“What about the mother?” Mom asked. “You said she was in a mental health facility when Naomi went missing. Is she still alive?”
“Yes. And after a couple of years of therapy and a steady drug regimen, she seems to be much better. Collins divorced her after Naomi disappeared, and she’s since remarried. She lives about an hour south of Cutter’s Cove. She, along with a few people who went to school with Naomi and still live in town, are on my list of people to interview. I planned to start with what I have today.”
“I’m totally in,” Trevor said.
Tucker let out a single sharp bark and Sunny ran around the room, chasing Shadow. It seemed I had a sleuthing team to help me with what I was sure was going to be a complex case to unravel. Now all we needed was Mac and her tech know-how and we’d hopefully have everything we needed to accomplish what Officer Young had been unable to years ago.
Kathi’s Favorite Summer Recipes
Easy Picnic Potato Salad
Strawberry Jell-O Salad
Hobo Packs for the grill or campfire
Fudge Sundae Pie
Mocha Ice Cream Pie
Strawberry Angel Cake
Strawberry Champagne Cheesecake
Easy Picnic Potato Salad
6 medium potatoes, boiled and skinned (Boil in skin until very done. When skin begins to crack, rinse with cool water and then peel skin away; it should peel very easily.)
8 hard-boiled eggs (I sometimes use up to 12)
2 cups mayonnaise
1 cup hot dog relish (yellow)
Combine in large bowl. Season to taste. I use Lawry’s salt, pepper, and paprika.
Strawberry Jell-O Salad
2 small boxes strawberry Jell-O
16 oz. (about 2 cups) sliced strawberries
1 cup chopped walnuts
16 oz. sour cream
Mix:
1 small box strawberry Jell-O (made per directions on box)
1 pint (16 oz.) sliced strawberries
1 cup chopped walnuts (add more if you really like nuts)
Pour into bottom of 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Chill until set (about 2 hours).
After first layer is set:
Spread 16-oz. container of sour cream over the top (do not use low fat). Chill for 30 minutes.
Make second small box of strawberry Jell-O according to directions. Carefully pour or ladle the Jell-O on top of sour cream layer; be careful when placing this layer on top or you’ll mess up the sour cream. Chill for 2 hours.
Hobo Packs for the grill or campfire
Anyone who has ever gone camping has probably made a hobo pack. There are as many variations as there are people making them. Basically, you place your meat and veggies in a large piece of heavy-duty foil and then place the foil in the coals of a hot-burning wood or charcoal fire. You can make many different variations, but my favorite is the basic meat-and-potatoes kind.
On a large piece of heavy-duty foil, place:
seasoned hamburger patty
thinly sliced potato
thinly sliced carrot
sliced onion
asparagus spears
Wrap the foil around the food (I double wrap) and place into the coals of the fire, turning occasionally. Cook until desired doneness (this depends on the amount of food and the temperature of the fire).
You can also do this with steak, chicken, fish, and any type of veggie you like.
Fudge Sundae Pie
Crust:
¼ cup light corn syrup
2 tbs. brown sugar
3 tbs. butter
2½ cups Rice Krispies cereal
Combine corn syrup, brown sugar, and butter in saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it boils. Pour over Rice Krispies. Stir together and then press into buttered pie plate.
Topping:
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup chocolate fudge sauce
3 tbs. corn syrup
(Note: I often make extra topping and pile it on thick. It’s up to you.)
Mix together and spread half on piecrust. Layer in softened ice cream. I use vanilla, but coffee or chocolate work as well. Spread other half of topping over top.
Freeze for 2–3 hours.
Mocha Ice Cream Pie
Melt:
3 tbs. butter in sauce pan
Add:
2 tbs. brown sugar
¼ cup corn syrup
Cook on medium heat until it boils. Pour over 2½ cups Rice Krispies cereal.
Press into buttered pie plate.
Mix together:
½ cup caramel sauce
½ cup peanut butter
3 tbs. corn syrup
Spread half on piecrust. Cover with softened coffee ice cream. Spread other half of sauce mixture on top.
Freeze for 2–3 hours.
Strawberry Angel Cake
Make angel food cake according to directions on box; bake in angel flute cake pan. Cool completely. Cut top off about one-inch down. Scoop out middle, leaving adequate cake on sides.
Mix together:
1 small box strawberry Jell-O, made according to directions and chilled until set
⅓ small (8 oz.) Cool Whip
⅔ pint (16 oz.) fresh strawberries, cut up small
Fill cake with Jell-O mixture; there will be some mixture left in most cases. Replace cake “lid” that was set aside. Frost with remaining Cool Whip. Garnish with remaining whole strawberries.
