.deborahmacgillivray.co.uk

Selkirk Bannock - an alternative to fruitcake that people will adore

This is not like traditional Bannocks, which is an oatcake, but more of a fruitcake. First made in Selkirk, Scotland, it was only served at times of great festivity and was a treasured treat. I have updated a couple ingredients such as using butter flavor Crisco instead of lard!! "Melted fats" just doesn't fit with today's lifestyle!

Ingredients:

1 lb self-rising flour

10 oz raisins

3 1/2 oz sugar

2 oz butter flavor Crisco

2 oz chopped mixed peel (orange/lemon)

1/2 candied cherries

1/2 cup of milk

Quarter ounce dried yeast

A tablespoon of milk and 1/4 cup powdered sugar for a glaze

Step 1:

Add flour and sugar into a bowl, then add the yeast and mix well.

Melt the Crisco in a saucepan on a low heat.

Remove as soon as it is melted.

Warm the milk in another saucepan and then pour it into the Crisco.

Step 2:

Mix flour, sugar, yeast and the melted mix into a smooth dough

Cover the bowl with a warm, damp towel

Let set in a warm location for forty-five minutes. The dough will rise, doubling in size.

Step 3:

Knead the dough (make sure you keep flour on your hands to keep from sticking) for about five minutes.

Add the raisins, cherry and mixed peel, and knead again for another five minutes.

Place the dough in a baking pan (loaf works best) and cover with a plastic (tied at the top, or it might go boom!)

Put in a warm place for twenty minutes and let rise.

Step 4

Remove the pan from the bag and bake in a preheated oven at 350F/an hour.

Step 5

Mix a tablespoon of milk and powdered sugar.

Remove the cake pan from the oven and place on a heat-resistant surface.

Brush the top with the milk and sugar with a pastry brush.

Return the cake pan to the oven (use gloves as it's still hot) and bake for another twenty minutes.

Test with a skewer - if the prongs are wet, continue baking for another ten minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool before removing from pan.

Store in an airtight container

When cool, slice and serve.

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Judi McCoy's Foolproof Hollandaise the easy way (page top)

Author Website: http://www.judimccoy.com

4 eggs (yolks ONLY)

1 stick of real butter

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1-2 dashes of hot sauce

Salt to taste

In a small saucepan, bring butter to a boil. While the butter is heating, add eggs to a food processor. When butter boils (not burned or brown) turn on food processor, whiz egg yolks and slowly add the boiling butter through the feet tube. Continue to process as you add the lemon juice and hot sauce. Taste and add salt if you like. You can also add more lemon juice or hot sauce to taste.

The boiling butter cooks the eggs and the food processor keeps the mixture from curdling or lumping. Pour over any vegetable or fish and enjoy
Judi McCoy

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Sahara Kelly's Maids of Honor (page top)

Author Website: http://www.saharakelly.com
 
While not as traditional in British homes as some other Christmas fare, my mum always makes these on Christmas Eve and somehow the holidays wouldn't seem quite the same without them. They're simple to whip up (although mum made them from scratch back in the day), don't require fancy ingredients and nowadays I make them for my own family on Christmas Eve while listening to Christmas carols! (Your choice of music may vary!)

Ingredients:

Plain pastry --- (purists may make their own. Frozen pie crust pastry is perfectly acceptable)

Your favorite jam/preserve. --- (I like raspberry or apricot - the natural ones without sugar. Tangy flavors work well here)

One box yellow cake mix or other preferred flavor.

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Roll out pastry and cut out small circles with pastry cutter. Line the cups of a 12-cup muffin pan with the pastry, pressing gently into the pan to form a dozen tiny pie crusts. (Grease or spray pan first just to be safe.)

Place one small teaspoon of preserves into the center of the little pies. Don't overdo the preserves, since it will bubble over during cooking if you put too much in.

Make cake batter according to directions, then fill piecrusts to just beneath the rims with about 1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons of the batter. Don't overfill, since the cake batter will rise during baking.

Bake until cake batter has risen, is golden brown, and a toothpick comes out cleanly when inserted. Time varies, so keep an eye on them, but usually about 15 minutes or so. Remove from pans and cool before eating. (Preserves will be HOT! Restrain yourself. They smell wonderful but can burn your tongue right out of the oven!) Arrange on a serving plate with some Christmas sparklies and sit back to wait for the compliments! :)

Makes 1-2 dozen, depending on how much pastry you have. Leftover cake batter - well, is there EVER leftover cake batter? Not in my house. LOL

[This is one of those recipes you can adapt to your own preferences. Try orange marmalade and orange cake mix instead of the ones above. Or perhaps vary the cake mix flavor - lemon cake mix with strawberry jam. They're lovely for a light dessert, with a cup of tea on Christmas afternoon amidst the wrapping paper, or anytime you need a snack! Experiment, create - enjoy!]

