Stars & Shields, Cop Stories - Edward T. Cook, Author

Boiled Ham Dinner
A favorite recipe by Author Edward T. Cook

1 large leftover ham with bone in a large pot
Cut up three potatoes and place in the pot
1 bag of small carrots and place in pot
1 large onion and place in pot
1 head of cabbage and place in pot
Have it come to a boil, then simmer for two hours
Pepper & salt to taste.

Stars & Shields – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

‘One afternoon, two officers had parked their police vehicles alongside each other and they were talking. All of a sudden, one officer observed a homeless person taking his clothes off near their vehicles. The homeless person was asked why he was taking his clothes off. The homeless person stated to the officers that he was too hot. The homeless person then put his clothes back on and left the area.

About ten minutes later, the officers got a call about a naked man walking on the sidewalk in front of the downtown restaurants. When the officers arrived, there in front of them was their homeless man, fully naked and enjoying a stroll downtown.’

This is just one of the many “Cop Stories” told by Cook in his book Stars & Shields. Some of the stories will make you mad and some will make you laugh, but all will give you a better idea of the trials these unsung heroes go through day by day. This is a short read but a good read.

Moonlighting in Vermont - Kate George, Author

Meg's Homemade Pizza
Kate George's favorite recipe

Easy Bread Machine Crust

1 Cup warm (not hot) water
2 Tblsp olive oil
3 cup unbleached white flour (Preferably King Arthur flour)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp yeast
Wheat germ to taste (Meg's trying to make pizza healthy for her kids)
ground flax seed to taste (see above note)

Put ingredients in bread maker. Be sure the paddle is in, and that the machine is set to 'dough"

Makes 1 1/2 pizza crust, unless you like really thick crust then it's only one.

Apple Sausage Pizza

one or two pre cooked sweet apple chicken sausage chopped
chopped onion to taste
chopped red pepper to taste
garlic to taste
shredded mouzzerella cheese
Speghetti sauce - Meg uses homemade but store bought works too.

To assemble Pizza:
Sprinkle pan with corn meal so the pizza comes off the pan when it's cooked.
roll dough out onto pizza pan
spread with sauce
sprinkle with cheese
cove with other ingredients to taste.

cook at 425 for 15 minutes. (If using a pizza stone it helps to preheat the stone and assemble pizza on the hot stone. That way your crust cooks all the way and is not doughy.)

Moonlighting in Vermont - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat


“Bella Bree MacGowan,” he repeated. “I am authorized to detain you on the suspicion of murdering Vera Post. Will you come with me please.” It wasn’t a request.

Bree MacGowan was the last person, anyone that knew her, would suspect of murder. She owned her own farm which became a rescue haven for animals. So many animals in fact that she worked two jobs just to keep them in food. Her main source of income came from being a paste-up artist for the Royalton Star owned by her best friend Meg who was married to Police Captain Thomas Maverick. Her part-time job was working as a housekeeper for Whispering Birches, a secluded resort that catered to the rich and famous. It was at Whispering Birches that Bree found the body of Vera Post, the head of housekeeping.

Why would anyone kill Vera? Easy answer. Everyone hated Vera, including her own sister. She enjoyed making trouble, spreading rumors, telling lies, plus she was just down right mean. So why pick Bree out of the pack as the number one suspect? She found the body and her fingerprints were all over the room.

Bree is as stubborn as a pit bull. When she grabs onto something she won’t let go. Her determination shows through as she tries to prove her innocence and find the real killer. And no one can stop her, especially Lieutenant Brooks, the arresting officer. Her quest to prove her innocence has her kidnapped, carted around in the trunk of a car, handcuffed to a bed and stabbed with a pair of scissors. But she still won’t give up.

In Moonlighting in Vermont, Author Kate George uses her style of writing to actually put humor in kidnappings, attempted murder and even murder itself. I thoroughly enjoyed following Bree through her comical situations as she took life one day at a time. The story and characters are so realistic that you find yourself believing they are real. I felt as if I had just read a very long newspaper account of an event that really happened.

Web of Secrets - Ernesto Patino, Author

Frittata Rustica
Favorite Recipe of Ernesto Patino

1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1/2 med. size yellow onion
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
6 eggs
1 Tbl. red pepper flakes
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

In a bowl beat the 6 eggs and set aside.
Cut peppers and onions into long strips

Pour a small amount of olive oil in a non-stick 10" pan. Set heat to medium. After about a minute, place strips of green and pepper strips into the pan. Stir frequently to insure they are uniformly cooked. Add strips of onion and continue to stir, adding more olive oil as necessary. Add mushrooms and continue to stir. Reduce heat to low and sprinkle pepper flakes over the entire mixture and stir. At this point it will be necessary to add more olive oil to insure that the frittata will not stick to the bottom of the pan (Very important). Sprinkle with cheese. Slowly pour the beaten eggs over the mixture. Place a lid over it and let it slowly cook (8-10 minutes) until you see that the eggs are sufficiently done.

