by Jennie Lucas, author of Virgin Mistress, Scandalous Love-Child (Harlequin Presents, June 2009)
In my new book Virgin Mistress, Scandalous Love-Child , Ellie Jensen discovers she’s pregnant by her Brazilian billionaire boss-just hours before she’s supposed to marry another man!
What’s a girl to do? Pregnancy cravings can already be so intense, even before you add that kind of stress onto it!
I know. I gained 60 pounds with each baby. I craved everything: chewy-crunchy, sweet-salty, chocolatey, peanut-buttery. It’s not just a question of flavor, but texture. With my first baby I feverishly searched every grocery store in the valley looking for a specific ice cream flavor called Chubby Hubby (which proved to be fairly prophetic, as my loyal husband put on pounds to make sure I never weighed more than he did), which is a blend of smooth chocolate ice cream and salty peanut-butter pretzels.
Anyway, in honor of Ellie Jensen, I’ve created what I believe is the ultimate Pregnancy Craving Brownie. All the ingredients are of the ready-made, put-it-together quick variety-for the pregnant mom-on-the-go, or any hungry woman who might at any moment be unexpectedly kidnapped to a lavish penthouse in Rio.
Here’s my original recipe, in an I Heart Presents exclusive!
Ellie’s Sinful Brazil-Nut Brownies
- 1 regular box brownie mix (appx 1 lb 2 oz)
- Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box
- 1 container ready-made chocolate frosting
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- ½ cup chopped Brazil Nuts (mixed nuts or peanuts are also good)
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 cups Corn Chex (or any plain corn or rice cereal to add crunch)
1. Heat oven to 350°. Grease 13×9 pan. Make and bake brownies as directed on box, using water, vegetable oil and eggs. Allow to cool for an hour for easier frosting. (Or at least 30 min., if you can’t wait that long!)
2. Frost brownies with chocolate frosting. Sprinkle with Brazil nuts and butterscotch chips.
3. Put peanut butter and chocolate chips into a microwavable bowl and microwave on high for about a minute. Stir until smooth. Mix in cereal. Spread the mixture over frosted brownies. Stick into the fridge to cool for an hour, or until you can’t wait any more and just have to eat some-NOW!
I hope you will love these as much as I do. I made them last night, and I’m furtively eating them for breakfast right now with my coffee, hiding them from my kids who are dutifully eating oatmeal. (Moms can be sneaky when inspired!)
Warning: these brownies are as addictive and rich as a dark Brazilian’s hot kisses.
Jennie
In the seductive heat of Rio during its Carnaval, Ellie succumbs to her dangerously charismatic boss, Diogo Serrador. But, having taken her virginity, the Brazilian billionaire wants nothing more to do with her—until he discovers she’s pregnant!
Diogo will accept nothing less than taking Ellie as his bride. Their marriage is passionate by night, but tense and empty by day. Ellie realizes that she’s in an impossible situation: Diogo’s dark past has frozen his heart, but she’s fallen in love with her husband….
Recipe sounds delicious Jennie! It’s terribly ironic that I just posted this blog with a package of brownies on my desk waiting to be eaten! No brazil nuts or anything extra though, just the basic two-bite brownies from the grocery store.
~Amy
Jennie Lucas you are a wicked wicked woman
!
x Abby
Amy, hi! And any kind of brownies can be tasty, can’t they? Are they still on your desk or have you succumbed to temptation? Thanks for posting my blog for me!
Abby, about me being wicked–you have no idea. I actually wrote this post a few days ago, then discovered to my horror that I’d eaten HALF of the pan. In a panic, I gave the rest to our babysitter. But it was too late. I literally gained three pounds from this. So now I’m paying the piper with long walks on the treadmill, and trying to be good–ugh. I’m the one eating oatmeal now!
Seriously, take my warning to heart everyone! These brownies are addictive! Do not eat them unless you’re prepared to put on a pound or two (or sixty, if you’re pregnant!).
xx Jennie
Jennie, they sound delicious, thank goodness I don’t live near you. I’d be in your kitchen every day. Might be worth pretending to be pregnant to cover the weight gain. Two batches = twins.
They’re still on my desk, but the package is certainly lighter than it was this morning….
~Amy
Sarah, you made me laugh! I wish you did live nearby. Not only would it be good for my waistline to share the brownies and cookies, I would love to chat with you about books. You are such an amazing writer–the term mad skillz comes to mind. Maybe some of that would pass to me via osmosis. Ah well, hopefully I’ll see you in London in September. (And this time I plan to have a voice so we can actually talk!)
