Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold Cookbook: A Love Story Told Through 150 Recipes(6)

SPRING

SPRING

Chicken with Mushrooms and White Wine

The savory wine and mushroom sauce takes just 15 minutes to cook, yet tastes as if it took hours.

Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

12 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, sliced

1 small onion, diced

½ cup white wine

1 clove garlic, minced

¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Salt and black pepper

1. Grill or bake chicken until cooked through.

2. Warm oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onions and wine; cook 8 minutes, stirring. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring. Add broth and bring mixture to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen browned bits. Simmer 5 minutes, to reduce liquid and combine flavors. Add chicken to the skillet; simmer 2 minutes, to warm through.

3. Place chicken on a serving platter. Stir lemon juice, salt and pepper into sauce; pour over chicken.

TIP: Add a pop of color by garnishing the finished dish with chopped parsley.

CHAPTER 2

“Hello, Ana Raquel.”

Ana Raquel turned toward the man sitting next to her. She hadn’t seen Greg in six years. She could have gone the next sixty without seeing him and been totally happy.

She opened her mouth to tell him that, only suddenly she couldn’t speak. Even though he was sitting, she had the sense that he was much taller than she remembered. His shoulders were broader. He seemed so much more like a man than the teenager she remembered from prom night.

His eyes were the same dark brown, as was his hair, and his mouth had a familiar half smile, as if he found her endlessly amusing. Which was probably true, but she doubted he was laughing with her.

“Greg,” she managed, despite the fact that her mouth was dry.

“Your street food has everyone talking,” he said. “I tried your Curried Chicken Salad over the summer. I like how you mixed in—”

“No, you didn’t,” she interrupted.

One dark eyebrow rose. “Are you saying I didn’t like it or I didn’t have it?”

“You didn’t have it. You couldn’t have. I would have noticed.” Having Greg standing in her lunch line would have gotten her attention in a big way.

His expression relaxed and the amused curve returned to his mouth. “I sent a friend. I had a feeling that if I tried to buy something from you, I’d find a frying pan hurtling toward my head.”

Ana Raquel felt herself flushing. She stared down at her still twisting fingers. “I would never hurt a paying customer,” she murmured.

“I think you’d make an exception for me.”

She looked up at him. “I don’t dislike you,” she told him firmly.

Now both eyebrows rose.

“Not exactly,” she added. “It’s just...”

“Yes?”

“You’re so annoying.”

Greg surprised her by laughing. The warm, happy sound flowed through her like a sweet, melted ganache. Before she could figure out what to think, let alone what to say, the soft sound of a throat clearing reminded her that they weren’t the only ones in the room.

She returned her attention back to the mayor.

“Sorry.”

“Not at all.” Mayor Marsha smiled at them both. “Greg, I was just telling Ana Raquel that the Fool’s Gold cookbook is too big a job for one person. Since you’ve both thought of it, the obvious solution is for the two of you to work on it together.”

She glared at Greg. “You thought of a cookbook, too? One based on home recipes and a few favorites from our restaurants? With some street food thrown in for fun?”

His dark gaze was steady. “Yes. I spoke with the mayor about it last week.”

Mayor Marsha nodded in agreement. “Great minds,” she said cheerfully.

Right, Ana Raquel thought glumly. Easy for the mayor to be happy. She wasn’t the one who had once again been one-upped by Greg Clary.

Ana Raquel glanced at the mayor. She was well and truly trapped. Either she did the cookbook with Greg or she backed out. In which case he would do it on his own. It wasn’t the glory that she would miss. It’s that she knew exactly how she wanted the book to be. There was no way she was going to let him compromise her vision.

“Fine,” she said firmly. “We’ll work on it together.”

Move Directly to Chapter 3

spring

Celebrations

Bubbly Feta and Sweet Pepper Dip with Pita Crisps

Toasted Ravioli Bites with Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce

Come for Tea Cucumber Salad

Farmers’ Market Quinoa Salad

Celery and Chickpea Salad with Dried Cranberries and Parmesan Dressing

Shaved Fennel Salad with Baby Arugula and Zucchini Ribbons

Asparagus and Spring Green Pasta Salad

Roast Leg of Lamb with Spring Herb Pesto and Spinach

Spring Festival Cheeseburger Chili

Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Frittata

Savory Ricotta and Leek Pie

Chipotle Chicken Taco Bake

Chopped Chicken Cobb Salad

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble Bars

Lattice-Top Peach Pie

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies