Skillet Beef Stroganoff

Although I’m not a fan of the shortening days of Autumn, there is one thing I love about this time of year – the food. With the cooler temperatures, cooking inside no longer makes me feel like I’m fighting the air conditioning, wasting energy.

I’ve been in the mood for beef stew, but I spent the day writing and didn’t have time to put together a stew. So I decided to come up with something that I could make on the stovetop in half an hour, that would give me the same hearty pleasure. I came up with this easy recipe for Skillet Beef Stroganoff. From start to finish, 30 minutes… and a delicious Autumn treat!

Recipe: Skillet Beef Stroganoff

1 lb beef sirloin, sliced thin and cut into two-inch pieces
3 T flour
½ t black pepper
½ t salt
½ t ground mustard
2 T vegetable oil
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 C beef broth
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1 C sour cream

Put the flour, pepper, salt, and ground mustard into a large Ziploc bag. Mix well. Add the beef and toss to coat. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Sauté the mushrooms, onion, pepper, and garlic for five minutes. Add the floured beef. Stir frequently. Once the beef is brown, add the broth a little bit at a time, stirring well, then add the Worcestershire sauce. Stir frequently, breaking up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Heat to boiling, then simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

The Best Chicken Noodle Soup Ever from Christine Rimmer

Today, I'd like to welcome my good friend Christine Rimmer, who is one of my favorite Special Edition authors - and one of my favorite people! Christine's latest book is THE PRINCE'S SECRET BABY. The title makes me all quivery because I adore a royalty story, and I adore a secret baby story. This book has both, told in the heart-tugging, emotional way that only Christine Rimmer can tell it.

Christine is going to share her recipe for the Best Chicken Noodle Soup Ever, but first...

Three Random Questions for Christine Rimmer

What is one thing you love about yourself?
My vivid imagination. Luckily, I became a writer. I could have gotten into all kinds of trouble otherwise.

Besides the grocery store, where do you shop most often?
I love the farmer's markets we have all over my new hometown of Portland, Oregon. You never know what you might find there. The best goat cheese you ever tasted, a terrific homemade hummus. The possibilities are endless. I also like our local natural foods chain, New Seasons Market. New Seasons has a great deli. And they make an effort to provide quality local organic meats and produce. And some really good, reasonably price wines, as well.

In THE PRINCE'S SECRET BABY, Prince Rule Bravo-Calabretti visits Dallas to meet the mother of his toddler son. How did Sydney become his baby’s mother if she’s never met Rule before?
I love this question. But I'm not going to answer it. Because I think it's better for readers to discover the answer in the book. To tell would definitely be spoilerish. But I promise, there is a valid reason that she has his baby without knowing that he is her child's father--and Rule's decision to hide the truth eventually gets him into some seriously hot water with Sydney.

Recipe: Best Chicken Noodle Soup Ever

I know, I know. We all think of chicken soup as a winter thing. But I like it in April, too. I like it year-round. Especially this recipe. It essentially takes two days—because you have to make the broth first and then cool it to skim off the fat. But it really is a simple process. And it is soooo good. Enjoy!
--Christine Rimmer , www.ChristineRimmer.com

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 medium carrots sliced into quarter-inch rounds
3 celery stalks, CUT into quarter-inch slices
1 (5 ½ to 7-pound) chicken
2 quarts chicken broth
Up to 1 quart cold water
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme
5 sprigs fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups egg noodles
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Cut the chicken into 8 pieces. (Yes, you can buy an already cut-up chicken. Just be sure it still has bones and skin and don’t cut off any extra fat. The fat adds flavor and then you skim it away later.) And of course, always be careful to wash hands, cutting tools and surfaces thoroughly after handling poultry.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a stockpot. Add onions, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring often, until soft, approximately 10 minutes.

Add the chicken pieces to the sautéed veggies and pour in the broth. Add enough cold water to cover veggies and chicken by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat and skim off the foam that rises to the surface. Add the parsley, thyme and bay leaf (You will remove these later, so if you tie them together or bag them in culinary cheesecloth, removal is easier). Reduce heat to low and simmer until the chicken is very tender, about 2 hours. (I put the lid on for this. My mother always simmered the soup uncovered. Your choice).

Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove and discard parsley, bay leaf and thyme. Degrease the soup. (If you don’t mind skimming it hot, that’s fine—or if you have one of those fat-separating cups, even better. I like to chill the broth and the chicken overnight and then put the broth in the freezer for a few hours the next morning. The fat is thick and floating by then and easy to spoon off.)

Discard the chicken skin and bones and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. Add the noodles and cook according to instructions on the noodle package (3-10 minutes). Stir the chicken back into the soup, add salt and pepper to taste, serve hot.

The soup will be good refrigerated for four days or so. You can freeze it for up to three months. Makes 12-15 servings

Honey-Wasabi Glazed Salmon or Honey-Mustard Glazed Salmon

My latest book, BAREFOOT SEASON, was released this week. BAREFOOT SEASON is set on Blackberry Island, Washington. As on all islands I’ve ever visited, seafood is a staple on Blackberry Island. I live in Seattle, so seafood is pretty big in my world, too.

One of the things I love about seafood is how fast it cooks. This honey-wasabi glazed salmon is a terrific weeknight meal for busy people. If you can’t find prepared wasabi sauce, or it’s too spicy for you, you can substitute your favorite mustard. From start to finish, it takes about half an hour to get dinner on the table. Tastes great with a light, summery white wine.

Be sure to visit www.blackberryisland.com to read Chapter 1 of BAREFOOT SEASON and to get some fabulous blackberry recipes! If you love salmon as much as I do, try the Blackberry Chipotle Sauce as a glaze for salmon. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m thinking it will be incredible. It’s next on my list!

Recipe: Honey-Wasabi Glazed Salmon or Honey-Mustard Glazed Salmon

½ C honey
2 T prepared Wasabi sauce or spicy mustard
2T soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
½ t fresh ginger, minced
4 salmon fillets, ½ pound each

Preheat the oven to 375. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Warm the honey in the microwave for 10 second increments until it’s runny enough to stir in the other ingredients.

Place the salmon skin-side down on the aluminum foil. Spoon the glaze over the salmon pieces. Bake about 20 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork, brushing with glaze every five minutes.

Guest Author Christine Merrill

I'd like to welcome author Christine Merrill to the blog today! Christine is the author of the fabulous LADY FOLBROKE'S DELICIOUS DECEPTION, which is the first book of the Ladies in Disgrace series from Harlequin Historical. Don't you just love that title? And "Ladies in Disgrace" is such a fun, intriguing name for the series.

Christine has a recipe to share with us, but first...

Three Random Questions for Christine Merrill

With two teenage sons and a husband at home, is it hard for you to find recipes that everyone will like? Or are the men in your house more of the "eat whatever's in front of them" variety?

