Appetizer – Killer Doll Dip

Story behind the recipe – Now and then a wave caught up to her feet, swirling over it
then retreating. The day had a gray cast to it, fog seeping over the jetties, as vendors set
up, a ritual performed with tenacious repetitiveness for decades. The air was filled with the
snap and flap of the cloth of many flags being placed outside of now opening businesses.
A thud sounded nearby. Her body swiveled toward the sound, and discovered a vendor
planting a beach umbrella in the sand, an advertisement for his chairs, rafts and colorful
umbrellas. Running behind him, she saw a familiar crop of thick, slightly wavy hair, a
profile that created spasms of delight as well as a shiver that contradicted the heat rises
up from the sand. It was him!

What you’ll need
- 1 Box Velveeta Processed Cheese
- 2 Cans premade chili
- 1 Jar Salsa
- Tortilla or cut raw vegetables or both

Steps to the process
- Ten minutes before you are ready for the dippers to consume, start!
- Take big bowl. Make certain it is microwave safe.
- Put cubed Velveeta in aforementioned bowl. One inch cubes are ideal. Half inch cubes
are better but it takes more time so add two minutes to advanced preparation time.
- Add chili...add salsa....We're guessing at this point you would like to know how much of
each. Good question. Equal volumes of each.
- Microwave and stir periodically. Once mused as a blend, not quite scalding to the touch
it is ready.
- Serve...Eat...Enjoy...
- Lie to your friends that this is an old family recipe and offer them hand-scribed copies.

Tagline from KILLER DOLLS - Unaware that bio-terrorists are using her handcrafted dolls
to attack the innocent, Letti Noel finds herself falling for Taut Johnson, an undercover FBI
agent. Even as deceit is a growing barrier to their love, it's the stalking terrorists that are a
threat to their lives. One that will change her forever after.

Appetizer – “Cigars”

Story behind the recipe – During my Middle East – Africa experiences I came across
these nifty little appetizers at a private party. When I asked how to make them, my host
explained that was the cook’s job, but he would ask her to give me the recipe. When it
turned out to be so simple, I couldn’t resist thereafter serving them to my guests as
appetizers or cocktail party canapés. If you want to impress your guests, never let on how
simple this recipe is.

What you’ll need – Wontons enough for four or five per person, a package of herb
flavored goat cheese, cooking oil. (We used to season the cheese ourselves, but wonderful
varieties of seasoned cheeses are available at almost every grocery store in the U.S.)

Steps to the process
- Let cheese soften.
- Spoon a small amount of cheese into a wonton and then roll the wonton lengthwise
so it resembles a cigar shape.
- Heat oil in non-stick fry pan.
- Drop cigars in heated oil and cook until golden on all sides.
- Drain on kitchen paper.
- Serve warm.

Blurb from The Prince of Keegan Bay - Doll Reynolds, “captain” of her courtyard in
Keegan Bay Park, an age qualified manufactured home community in Daytona Beach, sees
her neighbor, Jessica Robbins, carrying a baby into her house during the night.
Moira Robbins, the baby's mother, is the widow of Hamid bin Wafiki, eldest son of the
sultan of Kushawa. She suspects that she is being hunted by an assassination squad intent
on eliminating the newest prince of the realm before he reaches his sixth month – which
will be December 26th.
To protect her baby, Moira has left Hamilton, with her mother hoping that no-one would
think of looking for him in a retirement community. When the mother dies, Doll Reynolds
organizes a smalls, select group of community residents to protect baby Hamilton
Robbins bin Wafiki. They call themselves “The Blenders.”

Appetizer – Seafood Dip or Spread

Story behind the recipe – This is one of my family’s easy-to-make party favorites. If it’s
not on the party buffet, friends and family demand it. Although I always use shrimp,
substitute your family’s own favorite seafood. Great with crabmeat or clams. Serve on
crackers as a spread or with veggies as a dip. In INTO THE LYON’S DEN, my debut novel
with Champagne, this is the icing Marie uses for the seafood “cake.”

What you’ll need – For 1 ½ cups of dip/spread, 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, 1 Cup
shrimp, (or seafood of choice) shelled then cooked (reserve water), ¼ salt, 1 ½ tsp
Worcestershire Sauce, 1 Tbl. lemon juice, 2 Tbl. of reserved water (for consistency), hot
sauce and garlic powder to taste.