I envy new Presents writers Lynn Raye Harris and Kimberly Lang, who live so close they can frequently meet. Just picturing all those martini lunches sounds fabulous.
And Amy–you’re a woman of iron willpower.
Jennie, you don’t need any help from me – I opened Virgin Mistress, Scandalous Love-Child last week intending to restrict myself to a chapter a night because I had a deadline looming, but the beginning was so brilliant I was totally hooked. Needless to say I read the whole thing in one sitting, because I needed to know how the heroine extracted herself from that hideous mess. Brilliant!
Jennie the recipie sounds divine – I’m going to have to try that one!
Virgin Mistress, Scandalous Love-child was really, really good – enjoyed it so much.
Okay – off to gather up Brownie ingredients!
Rachael
Jennie, how totally evil of you!!! I skimmed the recipe. I refuse to read it. *gg* But I DO have Virgin Mistress, Scandalous Love-Child on the TBR pile! I will not refuse to read that.
Yes indeed, lunch with Kimberly is always a fun time. Fortunately, she doesn’t bake brownies. That I know of….
Martinis! That’s what our lunches are missing, Lynn. Silly us.
And I do make brownies — but mine have a cream cheese swirl
I think I might give Jennie’s a try though. (After conference. I need to fit into my clothes!)
Oh Jennie, I think if I make these brownies, I’ll soon have to pretend I’m pregnant:-)) Bad girl!
But a very big congratulations on your Borders/Waldenbooks #1! Brownies aren’t the only thing this gal can cook up:-))
Sarah, WOW! Thank you! That means so much, especially coming from you, one of my fave authors!
Rachael, I hope you liked the recipe! Let me know how much you gain. *g* I’ve almost lost the 3 pounds now, so naturally I’m fantasizing about the six pieces of brownie that I secretly stashed in the freezer. The pieces the kids don’t know about and my husband doesn’t either. Because they’re MINE.
Lynn, hi! Great to see you! Hope you like Virgin Mistress, Scandalous Love-Child! Good luck finding time to read it in between all your glamorous, star-studded lunches with Kimberly.
Kimberly, I’m tempted to FedEx you a couple batches of brownies. I’ve met you in person, and you’re beyond willowy–you’re slender as a Hollywood starlet. I think you could use some fattening up to be honest. But I’ll force myself to resist, so you can fit into all your size-0 conference clothes.
Trish, gaining guilt-free weight is definitely a huge perk of being pregnant. But losing the weight is the sucky part of being a mom! (Along with getting no sleep, of always having to cook and clean, etc.) Thanks for the congratulations! What a thrill it’s been! Thanks for being the one who encouraged/dared me to write these stories in the first place! Big hugs!
Jennie–those sound fabulously sinful. YUM!
By the way, I just finished your Italian Prince, Wedlocked Wife yesterday, and talk about a fun, fairytale romance. Loved it. Thanks for the escape!
Okay, everyone here knows how much I (heart) Jennie, right?
(Spanx, my friends. They are the best invention EVER!)
Michelle, it’s great to see you! Thanks for your nice words about Italian Prince, Wedlocked Wife! Hope you’re going to DC next month…?
Kimberly, you made me laugh. I (heart) Jennie….haha! I second your praise of Spanx. Will definitely be wearing them to conference myself, especially after the brownie debacle. Oh, and the super-sized Cadbury milk chocolate bar with Crunchie bits and, oh, about a million other kinds of imported chocolate that are stashed in my kitchen. (Imported chocolate has no calories, they’re left behind in their home country. Too bad for you, Bournville UK!)
Jennie–yes, I’m definitely going to be in D.C….hope to see you and other folks there!
I am an absolute nut for Cadbury’s Picnic Bars. And no, they don’t have any calories, since they were all left behind in England.
Jennie, I am very late posting because I just finished your book last night. Its the best book I’ve read lately. Its evident you did extensive research to make the reader feel as if she is in Rio. I loved the use of vivid colors to describe the sunset/sunrise as it reflected the mood of the story. The beginning is so gangbusters with action, I couldnt put it down, so clever. ususally books with someone with a crush on a man out of their class seem to drag for a while but this story got right with it into passion. I think it should be nominated for an award-so well written, great pace, & tension/passion between the hero/heroine. I loved it! I will be looking forward to your next book.