The town boys have grown and flown the coop. As of this year, I we are officially empty nesters, which is weird. They are in college forty five minutes away, so we see them often.

But while they were here, they would eat almost anything put in front of them. The younger son had a difficult childhood, where he would only eat white things. And he still loves potatoes, rice, and cheese. But I taught him to cook as soon as he was old enough to see over the counter, and we watched a lot of Food Network and Cooking Channel. Alton Brown is great for boys, since he gets into the science of cooking.

And when puberty hit, Giada De Laurentiis and her low cut tops made both sons into foodies.

Generally, all three men of the family have been taught that the first one to complain is going to get stuck cooking. When I go wrong, like the time I made a Christmas goose that looked (and probably tasted) like a burned pterodactyl, everyone suffers in silence. Because, although they have kitchen skills, they are lazy.



St. Patrick's Day is coming up. Any Irish in you? Does your family celebrate St. Patrick's Day by doing anything special?

Not a drop. My relatives are a mix of Polish and German and maiden name is long and unpronounceable. But St Patrick’s Day is my mother’s birthday, and we used to spend it listening to her complain that there was nothing in the restaurants to eat but corned beef and cabbage.

I didn’t discover the corned beef brisket until after I was married. It’s delicious. And since you don’t have to do anything but add vegetables and boil it, it’s my kind of recipe. I make one every year for St Patrick’s Day, while listening to the Drop Kick Murphys.

Your latest book, LADY FOLBROKE'S DELICIOUS DECEPTION, is book 1 of the "Ladies in Disgrace" series of Regency romances. I can't tell you how much I love that series name. Ladies in Disgrace. It makes me feel all quivery with glee. How did you come up with the idea, and in what way is each of your three heroines disgraced?

I have to thank my editor for the trilogy name. She came up with it, and the book titles, since I didn’t realize I was writing a trilogy until after I had finished.

I am not much for long term planning. But things seem to work out in the end. I went from story to story, and they all connected.

In the first book, LADY FOLBROKE'S DELICIOUS DECEPTION, Emily’s husband. Adrian, has gone blind and doesn’t want anyone to know. So he’s abandoned her and is drinking himself to death in London. She tracks him down and has a torrid affair with him, even though he doesn’t recognize her.

The second book is LADY DRUSILLA’S ROAD TO RUIN. Dru is taking the mail coach to Scotland to stop her sister’s elopement. She’s traveling without a chaperone, and ends up hiring John, a character from the first book, who is heartbroken that Emily went back to her husband. They spend a lot of time alone, and of course, one thing leads to another...

The third book is LADY PRISCILLA’S SHAMEFUL SECRET, and is about Dru’s sister, who has ruined herself by eloping with a dancing master. Robert falls for Priss and courts her despite her reputation and the fact that she wants nothing to do with men, ever again.

Recipe: Christine Merrill's Posole

Hi, everybody! And, thanks for having me, Susan.

My first response, on hearing that I could guest on a food blog was to laugh, since people rarely come to my house for the cooking. I tend to prefer my recipes filling, spicy and with minimal preparation and will double and triple the recipe to avoid cooking again the next day. My crock pot is my best friend. But I will throw her over in a heartbeat if anyone suggests we eat out.

But for you, I will cook. And it will not be a St Patrick’s Day corned beef. “Throw a brisket in a pot with water and vegetables” is kind of short for a blog entry.

Instead, let me tell you about Posole.

I am from Wisconsin, and had lived 50 years in ignorance of this wonderfully easy stew. Probably because there is no cheese in it. My ancestors were German and Polish, and judging by the family recipes, they came from a region that invented cream of mushroom soup. My mother viewed all ethnic food with suspicion. If a food had to be seasoned, she encouraged me to use paprika because it ‘had no flavor’.

But last year I was looking for some sort of food appropriate to celebrate Halloween that wasn’t chocolate. Google lead me to Day of the Dead which led me to Mexican food, and a delicious stew that seems to have even more versions than its name has variant spellings (pozolé, pozolli, posole). This is my recipe, if you can call a loose collection of inaccurately measured ingredients a recipe.

All ingredients can be adjusted, for personal taste and availability. But you must have meat, hominy and green chilies.

Two pounds of meat.

Chicken or Pork. For the picture, I used pork, since recipes involving chicken all seemed to have the word “shred.” This was an extra step I was unwilling to take, even with a camera present. I got pork stew meat, already cut up.

One or two onions, chopped.
Garlic: approximately 4 cloves.
Salt, pepper and about 2 tsp of oregano and ½ tsp of cayenne pepper.

Put a little oil in the bottom of a Dutch oven or large kettle, and throw everything in to sauté. When the meat has browned, add:
Chicken broth
Diced canned green chilies.
One large can of hominy (aka white corn).

My proportion on this is usually one small can of chilies for every box of chicken broth, but an extra can of chilies wouldn’t hurt.

Add a bay leaf and ¼ cup of chopped cilantro.

People who hate cilantro are now complaining that I am trying to poison their food. They can add come coriander instead. Or maybe some cumin. Or all of the above. You can put some tomatoes in there, I suppose, if you like tomatoes (I don’t). Or use canned enchilada sauce to replace the chilies. Unlike my mother, I like spices, and am wide open to experimentation in the kitchen.

Leave it simmer, until you are tired of simmering it. An hour or so. Or dump it all in a crock pot and leave it all day. Either way will work.

Serve it in a bowl, garnished with chopped things to throw into it:
Radishes
Lettuce or cabbage
Cilantro
Onion
Lime wedges
Avocado
Jalapeño

And starchy things to sop up the juice:
Tortillas
Rice
Tostada shells
Fried tortilla strips

Choose any or all of the above. At the end of the night throw the left over garnishes into the pot and stir it all together. It will taste just as good (or better) tomorrow.

Moroccan Eggs ala Sarah Mayberry

If you love Harlequin Superromance as much as I do, you're in for a treat! Today's guest is author Sarah Mayberry, who writes passionate, sophisticated love stories that will absolutely carry you away. Sarah's latest book is MORE THAN ONE NIGHT.

From bed to baby to…bliss?
A chance encounter. A steamy night together. That's all Rhys Walker signs on for when Charlotte "Charlie" Long sashays across his path. Sure, maybe he catches a glimpse of forever in her eyes. But the brush-off note the gorgeous brunette leaves the next morning says it all, doesn't it? Time to move on.

Rhys never expects that moving on actually means reconnecting with Charlie. Or that her big news changes everything. Becoming a father now, under these circumstances, never factored into his plans. Yet he's not as upset as he thought. Because now he has the opportunity to explore that glimpse of forever…and turn it into reality.

