Patriot: At Any Cost

Down Home: Maine and the early months of World War II.

What on Earth does this have to do with BAKING?
Well, I’ll tell you. Lillian – like many a woman during the war years – tried to support the war effort. Good home-cooking was one of the things soldiers missed...so, Food is part of the picture in 'Patriot: At Any Cost,' and I thought readers might enjoy a couple old-time “real Yankee” recipes.
Maine Potato Candy

* 4 cups confectioners' sugar

* 4 cups flaked coconut

* 1 cup cold mashed potatoes (without added milk and butter)

* 1-1/2 teaspoons Spice Islands® pure vanilla extract

* 1/2 teaspoon salt

* Chocolate candy coating, melted in microwave OR use a box semi-sweet choc, melted in a saucepan, with a small amount of baker’s paraffin.

* In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Line a 9-in. square pan with foil; butter the foil. Spread coconut/potato mixture into pan. Cover and chill overnight.

* melt chocolate: and pick one of 2 methods: Cut potato mixture into bars or squares: freeze. Dip bars in coating; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper to set. Or Take the lazy-man’s route: when you take that potato mixture out of the fridge: melt the chocolate, and ‘frost’ the top with the chocolate coating & cut in squares before it hardens.

Want to try another offbeat recipe? Anchovy loaf! I'll post it at the Favorites book club site: Do pop in! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FavoritesBookclub/

Sunday Snog!

So who doesn't love a good snog? For those of you unfamiliar with the term I'm not being rude it simply means a kiss and I love kisses. Because I love them so much I set up a Sunday tradition, a regular spot on my blog dedicated to kisses. It's called, yes, you've guessed it, the Sunday Snog.

Every week I post up a tasty teaser from one of my books containing a sensual snog and then authors join in by adding their own kisses to the list at the end of my post. We get in a good number of different kisses each week and believe me, it's a very fun way to while away some time on a Sunday afternoon! This weeks Snog is chocolate covered and very, very hot indeed. Come on over and check it out!

Chocolate Covered Kisses

If there was ever a day for chocolate and kissing and chocolate covered kisses, it’s Valentine’s Day. One of my very favorite chocolate covered treats happens to be chocolate covered strawberries, a taste I share with Lila, the heroine of my novella Sculpting a Demon.


In fact, almost exactly one year ago my very good friend sent me a box of chocolate covered strawberries to celebrate the submission of Sculpting a Demon to Ellora’s Cave. Her timing was totally perfect too because a day later a record breaking snow storm swept through the area and I was snowed in for THREE DAYS. I don’t know that I would have survived without that chocolate goodness to get me through.

I ate my chocolate covered strawberries alone at home while being held captive by a blizzard, but Lila gets to have a bit more fun with hers…

Arien chose a strawberry and brought it to her mouth, but instead of allowing her to take a bite, he ran the fruit over her bottom lip. She let the tip of her tongue touch the berry and pure, rich sweetness filled her mouth. His eyes glazed as he watched her lick the strawberry and she heard him inhale sharply. His Adam’s apple worked as he swallowed hard. He put the strawberry aside and his eyes focused on her mouth. He dipped his head, his lips hovering over hers.

Her breathing began to come in short, quick pants as heat rushed straight to her core. Her lips parted and her eyes drifted shut. She lifted her chin, so ready, so very wanting his kiss. She leaned toward him and her lips met air. Startled, her eyes flew open. His soft, rich laughter rumbled through her, making her insides vibrate.

“Do you want me to kiss you?” he asked, his lips so close, so very close to hers.

“Yes,” she said, her voice little more than a whisper. “Yes?” he asked. His mouth moved over hers, small circles, round and round, his lips so tantalizingly close.

“Say it. Tell me what you want.”

Oh yeah, kisses and chocolate. Two of my most favorite things. I hope your Valentine’s Day is just as sweet and fun!

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Your Clueless Valentine

Happy (early) Valentine’s Day! First word that pops into your head?

Love…chocolate…kiss…diamonds…red? With me the word is romance with a capital R. Romance drives me and I can’t get enough. I need help explaining the word to the male gender. I’m not saying all men fall short on the romance-understanding scale, but I’ve found most don’t get the difference between sex and romance.

A “clueless male” excerpt from Sleeping with the Lights On:

Wesley appeared behind me, arms encircling my waist while planting an open, mouth-sucking kiss on my neck. “Mmmm, you smell better than the food.”

Food? Really?

First, tell me the first word that popped into your head, and then give me your take on explaining my word – Romance – to a clueless male.

Brenda Whiteside

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Sleeping with the Lights On - contemporary romance

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