Showing posts with label Guest Cook and Author. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guest Cook and Author. Show all posts

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Easy Pistachio Cake Submitted by Kelli A. Wilkins


Welcome to the After Work Cook. We have a guest this month. Kelli A. Wilkins. This looks appropriate for St. Paddy's Day! I think I may just try it.

Easy Pistachio Cake

This cake is easy to make and super-delicious!
Ingredients:
1 boxed white cake mix
3 egg whites
½ cup canola (or vegetable) oil
1 3 oz. package of pistachio instant pudding
1 teaspoon almond extract
1-2 drops of green food coloring (optional)
 
Directions:
Prepare cake mix according to the box directions. (This is where you need the oil and egg whites.) Blend in pudding mix and almond extract. Add 1-2 drops of green food coloring (optional). Mix well.
Pour into cake pan of your choice and follow the baking directions on the box.
You can also make cupcakes!
Topping Options:
This cake is flavorful and very moist, so it doesn’t need a traditional frosting. Some topping suggestions:
* drizzle a vanilla glaze over the cake
* “frost” with thawed whipped topping
* add a dollop of whipped cream to each slice
* serve with vanilla (or pistachio) ice cream or
* enjoy the cake plain
Happy Snacking!
Kelli A. Wilkins



If you like to read while enjoying a slice (or two) of cake, here’s a look at my historical romance, Dangerous Indenture. This full-length novel is set in Pennsylvania Colony and blends a sensual romance with mystery and suspense.

Dangerous Indenture

Indentured for five years… how long can Shauna resist her master’s son?
Desperate to escape her past in Ireland, Shauna Farrow signs on to become an indentured servant to Joshua Stewart, a wealthy man in Pennsylvania Colony. But a life of servitude quickly turns to drudgery, and Shauna’s hopes for starting over and creating a better life for herself are waning—until she meets her master’s roguish son, Ashton.
Ashton needs to redeem himself in his father’s eyes and earn the respect he has always longed for. Meeting Shauna turns his life around, and he sets out to win her heart. Torn between propriety and passion, Shauna struggles against her growing attraction to Ashton as long as she can.
But amidst their flirting, something dark stirs. Shauna soon discovers why no other servants wanted to work for the strange Stewart family.
Stewart House has an unsavory reputation: a previous servant died there under mysterious circumstances. When another servant goes missing in the middle of the night, Shauna is convinced that a member of the family is responsible.
Shauna’s investigation leads her close to the truth, and yet, she’s not sure who she can trust. Events take a deadly turn when she confronts the murderer and discovers the mystery of the Stewart family. 

Will Shauna be rescued before time runs out, or will she meet with the same fate as the other servants? 

Order your copy here:
All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/3JyROP
Visit my website www.KelliWilkins.com to see all of my titles.
About The Author
Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories,
20 romance novels, 6 non-fiction books, and 2 online writing courses. Her romances span many genres and heat levels, and she’s also been known to scare readers with her horror stories.
In January 2020, Kelli published Love, Lies & Redemption, a western romance set in 1877 Nebraska. This novel blends a sensual love story with mystery and danger.

She released Romance Every Weekend: 104 Fun Ways to Express Your Love, a non-fiction guide to romance in November 2019. The book features 104 fun and easy ways you can express your love to that special someone in your life. Perfect for men or women, it focuses on tender, everyday gestures that let your partner know how much you love him or her.
Kelli published Extraterrestrial Encounters, a collection of 18 sci-fi stories, in August 2019. If you like horror fiction, don’t miss her disturbing novella, Nightmare in the North.
Earlier in 2019 she released The Viking’s Witch, a paranormal/historical romance, and 
Dangerous Indenture, a historical mystery romance set in Colonial Pennsylvania.

Kelli has authored two online writing courses: Fiction Basics: Finding Ideas and Fiction Writing for Beginners. These courses are perfect for anyone who wants to learn how to write. Visit: https://kelliwilkins.teachable.com/ for more details.
Not just an author, Kelli is also an amateur photographer. Visit her pages on Shutterstock https://www.shutterstock.com/g/kelli+wilkins and iStock https://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/kelliwilkins to view her photos.
Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor.
Visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com to learn more about all of her writings.
Thank you, Kelli, for this delicious recipe.


