Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Anita Hughes gets "fresh" with us...plus a book giveaway

Anita Hughes returns to Chick Lit Central today to feature her latest novel, Market Street (reviewed here), which came out yesterday!. Her debut novel is Monarch Beach.

Anita was born in Sydney, Australia, and had a charmed childhood that included petting koala bears, riding the waves on Bondi Beach, and putting an occasional shrimp on the barbie. Her writing career began at the age of eight, when she won a national writing contest in THE AUSTRALIAN newspaper, and was named "One of Australia's Next Best Writers." (She still has the newspaper clipping.)

She received a B.A. in English Literature with a minor in Creative Writing from Bard College, and attended UC Berkeley's Masters in Creative Writing program. Presently, she lives in Dana Point, CA with her family, where she interrupts her writing to watch the glorious sunsets.

Since Market Street is all about food, we thought Anita would be a perfect addition to foodie month. And for a tasty treat of your own, St. Martin's Press is giving away FIVE copies to some lucky readers in the US and/or Canada.

You can find Anita at her website, Facebook and Twitter.

I am a great lover of fruits and vegetables - my new novel, Market Street, is about opening a food emporium in Fenton's, an exclusive San Francisco department store. It's full of descriptions of delicious local grown produce. It's not surprising then, that one of my favorite recipes involves fresh cheese and tasty vegetables.

Melted Mozzarella and Peas

Ingredients:
One heirloom tomato
One cup of steamed baby peas
Four slices of fresh mozzarella cheese
Salt
Pepper

Slice the tomato on an oven-proof plate.
Cover the tomato with a layer of peas.
Place slices of mozzarella cheese over the peas.
Sprinkle salt and pepper and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for ten minutes or until the cheese starts bubbling.
Remove and serve (preferably with a loaf of crusty sourdough bread!).

This recipe is special to me because it is my mother's recipe. I grew up in Australia and when I was six years old my mother went on a health kick - that lasted the rest of my childhood! We weren't allowed to eat sugar or sweets or meat or anything that wasn't sold at the local market. You can imagine what that was like for a child - seeing all my friends eat Good Humor Ice Cream Bars, sausage rolls and meat pies, all the normal things children ate.

Surprisingly, my mother's choice of eating brought us closer as a family. She made sure we had the most exotic fruits - mangos, melons, grapes, peaches, the most delicious nuts - Brazil nuts, Macadamia nuts, Walnuts, Almonds. And she tried dozens of recipes to find dishes that enticed us.

Whenever I make Melted Mozzarella and Peas, I think about my mother. And I always laugh when I see my children do exactly what I did: stand in front of the oven and watch the mozzarella cheese turn golden brown and bubble. Eating is about family and a great recipe is one that makes your children smile!

Thanks to Anita for sharing her delicious sounding recipe with us and to St. Martin's Press for sharing Market Street with our readers.

How to win Market Street:
Please comment below with your e-mail address. (Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your Facebook page or blog if  you can receive messages there.) 

Bonus entries (can be listed all in one post):
1. Please tell us: What is a food you didn't want to try for a long time, but once you did, you liked it?
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)

5. Follow us on Twitter and/or Pinterest.
6. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.


US/Canada only. Giveaway ends April 2nd at midnight EST.

38 comments:

GoGreen said...

Email found clicking on Blogger icon.

1. I never ate tomatoes as a kid, but now like them as an adult.

2. Am a blog follower.

3. Posted contest on Twitter.

4. Am a FB member of CLC.

5. Following on Twitter (@greenurlifenow)



Bonnie

Book Mama said...

That recipe sounds yum. I can't wait to make it.

A food that I didn't try for a long time but loved once I tried it was artichoke hearts. I now put them in everything :)

I follow this blog

I posted this contest on my FB

I am a member of CLC on FB

I follow CLC on Pinterest

I added Melinda Garza to the FB CLC page

mengel2@nycap.rr.com

rubynreba said...

1. I would never eat broccoli but after I did, I really liked it.

2. I follow your blog.

3. Facebook follower.

pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Margie said...

