Recipe Time! Blueberry Pie

Thanksgiving is this week, and it's one of my favorite holidays. Good food, family time, and a reminder to be thankful. I'm contributing my usual pies and homemade noodles to the feast, so I thought I'd share the recipe for one of the pies I'm making. Enjoy!

I'm also visiting Jillian Jacobs' blog today, talking about Just Desserts, sharing a few secrets, and giving away an e-book copy here! Stop by and say hi! Comment below by Monday. Dec. 1, for a chance to win a copy of Just Desserts!

Blueberry Pie
4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, washed and drained
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
double crust for 9-inch deep-dish pie plate

Combine blueberries, sugar, flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Pour into bottom crust. Dot with butter. Add top crust. Crimp and cut steam slits. Bake at 375° for 50-60 minutes until crust is nicely browned.

Never Fail Pie Crust
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 cups vegetable shortening
1 egg, beaten
4 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Combine flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in shortening. Combine egg, water, and vinegar. Pour liquid into flour mixture and blend with a fork. Form into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least one hour. Divide dough into three parts. Roll on lightly floured surface to fit desired size. Fill and bake according to filling directions.
Makes 3 single crusts or 1 double crust and 1 single crust.

Enjoy, and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!

Mix Up Some Romance Blog Hop!

Welcome to Out of My Mind, Blog Hoppers!

I'm Mellanie Szereto, author of contemporary and erotic romance. My latest series, Love on the Menu, is a fun mix of foodie romances--hot and extra hot stories with characters who know their way around a kitchen and the bedroom! The first book, Love Served Hot, is a hot contemporary featuring an Irish chef and the acting director of a retirement community.

Blurb:
The way to a woman’s heart...

As acting director of her uncle’s retirement village, Lilith Montgomery must hire a chef for the new restaurant. She’s interviewed several candidates, but instantly decides on the sexy Irishman whose culinary creations give her foodgasms. Her rotten luck with relationships makes her determined to resist her attraction to him, even if it means sneaking into the kitchen at night for a taste of his delectable entrées.
Flynn Hastings is finally getting his life back on track after a year of anger and guilt over his sister’s death. He’s returned home to be near his family and has found the perfect job—with one small problem. His boss makes him want to cook in more than the kitchen. Putting aside his hard and fast rule about mixing business with pleasure, he sets his sights on Lilith, hoping their budding friendship turns out to be more than a flash in the pan.
Links:
CreateSpace (print)
Amazon (print)
Amazon (ebook)
Barnes & Noble (ebook)
All Romance eBooks (ebook)

Up next in the series is Just Desserts, an erotic contemporary about second chances. Here's a first peek! The cover is coming very soon!
Blurb:
Chances are...he’ll get exactly what he deserves.

After fifteen years, librarian Meg Graham returns to her hometown to appease her family and reopen the local library. First, the neighbor’s dog steals her underwear. Then its owner, the boy who stole her heart in high school, shows up on her doorstep and does his best to woo her with baked delights. She has no intention of falling for the pie-baking Casanova again, no matter how sweet his desserts or how hot the fire raging between them.

Aidan Rourke’s uncle has promised him ownership of the family bakery if Aidan marries before his 34th birthday. When the only woman he ever truly loved—the one who got away—moves back to town, he pulls out all the stops to recapture her heart. He has only three weeks to convince her of his love and march her down the aisle before she discovers the truth about his uncle’s blackmail scheme.

Release date is October 17!

**Leave a comment for a chance to win an e-book copy of Love Served Hot or Just Desserts on release day!**

In the meantime, try out this super easy recipe.
Black Bean Burgers
30 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon oregano
pinch of salt
1 egg, beaten

Combine well-drained black beans, olive oil, and garlic in a food processor. Process on "pulse" eight times. In a medium bowl, add processed bean mixture to remaining ingredients. Mix well.
Tear seven 6-inch wide pieces of plastic wrap and lay flat on countertop. Divide bean mixture into seven equal parts. Form into balls. Hand press into patties and wrap in plastic. Freeze for a minimum of 30 minutes or place in freezer bag and store in freezer for up to four months.
To cook, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in iron skillet over medium heat. Add black bean burgers and cover. Brown on each side. Top with cheese, if desired. Serve on a toasted bun with your favorite toppings.
Enjoy!

Be sure to check out the other authors in the Mix Up Some Romance Blog Hop!