Sunday, April 14, 2019

Welcome N. N. Light


Welcome N. N. Light, this ham looks delicious. I cannot wait to try it. 

Easter is drawing near and as most of you know, ham is commonly served at the dinner table. Instead of serving the same old honey-glazed ham, why not try something different. Mr. N’s Easter Jerk Ham gets rave reviews, even from his sister, who doesn’t like anything spicy. See the jerk seasoning barely penetrates the meat but adds a nice contrast to the sweet flavour of ham. Try it this year and let us know how it turned out.

Easter Jerk Ham
Ingredients
Bone-In ham
2 onions
3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
3 cloves of garlic
3 red shallots
Jerk paste  
Honey
Red wine

Directions
Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Score the ham using a very sharp paring knife. You want to make sure your scoring is at least an inch deep. You want the seasonings to penetrate the skin of the ham. Place the ham in a roasting pan. Peel the onions and cut into quarters, then place around the ham in the pan. Peel the garlic and shallots and place them around the ham.
Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning all over the ham, making sure to coat it. Spread the jerk glaze all over the ham. You may need to use a brush or do like me and just use your hands. It’s spicy so you may need to put on gloves first. Drizzle it with honey.
Add red wine mixed with water until it comes halfway up the side of the pan. Bake for 4 hours or so, pulling it out every 30 minutes to baste using the liquid from the bottom of the pan. You want it to be fully cooked and sticky. Allow to cool slightly before slicing.

Celebrate National Poetry Month with Poetry of Love: The Engagement Year. It’s a collection of poems Mr. N wrote to Mrs. N from the night they got engaged to their wedding day. Heartfelt emotions reflect in the freestyle poetry as a couple goes from boyfriend and girlfriend to man and wife. It’s very close to our hearts as it’s 100% accurate. No filter here.

Author: N. N. Light
Genre: Poetry, Love Poetry

Book Blurb:
Winner of the 2017 IAN Book of the Year – Poetry Finalist Award

I had been searching for love my whole life. It took the opening up of the world via technology for me to find my soulmate. Once I laid eyes on her, at the arrivals gate, I knew I was never going to let her go. The following is a collection of poems I wrote to my angel, from our first meeting up until our wedding day. I was working crazy hours as a chef and I had a long commute. I chose my commuting time to pen her a poem each day. These poems speak of our life, our challenges and our growth together...in every aspect they speak of our love.

May this book give someone the courage to let their special someone know how much they care for them and how much they mean to them. Saying I love you is a gift you can give many times a day.

Excerpt #:


Our love exists in so many ways
Even when parted I feel you
I long for your gaze
Knowing our love is true.

When in the heaven of your arms
I feel our love’s warmth surround me.

Your grace, beauty and charm
Leave me gasping breathless in serenity.

The pureness, sweetness and sincerity
Our so perfect love
Oft compels me to my knees
To thank our Lord above
For our love.

Buy Links:


Author Biography: N. N. Light is the award-winning husband-wife writing team, commonly known as Mr. N and Mrs. N. Mrs. N. has been creating stories ever since she was little. Her grandfather remembers when she was two years old, she would stand at the top of the stairs and tell him a story filled with emotion (and in a language foreign to him) with her hands on her hips. Let’s just say she was a born storyteller.

They’re blissfully happy and love all things chocolate, books, music, movies, art, sports, trains, history, cooking and baking. Their mantra is to spread the Light.

Most of the time you can find them on Twitter or getting new ideas on how to spread the Light on Pinterest. They’re a proud member of ASMSG and Independent Author Network.

In addition to being authors, they’re also book promoters/reviewers, social media marketers/influencers and the owners of N. N. Light Author Promotions. They both love books, have ever since they were young. Matching up books and readers is something that gives them great pleasure.

They’d love to connect with you either via email or via these various social media sites:

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/nnlight   


Monday, February 11, 2019

Yummy Fresh Bread


Mrs. N’s Fresh Bread Recipe
Ingredients

1 ¼ cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (or 1 envelope)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon butter, melted or olive oil
1 ½ teaspoon salt
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Directions
Pour warm water into a large bowl (I use a candy thermometer to measure the temperature) and sprinkle yeast over the water.  Add 1 teaspoon of sugar to activate the yeast.  Set aside and let proof for about 20 minutes. 

