Dark Chocolate Zucchini Bread

This chocolate zucchini bread is dense, moist, and has a decadently rich chocolate flavor. I started out with this recipe and did a little fiddling. I scrapped the honey and increased the brown sugar. I used butter where they called for oil. And I doubled the amount of vanilla and espresso powder. If you don’t have espresso powder or instant coffee, leave it out, but the coffee really enhances the chocolate flavor. The loaf doesn’t taste a bit like coffee, I promise. 

Dark Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (also called black cocoa)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder or instant coffee granules
• 2 cups grated zucchini (about 2 medium zucchinis; do not wring out the liquid)
• 1 cup dark chocolate chunks (or semi-sweet baking chips)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees and grease a 9” x 5” loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Mix together the melted butter and the brown sugar until smooth and glossy. Add the eggs and vanilla. Stir until fully incorporated.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and espresso powder. Add to the butter mixture and stir well. Batter will be very thick.
4. Using a sturdy spoon, mix the zucchini and chocolate chunks.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread batter into all corners of the pan; smooth the top evenly. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the loaf cool for 15 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Serve warm or room temperature.

I'd like to say... WELCOME FALL! And I hope you'll consider my book entitled Mountain Laurel. 

“Oh, Yeah, people, it's a keeper!!!” ~Kindle Reader Review

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Alabama White Sauce #Recipe by @Donna_Fasano

Alabama White Sauce is delish! I’ve also heard this called White BBQ Sauce. Whatever you call it, it’s yummy—creamy, spicy, sweet, sour. It’s a luscious sauce that you NEED to try at your next outdoor barbeque. Smear it on chicken, beef, pork, fish, grilled veggies… it’s good on everything.

Alabama White Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 cup full fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon jarred creamy horseradish
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions: 

1.    Place all ingredients into a medium size mixing bowl. Blend with a wire whisk until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.

2.    Pour sauce into a mason glass jar, screw on the top tightly, and store in the fridge for up to a week.

3.    Use the sauce on grilled chicken, pork, fish, or vegetables.

 

About the author:

Donna Fasano is a USA Today Bestselling Author of over 40 sweet romance, contemporary romance, and women’s fiction novels. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. 

Last Chance for Bargain Books ~ #99cents

 Grab These Deals While They Last!

Get this 3-Book Bundle for just 99 cents!

Romance Beach Bundle 1 - Nanny and the Professor, Taking Love in Stride, and Mountain Laurel

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Kindle price is 99 cents!

Paperback is 46% off regular cover price. Currently $3.78.

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Quotes About Truth by @Donna_Fasano

Authentic communication relies on truth. Lies are easy and often more comforting than honesty; however, truth builds trust, and trust allows us to live in peace. Offering truth is treating others with dignity and respect. Here are some wonderful quotes about truth.

“Truth is like a lion; it needs no defense. Let it loose. It will defend itself.” ~St. Augustine

“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.” ~Buddha

“Truth is powerful and it prevails.” ~Sojourner Truth

“There is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness, and truth.” ~Leo Tolstoy

“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember what you said.” ~Mark Twain

“A single lie discovered creates doubt in every truth.” ~Unknown

“Beware of the half-truth. You may have gotten hold of the wrong half.” ~Unknown

“If you tell the truth, it becomes a part of your past. If you tell a lie, it becomes a part of your future.”  ~Unknown

“Anyone who doesn’t take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones.” ~Albert Einstein

“The truth will set you free. But first it will piss you off.” ~Gloria Steinem

“Hell is truth seen too late.” ~Thomas Hobbes

“The truth will set you free.” ~Jesus (John 8:32)

“Speak the truth even if your voice shakes.” ~Unknown

 

“In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ~George Orwell

 

“Truth costs nothing while a lie could cost you everything.” ~Unknown

 

“In our struggle for freedom, truth is the only weapon we possess.” ~Dalai Lama

 

“Wisdom is found only in truth.” ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

 

Do you have a favorite quote about truth?

This month I'm offering 2 books on sale for 99¢ each. One is a 3-book bundle, the other is a stand along story from my Ocean City Boardwalk Series. Enjoy! Simply click the cover to go to the Kindle Store.

About the author: Donna Fasano is a USA Today Bestselling author. Learn more about her at her website: DonnaFasano.com. 

