“What’s for dessert?” Ethan looked up from his empty plate. “Did I see a pie in the fridge earlier?”
Hope placed the utensils and plates in the dishwasher and closed the door. They’d finished their meal with generous slices, except for Claire, who cut her own sliver of a piece of banana cream pie. She pressed the On button before Ethan came up from behind. He spun her around into his arms. Claire had suggested a movie while they were clearing the table. Now she and Drew were battling it out in the family room on which movie to watch.
“You got quiet. What’s going on in there?” He pointed to her head.
“Not much.” She glided her hands up and down Ethan’s polo shirt. His chest was solid, yet comfy enough to lay her head on at night.
His hand slid down the side of her face, caressing her cheek. “You know I’m a cop and I can tell when someone isn’t being honest, right?”
“We can talk about it later.” She wanted to have the conversation in private.
“No. We can talk about it now. They’re busy arguing.” He glanced over his shoulder and then back to Hope and pulled her closer. “What’s going on? Are you having second thoughts about us?”
“No, no, nothing like that. I’m scared.”
“Scared about what?”
“During the murder investigation, you couldn’t talk about it, which I get.”
“What’s the problem, then?”
“If you can’t talk about one area in your life, it gets easier not to talk about another area of your life and then, before you know it, we’re broken up because we’re not talking.”
There, she’d said it out loud. Her worry, her fear, her worst-case scenario. Breaking up.
Ethan nodded his head. “Like what happened with you and Tim.”
“I know you’re not him, but . . . it’s so easy to stop communicating.” Hope dipped her head. She was being ridiculous. She was overreacting and blowing the whole thing out of proportion, and she wouldn’t blame Ethan if he turned and left to get away from her craziness.
He lifted her chin with his finger. “Look at me. There are things I can’t talk about because of my job. I can’t change that.”
“I’m worried I’ll sabotage what we have because of my fear.”
“No, you won’t.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because we’re talking about it. As long as we keep doing this, we will be fine. Okay?”
Hope wanted to believe him. Maybe he was right. She and Tim hadn’t acknowledged their lack of communication until it was too late.
“Okay.” She nodded, reassured she hadn’t scared him off.
“We’re not going to make the same mistakes we made in the past. I love you, Hope.”
Her breath caught. He’d said it.
He loved her.
“I love you too.” She cupped his face in her hands and was a mere moment from a kiss when a woof drew her attention to beyond the kitchen. She lifted her gaze over Ethan’s shoulder and then it narrowed.
Drew and Claire were standing with crossed arms and Bigelow was sitting in front of them. All three were watching Hope and Ethan.
Claire gave Drew a sidelong look. “Well, there you go. You wanted to watch a chick flick where they declare their love for each other at the end. Done. Now we can watch Kill Bill.” Claire slapped Drew on the chest and walked away to the sofa, where she sank to the cushion and grabbed the remote.
Drew threw his hands up in the air and followed Claire. “I can’t believe you like Kill Bill. How is that even possible?”
Claire huffed. “What? You want to watch Love Actually?”
“What’s wrong with Love Actually?”
“Where do I begin?” Claire shook her head as she pointed the remote control at the television.
Bigelow stood and trotted over to Hope and Ethan, wedging himself between them. Their romantic moment had passed. She dropped her forehead onto his chest and laughed.
While the evening hadn’t turned out as she had planned, it was exactly what she needed.
Recipes
FROSTED BROWNIES
posted by Hope Early
When I am craving chocolate. I. Need. Brownies. These brownies. Seriously. Whipping up a batch of brownies is so gratifying. The yield on this recipe depends on how big you cut the squares.
Ingredients:
For brownies
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely
chopped
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Extra butter for preparing baking dish
For frosting
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 ⅔ cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼–⅓ cup whole milk
Directions for the Brownies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter an 8-inch square baking dish and line with parchment paper. Be sure to let excess hang over for easy removal of brownies. Butter the parchment paper and set aside.
In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Place butter and unsweetened chocolate in a double boiler. Stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are melted and smooth.
Remove the bowl from the saucepan and whisk in the granulated and brown sugars. Next whisk in the eggs, the yolk, and the vanilla extract.
Next add in the flour mixture all at once and combine with spatula.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake tester inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool completely, then frost and serve!
Directions for the Frosting:
In a large bowl, using either a stand or hand-held mixer, cream together butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy.
Add in cocoa and vanilla and beat until combined. Add in enough milk until the frosting achieves a smooth spreading consistency.
Spread over cooled brownies.
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE AND WALNUT MUFFINS
posted by Hope Early
It’s no secret I love a good muffin, but this one is a top favorite of mine because it combines chocolate and walnuts and is dusted with powdered sugar. These are a perfect breakfast treat, a good choice for a midafternoon pick-me-up, or whenever you crave something chocolate. This recipe includes olive oil. I love baking with it, and I use a good-quality, extra-virgin olive oil.
