Murder and the Museum Read online

  “Bite thy tongue. It’s almost the end of tomato season and when I saw a bunch of ripe home-grown ones at a farmer’s market this morning, I couldn’t resist.” John stood up. “You will be dining on a tomato-basil frittata with all the trimmings. And on that note, Max and I are off to work some of our culinary magic.”

  “Does champagne go with a frittata?” Jeff asked.

  “That’s not the question. The question is does champagne not go with anything. Of course it does,” John said.

  “Good. I have some chilling in a cooler in my car. Figure now that Marty is going to not only be an appraiser, but more or less the head honcho of the Camille Borden Museum for a little while, it’s a good reason to celebrate.”

  RECIPES

  TOMATO TART

  Ingredients:

  1 15 oz. refrigerated pie crust

  1 ¾ lbs. tomatoes, cut in ¼” thick slices (If you can get different colors, or heirloom tomatoes, so much the better.)

  ½ tsp. salt

  5 oz. goat cheese, softened (I like to use an herb or garlic goat cheese.)

  5 oz. mascarpone cheese, softened

  ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

  2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, minced

  Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

  2 tbsp. fresh basil leaves, minced

  Parchment paper

  Aluminum foil

  Directions:

  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Unroll the pie crust and place in a 9” tart pan with a removable bottom. Place a 13’ square piece of parchment paper over the pie crust. Fill with pie weights. (If you don’t have any, dried beans or rice works just as well.) Bake 20 minutes. Remove parchment paper and pie weights. Cook another 5 – 7 minutes or until the bottom is golden. Remove from oven.

  While the crust cools, cover a baking sheet with several layers of paper towels. Arrange the tomato slices in a single layer and sprinkle with ½ tsp. salt. Let stand 30 minutes and pat dry.

  In a medium bowl combine goat cheese, mascarpone, Parmesan, thyme, salt, and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture over the bottom of the cooled crust. Arrange the tomato slices on top of the filling, overlapping slightly, and if desired, more salt and pepper to taste. Place strips of aluminum foil over the crust edges. Bake 20 minutes. Cool 15 minutes and remove from tart pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle with minced basil and serve. Enjoy!

  SLOW COOKER PULLED PORK

  Ingredients:

  4 lb. pork shoulder

  1 tsp. vegetable oil

  1 cup BBQ sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray’s)

  ½ cup apple cider vinegar

  ½ cup chicken broth (I make mine from Better Than Bouillon concentrate.)

  ¼ cup light brown sugar

  1 cup plus 1 tbsp. prepared yellow mustard, like French’s

  1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

  1 tbsp. chili powder

  1 large onion, chopped

  2 large garlic cloves, crushed

  1 ½ tsp. dried thyme

  Directions:

  Trim excess fat off the pork shoulder, then using your hands, thoroughly rub 1 cup of the mustard over the pork. Put into a baggie and refrigerate overnight.

  Take pork out of refrigerator one hour before starting recipe. Put vegetable oil into slow cooker. Place pork roast in slow cooker, pour in BBQ sauce, vinegar, and chicken broth. Stir in brown sugar, remaining mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, onion, garlic, and thyme. Cover and cook on High until roast shreds easily with a fork, about 6 or 7 hours.

  Remove meat from slow cooker, completely shred, and return to slow cooker, stirring meat into juice. Keep on Low setting until ready to serve. Enjoy!

  NOTE: Pulled pork is usually served in a sandwich or on a tortilla.

  CHOCOLATE CRATER CAKE

  Ingredients:

  Cake:

  8 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

  ½ cup unsalted butter cut into 1 tbsp. pieces, room temperature

  6 jumbo size eggs

  1 cup sugar

  Optional: 2 tbsp. Cognac or orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier

  Optional: 1 tbsp. finely grated zest of 1 orange

  Whipped Cream Topping:

  1 ½ cups heavy cream

  3 tbsp. confectioner’s sugar

  1 tsp. vanilla extract

  Semisweet chocolate shavings and/or cocoa powder for topping.

  Directions:

  Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of an 8” springform pan with parchment paper (don’t butter). Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over gently simmering water, whisking occasionally. When chocolate is melted, remove from heat and whisk in butter until smooth.

  Separate 4 eggs into 2 small bowls. In a large bowl whisk the 4 yolks and 2 whole eggs with ½ cup sugar until combined. Slowly whisk in warm chocolate mixture and if desired, cognac and orange zest.

  In a separate bowl, beat the 4 egg whites with a handheld mixer until foamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add remaining ½ cup sugar, and beat until glossy soft peaks form, holding their shape, but not stiff, about 5 minutes more. Gently fold ¼ of beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in remaining egg whites. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.

  Set pan on rimmed baking sheet and bake until cake top is puffed and cracked and the center is not wobbly, 35 – 40 minutes. Let cake cool completely in the pan on a baking rack. The cake center will sink as it cools, forming a crater, and that’s what you want.

  In a large bowl, whip cream, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla with handheld mixer until soft billowy peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, fill the sunken center of the cake with the whipped cream. Lightly dust with cocoa powder and top with chocolate shavings. Run the tip of a knife around the edge of the cake and carefully remove the pan’s rim. Enjoy!

