I introduced both James Ryan (aka Seamus Flaherty) and Bridget O’Toole in The Marshal’s Destiny and knew I had to write James’s story and that he’d be on the run from the law, but never realized it was because he was wanted for murder in Amarillo, Texas. Now that threw me for a loop. How would he escape notice when Marshal Ben Justiss came riding into town following the trail of O’Toole and his Gang? And who knew Bridget’s husband wasn’t really dead? The things I discover when I start writing. ;) I just love intricate plot twists and tortured characters who always find their soul mates and naturally true love.

As soon as I started writing The Rancher’s Heart, John Reilly and Pearl started bugging me for their stories. Pearl doesn’t just run the local saloon and keep women upstairs…she takes in young women of all ages who have run away, been orphaned or sold into prostitution…and made them into a family. Wow. That was a surprise. Oh, and then there’s Marshal Justiss…such a cutie…you’ll never believe who his love interest turns out to be!

The Butter Cake Recipe has been handed down in my family since the early 1900s.

Old-Fashioned Butter Cake
(This recipe is from 1912…my great-grandmother’s sister Irene Flaherty)

½ cup sweet butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 cup milk
3 cups flour (Hecker’s unbleached)
4 tsp baking powder
4 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp salt
sprinkle of confectioner's sugar
(for variation, add fresh or frozen red currants)

Cream butter, add sugar and beat until creamy. Add beaten egg yolks. Sift dry ingredients and add alternately to mixture with milk.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into mixture. Pour into tube pan (I use a spring form type).

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes, checking for doneness. Sprinkle with Confectioner's Sugar

Welsh Cream Scones

4 tbsp unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (Hecker’s unbleached)
¼ tsp salt
5 ½ tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar
2 eggs
1/3 cup heavy cream

Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour and salt. Mix until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add the sugar, baking soda and cream of tartar. Mix well.

Beat the eggs with the cream and add to flour mixture, using a wooden spoon to make a spongy mixture. Place the dough on a well-floured bread board, or counter top and pat to ½ inch thickness. Cut the dough into rounds with a biscuit cutter (or large cookie cutter..I use a heart-shaped cutter). Flour your hands and place the cut out scones on a nonstick cookie sheet, leave for 10 minutes to settle.

Bake in preheated oven at 450 for 8 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve with jam, preserves or whipped (or clotted) cream.

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