Prime Time - Dinner Time

Let’s welcome our Sunday guest!

Award-winning investigative reporter Hank Phillippi Ryan is on the air at Boston's NBC affiliate. Her work has resulted in new laws, people sent to prison, homes removed from foreclosure, and millions of dollars in restitution. Along with her 26 EMMYs, Hank’s won dozens of other journalism honors. She's been a radio reporter, a legislative aide in the United States Senate and an editorial assistant at Rolling Stone Magazine working with Hunter S. Thompson.Her first mystery, the best-selling PRIME TIME, won the Agatha for Best First Novel. It was also was a double RITA nominee for Best First Book and Best Romantic Suspense Novel, and a Reviewers' Choice Award Winner. FACE TIME and AIR TIME are IMBA bestsellers, and AIR TIME was just nominated for the AGATHA Award for Best Novel of 2009. (Of AIR TIME, Sue Grafton says: "This is first-class entertainment.") DRIVE TIME, February 2010 from MIRA Books, just earned a starred review from Library Journal.

Hank's short story "On The House" is now an AGATHA nominee for Best Short Story of 2009. Hank is on the national board of Mystery Writers of America. Her website is Hank Phillippi Ryan.

For fun, Hank would like to offer copies of her books to three commenters today! Wahoo!!!! [They’re great, by the way.] She said you get to pick the TIME book of your choice. So comment to your heart's content!

Take it away, Hank!

PRIME TIME--FOR DINNER

What did you have for dinner when you were a little girl? Did your mother cook? I have a vague memory of--pot roast? And little tiny peas from a can. Big standing rib roasts on holidays. Stringy turkey. (Sorry, Mom.)

And oh--yes, of course, fried chicken made in an incredibly heavy cast iron pan where the top was just like the bottom, and the kitchen smelled like chicken and oil (which is not that bad!) for days. Thinking back--we had a big greasy deep fryer thing, that you plugged in. My little sister and I had the idea to make batter dipped onion rings, which was truly the messiest thing ever. There were batter splatters in the kitchen for--months. And you can imagine how indelible the batter dots were, once they dried.

We used to make pizzas from a box, and we thought it was delicious. Put water in a bowl of floury mix, mix until it was sticky, and roll it out onto a pan. Dump on that canned tomato sauce and a packet of cheese. And sometimes fried hamburger. We thought it was a huge treat! It must have been before there was carry-out pizza. (Who else remembers that?)
I don’t think I’d cook any of that now. Too greasy, too fried, too pre-fab. Although I’ve been known to sneak an onion ring or two from my husband’s plate in restaurants. (Do you sneak bites of your companion’s food? We'll talk about that another day.)

Cooking now is so different from my mom’s day. It's all about doing it fast--in my world, at least. I have a full time job as a reporter, and ANOTHER full time job as a mystery author. And another full time job as a wife. So something’s gotta give.

I will confess, cooking was one of the first things I had to cut back. Used to be? I’d come home from working at Boston’s NBC affiliate, and unless there had been big breaking news or an especially tough story, cooking dinner was one of the few things that would really relax me. It’s fun, it’s rewarding—but you do have to concentrate, and the craziness of a day in disguise or going undercover with a hidden camera or scouring through court records would fade away as I calculated what to make for dinner. I came up with some fantastic sauces, great toppings for grilled fish, and exotic new pasta combinations.

And dinner parties? Back in the day I used to go all out. Elaborate, experimental, no holds barred.Soufflés, beef Wellington, pommes Anna, poached fresh pears with wine and cinnamon. No recipe was too complicated, no prep too difficult. I loved it.

Today? Forget about it.

Now, let’s just say it’s lucky that my dear husband is patient. There’s a lot of pizza. And brown-rice sushi. And carry-out grilled salmon.

But there’s got to be a way, I thought, to make it fast but still healthy and delicious.

One way--is to add fresh ingredients to prepared items. Does your grocery carry-out counter have orzo salad? It's orzo, and red onions, and black olives—you’ve seen it.

Perfectly good, but unquestionably pre-fab. But here's how to make it fresh and wonderful...just add fresh crumbled feta cheese and chopped up fresh basil. Suddenly, the flavors pop. It also looks beautiful.

If you want to get even fancier: pop two ears of corn, still in the husk! into the microwave.

