by J. Kenner
"It is. I love this house. I love you. And, honestly, I even love the show. I'd just hit a wall, but you've helped me scale it."
"Maybe part way, but we're not over it yet." He cupped his chin, his mouth curved into a frown. Clearly, he was thinking, but she had no idea about what.
"Spencer?"
"They're the ones that crossed the line," he said. "The house is ours. This life is ours. And we're the couple on the show."
"So?"
"All that was agreed on. They got access. Not to our bedroom, God forbid." His eyes danced with amusement. "We're not that kind of a show. But they get to go pretty much everywhere else. They film our talks about groceries while we're discussing wallpaper. They film our talks about how we work and what kind of office space we need while we discuss furniture choices. Our lives seep into this show because they have to."
"I know all of that."
He took her hands in his. "But we've never staged anything."
She nodded slowly. "The party. That's why it's bugging me so much. It's not really our party at all."
"Would you have had an engagement party here?"
She shook her head. "We're already engaged. We went to The Fix and hung out with friends that night, remember?"
"I have a vague memory," he said, and she rolled her eyes. "I say we take it away from them."
Her eyes went wide. "You mean tell them they can't film the party?"
"I mean cancel the party."
She lifted a shoulder. "Knowing Molly and Adam, they'd just reschedule."
"Can't have an engagement party if we're not engaged. And after we cancel, we can lay down the law. No more staged events."
He'd kept talking, but she barely heard anything after not engaged. How could she when the blood had rushed from her body, taking with it her brain's ability to function? "I--Spencer--what?"
She heard the horror and shock and confusion in her voice, but there was no other way for her to say those words.
For a moment, he stared at her, confused. Then his eyes went wide, and he said, "Oh, shit!" with such humor that she at least knew that nothing was wrong between them. But she still didn't know the punch line.
"What did you mean by 'not engaged'?"
He forced himself to stop chuckling, then drew in a breath. "It just occurred to me that the best way to render an engagement party moot is to not be engaged. And the only way I intend to not be engaged to you is when we're actually married."
"Oh."
"It's Friday, Angel. What do you say we fly to Vegas in the morning and get married? Then we can have a small reception at The Fix."
"You want to get married tomorrow?" Her head was spinning.
"I know it's not a fancy wedding, but we haven't even started planning since the show is taking so much time. But if you'd rather wait and have a big wedding, I certainly won't argue. I want you to have the wedding you want. I'd never try to--"
"Yes," she blurted.
"Yes?" His brows rose, as if he wasn't certain he'd heard her right.
"Yes," she repeated. Her heart was pounding, full of so much love she wasn't sure her body was capable of holding it all in. "Vegas sounds amazing. Because honestly, the only wedding I want is one where I end up married to you."
A slow smile crossed his mouth--joy, love, passion, friendship. It all mixed together in the soup that was their life. A life that had followed a crooked path, and would turn once more tomorrow when they went from being engaged to being married.
The thought overwhelmed her in the best of ways, and she rose up, needing nothing else in that moment except to kiss him, slow and deep.
The kind of kiss that sealed a promise--or a wedding vow.
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October ~ November ~ December
October
Game Day Wings
3 pounds chicken wings, cut into thirds and tips discarded 1/2 cup hot sauce
1 tablespoon Montreal steak seasoning 1 teaspoon salt
6 cups oil, for frying 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter 1 bottle Russian dressing
In a large bowl, toss the wings with 1/4 cup hot sauce, steak seasoning and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 375 degrees. Fry wings in oil until crisp and a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees, about 10-12 minutes. Drain on paper towels. While the wings are draining, melt butter in a small bowl for 1 minute in the microwave. Add remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and Russian dressing to the butter and mix well. Transfer wings to a large bowl and pour sauce over them. Toss to coat and serve.
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Reuben Sliders
12 slider potato buns 1/2 cup Thousand Island dressing 1 pound deli corned beef, shaved 1/2 pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese 1/2 cup sauerkraut
2 tablespoons butter, melted 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice potato buns in half and place bottom half in a 9x9-inch baking dish. Spread 1/4 cup dressing over buns, then top with corned beef, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut. Spread remaining dressing on remaining bun halves and place on top of sauerkraut. Stir together melted butter and Worcestershire sauce and brush over the top of the buns. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 5 minutes or until golden brown.
