Murder Most Howl: A Paws & Claws Mystery (35 page)

1 egg

1 teaspoon cardamom

Filling

¼ cup butter, softened

¼ cup dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

½ cup walnuts, chopped

½ cup dried cherries

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons milk

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

maraschino cherries

Warm the milk and water to 105ºF to 110ºF. Sprinkle the yeast on it and stir with a fork. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Pour into a mixing bowl and use the dough hook of your mixer. Add 3 cups flour, butter, salt, sugar, egg, and cardamom. Mix until a soft ball forms. If it’s too sticky, add a bit more flour about ½ cup at a time. Let the mixer knead the dough about five minutes. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a couple more times until smooth.

Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Punch down the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out to a 12-by-18-inch rectangle.

To make the filling, spread the softened butter on top of the rectangle. In another bowl, mix the cinnamon, sugar, walnuts, and dried cherries. Sprinkle across the dough. Roll the dough into a long, tight roll and press the seam closed. With the seam turned downward, seal the two ends together to make a ring.

Move the ring to the prepared parchment paper. With a sharp knife, slice the dough every inch or so, cutting only three-quarters of the way through. Cover the roll with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375ºF, and bake 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the ring from the oven and place on a rack to cool.

When cooled, stir together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla, and drizzle the glaze all over the ring. Decorate with maraschino cherries if desired.

Sugar Maple Inn Mini Mac and Cheeselets

For people.

3 cups cooked elbow macaroni

1½ tablespoons unsalted butter + more for brushing

4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, divided

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¾ cup milk

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

2 ounces cream cheese

2 slices crisp bacon, crumbled

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 425ºF.

Use one 24-mini-cupcake pan or two 12-mini-cupcake pans. Brush each well of the pan with butter. Sprinkle the wells with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Over the sink, turn the pan to distribute, much as you would to flour a cake pan.

Melt 1½ tablespoons butter in a heavy pot and whisk in the flour. Cook about 2 minutes and whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes, whisking. Add the cheeses and whisk until melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the egg yolk.

Fold in the macaroni and the crumbled bacon. Use a measuring spoon to add a heaping tablespoon to each well. Mix 2 tablespoons Parmesan with the panko and sprinkle over each well. Bake for 10 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Use a thin knife to loosen and remove.

Sugar Maple Inn Chicken Stew for People

For people,
not
for dogs, because it contains onions.

1 whole chicken

2 large onions, diced

6 carrots, peeled and sliced

4 stalks celery, sliced

1 teaspoon thyme

1 bay leaf

water

6 potatoes, peeled and quartered

2 8-ounce packages frozen yellow corn

1 package frozen baby lima beans

salt and pepper to taste

In a large stockpot, combine the chicken, onions, carrots, celery, thyme, and bay leaf with enough water to cover everything. Put the lid on the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1½ to 2 hours.

Remove the chicken, bay leaf, carrots, onions, and celery. Take out the fat using one of these methods:

• Refrigerate the broth overnight and skim the fat off the top;
  
• Skim off the top with a spoon or fine mesh skimmer;
  
• Pour through a fat-separating pitcher.
  

Add the carrots, onions, and celery back to the pot. Bring to a simmer again and add the potatoes. When they have cooked, remove 1 cup of the potatoes, mash them with a fork, and put them back in the soup to thicken it.

Meanwhile, take the meat off the chicken and dice.

Add the corn and lima beans. When they are warm, add the meat, salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Blanche Burger

Only for people, makes 2.

½ medium-size sweet onion

1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil

½ pound ground beef

Boursin cheese

2 hamburger buns

Peel the onion, and slice into rings or half rings. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion rings and sauté slowly until translucent. Remove from the pan. Shape the ground beef into 2 hamburger patties and place in the pan. Cook to medium rare, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Meanwhile spread a thick layer of cheese on the tops and the bottoms of the buns. Place the hamburgers on the bottom buns, add a little more cheese on top. Add the onions and put the top bun on.

Krista’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

For people
only
.

2 sticks butter, melted

2 cups flour

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 whole eggs

¼ cup sugar

1¼ cups dark brown sugar

1½ teaspoons vanilla

2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Melt the butter in the microwave at half power in short bursts. Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl. Beat the eggs with the sugars. Add the cooled melted butter, alternating with the flour mixture. Add the vanilla. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop the raw dough on the sheet in generous spoonfuls a couple of inches apart. Bake at 350ºF for 10 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack when done.

Nutella Hot Chocolate

For people only!

3 tablespoons powdered chocolate (or use amount recommended for your brand)

2 tablespoons cold water

¼ cup sugar (omit if chocolate powder is already sweetened)

3 cups milk

¼ cup Nutella

¼ cup hazelnut liqueur, such as Frangelico (optional)