Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Recipe Tuesday with Carol Preflatish

Carol Preflatish is here for Recipe Tuesday with a luscious looking dessert. I've always had a weakness for cheesecake! She'd like to let readers know that A KITCHEN AFFAIR will be on sale for .99 cents at Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and iBooks from May 15 to 23, 2016.

I want to thank Jana for hosting me here today. When I found out that Tuesday's on her blog were for recipes, I knew my romantic suspense novel, "A Kitchen Affair" would be a perfect fit. I love to write and I love to cook, so what would be better than a book about a personal chef. 


   When culinary student Jenny Marshall struggles to pay her tuition, she decides to become a Personal Chef to make ends meet. The most eligible bachelor in town, Derek James, who happens to also be a millionaire, has a crisis. Two days before his Thanksgiving dinner party, his cook quit due to a family emergency. Desperate, he hires Jenny to cook for his party and there's chemistry from the start. He likes her, she likes him, but a manager at his company has set her sights on Derek and does everything she can to sabotage the relationship. Everyone thinks Colleen is the perfect match for Derek; everyone that is, except Derek. He desperately wants Jenny in his life. However, Colleen has other plans to keep that from happening. What lengths will she go to in order to keep Derek and Jenny apart?
   The book is filled with so many scrumptious dishes, but at the end of each chapter, you will find a recipe that Jenny prepared in that chapter. I've listed one of my favorite recipes from the book below.

Chocolate Rum Cheesecake

For the crust:
1 1/4 c. crushed chocolate wafers
1/4 c. cocoa
2 T. sugar
1/4 c. melted butter

For the filling:
2 – 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
5 – 12 oz. packages semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
1/2 t. almond extract
1 t. vanilla
1/3 c. rum
2/3 c. sour cream

Preheat the oven to 300°f. Grease a springform pan and set aside.
To make the crust, combine the chocolate wafer crumbs, sugar, cocoa, and melted butter. Press into bottom of springform pan and chill.
To make the filling, beat the cream cheese until it’s smooth adding sugar gradually. Add in eggs one at a time and mix at low speed. Add cooled chocolate, vanilla, almond extract, rum, and sour cream. Beat at low speed until completed blended. Pour into the springform pan and bake for 1 hour. After the hour, turn off the oven, but leave the cake in for one hour longer. Cool at room temperature, and then chill for at least 24 hours before serving.

A Kitchen Affair excerpt:

   She didn't mind at all. The rest of the lunch was spent deciding on the menu for his dinner party.

   "I have an idea for something special for the dessert that night," she said.

   His mind wandered thinking that she was the only dessert he wanted and then realized he was getting excited. "What's your idea?"

   "With your approval, I thought I would make two Chocolate Rum Cheesecakes."

   "That sounds fantastic."

   "It's the one I told you about on the phone at Christmas. I think it would be the perfect for Valentine's Day."

   "I agree. Perfect idea." He watched as she made some notes on her pad. If he could have his way, he'd take her home to his bedroom right now. Instead, he would have to wait. He needed to win her back on her own terms, not his.

   "I'll get my contract typed up tonight and email it to you. All you need to do is sign the last page and send it back to me."

   "I have a better idea. I'll come home with you tonight and you can type it up while I wait."

   "No." She laughed. "I think you should probably take me back to my car now. I need to get home."

   "What's the hurry? How about we go to a movie? Two friends enjoying a movie together."

   She stood up, putting her coat on. "Nice try. This lunch was really great and I appreciate all the trouble and expense you went to."

   "I'd do it a hundred times over, if it would help us get together. Oh, you need the key to my house." He handed it to her.

   "Thanks."

   Derek drove her to the rear of the bakery where her car was parked. He turned off his car and grabbed her hand to keep her from getting out. "Jenny, I desperately want you in my life and I think you want the same thing. Just tell me what to do to make it happen."

   She looked away. "It's a matter of building up trust again. You said you cared for me, but you slept with Colleen. It's going to take some time."

   She started to open the door, but he squeezed her hand to stop her. "One more question."

   "What's that?"

   "I'd like for you to be my date for the dinner party."

   "I don't know. I had planned on preparing the food during the day and then leave. The servers I hired don't need me to direct them."

   "And, that's why you should be my companion for the night. I want everyone to meet you and I want you to get to know my friends."

   "I'll think about it." She pulled her hand away and got out of the car.

   Derek quickly jumped out too and ran over to her. He took her into his arms and kissed her. He captured her mouth with hungry urgency. She didn't resist, but instead welcomed him into her mouth. His tongue danced with hers until she finally pulled away.

   "Not yet, Derek. I can't." She got into her car and drove away leaving him standing there alone.

Buy Links:
A Kitchen Affair is on sale for .99 cents until May 23!


About the author:


Carol Preflatish has work in social services for over 30 years and is the author of five romantic suspense novels and two non-fiction books. She lives in southern Indiana and shares a log cabin with her husband and two cats in what seems like an enchanted forest with a menagerie of wildlife constantly visiting. Her interest in writing began in high school when she worked as a reporter, photographer, and Sport's Editor for the school newspaper.

Because of her interest in history, in 1993, she co-authored A Commemorative History of Crawford County, Indiana 1818 - 1993. More recently, her novel, Saved by the Sheriff placed second in the Best Mystery/Romance/Thriller category of the Love Romances Café Best of 2011 Awards.

One of Carol's favorite hobbies is photography and she has had many of her photos published in her local newspaper, as well as in the July 1997 issue of Golf Journal, the official publication of the United States Golf Association.

Carol enjoys writing romantic suspense and is currently working on a mystery police procedural series. She is a member of the Sisters in Crime organization.

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