1. Sweet Treats & Sweet Reads
Cooking Your Way to Romance
Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove Cookbook
Susan Mallery’s Fool’s Gold Cookbook
Wendtland, Carl. Cooking Your Way to Romance
All Time Classic Romance
Mitchell, Margaret Gone With the Wind
Bronte, Charlotte Jane Eyre
Bronte, Emily Wuthering Heights
DuMaurier, Daphne Rebecca
Austen, Jane (any!)
Romance and Passion Classics Continued
Waugh, Evelyn Brideshead Revisited
Hurston, Zora Neale Their Eyes Were Watching God
Classics by Decade: 1930’s – 1950’s
Heyer, Georgette Regency Buck
Seton, Anya Dragonwyck
Stewart, Mary Madam, Will You Talk?
Classics by Decade: 1960’s – 1970’s
Whitney, Phyllis The Haunted Pool
Plaidy, Jean The Princess of Celle
Woodiwiss, Kathleen The Flame and the Flower
Sweets Series
Kauffman, Donna Sugar Rush
Kauffman, Donna Honey Pie
Love Before Cupcakes?
Ross, Jennifer The Icing on the Cupcake
Evans, Misty and Giordano, Adrienne Stealing Justice
Devon, Cat Sleeping with the Enemy
Solid Chocolate
Roberts, Sheila Better Than Chocolate
Greene, Jennifer Blame It on Chocolate
Inspirational Cakes
Byrd, Sandra Let Them Eat Cake (French Twist Series)
Wedding Cakes = Romance
Mallery, Susan Falling for Gracie
Roberts, Nora Savor the Moment
Solving a Murder While Planning a Wedding

2. Collins, Kate Seed No Evil
Dunnett, Kaitlyn Bagpipes, Brides and Homicides
Laurie, Victoria Deadly Forecast
McKevett, G.A. Buried in Buttercream
Page, Kathryn Hall The Body in the Boudoir
Robb, J.D. Immortal in Death
Swanson, Denise Murder of a Stacked Librarian
Small Town Weddings
Admirand, C.H. A Wedding in Apple Grove
McClane, Luane Wildflower Wedding: A Cricket Creek Novel
New Amish Romance + Mystery Series
Chapman, Vannetta Murder Simply Brewed
Sweet Valentines
Thomas, Jodi et al Be My Texas Valentine
Macomber, Debbie Be My Valentine
Sassy Valentines
A Red Hot Valentine’s Day
Diamond Playgirls
Valentines Gone Wrong
Crusie, Jennifer Be Mine
Gibson, Rachel The Trouble With Valentine’s Day
Davidson, MaryJanice et al Valentine’s Day is Killing Me
Action and Romance
Clare, Jessica Girl’s Guide to (Man) Hunting (2nd
in series)
Spear, Terry A Highland Werewolf Wedding
Historical Names to Know
English, Christy How to Tame a Willful Wife
Fresina, Jayne
MacLean, Sarah
James, Eloisa
Heath, Lorraine
Michaels, Kasey
Teen Romance Breaks Hearts
Charbonneau, Joelle The Testing
Elkeles, Simone Perfect Chemistry Trilogy
Cabot, Meg All-American Girl
Cass, Kiera The Selection
Derting, Kim The Body Finder
Cooney, Caroline Janie Quintology
Ideas for Cakes and Other Delicious Bites

