“Mike and I are going to play some golf, and I’m hoping you’ll take that never-ending stack of books off your nightstand, put them in your suitcase, and indulge yourself in some uninterrupted reading.”
He turned back to Jesse. “Hey, man, thanks for picking me up and bringing me here. I know that’s a lot to ask of anybody. And even though I’ve texted you about it, thanks for saving Kelly’s life.” They shook hands. “When we get back, I’ll drive up to Portland, and we’ll spend some time together. See you then.”
Jesse waved and walked down the sidewalk to the street where his big rig was quietly idling.
RECIPES
SALISBURY STEAKS WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE
Ingredients:
FOR THE STEAKS:
1 lb. ground beef
1/3 cup bread crumbs
2 tbsp. diced onion
1 tsp. Italian seasoning (dried basil, oregano, or thyme is OK)
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 egg, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. cooking oil
FOR THE SAUCE:
1 tbsp. butter
¾ cup onion, thinly sliced
2 cups brown mushrooms, quartered
6-8 baby carrots, sliced 1” in length
1 cup beef broth (I prefer Better Than Bouillon)
1 cup red wine
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup flour (This is for thickening. I prefer the Wondra brand.)
Directions:
Put the carrots and 2 tbsp. of water in an ovenproof dish covered with plastic wrap (punch a few holes in the plastic wrap to let out the steam). Microwave for 3-4 minutes on high setting until tender. Melt butter in pan. Add onions, mushrooms, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook 3-4 minutes until veggies are softened. Add beef broth, wine, carrots, and rosemary. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes more. Add flour to thicken as needed. Keep warm.
While the sauce is cooking, in a large bowl mix the beef, breadcrumbs, onion Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, eggs, salt, and pepper together. Form into 2 oval shaped patties. Cook the patties in skillet over med/high heat for 4 minutes on each side. Plate the steaks and smother each one with the sauce. Enjoy!
DECADENT CHOCOLATE LASAGNA
Ingredients:
1 box Super Moist Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix
½ cup butter, softened
2 (8 oz.) tubs frozen whipped topping (Available in frozen food section at supermarket)
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
4 (3.25 oz.) containers of premade chocolate pudding
1 can chocolate frosting
3 cups chocolate toast crunch cereal
1 cup chocolate chips
½ cup hot fudge sauce, room temperature
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, use a fork to mix the chocolate cake mix and the butter until well combined. Press into the bottom of a 9” x 13” casserole dish. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove and cool.
In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat 1 tub whipped topping, cream cheese, sugar, and almond extract together. Spread over cooled crust.
In a large bowl, fold together chocolate pudding, chocolate frosting and 1 ½ cups chocolate cereal. Spread over the cream cheese layer.
Spread final tub of whipped topping over the pudding layer. Top with remaining cereal, chocolate chip, and hot fudge sauce.
Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Enjoy!
NOTE: I don’t think there is one thing in this recipe that can be called healthy, but believe it or not, it is fabulous!
BRATS N’ BEER
Ingredients:
4 bratwurst sausages
6 cans/bottles of beer (heavy, darker style of beer works best)
2 large onions, sliced
4 Brioche hot rolls (Look for them in the specialty bakery section of your supermarket. Regular hot dog buns will work too.)
Grey Poupon mustard
1 tbsp. olive oil or bacon grease
Directions:
Place the sliced onions in the bottom of a deep Dutch oven type pan and cover with the beer. Place the brats in the mixture and simmer on low heat for 3 hours. Remove the brats and finish them on the BBQ over medium high heat, turning them several times so they are evenly browned on each side (about 5-6 minutes).
While the brats are on the BBQ, using a slotted spoon, remove the onions from the beer mixture and drain them. Put the olive oil or bacon grease in a frying pan, turn the heat to high, add the onions and cook for approximately 5 minutes. You want them to look like grilled onions. Place one brat in each bun and top with mustard and onions. Serve and enjoy!
CRUSTLESS CHEESECAKE/BASQUE CHEESECAKE
Ingredients:
4 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, cut in 1” pieces
1 ½ cups sugar
9 large egg yolks
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 ¼ cups crème fraiche (If you can’t find it, substitute 1 cup of sour cream or yoghurt.)
Cooking spray
Directions:
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Coat a 9” springform pan with cooking spray. Put the cream cheese, sugar, egg yolks, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add the crème fraiche and pulse until incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, tapping it against a work surface a few times to get rid of air bubbles. Place on a cookie sheet and then put it in the oven. Bake about 25 minutes until the top is brown and it pulls away from the sides of the pan. The center will be a bit jiggly.
