Thanks Diary.
Thanks for everything. Truth be told?
This really is a lovely life.
Xo,
Annie Rose Graceland
Chapter 36
Roller Coaster
Nancy
Dear Diary,
I hate to admit it, but I was having a lovely time in Los Angeles visiting my daughter. Annie’s apartment was tiny, but clean as a whistle except for the cat hair that kept showing up on my clothes, like it had been magnetized to me. We drove a lovely loaner sedan from Marina Del Rey Cadillac.
Mort Feinberg’s Thanksgiving party was so much fun and the bounty of freshly cooked food were amazing! The turkeys were moist and juicy. The buttermilk twisted rolls tasted like they’d been freshly made—not squeezed from a tube onto a baking tin. I don’t know what they put in the dressing, but I needed that recipe.
Mort’s wife, Eva, was delightful. She had a self-deprecating sense of humor, and regaled me with funny stories about living among the celebrities, but not really being one. She’d fit in perfectly with my Wild Women’s group back at home. I thought I’d hate Mort, but he was a gentleman and a wonderful host.
All in all I was greatly disappointed because I expected to hate these people, and instead I adored them. I just wished they all lived back in Oconomowoc, or at the least in Milwaukee, so my only daughter would move home, and I could see her, as well as them, more often.
This was my first trip to L.A. since Annie found out her soon to be ex-husband was a colossal loser. You’d better believe I had my eye on the new boyfriend, Raphael Campillio, every second we were in the same room. So yes, I noticed when he kissed her for a few moments longer than proper, then pulled away, and winked. I heard him say, “I love you, Annie,” and I watched her just melt in front of him, in front of me, in front of the whole world as she told him that she loved him too.
And I cringed internally, but kept a stiff upper lip, as mothers often do, because I knew in my heart, she wouldn’t be moving home anytime soon.
But in spite of my sorrow, I approved. Annie was finding extended family in L.A., and I think, I think, she had found a good, solid man.
We’re going to Disneyland tomorrow. Annie wants to go on the roller coaster rides. I told her that her life’s been a titanic roller coaster this past year and that I thought we should stick with the Mad Tea Party and the It’s A Small World rides.
But, Dear Diary, daughters rarely listen to their mothers. I should know—I seldomly listened to mine. But maybe that’s how life intended mother and daughter relationships to be. Because no matter how much you love someone, you can’t live their life, you can only live your own.
Thanks for everything, Diary.
God Bless.
Sincerely,
Nancy Jean Graceland
The End
In loving memory of my mother
Susan Marie Timmel DuMond
(June 23, 1927 − February 16, 2014)
I miss you, Mama.
Diaries Recipes
Pumpkin Spice Cupcake by Laura DeVries (founder of Cupcakes-A-Go-Go Café)
This recipe is super-easy and doesn't even need a mixer if you don't want to use one.
Ingredients:
4 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup canola oil
15 oz. pumpkin
2 cups cake flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix at medium speed until smooth.
Combine flour and next 5 ingredients. Stir flour into wet mixture until well blended.
Line cupcake pan with paper liners, and fill 3/4 full.
Bake at 350° approximately 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
1 package 8 oz. cream cheese, softened.
4 tbsp. butter softened
1tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar
Directions:
Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Add vanilla.
Add powdered sugar gradually and beat until light and fluffy.
Frost cupcakes after they have cooled.
Banana Pudding Cupcakes by Tina-Marie Vaitl
Ingredients:
1 box French Vanilla Cake Mix (plus ingredients listed on box, and Buttermilk)
8 oz. container spreadable Cream Cheese (softened)
14 oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk
¾ Cup Whole Milk
3.4 oz. box Instant Banana Pudding
1 Cup frozen Whipped Topping (thawed)
1-2 Bananas, sliced in 24 pieces
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1-2½ Cups crushed Vanilla Wafers
Yield 24 Cupcakes
Make the cupcakes according to the instructions on the cake mix, *except* use buttermilk in place of the water. The batter will be thick, but trust me... awesomeness is about to happen! Divide the batter equally between two 12 cup muffin tins with liners.
While the cupcakes are baking, make the filling in a separate bowl.
Mix together the softened cream cheese with the sweetened condensed milk until it’s very creamy looking.
Add the whole milk, vanilla and banana pudding mix and whip until it’s thickened. Keep your mixer on medium speed until everything is blended.
Fold in the thawed whipped topping by hand.
When the cupcakes are done, put them on a wire rack and let them cool down. The magic is about to happen!
Using a sharp knife, cut the middle out of each cupcake leaving about ½ inch around the edges, and be careful not to go all the way to the bottom. (Save the middles for another use, or just eat them because they are yummy!)
