by Kathryn Shay
“You didn’t let me do anything. This is totally my decision. I’ve rejected the offer. And it isn’t the end of my dream, Brade. There are other TV stations, other syndications. The Cooking Network isn’t the only game in town.”
“They’re the best.”
“Then I’ll settle for second best. About that.” She moved in to him and slid her hands up his bare chest, making every nerve in his body tingle. “Because I’ll have you. And you, Brady Langston, are clearly numero uno.”
He swallowed hard. “What happened to bring all this on?”
“I remember everything from the night of the accident. You were right. Jonathan was lying. Well, keeping something from me.”
His fists curled at his sides. “I’ll kill the bastard.”
“He’s not a bastard. He’s hurt and a lot worse off than we are now.”
Grabbing her hands, Brady was afraid of what she’d tell him, but he had to know. “I need the details, Clare. Now. And whatever it is, I’ll help you deal with the repercussions.”
When she finished describing the events of that night he shook his head. “So the cause of your amnesia was physical?”
“Maybe not. Maybe I was so torn by what we did, I couldn’t remember the scene with Jonathan. Anyway, what does it matter? The amnesia’s gone.”
“Oh, man. I wouldn’t want to be in Harris’s shoes. I’d never forgive myself.”
“You know what? I think everybody needs to forgive everything that’s been done here.”
Brady almost didn’t know what to do with the relief that flooded him.
Almost.
“You do, huh?” He placed his hands on her hips and yanked her close. He was aroused, mightily, and he wanted her to know it. “Here’s what I think. I think you should kiss me.” He put his lips to her forehead. “Then I think you should take off all those clothes, so this time I can get a good look at you, naked and beautiful.” His hands were already on the snap of her jeans. He leaned in and steeped himself in the feel and scent of her. “And we should make love—slow, intimate, earth-shattering love.”
“You know, Brady, I remember how I always liked that about you. You’re a man who’s not afraid to say what he thinks.” She whispered, “A man who’s not afraid to take what he wants.”
He sobered and peered into her incredible eyes. “I want you, Clare. Now and always.” His throat clogged. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.” Her voice shook with emotion. “I’m sorry it took so long for me to realize that.”
He kissed her nose. “There was that little matter of amnesia.”
“A twist of fate, Brady, that in the end brought us together.”
He buried his face in her neck. “We’ll have to toast to fate. Later.”
“Hmm,” Clare said, holding on to him tightly. “Much, much later.”
–THE END–
Author’s Note
On day one, when I began writing this book, I fell in love with Brady Langston. Which is interesting to me. Usually, I go for the dark, brooding heroes, the ones with a troubled childhood, family issues, deep, dark secrets. But Brady simply appeared on the pages as a fully formed guy. Not macho, but very sexy. Not arrogant, but he knows his worth. He rarely sees the negative side of life. I loved his affection for Clare, despite how she treated him, his love for his friends, his total devotion to his family. Thus, when Clare ditches him, it’s hard to care about her.
I wrestled with that concept during the whole planning of the story and its first draft. How can the reader like her when she dumped on so many good people? How do we still root for her after she let success and fame turn her into a female version of Jonathan? This is why I chose an amnesia story. Clare gets a clean slate, gets to choose who she wants to be, all over again. I guess I always saw her as slipping into a life that didn’t really suit her and now she can correct that. As show in most of my work, I believe wholeheartedly in redemption and forgiveness. What makes this book unique is that characters don’t usually get a fresh start in life. But after Clare’s wrong turn, she does.
Now for Jonathan. The man a heroine chooses has to have good qualities. I try to write the people in love triangles as gray, not black and white. So how to do that? Make him love the heroine to pieces. Make him nice to children, dogs or old people. Show the vulnerable side of him with the friends he has. No, Jonathan wasn’t totally likable. For me he was too “buttoned up.” But I can see why a woman would fall for him.
One of my favorite parts of the book is how Clare gravitates toward Brady even when she doesn’t remember him. The heart wants what the heart wants, even if it is unconsciously.
Finally, accompanying this novel are recipes from my family: nuclear and extended with sisters and grandparents. My real grandmother was named Boneli, and I got her recipes through my aunts. I asked, “How do you make these cookies?” and she said, “A sack of flour, half a sack of sugar, a can of nuts, etc…” So yes, I measured out a sack of flour to see how many cups it had for that recipe and many of the others in the cookbook. Be sure to read Clarissa’s Kitchen, the accompanying collection of our family’s food preferences, and the stories to go with them.
Kathy
For notification of Kathryn’s new work and information about her books, be sure to sign up for her newsletter at http://on.fb.me/1bLS0bN.
