Faith, Love, and Fried Chicken: Seasons Boxed Set Bundle 1-4 Read online

  So much sheep talk had clearly affected his mind. “Yes, a baby-baby,” Jaycee said, stamping her foot in mock consternation. “Should be due in February. I saw Dr. Bennett today.”

  Dash entered the already fogged up bathroom, peeling Jaycee away from the counter and dragging her into the bedroom. “And you’ve been on your feet all day tending the animals and cooking!”

  “I’m not an invalid, Dash. Just goin’ to be a momma. Land sakes, Kitty just went through it not two years ago.”

  “Well, you’re my wife, not Colt’s and it’s time we took some precautions.” He turned her around, inspecting her shape. He scowled momentarily and pulled the pliers from her back pocket, holding them up.

  “You best not try to put me in a pen, Dash Mattheson.” She stilled then, staring up at the man she loved with all her heart. She led him to the bed and sat him down. She stood before him, slowly placing a hand on each side of his face. His cheeks were cleanly shaven and he smelled of leather and soap. “Don’t let the future overwhelm the moment,” she whispered and bent to kiss him as he swept her into his arms.

  FROM THE AUTHOR

  I hope you enjoyed the Faith, Love, and Fried Chicken series. It was my pleasure to bring you the seasons of Jaycee and Dash. And as we part, may I just say my heart is a little bit broader and fuller at having known them and through them, being able to befriend many readers of the series.

  Please follow along as I introduce the new Faith & Fame series, the first title in the series being Lainey Sparks. It’s available now at all online retailers. And don’t miss the enclosed recipes from all four seasons of Faith, Love, and Fried Chicken.

  May God bless and keep you and yours.

  Love,

  Laura

  If you liked this series, please consider leaving a review at your online retailer. Visit my website or Facebook to keep in touch. Check out my other fiction stories or Battle Cry devotionals as well at www.LauraJMarshall.com

  Jaycee’s Momma’s Cajun Fried Chicken

  Spicy Southern Chicken. Decrease spices by half, as well as tobasco to tone it down, if desired.

  Two whole chickens cut up into pieces or precut pieces from store.

  2-1/2 cups of flour

  2 tsp pepper

  2 tsp paprika

  2 tsp cayenne pepper

  2 tsp onion powder

  2 tsp garlic powder

  1 egg

  1 cup of buttermilk

  ¼ cup tobasco sauce

  Vegetable oil

  Fill fryer pan with a couple of inches of oil. Heat to 375.

  Mix dry ingredients (flour, pepper, paprika, cayenne, onion powder, and garlic powder) together. Set aside.

  Beat egg and add buttermilk. Stir until blended. Add tobasco sauce to this mixture.

  Dip chicken into the liquid mixture then dredge into the flour mixture.

  Place chicken into the hot oil.

  Cook 5-7 minutes per side for smaller pieces and 7-12 minutes per side for bigger pieces.

  Remove and drain on paper towels. Salt lightly while hot.

  Lemonade Cookies

  1 cup butter, softened

  3-1/2 cups flour

  1 tsp baking soda

  ¾ cup sugar

  2 eggs

  1 can lemonade concentrate, thawed, divided

  Preheat oven to 400.

  Cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

  Add eggs, one at a time.

  Combine flour and baking soda.

  Add to creamed mixture, alternating with 2/3 cup of lemonade concentrate and stirring after each addition.

  Drop by rounded spoonful onto ungreased baking sheets.

  Cook at 400 for 8 minutes.

  Remove and place on cooling rack. Brush with remaining lemonade concentrate and sprinkle with sugar.

  Allow to cool.

  Jaycee’s Easy Eggplant Parmesan

  2 large eggplants or 3 small, washed and thinly sliced

  6 eggs, beaten

  6 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs

  2 medium-sized jars of spaghetti sauce

  2 cups grated parmesan cheese (approximately)

  Vegetable oil for frying

  Paper towels

  Salt

  Place cut eggplant slices into a bowl of lightly salted water for one hour. Heat two inches of oil to 350 degrees or until hot. Next, pat slices dry then dip into egg, then in bread crumbs. Place slices into hot oil in batches. Flip when underside is browned (approximately five minutes one side and three minutes other). Remove to waiting paper towels. Lightly salt while still hot.

  In a 9x13 inch baking dish spread spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Cover with more sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Repeat until pan is full and layered, ending with the cheese.

  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

  Momma’s Monkey Bread

  1/2 cup granulated sugar

  1-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

  2 cans (16 oz) refrigerated biscuits (or 4 small cans, if using small, cut biscuits in halves not quarters)

  1-1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

  ¾ cup butter or margarine, melted

  Bundt pan

  Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease Bundt pan.

  In a large plastic zip bag, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon. (You can also mix in a bowl.)

  Separate dough into biscuits; cut each into quarters. Shake in bag to coat or put in bowl of sugar mixture to toss. Arrange around pan. In small pan on your stovetop, melt butter then mix in brown sugar until melted. Pour over sugared biscuit pieces.

  Bake 28 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn upside down onto serving plate.

  Serve warm.

  Jaycee’s Shredded BBQ Chicken

  Recipe courtesy of Author Precarious Yates

  1 TBSP oil

  1 small onion, sliced

  4 uncooked chicken breasts, whole

  Boiling water

  1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (we love honey BBQ)

  Heat the oil in a cast iron pan or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the chicken breasts. Once the chicken just begins to sear (turning once), add boiling water until it just covers the chicken. Cover and boil until the chicken has been cooked through (approximately 1 hour). Using two forks, pull apart the chicken while it’s in the pan. Allow the chunks and shreds to be different sizes. Add your favorite BBQ sauce and continue to cook (without the lid) until the sauce thickens.

  Homemade Ranch Dressing

  1 clove garlic

  ½ teaspoon salt

  1/4 cup fresh parsley

  2 tablespoons fresh chives

  3/4 cup mayonnaise

  3/4 cup sour cream

  Milk (for consistency)

  Cut up one garlic clove. Cover with ½ teaspoon of salt and mash together with a fork. Put in bowl. Finely chop the parsley and chives. Add to bowl along with mayonnaise and sour cream. Stir. Pour in milk a tablespoon at a time while stirring. How much milk depends on consistency desired. Chill for at least an hour.

  Shortbread Cookies

  4 cups flour

  ½ teaspoon baking powder

  1 pound (4 sticks) butter

  1 cup powdered sugar

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  Sift together the flour and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.

  Beat the butter until fluffy then add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract.

  Divide the dough into two separate lumps (loosely formed) and place in refrigerator to chill for a half hour.

  Using a rolling pin, roll out each piece of dough into approximately ½ inch thick. Cut the dough into shapes (I used a round drinking glass tipped upside down). Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 11 minutes. Let cookies sit on sheet for a few minutes before removing
to a cooling rack.

  Macaroons

  3/4 cup flour

  14 ounces of coconut shavings

  ¼ teaspoon of salt

  14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

  2-1/4 teaspoons of vanilla extract

  1 teaspoon water

  Grease cookie sheets.

  Mix together flour, coconut, and salt. Add milk, vanilla, and water. Stir well.

  Drop by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet.

  Bake 20 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets immediately.

  Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip

  16 ounces of cream cheese (two packages)

  1 cup of ranch dressing

  ½ cup of buffalo style hot sauce

  1 cup Monterey Jack cheese

  20 ounces of shredded chicken (two cans)

  Soften your cream cheese in a warm crockpot using rubber spatula. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Cook the dip in the covered crockpot on high for 1-1/2 hours. Turn to warm and serve with tortilla chips and celery sticks.