Quotes About Spring by @Donna_Fasano

I have environmental allergies, so when Spring pollen hits, I suffer. However, once the pollen phase of the season is over, I am happy and my spirit sings. Spring means the end of the long, cold, dark winter. Spring means new beginnings. Spring means sunshine and a warm weather. Spring means flowers and colors and beauty.

Here are some wonderful, uplifting quotes about Spring:

“Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil.” ~Bishop Reginald Heber

“The beautiful spring came, and when nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also.” ~Harriet Ann Jacobs

“Spring is nature's way of saying, ‘Let’s Party!’.” ~Robin Williams

“Spring adds new life and new beauty to all that is.” ~Jessica Harrelson

“Spring will come and so will happiness. Hold on. Life will get warmer.” ~Anita Krizzan

“It’s Spring Fever. That’s what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want—oh, you don’t quite know what it is you want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” ~Mark Twain

“The earth laughs in flowers.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I wish you a beautiful spring… (with little-to-no pollen!)

If you’re looking for a light, fun read, I have a few romance novels that are selling for 99¢ each. I also have a cookbook that under a buck! I hope you’ll look for them:

A Beautiful Stranger – Book 1 of A Family Forever Series

An Honorable Man – Book 1 of the Black Bear Brothers Series

The Single Daddy Club: Derrick – Book 1 of The Single Daddy Club Series

Dangerous Memories – Romantic Suspense

Her Fake Romance – Fun, Witty Contemporary Romance

Cooking In All Directions – Some of my favorite recipes

Click here to find my bookthat made the USA Today Bestsellers List.

Click here to go to mywebsite.

Click here to follow me onFacebook.

Click here to follow me on Twitter. 

Bargain #SweetRomance Novels #99cents

 Your Last Chance to Grab April Deals!

"Mom, get a life!"

Her teenage daughter's words were daunting. True, struggling single mom Julia Jones hadn't had a date in over a decade, but she could still catch a man–if she needed to! So Julia, who claimed not to want a husband, found herself entangled in a fake romance.

Ryan Shane was tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome. And he just so happened to need a no-strings date himself. Their plan was perfectly thought out. Until a conveniently staged good-night kiss turned into very inconvenient passion…

Her Fake Romance contains bonus material that includes several delicious recipes! Save $3 now! Get this ebook for just 99¢!

US Kindle  *  UK Kindle  *  iBooks  *  Nook  *  Kobo

~  ~  ~  ~  ~

Let's Talk Snacks! 100 Calories or Less by @Donna_Fasano

 Let's face it, we all overeat now and then. Whenever I overindulge, I do what I can to get myself back on track as quickly as possible. Here’s a list of my go-to snacks when I’m focused on sticking to 1200-1400 calories per day:

1. 1 cup frozen seedless green grapes – 65 calories    
2. 1/4 cup wasabi peas – 100 calories
3. 1/2 cup of slow-churned ice cream – 100 calories
4. 2 stalks celery (about 7” long) and 2 tablespoons hummus – 100 calories
5. 30 goldfish crackers – 100 calories
6. 1/2 cup of cottage cheese and a small wedge of cantaloupe – 100 calories
7. 2 tablespoons PB2 spread on 1/2 granny smith apple – 90 calories (PB2 is powdered peanut butter that is 80% fat free. Mix 2 tablespoons PB2 with 1 tablespoon water.)
8. 1/2 of a medium-sized baked potato and a heaping tablespoon of salsa – 100 calories
9. 8 baby carrots – 100 calories
10. 2 Tablespoons PB2 spread on 2 stalks celery – 66 calories
11. 1 cup of tomato soup – 75 calories
12. 1/2 banana (sliced and frozen) dipped in 2 teaspoons dark chocolate chips (melted)  – 100 calories
13. 1/3 cup Greek Gods Vanilla Honey yogurt – 96 calories
14. 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce sprinkled with cinnamon – 75 calories
15. Banana smoothie – blend 1/2 a banana, 1/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt, and a handful of crushed ice – 100 calories
16. 2 long pretzel rods dipped in 2 teaspoons yellow mustard – 77 calories
17. 1/2 cup steamed edamame (shelled) with a splash of soy sauce – 100 calories
18. 16 cherry tomatoes sliced in half, 1/8 cup crumbled feta cheese, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice – 95 calories

What are YOUR go-to snacks when you’re trying to get your diet and your weight back on track?

