Saucy Baked Chicken -Guest Author Angela Smith

It's Too Yummy Tuesday!

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious! Today I'm happy to have special guest Angela Smith, author of Final Mend, who's here to share a recipe for a mushroom and balsamic baked chicken that sounds divine. Take it away!

Hi, my name is Angela Smith and I’m here to share with you one of my favorite all-time recipes, and one that Jake cooks for Winona. Jake, the hero in my newest book, Final Mend, is a recovering alcoholic who cooks food as a means to relax and work off his anxieties. Saucy Baked Chicken, paired with Herbed Vegetables, and cherry cheesecake or strawberry shortcake for dessert is the absolute perfect way to impress a date. My husband cooked this for me, and it’s one I beg for time and time again. This dish pairs well with chilled Moscato wine, but Jake chooses to drink sparkling apple juice. Following the recipe is a short excerpt of this scene where Jake cooks for Winona. Thanks for joining me, and I’d love to hear what you think!

SAUCY BAKED CHICKEN

Adapted from Time Life recipe card

Ingredients

6 chicken cutlets (about 1 ½ pounds)
1 medium onion, sliced
8 oz sliced white mushrooms
¼ cup olive oil
1 ½ cup chicken broth
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 ½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 450. Pour oil into large roasting pan. Add chicken, onion, and mushrooms, turning to coat with oil. Bake 5 minutes; turn chicken over and stir vegetables. Bake an additional 5 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, whisk flour into chicken broth. Add vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, stirring well.

When chicken has cooked for 10 minutes, add broth mixture to roasting pan, cover with foil and bake 10 minutes. Remove foil; stir vegetables and baked, uncovered, until sauce bubbles and is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. 

Heat broiler. Turn chicken over. Place pan 6 inches from heat and broil until chicken just starts to turn golden, about 3-5 minutes. Serve immediately. 


Side Dish: Herbed Squash, Potatoes, and Green Beans

Ingredients

1 to 1.5 pounds total of the following: green beans, squash, and potatoes, or any vegetable in season at the time. Almost anything works well with this dish. 
2 tsb olive oil or butter
3 largely sliced shallots
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 tsp grated lemon zest
¼ cup thinly sliced basil leaves
½ cup heavy cream

Directions

Bring ½ cup heavy cream to boil. Add vegetables and simmer low under tender-crisp, about 8 minutes. Adjust to taste or depending on how saucy you like it. You can also drain any sauce if you don’t want saucy. 

Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sugar; cook until softened and golden, about 2 minutes. Add salt, pepper, lemon zest, basil leaves, and vegetables. Cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Final Mend
by Angela Smith

A recovering alcoholic, Jake Inman has found a new, healthier addiction: training for his successful triathlon career. But when his manager is murdered and beloved goddaughter kidnapped, another obsession takes hold: doing whatever it takes to find Brandon’s killer and keep Amy safe. Jake turns to a private investigator for help in solving the case, and though he finds temptation in her whiskey-colored eyes, he knows he must resist his attraction, or risk losing his heart.

After a devastating case, Winona Wall has turned her back on her skills as a private investigator, preferring a quiet life as a part-time bartender. That is, until Jake storms into the bar, demanding her help in tracking his missing godchild. Unable to resist Jake’s charm, she reluctantly agrees. But even after Amy is found unharmed, Jake insists Amy’s mother was more involved with her kidnapping than the police suspect. When the situation takes a turn for the worse, Winona must trust her instincts in order to save them all - and avoid falling in love.

Buy Links: 
Amazon:  http://ASIN.cc/B00KI2EYKW 
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Angela_Smith_Final_Mend?id=FG-fAwAAQBAJ
Crimson Romance: http://www.crimsonromance.com/crimson-romance-ebooks/crimson-romance-book-genres/romance-suspense-novels/final-mend/ 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22081601-final-mend?from_search=true 
Other links listed at www.loveisamystery.com/my-books

About the Author:
During her senior year in high school, Angela Smith was dubbed most likely to write a novel, and that has been her dream ever since her mother read Brer Rabbit to her and her sister so often that they were able to recite it back to each other before actually learning to read. She’s always enjoyed stories about the adventure of love, and getting involved in the legal field developed her love of suspense. A certified paralegal, work gives her perfect fodder for her romantic suspense stories. When not caring for her small farm or spending time with her husband of two decades, she enjoys off-roading, crafting, reading, and dreaming of the places she’ll visit one day. 

Angela Smith LOVES talking to readers. You can contact her in the following ways:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAngelaSmith 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/angelaswriter 
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7173505.Angela_Smith 
Website: http://www.loveisamystery.com 
Blog: http://www.loveisamystery.com/my-blog
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/authorangelasmith 
Email: angela@loveisamystery.com 
Google+: https://plus.google.com/104911226706379689979/posts?partnerid=gplp0 
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/asmithauthor/ 
Crimson Romance: http://www.crimsonromance.com/crimson-romance-ebooks/crimson-romance-books-by-author/angela-smith/