Steps to the process
- Shell, cook, and drain shrimp, reserving water
- Finely chop shrimp
- Place softened cream cheese and 2 Tbl. reserved water into bowl and beat until smooth
- Stir in shrimp or choice of seafood
- Add lemon juice and Worcestershire Sauce
- Add water to desired consistency
- Season to taste with hot sauce and garlic powder
- Serve with crackers and/or veggies

Comments – Consider making a double recipe. Serve leftovers heated over rice or pasta
for a quick and delicious main dish.

Blurb from INTO THE LYON’S DEN - Champagne Books
Wealthy recluse Anthony Lyons offers a mint to lure Marie Maxwell, Atlanta's most
sought-after event planner, to coordinate a wedding and reception for a very special
couple on his isolated estate in the mountains of North Carolina.
Despite her sophisticated veneer, Marie’s a tough street-smart orphan without a past.
Adopted by the owners of the elegant Hotel Maxwell, she’s been raised in the business.
Known for her uncanny ability to make things go right, Marie accepts the challenge of
planning a wedding for 200 guests in 10 days.
Marie soon discovers that an absent bride and groom is the least of her problems. Her
arrogant and exasperating employer displays far too much interest in her and her
personal life, especially her lost years. Confronted with a mysterious stalker, two thwarted
murder attempts, and dark shadows from her shrouded past, she finds an ally in an
amorous feline of some unknown species. But who’s got it in for her? And what’s with
Anthony and all the cats?

Appetizer – Bruschetta

 

Story behind the recipe – Before I retired, we always had friends from work come for
dinner. Once my wife wanted to make something that would leave them wanting more so
she made up her own recipe for Bruschetta. Now, I’m a meat and potatoes guy and not
generally into appetizers with fancy names, but this one makes me go back for more. I
used this appetizer in an upcoming release RIGHTEOUS FURY where the hero’s mother
runs a small restaurant, Misty’s, on the Outer Banks, NC. She served this recipe to her son
and the heroine on there first date. What’s this got to do with the cover above? Nothing,
but since the other novel wouldn’t be out for a year I substituted WHISPERS OF
INNOCENCE. Like a recent five star review noted, it’ll give ya chills and thrills at the same
time.

What you’ll need
- A 10 oz bag of baby spinach, 3 lbs tomatoes cut in wedges, 4 oz crumbled feta
cheese.
- 1 lb raw shrimp peeled & deveined, 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- ¼ tsp dried oregano, pinch salt, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 loaf Italian bread sliced, 1 whole clove garlic peeled

Steps to the process
- Preheat oven to 350. Dump spinach in bottom of 10 inch pie plate
- Place shrimp & tomato wedges alternately around outside edge of pie plate atop
spinach leaves
- Continue placing shrimp and tomatoes around plate working toward center.
- Sprinkle garlic and feta cheese over shrimp & tomatoes. Do the same with oregano
& salt.
- Drizzle extra virgin oil over feta cheese layer. Place dish in preheated oven.
- Bake 30-35 minutes till hot and bubbly.
- Place Italian bread slices on sheet under broiler until edges are golden brown
- Rub hot bread slices with peeled whole garlic glove.
- Serve bread slices with shrimp Bruschetta. Pile Bruschetta on top bread slices.

Comments – Don’t forget to use bread to mop up the juices. It’s delicious!

Blurb from WHISPERS OF INNOCENCE - Border violence; corpses abandoned in the
desert. A dangerous religious cult in an isolated community. Sounds like headlines ripped
straight from today’s newspaper but it’s the reality of this new romantic suspense. Enoch
Smith, an intelligent, yet psychotic cult leader, uses more than his flock to execute God’s
wrath on a sinful nation and evil government. Drake Elliot, a former US Marshal
underestimates the power of the cartel that injures his son and maims himself. Drake
seeks revenge and returns to Arizona to find those responsible for this tragedy. Micki
Lewis, an investigative journalist in Tucson, receives a tip regarding the origins of an
unknown drug and returns to Alta Vista, home of Enoch’s Children of God community.
Drake and Micki join forces to uncover the secrets behind the cult and its success helping
children like Drake’s son recover normalcy. Their discovery provides answers to the
shadows that haunt their dreams and the hidden connection into their past.

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