Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold Cookbook: A Love Story Told Through 150 Recipes (Fool's Gold #12.1)

1. Place chicken br**sts and thyme sprigs in a Dutch oven or a large saucepan. Add 8 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until cooked through. Remove chicken and place on a cutting board. Reserve cooking broth in a measuring cup; you need 5 cups. (Set aside extra broth for another use.) Let chicken cool slightly. Remove and discard skin and bones. Shred meat.

2. Melt butter in the same pot over medium heat (no need to clean). Add onions and carrots; cook 8 minutes, stirring often. Sprinkle in flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring until a paste forms. Pour in reserved cooking broth, a little at a time, stirring to incorporate after each addition. Bring to a simmer; cook 8 minutes, until thickened, stirring often. Remove from heat; stir in shredded chicken, peas, parsley, chopped thyme, salt and pepper.

3. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spoon filling into a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or a heavy, ovenproof casserole dish. Unfold thawed pastry crust on a lightly floured counter. Roll out to a 10-inch circle. Place pastry on top of the skillet, pressing around the edges to form a seal. Cut a hole in the center of the pastry to allow steam to escape. Brush dough with egg wash. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until pastry is puffed and golden and filling is hot.

MAKE-AHEAD TIP: Make chicken filling one day in advance.

FALL

CHAPTER 9

The next day Ana Raquel found herself back at her spot for lunch. She had regulars who might not have heard about the accident and she wanted to explain why she was shutting down so early. She’d barely been able to sleep that night and when she did manage to doze off, she was awakened by nightmares of the accident.

It wasn’t the damage that bothered her as much as having things taken out of her control. She tried telling herself the good news: no one had been hurt and she was grateful for that. But still...what about her dream? Next year seemed so far away.

She rounded the corner and found that her usual place had already been taken by a large SUV. One that looked familiar. As she pulled up behind it, she saw that Greg had set up a table just off the sidewalk with a big hand-lettered sign. It showed a crayon version of her trailer with a big bandage on the back corner. The notice above invited her customers to write in their best wishes.

More amazing were the stacks of sandwiches and salads he was setting out on the table. She got out of her car and hurried over to him.

“What is all this?” she asked.

Greg smiled at her. “I didn’t want your regulars going hungry,” he told her. “I went into the restaurant early and threw a few things together.”

She felt her mouth drop open. “You didn’t have to.”

“I know. I wanted to. You were pretty upset yesterday.”

She nodded. “Too upset to think of doing this. What a great idea.” Her season didn’t have to end so abruptly, she thought happily. She could make food at home and bring it here. While the menu wouldn’t be so extensive, she had already made her cookies and muffins the night before.

“Thank you,” she said, impulsively hugging him. “You’re being really good to me. I appreciate it.”

His body was warm against hers, she thought, suddenly aware of pressing against him with only a few layers of clothing between them. She felt the heat of him and found herself wanting something more than just a hug. She wanted to hang on and never let go and, at the same time, she found herself needing to cry.

Adrenaline, she told herself as she stepped back. Emotional residue from the accident.

“I don’t know how to repay you for all this.” She motioned to the sandwiches and salads.

“Send them up to my place for dinner.”

He was joking, but she was serious as she said she would. She would tell everyone to go there, she thought. And she would mention what a nice guy he was.

He walked toward his SUV. “We still need to get going on our cookbook planning,” he called over his shoulder.

“Tomorrow at three,” she promised. “Café kitchen.”

“I look forward to it.”

“Me, too,” she whispered. Because she did. A lot.

Move Directly to Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

The next couple of months passed in a blur. Ana Raquel and Greg argued and negotiated their way through recipes, organization and bonus material. The town came through with recipe suggestions. Ana Raquel and Greg each had their favorites and sometimes the choice between two equally wonderful options came down to a round of rock, paper, scissors.

They spent their mornings on the cookbook, then moved to the restaurant. There the heated discussions continued as they prepped for the evening’s dinner service. Somehow Ana Raquel found herself getting more and more involved with the cooking.

Once the last patron left, she and Greg returned their attention to the cookbook. They worked late into the night to find the right combination of savory and sweet, entrees, appetizers and desserts. They’d agreed on easy recipes, filled with flavor. The kind of food you could serve your family and the boss when he or she came over.