Table of Contents: From Breakfast With Anita Diamant to Dessert With James Patterson - a Generous Helping of Recipes, Writings and Insights From Today's Bestselling Authors (29 page)

1
In a saucepan, cook the rice and milk together over medium high heat until they boil, stirring nearly constantly until the rice begins to thicken to a pudding-like consistency (this will take a good twenty minutes, so put on some music). Add the sugar and salt and keep cooking until the mixture falls heavily from a spoon (the consistency of very thick waffle batter).

2
Just before removing from heat, add raisins and stir until they heat through.

3
Place pudding in a large serving dish or individual dessert cups and sprinkle with cinnamon, or cinnamon and nutmeg with a dusting (not at my house!) of slivered almonds. Serve warm or cold.

Makes 4 quarts

Grandma Rosie Cappadora is the matriarch of the family in
The Deep End of the Ocean
and Grandpa Angelo was a cook in World War II. This spaghetti sauce, supposedly, is the among the reasons for the success of The Old Neighborhood, the restaurant owned by the Cappadora family in
The Deep End of the Ocean
and
No Time to Wave Goodbye
. My godmother, Serafina, taught me how to make spaghetti sauce when I was a child. Although I've added ingredients to it on my own (you can throw anything in this, from fresh peas to meatballs to mushrooms), this is a recipe that relies on freshness and the willingness to do just a little bit extra. I make it only once a year, but I make probably fifteen quarts, enough to last through Christmas and to bring the taste of summer into February.

This is a basic marinara sauce that can be served over pasta with Grandpa Angelo's Surefire Army Mess Meatballs (see recipe), as a pizza base, or on rounds of bread with cheese for crostini. It freezes very well.

1
Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot. Sauté the garlic cloves until they are dark golden and then discard the cloves.

2
Add onion and celery to pot, and sauté until the onions are translucent. Add fresh and canned tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, parsley, salt, pepper, and sugar. Simmer over low heat for at least one hour, adding up to four cups of water a little at a time to reach desired thickness (it should have the consistency of a chunky soup that can be poured).

3
Pour the sauce into a food processor and process in batches until smooth and thick. Return sauce to pot. If desired, add peas, peppers, and mushrooms, and/or for a spicier sauce, add red wine and ground cayenne pepper. Simmer once more, for about 30 minutes.

Makes 16 (1-inch) meatballs

1
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet. Sauté onion in olive oil until soft.

2
Using a pastry blender or clean hands, mix the onions, beef, oregano, garlic salt or cloves, Parmesan cheese, ketchup, mustard, salt, and pepper. Form into 1-inch balls.

3
In a cast-iron or other heavy skillet, heat remaining olive oil and sauté meatballs until well-browned, adding a little olive oil if the meatballs begin to stick.

Deborah Feingold

SELECTED WOEKS

Tick Tock
(2011)

Toys
(2011)

Fang
(2010)

The 9th Judgment
(2010)

Private
(2010)

Cross Fire
(2010)

Inspiration
I'm infected with the writing bug, and I never want to be cured. I love telling stories that people enjoy. I love giving them plots and characters that light up their minds and take them away from wherever they are. I find the entire process immensely satisfying. Inspiration's not so hard to arrive at when you have a happy compulsion pulling the cart.

No Rest for the Wicked
I've got about twenty-seven projects in the works right now. Alex Cross, Lindsay Boxer, Daniel X, Maximum Ride, and some other favorites will be back this year. Plus, a new series just started. Something called
Private
, a detective agency kind of thing; only it's not like your usual sort of detective agency.

Readers Frequently Ask
One question I get asked pretty regularly is where I get my ideas from. And I guess my usual reply is from this magical statue I have locked up in my basement. Just kidding. I guess, when you write as much as I do, you just get accustomed to coming up with, and writing down, a lot of ideas.

Influences on My Writing
James Joyce's
Ulysses
lit up my mind to the possibilities of the novel. Frederick Forsyth's
Day of the Jackal
lit up my mind to the possibilities of thrillers, and Evan Connell's
Mrs. Bridge and Mr. Bridge
opened my mind to the possibilities of realistic fiction.

Makes 9–12 servings

My mother Isabelle, a former school teacher, baked Wacky Cake as a treat for me and my three sisters when we were growing up.

I have not used Wacky Cake in a book yet, so this is the first time my readers will have ever heard of it. As a memory, however, the cake has served me as a great example of kitchen-related family intimacy and, I will confess, I have sometimes used it as a motivational tool for myself. Over the years, I have discovered there is no better way to celebrate a successfully completed manuscript than with a nice healthy slice of Wacky Cake. Preferably à la mode with some Graeter's ice cream. It's a small batch specialty brand I discovered in Cincinnati. Fortunately, you can order it online.

Note:
This recipe became popular during the Depression era because it does not require any eggs.

1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour a 8″ × 8″ × 2″ baking pan.

2
Sift together sugar, flour, salt, cocoa, and baking soda, and place in a large mixing bowl. Add vinegar, vanilla, oil, and water and stir to combine. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3
Bake for 25–35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Remove cake from pan and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired.