Murder At The Bed & Breakfast (16 page)
Read Murder At The Bed & Breakfast Online
Authors: Dianne Harman
½ cup of white wine or chicken broth, as needed
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix parsley and thyme. Place 4 tablespoons of mixture in a dish with the rest in another dish. Season chicken thighs with seasoning salt on both sides. Place in a single layer in baking dish and bake for 45 minutes.
Put olive oil in deep ovenproof casserole. Add bacon and pork chops. Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Turn once.
In a large skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Stir in broth, tomato paste, bouquet garni, salt, and pepper. Simmer, covered, for 2 minutes. Stir in beans and 4 tablespoons fresh herb mixture.
Remove chops and bacon from casserole, draining any excess oil. Pour half the bean mixture into casserole. Add bacon, chops, chicken thighs and sausage. Top with remaining bean mixture. If mixture seems too dry, you can add a little white wine or chicken broth.
Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes. Remove and discard bouquet garni. Garnish with remaining fresh herb mixture. Enjoy!
STRAWBERRY ALMOND FLOUR CAKE
Ingredients:
4 eggs, putting yolks and whites in separate bowls
½ cup sugar, divided
2 tbsp. sugar (for cake pan)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ cups almond flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
2 cups sliced strawberries
Optional: ice cream, chocolate sauce
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put a mixing bowl and electric mixer beaters in the freezer. Lightly grease an 8 inch round pan. Sprinkle 2 tbsp. sugar into the bottom and lower sides of the pan.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together the 4 egg yolks, ¼ cup sugar and vanilla.
In a separate bowl whisk together the almond flour, baking powder, and salt.
Remove the bowl and beaters from the freezer and put the egg whites in it. Beat the egg whites using an electric mixer. When they form soft peaks, add remaining ¼ cup sugar and incorporate into the egg whites.
Add the flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture. Add the egg whites (about ½ cup at a time) to the mixture. Pour the cake batter into the sugar coated cake pan and bake on center rack for 30 – 35 minutes. Remove from oven let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen the sides and turn the cake out onto a serving plate. Top with sliced strawberries in a circular pattern or one of your choosing. Might want a little ice cream or chocolate sauce with it. Enjoy!
COQ AU VIN (CHICKEN BRAISED IN RED WINE)
Ingredients:
One 4-5 lb. roasting chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces (I usually substitute 8 chicken thighs)
8 oz. bacon
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 large celery ribs, trimmed and chopped
1 leek, white and light green parts only, diced
3 tbsp. tomato paste
8 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
1/3 cup flour
1 bottle (750 ml) full bodied red wine, such as burgundy
2 – 3 cups chicken stock
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. cracked black peppercorns (I put them in a baggie and use a hammer)
18 pearl onion (I use frozen)
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. crimini or white mushroom, bottom of stems sliced off & quartered
3 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves or parsley for garnish
Directions:
Place bacon in a Dutch oven type pan and fry over moderate heat until crisp and fat has rendered, 8 – 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel lined plate. Season the chicken pieces on all sides with salt and pepper. Place chicken in pan and brown on all sides. Transfer chicken to baking sheet.
Add onions, carrots, celery, and leek to Dutch oven and cook until vegetables are browned, about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and garlic and cook for 1 – 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the vegetable mixture and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add wine to the Dutch oven and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Cook 5 minutes. Put chicken and bacon in a slow cooker or crock pot. Add vegetable wine mixture and enough chicken stock to cover the chicken. Add thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns stirring to combine. Cover the mixture and cook on medium for 4 – 5 hours. 1 hour before serving add the mushrooms and onions. Turn to low, if cooking a little too fast. Garnish with thyme leaves. If your slow cooker or crock pot won’t hold all of it, divide in half and freeze for another time. Enjoy!
BISCUITS AND SAUSAGE GRAVY
Ingredients:
1 lb. pkg. Mild Jimmy Dean Sausage (comes in a refrigerated plastic roll)
1 refrigerated roll ready to cook Hungry Man biscuits or similar brand
2 tbsp. ground sage
1 pint heavy cream
2 tbsp. Wondra flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Open the roll of sausage and with your fingers tear out
small
individual bite size pieces and place them in a 12” frying pan or electric skillet until the bottom of the pan is covered. OK to pack pieces in tight. Shake ground sage evenly over the sausage pieces. Turn heat to medium high and fry sausage, turning the individual pieces with tongs so all sides are evenly browned and cooked thoroughly.
If some pieces seem too large, use a pair of scissors to cut large pieces in half as they cook in the pan. When sausage is cooked, slide it to the side of the pan, turn down the heat to medium, and shake flour into the sausage grease and pan drippings, stirring to make a thin paste (1 min). Stir the sausage into the flour mixture so it covers the entire bottom of pan. Slowly add the cream (1/3 at a time). Stir constantly with a whisk or fork until a thick gravy is formed (approx. 3 minutes). If a thicker gravy is needed, add more flour, one teaspoon at a time until desired thickness of gravy is obtained. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat to simmer.
Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet and bake according to package directions. When baked, remove biscuits from oven, split in half, and place on a dinner plate. Spoon the sausage gravy over the biscuits, completely covering them. Two fried eggs is a nice accompaniment. Serves 4. Enjoy!
EASY PEASY APPETIZER BITES (SEE NOTE)
Ingredients:
1 can refrigerated pizza dough
4 slices bacon
½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp. diced green chilies
1 tbsp. sliced black olives
1 egg
1 tbsp. water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with nonstick spray. Fry bacon over medium heat. Drain bacon pieces on paper towel lined plate. When cool, crumble. Make an egg wash by whisking the egg and water together in a small dish.
