Dish The Pie With Monique and guest...KD Harp #RomCom #AuthorInterviews & Forgotten Cookies

Dish The Pie With Monique and KD Harp

Please help me to welcome my first guest to Dish The Pie. KD Harp is here to share her favourite pie recipe and to tell us a little about her latest RomCom What a Tangled Wed.

Hello and welcome, KD. Love the title, by the way, but before we go any further I have to ask…

Do you like desserts? What is your favourite and would you share the recipe with us?

A favorite dessert, do people have a favorite? At this time of year, gluten-free, lactose free, versatile, super easy FORGOTTEN COOKIES would be high on the list.

Family lore is they get their name because it’s a meringue based fluff you stick into the oven and ‘forget’ overnight. Nothing like their visual cousin, divinity, these are light as air, melt in your mouth delights; The Krispy Kreme doughnut of the cookie world. They are the cookie yin to rich fudgy Mississippi Mud yang and look great displayed against darker confections on giveaway platters.

Easy, easy, easy, and if you’re handy with a piping bag, you can fit it with a large tip and pipe out fancypants swirls. Use your still hot oven as it cools down from prepping dinner, and you’re not just baking cookies, you’re doing it in an eco-friendly way.

The original recipe called for regular sized toll house morsels and chopped nuts, but we’ve found over the years this base supports 2 cups of whatever inclusion you want to add. You can divide the base into a cereal bowl to make several kinds in one sitting, great for getting a variety of flavors for small households (…or photoshoots). Smaller mix-ins (mini-morsels, mini M&M’s, chopped candy) give the final cookie a rougher exterior texture and crunchier mouthfeel than whole sized M&M’s, Craisins, or toll house chips.

Monique: Sounds delicious! And here is the recipe.

Photo: K.D. Harp

FORGOTTEN COOKIES

the official dessert of KD Harp’s What A Tangled Wed

Preheat oven to 350F (175C)

BEAT two egg whites until stiff. (While you’re waiting, line a cookie pan with wax paper. I make Martha Stewart’s chocolate babka with the leftover yolks.)

Add 1/8 teaspoon (heavy pinch) of salt.

Gradually add 2/3rds cup (150grams) white sugar.

Beat a couple minutes, until stiff peaks form.

This makes a brilliant white, sweet, and neutrally tasting base.

Choose up to 2 cups (454 grams+/-) of mix-ins.

Original recipe: half tollhouse morsels, half chopped pecans.

Things that work great: M&M’s, mini M&M’s, chopped Andes mints, chopped peppermints (the soft melt puffed kind, not the hard candy cane type)

Things we haven’t tried yet: Craisins, chopped peanut butter cups, Skittles.

(If you wish to tint the base, do it while whipping, not at the fold in stage.)

FOLD in your mix-in. Drop by soup spoonful on wax paper. (The shape it falls is the shape it bakes)

Into oven. OVEN OFF! Read a good book and ‘forget’ it for

a couple of hours minimum.

Created by Crystal Swan for Dish The Pie With Monique

Bakes best on a clear, non-rainy day but does well even in the humid South. Stores very well in airtight container; theoretically for weeks if, like Mom, you’re good at hiding them from human predators. If you use butter or spray oil instead of wax paper, you’ll be able to taste it. When done with high volume sugar substitutes like Splenda or stevia, the result is not as sweet, and flatter.

Monique: KD, have you ever eaten pie for breakfast? If so, what was it?

KD: I went pie crazy one Thanksgiving all homemade; traditional apple-walnut oat, chocolate chip pie, pecan pie, chocolate pecan pie, a low-fat low-cal chocolate pudding pie along with my mother-in-law’s pumpkin chiffon pies. You know how normal families scramble for turkey casserole recipes for leftovers on Friday night? We had pie for breakfast! It was great, but the BEST pie I had for breakfast would be pizza pie, at my brother’s apartment, when we were all fresh out of college. I’d totally forgotten that, until you asked. Thanks for bringing another fond moment to mind!

