WHO
IS SHE?
MORGAN'S BIO

WHO
SAYS?
REVIEWS

WHERE
IS SHE?

Usually in her studio.
Or spending time with family.
Or any number of places.
If those have to do with writing,
they'll be listed here

Back to the Jeff Talbot segment CLICK

WHAT
DOES SHE WRITE?

JEFF TALBOT
ANTIQUE-LOVER'S
MYSTERY SERIES

HISTORICAL WESTERNS

MARY SHELLEY
PRIVATE EYE SERIES

WHAT
ELSE IS ON HER
WEB SITE?

HER 1937 CADDY

GRAPHIC DESIGN

APPETIZERS:

* BARBECUED MEATBALLS
* SAUSAGE-BROCCOLI DIP
* WILD MUSHROOM, LEEK AND CHEESE TARTLETS

DESSERTS, BAKED GOODS:

* THE CABBAGE ROSE'S ENGLISH TEA SCONES
* THE BEST SUGAR COOKIES YOU EVER ATE...OR SNITCHED   
* BLANCHE'S APPLE NUT BREAD
* HOLIDAY SNOWBALLS
* OATMEAL PIE

ENTREES:

* BARBECUED CEDAR-PLANKED SALMON
* CRANBERRY-GLAZED SALMON with
    WILD RICE, HERBS AND PECANS
* SPAGHETTI CARBONARA
* PASTA IN A POT
* TALBOT'S THREE-CAN CHILI 

SALADS:

* KYM'S ITALIAN SALAD

 

TALBOT'S THREE-CAN CHILI
(Jeff's concoction from THE MARRIAGE CASKET)
Also in the cookbook, A SECOND HELPING OF MURDER . 2003 . Poisoned Pen Press

    1 14-1/2 oz. can chili-style tomatoes
    1 15-oz. can chili
    1 15.5 oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

             Combine the three ingredients in saucepan. Heat and eat.

    Yield: 8 scones

    4 c. unsifted all-purpose flour
    2 T. sugar
    4 t. baking powder
    1 t. salt
    1/2 t. cream of tartar
    2/3 c. butter
    1 1/3 c. half-and-half
    1 large egg

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease large baking sheet. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cream of tartar. With pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In small bowl, beat together half-and-half and egg. Measure out and reserve 2 T. of mixture. Add remaining mixture to dry ingrediants. Mix lightly with fork to form soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead gently 5 or 6 times.

Divide in half. Roll each into 7" round; cut each round into 4 wedges. Place 1" apart on baking sheet. Pierce tops with fork, and brush with reserved egg mixture.

Bake 15-17 minutes, or till golden brown.

Serving suggestions: butter and jam, lemon curd, clotted cream; strawberries and cream.

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    1 c. butter or margarine
    2 c. sugar
    2 eggs
    1 c. salad oil
    Pinch of salt
    1 t. vanilla
    5 c. flour
    2 t. soda
    2 t. cream of tartar
    Pecan halves

Cream butter, sugar and eggs. Add oil, salt, and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients and add to mix, combining well. Make the dough into logs, wrap in wax paper, and chill (they freeze nicely).

Slice logs into tablespoon-size pieces and roll into balls about the size of a walnut. (They spread, so don't make them too big.)

Roll the balls in sugar and place on cookie sheet. Press with a glass, or cookie press dipped into additional sugar.
 
Bake at 350 degrees F, 10-12 minutes, until edges are lightly browned. Top with a pecan half. Enjoy!

Variation: Roll in a cinnamon+sugar mixture.

(Return to Recipe Index)

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BARBECUED CEDAR PLANKED SALMON

    A Pacific Northwest tradition!

    1 untreated cedar plank (about 8" x 16")
    1 whole salmon fillet, skin on (2 1/2-3 pounds, and about 16" long)
    1/4 c. white wine
    1 1/2 T freshly ground pepper
    1/2 c barbecue sauce
    Salt

In a container large enough to hold the plank, immerse plank in water for an hour or longer (you may need to weigh it down). Lift plank from water; rinse just before grilling.