Three Random Questions for Sarah Mayberry

On your website, www.sarahmayberry.com, you mention having worked in television for the Australian drama Neighbours. How do you think that job made you a better storyteller? Have you ever used your background knowledge of the television industry in a book?
Definitely working in TV has made me a better storyteller. The soap opera I worked on, Neighbours, is on five nights a week. Every week, we were plotting more than 100 scenes of (hopefully) emotional drama. Shaping ideas and seeing them executed taught me an enormous amount about story structure. I have used my "insider knowledge" as the background for my Blaze trilogy, Secret Lives of Daytime Divas (Take On Me, All Over You, Hot For Him). They were set on a soap opera in LA and were enormous fun to write.

Cooking is one of your passions. Share a cooking-related memory from childhood.
This is a negative cooking story. My mother (bless her!) was never fond of cooking so we grew up on meat and three vegetables. Invariably the vegetables were boiled until they were pastel colored and mushy. Horrible stuff. I had a whole coterie of tricks to avoid eating them. I think her indifference to food inspired a love of cooking in me. Whatever the reason, I love to cook for friends and family now. It's one of my favorite things.

The heroine of your latest book for Super, MORE THAN ONE NIGHT, is just out of the military, in charge of her own destiny for the first time in her life, when she finds herself pregnant after one romantic night with a take-charge business executive. Sounds like a recipe for some head-on conflict. How does Charlie feel about her unexpected pregnancy, and how does Rhys feel when he first finds out that he’s about to become a father?
Charlie is stunned to find out she's pregnant. It's not part of her life plan at all! But after initial shock and some soul searching, she decides she would be a good mother and she decides to keep the baby. Which means she needs to track down the father, a man she spent one wild, passionate night with, then left the following morning (for reasons which are explored in the book!). Rhys is a guy on the move. He's got a burgeoning IT company and he's just landed a huge contract - the sky's the limit. He has all these plans - and they come crashing down when Charlie turns up on his doorstep to tell him he's going to be a father, whether he planned for it or not. His first - very human - reaction, is to be angry. But then he warms to the idea - and, of course, to Charlie, who has haunted him since that one night they had together.

Recipe: Moroccan Eggs

Serves 2 - 3
1 can brown lentils (400g/ 14oz)
1 table spoon butter
1 table spoon olive oil
1 table spoon ground cumin
sprinkle of smoked paprika
6 eggs
1 - 2 tomatoes, chopped
Fresh coriander, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Bread of your choice, toasted

Drain the lentils and rinse them, then spread them on a non-stick tray or baking paper and dry them in the oven for 10 minutes at 200 degrees. They need to be dry enough that they will absorb the spices and oil during the next step of cooking.

Melt the butter in a medium-sized frypan with the olive oil. Add the dried lentils and cumin. Fry for 1 - 2 minutes. Turn the heat down, then add all six eggs and sprinkle the chopped tomato over the top. Dust with smoked paprika and season with salt and pepper to your taste.

Place a lid on the frypan and monitor until eggs are cooked to consistency of your choice. Alternatively, place the frypan in the oven and do the same. Once the eggs are cooked, use a spatula to divide into portions and serve on buttered toast or grilled turkish bread. Garnish with a handful of coriander per serve.

You can vary the recipe by including roast garlic at the tomato stage, or try a squeeze of lemon juice before serving. The oven-dried lentils are deliciously crunchy after being fried. We have this for breakfast, lunch and dinner - basically, whenever the mood strikes.

Citrus Shrimp with Pasta

A printable version of this recipe and lots more are at www.susanmallery.com/recipes.php!

My next book, BAREFOOT SEASON, will be out on March 27. Barefoot Season is the first book of my Blackberry Island series. On every island, seafood is a staple because it’s so readily available. Even on the mainland, shrimp is a great weeknight dinner. First of all, it’s delicious. And second, it goes from raw to cooked in five minutes. (From raw to over-cooked in six… oops!) This recipe takes about twice that long because of prep time… a little longer than that, when you factor in the time it takes to boil the water for the pasta. From start to finish, less than 20 minutes, and it’s impressive enough for company.

Next time, I’m going to make the sauce as a marinade for the shrimp, then cook the shrimp on skewers. I’m going to serve it as an appetizer, without all the carbs from the pasta. I bet it would be delicious cold in a salad, too. Maybe spinach with actual chunks of citrus. See, the shrimp was so delicious that I’m already thinking about making it again!

Recipe: Citrus Shrimp with Pasta

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and de-veined.

½ C olive oil
¼ C parmesan cheese
¼ C pine nuts + 2 T, divided
½ C fresh parsley, loosely packed
Juice of one orange
Juice of one lemon
Zest of half the orange
Zest of the lemon
1 dried red pepper, or ½ t red pepper flakes
½ t salt
¼ t black pepper
1 lb dried pasta (I used spaghetti)

Leave the shrimp in the refrigerator until just before you put it in the pan.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. While it’s cooking, combine the olive oil, cheese, ¼ C of pine nuts, and the parsley through pepper in a food processor. Pulse several times, until combined. Heat a large, deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the citrus sauce. Once it’s simmering, add the shrimp and simmer until it’s no longer translucent, about five minutes.

Drain the noodles. Toss with shrimp, sauce, and remaining pine nuts.

Make-Ahead Berry French Toast Casserole

2012 is going to be a big year for me. In addition to putting out four brand new Fool’s Gold books plus one Fool’s Gold novella, I’m launching a new series set on fictional Blackberry Island, Washington. The first Blackberry Island novel will be BAREFOOT SEASON, which will be released on March 27. BAREFOOT SEASON is available for pre-order now. Here are a couple of places where you can pre-order it: Barefoot Season from Amazon | Barefoot Season from Barnes & Noble.

As we speak, my webmaster is hard at work on www.blackberryisland.com. The website will have a free excerpt of the book, the bookclub discussion guide, a map of the island, pictures, a little history of the island, and lots of delicious, original blackberry recipes. (You don’t want to miss my Blackberry Chipotle Sauce, which is shockingly delicious.)

I decided to use Christmas as an excuse to come up with one more delicious blackberry recipe, though this time I mixed it up a bit with other berries, as well. I prepared the casserole on Christmas Eve and put it in the fridge. On Christmas morning, I popped it in the oven, and it cooked while we had a relaxing cup of coffee and opened presents. I thought about waiting to share it but then realized that you might like to have the recipe for a late brunch on New Year’s Day.

You'll find a printable version of this recipe at SusanMallery.com/recipes.php.

Recipe: Make-Ahead Berry French Toast Casserole

1 loaf of French bread
8 eggs
1 C buttermilk
½ t cinnamon
1 T sugar
¼ t salt
1 3-oz package of cream cheese
1 16-oz bag of mixed berries, divided
½ C corn syrup

Cut the French bread into 1-inch chunks and place in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs through salt. Pour over the French bread and toss to coat thoroughly. Spray a 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Add half of the bread. Dot with half of the cream cheese and a quarter-cup of berries. Add the remaining bread and dot with the remaining cream cheese and a quarter-cup of berries. Refrigerate overnight.

