Bar Bites: A Man of the Month Cookbook Read online

  Bar Bites

  A Man of the Month Cookbook

  SHORT STORIES & SLICES OF LIFE BY

  NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR

  J. KENNER

  RECIPES FROM USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

  SUZANNE M. JOHNSON

  Bar Bites: A Man of the Month Cookbook Copyright 2018

  J. Kenner Recipes Copyright 2018

  Suzanne McCollum Johnson ISBN: 978-1-948050-08-1

  Published by Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are the product of the author's imagination and are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is solely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  INTRODUCTION

  WINTER

  JANUARY

  Mashed Martinis

  Lobster Rolls

  Lemon Icebox Pie Shots

  Dirty Martini with Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives

  FEBRUARY

  Mushroom Spinach Risotto Balls

  Veggie Puff Pizza

  Lasagna Rolls

  Americano with Candied Orange Slices

  MARCH

  Skillet Buffalo Dip with Homemade Tortillas

  Veggiedillas with Avocado Dipping Sauce

  Honey Sriracha Chicken Tacos

  Bloody Mary with Candied Bacon

  Slice of Life: Reece & Jenna in "All I Need"

  SPRING

  APRIL

  Cobb Deviled Eggs

  Highball Caesar

  Cashew Chicken Wrap

  Sparkling Pineapple

  MAY

  Cheeseburger Fries

  Southwest Rolls

  Pimento Cheese Poppers

  Jalapeno Margarita

  JUNE

  Fried Green Tomatoes with Sriracha Mayo

  Philly Cheese Dip with Mini Pull-Apart Bread

  BBQ Bacon Chicken Pineapple Kebabs

  Fizzy Watermelon

  Slice of Life: Nolan & Shelby in "One More Night"

  SUMMER

  JULY

  Fried Pickles and Pickled Okra

  Catfish Bites with Loaded Hushpuppies

  Brisket Sliders

  Blueberry Mint Julep

  AUGUST

  Smoked Salmon Dip

  Boom Boom Shrimp

  Mini Crab Cakes with Lemon Mustard Sauce

  Pinot Punch

  SEPTEMBER

  Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots

  Pretzel Bites with Beer Cheese Dip

  Farmhouse Sliders

  Loaded Corona

  Slice of Life: Spencer & Brooke in "Don't Let Go"

  FALL

  OCTOBER

  Game Day Wings

  Reuben Sliders

  Corn Dip Fritters

  Candy Corn Jell-O Shot

  NOVEMBER

  Country Fried Steak Bites with Gravy

  Sausage Biscuits with Black & Blue Jam

  Pumpkin Pie with Cinnamon Whipped Topping

  Spiked Apple Cider

  DECEMBER

  Butternut Squash Soup

  Cranberry Turkey Melt

  White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

  Poinsettia

  Short Story: Eric & Tiffany in "Just A Kiss"

  Other Books by J. Kenner

  Other Books by Suzanne McCollum Johnson

  Introduction

  When I first envisioned the Man of the Month series, the initial spark of inspiration centered on friendship. Specifically, a group of friends who band together to try to save The Fix on Sixth, their favorite bar, by putting on a Man of the Month calendar contest.

  As I got into plotting the series, though, the friendship aspect really came to the forefront. It wasn't just about the bar, it was about each other. Friends falling in love. Friends helping each other through tough times. Friends joking and teasing. And the circle of friends continually expanding as new characters came into the mix.

  And, of course, there was eating and drinking. Which led to this cookbook. (Because, hey, friends, eating, drinking. It's the perfect trifecta, right? And it only gets better when you throw books into the mix!)

  But all of that brings me full-circle back to the concept of friends. This time not fictional ones, but real ones. Because it's my real life friends, starting with the amazing Liz Berry, who truly made this cookbook happen.

  I met Liz years ago, and after Release Me came out, she asked me to be part of Evil Eye's 1001 Dark Nights publishing program. Since she's awesome and the idea behind 1001 is brilliant (created by Liz and MJ Rose together), I eagerly said yes.

  From there, much like in the stories, the friendship expanded. Through Liz, I met cool folks like her husband, Steve Berry (excuse me while I have a fan girl moment), and her sister, Suzanne M. Johnson (who co-authors this cookbook and is amazing), and a slew of authors who've became friends. In some cases, I became reacquainted with authors I'd known for years, but had previously known mostly as an acquaintance. Liz has a gift for bringing people together and acting as a midwife (she'll probably hate that word-too bad!) for an author's creation of stories!

