Another Taste of Love

By Leigh Michaels

From the author:

"I write novels about glitzy and glamorous people who go to wonderful restaurants and eat exotic dishes. But I keep my fancy cookbooks in my office for reference.

For my own cooking, I stick to tried-and-true, practical recipes that are fast and good, or they're easy to fix, or they make a lot and freeze well so I only have to go through the slicing-and-dicing stages once in a while. And if you keep a pantry stocked with basics, most of these recipes don't call for a special trip to the supermarket.

This book also includes a section of fast hacks (like how to make a cake mix taste like a professional baker's product) and substitutions (like what to do when your recipe calls for self-rising flour and you don't have any). I've also added a section called "Don't Eat This!" which includes homemade green cleaning solutions and other do-it-yourself products, some around-the-house tricks for getting rid of pests, and some fun craft projects."

• Language: English
• Publisher: PBL Limited
• Release date: Jul 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201170080

Leigh Michaels

Leigh Michaels (https://leighmichaels.com) is the author of more than 100 books, including contemporary romance novels, historical romance novels, and non-fiction books including local history and books about writing. She is the author of Writing the Romance Novel, which has been called the definitive guide to writing romances. Six of her books have been finalists in the Romance Writers of America RITA contest for best traditional romance of the year, and she has won two Reviewers' Choice awards from Romantic Times (RT Book Review) magazine. More than 35 million copies of her books have been published in 25 languages and 120 countries around the world. She teaches romance writing online at Gotham Writers Workshop.

Book preview

Another Taste of Love

Practical Recipes for the Busy Cook

by Leigh Michaels

http://www.leighmichaels.com

Copyright 2021 Leigh Michaels

All rights reserved

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only and may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

From the author

I write novels about glitzy and glamorous people who go to wonderful restaurants and eat exotic dishes. But I keep my fancy cookbooks in my office for reference.

For my own cooking, I stick to tried-and-true, practical recipes that are fast and good, or they’re easy to fix, or they make a lot and freeze well so I only have to go through the slicing-and-dicing stages once in a while.  And if you keep a pantry stocked with basics, most of these recipes don’t call for a special trip to the supermarket.

This book also includes a section of fast hacks (like how to make a cake mix taste like a professional baker’s product) and substitutions (like what to do when your recipe calls for self-rising flour and you don’t have any). I’ve also added a section called Don’t Eat This! which includes homemade green cleaning solutions and other do-it-yourself products, some around-the-house tricks for getting rid of pests, and some fun craft projects.

Some of these recipes have appeared in my previous cookbooks, A Taste of Love and Simply Good. Most are brand-new. I hope you’ll like them as much as I do.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Breakfast and Brunch