Heat on high for about two minutes. The corn will steam itself! Carefully, carefully peel off the husks. (It’s okay to wait until it’s cool enough to do without harming yourself.) Then--brush a little oil on the corn on the cob, and put it under the broiler until about half the kernels get toasty. Cut the corn off the cob, and mix it into the orzo salad. Don’t worry if some of the kernels stick together, it’s prettier that way.
Suddenly, you have a fantastic fresh salad. And you boosted the delicious level in about 4 minutes. And it’s totally company-worthy.

Now, like my main character (and alter ego?) reporter Charlotte McNally, I’m figuring out ways to make food tasty and beautiful—but also, well, fast. And when friends stop by for drinks and chat—we sit out by the pool and watch the summer sunset and, as we say, “soak up the niceness.” And for that, you need appetizers. Here are three that are elegant, delicious, and of course, fast. And then, a never-fail dinner recipe that you can do with whatever you have in the fridge. Because—who has time to plan?


Charlotte NcNally’s Three Super-fast Appetizers—and one Dinner on a Deadline!


Built-in BLT’s

16 cherry tomatoes (sniff in the store to make sure they smell like tomato, not cardboard), halved
Mayonnaise
1-2 leaves romaine lettuce, torn into small pieces
2-3 slices bacon, crisply cooked and broken into small pieces
Fresh parsley or basil

Scoop out most of the inside of each tomato half. Place a dollop of mayonnaise in each half. Stick a torn piece of lettuce into each. Pop in a shard of bacon. (These will look beautiful.) Arrange on a serving tray and garnish with sprigs of fresh parsley or basil.
Done!

Yield: 6-8 servings

Quick Caprese

Note: This is easy finger food, but if you want to provide little forks, it’s delicious for guests to dip each tomato into a pool of extra high quality balsamic vinegar. Splurge on the vinegar!

Fresh mozzarella cheese, in cherry tomato-size balls
Fresh basil pesto (may be store-bought, who’ll know?)
16 cherry tomatoes (sniff in the store to make sure they smell like tomato, not cardboard), halved
Fresh parsley or tarragon
Fresh basil, finely chopped

Slice each mozzarella ball into three pieces. Put a dollop of pesto on each tomato. Top with a slice of mozzarella. Arrange on tray with parsley sprigs, or stalks of tarragon and tomato halves for garnish. Sprinkle basil on top of the cheese. Done!

Yield: 6-8 servings


Quicktime Taste of Tuscany

Note: Consumer reporter alert - be sure to wash the outsides of the melons before you cut them to prevent salmonella!

1 cup bite-size chunks of fresh cantaloupe
1 cup bite-size chunks of fresh honeydew melon
30 strips prosciutto
Fresh herbs
Fresh basil, finely chopped

Wrap each melon chunk with prosciutto, and secure with toothpick. Arrange on tray with herbs from your garden (or the grocery). Sprinkle basil across the top to garnish.

Yield: 6-8 servings


Here’s one more secret--and it’s such a fast delicious dinner that Charlie McNally makes it all the time. Or--she would, if I didn’t do it for her.

Fast Pasta Primavera for two

Pasta for two
Vegetables—see below
1/3 or more cup olive oil
Garlic-infused oil if you have it
Garlic (crushed from a jar or fresh)
Red pepper flakes
Grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh ground pepper
Fresh basil, chopped


Boil water for pasta
See what vegetables you have—maybe a lonely leftover zucchini or yellow squash? If so chop in chunks, add some olive oil and broil.
If you have spinach or broccoli, or broccoli rabe? Wash and chop.
Check the pasta water. Is it boiling yet?
In a cereal size type boil, dump in about 1/3 cup high quality olive oil, a dash of garlic-infused oil or basil-infused oil. Add a chopped up garlic clove. Or half a teaspoon of crushed garlic from a jar.

Shake in a couple of shakes of red pepper flakes. Put it in the microwave. But don’t turn it on!
Is the pasta water ready?

Dump in the pasta.
When the pasta is one minute from being done, dump the raw broccoli or broccoli rabe or spinach into the simmering pasta water.
Start the microwave! Heat the oil mixture on high for one minute.
Meanwhile, the pasta will cook for that final minute along with the vegetables.
When the pasta is done and the veggies are still bright green, drain in a colander.
Slide the pasta and vegetables back into the pasta pan.
(If you’ve broiled the zucchini, mix that into the pasta now.)
Pour in the hot oil, and stir.
Now you’ve got a delicious mix of pasta and vegetables.
Top with lots of Parmesan cheese and fresh pepper—add some fresh chopped basil if you have it.
Quick—and delicious!