Put the remaining berries and juices in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan with the corn syrup. Heat to a simmer, stirring constantly. Continue to simmer until the mixture is thickened. I did this the night before as well, so it only had to be warmed up in the morning.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the casserole for about 30 minutes, until browned on the top and firm in the center. Serve with syrup.

Mushroom Gravy over Slow Cooked Roast Beast... er, Beef

Download a free, printable version of this and many other recipes at www.susanmallery.com/recipes.php!

I’ve made roast beef in the slow cooker before (Slow Cooked Beef with Garlic and Red Wine, Slow Cooker Cheesy Beef, and Slow Cooker Java Roast, but this time, I decided to put the focus on the gravy. Could I come up with a delicious, hearty gravy using juices from the slow cooker? The answer is yes! And best of all, there are lots of chopped mushrooms in the gravy, which means you don’t have to worry about lumps. It’s supposed to be lumpy!

I decided to skip my usual step of searing the beef in a cast iron pan before putting it in the slow cooker. I wanted to see if it really made a difference. Honestly, I couldn’t tell the difference at all. Certainly not enough to warrant the extra dish washing. So there was no fussing at all in the pre-cooking stage, but because of the gravy, there was a slight amount of fussing afterward. I’d say it took 30 minutes from the time I removed the beef from the slow cooker until we were eating it – although that was partly because I needed to take a picture. And what a festive picture it is! You can see my Christmas tree in the background.

Mushroom Gravy over Slow Cooked Roast Beef

1 4-pound roast beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 envelope onion soup mix
2 t Worcestershire sauce
3 cloves garlic
1 medium onion, sliced thick
8 oz whole mushrooms
Black pepper to taste
2 T vegetable oil
2 T flour

Place the onion slices on the bottom of the slow cooker, and put the roast on top of them. Mix together the soup, soup mix, and Worcestershire sauce. Spread over the beef. Toss the mushrooms and garlic on top of everything. Sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper. Cover and cook on low heat for about 8 hours.

Remove the roast from the slow cooker and set aside. Remove the mushrooms to a cutting board and mince. Pour the liquid through a strainer. You’ll need 2 to 2 ½ cups of liquid. If you don’t have enough, supplement with water or beef broth.

In a small, heavy-bottomed sauce pan, heat the oil. Toss in the flour and stir to coat. In small increments, add 2 cups of beefy liquid, stirring well to break up the flour. Heat to a simmer, stirring frequently. Once the gravy is thickened, add the minced mushrooms. If the gravy is too thick, add more beefy liquid in small increments until the consistency is what you like. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Cheaters Chicken Stroganoff from Laura Marie Altom

Welcome to Laura Marie Altom, whose latest book is A BABY IN HIS STOCKING, a heartwarming Christmas romance. (How cute is that cover and title?!) In a moment, Laura Marie is going to share an incredibly heartwarming Christmas story from her own life. Seriously, it's going to melt your heart. But first, here's a little bit about A BABY IN HIS STOCKING:

Wyatt Buckhorn is only a pal. If sharing scorching kisses that leave a woman feeble-brained means they're pals! But that's all the oilman-slash-rancher can be to Natalie Lewis. Five months pregnant and jilted, Natalie refuses to trust any man, least of all a man who is the definition of playboy. Throw in that every run-in turns into a fiery encounter, and "just friends" gets complicated. Which is a shame, because Natalie's life is messy enough.

Besides, she knows Wyatt's secret--he's sterile, and so enforces a strict kid-free rule. But when circumstances have them caring for a whole clan of Buckhorn youngsters over the holidays, Natalie sees a side of Wyatt that's definitely kid-friendly. Weakening defenses, and even weaker knees, have Natalie determined to destroy Wyatt's anti-family policy . . . before he leaves town for good.

A Chat with Laura Marie Altom

Share a special holiday memory with us.

When our boy/girl twins were high school freshmen, our son asked if a friend could stay with us for two weeks. His mother had just been evicted and he had nowhere to go. Of course, we welcomed him into our home. He was skinny and literally had nothing except the clothes on his back and a few extra, threadbare shirts. Two weeks flew by and Russell grew more at ease in our home. When the time came for his mother to get him, he became sullen. Only she didn't come.

Months passed and she still hadn't picked up her child. By this time, I was mad. How could a mother do this to her kid? My husband and I called a family meeting and had a talk with our twins about how they wanted to proceed. Would they be okay with us claiming Russell as our own? They agreed and we hired a family law attorney. Russell's mother finally made an appearance--in court. With a simple signature, Russell officially became our son.

We wanted that year's Christmas to be extra special. What could we possibly give Russell to show him how much he'd grown to mean to us, and how permanent his new home was? We decided to give him a kitten, but that was easier said than done! You would think in a town the size of Tulsa, Christmas kittens are easy to find--wrong! LOL!! Hubby and I drove for an entire day to pick just the right kitty.

For two days, our dogs pitching a fit, we hid the kitten in the master bedroom. Keeping the secret was so much fun, and when it came time for Russell to be given the coveted last gift of Christmas morning, we placed Foxy in his arms. That was such a special year. We take for granted how blessed we are to have the basics, but seeing our lives through Russell's eyes, everything felt new.

Russell and our twins are now college sophomores. Like any family, we've had our share of emotional ups and downs. With Christmas 2011 fast approaching, I'm excited to put all of the year's worries aside to instead focus on what's truly important--family.

These are pics of Foxy then and 23lb Foxy now!! She dwarfs our Yorkie, Daisy!!

If you were to win an all-expenses paid vacation, where would you like to go?
Bora Bora!!! I have a serious thing for palm trees, and that crazy aqua-colored water you only see in the tropics. My idea of the perfect day would be exploring some isolated cove, snorkling and lounging and maybe picking up a few shells. If a hunky waiter wanted to bring fancy umbrella drinks, that would be great, too!!

Your parents sent you to a dude ranch when you were a kid. Did that experience inspire your Buckhorns series?
Hmm, wish I had some great romantic tie-in, but nope, the Buckhorn Ranch is WAY ritzier than the place I stayed!! LOL!! I do have magical memories, though. Learning to barrel race, escaping our cabin in the middle of the night to stare up at the stars, jumping into the pool on sweltering Oklahoma summer afternoons. Dude ranch was the best!!

Cheaters Chicken Stroganoff

Since Hubby's an engineer and works a traditional nine-to-five day, I always feel a little guilty for living the writer's lifestyle of lounging in my PJs all day. Sure, I might be typing away, but still, I know I've got it pretty good!! LOL!! As such, I pretty much always have dinner ready for when Hubby gets home. We've been married 22 years, so I guess he likes my cooking!

I loathe following recipes--it's way more fun to just play, so this is my much easier take on a traditional beef stroganoff that usually gets me nice, clean plates. To my way of thinking, that's the best compliment my family can give!!