Have a pizza pan or flat plate ready. Remove the lid and place the pizza pan over it. In one quick motion, flip the pan over. The frittata should easily slide onto the pizza pan. It should have a nice golden brown color. Let it cool for 3-4 minutes and cut into wedges using a pizza cutter or large sharp knife.

Web of Secrets - Ernesto Patino, Author - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

"Sarah? Sarah Baker?" said a man with a raspy voice. "I know this may sound a little strange, considering you don't know me. But I happen to be in possession of some interesting information concerning your parents - your natural parents, that is - and I thought we might..."

This phone call became the beginning of many changes to come in Sara Baker's life. Of course the blackmailer wanted money. And due to the information this man threatened to make public, Sarah's husband Mark agreed to pay. But the information did more than threaten their comfortable lives. It sparked Sarah's desire to know more about her parents who had given her up many years ago. That's when she turned to 20 year FBI veteran turned private investigator Joe Coopersmith.

Through Joe's research, he discovers that Sarah's mother died in a fire in 1965. He also finds Sarah to have 2 brothers and a sister. As he interviews them, he learns they too have been contacted by the blackmailer and they wanted him stopped. The information held by this man would drastically alter their lives and totally destroy Sarah's brother Hal's future as a Conservative radio talk host. But they want something else as well. They want Sarah to give up her search for information on their father.

Sarah's determination is strong and becomes even stronger when she learns her father is still living. She has questions about the past and he's the only one living to provide the answers. No matter what her family says, nothing will make her give up in her quest of finding her father. Not even murder.

Patino takes you on a rollercoaster ride as you travel with Joe Coopersmith from Miami to Key West and then to Mobile ending on the Miccosukee Indian Reservation where the final answers are to be found. Web of Secrets is fast pace from beginning to end and a very enjoyable read.

A Circle of Souls - Preetham Grandhi, Author

Spiced Egg Salad and Spinach Wraps
a favorite of Preetham Grandhi

A filling and flavorful wrap is perfect for those Sunday brunches. You can use any wrap, Tomato Basil wraps are my favorite.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

8 eggs, boiled and peeled
½ cup spring onions, chopped
¼ tsp. red chili powder
½ tsp. fresh ground pepper
¼ tsp. salt or salt to taste
1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
4 cups of baby spinach
4 wraps

In a mixing bowl, place two eggs with yolk and six egg whites, and mash. Add spring onions, red chili, pepper and mayonnaise. Mix until well blended. Place each wrap on a serving plate. Arrange 6-8 baby spinach leaves on each wrap. Scoop ½ cup of egg salad on each wrap. Fold and serve.

A Circle of Souls - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

'Naya was afraid. She didn't want to stay in this hospital. She thought it seemed different from the other, regular hospitals, even though she had never stayed in any sort of hospital before. This hospital didn't seem at all like the hospital her classmate had described after having her tonsils removed. Besides, Naya didn't even feel sick.'

The hospital Naya has been admitted to is the psychiatric section of the Newbury hospital. Naya was taken to the hospital's emergency room after what her parents believed to be a suicide attempt. What would cause a 7 year old to attempt a jump off the balcony of her room? That's what Dr. Peter Gram must find out before she tries it again.

While working with Naya, Dr. Gram finds that while sleeping, Naya goes into a trance like state. In her dreams she carries on conversations with someone that only she can see. Upon waking, Naya draws pictures of her dreams including the person she talks with. In one of her pictures she draws an elephant and a young girl who's body has been dismembered. When Dr. Gram questions Naya about the picture she tells him about the girl, the conversation she had with her and the even the girl's name. But what do these disturbing pictures mean and who is the girl?

In an area not far from the hospital, 5th grader Janet Troy is missing. When her book bag is found on the property of Senator Thomas Bailey, the FBI sends in their best agent Leia Bines to direct the search. When Agent Bines and Dr. Gram come together they discover a connection between Janet and Naya's drawings giving them the clues needed to hopefully find out what happened to the missing Janet.

A Circle of Souls was not only a book that kept my attention from beginning to end but also a book that enlightened me in the care of children in the psychiatric units of these special hospitals. And who better to write this story than a doctor devoted to the care of these special children... Dr. Preetham Grandhi

The History of the 104th Combat Engineers - Edward T. Cook, Author

Sylvia's Goulosh

2 cups of Barilla elbow noodles
2 cans of Del Monte stewed tomatoes - 14.5 oz cans
1 pound of ground sirloin
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

Fry ground sirloin & boil the noodles until done.

Mix the cooked sirloin, noodles & stewed tomatoes in skillet -
heat, top with shredded cheese, cook until the cheese has melted.
Salt & pepper to taste.