___

Thanks, Hank! You've given us a feast. You're the best.

~Avery

Reminder:

We have a NEW CONTEST. Win a set of COOKIE CUTTERS from Wilton. To enter the contest, all you have to do is leave a comment!

Check back on March 2, when the cookie cutter winner will be announced -- oh heck, check back every day! There's always something fun going on ;-) But that's when Jenn McKinlay will launch her new book Sprinkle with Murder, as well as a new CONTEST. One you won't want to miss!

Also, don't forget to enter Jenn’s Name the Cupcake Contest. Go to her website to enter. You and your cupcake might be the lucky ones to be written into BUTTERCREAM BUMP OFF.

Skillet Pork Chop Stroganoff

Is anyone else a fan of The Next Food Network Star? I felt like a contestant this week when wine won as the featured ingredient. Mentally, I ran to the possible ingredients I could use. The only dish I make with wine on a regular basis is German red cabbage which didn't seem quite right. Salmon stood out. I'm not sure why, but salmon just seems so right with white wine. I bought a lovely piece of salmon and, for once, I was ahead of the game. And then I got up on Thursday morning and there was my salmon. Riley and I had a major cyber mind-merge and produced virtually the same dish. No kidding -- almost exactly the same!

So I turned to chicken breast. Sounded good. Chicken breast with white wine and asparagus over pasta. Good thing I'm not a The Next Food Network Star contestant. I would have been eliminated for that dish! At this point, I was beginning to think I didn't much care for cooking with wine and it might be more productive to pour myself a glass and watch the Olympics.

Instead, I forged ahead. You all thought I would make another reduction, right? Hah! I did. I have a lovely bottle of mango juice that I need to use, so I mixed one cup of mango juice with one cup of white wine and let it reduce. Now that was good! But other than pound cake or ice cream, I haven't really figured out where I can use it.

So I pulled two thick pork chops out of the freezer to thaw. In The Diva Paints the Town, Sophie uses one of my favorite mixes of spices to brine pork. The great thing about brining pork chops is that they really only need to marinate about 30 minutes to an hour, which makes it a good weeknight I-didn't-plan-ahead dish. But this time, I added wine and made a sauce.

Sophie's Brine Spice Mix

1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup white wine

Place all the spices in a zip top bag and mush them together. (Mush is a fancy cooking term.) Add the olive oil and the wine, and mush again. Slide in the pork chops, zip the bag, and massage a bit until they're covered with the brine. Store in refrigerator 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Note: This is a delicious brine even without the wine. It's great even without the Stroganoff Sauce below and works well on grilled meat, too.

Skillet Pork Chop Stroganoff

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 thick cut pork chops
3/4 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon paprika
8 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the pork chops and brown on both sides. Add the wine, broth, vinegar, and paprika. Add the mushrooms and bring to a gentle simmer. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your chops. After four minutes, I flipped my chops and cooked them another four minutes. Do not overcook them! When done, remove the chops from the pan and set aside.

Scoop a little bit of the liquid into a measuring cup and mix in the flour with a fork or mini-whisk so there are no lumps. Pour into the pan and mix. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.

ENJOY!

Hurry and leave a comment before it's too late to enter our contest to win a set of COOKIE CUTTERS from Wilton. To enter the contest, all you have to do is leave a comment!

Check back on March 2, when the cookie cutter winner will be announced

AND

when Jenn McKinlay will launch her new book Sprinkle with Murder, as well as a new CONTEST. One you won't want to miss!

Also, don't forget to enter Jenn’s Name the Cupcake Contest. Go to her website to enter. You and your cupcake might be the lucky ones to be written into BUTTERCREAM BUMP OFF.

Wine and Whine: I like 'Em Both by Guest Blogger Jessica Conant-Park

Please give a warm welcome to our very special Iron Chef Wine Week guest, mystery author Jessica Conant-Park, co-author of the Gourmet Girl mysteries.

Jessica is a wonderfully witty and talented writer: She pens books with her amazing mom (mystery author Susan Conant) and is married to a pro chef, which gives her sweet insider knowledge on writing about restaurants, professional kitchens, and all things culinary. Her newest release in her delectable culinary mystery series, COOK THE BOOKS, is coming to book stores on March 2nd. Here's a little taste...

If you can’t stand the heat…

While in her second year of social work school, Chloe Carter gets herself in a pickle by overindulging her beloved godson. To pay her bills, Chloe needs a part-time job. Still smarting over the break-up with her boyfriend, Josh, who took a job as a personal chef in Hawaii, Chloe knows that assisting a cookbook writer may stir up painful memories. But the Gourmet Girl is desperate!