Book sounds very intriguing. Thanks for the giveaway.
-I didn't like asparagus when I was younger, but now I do
-email subscriber
-GFC follower
-Facebook fan

Jessica said...

1. This is a hard question because I'm not very adventurous with food. I don't try new things very often. I'm a very picky eater. I really can't think of anything! I'm so stubborn and I won't eat anything if it doesn't sound good to me.
2. I follow this blog through GFC.
3. I tweeted this giveaway. https://twitter.com/xxpaperhearts/status/317000985593655297
4. I'm a member of Chick Lit Central on facebook.
5. I follow through twitter and pinterest.

Thanks!
-Jessica M
walkingcorpse11@hotmail.com

Mrs Mommy Booknerd said...

-I didn't not want to try sushi. But now there are so many kinds that I crave and LOVE! Every since then I have become way more adventureous!
-email subscriber
-GFC follower
-pinterest follower
-Facebook fan

Bonnie K. said...

When I was a kid, I didn't want to eat squid. But boy, when I did try a squid dish my mother cooked, I was in love. Now, I try many dishes with squid.

bluedawn95864 at gmail dot com

I'm a follower of your blog.

I shared on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonnie.karoly/activity/10151354031100233 and twitter: https://twitter.com/grobiemum/status/317007259546836992

I'm a member of Chick Lit Central.

I follow on twitter.

susieqlaw said...

Believe it or not...pizza!!! I never ate pizza. Whenever I went to a birthday party as a child, my Mom sent me with a sandwich. I had no interest in pizza. Several years later, I tried pizza and loved it. Now, I live near an organic bakery that makes the best pizza in the world.


I follow CLC blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

I tweeted this contest at susieqlaw

sendsusanmail at gmail dot com

Rhonda said...

Growing up we never ate avocados.I follow on email lomazowr@gmail.com &on Twitter @rhondareads will tweet.

Liza Glick said...

Would love to read the book! glickgirls@gmail.com

Linda Kish said...

I didn't eat cooked tomatoes until I was 18...no sauce on pasta at all. I now eat all sorts of pasta sauces.

That recipe sounds tasty. Now, where to find fresh peas...

I am a GFC follower

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Maureen said...

I didn't care for peppers but now eat them a lot.
I follow on GFC
twitter and pinterest
tweet: https://twitter.com/MaureenCE/status/317031281135333376
mce1011 AT aol DOT com

Sheena said...


I wasn't sure I'd like cashews but after trying them discovered how good they really are!

I follow the blog and throguh twitter and am also a member on the facebook page:)

wapneski@yahoo.com

Lisamarie said...

Brussel Sprouts...my mom would boil the heck out of them which made them smell bad which made me gag so I couldn't eat them.
Now I love them (steamed or roasted).

I'm a CLC blog follower, FB groupie & twitter follwer

tropicalsunlover05(at)yahoo(dot)com

Rita Wray said...

I grew up in Australia so when I first moved to the US I didn't like any Mexican Food.

Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

Read Baby Read said...

I would never eat cranberries as a child, but I love cranberries now.

I follow your blog.
I follow on FB and Twitter (@lilmommareader)
I RT'd this post

And...my email is
Mellsimons at gmail dot com
My blog is
Lilmommareader.blogspot.com

Love you guys!
Melody

Jennifer said...

Brussel sprouts and kale! I am obsessed with them now! I follow the blog and am a twitter follower @jennifersmeth

DarcyO said...

I didn't like tomato soup as a child, but now enjoy it.

Blog follower.

Facebook member.

Twitter follower (@darcy1956).

valleyreader(at)gmail(dot)com

EKB said...

1 Squash. I know. How lame...!!
2 blog follower
3. facebook "liker"
4. follow on pinterest

erin713 at gmail dot com
:-} thanks!!!

Stephanie said...

I finally had brussel sprouts last year and I love them.

gfc follower

Skk25@aol.com

pascale said...

two food items: brussel sprouts: cannot get enough of them and... the biggest revelation: OATMEAL! I am 52 and my parents ate oatmeal every day of their lives (and still do, so it is always being served when we visited). My 15 year old decided she wanted it and, as I made it I held my nose. But... then I tasted it and now I cannot get it out of my mind. HEalthy too: keeps you full for HOURS (which I thought was only hype).

