Taking Chances, by E. L. Van Hine and L.H. Nicoll

[louisev]

So David, I take it the spanking has met with your approval...!  heheheh.

[louisev]

Update to "A Second Chance"

http://louisev.livejournal.com/68309.html  "Chapter 68:  Toys"

Special extra naughty chapter.

[pastorfred]

Special extra naughty chapter.

Whew! Ain't that the truth! From commitment to paddlin' this chapter is quite a ride for us readers, too.

For me the best part was the reassurance that Ennis's care and gentle questioning provides for Ellery. Who'd have thought that a good paddlin' could be such an act of love?

[MaineWriter]

In honor of this morning's chapter, something a little different for the gallery.

PUMPKIN WALNUT MUFFINS

1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup applesauce
3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons unsulfured molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole-wheat flour or all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup chopped pitted dates (about 4 ounces)
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (about 3 ounces)

Preheat oven to 400° F. and grease twelve 1/2-cup muffin cups.

Melt butter and cool slightly. In a bowl whisk together butter, applesauce, pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, molasses, and vanilla. Into a large bowl sift together flours, baking powder, spices, salt, and baking soda and whisk in brown sugar. Make a well in center of flour mixture and add pumpkin mixture, stirring just until combined. Stir in dates and divide batter among cups. Sprinkle walnuts evenly over batter in each cup and bake muffins in middle of oven 20 to 25 minutes, or until puffed and a tester comes out clean. Cool muffins in cups 5 minutes and turn out onto a rack. Serve muffins warm or at room temperature.

If you don't like (or are allergic) to nuts, these are just fine without the walnuts, too.

Makes 12 muffins.

[notBastet]

Thanks for the recipe Leslie.  Maybe we can have one for Junior's brownies, as well as Edna's biscuits??
(or does Edna just use Pillsbury too, I forget?)

[MaineWriter]

Thanks for the recipe Leslie.  Maybe we can have one for Junior's brownies, as well as Edna's biscuits??
(or does Edna just use Pillsbury too, I forget?)

Oh no, Edna makes them homemade...give me a few minutes....

[MaineWriter]

ALMA JUNIOR'S FUDGY CHOCOLATE CHUNK BROWNIES WITH WALNUTS

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 large eggs
3 1/4 teaspoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups chopped toasted walnuts
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Melt first 3 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Let cool 10 minutes.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, eggs, espresso powder and vanilla in large bowl until blended. Add melted chocolate mixture and beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients and stir just until blended. Fold in walnuts and 6 ounces coarsely chopped chocolate.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Smooth top. Bake until top looks dry and tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Transfer pan to rack and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with foil and store at room temperature.) Cut brownies into squares and serve.

Makes about 15.

Ellery gave these a five star rating. "Homemade baked goods just slide down my throat..." he said

[MaineWriter]

EDNA'S QUICK AND EASY BISCUITS

Many find that just one of these biscuits isn't enough. Fortunately, this quick recipe can easily be doubled.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter
3/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 425°F. and lightly grease a baking sheet.

Into a large bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut 5 tablespoons butter into bits and with your fingertips or a pastry blender blend into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cream, stirring with a fork until just combined. Transfer mixture to a lightly floured surface and gently knead about 3 times until it just forms a dough. Pat dough into a 6 1/2-inch round (about 1/2 inch thick).

Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter cut out biscuits and arrange about 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Gather and pat out scraps and cut out more biscuits.

Melt remaining tablespoon butter and lightly brush onto biscuits. Bake biscuits in middle of oven until pale golden and cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Makes about 6 biscuits.

Variations: Can make with milk instead of cream if you are worried about fat...but Edna never does. She knows Ellery likes the ones made with cream the best. And now Ennis is partial to them, too.

For cheese biscuits: add some grated cheese (sharp cheddar is best, but asiago works nicely, too)
Herb biscuits: a teaspoon or so of Italian seasoning is a nice touch, along with a clove or two of minced garlic

[LoveEmBoys]

OK, reposting from LJ here, regarding  Chapter... 68?  I've lost count!:

Aaaww, Louise, I totally got chills on those last few lines. How touching and tender, and what a contrast to the dominant love play just moments before. That was great.

Monica

[MaineWriter]

OK, reposting from LJ here, regarding  Chapter... 68?  I've lost count!:

Aaaww, Louise, I totally got chills on those last few lines. How touching and tender, and what a contrast to the dominant love play just moments before. That was great.

Monica

I did too. And I think that Ennis is a very traditional, family oriented person. He just needs to redefine his concept of family for himself and is doing it. I love this.

L