Written by Kim Bowman
My writing partner, Kay Springsteen, will not be surprised to hear that I cook like I write—by the seat of my pants! Yes, I am cookpantser! And I’m happy to say most of the meals I “invent” end up being family favorites. (We won’t talk about the crock pot cheesecake incident.)
My better half often clips recipes from the paper he wants me to try. Here a few months ago he brought home one called “Cheesy Baked Lentils, Rice and Turkey Casserole” and ask me if I could make it that night. “Sure,” I said enthusiastically.
Now…the title alone should have made me say no because, well, I don’t readily keep lentils or turkey on hand…ahem, cookpantser. So…I go searching the pantry and fridge. Here is the conversation I had with myself:
“No turkey, so I’ll use hamburger. No onions or spinach…I’ll use cabbage and French fried onions. Brown rice…brown rice…nope, guess I’ll use this box of instance wild rice. Hmmm…I don’t have any lentils or lentil soup either. Oh! I have some tortilla soup. I’ll use that. I don’t have Swiss or sharp cheddar cheese. I think it’ll be ok with shredded Colby-jack. Oooooo, I bet this would be good with some of the corn we froze from our garden.”
So of the listed ingredients, the only one I used was ¼ cup of water. Yeah, I live like I write—by the seat of my pants!
Kim’s Cheese Casserole
1 Can of Tortilla soup (or lentil soup, or Chicken mushroom soup…)
1 Box of long grain and wild rice (don’t cook)
8 oz hamburger
1 Cup (or two) French fried onions
1 or 2 Cups shredded cabbage
½ pkg (4 oz or 6 or 8) shredded cheese (I used Colby-jack, but use your favorite)
1 Cup corn
¼ to ½ Cup water
Brown the hamburger. Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients except the cheese in a casserole dish, cover, and bake for 40 minutes or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid. Uncover and sprinkle the cheese on top and bake an additional 5 minutes. YUM-MY!
Price: $2.99
Buy it HERE.
Ladies’ maid, Juliet Baines has gotten herself into a pickle by agreeing to go to London and taking the place of her mistress and best friend, Annabella Price, stepsister to the Duke of Wyndham. After all, what does a servant know about being a lady? But Juliet soon finds that pretending to be a lady isn’t nearly as hard as guarding her heart against the folly of wanting a man who’s completely out of reach.
Graeme "Grey" Roland Dominick Markwythe, Sixth Duke of Wyndham, approaches his duties as a nobleman with great dedication and meticulous care. And he’s a man who is not easily fooled...except when he tries to convince himself he's not utterly and madly in love with the beautiful imposter who has turned his life upside down. Will society and his responsibilities to his noble status keep him from opening his heart to the woman he loves?
Excerpt:
Grey glanced about. Lady Rossington and her ridiculously giddy debutante daughter had halted their walk along Newport Street and stared enraptured at the sight. He bit off a curse. The whole of London will be laughing about the scandalous scene by nightfall.
He stepped forward only to be stopped again when a young girl darted from the rear of the carriage. Presumably this was Annabella, though she’d grown some since their last encounter. Her yellow and cream traveling gown swirled about her legs with each step, and she tugged a short dark green jacket into place as she walked. Golden curls peeked from beneath a green bonnet decorated with flowers and cascaded over her shoulders.
With quick movements, she grasped the dog’s collar and gave it a yank, tugging against the massive brute. Grey’s stomach twisted into a tight knot. He’d soon have two injured people on his hands.
He opened his mouth to tell her to get back when the animal let out a high-pitched yelp and the girl stood, dragging the dog up with her.
“You naughty boy, that’s quite enough.” She spoke sharply, her tone brooking no argument.
The dog jerked its head around and snapped at her.
She simply thumped him on the nose and he let out a shocked yap. “You mind your manners.”
The dog growled and wheezed and showed his teeth; all the while the rest of his body wiggled and his tail wagged wildly.
Wonder if she could do that with Lucien.
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