Red Velvet Cupcake Murder (Hannah Swensen, #16)(25)

This time the response was quicker. Hannah figured that Mike had asked Norman what that was.

“It’s about Barbara, but I don’t want to discuss it over the phone. Come on up, eat dinner, and then we’ll talk about it, okay?”

Hannah frowned. It seemed that whatever information Norman had been planning to give her after dinner was now going to be shared with Mike. So much for exclusivity.

“Sorry,” Norman said after the phone was back in the cradle. “I would have had to tell him anyway. I promised Doc I would.”

“But you were going to tell me first?”

“That’s right. I was.”

It was a drop in the bucket, a smidgen, a crumb. But Norman was smiling warmly and for some strange reason, it was enough. Hannah smiled back and that warm-all-over feeling kept her toasty until the doorbell rang to announce Mike’s arrival.
EASY FRUIT PIE

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

Note from Delores: I got this recipe from Jenny Hester, a new nurse at Doc Knight’s hospital. Jenny just told me that her great-grandmother used to make it whenever the family came over for Sunday dinner. Hannah said it’s easy so I might actually try to make it some night for Doc.

? cup salted butter (? stick, 2 ounces, pound)

1 cup whole milk

1 cup white (granulated) sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour (pack it down in the cup

when you measure it)

1 and ? teaspoons baking powder

? teaspoon salt

1 can fruit pie filling (approximately 21 ounces by

weight—3 to 3 and ? cups, the kind that makes

an 8-inch pie)

Hannah’s 1st Note: This isn’t really a pie, and it isn’t really a cake even though you make it in a cake pan. It’s almost like a cobbler, but not quite. I have the recipe filed under “Dessert”. You can use any canned fruit pie filling you like. I might not bake it for company with blueberry pie filling. It tasted great, but didn’t look all that appetizing. If you love blueberry and want to try it, it might work to cover the top with sweetened whipped cream or Cool Whip before you serve it.

I’ve tried this recipe with raspberry and peach . . . so far. I have the feeling that lemon pie filling would be yummy, but I haven’t gotten around to trying it yet. Maybe I’ll try it some night when Mike comes over after work. Even if it doesn’t turn out that well, he’ll eat it.

Place the butter in a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan and put it in the oven to melt. Meanwhile . . .

Mix the milk, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium-size bowl. This batter will be a little lumpy and that’s okay. Just like brownie batter, don’t overmix it.

Using oven mitts or potholders, remove the pan with the melted butter from the oven. Pour in the batter and tip the pan around to cover the whole bottom. Then set it on a cold stove burner.

Spoon the pie filling over the stop of the batter, but DO NOT MIX IN. Just spoon it on as evenly as you can. (The batter will puff up around it in the oven and look gorgeous!)

Bake the dessert at 375 degrees F., for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until it turns golden brown and bubbly on top.

To serve, cool slightly, dish into bowls, and top with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. It really is yummy.

Hannah’s 2nd Note: The dessert is best when it’s baked, cooled slightly, and served right away. Alternatively you can bake it earlier, cut pieces to put in microwave-safe bowls, and reheat it in the microwave before you put on the ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

Yield: Easy Fruit Pie will serve 6 if you don’t invite Mike and Norman for dinner.

Note from Jenny: I’ve made this by adding ? cup cocoa powder and 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the batter. If I do this, I spoon a can of cherry pie filling over the top.

Chapter Eight


“What would you like to drink, Mike?” Hannah held her breath as she waited for his answer. She really didn’t want to share the exquisite champagne Norman had given her, but she was a good hostess.

“That lemonade Norman has looks good. Do you have any more?”

“I sure do. I’ll get you a glass and be right back.”

Hannah was smiling as she went off to the kitchen. She felt a slight bit guilty for not telling Mike about the special champagne that Norman had brought, but she told herself that since he hadn’t asked for a bottle of his favorite beer when he knew she always had some in her refrigerator, that probably meant he was going back in to work and didn’t want to drink anything alcoholic. And that meant he would have refused the champagne even if she had offered it.

Rationalization, her mind chided her, but she ignored it as she filled a glass with ice and poured pink lemonade for Mike. She gave the timer a quick glance as she passed by on her way to the living room. Twenty minutes to go before the dessert came out of the oven. It should cool for at least ten minutes, so they would have a full half-hour to enjoy their salad, hotdish, and garlic bread.

“What did you have to tell me?” Mike asked Norman as Hannah set down his lemonade.

“Nothing until after dinner. I’m hungry.”

“That’s fine with me. I’m hungry and that hotdish smells great.”

Mike turned to give Hannah one of his devilishly handsome grins as she set his favorite hot sauce on the table. He’d once told her that her hair was exactly the same color as Slap Ya Mama hot sauce, and she still wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or not.