Pie A La Murder

by Melinda Wells

  2 cans (14 oz. each) cannellini beans whole, drained

  handful of flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped

  handful of fresh spinach leaves, chopped

  1 lb. ditalini or tubettini (suggested pasta brands: Cecco or Brallia)

  maybe, if needed later: 1 small can tomato paste

  (open at last minute)

  grated Parmigiano or Romano cheese for the table

  crusty Italian bread

  Over medium heat, swirl the olive oil in the bottom of the pot and let it begin to sizzle.

  Add chopped pancetta. Brown slightly (stir with a wooden spoon often to prevent sticking).

  Add the chopped vegetables (swirl in more olive oil); stir often when added.

  Add the ground beef in bits, mash with spoon, and brown.

  Add spices and red wine and stir.

  Add beef broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and pureed beans. Let it all come to a slow, low simmer. Stir.

  Add drained beans and continue to simmer. Stir.

  Add Italian parsley and spinach leaves. Stir.

  If fazool is too thick, add a ladle of boiling pasta water.

  If fazool is too thin, add the tomato paste. Stir.

  Cook pasta according to box’s direction. Drain and place in a separate bowl. Sprinkle with olive oil so it won’t stick.

  Ladle the fazool into serving bowls; add a few scoops of the pasta to each. Top with grated cheese. Enjoy with Italian bread.

  ■ Freda Small’s Hamentaschen ■

  This recipe for some of the most delicious cookies I’ve ever tasted comes courtesy of novelist and lawyer Abigail Shrier.

  IN A LARGE MIXING BOWL, BEAT TOGETHER:

  3 eggs

  1 cup vegetable oil

  1 cup sugar

  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  1 teaspoon almond extract

  THEN ADD:

  1 teaspoon baking powder

  3 cups all-purpose flour (or a little more, to create a workable dough)

  FILLING IDEAS:

  1. Mix in a saucepan over low heat until combined: cherry jam mixed with dried cherries.

  2. Mix in a saucepan over low heat until combined: apricot jam mixed with diced dried apricots.

  3. Freda’s filling: mix in a saucepan over low heat until combined: 1 jar lekvar (prune butter), grated orange peel (Abigail says this is optional, but I like it), ½ cup sugar, ½ cup honey, ½ cup rinsed and soaked currants. Chocolate chips.

  Divide the dough into quarters. Roll to ¼ inch thickness on a lightly floured board. Using a 2½- to 3-inch cookie cutter, cut rounds. Reroll scraps. Place filling of your choice in the center of each dough round. Fold three sides up for a triangle, leaving some filling exposed in the center. But don’t let much filling show as you fold up the sides of the cookie.

  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place a rack in the center of the oven. On cookie sheets that have been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, space cookies about an inch apart. Bake one sheet of cookies at a time until lightly browned and crisp, about 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

  Makes 40 small cookies.

  ■ Nanaimo Bars ■

  “It’s a better brownie.” That’s how Los Angeles Times columnist Chris Erskine described Nanaimo Bars (a Canadian Christmas treat) when he discovered them at the Vancouver Olympics. They were also touted on the Today show as one of the “must” items to bring back from Canada. This recipe comes from actress Jaclyn Carmichael, who was born in Nanaimo. Jaclyn got this recipe for the bars from the mother of one of her friends in Nanaimo.

  (NOTE FROM DELLA: I use unsalted butter instead of margarine, but it’s your choice. You’ll need a total of ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon of either.)

  ½ cup margarine

  ¼ cup granulated sugar

  3 tablespoons cocoa

  1 egg

  1 teaspoon vanilla

  2 cups graham cracker crumbs

  1 cup shredded coconut

  ½ cup chopped nuts (usually walnuts)

  ¼ cup margarine

  2 cups sifted icing sugar (or confectioner’s sugar)

  2 tablespoons Bird’s custard powder—not pudding (available from Amazon.com if nowhere else)

  2 tablespoons hot water

  4 ounces semisweet chocolate

  1 tablespoon margarine

  Cook the first five ingredients over hot water, then add graham cracker crumbs, shredded coconut, and chopped walnuts.

  Press this into an 8-inch-by-8-inch square pan. Chill.

  Mix ¼ cup of margarine, icing sugar, custard powder, and hot water.

  Spread over the cooled first mixture.

  Melt semisweet chocolate with 1 teaspoon margarine and spread over the second mixture.

  Place in a cool place to set. Enjoy! Makes approximately 24 bars.

  In 1986 the City of Nanaimo ran a contest to find the “ultimate” Nanaimo Bar. About one hundred recipes were submitted. I don’t know who won, but I can’t believe theirs tastes better than this.

  ■ Brined Pot Roast ■

  This recipe, for the most tender pot roast I’ve ever tasted, was contributed by actress/writer Julie-Anne Liechty. Julie-Anne lives in Los Angeles with her Chihuahua, Zelda, and her cross-eyed, half-Siamese cat, Gonghi.