AND enter to win a KitchenAid mixer with the Rafflecopter widget below! Value $300. Note: Mixer can only be shipped to a US winner. In the event the winner lives outside the US, a $100 Amazon gift card will be awarded instead.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by!

Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!

Recipe Time! Sugar Cookies

I'm finally getting in the holiday mood now that I've finished shopping and wrapping presents. The Christmas tree and decorations are up, and today was a baking day. My house smells like Sugar Cookies and Magic Cookie Bars. Tomorrow it'll smell like Chocolate Chip Biscotti and Kolache (Hungarian Nut Roll). Time to share a recipe!

Sugar Cookies

1 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
5-6 cups flour

Cream sugar and shortening. Stir in egg, milk, baking powder, baking soda, and vanilla. Add enough flour to make a stiff dough. Cover and chill at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheets.

Roll dough about 1/4" thick on a lightly floured surface and cut with cookie cutters. Bake 6-7 minutes until bottoms are light brown. Cool and store in an airtight container. Makes about 6 dozen medium-sized cookies. Frost if desired.

Enjoy!

Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!

Recipe--Pork Roast with Sweet Potatoes

I've been experimenting in the kitchen again! With my son's tutoring schedule and a sick husband all week, I've been relying on simple and prepare-ahead ideas for supper. Oh, and I also still have most of those two bushels of sweet potatoes from the garden to use. Here's my latest success!

Pork Roast with Sweet Potatoes
approx. 1 1/2 lbs. boneless pork loin roast
1 teaspoon salt-free meat tenderizer
1 large onion, sliced crosswise into rings
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup fresh or frozen whole cranberries
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/4 cup brown sugar

Trim fat from roast and slice into 4-6 chops, cutting 3/4 of the way through to allow slices to fan out. Place in 3-4 quart casserole dish or Crockpot. Sprinkle tenderizer between cuts and insert an onion slice between chops. Arrange remaining onions on top and around roast.

Place sweet potato chunks in a large bowl. Pour juices over top and stir to coat. Don't skip this step! The juice prevents the sweet potatoes from discoloring. Add sweet potatoes and juice to casserole dish or Crockpot. Top with cranberries. Dot with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar. Cover.

Bake at 300 degrees for 4 hours or 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, or cook in Crockpot on medium for 4-6 hours. Makes 4-6 servings.

Enjoy!

Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!

Easy Recipe Time!

Although I wasn't crazy about this past summer's cooler temperatures and wetter-than-normal conditions, a few of my garden crops loved it! I am the proud owner of two bushels of sweet potatoes, about half of which are nearly as big as my head. Time to get creative!

Sweet Potato Hash Browns

1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and grated
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, cut into 1 teaspoon pats
1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Place half the butter in a large iron skillet. Top with grated sweet potato and sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice. Top with remaining butter. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Cut hash browns into wedges and turn to brown the other side. Cover and cook another 10 minutes. Serve as a vegetable side dish or dessert!

Enjoy!

Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!

Apple (Pie) Season is Here!

My husband picked half a bushel of apples yesterday. Guess what that means...

I spent the afternoon making two yummy apple pies. Every one I bake reminds me of my wonderful late mother-in-law. When I was a few months pregnant with my daughter, I craved apples. Yeah, I know. Weird. Not pickles and ice cream. Apple pie. My husband happened to mention it to his mom, and she made an apple pie for me. :) Best mother-in-law ever!

So, in memory of that amazing lady, I'm sharing my apple pie recipe.


Never Fail Pie Crust

3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups vegetable shortening
1 egg, well beaten
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons water

Combine flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in shortening until crumbly. Combine egg, vinegar, and water. Add to flour mixture and stir only until all flour is moistened. Shape into a ball. Cover or wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Divide dough into four parts. Roll between waxed paper to desired diameter. Removing 1 sheet of waxed paper at a time, line pie plate with crust. Fill. Repeat with another 1/4 of the dough. Cover filling, trim crust to 1/2-inch overhang. Crimp closed and cut steam slits in top. Makes 2 double-crust pies.

Apple Pie Filling

6-8 cups baking apples (depends on pie plate size), peeled, cored, and sliced
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, cut into 3 equal pieces

Combine apples, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice in a large bowl and mix well. Pour into pie crust. Dot with butter and add top crust. Cut steam slits. Bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes. Place foil over crimped edges of crust after 35 minutes to avoid over-browning. Cool completely before storing. Eat while warm (or cool)!

