by Liza Palmer
After another half an hour on the road, I turn the final corner and pull up to the Santa Monica house. I grab my purse, slam the door, and beep my car locked, then run up the walkway to the front door. I’m anxious to get up to Montecito and see my family. Anxious to see Rascal. Mom. Dad.
There is Daniel, sitting on the front porch. “Hey,” he says, creaking and popping to a standing position. His Jayhawk overnight bag is at his feet. He’s leaning on a huge cardboard box with a red ribbon stuck to the side.
“I thought—” I let out a faint sob.
“I couldn’t. I just—” Daniel stops. I put my hand over my mouth. The tears are rolling down my face. Daniel waits. He fiddles with the ribbon on the present. “I thought I could put it up—maybe—when we got back,” he says, turning the box to reveal that it’s a basketball hoop. “You won’t believe how many stores I had to go to—Christmas Eve and all.”
“You stayed,” I blubber.
Daniel steps down off the front porch. “So, this is it, huh?” he soothes, focusing in on me, trying to get as close as he can.
“This is it,” I say, running my hand all the way down his arm and grasping his hand. I lean in to him, and we kiss. My lips are wet and salty with tears. Daniel laces his fingers in mine. My eyes close; I let him stroke the side of my face. I open my eyes and smile. We turn around. We’re facing the front facade now. It couldn’t look more divine. We walk forward and Daniel bends down, hooks his gym bag over his shoulder, and leans the cardboard box against the porch railing.
“Home,” I say, turning the key in the lock and running quickly inside to punch in the code while the beeping blasts throughout the house. Daniel stands on the porch. The beeping stops, and I hold my hand out over the threshold. My hand is wide open. My eyes are unflinching.
“Needs a lot of work,” Daniel says, smiling, taking my hand, and leading me inside.
About the Author
I was born and bred in Pasadena, California. I’ve held every degrading job one could think of, until I finally realized my only talent lies in writing. Thank God, someone else thought so, too. Seeing Me Naked is my second novel.
Liza Palmer
Five Recipes You’ll Find in Seeing Me Naked
1. Poppa Don’s Chicken and Dumplings
2- to 3-pound whole chicken, cleaned
2 1-quart containers chicken broth
½ teaspoon each: sage, thyme, marjoram, and summer savory
1 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
1 clove fresh garlic, crushed
12 to 16 ounces red potatoes, skins on, halved
8 ounces baby carrots, peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks
8 ounces fresh sweet corn, cut off the cob
8 ounces petite green peas
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons Bisquick
Salt and pepper to taste
Dumplings
2 cups Bisquick mix
2/3 cup whole milk
To a large 8-quart Dutch oven, add chicken, breast side down, stock and all seasonings. Bring to a full, rapid boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 45 minutes.
Remove chicken from stock and set aside to cool. Add potatoes and carrots to chicken stock and cook for 15 minutes. Add corn and peas and cook another 10 minutes.
Debone cooked chicken, tear into bite-size pieces, and add to stock.
Add heavy cream and return to a boil.
Melt butter in a small saucepan and add Bisquick. Whip into a roux. Slowly add this roux to the stock, stirring until the mixture is the consistency of a medium gravy. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Dumplings
In a mixing bowl, add Bisquick to milk, mixing with a heavy spoon into a soft, doughy consistency.
Bring chicken back to a low boil and spoon heaping tablespoons of the dumpling mixture on top. They should look like little white pillows floating on the stew. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes on low heat, then cook an additional 10 minutes covered.
Serve dumplings into the bottom of a bowl, and spoon the chicken mixture on top.
2. Harry’s Bar French 75s
Created by Harry MacElhone of Harry’s Bar in Paris, 1925. Named after the 75 field gun used by the French army during World War I.
3/4 jigger gin
1/2jigger freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 jigger simple syrup
Champagne
Combine all ingredients except champagne.
Shake and strain into a champagne flute. Top off with champagne.
3. Sandra Pelaez’s Silky, Roasted Pumpkin Flan
1 cup sugar for caramelo
1 cup roasted pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
1 14-ounce can condensed milk
14 ounces half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 eggs
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
Preheat oven to 350°.
(Skip the next few steps if you use canned pumpkin for the puree.)
Deseed one basketball-sized pumpkin. Cut pumpkin into eighths.
Roast for 1 hour or until tender.
Remove skin. Puree the meat of the pumpkin with a hand mixer. It’s best to use the softest part of the pumpkin.
Use the cup of sugar to make the caramelo in a small heavy-duty saucepan.
Melt on low heat until golden-brown. Don’t stir, swirl—no metal utensil can touch the caramel, or it will crystallize.
Pour a swirl in each ramekin or the pan you’ll use for the flan. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin puree and all the other remaining ingredients.
Pour mixture into ramekins or baking dish. Set in a water bath. Bake at 350° for 1½ hours or until a knife comes out clean.
Remove from water bath, let cool, and chill for 3 to 6 hours (6 is better; overnight is best).
To unmold: dip bottom of pan in a warm-water bath. Run a knife around the side of the pan to loosen. Invert platter.
4. Cherry Clafouti
Fresh cherries highly recommended. This is a super, simple dish, and it relies on the taste of the cherries!
2 pounds fresh cherries, pitted, or one 16-ounce package frozen unsweetened pitted dark sweet cherries, thawed and drained (Enough so that the cherries will blanket whatever baking dish you’re using).
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
4 large eggs
Pinch salt (ha!)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 325°.
Butter shallow baking dish. Combine cherries, 1 tablespoon sugar, and cornstarch in medium bowl; toss to coat. Arrange cherries in bottom of prepared dish. Whisk eggs, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl to blend. Whisk in flour. Add milk, butter, lemon peel, and vanilla extract; whisk until smooth. Pour custard over cherries.
Bake clafouti until set in center and golden on top, about 55 minutes. Cool slightly. Sprinkle powdered sugar over and serve warm.
The only thing to watch for is overcooking, which will cause a rubbery batter, so make sure to watch the dish and gauge how it’s cooking.
5. Yogi Tea
3 quarts water
20 cloves
20 whole green cardamom pods, crushed
20 whole black peppercorns
5 whole sticks of cinnamon
3 to 5 slices of fresh gingerroot
milk
honey
Combine all ingredients, bring to a boil, and then simmer for an hour. (Optional: Steep one black tea bag in the mixture for some caffeine. Remove tea bag.) Let sit for 2 to 3 hours or overnight, depending on how strong you like the taste.
Strain the tea and discard the used spices.
Add about 1
/4 cup milk for every 3/4 cup of tea and bring to a boil again.
Add honey to taste.
Before you add the milk, store the tea in a glass container in the refrigerator for later use.
