Getting Rich (A Chef Landry Mystery) (29 page)

“I can’t imagine how she must feel,” Charles said. “Losing someone you love is hard enough. But finding out he was planning to kill her has to be a hundred times worse. At least I know that Jennifer loved me, and that knowledge eases the pain.”

Steven shook his head. “I still can’t believe you thought I would be capable of murder.”

Mitchell wrapped a protective arm around my shoulders. “You know what I don’t understand is what that homeless woman had to do with everything.”

“As it turns out, nothing,” I said. “But because Susan told Richard about the way she stormed in and threatened me, he thought it would be a great idea to use her as a red herring. It was Susan who called the restaurant the day of the television interview. Then, because she ran me over just a couple of days later, we all concluded that the crazy woman was behind it, just as they’d planned.”

“But why kill Jennifer?” Mitchell asked.

“In this case, the police were right. Jennifer’s death was a mistake. Susan was in your house earlier that night, listening in on Toni and me,” I told him. “When Toni mentioned she’d forgotten something at the restaurant and had to go back, Susan decided to go after her. But by the time she got there, Toni had already left. A few minutes later, when Jennifer showed up, Susan followed her inside and shot her. Susan and Richard didn’t even know until the next day that she’d shot the wrong person.”

Mitchell gave my shoulders a squeeze. “I can’t believe I left you on your own to cope with all of that.”

“How could you have known?” I said. “Judy was so excited at finding her sister that she told Richard everything she knew about Toni. She happened to mention that you’re a writer and that you were going out of town to work on your manuscript. Richard came up with the idea to learn more about Toni’s plans by planting that equipment.”

“What I still don’t get is why the hit-and-run?” said Jake.

“Added security,” I explained. “Toni had mentioned to her that I was in her will. They wanted to make damn sure Judy got everything, and the only way they could be sure of that was if I was dead too. The plan was for Richard to stay with Judy until she inherited, and only then get rid of her.

“They didn’t expect her to go back to the hotel that day. She was supposed to go have her hair cut, and should have been out for hours. If not for the hairdresser overbooking, she would never have walked in while Susan was there. Even then, if not for us barging in, Richard might have been able to explain Susan away. And Judy would never have been the wiser.”

“She was crazy about that husband of hers. She believed everything he told her.” Toni took a sip of her drink. “All I can say is I’m glad that is behind us. Now, all we have to worry about is making this new restaurant successful.”

“You better be careful,” Steven said. “That soon-to-be wife of mine is a slave driver.”

I squealed. “You’re getting married?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Toni said. “I’m much too pragmatic. Second marriages are nothing more than ignoring experience in favor of hope. I trust experience.” I couldn’t help but notice the amorous look she threw Steven as she said this. She set her glass on the table. “Hit me again.”

“You’re looking pretty perky,” I said, “for someone who was exhausted a minute ago.”

“I always wake up at the crack of ice.” She winked.

Steven leaned over and filled her glass. “Nicky, refill?”

“Not for me, thanks.” I looked at my watch. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m wiped.”

“Come on, live a little,” Mitchell said.

Suddenly the front door opened and, for the briefest of moments, I was sure we were having a repeat visit from our crazy lady. The woman who walked in was disheveled from the wind. She finger-combed her gray hair and I suddenly recognized her as Edna Jamieson.

“Oh, my God,” I said, rising from the chair and grabbing my crutches. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Jamieson. I completely forgot to get back to you. And that was months ago.”

She stepped toward me, smiling and extending her hand. “I’m partly to blame too. I’m not always the easiest person to get a hold of.”

“Won’t you come in, Mrs. Jamieson?” Toni said.

“I don’t want to intrude. I heard you were reopening and decided to drop in.” Edna Jamieson went through her purse and came out with a business card. “You may not know this, but I’m CEO of Lanson Publishing,” she said, naming one the country’s best-known publishing houses. “From the very first time I ate at your restaurant, I felt strongly that you two young girls should write a cookbook.”

From the corner of my eyes I saw Toni suddenly brighten at being called a young girl.

“And if you decide to do this, I’d be thrilled to publish it. I know your skinny recipes concept is a sure winner. If you’re interested, give me a call.”

I took the card and glanced down at it, noticing the handwritten number at the bottom.

“That’s my private number,” she said. “Call me, any time.”

And as suddenly as she had appeared, the woman was gone, leaving everyone in the room with their heads spinning.

“Did I just hear her right?” I asked Toni. “She wants us to write a book?”

Toni nodded. “That’s right.”

“You know what that means, don’t you?”

“We’re going to be authors!” she exclaimed. “You’ll be rich too. And I’m going to need a whole new wardrobe.”

