Vegetable Gumbo
3 Tbsp. olive oil
8 oz. container chopped celery, onions, green peppers
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 large bay leaf
¼ tsp. dried thyme
36 oz. vegetable broth
1 lb. sliced zucchini
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can baby corn, drained
1 can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 lb. peeled, cubed butternut squash
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
Heat oil in a large soup pan over medium heat. Add celery, onion, and green pepper mixture along with garlic. Cook for 7 minutes. Add bay leaf and thyme and cook for 2 more minutes. Add vegetable broth, stir and bring to a boil. Add zucchini, tomatoes, baby corn, and squash. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in rice.
Simmer covered for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally so rice doesn’t stick to bottom. Mix in beans and parsley and cook for 5 minutes more. When rice is done, serve hot.
Apple Rum Cake
18-1/4 oz. spice cake mix
21 oz. can apple pie filling
3 eggs
¾ cup light sour cream
¼ cup rum
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. almond extract
2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp. reduced fat milk
Set aside 1 Tbsp. cake mix and 1-1/2 cup pie filling. In a large bowl, combine eggs, sour cream, rum, canola oil, almond extract, remaining cake mix and pie filling. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour half the batter into a greased fluted baking pan coated with nonstick spray. In a separate small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, reserved cake mix, and remaining pie filling. Spoon over batter. Top with remaining batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Cool on rack before turning over onto plate. In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar and milk. Dribble glaze over cake and serve. Serves 10-12.
Chocolate Kahlua Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
1 oz. instant chocolate pudding mix
4 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup brewed coffee
⅔ cup Kahlua
1 cup mini chocolate chip morsels
9 oz. semisweet chocolate morsels
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp. Kahlua
Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in lower middle position. In a large bowl, add the cake mix and pudding mix and stir to blend. In another bowl, stir together the eggs, oil, coffee, and Kahlua until smooth. Gently fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Add the mini chocolate chips. Transfer to a greased Bundt pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the pan on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, pour the heavy whipping cream into a pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in the chocolate chips and Kahlua until smooth. Cool slightly and then drizzle over cake.
Coconut Fudge Pie
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate squares
½ cup butter
3 eggs, slightly beaten
¾ cup sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
2-2/3 cups flaked coconut
Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in beaten eggs, sugar, flour and vanilla. Pour into greased 9-inch pie dish. In a separate bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and coconut. Spoon over the chocolate mixture, leaving a ½ to 1 inch border. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool and serve.
Lemon Bread Pudding
Pudding
2 cups dry bread cubes
4 cups scalded milk
1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup golden raisins
Sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup boiling water
2 Tbsp. butter
1-1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Soak bread in milk for 5 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp. butter, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 3/4 cup sugar. Pour slowly over eggs. Add vanilla, raisins, and stir. Pour into greased baking dish. Place the baking dish into a pan of shallow hot water. Bake until firm, about 50 minutes.
Sauce: Mix 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, salt and nutmeg in a medium saucepan. Gradually add water and cook over low heat until thick and clear. Add butter and lemon juice. Blend. Pour over pudding. Chill in refrigerator.
Peach Cobbler
¼ cup butter (1/2 stick)
1-1/2 cup prepared biscuit mix
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup reduced fat milk
1 can peach pie filling
Cinnamon
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9 x 12 baking pan with cooking spray. Melt the butter and spread in it evenly in the pan. In a separate bowl, whisk together the biscuit mix, sugar, and milk. Pour batter into pan. Drop the fruit evenly onto the top of batter. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Bake for a half hour or until browned and bubbly. Serve warm.
Acknowledgments
It takes a team to launch a book, and so I’d like to acknowledge my gratitude to the following:
My critique group—Alyssa Maxwell, Zelda Benjamin, Tara L. Ames, Karen Kendall, Ellen Kushner, and Cynthia Thomason. I wouldn’t be where I am in my career without you.
Deni Dietz, Editor from Stray Cat Productions and my former editor at Five Star.
Patty G. Henderson, Cover Design by Boulevard Photografica
Judi Fennell, Digital Layout by www.formatting4U.com
Kat Sheridan, Cover Copy by BlurbWriter.com
Sally Schmidt, my Beta Reader and online friend. Thank you for your insightful comments and suggestions that made this book stronger as well as more plausible. It’s so important to get a reader’s viewpoint, and I appreciate the time you spent to offer your remarks. They were invaluable in improving this story.
Stacey Miller, my manicurist, who listens to my plotting ideas while doing my nails. She suggested I visit Bedner’s Farm in Boynton Beach when I mentioned the opening scene in my book. Stacey also gave me the idea for Pioneer Women’s History Month. So thank you for the inspiration and most of all for listening.
Author’s Note
The Egyptian ritual I mentioned in the story actually takes place in the spring. I renamed it from rebirth to renewal and cast it in the fall to suit my story. Banyan and acacia trees do play a role in various mythologies. The park where Marla and Dalton went at night is modeled after Tree Tops Park in Davie, a favorite place of ours for a shady stroll. The banyan with a hollowed-out central core is one I saw on a Caribbean island where the tour guide said meetings used to take place.
As an olive fan, I enjoyed researching olive lore and olive oil scams. Olives can be healthful as long as they are eaten in moderation like anything else. It was interesting to learn the difference between green and black olives in terms of their production. The olive branch as a symbol of peace dates back to biblical times.
Marla has now come full circle in her character arc that began with Permed to Death. She and Dalton face a promising future together with a new addition to their family.
****
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About the Author
As a former registered nurse, Nancy J. Cohen helped people with their physical aches and pains, but she longed to soothe their troubles in a different way. The siren call of storytelling lured her from nursing into the exciting world of fiction. Wishing she could wield a curling iron with the same skill as crafting a story, she created hairdresser Marla Vail as a stylist with a nose for crime and a knack for exposing people’s secrets.
Titles in the Bad Hair Day Mysteries have made the IMBA bestseller list, been selected by Suspense Magazine as best cozy mystery, won a Readers’ Favorite gold medal, and earned third place in the Arizona Literary Awards. Nancy has also written the instructional guide, Writing the Cozy Mystery. Her imaginative romances have proven popular with fans as well. These books have won the HOLT Medallion Award and Best Book in Romantic SciFi/Fantasy at The Romance Reviews.
A featured speaker at libraries, conferences, and community events, Nancy is listed in Contemporary Authors, Poets & Writers, and Who’s Who in U.S. Writers, Editors, & Poets. When not busy writing, she enjoys fine dining, cruising, visiting Disney World, and shopping. Contact her at [email protected].
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Books by Nancy J. Cohen
Bad Hair Day Mysteries
Permed to Death
Hair Raiser
Murder by Manicure
Body Wave
Highlights to Heaven
Died Blonde
Dead Roots
Perish by Pedicure
Killer Knots
Shear Murder
Hanging by a Hair
Peril by Ponytail
Haunted Hair Nights (Novella)
Facials Can Be Fatal
Hair Brained
Hairball Hijinks (Short Story)
Trimmed to Death
Anthologies
“Three Men and a Body” in Wicked Women Whodunit
The Drift Lords Series
Warrior Prince
Warrior Rogue
Warrior Lord
Science Fiction Romances
Keeper of the Rings
Silver Serenade
The Light-Years Series
Circle of Light
Moonlight Rhapsody
Starlight Child
Nonfiction
Writing the Cozy Mystery
For more details, go to http://nancyjcohen.com/books/
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