This book sounds great.
I follow the blog and am a FB member.
pascale.poitras@verizon.net

bn100 said...

mushrooms

I follow via email.

bn100candg at hotmail dot com

Jilleen said...

Cheese Ravioli! I tried it a year ago and can't get enough of it with marina sauce!

Blog follower via email
Follow on Twitter
Follow on FB
Follow on Pinterest

Unknown said...

As a picky eater, this is a tough one. But a few months ago, I tried hummus for the first time. Now I can't get enough! The best is Trader Joe's edamame hummus. Delicious!

I follow the blog
I'm a member of CLC on Facebook
I follow on twitter

Bjoneill@hotmail.com

Kritters Ramblings said...

It took me the longest time to try a ceasar salad, and now I love them!

i follow via gfc
i am a fan on facebook
i follow via twitter
kdurham2@gmail.com

JJT said...

Thank you for the giveaway. Pecan Pie is a food I now love but resisted for years. I follow your blog, posted on Twitter and follow on Twitter (@readsalways). jtretin at aol dot com.

PoCoKat said...

1. Fish and chips

2. Blog follower

3. Posted contest to FB.

4. FB follower

littleone AT shaw DOT ca

EFC Chrissy said...

This looks like a great book and the recipe sounds good, too!

for the longest time, I didn't want to try Brussels Sprouts. You always hear the horror stories of how awful they are, and you see the shows where the kids are stuck at the table because they wouldn't eat them.

My husband and I found a new way to cook them....cut them in half, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and oregano. Roast in the oven at 350 until they are fork tender (I like them with a crunch). They are delicious!!!! Brussels Sprouts are now a regular side dish for us!

I'm a blog, twitter, facebook, pinterest follower!

everyfreechance@gmail.com

DD said...

Pad thai. Not sure why I never tried it, but when I did there was no turning back!

dawndennis66611 at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

(1) Caesar salad. I tried it because a gentleman friend ordered it whenever we dined together. Now I love it!

(2) Following the blog via e-mail.

(3) Shared contest on FB.

(4) Am a member of CLC on FB.

(5) Following on Twitter and Pinterest.

Thanks for offering this giveaway!

kateivan (at) aol (dot) com

Hailey Fish said...

Shrimp. Grilled with lemon and other spices is delicious!

Am a blog follower

Liked on Facebook

Tweeted on Twitter

fishiegirl22@yahoo.com

karenk said...

Broccoli...now I love it :)

I'm a follower, too.

thanks for the chance to read this wonderful story

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Tiffany Drew said...

I'm a very picky eater, so i don't try new foods very often. The husband had been at me to try jalapeno poppers forever and when I finally tried them, I loved them. Now I eat them way too much lol.

GFC: Tiffany Drew

Facebook member Tiffany Drew

Pinterest follower Tiffany Drew

Tweeted: https://twitter.com/enterthedrew/status/317662219984859136

jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net

Amber @ A Little Pink in the Cornfields said...

1. Brussel sprouts. I wouldn't try them for years!

Follower on Twitter, GFC and FB!

missamberljohnson at gmail dot com

Lucie Simone said...

I can't think of a food I didn't want to try and then liked. I can think of many that I didn't like! Eggplant is at the top of the list followed by beets and okra. (I'm a very picky eater, if you couldn't guess).

Lalucie AT sbcglobal DOT net

I follow on FB, Twitter & Pinterest! And I'm going to post this to FB and Twitter right now. :)

Maureen said...

Avocado! Now I learned to enjoy it with a little salt and it's delicious!

Am a blog follower.
Am a FB member of ChicklitCentral.
Following on Twitter (@Soultenders1)

maureensl@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

Couldn't eat tomatoes for yrs but love them now.

melinda.garza15@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

I love grapes, but not raisins. Now I'm all about the raisins in trail mix.
I follow the blog
I follow on Facebook
I follow on Twitter

SuzyQ4PR AT aol DOT com