Coconut Layer Cake Murder Read online

  Place the 2 sticks of salted butter in a microwave-safe bowl. (I used a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup.)

  Melt the butter on HIGH for 1 minute.

  Let the butter sit in the microwave for 1 minute.

  If the butter is melted, you’re done. If not, melt it in additional 30-second increments with 30-second standing times in the microwave until it melts.

  Pour the melted butter in a large mixing bowl.

  Add the cocoa powder to the mixing bowl and stir it in.

  Open the can of sweetened condensed milk and pour it into the mixing bowl. Mix it in thoroughly.

  Add the crushed vanilla wafers (or whichever cookie you chose to crush) to the bowl. Mix it in thoroughly.

  Place a sheet of parchment paper on your kitchen counter.

  Scoop out roughly one-fifth of the mixture and place it on the parchment paper.

  Spray your palms with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray and shape the salami “dough” on the parchment paper into a long roll the size of a salami.

  Be sure to leave “ears” at the sides of your Chocolate Salami roll so that you can twist them to tighten the roll later.

  Move your salami roll close to the bottom of the parchment paper and roll it up tightly. Press in the end of the roll with your palms.

  Twist the loose paper on the sides of your roll so that your Chocolate Salami will stay tightly rolled.

  Place the salami roll in a Ziploc freezer bag.

  Take out one-fourth of the remaining mixture in the bowl and make another salami roll.

  Place it in the Ziploc freezer bag.

  Use one-third of the remaining mixture to make a third roll. Place that in the Ziploc bag.

  Use half of the remaining mixture to make a fourth roll and place it in the Ziploc bag.

  Roll the remaining mixture for the 5th Chocolate Salami and place it in the bag.

  Now you have 2 choices.

  You can place the Chocolate Salami rolls in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving or you can place the Chocolate Salami rolls in your freezer.

  Chocolate Salami rolls placed in the refrigerator will keep up to 1 week.

  Chocolate Salami rolls placed in the freezer will keep for up to 6 months.

  If you put the rolls in the freezer, thaw a roll by placing it in the refrigerator overnight.

  Yield: 5 salami-size rolls or 3 rolls the size of summer sausage.

  These Chocolate Salami rolls or Chocolate Summer Sausage rolls are a novelty, but they also taste wonderful. They’re fun at parties that include children, even though it might mean getting dessert before dinner.

  Wrap any leftovers and keep them in the refrigerator.

  To serve, sprinkle powdered sugar over the rolls. Then slice with a sharp knife and arrange the slices on a platter.

  Hannah’s 3rd Note: I serve my Chocolate Salami or Chocolate Summer Sausage rolls by placing the slices on top of vanilla wafer or vanilla cookies.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “I love this Chocolate Salami, Hannah,” Andrea said. “Is it hard to bake?”

  “It’s not baked. It’s simply a matter of mixing it up together and making it into rolls on parchment paper.”

  “Could I learn how to make it, Aunt Hannah?” Andrea’s oldest daughter, Tracey, asked.

  “Me too, Antanna?” Bethie echoed.

  “No problem. I’ll teach you some day after school. I have to make another batch for Bertie Straub anyway. She wants to serve them to her regulars down at the Cut ’n’ Curl.”

  “These are dangerous, Hannah,” Doc said, taking another slice of Chocolate Salami from the plate. “I’ve never had dessert before dinner before.”

  “Well, you’d better enjoy it because you may never have it again,” Delores commented. “I have to watch your cholesterol.”

  “Don’t worry, Lori. I’m watching my own cholesterol,” Doc retorted, giving her a little hug.

  Delores laughed. “I know you’re watching it. You’re watching it climb up the scale to an instant heart attack. No more Chocolate Salami for you!”

  “Never?” Doc assumed a heart-broken expression.

  “Well . . . not today.” Delores turned to Hannah. “When are we eating, dear?”

  “Now is a good time,” Hannah said, rising from her chair. “Let’s go into the dining room. Michelle set the table.”

  “And Lonnie brought flowers,” Michelle added. “Shall I carry in your champagne, Mother?”

  “That would be nice, dear,” Delores said, handing Michelle her glass.

  Doc got up and extended his hand to Delores, who took it and let him lead her into the dining room.

  “The flowers are lovely,” Delores said, as she took her place next to Doc at the table. “Thank you, Lonnie.”

  “Thank you for raising such a wonderful daughter,” Lonnie told her. “I would have gone crazy by now without Shelly.”

  Hannah was secretly amused. Doc had called Delores Lori, and Lonnie had called Michelle Shelly. If Andrea and Bill were here, he’d probably be calling her Andy. Every Swensen female had a nickname except her. Why didn’t she have a nickname?

  As soon as her mind provided the answer, Hannah began to smile. There were no standard nicknames for Hannah. Han wasn’t good and neither was Nah. Perhaps she was the lucky one in the family.

  Then she thought of it and she shivered. Cookie. It was the nickname that Ross had called her. Should she be sad that she’d never hear him say it again? Or should she be grateful that he was gone for good?

