Welcome to Recipe for Romance!
Happy October!
I’m sharing a snippet of THE SAMHAIN SOLDIER book 7 in the Cloudburst Colorado series. Kendra is just trying to get ready for Samhain when she literally runs into Phinn. Then the demon shows up.
Available Now: The Samhain Soldier
Kendra MacGillivray had met many cheeky men in her time, but the tall, dark-haired beauty with sapphire blue eyes took the cake.
Or maybe it’s the big-ass sword rising over his right shoulder that’s doing it.
Whatever it was, he wore arrogance like a new suit and seemed as fishy as Pier 59 in Seattle. He smelled like warm vanilla, the scent of Ponderosa pine bark baking in the sun, and she reminded herself men didn’t like women sniffing after them like bitches in heat.
And if they do, they aren’t worth it.
“You can call me Kendra. Now, off you go.”
The tall warrior gave her a sardonic smile through the sexy scruff on his cheeks, but bowed and made to move past her. However, he tensed up and lost his smile at the sound of something big moving through the underbrush behind her. All the hair stood up on the back of her neck as the fetid scents of rotting wine and old sex hit her nose. Swallowing against the gag reflex, she shifted sideways, presenting her back to neither the man nor whatever approached.
“Aw, hellfire.” Phinnius yanked the sword off his back with a metallic hiss and took on a battle stance.
“What the hell is that?”
Kendra fought bile back down her throat as she took in a creature resembling an organic version of the cat-like thing from the movie about robot aliens who transformed into innocuous objects. A ridge of fins from each vertebra protruded along the back and tail, and oddly jointed limbs ended in long, sharp claws.
“Stay back, Mistress Kendra. This demon is here for me.”
“Oh, that’s comforting.” The demon’s glowing green eyes shifted from Phinnius, and it just had to lick its slavering jaws as its gaze settled on her.
“I promise I won’t let it hurt you.”
Kendra snorted and tried to settle her mind enough to gather the life energy around her.
Gluten-Free Mixed Berry Skull Cakes
Have you ever attempted to bake something and made a mistake that turned out both funny and delicious? That’s what happened when I first made these muffins. I mixed the berries in so efficiently, I made black muffins. Perfect for Halloween or Samhain. Or Yule when you need coal muffins, LOL.
INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups gluten-free all purpose baking flour (We used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 baking flour)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup milk
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 F (218 C) and line a 12 count muffin pan with cupcake liners. Or if using an oddly shaped pan, spray the cake wells with nonstick spray and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together until well mixed. Set aside.
In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer (or in the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Add the brown sugar and beat on high until creamed (about 2 full minutes).
Add the eggs, sour cream or yogurt, and vanilla, and beat on medium for 1 minute then turn up to high speed until mixture is combined and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until just about combined. Add the milk and continue to beat on low until combined. Add in mixed berries and beat until the batter turns purple and the berries are completely mixed in.
Spoon batter evenly into each cup or muffin well, filling each all the way to the top.
Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425 F (218 C), then keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the temperature to 350 F (177 C). Bake for an additional 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the muffins to cool for five minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
GLAZE
1/2 – 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1-2 Tbsp milk
3-5 drops of food coloring
Add all the ingredients except the food coloring into a small bowl and whisk gently until smooth.
Drizzle over the cool cakes and let harden (about 10 minutes). Arrange on a plate and serve.
