Mistletoe Murder (Dewberry Farm Mysteries Book 4) Read online

  "Yes," I said happily.

  "Muy guapo. And a vet, too?"

  I could see Tobias blushing. "Tobias Brandt," he said, proffering a hand.

  "Pleased to meet you. And please come in. You're our guests of honor tonight; you saved our family. We've got ponche, posole... and, of course, tamales!"

  Tobias and I were greeted and hugged by all kinds of family members. The posole was amazing—rich broth with chunks of pork, garnished with radishes and greens—and the tamales, as always, were to die for. There was Mexican hot chocolate laced with cinnamon for the children, and alcoholic ponche for the adults, which, like everything else, was delicious, and went down almost too fast. After my second bowl of posole, Tobias grabbed my hand and pulled me outside to look at the stars.

  "You can see the Milky Way," he said, tracing the pale streak across the sky with his finger. "I love the skies out here. Love it even more when I have someone to share them with." He pulled me close, and I leaned my head against his chest as I looked up at the sparkling night sky.

  "It's so beautiful out here," I said. "I had a lot of fear about leaving my job and my life in Houston, but things have turned out even better than I could have imagined."

  "Sometimes you have to take the risk," he said, and turned to me. "I do love you, Lucy Resnick."

  "And I love you, too," I said, as he leaned down to give me the best kiss I'd ever received. "But I have a confession," I told him.

  He pulled back and raised an eyebrow, looking wary. "Oh?"

  "If you want a hand-knitted scarf from me for Christmas, you're out of luck."

  He burst out laughing and then swept me into his arms. A moment later, together, we went back into the house, hands linked together, both filled to the brim with the spirit of Christmas.

  More Books by Karen MacInerney

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  The Dewberry Farm Mysteries

  Killer Jam

  Fatal Frost

  Deadly Brew

  Mistletoe Murder

  Dyeing Season (Coming 2018)

  The Gray Whale Inn Mysteries

  Murder on the Rocks

  Dead and Berried

  Murder Most Maine

  Berried to the Hilt

  Brush With Death

  Death Runs Adrift

  Whale of a Crime

  Claws for Alarm (Spring 2018)

  Cookbook: The Gray Whale Inn Kitchen

  Blueberry Blues (A Gray Whale Inn Short Story)

  Pumpkin Pied (A Gray Whale Inn Short Story)

  The Margie Peterson Mysteries

  Mother’s Day Out

  Mother Knows Best

  Mother’s Little Helper

  Tales of an Urban Werewolf

  Howling at the Moon

  On the Prowl

  Leader of the Pack

  Recipes

  Grandma Vogel’s Snickerdoodles

  Ingredients

  Cookies

  8 tablespoons (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature*

  ¾ cup sugar

  1 large egg

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  1 teaspoon baking powder

  ½ teaspoon salt*

  1⅓ cups flour

  *If you use salted butter, decrease the salt to ¼ teaspoon.

  Coating

  2 tablespoons sugar

  1–1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, to taste

  Directions

  Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets. Beat together the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg, beating until smooth, then beat in the vanilla, salt, and baking powder. Add the flour, mixing until totally incorporated.

  Make the coating by shaking together the sugar and cinnamon in a medium-sized zip-top plastic bag.

  Drop small (1"-diameter) balls of dough into the bag. Roll or toss the cookies in the cinnamon-sugar until they're completely coated.

  Space the cookies at least 1½" apart on the prepared baking sheets, and use a flat-bottom glass to flatten them to about ⅜" thick; they'll be about 1½" in diameter.

  Bake cookies for 8 minutes (for soft cookies) to 10 minutes (for crunchier cookies). Remove from the oven and cool them on the pan until they're firm enough to transfer to a rack to cool completely.

  Rosita’s Tamales

  Ingredients

  3½ pounds pork shoulder or 3½ pounds pork butt, trimmed of fat and cut up

  10 cups water

  1 medium onion, quartered

  3 garlic cloves, minced

  3½ teaspoons salt

  4 cups red chili sauce (see below for recipe)

  ¾ cup shortening

  6 cups masa harina

  1½ teaspoons baking powder

  50 dried corn husks (about 8 inches long)

  Directions

  In a 5-quart Dutch oven, bring pork, water, onion, garlic, and 1½ teaspoons salt to boil and simmer, covered, about 2½ hours, or until meat is very tender. Remove meat from broth and allow both meat and broth to cool. Shred the meat using 2 forks, discarding fat, then strain the broth and reserve 6 cups.

