Sunday, October 5, 2014

Mix Up Some Romance Blog Hop


Welcome to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked for the Mix Up Some Romance Blog Hop.

Ah fall. This is my favorite time of year and the best time to be in the kitchen baking up goodies. Why? Heats up the house without any extra effort. :D At this time of year when the weather is heading toward cold, sometimes the simple act of baking and cooking leads to healing of both heart and body. It's the case in my paranormal romance, The Beltane Witch, where a little magic, mayhem, and motherhood can ease anyone's heart.

I love baking so today I'm sharing one of my favorite recipes (and Mr. SM drools each time I make these).

RECIPE: CHOCOLATE CHIP KISS COOKIES

  •  48 Hershey's Kisses (I use the Special Dark, but any kind of Kisses will do)
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter or margarine, softened
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
  • Chocolate Drizzle, recipe follows (optional)
Directions:
  1. Heat oven to 375 F. Remove rappers from Kisses.
  2. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl until well-blended.
  3. Add flour to butter mixture and blend until smooth. Stir in small chocolate chips.
  4. Mold teaspoon's worth of dough around each chocolate Kiss, covering completely. Roll between hands into a ball. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet (I usually put them on foil).
  5. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool for two minutes, then remove from sheet to a wire rack and cool completely. Makes 48 cookies.
This is where I usually stop since the drizzle is extra and not necessary for the deliciousness of the cookies. But if you'd like to add it:
 

Directions for Chocolate Drizzle:
  • Place 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon shortening in a small microwave-safe bowl.
  • Microwave at Medium (50%) for 30 seconds, stir.
  • Microwave at Medium an additional 10 seconds at a time, stirring each time, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Drizzle over completely cooled cookies.
Can you imagine eating these things with your lover? Should cure all ills. ;) And speaking of ills, check out this excerpt of magic, mayhem, and motherhood.

EXCERPT of The Beltane Witch

“What preparations do you usually make?” Darius sipped his tea as if they’d shared breakfast hundreds of times.
Sabrina rubbed her head and tried to think. “Give me a moment. My head still hurts.”
“How much?”
“Sorry?”
“How much does it hurt?” He set down his mug and stood, reaching for her head.
“More of a dull ache than anything. Oohhhh…”
The moment he touched her, comfort and heat permeated her skull and soothed the pain. She hadn’t realized how much it hurt until he relieved it. She relaxed her shoulders and leaned into his warm hands, grateful the pain had stopped.
At last he stood back and tipped her chin up. Sabrina reluctantly opened her eyes.
“Better?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Darius smiled the same sincere smile she’d seen the day before. “You are welcome.”
Damn, she wanted to fall into those eyes, let him tell her everything would be all right and believe him. Why can’t life be so easy? But she knew better. She’d be alone again in a few days.
Sabrina jerked her attention back to the subject at hand. “Okay, what I usually do is make sure there’s enough firewood for the fire, attach the ribbons to the May Pole, and make two dozen Deviled Eggs.”
“Eggs seem like an odd feast item for a fertility ritual of the Goddess.”
“Maybe, but they taste so good and we have to do something with all those eggs from Easter.”
Darius raised his eyebrow. “You celebrate Easter?”
“Yes, at least dyeing the eggs and hiding them for the girls. And we have baskets full of goodies to enjoy.”
“Oh? What’s in your basket, Sabrina?”
The way he said her name sent fire into inappropriate places. Her pussy tingled and her heartbeat sped up. What is wrong with me? All he did was say my name.
She cleared her throat and sucked down her tea to buy some time. “I prefer chocolate and essential oils, but sometimes all I get are jellybean eggs.”
He leaned toward her, his gaze smoldering, and some part of her wondered how the morning had gone from comfortable to sexy. “I’d be happy pack your basket with chocolate and essential oils, Sabrina. I find it very endearing you choose to celebrate all the holidays.” His gaze dropped to her lips and her pussy clenched.
Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me.
Darius tilted his head and reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. A small smile curled his lips as he cupped her cheek with his hand and drew her to him.
Darius brushed his lips against hers and her arousal hit the ceiling. He tasted of crisp autumn mornings, her favorite time of year, and she wanted to fall into his sweet flavor. She would have kept kissing if she hadn’t heard the furnace rattle and the girls loudly discussing who would put which wreath where. Reality intruded and Sabrina jerked back, her face hot.
Darius wore a similar dazed expression and they stared at each other for a few moments, trying to recollect their thoughts.
What am I doing? He’s a seductive player, a gigolo, and all he wants from me is to do the rituals. None of this is real.
“What are you doing?”


So there you have it. Now for the good parts. The Grand Prize is the KitchenAid mixer for all your cooking and baking needs, and you must sign up through the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post. In addition, I'm offering a $10 Amazon gift card to a random commenter. To enter to win, please leave your Twitter handle or email address along with a comment answering this question: What is your favorite autumn baked treat?

You must be 18 years or older to win, and the mixer is only available to US residents. If you live outside the US and your name is drawn, you'll be awarded $100 Amazon gift card instead. Please void where prohibited. The drawing closes at 11:59 Eastern US Time October 10th 2014. To get to the other blogs on this hop, follow the link below. Good luck and happy reading! :)

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47 comments:

  1. I'm from the south so I like a warm cobbler in the fall.
    leighannecrisp at yahoo dot com

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    1. Oooh, warm cobbler is awesome, Melissa. Is it peach or apple or something else? Thanks for commenting. :)

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  2. I love baking chocolate or oatmeal cookies!

