Welcome to Recipe for Romance!
Each weekend, I share a snippet of a tale that either takes place in the current month (in this case, June) or is coming out in the current month, and a recipe that either goes with the tale or goes with the month.
Confused yet? Excellent! lol
Let’s get started. I’m sharing a snippet of THE KAROBIS CALLS, book 4 in the 4 part Ivory Road serial. Iliana and Naomi have recovered Master Nobutake and they are hunting the kidnappers in hopes of recovering the rest of the people taken from the school. Things just went pear-shaped.
The Ivory Road: The Karobis Calls
Aristotle still insisted on keeping watch, which improved everyone’s health. Though they didn’t speak much except to determine which path to take and whether to go into the closest village for supplies, the pall of sickness had lifted. All that was left was their worry for Brandon and the kids.
Aristotle also backed Naomi when it came to tracking the kidnappers and seemed indefatigable. He kept watch each night while the humans slept and traveled all day across any terrain they encountered without collapsing with exhaustion. She did catch him napping when they stopped for meals, but otherwise he remained alert.
He did the same thing when we crossed the Karobis the first time.
“How long can you go without sleep, Aristotle?”
“As long as I need to. I rest when I can…uh-oh.”
He stopped and swung his head back and forth. The road they’d been following split into a “Y,” both directions full of footprints.
Iliana blinked as Naomi stopped her horse beside them, a frown marring her features.
“Give me a moment.” Naomi dismounted and stood on the road, squinting at the dirt.
“What’s wrong?”
Naomi pointed. “They split up. Some of them took the western path and the rest went south.” She tilted her head. “Looks like three horses and a smaller group went west.” She glanced at Iliana. “What do we do, Master Rory?”
“I…I don’t know.” Sweet glory, how the hell was she going to rescue everyone if they’d gone in two different directions?
“Perhaps we should follow the smaller group.” Nobutake’s voice fell into the well of silence. “This would give us a better chance to overwhelm the kidnappers and if we free the captured, they can help us win the day so we might pursue the larger group.”
Gluten-Free Blue Cornbread
This is a traditional cornbread recipe that I modified to be gluten-free and used a different sweetener. It was a delicious treat.
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
- 3/4 cup blue cornmeal
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons agave syrup
- 3/4 cup milk (preferably whole but low-fat works too)
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted and cooled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray. (I prefer to use non-stick cooking spray so the muffins get nice and crisp on the edges.)
- In a medium bowl, break up the eggs with a whisk. Whisk in the honey, and then the milk. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the milk mixture and the melted butter to the dry ingredients. Whisk until just blended. Do not overmix; it’s okay if there are a few lumps.
- Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup about 3/4 full. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are set and golden. (Note that the muffins will not dome.) Cool the muffins for a few minutes in the pan, then serve warm.
- Note: If you’d prefer to make this as cornbread rather than muffins, spray an 8-inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray and bake at 350 F (177 C) for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: Cornbread muffins taste best when served right out of the oven but can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 for 4 hours on the countertop before serving. To reheat, wrap them in aluminum foil and warm in a 350°F oven until hot. Alternatively, heat muffins in the microwave at 50 percent power for 30 to 45 seconds, or until just hot; do not overheat or muffins will get tough.
