“I’ve been busy, Brett.”
“Not so busy you haven’t spent quite a bit of time with Magnusson, Sadler, Pantera, and Hero.”
Uh…
Seriously?
“Have you been following me?”
He ignores my question and carries on.
“And Tack, High, and Smithie.”
The dude is totally following me.
“Um, Brett—”
“And your plane leaves tomorrow morning, first thing.”
“It does not,” I refute. “I don’t do anything first thing in the morning when I’m not writing. That’s Kit’s Lazy Make Up Stories in Her Head Time which intermittently mingles with Starla Deigning to Cuddle with Me Time.”
“I’ll amend,” Brett offers. “Your plane leaves tomorrow, first thing as defined by what you consider first thing after lazy time.”
I roll my eyes before I retort, “I have a cookbook to write.”
“To raise money for women’s charities. And I’m not on your call list?”
Regrettably, he has a point.
“I’ve been dealing with hella whiplash of nostalgia, resurgent sorrow and hot guy overload, cut me some slack,” I demand.
“This is an emerging theme, Kit,” he informs me. “I’m always coming up empty.”
“I don’t know what to say, bruh. Except I got something saved up for you and epicness doesn’t happen,” I lift a hand and snap my fingers, “just like that.”
“Epicness?”
“Please,” I scoff. “Like I’m not gonna take care of you.”
His smile is slow.
And it’s cute.
And hot.
Lord help me.
“I’ve got some recipes for you,” he states.
My outlook brightens. “Really?”
“Of course.” He turns his head and looks around the wing of his wingback.
Sly reads this cue and walks out of the room.
While he’s gone, I note to Brett, “Zip ties and hood, bro. Overkill.”
“I wanted your attention.”
“Well, you got it.”
“And there, you see, my strategy was successful.”
“You could have just called and said, ‘Hey, come on over. I’ll start a fire and make hot chocolate. If you need a ride, I’ll send Sly.’”
“I don’t have any hot chocolate.”
“Well, thanks. Now I know what to get you for Christmas.”
While Brett chuckles low, Sly returns carrying some papers.
He hands these to me.
“Thanks,” I mutter as I take them, then I look through them. “Dude,” I say to the papers before I lift my head and look again at Brett. “These are choice.”
“I’m hardly going to give you shitty recipes.”
I look back down at the papers, telling him, “This is cover material.”
“Well then, that makes me feel better.”
Once more, I give him my attention and I do this to smile.
He smiles back.
When this happens, the doorbell rings.
Brett tenses.
I watch Sly walk out of the room.
“Expecting company?” I ask Brett.
“No,” he answers.
Fabulous.
I hope this doesn’t mean imminent firefight.
What?
I’m not being dramatic.
It’s happened.
Not a minute later, in strolls Hawk Delgado, Sly on his heels.
“For fuck’s sake,” Brett sighs on sight of Hawk.
“That’s my line,” Hawk returns, then, to me, “Kit, out in the car.”
“You’re not the boss of me,” I retort.
Hawk levels his eyes at me. “Kit. Out. In. The. Car.”
“Okeydoke,” I mutter, get up from my chair, and start to scoot. But as I pass Brett, I say, “Later, dude. Thanks for the recipes.”
“Later, sweetheart,” he bids. “And you’re welcome.”
And as I pass Sly, I say, “Pump it up, brother.”
“Word,” he replies.
Recipes from the Kitchen of Brett “Cisco” Rappaport
Brett’s Appetizer
(Or Main as this is soup, but also so much more!)
Grilled Cheese Bread Bowl with Tomato Basil Soup
1 sourdough bread bowl
8-10 deli slices extra sharp cheddar cheese
8-10 deli slices swiss cheese
1 stick butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut a hole in the center of the bread bowl about 3 inches in diameter. Dig out all of the bread but not going through the bottom. That is your soup vessel. Cut a 1-inch deep cut around the entire bowl just below the middle circle. Repeat about 2 inches lower with the same cut. Stuff the cheese slices in every little slit of bread and lay flat in the center bowl and around the sides. In a small bowl, mix together the butter, garlic powder and parsley. Brush over the entire bread bowl to cover. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Add about 1-2 cups of tomato basil soup, depending on the size of the bread bowl.
Tomato Basil Soup
2 (28 ounce) cans San Marzano tomatoes, whole
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 Vidalia onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups vegetable broth
10-12 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
In a food processor, puree the tomatoes. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat add in 3 tablespoons of oil with the onions and garlic. Cook while stirring for 10 minutes to allow onions to caramelize. Add in the tomatoes, oregano, vegetable broth, basil, salt, pepper and sugar. Stir to combine and bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add in evaporated milk and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Serve in the Grilled Cheese Bread Bowl.
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Brett’s Mains
Oh’ Honey, You’re HOT!...Chicken Sandwich
(Cover Recipe)
2 chicken breasts, cut in half
12-15 spinach leaves
Multigrain bread (or rye or pretzel bread)
Sourdough bread
Marinade:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sauce:
1/2 cup mayo
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a small bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients. In a large resealable bag, add the chicken and marinade. Refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours then remove from refrigerator and allow chicken to get to room temperature. This allows the chicken to cook more evenly. While the chicken is marinating, prepare the sauce in a small bowl by whisking together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until it is time to build the sandwich. In a large iron skillet over medium high heat, add 2 marinated chicken breasts. Cook on both sides for 8-10 minutes. Remove onto a plate and continue with the remaining two chicken breasts.