Place salmon fillet, skin side down, on a baking sheet with sides. In a small bowl, mix together the white wine, salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture over the salmon. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Uncover salmon and place it, skin side down, on the plank. Cook until just opaque at the thickest part (30-40 minutes), brushing with barbecue sauce during the last 10 minutes. The internal temperature should be 145 degrees. Serves 6-8.

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    4 c water
    3/4 c wild rice (I use Cabela's)
    1 T olive oil
    1 c chopped onion
    4 ozs fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and chopped
    2 t minced garlic
    1/2 c dried cranberries (I increased this a bit, because we love 'em)
    1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
    1 t each (fresh, minced): rosemary, thyme, sage (if I have trouble locating fresh, I go        with a scant T of dried)
    4 4-oz salmon fillets (skin removed)
    1/4 c canned jellied cranberry sauce (I used currant jelly, and we really like the flavor)
   2 T chopped pecans, toasted (I'm sure I increased this, too)

Combine water and rice in medium saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until rice is tender, stirring occasionally, about 35 minutes. Drain.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, shiitakes and 1 t garlic; saute until tender, about 13 minutes. Mix in rice, cranberries, parsley and half of rosemary, thyme and sage. Season with salt and pepper. Cover; remove from heat.

Meanwhile, place salmon in 8x8x2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine cranberry sauce (or jelly), the remaining 1 t garlic and remaining herbs in small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until smooth, about 1 minute. Spoon glaze over fish. Cover dish with foil; bake fish until opaque in center, 12-14 minutes.

Spoon rice onto plates. Top with salmon. Sprinkle with pecans.

(Return to Recipe Index)

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    1 pound bacon
    1 medium onion, cut into thin crescent slivers
    8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
    1/4 cup dry white wine
    5 large eggs, at room temperature
    3/4 cup heavy cream
    3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
    Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
    1 pound spaghetti, cooked al dente
    1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Cook bacon in large skillet until crisp. Remove from pan; drain on paper towels. Crumble into coarse pieces. Reserve 3 T of the fat in the skillet.

Add the onion to reserved fat and cook, stirring frequently, over medium-high heat, for 7 minutes. Add mushrooms and wine; cook for 5 minutes more.

Whisk eggs and cream until well blended. Stir in Parmesan; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Drain pasta; return to the warm cooking pot. Immediately add the egg mixture, crumbled bacon and onion mixture; toss thoroughly. Stir in parsley. Serve at once with additional Parmesan cheese.
Makes 4-6 servings.

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    2 pounds ground beef
    1 medium onion, chopped
    1 jar (26 ounce) spaghetti sauce
    1 3-ounce can sliced mushrooms
    1 can stewed tomatoes
    8 ounces rigatoni pasta, cooked al dente and rinsed with hot water
    1/2 pint sour cream
    1/2 pound mozzarella cheese
    1/2 pound provalone cheese, sliced (if you can only find 6-oz. packages,           increase mozzarella cheese to compensate)
    
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook meat; drain. Add onions, sauce, tomatoes, and drained mushrooms. Simmer 15 minutes.

Place half of rigatoni in bottom of casserole, cover with half of the meatsauce, then spread on half the sour cream. Layer with half the provolone and about a third of the mozzarella.

Repeat layers, topping with mozzarella. Cover and back 35-40 minutes. Remove cover and brown cheese.

 (Return to Recipe Index)

    A mix of Romaine and Iceberg lettuce pieces
    Red onion, sliced
    Roma tomatoes, wedged
    Black olives, whole
    Freshly grated pepper
    Freshly grated cheese--(I use Italian mix)
    Ken's Northern Italian Dressing

Combine first six ingrediants, using quantities in proportion to servings needed. Add dressing and toss. Sprinkle with more cheese.