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This month, I'm celebrating St. Patty's Day by offering A REASON TO BELIEVE to Kindle readers for just 99¢. You save $3 off the regular price of this Irish fairy tale.

A Real Fairy Tale

It seems like a grand idea, temporarily trading her pixie wings for a womanly form to help handsome widower Paul Roland with his baby girl. And the moment she holds the precious bairn in her arms, Fern knows true happiness for the first time.

But Fern never anticipates the dizzying emotions she feels for the man who not only needs her as a nanny, but as a woman whose passion can heal his wounded heart. Suddenly the forbidden fairy rule she gently bends because of the baby is in danger of being irrevocably broken.

Some things are meant to be…

About the author: Donna Fasano is a USA Today Bestselling author. Learn more about her at her website: DonnaFasano.com.

Naan Recipe (without Yogurt) by @Donna_Fasano

Using a few simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand, you can make delicious, light, and chewy flat bread. Many Naan recipes use yogurt, but I rarely have plain yogurt in my fridge. So, I’ve come up with this recipe. I hope you’ll give it a try.

Naan Recipe

Ingredients

·        1/3 cup warm water

·        1/2 teaspoon sugar

·        1 teaspoon instant yeast

·        2 cups all-purpose flour

·        1 1/2 tsp salt

·        3 tablespoons almond milk or plain milk

·        1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

·        1 tablespoon olive oil + some extra for brushing

Instructions

1.    In a mixing bowl, combine water, sugar, and yeast. Cover and let it stand for 10 minutes at warm place.

2.    In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, milk, vinegar, olive oil, and the yeast mixture.

3.    Stir to combine until dough comes together. Knead for about 5 minutes until dough is smooth and silky.

4.    Divide the dough into six equal pieces. Roll each piece in a ball. Cover dough balls with a damp cloth and let rise for 1 hour. 

5.    Heat a large skillet over a medium-high heat.

6.    Use a rolling pin to roll the dough balls into flat ovals that are 1/4-inch thickness. Place an oval into the heated skillet. Cook the Naan bread until it begins to bubble and turn golden. Flip the bread and cook the other side. Brush with some olive oil. Repeat the process until all 6 of the Naan is cooked. Serve warm.

 

February Sale

This month, I’m offering SECOND CHANCE VALENTINE for just 99¢. You save $2.

 

As teens, Josie and Alex met under golden sunshine, frolicked in the surf and sand, and fell head over toes in love. But circumstances arose that ruined their one glorious summer, and Josie fled Ocean City with a broken heart.

Now Josie’s grandmother is ill and needs help with the family business, a thriving harbor-side diner called Joe’s Place. So after more than a dozen years, Josie returns to her hometown only to discover she has a 180 pound problem—Alex is the Kitchen Commander at Joe’s Place. Surely, Josie can work with Alex to keep the diner going and retain her dignity until her grandmother is back on her feet. However, when Alex’s little girl starts scheming, not a single heart will be safe against the twelve-year-old matchmaker.

This book contains bonus recipes from Joe’s Place!

About the author: Donna Fasano is a USA Today Bestselling author. Learn more about her at her website: DonnaFasano.com.

Enjoy An At-Home Spa Day @Donna_Fasano

The hectic holiday season is upon us. Please don’t forget to take care of yourself. Here are 3 easy, DIY facial masks that will make you feel less stressed and very pampered. 

Easy Papaya Mask

What you will need:

1 Ripe Papaya

Warm Water

Cut a slice from the papaya and remove the seeds and the fruit. (Save the fruit for a snack; the pulp of the papaya fruit contains two enzymes, papain and chymopapain, that are great for digestion.) Rub the inside of the peel on your clean face, focusing on the area around and under the eyes (crow’s feet), around the mouth (smile lines), and the forehead (frown lines). Don’t forget your neck and the backs of your hands. Let the fruit juice to sit on your skin for 20 minutes. Rinse with cool, clear water. Gently pat the skin dry.

Easy Yogurt Mask

What you will need:

1 tablespoon Greek yogurt, plain, unsweetened

2 teaspoons olive oil

Yogurt contains lactic acid which diminishes fine lines and wrinkles and tightens skin and shrinks pores. Olive oil soften and hydrates skin. Mix together the yogurt and the oil. Smooth onto face, neck, and the back of hands. Let the mask sit on skin for 5 to 10 minutes. Rinse with warm, clear water. Pat dry.

