Bumping Off Fat Vinny - Dennis N. Griffin & Morgan St. James, Authors

Cherry Delight Recipe

2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs about 16 full graham crackers finely crushed

1 stick Butter melted

1 tablespoon Sugar

8 ounces Cream Cheese softened

1 cup Powdered Sugar

1 20- ounce can Crushed Pineapple in juice drained

2 cups non-dairy topping thawed

2 21- ounce cans Cherry Pie Filling

Instructions

Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter. Pat into the bottom of 9 X 13 cake pan. Bake in 375 degree F oven for 7 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges.

Let cool.

Mix cream cheese until smooth, add powdered sugar. Mix in pineapple. Fold in the non-dairy topping. Spread over graham cracker crust.

Gently pour and spread cherry pie filling over the top. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Baking the graham cracker crust is optional but gives the crust a toastier flavor.

Vanilla wafers or shortbread cookie crumbs can be used instead of graham cracker crumbs.

Can be made in 2 8-inch X 8-inch pans, or two premade graham cracker or shortbread pie crusts.

2 cups of Dream Whip or homemade whipped cream can be used in place of whipped

topping.

Other pie fillings may be used as a substitute for cherry.  Try Blueberry for a blueberry delight.

Bumping Off Fat Vinny - Revenge is Sweet - Review by Martha A. Cheves

CEO of Vitali Publishing, Vincent Vitali tips the scales at just over four hundred pounds, distributed evenly over his five-foot-seven frame, earning him the nickname of Fat Vinny.  As he sat in his office glaring at the man and woman seated across from him, he drew on a cigar and blew smoke in their direction.  "You call this piece of crap finished?  It's not the book I thought it was going to be."  Danny Garrett, a former FBI agent with a string of successful books behind him tensed as he said "Well, you thought wrong.  This is the book we signed a contract to write.  We're willing to do some minor touch ups, but you're the one who gave us the assignment.  Danny's co-author Margaret Stanton added, "Look, Vinny, you wanted the memoir of a Mob wife; you got the memoir of a Mob wife.  "My problem is -" Vinny paused, 'There are no investigative interviews.  Did you contact Tony "The Nose's" brother.What about the Mob bosses his widow rags about in this piece of garbage?  It's her word against theirs."

Much to the disapproval of Danny and Margaret's agent, have signed a contract, not with Vitali Publishing but with Fat Vinny himself.  They have completed their part by giving him the memoirs of the wife of mobster "The Nose" who was murdered a few years earlier... but, Fat Vinny isn't a man to be reasoned with.  With an iron clad contract he can change his mind about what he wants and will get what he wants or hold the manuscript until he does.  So, what can Danny and Margaret do to make him change his mind and let them have their manuscript back?  Ahhhh, that becomes the fun part of this book!

This book is full of humor with a little suspense mixed in here and there.  That is until you get to the end and discover that there was more suspense than you realized.  Yes, what I'm trying to say is that there is a very big surprise at the end.  This is another fun book from Authors Dennis N. Griffin & Morgan St. James.  Don't let this one slip away before reading.

Remembering Dexter - Brian L. Porter

Beef and ale cobbler

465g diced casserole beef

2 tbsp oil

1 chopped onion

1 large diced carrot

150g halved button mushrooms

560g Asda Chosen by You Beef and Ale Pour Over Sauce

225g self raising flour

50g chilled (cubed butter)

150ml milk

½ tbsp chopped thyme

½ tbsp chopped parsley

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/ Gas 4. Brown the beef in batches in 2 tbsp of oil.

Lift out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a casserole dish with the onion, carrots and mushrooms.

Pour in the Beef and Ale Pour Over Sauce and mix well. Put the lid on the casserole dish and cook in the oven for 2 hours

Prepare the cobbler 15 minutes before the 2 hours are up. Put 225g self raising flour into the bowl and rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add 1 tbsp each of the thyme and parsley. Make a well in the centre and add the milk (reserving 1-2 tbsp for glazing). Combine until it forms a soft dough.

Roll out on a lightly floured surface until 5ml thick. Cut out rounds 3-4 cm in diameter.

Carefully remove the dish after 2 hours and increase the heat to 200C/180C Fan/ Gas 6. Top the casserole with the rounds and brush with the reserved milk. Return to the oven for a further 25-30 minutes until golden brown on top.

