On today's Saturday Share, Nancy Fraser has an awesome Recipe for you. Let me tell you a bit about...Nancy Fraser
Like most authors, Nancy Fraser began writing at an early age, usually on the walls and with crayons or, heaven forbid, permanent markers. Her love of writing often made her the English teacher’s pet, which, of course, resulted in a whole lot of teasing. Still, it was worth it.
Published in multiple genres, Nancy currently writes for four publishers. She has published twenty-two books in both full-length and novella format. In November 2016, Nancy celebrated twenty years as a published author and will release her 25th book in mid-2017.
When not writing (which is almost never), Nancy splits her free time between her five grandchildren. She’s also an avid traveler with Las Vegas being her favorite destination. Nancy lives in Atlantic Canada where she enjoys the relaxed pace and colorful people.
Find Nancy Online: Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads.
Books That Cook
by Nancy Fraser
Whether you write sweet, traditional romance or something a bit more on the steamy side, everyday life should be an essential part of your plot. One thing I’ve always found amusing ... nobody ever goes to the bathroom in a romance novel. Not very realistic, but also not very romantic.
The same thing goes for cooking and eating. Other than in “foodie” romances, where the food and preparation are woven into the plot on purpose, you rarely see or read about your characters actually preparing a meal. The hero and heroine may sit down to a romantic dinner, but chances are they didn’t prepare it.
In my upcoming Valentine’s Day-themed romance, Paging Dr. Cupid, not only do my hero and heroine sit down to a romantic meal, but my heroine also prepares a casual evening meal for the hero. Namely, her late mother’s favorite Monte Cristo sandwiches. Here’s her easy-peasy recipe:
Grace’s Monte Cristo DelightServes 4
Ingredients for the Batter
1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 large egg
¾ cup of milk (Grace prefers 10% cream—but she doesn’t have to watch her weight.)
¼ tsp. salt
2 tablespoons sugar
Ingredients for the Sandwich
8 slices Swiss cheese
8 slices Turkey
8 slices Ham
8 slices bread (Again, Grace prefers the thicker Texas style, but any square bread will do.)
Vegetable Oil—an inch deep in a large skillet (works better than a deep fryer) Powdered Sugar
Raspberry or strawberry jam for dipping
Directions
1. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; in a separate bowl, combine the milk and egg thoroughly.
2. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and combine thoroughly.
3. Assemble the sandwiches by layering a slice of Swiss cheese, the 4 meat slices, then another slice of Swiss cheese, top with the remaining slice of bread.
4. Leave the sandwiches whole for frying and then slice afterward.
5. Place a toothpick on each corner of the sandwich to hold in place for dipping and frying.
6. Dip the whole sandwich in the batter, covering the surface completely.
7. For the thicker Texas toast, fry in 340 degrees F. oil until golden. If you are using thinner bread, you can increase the temp to 360 degrees F for frying.
8. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
9. Remove the toothpicks and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.
10. If you want the real treat, dip your sandwich in the flavored jam!
I hope you’ll give these tasty sandwiches a try. They are delicious!
More About Paging Dr. Cupid
Set in the “vintage” time period (mid-1960s), both Only Yours and Paging Dr. Cupid convey a more traditional, laid-back atmosphere that lends itself to good food and family.
Paging Dr. Cupid
Newly appointed Chief of Emergency Medicine Dr. Garrett Langley can't seem to find a secretary to keep up with his demands. His love life isn’t going so well, either. He recently lost his long-time girlfriend to his older brother and saw a workplace romance end in disaster, leaving him with a busy career but no love life.
Piano prodigy Grace Valentyne forfeited the second half of her Julliard scholarship to come home to California and care for her mother. Now, with her mother gone, she must find a job in order to pay for the remainder of her education. When offered the opportunity to work for the physician nicknamed Dr. Cupid, she jumps at the chance.
Grace soon finds herself in over her head—and not just with the office equipment. But falling for the boss won’t get her back to Julliard. She needs to keep her focus and not let the sexy doctor derail her professional goals.
Sneak Peek: Paging Dr. Cupid
Garrett tugged on the sleeves of the sterile gown and stripped it from his arms before tossing the stained garment in the nearby hamper. A quick glance at his wrist told him it was nearly nine-thirty. He pressed his thumb to his temple and reminded himself the headache would go away as soon as he had something to eat.
He’d spent the past twelve hours on his feet covering for two ER interns who’d not bothered showing for their twenty-four shift. He was tired, hungry, and most likely smelled like day-old fish. He was also in desperate need of a shave. He felt more like a bum than a respected physician.
Still, there was nothing he could do about it other than grab a quick bite and head to his office for a few moments of downtime before his eleven o’clock department head meeting.
He gathered up a bagel with cream cheese, an apple, and a large cup of black coffee from the commissary and took a left turn at the first corridor. He’d barely reached the halfway point in the long hallway when he saw her…his new secretary.
Much, much younger than her four predecessors, she was hunched over her typewriter, a long string of black ribbon in one hand, the unraveled spool from which it came in the other. He closed the distance between them and stopped in front of her desk.
A brief lift of her head was the only acknowledgement she gave of his arrival before she returned her attention to the items in her hands. “I’ll be with you in a quick minute,” she said, her voice far huskier than he’d expected given her young age. A shot of awareness skittered down his back.
Rather than speak up, he stood there watching while she fumbled with the broken ribbon. She’d obviously pushed the loose strands of chestnut hair from her face at least once or twice because streaks of dark ink adorned her left cheek. Even smudged, her alabaster skin was flawless.Garrett cleared his throat, drawing her attention for a second time. “Excuse me,” he said, a bit more forcefully than he intended.
She set the ribbon and the empty spool aside and reached for a tissue to wipe her hands. “I’m sorry for keeping you waiting.” Motioning toward the typewriter, she added, “I’m afraid this contraption got the best of me.”
“It does look rather intimidating,” he teased, tamping down an outright chuckle.
“How may I help you? If you’re looking for Dr. Langley, he’s not yet arrived.”
Garrett straightened his stance, pulling himself up to his full six-foot-one. “I’m Dr. Langley. You must be my new secretary.”
Add Paging Dr. Cupid to Your Romance Library
You'll find this romance set in the 1960's at Amazon * Barnes & Noble * The Wild Rose Press.
Takeaway Truth
Need a little Valentine Romance? Pick up a copy of Paging Dr. Cupid.
Thank you so much for hosting this visit. I hope everyone gets a chance to try the book and the sandwiches!
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