Friday, August 27, 2010

Sweet Revenge ~ Foodie Friday & Food For Thought



I'm linking to two different parties today because
I have both really good recipes to share as well as a fun book to talk about.



Review of the book
Sweet Revenge
by Diane Mott Davidson
brainchild of the very talented Jain.
This is where our camera, cooking & books collide!



***.*
This is one in the series of Diane Mott Davidson's
14 culinary mystery novels in which the protagonist is a caterer named Goldy (short for Gertrude) Schultz from Aspen Meadow, a small town in Colorado.

This woman gets into more mishaps &
adventures yet remarkably survives each encounter & keeps on cooking!


In this one book alone she has 
a knife (hidden in a snowball)
thrown at her through a window

crashes her friend's Lexus while chasing
the self-confessed murderer of her ex-husband 

falls down an embankment into a creek,
as she tries to get a glimpse of another murder victim 
(while wearing that same friend's mink coat!!!)
was almost pushed over a cliff at a ski resort
& was stomped on & verbally threatened & 
knocked unconscious. 

In between all this, she manages to cater 
a breakfast meeting
a church luncheon
another luncheon for the garden club
a special dinner party for her wealthy & eccentric clients
AND

has freshly baked cookies available to hand out
every time you turn around!

I think she's a twin & was separated at birth

from Yvonne at StoneGable.

They both have so much creative energy!

Throughout all this, she trying to find out
who killed Drew Wellington, in the library

with what weapon?
Sounds like the mystery game, CLUE, doesn't it?

Drew was a local antique map dealer who was
using the library as his office.
(map available here)


Do you suppose it was the date-rape

drugs they found in his flask

that killed him?




Or was it the cyanide they discovered had been slipped into his coffee?



Perhaps it was a different method of murder all together?
I thought I had it all figured out but was totally wrong!
You won't find out until the very end of the book.




Ms. Davidson is a prolific writer who supplies a long list of mouth-watering
gourmet recipes inside each book.
I had fun deciding which ones to make for

Food for Thought

Goldy served a pasta dish with butter & Parmesan cheese at one event.
I took it a step beyond &

made the Orzo Milanese recipe
from Dishesdone's blog,

There's always thyme to cook

I had it for lunch in the Gazebo this week!
I
puréed my slow-roasted tomatoes then
followed her recipe as posted here

except I cooked the orzo in the tomato pureé.
Delicious!


Goldy's recipe for Chicken Divine is also just that...DIVINE!

I changed it a wee bit to include broccoli & some curry,
as that is the way 2 of my oldest & dearest friends

taught me how to make it years ago.
Thanks Barb & Janet!!

Their recipe follows:
(if you want Goldy's recipe, you have to get the book)
Chicken Divan or "Divine!"

4 chicken breasts -- boneless, cooked
2 packages broccoli -- thawed
1 can cream of celery soup (or cream of chicken)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
2 cups cheddar cheese -- shredded
1/2 cup bread crumbs -- buttered
Place broccoli pieces in the bottom of a buttered 9X13 casserole.
Place cooked chicken (boiled with celery & onion) on top of broccoli.
Cover with a mixture of soup, mayonnaise, lemon juice & curry powder.
Top with cheese, then with bread crumbs.
Bake at 325º for 45 minutes.

DSC_0156
Other parts of the meal included

DSC_0150
Fresh Ohio grown Sweet Corn


DSC_0152
& salad with home grown tomatoes started with our own seeds.
Oh & don’t forget the DESSERTS!
The books character, Goldy, made gingerbread houses for one of her events.
So did I… years ago!

Thank you Jain, for encouraging us to

*play with our food & cook the books*

Thanks also to Michael Lee for her

Foodie Friday

I appreciate everyone who visits the Gazebo House, too.
I’m honored that you’ve stopped by & hope you found something of interest.
Try the pasta & the chicken....you'll 'em!

fondly,
Photobucket

p.s. Thanks for the book, Sis!

21 comments:

  1. Rett,

    I love Goldy's adventures. I have read most of them. The chicken divine recipe is an old standby. It was the first dish I served for company and I served it to death!

    If you do get to Venice this year, maybe you and I and Donna could meet!

    Carol

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  2. I LOVE your post today, Rett. After this review how can I not head straight for the bookstore. Goldy's life is just one adventure after another, separated by catering events.

    Your Chicken Divan recipe sounds wonderful. I haven't made this yummy casserole in ages. Thanks for the reminder of how good it is.

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  3. You have just given me a Christmas present idea for my MIL!!! She loves to read and books like this are right up her alley! Thanks!!!

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  4. Chicken divine looks mighty good! The kids are cuties, they sure do grow up fast!

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  5. Rett... you have given us a weeks worth of posts in 1. WOW great recipes! And a book review.
    Thanks for the shout out. It has been awhile since I have last chased down a murder suspect, had a fist fight or KEEPT A SYRINGE AND A BOTTLE OF CYANIDE in my house. Goodness, I would have never expected that from you!!!!!
    Love the post and thanks again for the kind shout out. NOw I need a nap!