  2 to 3 lbs. beef roast

  Kosher salt

  cracked black pepper

  dried basil flakes

  olive oil

  2 yellow onions, sliced into thick rounds

  10 carrots, sliced on the diagonal into 2- or 3- inch pieces

  Brine the roast overnight for 12 or so hours in water with kosher salt, cracked black pepper, and dried basil flakes.

  Next morning, remove roast from brine and put into a castiron skillet with a bit of olive oil and some kosher salt. Sear roast until both sides are deeply browned.

  Remove roast from skillet and put into Crock-Pot on the “Low” setting.

  To the skillet: Add the onions and sear on both sides until browned, or even a little blackened. You’ll probably need to add a little more oil to the skillet. Sprinkle with kosher salt. When onions are seared, put them on top of the roast, covering it.

  In that skillet: Sear carrots until browned on two sides. (You may need a little more oil.)

  When carrots are done, add them to the Crock-Pot on top of the onions.

  Add to the combination of vegetables and roast some more kosher salt and basil flakes.

  Cook on “Low” for 8 hours. Should be done just in time for dinner guests to arrive.

  ■ Della’s Brown Rice ■ & Raw Vegetables

  2½ cups water (divided into 1½ cups and 1 cup)

  1 cup uncooked brown rice

  4 tablespoons butter or margarine

  ½ teaspoon salt

  CHOP INTO SMALL PIECES:

  ½ bell pepper (green, red, yellow, or orange)

  ½ zucchini, unpeeled

  1 small, firm tomato, seeded

  Put 1½ cups water, rice, butter (or margarine), and salt into 4-quart casserole. Cook uncovered in microwave for 10 minutes, stirring at 3½ minutes, again at 3½ minutes, and the third time after 3 more minutes. Now add 1 cup of water, stir briefly, cover with plastic wrap, put back in microwave, and cook for 5 more minutes.

  Take out and carefully remove plastic wrap covering. (Don’t burn yourself with the steam.) With a fork, lightly fluff the chopped vegetables into the cooked brown rice. Cover again and let stand for 5 minutes outside the microwave. Serves 4.

  Serve alone or with Zucchini Canoes.

  ■ Della’s Zucchini Canoes ■

  4 nice big zucchini (as straight as possible)

  ¼ cup chopped pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds

  (whatever you prefer, or is cheaper)

  1 firm tomato, seeded and chopped

  1 tablespoon sweet onion, finely chopped

  1 tablespoon Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

  ½ teaspoon salt

  2 tablespoons butter or
margarine

  ¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs

  Wash zucchini, chop off the stem ends, place in a microwave-safe baking dish, and cook in microwave for 7 to 8 minutes. Let cool.

  When you can handle them comfortably, cut off the top third lengthwise so that the zucchini look like little canoes. Rough chop the tops and set aside in mixing bowl. Hollow out the canoes and discard scooped-out matter. To the mixing bowl with chopped zucchini tops, add nuts, tomato, onion, parsley, and salt. Fluff together with a fork. Fill the zucchini canoes with this mixture.

  Melt butter or margarine in microwave (about 25 to 30 seconds).

  Take half of the melted butter and brush the filled zucchini canoes. Mix other half of the melted butter with seasoned bread crumbs and sprinkle this over the filled canoes.

  Heat zucchini canoes, uncovered, in microwave for 2½ to 3 minutes. Serves 4.

  (NOTE: Each of the two previous dishes can be served as a side, or served together for a light, healthy meal.

  These recipes are a tasty way to get children and “meat & potatoes” men to eat more vegetables.)

  ■ Della’s Tomato-Potato Panzanella ■

  4 cooked red potatoes cut into chunks

  4 ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut into chunks

  ½ red onion, thinly sliced

  2 tablespoons Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

  ½ cup black olives, sliced (optional)

  8 to 10 fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces

  ½ loaf of crusty French bread, cubed

  DRESSING:

  ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

  ¼ cup red wine vinegar

  1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

  Wash, but don’t peel, potatoes. Put into a pot of salted water to just cover. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain. When cooled enough to handle, cut potatoes into chunks—quarters or eighths, depending on size of the potatoes. (If you have some leftover cooked red potatoes from a meal the night before, take them out of the fridge, let them get to room temperature, and cut into chunks.)

  In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, potatoes, red onion, parsley, black olives, basil, and cubes of French bread.

  In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, and minced garlic. When whisked into a dressing, add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Whisk again briefly, to incorporate seasoning.

  Add the dressing to the bowl of vegetables and bread cubes and toss. Let sit for a few minutes so the bread can absorb the dressing. Serves 4 as a side dish, or 2 for a hearty onedish lunch.

  NOTE: This is a versatile recipe. If you’d prefer to use your favorite vinaigrette dressing, then do. Or you can add some additional vegetables, such as green beans, kernels of fresh corn, chopped zucchini, or peeled and chopped cucumber. Personalize according to what you like.

