#BookQW word is FAMILIAR-- excerpt from #Tirgearr romantic suspense, Unholy Alliance, now just #99cents with a Holiday Recipe-- crab cakes!

Book Quote Wednesday’s word is FAMILIAR. The excerpt below is from book 2 from the Donahue Cousins series, Unholy Alliance, priced just today at 99 cents/pence on Amazon.  

 

 

The scene below takes place when attorney Grady Fletcher arrives at the prison to release Tori Morningstar who was framed for a murder she didn’t commit.  After the excerpt, you’ll find a holiday recipe for Crab Cakes!

Grady slipped papers into the hands of a guard. “Good morning, sir,” he said without another word, signed his clipboard, and rushed to her side. “Tori. It’s okay to speak to reporters.” The whoop-whoop of a hovering helicopter drew attention, and cameramen angled their equipment upward.

Beside him she swallowed hard and took a deep breath. “These reporters helped. I’ll answer questions, but the publicity worries me.” She froze where she stood, aware of the potential dangers ahead.

“I know.” Their gazes collided. Her eyes resembled honey-brown gems. Fine cheekbones, a firm chin, and a mouth he found disturbingly inviting. In the sunlight, her dark hair glowed chestnut. She’d skinned her hair back from her face so tightly, it had to hurt.

Drew Barker pushed his way in front of the others. “Victoria Morningstar.” The reporter in his sixties, with a round, open face and wide eyes lent an expression of constant surprise. “Can you tell us what happened the night you were arrested?” He held a microphone close to her face.

“Go ahead. Talk to him, Tori,” Grady whispered.

She stood like a brittle statue. . "My cousin and I were having dinner on the Long Beach waterfront. Rhubarb and Ginger, we went there a lot. Seamus McGinn and Timothy Noonan must have tailed us. They’re from Cobh, County Cork." Her words came out in a robotic rush.

“That’s in Ireland.” Grady chuckled for the camera. "For once Ireland was lucky. Lucky to be rid of them,” He took her ice-cold hand and stepped around Barker, a reporter familiar with McGinn’s government-agro kidnappings. Recovered victims had broken collarbones, fractured limbs, cigarette burns, stab wounds, shattered eye sockets and facial bones, accomplished with a blunt instrument. Casualties had been alive at the time of beatings, with foreign objects jammed down throats. Teeth were found in their stomachs.

“Excuse me.” Another reporter, a tall woman from the Long Beach Beacon, swarmed down on Tori. "So you saw McGinn and Noonan?"

"Correct," Tori lifted her chin, her vibrant eyes filling with the raw memory. “A half-dozen more stormed in. Carried automatics, ripped through the place. Found the owner, Irene Brennan. Dragged her out."

"The owner refused to pay them for protection,” Barker chimed.

Tori nodded, rubbed her forehead. “Same old deal, a mob upping the ante.”

And then what?" The earnest reporter from the Beacon leaned forward.

"My cousin Viv ran out the back. I was arrested."

“Make room, everybody.” Grady headed for his car, dragging Tori behind him.

Tori shuffled in slow, measured movements as if shackled.

“One last question, Tori,” Barker called from behind. “You tried to leave the mob. What did they want you to do?"

Tori turned halfway around. "Act as a lure. I refused." She shrugged. “I paid for that decision.”

As promised, here is a holiday recipe for delicious Crab Cakes:

 

 

1 pound	crabmeat (I used 8oz backfin & 8oz claw)
⅓ cup	crackers (crushed, I used ritz)
3	green onions (finely chopped)
½ cup	red bell pepper (finely chopped next time i will use less)
¼ cup	mayonnaise (I used the brand that is made with olive oil)
1	egg
1 teaspoon	Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon	dry mustard
½	lemon (juiced)
¼ teaspoon	garlic powder
1 teaspoon	salt
1 large pinch	cayenne pepper (I used)
add	flour (sifted for dusting)

Dice vegetables small and add all ingredients together. Chill them for a least a few hours so they will hold together better. as always add to your liking you might consider onion powder or Old Bay about 1-1 1/2 Tbsp. or maybe go Cajun.

