'Eat, Read, Love' cookbook gets a tryout ... yum!
Ever heard of the Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood? If not, you really should take the time to hang out with these talented ladies! The "sisterhood" began when the 2009 Romance Writers of American (RWA) Golden Heart finalists banded together for online celebration, commiseration and discussion of that timeless finalist issue — what to wear to the awards ceremony during RWA's annual conference. I'll let the Rubies explain how they arrived at their unusual name:
"Not only did the name embody our discussions of shoes, clothes and makeup for the big night, it also spoke to the long road to publication and empowering ourselves as writers to follow our dreams, no matter how difficult that road could be. Like Dorothy, we had learned there was no wizard with the magic to take us where we long to be. Perseverance, practice and faith in ourselves pave our yellow-brick road."
Recently the Rubies celebrated the third anniversary of their popular blog, where they share tips, tricks and anecdotes meant to educate, motivate and entertain fellow writers — especially the fledgling kind. Now the Rubies usher us out of the blogosphere and into the kitchen, with a cookbook inspired by Ruby-created characters and their favorite recipes. But, wait, there's more — each recipe is accompanied by an excerpt featuring that culinary-minded character. And all for FREE! You can download Eat, Read, Love: Romance and Recipes from the Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood from Amazon, Kobo or Smashwords. (Not yet available at Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Sony or Diesel.)
What can you expect to find behind the delightfully retro cover? Not only an eclectic collection of recipes and a variety of enticing excerpts, but a sample menu from an 1890s dinner party and 16th-century herbal remedies! Those Rubies — they think of everything. I selected three recipes and fired up my oven — check out the delicious results:
Abram's Game Day Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Here in Virginia we're just now getting a bit of a "brr" in the air. Since it's also football season, what better dish to kick off this recipe review than gumbo? This was the first time I'd made gumbo, so I admit I was a little taken aback by the 4 cups of onions called for, but I gamely followed instructions — besides omitting the green pepper, since I'm not a big fan — and I was thrilled with the results! This spicy stew is well worth the time it takes to prepare and makes for one mouth-watering, stick-to-your-ribs meal (several meals, actually), and it's perfect served over rice! Now if only Abram from Liz Talley's Under the Autumn Sky had been available to share it with me …
Millie Polk's Squash Casserole
Scrumptious! Easy to make and oh-so-easy to enjoy! Use homegrown tomatoes and zucchini if you can — you'll get a taste of summer in every bite. The beaten eggs on top add a pleasant hint of custard, and with some added seasonings — I used black pepper and Herbes de Provence — this casserole makes the perfect side dish. As we see in the companion excerpt from Hope Ramsay's Home at Last Chance, it also makes the perfect gift for a friend in need.
Triple Chocolate Cake
Oh, my. This cake? Seduction in a single bite. Spongy, rich and decadent — what more does a girl need from a dessert? That's actually not a rhetorical question because it has an answer — chocolate cream cheese frosting! In fact, the only reason the frosting made it on the cake is because I needed to take a picture and I didn't have enough ingredients to make a second batch! I can't agree enough with Kim Law's character Vega Zaragoza (great name, right?!) from Caught on Camera who claims, "… chocolate should never be forbidden."
Amen, sister!
Bon appétit, and Happy Reading!
Kathy Altman's debut contemporary romance novel, The Other Soldier, came out in July. She also writes romantic suspense. She's a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA) and Washington Romance Writers (WRW) and is also active in the online Harlequin community. Her website is KathyAltman.com.