  ■ Della’s Strawberry Cloud Pie ■

  This is one of my favorite low-calorie desserts. Instead of sugar, I use granulated Splenda (the packets you might put in coffee). Splenda comes in a large bag and can be used in the same proportions as sugar: i.e., 1 cup granulated Splenda equals 1 cup sugar. On the back of the bag I have in my cabinet at the moment, there are delicious recipes for Blueberry Muffins and for a dinner party–worthy Banana Cream Tart. But below is my version of a refrigerated Strawberry Pie. (The only part of this dessert that’s baked is the crust.)

  CRUST: (THE WORLD’S EASIEST)

  36 to 40 vanilla wafers (or any plain cookies you prefer)

  2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon melted margarine (or butter)

  white of 1 large egg

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

  Lightly spray a 9-inch pie pan with nonstick cooking spray.

  Crush the wafers or cookies (I put them in a Ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin).

  Combine crumbs with melted margarine. Stir.

  Add egg white and stir.

  Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and sides of the pie pan, using back of a wooden spoon, or what I do is press with my right hand inside a clean plastic baggie. (Or your left hand, if you’re left-handed.) Bake 8 to 10 minutes, depending on your oven. Don’t overbake.

  Set aside to cool.

  FILLING:

  3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

  1 cup granulated Splenda

  1½ tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (not bottled)

  ½ cup light cranberry juice cocktail

  2 envelopes strawberry gelatin

  2 cups light whipped topping (plus more for garnish)

  Mash the strawberries in a mixing bowl. Add Splenda and lemon juice. Let Splenda dissolve for about 15 to 20 minutes.

  Pour cranberry juice cocktail over strawberry gelatin. Heat to dissolve gelatin, then cool slightly. Combine gelatin with strawberry mixture. Cool completely. When cooled, fold in light whipped topping. Pour into pie shell and refrigerate for 2 hours, until firm. Garnish with light whipped cream and top generously with more sliced fresh strawberries. (Or blueberries, if available. The red, white, and blue colors make it perfect for national holiday parties.)

  ■ Della’s Greek Chicken ■ Tortilla Wraps

  Here is the first of two main dish tortilla wraps that are low enough in calories so that you can enjoy a rich dessert without feeling guilty.

  2 cups plain Greek (or regular plain) yogurt (use

  low fat for fewer calories)

  1 cucumber, chopped into small pieces plus 1

  whole cucumber (reserved)

  2 tablespoons fresh dill (chopped or cut with

  kitchen shears)

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

  8 whole wheat tortillas

  3 cups cooked chicken, chopped (all or mostly

  white meat for fewer calories)

  1 cup romaine lettuce, shredded

  16 grape tomatoes, cut into halves

  1 cup feta cheese (reduced fat for fewer calories)

  4 to 8 firm Roma tomatoes (depending on size)

  Mix yogurt, cucumber, dill, salt, and pepper in a bowl and put in refrigerator, covered, for 15 minutes. (You can make this several hours ahead if you keep it refrigerated.)

  Divide the yogurt mixture so as to have enough to spread down the center of each of the whole wheat tortillas. (Tortillas can be eaten after heating in nonstick pan for 1 minute on each side, or just as they come out of the package. Divide the chopped cooked chicken and top the yogurt /cucumber mixture. Add lettuce, a few grape tomato halves, and feta cheese. Roll up tortillas and secure with toothpicks.

  Slice the Roma tomatoes and peel and slice the reserved whole cucumber.

  Put one or two of these Greek Chicken Tortilla Wraps on a plate, surrounded by thin slices of Roma tomatoes and thin slices of cucumber. Grind a little more fresh pepper over the slices of tomatoes and cucumber.

  Depending on how hungry you are, this recipe will serve 4 or 8.

  ■ Della’s Asian Chicken ■ Main Dish Taco

  Here is the second main dish sandwich recipe low enough in calories so that you can enjoy dessert without feeling that you’ve spent too much of your calorie budget for this meal.

  2 cups cooked chicken breasts, chopped or

  shredded

  4 tablespoons hoisin sauce

  6 green onions (scallions), finely sliced

  ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

  4 whole wheat tortillas

  Optional (but good!): several watercress leaves

  for each taco

  Mix the chicken, hoisin sauce, scallions, and pepper in a bowl until thoroughly combined. (Hoisin sauce is a great ingredient, found in the Asian foods aisle of most large markets, and it will keep for a long time in the refrigerator.)

  Heat the tortillas, one at a time, in a large, nonstick pan over medium heat for about 1 minute on each side, just to warm them. Handle with tongs. (You can also eat them without heating, if you’re in a ru
sh, or aren’t where you can cook.)

  Divide the chicken mixture into 4 equal parts, and spread 1 part lengthwise down the middle of each tortilla. Top with several watercress leaves. Roll up and secure with toothpicks. Cut the rolls in half, on the diagonal.