Yield: 16 muffins
Ingredients:
2 eggs
¾ cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
½ cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup chopped walnuts
1 cup dark chocolate chips
Powdered sugar for dusting
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
Add eggs and sugar in a bowl and beat until creamy. Add in buttermilk, olive oil, and vanilla extract. Beat until all combined.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add to wet mixture and mix until combined; do not overmix the batter.
Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips.
Fill each muffin liner about ⅔ full and bake for 18 minutes or until cake tester inserted into center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and set them on a cooling rack. When muffins are completely cooled, dust with sifted
powdered sugar before serving.
ARTICHOKE AND SPINACH PASTA BAKE
posted by Hope Early
I’m a huge fan of spinach and artichoke dip, and this dish is my newest obsession. When I’ve served it to family and friends, there’s not one morsel left. I’ve used regular pasta and whole-grain pasta and it’s delicious either way.
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large shallot, chopped
1 box (9-ounce) frozen artichoke hearts,
thawed, halved, and patted dry*
½ cup dry white wine
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg
1½ cups Gruyère cheese, shredded
1 pound penne pasta
2 boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed and
wrung dry in a towel
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium skillet, heat EVOO over medium to medium-high heat. Add in garlic and shallot, cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add in artichokes and cook until they are lightly brown. Deglaze the pan with wine. In a saucepan, add butter and melt over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add milk, whisking to combine, and season with salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Continue to cook sauce until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Adjust seasonings and add in Gruyère cheese, stirring in a figure-eight until all the cheese is melted into the sauce. Salt the boiling water and cook pasta until al dente. Drain and return to the pot. Pour in the cheese sauce, spinach (shred it as you add it to the pasta), and artichoke mixture.
Pour out the pasta mixture into a 3-quart baking dish and cover with Parmesan cheese.
Place baking dish on a baking sheet and set in center of oven. Bake until the top is browned and bubbling, about 45 minutes.
Allow to cool and set for a few minutes before serving.
*Sometimes I can’t find frozen artichoke hearts, so I use a can of artichoke hearts; just drain and dry before using.
BASIC FRITTATA
posted by Hope Early
I love this recipe for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This recipe is good all on its own. But its versatility means it can work at any time of the day because you can add whatever you want to it. I’ve used up leftover potatoes and corned beef for a perfect, quick dinner. I’ve also used asparagus and smoked salmon for a lovely summer breakfast on the patio. Be creative!
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup onions, diced
8 large eggs
½ cup milk
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat olive oil in a 10-inch, oven-safe skillet* over medium heat. Add in onions and cook until they are softened, about five minutes.
Whisk eggs, then add in milk, salt, and pepper.
Pour egg mixture into the skillet, stir, and cook until the edges start to pull away from the pan, about 5 to 7 minutes. Bake until egg is set, about 16 to 18 minutes.
*If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet you can use a 2-quart baking dish.
FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
posted by Hope Early
I’m starting to think I’m a chocoholic. Chocolate has been on my brain for weeks. I don’t think it’s a bad thing. There are worse things to be obsessed with. I love this recipe because there are times when I crave a deep, rich, dense chocolate something, something. This is what satisfies me when I’m in that kind of mood. This torte has never let me down.
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
½ cup unsalted butter
⅔ cup bittersweet chocolate chips
¾ cup sugar
3 large eggs
½ cup cocoa powder
Powdered sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line bottom with parchment paper.
Combine butter and chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute and stir. Continue in 15-second increments until mixture is melted. Stir to combine.
In a large bowl, whisk sugar and eggs together. Add melted chocolate, whisk to combine. Stir in cocoa powder and mix until smooth.
Pour chocolate mixture into the greased pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
Let cake cool for 10 minutes on cooling rack and then release the side of the pan. Serve with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
CHOCOLATE WALNUT COOKIES
posted by Hope Early
Cookies are pure joy for me. I love baking them, I love sharing them, and I love eating them. These cookies combine chocolate, chocolate chips, and walnuts into a perfect little package. It’s hard to stop at one, so don’t even try!
Yield: 32 cookies
Ingredients:
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
½ cup walnuts, chopped
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Melt ½ cup of chocolate chips in a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
Beat together butter and sugars until creamy, then stir in egg and chocolate mixture, mixing until combined. Gradually stir in flour mixture, remaining chocolate chips, and walnuts. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Roll dough into balls, about 1¼-inch. Arrange them on cookie sheet, at least two inches apart. Bake until set but still soft, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Let rest on cookie sheet two minutes before transferring to cooling rack to completely cool.
Three Widows and a Corpse Page 28