  “Why so serious?” Norman asked her.

  “I was just thinking about something,” she answered without going into detail. “And I’m hoping that Mother likes my Lemon Glazed Chicken Breasts.”

  “I’m sure she will.”

  “Uh-oh!” Michelle said, startling everyone at the table. “Feet up, everybody! I just heard the cats coming down the hallway.”

  Hannah was glad that her mother’s dining room table and chairs were higher than hers at the condo, even Mike, who was taller than anyone there, had no problem tucking his feet up. She’d barely lifted her legs up to the second rung of the chair when the cats whizzed around the corner, claws skidding on the polished wooden floor, and raced into the dining room.

  “Whoa!” Norman said, but of course it did no good. Cuddles was in the lead and she wasn’t paying any attention to anyone except Moishe, who was chasing her.

  “Stop it, Cuddles!” Norman said in an effort to gain control. But Cuddles simply made a land speed record lap around the dining room table and jumped up, landing squarely in Norman’s lap.

  “Oof!” Norman gasped, as his pet landed heavily.

  And then, a split second later, it was Delores’s turn to gasp as Moishe landed in her lap. “Moishe! Really!” Delores said, but there was a smile on her face. “I think he really missed me!”

  Hannah couldn’t keep the smile off her face. Moishe had just won all the points in the game of making Delores adore him.

  “Well, that was interesting,” Doc said, addressing Norman and Delores. “Do either of you need medical attention?”

  “I’m fine, dear,” Delores told him, despite the fact she was still a bit out of breath from the unexpected onslaught.

  “Me too,” Norman concurred. “Cuddles settled right down and now she’s purring.”

  Hannah glanced down at the cat in her mother’s lap. “So is Moishe. As a matter of fact, I think he’s so comfortable, he’s fallen asleep.”

  “It was probably Moishe’s idea,” Norman said, smiling at Delores. “He missed you and Hannah so much, he convinced Cuddles to invade our dinner party.”

  Hannah laughed. “You’re probably right. Either that, or Moishe is thanking Mother for the ladybugs.”

  “I bought those!” Michelle protested. “I made a special trip to the garden center to get them.”

  “And Moishe and I thank you, dear,” Delores said, smiling at her.

  “I’ll pour the wine,” Norman offered
, reaching for the opener that Hannah had placed on the table and opening both bottles of wine. “Who wants red?” He looked around the table. Lonnie and Doc passed their glasses to Norman. He filled their glasses and passed them back. “How about white?”

  “While Norman does that, I’ll serve,” Hannah said, reaching for the bowl with the rice. “This is Tracey’s favorite rice. She calls it Mushy Roomy Room Rice. Will you pass the plates, Mother?”

  Delores shook her head. “No, dear. I don’t want to disturb Moishe.”

  “You’re going to have to disturb him eventually.” Doc looked down at Hannah’s sleeping cat and frowned. “You just got home, Lori, and I’ll be darned if I’ll share our bed with Moishe tonight!”

  Hannah laughed. “No problem, Doc. Moishe always sleeps in my bed with me.”

  “I’ve noticed,” Mike said, giving a mournful sigh.

  “So have I,” Norman said, looking equally mournful.

  That did it for Delores. She started to laugh so hard that she dislodged Moishe, who made a beeline for the garden under the dome. Cuddles saw him run and wasted no time in giving chase. In the space of a second or two, both cats were gone and everyone at the table, including Hannah, was laughing uproariously.

  “I’ll do the rice,” Norman said, taking the bowl from Hannah’s hands and motioning for Delores to pass her plate.

  “And I’ll dish up the Lemon Glazed Chicken Breasts,” Michelle offered. “Just pass the plates with the rice and I’ll do my part.”

  “What shall I do?” Hannah asked.

  “Sit there and drink champagne with your mother and me,” Lynne told her. “You’ve worked enough for one day.”

  * * *

  “I don’t know about you, but I’m absolutely stuffed,” Delores declared, leaning back in her chair and smiling. “That was incredibly good chicken, dear.”

  “Thank you.” Hannah accepted the compliment the way Delores had taught her, simply and sincerely.

  “And the rice was perfect with it,” Andrea commented.

  “It’s my rice, Mom,” Tracey said proudly. “Aunt Hannah named it after me.”

  “That’s right, honey,” Hannah smiled at her oldest niece.

  “Do I have a rice?” Bethie asked, looking slightly worried as she asked her aunt the question.

  “Not tonight. Tonight you get to name the dessert.”

  “I do?” Bethie’s smile was rapturous. “What is it, Antanna?”

  “Some people call it a cake and some people call it a pudding. It has your favorite oranges in it, Bethie.”

  Bethie considered that for a moment, and then she nodded. “I thought of a name, Antanna.”

  “What is it?” Andrea asked her.

  “It’s Orange Pake.”

  Tracey looked slightly puzzled. “But, Bethie . . . there’s no such thing as a pake.”

  “I know. But Antanna said that some people called it a pudding and some people called it a cake.”