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Joy Nash's Ricotta Cheesecake (page top)

Author Website: http://www.joynash.com

This traditional Italian cheesecake was always a big favorite when I was growing up. This is pure comfort food--sweet, delicious and very filling, so remember to cut small slices. It's very easy to make, and kids love to help--they especially love using the crinkly edged pastry cutter to make the lattice strips. It actually tastes the best the day after you make it, so it's a great dessert to make a day before you need it, leaving you with more time for last minute tasks on the day of your party!

USA Today Bestselling Author Joy Nash grew up in a large Italian household and knows that good, home-cooked food equals love. She'd rather give up an arm than stop eating pasta. Joy's current and upcoming releases include Immortals: The Awakening (Dorchester, August 07) and Deep Magic (Dorchester, January 08). For excerpts and a monthly book giveaway contest, please visit www.joynash.com

Ricotta Cheesecake Recipe

Baking Pan: You need a deep dish pie pan for this recipe. I've inherited the pan my mother used exclusively for this recipe: a 2-1/2" deep, 11" round cast aluminum frying pan with the handle broken off! This pan is older than I am; I think it gave up its frying life for a career in baking in the early Fifties. The amounts below are a perfect fit for Mom's old pan. You might have to adjust.
Ingredients

crust: 
3 eggs
½ cup sugar 
1 teaspoon vanilla 
½ cup melted butter or margarine 
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 – 3 cups flour

filling:
3 lbs. ricotta cheese 
6 eggs, separated
¾ cup sugar
2 tablespoon orange or lemon juice (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Crust:
Sift 2 cups flour with baking powder. Beat eggs, sugar, vanilla and butter in a large bowl, then add flour/baking powder mixture. Keep adding extra flour until dough is able to be rolled, but is still soft. Roll crust and press into deep-dish pie pan, reserving some dough for the lattice top crust.

Filling:
Separate eggs. Beat whites until stiff. In a separate bowl, beat yolks, sugar and juice. Add ricotta and mix well. Fold egg whites into mixture with a few stroke and immediately pour into crust.

Lattice:
Roll remaining dough and cut into 10 long strips with a pastry cutter. Weave strips into a lattice in top of the cheesecake, starting with one across the middle. Put the second one across the first one to form an "x". Then alternate adding strips. Perfectionists will want to lift and weave the strips so that they form a perfect basket weave.

Bake:
Cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil so it doesn't get too brown while baking. Bake approx 1 hour at 350 degrees if you have a deep dish pan, or less if your pan is shallower than 2-1/2 inches deep. Just make sure a toothpick comes out clean and the middle doesn't jiggle all over the place. Don't try to cut it when it's hot, or it will be a mess! Let it cool completely and then refrigerate overnight before cutting. Serve cold, and refrigerate any leftovers.

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Lorie O’Clare’s quick and easy fudge! (page top)

Author Website: http://www.lorieoclare.com

(A wonderful urban myth passed down from every chocolate loving mother: "You'll never gain weight eating chocolate if you do it standing up, and while creating the mouth-watering treat! *wink*)

PERFECT FUDGE (for the busy mother who needs her chocolate during the holidays!)

1 bag (2 lbs.) of powdered sugar
1 cup of cocoa
2 sticks of margarine
1/2 cup of milk
1 tbsp vanilla
nuts if you choose

Get a large glass bowl out and dump the bag of powdered sugar in to it. Put two sticks of margarine in to the bowl, and then dump cocoa in to taste (usually one cup). Pour in about half a cup of milk and a bit of vanilla. No need to stir this concoction! Just stick the whole thing in the microwave and nuke until everything is melted. Usually around two minutes depending on your microwave. Then you stir it up easily and of course here is your first chance to taste and risk no calories added to your hips and rear. (See urban myth above!) If you're a bit nutty, toss in some pecans at this point.

Pour smooth mixture into a shallow brownie pan, or small cake pan. (Again tasting sweet chocolate is allowed at this point!) Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Take the fudge out and slice into small squares. (Tasting fudge while standing and slicing is permissible on any diet!) Serve to family and friends who will adore you, and wonder how you have time to make holiday treats with your overwhelming schedule!

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Elaine Lowe Chocolate Trifle (page top)

Author Website: http://elainelowe.livejournal.com/

This recipe is one my mother learned years ago by asking a neighbor at a big block party.  And it's a great dessert for a party, and travels well (if not too far, it needs to be kept reasonably cold in a cooler if driving for more than an hour).  I'm tweaked it over the years and made a million versions depending on the season and the audience, and it's always a winner.  Heck, when I was a teenager, I even got my first marriage proposal from one of my best guy friends, he loved it so much.  I turned him down though...you can't trust people under the influence of chocolate.

