Her grams hosted an impossible party they all had to fly to New York for, because Keila decided she wasn't going through that without her best friend by her side, and Jack went along with it because having Michael there wasn't the worst idea he could envision. She never quite figured out why her grandmother retracted her claws as much as she did, but something about Jack didn't trigger her. She even went so far as to pull her mother back when she was all keyed up to go in on Jack.
When Keila walked into her grams' kitchen one night and found her and Jack sitting there having tea and talking about their upcoming plans to go to Paris, she stood in the doorway, mouth agape, and simply watched. Jack was, by far, the most charming man she had ever known. Even Michael wasn't good enough to remove the suspicious scowl her grams kept plastered on her face. The whole weekend they were all in town, Grams treated Michael like a used car salesman trying to get her to buy a ten year old car for full price. For some reason, this amused him to no end and he became extra solicitous of her favor.
Three weeks later, everyone was in Virginia to watch Keila walk across the stage and get her degree. As she looked out into the audience, it was hard to believe that when she came to school, she was so unsure about so many things and her only support had been her mother and grams. Now, she had a complete family out in that crowd cheering her on, excited for her future. As uncertain as she was when she'd arrived at the university, she was equally as self-assured leaving. College had done exactly what it was designed to do. It had exposed her to a life wildly different from her own and taught her to adapt in situations. She experienced the highs and lows and somehow managed to survive them all. Keila went in the door a little girl and came out the other side her own woman, who chose to be someone's little girl when she wanted to be, and that was the thing she was most proud of herself for. She'd learned to ask for what she needed and to accept it when it was given.
They were sitting on the flight from Dulles to Paris. Jack had been buried in his laptop from the second they were able to get Wi-Fi. He was determined to finish his latest presentation, so he could enjoy this first week revisiting some favorite spots with Keila, before he had to get back to the states.
It wasn't easy, and they'd done an extreme amount of talking and planning, but they finally came to a decision. Keila did need to accept this monumental opportunity, and there was no way Jack was going to be without her for two years. So, they were both moving to Paris. Outside of setting up new systems for merged clients and the occasional speaking engagements, most of Jack's work could be done from a computer, anywhere worldwide.
Brianna's show went on tour, and she went with them, much to Keila's surprise. It was everything her friend had worked for, but it was still hard for Keila to believe she could leave Michael for that much time. Keila explained that leaving wasn't nearly as hard as it seemed when you knew what you were coming home to, besides, like Jack, Michael could be anywhere Brianna needed him.
When she felt Jack lean in closely, Keila's breath caught. He'd been within sniffing space for the last week. It was like he couldn't keep his distance and he absolutely couldn't keep his hands or his lips to himself. Not that she was complaining. When she turned around to give him grief about working on his computer and not on her, his lips on hers stole any words that were about to come out, along with her breath.
"You were about to say."
"That you're wearing lip gloss. Very sexy." Keila reached out to wipe it away with her thumb."
"So, are you excited?" Jack asked.
"Who wouldn't be? It's the opportunity of a lifetime. It's still strange to think about myself as someone who lives in Paris. Like, who am I?"
"You are Keila Soriano, someday Simmons, and you are the woman I love."
"And, you, Jack Simmons, are the man whose love knocks me off my feet."
Recipes
Want to try some of the recipes in the book? Read on.
Tiramisu Cupcakes
Ingredients
429g all-purpose flour
265g caster (superfine) sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
125g unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
375ml of milk
125ml vegetable oil
2 tbsp Greek yogurt (can substitute with sour cream)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
3 tbsp instant coffee + 1/2 cup boiling water
Chocolate Sauce
Coffee mixture
3 tbsp instant coffee + 1/2 cup boiling water
Frosting
1 batch cream cheese frosting
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
3 tbsp mascarpone cheese
5 tbsp of sweetened cocoa powder
Instructions:
Preheat a fan-forced oven to 140C (280F) or 180C (320F) for a conventional oven. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to a large mixing bowl and mix together using a hand mixer to combine.
Next, add the softened butter and mix on low speed until mixture reaches a crumbly sand-like texture.
