Listen To Your Heart

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by Fern Michaels


  Kitty cuddled with the little dog until Josie, huffing and puffing, shoved a huge carton into her bedroom. “Wow! Maybe we should guess what it is before you open it. Anticipation and all that.”

  Josie reached for her manicure scissors and slit the tape holding the box together. “Oh, Kitty, look at this.” Josie held up a dinner plate with a huge strawberry in the middle. “It’s just like Mom’s. Wait, wait, here’s a note.”

  “Read it, read it. Hurry up. What’s it say?” Kitty squealed.

  My darling Josie,

  I wanted to give you something special for your wedding gift. I’m sorry to say I don’t have an original bone in my body. However, I saw the look on your face the day you served me a cup of coffee in your mother’s cup. It took me a while, but I finally found someone who said they could replicate it. There is a service for eight in this box, and I have the remainder at my house. I took the liberty of ordering a set for Kitty also.

  “He didn’t!” Kitty squealed. “God, Josie, this looks exactly like Mom’s dishes. This is so perfect I can’t stand it. You know what, Josie? We did all right for ourselves. We really did.”

  “You can say that again. We have to put our gowns on. The limo will be here in fifteen minutes. You help me with mine, and I’ll help you with yours. Where’s your veil?”

  “I’m not wearing one. I’m wearing my chef’s hat.”

  “No kidding! That takes guts!”

  “I’m not carrying that dumb bouquet either.”

  “I’m almost afraid to ask, but what are you going to carry?”

  “I wasn’t going to carry anything till you gave me this dog. Now I’m going to carry her. Don’t say it, Josie. This is my wedding, and you know what? It isn’t as dumb as you might think. Mom wore a red garter you could see through her dress and her shoes were red. Dad loved it.”

  “I wasn’t going to say a word. I think you should do whatever the hell you want to do. You’re right. This is your wedding, too. I love you, Kitty.”

  “You won’t be embarrassed?”

  “Never.”

  “What about Paul?”

  “He won’t be embarrassed either. He’s so laid-back these days it’s hard to believe he’s the same guy. Okay, help me with my dress.”

  “My pleasure.” Kitty grinned.

  An hour later, Father Sebro said, “I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride!”

  Paul turned, his gaze straying to the three empty pews on the right side of the church. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He gently turned Josie’s head. A smile that rivaled the sun spread across his new wife’s face. All he was able to see was a flash of pink as the heady scent of lilies of the valley wafted toward him.

  Kitty Dupré’s Favorite Recipes

  Fried Frog Legs

  12 pair frog legs

  1 tsp cayenne pepper

  2 tsp salt

  2 eggs, beaten

  1 c flour

  ¼ c cornmeal

  1 tsp chili powder

  fat for frying

  Season frog legs with cayenne pepper and salt. Dip frog legs in egg, then roll in combined mixture of flour, cornmeal and chili powder. Fry in deep fat at 350°F for about 8 minutes or until golden brown and tender.

  SERVES 4.

  Pepper Apple Chicken

  6 boneless chicken breasts

  2 c apple juice

  2 tbsp butter

  2 large apples (I prefer Granny Smith)

  1 tbsp black pepper

  ½ c brown sugar

  1 tbsp ground cinnamon

  ¼ tbsp of nutmeg

  1 tbsp cornstarch

  ¼ c water

  Wash chicken and dry thoroughly. Allow chicken to soak in apple juice for two hours in refrigerator. Remove chicken from apple juice (save juice). In a skillet, melt butter. Add chicken, reduce heat from high to medium. Peel and core apples, slice as thin as possible. Turn chicken once after browned; then add apple slices. Spread evenly. Cover and allow to simmer until other side is browned. Add apple juice, nutmeg, brown sugar, cinnamon and pepper. Stir thoroughly and cover. Simmer 20–25 minutes. Mix cornstarch in water. When mixture starts to bubble, add cornstarch. Stir until thick. Serve hot.

  Corn Puppies*

  1½ c all-purpose flour

  2 c corn flour or cornmeal

  ¼ tsp baking powder

  ¼ c sugar

  ¼ lb butter, melted

  ¾ c milk

  2 large eggs

  1 15 oz can whole kernel corn, 303 size can

  4 c oil for frying

  ¼ to ½ c powdered sugar

  In a mixing bowl combine all-purpose flour, corn flour (or cornmeal), baking powder and sugar. Blend with a mixer on medium high speed until totally blended. Continue to mix while you add all butter a little at a time until all is added. Continue to blend until pea-sized balls are formed. Slowly add milk to mixture while mixing on high speed. After all milk is added, add both eggs and blend until creamy thick texture. (Note: Mixture should be firm). Open can of corn and drain completely. Add corn to mixture and fold until evenly mixed.