While compiling a book of recipes from Boston’s top chefs, Chloe must deal with a lot of Josh’s friends, including the loud-mouthed, but lovable, Digger. Still, she stays cool until she arrives at Digger’s apartment only to find the building thoroughly charred—and Digger with it.

Chloe knows that Digger was too expert a chef to let a grease fire kill him. His death was murder. Putting her feelings on the back burner, the Gourmet Girl sifts through suspects. But as an executive chef with thorny love life, Digger had enemies by the dozen on his plate. Finding a killer when everyone has a motive is hard enough. Matters will get even stickier if the tragedy brings Josh back to Boston—and back into Chloe’s life.

You can find out more about Jessica and her Gourmet Girl Mysteries (and see more of her wonderful recipes and food thoughts) by visiting her author website by clicking here. And now here's Jessica! ~Cleo

You know what I’m really good at? Whining. Seriously, I love it. I’m great at complaining and pitching dramatic fits. You may think it’s very uncool of me to admit this, but I‘m a grown up now (supposedly) and you should take my admission as an indicator of my being terribly self-aware and comfortable in my own skin.

What I’m particularly good at whining about is the writing process. Every author has a different approach to writing, and while I picture other authors easily coming up with storylines, characters, and scintillating plot elements in a deep, thoughtful, and polite manner, I’m the complete opposite. My proces involves lots of wailing, storming around the house, complaining that I’m miserable and useless and will never get an idea to translate from my messed up brain into any understandable Word document.

I like to think that this makes me the proverbial tortured writer and is a sign of my being a true artist. Ha! I suppose I’m just a high-maintenance drama queen. Whatever. I’ve convinced myself that while words flow easily for every other author (those evil people who write twenty pages a day without blinking), I am the exception to the rule. I whine and struggle and flop myself onto the bed in desperation. Writing is work. Yes, some days are really fun and I barely get up from the computer to acknowledge the real world. But there are a lot of days that are rough.

I like to write cleanly as I go because the editing process is already enough work without adding to it with sloppy sentences and useless dialogue. So that might slow me down some. But it gives me another excuse to whine. “I can’t do this! This book sucks! I’m a failure and will never amount to anything! I don’t wanna do this! This is boring and I hate this stupid scene!”

Now, you may think whining is unproductive and childish, but it actually serves a purpose! If I’m whining about a scene that I don’t want to write, that tells me something. The best piece of advice my mother ever gave me was that if I didn’t want to write it, nobody would want to read it. She’s right.

Sometimes my resistance to writing a particular scene or chapter can show me that I should just take it out because it’s not adding to the story. Other times, when I know a scene is necessary and important, I use my whining as inspiration to make that scene different, maybe adding a quirky theme or funny twist that I hadn’t planned on. If I can entertain myself, then maybe I can entertain the reader. But let’s face, that’s still work. So I’m going to try another approach. I’ll curl up in bed with my laptop and leisurely sip a nice Pinot Grigio while I pen the most brilliant book ever written. Doesn’t that sound romantic? The kid is in bed, the chef is at work, and I will work on a bestseller. Here I go:

8:45 p.m.: Ah, this Pinot is perfectly crisp and full-bodied. I shall now work on a touching scene filled with raw emotion and powerful dialogue that will engage the reader.

9:15 p.m.: Obviously need to top off this glass in order to properly capture characters. Back in a minute…. Okay, am ready. (I type furiously for ten minutes and finish the glass of wine.)

10:00 p.m.: Huh. It seems Word has gone crazy and put offensive red and green marks all over my screen. It’s not Christmas. Do not need colorful decorations adorning my masterpiece. Strongly suspect silly program does not know anything about spelling OR grammar. Will keep writing nonetheless, as I continue to appreciate fine vintage from California. (I look around the room hoping for sudden gift of creativity to strike.) Oh, look! There’s the Rick Springfield Cruise DVD set someone sent me! A quick watch of a few songs from the concert on the lido deck will totally help with smart writing! And this calls for another glass of wine because cruise would most definitely be providing beverages at concert and I must fit in with others.

11:12 p.m.: OMG, love Rick Springfield! Love his biceps! Want to be his guitar. Okay, back to work. Will leave delightful DVD on in background while I write. In fact, will stare at television as I type and let self be inspired by rock God….