Enjoy!

Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!

Greek Night--Spanakopita recipe!

I tried out a new recipe tonight--Spanakopita! Yum!!! It's a bit like Greek lasagna. :)

Spanakopita

2 cups feta cheese, crumbled
2 cups lowfat cottage cheese
4 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
couple dashes of black pepper
1 cup onions, chopped
8 cups fresh spinach, chopped (about 8-10 ounces)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 lb. package phyllo dough (puff pastry can be substituted)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Mix cheeses, eggs, flour, basil, oregano, and pepper in a large bowl. Saute onions in 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat until translucent. Reduce heat to low and add spinach. Cook and stir until spinach is fully wilted, about 5 minutes. Add to cheese mixture and mix well.

For phyllo dough--Brush the bottom and sides of a 13"x9" pan or dish with melted butter. Add 8 sheets of phyllo dough, buttering between each layer. Dough will go up the sides of the dish. Spread on half the cheese/spinach mixture. Repeat phyllo layer with 8 more sheets and melted butter. Spread on remaining filling. Top with 8 more sheets of phyllo and butter, folding in corners and buttering the top.

For puff pastry--Brush the bottom and sides of a 10"x6" deep casserole dish with melted butter. Add two-thirds of a sheet of puff pastry. Spread on half the cheese/spinach mixture. Repeat puff pastry layer with another two-thirds sheet and melted butter. Spread on remaining filling. Top with last two-thirds sheet of puff pastry, folding in corners and buttering the top.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand ten minutes before serving. Makes about 8 servings.

Enjoy!

Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!

Another Recipe! German Doll Cookies

At the request of an old friend, I'm posting a recipe for German Doll Cookies. My sister and I spent what seemed like days helping our mom make cookies for Christmas. These are one of my favorites. They're a bit labor intensive, but they taste wonderful!

German Doll Cookies

1/2 lb. butter (2 sticks), softened
3/4 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
4 cups flour
6 eggs whites, beaten
extra sugar
ground walnuts

Mix butter, sugar, egg yolks, sour cream, lemon juice, and flour in order. Roll out dough to about 1/4-inch thick on a floured board. Cut with mini gingerbread boy and girl cookie cutters (about 2 inches high). Dip unbaked cookie in beaten egg whites, then sugar, then nuts. Bake on greased cookies sheets at 250 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool completely before storing. Cookies will be slightly crisp and flaky. Makes approximately 17 dozen.

Here's a scale photo of the cookie cutters I use. They were part of my grandmother's huge collection. She had over a thousand cookie cutters!

I'd hoped to include a picture of the cookies, but no search results came back for the recipe name. They must have a German name... Imagine a small sugar cookie with light nut coating and a shiny, sugary finish!

Enjoy!

Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!

Recipe Time Again! Tomato Soup

I made Tomato Soup today with half a bushel of garden tomatoes, and I'm getting requests for the recipe! Feel free to share!

Tomato Soup

approximately 13 lbs. ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped
6 large onions, halved and sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 sweet banana peppers, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
pinch of ground red pepper

Combine tomatoes, onions, celery, and peppers in a large pot. Cook over medium heat about an hour and a half or until tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Strain the mixture through a food mill, catching the liquid in a pan and discarding the tomato skins, celery, etc. Return to medium heat.

Combine salt, flour, sugar, and ground red pepper. Mix well.

Bring the tomato mixture to a low boil. Gradually add the flour/sugar mixture. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring often.

Seal in sterilized canning jars. Makes about 7 pints.

**Note: I often use a combination of Early Girl, Roma, and Cherry tomatoes, but any flavorful tomato or combo will work!

Besides simply heating for soup, I use tomato soup for chili. Brown 1 lb. ground beef with 1 medium onion, chopped. Add 1 large can kidney beans with liquid, 1 tablespoon chili powder, and 1 quart tomato soup. Cook over medium-low heat for an hour, stirring occasionally.

Enjoy!

Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!

Back to the Grind

Life's been a little crazy for the past week and a half--an all-day critique session with some of my IRWA buddies, followed by five days at Hocking Hills, then one day home to catch up on laundry, and a monthly IRWA meeting with the fantastic Marie Force.