Cool the pan on a baking rack until it comes to room temperature. Refrigerate uncovered overnight. To serve release the sides of the pan. Use a sharp knife to cut the pieces. Plate and enjoy!
HOMEMADE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
Ingredients:
2-1/2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
1-1/4 teaspoons pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
10 cups chicken broth (I like Better Than Bouillon)
4 celery ribs, chopped into 1” pieces
4 medium carrots, chopped into 1” pieces
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups cooked noodles (I have also used cooked rice.)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions:
Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken in batches, skin side down, and cook until dark golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and discard skin. Reserve 2 tablespoons of drippings, discarding the rest.
Add onion to pan drippings. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until tender, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add broth, stirring to loosen browned bits from pot. Bring to a boil. Return chicken to pan. Add celery, carrots, bay leaves, and thyme. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until chicken is tender, approximately 30 minutes.
Remove chicken and transfer to a plate. Continue simmering the soup. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones and discard bones. Shred meat into bite-sized pieces. Return meat to stockpot along with cooked noodles. Stir in parsley and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning with salt and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Discard bay leaves. Serve and enjoy.
*****
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ABOUT DIANNE
I live in Huntington Beach, California, with my husband, Tom, a former California State Senator, and my boxer dog, Kelly. My passions are cook
ing, reading, and dogs, so whenever I have a little free time, I am either in the kitchen, playing with Kelly in the back yard, or curled up with the latest book I'm reading.
Her other books are available below:
Amazon: Blue Coyote Motel
Amazon: Coyote in Provence
Amazon: Cornered Coyote
Amazon: Coyote Series
Amazon: Kelly’s Koffee Shop
Amazon: Murder at Jade Cove
Amazon: White Cloud Retreat
Amazon: Marriage and Murder
Amazon: Murder in Cottage #6
Amazon: Murder in the Pearl District
Amazon: Murder and Brandy Boy
Amazon: Murder in Calico Gold
Amazon: The Death Card
Amazon: Murder at The Cooking School
Amazon: Murder & The Monkey Band
Amazon: Murder at The Bed & Breakfast
Amazon: Murder at The Secret Cave
Amazon: Murder in Cuba
Amazon: The Blue Butterfly
Amazon: Trouble at the Kennel
Amazon: Murdered by Words
Amazon: Murdered by Country Music
Amazon: Murder at the Big T Lodge
Amazon: Murdered in Argentina
Amazon: Murder on the East Coast
Amazon: Murder at the Clinic
Amazon: Murder at the Polo Club
Amazon: Alexis
Amazon: Trouble at the Animal Shelter
Amazon: Murder in Calistoga
Amazon: Murder on Bainbridge Island
Amazon: Murder & The Movie Star
Amazon: Murder in Whistler
Amazon: Murdered by Plastic Surgery
Amazon: Murder in Seattle
Amazon: Murder after Midnight
Amazon: Murder in San Francisco
Amazon: Murder at Le Bijou Bistro
Amazon: Murder at the Courthouse
Amazon: Murder at the Gallery
Amazon: Murder at the Waterfront
Amazon: Murder at the Gearhart
Amazon: Murdered by Superstition
Amazon: Red Zero 1
Amazon: Red Zero 2
Amazon: Red Zero 3
Amazon: The Professor’s Predicament
Amazon: Murder at the Church
Amazon: Murdered by Prejudice
Amazon: Missing in Cottonwood Springs
Amazon: Murder at the Truck Stop
Please feel free to follow me on these social media sites:
Website: http://www.DianneHarman.com
Blog: http://www.DianneHarman.com/blog
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @DianneDHarman
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Facebook Author Page Cozy Mystery
Amazon Author Page
COMING SOON!
PUBLISHING 6/26/19
MURDER ON THE MOUNTAIN
BOOK SIX OF
THE COTTONWOOD SPRINGS COZY MYSTERY SERIES
http://getbook.at/MOTM
A broken tree branch.
A dead body.
An ambitious personal assistant.
An unfaithful husband.
Was it murder or simply an unfortunate accident?
A lot of people resented Amelia Prescott, the grande dame of marketing agencies, because of her success. But did someone resent her enough to murder her?
That becomes the job of Sheriff Davis and Brigid – to find out if Amelia’s death was an accident or a carefully thought out murder.
Confrontations can get dicey. Good thing Brigid has a 125-pound Newfoundland to help her.
This is the sixth book in the popular Cottonwood Springs Cozy Mystery Series by a two-time USA Today Bestselling Author.
Murder at the Truck Stop: A Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery (Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery Series Book 16) Page 12