11:24 p.m.: Uh-oh. Have done something odd. Fingers were clearly not properly aligned on keyboard as have inserted full paragraph of Webdings symbols. Also typed entire lyrics to “Don’t Talk to Strangers.” Will take this as indication that watching 80s musician takes priority.

8:23 a.m.: Have written three pages of complete garbage and have raging headache. New method of writing assistance has proven ineffective. Also, have sustained hip injury, possibly related to jumping off of bed in joyous “Jessie’s Girl” dance move. Have plenty to whine about today. Oh! Have come full circle!

Oh, well. It seems my whine and wine strategy didn’t pan out very well. But I’m not giving up either one of them. COOK THE BOOKS, the fifth Gourmet Girl mystery, comes out on Tuesday and I plan on celebrating release day with an extravagant parade and a full glass.

MY Recipe: I’m nuts about that hottie chef Jamie Oliver (pictured left) and regularly use recipes from his cookbooks. This is my knockoff of one of his dishes, and it’s a good excuse to open a nice bottle of white wine. Don’t use a three-dollar bottle, please. You’ll wreck the dish and have a vile hangover from drinking the rest.

WHINING CHICKEN (or whatever you choose to call it)

2 tablespoons flour 

Salt and pepper 

1 whole chicken, cut up 

1 onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 

6 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced 

1 1/2 cups white wine

4-6 anchovy fillets 

1/4 cup pitted calamata olives
¼ cup green olives
5 ripe plum tomatoes, halved, seeded and coarsely chopped, or 1 can of whole plum tomatoes with most of the liquid drained from the can.
2 big handfuls of arugula

Combine flour with salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken pieces and toss until evenly coated. Heat the olive oil in a large casserole dish over medium-high heat Add chicken pieces, and brown on one side, about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken, and add the onions and garlic. Continue to fry until the onions soften and garlic is soft but not brown. Add the wine and when it comes to a boil, add the anchovies, olives, and tomatoes.

Partly cover the pan and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer until chicken is cooked and tender, and broth is reduced to a rich sauce, 15 to 20 minutes. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Just before serving, remove the pot from the heat and toss in the arugula, letting it wilt in the sauce. That’s it!

Jessica, thank you again
for joining us today!

COOK THE BOOKS
On Sale March 2nd!

Jessica's official author website here.

NEW CONTEST!

LEAVE A COMMENT AND YOU MIGHT WIN...
a set of COOKIE CUTTERS from Wilton!

Check back on March 2, when the cookie cutter winner
will be announced -- oh heck, check back every day!
There's always something fun going on!

Easy and Elegant Baked Salmon in Wine Sauce

I have to admit I was excited about wine week. Who doesn’t love cooking with wine? The trick is that you’re supposed to choose a wine that you’d actually drink with a meal—no cooking wines. Even better! Then you can enjoy a nice glass with your meal.

I hate to say it, but my wine palate leaves a lot to be desired. Oh, I’m an enthusiastic wine taster—but I’m not experienced enough to differentiate between tastes. Do I taste the oak? The subtle hint of peaches? Is the wine complex? Lush? Tannic? Well, you’ve got me! I’ve no idea. But I do seem to enjoy it all.

And I do know what to pair wines with. Since I have a nice bottle of chilled chardonnay, I decided to go with some seafood. And salmon is quick and easy and goes perfectly with chardonnay. I used River Road, which is a great white wine. I’d describe it, but… :)

Baked Salmon in Wine Sauce

• 2 (5 ounce) boneless salmon fillets
• fresh cracked pepper and kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 T brown sugar
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Preheat oven to 450.

Put fillets on a baking sheet that’s been sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with a tented piece of aluminum foil and continue cooking for 10 more minutes.

Sauce: Melt butter over medium heat. Add minced garlic for about half a minute. Add wine and lemon juice. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir in fresh dill, brown sugar, and paprika and remove from the heat.

After salmon is done baking (when it flakes easily), remove the skin from salmon. Put salmon on plates and spoon the wine sauce over the top.

Enjoy!

Riley/Elizabeth
Delicious and Suspicious (Summer 2010) Riley Adams
Pretty is as Pretty Dies –Elizabeth Spann Craig

http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com

*****************

Don't Forget!!

We have a NEW CONTEST. Win a set of COOKIE CUTTERS from Wilton. To enter the contest, all you have to do is leave a comment!

Check back on March 2, when the cookie cutter winner will be announced -- oh heck, check back every day! There's always something fun going on ;-)

But that's when Jenn McKinlay will launch her new book Sprinkle with Murder, as well as a new CONTEST. One you won't want to miss!

