Four Parties and a Funeral (A Catering Hall Mystery) by Maria DiRico
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About 'Four Parties and a Funeral'
In this fresh and witty cozy mystery series set amid an extended Italian-American family in Astoria, Queens, catering hall owner and amateur sleuth Mia Carina must solve a murder on the set of a reality show.
The June events schedule at Belle View is busting out all over—proms, graduations, and of course, weddings. There are unexpected bookings too, including a casting call for the pilot of Dons of Ditmars Boulevard. But soon, Mia’s fears about the cheesy reality show are confirmed . . .
Belle View quickly becomes the site of a sea of wanna-be goombahs and phony girlfriends, and some of Mia’s friends insist on getting in on the action. The production company owner and his executive producer ex-wife—who’s also very minor British royalty—have assembled a motley crew that does as much infighting and backstabbing as the on-screen “talent.” Even so, it’s a shock when a dead body is found in the pool house of a local mansion rented by the show . . .
Murder might boost the ratings. But Mia intends to make sure the killer gets jail time, not airtime . . .
Italian recipes included!
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Pasta Puttanesca
If you read Long Island Iced Tina, you’ll know that pasta puttanesca figures prominently in that storyline. You’d think I should have included this recipe in that book—and you’d be right! What happened? Simple. I forgot. But I’m making it up for it here, lol. I hope you enjoy the recipe.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. pasta of your choice
- 3 Tbsp. virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 2 tsp. minced garlic
- 2 tsp. anchovy paste
- 1⁄2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes in juice
- 2 Tbsp. drained capers
- 1⁄2 cup chopped, pitted Kalamata olives
- Pinch of salt (optional)
- 3⁄4 cup chopped fresh basil
- Grated parmesan cheese, to taste
Directions:
Prepare the pasta according to the instructions on the box. Drain, toss with one tablespoon of the olive oil, and set aside.
In a medium to heavy 12" skillet, cook the garlic, anchovy paste, and red pepper flakes in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, stirring occasionally until fragrant—about two minutes.
Add diced tomatoes and juice, the capers, and the chopped olives to the mixture in the skillet.
Lower the heat and simmer for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add a pinch of salt, if necessary.
You can go one of two ways from here. You can add the pasta to the sauce and stir to combine, then divide into 4 bowls and serve. Or you can divide the plain pasta into 4 pasta bowls and spoon the sauce evenly on each bowl of pasta.
Top with evenly divided fresh basil and grated cheese to taste.
Serves 4.
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About Maria DiRico
Maria DiRico is the pseudonym for Ellen Byron, author of the award-winning, USA Today bestselling Cajun Country Mysteries. Born in Queens, New York, she is first-generation Italian-American on her mother's side and the granddaughter of a low-level Jewish mobster on her father's side. She grew up visiting the Astoria Manor and Grand Bay Marina catering halls, which were run by her Italian mother's family in Queens and have become the inspiration for her Catering Hall Mystery Series. DiRico has been a writer-producer for hit television series like Wings and Just Shoot Me, and her first play, Graceland, appears in the Best Short Plays collection. She's a freelance journalist, with over 200 articles published in national magazines, and previously worked as a cater-waiter for Martha Stewart, a credit she never tires of sharing. A native New Yorker who attended Tulane University, Ellen lives in Los Angeles with her husband, daughter, and two rescue dogs.
Author Links – Website – Chicks on the Case – Facebook – Twitter
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Purchase Links - Amazon - B&N - Kobo - IndieBound - Kensington
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Thanks for a great post!
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