  In a large saucepan, heat the red chili sauce and add meat; simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

  To make masa, beat shortening on medium speed in a large bowl for 1 minute. In a separate bowl, stir together masa harina, baking powder, and 2 teaspoons salt. Add masa harina mixture and broth to shortening alternately, beating well after each addition. (Add just enough broth to make a thick, creamy paste.)

  In the meantime, soak corn husks in warm water for at least 20 minutes; rinse to remove any corn silk and drain well.

  To assemble each tamale, spread 2 tablespoons of the masa mixture on the center of the corn husk. (Each husk should be 8 inches long and 6 inches wide at the top. If a husk is small, overlap 2 small ones to form one. If it is large, tear a strip from the side.)

  Place about 1 tablespoon meat and sauce mixture in the middle of the masa, then fold in the sides of husk and fold up the bottom.

  Place a steamer basket in a large pot and put the tamales in the basket, open side up. Add water to pot so that the level is just below the basket. Bring water to boil and reduce heat. Cover and steam 40 minutes, adding water when necessary.

  To freeze, leave tamales in the husks and place them in freezer bags. To reheat, thaw and wrap in a wet paper towel and reheat in the microwave for 2 minutes for 1 or 2 or resteam them just until hot.

  Red Chili Sauce

  Ingredients

  15 large dried chilies (such as Anaheim, New Mexico, California, or pasilla)

  4–5 garlic cloves

  2 teaspoons ground cumin

  1 teaspoon salt

  2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

  2 teaspoons olive oil

  Directions

  Remove stems and seeds from dried chili peppers, and place peppers in a single layer on a baking sheet.

  Roast in a 350°F oven for 2 to 5 minutes or until you smell a sweet roasted aroma, checking often to avoid burning.

  Remove the chilies from oven and soak in enough hot water to cover for about 30 minutes or until cool.

  Put peppers and 2½ cups of the soaking water into a blender (save the remaining soaking water); add garlic, cumin, and salt, then cover and blend until smooth.

  In a 2-quart saucepan, stir flour into oil or melted shortening over medium heat until browned.

  Carefully stir in blended chili mixture.

  Simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. (If sauce gets too thick, stir in up to 1 cup of the remaining soaking water until you reach the desired thickness.)

  Note: When working with
chilies, use rubber gloves to protect your skin, and avoid contact with your eyes. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water to remove all the chili oils.

  The Hitching Post’s Tom & Jerrys

  Ingredients

  3 eggs, separated

  3 tablespoons powdered sugar

  ½ teaspoon ground allspice

  ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

  ½ teaspoon ground cloves

  4 ounces brandy, lukewarm

  3 cups hot milk

  Freshly grated nutmeg

  Directions

  In a large, clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

  In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks until light in color, then gradually beat in the sugar, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves. When thoroughly mixed, fold the yolk mixture into the whites. Pour 2 tablespoons into four mugs each. Add 1 ounce brandy and 1 ounce dark rum to each mug. Fill mugs the rest of the way with hot milk. Stir well, and dust with nutmeg.

  Almond Crescent Cookies

  Ingredients

  1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

  ½ cup powdered sugar plus more for rolling cookies

  2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  1 teaspoon almond extract

  2 cups all-purpose flour

  ¼ teaspoon salt (not needed if your butter is salted)

  1 cup finely chopped or ground almonds

  Directions

  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, cream butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Blend in flour, salt, and nuts until dough holds together.

  Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place 1-inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake 15 minutes and until set, but not brown. Cool slightly, then roll in powdered sugar. Cool completely, then roll again in powdered sugar.

  Candy Cane Fudge

  Ingredients

  2 (10-ounce) packages vanilla baking chips OR semisweet baking chips

  1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

  ½ teaspoon peppermint extract

  1½ cups crushed candy canes

  1 dash red or green food coloring (if using white chocolate… this is optional)

  Directions

  Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, and grease the foil.

  Combine the vanilla chips and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until almost melted, remove from heat, and continue to stir until smooth. When chips are completely melted, stir in the peppermint extract, food coloring, and candy canes.

