Readers' Pick #2 – Sept – Nov 2011

Shannon here: I’m continuing my countdown of readers’ most visited blog posts. Recipes were big for this quarter with everybody getting ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Megan DiMaria’s recipe for stuffing gets the number two spot. Comment for a chance to win your choice of three of my books, White Doves, Rodeo Hero, or Rodeo Dust. Here’s Megan:

Light & Fluffy Stuffing 
2 cups chopped onion
2 ½ cups diced celery
1 lb. breakfast sausage meat
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 loaf of English muffin bread
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. sage
½ tsp. thyme
½ tsp. paprika


Fry sausage, remove from pan. Fry onions and celery till golden. Tear bread in small pieces, add onions, celery, and sausage, add seasonings. Add egg. Mix well. Put into buttered casserole dish, and cook, covered, for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees or 40ish minutes with turkey in oven at lower temperature. 
This recipe has been in my family for over one hundred years and was first prepared in Ireland. I’ve modified it by using English muffin bread (have the grocery store bakery slice it for you) and baking it in a casserole instead of inside the turkey.
1.   What’s the most romantic thing your spouse has ever done for you?
My husband is the sweetest, most loving man I’ve ever known. However, romantic is not an adjective I’d use to describe him. I used a real-life example of how romantic my husband is in my book Searching for Spice. The main character, Linda Revere, longed to have an affair—with her husband:
I want romance. Ha. Jerry doesn’t even know the definition of the word. He’s as romantic now as the day I married him, and he wasn’t at all romantic when we married. The only time he ever held my hand in public was when I was pregnant and walking on an icy sidewalk.
2.    Do you and your spouse have a favorite romantic vacation destination?
We love to vacation at tropical locations. Our best vacations are spent lazing under a shady palapa on a white-sand beach, enjoying delicious meals, and watching entertaining shows to enjoy into the evening. And reading on the beach, of course.
3.   What simple gesture does your spouse do that melts you every time?
Each year he plans our anniversary weekend. We got married on January 13^th, and we live in Denver, Colorado. It’s a bit dicey to plan a trip during the winter here—you could get stuck with bad weather cancelling your plans. So instead of flying away somewhere warm or driving to a vacation, we spend the weekend in downtown Denver. We always go to a play at the Denver Center for Performing Arts, dine at the best restaurants, and stay in four-star hotels. One year he surprised me with a weekend at The Ritz. Ahhh. I’ve discovered I love The Ritz.
4.   What is the most caring thing your spouse has ever done for you?
Carl shows his love in everyday ways. When I was working full-time outside the house, he would drive my car to the gas station and fill my tank every Sunday afternoon. He’s always helping out around the house so I don’t have to do all the cleaning or laundry.
 5.   What is the most caring thing you’ve ever done for your spouse?
I make my husband a hot breakfast and pack him a nutritious lunch daily. For many years he had to be to work early (6:00AM) and didn’t want to sit down for breakfast. I always made homemade muffins for him to take to work. One of the most delightful aspects of our marriage is the way we care so lovingly for each other. 
About Megan: Megan DiMaria is the author of two women’s fiction novels, Searching for Spice and Out of Her Hands, both of which are set in the Denver, Colorado area. Megan has been a radio and television reporter, a Web content editor, a contributing writer for local newspapers, and has worked for a weekly newspaper. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and three local writers groups. She frequently speaks to women’s groups, encouraging ladies to embrace life’s demands and delights, and also teaches and encourages other writers at conferences and writers’ groups.
She and her husband, Carl, live in suburban Denver near their adult children. They often travel back to their roots in Long Island, NY to visit family and get their fill of delicious Italian food.
About the book: Have you ever dreamed of having a lip-flaming affair–with your husband?
That’s the premise behind Searching for Spice. Linda Revere is a romance-deprived photographer’s assistant who longs to experience a little romance in her 24-year-old marriage. But is she ready for what happens next?
Follow Megan on Twitter. Like her reader’s club page on Facebook, and join the discussion. Visit Megan’s website. Purchase Links: Searching for Spice or Out of Her Hands.
Come back August 15th for readers’ pick #1.