by Beth Ciotta
“Oh, right.”
“Joey has a huge crush on Nash and Daisy knows it. Most everyone knows.” She snorted. “Except Nash.”
“Should be interesting,” Sam said, clearly amused. “There’s more.”
“Aren’t you the gossip monger?”
“Jayce and Rocky adopted another dog.”
“That makes three. Geez. You know, Ben’s been asking for a puppy for Christmas—”
“We’re having a baby.”
Harper froze.
“You seemed to be wrestling with breaking the news to me, so I thought I’d help out.”
She stared at the eggnog and cookies, too anxious to meet his gaze. “How—”
“When I took out the trash I spied—”
“The home pregnancy test box.”
Sam finessed her into his arms and bade her gaze. “Did you think I wouldn’t be happy?”
“Are you?”
“Aren’t you?”
“It’s just we never talked about this. I was on birth control, only I guess I screwed up.”
“Lucky us.”
“Really?” Oh, God. Her voice squeaked and a honking fat tear rolled down her cheek. “What about Ben and Mina?”
“A baby brother or sister? Come on.” He thumbed her cheek dry. “Better than a puppy.”
Harper raised a brow.
Sam grinned. “Okay. We’ll get the puppy, too.”
Heart bursting, Harper pulled her husband down for a passionate kiss. Lost in the magic, she barely heard the kitchen door swing open.
“Oh, gee,” Mina said. “They’re at it again.”
“You’re the one who told them to watch that stupid, mushy Twilight movie,” Ben said.
“Except Daddy’s not all sparkly.”
Sam nuzzled Harper’s ear. “Only on the inside.” Then he made her head swim with another brief, but hot kiss.
The kids groaned, then raced forward.
Mina took the cookie plate. “We picked out a Christmas movie.”
“Kind of sappy, but not mushy,” Ben said, while nabbing the tray of eggnog.
Sam smiled at the kids, “We’ll be right there,” while palming Harper’s belly and enchanting her soul.
“Take your time,” Ben said, with a teasing snort.
Mina made smooching noises, then giggled.
Weak-kneed and heart full, Harper absorbed the love in the room, knowing their happily-ever-after had only just begun.
HONORARY CUPCAKE LOVERS
Submitted Recipes from On-Line Members
RECIPE 1
GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES
(submitted by Gina Husta of New Jersey)
Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 ¼ tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground allspice
½ tsp. plus an extra pinch salt
½ cup plus 2 tbsp. molasses
¾ cup water
¾ cup butter
2 eggs, slightly beaten
Directions
• Preheat over to 350 degrees F
• In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.
• In sauce pan over low heat, combine molasses, water and butter. Stir constantly until it simmers–immediately remove from heat.
• Gently whisk hot mixture into dry ingredients. Mix until thoroughly blended. Add slightly beaten eggs. Mix well.
• Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full with batter.
• Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes. Ovens may vary. When a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into middle of cupcake, they are done.
• Let cool.
For frosting
• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbs. butter softened
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Gradually beat cream cheese with butter until light and fluffy, add vanilla extract. Slowly add 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar, beat for about 3 minutes. If desired, add a sprinkle of crystallized ginger on top of each frosted cupcake.
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RECIPE 2
KEY LIME CUPCAKES WITH COCONUT BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
(submitted by Mary Stella of Florida)
Makes 24 cupcakes.
The most successful batches of cupcakes from this recipe are the ones where the batter is not overbeaten. It’s also best if you’re fortunate enough to have access to actual key limes, rather than key lime juice from a bottle.
Use quality ingredients instead of bargain brands of all-purpose flour, sugar, butter, and milk. Have all ingredients at room temperature.
Ingredients for Cupcakes
3 cups of all-purpose white flour
2 tsps. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 cup whole milk
2 tsps. pure vanilla extract
3 tbsp. key lime juice
1 tbsp. key lime zest
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
4 large egg whites (whisked to frothy but not whipped to peaks)
Directions
• In separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to thoroughly combine.
• In small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, key lime juice and key lime zest
• In mixing bowl, cream butter until pale, light and fluffy. Slowly add sugar, beating until incorporated in butter and fluffy.
• Slowly add eggs and egg whites until just mixed into sugar and butter. Don’t overbeat.
• Alternate adding the flour/baking powder/salt mixture with the milk/vanilla/key lime mixture–approximately half of each at a time. Mix together each time at low speed and don’t overbeat. Stop mixer periodically to make sure all ingredients are incorporated.
• Line cupcake pans with liners. Use an ice cream scoop or a quarter cup measuring cup to distribute batter evenly in each liner. Start with conservative scoops. You can “top them off” later. Do not over fill.
• Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 23 minutes. Check doneness with toothpick. When inserted, toothpick should come out clean. Cool pans on a wire rack before frosting.