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Corn Dip Fritters
6 ears grilled corn
1/4 cup chopped green onion 8 ounces cream cheese 1/2 cup chopped pickled jalapenos 1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper 1 cup Parmesan cheese 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 tablespoon garlic powder
For Fritters:
2 cups all-purpose flour 4 eggs
4 cups panko breadcrumbs 6 cups oil, for frying
This recipe is made with leftover Grilled Corn Dip. (Click here for recipe.)
GRILLED CORN DIP
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove corn from the cob and mix together all ingredients except cheddar cheese. Place in a baking dish and top with cheddar cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.
Cool, then refrigerate overnight. Roll dip into 1-inch balls and coat with flour. Place on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or deep fryer to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk 4 eggs. In a separate medium bowl, add the panko breadcrumbs. Remove the balls from the refrigerator and dredge each one in the egg then the panko breadcrumbs. Place 4 balls at a time in the oil and fry 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
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Candy Corn Jell-O Shot
2 cups water
3 (7 grams each) envelopes unflavored gelatin 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 1 cup Grey Goose vodka 1 box orange flavored Jell-O
Yellow food coloring 20 shot glasses
In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water and 1 packet of unflavored gelatin to a simmer, until gelatin has dissolved. Remove from heat and add 1/2 can (7 ounces) of the sweetened condensed milk to the mixture. Stir until the ingredients combine. Add 1/3 cup vodka. Evenly distribute the first half of the mixture in the 20 shot glasses, but DO NOT fill more than 1/3 of the way full. Refrigerate the shots until firm, about 30-40 minutes. When the first layer is firm, pour another 1 cup of water into a saucepan and add 1 packet of gelatin to make the middle layer. Warm the water until the gelatin dissolves, remove from heat, and stir in the box of orange Jell-O until dissolved. Add 1/3 cup vanilla vodka. Evenly distribute orange layer on top of white layer and refrigerate until chilled. In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water and 1 packet of gelatin to a simmer until gelatin has dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the remaining 7 ounces of sweetened condensed milk and a few drops of yellow food coloring. Distribute the yellow layer on top of the orange and put shot glasses back into the fridge until set.
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November
Country Fried Steak Bites w
ith Gravy
3 cups oil, for frying Salt and Pepper 2 eggs
8-10 pieces cubed steak, cut into 3 strips each 2 cups milk 3 cups flour
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or frying pan to 350 degrees. Mix together the eggs and milk. Salt and pepper the steak and add to the milk mixture. Place the flour in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Remove the meat and dredge in the flour. Fry about 4-6 pieces at a time, depending on size, for 3-5 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and allow to drain on paper towels. When all meat has been cooked, turn off heat and drain excess oil from the pan - leaving the pan drippings for the gravy.
MILK GRAVY
2 tablespoons flour 1 tablespoon pepper 3 cups milk Pan drippings 1/2 tablespoon salt
Place the pan back on the burner and turn on low. Add 2 tablespoons flour and stir to get the drippings loose from the bottom of the pan. When the flour is incorporated with the drippings, add the milk, salt and pepper. Stir gravy continuously until it reaches a full boil. Remove from heat while continuing to stir until gravy has thickened to your preference.
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Sausage Biscuits with Black & Blue Jam
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter 4 cups biscuit mix (I use Bisquick) 1 cup sour cream
1 cup Sprite
1 cup ground sausage, cooked and drained
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter in the microwave for 1 minute, then distribute evenly into 24 mini cupcake tins, just coating the bottom. Mix the biscuit mix, sour cream and Sprite together and knead dough for about 2 minutes. Mix in sausage until evenly distributed. Drop dough from a tablespoon into each mini cupcake tin, filling 3/4 full. Bake for 15 minutes and serve with Black & Blue Jam. (Click here for recipe.)
BLACK & BLUE JAM
2 cups blueberries 2 cups blackberries 1/2 cup water
1 packet liquid pectin
5 cups sugar
6 jelly jars with lids
Puree the first 2 ingredients in a food processor or blender and place in a medium saucepan with the sugar and water. 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. Turn off the heat and allow to thicken for an additional 4 minutes. Then ladle the mixture into the jelly jars, leaving 1/ 2 inch headspace. Apply caps and let jam stand in refrigerator until set, about 12 hours, or 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 about 3 months and sealed jars have a shelf life of about 18 months to two years.
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Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon Whipped Topping
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg 2 eggs
1 frozen pie crust
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using a hand mixer, beat together pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour into pie crust and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake for an additional 40 minutes. Top with Cinnamon Whipped Topping. (Click here for recipe.)