    Trix, vitajex(at)Aol(Dot)com

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    Replies
    1. I'd take some of those oatmeal cookies, Trix. :D Thanks for commenting.

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  3. My favorite autumn baked treat....anything with pumpkin! I love pumpkin and love when fall hits and you can find pumpkin goodies int he stores. I love to cook/bake!
    Redrabbitt@aol.com

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    1. I think my favorite pumpkin goodie is pumpkin bread. Especially with chocolate chips added. Yum! Thanks for stopping by, Kathy. :)

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  4. I love spice cake always a favorite with cream cheese icing and cinnamon on top. Yu
    amybowens34@yahoo.com

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    1. Oh yeah, I think it's the cream cheese frosting that makes it, Amy. Thanks for commenting. :)

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  5. I love a Sweet Potato Pie.

    Tweet to: @alishead1

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    1. You know, I've never tried sweet potato pie, Alishea. I've heard great things about it, though. Thanks for stopping by. :)

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  6. My favorite is pumpkin pie.
    bituin76 at hotmail dot com

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    1. Mr. SM once brought me a pie making pumpkin for Thanksgiving and ever since, he wants me to make pumpkin pie that way. LOL Thanks so much for commenting, Jan. :)

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  7. I've gained three pounds just reading the recipes. Yummmm... Hot pecan pie topped with real whipped cream.

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    1. Oh my glory, that sounds incredibly decadent, Gem. :) Thanks for commenting.

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  8. pumpkin pie with whipped cream! hmmmm :-)

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    1. Oh, yeah, that's a wonderful dessert, E.E. Thanks for commenting. :)

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  9. Thanks for the recipe and the delicious excerpt! :)

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    1. You're welcome, Karen. Thanks for stopping by. :)

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  10. Fantastic excerpt, Siobhan! (fans self)

    Great recipe, too. :)

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    1. I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Sarah. The cookies from the recipe don't last long in this house. Thanks for commenting. :)

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  11. The recipe sounds fabulous. I'm going to have to try it. Baking relaxes me, and lately there's been a lot of demands on my time, so it's getting to be time to fix that. :-)

    My favorite fall treat to bake myself? Mini-pumpkin loaves.

    kittcrescendo at gmail dot com

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    1. Ooh, mini pumpkin loaves sound great, and relatively bite-sized. Thanks for stopping by, Kitt. :)

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  12. The recipe sounds as good as the excerpt.

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  13. Oh, pumpkin pie. I love pumpkin! Thanks for the recipe and the great giveway.
    morebooksthanlivros@gmail.com
    @bellegjw

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    1. Pumpkin pie is one of Mr. SM's favorites, especially if I make it from a pumpkin. Thanks so much for commenting, Isabelle. :)

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  14. Love the recipe sounds yummy. Also great snippet as always! See ya next week.

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  15. Favorite Autumn treat would have to be oatmeal cookies for sure. CeciliaCorona07

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    1. Oooh, Oatmeal cookies are so good. Thanks for stopping by, Cecilia. :)

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  16. Loved the recipe, loved the snippet - I want a Darius to cure my migraines, pretty please LOL??? Sounds like another wonderful book to add to my kindle...

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    1. He's so good at curing many things, Veronica. :D I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for visiting.

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  17. Awesome snippet... I think I know what she wants in her basket... Favorite Fall Treat... spicy apple pie. @emmyeg

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    1. Spicy apple pie? What's different about that and regular apple pie, Emmy? It sounds intriguing. Thanks for commenting. :)

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  18. I would have to say that my favorite autumn treat is pumpkin role!

    melaniemcclure@knology.net

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    1. Do you make a pumpkin role with cream cheese frosting or stuffing? Sounds good either way. Thanks for commenting, Melanie. :)

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  19. Pumpkin bread. I usually make 30 loaves to pass out to friends and family. @Diana_Merritt13

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    1. Sorry forgot email diamer13@yahoo.com

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    2. Oh, I love pumpkin bread, Diana. That's one of my favorites this time of year. Thanks for commenting.

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  20. Loved the excerpt! ;D
    Those cookies look and sound delicious. My favorite fall recipe is probably pumpkin roll, though almost anything pumpkin works for me.
    Thank you for the wonderful giveaway and participating in the hop!
    trb0917 at gmail dot com

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    1. The pumpkin roll sounds divine, Tina. Thanks so much for commenting. :)

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  21. Hot apple cider, hot tea or hot chocolate are awesome with the addition of fuzzy socks on a cold day. Those cookies look yummy.

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    1. Oh yeah, hot apple cider is one of my favorite drinks in the fall. It reminds me of using the apple press in the park when I was a kid. Thanks for commenting, Nellie. :)

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  22. I love pumpkin pie! Its so yummy! Definitely my holiday treat! I look forward to this time of the year just for that alone! lol Thank you!
    shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Pumpkin pie is so good, especially when the spices added are cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Thanks for stopping by, Shadow. :)

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  23. This is my favorite story of yours. I'm glad the long snippet was about it this week.

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    1. Thanks so much, Linda. I'm glad you enjoyed this one. :)

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  24. Thank you everyone for joining us on this blog hop. Congratulations to Cecilia Corona for winning the $10 Amazon Gift Card, and to Flutterfli Carol Reads for winning the KitchenAid Mixer. It was so great to connect with you all and I hope to catch you next time. :)

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Comments are on moderation, so they'll become visible once I've read them. Words, words, words. I love them. Have you a few to lend?

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