Also, don't forget to enter Jenn’s Name the Cupcake Contest. Go to her website to enter. You and your cupcake might be the lucky ones to be written into BUTTERCREAM BUMP OFF.

Red Wine Chocolate Cake

As soon as I heard what our new secret ingredient
was, I knew I wanted to make this very rich, very
luscious red wine chocolate cake. And that's not just
because cooking with wine requires a little for the
cake and a little for me, a little more for the cake
and a little more for me. Kidding, okay, not really.
Let's just say, baking was more fun than usual
that day!



Because so much of the wine was going into the cake (1 1/4 cups), I chose
a Pinot Noir (Redwood Creek 2008) that was on sale (I'm nothing if not
thrifty). This medium-bodied Pinot was noted for having the ripe flavors
of blackberry and black cherry enhanced by a velvety smooth finish that
I thought would blend very well with chocolate. I was right. This cake was
deeeeeelicious!

Ingredients

2 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups red wine (dry)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan. In a bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla and beat for 2 minutes longer. Alternately mix in the dry ingredients and the wine. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 45 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely. Make your glaze. Drizzle cake with chocolate glaze and garnish with fresh strawberries.

Glaze recipe

3 tblspns butter

2 tblspns cocoa

3 tspns milk

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan. Add remaining ingredients one at a time, while continuing to stir. Take glaze off of stove. It will thicken while cooling. When it is the right consistency, pour over the cake and let it set. ENJOY!

NEW CONTEST ALERT! Krista has a set of COOKIE CUTTERS from Wilton that is up for grabs. To enter the contest, all you have to do is leave a comment! Easy Peasy!

Check back on March 2, when the cookie cutter winner will be announced, and my new book SPRINKLE WITH MURDER will be OUT!

There's only one more week to enter my Name the Cupcake Contest. Go to my website to enter. You and your cupcake might be the lucky ones to be written into BUTTERCREAM BUMP OFF (the sequel to SPRINKLE WITH MURDER). The entries are piling up with suggestions like Austin's Sprinkle Doodle and Phoenix's Banana Fonana. LOVE THESE!!!

Jenn McKinlay -- SPRINKLE WITH MURDER -- March 2010
aka Lucy Lawrence -- CUT TO THE CORPSE -- April 2010
-- STUCK ON MURDER -- Sept 2009

White Wine Cheese Fondue

I was so excited about our Secret Ingredient - wine - that I had a hard time deciding what to feature here on my day. There are so many wonderful wine-based recipes that my head was spinning. Finally, I decided I would share a recipe that's a true favorite in this house. Even though Krista shared a Fun Fondue recipe with this blog in January (click here to check it out) I believe that there just isn't enough fondue in the world, and I am thrilled to share this delight with you.

One of my daughters found a cheese fondue recipe online several years ago. Over time we've adjusted it by adding ingredients, adjusting proportions, and even changing cooking methods. This recipe is very simple, and very tasty. Extra bonus - it's easy and inexpensive too.

Avery has been getting me interested in cheeses, and I hope she approves of this one ;-)

White Wine Cheese Fondue

1 cup white wine (I used Turning Leaf Vineyards Riesling)

1 clove of garlic, crushed, minced

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (I use a vegetarian-friendly brand)

1/4 tsp dry mustard

2 tbsp flour

2 cups shredded cheese of choice

(I took a real shortcut here. I bought "Mexican Style" shredded cheese, a combination of Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla, and Asadero Cheeses.)

Avery - are you shuddering???

Heat the wine in a medium saucepan, adding garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and dry mustard. Whisk in flour until well blended and the mixture thickens ever so slightly. Add cheese a little at a time and stir until melted and smooth. You may have to add a little bit more wine to achieve the necessary "dippable" consistency of a fondue.

That's all there is. This pulls together in a flash and looks so elegant. My husband and daughter dip carrot sticks, but I find the carroty taste too strong for the subtle cheese flavors. I prefer dipping crusty bread. Yum...

:-)

I'm heading to North Carolina this week (If you're in the Raleigh area and have time to stop by, please see BookTour.com for details) and I won't be back for my regular Tuesday spot next week. You're in for a real treat! Author Wendy Lyn Watson - I SCREAM YOU SCREAM - will be guest blogging that day. Please stop by and make her feel welcome!!

Enjoy Wine Week (I am... and it's not just because of the recipes *grin*)

See you in two weeks!

