Father's Day Cheesecake and Mysteries

What could be better than a slice of delicious homemade cheese cake and a great mystery. Yummy!

Father's Day Cheesecake
1 - 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed
1 graham cracker crust
1/2 cup additional thawed Cool Whip
strawberry dessert topping or jam

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with wire whisk in a large bowl until smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spoon into crust. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or until set. Decorate top of dessert with additional whipped topping and marshmallows to resemble a tie. Fill in tie and outline edge of pie with dessert topping. Store in refrigerator.


White Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake
1 lb. white baking bar with cocoa butter
4 - 8 oz pkgs. cream cheese, softened
3 Tbsp. Hazelnut liqueur or milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla
Dash ground nutmeg
4 eggs
1 egg yolk
2 - 3 oz. bars milk chocolate with hazelnuts or 4- 1 1/2 oz. barks milk chocolate with almonds
chocolate curls
8 oz. pkg. Hazelnut cookies
3 Tbsp. butter melted

Prepare Hazelnut crust by combining crushed hazelnut cookies and butter. Butter sides of a 10-inch springform pan; press hazelnut crust evenly over bottom of pan. Place pan in shallow baking pan. For filling, cook and stir baking bar over low heat until melted. In a large mixing bowl, beat melted baking bar, cream cheese, butter, liqueur, vanilla, and nutmeg until well mixed. Stir in milk chocolate. Pour into crust. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 60-65 minutes or until a knife inserted midway between center and edge comes out clean. Cool 5-10 minutes on a wire rack. Loosen sides of cheesecake. Cool for 30 minutes. Remove sides of pan. Cover; chill thoroughly. Top with chocolate curls before serving.






Small towns all had one thing in common—news traveled fast. Gavin wasn’t surprised to see headlights approaching. Nor was he surprised to see the sheriff pull up behind his car. He was surprised when she stepped into view. Millie had said she was pretty, but that was an understatement. Even with her flaming red hair pulled severely from her face, and without a trace of makeup, she was breathtaking. He had an overwhelming urge to free the long red hair, bury his face in it and smell its softness.
“You won’t find a story here, McAllister.” Her voice was cold, her green eyes scornful.
“What makes you think I’m looking for a story?”
“Your reputation precedes you.”
Gavin laughed, but there was no mirth in the sound. “Oh, yes, the ruthless bastard.” He scanned her face, trying to find what it was about her that made it hard for him to think of anything but holding her.
“The only thing you’ll find here is a sad young woman who lost control of her car and died.” Sarah’s voice was filled with anger, pain, and something he couldn’t quite decipher.
“I thought she was drinking.” Gavin stated, watching the green eyes for a reaction.
Sarah didn’t answer, but turned away and started toward the Explorer.
“You’re not sure it was an accident, are you?” He baited her.
Sarah turned, hesitation and doubt written on her face, as she met his challenging gaze.
“If it wasn’t, that’s still no business of yours. Watch your step while you’re in my town, McAllister. One wrong move, one citizen’s complaint, and you’ll find yourself with an overnight stay and a one-way ticket out of here.”
Gavin looked at the marks on the tree, ignoring the challenge. “And what about Johanna? What about her pain? The dead don’t rest, Sheriff, until the guilty are punished.”
Their eyes met and Gavin felt something pass between them. For a moment he thought she had touched him. Just a gentle brush of her fingertips across his face. A feather-light kiss. A flicker of pain darkened her eyes.
“Johanna Nelson’s death was an accident. There aren’t any secrets in Glade Springs, Mr. McAllister.”
He watched her turn her back on him again, walking stiffly to her vehicle. He issued his own challenge. “Someone in Glade Springs has a secret, Sheriff. One worth killing for, and I’m going to find it.”



Rob cast a sidelong glance at his brother, wondering why no one else saw it. The differences were more drastic now. The dark stubble, shaggy hair, haunted eyes. All the things he’d written off to imagination. Until the Mother’s Day killer had shown up. That was when the changes became more distinct.
Jacody interrupted his thoughts, handing the list back to him. “That didn’t take you too long, now did it?”
Rob snorted. “There’s a hundred names on there. Do you know how many people, especially kids go missing each year?”
“Yeah, according to the Missing Person’s Database, 210,000 a year.”
“Don’t be a smartass. I told you it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. That’s just the first hundred that match your description. There’s probably a couple of hundred more.” Rob stood up, shoved his chair away from the desk. A signal for Jacody to leave.
“Come on, Rob. You can do better than that. Make a few phone calls. Find the ones that can be crossed off.” Jacody grinned, searching for the nerve, striking home. “Help me find her, and maybe I’ll let Gavin come out to play.”
Rob clamped his mouth shut to keep from yelling “Go to hell!” He wanted to. Wanted to wipe that smirk off Jacody’s face. Problem was if Jacody went to hell he took Gavin with him. The sooner the bastard found what he was looking for the sooner Gavin would be back.
Sitting down he picked up the list, pushed up his shirtsleeves and reached for the phone. His voice one step above a whisper and deadly. “Get out so I can make your damn phone calls.”

Mexican Hot Bread and Sacred Secrets

Mexican Hot Bread

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Batter:
1 cup meal
2 eggs (well beaten)
1 cup milk
1 can creamed style corn

Filling:

1 lb hamburger, brown and drain
1 green pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 8 oz. pkg. grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 jalapeno peppers

Pour half of batter in greased baking dish. Add hamburger. Add onions and peppers and then add cheese. Top with remaining batter. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Excerpt From Sacred Secrets:

Excerpt from Sacred Secrets, A Jacody Ives Mystery - prequel to award winning The Gifts, A Jacody Ives Mystery.