Remembering Dexter - Review by Martha A. Cheves


"It's a sad tale really.  Someone was driving along the motorway one day, quite recently, and suddenly saw a car up ahead open one of its doors, and a dog was literally thrown from the car onto the motorway.  As it was travelling at about 60 mph, the poor dog hit the tarmac with some force and rolled over and over until it came to a halt on the hard shoulder.  Luckily, there was no other traffic following the car, or he could have been hit and killed.  The person who witnessed it, quickly applied the breaks and pulled onto the hard shoulder.  They were too far behind to get the number of the car that threw him out, which quickly accelerated away, and was lost to sight in no time.  They checked the poor dog, as best as they could, then gently loaded him into their car and dove him to the next town, luckily only a few miles down the road.  They found a vet, told him what had happened, and left the dog in his care."  The dog in this story is Dexter.

After hearing this story told to Brian and his wife Juliet, by one of the Dog Pound employee, being both mad and hurting regarding the treatment this beautiful Labrador/Staffy Crossbreed received, they decided to take him for a walk with one of the pack members they had brought along to see how he would fit in.  It didn't take long for everyone to decide this beauty had just found himself a new, loving home.

As I read Dexter's story I also became mad at the way some people treat these loving beings.  A dog, in many ways, is more caring than people.  My dog Jesse is a rescue too and our first day together bonded us to the point that he doesn't want me out of his sight and I actually don't want him out of mine.  As I sit at my computer, he lays under my feet.  If I get up, so does he.  When I go to another room or up the stairs, he follows.  And at night he sleeps curled up against my back.  Yes he sleeps with me.  He wakes me every morning around 7:00 a.m. with kisses.  Now, what human has ever shown that much love?  I've never known one that is that caring.  Jesse is my best friend and my soulmate.   Like Dexter, my Jesse is getting up in age.  I know his time is near and like Brian and Juliet, it will be a time that will give me pain for a long time.

I can't help but admire this Brian and Juliet.  Their love for our four legged friends is so great.  I can only wish I was in a position to take care of the 10 to 12 that they have at all times.  They are both very special people.  So, if you're a dog lover you must read Remembering Dexter.  If you aren't a dog lover, read it anyway and you might just become one.  After all what does DOG spell backwards?!  Do you think God made Dogs and named them after himself and that is why they are so special?

Pumpkin Spice and a Body on Ice - Willow Monroe, Author

Starla's Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

1 cup self rising flour
3/4 cup of rolled oats
1 and 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spices
1 Tbsp. powdered orange drink (Tang)
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup applesauce
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. honey
1/2 cup walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners or spray with nonstick spray.  This recipe makes 14 cupcakes, so you will have a couple of cupcakes to bake in a 2nd batch.  In a large bowl, toss the flour, oats and spices together until combined.  Set aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk the brown sugar and eggs together until combined.  Whisk in the pumpkin, oil, applesauce, milk, vanilla and honey until combined.  Do NOT over mix the batter.  Gently fold in walnut pieces.  Spoon the batter evenly into 14 cups; fill the unused cups one-third full with water to prevent warping.  Bake for 17-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely before frosting. 

Pumpkin Spice and a Body on Ice - Review by Martha A. Cheves

Police Chief Roby Whitt entered the diner, somehow managing to walk through the door without rattling the jingle bells on the handle.  The men in the room stood or sat up a bit straighter while the women just collectively seemed to...well, there's o other word for it; swoon.  Gladys was seventy-five years old and still pretty attractive when she remembers to put her teeth in.  A few weeks earlier Gladys accidently caught her apron on fire while trying to ogle Chief Whitt and make an omelet at the same time.  This had earned the diner a visit from the entire Sugar Hill Volunteer Fire Department, who were actually having a slow week and also hoping for free coffee and cupcakes. 

Welcome to the Dixie Cupp Dinner owned by myself Starla Cupp and my partner Poppy Wendell.  We are not only noted for our very tasty food but also for my cupcakes.  My blue velvet cupcakes are light, sweet and melt in your mouth.  They have won me the blue ribbon in the cupcake competition at the annual Sugar Hill Dessert Festival five years in a row.  But this year may be a different story.  It appears that our new police chief Roby Whitt will be judging the cupcakes and believe it or not but he is a health nut.  My cupcakes are far from being healthy!  So, maybe I should just back out this year.  Or should I.

When I first started reading Pumpkin Spice and a Body on Ice I knew it was going to be good.  It's light hearted, contains humor and even a murder to bring it all together.  It's Book 1 in the Dixie Cupp Diner Mysteries and you can bet I'll be reading Book 2.  If you want a book that is actually fun to read, check this one out.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.