That said, here are there ingredients. Feel free to add more or less of everything. For me, it's all about personalizing it for your family's tastes.

• Three or four skinless, boneless chicken breasts split and diced into bite-sized cubes • One diced medium sweet onion • 1/3 of a stick of butter. • Salt to taste

Melt butter in a generous skillet, then saute chicken and onion until chicken is cooked. Sprinkle salt over all a few times while stirring.

• 1 can cream of mushroom soup • 1 cup sour cream • 1/4 to 1/2 cup white wine • 1 small can of mushrooms or 1 cup fresh (If using fresh, saute them with the chicken and onions.)

When chicken is cooked, add remaining ingredients and stir. Now's the time to get out your tasting spoon. You might want to add more wine or salt.

I usually pair this with a fresh veggie, or as in the picture, a light spinach side salad. A nice glass of wine is always yummy!! Hope you enjoy!!

Did Laura Marie's adoption story touch your heart? Be sure to post a comment here to let her know. And don't forget to buy A BABY IN HIS STOCKING!

Mac and Cheese ala Marin Thomas Plus Contest!

I'm delighted to welcome Harlequin American Romance author Marin Thomas. Marin's latest book, A RODEO MAN'S PROMISE, is available now. Marin will choose a random commenter today to win a free copy of A RODEO MAN'S PROMISE (US and Canada only). Be sure to post a comment, and then check back tomorrow morning to see if you've won. She will post the winner's name in a comment, along with her email address so you can claim your prize.

Buy from Amazon: A RODEO MAN'S PROMISE

Hot, Young Cowboy...
Winning dominated Riley Fitzgerald’s mind...until the day he met Maria Alvarez. Now, all the rodeo champ can think about is winning Maria’s heart--a task that may be tougher than busting broncs.
Beautiful, Older Teacher...
As a struggling teacher of at-risk teens in an impoverished, gang-infested neighborhood, Maria doesn’t trust the affections of a rich, hot-shot cowboy, especially one who’s ten years her junior. But she can’t deny the attraction between them--and luckily, Riley’s never been one to back down from a challenge.
Is She Out Of Her Mind?
There’s only one thing that’s more important to Riley than earning another world title, and that’s earning Maria’s trust. He’s got one chance to prove to Maria that he’s all the man she’ll ever need, and she’s the only woman he’ll ever want.

Three Random Questions for Author Marin Thomas

Susan: You’ve lived in a lot of different places and recently moved again. What’s the hardest adjustment for you to make when you move to a new state, a new town, a new home?

Marin: New State…Adjusting to a change in political climate…whether it's a red state or blue state every aspect of our lives is affected by the predominant political party of the state we live in….school districts, social programs, taxes, TV news coverage and general laws specific to that state.

New Town…Finding new doctors and dentists.

New Home…Starting from scratch creating that "homey" feel. I hate having to prioritize my wish list of home repairs and makeovers…I want everything done now!

Susan: What’s a non-writing accomplishment that makes you proud?

Marin: My Academic-All American status when I played basketball at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Susan: You write wonderful cowboy heroes, including this month’s A RODEO MAN'S PROMISE. What’s something interesting that happened to you in real life while learning about cowboys and rodeos?

I attended my first rodeo at age 16 in Colorado. I was wowed by the good looking, larger-than-life cowboys strutting their stuff around the arena. My uncle knew the father of one of the bull riders so he took me down to the cowboy-ready area and introduced me to the bull rider. The cowboy grinned, flashing his missing front teeth then dug around in his gear bag until he found his dental bridge. He stuck it in his mouth and said, "There, now I can talk." That took all the romance out of my cowboy fantasies. When I began writing rodeo stories I decided then and there that my cowboy heroes would not be missing any of their pearly whites!

Marin Thomas's Mac and Cheese

1 (12 oz) container cottage cheese
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
4 cups cooked elbow macaroni
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (Sharp or Mild)
½ cup 2% Milk
1 green onion, chopped
½ Teaspoon pepper
½ Teaspoon salt
1 Egg
Topping
½ cup Breadcrumbs
¼ teaspoon paprika

Mix cottage cheese and sour cream in blender until smooth. Combine all ingredients with the noodles and pour into greased baking dish. Mix bread crumbs and paprika, sprinkle on top of casserole then coat top of dish with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 more minutes. Makes 8 servings.

Variations: You can use low-fat dairy products in this recipe and it tastes just as good. For a heartier “crunch” use homemade croutons instead of the bread crumbs. Lightly toast croutons in butter and garlic salt spread over casserole and sprinkle with paprika. My husband loves the flavor of crisply browned croutons as you can see in the photo.

Slow Cooker Java Roast

More free recipes at Susan Mallery's Free Recipes!

ONLY HIS was released last week and, as always on release week, I feel the need to treat myself, more as a distraction than a celebration. As I write this, I’m still waiting to find out whether ONLY HIS will hit the New York Times bestsellers lists as the first two books in the trilogy did, and if so, how high. I live in Seattle, where coffee is worshipped like cats in ancient Egypt. We were the first city in the country to have a Starbucks on every corner, and Seattlites are known to coffee-hop from Starbucks to Starbucks all the way to work. (Okay, I made that up, but we do love our coffee.) So my treat of choice has been Starbucks coffee… which, admittedly, might not be the best way to calm one’s nerves.

I once found a recipe in a Better Homes & Garden cookbook for Secret Ingredient Barbecue Sauce. The secret ingredient was coffee, and it gave the sauce a nice smoky quality. I wondered whether coffee would work with a roast beef in the slow cooker. After all, I’ve heard of (but haven’t tried) roast beefs cooked with a can of Coke, and I thought coffee would have to be better than that.

I whipped out my iPhone and did a quick search, and I discovered several recipes for Slow Cooker Coffee Pot Roast, including this one from Kristen at Dine & Dish, one of my favorite cooking blogs: Slow Cooker Coffee and Garlic Roast Beef. I wanted to give my recipe a unique twist, so I looked around my pantry and came up with two additions I thought would work: coffee liqueur and onion soup mix.

The meat was delicious, infused with just a hint of sweetness from the liqueur, and fall-apart tender. I turned the juices into gravy. Made you want to lick your plate, it was so good.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Java Roast

1 4-5 pound beef roast
6 red potatoes
2 small onions
16 oz whole mushrooms
5 cloves garlic
1 ½ C prepared coffee (I used Hazelnut flavor)
1 envelope onion soup mix
¼ C Kahlua or other coffee flavored liqueur (optional… but it’s really good!)
Black pepper

Brown the beef in a heavy pan on the stove, turning to brown all sides. While it’s browning, cut the onion into thick slices and cover the bottom of the slow cooker with the onions. Place browned beef in the slow cooker. Pile the potatoes and mushrooms around the beef. Toss in the garlic cloves, peeled but left whole.