Visit or Contact Kathryn at www.kathrynshay.com
www.facebook.com/kathrynshay
www.twitter.com/KShayAuthor
http://pinterest.com/kathrynshay/
If you liked this book, you might want to post a review of it at Smashwords.
Don’t miss the rest of these series from Kathryn Shay:
Hidden Cove Firefighters
Rockford Fire Department
The O’Neil Family
The Ludzecky Sisters
To browse Kathryn’s impressive list of titles go to http://www.kathrynshay.com/books/
About the Author
A NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author, Kathryn Shay has been a lifelong writer and teacher. She has written dozens of self-published original romance titles, print books with the Berkley Publishing Group and Harlequin Enterprises and mainstream women’s fiction with Bold Strokes Books. She has won five RT Book Reviews awards, four Golden Quills, four Holt Medallions, the Bookseller’s Best Award, Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year and several “Starred Reviews.” Her novels have been serialized in COSMOPOLITAN magazine and featured in USA TODAY, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL and PEOPLE magazine. There are over five million copies of her books in print, along with hundreds of thousands downloaded online. Reviewers have call her work “emotional and heart-wrenching.”
CLARISSA’S KITCHEN
Kathryn Shay
Dear Reader,
It’s my pleasure to share with you the recipes in the book, DANCING IN THE DARK, and many more. Everything in this cookbook comes from the Boneli, Ruocco, Schaefer/Shay families. In other words, my relatives. Both my family and my husband’s family love to cook, bake and create new recipes. Some of the recipes have become standard in cookbooks today, but what is on these pages are all original dishes based on our heritage. I’m 100% Italian and my husband is German, Irish and Welsh. You’ll find a combination of those ethnic group recipes in here.
We both grew up in small towns, with 5 siblings on my side, 8 on his side. You’ll notice many of these recipes came from my sisters, who are great cooks. Since I’m the youngest girl in the family, I needed meal preparation help when I was first married, so they gave me their specialties. Also, my husband and I grew up poor, so any fancy dishes included are probably ones my husband concocted after we grew up. Speaking of which: he’s the cook in the family at this point in our lives. I made suppers for the kids as they grew up, and he took over weekends, but now that I’m a retired teacher writing full time, and he’s a retired businessman, he’s taken over in the kitchen. I’m still the baker, though. He also does the grocery shopping. (I know how lucky I am.) When t
he kids were young, he insisted they try Caesar Salad, fish, and a myriad of other dishes. Now they are real gourmets, too, and both love to cook.
While gathering and recording these recipes, I got to relive some of my childhood—the good parts—where food was happily consumed. I remember sitting in my aunt’s kitchen eating the delicious cookies listed here, going to my uncle’s house for Christmas and eating these meals. It was a nostalgic experience for me to work with them again.
Last, a few words about Italians: as I’ve noted throughout, Italian women didn’t often write down recipes. As a matter of fact, I don’t remember my mother ever following one. My aunt gave me recipes orally, and they consisted of “a sack of flour, a sack of sugar, a box of raisins, etc.” As a young adult, I then went home and measured out how many cups were in each of those size packages so I could create the recipe. Which means if you don’t follow instructions or amounts exactly, the meal will still be good. (Don’t ever leave out baking powder or baking soda, though.) Italian women also prepared food with their hands. I always mix dough and meatballs with my hands. They also didn’t have electric mixers and a couple of the recipes are better if you just use a wooden spoon. I’ve noted which. And Italians are dunkers. Cookies were made by the barrel and when they hardened, people dunked them in their coffee.
Finally, accompanying the recipes are stories from me, mostly about my extended family. These are good memories that I enjoyed revisiting and I hope you like reading.
So, Mangia!
Kathy
Some notes:
The following abbreviations are used:
TBLS.=tablespoon
tsp.=teaspoon
qt.=quart
oz.=ounce
lb.
Baking Temperature is given at the beginning and end of each recipe. Cooktop temperature varies within the recipe.
Please read the recipe and determine length of preparation time. Some recipes take 15 minutes (nut bread) and some take longer (gnocchi).
Hopefully, all of the above are consistent throughout the book.