The Hawk's Nest -

Campfire Spam Hash

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 2 pounds)

1 spam cut into chunks

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles

1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained

Directions

In a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat, cook and stir onion in oil under tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add potatoes. Cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add spam cook and stir until meat and potatoes are tender and browned, 10-15 minutes. Stir in chiles and corn; heat through.

The Hawk's Nest - Review by Martha A. Cheves

The first thing you saw when you walked into the Hawk's Nest was our outdoor living room.  There was a table and a couch near the fire pit, and more chairs scattered for people to sit and visit.  Our tents were set up in a row on either side of our shared space.  The freeway above was our shelter from the weather.

When I started to write this review it came to me that I knew nothing, nor have bothered to learn anything about the homeless.  I see them on the streets asking for money, selling their bodies and now and then asking for food.  I've never bothered to even think about where they came from, who they are, what they may have done in another life, nor even why they are homeless.  I just saw them as people who lived on the streets.

After reading Hawk's Nest I stopped and realized these are 'real' people.  They have their hard times just like we do but in their case worse.  Yes, they may steal to stay alive and do drugs to forget.  But they are human and this book helped me realize that.  I'll admit that the language is rough but the story is even rougher and a true eye opener.  So my question is, could we put ourselves in their position and live their lives?  I hope I never have to find out.

The Dinner Party - Richard Jay Parker, Author

Parmesan Eggplant Appetiser

This is a very easy but delicious appetiser to throw together for a dinner party. Vegetarians skip the bresaola!

1 Eggplant

Parmessan Shavings

Chilli Flakes

Couple Slices Of Bresaola

1 Fresh Mozzarella

Pack Of Arugula

Pesto

Olive Oil

Cut the egg plant into lengthways strips about quarter of an inch thick and griddle them in a little oil for five minutes. Make sure you get some bar marks on the flesh and that it softens up sufficiently.

Next spread a little pesto on each slice, sprinkle with chilli flakes and some parmesan shavings. Add a slice of bresaola and a then a slice of mozzarella at one end. Season and then roll the eggplant slice around the mozzarella.

Put into a baking tray and allow two rolls for each guest.

Bake for fifteen minutes on a medium heat or until the mozzarella had melted.

Drizzle with olive oil and serve with arugula and basil leaves.    

The Dinner Party - Review by Martha A. Cheves

Have you ever heard of a 'trust game?"  I never had until I read this book.  Here is the way it works:

It's especially for couples who have been married longer than seven years.  To any couple who feel they've amassed too much baggage, the game is designed to expunge guilt and wipe the slate clean for the sake of their futures.  Each person in a couple has to write down their deepest, darkest secret on a piece of paper, something that has happened since they took their vows - something they've never told their partner about.  Then they fold the piece of paper, put it into a n envelope and give it to their partner.  It can be anything, minor or major.  Then their partner, without opening the envelope, tells them that they forgive them and set fire to it.  It's symbolic and it means they can move on.  Whatever secret they had has been forgiven and destroyed by their partner.

So, when this game is put into play at a dinner party given by Juliette and Ted, the feelings vary between the 8 people present.  But, what could it hurt.  They would play, get it over with and continue with the party.  What could go wrong.  Turns out a lot went wrong and if you're like me, you will never figure it out until the end.  This book kept me in suspense from beginning to end.  I never saw it coming.  So, if you want a truly suspenseful book, this book is for you.  So mark your calendar for October 18, 2019 to make sure you don't miss out on this one!

Glastonbury - Brian L. Porter, Author

Somerset chicken

6 boneless chicken breasts, skin on

salt and freshly ground black pepper 

75g/2½oz butter, plus extra to serve

3 tbsp olive oil 

2 onions, peeled, sliced

4 tbsp plain flour 

2 tbsp wholegrain mustard

2 dessert apples, peeled, cores removed, sliced into batons

110g/4oz button mushrooms,  sliced

250ml/9fl oz chicken stock 

300ml/10½fl oz cider 

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage 

250ml/9fl oz double cream 

300g/10½oz cheddar cheese, grated

6 baked potatoes, to serve

butter, to serve

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

Season the chicken breasts with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat a large frying pan until smoking, then add half of the butter and oil. Fry the chicken breasts in batches, skin-side down first, for 1-2 minutes on both sides, or until golden-brown all over.

