Caridad Pineiro® Romance Author
NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Romance Author
NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Caridad Pineiro shares behind the scenes and other info for the At the Shore Contemporary Romance series set on the Jersey Shore and in New York City
It seems as if the theme this week is going to be all things chocolate, LOL! It’s National Chocolate Cake Day! Who doesn’t like a nice slice of chocolate cake? I bet that Carlo from NEVER A BRIDE can bake an excellent chocolate cake for wedding planner Emma. Maybe the way to a girl’s heart is through her stomach, LOL! If you love friends-to-lovers/workplace romance stories, check out NEVER A BRIDE and grab your copy at https://amzn.to/4thLzcC.
I haven’t done a recipe in ages, so for today’s Food Friday, I decided to share one of my personal favorites: Oxtail Stew. This dish is a love it or hate it kind of food. My daughter and I love it, but hubby not so much. Properly done, an oxtail stew is meaty and tasty! For those who love braised short ribs, you’ll love oxtail stew. P.S. Who in my book world would love this? Definitely Carlo from the At the Shore series. As a seasoned chef, he would totally make a dish like this for Emma, the love of his life. You can enjoy their story in NEVER A BRIDE. Grab your copy today at https://amzn.to/4fzJ3Yu.
Ingredients:
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped carrots
1 tbsp capers
1/2 cup chopped manzanilla olives
32 oz Chicken Broth (The packaged kind)
2 cups dry red wine
10-12 large oxtails
2-3 bay leaves
Directions:
Trim any excess fat from the oxtails. Pat and dry. You may have very small oxtails in the package and I keep them to make beef broth and don’t use them for the stew.
Heat some olive oil in a stockpot. Brown both sides of the oxtails and then remove to a plate. You will need to remove everything but about 2-3 tbsps of the grease from the stockpot, and discard it.
Add the carrots and cook for about five minutes. Then add the onions and cook until they are starting to brown.
Add the capers and olives and cook for about five minutes. Return the oxtails and any juices to the stockpot. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves, and red wine, and bring to a low simmer.
Oxtails are a tough meat, much like short ribs. Summer on low for about 3 to 4 hours, or until tender. Salt and pepper to taste. I usually serve the oxtails over white rice.
It’s a hearty, delicious dish, especially in the winter! I hope you try this out and I hope you’ll enjoy it.
Happy National Daiquiri Day! Before margaritas and tequila became the favorite drinks for many, we used to have daiquiris with rum as our fav fruity drink. I especially liked frozen strawberry margaritas, and today I’m sharing a simple recipe for one you can make at home in a blender! P.S. The ladies of the At the Shore books would absolutely sip one of these while chilling down the Jersey Shore! If you haven’t tried out this fun series of beach reads, grab the first book in the series, ONE SUMMER NIGHT, for only 99 cents at https://amzn.to/4f3aNot.
To Make the Simple Syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
To make the daiquiri:
1 pound frozen strawberries
4 tablespoons simple syrup
1/8 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 cup white/light rum
1 cup crushed ice
To Make the Simple Syrup:
Place 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a pan. Heat until sugar is totally dissolved. This may take 2-5 minutes. As soon as the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and let cool. Once cool, use it to make the daiquiri, but you can also use it to sweeten other things. The simple syrup with this ratio will last for 2-3 weeks in the fridge.
To make the daiquiri:
Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Place frozen daiquiri into tall glasses. Garnish with a strawberry, lime slice/peel, and a straw! ENJOY! P.S. If the mix is not sweet enough, add some more of the simple syrup. You can also substitute agave nectar for the syrup, but be careful because it is a lot sweeter than simple syrup.
I love dusk on the Jersey Shore when the sky is a melding of blue and pink and purple before night falls and the stars come out. Actually, I love a lot about the Jersey Shore. The strolls along the boardwalk. Reading under my umbrella during the summer. Dips in the ocean to cool off or search for seashells. My love for the Jersey Shore is one of the reasons I wrote the At the Shore Series. I wanted to share what I love through the stories of three best friends who have reached pivotal points in their lives. I hope you’ll check them out, especially since ONE SUMMER NIGHT, the first book in the series and a Publishers Weekly Top 10 Romance, is specially priced at 99 cents. Grab your copy today at https://amzn.to/4bAG14B.
I love this time of year because it’s when I get to relax under an umbrella on the beach and read. Read, and read, and read. LOL! I just demolished some steamy romances and then decided to tackle something a little more serious: 1984 by George Orwell. It’s been a great read so far because of the ideas expounded and also the wonderful writing and development of the characters. What about you? What’s your favorite July thing to do? P.S. – If you’re looking for a beach read, check out the At the Shore contemporary romance box set which Amazon has discounted to 99 cents for a limited time! Grab your copy at https://amzn.to/462R7MI.
It’s my birthday party, but I won’t dare shed a tear! Birthdays are all about spreading joy, so guess what? I’ve got a treat for you! Drop a comment on my Facebook Fan Page and tag your bestie (one per comment) for a shot at snagging a copy of my upcoming May 21 book SABOTAGE OPERATION and a $15 Gift Card. Hurry, the magical deadline is midnight EST on March 9! Oh, and here’s a little bonus for everyone: grab the At the Shore Box Set with three sizzling romances for just 99 cents! Dive into tales of enemies turned lovers, second chances, and friendships blooming into love. Get your hands on the box set at https://amzn.to/3vQaASW and let the birthday bash begin! P.S. – If you don’t want to wait and see if you win SABOTAGE OPERATION, you can pre-order it at https://amzn.to/46h5lIf.
It’s been raining for a week on the Jersey Shore. I can’t ever remember it raining that much in a long time. Actually, we’ve had several summers and falls where the rain seemed to have missed us regularly. My little rain gauges were full yesterday before we had record rain! The rain made it impossible to take my daily walks so I decided to take advantage to do a little cleaning, a little packing (I’m headed off to Korea next week for some book research), a little reading, and assembling some raised beds that I want to use to make my garden look a little neater. Of course I realized that I had to also make the raised beds a bit more portable so I had to order some fabric pots to hold the soil. As soon as they arrive, and hopefully the rains will be gone by then, I’ll move around some of the perennials and get going on that organization. September and early October are a great time to divide perennials and also plant your spring flowering bulbs. What if it’s raining? I’ll just have to dance in the rain while I wait for a rainbow! P.S. – If you love books on the Jersey Shore, check out the At the Shore contemporary romance series at https://amzn.to/3LJFL7A.
