Happy May to everyone, and how did it get to be this late in the year already? My son graduates high school in a few weeks. I’ve watched him grow for the past nearly 18 years and still can’t believe it. He’s off to college in the fall. I’ll miss him, but I’m so excited for his future to start. And boy is he ready to move forward.

He is a track runner (sprinter, 400 and 200 meters) and tomorrow is a big conference meet. The kind where mom sits in the stand for 4 hours and watches him run for a total of one minute and fifteen seconds. Whee. Before a meet, he load up on carbs. He’s my vegetarian, so I had to go meatless. I stumbled over a great recipe that fit the bill on epicurious.com (of course). Even better, it’s incredibly easy and the kind of recipe that makes a great template for all sorts of variations, depending on what you have in the refrigerator.

Goat Cheese Bread Pudding

One caveat: I found the rosemary overpowering. I’d suggest using only a scant tablespoon or teaspoon dried and crumbled. Try other herbs too, fresh or dried, and other cheeses, though the goat was fantastic. Not so great for those avoiding carbs and/or gluten, but for the rest of us who can’t live without our bread/pasta/rice/potatoes, etc. this is a great weeknight meal with a veggie-laden salad. We had peach smoothies for dessert since I got overly optimistic and bought peaches way too early in the season. Good flavor, but they never really ripened. The blender makes quick work of them, though!

Happy reading and eating!

Isabel
www.IsabelSharpe.com

Greetings Blaze Babes!

Just One Kiss is out on the shelves this month, the first book of my Friends with Benefits miniseries. Unfortunately the second book isn’t out until August—the scheduling karma was not on my side for this one.

I’m still in a bit of a crunch in other parts of life (in fact traveling tomorrow, so I’m sorry if I don’t respond to comments immediately) so I’m suggesting another single recipe instead of part of a menu. This is so delicious, and so easy. It makes a great hors d’oeuvre with drinks or part of a light meal including cheeses and bread, maybe an omelet. Definitely worth trying. I’ve made it a ton of times, including a picnic I surprised my boyfriend with at the airport (er, I surprised him at the airport, we had the picnic at a nearby park).

Here it is c/o epicurious.com! Do give it a try.

Marinated Olives, Red Bell Pepper, Artichoke Hearts and Mushrooms

See you in May!

Isabel
www.IsabelSharpe.com

Greetings, Blaze Babes!

Boy has this month zoomed by. Tough stuff and exciting stuff still crowding my life, but it’s getting better. A couple more weeks should see some improvement and the last book of my Blaze trilogy will be turned in. Then Isabel is going to party like it’s April, 2012.

So because of my near-insanity-producing schedule, I am abandoning the menu format this month and just sharing a really remarkable cake recipe I tried the other night. My boyfriend was coming over for dinner, and I have this thing about making dinner special when he’s here. I know, I know, that probably won’t last, but heck, let me enjoy these wonderful early moments where we are All to Each Other and act like people we probably only barely resemble. Snort.

In any case, I had blueberries in the refrigerator and decided blueberry cake would be just the thing. So as I often do, I look for new ways to make old things, which means I went straight to my gourmet bible, Epicurious.com and looked up blueberry cake.

Well. This was not only simple and quick, but one of those cakes where after every bite, it was impossible not to moan. I’m not kidding. My boyfriend, my sons and I were forking in bites and letting loose orgasmic groans. It’s just blueberry cake! But damn it was good. I raved about it to some friends, and was told in Texas this type of cake is called “cobbler” which surprised me because to me cobbler is deep-dish fruit with crust on top. But whatever it’s called in your part of the country, you will definitely be calling it delicious. Just don’t forget the whipped cream.

Blueberry Pudding Cake.

Must get back to editing my chapter, happy eating! See you in April, when I will be fabulously relaxed.

Cheers,

Isabel
www.IsabelSharpe.com

Greetings, Blaze Babes!

