Davidson; Sandra Dijkstra, Elise Capron, Elisabeth James, and the rest of the excellent and hardworking team at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency; Brian Murray, Michael Morrison, Liate Stehlik, Carolyn Marino, Debbie Stier, Dee Dee De Bartlo, Wendy Lee, Joseph Papa, Megan Swartz, and the entire brilliant team at Morrow; Jasmine Cresswell, who offered the idea for this book, and the rest of our brainstormers’ group, who helped hammer it out: Connie Laux, Karen Young Stone, and Emilie Richards McGee; David and Linda Ranz, for again providing the author with space to work in Nashville; for inspiration and support, as ever, the St. Anne’s-Belfield School community, Charlottesville, Virginia, with special acknowledgment of the passing of our dear Emyl Jenkins; Jeff Joseph, Maserati aficionado, Sarasota, Florida; Carol Alexander, a wonderful friend who tested the recipes, made suggestions, and then retested them all; Kathy Saideman, who read the text in numerous incarnations, always offering insightful comments; Richard Staller, D.O., who as usual addressed all medical issues; Julie Kaewert, kind as ever; the real John Burtrum, who bears no relationship to the character in this book; Triena Harper, who brings her sharp coroner’s eye to all questions; and as always, Sergeant Richard Millsapps, who patiently addresses all manner of inquiries on police procedure, and like Triena Harper, now retired from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department, Golden, Colorado.
RECIPES IN
Goldy’s Caprese Salad
1-1/2 pounds organic heirloom tomatoes, chopped if large, or you can use grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
8 ounces
12 leaves fresh basil, finely chopped
3 cups baby field greens (mache), gently rinsed and spun dry
1/4 cup best-quality white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup best-quality basil oil (infused with basil, not with dried basil leaves in it; recommended brand: Boyajian)
In a medium-size bowl, combine the tomatoes,
In a jar with a screw-on lid, combine the vinegar, mustard, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Screw the lid on tightly and shake to combine well. Take off the lid, pour in the oil, screw the lid back on tightly, and shake very well to combine.
Place the tomato mixture on top of the greens. Shake the dressing again, and pour on about 1/4 to 1/2 cup dressing. Taste carefully. Depending on the sweetness of the tomatoes, you may need a bit more sugar. (Do not use too much dressing. Store the remainder, still in its covered jar, in the refrigerator.)
Toss the salad and serve immediately.
Crunch Time Cookies
1 cup pecan halves
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup softened cream cheese
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups rolled oats
8 ounces (1-1/2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips
4 ounces (2/3 cup) toffee bits (Heath toffee bits or Bits o’ Brickle)
In a large frying pan, saute the pecans over low heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until the nuts begin to change color and emit a nutty scent. Turn the nuts out onto paper towels and allow them to cool, then chop them roughly and set aside.
Sift or whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until the mixture is very creamy. Add the brown sugar and beat very well, until the mixture is creamy and uniform. Add the granulated sugar and again beat very well, until you have a uniform, creamy mixture. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.
Using a large wooden spoon, stir in the dry mixture just until combined. Then stir in the oats, chocolate chips, cooled nuts, and toffee bits, blending only until thoroughly mixed.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator until completely chilled, at least three hours or overnight.
When you are ready to bake the cookies, take the bowl out of the refrigerator and allow the batter to warm slightly while the oven is preheating.
Preheat the oven to 375?F. Place silicone mats on two cookie sheets.
Measure the batter out by tablespoonfuls, two inches apart. Place no more than a dozen cookies on each sheet. Bake, one sheet at a time, for 9–11 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are very brown and the centers are no longer soft.
When you remove a cookie sheet from the oven, place it on a cooling rack for 2 minutes, so the cookies can set up. Then use a pancake turner to remove the cookies to cooling racks, and allow them to cool completely. Store in airtight containers or in zippered freezer bags. These cookies freeze well.
Love Potion Salad
1 ounce pine nuts
4 cups baby field greens (mache), gently rinsed and spun dry
1 pound grape tomatoes, rinsed, patted dry, and halved
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles, or to taste
In a wide saute pan, toast the pine nuts over low heat, stirring constantly, until they are lightly browned and emit a nutty scent. Turn out on a paper towel to cool while you make the dressing (see below).
When you are ready to serve the salad, place the greens and tomatoes in an attractive salad bowl. Toss with