  One of the authors I already knew, but got to know better, was the inimitable Lexi Blake, one of my absolute favorite people. Since meeting again through Liz, we've hung out together on vacations and retreats, worked together on projects such as Rising Storm and the Lexi Blake Crossover Collection (my story is Justify Me). And with this cookbook, I'm doing her the dubious honor of basically saying, "That's awesome! I want to be you and do it, too!"

  You see, a few years ago, a group of authors were hanging out at Liz's place in Florida, and she introduced us to her sister, Suzanne. Now, Suzanne is as warm and wonderful as she can be, full of Southern hospitality and all that good stuff. So I would have adored her no matter what. But folks, that woman can cook. Like seriously. Like I gained a pant size on that trip. A-Maz-Ing.

  It turns out that Lexi had known Suzanne for a while, and they had been working with Liz on Master Bits & Mercenary Bites (it's great; go one-click. I'll wait).

  During that trip, Suzanne used us as guinea pigs for some of those recipes. Did I mention the pant size? Yeah, it was all that good.

  Fast forward to me planning the Man of the Month series. I have a calendar that goes along with the series (twelve books, twelve hot guys!) and because the owner of the The Fix, Tyree, is also a chef, I thought a cookbook would be fun. And since I thought that Master Bits & Mercenary Bites was the best thing ever, I made a phone call...

  Thankfully, both Liz and Suzanne thought the idea sounded fabulous! And the result is this cookbook, with slices of life from characters in the series, and a whole new short story featuring two characters who've been lusting after each other, but never got a book! Now they do!

  So huge hugs to Liz and Suzanne and Lexi... and all the friends in that circle. And also to all the readers of the series who've gotten drawn into the world of The Fix on Sixth. Thanks for making the characters your friends!

  XXOO

  J. Kenner

  January ~ February ~ March

  JANUARY

  Mashed Martinis

  Martinis and mashed potatoes, you ask? Why yes! What better way to jazz up a boring potato than to serve it in a martini glass. The delicious toppings make this a stunning side for a great steak or a showpiece appetizer for any occasion.

  MASHED POTATOES

  8 large baking potatoes, pe
eled and quartered 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted 1 tablespoon salt 1/2 cup milk

  1 teaspoon pepper

  In a large pot of boiling water, add the potatoes and boil for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain potatoes and place in a large bowl. Add the butter, milk, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Mash with a potato masher or fork. Scoop potatoes into your favorite martini glass and top with desired topping below.

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  Garlic Parmesan Shrimp

  4 tablespoons butter 1 pound jumbo (16-20 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 cloves minced garlic 1 tablespoon flour 1 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

  In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and add the shrimp and garlic. Saute for 3 minutes or until the shrimp are pink, but not completely cooked through. Sprinkle the shrimp with the flour and stir to make a roux. Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring constantly until thickened. This will take about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. To serve, place shrimp over mashed potatoes and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

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  Filet and Blue Cheese

  4 (4-6 ounce) filet mignon steaks 1 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons Montreal steak seasoning 1 teaspoon salt

  4 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese 1 tablespoon flour

  Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Rub steaks with steak seasoning. In a medium iron skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon oil. Sear steaks on each side for 2 minutes. Place steaks in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until a meat thermometer reaches 145 degrees for medium rare. Remove steaks from the oven and place on a cutting board. Tent with foil and allow steak to rest for 10 minutes. Place iron skillet over low heat with steak drippings and melt remaining butter and oil. Add flour and stir to make a roux. Slowly add heavy cream, salt and pepper. Stir until thickened. Add blue cheese and stir until combined. Thinly slice filets and place over mashed potatoes. Top with blue cheese sauce.

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  Bacon and Cheddar

  1 pound bacon 2 tablespoons flour 1 cup milk

  2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

  Slice bacon into 1 inch pieces. In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook bacon pieces until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease. Return skillet to low heat and add flour. Stir until a roux forms. Slowly add milk and stir until thickened. Add cheddar cheese and stir until combined. Top mashed potatoes with cheddar sauce and sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

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  Lobster Rolls

  9 lobster tails, cooked and cut into 1 inch pieces 1 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup mayonnaise Juice of 1 lemon

  1/4 cup chopped parsley 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning 8 hotdog buns

  8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted

  In a large bowl, combine the lobster, celery, mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley and Cajun seasoning. Brush each hotdog bun on the inside with melted butter, fill with lobster and serve.

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  Lemon Icebox Pie Shots

  1 (6 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed 2 (8 ounce) containers frozen whipped topping, thawed 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1 box Nilla wafers 24 shot glasses

  In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, combine lemonade concentrate, 1 container whipped topping and sweetened condensed milk. Place wafers in a large resealable bag and crumble, using a rolling pin. To build pie shots, place 1 tablespoon of crumbled wafers on the bottom of each shot glass, then add 1 tablespoon lemon filling, followed by 1 tablespoon of whipped topping. Sprinkle with crumbled wafers.