Serves 4

The History of the 104th Combat Engineers (Pacific Campaign: 1942-1945) - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

Throughout our lives we hear people talk about, watch movies, read books and even see commercials that pertain to the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines. We all have relatives and/or friends who served in one of these branches of the military. But if you are like me, especially with the world as it is right now, you picture these men and women going into battle carrying their guns and fighting for freedom. In the movies we see these brave individuals walking down roads and crossing bridges. But have you ever stopped to think.. who built those bridges? In WWII it was 104th Combat Engineers. Their job was to go ahead of the soldiers to make their passage possible. Edward T. Cook's book The History of the 104th Combat Engineers may be a small book but it opened my eyes to the dangers and sacrifices these men endured to help their fellow soldiers insure our Freedom.

Legacy of the Ripper - Brian L. Porter, Author

Carne Asada

2 pounds skirt steak
12 flour tortillas
1/2 cup tequila
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup orange juice
4 cloves garlic crushed
1 medium onion chopped
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup salsa
1 cup guacamole
2 teaspoons Tabasco

Mix juices, garlic, onion, tequila, Tabasco and pepper in a bowl. Add meat and marinate both sides. Cover and refrigerate, turning meat over occasionally. Let steak marinade for 6 to 8 hours. Preheat grill. Place a few drops of water on each tortilla, stack and wrap in aluminum foil. Place on grill. Remove meat from marinade, reserving marinade. Place on grill. Turn steak and tortillas once during cooking. Brush steak with remaining marinade. Cook to your liking (12 to 15 minutes for medium-rare). Cut into thin slices. Place a few slices of steak on each tortilla with salsa and guacamole and serve.

Legacy of the Ripper - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

'Does violent death have a name? Can evil truly be born into the world, evil so deep that it is bred into the genetic make-up of an individual? Until I came to this place and met the man who made me begin to suspect that such an evil could exist, I'd have been as dismissive as most of my profession at the prospect of such a possibility... Dr. Ruth Truman, Psychiatrist.'

Porter's book A Study in Red tells about the Secret Journal of Jack the Ripper. As the story goes, Robert Cavendish, who was a psychiatrist in modern day, received the journal from his father, who received it from his father, who received it from his father. The original Cavendish was also a psychiatrist who had a patient he found to be no other than the famous Jack the Ripper. Thus began the story of A Study in Red - The Secret Journal of Jack the Ripper.

After Robert Cavendish's death the journal was passed on to his nephew Jack Reid.
Upon receiving his "legacy" Jack's life becomes twisted in what will be known by modern day London as the "The Brighton Ripper Case." Murders are taking place following the same pattern as those of the original Jack the Ripper.

Wright and Holland have worked the case from the first murder. With the help of Alice Nickels, who is a "Ripperologist," a plan is set to capture the modern day Ripper hopefully before he strikes again. This plan ends with the capture, trial and institutionalization of Jack Reid. But did he really commit these gruesome murders? If so, did he do it alone? He insists that there were others that actually set him up and committed the murders. He even admitted to having received the journal and to the effect reading it had upon him. The police believe the journal never existed but was instead a fixation of his distorted imagination. So after Jack's removal from society and the murders ceasing, it appears that the police really have found and caught their man. But what happened to the journal and legacy? Will the present owner, whoever it might be, pick up where Jack supposedly left off? Read Legacy of the Ripper and find out for yourself. I think you will be as surprised as I was.

Points of Origin - Darden North, MD, Author

Garden Pasta Salad .... has made a great summer meal in the North household for several years!

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked, chopped chicken breasts
2 peeled, cubed Granny Smith apples
4 minced green onions
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/2 cup mayonnaise
9 ounce package cheese-stuffed tortellini
1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and torn
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
8 ounce bottle Italian salad dressing

Preparation:
Mix chicken, apples, green onions, and olives with mayonnaise and let stand refrigerated overnight. Cook cheese tortellini according to package instructions. Combine tortellini with chicken mixture, add spinach and sunflower seeds, and toss with salad dressing. Enjoy.

Points of Origin - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

'Cordell Pixler, Esquire, had a new wife, his fourth... Anyone who already knew the latest Mrs.. Cordell Pixler, or subsequently met her, thought her more attractive and definitely much younger than her attorney husband. Much to his chagrin, Pixler had not been persuasive enough to coax his voluptuous bride to move permanently into the mortgage-free home, the one his third wife insisted he buy and remodel extensively several years before his third divorce... Rachel Pixler wanted a brand new house... Furthermore it would have to be located in the most exclusive area of Larkspur, that being Manorwood Heights.'

