Wedding Girl (39 page)

Mix 4 cups sugar and butter in large mixing bowl. Add milk and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer till smooth and creamy, about 3
to 5 minutes. Gradually add remaining sugar 1 cup at a time, beating for about 2 minutes after each addition, until the icing is thick enough for your purposes. You may not need all the sugar. Use and store icing at room temperature. It can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This may make more frosting than you need for this cake, but better too much than too little!

SPINACH AND CHEESE BREAKFAST STRATA

SERVES 6 TO 8

Bubbles makes this breakfast casserole whenever she needs to feed a crowd first thing in the morning. You make it the night before and then just pop it in the oven when you wake.

1½ cups finely chopped onion

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon salt, divided

½ teaspoon black pepper, divided

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed of all excess liquid, and chopped

8 cups French or Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about ½ pound)

6 ounces (2 cups) coarsely grated Gruyère cheese

2 ounces (1 cup) finely grated Parmesan

9 large eggs

2¾ cups milk

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Sauté onion in butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg, and continue cooking for 1 minute. Stir in spinach, remove from heat, and set aside.

Spread ⅓ of the bread cubes in a well-buttered 3-quart gratin dish or other ceramic baking dish. Top with ⅓ of bread cubes, ⅓ of spinach mixture, and ⅓ of each cheese. Repeat layering twice with remaining bread, spinach, and cheese.

Whisk eggs, milk, mustard, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in a large bowl and pour evenly over strata. Cover with plastic wrap and chill strata for at least 8 hours or up to 1 day.

The next day, let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes while preheating the oven to 350°F. Bake strata, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

MARK'S BANANA BREAD

MAKES 1 (9X5) LOAF

Mark has some secret skills in the baking arena, but it is this simple and homey banana bread, full of nuts and chocolate chips, that is the gift he brings to Sophie for their first date. It's the perfect thing to eat in bed with your beloved!

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

3 very ripe bananas, mashed (Mark lets his go brown and speckled, and pops them in the freezer as is. If yours are frozen, thaw on the
countertop, snip one end off with kitchen scissors, and let the banana and liquid slide out into a colander to drain the liquid. If you try to peel them, you will have a mess!)

1¼ cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

ADD-INS:

½ cup toasted nuts of your choice, chopped if large

½ cup chocolate chips or chunks

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan.

Cream softened butter and sugar with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs until smooth. Add mashed bananas to eggs, blending quickly, then add the mixture into the butter and sugar and stir together.

Sift flour, salt, and baking soda, and fold into wet mixture. Fold in any add-ins. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake 45 to 55 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.

Cool on a rack.

Bring to the one you love.

1. Sophie is bound and determined to have her dream wedding, even though she knows it goes beyond the scope of her means and requires that she hide the expenses from her fiancé. What do you think about someone who is that committed to a type of event that she will put herself in financial straits in order to make it happen?
   
2. Sophie is very determined to keep herself hidden away after her public embarrassment. Would you have handled it the same way? What is the most publicly embarrassing thing that has happened to you?
   
3. Bubbles gives Sophie a safe place to land when her life falls apart. Why do you think Sophie chooses to move in with her instead of with her parents? Who would you move in with in a similar scenario?
   
4. Sophie adores the movies of the 1930s and 1940s. How can you see those movies influencing her life, good or bad? What do you think it says about her that she is so much more drawn to those old films than to contemporary movies?
   
5. Do you think that Sophie should be giving out wedding advice for money? Do you like or agree with the advice she gives? If you needed a second source of income, what sort of advice website would you launch?
   
6. WeddingGirl.com brings Jake into Sophie's life. Why do you think she is drawn to him? Were you excited for her or concerned that he was going to be trouble? Have you ever met someone randomly online and ended up knowing them in real life?
   
7. Cake Goddess's arrival in the neighborhood means trouble for the already-troubled Langer's and puts Sophie in the awkward position of wanting to help the failing business, without really being committed to it for the long run. Mark calls her out on getting Herman's hopes up. Do you agree with his side of things, or do you think it was right for Herman and Sophie to fight for the business?
   
8. The cake competition was bound to put Sophie back in the public eye, even if she was only assisting Herman. Do you think she was ready? If you were going to make a cake based on your hometown, what elements would it have?
   
9. Were you surprised to discover Mark is such an accomplished cook? Did it alter your opinion of him?
   
10. Were you glad that “Jake” turned out to be Mark? Do you think that he and Sophie are a good match? What do you think their wedding will be like? And who will bake the
    cake?
    

Looking for more?
Visit Penguin.com for more about this author and a complete list of their books.
Discover your next great read!