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  Dirty Martini with Blue Cheese Stuffed Olives

  2 ounces Grey Goose vodka 1/2 ounce dry vermouth 1/2 ounce olive juice 2 queen green olives, unstuffed 1 tablespoon blue cheese

  Mix vodka, vermouth and olive juice in a cocktail mixer with 3-4 ice cubes. Pour into a martini glass. Stuff olives with blue cheese and place on a toothpick. Serve with martini.

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  FEBRUARY

  Mushroom Spinach Risotto Balls

  2 tablespoons butter 2 cups sliced mushrooms 1/2 cup diced Vidalia onion 2 cups Arborio rice 1/2 cup white wine 7 cups chicken broth 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste 1 box of frozen spinach, thawed and drained 2 cups all-purpose flour 4 eggs

  4 cups panko breadcrumbs

  6 cups oil, for frying

  MUSHROOM RISOTTO

  In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt one tablespoon of butter and add the mushrooms. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and set aside. Add the other tablespoon of butter to the same saucepan over low heat and add the onion. Cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add rice, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, then pour in wine and stir for an additional 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of chicken broth to the rice and stir until absorbed. Continue this process until all the broth has been added and the rice is tender, approximately 25-30 minutes. Never quit stirring. That's the most important part. Remove from heat and stir in the mushrooms and 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread risotto on a large cookie sheet, cover and refrigerate overnight.

  TO MAKE BALLS:

  Combine mushroom risotto, 1/2 cup Parmesan and spinach in a large bowl. Roll into 1 inch balls and coat with flour. Place on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or deep fryer to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. In a separate medium bowl, add the panko breadcrumbs. Remove the balls from the refrigerator and dredge each one in the egg then panko breadcrumbs. Place 4 balls at a time in the oil and fry 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

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  Veggie Puff Pizza

  1 package (2 sheets) puff pastry 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon oil

  1 cup sliced onion 1 cup sliced baby bella mushrooms 1 cup sliced bell pepper (red, yellow or green) 1 cup basil pesto 4 Roma tomatoes, sliced 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Unfold each pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface. Roll sheets out into a rectangle and place on separate greased baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. While the pastry is baking, heat butter and oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add onion, mushrooms, and bell peppers and saute until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Spread 1/2 cup basil pesto over each pastry sheet and top with tomatoes, sauteed veggies and mozzarella cheese. Bake for 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted. Slice and serve.

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  Lasagna Rolls

  1 pound ground beef, cooked and drained 1 (45 ounce) jar of your favorite marinara sauce 12 lasagna noodles 1 (32 ounce) container ricotta cheese 1/4 cup basil pesto 1 egg

  1/2 cup grated Parmesan 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine beef and marinara sauce. Cook noodles according to package. Drain and place noodles flat on parchment paper. Combine ricotta cheese, basil pesto, egg and Parmesan cheese in a medium bowl and spread evenly on noodles. Place half of the marinara sauce in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Roll noodles with cheese mixture from end to end and place on top of sauce. Spread remaining meat sauce over rolled noodles and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.

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  Americano with Candied Orange Slices

  2 ounces Campari

  2 ounces sweet vermouth 2 ounces club soda

  Candied orange slice (Click here for recipe.)

  Pour first three ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with 3-4 ice cubes. Shake well and pour into a cocktail glass. Garnish with Candied Orange Slice.

  CANDIED
ORANGE SLICES

  1 navel orange 1 cup water

  3/4 cup granulated sugar

  Thinly slice orange, discarding the ends. In a medium saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil, stirring to combine. Add orange slices and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove slices and place on wax paper. Cool completely before adding to Americano.

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  MARCH

  Skillet Buffalo Dip with Homemade Tortillas

  2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 (16 ounce) bottle blue cheese dressing 1 (16 ounce) bottle buffalo wing sauce (1/2 bottle for a milder taste) 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

  Combine the first 3 ingredients with a hand mixer. Add shredded chicken and cheddar cheese and stir until blended. Pour mixture into 4 (3 inch) iron skillets or ramekins. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with Homemade Tortillas. (Click here for recipe.)

  HOMEMADE TORTILLAS

  8 (6-inch) flour tortillas

  2 tablespoons oil

  1 teaspoon ranch seasoning

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each tortilla into six triangles. In a medium bowl, toss tortillas, oil, and ranch seasoning until coated. Place chips on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with Skillet Buffalo Dip.

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  Veggiedillas with Avocado Dipping Sauce

  4 tablespoons butter

  1/4 cup water

  1 cup sliced onion