  Next, in a 1½ quart pot, heat oil to 300°F. Carefully spoon 2–3 tbsp of mixture into hot oil. As puppies begin to brown turn over a couple of times until evenly browned all over. Remove and drain on paper towels. To serve, place in a bowl and sprinkle powdered sugar on top by putting sugar into a wire strainer and tapping it with your hand while moving strainer all around the bowl to get even distribution of sugar.

  SERVES 6–8.

  Jambalaya

  1 fryer, cut into pieces

  1½ lb smoked hot sausage

  3 tbsp shortening or bacon drippings

  3 tbsp flour

  2 medium onions, chopped

  1 green pepper, chopped

  2 cloves garlic, minced

  2 c water

  2 c canned stewing tomatoes

  2 tbsp parsley, minced

  ¼ c green onion tops

  2 tsp salt

  2 c rice

  Brown sausage and chicken in shortening or bacon drippings ; remove, and add flour to make roux. Add onions, green pepper and garlic. Cook until tender. Add water, rice, tomatoes, parsley, onion tops, and salt. Stir in browned sausage and chicken. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low temperature and cook covered for 1 hour.

  SERVES 8–10.

  Shrimp Boulettes*

  ¼ c celery

  1 c onions, chopped

  ¼ c green onions

  1 c shrimp

  2 eggs

  1 c flour

  1 c seasoned bread crumbs

  1 tsp salt

  1 tsp pepper

  2 c oil for frying

  Grind celery, onions and green onions in a food processor. Drain excess liquid; then empty mixture into a mixing bowl. Grind raw peeled minced shrimp in a food processor. Add to mixture and blend. Add eggs (scrambled) and blend completely.

  Add flour and bread crumbs to mixture until you achieve a thick pasty consistency. Add salt and pepper and mix. Heat oil to hot. Spoon tablespoon-sized balls into hot oil and cook until browned. Serve.

  Crawfish Étouffée

  2½ lb crawfish tails

  1 stick margarine

  3 large onions, finely chopped

  finely chopped parsley

  salt and pepper to taste

  Sauté onions in margarine, about 15–20 minutes, until soft. Add crawfish fat and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until fat comes to the top. Add tails and season to taste. Add just enough hot water to étouffée for desired consistency. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add parsley. Serve over steaming hot rice.

  Cajun Crab Pie1

  1 c onion, chopped

  1½ c green onion, chopped

  ¼ c bell pepper, chopped

  1 tbsp garlic, minced

  3 tbsp butter

  1 lb lump crabmeat

  2 tsp salt

  1 tsp cayenne pepper

  2 tsp black pepper

&nbs
p; 1 lb cheddar cheese, shredded

  3 tbsp lemon juice

  The Crust

  1 c self-rising flour

  1 tbsp dry milk

  1 tsp sugar

  1 tsp salt

  ¼ tsp baking soda

  1 c milk

  3 eggs

  1 tbsp butter

  Preheat oven to 350°F. In a skillet, sauté onion, green onion, bell pepper and garlic in 3 tbsp butter until onion is clear. Remove from heat and add crabmeat, salt and both peppers (cayenne and black). In a separate bowl, combine flour, dry milk, sugar, salt, baking soda, milk, eggs and 1 tbsp butter and blend until smooth. Pour into greased 9″ x 12″ baking pan. Top with prepared crab mixture. Cover with shredded cheese and sprinkle on lemon juice. Bake covered for 35 minutes at 350°F. Uncover and bake at 400°F until brown.

  SERVES 6–8.

  Note: Be sure to clean crabmeat of all shell.

  Fern Michaels likes to hear from her readers. Write to her c/o Kensington Publishing Corp. or E-mail her at:

  [email protected]

  Don’t miss Fern Michaels’s next paperback

  THE GUEST LIST

  (coming from Zebra Books in August 2000)

  or her next hardcover

  WHAT YOU WISH FOR

  (coming from Kensington Publishing Corp. in October 2000)

  The author wishes to acknowledge the use of the recipes for corn puppies, shrimp boulettes, and Cajun crab pie from Dat Little Cajun Cookbook by Chef Remy Laterrade, C.E.C., ISBN 0-9632197-1.

  Dat Little Cajun Cookbook Copyright © 1993 by Remy Laterrade

  (Relco Ent.: P.O. Box 3943, Lafayette, LA 70502-3942)

  KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by

  Kensington Publishing Corp.

  850 Third Avenue

  New York, NY 10022

  Copyright © 2000 by First Draft, Inc.

  “The Pantyhose Song” Copyright © 1995 by Corinda Carford and Gail Edwards. Pantyhoze Music, BMI. Used by permission.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  Kensington and the K logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

  Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number: 99-68845

  ISBN: 978-1-4201-0843-9

  Notes

  1

  with thanks to Chef Remy’s Dat Little Cajun Cookbook. Write to Chef Remy at: [email protected].

 

 

 


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