Crab meat has a lot of liquid in the container so I did let it drain out, I did not want to add an extra egg or more crackers or bread crumbs or even panko if that is what you have on hand.

If you don’t like to fry, bake them in 375 oven turn them after 20 minutes bake another 20 or 25 minutes approx. make sure you spray or wipe some oil on whatever pan or foil you are using.

Tartar sauce is an easy topping or just lemon wedges.

#TirgearrTuesday #99cents --Romantic Suspense Unholy Alliance with an excerpt and #holidayrecipe-- what crowd doesn't love a corn dog? Meet Tori and her food truck.

Unholy Alliance is priced at 99cents/99pence for just two days on all Amazons.

Below is an excerpt when attorney Grady Fletcher visits Tori Morningstar's food truck.  He needs her help to solve a case. A holiday recipe-- homemade corn dogs-- is included.

Excerpt:

Grady double-arm waved at her. It was as if he were a two-dimensional character in a dream. Handsome. As upstanding as any man could be. Her legs gave way. The figure in the distance did that, and she grabbed the counter. Dizzy and short of breath, she chastised herself for holding on to the romantic notions she fantasized about a hundred times a day. She stuck her head out the window. “I’m coming out.”

Grady met her on the stairs and offered a hand. The closer he got, the harder it was to concentrate on stepping down. His killer smile showed off two sexy dimples when he said, “It’s noon.”

“Good noon to you.” She gulped. Readying herself for conversation, she took his hand, rose on her toes, and sniffed. “Hmmm, what is that? Shaving lotion? Man perfume?”

He chuckled, and a weird electric awareness went off in her chest. In slow motion, it cracked open slowly, sent out sparkly runners to forgotten girl parts, and pulsed there.

She pulled her shoulders back and lifted her chin. Their gazes locked. Her hair loosened from her bandana. “Drat, I’m a chef. Hair is supposed to stay put.” She took it off, placed the center of the bandana on the nape of her neck and tied a knot on the top of her head.

He reached to help tuck the ends under. “You’re so darn cute.”

“Oooo, that scent. Are you going to tell me what it is?”

“Eau des Baux Eau.” The warm, deep sound of his voice sent more sensations of want right through her. Behind him, the sun stretched a bit higher and seemed to shine just on him. “You like it?”

“I sure do. Vanilla. You smell like a cookie.” Her heart thudded harder than it should.

“Do you like cookies?” He bent his head for a kiss.

She kissed Mr. Good Noon with the wavy reddish-brown hair and body made to lose sleep over. Her breath hitched, and she took a step back from heartbreak. No reason to set sights on a man way out of her league. The glow dimmed, and the warmth backed off. “Care to look at my menu?” She stepped closer to the blackboard.

“Now you’re speaking my language. I’m starving.” He raised his eyebrows and the corners of his mouth lifted. “Pimento cheeseburger corn dog.”

“That’s my great food mash-up.”

“I can see why. It blends two favorites, the cheeseburger, and the corn dog.

***
Recipe for just the corn dog-- the mashup is a bit much for most people.

Ingredients for Homemade Corndogs

·    3/4 cup yellow cornmeal

·    3/4 cup flour

·    1.5 tsp baking powder

·    1/2 tsp baking soda

·    1 tsp sugar

·    1/2 tsp salt

·    1/8 tsp nutmeg

·    3/4 cup buttermilk

·    2 eggs

·    4 hot dogs

·    flour for rolling

·    vegetable or peanut oil for frying

Instructions

1.                 Preheat the fryer to 350 degrees F.

2.                 To make the batter, whisk to combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, and nutmeg.

3.                 In another small bowl, whisk to combine the buttermilk and eggs, and mix this into the dry ingredients until there are no more streaks of flour, but be sure to leave lumps in the batter (do not stir those out, as you may overmix). Transfer the batter to a tall glass.

4.                 Skewer the hot dogs onto wooden sticks and roll the hot dogs in enough flour to coat, then shake the excess off.

