Джоанна Флюк: Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder

Measure out the 2 and ½ cups of crumbled bacon and put it in a shallow bowl.

Unwrap the cream cheese and put it in a microwave-safe mixing bowl.

Microwave the cream cheese on HIGH for 1 minute.

Let the bowl cool for 1 minute in the microwave.

Take the bowl out of the microwave and set it on the kitchen counter.

Measure out the blue cheese crumbles. If there are big pieces of blue cheese, use your impeccably clean fingers to break them into smaller pieces.

Mix the blue cheese crumbles into the bowl with the cream cheese. Continue to mix until the two cheeses are thoroughly combined.

Hannah’s 2ndNote: If the shredded white cheddar cheese is not finely shredded, use a knife to chop the shreds into smaller pieces.

Mix the finely shredded white cheddar cheese into the bowl with the 2-cheese mixture. Stir until everything is thoroughly combined.

Sprinkle in the teaspoon of brown sugar and mix it in well.

Mix one cup of the finely chopped bacon bits into the bowl with the 3-cheese mixture. Stir until everything is well combined. Add the hot sauce, and stir it in thoroughly.

With your impeccably clean hands, shape the cheese mixture into a ball and place it on a piece of wax paper.

Roll the cheese ball in the rest of the crumbled bacon to coat the outside of the ball.

Move the ball back to the sheet of wax paper and press it down slightly to flatten the ball on the bottom. This will enable it to sit nicely in the middle of a cheese plate, surrounded by an array of assorted crackers.

Move the cheese ball to the freezer for at least 30 minutes to firm it up. You can also move it to the refrigerator for 3 hours.

Once your cheese ball has firmed up, wrap it in plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator until 15 minutes before you plan to serve it.

Yield: One 3-cheese ball that will serve as an appetizer for 4 to 6 guests. It is excellent with red wine, white wine, or champagne.

Hannah’s 3rdNote: I served this cheese ball at Mother’s dinner party. Everyone asked for the recipe, even Andrea! Even though Andrea doesn’t like to cook or bake, I think she’ll actually make this recipe because it doesn’t call for an oven or a stovetop.

Chapter Three

“Marvelous dinner, Lori!” Doc said, putting down his fork and turning to smile at his wife. “When you said we were having chicken, I thought it would be a couple of Florence’s roasted entrées.”

Delores laughed. “It would have been, but Hannah volunteered to cook tonight. She came over early to start the slow cooker so everything would be ready by the time you got home from the hospital.”

Doc turned to Hannah. “Then thank you , honey. That was the best chicken dish I’ve had in a long time.”

Delores began to frown. “You never told me that you didn’t like Florence’s roast chicken, Doc. You should have said something. I could have made my Hawaiian Pot Roast or my EZ Lasagna.”

It was clear that Delores was upset, and Hannah gave a relieved sigh as Doc slipped his arm around his wife’s shoulders. Doc was an expert at saying the right thing, and Hannah had no doubt he would do it again to reassure Delores.

“I love it when you cook, honey,” Doc said quickly, “but it’s a lot of work for you. I’d much rather have you well rested and cheerful when I get home from the hospital. We can always call down to the Red Velvet Lounge for something to eat, or go out to the Lake Eden Inn.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. I love you and I want to make your life easier, not more difficult. I know that you don’t enjoy cooking that much and there’s no reason in the world why you should have to do it. Besides, I think I’ve put on a few pounds from all that good food you’ve made for me since we got married.”

It was clear that her mother was satisfied with Doc’s explanation. Since she was now smiling happily, Hannah turned to Lonnie. “Would you like another helping of Stroganoff Light?” she asked him.

“Yes, thank you.” Lonnie passed her his plate. “It’s really good, Hannah.”

“It certainly is,” Norman agreed, taking the ladle from Hannah after she’d refilled Lonnie’s plate, and helping himself to another plateful. “I think I like this even better than your original recipe with beef.”

Michelle nodded. “I know I like it better. And it is lighter, Hannah. I had a big helping and I don’t feel overstuffed or anything.”

Hannah smiled. Her new recipe was a real success and she’d add it to her repertoire of main dishes. “Just as soon as we’re all finished with our entrées, I’ll put on the coffee and we’ll have dessert.”

“What do you have for dessert, dear?” Delores asked her.

“Triple Chocolate Cheesecake. It has layers of milk chocolate, white chocolate, and semi-sweet chocolate.”

“Oh, my!” Delores exclaimed. “That sounds like heaven, Hannah!”

Hannah laughed. “That’s exactly what Andrea said when I decorated the first cheesecake. So I gave her one to take home for Bill, Grandma McCann, and the girls.”

“But do we have enough, dear?” Delores asked, looking slightly anxious.

She turned to her mother. “That’s why I brought three. Would you like coffee now, Mother? I can put on a pot.”

Delores thought about that for a moment and then she nodded. “Yes, I would, dear. A cup of coffee is exactly what I need right now.”

“I’ll help you, Hannah,” Michelle said, standing and picking up her own dinner plate. “I’ll carry in the coffee cups and dessert plates for you.”

Lonnie began to grin. “You just want to snitch a little of that cheesecake in the kitchen, don’t you, Shelly?”

“Shhh!” Michelle held her finger up to her lips and gave the age-old gesture for silence. “I won’t snitch any, but I’ve got to admit that the thought did cross my mind.”

Everyone laughed as the two sisters left the table and went into the kitchen. Hannah pushed open the kitchen door and Michelle followed her inside to rinse the plates they’d carried in. Then Michelle placed them in the dishwasher while Hannah took her Triple Chocolate Cheesecake from the refrigerator.

“Beautiful,” Michelle said, as she watched Hannah place it on the kitchen table.

“Do you think two cheesecakes is enough for everyone?” Hannah asked her.

“Yes, I’m glad you sent one home with Andrea. Mother said she’d had a rough time with Mayor Bascomb this afternoon.”

“It wasn’t pretty,” Hannah agreed, getting out the dessert forks and smaller dessert napkins. And then she proceeded to tell Michelle all about Andrea’s confrontation with Mayor Bascomb.

“I’m surprised she bit her tongue for that long,” Michelle declared once Hannah had finished. “I think I would have hauled off and hit him in the first five minutes if he’d said things like that about Lonnie. And Andrea’s temper is a lot worse than mine!”

“That’s true,” Hannah agreed, sitting down at the kitchen table. “Keep your eye on the dining room table, Michelle. And bring in the other dinner plates when people have finished, please. I think I’ll call Andrea and see if she’s feeling any better about what happened.”

“Good idea,” Michelle said, heading for the kitchen door. “I’ll be back in a few minutes with the rest of the plates and I’ll take the coffee in when it’s finished.”

Once Michelle had gone, Hannah sat there for a few moments, just resting. She’d gotten to The Cookie Jar early this morning to bake the extra cookies and cupcakes they’d need for the Easter parties. There were three Easter parties tonight, but luckily, neither she nor Lisa had to cater any of them. The cupcakes were for Bertie Straub, and she always handled her own parties. This one was for the group of ladies who were regular weekly clients at the Cut ’n’ Curl, Lake Eden’s only beauty parlor. Another party was being held at Danielle Watson’s dance studio, and it was for the mothers of Danielle’s beginning ballet class. Danielle was also handling her own afternoon party, which was probably long over by now. The mothers had been invited to a dance recital, and they and their children had gathered in the lobby for cookies and lemonade when the recital was over. The final batch of cupcakes was going to Cyril Murphy at the garage, who was treating his mechanics to Easter cupcakes and Irish coffee after work.