Transfer the chicken breast to a deep-sided roasting tray and roast in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (NB: the chicken is cooked through when the juices run clear when the thickest part is pierced with a skewer.) Keep warm.

Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining butter and oil. Add the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until softened but not coloured. Stir in the flour and the mustard and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Add the apples and mushrooms and cook for a further minute, then pour over the chicken stock.

Bring to the boil, then add the cider and return to the boil. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then lower the heat, add the sage and stir in the cream. Simmer for a further 5-6 minutes, then season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Pour the sauce over the chicken so that it is completely covered.

Preheat the grill to high.

Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the chicken and place under the grill for 4-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, golden-brown and bubbling.

To serve, place a baked potato topped with a knob of butter on each serving plate. Spoon the chicken alongside and serve.

Glastonbury - Review by Martha A. Cheves

The same sun that brought light to the day in Stratford-on-Avon broke through the curtains that had held back the night in Joe's room, some eighty-three miles, or 134 kilometres distance from Capshaw's mansion.  The room felt warmer than it had for the last few days, and Joe himself felt a cheerfulness that came from a good night's sleep.  The previous evening's conversation and the brandy had helped, but somehow Joe knew the presence of Lucius Doberman had made a difference to his overall mood.  He wasn't sure exactly how the learned professor was going to make a difference to their quest in solving the riddle posed by Capshaw and Graves; he just instinctively knew that he would.

Joe Cutler is the owner of Strata Survey Company.  He and his employees Winston Fortune and Sally Corbett have been hired by millionaire Malcolm Capshaw to find non other than the sword which was fabled to be owned by King Author.  In other words, the Excalibur.  Capshaw has provided them with a map that is 'supposed' to show the general area of where the sword was buried.  He has also supplied them with a noted historian professor who goes by the name of Walter Graves.

So, does King Author and his sword Excalibur really exist or is this just a wild goose chase?  Or - is it truly just a myth?

Except for a clue and hint here and there, this author kept me in the dark until the end.  It has more twists and turns than a roller coaster.  And if I read the end of the book correctly, there will be a second book coming out with some of the main characters and of course a story full of suspense.

Glastonbury Order Link 

Scammed (Revenge is Fun #5) -

Easy Mexican Casserole

One 16 ounce can of refried beans

Three-quarters of a medium onion, diced

Five 10 inch flour tortillas

One cup of salsa - mild, medium or hot to taste

Two cups of shredded Cheddar cheese

You can also add corn kernels and if you want this to be a meat dish, sautéed ground beef to cover the second bean layer.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a 9-inch pie pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a saucepan, cook refried beans and onions (to soften them) on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes.

Place one tortilla in the bottom of the greased pan. Spread about 1/3 cup of the bean mixture over it. Layer a few tablespoons of salsa over this. Then, place another tortilla over the salsa, and add more of the bean mixture. Follow the beans with a big handful of cheese, spreading evenly. repeat layers, spreading the ingredients evenly over the tortillas. On the top layer, make sure to use lots of salsa and cheese!

Bake until the cheese is melted, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

Garnish with chopped scallions and slices of avocado

Scammed (Revenge is Fun #5) - Review by Martha A. Cheves

Struggling to keep her voice level she said, Don't worry.  I'm fine.  Just a little exhausted.  You know we had the HOA Board meeting last night.  Well, Al Shady didn't show up and his wife was concerned so she left early to check on him.  When the meeting was over, we still hadn't heard anything from either of them.  The Colonel brought one of our neighbors to the meeting and we all walked home together.  He's a former FBI guy turned author.  We passed the Shady house and decided to check on them to make sure everything was okay.  It wasn't.  The front door was ajar and the place looked like it was ransacked.  Both of the Shadys are missing and the cops are on it.  

Cameron's boyfriend Milton has concerns for her safety.  It seems that crime seems to follow her and her friends Kate and Kim, constantly putting them in harm's way.  So, when the HOA vice president Al and his wife Barbara turn up missing, there is no doubt that the trio will find themselves trying to solve yet another mystery.  But, this one hits home not only with Cameron but also with a few other members from the HOA.  It turns out that Barbara was the treasurer and due to a settlement the HOA had recently received, they are afraid the money has something to do with the missing couple.

As always, Scammed kept me turning the pages.  With each book in this series that I've read, I can't help but wish someone would pick them up for a TV series.  They are an update and upgrade for the Murder She Wrote series.  I love them and can't wait for more.