FROM THE CORNER OF HIS EYE

Now, our book club likes to have fun. We don’t just read books and eat…case in point, Susan (our January 2002 hostess) decided we would play a murder mystery game. You know, the kind that each person is assigned a character, has to dress like them, and plays them in a script where we have to discover  who is the murderer. Perfect activity for a book like FROM THE CORNER OF HIS EYE by Dean Koontz. I am a huge fan of this author, as was my father. Dean Koontz  writes very unusual, supernatural thrillers…the kind you should not read at night, in bed, if you are alone…you know what I mean.

Susan and Roxanne served us a supernatural spread of food- shrimp, baked brie, veal piccata, asparagus, salad, pies and chocolate martinis (a first for us all!).

Susan shared with me she has no idea where the recipes are from 9 years ago (imagine that!) so I took the liberty of borrowing 2 recipes from my favorite Food Network stars:

INA GARTEN'S Baked Brie (aka the BAREFOOT CONTESSA)

1/4 wheel brie ( I never know whether to leave the casing on the cheese, but according to the picture, Ina does...)

4 Tbsp honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the brie on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper and drizzle with the honey. Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until it starts to ooze but not melt. Serve with assorted crackers and/or apple slices.

TYLER FLORENCE'S ULTIMATE VEAL PICCATA

1 pound spaghetti

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 cup all purpose flour

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 eggs, beaten

4 (8 oz each) veal cutlets

1 cup dry white wine

1 lemon, juiced

2 Tbsp capers, rinsed and drained (to make them less salty)

1/2 stick unsalted butter

2 Tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (also called Italian parsley)

Grated parmesan, for garnish

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente (follow directions on box). Drain and set aside in a large bowl.

Set a large saute pan over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp of olive oil. In a shallow bowl combine the flour and salt and pepper to taste. (Whatever that means, please don't taste the flour mixture! Yuk!)

Lightly coat cutlets in the flour. Beat eggs in a bowl with 1 Tbsp of water and season with salt and pepper. Dip cutlets in egg and then place straight into the hot pan. Cook the veal about 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Set cutlets aside on a plate. Deglaze pan with white wine and reduce by half ( in plain English, pour wine in pan and simmer til only half is left...)Add lemon juice, capers, and half the parsley, then add 2 Tbsp butter as you whisk to thicken up the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Toss the pasta with the remaining butter and season with salt and grated Parmesan, to taste.

Serve the pasta on plates topped with the veal. Drizzle with caper sauce and garnish with the remaining parsley.

By the way, I have noticed that we have some Russian readers of my blog- thank you so much and please leave a comment about the blog or the recipes. I visited St. Petersburg, Russia last summer and loved every minute of it- even got to see the Russian Ballet perform! I know this is a random comment, but this is how my mind works...back to book club....

The door prize for this book was a Beatles CD, a roll of quarters, and a National Geographic Disaster Book- if that doesn't pique your interest, nothing will...you need to read this book...

                                      CHURCH ON SPILLED BLOOD- St. Petersburg, Russia

(Just wanted to make my new Russian readers feel welcome!! This picture has absolutely nothing to do with the book...)

Next up- SUZANNE'S DIARY FOR NICHOLAS by James Patterson- lots to say about this...later....