“Do you mind coming by the restaurant after that? I can start my prep work early so we have an hour or so to go through the recipes.”
She nodded. “I’ve heard good things about your place,” she admitted. “People really like the food.”
“I’m enjoying the work and being creative. But it’s a lot of work. More than I expected.” His expression turned rueful. “My uncle warned me that being my own boss was harder than I thought. He was right.” His gaze turned intense. “What are you going to do when you shut down the trailer for the season? I could use someone like you at the restaurant.”
Work for Greg? Could she? Did she want to? She had no idea if their styles would be similar. Besides, this was Greg. They weren’t friends. They were…
She realized she no longer thought of him as someone she had to best. That in the years since she’d last seen him, he’d become a great guy. Or maybe he’d always been great but she’d been too busy—
With a monstrous crash, something collided with the entire trailer, which shuddered with a distinct lean to the left. The walls shook and Ana Raquel was nearly thrown from her seat. Greg was out of his chair and pulling her close before she’d even caught her breath. Outside, someone screamed.
Move Directly to Chapter 8
fall
Breakfast and Brunch
Triple Berry Cooler
Tropical Smoothie
California Harvest Granola
Everything Bagel Crisps
Strawberries and Cream Kringle
Double Swiss Omelet
Creamiest Broccoli and Cheddar Scramble
Breakfast Burritos for Two
Heirloom Tomato and Goat Cheese Quiche
Spinach and Gruyère Strata
Denise’s Bacon & Egg Breakfast Casserole
Autumn Corn Johnnycakes
Sweet Potato Hash with Italian Sausage
Cast-Iron Skillet Buttermilk Cornbread
Carrot Cake Muffins
Elephant Ear Pull-Apart Bread
Pumpkin Spice Latte Muffins
Blueberry Muffin Coffee Cake
Jo’s Bar Applesauce-Stuffed French Toast
Caramel Apple Scones
FALL
Triple Berry Cooler
No sugary shake, this cool drink provides a powerful blend of sweet berries and creamy yogurt. Feel free to experiment with different yogurt flavors.
Serves 2
1 small banana, frozen and cut into large chunks
¾ cup fresh or frozen raspberries
¾ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
¾ cup (6 ounces) strawberry-flavored nonfat yogurt
¼ cup skim milk, or as needed
Crushed ice or small ice cubes, as needed
1. In a blender or food processor, process banana chunks and berries to tiny bits. Add remaining ingredients; process until smooth. Add more milk or ice until you reach the desired consistency. Pour into tall glasses; garnish with additional berries, if desired.
TIP: Make this super-icy by freezing berries for 10 minutes before using. (Or use frozen berries.)
FALL
FALL
Tropical Smoothie
For the best flavor, use the ripest mango you can find. If they aren’t in season, substitute frozen mango chunks (no need to thaw).
Serves 2
1 ripe mango, peeled and cut into chunks (or 1½ cups frozen chunks)
1 ripe banana, cut into chunks and frozen
½ cup orange juice
6 ounces vanilla or pineapple nonfat Greek yogurt
1–2 cups ice chips
Shredded coconut, optional, for garnish
1. In a blender or food processor, process mango and banana chunks with orange juice until blended. Add remaining ingredients; process until smooth. Add ice to desired consistency. Pour into tall glasses; garnish with coconut, if desired.
TIP: Greek yogurt is thicker and has a richer flavor than regular yogurt. Either can be used in this recipe.
FALL
California Harvest Granola
This crunchy, crispy cereal stars some homegrown California produce. It makes a big batch, but will keep for at least a week in an airtight container.
Makes 8 cups
3 cups old-fashioned oats (not quick-cooking)
1 cup oat bran
1 cup whole almonds, coarsely chopped
½ cup sunflower seeds
⅓ cup light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup coconut oil
2 large egg whites (or ¼ cup whites)
½ pound dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 large-rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine oats, oat bran, almonds, seeds, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. In a microwave, warm oil and egg whites 20 seconds, until oil is slightly liquefied. Stir liquid into dry ingredients until grains are well coated. Spread mixture evenly onto prepared sheets. Bake 20 minutes. Remove sheets from the oven; stir mixture so outer grains don’t become overtoasted. Rotate baking sheets; return them to the oven for 10 more minutes, until mixture is lightly golden and evenly toasted. Transfer sheets to wire racks; let mixture completely cool on racks. Pour into a large bowl; toss with chopped dates. Store in a tightly covered container.
TIP: Warming the liquid, although not required, helps it to coat the grains. If you can’t find coconut oil, use maple syrup.
FALL
Everything Bagel Crisps
Got some day-old bagels? Make bagel crisps for your next brunch. Crisps can be made in advance, and stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold Cookbook: A Love Story Told Through 150 Recipes (Fool's Gold #12.1)
Susan Mallery's books
- A Christmas Bride
- Just One Kiss
- Chasing Perfect (Fool's Gold #1)
- Almost Perfect (Fool's Gold #2)
- Sister of the Bride (Fool's Gold #2.5)
- Finding Perfect (Fool's Gold #3)
- Only Mine (Fool's Gold #4)
- Only Yours (Fool's Gold #5)
- Only His (Fool's Gold #6)
- Only Us (Fool's Gold #6.1)
- Almost Summer (Fool's Gold #6.2)