Soothing Honey Mask

What you will need:

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Honey is a humectant which means it helps the skin retain moisture. It’s also an anti-bacterial that will has healing properties. Apple cider vinegar balances the skin’s pH and sooths damaged skin. This is a good mask for adult acne. Mix together the honey and the vinegar. Smooth over face. Allow mask to sit on face for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse with cool, clear water. Gently pat dry.

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I have reduced the price of all three of my Christmas stories for the month of December. I hope you’ll take a look. Oh, and YOU could give me a wonderful gift this holiday season… if you’ve read my Christmas stories and you’ve enjoyed them, please take a moment to leave a review. Good reviews help new readers find my books. Thank you! And HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you and yours!

 

GROWN-UP CHRISTMAS LIST is available for:

Kindle  *  Nook  *  Kobo

 

 

AN ALMOST PERFECT CHRISTMAS is available for:

Kindle

This book is available for Kindle Unlimited Readers!

 

 

HER MR. MIRACLE is available for:

Kindle

 

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Bargain-Priced eBooks #SweetRomance #99cents

 Last Chance for October Bargains!

Laurel kidnaps her younger sister and whisks her off to the mountains in an effort to make her see reason. But dealing with the rebellious teen is a bigger job than Laurel imagines and her plan quickly goes awry. Then one handsome forest ranger named Michael shows up just in the nick of time!

Save $3 by purchasing Mountain Laurel for only $0.99. Limited Time Offer.

Kindle

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 On sale for 99 cents, three dollars off the regular price, 

through November 6 2021.

Amazon

B&N

Kobo 

Apple 
 

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Bargain Sweet Romances for #99cents

 Grab a 99¢ Deal Today!

MADE IN PARADISE ~ 99¢ for a limited time only

Save $3! Choose your #Kindle Store:

US: http://amzn.to/2nsgtxi #Ad

UK: http://amzn.to/2nFpp3w

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What readers have to say:

"... left me smiling long after I read the book."

"Loved this sweet story..."

This title is also available for Kindle Unlimited members.

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Love Sweet Holiday romance?

Grab your copy of Candleglow and Mistletoe today!

Only 99 cents for a very limited time. (U.S. Residents only)

Also available in ebook, paperback, large print paperback, audiobook, and Hardcover.

Gabriel's Atonement

Vickie McDonough

All Gabriel Coulter ever wanted was to live a comfortable life as a successful gambler, but a confrontation with a disgruntled cowboy who’d just lost his monthly pay to Gabe leads to a family man dying in his arms. Even though it was self-defense, the only way Gabe knows to get rid of his guilt is to return the money he won to the man’s wife. 

Lara Talbot sees Gabe as a derelict like her husband and wants nothing to do with him--not even the much-needed money he's offered her. But as she struggles to provide for her family and makes plans to claim property in the upcoming Oklahoma land rush in hopes of finally having a permanent home, she wonders if God might have sent the meddling man to help.

99 cents for a limited time / Free on KU

https://amzn.to/3hLyOUB

7 Items People Forget to Pack for a Trip to the Beach

It’s August! In my neck of the woods, that means hot, sunny days at the beach. Can you imagine that 40% of the people who were asked when they pack for their trip to the beach answered “the night before”?  The night before! That last-minute scramble to toss thing into a suitcase means there are always stuff that’s forgotten. Here’s a list of the top 7 items people forget to pack for a trip to the beach.

7. An Extra Bag for Souvenirs. Do yourself a favor and pack an extra tote for to carry home your souvenirs—t-shirts, sweat shirts, beach towels, salt water taffy, delicious fudge, buttery caramel popcorn. Believe me, you’ll need an extra tote!

6. A Book to Enjoy. Relaxing on the beach is the very best place to enjoy a beach read. Hardback, paperback, or e-book; it doesn’t really matter. There is nothing like turning those pages while digging your toes in the sand.

5. Comfortable Walking Shoes. Taking a long walk on the beach can wreak havoc on the soles of your feet. Blisters are not fun. Pack an old pair of comfortable walking shoes and enjoy that stretch of sand.

4. Beach Umbrella. Sitting in the blaring sun starts off kinda nice. But after an hour or so, the shade of a beach umbrella will be a great relief.

3. Sunglasses. Protect your eyes! The sun’s rays are stronger near the water and sand due to reflection. Grab a pair of sunglasses and protect yourself from those UV rays.