Mix together the coffee, Kahlua, and onion soup mix. Pour over the beef and vegetables. Pepper the beef and vegetables generously. Cook on low for 8 hours.

For the gravy: Transfer two cups of the liquid to a measuring cup. Allow to sit for a while so the fat rises to the top. Carefully skim 2 T of oil from the top, placing in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat over low heat. Add 2 T of flour to the drippings, stirring well. In small increments, add the liquid, whisking well each time. Once the liquid is all added, continue to heat until the gravy has thickened, stirring occasionally.

Slow Cooker Chicken Potato Pie

Read free excerpts of Susan Mallery books at www.susanmallery.com! (Plus, you’ll find more free recipes there, too.)
Here we go again! ONLY HIS was released yesterday, which gets my emotions all in a tangle. It’s very much like Christmas morning. After you’ve spent months on a handmade gift, you wonder whether your loved one will treasure it. Anticipation and excitement mingle with nervousness as you watch your loved one’s face, interpreting every nuance of expression. Does he love it?
The difference is, of course, that I can’t see readers’ expressions to interpret their reaction to ONLY HIS. I have to rely on the sales numbers for the first week to tell me the story. If readers love Fool’s Gold as much as I do, and if they’ve been eager to get their hands on Nevada Hendrix’s story, I’ll know it because they’ll rush out to buy the book this week. But until I know, all I can do is try not to fret too much. Comfort food helps.
I was in the mood for chicken pot pie, but I wasn’t in the mood to spend all day in the kitchen. So I came up with this recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Potato Pie. It took less than ten minutes to put together, and then I turned on the slow cooker and forgot about it until dinnertime. And it was good!

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Potato Pie

1 lb. uncooked chicken, cubed
1 family-sized can (26 oz) cream of chicken soup
½ C white wine or milk
1 can corn, drained
1 16-oz bag of frozen peas and carrots
1 small onion, chopped
4 oz mushrooms, chopped
1 t dried basil
1 t dried thyme
½ t sage
½ t pepper
3 red potatoes, sliced thin
Put all of the ingredients except the potatoes into the slow cooker. Mix well. Layer the potato slices on top of the chicken mixture. Cook on low heat for 6 hours.

Dana Marton's Stovetop Chicken Casserole

My friend Dana Marton is the author of fabulous romances filled with international intrigue. Her heroes are powerful, dangerous men with hearts of gold and a desire to serve and protect their country, their family... and the women with whom they fall in love.I recently had the pleasure of reading the first two books of Dana's latest ebook trilogy, Agents Under Fire, starting with GUARDIAN AGENT and continuing with AVENGING AGENT. If you love romantic suspense, you must check out these books!

Amazon: GUARDIAN AGENT, AVENGING AGENT
Barnes and Noble: GUARDIAN AGENT, AVENGING AGENT

When she's not writing, Dana uses her creativity in other ways... such as creating this delicious Stovetop Chicken Casserole. Mmmmmm! It looks as creamy and delicious as the heroes in her books. And now here's Dana Marton...

Recipe: Stove Top Chicken Casserole

(As they say, necessity is the mother of invention. I came up with this stove stop recipe when my husband broke my casserole dish, and found that I can make something very similar in less time than it would take in the oven. Which leaves extra time for reading!)

4 chicken breasts chopped into cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 package of your favorite noodles (I used wide egg noodles)
1 can of Cream of Broccoli soup
1 cup of milk
1 package of frozen broccoli
Grated parmesan cheese

Take a large non-stick skillet, add olive oil and chicken. Salt, then cook over medium heat. When the chicken is almost done, add frozen broccoli, soup and milk, and stir well. Cover with lid. While that cooks, prepare and drain noodles. When both the meat and the broccoli are ready, stir in hot noodles. Cook for 5 more minutes without the lid. Serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

Anyhow… that’s what someone watching me would see while I cooked this. Now here is how it goes in my head. Yes, writers’ brains are that weird.

Love is a Complex Dish

(a story of romance and danger)

“Help!” she cried, despair burning through her.

And he was there, once again, to save her.

“Agent Broccoli,” she sighed his name with relief, even as the dancing flames surrounded them. Did this mean that he’d forgiven her?

He cut the ropes that bound her and dragged her out of the smoke-filled Parmesan Pantry, the cheese store that had been in her family for three generations. Then he dragged her into his arms. “I’ll always be there for you.” His seductive voice whispered into her ear. “And not just because you’re a hot chick. I love you.” His olive color eyes darkened as he kissed her.

But, as the last time, a new wave of attack interrupted. He pushed her protectively behind him to face their evil enemy.

He charged at Wide Noodle, fury pushing him forward, his masculine lips twisted into a growl.

Lord, she loved those lips, his wild, full head of hair, those wide shoulders… She loved everything about him.

“I love you!” she called after him, admitting it at last. She was done pushing him away.

He fought with renewed strength, ignoring his injuries, until Noodle lay limp at his feet, begging for mercy.
His reinforcements were arriving by then, and carted the villain off to the Skillet County Jail.

Then it was just the two of them, and she threw himself into his arms, where they finished that kiss at last. Love really was the salt of life, she thought, dazed by the emotions that swirled through her. She knew now that what she had with him was worth fighting for. She was never going to run from love again.

Hope you enjoy both the dish and the story!
Author, Dana Marton
www.danamarton.com

Marinated Steak and Mushroom Fajitas

You can print this recipe – and lots of others – from www.susanmallery.com/recipes.php!

You may have heard that I have a new book out this week. In ONLY YOURS, the second of the Hendrix triplets of Fool’s Gold finds love. (ONLY MINE came out a month ago, and ONLY HIS will be out on September 27.) What you may not know about me is that I am always, always very nervous whenever a new book is released.

You’d think that after more than 100 books being published, I’d be more Zen about the whole process, but you’d be wrong. In fact, I’m probably more nervous now than I was in the early days because the expectations are higher. ONLY MINE hit #10 on the New York Times list. Will ONLY YOURS do as well or better? This month, a lot of big name authors released books on the same day as me, which makes me even more nervous. I know that readers have a limited entertainment budget. Will they choose ONLY YOURS as the book to entertain them this week?

Whenever I’m nervous or stressed, I turn to comfort food which, for me, is any food that’s really delicious. (I don’t want to waste calories on something that’s just okay.) These Marinated Steak and Mushroom Fajitas were very delicious and very comforting… but I’m still nervous.

Recipe: Marinated Steak and Mushroom Fajitas

2 lb steak, raw
8 oz mushrooms, sliced thick
½ small onion, sliced thick
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2 T olive oil
4 oz Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
Flour tortillas

Marinade:
1 ½ C red wine
½ C soy sauce
2 T red wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ C onion, juiced (or minced very small, if you don’t have an onion press)

Lay the steak flat in a glass or ceramic dish. Combine the marinade ingredients and pour over the steak. Marinate for 2-6 hours, flipping the steaks occasionally.

