Till Dirt Do Us Part Page 18
In all my years of helpful hints, I had never heard that one. You just never know when you’ll learn something new.
Coco reached her little arms skyward, signaling for me to pick her up. “I love you, Mommy.” She kissed me on the cheek. I held her tightly, treasuring this moment, knowing just how short a simple moment like this really is.
“I love you, too, baby.”
“Love you more.”
“It’s a tie,” I answered.
HELPFUL HINTS FROM THE HAPPY HINTER
Aunt Maggie’s Copycat Rotisserie Chicken
4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 onions, quartered
2 whole chickens
In a small bowl, mix together salt, paprika, onion powder, thyme, white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Remove and discard giblets from chicken. Rinse chicken cavity, and pat dry with paper towel. Rub each chicken inside and out with spice mixture. Place 1 onion into the cavity of each chicken. Place chickens in a resealable bag or double wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or at least 4 to 6 hours.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
Place chickens in a roasting pan. Bake uncovered for 5 hours, to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Let the chickens stand for 10 minutes before carving.
Tip: Foil can be used to keep food moist, cook more evenly, and make cleanup easier.
Coffeemaker Maintenance
Cleaning the coffeemaker at the Pecan Bayou Police Department was easy. Betsy simply ran a cycle using half water and half vinegar and sprayed dust out with canned air. Any other repairs of a coffeemaker require turning and unplugging the machine, so be careful! Even the Happy Hinter is especially careful with anything electrical.
Naomi’s Breakfast Burritos
1–2 eggs
2 teaspoons feta cheese
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 flour tortillas
2 tablespoons salsa
1/2 avocado, chopped
1/2 cup baby spinach
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until the whites and yolks are completely combined. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom. When the oil is hot, pour in the eggs and stir occasionally until the eggs are cooked. Stir in a pinch of salt and a generous amount of black pepper, then transfer to a large plate to cool to room temperature.
Rinse or wipe down the skillet, place it back over medium heat, and add oil. Add the spinach and cook, stirring often, until the spinach is just wilted. Spread the cooked spinach on another large plate to cool to room temperature.
Arrange a tortilla on a work surface. Add about a quarter each of the eggs, spinach, salsa, and feta down the middle of the tortilla and wrap tightly. Repeat with the second tortilla. Place the wraps in aluminum foil and then add to a gallon zip-top bag and freeze until ready to eat. Reheat by removing the tin foil and microwaving on high for two minutes.
Naomi had many ways of making these burritos, but this is the simpler version.
How to Clean a Microwave
Fill a microwavable bowl halfway with water and then add 3 tablespoons of baking soda. Heat the bowl in the microwave on high for three minutes. Remove the bowl using hot pads. Wipe down the inside of the steamy microwave. Food will come right off.
What to Do When You Burn the Rice
Place a piece of white bread on top of the rice for 5–10 minutes to draw out the burned flavor. When you serve the rice, make sure you don’t spoon up any of the burned parts off the bottom. The bread can help take the burned taste away, but it can’t make the burned parts disappear!
Mrs. Fitzpatrick’s Tip for Bitter Brussels Sprouts
Cut the stems off the Brussels sprouts and then cut them in half. Sauté them in butter and add a little garlic. As they are sautéing, sprinkle them with just a bit of sugar. It won’t take all the bitterness away, but it will help.
One More Hint from the Happy Gardener
Sprinkle eggshells around your plants to keep away the slugs and give your little green friend a boost of calcium.
Don't miss out!
Click the button below and you can sign up to receive emails whenever Teresa Trent publishes a new book. There's no charge and no obligation.
https://books2read.com/r/B-A-FJQD-DFXP
Connecting independent readers to independent writers.
Did you love Till Dirt Do Us Part? Then you should read Oh Holy Fright by Teresa Trent!
Join Betsy (aka The Happy Hinter) for a good old small-town Christmas complete with Christmas carols, over the top light displays, delicious food, loving friends and…a Christmas Creeper. One of the residents of Pecan Bayou has a secret and you'd better lock the door because that isn't Santa out there or even a stray elf. Enjoy spending Christmas with the town and family you've come to know in the Pecan Bayou Series. Recipes and helpful hints included!
Read more at Teresa Trent’s site.
Also by Teresa Trent
Henry Park
Color Me Dead
Pecan Bayou
A Dash of Murder
Overdue for Murder
Doggone Dead
Buzzkill
Burnout
Murder for a Rainy Day
Till Dirt Do Us Part
Oh Holy Fright
Watch for more at Teresa Trent’s site.
About the Author
Teresa Trent lives in Houston, Texas and is an award-winning mystery writer. She writes the Pecan Bayou Mystery Series, is a regular contributor to the Happy Homicides Anthologies. Teresa is happy to add her Henry Park Mystery Series to her publishing credits with Color Me Dead, the first book in the series. Teresa has also won awards for her work in short stories where she loves to dabble in tales that are closer to the Twilight Zone than small town cozies. When Teresa isn’t writing, she is a full-time caregiver for her son and teaches preschoolers music part-time. She also enjoys spending time with her family, waiting for brownies to come out of the oven, and of course, a good mystery.
Read more at Teresa Trent’s site.