Dream Bites Cookbook: Cooking with the Commandos

by Kristen Ashley

  She put her hands on the island, her eyes still aimed at him.

  Damn, she was pretty.

  He’d never get used to it, how pretty his girl was.

  He dug that too.

  “A thing?” she asked.

  “We do charity shit. It’s part of our responsibilities. We have a certain number of hours we need to do a year as a team. We get together and pick what we do, commit to it, then do it. Usually, it’s runs to fundraise. Five Ks. Marathons. We adopted a highway once. That sucked, but it was important work to do. Someone got wind of this, approached Hawk, they had a sit-down, and now me and Boone, Axl, and Aug are doing a charity cookbook.”

  Now she wasn’t just looking at him.

  She was blinking at him.

  Rapidly.

  “Sorry?” she asked.

  “Some chick named Kristen Ashley, who’s a writer, but she also raises money for women’s charities, approached Hawk about doing a fundraising thing. Hawk told her the guys cook. She came up with the idea. Now Hawk wants us to give her recipes so she can compile them with a chef friend of hers named Suzanne Johnson, who’s going to test-kitchen them. If the recipes work, they’ll pull it together, sell the books, and raise money for some women’s charities.”

  “That’s the most preposterous thing I’ve ever heard,” Evie blurted.

  Mag started laughing.

  “Why is the name ‘Kristen Ashley’ familiar?” she asked when he quit laughing.

  “That’s what I thought,” he muttered, though it wasn’t an answer because he couldn’t put his finger on it, but every time he thought about it, before he could do something to figure it out, something else came up.

  “I mean, how would she know that Hawk expected this of you guys?” Evie pressed.

  Another good question he had no answer to.

  Then again, his boss was far from an open book. Who knew who the man knew?

  “No clue,” he answered.

  “Did you look her up?”

  He shrugged. “Haven’t had the time.”

  She headed to her book bag, probably to grab her tablet or phone in order to research the name.

  That was Evie.

  She didn’t wonder about shit for long.

  If she had a question, out came a laptop or her phone and she was tapping shit in to find the answer.

  It came with having a mind like hers.

  She was a genius, that was also certified (and not a joke), and in the time they’d had together, he’d found she just couldn’t know enough.

  About anything.

  He dug that about her too.

  Big time.

  “Doesn’t matter, babe,” he told her. “We’re under orders.”

  That stopped her progress and she turned to him.

  “Under orders?”

  Mag nodded.

  “You, and your commando brothers, are under orders to create recipes?” she went on.

  He grinned at her and tossed a hand out to the tray in front of him that was covered in baked pizza dough twisted up with parmesan and bacon that he’d just finished brushing garlic butter over.

  “Are you complaining?” he asked.

  “Heck no,” she answered, moving back to the island. “Do I get to test-kitchen all your recipes?”

  “Absolutely.”

  She glanced at the knots. “Then I don’t care who Kristen Ashley is. I’m all for this.”

  Mag was grinning again.

  And through doing it, he said, “I wanna add your Cinnamon Clusters to my list of recipes.”

  “If it’s for charity, go for it,” she offered. “What else are you going to do?”

  “Mom’s chocolate chip cookies, my grilled pizza, and these to start.”

  Her head jerked, her hair flowing with it.

  Yeah, his girl was all kinds of pretty.

  “Whoa,” she said. “You’re pulling out the big guns.”

  “It’s for charity.”

  She was staring at him again, unblinking this time.

  And she did it so long, he had no choice but to ask, “What?”

  “I really love you, Daniel Magnusson.”

  When he heard that, no hesitation, he made a move, doing this toward her.

  But her hand flew up his way and she ordered, “Don’t!”

  Was she crazy?

  Looking at him like that and telling him she loved him, she knew that bought his mouth.

  At least.

  “Don’t?” he asked, stopping his advance.

  She tipped her head to the knots. “Are those fresh out of the oven?”

  “Yeah.”

  “And do you intend to kiss me right now?”

  “Yeah.”

  Now she planted her hands on her hips.

  “Danny, I know you. I see the look on your face. If you kiss me with that look on your face, we’re totally having sex on the kitchen floor.”

  She was totally right.

  “And this is a problem?”

  She repeated the move of tipping her head to the knots. “Those won’t be warm after sex.”

  “I’ll make another batch.”

  He could see her shift immediately to considering that.

  She wanted to have sex with him on the kitchen floor.

  Fuck, he loved this woman.

  That meant he finished his move, rounding the corner of the island and pulling her to him with his hand wrapped around the back of her neck.

  “One knot,” he murmured, eyes on her mouth, “then we’re having kitchen-floor sex.”

  “Deal,” she murmured back.

  Oh yeah, she wanted to fuck on the floor.

  He reached out and snatched a knot for her.

  Then one for him.

  She munched, approving with her eyes.

  He munched, thinking he didn’t do half bad.

  Then they had kitchen-floor sex.

  KA

  Fast forward one month…

  I’m sitting at the table in Fortnum’s with the guys.