  Spread evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan. Chill for 2 hours, then cut into squares.

  Christmas Pork Posole

  Ingredients

  4 medium onions, divided

  7 tablespoons canola oil or vegetable oil, divided

  4½ tablespoons ancho chile powder, divided

  3 tablespoons dried oregano (preferably Mexican), divided

  1 6- to 6½-pound bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt), cut into 4- to 5-inch pieces, some meat left on bone

  5 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth

  4 7-ounce cans diced green chiles, drained

  5 large garlic cloves, minced

  4 teaspoons ground cumin

  4 15-ounce cans golden or white hominy, drained

  1 – 2 cups red chili sauce (see tamale recipe)

  4 limes, each cut into 4 wedges

  Thinly sliced green onion

  Chopped fresh cilantro

  Tortilla shells or chips, head of cabbage (chopped), 5–10 radishes (thinly sliced), all optional for garnish at end.

  Directions

  Preheat oven to 350°F. Thinly slice 2 onions. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat, then add sliced onions to pot and sauté until onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add 1½ tablespoons ancho chile powder and 1½ tablespoons oregano and stir to coat. Sprinkle pork with salt and add to pot. Add 5 cups broth. Bring to boil. Cover and transfer to oven.

  Braise pork until tender enough to shred easily, about 2 hours. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to large bowl and pour juices into another large bowl. Refrigerate separately, uncovered until cool, then cover and keep chilled overnight.

  Discard fat from top of chilled juices; reserve juices. Chop pork into ½-inch cubes, discarding excess fat.

  Thinly slice remaining 2 onions. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until soft, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Add remaining 3 tablespoons ancho chile powder, remaining 1½ tablespoons oregano, diced chiles, garlic, and cumin, then stir 30 seconds. Add pork, reserved juices, hominy and red chili sauce. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low.

  Cover pot with lid slightly ajar and simmer 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend, adding more broth to thin, if desired.

  Ladle posole into bowls. Garnish with lime wedges, green onion, cilantro, and tortilla shells or chips, cabbage, and radish slices, as desired.

  Acknowledgments

  First, many thanks to my family, Eric, Abby, and Ian, not just for putting up with me, but for continuing to come up with creative ways to kill people. (You should see the looks we get in restaurants.) I also want to give a shout-out to Carol and Dave Swartz, Dorothy and Ed MacInerney, and Bethann and Beau Eccles for their years of continued support.

  Special thanks to the MacInerney Mystery Mavens (who help with all manner of things, from covers to concepts), particularly Alicia Farage, Rudi Lee, William Seward, Mandy Young Kutz, Kay Pucciarelli, Priscilla Ormsby, Olivia Leigh Blacke, Samantha Mann, Pat Warren Tewalt, Azanna Wishart, Norma Reed, Chloe Shepard, and my dear mother, Carol Swartz, for their careful reading of the manuscript. What would I do without you???

  Kim Killion, as usual, did an amazing job on the cover design, and Randy Ladenheim-Gil’s sharp editorial eye helped keep me from embarrassing myself. I want to give a big shout-out to the folks at Trianon, particularly Chloe, Ashley, and Stephen, for keeping me motivated (i.e. caffeinated) and being such terrific company. And finally, thank you to ALL of the wonderful readers who make Dewberry Farm possible, especially my fabulous Facebook community at www.facebook.com/karenmacinerney. You keep me going!

  About the Author

  Karen is the housework-impaired, award-winning author of multiple mystery series, and her victims number well into the double digits. She lives in Austin, Texas with two sassy children, her husband, and a menagerie of animals, including twenty-three fish, two rabbits, and a rescue dog named Little Bit.

  Feel free to visit Karen's web site at www.karenmacinerney.com, where you can download a free book and sign up to receive short stories, deleted scenes, recipes and other bonus material. You can also find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorKarenMacInerney or www.facebook.com/karenmacinerney (she spends an inordinate amount of time there). You are more than welcome to friend her there—and remind her to get back to work on the next book!

  P. S. Don’t forget to follow Karen on BookBub to get newsflashes on new releases and sales!

  @KarenMacInerney

  karenmacinerney

  www.karenmacinerney.com

  [email protected]