Perfect Scrambled Eggs

Quick and Easy Breakfast Bars

Pumpkin Custard

Broccoli Breakfast Muffins

Oatmeal Pancakes

Back to Basic Pancakes

Applesauce Oven Pancake

Savory Cheese Waffles

Basic French Toast

Oven French Toast

Banana French Toast

Apple-Pecan French Toast

Down-Home Danish

Chocolate-Almond Croissants

Apple Breakfast Cake

Sticky Bun Breakfast Ring

Spiced Oatmeal

Easy Oatmeal

Sausage Gravy

Egg Wrap

Omelet in a Pan

Farmer’s Casserole

––––––––

Chapter 2 Soup, Sandwich, and Salad Meals

Aunt Biddy’s Onion Soup

New England Clam Chowder

Sinful Potato Soup

Crock Pot Potato Soup

Mashed Potato Soup

Crock Pot Vegetable Soup

Tomato Bisque

Blender Gazpacho

Chili

Cheesy Chicken Corn Chowder

Turkey Vegetable Soup

Cauliflower Cheese Soup

Garbage Soup

Zucchini Quiche

Beef Stroganoff Sandwich

Easy Stromboli

Mix and Match Burritos

Pesto Cheese Sandwich

Turkey Burgers

Turkey Patties

Salmon Patties

Sloppy Joes

Cheatin’ Chicken Jack

Shortcut Pot Pie

Luncheon Crepes

Taco Pasta Salad

Chicken Salad

Egg Salad

Pasta Salad

Dead-Easy Pasta Salad

Summer Salad

Confetti Salad

Apple, Walnut, and Fresh Cherry Quinoa Salad

Chapter 3 Teatime & Happy Hour

Tea Sandwich Options

Cucumber Sandwiches

Egg Salad Sandwiches

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Tomato Sandwiches

Mushroom Sandwiches

Turnover Pastry

Salmon Appetizers

Bacon-Cheese Appetizers

Bacon Tomato Cups

Carrot Cream Cheese Appetizers

Pineapple Welcome

Asparagus Tartlets

Spinach Tartlets

Chicken Veggie Ranch

Chilly Veggie Pizza

White Bean Crostini Spread

Black Bean Dip

Salmon Potato Rounds

Avocado Deviled Eggs

Salmon Deviled Eggs

Scones

Blueberry Scones

Strawberry Basil Scones

Sour Cream Teacakes

Sweet Tartlets

Fruit Dip

Crème Fraiche

Chapter 4 Main Dish Meals

Crock Pot Mexican Rice and Beans

Crock Pot Enchiladas

Swiss Steak

Salisbury Steak

Last-Minute Goulash

Beef and Noodles – Stroganoff Style

Low-Fat Meatloaf

Oven-Baked Vegetable Stew

Chicken Stir-Fry

Low-Fat Chicken Parmesan

Spicy Chicken

Sloppy Chicken

Hawaiian Chicken

Chicken and Rice

Garlic-Olive Chicken

Short-Cut Spaghetti Sauce

Oven Marinara Sauce

Pasta Alfredo

Pasta Primavera

Pasta Carbonara

Tortellini with Ham

Pasta Bake

Swiss Chard and Ravioli

Barbecued Ribs

Crock Pot Pork

Italian Pork Tenderloin

Telapia with Orzo and Lemon

Baked Salmon

Shrimp Pesto

Holiday Turkey

Chapter 5 On The Side

Best-Dressed Dressing

Great American Baked Potatoes

Scalloped Corn

Scalloped Corn with Tomatoes

Grilled Vegetables

Corny Pasta

Baked Beans

Three-Bean Salad

Confetti Bean Salad

Chinese Restaurant Style Green Beans

Cheesy Baked Asparagus

Freezer Cole Slaw

Mixed-Up Vegetable Salad

Sunshine Salad

Mixed-Up Fruit Salad

Greens and Fruit Salad

Banana Poppy Seed Salad

Pink Stuff

Glorified Rice

Fruit and Rice Salad

Chunky Apple-Cranberry Sauce

Grandma Jane’s Cranberry Sherbet

Cranberry Molded Salad

Chapter 6 Breads & Muffins

One-Two-Three-Go Biscuits

Scones

Basic White Bread (with variations)

90-Minute Dinner Rolls and 90-Minute Sweet Rolls

Judy’s Oatmeal Bread

Italian Bread

Banana Wheat Bread

Honey Oatmeal Bread

English Muffin Toasting Bread

Artisan Bread

Sparkling Bread

Banana Rolls

Little Miss Muffins

Oatmeal Nut Muffins

Bran Muffins

Zucchini Muffins

Pumpkin Muffins

Nutty Rhubarb Muffins

Cranberry Nut Muffins

Apple-Cranberry Muffins

Lemony Apple Oat Muffins

Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana Muffins

Buttermilk Chocolate Muffins

Dried Fruit Muffins

Black Cherry Muffins

Louisiana Corn Muffins

Best Corn Bread

Freezer Corn Muffin Mix

Chapter 7 Sweets & Treats

No-Fuss Cookies

Peanut-Blossom Cookies

Husband-Catchers

Oatmeal Raisin Mounds

Almond Sugar Cookies

Lemon Sugar Cookies

Raisin Nuggets

Pineapple Cookies

Raspberry Prints

World’s Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sweet Cherry Cookies

Crispy Cookies

World’s Simplest Banana Cookies

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Gingerbread Men

Soft Gingerbread

Chewy Brownies

Blonde Brownies

Apple Pie Bars

Pecan Pie Bars

Pumpkin Bars

Solid-Calorie Bars

Peanut Butter Bars

Lemon Bars

The Most Dangerous Cake in the World

3-2-1 Cake

Sponge Cake

Hoosier Oatmeal Cake

Red Devil’s Food Cake

Murder by Chocolate

Luella’s Crumb Cake

Pineapple Poke Cake

Easy Boston Cream Cupcakes

Light Cheesecake

Low-Fat Chocolate Mousse

Baked Apples

Dessert Crepes

Apple Goodie

Rhubarb Cobbler

Battered Fruit Cobbler

Heart’s Desire

Bread Pudding

Baked Rice Pudding

Backwards Pie Crust

Super Pumpkin Pie

Sour Cream Raisin Pie

Apple Pie

Custard Pie

What a Rhubarb Pie!

