Carrie Sinclair thought she knew exactly what she wanted from life until she came face-to-face with the bluest eyes in Texas.
Caterer Carrie Sinclair thinks she has the perfect life and doesn’t need a man to complete it. Her pudgy kitty Max is the man in her life, and that’s enough for her. Then, quite by accident, she comes across the man of her dreams. Tyler Bennedict is perfect boyfriend material: Charming, sweet, rich, and incredibly sexy. No matter that he’s made it clear he’s not looking for a serious relationship. One night in his arms, and all her usual warning bells about men go silent.
She should have listened to those bells, and to Aunt Mable. Enter Tyler’s real estate tycoon father, Richard. He makes it relentlessly clear she is not the woman for his son, and comes up with creative ways to keep them apart until Carrie sees the light.
In one fell swoop she swears off all men, closes her business, and gets out of Austin. But no matter how far and how fast you run, the unexpected bumps in the road have a way of revealing the truth and turning your life””and your heart””a complete 180.
Carrie Sinclair is the quirky leading lady in my book – The Things You Think You Want. In the story, Carrie runs her own catering business which is booming even if her romance to Tyler is not.
So I thought I’d feature some of Carrie’s recipes throughout the day. Enjoy!
Grilled Maple Chipotle Pork Chops on Smoked Gouda Grits
Ingredients
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can
6 (1 1/4-inch-thick) bone-in pork loin chops
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Smoked Gouda Grits
(see receipt below)
Preparation
Whisk together first 4 ingredients, and set aside.
Sprinkle pork chops evenly with salt and pepper.
Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 155°, turning once. Baste with half of barbecue sauce mixture the last 5 minutes of cooking or when meat thermometer registers 145°.
Spoon Smoked Gouda Grits evenly onto 6 serving plates; top each with a pork chop, and drizzle evenly with remaining barbecue sauce mixture.
Yield
Makes 6 servings
Smoked Gouda Grits
Buy a 7-ounce wheel of smoked Gouda cheese to get the right amount.
This recipe goes with Grilled Maple Chipotle Pork Chops on Smoked Gouda Grits
Ingredients
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 cups uncooked quick-cooking grits
1 2/3 cups shredded smoked Gouda cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Preparation
Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually whisk in grits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until thickened. Add cheese and butter, stirring until melted.
Yield
Makes 6 to 8 servings
WINE SUGGESTION
Concha y Toro, Xplorador, Merlot, Chile
Eborae Vitis e Vinus, Alentejo Chaminé,
Portugal (exceptional value at around $7)
Pepperwood Grove, Merlot, California
Biltmore Estate, Reserve Claret
Rancho Zabaco, Dancing Bull, Zinfandel, California
All the best…
Mary Eason
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