Pour yeast mixture into a large bowl and add honey, butter and salt.  Add flour, one cup at a time, until mixture forms a soft dough.  Knead until smooth like a baby bum, about 10-15 minutes.  Grease your bowl with some cooking spray or butter and place dough back in the bowl.  Leave covered in a warm place for about 90-120 minutes or until more than doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Meanwhile grease a loaf pan and set aside.  Punch down dough to release all the gas and air bubbles.  Form into a loaf and place in the loaf pan.  Do NOT cover and allow to rise 60-90 minutes (depending on how high you want your bread to be).

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Bread will make a hollow sound when tapped.  Allow to cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, take the bread out of the pan and allow to cool fully on a wire rack.  Slice and serve.

It will usually stay fresh in a plastic bread bag for about a week.  Trust me, you will love the taste of homemade bread and it makes your house smell divine.  Enjoy!


Title: Planting the Seeds of Love: A Novella
Author: N. N. Light
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, New Adult Romance
Blurb:
The day her grandfather died, Sally’s life changed forever.

Twenty-Two-year-old Sally Rayton returns to the family farm she deserted four years ago to bury her grandfather. Her plan: to settle her grandfather’s estate and return to her life in the city with her boyfriend, Trevor Mattson.

Her childhood friend, Jack Smith, has other ideas.

Jack convinces Sally to transform the farm into a brewery and fulfill her grandfather’s dream while keeping the Rayton Farm in the family. Sally works side-by-side with Jack while Trevor is hundreds of miles away in the city. The more time she spends with Jack, the stronger her feelings are for him. Sally’s torn between her new feelings for her best friend, Jack and her boyfriend, Trevor.

When Trevor shows up to propose to Sally right before Christmas and finds her in Jack’s embrace, she’s unsure which man she loves. Will it be her best friend and farmer, Jack, or will it be rich, successful Trevor? City or Country… only Sally’s heart knows what’s right and true.

Excerpt:
Sally struggled to open her heavy eyelids. Her body was heavy too; she couldn't even scratch her itchy nose. Why can't I open my eyes?

She heard distant voices above her. She strained to hear what they were saying.

"She lost a lot of blood."

"But she's going to be okay, right doc?"

"The wound wasn't as deep as I thought. She has ten stitches in her hand."

"Thank God."

She couldn't discern the voices but she assumed they were Trevor and Doc Carver. Someone kissed her forehead.

"I'm here, baby. I know you can hear me."

A warm glow spread throughout Sally's body. Trevor.

"I can tell you, I'm worried about the hypothermia more than the hand injury." Doc's voice wavered.

Sally heard footsteps then a gasp.

"I got here as quick as I could." A baritone voice sounded familiar to Sally but she couldn't remember who it belonged to.

"Jack," replied Doc.

Sally's stomach flipped as someone held her hand. What was Jack doing here? Sally strained to hear sounds, anything to give her a clue as to what was going on. Faintly, she heard beeps and whooshes.

"Sally," Jack's voice choked up. "Oh God..."

I need to wake up.

"Jack, let's talk outside." Doc's voice again.

"How could you let this happen?" Jack accused. "You were on the farm with her, or so Marcus tells me."

"Jack, it's no one's fault. Sally made a mistake by putting her fingers into the snow blower trying to get out some wedged-in ice."

Sally focused on opening her eyes. I've got to get them to stop blaming themselves. C'mon body, work!

"She did what?!" Someone let go of Sally's hand.

Sally's eyes fluttered open. White ceiling. Machines beeping around her. I'm in a hospital. She sighed.

Jack, Trevor and Doc Carver all turned in surprise. Jack on her left, Trevor on her right and Doc at the foot of her bed.

"Well, well, well," Doc said with a smile. "I've never been so glad to hear a sigh. How are you feeling, Sally?"

Sally blinked in response. No words came out. She tried to moisten her lips but they were like cement. Unmoving.

Trevor leaned down and put a straw between her lips.

"Take a sip, darling." She sucked on the straw, the liquid flowing down her dry throat. She coughed.

"Slow, my love." Trevor smiled at her and exchanged a look of relief with Doc.

"Sally..."