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    3 lbs. hamburger
    2 t. salt
    1 1/3 c. evaporated milk
    2 t. chili powder
    2 c. quick oats
    1/4 t. garlic powder
    1 c. chopped onion
    1/2 t. pepper
    2 eggs

    Mix well and shape into balls. Place in single layer in two 9x13 inch pans.

    2 c. catsup
    1/4 t. garlic powder
    1 t. liquid smoke
    1/2 c. chopped onion
    2 c. brown sugar

Combine all the sauce ingredients and heat over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour over meatballs. Bake at 350° for one hour. (If desired, bake the meatballs at least 1/2 hour and drain off fat, then add sauce and finish baking.) These are good to make the night before or early in the morning and put in the crockpot.

    2 sm. pkgs. frozen, chopped broccoli
    2 lbs. sausage
    2 rolls Kraft garlic cheese (squirt tube) NOTE: If you can't find this, use 12-15 ozs.        Velveeta and minced garlic to taste
    2 cans cream of mushroom soup
    2 8-oz. cans chopped mushrooms, drained
    1/2 c. chopped onion

Cook broccoli till tender, taking care not to overcook; drain.  Brown sausage and drain. Combine with rest of ingredients and heat in microwave at 80%. Can also be prepared in crockpot, or microwaved and placed in crockpot to keep warm. Serve with tortilla chips.

    3 c. flour
    1 t. salt
    1 t. soda
    1/2 t. cinnamon
    3 eggs, beaten
    1 c. to 1-1/4 c. Crisco oil
    2 c. sugar
    2 t. vanilla
    1 c. pecans
    3 c. peeled, thinly sliced cooking apples

Sift dry ingredients together. Mix sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs and add to dry ingredients. Add apples and nuts and mix thoroughly (thick batter). Bake in greased loaf pans at 350° for 1 hour or until done when center is tested. Makes 2 loaves.

Notes: I'm constantly being asked for this recipe.
Use the larger amount of oil whenever possible, especially if you use apples that aren't too moist.

    1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
    2 1/2 cups sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only)
    5 ounces fresh wild mushrooms (such as oyster, chanterelle or stemmed
      shiitake), chopped
    4 garlic cloves, minced
    5 ounces Cantal cheese or sharp white cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
    1  17 1/4-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and mushrooms; cover and saute until vegetables are tender and just beginning to color, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; saute 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Cool. Mix in cheese.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out one pastry sheet on floured work surface to 10-inch square. Cut out two 7x5-inch rectangles. Transfer to large baking sheet. Repeat with second pastry sheet (forming total of 4 rectangles). Spoon mushroom mixture over pastries, leaving 1/2-inch border. Bake until pastry is golden, about 20 minutes.

(Return to Recipe Index)

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HOLIDAY SNOWBALLS
(makes about 6 dozen)

    Snowballs:
    3 1/2 c. vanilla wafer crumbs
    1/4 c butter, melted
    3/4 c. powdered sugar
    1 c. pecans, chopped
    1/2 c. Dr. Pepper

    Icing:
    2 c. powdered sugar
    2 T. butter, melted
    1/3 c. Dr. Pepper
    Coconut (may be tinted with red or green food coloring, if desired)

Combine snowball ingredients; roll into very small balls. Make icing. Dip balls in icing, then roll in coconut and place on wax paper to set. Store in airtight container.

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OATMEAL PIE

2 eggs
3/4 cup honey OR light corn syrup (some people don't like the honey flavor, but if you like honey, you might like using it here)
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup flaked coconut
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. - 1 t. cinnamon (depending on how much cinnamon flavor you desire)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1 (9-inch) uncooked pie pastry
Whipped cream or Cool Whip

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs. Add vanilla, honey (or corn syrup), cinnamon, oats, coconut, brown sugar, margarine and nuts. Mix well. Pour into pie shell.
Bake at 350* for about 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the middle of pie comes out clean.
Serve with whipped cream or Cool Whip.

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