Sprinkle some of the crushed vanilla wafers into each cupcake shell, and place a slice of banana in next. You want room to put the pudding filling, and then add some more to “frost” the cupcakes with.
Finish them by sprinkling more of the crushed vanilla wafers on top. You could also top them with some more whipped cream before the wafer garnish if you want to.
Chill for several hours before serving, if you can wait that long!
Strawberry Tiramisu by Joan Olive Yallop (Cheryl Moore’s mama)
Ingredients and Directions:
Blend 2 pints of sliced strawberries, 3/4 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons cream de cacao. Reserve 3/4 cup.
Pour remainder into pie plate.
In medium bowl mix 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese (room temperature) and 1/4 cup powdered sugar.
In a large bowl, whip 1 1/2 cups heavy cream and fold in mascarpone mixture.
Trim and soak 24 ladyfingers in the berry mixture in pie pan.
Fit 12 ladyfingers side by side in two rows on bottom of 8 X 8 baking dish.
Spread 1/2 reserved berry mixture and 2 cups mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers, and then layer the remaining lady fingers with remaining strawberry mixture and mascarpone.
Cover and refrigerate, cut into squares and garnish with shaved dark chocolate.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake by Cheryl Cavitt Carlson
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (I just use cinnamon)
4 eggs
1 can (1 lb., 2 cups) pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup Branflake cereal
1 Six oz. package semi-sweet chocolate morsels (the more the better, it’s chocolate after all!)
Directions:
1. Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt and spice. Set aside.
2. In large mixing bowl, beat
eggs until foamy. Add pumpkin, oil and bran cereal. Mix well. Add flour mixture, stirring only until combined. Stir in chocolate morsels and nuts. Spread evenly in ungreased tube or Bundt pan.
3. Bake at 350° F about 1 hour and 10 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool completely before removing from pan. Drizzle with powdered sugar glaze, if desired.
Shoo Fly Pie by Author J.M. Kelley Author J.M. Kelley
Ingredients:
Crumb mixture—which will be lumpy. Set aside about ½ cup to top pie
1 tbsp. shortening
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
Filling:
1 egg beaten
¾ cup water, boiling
1 cup molasses, the thicker the better
1 tsp. baking soda
1 unbaked refrigerated piecrust
Directions:
Combine soda with boiling water.
Add egg and syrup.
Add crumb mixture.
Pour into piecrust and top with the set-aside portion of crumb mixture.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 10 minutes, and then lower the temperature to 350 degrees. Continue to bake until firm, usually about 40 minutes.
Pie should be gooey but somewhat firm, and bottom crust usually turns out rather moist, that suits the nature of this sweet treat!
Sweet Potato Casserole by Terri Billingsley Dunn
Ingredients and Directions:
1 lb. cooked sweet potatoes, drained and mashed.
1/4 cup melted margarine.
1 cup sugar.
1/2 tsp. salt.
2 eggs.
1/2 cup milk.
1/2 tsp vanilla.
Whisk together and spread in 9 x 13 casserole dish.
Mix together the following and sprinkle on top of sweet potato mixture: 1 cup brown sugar. 1/3 cup self-rising flour. 1 cup pecan chips. 1/4 cup melted margarine. (Mix first three ingredients together before adding margarine.)
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Apple Cake by Cheryl Moore
(Voted by Cheryl’s husband as the best cake ever!!)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Peel and thinly slice approximately five granny smith apples to equal four cups. Spread apples in buttered 13x9x2 inch pan or evenly distribute in 24 cupcake liners for cupcakes.
Beat three eggs with a mixer until thick. In a separate bowl combine two cups of sugar with one cup of vegetable oil. Pour beaten eggs into this and mix with mixer on medium speed.
Stir together two cups of flour, three teaspoons of cinnamon, one teaspoon baking soda, and one-half teaspoon of salt; add to egg mixture, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure not imitation) and beat to mix. Stir in one cup chopped walnuts.
Pour batter over apples spreading to cover. Don't be alarmed that the batter is kind of thick and doesn't actually ‘easily’ pour over apples use a rubber spatula to distribute batter or your freshly-washed/clean fingers (no one will know.)
Bake the sheet cake for one hour.
Bake the cupcakes for 20 - 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool.
This cake is going to look totally funky, hills and dales but this is normal. This cake is moist and dense except for the top that bakes into a crispy crust, great textures going on here.
Once cool, frost with cream cheese frosting, oh yes yummy cream cheese frosting, this definitely deserves "the cherry on top of the cake" reference.
Soften one 8 ounce package of cream cheese and beat till fluffy. Continue beating and slowly beat in 1/3 cup melted butter, then add 2 2/3 cups powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Spread over cooled cake or cupcakes. YUM!!!!!