2. Toothpaste. It sounds crazy, but people brush before leaving the house and forget their toothpaste. Keep a couple of travel-size tubes ready for any trips you might take.

And the most forgotten item???

1. SUNSCREEN. Yikes! Sunscreen comes in a wide variety of SPFs. When planning your trip to the beach, choose the sunscreen that’s right for you and toss it into your suitcase. Your skin will thank you!

Have I got a Beach Read for you!

ROMANCE BEACH BUNDLE 1 is on sale for just 99¢! You save $7 off the regular price of this 3-book bundle. Here’s what readers have to say about the sweet, clean bundle of books:

“I enjoyed all three. The characters were funny romantic and delightful. I would read this author again.” ~Rosemary, Kindle Reader

“I really enjoyed reading each of these books. Each had excellent story lines and drew me in from the first page.” ~Ruby B, Kindle Reader

Click here to get ROMANCEBEACH BUNDLE 1 for just 99¢

About the author:

Donna Fasano is a USA Today Bestselling Author of sweet romance, contemporary romance, and women’s fiction. Learn more about her at her website. Sign up for her newsletter by clicking here.

FREE and Bargain-Priced eBooks #SweetRomance

 Grab a Free or Bargain Book Today!

FREE June 16th - 20th! Free! Free! Free!

Nothing can make Native American Mat Makwa give up being a New York City police officer… except one little girl—all alone in the world—who needs a father. Returning to his Kolheek reservation to take on the safer job of sheriff of this small, close-knit community, he never expects his heart might be in danger to school teacher Julie Dacey.

Although the books in this series are stand-alone novels, reading the books in order will offer the most enjoyable experience. Titles in The Black Bear Brothers Series:

An Honorable Man, Book 1 - FREE Today!

Woman of His Heart, Book 2

Healing Chay, Book 3

~  ~  ~

Sweet Contemporary Holiday Romance Kindle Countdown.

On sale for only 99¢! (U.S. only)

Sweet Peppermint Kisses

There’s no place like home. Until the heart gallops off in an unexpected direction…

Also available in paperback, Large Print Paperback, Audiobook, and Hardcover.

The beloved first book in the Rainbow Rock series is now on sale:

99 cents through June 22. Get yours now!

In time for her ten-year class reunion, Meg Taylor is lured back to the tiny town in northeastern Arizona where she suffered through high school. Overweight, step-daughter to the principal, she was anything but popular. Now she’s slim, attractive, and accomplished—but wary of all she once knew.

Except for Jim. “Little Jimmy” McAllister was one of her best friends. Ten years have changed him, too. (No one calls him “little” anymore!) He always cared about Meg and seeing her again enhances those feelings. He wants her to stay, permanently, but Meg, the daughter of a serial-marrying mom, can’t imagine herself in “happily ever after.” What will it take to change her mind and bind her heart to him?

*Ride the Rainbow Home is the first in a series of twelve sweet romances set in quirky Rainbow Rock, Arizona, a fictional town in the magnificent Four Corners region, verging on the Painted Desert and the Navajo Nation. Updated in a new, revised, 2021 edition, it heralds the re-release of this beloved series. Visit the author's website, susanaylworthauthor.com, to learn how to get the prequel FREE.

One Marshal. Three Brides—no, make that four!

Three mail-orders brides arrive in Lookout, Texas, each expecting to marry the town marshal--but Luke Davia didn't order a bride. Much to Luke's chagrin, the mayor insists one a friendly contest to discover which bride will make Luke the best wife, but on the pie-making contest day, there is a surprise fourth entry--an anonymous one. Mayhem occurs as the whole town tries to figure out who the anonymous bride is, and the mayor pressures Luke to pick a bride or lose his job. Will Marshal Davis tuck tail and run for the hills? Or will he lose his heart and his bachelorhood? 

Available on Amazon

Ebook is on sale for $2.99 (Regular price $4.99)

Paperback is $14.99

Free on Kindle Unlimited

Review by GH:

"I went to great lengths to get my hand on this book. It was completely worth every penny I spent. This book was everything I'd hoped it would be and more. The storyline was engaging, and I enjoyed every character - even the bad ones. The time and the place was key to the charm of the story, but the best part of the plot was just reading every detail as it unfolded. I will be re-reading this book many times in the coming years."