Grasshopper Pie

Coconut Pie

Basic Ice Cream

Banana Ice Cream

Chocolate Oatmeal Candies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Candies

Never-Fail Fudge

Peanut Clusters

Decadent Truffles

World’s Easiest Turtles

Cinnamon Walnuts

Sugared Pecans

Chapter 8 Extras

Cinnamon Sugar

Honey Butter

Dipping Chocolate

Cream Cheese Icing

Pesto

Pesto Cream Sauce

Pea Pesto

Sweet Dill Pickles

Pickled Peppers

Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

Healthy Snack Mix

Rhubarb Jam

Blueberry Rhubarb Jam

Orange Froth

Easy Party Punch

New Year’s Eve Punch

Blender Milk Shake

World’s Best Tea

Chapter 9 Short Cuts & Substitutions

Easy Bacon

Easy Baked Potatoes

Easy Sweet Potatoes

Easy Quesadillas

Easy Bread Raising

Softening Butter

Black Icing for Cakes

Make a Cake Mix Taste Like a Pro's

Don't Have Biscuit Mix?

Don’t Have Self-Rising Flour?

Don't Have Buttermilk or Sour Milk?

Low-Fat Baking

Chapter 10 Don’t Eat This!

Drain Cleaner

Drain Cleaner II

Heavy-Duty Furniture Cleaner

Mirror and Crystal Cleaner

Window Cleaner

All-Purpose Cleaner

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

To Clean Soap Scum in Shower

Hand Sanitizer

Astringent

Foot Soak

Hummingbird Feed

To Remove Ticks

To Get Rid of Japanese Beetles

No-Sweat Flower Bed

Holiday Fragrance

Marbleized Ornaments

Preserving Newspaper Clippings

Wheat Paste

About the author

Breakfast & Brunch

PERFECT SCRAMBLED EGGS

2 LARGE EGGS

2 tablespoons ranch dressing

2 to 4 tablespoons chopped herbs (parsley, chives, cilantro, dill, etc.)

Heat heavy skillet over medium heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet and spread evenly over the hot surface. Spread herbs in an even layer in skillet. Whisk eggs and dressing and pour into skillet. Let cook for 15 seconds, then stir gently with a rubber spatula. Let cook for 15 seconds and stir. Repeat until all egg mixture is cooked.

QUICK AND EASY BREAKFAST BARS

16-ounce container yogurt, any flavor

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons honey

1 egg

½ to 1 tsp vanilla

½ to 1 tsp cinnamon

¼ cup wheat germ

1 ¾ cups quick-cooking oatmeal

1/2  cup dried fruit

½ cup coconut or ½ cup chopped nuts

Mix ingredients together with a fork. Scoop onto greased cookie sheet with a muffin scoop (¼ cup each). Flatten slightly. Bake 18 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes 1 dozen.

OPTION: Mix and match yogurt flavors with fruit.

PUMPKIN CUSTARD

½cup sugar

½ cup biscuit mix

2 tablespoons margarine, softened

1 13-ounce can evaporated milk

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 16-ounce can pumpkin OR 2 cups cooked and mashed squash

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon cloves

Combine all ingredients and beat well (1 minute in blender, or 2 minutes with hand mixer). Spray 8 custard cups with baking spray. Divide mixture between cups. Bake at 350 degrees, 45 to 55 minutes.

BROCCOLI BREAKFAST MUFFINS

2tablespoons olive oil

2-3 cups finely chopped broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower or other veggies, or a combination

1 carrot (or 4 to 6 baby carrots), finely chopped or shredded

½ onion, finely chopped OR 3 to 4 green onions with tops, sliced

Herbs (parsley, chives, cilantro, etc.) to taste

1 box corn muffin mix

3 eggs

1 cup cottage cheese

1 to 2 tablespoons sharp mustard, to taste

½ to 1 cup chopped crisp bacon or ham

½ to 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Heat oil in skillet and gently sauté vegetables, onion and herbs till tender.

Combine corn muffin mix with eggs, cottage cheese, and mustard and stir till smooth. Add vegetable mix, bacon, and cheese and stir till combined.

Spoon into well-greased muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden. Makes 12 to 14 muffins.

OATMEAL PANCAKES

1½ cups flour

1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 cups milk

¼ cup butter or margarine, melted (or 4 tablespoons vegetable oil)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

To make a half batch

¾ cup flour

½ cup quick-cooking oatmeal

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg or cloves (if desired)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons canola oil

In large mixing bowl, combine flour, oatmeal, baking powder and cinnamon. In a small bowl, combine eggs, milk, butter and brown sugar. Add to dry ingredients and stir till well mixed. Heat skillet or griddle till a bit of water dropped on the hot surface sizzles; spray surface with cooking spray. Dip batter by 1/4 cup measure for medium-sized cakes. Cook till surface bubbles; turn and cook till light brown.

Full batch makes 4 to 6 servings.

HINT: Substitute 1 very ripe banana, mashed, for ½ cup milk.

BACK TO BASICS PANCAKES

2cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

3 tablespoons sugar

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 eggs

4 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter

To make a half batch

1 1/8 cups flour

1 ½