Murder On The Half Shelf

ANGELICA’S RECIPES

(Makes 2)

3 tablespoons melted butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

10 sheets phyllo pastry

1 cup chopped red or green bell pepper

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup chopped onion

1 pound bulk sausage, browned

½ teaspoon oregano

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Mix the melted butter and olive oil. Brush one side of five of the phyllo pastry sheets with the mixture and stack them on top of each other.

Sauté the bell pepper, mushrooms, and onion with the sausage until the onion is clear, but not browned. Drain the fat and discard. Add oregano, salt, and pepper to taste.

Spread half of the mixture over the surface of the stacked pastry, leaving a 2-inch margin all around. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Fold the short edges in and roll up from the long side like a jelly roll. Brush the surface with beaten egg and place on a well-greased baking sheet. Repeat the process with the other half of the ingredients to make a second strudel.

Bake 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Let stand for a few minutes before slicing.

Serves 4-6

1 sleeve of saltine crackers (about 35)

2 sticks butter (1 cup)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 11.5-ounce package chocolate chips [1]

¾ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Line a baking tray with foil and cover with the saltine crackers. Boil the butter and brown sugar for 3 minutes, until frothy. Pour over the crackers.

Bake 5 minutes. The butter/sugar mixture will bubble. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Let set for 5 minutes. Spread the chocolate with a spatula and sprinkle with nuts, if using. (Gently press the nuts into the chocolate.) Refrigerate at least 1 hour; break into pieces. Refrigerate the leftovers…if there are any.

CREPES FLAMBÉ À L’ORANGE

1½ cups sifted all-purpose flour

3 eggs

2 cups milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

½ cup water

½ cup orange marmalade

1 medium orange, cut into thin slices

½ cup Grand Marnier (or any orange liqueur)

Put the sifted flour in a large bowl and make a well at the center. Place the eggs in the center, then beat and mix with the flour. Slowly add the milk. Mix very well. Add the butter, salt, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Mix until well blended. The batter will be thin. Set aside and let rest for 30 minutes.

Cook the crepes like pancakes in a flat nonstick pan. Pour ¼ cup of the batter into the pan at a time. Allow each crepe to cook for 1-2 minutes on one side, then use a nonstick spatula to flip the crepe. When the crepes are cooked, roll them into tubes and transfer to a serving dish.

In a small saucepan, mix the water, marmalade, and remaining 2 teaspoons sugar over low heat. Simmer and reduce until you have a thin syrup.

Drizzle the crepes with the syrup. Garnish with orange slices.

In another saucepan, bring the orange liqueur to a quick boil, then light (using a match or butane lighter) to make a flambé. Carefully pour over the crepes while the flames are still active. Allow the flames to burn out before eating.

Serves 4-6

1 egg

½ cup butter, softened

¼ cup packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract (almond extract tastes good, too)

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup finely chopped walnuts

cup any flavor fruit jam (Mr. Everett likes raspberry!)

¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Grease foil-lined baking trays.

Separate the egg, reserving the egg white. Cream the butter, sugar, and egg yolk. Add the vanilla, flour, and salt, mixing well. Shape the dough into 24 1-inch balls. Roll them in the egg white, and then in the walnuts. Place on baking trays about 2 inches apart. Bake 5 minutes.

Remove the cookies from oven. With your thumb, dent each cookie. Put jam in each thumbprint. Bake another 8 minutes.

Makes 24 cookies.