| READ & FEED--December 2007 We hereby designate December as be-kind-to-vampires month. It is the holiday season, after all. So, here are two holiday treats--with vampires. Since my wife and I were both reading vampire novels at the time, we decided to give you a two-fer, each refreshingly different. (1) Tall, Dark & Dead by Tate Hallaway The first part of the cover blurb from "Tall, Dark & Dead" says it very well-- Garnet Lacey swore off practicing magic after she carelessly called down the Goddess Lilith and didn't place the proper wards first. Lilith now dwells inside Garnet. Lilith doesn't like to be repressed. People die when she takes control. Garnet manages an occult bookstore in Madison, Wisconsin. One day, Sebastian Von Traum, with a slight British accent and deep brown eyes, black hair pulled into a ponytail, and a totally fit body clad in leather and denim enters the store looking for mandrake. One thing puts the brakes on her lust: he has no aura around him. Which means he's dead. And she's not sure if he realizes it. Add a few complications: The Vatican witch hunters are on to them; her vampire ex-boyfriend is back in town looking for action; Sebastian's ex-wife is not resting comfortably in her grave; and Sebastian has a son with an attitude. Sprinkled with humor and an inventive story line, this novel is a thoroughly enjoyable read. There are two sequels to the novel, one out now, one coming out in 2008. They're both on my book shopping list. (2) How To Marry A Millionaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks Hold on to your seats, this next turn is gonna be a juicy one. Who is tall, handsome and over 500 years old and is in desperate need of a dentist at twelve o'clock midnight. This is just the beginning of Kerrelyn Sparks book, "How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire." How divine. Roman Draganesti is a vampire who just lost one of his fangs when he took a bite out of an experimental rubber sex doll. He has until dawn to find a dentist to replace it, sounds easy, our lovely dentist; Shanna Whelan is on an all-nighter at a 24-hour medical clinic. There is a small problem. She can't stand to see blood, and Mr. Draganesti can't seem to find any other dentist that is open. One more small catch: she's also on the Mob's hit list after she witness her best friend getting murder right in front of her and they are back to finish the job. Bullets are flying and the clock is ticking when Shanna and Roman first lay eyes on each other. We go into the world of our 21st century vampire and his empire. He is the founder of synthetic blood. It cuts down on the killings, which makes a lot of sense, but it does put on the pounds. The bodyguards are none other than the beautiful Scottish Highlanders of the 15th century, right down to the kilts. The chase is on for Shanna. Will she fall for this "older" man? Can he truly win the heart of this fair-haired maiden. And can the men in minis put an end to the blonde Terminator who wants to destroy Roman's empire? This makes a great stocking stuffer for all the ladies out there who are dying to know how this book ends. For the holidays fast approaching and the many parties still ahead, here is a great recipe to serve at your next open house. Happy Holidays to all from Rick and Rose. TURKEY STUFFED MUSHROOMS 15 large mushrooms 1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey 2 Tbs chopped parsley 1 carrot, shredded 2 Tbs dried minced onion 1 tsp celery salt 1/2 tsp salt 2 cups chicken broth 1/4 tsp pepper 1 tbs catsup 1 Tbs steak sauce Gently wipe the mushrooms. Reserve caps: remove stems and finely chop. Combine ground turkey, mushroom stems, parsley, carrot, onion, salt, pepper, and celery salt. Place a mound of mixture on each mushroom cap. Arrange in a lightly greased baking dish. Pour chicken broth in pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes until done. Blend catsup and steak sauce and brush tops of turkey mixture 5 minutes before completion of cooking. |
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| What is READ & FEED? My wife Rose (a wonderful cook and baker--she's Italian) created Read & Feed, which combines a book to read and a recipe to try. |