3. Pink Checkerboard Cake
Grease and flour two round layer pans, 9x1 ½ inches. Makes circle dividers for center of
pans by folding two pieces of foil, 13x6 inches, lengthwise twice, forming two strips,
each 13x1 ½ inches. Shape strips into 4-inch circle; fasten each with a paper clip. Place
a foil circle divider in center of each prepared pan.
Prepare White Cake Mix as directed on package. Divide batter in half. Tint half light
pink and blend in ½ tsp. almond extract. Fill center of foil divider in one pan with pink
batter and the outer circle with white batter. Fill center in other pan with white batter
and outer circle with pink. Batters should be level. Remove foil dividers and bake as
directed on package. Cool.
Edible Blarneystones
Make cupcakes from your favorite mix, according to package directions. Cool. Frost all
over with fluffy fosting. Cover with green tinted coconut.
Homemade Twinkies from http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Homemade-Twinkies-
110009
1 cup milk
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Crisco
1/2 cup cold butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 baked yellow cake
Mix flour with milk and boil until thick. (It will be very thick) Cool. Beat until fluffy and
add other ingredients one at a time beating well after each addition. Put between layers of
cooled cake. Let stand one day to develop flavor. I wrap individually in plastic wrap.
Southern Moon Pies http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Southern-Moon-Pies/Detail.aspx
By: Jody Crout "Now you can make this Southern favorite at home. Full of chocolate
and marshmallow goodness! Vanilla extract may be substituted with coconut or mint
extract."
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

4. 1 cup marshmallow creme
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
To Make Cookie Crusts: In a large mixing bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter or
margarine and white sugar. Add egg, evaporated milk, and vanilla. Mix well. In a
separate bowl, mix together flour, salt, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder.
Add flour mixture slowly to sugar mixture while stirring. Mix just until all ingredients are
combined. Drop the dough onto greased cookie sheet by rounded tablespoonfuls. Leave
at least 3 inches in between each one; dough will spread as it bakes. Bake in preheated
oven for 6 to 8 minutes, until firm when pressed with finger. Allow to cool at least one
hour before filling.
To Make Marshmallow Filling: In a medium mixing bowl, blend together 1/2 cup butter
or margarine, confectioners' sugar, flavored extract, and marshmallow creme. Mix until
smooth. Assemble pies by spreading 1 to 2 tablespoonfuls of filling on flat side of a
cookie crust, then covering filling with flat side of another cookie crust.
McCall’s Do It Party Book Petit Fours
1 pkg. white cake mix
2 egg whites
1 can. Fluffy white frosting
2 drops green food color
maraschino cherries
toasted coconut
currant jelly
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line the bottom of an ungreased 15 1/2x10 ½ x1 inch jelly roll
pan with waxed paper. Make cake as package label directs, using 2 egg whites and
amount of water specified on package. Turn into pan; bake for 25 – 30 minutes. Let
cake cool, in pan, 5 minutes. Turn out onto wire rack; remove paper. Let cool
completely. Brush off crumbs. Meanwhile, make frosting as package label directs. Add
food color to ¼ cup frosting. Cut the cake lengthwise into 5 2-inch strips.
Coconut Squares: cut a cake strop into 7 – 2 inch squares. Smoothly frost tops and
sides with white frosting. Decorate sides with coconut. In center of each, arrange 4
cherry pieces to resemble the petals of a flower.
Jelly Jewels: Cut another cake strip into 7 2-inch squares. Spread tops with currant
jelly. Then smoothly frost sides with white frosting, bringing it over top edge to make an
uneven border around jelly.
Napoleonettes: Smoothly spread top of remaining cake strip with white frosting. With
green frosting in small pastry bag, using small, straight tube for writing, pipe 3 green
length-wise stripes on white frosting. Cut Napoleonette strip into 7 2-inch squares: To
make the feather effect, pull wooden pick crosswise through the green stripes, alternating
the direction each time. Makes 37 petits fours in all.
Petit Fours Icing
9 cups confectioners’ sugar (about 2 pounds)
½ cup water