February, and I’m writing this on Valentine’s Day! Ten years after my divorce, I have finally found my own forever Valentine, so for once I’m not sneering at the holiday. I am, however, working like a dog. Writing trilogies is tons of fun because you’re dealing with the same characters and world for three books, but . . . the deadlines tend to be pretty tight. I will be very, very happy when Mid-March passes me by. If you hear a loud and blissful ahhhhhhh around that time, it will be from me.

So what is the best way for a single mom to get through a stressful time? Plenty of sleep, plenty of exercise, plenty of healthy nutritious food, booze by the gallon, prescription drugs and occasional fits of crying so hard that snot streams down your face.

Okay, those last three were mostly a joke. Certainly the last two. But there is nothing wrong with a wee nip now and then if you can handle alcohol okay, and what better than a daily dose of a dangerously delicious drink called Mother’s Ruin Punch? You have to love it just from the name alone. I served this one night when some ladies came over, and let me tell you, we were all very ruined. Yum.

Give it a try at your next girlfriend gathering, preferably if they’re moms in need of some detox time (and how many of us aren’t?). If nothing else, it will make February more fun.

Mother’s Ruin Punch- as provided by Food and Wine

Ingredients
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup chilled club soda
1 1/2 cups gin
1 1/2 cups fresh grapefruit juice, plus 3 thinly sliced grapefruit wheels, for garnish
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup sweet vermouth
2 1/4 cups chilled Champagne or sparkling wine
Ice

Directions
1.In a large pitcher, stir the sugar with the club soda until dissolved. Stir in the gin, grapefruit and lemon juices and sweet vermouth and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
2.Transfer the punch to a large bowl. Gently stir in the Champagne and float the grapefruit wheels on top. Serve in punch glasses over ice.

See you in March!

Isabel

Dear Blaze Babes,

I am in a fabulous mood, because I just, literally, like five minutes ago, finished the second book of my Friends With Benefits trilogy, Light Me Up and sent it off to my editor. There is nothing like that feeling. It’s like giving birth, only you don’t have to get up every two hours for the next couple of months.

So what is better for a festive mood than thinking about dessert? Nothing! Okay, maybe champagne, but I’ll get to that as soon as I finish this blog.

Every year, I buy a box of peppermint candy canes for our Christmas tree, partly because I like the way they look, but mostly because of the following dessert, which is a January tradition in our house. If you have an ice cream maker, go for the full Monty: Make your favorite vanilla ice cream recipe, reducing the sugar by about 1/4 cup, and just before you pour the custard into the maker, stir in candy canes (12 to a box) crushed to powder in a food processor, plus 1 tsp. peppermint extract and enough red food coloring to get the pink shade you prefer.

If you don’t have an ice cream maker or don’t feel like making the ice cream from scratch, buy peppermint ice cream or stir pink food coloring and crushed candy canes and extract into your favorite vanilla. Then serve it up and pour over it The Best Chocolate Sauce in the World.

I’ve tried them all, trust me. Neither too sweet, too rich or too gummy, no matter how many recipes I try, this is the one I keep coming back to. If I’ve already given it to you on this site, sorry, but it’s good enough to give to you again.

Ready? I’ve adapted this from an old Baker’s chocolate recipe my mom copied out. Bear in mind I don’t like overly sweet desserts. If you do, add a little more sugar.

Isabel’s Favorite Chocolate Sauce

2 oz unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter
dash of salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Melt the chocolate in the water on low heat, stirring until smooth. Add sugar and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in salt, butter and vanilla. Pour over peppermint ice cream and break every diet resolution you’ve ever made by having seconds and third helpings immediately upon finishing.

Happy New Year to all! Wishing you the best for 2012.

Cheers,

Isabel
www.IsabelSharpe.com

Happy December to everyone. Holidays . . . well my shopping is done, so that’s a relief. We do travel over the season so it’s a bit of extra stress, made up for by being together with family and old friends, always wonderful.

In writing news, I have a title for book #2 of the Friends With Benefits trilogy I’m working on: Light Me Up. It works well because the hero is a photographer, get it, get it?. And of course, he lights the heroine up in, um, other ways, too. It’s been interesting writing it because I’m a verbal person, not visual, but photography and writing have a lot in common, as I suppose all creative endeavors do, so while if you give me a camera, I will fail completely in producing anything you’d want to look at, my process of choosing a subject, and the emotions that go into that creation will probably be pretty valid.