Coconut Buttercream Frosting
4 cups powdered confectioners’ sugar
2 tsps vanilla
½ cup (one stick) unsalted butter, softened
1–1 ½ tbsp. of coconut oil
Splash of coconut water (optional)
Approx. 1–3 tbsp. of whole milk (Amount depends on if you use coconut water)
Directions
• In a mixer on low speed, mix together all of the ingredients except the milk. Check the thickness and consistency. It should be slightly thick. Gradually add in a little bit of milk at a time, mix, and check again. If you need more milk to achieve desired consistency, do so. If you’ve added too much milk, mix in a little bit more powdered sugar.
• Once cupcakes are cool, you can either frost them evenly with the coconut frosting, or fill a bag and pipe on frosting as desired. Sprinkle with slivers of slightly toasted coconut, candy pearls, or the other edible decoration of your choice.
* * *
RECIPE 3
QUICK AND EASY CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CARAMEL FILLING
(submitted by JoAnn Schailey of Pennsylvania)
Ingredients
Devil’s Food cake mix (moist)
Classic Caramel Sundae Syrup (Can be found near the ice cream section of most food stores.)
1 can of milk chocolate icing or vanilla icing (Do not use low sugar or whipped varieties.)
Directions
• Bake Devil’s Food Cupcakes according to the directions on the package. Don’t forget to put cupcake liners in the cupcake pans.
• Use an apple corer or knife to cut a plug about 1/3 the depth of the cupcake. Remove the plug and trim off the excess to 1/
8 inch, keeping the top of the plug intact. Squeeze Caramel Sundae Syrup into cupcake opening until almost full. Replace plug. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.
• Microwave icing on 50% power for 10 seconds. The icing will be very thin. Frost cupcakes. The cupcakes will have a shine. Cool in the refrigerator. You can add a small amount of vanilla Easy Frost (no fuss frosting) to the top of the chocolate cupcakes.
* * *
RECIPE 4
CHOCOLATE STILETTO CUPCAKES
(submitted by JoAnn Schailey of Pennsylvania)
Ingredients
Devil’s Food Cake Mix (moist)
Milk Chocolate chips
Pepperidge Farm Milano Milk Chocolate Cookies (or a similar substitute)
Pepperidge Farm Pirouette Crème Filled Wafers (or a similar substitute) (Chocolate Hazelnut or any other filling)
Can of Milk Chocolate Icing
Directions
• The Pirouette Wafer will be used as the stiletto. The Milano Cookie will be the sole of the high heel. The cupcake will be the front of the high heel. Now it’s time to play with your food.
• Bake cupcakes as directed on package. You can use a mini cupcake pan or a regular cupcake pan. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave using 50% power for 1 minute or less depending on the amount of chips used. Stir melted chocolate. Cut an opening on the angle a ½ inch from the side of the cupcake. Put chocolate on one end of the Milano cookie and insert into the angled opening.
• Each Pirouette Wafer can make 2 stilettos. Cut the Pirouette Wafer on a slant and dip one end in the melted chocolate. Use the melted chocolate to affix the “stiletto” to the Milano cookie which you hold on an angle (The stiletto should be close to the edge of the cookie.) Remove the cupcake paper and trim a small amount off the bottom of the cupcake so that the cupcake will be in proportion to the high heel and stiletto. Refrigerate the cupcake, Milan cookie, and Pirouette wafer until the combination holds together. If you used a regular size cupcake pan, trim the excess cupcake so that it looks like the front of the high heel. The mini cupcake pan will be closer to the size you want.
• Microwave the icing on 50% or 10 seconds. Use a spoon to coat the cupcake. You don’t need to coat the cookies. Enjoy!
* * *
RECIPE 5
Moody Blue Cupcakes
(submitted by Dawn Jones of New Jersey)
All Ingredients
1 box Signature French Vanilla Cake Mix
½ cup of fresh blueberries
1 can vanilla frosting
1 jar of blue sugar (any brand)
Cake Directions
• Preheat oven according to cake mix.
• Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
• Follow directions on box.
• Add the fresh blueberries to the batter and stir lightly
• Pour or spoon batter into the prepared liners.
• Bake according to cake mix, Cake is done when it springs back to the touch or when a cake tester or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• After you frost the cupcakes sprinkle with the blue sugar.
Makes about 24 cupcakes, depending on the cake mix
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
BETH CIOTTA is an award-winning author who specializes in romantic comedy with a twist. Her work includes contemporary, historical, and paranormal romantic fiction. “I can’t think of anything more fulfilling than writing stories where everyone (except the villain, of course) gets a happy ending!”
Beth lives in New Jersey with her husband, two zany dogs, and a crazy cat. A retired professional performer, Beth now pours her artistic passion into her writing. To learn more about her colorful life, visit her Web site at www.bethciotta.com.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE
Copyright © 2014 by Beth Ciotta.
All rights reserved.
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eISBN: 9781466839465
St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / July 2014
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