    BTW the kiddlets are so adorable!
    xo Yvonne

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  6. First a comment on your previous post. I LOVE Joshua Bell. I first saw him perform at Spoleto about twenty years ago but still think of him as a talented kid!

    And I love your review of my pal Goldie's book. I've been her fan since the beginning!! Your review is as much fun to read as the book.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  7. I've read every one of her books and I loved "revisiting" with your review. The recipes are always good in her books. I'm ready for a new Goldy adventure!

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  8. Great idea about making the orzo in the sauce! I'll do that next time! Looks delicious, especially in the Gazebo! Thanks for the mention :)

    The chicken dish does look divine! Copying that recipe, thanks! Your kiddlets are adorable!

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  9. They looks delicious! Dishesdone is a great gal, lots of fun!
    Your gkids are so sweet! We are blessed, my friend!

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  10. Hi Rett - babies are in bed and son and DIL sent away for an evening on their own, so I get to do a little guilt-free blog reading. I love your new header! I enjoyed Sweet Revenge too - all DMD's books are fun!

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  11. Rett, the Chicken Divian looks "divine." I used to fix this frequently. I'll need to try your recipe. Great photos of the library shots and connections to this book. Clever review! ~ Sarah
    PS
    What happened to the cherry pies? :-)

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  12. oh what a great review! i love all the mishaps, yet never a bite was missed! i cracked up about yvonne, i hear you on that, she is a cracker box of talent!

    i do love this visual reviews, i love maps... and you even have cyanide! girl, you have embraced this 100%, i adore how you play, it tickles me to no end! i have read her books ages ago, she is a hoot and perfect for food for thought!

    your orzo looks fabulous, and what a fun twist with the curry in your chicken divan, which i just so happen love! that corn pic is fantastic... and you even have home grown salad too!

    love the then and now pics, so cute, are those all your tomatoes too? they are such happy kids, love that shot!

    again, thanks so much for playing, you did a super job, it IS fun to play with our food and books, thanks for sharing~

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  13. Rett~ this was so FUN! I got a chuckle out of the Yvonne/Goldie comparison, I have to agree on the creative energy! I haven't read this series, but seen them...I do enjoy a book series with an interesting main character~ sounds like Goldie is that.

    Where on EARTH did you get a Cyanide Bottle?! What a great prop!And what a feast you have prepared for us! That Orzo & your Chicken Divan...it does look DIVINE! I'll have to try this recipe! It is fun playing with our food...

    P.S. Your grand kids HAVE grown and are adorable, love your new header too :-)

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  14. Goodness me, you certainly are a jack of all trades! Now a book reviewer with all the proper stuff to make it even more interesting! How cool! Love you to death, honey!!!

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  15. HI Rett! Oh, this was a great post. Exciting book review with great props! :)
    Now your foods looks and sounds delicious! Thanks for the recipes.
    Thank you also for popping in to see me.
    be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  16. Oh my goodness!!!! Diane Mott Davidson is one of my favorite authors!!!! Have even heard her speak at the National Book Festival in Washington, DC!!! Wow! You made my day! Cathy

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  17. Rett-I tried to email you but it won't let me. I'm trying to figure out what I said about grandkids. I love seeing the pictures. I do wish I got to see mine more than once a month and I wish I had a little girl grand, but I love my little boys. Ours is a bit nontraditional, but I love seeing the pics of your grands...I hope I didn't imply otherwise!

    As for missing mom...I'm missing her a lot today. My niece was in a boating accident yesterday and fractured her vertebrae...surgery probably tomorrow and my dad is having surgery tomorrow in Florida. When it rains...both should be okay, but I'm the mama hen and I'm worried about them both.

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  18. Rhett, You gave me food for thought with a book series I think I really need to read!

    What beautiful grandchildren you have! YES they do grow soo fast. We just came back form the lake after spending a weekend with 10 of our little ones whoe always steal my heart. They live in 3 different states and it was great to be together.
    I copied you your delicious sounding recipe. Especially if you have had it for so long and seasoned it to perfection:) It sounds like on we will really enjoy this fall.
    ~♥

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  19. I'm back again. I just realized why you said that. What I meant in my post was that the fact that my high school friends are now grandparents and that some of my class has passed on has made me nostalgic for high school. The song was about missing the good old days of high school. Whew...I was going nuts trying to figure out what comment I left that would sound like I didn't like seeing pictures. I was actually just missing the days when I was a kid and all my high school friends were kids too.

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  20. I love this post...I have never heard of that author and the book sounds wonderful...and your food looks pretty good too!! Jain has asked me many times to join in the book/cook party but although I cook all day long...I am the slowest reader in the world...I mean really slow...it takes me maybe 6 months to finish a book...But I love mysterys so I will have to look for this book next time I am in B&N....Thanks!

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  21. This looks like a good one, Rett! I am a little under the weather today and thought I wasn't hungry. Your food pictures changed my mind!

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Thank you so much for leaving a comment. I read them all & each one is so very special to me & I try really hard to return the visit!

fondly,
~Rett~