I did realize to my horror, that the last photographer hero I wrote was also for Blaze and he was also named Jack. This is what happens when names and situations pop into your head. Sometimes it’s not divine inspiration, it’s memory. Oops.

Today’s addition to our fall meal is a really easy and delicious and refreshing salad of arugula and Belgian endive with orange sections and walnuts. If you don’t like arugula and can’t see spending a gazillion dollars on Belgian endive, use whatever lettuces or vegetables you like. It will still taste great.

Here is the recipe, brought to you by that most holy of all sites, epicurious.com!

Endive, Arugula and Orange Salad

Have wonderful holidays all!

Isabel
www.IsabelSharpe.com

Greetings, Blaze Babes! November, how did this happen? Thanksgiving this year will again be me and my two sons, one of whom is a vegetarian. I thought a twenty pound turkey would work well. Or a twenty-pound tofurkey. No, no, we’re going with a duck for the meat-eater duo and lots of sides for my veggie son. The only part that makes me cranky is stuffing with vegetable broth. It doesn’t cut it. I did find a great mushroom vegetarian gravy, believe it or not. Such challenges.

Of course I launched right into talking about food when I’m supposed to at least mention that I write for Blaze. It’s right before lunch when I’m writing this, think there’s a correlation? Me too.

I’m working on the second book for my Blaze Trilogy, Friends with Benefits. My wonderful editor had to nudge me (gently!) because for whatever reason I’d come up with this dark and somber plot, which is soooo not like me. So we gave it sparkle with a great opposites-sister relationship and a wedding to plan, which should help.

This month we’ll follow our elegant mushroom tart with a beef stew. Beef stew can taste a bit one-note, but this one has a secret ingredient: ginger. And before you wrinkle your nose and say what is this, a stir fry? I will swear to you that the ginger adds really lively and interesting flavor, but it doesn’t taste like an Asian dish.

I got this recipe from Food & Wine years ago. Serve it with cooked rice or grain, bread or pasta. It will shine with anything.

Gingered Beef Stew with Root Vegetables

4 servings

3 T (T=tablespoons) unsalted butter
3 T vegetable oil
1 lb stewing beef in 1″ cubes
Salt and Pepper
3 T flour
2 ½ cups dry red wine (I buy the 4-pack mini reds and whites for cooking)
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium leeks, white and tender green part, washed and chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
3 medium parsnips, peeled, and sliced into disks.
3 medium carrots, ditto (you can slice diagonally if you want bigger pieces, parsnips too)
1 ½-lb celeriac (celery root) peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 T finely grated fresh ginger
½ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley

1. Preheat oven to 350. In large enameled cast-iron casserole (or any heavy oven-proof pot that can also go on the stove) melt 2 T of the butter in 2 T of the oil. Season beef with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. In 2 batches, brown meat all over, 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a large plate.

2. Return all meat to the casserole, add red wine and bring to a boil. Cook, scraping up browned bits, until the liquid is reduced to about 1 cup. Transfer meat and liquid to a large bowl.

3. In the casserole, melt the remaining 1 T butter in 1 T oil. Cook onions and leeks over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir 2 more minutes.

4. Add beef to casserole along with parsnips, carrots, celery root, ginger and 4 cups of water. Season with salt and pepper and bring to boil over moderately high heat. Cover and bake in oven 1 ½ hours, until the beef is very tender and the sauce has thickened. (The stew can be prepared up to 2 days ahead; cover and refrigerate. Rewarm gently before serving). Stir in the basil or parsley. Serve.

Enjoy! And see you next month.

Cheers,

Isabel
www.IsabelSharpe.com

Happy halfway-through-October Blaze babes! This is one of my favorite months, not really cold yet, but no longer hot. Leaves are turning but still on the trees. And of course we can stop with the salads and grilled whatever and get down to some serious eating.