She let go of the straw while shifting her gaze to Jack. Looking into his tortured eyes caused her heart to contract. Guilt, anger and something she couldn't put her finger on reflected in his eyes. She looked down in shame, knowing she was the cause of such pain.

She swallowed and tried to speak.

"Jack," croaked Sally.

He grabbed her arm.

"Yes, I'm here." He looked over Sally to Trevor. "No thanks to him."

Sally looked from one to the other in confusion.

Trevor shifted from foot to foot, his gaze falling to the floor.


Author Bio: N. N. Light is the award-winning husband-wife writing team, commonly known as Mr. N and Mrs. N. Mrs. N. has been creating stories ever since she was little. Her grandfather remembers when she was two years old, she would stand at the top of the stairs and tell him a story filled with emotion (and in a language foreign to him) with her hands on her hips. Let’s just say she was a born storyteller.

They’re blissfully happy and love all things chocolate, books, music, movies, art, sports, trains, history, cooking and baking. Their mantra is to spread the Light.

Most of the time you can find them on Twitter or getting new ideas on how to spread the Light on Pinterest. They’re a proud member of ASMSG and Independent Author Network.

In addition to being authors, they’re also book promoters/reviewers, social media marketers
/influencers and the owners of N. N. Light Author Promotions. They both love books, have ever since they were young. Matching up books and readers is something that gives them great pleasure.

Stalk them online:


Monday, December 10, 2018

Guest Cooks, N. N. Light

Welcome N. N. Light to The After Work Cook. N. N. Light is the award-winning husband-wife writing team. I will be having them as my guest monthly. I can't wait to see all their recipes, talk about a yummy recipe! 


The holidays are fast approaching and where is Mrs. N? Why, in the kitchen baking up a storm, of course. Growing up, I would race over to my grandmother’s house after school to help her with the holiday baking. She’d make over a dozen different varieties of cookies for her cookie plate. But the one item everyone clamored for was her famous cinnamon rolls. From the time I was eight, I learned how to make them. When I got married, I carried on her tradition and make them every year for our family.
Nothing says the holidays like waking up Christmas morning like diving into a gooey cinnamon roll along with your hot beverage of choice. It’s a tradition we have in our household and we’d like to share the recipe with you. Enjoy!

N. N. Light Cinnamon Rolls:
Ingredients:
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (though I use brown sugar for extra richness)
1 teaspoon salt
1 package instant yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
½ cup warm water
¼ milk (I use 2%)
2 ½ tablespoons butter (don’t use margarine) 
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup brown sugar

Glaze –

1 cup powdered/icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-3 tablespoons cream/milk/coffee

Directions:
Set aside ½ cup flour. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Set aside.

Warm the water, milk and butter together until the butter is melted (temperature should be between 115 and 120 degrees F). This is very important. Any less and the yeast will not activate and any more and it will kill the yeast. Stir the butter mixture into the flour. Add the egg and only enough of the reserved flour to make a soft dough. I end up using it all. Dough will be ready when it pulls away from the side of the bowl and has an elastic feel.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for five minutes. Place in a lightly greased bowl and let rest for an hour.

Note: If you have a bread maker, do like me and throw all the ingredients in and run the dough cycle.

When it has risen to twice its size, punch down the dough and roll into a large rectangular. Spread the softened butter to cover the dough, leaving a half inch edge. Spread the sugar over the butter and then sprinkle with the cinnamon. Don’t worry about the measurements for the filling. I go all out and use generous amounts. Starting at the far right end, roll the dough tightly to make a thick log. Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut the dough into 12 even rounds and place in a 9x13 cake pan. If you’re unsure about them holding their shape, use a muffin tray.

Loosely cover with parchment paper and allow to rise for 45 minutes to an hour. When the rolls have doubled in size, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 20-25 minutes, depending on your oven.

For the glaze, mix the sugar, vanilla and 2 tablespoons liquid. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more liquid. If it’s too thin, add a little more icing sugar.

Right before serving, top your rolls with the glaze. My Christmas hack: forget the glaze and use one can of your favorite cream cheese frosting. I prefer the one that has the initials B. C. but you choose which one works best for you.

Enjoy!



Our small-town clean romance goes great with a cinnamon roll. We hope you enjoy the excerpt.

