Pie A La Murder (42 page)

 

Using whatever crust you prefer, bake the Sweet Potato Pie for 35 minutes. (Be sure the oven doesn’t overheat.)

 

Mira says, “Enjoy!”

John Bohnert is a retired elementary school teacher living in northern California. He loves to read crime fiction and also loves to cook. This recipe is his version of what he remembers his late mother’s bread pudding tasting like when he was a boy growing up in Michigan.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

 

Heat whole milk in saucepan.

 

Tear up cinnamon-raisin bread slices and add pieces to large mixing bowl.

 

Soak raisin bread in hot milk.

 

Add sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and raisins to mixing bowl. Mix with a large spoon.

 

Pour into 8-inch-by-8-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

 

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, depending on your oven.

This recipe is from film producer Fred Caruso, who also gave us Pasta Caruso, which is printed in
The Proof Is in the Pudding
. That recipe drew so much praise from readers that I asked Fred for another of his pasta creations.

 

Over medium heat, swirl the olive oil in the bottom of the pot and let it begin to sizzle.

 

Add chopped pancetta. Brown slightly (stir with a wooden spoon often to prevent sticking).

 

Add the chopped vegetables (swirl in more olive oil); stir often when added.

 

Add the ground beef in bits, mash with spoon, and brown.

 

Add spices and red wine and stir.

 

Add beef broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and pureed beans. Let it all come to a slow, low simmer. Stir.

 

Add drained beans and continue to simmer. Stir.

 

Add Italian parsley and spinach leaves. Stir.

 

If fazool is too thick, add a ladle of boiling pasta water.

 

If fazool is too thin, add the tomato paste. Stir.

 

Cook pasta according to box’s direction. Drain and place in a separate bowl. Sprinkle with olive oil so it won’t stick.

 

Ladle the fazool into serving bowls; add a few scoops of the pasta to each. Top with grated cheese. Enjoy with Italian bread.

This recipe for some of the most delicious cookies I’ve ever tasted comes courtesy of novelist and lawyer Abigail Shrier.

 

IN A LARGE MIXING BOWL, BEAT TOGETHER:

THEN ADD:

FILLING IDEAS:

Divide the dough into quarters. Roll to ¼ inch thickness on a lightly floured board. Using a 2½- to 3-inch cookie cutter, cut rounds. Reroll scraps. Place filling of your choice in the center of each dough round. Fold three sides up for a triangle, leaving some filling exposed in the center. But don’t let much filling show as you fold up the sides of the cookie.

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place a rack in the center of the oven. On cookie sheets that have been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, space cookies about an inch apart. Bake one sheet of cookies at a time until lightly browned and crisp, about 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

 

Makes 40 small cookies.

“It’s a better brownie.” That’s how
Los Angeles Times
columnist Chris Erskine described Nanaimo Bars (a Canadian Christmas treat) when he discovered them at the Vancouver Olympics. They were also touted on the
Today
show as one of the “must” items to bring back from Canada. This recipe comes from actress Jaclyn Carmichael, who was born in Nanaimo. Jaclyn got this recipe for the bars from the mother of one of her friends in Nanaimo.

 

Cook the first five ingredients over hot water, then add graham cracker crumbs, shredded coconut, and chopped walnuts.

 

Press this into an 8-inch-by-8-inch square pan. Chill.

 

Mix ¼ cup of margarine, icing sugar, custard powder, and hot water.

 

Spread over the cooled first mixture.

 

Melt semisweet chocolate with 1 teaspoon margarine and spread over the second mixture.

 

Place in a cool place to set. Enjoy! Makes approximately 24 bars.

 

This recipe, for the most tender pot roast I’ve ever tasted, was contributed by actress/writer Julie-Anne Liechty. Julie-Anne lives in Los Angeles with her Chihuahua, Zelda, and her cross-eyed, half-Siamese cat, Gonghi.

Brine the roast overnight for 12 or so hours in water with kosher salt, cracked black pepper, and dried basil flakes.

 

Next morning, remove roast from brine and put into a castiron skillet with a bit of olive oil and some kosher salt. Sear roast until both sides are deeply browned.

 

Remove roast from skillet and put into Crock-Pot on the “Low” setting.

 

To the skillet: Add the onions and sear on both sides until browned, or even a little blackened. You’ll probably need to add a little more oil to the skillet. Sprinkle with kosher salt. When onions are seared, put them on top of the roast, covering it.

 

In that skillet: Sear carrots until browned on two sides. (You may need a little more oil.)

 

When carrots are done, add them to the Crock-Pot on top of the onions.

 

Add to the combination of vegetables and roast some more kosher salt and basil flakes.

 

Cook on “Low” for 8 hours. Should be done just in time for dinner guests to arrive.

CHOP INTO SMALL PIECES:

Put 1½ cups water, rice, butter (or margarine), and salt into 4-quart casserole. Cook uncovered in microwave for 10 minutes, stirring at 3½ minutes, again at 3½ minutes, and the third time after 3 more minutes. Now add 1 cup of water, stir briefly, cover with plastic wrap, put back in microwave, and cook for 5 more minutes.