Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL** with STEPHANIE AYERS!

Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!! Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of her favorite recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors. Introducing author, STEPHANIE AYERS, and her favorite recipe for MOUTHWATERING FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE!

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WHERE THE POPPIES GROW
A Flower Shop Series Novella
BY STEPHANIE AYERS

Blurb

WHERE THE POPPIES GROW
A Flower Shop Series Novella
BY STEPHANIE AYERS

Excerpt

She said her name was Maize, and I couldn’t stop staring at her. Her dirty blonde hair looked so silky, I wanted to run my fingers through it. Her cheeks flowed with a natural blush my fingers ached to caress. She paid me no mind, though, just continued collecting the poppies, clutching them to her chest and sniffing them before tossing them into the air. The flowers flit around her like red confetti, until they fell to the ground and mingled together in the field.

“I’m Carter. The poppies are early this year.”

I had no idea why I said that. I only meant to introduce myself. It was true, though. The poppies usually didn’t bloom for another month.

Maize just smiled and nodded, tossing more flowers into the air. A few of the blossoms settled in her hair, and it stole my breath away. She was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen, and she wasn’t from around here.

She couldn’t be, because I’d never seen her before. And a girl who looked like she did would have been noticed, and not just by me. Everyone would have noticed her.

The fact that I only ever saw her in the poppy field should have been a clue, but I was so captivated by her, it never crossed my mind I never saw her elsewhere.

Admittedly, I stayed pretty busy between my schoolwork and my real job—which I only had so I could pay for college. Neither left me much time for a social life, and it never bothered me until I met Maize. Time stood still when she was around. I never wanted to leave because I never knew for sure when she’d come back.

She showed up with the appearance of the first poppy, and I worried she would go away when the last one disappeared. I don’t know why I thought that. It was crazy thinking, but I was much too wrapped up in her—or maybe it was the idea of her—to really consider the bigger picture.

The time of year, the appearance of the poppies, and the fact that she never went anywhere but the field should have been obvious clues; red flags I happily ignored as long as I could spend time with her. Time stood still whenever Maize was around, and that was okay with me.

It was not okay with my boss or my teachers. My mother didn’t much care for it, either, but none of them mattered when she was there.

We didn’t even need to talk. We just picked flowers side by side and tossed them into the air, their blooms covering us like blood until we were one with the field. And maybe that’s when I should’ve run far, far away, but I didn’t.

That was my first mistake.

About Author Stephanie Ayers…

Karen

P.S. We’re at 582 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right-hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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MOUTHWATERING FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE
Courtesy of The Drama Mama
https://kitchensmack.blogspot.com/2009/04/mouthwatering-french-toast-casserole.html

1 cup brown sugar, either light or dark
2 tbs corn syrup
1/2 c butter

1. Melt brown sugar, corn syrup and butter together in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth.
2. Spray a 13×9-in pan with Pam and cover the bottom of the pan with the brown sugar mix.

2-3 cans crescent rolls
6 eggs
1 1/2 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

1. Roll the crescent dough into crescents and place in pan over the brown sugar mix. (3 cans will leave only a little space between the rolls, but 2 cans leaves plenty of space. I usually use 3 cans in my casserole)
2. Mix the eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt together. Pour over the rolls.
3. At this point, the casserole must sit in the refrigerator at least 8 hours before baking but can be made the night before and refrigerated overnight.
4. Remove casserole from refrigerator and let sit for 30 minutes. This is to allow your pan time to come to room temperature. (If you are using Corningware or metal, you can skip this step). Preheat oven to 350.
5. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

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Thanks, Stephanie, for sharing your story with us!

Don’t miss the chance to read this book!