Grill the steaks whole for four minutes per side, then allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. If you’re not in the mood for fajitas, you can eat the steaks on their own. This marinade is easy and truly yummy.
While the steaks are grilling, sauté the mushrooms and onions in olive oil. After ten minutes, add the bell peppers.

Warm the tortillas and assemble the fajitas with a generous helping of each ingredient. Eat while reading ONLY YOURS. Comforting, no?

Garlic Butter Salmon with Teriyaki-Glazed Green Beans

You’ll find more free recipes – and excerpts of my books – at SusanMallery.com!

The hero of my latest book, ONLY MINE, Finn Andersson is a sexy, rugged small airplane pilot from Alaska. When ONLY MINE hit #10 on the New York Times bestsellers list, my friend Marilyn of Marilyn’s Romance Reviews suggested I should celebrate with an Alaskan salmon dinner. What a perfect idea!

Marilyn sent me a recipe for barbecue sauce for salmon, but I wasn’t in the mood for a tomato-based sauce. She also sent me a link to this recipe for Taku Glacier Lodge Salmon Baste. That recipe looked delicious, but I didn’t have any brown sugar on hand. Plus, it was a recipe for 8 salmon fillets, which means I would have to do math to cut the recipe down for me and my husband.

I decided to use the two recipes from Marilyn as inspiration for my own salmon basting sauce. This Garlic Butter Salmon is, if I do say so myself, incredibly delicious! I paired it with Teriyaki-Glazed Green Beans. All in all, a terrific way to celebrate the #10 spot on the New York Times list. Life is good!

Recipe: Garlic Butter Salmon

2 salmon fillets, 1 pound total
¼ C butter
4 cloves garlic
1 t soy sauce
1 t granulated sugar

Cut the butter into chunks and put in a small microwave-safe bowl with the garlic, soy sauce, and sugar. Microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds. Stir well until all the butter is melted.

Preheat the grill. (I use an indoor grill.) Create an aluminum foil boat for each salmon fillet. Brush the bottom of the foil with the butter mixture. Place the salmon on the foil boats and baste with butter. Grill for about ten minutes, basting every two minutes, until salmon flakes easily with a fork.

Recipe: Teriyaki-Glazed Green Beans

1 lb fresh green beans
1 T sesame seeds
1 T sesame oil
1/3 C teriyaki sauce

Place the greens in a large sauté pan with about half a cup of water. Cover. Cook over medium heat until the water is mostly gone, about 5 minutes. While the green beans are cooking, toast the sesame seeds in a small, dry sauté pan. Be careful, the seeds will burn easily.

Uncover the beans. Add the sesame oil to the pan and toss to coat. Cook another 2 minutes. Add the teriyaki sauce and toss to coat. Put on a plate and then sprinkle the beans with the sesame seeds.

Slow-Cooked Honey-Soy Pork and Potatoes

You can print this recipe and lots more at www.susanmallery.com/recipes.php! Last week, I went to Book Expo America in New York. Normally when I go on a trip, I let my husband fend for himself as far as meals. After all, he’s a grown man and perfectly capable of feeding himself. However, this was my second trip in less than a month. I had also traveled to Texas on book tour for ALREADY HOME just two weeks earlier.

Nothing says “I love you” to most men like meat and potatoes. My slow cooker was just the ticket. I could make a pork roast for us to share on Sunday, and he could eat leftovers on Monday and Tuesday. That’s two days’ worth of loving feeling.

Since the roast was in the slow cooker, I had time to pack, unpack, and repack on Sunday as I obsessed about what to wear in New York City, the most fashionable city in the U.S. (I was going to say “in the world,” but that seemed presumptuous. Paris or Milan would likely take top honors. I’ve never been to either; New York is intimidating enough.)

What I love about the slow cooker is that you get the credit for making a home-cooked meal with much less hassle. Throw everything in and then ignore it for eight hours. I did make some gravy right before serving, so that was about ten minutes of work. This meal would be even easier if you made packaged pork gravy. I served the roast with a ready-made salad from the grocery store. Big thumbs-up from the man.

Recipe: Slow-Cooked Honey-Soy Pork and Potatoes

¼ C soy sauce
2 T honey
1 t black pepper
1 pork roast, about 4 pounds
3-4 potatoes, cut into fourths
1 large onion, sliced thick
2 T flour
Salt and pepper

Throw the potatoes and onion slices on the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the pork roast, fat side up, on top of the vegetables. Mix together the soy sauce, honey, and 1 t black pepper. Pour over the roast. Cook on low for 8 hours.

To make the gravy, remove the pork and vegetables to a platter. Pour the liquid through a strainer into a measuring cup. Add enough water to make 2 cups of liquid. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Preheat a heavy-bottomed, small saucepan on medium heat. Skim 2 T of oil from the top of the liquid and heat up in the pan until shiny but not smoking. Sprinkle 2 T of flour on the oil, stir. Add about a quarter-cup of the liquid to the flour mixture. Stir well, getting rid of lumps. Add another quarter-cup of liquid and stir well. Continue until all of the liquid has been added. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Simmer until the gravy is the desired thickness. Salt and pepper to taste.

Oven-Baked Chimichangas with Queso

You can download a printable version of this recipe (and many other delicious recipes) at www.susanmallery.com/recipes.php!

Ever since I started this cooking blog, I have begun to analyze flavors in restaurants. I haven’t decided yet whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. Does it make me enjoy my meal more, or does it distract me from pure pleasure? In any case, when I eat something delicious, I now try to figure out whether I can recreate it at home.

(The answer to that question is often “no.” I’m not what you would call a natural cook.)

Recently, we stopped at a Mexican restaurant we hadn’t tried before, and we both ordered the Chimichanga with Chili con Queso. I thought the Chili con Queso was going to be a red, beefy sauce with some cheese mixed in. Instead, it tasted like queso dip, really delicious.

Chimichangas are fried, but I wanted my home version to be a little bit lighter. (By no means can I call this a “light recipe.” But at least it’s lighter than it would’ve been if I had fried the chimichanga.)

I came close to the deliciousness of the restaurant’s version. This was really tasty, and very easy, too!

Recipe: Oven-Baked Chimichangas with Queso

1 5-oz box of Spanish rice
1 lb ground beef
1 packet of burrito seasoning
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can green chilis, drained
½ C water
Flour tortillas

Queso:
16 oz Velveeta
1 can green chilis
1 t cumin powder


Cook the rice according to the package directions and set aside.

Brown the meat, drain and rinse. Put the meat back into a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the burrito seasoning, beans, 1 can of chilis, and half a cup of water. Simmer until it thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir in the rice.

