COOKING WITH CLORIS--AUTHOR JENNIFER SHIRK & CINNAMON DOUGHNUT MUFFINS

One of the biggest food crazes in New York right now is the cronut, a combination croissant and donut. People wait in lines for hours each morning to snag one of the few baked each day. Today we’re joined by Jennifer Shirk, an award-winning sweet romance author who offers up her own variation of a similar treat—a combination donut and muffin. Learn more about Jennifer and her books at her website. – AP 

Food and Romance: two great things in one book!

I'm what my friends call a bit of a "foodie." I cook a lot and experiment with recipes all the time. One of the things I'm known to do is try a new recipe out—when I invite people over for a party or dinner. (I've never had a disaster yet!)

So it was only natural to want to add my love of food into one of my recent books, KISSING KENDALL.  In that  book I made Kendall a bakery owner. (Yum!) But I wanted her to be known for something special. I needed to do some research, so I went to a great source: The Food Network.

I watched a lot of my favorite shows to get some good bakery ideas, but then I caught The Best Thing I Ever Ate and saw the DOUGHNUT MUFFIN. It looked so yummy with all that sugar and cinnamon on top that I had to try it out.

Well, those muffins were a hit in the Shirk household!

 My editor liked the recipe, too, and suggested I tinker with it and make it my own. I did, and we included it at the end of my book for readers who wanted to try it as well.

As a romance reader, I'm already happy I'm reading a book, but I personally love it even more when authors include recipes with them. 

Why?

1) You KNOW the author made it or tried it so it's guaranteed to be good.

2) I discover new recipes that way.

3)It's a great way to interact with readers. People actually started posting on Facebook and Twitter to tell me that they made the recipe and loved it.

Have you tried any recipes in books you've read? Do you watch the Food Network? If so, what is your favorite show?

Kendall's Cinnamon Doughnut Muffins

Makes about 8 to 12 muffins

Muffin Ingredients:

1 3/4 c flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 c oil

3/4 c sugar

1 egg

3/4 c milk

Topping Ingredients:

1/2 c melted butter

1/3 c sugar

1 TBsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a separate larger bowl, combine oil, vanilla, sugar, egg, and milk.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix just until all combined.

Spoon the batter into prepared muffins tins--either a lightly greased muffin tin or line with paper or silicone muffin cups. Bake 15 to 20 minutes.

While muffins are baking, prepare your topping. Melt butter in one bowl and mix cinnamon and sugar in another.

Remove muffins from pan while still hot. Dip muffins in melted butter. Then roll muffins in sugar mixture. Serve warm or cool on rack.

Store for a day or so at room temperature. (if they last that long!)

Enjoy!

Kissing Kendall

Kendall Grisbaum is finally taking charge of her life—pouring her heart into opening a new bakery business and even allowing her best friend Georgie to play matchmaker for her. Trouble is, the one guy she secretly wants is Georgie’s older brother, Brad.

Brad can’t seem to get his little sister’s best friend out of his mind. He and Kendall used to be close friends, too, though they drifted apart years ago. But as a local policeman, Brad can’t help but play protector, looking out for Kendall. And when he offers to help her renovate her new bakery space on the side, their attraction flares back to life.

Amid the temptation of doughnut muffins and blueberry cobbler, a new temptation draws them both closer. Can two friends take a chance on love when it means risking everything?

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