Rhonda, thanks so much for taking part in this ‘booking and cooking’ interview. First up, the book part, then we’ll get to that wonderful recipe for Broccoli Cheese Casserole.

My first question: Beginning, middle, or end? What part of a novel is your favorite part to write?
I admit to loving the end.  Why? Two reasons, the first being whatever the issue – it’s resolved and the second being – I’m almost done writing. LOL.

If you could be any character in fiction, whom would you be?
Wow, that’s an interesting question. I thought about all my favorite books and decided I didn’t want to be any of the characters because they are either very wounded or so complex they need therapy, so I opted for one of my favorite mystery gals  – Vernetta Henderson from Pamela Samuels Young’s books – Murder On The Down Low being my favorite in the series.

Given a choice, would you go see a movie or read a book?
Read a book, read a book, read a book.

If you were a type of food, what type of food would you be?
A piece of chocolate candy. I’m turning into one at this point. Chocolate with nuts.

In the news story of your life, what would the headline say?
Today’s headline would read: Local woman realizes her dream of being published.

What is the best advice you ever received?
“You can do anything you set your mind to.” – my mother.

Please share a favorite recipe.
My favorite and my family’s favorite of mine is my Broccoli Cheese Casserole. It’s very easy to make.

BROCCOLI CHEESE CASSEROLE

• 1 head of broccoli
• 1 can cream of celery soup
• 2 eggs
• 4 oz. Cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (or just 8 oz of cheddar)
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 med. onion, chopped or 1 tbsp of onion powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs

Lightly steam broccoli and set on paper towel to dry. Once broccoli is dry,  chop it.  (I don’t use the stems). Mix everything except cracker crumbs and butter. Pour in sprayed or buttered 1 1/2 quart casserole dish or a 13 x 9 pan. Melt butter and mix with crumbs. Spread crumbs over the top of the dish. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Yummy!

Thanks for having me, Linda.

You’re so welcome, Rhonda. Thanks for sharing.

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Rhonda McKnight is the author of the novel, Secrets and Lies (Nov. 2009). She also owns Legacy Editing, a free-lance editing service for fiction writers and Urban Christian Fiction Today, a popular Internet site that highlights African-American Christian fiction.

About her new novel, Secrets and Lies:
Faith Morgan is struggling with her faith. Years of neglect leave her doubting that God will ever fix her marriage. When a coworker accuses her husband, Jonah, of the unthinkable, Faith begins to wonder if she really knows him at all, and if it’s truly in God’s will for them to stay married.

Pediatric cardiologist Jonah Morgan is obsessed with one thing: his work. A childhood incident cemented his desire to heal children at any cost, even his family, but now he finds himself at a crossroads in his life. Will he continue to allow the past to haunt him, or find healing and peace in a God he shut out long ago?

Read more about Secrets & Lies on Rhonda’s Web site.

I just got back from the Big-W, shopping for Christmas dinner. This year I decided to skip the whole turkey and go straight for the meat of the matter—the turkey breast.

I plan to adapt a recipe I found online. Here we go …

Ingredients

• 5 strips turkey bacon
• 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon dried sage
• 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 (5 1/2 to 6-pound) whole turkey breast, rinsed and patted dry

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a shallow roasting pan or baking dish with aluminum foil.

Cook the bacon in a medium skillet until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of the rendered bacon fat separately. When the bacon has cooled, chop it finely and transfer to a small bowl. Add the garlic, sage, rosemary, oregano, thyme, butter, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Using a small spoon, mix thoroughly to combine and form a paste.

Using your fingertips, gently loosen the skin on both sides of the turkey breast so that it is separated from the flesh. Divide the herb paste in half and gently spread half between the skin and flesh on each side of the breast. Season the outside of the turkey breast with the remaining teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Brush the turkey all over with the reserved bacon fat. Place prepared turkey breast in the prepared pan and roast, uncovered*,  1 hour to 1 hour and 10 or 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 minutes before carving into thin slices. Serve with the pan drippings.

*If you use a meat thermometer, it should registers 165 degrees F. Remember to insert it into the deepest portion of the breast.

If you try this one, I’d love to hear from you.

My mama makes the best homemade biscuits in the world. She throws some ingredients in that bowl and mashes them around. A few seconds later (a slight exaggeration) there’s a pan full of biscuits.

All kidding aside, watching my mother make biscuits by hand is magical. And eating them is divine. Mine, on the other hand, are only really good.

Got a good Southern biscuit recipe? Ok, then. Show me your biscuits. Here are mine.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 Tablespoons raw sugar
• 1/4 cup butter (1 stick) softened at room temperature
• 2 Tablespoons sour cream
• Soy milk: about 1/3 cup
• Flour: enough to cover the kneading board

You’ll also need a butter knife for cutting the biscuits and a rolling pin or tall drinking glass (which can be used as a rolling pin, in a pinch). Be sure to butter and flour your utensils to keep them from sticking to the dough.

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Grease a 9×12 baking pan or cookie sheet
• Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
• Using a potato masher or your hands, cut, mash, and squish the butter into the mixture, until it’s nice and crumbly
• Stir in the milk and sour cream slowly. You may need all of the milk or even a little more, depending on your altitude. The dough should be only slightly sticky. If it gets too sticky, add a touch more flour. If you have lots of unused flour mixture in the bowl, add milk by the tablespoon until all the mixture has been incorporated.
• When you have a nice ball, transfer the dough to the kneading board.
• Knead the dough for up to 3 minutes, adding a little flour if the ball gets sticky
• Pat the dough ball down into a rectangle.
• Roll to about 1 inch in thickness
• Cut into squares (2-inch or 3-inch)
• Transfer to the baking pan or sheet
• Bake for 10-12 minutes

Let them cool (if you can) and serve with pumpkin butter, apple butter, honey, jam, molasses …

You get the idea.

Note: if you choose not to use the sour cream, add more milk.