  SWEET SALAD DRESSING

  Ingredients:

  1 ½ cups vegetable oil

  2/3 cup sugar

  ½ cup ketchup

  ½ cup red wine vinegar

  ½ cup chopped red onion

  1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

  1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

  ½ tsp. dry mustard.

  Directions:

  Whisk the ingredients together in a medium size bowl until blended. Enjoy!

  NOTE: I like to serve this over spinach with bacon bits and blue cheese crumbles.

  TURKEY PARMIGIANO

  Ingredients:

  2 jumbo size eggs

  2 tbsp. milk

  1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

  ¼ flour

  ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper

  4 turkey breast cutlets (These are available in packages in the supermarket.)

  2 tbsp. olive oil

  3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved

  1 ½ cups prepared spaghetti sauce

  1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese

  ¼ grated Parmesan cheese

  Optional: Fresh basil, minced, for garnish

  Directions:

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the eggs and the milk together in a shallow dish. Place breadcrumbs in a separate shallow dish. In a closeable plastic food storage bag, combine flour and pepper. Add turkey cutlets to bag, one at a time. Shake to coat lightly. Dip in egg mixture, letting excess drip off. Roll in breadcrumbs, coating lightly.

  In a large non-stick frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Push garlic to edge of pan. Add breaded turkey cutlets to pan in batches, cooking until well-done as specified on package. Transfer cooked turkey to 9” x 13” baking dish. Repeat with remaining turkey cutlets.

  Remove and discard garlic. Add spaghetti sauce to skillet. Simmer until heated thoroughly. Spoon sauce over turkey. Top with mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Bake 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and sprinkle with basil, if desired. Serve and enjoy!

  *****

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  COMING SOON

  NOVEMBER 14, 2018

  MURDER AT THE CHURCH

  BOOK 2 OF THE COTTONWOOD SPRINGS

  COZY MYSTERY SERIES

  http://getBook.at/Church

  Maggie went to the church late at night to pray. She was on her knees doing just that when she was murdered.

  What kind of person would murder someone in a church? And the victim has a daughter who is now an orphan. The favor Brigid did for a friend puts her squarely in the middle of a murder mystery.

  When she moved back to Cottonwood Springs, Brigid never thought she’d have a ready-made teen-age daughter, a huge Newfoundland dog, and a good-looking hunky neighbor who wants to get to know her better, a lot better.

  But first she has to solve Maggie’s murder. When a woman has stolen money and someone else’s husband, she quickly discovers that finding Maggie’s murderer is not everyone’s top priority.

  An inspirational cozy mystery from a two-time USA Today Bestselling Author that will leave you with a smile on your face and a tear on your cheek.

  ABOUT DIANNE

  I live in Huntington Beach, California, with my husband, Tom, a former California State Senator, and my boxer dog, Kelly. My passions are cooking, reading, and dogs, so whenever I have a little free time, I am either in the kitchen, playing with Kelly in the back yard, or curled up with the latest book I'm reading.

  Her other books are available below:

  Amazon: Blue Coyote Motel

  Amazon: Coyote in Provence

  Amazon: Cornered Coyote

  Amazon: Coyote Series

  Amazon: Kelly’s Koffee Shop

  Amazon: Murder at Jade Cove

  Amazon: White Cloud Retreat

  Amazon: Marriage and Murder

  Amazon: Murder in Cottage #6

  Amazon: Murder in the Pearl District

  Amazon: Murder and Brandy Boy

  Amazon: Murder in Calico Gold

  Amazon: The Death Card

  Amazon: Murder at The Cooking School

  Amazon: Murder & The Monkey Band

  Amazon: Murder at The Bed & Breakfast

  Amazon: Murder at The Secret Cave

  Amazon: Murder in Cuba

  Amazon: The Blue Butterfly

  Amazon: Trouble at the Kennel

  Amazon: Murdered by Words

  Amazon: Murdered by Country Music

  Amazon: Murder at the Big T Lodge

  Amazon: Murdered in Argentina

  Amazon: Murder on the East Coast

  Amazon: Murder at the Clinic

  Amazon: Murder at the Polo Club

  Amazon: Alexis

  Amazon: Trouble at the Animal Shelter

  Amazon: Murder in Calistoga

  Amazon: Murder on Bainbridge Island

  Amazon: Murder & The Movie Star

  Amazon: Murder in Whistler

  Amazon: Murdered by Plastic Surgery

  Amazon: Murder in Seattle

  Amazon: Murder after Midnight

  Amazon: Murder in San Francisco

  Amazon: Murder at Le Bijou Bistro

  Amazon: Murder at the Courthouse

  Amazon: Murder at the Gallery

  Amazon: Murder at the Waterfront

  Amazon: Murder at the Gearhart

  Amazon: Murdered by Superstition

  Amazon: Red Zero 1

  Amazon: Red Zero 2

  Amazon: Red Zero 3

  Amazon: The Professor’s Predicament

  Amazon: Murder at the Museum

  Please feel free to follow me on these social media sites:

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