Yes. It’s an advent calendar day, which means for the next line of the song you need to pop over to Anne’s
http://authorannelange.com/2013/12/17/seventh-day-of-christmas/
to find out what she is going to come up with next that I am going to have to follow on our
Naughty 12 Days of Christmas cover reveal and giveaway event. In the song it’s swimming swans.
Goodness, look at this romantic pair. 
I admit to certain trepidation and the feeling I may have to resort to more cheap tricks! Like another piece of cover.
Anyway, as if I am not resorting to enough, blog hop here, nervous breakdown there, I’m visiting with a fabulous writer pal, Sharon Struth today, http://sharonstruth.wordpress.com/2013/12/17/three-reasons-why-you-should-read-his-judas-bride-by-shehanne-moore/
talking not Lady Lazuli but three of my favorite scenes from His Judas Bride. Naturally they involved the Wolf. Oooh-hooh. 
But I behaved. Okay? I mean I can now and again. Look, I don’t want the song going, ‘On THE Day of Christmas Santa gave to me.. a great fat lu-ump of coal.’ So I never said when it came to why you should read it, cos he’s a hunk, cos he’s sumexy cos he’s good in bed. I felt like it but I never.
Shaz made a lovely image of Dug from the book…
I stuck the hat and bauble on. I don’t know Dug would like it but…
What treat is in store in the advent calendar? SO far we’ve had, three specially written horror flashes from three fabulous horror writers, Cat Cavendish, Julia Kavan and Steve Emmett, an interview with the wonderful NY musician, Tali ‘Icepack’ Jackson sharing stories of playing with Bob Dylan to name but one, the lovely author, Rhonda Laurel with her Christmas stocking hopes, AND the equally lovely, Elyzabeth M. Valey, another fabulous author, telling us about Spanish, Cuban, American Christmas traditions .
Followi9ng that we have something you will be relieved to know has nothing to do with me…..
Recipes
And not just any old recipes…TWO special sumexy sets from two special sumexy people in two special places…
So let’s hear it firstly for the lovely Antonia Van Zandt, author of Seducing Amanda….a most erotic Christmas tale…..as you can see….
Shehanne has asked me to come up with a couple of traditional Austrian recipes. The sort of food that would have soothed the troubled Amanda (Seducing Amanda) had she lived in Vienna rather than England. Actually, Shehanne didn’t used the word ‘soothed’, she used the words ‘made her hot’. (Shehanne…Moi?)
OK, let’s go for it.
To understand the many traditions that combine to create Austrian cuisine, you need to remember that this country was once a mighty Empire. A Dual Monarchy (with Hungary) ruled over by an autocratic Emperor, the most senior member of the Hapsburg family.
(Sorry just thought I would show that other Austrian family)
The First World War changed all that, and shrank the country to a fraction of its imperial size, but didn’t stop Austrians continuing to enjoy food that had its origins in all corners of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As a result, you’ll find dishes from, what is now, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Hungary, parts of modern day Poland, Slovenia and even northern Italy all incorporated on restaurant menus and on dining tables all over the country.
Austrians love their food and are a great meat-eating nation. But they also love their wonderful, cream laden desserts too.
Today, I’m going to give you a traditional main dish and a naughty pudding.
Wiener Schnitzel
Couldn’t be more Viennese, could it? Not with a name like that. Actually, this is another hark back to the days of Empire and is not even Austrian in origin. It is reputed to have found its way to Milan courtesy of the troops of Charles V of Spain (who abdicated in 1556), where it became known as Costolleta alla Milanese. In the mid nineteenth century, it became a great favourite of Field Marshall Radetzky who came across it during the Italian campaign of 1848. He praised it to Austria’s Emperor, Franz Josef, who immediately ordered that the palace chefs be taught how to make it. The rest, as they say, is history.
Traditionally, the schnitzel is made from veal but, these days, many chefs use pork loin. When ordering in Viennese restaurants, you will frequently be asked, ,Kalb oder Schwein?’ (Veal or pork?). Whatever your preference, it is usual to serve Schnitzel with Kartoffelsalat (potato salad).
To serve four, you will need:
4 lean pork loin chops
1 egg
flour for dredging
fine breadcrumbs (enough to coat all four escalopes)
salt
oil for frying
3 bowls
I frying pan/skillet
1. Place loin chops between sheets of waxed paper and roll out (or use tenderiser mallet) to reduce thickness of chops to escalopes of approx. one eighth of an inch. Sprinkle each fillet lightly with salt
2. In one bowl, put the flour; in the next, the beaten egg, and in the third bowl, put the breadcumbs
3. Dip each escalope firstly into the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs and ensure they are coated thoroughly and evenly.
4. Heat the oil in the pan (medium heat) and fry, turning when browned, for around 3 minutes each side.
5. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and potato salad (here’s a tasty recipe http://lakelurecottagekitchen.com/2013/01/17/austrian-potato-salad/)
Now for that deliciously wicked pudding. Guaranteed to turn a saint into a sinner with one mouthful:
Heisse Liebe (Hot Love)
– per portion
2-3 scoops of best quality vanilla ice cream
3 tablespoons raspberries
half teaspoon sugar (or to taste)
4 fl. oz. (125ml) water
whipped cream
1. Put fruit, water and sugar in a small saucepan and heat gently until raspberries are hot, but not boiling. Don’t allow raspberries to turn to mush.
