Joanne Fluke Christmas Bundle: Sugar Cookie Murder, Candy Cane Murder, Plum Pudding Murder, & Gingerbread Cookie Murder (96 page)

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-My family isn’t fond of Asiago, so I leave out the Asiago and make my biscuits with double cheddar. They’re absolutely delicious and I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t like them! I have the sneaking suspicion you could use ANY cheese you like in these biscuits with the possible exception of triple creams like Brie and Saint Andre, or exceptionally strong flavored cheeses like Gorgonzola.

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Prudence says that sometimes you’ll need to add more or less milk, until everything combines together in a wet/dry like mixture that’s about the consistency of cottage cheese. I’ve made these biscuits at least a dozen times and a half-cup milk has always worked perfectly for me.

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- As Mike suggested you can substitute an ounce of brandy, an ounce of Grand Marnier, or an ounce of orange-flavored vodka.

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Make sure your pumpkin has NO spices added. Some canned pumpkin is already spiced for use in pumpkin pies. You could probably use it if it’s snowing outside and your car won’t start and it’s more than a mile to the store, but just remember that it’s somebody else’s mixture of spices, not yours.

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That’s 1½ ounces or a little less than half a stick—don’t worry if you’re not super accurate. A little more butter won’t hurt.

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- If you spray your Tablespoon measure with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray, the molasses will slide right out without sticking.

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- A sandwich loaf is best because it’s easier to cut off the crusts. I used Oroweat white sandwich bread. There are usually 22 slices, but you won’t use the end pieces.

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The butter should be at room temperature unless you live in an igloo.

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You can make your own crust from chocolate cookie crumbs, or buy one pre-made from your grocery store. It’s just like it says in “The Three Bears”—an 8-inch crust will be a little bit too full (be careful carrying it to the oven,) a 10-inch crust won’t be quite full enough (you can pile whipped cream on top after it’s baked,) and a 9-inch crust will be just right!

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- It’s best to use frozen cooked salad shrimp that you’ve thawed according to package directions and dried on paper towels. You can also use canned salad shrimp, but they will be more salty, which is why you should salt to taste after everything is mixed up together.

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- You can use a can of condensed cream of chicken soup instead of the bouillon beads, but then you’ll have to reduce the cream to one and a half cups. You can also use the bouillon cubes, but you’ll have to mix them with a VERY small amount of hot water and mash them before you put them into the blender.

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My bags contained prunes, peaches, pears, apricots, and apple slices. I used some of every kind. Even though I’m not fond of prunes, they were excellent inside the pork roast!