Monique: My-oh-my! That’s a lot of pie. I love pie, but I couldn’t face that much pie. My hat off to you.

Monique: How important is humour to you?

KD: Humor is second to God’s presence for emotional survival to me. I’ve endured abuse, chronic illness and just this past year, found myself writing romantic comedy while mourning the sudden loss of my brother to brain cancer, (the same brother who inspired the book!) To say this took more courage than anticipated is a gross understatement. Grief has its place and serves us well, but being able to find humor, or miracle of miracles, actually laugh, gave me tangible hope to the promise that I’ll make it through each trial.

Monique: I’m so sorry for your loss, KD. Sometimes tragedy helps us to appreciate the humour in life.

Monique: How often do you laugh?

KD: Everyday, and I may be missing some of the Official Good Mom things in life, but when we were dining out, my son mentioned we were the only table in the place busting out in laughter, so I’m doing something right! We can fixate on what’s wrong, or seek whatever joy we can find. The choice is ours. It’s not always easy, but it’s always ours.

Monique: Snap! My family is exactly like that… Laughter wherever we go. Wise words, KD. Yes we can choose whether to keep our joy or allow someone to take it.

Monique: Which movie is your all-time favourite? The one you watch so often you know every line?

KD: Hands down, THE PRINCESS BRIDE! Here are several characters enduring trial and not letting go of their sense of humor, nor their intelligence, not for a second. Each is serious about their devotion to others, without taking themselves too seriously. What’s not to love?

Monique: This is my husband’s all-time favourite movie, too. 

Monique: Love is a leap of faith. When do you think is the perfect moment to say “I Love You” for the first time? Do you believe in playing safe and waiting for the person you’re dating to say it first? Or are you happy to say it as soon as you feel it?

KD: These are not words I toss about casually. I had to say it once I was reasonably certain I was in love and we were alone. Exact words: “You’re not obligated or anything, but you should know I think I’m in love with you.” It just wasn’t fair to be getting so attached to someone, without him knowing the stakes on my end. He needed to know who was sitting across from him, and be able to walk out ASAP if it wasn’t what he wanted instead of continuing unaware, thinking I was still at a less invested level. I knew what I wanted, but love does not demand its own way. He needed the freedom to choose me, as I chose him.

Monique: I agree. I Love You is not to be thrown around lightly. LOL, I just love your opening speech. But you didn’t tell us…did he run, or did he stay? Did he say it back?

KD: Thanks so much for inviting me to stop in, and for providing a great excuse to make some cookies!

Monique: It was a joy to spend time with you, KD. I hope you made enough cookies for everyone…

WHAT A TANGLED WED

Pierce Grayson, Engineering Genius, a man who repairs disaster zones as easily as most make a cup of coffee, just destroyed his only shot at True Love. 

A string of hopeful Mrs. Graysons (who take the term "chained to my desk" a bit TOO literally), make the billionaire appreciate the rare intelligence and selflessness of gifted muralist Allison Stanford all the more. (Allison's a woman so loyal, she's willing to humble herself in the World's Most Ridiculous Maid Of Honor Outfit at the wedding of the season for an impish little sis with an axe to grind. It's a fashion disaster but worldly wise Pierce is smitten by her golden heart! 

True Love is off to a good start but when Pierce gambles their fledgling relationship to win a bet for charity, he messes up big time. He admits he made mistakes, but a woman like Allison's too rare to give up on without giving it his best shot. Pierce drops everything to pull out all the stops, creating the ultimate fantasy apology date with no detail left to chance. Allison deserves the works; limos, Lear jets & luxury dining. It's the perfect weekend, a chance to make good and reset their affections, but Allison's the one woman he's met whose love can't be bought, and he's read her ALL wrong!

Pierce arrives, flowers in hand ...and faces off with an angry grandmother guarding Allison's threshold (and her heart). When he pleads his case, Mema takes a fancy to the lovelorn engineer. Deciding he requires special education on women in general (and Allison in particular) before he can earn a second chance with her granddaughter, Mema puts Pierce through his paces. Suddenly the man who helps OTHERS for a living is in need of aid! The feisty granny teaches the multinational CEO a thing or two about negotiations, parlaying a brief tutoring session into a free, extended, 5 star French vacation with ALL the perks.

