The Latest from Heidi

Home on the Grange & #Giveaway

Since it’s less than a month to Sneak Some Zucchini onto a Neighbor’s Porch Day, I’d thought I’d share a Pennsylvania State Grange Cook Book recipe along with the deets on a #giveaway for my August book, THE KENTUCKY COWBOY’S BABY. Hope it’s not too much fun for one post!

Zucchini Squash Casserole

Dice the zucchini (crooked neck, caserta or any summer squash may be substituted). Cook in boiling salted water for five minutes.

Dice the onion and pepper and brown well in butter. Add the tomatoes thickened with flour. Add sugar and salt. Place this mixture over the drained squash. Place in casserole. Cover with grated American or cheddar cheese and top with one cup of bread crumbs browned in 3 Tablespoons of butter. Bake 45 minutes at 350°.

#Giveaway at HarlequinJunkie.com

I’m doing a Spotlight and Giveaway at the wonderful Harlequin Junkie website. I’ve included fun facts, excerpts and even a question. Check it out and win!

The Accidental Cowboy = Half Off

Harlequin.com is celebrating Independence Day all month long with books set in each and every state. From the rugged Smoky Mountains, to sandy, white Florida beaches, to desert oases and glorious green farmland, there are settings throughout the USA that provide a fitting backdrop for every type of romance read imaginable. Take a summer vacation without leaving the comfort of home and save 50%! At checkout, enter code 50CELEBRATE to save!

Celebrate Fourth with Fun on a Bun

Not only is Spam fun, but apparently a lot of other foods, too.

Since it’s the Fourth of July (holiday) and that usually means cook outs, I thought I’d share Fun on a Bun from the “Let’s Eat Outdoors,” a 1950 publication from the American Dairy Association with recipes from fav brands like Spam (Hormel Foods), Bisquick, Betty Crocker and VanCamp’s. Here we go:

Fun on a Bun

Grind together 1 loaf Spam, 1 small onion, and ½ lb. Cheddar cheese. Stir in condensed mushroom soup to moisten. Scoop out soft centers of buns. Fill with mixture. Heat, foil-wrapped [sandwiches] in oven or on the grill.

Book Signing @ReadersCafe

Reader’s Cafe in Hanover has scads of books and the best coffee drinks on the East Coast (at least)!

Saturday, August 27, 1-3 p.m.

Reader’s Cafe

125 Broadway, Hanover, PA 17331

Contact: readerscafe2@gmail.com; 717-630-2524

Questioning The Convenient Cowboy

THANKS to the lovely Michelle Haring at Cupboard Maker Books (a magical book shop with bookstore kitties in Enola, PA) for allowing me to share this extensive, fun and intriguing list of discussion questions for THE CONVENIENT COWBOY.

1. What do you think of the 3^rd person narration?
2. The book starts at the wedding of the main characters in Vegas, what do you think of the starting with the wedding?
3. Would you want to get married by Elvis in Vegas?
4. Does a 100 page prenuptial agreement with a morality clause sound like anything that you would be interested in?
5. Would you marry someone that you had a one night stand with?
6. Is her upbringing a good reason that Olympia feels like she does not have a maternal instinct?
7. Olympia tells Spencer she is giving their child up for adoption, how does this make you feel about her?
8. Spencer is willing to lie to Olympia to keep their baby, how does this make you feel about him?
9. At the beginning do you like either Olympia or Spencer?
10. Does it make sense the morning sickness means the Olympia does not want to eat at all?
11. Did you expect Calvin to show up at Olympia’s, especially when his dad was away?
12. Do you feel bad for Calvin?
13. Is leaving Calvin with Olympia alone and pregnant for over a month above and beyond what she promised Spencer?
14. What do you think of Olympia going into early labor and being forced onto complete bedrest?
15. Does Olympia’s desire to run away to the rodeo seem like it is an escape from reality for her?
16. Do you think that it would live up to her dreams?
17. Do dreams ever turn out the way that we expect them to?
18. How strange does it seem that Missy wants full custody after just dropping Calvin off so she could go to rehab?
19. Did the meeting with examiner seem all that bad?
20. Do you think loving animals is the reason that any child should not get to be with the parent that they love?
21. Do you think the examiner was a gigantic jerk?
22. When you realized that Missy wanted to testify did you really hope she would be high?
23. Was her deal better than her being high?
24. What did you think of the ending and Molly getting to be ring bearer again?
25. Do you want to read more in the series?

Created by Michelle Haring

Home on the Grange: Popeye Approved

It’s a veggie time of year and while spinach and similar greens are getting toward the end of their season until fall, I thought I’d share a recipe that’s a new one for me from the Pennsylvania State Grange Cook Book (1950).

Spinach Loaf

This is my guess on what this would look like. Although this loaf looks like it is missing the cheese.

Mix all ingredients and place in a greased loaf pan. Bake in a moderate oven* for 45 minutes. Serve with meat loaf, baked potatoes and apple salad.**

* This is a 350° oven. **Not exactly sure of the recipe but here’s one that is a copycat of Ruby Tuesday’s apple salad.

Home on the Grange: This is Bologna

I know it looks like ham salad but, really, it’s made with bologna.

In honor of my mom, I am sharing this recipe from the 1950 edition of the Pennsylvania State Grange Cook Book for Bologna Spread, which she loved. Not sure that this is the recipe she preferred but it sounds about right.

Bologna Spread

*My best guess: German bologna or doggie bologna (as some call it). Also, this bologna should be chopped into small pieces.

Really, that’s the recipe. The lady who submitted must have assumed that whoever used it would figure things out.

Gift Card #Giveaway

See how excited I am!

Time is running out to enter my newsletter #giveaway. Sign up for my newsletter and get your name put in the hat o’ prizes — a $10 gift card for Amazon. Winners will be chosen at random. The contest ends at midnight, June 15. Of course, this contest is void where not permitted, etc.

Want more chances at the card? Post on my Facebook Author page which is your favorite character from my books!

Home on the Grange: Prunish Good Time

I saw this recipe in my 1950 Pennsylvania State Grange Cook Book and just had to share because prunes and salad just sound so wrong!

Not only the Ladies of the Grange liked Stuffed Prune Salad.

Stuffed Prune Salad

Soak 1 pound large prunes overnight. Cook until tender and allow to cool. Split and remove stones. Fill cavities with cream cheese to which has been added ¼ cup chopped walnuts. Place on lettuce. Serve with mayonnaise and garnish with pimiento or maraschino cherry.

I know you’re going to run right out and make this one. I’m not certain why soaked prunes would also need to be cooked until tender, but who am I to question the Ladies of the Grange!

Home on the Grange: Doughnut Day Treat

These are really fastnacht. Fried by any name tastes just as sweet.

Since today is National Do(ugh)nut Day, here’s a recipe from the 1950 Pennsylvania State Grange Cook Book

Grangers Doughnuts

Mix all ingredients and cut out.** Makes 4 dozen.