1 recipe of chocolate cake, brownies, etc.  This can be a store bought box recipe, or a frozen poundcake, etc (you'll need the oil and eggs to make the box recipe)
1 large box of chocolate pudding mix, cook and serve or instant, your preference (and the milk to make the pudding)
1 pint of heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1-2 cups toffee chips (I just Heath or Skor chips), chocolate chips, chocolate shavings or chopped nuts

Prepare all of the various ingredients, bake the cake or defrost it, make pudding, adding a little extra milk so that it's slightly runny.  In a mixing bowl, pour the cold whipping cream into a cold bowl and whip at medium high to high speed with your mixer for 3-4 minutes.  Add the sugar and the extract, and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.  Do not overbeat, as the whipped cream will fall apart.  If you don't care for whipping your one cream, you can substitute with cool whip (but it tastes better with the real stuff!)

In a large bowl with clear sides so you can show off the lovely layers, crumble 1/3-1/2 of the cake/brownies into a layer on the bottom.  Press flat.  Pour 1/3-1/2 of the pudding over this, spreading it out to cover the whole cake layer.  Then comes about 1/4 of the whipped cream, mostly around the edges, and sprinkle some of your toffee/chips/nuts on top.  Then repeat with cake, pudding whipped cream and topping over and over, till you have 2-3 complete layers.  Keep this in the fridge with plastic wrap covering it until you are ready to serve.  You can make this in the morning before, but the whipped cream tends to run a bit if made more that 12 hours before you plan to serve.

You can make bigger and smaller versions of this, to feed 2-20.  I have versions where I've used vanilla poundcake, banana pudding and fresh strawberries.  Added crushed candy canes for a Christmassy touch.  For Thanksgiving once, I used a ginger spice cake, pumpkin pie filling and the toffee chips and boy that was the best pumpkin pie ever!  Enjoy this easy dessert, and then get back to reading your favorite romance!

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Beth Kery's Bellini, Hot Toddy & Brandy Alexander's (page top)

Thoughts of the Thanksgiving feast usually revolve around succulent turkey and Grandma's stuffing. Your guests might appreciate your culinary endeavors even more greatly however, if you serve them a festive cocktail before the meal or at any other time during busy holiday entertaining.
 
Serving a Thanksgiving brunch? Your guests will feel indulged and special when you present them with this glass of pure ambrosia.
 
***Bellini***
1/2 fresh peach, skinned
1/2 ox. crème de peche
champagne
a dash of peach bitters (optional)
 
Puree the peach in a blender and pour into a champagne flute (should fill about 1/3 to 1/2 of the glass.) Add the crème de peche and bitters. Then top off the rest of the glass with champagne, stirring carefully.
 
Thanksgiving for many of us marks the start of the colder winter months. The following classic recipe will warm up your guests from the inside out. A hot toddy has also long been used as a way to soothe sore throats, colds...or whatever ails you.
 
***Hot Toddy***
 
2 oz. whiskey
5 cloves
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons of honey
3 oz. of hot water
1 cinnamon stick
lemon for garnish
 
Press the cloves into the lemon. Mix ingredients and serve.
 
What should you serve following that feast to surpass all feasts? In the cocktail arena, consider a Brandy Alexander. At first, I thought this traditional cocktail would be too heavy to follow a large meal. But brandy is the ideal aid to digestion.
 
***Brandy Alexander***
2 oz. brandy
1/2 oz. of heavy cream
1/2 oz. of cream de cacao (brown or white)
ice
garnish, grated nutmeg
 
Add ingredients to a shaker. After shaking, strain and pour into a martini glass. Garnish and serve.

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Titania Ladley's FIZZY HOLIDAY PUNCH (page top)

Author Website: http://www.TitaniaLadley.com

This recipe has been in my family for many decades.  No matter who's hosting the party, it's always a part of our family spread of yummies at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve get-togethers.  The bright yellow color and delicious fizz really add pizzazz to the festivities.  For adults-only bashes, you can also spike it with rum and/or vodka to add even more "punch" to this fruity beverage.  ;)  Happy Holidays from erotic romance author Titania Ladley aka Roxana Blaze!

6 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 large can pineapple juice (46oz.)
1/4 cup lemon juice
5 smashed bananas
2 cups orange juice
2-liter bottle of 7-Up or Sprite

Directions:

1)  Boil water and sugar for 2 minutes.

2)  Cool slightly and pour into large punch bowl.

3)  Stir in smashed bananas and all juices.

4)  Freeze for several hours (or overnight) until slushy.

5)  Pour soda over frozen/icy mixture, stir, and allow to sit for an hour or so while guests are arriving.  Serve slushy and enjoy!

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Elaine Lowe's Artichoke Nibbles (page top)

Author Website: http://elainelowe.livejournal.com/

Appetizer:

Artichoke Nibbles (crustless quiche bites)

1/2 onion diced
2 jars marinated artichokes, in oil or water (oil can be used to sauté in later if you wish) drained, rinsed and chopped
½ teaspoon dried herb mix like an Italian mix (or about 1 teaspoon fresh herbs like oregano, savoury, thyme, chopped) –can be omitted
5 eggs
¼ teaspoon cayenne or hot pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup fine bread crumbs
1 to 2 cups of medium to sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (or cheese of your choice)

Chopped Italian parsley (optional)

Oil for sauté and to coat pan

Preheat oven to 350 

Grease a 8 x 8 (or 9 x 13 if doubling) pan with thin layer of vegetable oil.

In a skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of oil and sauté onion over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes.  Then, add the chopped artichokes and dried herbs and sauté until heated through and onion is translucent.  Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the cayenne, salt and bread crumbs.  Add the onion-artichoke mixture and mix thoroughly.  Add the shredded cheese and parsley.  Mixture should be a bit thick.  Pour into prepared pan and bake in over for 30-45 minutes, until top is golden brown.

Allow to cool and cut into small squares.  Serve at room temperature or a bit warmer.

You can replace the artichokes with chopped spinach, broccoli and even add a bit of bacon or ham.  I like the plain artichoke version best.  And doubling the recipe is simple, but you might want to use 9 eggs instead of 10.

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Elaine Lowe's Main Course: Lamb Diablo (page top)

Author Website: http://elainelowe.livejournal.com/

Main course: Lamb Diablo

Many folks find lamb a bit intimidating, but it can be a wonderful everyday dish or a dish for a special occasion.  I've done this dish both with everyday lamb chops and the fancier rack of lamb.  This has a bit of Indian influence, but goes well with American and European flavors as well

Ingredients:

8 to 10 lamb chops or 1 rack of lamb
½ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
4-5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
¼  to 1 tsp cayenne or chili powder (moderate to your desired heat level, I like mine spicy!)
½ tsp black pepper
1 bunch mint leaves (strip leaves off stems) finely chopped
Equipment:
Large shallow bowl or pan for marinating
Large frying pan
Broiling pan
Basting brush
Meat thermometer

The night before or at least 2 hours before you are ready to serve, combine the soy, sugar, garlic, chili powder, black pepper and mint leaves.  Marinade the trimmed chops or rack of lamb in this mixture, turning every so often to ensure complete coverage.

To prepare, heat over to 400 degrees.  In skillet over medium high heat, add a dash of oil and sear the chops or the fatty side of the rack of lamb for 2-3 minutes.  Transfer the meat on to the broiling pan (we aren't going to broil, but this allows the fat to more effectively drip off the meat), and place in the over for approximately half an hour.  Baste with marinade every 10 minutes. Cooking times can vary quite a bit for lamb, so your best bet is to allow at least an hour and check frequently with a thermometer to see that the meat has reached a temperature of 140 degrees.  Remove from oven, cover with foil and allow to rest at least 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

This dish goes very well with classic holiday accompaniments like mashed potatoes and a garlicky spinach sauté, but can be paired with many possibilities, from pasta to polenta, couscous to biriyani.
 

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Elaine Lowe's Beverage: Rose Mojito (page top)

Author Website: http://elainelowe.livejournal.com/

Beverage: Rose Mojito

I love the flavor of rose, though it's not everyone's favorite.  I find it to be intoxicating and romantic, and one of my favorite desserts is a Persian ice cream, fahludeh, made with rose water.  Rose combines in wonderful ways with lime and mint, and it's a delightful twist on the classic mojito.  Using a flavored syrup also makes it unnecessary to try and dissolve raw sugar into the drink!  I get rose syrup at Persian markets, Chinese markets and other specialty markets. 

Here's an internet source: http://www.amazon.com/Monin-Rose-Syrup-750-ml/dp/B000TMKST2/ref=sr_1_1/104-4785386-3920715?ie=UTF8&s=gourmet-food&qid=1189801784&sr=1-1

You can also use other flavored syrups, like strawberry, pomegranate, orange or whatever would pair well with mint.

For one serving:

2 Tbsp of flavored rose syrup, such as Monin or Torani
3 fresh mint leaves
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 ½ oz light rum (optional…it makes a great non-alcoholic drink as well!)

Chilled club soda or sparkling mineral water

In a tall glass, pour syrup and add washes mint leaves.  With a spoon, crush the mint leaves into the syrup, releasing that lovely scent.  Add the lime juice, rum, a couple of ice cubes and top off with mineral water. Refreshing and fun!