Carrot Cake Murder (Hannah Swensen, #10)(28)

“Did Mac know him well?”

“Oh, yes. They were on several sports teams together at Jordan High.”

“Did your brother have any distinguishing features, like moles or birthmarks, or anything like that?” Hannah asked Patsy.

“Nothing.”

“How about scars from accidents or operations?”

“He didn’t have anything other than the usual scrapes and cuts from playing baseball, and they would have healed a long time ago,” Marge answered her. “And he never had surgery that we know about.”

“Do you have any idea why someone would try to impersonate your brother?” Hannah asked the critical question.

“No,” Patsy answered. “I mean, it’s not like there was an inheritance for him to collect or anything like that.”

“Marge?” Hannah turned to her.

“I don’t know, either. But we all agree on one thing,” Marge gave Hannah a long, level look. “We want you to find out for us.”

FUNERAL HOTDISH “Anniversary Hotdish”

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

Or

Use an 18-quart electric roaster set to 350 degrees F.

Hannah’s 1st Note: Joyce says this is easiest with three people helping: one person to chop and sauté the celery and onions, one person to brown the hamburger, and one person to cook the pasta and mix the sauce.

Start by spraying the inside of your pan, or the electric roaster with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray. (I used a great big disposable turkey roaster sprayed with Pam.)

1 bunch of celery (approximately 10 stalks)

3 large onions (We used four because we love onion)

6 pounds lean hamburger (We used 8 pounds because we like it beefier)

2 two-pound boxes elbow macaroni (for a total of four pounds—Joyce’s Funeral Committee uses Creamettes Elbow Macaroni)

1 large can (50-ounces) Campbell’s tomato soup, undiluted

2 large cans (46-ounces each) Campbell’s tomato juice

1 large bottle ( 46-ounces) catsup (the Swanville Funeral Committee uses Heinz Ketchup)

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground black pepper (freshly ground is best, of course)

Clean and chop the celery into bite-size pieces. Put them in a frying pan with a little butter and start cooking them over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Peel and chop the onions into bite-sized pieces. Add them to the frying pan with the celery and continue to cook them, stirring occasionally, until they’re translucent.

Brown the hamburger over medium heat. Be sure to “chop” it with a spoon or heat-resistant spatula so it browns in bite-size pieces. (Joyce and her committee do this in a pan in the oven.)

Drain the browned hamburger, and rinse off the fat by putting the meat in a strainer and spraying it with warm water. (We drained the hamburger, but we forgot to rinse it off with warm water—it was good anyway.)

Cook the elbow macaroni according to the directions on the box. DO NOT OVERCOOK. (Joyce’s committee does not salt the water, but we did.) Drain it and set it aside.

Combine the undiluted tomato soup, the tomato juice, and the catsup. Mix in the brown sugar and the pepper. (Joyce’s committee does this right in the electric roaster and then heats it before they add the other ingredients. We mixed up our sauce in the bottom of the disposable turkey roaster and didn’t heat it before we added the other ingredients.)

Add the cooked celery and onions to the sauce and stir them in.

Stir in the hamburger.

Add the cooked, drained macaroni and mix well.

Once everything is thoroughly mixed, cover the disposable roaster with heavy duty foil and put it into a 350-degree F. oven for 2 hours, stirring occasionally so that it heats evenly and doesn’t stick to the bottom. (If you used an electric roaster, put on the lid, turn it up to 350 degrees F., and cook it for 2 hours, stirring occasionally so that it heats evenly and doesn’t stick to the bottom of the roaster.)

Joyce’s Note: Joyce says to tell you that cooking the hotdish for 2 hours is mainly to blend the flavors since everything is precooked.

Hannah’s 2ndNote: When we made this for the family reunion, we sprinkled shredded Parmesan cheese on the top before we served it. Marge says if she ever makes it at home, she’s going to add pitted black olives to the sauce, because Herb and Jack like them so much. She’s also going to make garlic bread to go with it.

Yield: The Swanville St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Funeral Committee says this recipe will serve 75, but they always serve plenty of other side dishes with it. If you plan to use Funeral Hotdish as your only main course, I wouldn’t expect it to serve more than two-dozen people, especially if they’re really hungry.





Chapter Ten


“You’re going to take the case, aren’t you?” Michelle asked, looking young and gorgeous in white shorts to show off her tan and a pink camisole top that played peek-a-boo with her waistband. Her light brown hair was brushed back into a high ponytail held in place with a pink scrunchy, and she looked as if she were still in junior high, except for the fact that her figure was one that most junior high girls would envy.

“I’m taking the case. Lisa already asked me. And Marge and her sister asked for my help, too.” Hannah took out another head of cauliflower and plunked it on the cutting board. Edna Ferguson, the head cook at Jordan High, had arrived to join the ladies in the Thompson cottage kitchen, and Hannah had gone to her mother’s cottage to make the salad for the buffet table.