Caridad Pineiro® Romance Author
NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Romance Author
Just one more day until we head out on our road trip to the Space Coast Book Lovers Event in Cape Canaveral, Florida. I am so looking forward to seeing everyone at the conference and spending time with old friends and making new ones! This is a fun three day conference and if you’re in the area, the book signing on Saturday is open to the general public. The book signing is from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the Convention Center.
I’ve spent the morning working on some revisions to #3 in the South Beach Security Series, tentatively titled Killer in the Kennels. Now it’s time for some fun! Since we had a nice soaking rain, no need to water the garden although I will check and see if it’s okay and what I can harvest. After that, a walk and then a tough decision. Some time relaxing on the beach or a game of pickleball with hubby. Relax or pickleball? Maybe there’s time for both! Hope you’re doing something fun today!
My husband gave me an amazing retirement gift: a Danube River Cruise. It was unfortunately delayed by the pandemic but when we finally took the trip, it was amazing! Budapest was our first stop and we loved this city. Beautiful architecture and easy to walk. Wonderful food including a tasty Chicken Paprikash. I hadn’t thought about making it myself until I saw a Cook’s Country where they prepared the dish which is relatively easy to make. I’m sharing my version of the dish today with you since a reader at a recent conference reminded me of how much you like my recipes! THANK YOU! You can find more recipes in the Cook’s Treat section on the website.
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, very thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, very thinly sliced
1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes, drained (14.5 ounce can)
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup sour cream, plus extra for serving
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper chicken thighs and let sit for about half an hour to allow spices to work their way into the meat.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil until shimmering. Add chicken thighs and brown lightly. Remove chicken from heat and add remaining 2 tbsp olive olive, thinly sliced onions and peppers.
Lower heat and cook slowly until onions and peppers are very soft.
Add garlic and tomato paste and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add chicken broth, paprika, fire roasted tomatoes, cayenne pepper and chicken thighs, tops of thighs down. Why chicken thighs? It’s tough to overcook them and have them get as dry as chicken breasts can get.
If you can’t find the fire roasted canned tomatoes, you can use regular diced canned tomatoes. IMHO the fire roasted ones add a smoky flavor to the dish that mirrors the smokiness of the paprika. Speaking of paprika, Hungarian paprika is some of the best and I scored some while visiting Budapest.
Cook for about 15 minutes and then flip the thighs over. Cook for another 15 minutes or until internal temperature of thighs registers at 190 degrees.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and sour cream until smooth. I use more sour cream than in the Cook’s Country recipe because I love sour cream! If you’re watching your calories, light sour cream works as well.
Mixing the flour and sour cream and tempering it with the cooking liquid will help keep the sour cream from breaking when you add it to the hot cooking liquid.
Once the chicken has reached temperature, take a few spoons of cooking liquid and mix into the flour and sour cream mixture. Mix until smooth and after, slowly add the rest of the flour/sour cream mix into the pot with the chicken.
Cook for another 5 minutes or so to get rid of the raw flour taste.
Serve over rice, dumplings, spaetzle, or egg noodles. Sprinkle with some paprika and chopped parsley. You can also serve it with a dollop of sour cream or drizzle it over the dish.
I can’t believe how long it’s been but it also feels like just yesterday that we got married. Wow! Happy wedding anniversary! Here’s to many many more years together.
One of the things I’ve loved about writing the South Beach Security Series is sharing the history of the Gonzalez family and showing how they stick together during difficult times. Trey, Ricky, and Mia have to face danger and battle to save the loves of their lives but they do it with the help of their siblings. It was a challenge to give them each unique stories that would highlight their personal strengths and also find just the right people for them to love. I was very happy with how the stories came out and I hope you’ll take a moment to check them out at https://amzn.to/3CqR9QH. Also, some good news about the K-9 Division series spinoff! The first book in the series, tentatively titled Rescue at Redland Ranch will be out in May 2024! Yeah!
I love a slow build in a book and that’s just what happens in this scene in my K-9 romantic suspense DECOY TRAINING. The slow build leads to a huge explosion of the need between military veteran Shane and dog trainer Piper. In this scene, Shane has had a nightmare. It’s one that he’s had before only this time, something very important is different, confirming to him that the feelings that have been growing for Piper are both real and dangerous to what he wants for his life. You can read Decoy Training for free on Kindle Unlimited. You can also read several other books and novellas for free on Kindle Unlimited! Take a moment to check them out at https://amzn.to/3X0UvTT.
WARNING: Only for mature audiences!
PIPER BLOCKED HIS arm and took hold of his hand as he sat up in bed, bare-chested. His scars, both emotional and physical, revealed to her.
“You were having a nightmare,” she said and smoothed her hand across his chest. His skin was damp and chilled from the night air.
“I’m okay,” he said, but when his gaze focused and settled on her, he cupped her cheek, almost as if to confirm she was really there.
“You’re okay. Everything is okay,” she said, trying to reassure him.
Shane rubbed his head, as if trying to dispel the last remnants of the nightmare. He looked away for the briefest moment before settling his gaze on her once more.
“It was different this time,” he said and ran his thumb along her chin and the slight dimple there.
She squinted, trying to figure it out, but couldn’t. “How was it different?”
“You were in my nightmare,” he said, shocking her.
She laid a hand on her chest and squeaked out, “Me. I was in it?”
“You, Piper. You were there, trapped. I was trying to reach you, but I couldn’t,” he said.
“I’m here, Shane,” she said.
“You are,” he said and wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her close. As he lay down, he took her with him, and she ended up lying along his length.
His body was so hard beneath hers, calling to the woman who hadn’t experienced emotions like this since her husband’s death. But as she inched up to meet his lips with hers, she knew it was about more than physical longing. Shane had breached the walls of her heart and she could no longer deny what she was feeling.
She kissed him, moving her mouth along his. Taking in his breath as if she needed it to breathe. Dipping her tongue in to taste him because she wanted to know everything about this strong and caring man.
As he cupped her breast through the thin fabric of her nightshirt, her nipple beaded against his palm. Her breast heavy with need, she covered his hand and pressed it to her, moaned when he tweaked her hard nipple with his fingers.
*
HIS BREATH EXPLODED from his chest at the sound of her needy moan and the feel of her breast against his palm, beneath his fingers. The softness of her belly cradled his erection and he wanted nothing more than to strip off her thin cotton nightshirt and make love to her, but not like this.
Not when their emotions were running high from the danger threatening Piper’s life and his. He had no doubt that if the intruder needed to get to Piper, he’d kill Shane to do it.
“Shane?” Piper asked and leaned a hand on his chest to look at him in the dim light of the room.
“I… I care for you, Piper. I really do, but things are too unsettled now. We’re both not thinking straight.”
Her eyes widened at his words, and she scrambled off him, but stood by the bed for a halting second. “I care for you, too.”
Then she burst from the room, Chipper barking and hopping up and down as she chased after Piper.
So sorry I didn’t post over the weekend, but I’m still recovering from one conference and getting ready to head out for the Space Coast Book Lovers Conference next week. Did I mention I’m also on deadline and trying to finish #4 in the South Beach Security K-9 Division spinoff, tentatively titled Danger in Dade. As you can see from these photos, my office is a mess as I get ready! Things are definitely a little crazy so my playlist for today begins with Manic Monday by The Bangles. LOL! Hope your Monday is calmer.