  “Very clever, Bethie!” Hannah praised her. “From now on this dessert is called Orange Pake.”

  Bethie looked very proud of herself as Hannah went into the kitchen and brought out the cake platter. “Here it is, Bethie.”

  “It’s pretty!” Bethie decided, smiling at her aunt.

  “I think that since Bethie named the dessert, she should have the first piece,” Lynne suggested.

  “Absolutely right,” Hannah agreed, cutting the first slice and putting it on a dessert plate. “Would you like sauce on it, Bethie?”

  “Yes, please.”

  Hannah ladled on Soft Sauce, the topping without orange liqueur, and passed it to Bethie.

  “Thank you,” Bethie said politely, picking up her spoon and then putting it down again. “Grandma McCann says it’s not polite to start your dessert until everyone else has been . . .” She stopped speaking and frowned. “I forget the word.”

  “Served?” Norman guessed.

  “Yes! That’s it, Uncle Norman! Hurry and cut more, Antanna. It smells really good!”

  Once everyone had tasted Bethie’s Orange Pake and finished their coffee or milk, Delores leaned back in her chair. “Would the girls like to stay overnight, Andrea?”

  “Thank you, but not tonight,” Andrea responded. “We have an early day tomorrow. Bethie is going to the mall with Grandma McCann right after they drop Tracey off at school. I’m showing another house to my client at seven-thirty, and then he’s driving back to Minneapolis for a ten o’clock appointment.”

  “Is this the same man who wants a three-bedroom with an attached garage?” Hannah asked her.

  “Yes.” Andrea gave a deep sigh. “I’ve shown him every available house, and so far he hasn’t even made an offer. This one fits his parameters, but the house he really wanted isn’t on the market.”

  Hannah knew exactly which house Andrea’s client had wanted. It was Darcy’s house, and she was very glad that Andrea hadn’t mentioned it in front of Lonnie. When she saw Andrea at The Cookie Jar in the morning, she’d ask her sister if Darcy’s brother was planning to put the house on the market. It was a bit unlikely to wonder if Andrea’s client had killed Darcy to get her house, but it was a motive. When she got to The Cookie Jar in the morning, she’d put the client’s name on her suspect list.

  Andrea gave a little nod. It was clear their sisterly radar was working. From the thoughtful expression on Andrea’s face, Hannah knew that Andrea had thought of the very same thing.

  LEMON GLAZED CHICKEN BREASTS A CROCKPOT RECIPE

  Prepare a 4-quart crockpot by spraying the inside of the crock with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray.

  Hannah’s 1st Note: The recipe below is for a 4-quart crockpot. If your crockpot is a 5-quart model, increase the amounts for the ingredients by one-half. For instance, this recipe calls for six 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves. If you want to make your Lemon Glazed Chicken in a 5-quart crockpot, use nine 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves.

  Ingredients:

  6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate, undiluted

  ½ teaspoon ground ginger

  ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

  1 teaspoon dried parsley (or fresh finely chopped if you have a kitchen herb garden)

  6 six-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

  ¼ cup water

  2 Tablespoons cornstarch

  Open the can of frozen lemonade concentrate and put the contents in a shallow bowl that’s large enough to hold one of the chicken breast halves.

  When the lemonade concentrate has thawed, stir in the half-teaspoon of ground ginger.

  Stir in the quarter-teaspoon of ground black pepper.

  Stir in the teaspoon of dried parsley (or the fresh chopped parsley if you used that).

  Dip each piece of chicken breast in the shallow bowl, coating both sides with the mixture.

  Place the dipped chicken in the bottom of the crock.

  Give the dipping mixture another stir and then pour it over the chicken breast halves in the crock.

  Put the lid on the crockpot and plug it in. (Don’t laugh, I forgot to plug in my crockpot once and had to call out for pizza for dinner!)

  Turn the slow cooker on LOW and cook your chicken for 7 to 9 hours.

  Hannah’s 2nd Note: If you’re in a hurry, you can cook your chicken breast halves on HIGH and it will take only 4 to 5 hours.

  After your chicken has been cooked, lift it out of the glaze with a slotted spoon and remove it from the crock. Place it in a baking dish and cover the baking dish tightly with foil.

  Turn your oven on the lowest possible temperature and place the chicken inside. This will keep it warm while you thicken the glaze so that your guests can use it as a sauce.

  Turn the crockpot with the glaze inside to HIGH and replace the cover.

  Mix the water and the cornstarch together in a small bowl.

  Take the cover off the slow cooker, add the water and cornstarch mixture to the crock, and stir it in.r />
  Replace the cover, but leave it slightly ajar.

  Hannah’s 3rd Note: Leaving the cover ajar will allow the steam to escape and cause your glaze to thicken faster. It’s just like making gravy. You don’t cover it after you stir in the thickener.

  Cook the glaze on HIGH for 15 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and thickened like gravy.

  Serve the chicken over cooked rice or any kind of cooked pasta you wish to use.

  Yield: If you serve Lemon Glazed Chicken Breasts with a mixed salad or vegetables of your choice, it will serve 4.