Sunday Snippets #SundaySnippets by Connie Vines

It may be the cold weather, or the fact I’m writing an anthology set in New Orleans, Louisiana—or

I’m simply hungry this Sunday morning,  but I’d thought I share a few recipes you might like to sample.

Creole Coffee

"Good and simple. Rich, dark-roast coffee and chicory, molasses, and cream makes for a delicious cup of coffee."

1 cup of hot brewed coffee with chicory.  Stir in 1 tablespoon of molasses and 1 tablespoon of half & half (or more to taste).

Pain Perdu

"Pain Perdu is a special New Orleans-style French Toast. The most tender version is made with wide loaves of French or Italian bread. Its great flavor comes from the orange brandy in the batter."

5 eggs
½ cup sugar
2 Tablespoon of orange liquor  (I substitute traditional orange juice)
12 slices of white bread

In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, milk, brandy and orange zest. Beat until thick and foamy. Pour mixture into a shallow pan. Soak bread slices in the mixture for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until they are thoroughly soaked through.

Heat a griddle or frying pan over medium heat. Lightly spray griddle with cooking spray. Cook the bread slices 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Serve hot.

Cajun-Style Eggs Benedict

"Forget the English muffins, Canadian bacon, poaching eggs and harassing Hollandaise sauce. This biscuit, egg, and andouille sausage breakfast topped with a simple Mornay sauce is terrific."

2 Tablespoon butter
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 c milk
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
1 dash Tabasco Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 large buttermilk biscuits cut in half
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ lb Andouille Sausage cut in 2-inch slices
8 eggs

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour, and stir until the mixture becomes paste-like and light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Gradually whisk the milk into the flour mixture, and cook over low heat. Cook and stir until the mixture is thick and smooth, about 10 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and hot sauce; season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm over low heat.

Meanwhile, warm the biscuits in a toaster oven and keep warm. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the andouille pieces into the skillet cut-side-down. Cook until golden brown, then turn over and cook until browned on the skin side; remove and keep warm. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Crack four of the eggs into the hot pan, and cook until the egg whites have firmed about halfway through, about 1 minute. Gently flip the eggs over, and cook 10 to 20 seconds more until the other side has just firmed on the outside. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
To assemble, place two biscuit halves onto each plate, cut-side-up. Divide the andouille sausage among the biscuits, then top each biscuit with an egg. Finally, spoon some of the sauce over each egg and serve.

Please stop by and visited the talented authors featured in our Sunday Snippets Blog Hop.

I’ll be doing the same while I sip by Creole Coffee.

Happy Reading,
Connie

http://yesterrdayrevisitedhere.blogspot.com/
http://mizging.blogspot.com/
http://triciamg.blogspot.com/

Sunday Snips from Connie Vines #Sundaysnips

Thank you Ginger Simpson for inviting me to participate in Sunday Snippets.

I am sharing a few snippets from one of my works in progress:
Gumbo Ya Ya: for women who like romance Cajun!

This anthology is filled with five stories and five times the fun!  Ooooh, La La!

MARRYING OFF MURPHY

Settling into his office chair, Professor Murphy Flynn glanced at the faxed copy of OP News. “I Want To Get Married,” the headline read. When he realized the grainy photograph was of him, he upended his coffee mug, sending the liquid perilously close to a six-inch stack of ungraded papers. 

He snagged the papers with one hand, using the other to dab at the puddle with his tie. His gaze locked on to the name of the submissions editor: Sylvie Dupree. The memories hit him hard and fast, leaving Murphy to feel like he’d taken a direct blow to his solar plexus.

Determined and intelligent, Sylvie Dupree had been his stepsister’s college roommate for three years.  A dark-haired Creole beauty with a soft-as-sin smile, she had captured his interest with her quick wit and charm. Only later, after too many pizza-and-study nights spent in her company, had she also captured his heart. Much to Murphy’s perpetual torment, she’d kept him in the friendship zone. 

LOVE POTION #9

“Don’t shake your finger at me, Simone Basso. I know what I’m doing.” Persia Richmond said, filling a half-ounce bottle with perfume. The warm scent of spice, magnolia, mimosa and a hint of something unnamed and mysterious wafted across the narrow processing room.

The fragrance was New Orleans; culture at its most upscale moments and Mardi Gras at its naughtiest! A smile of supreme joy curved her mouth and success warmed her soul.

Persia had dreamt of creating a signature fragrance since the time her grandpapa had begun her tutorage in perfuming.

 “I’ve done warned you and warned you about messing with love potions!”

THE PIRATE OF GOMBI ISLAND

Celeste Brossard stared up at the turbulent sky above the gulf.  The water churned and slapped choppy waves against the levee’s edge, but she still heard the click-click of stiletto heels on the cobblestone street.  As was their usual Sunday custom since high school, Francine Grant always brought breakfast after Mass while Celeste secured a table and ordered coffee at the café. 

After taking a hurried sip of her mocha latte, Celeste scooted over so that her best friend could slide into a vacant bistro chair.

 “Girlfriend, you look like you need substance.”  She tilted the white paper bag between her French manicured fingertips and offered Celeste a warm beignet.

 Celeste snagged the donut-like, powder-sugared covered confection, and took a healthy bite.  “We’ve got to get another habit,” she managed to say around the tasty mouthful.

Francine grinned and reached for her cup of chicory coffee and poured in an unhealthy amount of cream. “We’re both in our early thirties, single…still.  What other habit were you contemplating?  Bar hopping?”

‘No!  Something healthier. I was thinking more along the line of adding fiber—“

“Fiber?  Girl, what is wrong with you?”

Celeste shrugged her shoulders.  “Work, work, and more work.”

Her friend rolled her eyes. “Tell me something I don’t already know.  What happened with that guy—“

“What guy?”

“You know, the know guy in the office down the hall?”

“Married.”

“Oh.  What about that Spanish guy—you know the sea captain with the funny name?”

Celeste gave an unladylike snort that sent sprinkles of powdered sugar down the front of her silk-print waist dress. “Bocanegra?”

“Yeah, that’s the one. You were all excited about him”

“Francine, I’m cataloging the University’s latest acquisitions.  Therefore, whomever I’m excited about is dead.  Dead, as in no longer living.”

“That’s a real problem.”  Francine popped the final bit of her beignet in her mouth and brushed her hands together to remove the powdered sugar.

#

I did say those Cajuns stories was fun. . .and as exciting as, well, New Orleans and the wild bayou.

Join us next month for more snippets. I will be featuring the final two stories from my anthology.  Including award winning T.A.R.A paranormal romance, 1-800- FORTUNE,  and action packed Cajun crime mystery, A Slice of Scandel.

Can't wait?  

Visit a few of my links and spend some time with my Rodeo Cowboys featured in my Rodeo Romance series,  Or perhaps a little fun and sassy fantasy novella will make your evening.

Remember to stop by and see what my author friends have in store for you.

Happy Reading,

Connie

http://triciamcgill.blogspot.com (Tricia McGill)

http://www.jamiehill.biz (Jamie Hill)

http://medievalnovels.blogspot.com (Vijaya Schartz)

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