De Marco Empire - J. Lou McCartney, Author

2:05 PM Posted by MAC


Tuna Cannelloni to serve 4 people -
Favorite recipe of J. Lou McCartney


To make the cannelloni
Ingredients:-
12 cannelloni tubes (uncooked)
4 large tomatoes (chopped)
1 medium sized onion (diced)
2 tins of tuna steak (in brine)
garlic, basil, salt & pepper

Preparation:-
Gently melt a tablespoon of butter into a frying pan
Add diced onions and tomatoes, cook until soft (don’t let the mixture go dry)
Drain the tuna steak and stir into the mixture
Add garlic granules, salt, pepper & basil to taste
Stuff the cannelloni tubes with the mixture and place in an oven proof dish

To make the cheese sauce (I prefer cheese but you can use white sauce)
Ingredients:-
2 tablespoons of butter or margarine
2 tablespoons of plain flour (sieved)
1 pint of milk (semi skimmed)
8 oz of grated hard cheese (such as cheddar)
salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:-
Gently melt the butter into a saucepan on a low heat (do not boil)
Add flour and stir to make a smooth paste
Gradually add the milk stirring all the time
Add the cheese and continue stirring until it starts to thicken (but not too much!)

Finally pour the cheese sauce over the cannelloni tubes, add grated cheese to the top if desired, cover dish with tinfoil and cook for 30-40 minutes on 190◦ in electric oven

Serve with roast potatoes, peas & sweetcorn, garlic bread & a nice bottle of chardonnay!

If you can’t be bothered making the sauce, packets are just as good!

De Marco Empire - Reviewed by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

'It was mid July 1985, Katie and her best friend Lucy were getting ready for a night out to celebrate Lucy's twentieth birthday. They had been saving up for weeks and were going to the opening night of a prestigious new club in the city called "La Pregheira".'

Katie and Lucy had been friends for years. Lucy's brother Matt had been Katie's boyfriend since high school. Everyone, including Katie herself, expected them to marry one day and start a family. But Matt was still finishing his education to become a lawyer and due to his needing to study, wasn't able to attend the opening of La Pregheira with the girls.

Upon reaching the club, Katie and Lucy discovered they should have bought tickets in advance. The line was tremendous and they would never make it in for the opening. Lucy came up with an idea to pose as temp employees just long enough to get inside. It didn't take the manager long to see through this little scam but she was so impressed with the two girls that she hired them, giving them the night off to enjoy the club.

The club owners Antonio and Gianni De Marco were in attendance for the opening and when Antonio spotted Katie, he felt drawn to her. He was there with Sasha but that didn't stop him from pursuing Katie. When he broke off his engagement with Sasha to be with Katie, her temper flared. And when Antonio proposed to Katie, Sasha swore she would have her revenge.

Matt is heartbroken after loosing Katie. He doesn't trust Antonio and his brother Gianni. People have a tendency of either dying or disappearing after crossing the brothers. But Katie is blinded by her love for Antonio and refuses to heed his warnings.

Antonio insists that Katie will no longer work at the club but does agree to allow her to go into the import furniture with Nina after her husband is arrested for drug smuggling. Between the two of them, their business flourishes with Katie becoming a very self proven business woman. So after four long years, Antonio finally pins Katie down to setting a wedding date.

The wedding day starts as a beautiful, wondrous occasion until someone kills Antonio. Katie, upon finding Antonio, picks up the gun that killed him making her the the prime suspect.

The De Marco Empire is a book of page turning, non-stop action. I really didn't want it to end and I'm hoping McCartney will write a sequel.

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