Allison trails after them to protect her 'helpless' grandma from whatever scheme Pierce must have in mind, but from the Georgia coast, to the French countryside, from the glitter of Dubai to the exotic streets of Nepal, Mema puppet masters the two headstrong young hotshots into Happily Ever After before they know what hit them.

(With only minor damage).
If Pierce and Allison were half as smart as everyone thinks they are, they'd just surrender to Mema's will from the start. When they don't, it's a wild, laugh out loud ride on the romance train; or, as Mema would say, "trickier’n carvin' a turkey with three dogs underfoot".

 

Pierce shook his head and smiled. “Now you’re telling me to gear up.”

“Don’t you need to?”

“Well yes--.” But no one tells me to. I’m the boss.

I never introduced myself. Maybe she doesn’t realize….Maybe that’s why she’s so relaxed with me.

“Can you find gear?”

“Yes, thanks.” Pierce coughed and blinked. His sore throat told him she’d hit the mark, even if he’d been too absorbed in other things to notice. In the fog of fatigue and the press of decision making, the city’s heavy toxic haze, and his body’s reaction to it, slipped by him. I should gear up or I’ll be no use to anyone. “Thanks.”

“You need sleep.”

Pierce grinned. “Oh do I?”

“A guy like you didn’t get this far making dumb mistakes.” He could picture the grimace in her tone. “…not that you are now.”

Pierce laughed. “Yes, I am, and you’re right, I do need sleep.”

“I didn’t mean for it to come across like that.”

“It came across like you’re observant and empathetic.”

“Oh.” The levels of relief reflected in a single syllable were like a strong Southern accent, full of extra layers, all of them smooth and soothing. “Then I did mean to come across that way.”

“Thank you, for everything.” Pierce hesitated. He didn’t mean just for being good at her work. “It’s grim here, and our chat’s been a positive diversion. …Almost like I know you.”

“Well, you’d better! You’ve heard me talking while eating peanut butter, and been able to understand me.”

The lights of the U.N. base glimmered like home away from home, an island of hope in the midst of destruction, but second to the warmth this woman instilled. Max, you deserve a raise. I needed this. You’re right. It couldn’t wait. He wanted so much to say, ‘Call me Pierce’, but that’d let the cat out of the bag.

You can grab your copy of What A Tangled Wed from Amazon or from KD Harp Books. 

Native Atlantan K.D. Harp enjoys world travel, volunteering, and educating non-Southern folk about the appropriate use of the phrase "Bless his heart," the original meaning of which has NOTHING to do with sarcastically calling someone a sucker or dimwit, and is properly used to imply a 'there but for the Grace of God' sentiment. 

Bored and dismayed by the trend in fiction to equate genuine love with the pale imitation of lust without personal investment, K.D. portrays people of character engaged with a world that lacks it. When they do it without losing the physical passion and sense of humor God would give to them, it's a total win.

The Georgia State University B.B.A grad has no patience for dumb protagonists, and true to form, most of her female leads will MacGyver their way out of some sort of situation whether it's jury-rigging a flamethrower with kitchen supplies or finding new uses for a fire extinguisher to escape an inferno. K.D.'s been recognized by international competitions/organizations as an American Christian Fiction Writers’ GENESIS semi-finalist, placed 4^th in the Hook. Line & Sinker! Awards and listed on the “Most Popular Authors” list on Goodreads!) 

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Find chapter samples, memes, newsletter subscription, social media, and international purchase links at: http://www.kdharp.com

KD: P.S. Pierce and Mema devour a cruelly decadent triple layer dark chocolate ice cream bombe while Allison lurks in sweaty, bug-infested bushes surveilling them. (Taste of Home: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/triple-layer-ice-cream-bombe ) It’s also pinned under WHAT A TANGLED WED’s research page on my Pinterest account.