“I’ve been busy, too. I finalized the deal to sell Vamps.”
“Oh?” Tricia wasn’t sure how she felt about that. She was happy that he was getting out of a business that so demeaned women, but did that mean he was going to leave the area for good?
“Yeah. But I’ve also been looking for another business opportunity, and I found one right here in Stoneham.”
“That’s nice—what is it?”
“The Armchair Tourist.”
“Mary Fairchild sold it to you?” Tricia asked, surprised.
“Yeah, and for a good price. I’ve spent the past few weeks learning about the travel industry and talking to the people at Milford Travel about cross promotion.”
“When will you take over?”
“As of the first of the year. Which is kind of why I called. What are you doing New Year’s Eve?”
Tricia smiled. “I haven’t made any plans at all.”
“Then maybe you might like to have dinner with me.”
“Dinner only?”
“I don’t tap, but I do dance,” he said.
“Okay,” she said, and laughed.
“All right. I’ll call you between now and then to firm things up.”
“Okay. Until then … Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas to you, too.”
Tricia hung up the phone.
“Hey, where’s the wine? We want to toast,” Angelica called.
Tricia grabbed the bottle and headed for the living room filled with the people she loved best.
It was a very Merry Christmas indeed.
ANGELICA’S EASY-DOES-IT COOKING RECIPES
SALMON-CUCUMBER ROSETTES
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
3 ounces smoked salmon (in thin slices)
1 large cucumber
Toothpicks
Combine the softened cream cheese, chopped dill, and smoked salmon into a smooth spread. Using a large-scale vegetable peeler, peel the cucumber into thin strips. Spread the smoked salmon spread onto each strip and roll up. (Toothpicks help keep them together.) Serve chilled.
Yield: approximately 30
CRAB STUFFED MUSHROOMS
7 ounces crabmeat
5 green onions, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Black pepper to taste
⅓ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound fresh mushrooms
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Paprika to taste
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC). In a medium bowl, combine the crabmeat, green onions, herbs, and black pepper. Mix in the mayonnaise and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese until well combined. Refrigerate the filling until ready for use.
Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp towel. Remove the stems. Spoon out the gills and the base of the stem, making deep cups. Discard the gills and stems or use for another purpose. Fill the mushroom caps with rounded teaspoonfuls of the filling and place them in an ungreased shallow baking dish. Sprinkle the tops with additional Parmesan and paprika.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and serve immediately.
Yield: 6 servings
MINI SPINACH QUICHES
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 slices bacon
¼ cup chopped green onion
2 eggs
½ cup half-and-half cream
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and well drained (use your hands to squeeze out the water)
In a small mixing bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese. Add the flour; beat until well blended. Shape into 24 balls. Press the balls into the bottom and the sides of greased mini muffin cups.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC). In a skillet, cook the bacon until brown and very crisp; drain. Sauté the onions in the same skillet with the bacon drippings and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender, stirring constantly; drain. Place the onions in a medium bowl. Crumble the bacon into small pieces, and add in with the cooked green onion. Add the eggs to the bacon and onions; beat well. Stir in the cream, salt, nutmeg, and Parmesan cheese. Add in the squeezed spinach; mix well to combine. Divide the mixture into the crust-lined cups (do not overfill).
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Store the leftovers in the refrigerator.
Yield: 24
SPANAKOPITA
½ cup olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (or 2 teaspoons dried dill)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (8-ounce) package feta cheese, crumbled
4 eggs, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (24-ounce) package phyllo dough
¾ pound butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175ºC). Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Slowly cook and stir onions until softened (do not overcook). Mix in the spinach, dill, and flour. Cook for approximately 10 minutes, or until most of the moisture has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and mix in the cheese, eggs, salt, and pepper. Lay the phyllo dough flat and cut into long strips (about 2 inches wide); brush with the melted butter. Place a small amount of spinach mixture at the bottom of each piece of dough. Fold the phyllo into triangles around the mixture. Place the filled phyllo dough triangles on a large baking sheet. Brush with butter. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until golden brown.
Yield: Varies
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lorna Barrett is the New York Times bestselling author of the Booktown Mysteries, including A Just Clause and Title Wave.
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Poisoned Pages Page 27