5.                 Dip the floured hot dogs into the tall cup of batter and put them straight into the fryer for about 3 minutes. Do not overcrowd your fryer. Depending on size, you might need to make two or three batches. The corn dogs are ready when the exterior is golden brown.

6.                 Serve the corn dogs with ketchup and mustard-- Enjoy!

Why do birds want to repeat everything-- "99 cents, and happy holidays"

Unholy Alliance

 

#Holidayrecipe --Pineapple-Macadamia Nut Cookies from a #Tirgearr author-- #BookQW word is IMMEDIATE-- excerpt from Kathleen Rowland's work-in-progress, Bittersweet Alliance!

Book Quote Wednesday's word is immediate, and here is a short excerpt from my work-in-progress, Bittersweet Alliance, book 3 of the Donahue Cousin's series with Tirgearr Publishing. This new book takes place on the Big Island of Hawaii. Please stay for a recipe, Pineapple-Macadamia Nut Cookies, made by the heroine. And, yes, Jolene is a surfer.

Chapter One

 

Seven years since their breakup, Jolene Kualoha spotted Danker Donahue, ambling from the parking lot toward the store. She recognized him by his height and long gait. Nuts, here he was, ducking his head to miss the bell overhead. It tinkled, and a strange twisting sensation hit her in the stomach.

This happened at the Kalua-Kona Food Emporium on a Sunday morning in July. She stared from where she stood near the avocados. His dangerous edge drew her in, but she turned her back to him. Her body reverberated like when her cell phone was on vibrate in her pocket. Stunned with minor electric shock, she couldn’t move.  Maybe he wouldn’t see her.  Wouldn’t recognize the back of her head or the once familiar shape of her ass.

Was someone waiting for him in the parking lot? Someone like Louella, the baby momma who’d summoned him for an immediate DNA test? Envy? Of course. She and Danker were a couple when the test confirmed his fatherhood. For a split second she craned her head around but didn’t see her with him.

Jolene had pulled away, giving him space to work on his previous relationship for the sake of their child. The most shameful thing a woman can do is take parents away from a baby.

Still under the influence of my recent trip to Hawaii. The recipe is a long time favorite with a switch to macadamia nuts from walnuts. The crushed pineapple is easy but chopping chunks of pineapple may give more pineapple taste. A deliciously sweet pineapple cookie with sea salt macadamia nuts. Yum.

Recipe for Pineapple-Macadamia Nut Cookies, made by Jolene Kualoha in Bittersweet Alliance, a work-in-progress

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Use parchment paper to cover the cookie sheet or lightly grease the cookie sheet before use
Makes approximately 4 dozen 2-inch cookies
1 Cup sugar
1 Cup dark brown sugar
1 Cup shortening
3 Eggs
2 Teaspoons vanilla
3 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1 Cup chopped pineapple or crushed pineapple
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Cup roughly chopped sea salt macadamia nuts
Cream shortening and sugars until well blended. Add one egg at a time and beat well after each. Add the vanilla and mix.
Whisk the salt through the flour, set aside.
Stir the baking soda through the pineapple. It will foam a bit. Set aside.
Add the pineapple to the creamed mixture and gradually add the flour until just incorporated.
Fold in the nuts.
Spoon batter onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake until slightly golden. About 12 minutes.

#holidayrecipe from a #Tirgearr author #Cuban sandwich-- One Night in Havana -- travel vicariously without a passport!

Happy Holidays.  Do you enjoy travel to countries around the world? Tirgearr Publishing's City Night series offers readers delightful love stories with local flavor.  Please stay tuned for a delicious Cubano Sandwich!

 

One Night in Havana:

A desperate competition and sizzling attraction leads to dangerous desire.

New York Marine biologist Veronica “Roni” Keane is attending the Havana Bay Conference in Cuba. Tomorrow only one grant will be awarded which will provide the winner with professional recognition, resources for a project, and living expenses for two years. She hopes to continue her deceased father’s work, but smooth operator, Carlos Montoya, has won many grants in the past.