Cheesecake Cookies by Margaret Dieman
Ingredients and Directions:
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
½ cup chopped nuts (pick those which you love)
¼ cup sugar
One 8 oz. package cream cheese
1 egg
2Tbsp. milk
½ tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Cream butter with brown sugar in a small mixing bowl.
Add flour and nuts.
Mix to a crumb mixture.
Reserve one cup for topping.
Press the remainder into the bottom of an 8” pan and bake in 350 degree oven for 12 – 15 minutes until lightly browned.
Blend sugar with cream cheese in a small bowl until smooth.
Add egg, mild, lemon juice and vanilla.
Beat well.
Spread over baked crust.
Sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture.
Bake in 350 degree oven for twenty minutes.
Cool and cut into 2” squares.
Also by the Author
Cupcakes, Lies, and Dead Guys (A Romantic, Comedic Annie Graceland Mystery, #1)
Cupcakes, Sales, and Cocktails – A Novella (A Romantic, Comedic Annie Graceland Mystery, #2)
Cupcakes, Pies, and Hot Guys (A Romantic, Comedic Annie Graceland Mystery, #3)
Cupcakes, Paws, and Bad Santa Claus (A Romantic, Comedic Annie Graceland Mystery, #4)
The Annie Graceland Cupcakes Mystery Series Boxed Set, Books #1 - 4 (A Romantic, Comedic Annie Graceland Mystery, #5)
Part-time Princess (Ladies-in-Waiting, #1)
The Story of You and Me (Driven, #1)
The Messenger (Mortal Beloved, #1)
Staying Young: Simple Techniques to Look and Feel Young
Coming Attractions…
The Assassin (Mortal Beloved, #2)
The Seeker (Mortal Beloved, #3)
Part-time Princess Takes no Prisoners (Ladies-in-Waiting, #2)
Cupcakes, Bars, and Rock Stars, (A Romantic, Comedic Annie Graceland Mystery, #7)
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A huge thanks to Michael James Canales for another super fun book cover! Thanks to Debbie DeBlas for beta-reading and Arianne Cruz for editing.
Thanks to my usual suspects who I adore: Bob Bernstein, Joan Brady, Jacqueline Carey, Cheryl Cavitt Carlson, Kaye DuMond, Terri Billingsley Dunn, Melissa Black Ford, Shelly Fredman, Dr. Carrie Hartney, Jeanie Whitmore Jackson, Joanne Kelly, Rita Kempley, Adrienne Kramer, Monica Mason, Cheyenne Mason, An’gel Molpus, Cheryl Moore, Theresa Munroe, Cheree Plank, Alta Kirkland Roberts, Karen Rontowski, Debra Sanderson, Carole Sauer, Ed Schneider, Alli Sinclair, Dave Thome, Megan Tinker, Kristin Warren, and Joe Wilson.
Thanks LARA (the RWA L.A. chapter.) You are all such awesome writers, so helpful, and you inspire me!
Thanks Sassy Girls Book Club, Chick Lit Central, Must Read Mysteries and all you wonderful bloggers out there who support us authors.
A shout out to all my pals from Downers Grove North High School and Wheaton Academy!
Thanks to the ladies who provided the yummy recipes: Cheryl Cavitt Carlson, Cheryl Moore, Joanne Kelly, Joan Olive Yallop, Laura Devries, Terri Billingsley Dunn, Tina-Marie Vaitl, and Debbie DeBlas.
Thanks to my manager Jeffrey Thal at Ensemble Entertainment for shopping my books for film and TV. I do appreciate your hard work!
A big thank you to my readers – you rock!
Xo
Pamela DuMond
About the Author
Pamela DuMond was the #1 Best-seller in Barnes and Noble as well as a top #10 Best-seller in the Amazon bookstore.
Pamela's the author who discovered Erin Brockovich's life story, thought it would make a great movie and pitched it to 'Hollywood'.
Her romantic YA time travel novel, The Messenger (Mortal Beloved, Book 1), was recently optioned for film and TV. The sequels, The Assassin (Mortal Beloved, Book 2) and The Seeker (Mortal Beloved, Book 3), hit shelves in 2015.
She writes romantic comedic mysteries, YA, and New Adult romance including romantic comedy.
Her novel The Story of You and Me was a Quarterfinalist in the Amazon Breakout Novel Award (ABNA) 2014 in Romance. Cupcakes, Pie
s, and Hot Guys was a Quarterfinalist in ABNA 2013 in Mystery .
She's addicted to TV shows -- The Voice, Reign, and Outlander! The movies Love Actually and The Bourne trilogy (with Matt Damon -- not that other actor guy,) make her cry ever time she watches them.
Cupcakes, Diaries, and Rotten Inquiries: A Romantic, Comedic Annie Graceland Mystery, #6 Page 16