Snow on the Bayou: A Tante Lulu Adventure (27 page)

Dear Readers:

Many of you have been begging for a new Tante Lulu story. How did you like this one?

When I first started writing my Cajun contemporary books back in 2003, I never expected Tante Lulu would touch so many people’s hearts and funny bones. Over the years, readers have fallen in love with the wacky old lady (I like to say, Grandma Moses with cleavage). So many of you have said you have a family member just like her; still more have said they wish they did.

Family… that’s what my Cajun/Tante Lulu books are all about. And community… the generosity and unconditional love of friends and neighbors. In these turbulent times, isn’t that just what we all want?

You should know that
Snow on the Bayou
is the ninth book in my Cajun series, which includes:
The Love Potion
;
Tall, Dark, and Cajun
;
The Cajun Cowboy
;
The Red Hot Cajun
;
Pink Jinx
;
Pearl Jinx
;
Wild Jinx
; and
So Into You
. And there are still more
Cajun tales to come, I think. Daniel and Aaron LeDeux, and the newly introduced Simone LeDeux. What do you think?

For more information on these and others of my books, visit my website at www.sandrahill.net or my Facebook page at Sandra Hill Author.

As always, I wish you smiles in your reading.

1 pound dried red kidney beans

½ pound bacon

1½ cups diced onions

1 large bell pepper, chopped

1 cup chopped celery

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons butter

1 pound boudin sausage (smoked sausage can be substituted or ham hocks)

2 quarts water (more if needed)

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to start, add more if you want)

Tabasco sauce, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 cups cooked white rice

Thinly sliced scallion for garnish

Soak the beans overnight in a covered pot or bowl of water. In the morning drain and set in a cast-iron pot or a slow cooker.

In a frying pan, sauté the bacon until it is done but not crispy. Add the Holy Trinity of Cajun cooking (onions, bell pepper, and celery) and the garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are soft and add to the beans. Put the butter in the same frying pan, and add the sausage, which has been cut into chunks. Brown the sausage and add that to the bean pot.

Add at least 2 quarts of water so that the bean mixture is covered. Simmer for 2 hours, uncovered. You will probably need to add more water.

Add as much cayenne as you want, and leave Tabasco on the table for those who dare. Salt and pepper to taste, as well.

Serve over white rice. Garnish with the thinly sliced scallions. Six to eight hearty appetites will be satisfied with this dish.

“Some like it hot and hilarious, and Hill delivers both.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“A hysterical, fast-moving page-turner, and the sexy love story between Caleb and Clair make it an absolute must-read.”

—RoundtableReviews.com

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—
RT Book Reviews

“Hilarious… The characters are colorful and vibrant, coming alive with every turn of the page… Packed full of humor and adventure, sizzling SEAL sex, and enough romance to touch even the coldest heart… A real pearl.”

—ARomanceReview.com

“[Hill is] the queen of humorous contemporary romance… The laughs keep coming… The audience will appreciate this zany Keystone State caper.”

—
Midwest Book Review

“For a hilarious good time, readers can’t go wrong with a Sandra Hill book.
Pearl Jinx
is loaded with charm, smart-alecky dialogue, adventure, and an endearing set of characters… Hill’s signature style shines through.”

—SuspenseRomanceWriters.com

“Sandra Hill writes stories that tickle the funny bone and touch the heart. Her books are always fresh, romantic, inventive, and hilarious.”

—Susan Wiggs,
New York Times
bestselling author

“4 Stars! A hoot and a half! Snappy dialogue and outrageous characters keep the tempo lively and the humor infectious in this crazy adventure story. Hill is a master at taking outlandish situations and making them laugh-out-loud funny.”

—
RT Book Reviews

“With this comic contemporary romance’s great plot, witty dialogue, humorous asides, and quirky characters, readers will be impatient for book two.”

—
Booklist

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—RomRevToday.com

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“Sandra Hill is the queen of comedic love stories… Fans of lighthearted, jocular, modern-day novels will as always appreciate Ms. Hill’s wild sea ride.”

—
Midwest Book Review

“Hill’s thigh-slapping humor and thoughtful look at the endangered Louisiana bayou ecosystem turn this into an engaging read.”

—
Publishers Weekly

“A brimming romance for people who like to laugh [and] people who like to cry.”

—
Booklist

“Hill will tickle readers’ funny bones yet again as she writes in her trademark sexy style. A real crowd-pleaser, guar-an-teed.”

—
Booklist
(starred review)

“A pure delight. One terrific read!”

—
RT Book Reviews