Their destination was the front porch.
Should she call Joyce? Ethel glanced behind her at the phone. No, she’d better check the peephole first. Maybe they’d simply forgotten something. She tiptoed over, placed her hands against the door and peeked through the itty-bitty, flea-sized window.
She blinked as her eye focused in on the scene. Almost like they’d rehearsed, Quinn handed a roll of duct tape to Katherine and did a little bow. Her granddaughter glanced at the peephole and ripped off a three-inch chunk of the gray sticky stuff. Smiling, Katherine drew closer to the door and, lifting the tape covered Ethel’s little view of their world.
They were on to her. But! Ethel scurried to the phone; she was one step ahead of them.
She dialed her close friend Joyce Wooten’s number. Joyce, the good neighbor that she was, picked up after one ring.
“Hello.”
“Joyce, its binocular time. Katherine’s at it again on my front porch. Hurry!”
“Wait a second, I need to wipe my hands. I’m eating fried chicken.” There was a thud as Joyce set down the phone. Ethel could hear her shuffling around in the background. “I’m hurrying, Ethel. I have them in hand.” Joyce’s voice became clearer. “I’m focusing on your gate . . . your yard . . . Wow, Ethel, you need to deadhead your rhodie.”
“I know. I’ve had quite the summer. What else do you see?”
“Katherine’s arms are around his neck. They’re just about to kiss. It’s the same fellow as last time, just so you know. Thank goodness she’s nothing like your grandson was.” Joyce laughed.” Remember him?”
“How could I forget?” Night and day, Tim had kept them busy with his shenanigans on the front porch.
“Are you entering any of your baked goods in the fair this year?” Joyce asked.
“No, not unless they have a dump cake category.”
“I hope they don’t. It sounds horrible.”
“It’s wonderful. The next time I make it, I’ll be sure and have you over.”
“I’d like that.”
“What’s happening?” Ethel asked, her back to the front door. “Is she gazing up into his eyes? Do they look happy? Or are they fighting . . . again?”
“Not much. They’re just kissing. I think I’ll enter my dinner rolls again. You know I won a white ribbon for them back in ’ninety-three.”
“If I entered anything it would be my cinnamon rolls.” Ethel knew for a fact there was a cinnamon roll category at the Latah County Fair. Would she have to disclose that she was using store-bought dough?
“What’s happening on my front porch, Joyce? Your commentator skills have not improved.”
“Not much has changed. They’re still standing very, very close to one another in front of your door, and they’re still kissing.”
“Well, let me know when they come up for air.”
“I will.” Joyce yawned. “I will.”
The end.
I hope to release the next book in the Ethel King Series in 2017 – God willing. Let me know if you’d like to receive an email when the time comes.
Click here to join my mailing list.
Don’t miss the four recipes that are included on the following pages.
Blessings.
Christian Romances
by Sherri Schoenborn Murray
Fried Chicken and Gravy – a romance
Available in audio
Sticky Notes – Available in audio
The Piano Girl – for ages 7 to 107
A Wife and a River – audio in the works
Visit Sherri’s website for recipes
and new releases:
www.christianromances.com
Acknowledgements:
I’d to thank the following friends:
To my mom, Ethel, who by the way, makes a mean Dump Cake. The resemblance ends there.
To my daughter, Cori, for reading through the manuscript with me, several times, throughout the years.
To my editors, Pam and Carolyn, for their amazing attention to detail, and their encouragement.
To Patty for her honest critique; it was invaluable to me.
To Michele, my prayer buddy.
To Kris my dear friend, who gifted me with the book Daytripping in and Around the Palouse by Dawn Reynolds. It was a handy little aid for revisiting my memories of the Palouse.
Four recipes
are included on the following pages.
Ethel’s Dump Cake – a.k.a. No Mix Cake
1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup
1 (21 ounces) can cherry pie filling
1 (2-layer size) package yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
½ cup butter (1 stick), chilled
· Preheat oven to 350 F.
· Grease or spray with a non-stick cooking spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
· Spread the pineapple with its syrup evenly in the baking pan.
· Spoon the cherry pie filling evenly over the top.
· Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the top of the cherries.
· Sprinkle the chopped pecans over all.
· Thinly slice the butter, and place evenly across the top.
· Bake for one hour and 10 minutes (70 minutes total) or until golden brown.
· Check after an hour, as oven temperatures vary.
Serve warm.
Delicious with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Cake variations: Make with pineapple-strawberry, pineapple-apple, pineapple-blueberry, apple-cherry . . .
Ethel’s Cheater Cinnamon Rolls
Professor Benton and President Morrison both really liked these. Make with frozen bread dough.
1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
½ cup whipping cream
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
2 loaves (1 pound each) frozen white bread dough, thawed
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¾ cup raisins, optional
· In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and cream. · Divide evenly between two greased 9-inch baking pans. Sprinkle with pecans and set aside.
· On a floured surface, roll each loaf of bread dough into a 12-inch by 8-inch rectangle. Brush with melted butter.
· Combine brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over butter. Top with raisins, if desired. Roll up from the long side. Pinch seams to seal.
· Cut each roll into 12 slices and place cut side down in prepared pans.
· Cover and refrigerate overnight.
· Remove from fridge. Keep covered, and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.
· Cover loosely with foil. Bake in a preheated 375’ oven for 10 minutes.
· Uncover and bake 8-10 minutes longer or until golden brown.
Makes 2 dozen.
Carol’s Raspberry Jell-O Salad
3 (3-ounce) packages cherry or raspberry Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups raspberries (at least)
1 cup sour cream
· In a large bowl, mix the Jell-O and boiling water until dissolved.
· Mix in crushed pineapple (don’t drain it).
· Add mashed bananas and stir.
· Pour about half the mixture in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Cover with plastic wrap and set in fridge for about 30 minutes.
· When the first layer is set, take a spatula and slather on a layer of sour cream. Make it thick enough that you don’t see the red Jell-O through the cream.
· Carefully spread your raspberries single layer over the top of the sour cream layer.
· Pour the remaining Jell-O over the berry layer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let it set up, at least an hour or two before serving.
Note: Because of the final berry layer, it takes a little more Jell-O to cover the top than it does
to cover the bottom of the pan. So keep this in mind when you’re pouring the first layer into the pan.
A family side dish favorite and fun for the holidays.
Cindy’s Blueberry and Peach Bundt Cake
Cindy served this cake at the antique store in Colfax.
2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 cup milk
3 peaches, peeled and sliced (approx. 3 cups)
1 cup blueberries – fresh or frozen
(If berries are frozen – don’t thaw.)
· Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt, together and set aside.
· In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, except for the peaches and berries.
· Add the dry ingredients, and then the peaches and berries.
· Pour into a greased Bundt pan and bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. When cool, drizzle icing over the top.
Icing:
4-ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
½ cup powdered sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons milk or cream
Beat cream cheese until creamy and then beat in powdered sugar. Add milk. Mix well.
Sticky Notes - A clean romance (Ethel King Series Book 1) Page 39