COOKING WITH CLORIS--GUEST AUTHOR BARBARA BARRETT

Since there are so many wonderful authors who write food themed novels, Cloris has decided it’s time to showcase more of them. (Personally, I think she just wants some time off, but who can blame her?) So over the next few months she’s turning Tuesdays over to guest authors who will provide yummy recipes and tell you something about their books.

Our first Tuesday guest is Barbara Barrett who claims to have the best of two worlds: the prairie of her home state, Iowa, during the summer and the palm trees of her adopted state, Florida, during the winter. She incorporates her interest in people’s jobs, honed from three decades in human resources, into her stories. Learn more about Barbara and her books at her website. -- AP

P.S.: Yesterday was Barbara's granddaughter Samantha's sixteenth birthday. Happy birthday, Samantha, from all of us at Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers!  

Cold Orzo Salad

I first tasted a similar version of this salad in a restaurant in Winter Park, Florida and decided to modify it according to my own tastes. I chose it to share with Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers readers because it’s somewhat reminiscent of the cover of my new release, And He Cooks Too. The couple is chopping vegetables. “Chopping” occurs in a couple of scenes in the book. The following excerpt has the hero, Nick Coltrane, praising the new production assistant on his cooking show for her technique as his lead-in to asking her to accompany him on a mission to research a local restaurant.

“That’s some technique you’ve got with that knife.”

She glanced up from the container where she was storing the chili pieces, jiggling the contents so the segments wouldn’t glom together. “This should be a no-brainer for you.”

“Well, sure, I do this all the time. But you’re so economical with your movements. You’ve got the cutting edge, so to speak.” He chuckled at his own pun.

Ingredients:

1 c. orzo, uncooked

½ c. chopped tomatoes or halved cherry or grape tomatoes

½ c. chopped raw carrots

½ c. peeled, sliced and quartered cucumber

¼ c. finely chopped green onion (a little bit goes a long way)

½ c to ½ bottle Italian salad dressing

Prepare the orzo according to the instructions on the package. Don’t let it get too soft.  Cool, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick together.

Fold in the next four ingredients. (Other fresh vegetables can be added to your taste.)

Add half the salad dressing. This may be enough for your taste. If more is needed, add to your taste.

Cool at least an hour before serving. Keep refrigerated.

Makes about 4 servings.

And He Cooks Too

Three men, three lies. One thought it was for her own good, one did it for his own good, and the third nearly destroyed her career. Blacklisted by the city's finest restaurants, Chef Reese Dunbar must now put the resuscitation of her battered reputation in the hands of yet another man. The television experience Nick Coltrane's cooking show offers is her best option for restoring her name and becoming the Big Apple's super chef. But after giving her body and heart to him, her trust is put to the test when she discovers that Nick has lied about the real reason he brought her on board, and worse yet, Nick can't cook.

Buy Link