5. ½ cup light corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. almond extract
Combine ingredients in top of double boiler and heat just to lukewarm. Remove from
heat, leaving icing over hot water to keep it thin. If desired, tint part of icing delicate
pastel colors with food coloring.
Apricot-glazed Petits Fours: Follow recipe above except before glazing Petits Fours
with Icing, glaze each with apricot preserves. In saucepan, heat 1 jar (12 oz.) apricot
preserves with 3 tablespoons water; strain. Place each Petit Four on fork over saucepan;
spoon warm apricot glaze over each. Place on cooling racks; let set about 1 hour.
S’More Cupcakes: Bake Betty Crocker Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix in paper
baking cups as directed on package. Just as cupcakes come from oven, place a half
marshmallow on top of each. Put back in oven 3 to 5 minutes, or until marshmallows
soften and start to melt. Remove from oven and press a chocolate kiss in the center of
each marshmallow. Serve warm or cold.
Sugar ‘N Spice Cupcakes: Prepare Betty Crocker Honey Spice Cake Mix as directed on
package. Pour batter into paper backing cups. Sprinkle batter lightly with confectioners’
sugar, a little cinnamon (so some white sugar is still visible) and chopped nuts (about 1
tsp. for each cupcake). Bake as directed for cupcakes. Serve warm or cold.
Coconut-Jelly Cupcakes: Bake Betty Crocker Yellow Cake Mix in paper baking cups as
directed on package. Cool. Spread tops with tart red jelly and sprinkle with coconut.
Chocolate-Mint Cupcakes: Immediately after removing cupcakes from oven, top each
with a chocolate-covered mint patty. When the patty melts, spread lightly for marbled
mint frosting.
Top Hats: Cut cones from tops of cupcakes. Fill with prepared packaged pudding,
replace tops and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Good Fortune Cupcakes: Write fortunes on narrow strips of paper; fold into small
squares and wrap in plastic wrap. Cut a slit along top edge of each cupcake; insert fortune
so that a small portion shows. Frost cupcakes. If desired, decorate with “butterflies”:
Drain mandarin orange segments well; place two on frosted top of each cupcake to
resemble butterfly wings. Use thin strips of green gumdrops for the antennae.
Icing Ideas
http://www.pamelasproducts.com/royal-icing-decorated-cookies/

6. TO MAKE CONNECTING HEARTS
Work on wax paper first to get the hang of it and then decorate your cookies.
Put down the 1st layer of icing (as described above). Try natural color or a very light
colored frosting as a base. Add a drop of colored icing. Use red for hearts.
With a toothpick starting ½ inch above the dot, draw the toothpick through the dot and
continue past it a 1/2 inch. Lift the toothpick at the tail of your heart. Practice a few times
to get the hang of it. Then try a few dots in a row and repeat the process through all the
dots; that will make a chain of hearts. You can repeat the process with many rows. Go up
one row, and down the next row. Do this in different directions to get different effects.
Keep it simple if you want it to look like hearts.
TO MAKE A HERRINGBONE PATTERN
Follow directions for the hearts, but do 2 or 3 dots per row, and have at least 3 rows. Take
your toothpick down one row and back the other way on the next row, until all the rows
are done. Then start on one side, go “across” the cookie through the dots one row and
then the opposite way thru all the dots on the next row, etc. Do this until all rows are
done. You should have something that looks similar to a Herringbone pattern. Let dry
overnight before handling. The icing will be thick.

7. TO MAKE CONNECTING HEARTS
Work on wax paper first to get the hang of it and then decorate your cookies.
Put down the 1st layer of icing (as described above). Try natural color or a very light
colored frosting as a base. Add a drop of colored icing. Use red for hearts.
With a toothpick starting ½ inch above the dot, draw the toothpick through the dot and
continue past it a 1/2 inch. Lift the toothpick at the tail of your heart. Practice a few times
to get the hang of it. Then try a few dots in a row and repeat the process through all the
dots; that will make a chain of hearts. You can repeat the process with many rows. Go up
one row, and down the next row. Do this in different directions to get different effects.
Keep it simple if you want it to look like hearts.
TO MAKE A HERRINGBONE PATTERN
Follow directions for the hearts, but do 2 or 3 dots per row, and have at least 3 rows. Take
your toothpick down one row and back the other way on the next row, until all the rows
are done. Then start on one side, go “across” the cookie through the dots one row and
then the opposite way thru all the dots on the next row, etc. Do this until all rows are
done. You should have something that looks similar to a Herringbone pattern. Let dry
overnight before handling. The icing will be thick.