Preheat the oven to 425. Put a generous amount of beef mixture on each flour tortilla. Roll up the tortillas and tuck the ends under. Spray with cooking spray or brush with a small amount of olive or vegetable oil. Place seam-side down on a pan lined with aluminum foil. Leave plenty of space between each chimichanga so they’ll crisp up. Bake until they’re golden brown and hard to the touch.

While they’re baking, cut the Velveeta into ½-inch chunks and put in a microwave-safe bowl with other queso ingredients. Microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute at a time, stirring each time, until melted. Spoon the queso sauce generously over each chimichanga.

Honey Orange Pork Chops

Print this recipe for free from www.susanmallery.com/recipes.php!

I’m drawn to shiny things – sparkly jewelry, glistening frosting on a chocolate éclair, and the latest, greatest gadgets. That’s why I created the free Susan Mallery app for the iPhone and Android, and that’s why I bought this doohickey when I saw it at Tuesday Morning. A turkey baster with a silicone brush… who could resist such a thing?

Then I faced a dilemma – I had a pretty new basting brush but nothing to baste. That would never do. We were planning on having pork chops on the grill at a friend’s house that evening. (My condo’s HOA frowns on open fire on our balcony.)

I whipped out my phone, did a search for “pork baste,” and used the recipes I found to come up with a recipe all my own. I have to tell you, in all modesty, that this tastes amazing!

If you like to create recipes, too, don’t forget that I’m holding an original recipe contest! Some lucky home cook is going to win $300 to Williams-Sonoma, one of the most fabulous cooking stores on the planet! You can find details about the contest at www.susanmallery.com/ah_main.html.

Recipe: Honey-Orange Pork Chops

Basting sauce:
1 C water
¼ C honey
¼ C mild vinegar – I used rice vinegar
1 T salt
1T Worcestershire sauce
1 t black pepper
1 t orange zest
½ t red pepper flakes

4 thick pork chops
1 whole orange, cut into 4 thick slices

Preheat the grill on high. Put the pork chops on the grill and baste the exposed side every couple of minutes for 8-10 minutes.

Flip the chops over, baste, then put one thick orange slice on each chop. Continue basting frequently while the chops cook.

When the chops reach 150 degrees internal temperature, remove them from the grill and allow them to sit for 5 minutes before serving. Seriously fabulous.

Curry Chicken Enchiladas

ALREADY HOME was released last week, and I’m thrilled to finally get the book into readers’ hands. Jenna, the heroine of ALREADY HOME is a chef who has lost her confidence in the kitchen. Her ex-husband, also a chef, made fun of her every time she tried something innovative, and she began to believe him when he said she had no talent. So she gives up her lifelong dream of being a chef and opens a retail kitchen store in her Texas hometown.


Through the course of the book, she’s challenged in more ways than she can count by the unexpected and unwelcome arrival of her birth mother. Through the turmoil, she rediscovers her love of adventurous cooking. I won’t go into details about how this happens because I don’t want to spoil the surprise. Let me just say there’s a first date involved, with a fabulous, handsome man.

One of Jenna’s innovations is Mexican/Indian fusion cuisine. In the book, she came up with a recipe for Curry Chicken Enchiladas. When I wrote that scene, these enchiladas didn’t exist, but I knew readers would ask me for them. So I came up with this recipe, and I have to say, it turned out even more delicious than I’d hoped! Enjoy!


Click here to read Chapter 1 and 2 of ALREADY HOME for free: www.alreadyhomenovel.com

Recipe: Curry Chicken Enchiladas

3 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced (no seeds for mild, all seeds for hot)
½ t sugar
1 t cumin seed
2 T curry powder
1 bay leaf
½ t grated fresh ginger root
6 oz can of tomato paste
8 oz plain, unsweetened yogurt
½ C canned coconut milk
1 lb cooked chicken, cut into ¼-inch chunks
1 C cooked rice
¼ C cilantro
4 oz can of diced green chilies
4 oz shredded Monterrey jack cheese, divided
8 corn tortillas

Heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion, garlic, and jalapeño until onion is translucent. Add sugar through coconut milk and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside ½ C of the yogurt sauce. To the remaining sauce, add the chicken, rice, cilantro, chilies, and half the cheese.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wrap the tortillas with a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds. Divide the chicken mixture evenly into the corn tortillas and place them seam-side down in a lightly greased 8-inch square pan. Pour the reserved yogurt sauce over the enchiladas. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and cook until the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes.

Serve with naan chips, peach salsa, and spiced chickpeas and tomatoes. More free recipes can be found at www.susanmallery.com/recipes.php.

(Confession: I forgot to take a picture, but the enchiladas looked like this stock photo I bought online. Next time I make them, I’ll get a picture. In the meantime, if you make them, I’d love for you to send a photo to my assistant at jenel@susanmallery.com.)

Slow Cooker Cheesy Beef

Download a printable version of this recipe for free – and lots of other recipes! – at www.susanmallery.com/recipes.php

Everyone knows I’m on a diet. Slow Cooker Cheesy Beef is not diet food. Which is sad for me because it’s really, really delicious, and I could only have a taste. The thing is, my husband’s not on a diet, and I’m a good wife.

Also, not all of my readers are on a diet, and I created the recipes page on my website as a gift for the readers who have been such enthusiastic, wonderful fans. Every month, I get a report from my webmaster that shows me where readers go when they visit SusanMallery.com. The free excerpts of my books are the most popular pages, thank goodness, but the recipes have been a big hit, too. One of the recipes that’s been downloaded the most is for Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes (PDF). So I bought a four-pound chuck roast, brought it home, and thought, “How am I going to make something new and interesting with this in the slow cooker?”

I opened my cabinet, and angels smiled down upon me. There, right at eye level, sat a can of cheddar cheese soup and a box of onion soup mix. Nothing bad could possibly come of that combination! I mixed them together, added a couple spices, then threw them over the beef, onions, and mushrooms in the slow cooker.

The only thing that would’ve made this better would be if I had thrown in some potatoes, too. But I’m a good wife, not a great wife. I couldn’t stand to watch my husband eating potatoes while I denied myself.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Cheesy Beef

1 chuck roast, about 4 pounds
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 packet onion soup mix
1 t dried thyme
1 t black pepper
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
3 T flour
1 C cheddar cheese, shredded
1 C sour cream

Mix together the soup, soup mix, thyme, and pepper. Layer the bottom of the slow cooker with onions and mushrooms, and put beef on top of them. Pour the soup mixture over the beef. Cook on low about 8 hours.

Remove the roast and vegetables from the slow cooker and set aside. Pour 3 cups of the liquid into a saucepan. Discard the rest of the liquid. Heat the liquid to boiling, then add the flour, a little at a time, stirring with a whisk to remove lumps. When it’s nice and thick, stir in the cheddar cheese until it’s melted. Then stir in the sour cream. Return the beef and vegetables to the slow cooker and pour the cheese mixture over it. Cook on low another half hour to an hour.

Don’t forget, ALREADY HOME will be released on March 29!