Reece's heart flipped over in his chest as the nurse handed him the small bundle and he looked down into the face of his perfect little daughter.
He'd been terrified when Jenna's water had broken early, but as soon as she'd made her pronouncement in the car--everything's going to be just fine--a weight had lifted from him.
She'd known.
Call it woman's intuition, a bit of mommy wisdom, or just a lucky guess, but she'd known. And thank God for that.
Reece just wished he'd realized it sooner. He'd been frantic pulling into the hospital, then kicked himself when he realized he should have called the doctor from the car. But Jenna had been calm, telling him it was all good, and they'd meet their baby soon.
Soon, of course, was a relative term. They'd entered the hospital at almost three on Saturday. It was now just past nine in the morning on Sunday.
All through the day and night, he'd held Jenna's hand, telling her silly stories, encouraging her to breathe, assuring her that he was right there. And all the while making silent bargains with the universe that it really would be okay.
When Dr. Blake showed up and added his thumbs-up to Jenna's assessment, Reece had relaxed a little--then tensed up all over again when he saw the intensity of Jenna actually giving birth. The nurse had told him it was relatively easy compared to some mothers' labors, but Reece hadn't truly felt calm until he'd held his daughter in his arms.
"She's beautiful," he said now to Jenna. "Just as gorgeous as her mother."
"Flatterer." Her smile was wide, but tired. Her long red hair hung in limp strands around her face. Her eyes were bloodshot and shadowed with dark circles. None of that registered, though. As far as Reece was concerned, she glowed.
Reluctantly, he passed the swaddled little girl to Jenna, then sat on the edge of the bed so that he could slide an arm around his wife as they both gazed adoringly at their newborn. "We never picked out a name."
"What do you think of Ami? You know, like Amy's Ice Cream, only spelled with an I."
"Isn't that the French word for friend?"
"Yup," she said, leaning her head on his shoulder and twisting a bit to look at him. "All things considered, I thought it was appropriate."
"Yes," he said, looking at the woman who was his best friend, his lover, his wife. And now the mother of his child. "I love you," he said, because he just couldn't hold the words in any longer. "And I think that Ami is the perfect name for our girl."
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April ~ May ~ June
APRIL
Cobb Deviled Eggs
7 hard-boiled eggs (most trays call for 12 halves and you always want a backup in case of tearing) 1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1/2 cup avocado
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese 2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Slice eggs in half and remove yolks. Place yolks in a bowl and mash with a fork. Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, avocado, salt and pepper. Mix well and spoon into egg white halves. Top with crumbled blue cheese and bacon.
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Highball Caesar
1 bunch romaine lettuce, washed and dried 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 1 cup croutons
1 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon (at least 1/4 cup) 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
Tear apart lettuce and place in 4 highball glasses. Top with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, bacon crumbles and croutons. Combine remaining ingredients, plus remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan, in a blender and blend for 1-2 minutes. Pour over lettuce, bacon, Parmesan and croutons.
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Cashew Chicken Wrap
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded 3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish Salt and pepper to taste 4 burrito-sized spinach tortillas 2 cups fresh spinach 4 Roma tomatoes
4 tablespoons Sriracha sauce 1 cup cashew halves
In a large bowl, mix together chicken, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, relish, salt and pepper to make chicken salad. On one end of each spinach tortilla, layer 1/4 cup spinach, 1/2 cup chicken salad, 1 sliced Roma tomato, 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce and 1/4 cup cashews. Roll and slice in half to serve.
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Sparkling Pineapple
1 (46 ounce) bottle pineapple juice 1 cup orange juice 1 bottle champagne 4 pineapples, hollowed out (optional)
In a large pitcher, combine pineapple juice and orange juice. Refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, add bottle of champagne and pour into hollowed out pineapples with straws or serve in champagne glasses.
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May
Cheeseburger Fries
1 (32 ounce) bag frozen crinkle fries 1 pound ground beef 1/2 cup diced onion 1 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning 1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon mustard 1/4 cup dill pickle relish 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese Ranch dressing
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake crinkle fries as directed. Cook ground beef and onion with steak seasoning over medium heat in a large skillet until meat is cooked through and onions are tender. Drain and return to skillet. Stir in ketchup, mustard, and relish, and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Pour over crinkle fries on cookie sheet and top with bacon and cheese. Return to oven for 5 more minutes. Remove from oven and serve with ranch dressing.