  And we’re going through Mag’s recipes.

  We don’t get through the first one (Cheesy Bacon Knots) before Auggie says, “Didn’t you have sex with Evie in the middle of making those?”

  I do a head jerk at the blaze of fire Daniel “Mag” Magnusson aims at Augustus “Auggie” Hero after he says that.

  Man, I’m sure glad that look isn’t aimed at me.

  Yikes.

  “No, it was after, not in the middle,” Axl Pantera puts in smoothly.

  Boone Sadler lounges back in his chair, muttering, “So this is how this is gonna go.”

  “One hundred percent,” Auggie states.

  “Fuck,” Mag says under his breath.

  “Gotta give the…what do you call them again?” Auggie asks me.

  “Chicklets,” I answer.

  “You call your readers Chicklets?” Boone queries.

  “Uh, it’s an inside thing,” I tell him.

  He clearly wants to know no more because he doesn’t pursue it.

  Auggie picks up his thread. “Gotta give the Chicklets their money’s worth.”

  “So you guys locker-room talk,” I say, and I gotta admit, I’m kinda disappointed.

  “Hell no.” (Axl)

  “Fuck no.” (Mag)

  “Absolutely not.” (Boone)

  “Not on your life.” (Auggie)

  This all comes at me at once, and it’s confusing, considering what I just heard.

  “So…” I say leadingly.

  “I know because Pepper told me,” Aug states.

  “And I know because Ryn tells me,” Boone adds.

  “Same,” Axl grunts.

  Mag just nods his head.

  This means Evie spills to her girls.

  I start laughing.

  “It’s kinda not funny,” Mag points out.

  “It’s totally funny,” I disagree. Then add, “So you don’t locker-room talk. But the women do, and you save it up to give each other shi
t when the time is right.”

  “That’s about it,” Mag says.

  “What?”

  We all jump when this is boomed at us from the vicinity of the espresso machine.

  Tex is glaring at us.

  Or, more aptly, glaring at the commandos.

  He’s also clearly not feeling like making them guess as to why he boomed our way because he continues.

  “All you badasses waltz in here and sit down to have a chat, five a’ you, takin’ up space, and only one of you bought a coffee? What do you think this is? A community center?”

  He takes a breath, but not a long enough breath for anyone to get a word in before he keeps going.

  “No, I’ll answer that. It’s not. Get your butts up here and pay for the privilege of taking the corner table. Outside of the couch, that table is our top spot. Fuckin’ A.”

  With that, he stomps the four paces back to the espresso machine.

  As he’s stomping, I’m pretty sure I see Da 5 Bloods poster ripple.

  And I watch him do this, thinking happily that life can throw some serious shit at you, but in the midst of that, one thing you can rely on is that some things never change.

  And that’s a very good thing.

  “Guess we have our orders,” Axl says as he pushes his chair back to get up.

  The others follow suit.

  “You want another?” Boone offers before he heads to the espresso counter.

  “That’s sweet, but I’ll save the table and get a refill when you guys get back,” I tell him.

  He waits half a beat.

  And then, with a different look on his face…

  One that I can only describe as a commando look…

  No, not only.

  It could also be described as a Dom look….

  Niiiiice.

  He repeats, “Do you want another?”

  Well then.

  “Uh, sure. A Textual,” I say.

  He nods and moves to join the others in line.

  I study them as they wait.

  Boone is tall, lean, blond, green-eyed, and gorgeous. Classic male beauty. Top to toe.

  Mag is even taller, his brows are heavy, his dark hair is messy, his eyes are electric blue. He’s kinda the boy next door with a hotness quotient of 7,550.

  Axl has silver hair and striking ice-blue eyes. His features are rugged and there’s an exoticness to him that even surpasses Auggie.

  This is saying something because Auggie is all classic Greek good looks. Thick, arched brows. Black hair. Intense eyes. Hooded brow. Strong nose. And utterly perfect lips.

  Looking at them, only I could think what I am thinking.

  I did good with these boys.

  I really did.

  Recipes from the Kitchen of Danny Magnusson

  Mag’s Appetizers

  Cheesy Bacon Knots

  1 package pizza dough

  1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

  1 teaspoon basil

  1 teaspoon oregano

  12 strips bacon

  4 tablespoons butter, melted

  1 teaspoon minced garlic

  1 tablespoon chopped parsley

  1 cup Boone’s Garden Marinara (Click here for recipe.)

  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll out pizza dough and cut into 12 even 1-inch slices. Sprinkle with Parmesan, basil and oregano to cover. Place a strip of bacon over each dough strip. Tie together to make a knot. Place the knots on a wire rack over a cookie sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until bread is golden brown and bacon is crispy. In a small bowl, mix together the butter, garlic and parsley. Brush the knots with garlic butter and serve with Garden Marinara.

  KA Note: I had these in Suzanne’s test kitchen. Obviously, from the ingredients, you can’t go wrong. And leftovers are perfect for breakfast. Yum!

  Click here to return to the table of contents.