Now, I'm back to the grind of five-times-a-week tutoring and menu planning again. Except...I didn't have time to do that this week, so I had to improvise last night. It didn't turn out too bad. Actually, my experiment was pretty good! Here's another easy recipe, brought to you this time by "We have to eat something!!!"

Smoked Sausage Bake

1 lb. package of turkey smoked sausage (or your favorite), sliced into 1/2" pieces
2 large red potatoes, cut into chunks
1/4 tsp salt
1 medium onion, quartered and sliced
1 Gala apple, cored and chopped
1 c. apple juice

Place sliced sausage in the bottom of a deep-dish casserole. Top with potatoes and sprinkle with salt. Add onions and apples. Pour in apple juice. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for at least one hour (until potatoes are tender).

Enjoy!

Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!

Easy Supper--Oven-Fried Chimichangas!

I have a new favorite easy-supper entree! Because of my son's tutoring schedule this semester, I've had to go back to menu planning, easy-prep meals, and lots of Crockpot cooking. Here's a dish that falls under easy prep and prepare ahead!

Chicken or Pork Oven-Fried Chimichangas

1 lb. lean boneless pork chops or boneless chicken breast tenderloins
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon unseasoned meat tenderizer or 1/2 tsp. salt & dash of pepper
1 1/2 cups water
4 oz. can diced green chiles
3 large or 6-7 medium flour tortillas
Cooking spray

For pork--Layer chops in a medium saucepan, sprinkling each with tenderizer. Add onions and water. Cook over medium heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Drain liquid only. Shred the pork and add the green chiles. Mix well.

For chicken--Place chicken, salt, pepper, onions, and water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Drain liquid only; save liquid for soup, if desired. Shred the chicken and add the green chiles. Mix well.

Filling can be refrigerated or frozen at this point.

Microwave tortillas to soften slightly. Add filling. Fold in sides and roll closed. Place in a glass casserole dish lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Lightly spray tops of chimichangas with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until light brown.

Chimichangas can be refrigerated or frozen before or after baking.

I like to serve them with my version of Mexican Rice--1 qt. of my homemade salsa and 1 c. rice cooked over medium-high heat until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!

My New Favorite French Toast

The sexy chef from my nearly finished WIP, Love Served Hot, inspired me to experiment in the kitchen. Here's what I came up with:

Pineapple Upside Down French Toast

1/4 c. margarine
1/2 c. brown sugar
20 oz. can of pineapple tidbits or slices, drained
whole wheat French baguette, cut into 1" thick slices
5 eggs
1 c. milk

Melt the margarine in a medium deep-dish casserole. Add brown sugar and stir well. Evenly top with pineapple. Place sliced bread over pineapple in a single layer. Beat eggs. Add milk and mix thoroughly. Pour over bread and allow to soak in. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Invert to serve!

Enjoy!

Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!

Upon Request--Sauerkraut Balls!

After posting on FB and Twitter about making Sauerkraut Balls, some people have asked what they are and how to make them, so here's the recipe!

Sauerkraut Balls

1/4 c. butter or margarine
1 c. onion, chopped
2 c. ham, trimmed and ground (I use my grandmother's meat grinder)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 c. cold water
1/4 c. flour
3+ c. sauerkraut, drained and chopped (I use Willie's brand that comes in a bag)
1 Tbsp. parsley
flour
plain bread crumbs
1 egg
3/4 c. milk

Melt butter in a large pot. Add onion and cook until carmelized (about 12-15 minutes). Stir in ham and garlic powder. Combine water and flour. Add to pot and mix well. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in sauerkraut and parsley. Cook and stir 8-10 minutes until sauerkraut is tender. Cool completely.

Prepare one dish with about a cup of flour, one dish with about a cup of plain bread crumbs, and one dish with a beaten egg mixed with about 3/4 cup of milk.

Scoop about a tablespoon of cooled sauerkraut/ham mixture and form into a ball. Coat with flour. Dip in egg wash. Then coat with bread crumbs. I recommend handwashing after every dozen or so sauerkraut balls to prevent them from sticking to fingers. Refrigerate at least one hour.

Pour about 2 inches of canola oil in a large saucepan or fryer. Preheat to 375 degrees. Fry sauerkraut balls a few at a time until browned (about 1-2 minutes). Drain on paper towels. Reheat in 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes. Makes about 5 dozen.

Enjoy!

Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!