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Southwest Rolls
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed 1 (15 ounce) can drained black beans 1 (15 ounce) can corn
1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper 1/4 cup chopped green onions 1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon salt and pepper 1 cup shredded Colby/Monterey Jack cheese 8-10 burrito size flour tortillas 1 egg, beaten
6-8 cups of oil for frying Ranch dressing
Mix together first 11 ingredients in a large bowl. Place all of the tortillas on a plate and microwave for 1 minute to soften them for folding. Next, place 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto a tortilla and roll like a burrito, folding in both sides. To "seal" the edge, simply brush a small amount of one beaten egg and finish the roll. Place sealed side down on a cookie sheet and repeat with remaining tortillas. Refrigerate overnight for best flavor. Heat oil to 350 degrees and fry the rolls three at a time for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Drain rolls on paper towels, then slice and serve with ranch dressing.
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Pimento Cheese Poppers
1 (4 ounce) jar diced pimentos, not drained 8 ounces shredded sharp yellow cheddar 8 ounces shredded sharp white cheddar 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 cup mayonnaise 8-10 jalapenos, seeded and halved 1 cup flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 cups panko bread crumbs 4 cups oil, for frying
Mix first 5 ingredients together in a medium bowl. Stuff 1 tablespoon of pimento cheese in each half of a jalapeno. Roll each stuffed jalapeno in flour and place on a cookie sheet. Freeze for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. While the peppers are freezing, whisk together eggs and milk in one bowl and pour panko breadcrumbs in another bowl. Heat oil to 350 degrees in a Dutch oven. While oil is heating, remove peppers from freezer and dredge in the egg mixture and then in panko. Place 3-4 jalapenos at a time in oil and fry for 1-2 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining peppers.
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Jalapeno Margarita
4 ounces Patron tequila 2 ounces triple sec Juice of 1 lime 4 slices fresh jalapeno Salt
Wet the rim of a margarita glass and dip into salt. Fill glass with ice. Place te
quila, triple sec, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker with 3-4 cubes of ice and shake until well blended. Pour over ice and serve with the jalapeno slices.
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June
Fried Green Tomatoes with Sriracha Mayo
3-4 cups oil, for frying 1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning 2 cups milk
1 egg
4 large green tomatoes
In a large iron skillet, heat oil to 350 degrees over medium high heat. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour and seasoning. In a separate bowl of the same size, whisk together the milk and egg. Slice each tomato into 4-5 slices that are about 1/4 inch thick. Dredge each slice in the dry mix, then the wet, and again in the dry, coating thoroughly. Place 4 slices at a time in the oil and cook on both sides for 2 minutes each. Drain on paper towels and serve with Sriracho Mayo. (Click here for recipe.)
SRIRACHA MAYO
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
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Philly Cheese Dip with Mini Pull-Apart Bread
1 box frozen Steak-umms 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese 1 sweet onion, diced
2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 green bell pepper, diced 1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt 1 package of baby bella mushrooms, sliced 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook steak according to package directions and drain on paper towels. In large bowl, place the steak and the remaining ingredients, except for 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Spread steak mixture into a 9x9-inch baking dish and top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve with Mini Pull-Apart Bread. (Click here for recipe.)
MINI PULL-APART BREAD
4 bakery sub rolls, uncut
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks melted butter
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the sub rolls on a foil-lined cookie sheet, and slice each roll crosswise and lengthwise into 1 inch squares, being careful not to cut all the way through. In a microwave safe bowl, add the butter, garlic, parsley and salt and heat for 2 minutes. Pour the butter mixture evenly over each loaf. Bake for 15 minutes and remove from oven. Now, evenly distribute the 2 cheeses over the rolls, making sure to tuck it in every possible spot for the ultimate bite. Place back in the oven for an additional 15 minutes. Serve hot.
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BBQ Bacon Chicken Pineapple Kebabs
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks 1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper 1 pound bacon, cut into 2-3 inch pieces 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks 1 cup BBQ sauce
10-15 kebab sticks, soaked in water
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Thread the skewers as follows: wrap a piece of bacon around one piece of chicken, thread onto skewer, place a pineapple chunk next and repeat this order until the skewer is full. Place all of the kebabs on a baking sheet. Preheat grill to 350 degrees and place the kebabs over indirect heat. Grill for 10-15 minutes, then baste with BBQ sauce on all sides. Place on direct heat and grill for 1-2 minutes. Baste again with BBQ sauce and remove from grill.
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Fizzy Watermelon
4 cups watermelon puree (Click here for recipe.) 1 bottle chardonnay
4 cups club soda
Combine first two ingredients in a large pitcher. When ready to serve, add club soda.
This can also be served in a hollowed-out watermelon with a spout (available at most party stores) for a party.
TO MAKE WATERMELON PUREE:
Remove seeds from watermelon and cut into large chunks. Place in a blender and process until smooth.
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ONE MORE NIGHT: NOLAN & SHELBY
Slice of Life
Shelby looked between her friends, her heart pounding, her entire being desperate for help. "Well?"