Add the eggs, milk, oil, Greek yogurt (which helps keep the cake moist) and vanilla bean paste. Mix on low speed until no dry ingredients are showing. Scrape down the bowl and mix for another 20 seconds.
Fill each paper 3/4 of the ways (using an ice cream scoop to transfer the batter into cupcake liners makes this a quick and easy process, otherwise, you can use two tablespoons). Bake for 30 min. If they're not baked after 30 min, bake for an extra 10 min at a time until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow them to cool completely on a wire cooling rack before frosting.
To prepare the frosting, add vanilla bean paste and mascarpone cheese to cream cheese frosting and mix until well combined. I'd recommend using a stand mixer or hand mixer on high speed to help do this. Doing it by hand can risk softening or splitting your frosting.
Coffee mixture
Add instant coffee powder and boiling water into a small mixing bowl and mix until coffee is dissolved.
Tip the baked and cooled cupcakes into the coffee mixture and allow excess to drip off.
Once the cupcakes have cooled, core the centre of each cupcake and fill with chocolate sauce.
Fit the end of a piping bag with a Wilton 1M tip and frost a swirl of frosting on top. Finish with a dusting of cocoa powder.
Simple Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi
These soft pillowy dumplings are brought to life with the brightness of fresh baby spinach. A drizzle of lemon zest, juice and olive oil and topped with parmesan and greens makes this a wonderful lunch, side dish, or even first course for a dinner party.
Course Main Course
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Ingredients
Basic Ricotta Gnocchi
1 1/2 cups fresh ricotta (360 g) see notes below
1 cup finely grated parmesan (80 g)
1 cup plain AP flour (150 g)
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp sea or kosher salt , to start, depending on the saltiness of your ricotta and parmesan.
3/4 tsp cracked pepper
Spinach Gnocchi
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice (60 ml)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and cracked pepper
10 1/2 oz baby spinach leaves (300 g)
1 batch basic ricotta gnocchi
2 cups fresh Arugula
1/2 cup freshly shaved parmesan cheese
Ricotta Gnocchi
Place the ricotta, parmesan, flour, eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl.
Mix until combined and a sticky dough is formed. Taste to see if it is salted enough to your taste. Re-season now if needed.
It will be sticky to roll out. Use a well-floured surface and fingers when shaping.
Spinach Gnocchi
Place the lemon zest, juice
and olive oil in a small bowl and whisk together with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
Place the spinach in a large bowl. Cover with boiling water. Set aside for 1 minute.
Drain and place the spinach (in batches) in a tea towel. Wrap up and squeeze the towel to remove any excess liquid.
Finely chop the squeezed spinach and add to the ricotta gnocchi dough to combine.
Lightly flour the counter.
Divide the dough in half or even into four sections, and roll each piece into a 1 1/2 inch (3 cm) thick long log. Slice the log into 3/4 inch or so pieces and place them on a lightly floured tray or platter.
Cook the gnocchi in batches in a large pot of boiling salted water.
They should be in boiling water for about 2-3 minutes. They are cooked when they float to the surface.
Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and place on a serving plate.
Top with the lemon oil, fresh arugula and shaved parmesan.
Italian Braciole
Ingredients
2 pounds thinly sliced beef
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup grated provolone
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil
5 Tbsp olive oil
4 cups Tomato Sauce
Instructions
In a medium sized bowl, mix together the garlic powder, cheeses, breadcrumbs, and dried basil. Set the mixture aside
Lay the steak on a clean surface and pound flat with a meat tenderizer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Evenly distribute the breadcrumb filling among the steaks and roll, beginning on the short end, all the way up like a jelly roll. Tie the rolls closed with butcher's twine to secure the braciole.
Pour the olive oil into a large pot and heat over medium high heat. Sear the braciole rolls for about 30 second on each side, just to brown the meat quickly.
Add the tomato sauce to the pot and lower the heat to low. Cover and cook the braciole for an hour, basting the rolls occasionally to ensure they do not dry out.
Serve hot along with the sauce!
Strawberry & Mascarpone Pavlova Recipe
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins
Total Time: 2 hrs
The outside is crisp and sweet and the middle is soft like a marshmallow.
