In
my urban fantasy House of the Rising Son,
we meet Cheyenne, an incubus rocker who feeds on strong emotions. He's an
amazing musician, so the lust of his fans sustains him. He doesn't really need
to eat human food. But what’s a single father to do when he has kids at home to
feed?
Like
many preschoolers, Cheyenne’s children feast on spaghettios, cereal, and cut up
fruits and vegetables. Their favorite food is boxed mac and cheese. They
delight in helping their father mix the noodles with the bright orange cheese
powder. Sadly, their enthusiastic help often results in noodles and cheese
escaping the bowl onto the counter.
Jade,
his succubus baby is always hungry. She hasn't yet learned the art of feeding
on emotions. She's therefore happy to chase down the errant noodles and eat
them.
Jamie
is satisfied to let her have them. Half-incubus and half vampire, he's content
to pick at his food and suck his sister’s thumb.
Cheyenne
has his work cut out for him keeping Jade from eating too much while encouraging
Jamie to eat any human food at all. I've suggested he use my recipe. There's
nothing like the comforting gooey goodness of homemade mac and cheese. Here's
my take on it, with nods to my mom's flair for convenience and Martha Stewart's
penchant for flavor bursts.
The
result is simple, rich and amazing. More importantly, it's
a little more nutritious and definitely a whole lot tastier. I think Cheyenne
is looking forward to trying it—as soon as he can talk his boyfriend’s sister
into helping him cook.
The Most Amazing Mac and Cheese
1
cup breadcrumbs
1
pound elbow macaroni
1
stick butter
5-1/2
cups milk
1/2
cup flour
1-1/2
teaspoons salt
1/4
teaspoon cayenne pepper
5
cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
2
cups grated Gruyere cheese
Cook
macaroni according to directions on box. Rinse in cold water to stop it from
cooking and set aside.
Melt
butter in a deep skillet or pot over medium heat. When melted, whisk in flour.
Keep whisking 1 minute then slowly whisk in milk. Continue cooking and whisking
until mixture thickens. Turn off heat.
Add salt, cayenne pepper,
the Gruyere, and all but a half cup of the cheddar cheese. Stir macaroni into
the cheese sauce. Pour mixture into buttered 13” x 9” baking dish. Mix breadcrumbs
with remaining half cup of cheddar and sprinkle over top.
Bake 30-40 minutes until
bubbling and golden brown.
House of the Rising Son
Living After Midnight,
Book 1
Cheyenne is a half-human
incubus whose star is on the rise in the Unakite City rock scene. His father,
the leader of the supernatural races, would prefer he keep a “low profile”, but
screw that. Cheyenne has as much music in his veins as royal incubi blood.
Alexander's future is all
set—finish law school, join the family firm, and marry someone who'd be good
for business. Not that he has a say in any of it. He's barely met the woman his
father expects him to marry.
As Cheyenne's musical
career takes off, his carefully constructed life begins to unravel, exacerbated
by an ex-lover who can't let go, a crotchety barkeeper with a dirty mind and a
pure heart, a drag queen who moonlights as a nanny, and Alexander—who's not
sure if he's falling for the incubus or the rocker.
Cheyenne denies who he is,
while Alexander hides what he wants. Together, they learn that getting what
they truly want means being who they truly are.
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