Strawberry Champagne Cheesecake
1 cup champagne or other sparkling wine
2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs (about 14 whole crackers)
2 cups sugar, divided
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
3 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
2 tbs. cornstarch
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 egg yolks
Topping:
20 fresh strawberries, hulled
⅓ cup milk chocolate chips
1 tsp. shortening, divided
⅓ cup white baking chips
1 cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup confectioner’s sugar
Place champagne in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced to about ¼ cup, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, ½ cup sugar, and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1½ in. up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan; set aside. Arrange sliced strawberries over the bottom.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining sugar until smooth. Beat in the sweetened condensed milk, cornstarch, and reduced champagne. Add eggs and egg yolks; beat on low speed until just combined. Pour over strawberries. Place pan on a baking sheet.
Bake at 325 degrees for 55–60 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight.
Remove sides of springform pan. For topping, wash strawberries and gently pat with paper towels until completely dry. Slice and arrange over cheesecake. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and ½ tsp. shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over strawberries. Repeat melting and drizzling with white baking chips and remaining shortening.
In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioner’s sugar; beat until soft peaks form. Serve cheesecake with whipped cream.
Books by Kathi Daley
Come for the murder, stay for the romance.
Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery:
Halloween Hijinks
The Trouble With Turkeys
Christmas Crazy
Cupid’s Curse
Big Bunny Bump-off
Beach Blanket Barbie
Maui Madness
Derby Divas
Haunted Hamlet
Turkeys, Tuxes, and Tabbies
Christmas Cozy
Alaskan Alliance
Matrimony Meltdown
Soul Surrender
Heavenly Honeymoon
Hopscotch Homicide
Ghostly Graveyard
Santa Sleuth
Shamrock Shenanigans
Kitten Kaboodle
Costume Catastrophe
Candy Cane Caper
Holiday Hangover
Easter Escapade
Camp Carter
Trick or Treason
Reindeer Roundup
Hippity Hoppity Homicide
Firework Fiasco
Henderson House – August 2018
Zimmerman Academy The New Normal
Ashton Falls Cozy Cookbook
Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Mysteries by Henery Press:
Pumpkins in Paradise
Snowmen in Paradise
Bikinis in Paradise
Christmas in Paradise
Puppies in Paradise
Halloween in Paradise
Treasure in Paradise
Fireworks in Paradise
Beaches in Paradise – July 2018
Whales and Tails Cozy Mystery:
Romeow and Juliet
The Mad Catter
Grimm’s Furry Tail
Much Ado About Felines
Legend of Tabby Hollow
Cat of Christmas Past
A Tale of Two Tabbies
The Great Catsby
Count Catula
The Cat of Christmas Present
A Winter’s Tail
The Taming of the Tabby
Frankencat
The Cat of Christmas Future
Farewell to Felines
A Whisker in Time – September 2018
First Case
Second Look
Third Strike
Fourth Victim
Fifth Night
Sixth Cabin
Seventh Chapter - August 2018
Rescue Alaska Paranormal Mystery:
Finding Justice
Finding Answers
Finding Courage - September 2018
A Tess and Tilly Mystery:
The Christmas Letter
The Valentine Mystery
The Mother’s Day Mishap
The Halloween House – July 2018
Haunting by the Sea:
Homecoming by the Sea
Secrets by the Sea – June 2018
Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mystery:
Murder at Dolphin Bay
Murder at Sunrise Beach
Murder at the Witching Hour
Murder at Christmas
Murder at Turtle Cove
Murder at Water’s Edge
Murder at Midnight
Seacliff High Mystery:
The Secret
The Curse
The Relic
The Conspiracy
The Grudge
The Shadow
The Haunting
Road to Christmas Romance:
Road to Christmas Past
USA Today best-selling author Kathi Daley lives in beautiful Lake Tahoe with her husband Ken. When she isn’t writing, she likes spending time hiking the miles of desolate trails surrounding her home. She has authored more than seventy-five books in eight series, including Zoe Donovan Cozy Mysteries, Whales and Tails Island Mysteries, Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mysteries, Tj Jensen Paradise Lake Series, Writers’ Retreat Southern Seashore Mysteries, Rescue Alaska Paranormal Mysteries, and Seacliff High Teen Mysteries. Find out more about her books at www.kathidaley.com
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