Recipe & A Giveaway: A Wrong Bed Christmas by Kimberly Van Meter & Liz Talley

Today I have authors Kimberly Van Meter ad Liz Talley here with some favorite recipes to share and a print copy of  the book, "A Wrong Bed Christmas" to give away to one US reader. So get your recipe cards ready and enjoy!

KIMBERLY VAN METER started her writing career at the age of 16 when she finished her first novel, typing late nights and early mornings, on her mother’s old portable typewriter. She received The Call in March 2006 with Harlequin Superromance and hasn't looked back since. She currently writes for Harlequin Superromance and Harlequin Romantic Suspense.

LIZ TALLEY writes romance because falling in love is the best feeling a person can experience. A 2009 Golden Heart finalist in Regency romance, she's since found her niche with Harlequin Superromance writing sassy contemporaries with down-home warmth and Southern charm. She lives in North Louisiana surrounded by a loving family, a passel of animals, and towering loads of laundry.

Liz Talley:

In “Where There’s Smoke” a novella in the Wrong Bed Christmas book, my two characters Emma and Erik are stuck in an abandoned cabin with only a couple of granola bars, a box of expensive chocolates and a very nice bottle of wine. Not the worst to make a meal on, but if I were planning the perfect meal for being stranded with a sexy firefighter in the middle of Colorado, I’d go with something that would give me more energy for the night ahead ;) Here’s the perfect rustic yet filling dish would appeal to any red-blooded American man (who wasn’t a vegetarian):

Seduce Me Beef Stew*

1 lb of lean good quality stew meat

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

2 tsp oil

2 onions (sliced into thin rings)

2 cups sliced mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp tomato paste

2 cups of beef broth

3 cups sliced carrots

2 medium potatoes, sliced

1 cup green beans

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp cold water

Directions:

1. Coat beef with flour, shaking off excess. In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil. Add beef and cook about 5-7 minutes until slightly browned. Remove beef to a separate plate.

2. Add onions and mushrooms to the pot; saute for 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and saute for a minute or so. Return beef to the pot and stir in tomato paste. Next add broth and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for an hour.

3. Add carrots, potatoes and green beans. Cover partially and cook for 15-20 minutes.

4. In a small bowl, mix water and cornstarch. Stir into stew and increase heat to a boil. Turn off and let cool slightly. Serve with cornbread or crusty French bread.

*Derived from Healthy Meals in Minutes


Excerpt from “Where There’s Smoke” by Liz Talley

The crackle of the lit fire drew her attention and instantly made the space cozy and—she licked her lips—intimate.

“Ah,” Erik said, stripping off his gloves and warming his hands in front of the blaze. “Good thing this wood is aged and dry. Instant warmth. Come on over and warm up.”

Emma hesitated for a moment, trying to regain a calm, less amorous demeanor. So they were alone in a cabin in the middle of nowhere with a bottle of wine, chocolate and a single double bed? Big deal. She could handle it. After all, she’d never allowed her attraction for him to show through.

She walked over and crouched beside him, sighing at the warmth. Exploring the cabin had kept her moving, but her fingers and feet were numb.

“Here,” he said, grabbing the nearest chair and dragging it close to the dancing flames. “Sit.”

Seconds later they each sat in matching chairs, thawing out.

“I can’t believe we’re stuck here,” she mused aloud, the warmth making her drowsy. She suppressed a yawn. “This is like a movie I once saw.”

“Misery?” he joked.

Emma laughed. “Are you planning on drugging me, incapacitating me and making me write you a romance story?”

He wiggled his eyebrows. “That could be fun. But I could think of better things to do.”

***************

Kimberly Van Meter: 

I like a hot, sweet beverage when I'm reading. Here's a lovely recipe for crockpot hot chocolate! YUM!

http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2014/12/best-ever-creamy-crockpot-cocoa-an-ipad-mini-giveaway.html  

The Wrong Bed—But the Right Guy!

Ignited by Kimberly Van Meter

What do you do when a sexy, naked fireman gets into your bed? If you're Alexis Matheson, you freak out. But now she's snowed in with Layton Davis, and suddenly Alexis's best intentions to behave seem to have disappeared up the chimney. Because a hot 'n' naughty firefighter in her bed might be the best Christmas surprise ever…

Where There's Smoke by Liz Talley

Emma Rose Brent is sure she's dreaming when Erik Matheson, her bestie's Überhot older brother—who she's been crushing on for years—mistakenly slips into her bed, all gloriously naked. But Emma must have been a very good girl this year, because she's been given the best gift of all: the chance to be really, really bad…

Publisher: Harlequin 
Release Date: October 20, 2015 
Formats: ebook, paperback
Buying Links: Amazon* | Kobo |Barnes & Noble | Book Depository* | iBooks* | 
* associate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Thanks to Harlequin Books and MLM, I have a print copy of "A Wrong Bed Christmas" to give away to one reader in the US. Please read my Giveaway Policy and my Privacy Policy. No purchase necessary. VOID where prohibited. The giveaway closes on Saturday December 5th at 11:59PM EDT.

To enter, answer this question in the comments and be sure to include your email address:

What food or drink do you enjoy during the winter?