Julie

Author of EGGSECUTIVE ORDERS, third in the White House Chef Mystery series and GRACE UNDER PRESSURE (coming in June), first in the Manor of Murder series

Don't Forget!!

We have a NEW CONTEST. Win a set of COOKIE CUTTERS from Wilton. To enter the contest, all you have to do is leave a comment!

Check back on March 2, when the cookie cutter winner will be announced -- oh heck, check back every day! There's always something fun going on ;-)

But that's when Jenn McKinlay will launch her new book Sprinkle with Murder, as well as a new CONTEST. One you won't want to miss!

Also, don't forget to enter Jenn’s Name the Cupcake Contest. Go to her website to enter. You and your cupcake might be the lucky ones to be written into BUTTERCREAM BUMP OFF.

SPIKED FUSILLI AND CHEESE!

It’s MLK’s Iron Chef Week!

And the secret ingredient is:

WINE!

Oh, yeah. I love wine. In my twenties, I was asked to be a wine rep. Didn't do it, but I’ve been learning about it and tasting it ever since.

[Coincidentally enough, one of the main characters in my new book, Matthew Bessette, was a wine sommelier. Matthew now co-owns Fromagerie Bessette with Charlotte.]

I also love to cook with wine. I love to experiment. And I love mac and cheese.

So, put the whole combination together, and I had FUN this week. Tasty fun, fun, fun!

As I’ve said before, writing A Cheese Shop Mystery series has opened my eyes to the variety of cheeses offered not only in Europe but in the United States. There are hundreds and hundreds. So why create a mac and cheese with just one?

Here’s what I did. First, because Charlotte Bessette, my protagonist, is partly French -- she was raised by her French grandparents -- I wanted to start with a French sauce. I created my version of a béchamel sauce.

Béchamel sauce or sauce blanche is a favorite of French cuisine. It is traditionally milk, flour and butter (which creates a roux). I added onions and then WINE to this. [I chose Estancia Sauvignon Blanc for this recipe. I like its crisp flavor, filled with citrus and melon flavors.]

And then I added not one but four cheeses. [Murray's White Cheddar, Wisconsin Sharp Cheddar, Edam, and Parmessan]. To class it up, instead of macaroni, I used fusilli, which is a pretty version of macaroni. The result was a yummy spiked “mac and cheese.”

SPIKE FUSILLI AND CHEESE

Ingredients:

1 1/2 dried fusilli, cooked to tender (about 4 cups)

1/2 onion, chopped

3 Tbs. butter

1 1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup white wine [Estancia Sauvignon Blanc]

3 Tbs. rice flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 1/2 cup mixed cheeses (two cheddars, edam, Parmessan)

1/2 cup Parmessan cheese

Directions:

Cook fusilli according to package directions. Drain and set aside. May be made a day ahead. Note: Do not forget to drain and set aside. You do not want the pasta to be “wet.”

In a large frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and cook until clear, about 2 minutes. Add rice flour and stir. Cook 1 minute, let boil and thicken, stirring constantly.

Add milk and wine, stir and let boil to thicken.

Remove from heat and add cheeses and seasonings.

Put cooked pasta into a 6-quart saucepan. Pour cheese mixture over the pasta and stir well.

Pour pasta mixture into a 9 x 5 bread pan. Sprinkle 1/2 cup Parmessan cheese over the mixture. Set pan into a 300 degree oven for 15 minutes. Turn the oven to broil. Broil for 4 – 8 minutes, until nice crispy brown.

NOTE: FOR MY CELIAC (GLUTEN-INTOLERANT) FRIENDS, THIS RECIPE IS FRIENDLY IF YOU JUST SUBSTITUTE THE PASTA FOR GLUTEN-FREE PASTA.

ENJOY!!!

If you want to see more about Charlotte or the first book she stars in, The Long Quiche Goodbye, or if you want to read more of my recipes or sign up for the Say Cheese Newsletter, click on this website link: Avery Aames. [Another note: I'm going to make a mini-movie of making this wine dish and put it on the site for fun. Would love your comments.]

Before I sign off, remember we have a NEW CONTEST. Win a set of COOKIE CUTTERS from Wilton. To enter the contest, all you have to do is leave a comment! [Simple as pie, no?] Maybe we can all come up with clever ideas to decorate. [My personal favorite is the butterfly!]

Check back on March 2, when the cookie cutter winner will be announced, and Jenn McKinlay will launch her new book Sprinkle with Murder, as well as a new CONTEST. One you won't want to miss!