Carlos, a freelancer for the Havana Port Authority, works to help protect Havana’s reputation as a bastion of safety. As international travelers flock to the island, attracted by its 1950’s time-warp and colonial architecture, the drug business is running rampant, particularly on Roni’s cruise ship. Something’s not right, and when her scuba tanks are tampered with, Carlos brings in the military police to investigate. For her safety, he keeps her close, but he craves her body.

Their attraction leads to a fun night with a bit of kink. But Roni finds herself in more trouble than she bargained for when the criminals blame her for alerting the military police and come looking for her. Can Roni trust Carlos to protect her? Will she stay in Havana if Carlos wins the coveted grant, or kiss her lover goodbye?

Now for the recipe-- Cubano Sandwich:

 

Ingredients

Serves 8

·         1 loaf Cuban bread, sliced lengthwise

·         1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

·         3 tablespoons yellow mustard, or to taste

·         1 1/2 pounds boiled ham, sliced

·         1 1/2 pounds roasted pork, sliced

·         1 pound Swiss cheese, sliced

·         1 cup dill pickle chips, or to taste

Preparation

1.     Assemble the sandwich

1.     Spread 2 tablespoons of the butter on one half of the bread loaf and a thin layer of mustard on the other. Place 1 to 2 layers of ham, pork, cheese, and, finally, pickles on the buttered bread and top with the mustard-spread bread.

2.     Wrap the sandwich in foil

1.     Smear the remaining butter all over the outside of the sandwich and wrap it completely in aluminum foil.

3.     Press and grill the sandwich

1.     Heat your grill to high (550°F) and close the lid. Wait at least 15 minutes before lowering the heat to medium-high (450°F) and continuing.

2.     Before grilling the sandwich, press down on it with your hands to flatten it. Place the wrapped, flattened sandwich on the grill and top with a brick, grill press, or any other heavy, heat-resistant object. Close the lid and grill for 5 to 6 minutes per side.

3.     Remove the wrapped sandwich from the grill and take off the foil. Return the sandwich to the grill and grill for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until both pieces of bread are crispy and golden brown.

4.     Slice and serve

1.     Remove the sandwich from the grill and cut at an angle into small sandwich wedges (triangles). Place on a large platter and serve while still hot.

Cuban bread
Made from white flour, yeast, and a bit of lard, this bread has a very thin crust and soft middle filled with tunnels. Cuban bread is distinguished by the palm frond placed lengthwise down its middle prior to baking, its length (almost 3 feet), and its somewhat rectangular shape. Advance preparation
The loaf sandwich can be prepared and wrapped in foil a few hours in advance. Press and grill right before serving.

 

 

#Tirgearr author shares #writingtips on writing a series -- along with a #holidayrecipe, a lighter version of Blue Cheese Dressing!

Dear Writing Friends,
Sitting and writing go together like peas and carrots. Eating right and exercising goes together also.  To that, I say the Lettuce Wedge is back. This classic doesn't have to calorie-laden.  Here is my recipe for Blue Cheese Dressing:  1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon fresh dill, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, 2 teaspoons vinegar, 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese., 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk.
Put together the salad with a lettuce wedge, cherry tomatoes, crumbled bacon, red onion slices. and a dash of pepper.

Now for the writing tip about a continuing book series. I make each book stand-alone, but secondary characters might be from a previous book or the next book. Also, I leave one thread which makes a reader wonder. For instance, the first book, Deadly Alliance, now on sale for 99 cents, concludes with a secondary survivor, Tori Morningstar. Tori is the heroine in the second book, Unholy Alliance, with a cousin of the hero from the first book.  Unholy Alliance ends with Tori's completed search for her cousin, Vivienne, who wasn't the person she'd expected. In the book I'm writing now, Bittersweet Alliance, Vivienne is the villain.
I write romantic suspense, and in this genre, the villain has a point of view, as well as the heroine and hero. Bittersweet Alliance is a reunion love story with suspense. The main characters met in Unholy Alliance. The hero is yet another Donahue cousin, and the heroine is Hawaiian. The setting is on the Big Island of Hawaii. Meet Jolene below: