Sydney Mackenzie Knocks 'Em Dead Page 14
Ingredients:
12 oz cooked elbow pasta
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 (12 oz) cans evaporated milk
2 eggs
1 cup milk
⅓ cup flour
4 cups shredded cheddar (or 2 cups cheddar and 2 cups mozzarella)
Dashes of salt and pepper
Preparation:
Mix all ingredients in the crock. Cover and cook on low for 3.5–4 hrs, or until pasta is cooked. Don’t overcook or it will get mushy gushy.
ROZ’S VERY FIRST EGG SALAD
Ingredients:
8 eggs
½ cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp yellow mustard (the sandwich spread, not the spice)
¼ cup chopped green onion
Dashes of salt and pepper
Preparation:
Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for about 10 minutes. Remove eggs from hot water, cool, peel, and chop.
Place the chopped eggs in a bowl. Stir in the mayonnaise, mustard, and green onion.
Season with salt and pepper.
Stir and serve on bread or crackers.
CREAMY TOMATO SOUP
Ingredients:
2 (15 oz) containers chicken or vegetable broth
1 (28 oz) can concentrated crushed tomatoes
1 cup half-and-half
Dashes of salt and pepper
Cheese for topping (optional)
Preparation:
Combine broth and tomatoes in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When soup bubbles, stir in half-and-half and reduce heat to low. Season with dashes of salt and pepper and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring continually. Puree soup in a blender—might want to hold blender with an oven mitt.
This is so good if you top with melted cheese: provolone, Asiago, cheddar, Gruyère, Swiss, etc. and serve with crusty bread.
MRS. O’FLYNN’S CRANBERRY-TOMATO CHUTNEY
Ingredients:
5 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1 (16 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup raisins
1 cup sugar
Dash of salt
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool. Cover and refrigerate for 2 days before serving.
TOMATO, MOZZARELLA, AND AVOCADO SALAD— FIRST PRIZE WINNER AT THE TOMATO BALL
Ingredients:
4 tomatoes, cubed
3 big balls of fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed
2 soft-ish avocados—peeled, pitted, and cubed
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
½ tsp basil—dried or fresh
1 tsp sugar
Dashes of salt and pepper
Preparation:
Toss tomatoes, mozzarella, and avocados in a bowl. Mix vinegars, basil, sugar, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl. Pour dressing over salad and mix it up.
You could serve this with crusty bread, toast, or crackers.
ROZ’S VERY FIRST CHICKEN POT PIE
Ingredients:
1 pound cooked chicken breast
2 jars premade turkey or chicken gravy
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 package refrigerator biscuits
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Chop chicken into bite-size pieces. In a large mixing bowl mix chicken bites, gravy, and frozen mixed vegetables. Flatten the refrigerator biscuits and line the bottom of a Pyrex dish or ramekins with dough. Bake biscuits for about 8 minutes. Pour the chicken mixture over partially cooked dough and top the mixture with more flattened dough. Bake until biscuits are browned, about 45 minutes.
CORK’S CHICKEN PARMESAN RECIPE
Ingredients:
4 breaded chicken breast cutlets
2 jars store-bought spaghetti sauce
2 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Place chicken cutlets in a baking pan. Top with sauce, basil, and cheeses.
Bake until chicken is cooked through, cheese is melted, and sauce is hot and bubbly, about 20 minutes.
Acknowledgments
Sydney Mackenzie Knocks ’Em Dead is what I’ve heard referred to as a “trunk novel.” That is, it was drafted long ago (circa 2008–2009) and put in a trunk for many years before finding its way to editing and publication. Luckily, I still write with the same wonderful group of partners as I did then. So, once again, thank you to Gale, Carolee, Josette, Jane, Chris, and Shannon.
While I would hate to be lost in a tunnel under a haunted cemetery, if I had to bring someone with me, it would be my tireless editor, the wonderful Alyson Heller. This marks the seventh book we’ve worked on together. Aly, I’m so lucky to have you!
When I think of my tombstone, I imagine it will be alongside the gang who constantly hears about half-baked plots, characters, and settings: Kevin, Ellie, Evan, Happy, and, of course, Mom and Dad.
Most of all, thank you to my readers, the librarians, the teachers, and the parents who read and recommend my books. I hope you love Sydney Mackenzie Knocks ’Em Dead as much as Lost in Hollywood, Lost in Ireland, Lost in Rome, Lost in Paris, Lost in London, and Just Add Magic.
CINDY CALLAGHAN writes stuff tweens love to read. Her books—Just Add Magic (2010), Lost in London (2013), Lost in Ireland (2016; previously titled Lucky Me (2014)), Lost in Paris (2015), Lost in Rome (2015), Lost in Hollywood (2016), and Sydney Mackenzie Knocks ’Em Dead—entertain young book lovers and reluctant readers alike. When asked what it is about her books that tweens love, she said, “The funny! Without a doubt, it’s the funny situations, characters, and dialogue. A few milk shakes and farts don’t hurt either.” Cindy’s first book, the much-loved Just Add Magic, is now a breakout Amazon Original live-action series.
In addition to writing, Cindy’s passions include animal advocacy, exercising, moviegoing, weekends in the mountains, reading, podcasts, and girlfriends, all of which take a backseat to her three children, husband, and menagerie of rescued pets. She lives in Delaware.
Aladdin · Simon & Schuster, New York
Visit us at simonandschuster.com/kids
authors.simonandschuster.com/Cindy-Callaghan
ALSO BY CINDY CALLAGHAN
Just Add Magic
Lost in London
Lost in Paris
Lost in Rome
Lost in Ireland
(previously titled Lucky Me)
Lost in Hollywood
And don’t miss the Amazon Original
Just Add Magic TV adaptation.
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
ALADDIN
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First Aladdin hardcover edition March 2017
Text copyright © 2017 by Cindy Callaghan
Jacket illustration copyright © 2017 by Dung Ho Hahn
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Jacket designed by Jessica Handelman
Interior designed by Mike Rosamilia
The text of this book was set in Centaur MT.
This book has been cataloged with the Library of Congress.
ISBN 978-1-4814-6569-4 (hc)
ISBN 978-1-4814-6570-0 (eBook)