"You're going to have to be more specific," Hannah said, her wild blonde curls framing her face. "I mean, just telling us that you think something's going on with Nolan isn't much to work with." Her gaze cut to Celia. "So far I've got nothing. You?"
"Sorry, girlfriend," Celia said. She'd recently dyed her hair red, and she tucked an auburn lock behind her ear. "Nada."
Between the two of them, Shelby felt positively plain. Which sucked, because her long, dark hair was her best feature. And plain or not, Nolan loved to touch it, often twisting a strand around his finger when they were in bed. Even when they were in public. It was a silly habit of his that she'd come to cherish, and her stomach seemed to fall away as she wondered if all of that was going to be gone soon. Had they run their course?
The thought made her almost physically ill, which must have showed, because Celia put her hand over Shelby's.
"Hey, it's going to be okay. You just need to tell us more so that we can help. Then it'll all be fine."
"Will it?" So far all that Shelby had told her friends was that she was afraid there was something off in her relationship with Nolan. Just saying anything more than that made her queasy. But they'd both immediately rallied, and when the workday had ended, they'd left Brandywine Finance & Consulting--Shelby the CPA, Celia the secretary, and Hannah the lawyer--and headed over to The Fix on Sixth in order to drown Shelby's sorrows in alcohol. And maybe to excavate some truth out of her random fears and questions.
"It is absolutely going to be okay," Hannah said, squeezing Shelby's hand. "No matter what happens, you're coming out on top."
Shelby's throat tightened. "So you do think something's wrong."
Hannah rolled her eyes. "You haven't told us enough to think that. I'm just talking about you. You are a strong, capable woman. You can get through anything."
Shelby nodded. She was strong. She was capable. At least that's what she'd believed before she'd met Nolan, with his crazy drive-time radio show and his off-color jokes and his way of making her feel like the most precious thing in the universe.
Now, she wasn't so sure about her strength. Because if there really was trouble between her and Nolan, she didn't think she could survive it.
Celia frowned, studying her. "This is really eating you up. Come on, Shel. Tell us what's going on so that we can actually help you."
"Celia's right," Hannah said. "We need more information. And more drinks." The table was already littered with The Fix's Dirty Martinis with Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives, but Hannah raised her hand, signaling to Tiffany for another round.
Idly, Shelby wondered if the fact that she'd come to learn the name of all the staff at The Fix meant she came here too often, but she pushed the thought away. The Fix had become her and Nolan's regular hangout, and she loved the place and the people who worked there.
The thought brought on a fresh wave of anxiety. What if they broke up? Could she come back here?
"Shel." Hanna put her hand on her arm. "Stop it. Just tell us. What's going on?"
"That's just it," Shelby said. "I don't know. Honestly, I don't even know if I need help." She hoped she didn't. Prayed that this weird distance she was feeling with Nolan either meant nothing or, better, that it was only in her head.
Because as much as Shelby had never expected it to happen, she couldn't deny that she was head-over-heels in love with that man. More, she was getting sucked in deeper and deeper with each passing day. If it turned out that his emotions were moving in the opposite direction...
Oh, God. If that was the case, she really didn't think she'd be able to survive.
Which, of course, was why she'd sent out the email SOS right before the end of the work day.
Calm down.
Right. Good advice. S
he drew in a deep breath, then released it slowly. "Maybe it's all in my head, right?"
"Well, since we still don't know what it is..."
"I know. I just don't know how to put my finger on it," Shelby admitted.
"Has the sex gone downhill?" Hannah asked, making Shelby's face burn.
"No!" A wild memory of last night ripped through her--Nolan's mouth, his fingers, his cock...
She shivered, then lowered her voice. "Not at all, thank goodness. But it's everything outside the bedroom, you know?"
"Again, no. We don't know until you tell us."
"Phone calls he obviously doesn't want me to overhear." He'd actually shifted direction and gone out onto the back porch yesterday. After, he'd said he hadn't seen her, but Shelby was sure he had. Her house--their house--didn't exactly have dark shadowy areas. She'd been pretty hard to miss.
"And, he was getting a lot of packages. When I asked him what he was buying, he said nothing important. And then the packages stopped."
Celia and Hannah exchanged glances. "So?"
"So, they didn't really stop. He just started having them delivered to the station." Nolan was a drive-time radio host at KIKX. His show was over the top, raunchy fun. And Shelby couldn't think of any reason why he'd need to get packages delivered there. But she knew that he was, because the girl at the front desk called her one day last week when Nolan was out of town at a broadcasting conference. She'd asked if Shelby knew if he needed the package forwarded to the conference or if she should just put it on his desk the way she did with all the others.
"So maybe he watches porn and he's embarrassed to tell you."