Attending a book conference means you get to bring home free books. SMITTEN was one of them.
I loved this book. It’s written by four authors but reads like one story. Best part for me was reading about Natalie–who must eat gluten free! Be still my heart there is a character I identify with!
I asked one of the authors, Colleen Coble to send me two of her favorite gluten free recipes. You’ll find them under the book blurb. I recommend this book even if you can eat gluten. The story is a fun filled romance.
Four friends devise a plan to turn Smitten, Vermont, into the country’s premier romantic getaway-and each finds her own true love along the way.
With Smitten Lumber closing, residents wonder if their town can stay afloat. Then four friends and local business owners-Natalie, Julia, Shelby, and Reese–decide the town is worth saving. How will they do it? They’ll turn Smitten into a honeymoon destination!
As Natalie, Julia, Shelby, and Reese work to save the town, each discovers romance in her own life. Meanwhile, the faith of a little child reminds the whole town what it means to have real faith in the God who is the always and forever Love.
Discover a novel written by four of Christian fiction’s most popular romance novelists- friends in real life who’ve drawn an amazing story of four friends! Includes a Reading Group Guide as well as “Conversation over Coffee with the Authors”.
And here are two of my favorite gluten free recipes:
Mug Cake (tastes like a brownie but you have to cook in a newer microwave)
2 Tlbs. Almond flour
1 1/2 T xylitol
1 Tlbs. cocoa powder, heaping
1 egg
1 1/2 Tlbs. half and half or cream
1 Tlbs. Butter or coconut oil
Splash of Vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug
Mix all dry ingredients in mug, add egg and blend thoroughly. Add milk, oil and vanilla and mix. Place in 1000 watt microwave for 90 sec. Do not cover mug. Cake will rise. Let cool and place on plate. Add a little whipped cream to top.
PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy – either one)
1 egg
1 tsp. gluten free baking soda
1 tsp. gluten free vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream peanut butter, sugar and egg together. Mix in baking soda and vanilla. Stir until dough is consistent (it will be a little stickier than usual cookie dough). Roll dough into balls (about 1″ dia.) and place on baking sheet. (Criss-cross top of dough balls with fork tines for a true “peanut butter cookie” look. Dip fork in sugar to prevent sticking to the dough.) Bake for 10-15 minutes. They should be a little softer than “normal” flour cookies when you take them out of the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheet a few minutes before transferring them to a cooking rack.
This recipe only makes about 12-16 cookies. I always double it (at least) when I make them. Thanks Colleen! You can read more about Colleen here http://www.colleencoble.com/