Dana Marton’s Tall, Dark and Cool as a Cucumber Salad

I’m happy to introduce my good friend Dana Marton, author of fast-paced, adventurous stories of romantic suspense. Dana’s latest book, GUARDIAN AGENT, takes readers to the dangerous nighttime canals of Venice, Italy, where hero Gabe Cannon is part of an elite covert ops group tasked with bringing in a rogue agent. But when Gabe gets orders to shoot to kill his former friend, he goes rogue, too, to protect the former agent and his friend’s beautiful younger sister.

Read a free excerpt of GUARDIAN AGENT at www.danamarton.com!

Three random questions for Dana Marton

Did you ever have a crush on a teacher or another inappropriate adult? If so, who knew about your crush?
I had a huge crush on my history teacher in high school. He looked like Antonio Banderas. I always made sure to get As in his class :-) As far as who knew about it.... I'm afraid, pretty much all the other students did. I was not very good at disquising my teenage crush.

Where did you and your husband go on your first date?
Perkin's. We lived in a very small town so choices were limited to the extreme. But by the end of dinner he knew I was the one. (He says.) Once when I was overcome by skepticism, I asked him if it was such a momentous occasion for him, does he remember what I wore. I totally didn't expect him to, but he remembered everything to the last detail after 15+ years.

What is something silly you’ve done when playing Truth or Dare?
Ride on the hood of a car, hanging on to the windshield wiper while someone drove it around the parking lot. I was young and very stupid. Do not try this under any circumstances!!!

And one not-so-random question

What makes Gabe, the hero of your latest book, GUARDIAN AGENT, so delicious?
He's tall, dark and hot. And nice. He just has the most amazing heart. On the outside, he's this tough commando soldier with a dark past, but when things come down to the wire, he always does the right thing. He is the type of man who would put his life at risk for a stranger. If you're ever in real deep trouble (as in mercenaries with a kill order are chasing you accross the rooftops of Europe to take you down), he is the guy you'd want by your side.

Recipe: Tall, Dark and Cool as a Cucumber Salad

—a story of summer love for the kitchen, the back yard BBQ and the picnic park—
He stood tall, dark and cool. His very name made her tremble with desire: Sir Cucumber. She rolled with grace, a curvaceous redhead. Lady Tomato.

“Juicy,” he thought the first time he saw her.

But Odorous Onion stood between them.

Their fight shook the garden. Swords flashed. Endless cuts on both sides. Courage and despair. Their grunts peppered the air. As well as Odorous Onion’s salty language, which made Miss Tomato gasp.

“You will be mine, you zesty wench,” Onion threatened.

“I’d rather drink vinegar,” she tossed back.

“She’s my love, my life, my everything!” With that shout, Cucumber surged forward and cut Odorous Onion down where he stood, vanquishing his archenemy at last.

“My Kingdom is yours, Lady Tomato,” the gallant prince kneeled in front of his love at last. “Please come with me to my castle of Mayonnaise.”

She gave him a serene smile. “I do think our flavors will blend beautifully, fair Prince,” she agreed before he kissed her.
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Cast of characters: 2 cucumbers, 2 medium tomatoes, ½ red onion, pinch of salt, pinch of ground black pepper, 1 tbsp white vinegar, 3 tbsp mayonnaise.

Synopsis: Cut cucumbers, tomatoes and onion into thin slices then mix in with salt, pepper, vinegar and mayonnaise. Cover and chill in fridge for an hour.

Genre: Cucumber Salad

Potluck Pleaser: Cauliflower-Crab Salad with Cilantro-Lime Mayonnaise

You can get a printable version of this recipe and many more at www.susanmallery.com/recipes.php!

This is the most beautiful time of year in Seattle. However reluctantly, summer has finally arrived. Because of the rain we get through much of the year, everything is green and lush, and now that the sun comes out to play every day, the colors are so vibrant that you can lose yourself in them. Every June, I am awed again by the infinite shades of green that are possible in nature.

To me, summertime is made for salads. One of my favorites was always crab pasta salad, but “pasta” and “swimsuit season” should not be used in the same sentence. I asked myself what could substitute for pasta to make a low-carb version of the delicious side. I decided to try it with steamed cauliflower.

Instant success.

This is a healthy, relatively light, low carb salad that tastes amazing. Because I needed to use enough other ingredients to balance out an entire head of cauliflower, this made enough salad to feed an entire softball team. If you’re bringing it to a potluck, make the recipe as shown. If you’re making it for your family and don’t want a ton of leftovers, I suggest you cut the recipe in half.

Recipe: Cauliflower-Crab Salad with Cilantro-Lime Mayonnaise

1 head of cauliflower
2-3 pounds of imitation crab
1 lb bag of frozen peas, thawed
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
½ C onion, diced
Dressing:
2 C low fat or fat-free mayonnaise
1 ½ C fresh cilantro, minced
1 T lime juice
1 t soy sauce
1 packet Splenda (or ½ t sugar)
Lime zest to taste

Cut the cauliflower into small chunks and steam until crisp-tender, about 10-12 minutes. If you don’t have a steamer, you can put them in a microwave with a little water. Microwave a minute or two at a time until the cauliflower reaches the desired texture. Cool to room temperature.

Put the cauliflower and remaining salad ingredients in a large bowl. Stir together the dressing ingredients, then fold gently into the salad to get everything coated. I used about ½ t of lime zest to give the dressing a nice limey bite.

Tomato-Basil Salad with Molasses Vinaigrette

You can get a printable version of this recipe at www.susanmallery.com/recipes.php - plus lots more free recipes!

Summer has been slow to come to Seattle this year, as it is every year. While other parts of the country talk about trips to the beach, we crane our necks looking for a hint of sun peeking from between the clouds.

Seattle finally got a little bit of sun this week, and it’s thanks to me. (You’re welcome.) This weekend, I decided that summer needed a little encouragement, so I came up with a recipe for Tomato-Basil Salad with Molasses Vinaigrette. Summer in a bowl.

I had never even heard of molasses vinaigrette before. I have since found some recipes online, so clearly I wasn’t the first person to think of this delicious combination. The vinaigrette has a slightly smoky flavor. One website said it tastes great on spinach salad, and that sounds true to me.

Recipe: Tomato-Basil Salad with Molasses Vinaigrette

2 cups of tomatoes, sliced into one-inch pieces
½ C sweet onion, quartered and sliced
¼ C fresh basil, sliced

Molasses Vinaigrette:
3 T red wine vinegar
1 T olive oil
1 ½ t molasses
1 clove garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Put the tomatoes, onions, and basil in a bowl. Combine the vinaigrette ingredients, then pour over the vegetables. Toss lightly to coat. Allow to marinate for at least half an hour. Serve cold or at room temperature.