Lizz Lund - Mina Kitchen 02 - Christmas Bizarre by Lizz Lund

Author:Lizz Lund [Lund, Lizz]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery: Cozy - Humor - Cooking - Pennsylvania
ISBN: 1500696641
Publisher: CreateSpace
Published: 2014-08-13T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 8

Monday

I said it before, and I’ll say it again: I hate Mondays. I shuffled downstairs and into the kitchen with all the enthusiasm of a minimum wage laborer.

“I guess I got a little carried away.”

Vinnie agreed. He thwacked his tail against a pot on the floor. I sighed and wiped some sauce off of it. His tail. Not the pot.

As promised, last night Vito stood waiting for me on the front porch, looking as anxious as a dad on his daughter’s first date. Miriam compounded the mix by insisting on inviting me over, and producing cocktails. That’s when I discovered Miriam’s mixology skills keep an even pace with her recipe replacements. How the heck can you screw up a Bloody Mary? Oh, I remember: substituting rum for vodka (they were all out) and cramming burnt bacon strips for stirrers into it (they were also out of celery).

After insisting I was fine dining solo (“Gosh! I almost forgot! I already ordered a pie to be delivered! Sorry!”) I was finally released. It was my second virtual kidnapping for the week and I was feeling a bit nervy. As soon as I got inside the front door, I got cooking. I had to— otherwise I’d break out in hives.

Yesterday had been an off-putting day, at best. Especially with visions of Dexter dancing through my head. Quicker than I could put a finger to the side of my nose, I’d whipped up several pans of roasted vegetables, a creamy cauliflower casserole, home-made pickled red cabbage and a pork tenderloin with reduced balsamic vinegar and raspberry gastrique. It took a while to make and by nine o’clock I was feeling hungry. Luckily I had last night’s lasagna at the ready.

But as quickly as I’d become possessed by the culinary crazies, I crashed. I’d wimped out big time in the clean-up department and now there were dirty pots and pans karma to pay.

I set to washing until Vinnie stood up, patted my hip and sauntered over to the pet food cabinet. He sat in front of it, gave me his silent meow, and nodded his chin toward the cupboard.

“Oh, geez.”

Marie piped up in agreement from upstairs. Another county heard from.

I made the rounds and got them happy, then decided to make myself happy with some gourmet coffee I’d been saving. This morning might not be a special occasion but it sure needed something to get the lead out.

I no sooner got my hands submerged in the sink, when the phone rang. I glanced at the clock and muttered an oath. It was just past eight o’clock. I really, really hoped Barry wasn’t calling in sick again.

“Mina Kitchen?”

“Speaking.”

“This is Lori, from the Kinzers Employment Agency.”

My heart did a flip-flop. Could a normal job actually be on the horizon? “Yes?”

“You interviewed with us several months ago. Are you still available for temporary assignments?”

Oh. Temporary. Well. But, maybe it would lead to something? “Yes, unfortunately, I am; ha, ha.”

The joke fell flat. I heard papers being rustled. “Wonderful.

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