  Buffalo Chicken Rolls

  2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

  8 ounces blue cheese dressing

  8 ounces buffalo wing sauce

  3 cups chicken, cooked and shredded

  1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

  1 package egg roll wrappers

  Axl’s Ranch Dressing (Click here for recipe.)

  In a large bowl, combine the first 3 ingredients with a hand mixer. Then, add the shredded chicken and cheddar cheese and stir until blended. In a deep fryer or Dutch oven, heat oil to 350 degrees. Take 1 egg roll wrapper and fill with about 2 tablespoons of chicken mixture. Roll up by folding both sides in, then rolling to close. Place a small amount of water on the end edge and seal. Repeat with remaining egg rolls. Place 2-3 at a time in the oil and fry for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with Ranch Dressing.

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  Southwest Rolls

  2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

  1 cup black beans, drained

  1 cup canned corn

  1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained

  1/4 cup green onions, chopped

  1 teaspoon cumin

  1 teaspoon chili powder

  1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

  1 teaspoon salt and pepper

  1 cup shredded Colby/Monterey Jack cheese

  10-12 egg roll wrappers

  6-8 cups of oil for frying

  Auggie’s Avocado Dipping Sauce (Click here for recipe.)

  Mix together the first 10 ingredients in a large bowl. Place the egg roll wrappers on a dry cutting board. Next, place 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture onto one egg roll wrapper and roll like a burrito, folding in both sides. To seal the edge, simply brush it with a small amount of water and finish the roll. Place sealed side down on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and repeat with remaining wrappers. Heat oil to 350 degrees and fry the rolls three at a time for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels, slice in half and serve with Avocado Dipping Sauce.

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  Mag’s Mains

  Pimento Cheese Bacon Burger

  1 pound ground beef

  2 teaspoons Steak Seasoning (Click here for recipe.)

  1 batch Auggie’s Pimento Cheese (Click here for recipe.)

  4 hamburger buns

  8 slices bacon, cooked and drained

  Sliced tomatoes (optional)

  Sliced onions (optional)

  Lettuce leaves (optional)

  In a large bowl, combine ground beef and Steak Seasoning. Form into 4 patties. Preheat grill to medium and cook burgers for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway through, or until 160 degrees for medium (170 degrees for well done). Right before removing the hamburgers from the grill, place 2 tablespoons of Pimento Cheese on each patty. Close grill for 1 minute, then remove all patties from grill. Place each patty on a bun and top with bacon. Add lettuce, tomato, and onion if desired.

  KA Note: In the Rock Chick Lair, my only outdoor space is a balcony, so I don’t have a grill. I fry my burgers in a skillet, and if I need to melt cheese, just top the skillet with a lid for a minute or so. Et voilà! Yummily melted cheese!

  Steak Seasoning

  1 tablespoon salt

  1 tablespoon pepper

  1 tablespoon garlic powder

  1 tablespoon onion powder

  1 tablespoon paprika

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  Monte Cristo Sliders

  1 (12 count) package sweet Hawaiian rolls

  1/2 pound thinly sliced honey ham

  1/2 pound thinly sliced roasted turkey

  1/2 pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese

  2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

  3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

  3 tablespoons mayonnaise

  1 stick butter, melted

  1/4 cup powdered sugar

  Black and Blue Jam (Click here for recipe.)

  Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Slice ro
lls horizontally together as one sheet. Place the bottom sheet of rolls into the baking dish. Layer with ham, turkey and cheese. In a small bowl, combine the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and mayo. Spread evenly on the top layer of rolls. Place sauce side down onto cheese and meat layer. Brush melted butter onto the tops of the rolls. Bake for 10 minutes uncovered and 10 minutes covered. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Lift the rolls out of the dish and place on a cutting board. Using a large knife, cut the rolls into individual sliders. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with Black and Blue jam.

  KA Note: During the COVID-19 quarantine, I made these up at the Rock Chick Shack. Monte Cristos are by far and away my favorite sandwich (the Reuben is a second runner-up). I don’t hit the sweet side of this sandwich (I tend to slather mine in mustard only). So I didn’t make the jam. That said, the Hawaiian rolls, the fantastic sauce and the addition of turkey take this over…the…freaking…top. They’re insanely delicious. And leftovers were just as good.

  Black and Blue Jam

  2 cups blueberries

  2 cups blackberries

  5 cups sugar

  1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

  1 packet liquid pectin

  6 (8 ounce) jelly jars with lids

  Puree the first 2 ingredients in a food processor or blender and add into a medium saucepan with the sugar and vinegar. Bring to a boil over medium, heat stirring constantly. After the mixture has been boiling for 1 minute, add the pectin and continue to stir for 4 minutes. Ladle the mixture into the jelly jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Apply lids and place in refrigerator until set, about 12 hours. Transfer to a pressure cooker to seal for a longer shelf life. If you are not using a pressure cooker to seal the jars, the jam must stay refrigerated. Refrigerated jams are good for 3 months and sealed jars have a shelf life of 18 months to two years.