Title: Planting the Seeds of Love: A Novella
Author: N. N. Light
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, New Adult Romance


The day her grandfather died, Sally’s life changed forever.

Twenty-Two-year-old Sally Rayton returns to the family farm she deserted four years ago to bury her grandfather. Her plan: to settle her grandfather’s estate and return to her life in the city with her boyfriend, Trevor Mattson.

Her childhood friend, Jack Smith, has other ideas.

Jack convinces Sally to transform the farm into a brewery and fulfill her grandfather’s dream while keeping the Rayton Farm in the family. Sally works side-by-side with Jack while Trevor is hundreds of miles away in the city. The more time she spends with Jack, the stronger her feelings are for him. Sally’s torn between her new feelings for her best friend, Jack and her boyfriend, Trevor.

When Trevor shows up to propose to Sally right before Christmas and finds her in Jack’s embrace, she’s unsure which man she loves. Will it be her best friend and farmer, Jack, or will it be rich, successful Trevor? City or Country… only Sally’s heart knows what’s right and true.

Excerpt:

Sally woke up the next morning to the sound of a chainsaw, multiple chainsaws. What  is going on? It's five-thirty in the morning! She threw back the bedcovers and grabbed her robe off the back of the bedroom door. Pulling it tight across her body, the floral soft cotton robe did nothing to conceal the fact she was naked underneath. She ran down the stairs and stomped out the door barefoot.

"So help me, I'm going to kill whomever is making that racket," she roared to no one in particular.

She craned her neck to hear where the sound was coming from. Turning left, towards the citrus grove, she saw Jack and two other men standing under the trees. All of the frustration from the past week poured out of her and she ran as hard as she could. When she came closer, she realized what they were about to do.

"Stop! Don't cut these trees down!" She panted. She put her hands on her hips to catch her breath.

Jack's eyes roamed the length of her body and Sally could feel a slight warmth heat her cheeks. She looked down at her disheveled robe and pulled her robe tighter. What's he staring at? She lifted her gaze and her stomach did a flip. Jack's shirt wasn't buttoned and she caught a glimpse of his tanned ripped stomach muscles. Oh my!

"Jack, what are you doing? Do you know it's five-thirty in the morning?"

He shook his head, as if that was an answer. She tore her eyes away from his abs to his face. She inhaled sharply. His hooded eyes looked ready to devour her. I must be seeing things. Maybe he's just hungry.

The two other men set down their chainsaws. "Listen Jack, we'll be over at your farm eating some breakfast. Come get us when you're ready."

Jack snapped his head around to the men. "Sure. I'll see you guys in few minutes." He ran his fingers through his hair. "I have to clear things up with Miss Rayton." Jack watched the men walk away and whipped his head back to Sally.

Sally rolled her eyes and said aloud, "Yeah, you just have to talk to the womanfolk." She spoke in a sweet Southern drawl. "Remember to speak nice and slow so she understands ya'll."




Author Bio: N. N. Light is the award-winning husband-wife writing team, commonly known as Mr. N and Mrs. N. Mrs. N. has been creating stories ever since she was little. Her grandfather remembers when she was two years old, she would stand at the top of the stairs and tell him a story filled with emotion (and in a language foreign to him) with her hands on her hips. Let’s just say she was a born storyteller.

They’re blissfully happy and love all things chocolate, books, music, movies, art, sports, trains, history, cooking and baking. Their mantra is to spread the Light.

Most of the time you can find them on Twitter or getting new ideas on how to spread the Light on Pinterest. They’re a proud member of ASMSG and Independent Author Network.

Subscribe to their author newsletter and you'll be eligible to win $5 Amazon gift card monthly:  http://ow.ly/jWec308TabL  

In addition to being authors, they’re also book promoters/reviewers, social media marketers/influencers and the owners of N. N. Light Author Promotions. They both love books, have ever since they were young. Matching up books and readers is something that gives them great pleasure.

They’d love to connect with you either via email or via these various social media sites:

Newsletter: ow.ly/jWec308TabL 

The best turkey meatloaf around!

The Best Turkey Meatloaf  1 1/4 pound      Ground turkey 1 4 oz.                G reen chili's 3/4 cup                Marinara sauce  2 ...