Tear off pieces of pizza dough into 2 inch squares. (Dough is very pliable so feel free to pull it out to the desired size.) Put a little bacon, cheese, chilies, and olives in center of dough and pinch ends together to close. Place pinched side down on prepared cookie sheet. When cookie sheet is filled, put remaining dough in plastic bag and return to refrigerator for a later use. It will hold for several days. Lightly brush egg wash mixture over tops of bites. Bake 10 – 12 minutes and remove from oven. Let rest for 2 minutes and place on plate for guests. Enjoy!
NOTE:
This is about the most forgiving thing I’ve ever cooked. You can fill them with whatever’s in your refrigerator or pantry. Feel free to exchange the mozzarella cheese with whatever cheese you have on hand. Bacon can be replaced with any cooked leftover meat. Jams, jellies, there are no rules here. Play and have fun.
Caution
: Be prepared to make another batch because people LOVE them!
*****
I'm giving away seven free autographed paperbacks. Find out more at
www.dianneharman.com/freepaperback.html
*****
Here's an incredible book that turned my life upside down, literally.
I wish I'd read it 40 years back. It would have saved me a lot of heartache and made life so much easier. I've never come across something this good in recent times, and boy do I read a lot. The author (
http://www.vivekrajanvivek.com
) has been endorsed by Brian Tracy and T Harv Eker.
The Best Book on Money and
Success
That'll Take You to the Top
CHAPTER 3 - Plugging Massive Energy Leaks
CHAPTER 4 - Empty Yourself First
CHAPTER 5 - Resistance Explained
CHAPTER 6 - Sin, a Wretched Invention
CHAPTER 9 - Actionless Action - Act Without Acting
CHAPTER 10 - Mother's Special Recipe for Success (Reader's Favorite)
CHAPTER 11 - The Power behind a Choice or Decision
CHAPTER 12 - Why do some people never get what they want?
CHAPTER 13 - Be Very Selfish & Don't Forget the F Word
CHAPTER 14 - Reverse Engineering your Deepest Fear
CHAPTER 15 - Living in the Now & The Secret of a Billion Bits
A New Beginning
It was the first week of March and Spring was just around the corner, eager to burst forth and bless everyone with life and warmth once more. A beaming sun and blue skies dotted with white fluffy clouds greeted all those who had assembled. Smiles abounded, and even those who were grouchy couldn't help flashing their pearly or not so pearly whites.
The organization catered to those who needed someone "to listen" to them in their moment of crises, and in the long run steer them away, tactfully, from committing suicide. It had been in existence f or decades, tucked away in a quaint house in a leafy neighborhood in the suburbs. What these callers didn't realize was that
loneliness was killing them, slowly and softly.
Those who called the helpline came from all walks of life and over the decades the clientele included shop owners, taxi-drivers, cashiers, celebrities, office clerks, fast food workers, engineers, nurses, waiters, waitresses, CEO's, customer service reps, truckers, actors, actresses, loaders, baggage handlers, authors, directors, producers, janitors, warehouse workers, journalists, secretaries, bookkeepers, teachers, maids, pilots, maintenance people, lawyers, hoteliers, government officials, pimps, hookers, bankers, ex-convicts etc.
Twice a year the organization would hold a get-together where the Chairman would host a feast for the volunteers who were educated, compassionate, eclectic, enthusiastic and inspiring. The Chairman was a wise and generous man revered for his wisdom, both, from a monetary and spiritual angle. He wanted to share his secrets, "real secrets of life", with them.
There are principles and then there are tactics or techniques. Principles are few and far in-between whereas tactics range in the hundreds or thousands. He wanted to share his life-transforming principles (and a few techniques), the best of the best, with these good Samaritans; they deserved it. The possibilities were limitless once the foundation was laid.
The chairman had a handsome forehead, deep-set eyes, lush eyebrows, an aquiline nose and a head covered with silvery-white hair. The volunteers could invite their family and friends, and the event was always a memorable one.
The post lunch session was the most precious part of the day. By then all barriers had been broken and the gathering resembled one big, happy family. The Q&A session would begin where they could ask the Chairman absolutely anything. No topic was deemed inappropriate or juvenile, and they were free to go in any direction. The volunteers came from all walks of life and despite vast differences, both economic and social, they all shared a common thirst for love, money and happiness. Yet, at times, the intensity of that thirst seemed to get in the way of everything they yearned for.
What do you want?
“So what's the first question going to be?” asked the chairman, as he smiled magnanimously.
“How do we make money? Lots of it?” asked one man.
“Yeah, that's a good one. We’re not happy living like this," said an older man. "A fat bank balance is always welcome.”
“Anything else other than money?” asked the chairman, with a twinkle in his eye.
“Ooh, ooh, and happiness at all times,” said a young woman.
“Yeah, and a stress free life,” said an elderly lady.
“All three if possible,” said one girl.
“That would be asking for too much, I guess,” said a young guy.
“So money, happiness and a stress free life are your top three wishes for the year. That’s doable, although there are far more interesting challenges in life,” said the chairman.
“We’ve had enough challenges. There's so much pain and suffering even amongst the educated. A few on top shittin' on the rest of us,” said one man, in a slightly frustrated tone.
“That’s understandable, so let’s start with money,” said the chairman. "Before we start, wouldn't it be nice to know the personality traits that the rich possess?"
"We already know that. They're smart and intelligent and come from rich backgrounds…," an impetuous young man retorted before he was cut off by an older man.