Laura V. Hilton – Recipe for Romance – Part 1 of 1

Laura V. Hilton shares a recipe for mint chocolate brownies from her Christmas novella, Carousel Christmas. Comment or answer the question to enter the drawing. Winner may choose to wait until December to get a copy of the novella alone, or may preorder Winter’s Kiss, the collection with all six authors for 99 cents and request any one of Laura’s books. Deadline: Oct 28th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Laura: 

Noelle’s mom makes these brownies every year for Christmas, a tradition for their family. 

Mint Chocolate Chip Brownies

Bake: 30 min

YIELD:  about 72 servings

Ingredients

1 stick butter, softened

1 c sugar

4 large eggs

1 can (about 16 oz) chocolate syrup

1 t vanilla extract

1 c all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

FILLING:

1 stick butter, softened

2 c confectioners’ sugar

1 T water

1/2 t mint extract

3 drops green food coloring (optional)

TOPPING:

1 package (about 10 ounces) mint chocolate chips or semi-sweet

1 stick  plus 1 T butter, cubed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in syrup and vanilla. Add flour and salt; mix well.
2. Pour into a greased 13×9-in. baking pan. Bake 30 minutes (top of brownies will still appear wet). Cool on a wire rack.
3. For filling, in a small bowl, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar; add water, extract and food coloring until blended. Spread over cooled brownies. Refrigerate until set.
4. For topping, melt chocolate chips and butter. Cool 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spread over filling. Chill. Cut into bars. Store in refrigerator

Yield: 5-6 dozen.

About Laura: Laura V. Hilton is an award-winning, sought-after author with almost twenty Amish, contemporary, and historical romances. When she’s not writing, she reviews books for her blogs, and writes devotionals for blog posts for Seriously Write and Putting on the New.

Laura and her pastor-husband have five children and a hyper dog named Skye. They currently live in Arkansas. One son is in the U.S. Coast Guard. She is a pastor’s wife, and homeschools her two youngest children.

When she’s not writing, Laura enjoys reading, and visiting lighthouses and waterfalls. Her favorite season is winter, her favorite holiday is Christmas. Learn more and connect: 

Lighthouse Academy Blog                 Laura’s Blog           Laura’s Twitter

Laura’s Facebook            Laura’s Pinterest

About the novella – Carousel Christmas: 

Every year, Nick Trombley volunteers his time to decorate the Adirondack Carousel barn for Christmas, hoping that this will be the year when Noelle Callanan returns to the New York lakeside village to spend Christmas with her family. And that somehow, he might be able to make amends for the biggest mistake of his life.

Noelle fled from Saranac Lake, New York, four years ago when she caught Nick kissing her sister, April. He said it was innocent, but it drove her and Nick apart. Now Noelle wants nothing to do with home or her family who she believes sided with April. Even though April married another man, Noelle has no desire to see her or Nick again. She has made a new life for herself in New York City and is content. But this year her ninety-three year old great-grandmother wants to ride the carousel and have a family picture made in front of the giant Christmas tree. Her mother insists it’s past time to rebuild the bridges Noelle destroyed when she left home.

When Noelle arrives, her mother recruits her help decorating the carousel barn. She may be forced to work side-by-side with Nick, but will they be able to rekindle their high school romance? Will Noelle be reconciled with her sister and family? Or will this ride end where it started?

About the novella collection – Winter’s Kiss: 

Six Christmas romances with a Christian message from bestselling authors.

And You Came Along – Elaine Stock

Five days before Christmas, single parent Jacey Tucker thought the broken pieces of her life were falling into place until an eviction notice and termination at her job sends her and her little boy scrambling out of town.

Zander Paxton, a detective recovering from an injury and loss of faith, needs to start the next season of his life but he isn’t sure how or where. As Jacey heads south and Zander heads north, they get caught in a blizzard…and trapped together in a remote cabin.

A Different Kind of Christmas – Carole Towriss

Robinson Taylor Mitchell, unwelcome at home, wants a special someone of his own to celebrate with—someone like Juli, who’s just moved to town but won’t give him the time of day.

Juliana Hellisch won’t be home for Christmas for the first time ever. She’s stuck in Brandon Beach working off school debt as a nanny to an adorable three-year-old. She meets Rob, but there’s no way she’s getting involved with another rich snob, not after what happened last time.

To Gain a Bodyguard – Tanya Eavenson

Undercover ICE agent Madi Reynolds has spent years infiltrating a human-trafficking ring, but when her life is threatened, she is forced to walk away and advised to leave the country.

War Veteran and ICE agent Brice Johnson faces the biggest assignment of his life–protect the woman he loves.

Tropical Kiss and Tell – Liwen Y. Ho

Micah Chan has loved Lucy Choi ever since they were kids, but life—and some regretful decisions—stopped him from pursuing her. Now he has a choice to make: Let her marry another man or break up her engagement to make this Christmas the most memorable one of their lives.

Carousel Christmas – Laura V. Hilton

Romance sparks for Noelle and Nick as they work together to decorate the carousel barn and relationships begin to be healed.

Christmas Reflections – Ginger Solomon

Marisol Jones never expects to marry. Most men can’t see past her scars, but Garth Simmons isn’t most men. He doesn’t seem to notice her imperfections and neither does his daughter

Cover design by Cindy Flores Martinez

Can’t wait for the drawing? Get Laura’s books now: 

Amazon             ChristianBook              BarnesandNoble                DeeperShopping

Question for Readers: What is your favorite amusement park ride?

Come back Oct 24th to help me, Shannon Taylor Vannatter, celebrate my latest book release!