First, Blaze news, I turned in the first book, Just One Kiss, of my trilogy Friends with Benefits at the beginning of the month. I’ll be starting the second book soon. Any day now. Ahem. Yes, well, one doesn’t want to burn out, does one? I was appalled at how many tasks had built up and then I had a non-fiction article to write and yadda yadda. Yeah, get cracking, Isabel.

For our fall menu I say we thumb our noses at calorie counters and have some good food. Our opener for this meal is a mushroom tart. Before you panic, trust me, this is one of those recipes I live for. It’s the most elegant sophisticated thing and it’s so easy your kid could do it. Maybe. If you have a smart kid. The point is, you can fool everyone at your table into thinking you’re a culinary genius, when you’re just following simple directions. If you can’t find or afford the exact assortment of fancy mushrooms they call for, just buy whatever you can find. Either way, you will be able to be wildly proud of yourself as you casually serve this and watch guests’ jaws drop in awe.

This is from a Gourmet Magazine recipe I cut out in 1996, but you find it oh-so-conveniently on Epicurious.com, that most hallowed of all websites.

Three-Mushroom Tart

Cheers,

Isabel

www.IsabelSharpe.com

Hi, Blaze Babes!

September is one of my favorite months, and if you’ve listened to me whining all summer about the heat, you’ll understand why. It’s beautiful today, sunny, cool and dry, perfect except for the smoke wafting down from the Minnesota forest fires, yikes! Fire is scary stuff, as you in Texas know well (and too many other states!).

I’m speeding along on a tight deadline for the first book of my Blaze Trilogy, about friends and fellow business owners in Seattle, whose businesses represent the five senses (touch, massage; smell, florist; taste, bakery; sight, photographer; sound, music studio). The series has just been titled Friends with Benefits. The first book will be called Just One Kiss. That’s all I know now!

This month we’re finishing summer and finishing our summertime menu with the best course, dessert! I have a terrific and not-too hard recipe for a dessert new to me, Lemonade Pie. I made it today, snuck a taste and boy, I’ll tell you, I could have cheerfully dived face down into the filling and sucked it up straight. It takes a can of lemonade concentrate or you can make your own concentrate from scratch. I opted for a can of concentrate and added the juice of 1.5 lemons (which I had in my refrigerator) just to punch up the taste and because I don’t care for super-sweet desserts. Only warning: This is not low-calorie food, so make it when you have lots of people coming over or you’ll get in trouble finishing it by yourself.

The recipe is from one of my (too many) food magazine subscriptions, Cuisine At Home. I did do a couple of shortcuts. Raspberry seeds don’t bother me, so I didn’t bother straining them out. And I didn’t remember to chill the condensed milk, but it got cold when I mixed it with the concentrate, so it will probably be okay. The dessert looks gorgeous, too!

I found the recipe all written out beautifully on someone’s blog, so I’m posting the link to that.

Enjoy!

Lemonade Pie with Raspberry Sauce

See you next month!

Isabel

www.IsabelSharpe.com

Hey, Blaze Babes, happy August!

Amazingly, after July from Hell, it’s not too hot here in Wisconsin and won’t be for at least the next ten days. I’m doing my second sprint triathlon on Sunday the 21st. The first one, in July, was held on a 90+ degree day, bleaaaah. For this next one, the high predicted so far is 76! Cross fingers it stays that low.

Good news from Harlequin Blaze editorial, my “senses” trilogy idea has been approved. Five friends buy a building and each has his or her own business, which together represent the five senses. A bakery for taste, music studio for sound, flower shop for smell, etc. I’ll be starting to write the first one this coming week.

Now, continuing our summery meal with an oven-free main dish. I recently tried this and really enjoyed it. It’s a lightly spiced grilled steak and an unusual side salad of tomatoes with an assortment of seasonings supposed to imitate the flavors of a bloody Mary. Not sure about that, but it was really delicious and complemented the meat beautifully. Don’t feel limited by flank steak unless your budget is like mine . . . Any type of grillable cut will do.

Enjoy!

Flank Steak with Bloody Mary Tomato Salad

See you next month.

Isabel

 www.IsabelSharpe.com