Firework Fiasco Read online

“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<
br />
  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

  Writers’ Retreat Mystery:

  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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  Newsletter, The Daley Weekly http://eepurl.com/NRPDf

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