Main Course
Boneli Spaghetti Sauce
Meatballs
Braciole
Lasagna Boneli
Baked Ziti Boneli
Ma Ruocco Gnocci
Stuffed Shells
Joanie’s Minestrone
Turkey Noodle Soup
Homemade Pizza
Antipasto
Italian Dressing
Zucchini Boneli
Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp Cheese
Chicken Rosie
Chicken Cordon Blue
Fried Chicken
Roasted Chicken and Peppers
Beef Burgundy
Grandpa’s Frittata
Spanish Rice
Potato Salad
Pastede
Breads
Pumpkin Bread
Ruocco Nut Bread
Banana Bread
Monkey Bread
Desserts
Anise Toast
Italian Biscotti
Frosting
Pizzelles
Italian Spice Balls
Italian Fruit Bars
Elephant Ear Cookies
No Bake Cookies
Chinese Noodle Cookies
Magic Cookie Bars
Chocolate Ice Cream Roll
Peanut Butter Frosting
Apple Cake
Banana Nut Cake
Chocolate Pudding
Butterscotch Brownies
Tortoni
Main Courses
Boneli Spaghetti Sauce
This is the coveted Boneli family spaghetti sauce and meat, passed down through generations to me. I remember my mother making this recipe and how the scent filled the house all day. The sauce cooks a long time, and it tastes great! Below is the recipe for 1 batch. I usually make 3 batches and freeze in separate containers that are enough for one meal.
1 32-oz. can tomato juice
1 28-oz. can tomato puree
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
1 TBLS. oregano
1 TBLS. parsley
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. sugar
Combine tomato products in a 12 quart pan. Add spices. Stir. When heated through, add meat (see below). Simmer on stove for 4-6 hours, stirring occasionally. (Note: the length of time seems long, but this is the Grandma Boneli’s way and is well worth it.)
Meat to add:
**braciole, recipe below
**meatballs, recipe below
**1 stick of pepperoni per batch, boiled for 10 minutes
**1 lb. of chuck roast or sirloin browned
Note: My sister insists you fry the paste for 5 minutes with the spices before you add it to the sauce.
Meatballs
350º for 45 minutes
1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
1 TBLS. parsley
1 TBLS. oregano
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Roll in balls. Brown in skillet until completely cooked through. An easier way is to bake them in the oven at 350º for 45 minutes. Either way is fine.
Braciole
This was always a big treat in our house when I was growing up. My mother spent hours in the kitchen making this dish, and I remember the pounding sound and scent of Italian spices coming from the kitchen. My dad loved this meat.
2 lb. steak, round, flank, or sirloin
⅓ cup Italian flavored breadcrumbs
2 TLBS fresh parsley, chopped
3 TBLS. Romano or Parmesan cheese grated
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 TBLS. red wine
2 TBLS. olive oil
Pound meat to thinnest possible. Rub with wine and oil.
Make paste with remaining ingredients. Place a thin layer of mixture on each piece of steak. Starting with smaller side, roll up each piece. Tie each or secure with toothpicks so it won’t unroll. Brown.
Place in Grandma Boneli’s spaghetti sauce for four hours. May serve as a main course.
Lasagna Boneli
350º for 1 hour
1 lb. lasagna noodles
1 lb. ricotta cheese, room temperature or it won’t mix well
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 TBLS. chopped fresh parsley, or 1 tsp. dried parsley
1 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese (I often use the store bought kind.)
Mozzarella cheese or Romano or Parmesan cheese on top. The amount is determined by your taste.
Boil noodles until al dente or buy and use uncooked strips specifically designed not to be pre-boiled.
Mix ricotta, egg, parsley, cheese.
In a rectangular 13x9 pan, cover bottom with a layer of sauce, then strands of noodles. Cover noodles with sauce. Alternate ricotta mixture and meat (meatballs, pepperoni, steak—not braciole) next to each other on the layer of noodles. When the layer is filled, cover with sauce. Repeat process with another layer, then another, until you reach the top of the pan. Cover top with sauce and either mozzarella cheese or grated Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350º for 1 hour.
Let sit for at least 15 minutes (or it will come out soupy).
Cut into squares and serve.
Baked Ziti Boneli
350º uncovered, 10-15 minutes
1 lb. dry ziti pasta
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground sausage
4-6 cups spaghetti sauce (see earlier recipe for Grandma Boneli’s sauce)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain.
Cook beef and sausage in large skillet over medium heat until browned and crumbled, stirring frequently. Drain.
Stir in 1-2 cups of spaghetti sauce. Blend well.
<
br /> Cover bottom of 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon 1 cup meat sauce into bottom. Top with 1-2 cups of pasta, more sauce, and ¾ cup cheese. Repeat layers, starting with pasta and ending with cheese.
Bake at 350º uncovered, 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.
Ma Ruocco’s Gnocci
This is a real “hands on” recipe. Literally. Don’t be squeamish. Most Italian women loved to dig their hands into food. Once, a colleague from school was over to my house for dinner and was shocked when I tossed the salad with my hands.
Also, notice the amounts. What a hoot! My mother got up at dawn and it took till noon to make this much. You may want to halve the recipe.
2 heaping soup bowls of flour
6 medium potatoes, cooked, thoroughly mashed or riced, then lightly salted. They must be warm to use in this recipe.
