A Foodie Book Gathering + A Recipe from Laurie Tomlinson

One of the best parts of releasing a novel with two foodie main characters is the excuse to go all out at book signings, launch parties, and other events. Last night, I attended the first book club meeting for With No Reservations, and it was so much fun!

I wish I could gather all of my friends and readers in one place for one giant, glorious party where the coffee is flowing and the calories don't count -- which is a good thing, because my characters use a lot of butter :) But since advancements haven't solved issues of time and distance, I thought I'd give you a glimpse!

My hero went to culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and is starting a French cafe, so the menu has a predominantly French theme. If you were at my launch party, you would be treated to:

Chantilly Cake - Lacy white cake with gooey berries

Tri-colored Macarons - Crispy cookies sandwiching a layer of heavenly frosting

Sloane's Cookies - Chocolate chip toffee pudding cookies from Chapter 1

Buttery Croissants - Chocolate, Strawberry, and a LOT of Butter

Truffles - Balls of chocolatey bliss

Chocolate Mousse - Poured chocolate cups filled with creamy chocolate-espresso mousse

Cheese Board - Cheddar, Gouda, Brie with seed and berry crackers and grapes

Mini Bundt Cakes - Personal servings of fluffy cake

Fresh Fruit & Cream - Sliced berries and cream whipped with a touch of sweetness

In the background, if the chatter died down for a moment, you could hear the faint sounds of our favorite Rat Pack members -- Sinatra, Dean Martin, and their contemporaries -- crooning their hit songs. But, as you know tends to be the case when we reader-types are gathered, that wouldn't be often as we agreed, debated, and interpreted 350 pages of story. 

Maybe someday we can celebrate in person, but for now, you can make the chocolate chip toffee cookies found on the very first page of With No Reservations.

Sloane's Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from www.chef-in-training.com

Ingredients

• 2¼ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup butter, softened at room temperature (Sloane uses Kerrygold Irish butter)
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding, dry
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate chips (Sloane recommends mini semisweet chocolate chips)
• ½ cup toffee bits 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a bowl, combine flour and baking soda.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), cream butter and sugars together.
• Mix in dry pudding, eggs, and vanilla until well combined.
• Add flour mixture slowly, 2-3 parts at a time, until all is combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. 
• Fold in chocolate chips and toffee bits.
• Using a tablespoon or cookie scooper, roll dough into balls and place on greased baking sheet.
• Sloane's (optional) tip: Press additional chocolate chips and toffee bits into the tops of the cookies to make them prettier :)
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-12 minutes.

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Laurie Tomlinson is an award-winning contemporary romance author and cheerleader for creatives. She believes that God’s love is unfailing, anything can be accomplished with a good to-do list, and that life should be celebrated with cupcakes and extra sprinkles. Her novella That’s When I Knew was featured in the Love at First Laugh collection, and her debut novel, With No Reservations, is now available from Harlequin Heartwarming. 

You can connect with Laurie on her website, Facebook page, and Instagram.