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, February) 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 A DANCE BETWEEN WORLDS, book 3 in the 4 part Ivory Road serial, coming on Feb. 20 2023. Iliana has been away for longer than intended, and now she has to make amends to Brandon. I figure she’ll need to offer a little sweetness (like Fruit Pizza) to dim his anger.
Coming Feb 20 2023: A Dance Between Worlds
I wonder how many of the poets and authors in my world are duplicated here.
Footsteps sounded on the floor behind her and she turned just in time to see Brandon enter the room and stop short. He wore a linen shirt rolled to the elbows and loose-fitting pants tucked into calf-high boots. His hair and beard had been cropped short and his clothes were of higher quality, but he remained the same.
“Iliana?” His hazel gaze searched her face and body, his jaw clenching.
“Hello, Brandon.”
Anger slid over his features and his hands tightened into fists. “What are you doing here? And where the hell have you been?”
“Let me start by saying I’m sorry.” She grimaced. “I’m sorry I didn’t write you a note when I went out to the market in Ros Torach. I’m sorry stepped back across the dimensional boundary—I didn’t know how to return. And I’m very sorry it has taken me this long to find a way back.” She spread her hands in helplessness. “Words mean nothing, I’m sure, but I’m very sorry.”
“Dimensional boundary. Right. You still maintain you’re not from my world, yet here you stand.” Controlled fury coiled beneath the gravelly voice as his brows lowered.
“Yes, because it’s the truth.” She rubbed her hands on her thighs. “I wish I had something to show you to prove I’m not teasing you, but that’s where I’ve been.” She sighed at the furious disbelief written across his face. “May I sit down? I’ll give you the best explanation I can, but it’s long and involved, and I don’t want to miss a single detail.”
He nodded sharply and gestured to one of the plush leather chairs before stalking past her to throw himself into the chair behind the desk.
Gluten-Free Fruit Pizza
This is basically a huge shortbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and fruit all over it. Best shared with those you love.
Gluten-Free Fruit Pizza
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 2 cups 1:1 Gluten-Free all-purpose flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, room temp
Mix ingredients and spread on a 14 inch pizza pan. Perforate with fork to allow for even baking.
Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 15 minutes. Let cool.
Pizza Toppings
- 1 (8 oz) bar of cream cheese, room temp
- 1/2 cup sugar
Mix until smooth and spread over crust like a pizza sauce.
- 1 package (16 ounces) Driscoll’s Strawberries, about 7-9 strawberries sliced
- 1 package (6 ounces) Driscoll’s Blackberries, about 14
- 1 package (6 ounces) Driscoll’s Raspberries, about 36
- 1 package (6 ounces) Driscoll’s Blueberries, about 49
Building the Pizza
Hull the strawberries and cut in ¼ -inch slices to make a total of 21 large slices, set aside. Wash the blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries and let fully drain.
Assembly of Toppings if You Want to Post on Pinterest
Working from the outside of the crust in:
Row 1: Place 1 strawberry slice followed by 1 blackberry. Repeat process until 1st. row of circle is completed. In total, you should have 14 sliced strawberries and 14 blackberries.
Row 2: Place 1 raspberry below strawberry from row 1, followed by 5 blueberries. Repeat process until 2nd row of circle is completed. In total, you should have 7 raspberries and 35 blueberries.
Row 3: Place 1 raspberry below raspberry from row 2, followed by 1 blueberry. Repeat process until 3rd. row of circle is completed. In total, you should have 14 raspberries and 14 blueberries.
Now work from inside of the crust out:
Row 4: Jumping to the center of the crust, place 8 raspberries in a concentric circle.
Row 5: Begin by placing 1 sliced strawberry with its point touching the double raspberries from row 2 and 3. Continue with the rest of the strawberries in a concentric circle. In total, you should have 7 sliced strawberries.
Finish your fruit toppings by placing a raspberry in between each sliced strawberries from row 5. In total, you should have 7 raspberries. Do this if you want to post on Pinterest.
Or this way if you just want to enjoy
Make any pattern you like with strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries, making them concentric circles or crossed lines or zigzags or happy face or whatever. It’s gonna taste awesome no matter what design you choose.
Refrigerate until you are ready to serve. For a much easier cut, use a small-serrated knife.
I admire her calm! Enjoyed the snippet…great looking recipe too.
yummy excerpt, hope the fruit pizza works! I have a very similar recipe for fruit tarts – oatmeal, honey, and I don’t remember what else to make small shell/cups (like in a cupcake tin) then a dollop of yogurt and thin slices of the desired fruits, Gluten free, as well.