2. Scoop ice cream into chilled glasses. Pour hot raspberry mixture over. Decorate with whipped cream (you can add a wafer and/or fresh mint if preferred.
3. Serve immediately before the ice cream melts.
Orgasmus!
Enjoy your meal. Or, as we say in Austria:
Mahlzeit!
…………………You too Antonia. I don’t know about anyone else BUT I am making that one for Christmas Dinner.
Seducing Amanda is available here:
Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk Barnes and Noble All Romance Books Kobo.
Let’s have the blurb followed by our next set of sumexy Christmas recipes……
A lonely girl, a haunted house, and a ghostly passion from the past.
Escaping from a disastrous marriage, Amanda Dalton seeks a chance to heal her troubled mind at Dalton Manor, the rambling Victorian mansion recently inherited from her aunt. Her new home seems the perfect place to recuperate, but the house has a secret or two of its own. A mysterious couple comes to call–a beautiful man and woman who share their passion and encourage Amanda to explore her deepest sexual fantasies. But who are they? Where have they come from? Why won’t they tell her their names?
When Amanda discovers she is not the first to enjoy a ménage a troi with the couple, she’s drawn in ever deeper. She combs the house for clues to their identity, her desire to learn the truth becoming an obsession. But her work proves fruitless. With Christmas coming, Amanda knows she will soon have to make a decision–one that will determine the rest of her life. The snow is falling as she sips her wine. In the corner of her room, the lights twinkle on the Christmas tree near the fire. All is still and quiet. Until there’s a knock at the door…
Oohhhh. So, who is my next guest? And where are they from? Well, it is none other than Ranting Crow, a top commenter here and also a fabulous writer, I hope to see in print. Although one recipe combines with another, Ranting has three recipes all told, but one is specially for Lady Fury And, knowing what she’s like I think we’ll let her have that one first…..
Ranting has winged his way from Holland with a special recipe for Crumpets…..which we all know what that word can also mean…
Breakfast crumpets
A delicious idea for a Christmas breakfast. Yes it is the Crow here keeping his word and giving you this recipe to try!
- 580 ml milk
- 360 gram flour (around 12 ounce)
- 1,5 tsp dried Yeast 1/8 oz 5 grams
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- Sunflower oil or any vegetable oil for cooking
- 1 tbsp butter (not needed but love the flavour)
Depending on the rings used. I used 4inch or 10cm you have about 8-12 I do not use water as a normal recipe would do. If the batter is a bit to stiff slowly add a little water to make it less dense.
Heat the milk to be a bit warmed but not to warm, NOT boiling. Mix up the dry ingredients. Flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir in the milk with the dry ingredients to a nice slow flowing batter. If you feel it is a little to thick add a little water. Leave covered with shrink foil for about 30-60 minutes. Giving the yeast time to do its magic together with the baking powder. If all went well you still have a nice thick yet slow running batter.
Heat a small amount of oil and butter in a frying pan and with some rings (used for baking eggs) to keep the batter together. Fill half a ring with the batter. In about 6 minutes you see air holes appear and batter is nice and firmed up. Take away the rings and turn. For another 4 minutes. Keep them coming till batter is gone.
Marinated Salmon
Have a nice piece of salmon no skin. Sprinkle some salt over the salmon. Put on the mustard and spread even Depending on your size a tablespoon should do on a piece of roughly 500 grams or 1 pound. Chop up the dill nice and fine and sprinkle over the mustard covered salmon.. Lay salmon on plate and cover with foil. Press nicely against the salmon till snug. Put to bed for about 6 hours in refrigerator with a plate on top upside down. Easy to be made the evening before.
Take out the salmon and slice thin slices to drape over a crumpet with a little touch of dill. Grind some sea salt and pepper to finish it.
Also nice with a preserves/comfiture of pears they are so nice this time a year that it fit Christmas very nicely. 3 nice ripe pears hand size. Peel and diced in a 100ml Applejuice, it is just about enough. At a table spoon of sugar on a half high fire and boil for about 10 minutes.
Or grilled ham with a little bit of honey and chives. Just a big sliced ham folded two times, grilled in pan and when gas if off drip over some honey and the chopped chives.
…………………..So there we go. It only remains for me to say thank you Antonia and Ranting for sorting the Christmas breakfast and dinner.
Oh and a very late addition here ..an added extra has just come in!! GO check it out. http://rantingcrow.wordpress.com/2013/12/23/champagne-parfait/
.
- On the Sixth Day Of Christmas (shehannemoore.wordpress.com)
- On the Fifth Day Of Christmas (shehannemoore.wordpress.com)
- On The First Day of Christmas……. (shehannemoore.wordpress.com)
Right, Enough is enough. Today it is indeed….. 
Only Eve can sense the danger in her, at first, and as Freya’s plans become clearer, Eve knows she is the one who must act. I love Eve’s strength – even though she’s scared to death half the time. I love her never-give-up attitude and the way she fights the charismatic, but, evil Freya. I am drawn to strong, determined, heroines. I could be good friends with Eve and I like to write about people I could be friends with.
She has got to be well rounded and you, as the author, have to identify with her, get to know her until she becomes your new best friend. 