*

Recipes

White Wine Spritzer

Serves one

48 calories

Every person has their favorite white wine. When selecting a white wine for a spritzer, I suggest choosing a dry one with an earthy flavor, such as a very oaky chardonnay.

Ingredients:

2 oz. dry white wine

1 oz. soda water

2 ice cubes

Slice of lemon

Directions:

Sip slowly and make it last.

Eggplant Parmesan

Serves four

284 calories per serving

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray

2 egg whites

2 ½ lbs. eggplant, peeled and cut crosswise into ¼ inch-thick slices

½ cup garlic-flavored croutons

½ tsp. olive oil

1 cup tomatoes, chopped, with their juice

¼ cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried

½ tsp. black pepper

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 4 oz.)

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 cloves garlic

½ cup onion, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with foil. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.

In a shallow dish, beat the egg whites and 2 tbsp of water until foamy. Dip eggplant into egg whites, then into bread crumbs, pressing crumbs into eggplant.

Place eggplant on prepared baking sheet and spray oil over eggplant slices. Bake 30 minutes, turning eggplant over after 20 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.

In a stove-top pan, sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil until onions are soft and just beginning to turn golden.

In a medium-size bowl, stir together tomatoes and their juice, basil, salt, pepper, garlic, and onions.

Spoon 3 tbsp. of tomato mixture into bottom of 9” square glass baking dish. Place half of eggplant over sauce, spoon half of remaining tomato mixture over eggplant, and sprinkle half of mozzarella on top. Repeat with remaining eggplant, tomato mixture, and mozzarella.

Sprinkle Parmesan on top and bake for 20 minutes, or until eggplant is piping hot and sauce is bubbly.

Skinny French Toast

Serves two

187 calories per 2-slice serving including yogurt and strawberry syrup.

Ingredients:

Four 1-inch slices of day-old French bread (1 oz. each)

Three eggs

3 tbsp. skim milk

1 tsp. Splenda

1 tsp. cinnamon (optional)

Cooking spray

½ cup strawberry syrup

½ cup 0 fat vanilla Greek yogurt

Directions:

Spray your frying pan.

Beat eggs, Splenda and cinnamon together in shallow pan (I use a round cake pan).

Dip your slices of bread into egg mixture and fry in frying pan on medium heat until golden, then turn over to fry other side.

Serve with ¼ cup vanilla yogurt and ¼ cup strawberry syrup.

Strawberry Syrup

This entire recipe will contain 270 calories and should measure 1½ cups of syrup. Each serving of ¼ cup contains 13 calories.

Ingredients:

1 package frozen unsweetened strawberries, about 2 cups (allow to thaw overnight in refrigerator before cooking)

1/8 cup Splenda

Directions (Should be made the night before to allow time to cool):

Mix strawberries (including juice) with Splenda in a pan and, stirring frequently, cook on medium heat until it begins to boil. As soon as it boils, take off stove and cool overnight. Skim off foam before serving.

Fasolada (Greek Bean Soup)

Serves 8

253 calories per serving

I had this soup for the first time at a local restaurant and loved it so much I had not two, but three bowls. My husband couldn’t believe it. I begged the owner for the recipe and he kindly gave me the ingredients. I went home and experimented until I got it right.

To eat this soup is to fall irrevocably in love with it. I’ve made it once a week for the past three weeks.

Ingredients:

1 16-oz. can of navy beans

1 16-oz. can of stewed tomatoes

2 tbsp. tomato paste

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

½ cup chopped turnip

2 parsnips, peeled and sliced

1 large onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped (leaves included)

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 to 1 ½ quart water (I like to add two tablespoons Better than Bouillon vegetable base)

¼ to ½ tsp. cayenne pepper (according to how much heat you want in your soup, although it still won’t be very hot)

Salt and pepper to taste

And the secret ingredient is 1 tbsp. honey

¼ cup feta cheese for garnish

Directions:

In large soup-pot, sauté vegetables and garlic in olive oil at medium.

When all vegetables have become sweaty, rinse beans thoroughly and add to pot, along with canned tomatoes, tomato paste and seasonings. Add salt, pepper, cayenne, liquid and Better than Bouillon vegetable base. Bring to a boil for ten minutes, then lower the temperature to a simmer and continue cooking for one hour.

Add the honey, stir, and serve with 1 or 2 tsp. crumbled feta for garnish. Yummmmm.

Low-fat Mulligatawny

6 servings of about 1½ cups each

230 calories per serving

Approximately 1 hour and fifteen minutes from start to finish.

Ingredients

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 cups celery, chopped