Featured Character: Katie O'Connor
Katie O'Connor has lived on "death row" for the past 15 years. Without a heart transplant her life expectancy is less than a year. A possible heart has been found, but little does Katie know that it will forever change her life and set her on a course of destiny that she may not survive.
********************************************************************************

Katie wrung her hands in her lap as the intern took another curve, maneuvering the car onto the main highway at a rate of speed that was surely against the law. Everything was moving so fast. The tearful goodbye with Clover. The trip home. She had barely gotten unpacked before exhaustion overcame her. She’d slept most of yesterday, and then the phone had rung. Now the mad dash to the hospital. What exactly had Dr. Wagner said? We may have found you a heart. And what did that mean anyway? Was it possible that someone was dying as they rushed to the hospital? Could they maybe live? Had she truly gotten a pardon from death row, or was this some cruel joke of the executioner.
“What did Dr. Wagner mean, he may have found a heart?”
The intern took his eyes from the road for a moment, smiled at Katie. “There was an accident. A young man with severe head injuries. Your age, good heart.”
“So he isn’t dead yet? What am I supposed to do, sit around wishing he would hurry up?”
Katie knew her voice was more brusque than she had intended. But surely Dr. Wagner didn’t expect her to sit and wait for someone to die.
The intern braked, going into another curve at breakneck speed. “Actually it’s the opposite. He’s brain dead, so technically he’s already been declared dead. We just have to wait until he gets here and hope he doesn’t die on the way.”
Katie wondered if the intern had any clue how coldhearted his words sounded to her. How cruel to the family of the dying young man. A young man who had signed a donor card so that if he died someone else might live. A young man who wouldn’t get an appeal of his case. The executioner had already dropped the axe.
“How do we know he’ll match.”
Katie almost missed his words, they were spoken so low.
“We don’t.”

Author Bio: Linda lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her fiancé, Coby W. Fuson. She has always been interested in writing mysteries, but felt she found her calling when combining her love of mystery, paranormal and metaphysical.

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Finally We Have our Kindle Winner--Hello from Dennis 929

I finally heard from Dennis 929 this morning, and here's his email back to me. As you can see he's rather excited, as I think I would be too. And he's also explained his absence, which makes my heart grow fonder as he appears to be a really nice guy. Congrats, Dennis 929 and the info on claiming your prize is on your email when you get to it.

Linda,
Hellooooooooooo, Hellooooooooooo, Helloooooooooo,
I've been working to restore power to the tornado locations in Alabama. We're in very rural parts where the internet service is null...or very spotty! I used my co-worker's netbook on break to enter your drawing. I'm a mechanic, and am often on the move here.
I do not have a personal smart phone, etc....plain ol' tracfone....straight dial...no text...no internet! (I'm not up on using all the techie phone & puter stuff anyway)
I'm on a quick break now & another co-worker has an iphone & is showing me stuff on it & told me to go to my email....which is out of control!
Your email was on the top 30 this morning & I thought you were going to give me info. about the book I won. Whooooo Hoooooo Dennis 929 is me!! I do feel like I won the lottery...ha ha it's been years since I won ...& I'm talking about getting only 3 #'s right!!
I'm speechless & very excited about it! I can't THANK YOU enough!! Thank You---Thank You!!
My wife has a Kindle 3G & won't share....lol. I told her I was going to win one...ha ha...wait till I tell her & get the Kindle 3G Special Order one...that will really get her! ha-ha.
Thank You for being so generous. You remind me of my wife...on her BD she always buys her Mom a present. I didn't get a chance to read the rest of your blog now...but hoping you are doing well & had a wonderful Birthday!
You made my day!!! Thanks Again!! My wife & I pledged last month that for the rest of this year to donate each month both of our book budget $$ to the tornado fund. But, THANKS to you...I'll get my Kindle & I also won a book from your drawing too! Thanks Linda, & also thank the other author's for doing this...I appreciate it more than you'll ever know!
Gotta go,...the boss was good to me & let me finish this email....lol...I don't type very fast!
I'm on my way to another crew, no idea when I'll be able to get back with you...or what I'm suppose to do next.
I was told that we may be leaving to go home in a week or so. I will check my email when I'm able.
I will tell my wife tonight...ha ha...can't wait till she see's my name!! I will have her check my email & answer you if you need any other info.
Thanks Again Linda, Thanks for emailing me this morning, & my apologies for not getting back to you sooner!
Dennis (Yes it's me..the PITA...Dennis 929)

Cooking Up A Mystery--7 free Kindle Mysteries and More

Today's Mystery Dessert - I call it that because it's one of those stuck in the back of my favorite recipes with no name, but it's yummy.

2 cups plain flour
2 sticks of butter
1 cup nuts
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. Cool Whip
1 lb. powdered sugar
2 bananas
2 peaches
1 pt. strawberries
1 pkg. strawberry glaze

Mix flour, butter and nuts. Bake in a 9 x 13 pan at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool. Mix cream cheese, Cool Whip and sugar. Spread on cooled crust. Mix remaining ingredients and spread on top. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Enjoy!



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The Gifts, A Jacody Ives Mystery

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