by Jenny Kales
Ingredients:
1 bunch romaine lettuce leaves, washed and dried
2 tomatoes cut in quarters
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 seedless cucumber (sometimes called an English cucumber), sliced
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
½ cup black Kalamata olives (if not pitted, be sure to warn your diners to look out for the pits)
2-4 anchovies for top of salad (optional)
1 tsp dried oregano (Greek oregano is good; found at many well-stocked supermarkets)
1/2 cup olive oil
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice or red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Tear the romaine lettuce in bite-sized pieces and make sure that you discard any limp outer leaves. You want the crunchiest, greenest parts of the lettuce.
In a large salad bowl, whisk oil, vinegar or lemon juice, salt, pepper and oregano. Add lettuce, vegetables, cheese and olives; toss until lightly coated with dressing. Garnish with anchovies if using and serve immediately.
Crème Brûlée Cupcakes
You will need a small kitchen blowtorch to make the caramelized frosting for these cupcakes, which is really a version of a rich pastry cream. You can use your broiler but the blowtorch is easier. Just be careful!
For the cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
6 oz. unsalted butter, softened
½ cup buttermilk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put paper liners in the muffin pan. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until well blended. Add vanilla extract.
Alternate flour mixture and buttermilk in thirds, beginning and ending with the flour.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until pale golden on top. The cakes should spring back when you touch them with your finger.
Frosting Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk, slightly warmed in a saucepan
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 large egg yolks
2 oz. unsalted butter
¼ cup granulated sugar, plus additional sugar for topping
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
In a large bowl, beat the egg with the sugar until creamy, and then add the flour. Add warmed milk and whisk until smooth. Pour into the saucepan you used to warm the milk and gradually whisk over low heat until the custard thickens. (It should coat the back of a wooden spoon.) Remove from the heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Let the custard cool; you’ll want to put a piece of wax paper or parchment on top so it doesn’t form a skin. Refrigerate until very cold; you don’t want the frosting to be too runny.
Spread the pastry cream on top of each cupcake and sprinkle generously with additional granulated sugar. Use your kitchen blowtorch (or broiler) to caramelize the sugar until golden brown. Serve immediately or chill and serve when cold.
Makes 12 cupcakes.
Acknowledgements
So many people helped make this book possible. I’d especially like to thank the following:
Linda Reilly, for her warmth, astute suggestions, encouragement and enthusiasm for this project.
Linda Rodriguez for her wonderful online mystery writing classes, gentle voice of encouragement and excellent writing tips.
Kathleen Bleck, for her intelligent feedback and thoughtful suggestions that helped improve the story, as well as her willingness to read an early version of this book.
Loretta Nyhan – author, friend, book cheerleader, wise guru – she helped me not to feel like such a “Sassenach” in the often confusing world of publishing.
Renee Barratt for her beautiful book cover design and professionalism. You made my vision come to life!
Sisters in Crime, The Guppies and The Cozy Gups for the tireless ability to answer the questions of a newbie author and the uplifting words. The same goes to the crew at Midwest Mystery Writers of America – thanks for your support of aspiring writers.
My family, friends & LGP cohorts – thanks for the stalwart support of everything I do.
And last but not least, my husband and loving tech-support guy, Jim Kales, who makes everything possible and who believes in me even when I don’t. Thanks for tolerating my Masterpiece Mystery addiction and for always being willing to watch just one more episode.
To all of you not listed here who have helped, supported and encouraged me in this sometimes crazy journey – thank you!!!
About the Author
Award-winning writer and blogger Jenny Kales worked for years as a freelancer, but fiction writing has always been a dream and On the Chopping Block is her debut mystery novel. Kales’ marriage into a Greek-American Midwestern family inspired The Callie's Kitchen mysteries, featuring Calliope Costas, food business owner and amateur sleuth. The setting of the story, "Crystal Bay," is inspired by a favorite family vacation spot - Wisconsin's beautiful Geneva Lakes. Ms. Kales is an avid reader, cook and baker and she's addicted to mystery TV, especially anything on Masterpiece Mystery or BBC America. She lives just outside of Chicago with her husband, two daughters and a cute but demanding Yorkshire terrier, and is hard at work on the next novel in the Callie’s Kitchen Mystery Series. Visit the author’s web site at www.jennykales.wordpress.com. To keep up with author news, giveaways, recipes and other fun stuff, sign up for a FREE seasonal newsletter here: http://tinyurl.com/huv5pof.