Also, don't forget to enter Jenn’s Name the Cupcake Contest. Go to her website to enter. You and your cupcake might be the lucky ones to be written into BUTTERCREAM BUMP OFF.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, congrats to all my Sisters in Crime pals who are nominated for Agatha Awards. Lorna Barrett, Kaye George, Meredith Cole, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Lisa Bork, Elizabeth Zelvin, Chris Grabenstein and Stephanie Pintoff. Way to go!!!!!!

At Witt's End

A warm welcome to Beth Solheim, author of AT WITT'S END, the first in a new series about a ghost whisperer. I had the privilege of reading this book in advance, and was blown away when I saw Cleo's interview with Mary Ann Winkowksi, a real ghost whisperer. In the spunky character of Sadie, Beth has nailed the life of a person who helps the deceased resolve their earthly problems so they can cross over.

Like the main character in her Sadie Witt mystery series, Beth Solheim was born with a healthy dose of imagination and a hankering to solve a puzzle. She learned her reverence for reading from her mother, who was never without a book in her hand.

By day, Beth works in Human Resources. By night she morphs into a writer who frequents lake resorts and mortuaries and hosts a ghost or two in her humorous paranormal mysteries

Raised and still living in Northern Minnesota, she resides in lake country with her husband and a menagerie of wildlife critters. She and her husband are blessed with two grown children and two grandsons.

*****

Mayhem is on the rise at the Witt’s End Resort, especially Cabin 14, where no guest ever leaves alive. To make matters worse, Sadie Witt must untangle a murderous web while struggling to prevent an unscrupulous sheriff’s deputy from shutting down her lakeside resort.

When guests arrive at Cabin 14, they’re stunned to learn Sadie is their conduit to the hereafter. Clad in outlandish outfits—clothing typically reserved for those without sagging body parts—and sporting hairdos that make bystanders want to look away but can’t, Sadie realizes one of the guests has been murdered and works against the clock to prevent further chaos.


Cozy mysteries often feature pets. From turtles to dogs, cats to ferrets, birds to gerbils, these critters stand by as the protagonist wades into one predicament after another. The pets, with their unique talents, often play a part in solving crimes.

Belly LaGossa, a dog of questionable heritage, is no exception. He’s been designated the official taste-tester at the Witt’s End Resort and suffers bouts of indigestion because of Jane Witt’s questionable culinary skills. He’s also got another dilemma—he sees dead people! Should my cozy mystery have been titled The Trials and Tribulations of Belly LaGossa? Belly thinks so.

Actually, Belly doesn’t belong to the sisters. He belongs to the neighbor. He refuses to acknowledge that, though, and has taken up residence with a regal flair in Cabin 14. He dines off Jane’s hand-painted china and sleeps on a satin pillow. Belly has long legs, a stubby nose, a rotund body covered in brown spots, and a cropped-off tail with four elongated hairs growing out of a bald portion of its tip. Even though his physique resembles a cement truck, he has a weasel’s knack at sneaking into locations at the wrong time. Specifically, the mortuary next door.

Is Belly an exception? No. There are approximately 68,000,000 owned dogs in the United States. Four in ten or 40,000 households own at least one dog.

We love our pets. We dote on them and relish the joy they bring into our lives. Nutrition is an important issue in our pet’s wellbeing, too. Veterinary visits help keep pet owners on track to provide the necessary vaccinations, but what about healthy meals? Healthy treats?

It’s just as easy to mix up a batch of healthy dog treats as it is to whip up several dozen chocolate chip cookies for our cookie jars. Our dog-loving friends will be just as thrilled with our home-made doggie treats as their cuddly canines are.

A favorite dog treat in our neighborhood is Peanut Butter Paw Paws.

* * * * *

PEANUT BUTTER PAW PAWS

1 ½ cups wheat flour
¾ cup dry oatmeal
¼ cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup honey
¼ cup peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
½ cup water

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate dish, blend the oil, honey, peanut butter and water. Combine the two mixtures together and stir well. (If too moist to roll into 1 ½ inch balls, add flour until you achieve the desired consistency)

Place on ungreased cookie sheet and flatten with a fork.

Bake at 325 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

When cooled, store in air-tight container.

* * * * *

I’m featuring a dog treat recipe contest to coincide with the release of At Witt’s End, the first in the Sadie Witt Mystery Series. Contest information can be found on my website HYPERLINK "http://www.bsolheim.com" www.bsolheim.com.