CINNAMON WHIPPED TOPPING
2 cups heavy cream 1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (or hand mixer), pour heavy cream in bowl and whisk on high, slowly adding the remaining ingredients until stiff peaks form.
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Spiked Apple Cider
1 cup spiced apple cider 6 ounces Makers Mark bourbon 4 teaspoons maple syrup
Fill cocktail shaker with ingredients and 3-4 ice cubes. Shake and serve in a high ball glass with Mini Caramel Apples. (Click here for recipe.)
MINI CARAMEL APPLES
5 Granny Smith apples 1 container caramel dip 1 cup salted peanuts, chopped melon ball scoop
40 toothpicks
Using a melon scoop, remove 8-10 balls from each apple, placing skin/flat side down on waxed paper. Place a toothpick in the top center of each apple ball. Microwave the caramel dip as instructed on the label. Dip each ball in the caramel and place on waxed paper. Spread the peanuts evenly on the top of each ball or leave plain. Place in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes to set.
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December
Butternut Squash Soup
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic Salt and pepper to taste 3 cups chicken stock
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place squash, onion and carrots in a large bowl and coat with olive oil and garlic. Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes, or until squash is tender. Place roasted vegetables and chicken stock in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 5-10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Using an immersion blender, puree vegetables until smooth. Serve with crumbled bacon and Parmesan cheese.
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Cranberry Turkey Melt
8 slices Texas toast
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard 8 slices Muenster cheese
1 pound roasted turkey breast, sliced 8 tablespoons cranberry sauce (Click here for recipe.) 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spread 8 slices of bread with Dijon mustard and layer 4 slices with cheese, turkey, cranberry sauce and second slice of cheese. Top with remaining slices of bread, making 4 sandwiches. Spread outside of bread (both sides) with mayonnaise to coat evenly. Place sandwiches in skillet one or two at a time, pressing down firmly with the back of a spatula. Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
CRANBERRY SAUCE
4 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar 1/2 cup orange juice
In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients and simmer on low for 8-10 minutes, stirring and smashing until thickened. Refrigerate in an air tight container for at least 1 hour before use.
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White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
1 stick butter, softened 1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips 1 cup dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until smooth, then add egg and vanilla. Slowly add flour, baking soda and baking powder until blended. Stir in the white chocolate chips and cranberries. Place 1 tablespoon at a time on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes.
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Poinsettia
1 cup fresh cranberries 1 bottle champagne 1 bottle cranberry juice
Place 2-3 cranberries in each ice cube compartment in an ice cube tray. Fill with water and freeze. To serve: In a high ball glass add 2-3 ice cubes and pour equal parts champagne and cranberry juice.
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JUST A KISS: ERIC & TIFFANY
Short Story
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter One
"And that's my day," Tiffany Russell chirped, sliding easily under the bar so that she could put her tips into the jar that the servers, bartenders, and bar backs shared. That section of the bar swung open, but she'd gotten used to simply scooting under. Which was good, since customers tended to walk by and leave empty glasses on the supposed-to-stay empty section of the polished oak bar.
&n
bsp; "I'm off as soon as Eric gets here, too," Cam said, easing down from where he'd just returned a bottle of top-shelf gin to its place.
She and Cameron Reed had worked together for years at The Fix on Sixth, which, as far as Tiffany was concerned was the best place to hang out and have a drink in the entire city of Austin. Maybe even all of Texas. They'd never dated, but they'd hit it off immediately and had become fast friends.
"I just put in an order for some Mushroom Spinach Risotto Balls and some Farmhouse Sliders for me and Mina. Wanna join?" He pointed to a table by the currently empty stage, where his girlfriend of almost a year, Mina, sat making notes on a script.
"Are you kidding? That would be great. I want to hear all about the new movie."
Tiffany and Mina had gone to high school together in Austin, and while Tiffany was still in school working toward her masters in psychology, Mina was working for a local indie film company that was doing exceptionally well.
"Plus, you're starving, right?"
Tiffany laughed. "Busted. You know me too well."
"I'm guessing your fridge is down to chunks of unidentifiable cheeses, a package of rice cakes--which are gross, by the way--and a flat Diet Coke."
Tiffany rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. I also have two limes and a carton of half-and-half."
"Went wild at the grocery store, I see."
"That's me. Always doing the crazy."
The front door opened, and Eric Shay stepped in off of Sixth Street. Immediately, Tiffany's eyes went to him. Just like Pavlov's dog, she thought, which was one of the downsides of being a pysch major. Too hard to hide from her own subconscious.