Cordell Pixler obtained his money through the destruction of others. When Flowers Ridley's mother Charity decided Flowers needed "adjustments" to bring her inner beauty to the surface she went to the best plastic surgeon around, Sheridan Smith Foxworth, Jr. And when her daughter later died from blood clots she again went to the best plantiff's lawyer who was Pixler. Unknown to Charity, her decision to sue Foxworth would end up causing a snowball effect destroying many. One person who feels the effects the most is Sheridan (Sher)Foxworth, III who will loose both of his parents and give up his dreams to follow in his father's footsteps by failing to become a doctor himself. Instead he becomes a firefighter.

Wayne Simmons was a high school classmate of Sher and he loves to "create" fires. But not just any kind of fire. His fires appear to be of natural or neglect causes. Plus he's for hire. So when a fire occurs in Manorwood Heights killing the owner, was it accidental or intentional? Was Simmons involved and if so who hired him? One thing for sure is that Pixler wasted no time in buying the property.

Hobby Dencil is one of the best architects around and will become involved in the "Pixler Snowball" as he designs the perfect house for Rachel. Just days before construction is to start Rachel makes a few changes of her own to the plans causing Hobby to start from scratch with his drawing with the ending being a structure he really didn't want his own name associated with.

In the process of building Rachel's "palace" Pixler ends up angering half the community. So when the house burns during a charity party, was it an accident or was it planned? Could the Real Estate agent undercut by Pixler in the purchase of the property have set something up? Or the female police officer who enjoyed going after the "rich and famous?" Or maybe even Sheridan Smith Foxworth, Sr. for destroying his family?

I will give you a clue. North has done it again. The ending was a total shock to me

Gumbo Justice - Holli Castillo, Author

Corn Soup

2 onions
1/2 cup green onion
2 Tbl. basil
2 Tbl. parsley
1 small can tomato paste
2 cans chopped tomatoes
2 cans yellow corn
2 cans white corn
2 cans cream corn
1 lb. pickled port, cut into one inch pieces (salt meat or ham seasonings)
2 large potatoes, chopped into one inch pieces
1 oz. angel hair pasta

Saute onions in 2 Tbl. olive oil until the onions are clear. Add tomato paste and 4 cups of water. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes, or until tomato paste is well blended. Add corn, including liquid, tomatoes, potatoes and meat. You may add water if the soup is too thick for your taste. Simmer over medium heat until the potatoes and meat are fully cooked, at least an hour. Add uncooked angel hair pasta. Cook until pasta is soft, 6-10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

If using fresh herbs, add when cooking onions. If using dry herbs, add when you add the corn and other ingredients. Great recipe for slow cooker or crock pot.

Gumbo Justice - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

'Ryan couldn't keep her thoughts from drifting back to the homicides on the short drive home. L'Roid Smith had been killed in a way common among gangs members - beaten, shot in the head execution style and left naked. It was the ultimate humiliation, and the same way he had committed his own gang murders, including the one Ryan had tried to prosecute. And Jeremiah had been beaten, the same way he had beaten his wife on the case Ryan had handled.'

Ryan Murphy is a New Orleans Assistant District Attorney working to build a winning case history in the hopes of being promoted to the "Strike Force." But she has a problem. The die-hard criminals that she prosecutes are turning up dead in the same fashion of pain and death that they bestowed on their victims. Even though this may be getting the criminals off the streets, it's not helping Ryan with her promotion. Especially when news leaks to the media that there is a connection between Ryan and the deaths.

Gumbo Justice was a book that I actually sat up until 1:00 in the morning to finish. I had to know who was trying to ruin Ryan's career and why. This book is so well written that as I read along I actually started seeing Ryan and the other characters in action. It could easily be made into a movie and I know the perfect actress to play Ryan. Holly Hunter plays in a TV series called "Amazing Grace." In my opinion "Grace" is the perfect Ryan. She loves to party, get down right dirty but still get her job done.

I thoroughly enjoyed Gumbo Justice and recommend it to anyone who loves a good murder mystery. Holli Castillo's experience as a prosecutor and public defender in the New Orleans court system comes through with the full knowledge as to how the courts really work.

Guiding The Way From Middle Nessbish - Edward T. Cook, Author

Vension Worchestershire

1 - 2 pounds of vension
1/4 cup of butter
1 Cup of Mushrooms
1 large Onion

Cut & cube the steak - let it soak in a dish of Worchestershire Sauce overnight.
Melt the butter in a large pan, add vension and brown over medium heat.
Adding mushrooms and onions after 15 minutes.
stir until everything is fully cooked - usually another 15 minutes.

Add your favorite bread and a salad.

Most people will not even know it's vension!

Guiding The Way From Middle Nessbish - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat

I've always been fascinated by lighthouses. They are so unique standing there like a giant eyes protecting ships and their crews. But not until reading Guiding The Way From Middle Nessbish did I understand the true lives of those who manned them. Edward T. Cook's book is one that was not only interesting but educational. The history that he has preserved will be cherished by his family for generations to come.