Emma’s constant battle to keep up with the demand. I thought about closing early, but people kept streaming in, clamoring for a treat to celebrate the snow day. I was sure there were people holed up all over April Springs grumbling about the snow accumulation, but none of them came into Donut Hearts. I decided to leave the station tuned to Christmas music, at least until the day after the holiday. Carols were interspersed with orchestral music, and to my relief, everyone was safe from reindeer hit-and-runs, especially Grandma.
At noon, we locked our doors, with two donuts left in inventory, barely a cup of coffee left in the pot, and a bank deposit that needed an armed guard escort. I stuck it in our safe. It would easily keep there for another day.
All in all, it was a good day, one that I’d savor if it weren’t for the fact that my ex-husband was missing, along with a woman I liked, but didn’t really know all that well. I wondered if the chief had any luck tracking either one of them down yet. If he had, he wasn’t sharing the information with me.
And of course, that left me wondering about Jake Bishop, and whether Chief Martin was going to ever get hold of him, or if he was going to try to handle things himself.
Honestly, I realized that it wasn’t my job to worry about it. I was tired, and it was time to go home. I bagged up the last two donuts, grabbed my purse, and then left the shop, turning my back to lock the door.
As I did, I heard a disguised voice behind me say, “Give me the bag, and no one will get hurt.”
SIMPLY MY BEST APPLE PIE
These pies are great year round, but the best time to make them is when the apples are in season in the autumn. It’s a quick and easy dessert that is always a hit. The crumb crust topping is wonderful. Enjoy a slice of pie with the coldest milk you can find!
INGREDIENTS
• 8 or 9 inch pie crust, premade
Filling
• 1 ⁄ 2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Dash of salt
• 5–6 cups thinly sliced firm, tart apples (Granny Smiths work well, so do Staymen)
Topping
• 1 cup flour
• 1 ⁄ 2 cup brown sugar
• 1 ⁄ 2 cup butter, room temperature
DIRECTIONS
Peel and core the apples, then cut into thin slices. In a bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt, then stir this mixture into the apples until they are thoroughly coated. Add to shell, then in another bowl, combine the flour and brown sugar, then cut in the butter. The mix should be crumbly, and the butter still in small chunks. Add these to the top, then bake uncovered in a 425°F oven for 30–45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and a butter knife slips into the top easily.
CHAPTER 4
I started to hand my purse backward when I heard a laugh. “Not that bag. Who cares about money? I want the donuts.”
I turned around and saw Grace grinning at me. “Those are for me, aren’t they? I can’t believe you bought it.”
“You were very convincing,” I said as I handed the bag of donuts over to her. “You’re welcome to them. But surely you’ve had breakfast already.”
She smiled and shrugged at the same time.
“Grace, are you telling me you just got up?”
“Of course not,” she said as she peeked inside the bag. “I was just teasing. I’ve been up for hours. Your mother insisted I eat a full breakfast, and then she wouldn’t let me leave until the snowplow came and dug you all out. I just now made a break for it.”
“Sorry, I know how she can be sometimes.”
“Are you kidding me? I love the way she pampers me.”
I looked around Springs Drive and saw that I wasn’t the only business open, though I had to believe mine was doing better than the rest of them. I was glad to see that Two Cows and a Moose—our local newsstand—was doing brisk business. I’d been in the other day getting a magazine, and saw that the proprietress—pretty and young Emily Hargraves—had
At noon, we locked our doors, with two donuts left in inventory, barely a cup of coffee left in the pot, and a bank deposit that needed an armed guard escort. I stuck it in our safe. It would easily keep there for another day.
All in all, it was a good day, one that I’d savor if it weren’t for the fact that my ex-husband was missing, along with a woman I liked, but didn’t really know all that well. I wondered if the chief had any luck tracking either one of them down yet. If he had, he wasn’t sharing the information with me.
And of course, that left me wondering about Jake Bishop, and whether Chief Martin was going to ever get hold of him, or if he was going to try to handle things himself.
Honestly, I realized that it wasn’t my job to worry about it. I was tired, and it was time to go home. I bagged up the last two donuts, grabbed my purse, and then left the shop, turning my back to lock the door.
As I did, I heard a disguised voice behind me say, “Give me the bag, and no one will get hurt.”
SIMPLY MY BEST APPLE PIE
These pies are great year round, but the best time to make them is when the apples are in season in the autumn. It’s a quick and easy dessert that is always a hit. The crumb crust topping is wonderful. Enjoy a slice of pie with the coldest milk you can find!
INGREDIENTS
• 8 or 9 inch pie crust, premade
Filling
• 1 ⁄ 2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Dash of salt
• 5–6 cups thinly sliced firm, tart apples (Granny Smiths work well, so do Staymen)
Topping
• 1 cup flour
• 1 ⁄ 2 cup brown sugar
• 1 ⁄ 2 cup butter, room temperature
DIRECTIONS
Peel and core the apples, then cut into thin slices. In a bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt, then stir this mixture into the apples until they are thoroughly coated. Add to shell, then in another bowl, combine the flour and brown sugar, then cut in the butter. The mix should be crumbly, and the butter still in small chunks. Add these to the top, then bake uncovered in a 425°F oven for 30–45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and a butter knife slips into the top easily.
CHAPTER 4
I started to hand my purse backward when I heard a laugh. “Not that bag. Who cares about money? I want the donuts.”
I turned around and saw Grace grinning at me. “Those are for me, aren’t they? I can’t believe you bought it.”
“You were very convincing,” I said as I handed the bag of donuts over to her. “You’re welcome to them. But surely you’ve had breakfast already.”
She smiled and shrugged at the same time.
“Grace, are you telling me you just got up?”
“Of course not,” she said as she peeked inside the bag. “I was just teasing. I’ve been up for hours. Your mother insisted I eat a full breakfast, and then she wouldn’t let me leave until the snowplow came and dug you all out. I just now made a break for it.”
“Sorry, I know how she can be sometimes.”
“Are you kidding me? I love the way she pampers me.”
I looked around Springs Drive and saw that I wasn’t the only business open, though I had to believe mine was doing better than the rest of them. I was glad to see that Two Cows and a Moose—our local newsstand—was doing brisk business. I’d been in the other day getting a magazine, and saw that the proprietress—pretty and young Emily Hargraves—had
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