COOKING WITH CLORIS--GUEST AUTHOR HALEY WHITEHALL

Haley Whitehall has been obsessed with telling stories since the age of four. Her addiction to the Civil War era came later, but proved no less potent. She earned her B.A in history from Central Washington University. Pairing her two passions, she writes historical romance with a touch of faith. Learn more about Haley and her books at her website. 

It is a pleasure to be on Killer Crafts and Crafty Killers again. I write Civil War era historical romance, and often my romances are interracial. Midnight Kiss is the third book in my Moonlight Romance series set in the South during Reconstruction.

I think food and romance go together quite well. I don’t write foodie romance, but even in my historical romance food naturally plays a part. Back in the 19^th century women were expected to be better cooks than they are today. After all there was no such thing as McDonald’s!

In Midnight Kiss, Matt Seever hires April to be a nanny to his two children. He has been a widower for four years. She doesn’t mind cleaning up his messy house and cooking his meals, too. What she did not realize was flapjacks could lead to them sharing more than a meal together.

Matt can’t cook. Working as an officer on the steamer the Queen Bee, he had his meals provided for him. After he quit and took a job in St. Louis, Missouri working for his brother, his supply of good meals disappeared. Fate brought him and April together. He and his children like anything she cooks–but their favorite is flapjacks.

Old Fashioned Pancakes Recipe

(makes approximately 12 pancakes)

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon white sugar

1-1/4 cup milk

1 egg

3 tablespoons butter, melted

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan at 350. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Midnight Kiss (Moonlight Romance, Book 3)

Unjustly accused of stealing, nanny April Windmire is turned out on the streets without pay. With no place to go and no friends, she stows away on a Mississippi River steamboat. Her hopes to hide through the journey to St. Louis are dashed when a handsome white officer finds her. But instead of turning her in, he takes her to his private quarters where she fights her growing attraction to a man she cannot have.

Matt Seever’s wife died four year ago, leaving him alone with two small mulatto children. But his job as an officer on the Queen Bee isn’t family friendly. He knows he needs a new wife, but no southern white woman will marry him. When April lands in his lap, his prayers are answered. Or are they? April’s not the trusting type and racial prejudice runs deep in post-Civil War Missouri. Just when Matt convinces April he loves her, his new family becomes a target and there’s no backing down from this fight.

Together, April and Matt must brave heinous race prejudice crimes to find an enduring love.

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