Ingredients:
For the Pavlova:
5 large egg whites (room temperature)
1 cup superfine sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch, sifted
pinch of fine sea salt
1 teaspoon white vinegar
For the Mascarpone Cream:
4 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 cup heavy whipping cream
For the Strawberries:
2 cups fresh strawberries, stems removed
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, or other orange liqueur
2 tablespoons superfine sugar
Instructions
To make the Pavlova:
Separate the egg whites and yolks making sure there is no yolk in the egg whites. Reserve the yolks for another use (like ice cream!) Lightly cover the egg whites and leave at room temperature for an hour or two.
When ready to make the Pavlova, preheat oven to 340F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 9" cake pan as a guide, draw a circle on the parchment paper. Turn the paper over and set aside.
Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. (Alternatively use a hand mixer) Beat on medium high until the egg whites are very foamy and hold soft peaks.
Add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, blending for a few seconds after each addition. After adding all the sugar, beat for 3-4 minutes or until the meringue is no longer gritty. To test, rub a small dollop between your fingers.
Sift the cornstarch over the meringue, and add the salt and vinegar. Fold the mixture with a rubber spatula until all ingredients are incorporated.
Take about 1 teaspoon of the meringue and use it to secure the parchment paper to the baking sheet. Place a small dot under the 4 corners and press against the pan to adhere. This makes it much easier to spread the meringue into the circle.
Dollop half the meringue onto the parchment and using a large metal spoon, carefully spread to fit the circle. Add the remaining meringue on top and spread almost to the edges. The sides should be slightly sloping. Spread to flatten the top. The whole Pavlova should be about the size of a 9-inch cake pan and about 2-inches high with sloping sides, wider on bottom, slightly smaller on top (see photos.)
Carefully place the Pavlova in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 240F. Bake for 90 minutes without opening the oven. After 90 minutes, turn off the oven (leaving it closed) and allow the Pavlova to cool for several hours.
To prepare the strawberries:
Place the prepared strawberries in a heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepan, combine 2 tablespoons of sugar and the Grand Marnier. Heat the sugar mixture on medium, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the syrup over the strawberries and gently toss to coat. Set aside while preparing the mascarpone cream.
To make the Mascarpone Cream:
Combine the heavy whipping cream and the mascarpone in a medium mixing bowl. Beat on medium high until it's creamy and thick and holds a pretty peak. Don't over-beat the cream. You want it to be silky smooth with good texture.
Gently dollop the cream on top of the Pavlova. It's heavy so be gentle. Carefully spread the cream to about 1-inch from the edge. Gently spoon the strawberries on top and pass any remaining juice to drizzle on individual servings. Serve immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The Pavlova is best eaten the day it is served.
Recipe Notes
Base Pavlova adapted from Nagi's Recipe on RecipeTin Eats
References:
1.All recipe inspirations found on Pinterest (www.pinterest.com)
2.https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/tiramisu-cupcakes/
3.https://www.thelemonapron.com/spinach-and-ricotta-gnocchi-with-a-lemon-oil-drizzle
4.https://www.nonnabox.com/authentic-italian-braciole-recipe/
5.https://www.savingdessert.com/strawberry-mascarpone-pavlova-recipe/
Music Inspiration:
Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life and The Definitive Collection
The End
Paige Parsons
Paige Parsons is a creative Joan of all Trades, who has spent 25 years working in theatre as an actress and stage manager. A native New Yorker, she now resides in Japan. Paige has always loved the world of make believe and was a voracious reader growing up. Some of her favorite authors included Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, Jackie Collins, Erma Bombeck, Toni Morrison, Dan Brown and a host of others. Her writing began with stories for her Barbie, Ken, and Skipper dolls and progressed with poetry, modern retellings of classics, and her own spicy romances, kept in a locked journal.
She graduated with a degree in Communication/English-Creative Writing and has worked as a journalist, teacher, stage manager, and production manager. Paige loves to tell stories, read stories, and put stories up on the stage.
Visit her on Facebook: Paige Parsons
Twitter: @authorpparsons1
Instagram: authorpaigeparsons
Don’t miss these exciting titles by Paige Parsons and Blushing Books!
Taking The Stage
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Sugar 101 series
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The Girl in Apartment 1203
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