A few years later, Olivia was practicing law in Cedar Cove, and Stan was working in Seattle, taking the ferry into the city every morning and coming home at eight or nine in the evening. Efficient as ever, Olivia managed to keep the household running smoothly and still do well at her career. Then in August of 1986 our world was turned upside down. On a bright summer’s day, Jordan and Justine went to the lake. Jordan dove into the water, broke his neck and drowned.
Olivia rarely mentions Jordan, although I know he’s always in her thoughts. The death of a child forever scars a mother’s heart. A grandmother’s, too.
I was desperately worried about Olivia the year after Jordan’s death. At the same time, Stanley chose to announce that he wanted out of the marriage and quickly filed for divorce. As you can imagine, Justine and James both faltered under the weight of these losses. But even then Olivia held the family together. Thankfully, Grace was there for her. During that horrible year Grace was the one constant in Olivia’s life. I’d always liked her but that’s when she won my unflagging love.
Despite the tragedy my daughter experienced, let me reassure you that Olivia’s story is by no means depressing. She became a judge when Justine was still in high school. I like to stop by the courthouse now and then to watch her in action. (Frankly, I get some of my best knitting done there!)
A real turning point in Olivia’s life came when she met Jack Griffin almost ten years ago. If ever two people were polar opposites it would be Olivia and Jack. He’s the editor of The Cedar Cove Chronicle and about as disorganized as any man I know. The word slob must’ve been invented for him. He fell in love with Olivia so fast I still shake my head in wonder. I was delighted by their marriage, although it got off to a rocky start. Can you imagine my methodical, organized Olivia married to Jack? Still, their love is strong enough to allow them to compromise and they’ve figured out routines that work for both of them. Like eating a healthy breakfast. Jack used to grab a coffee and a couple of doughnuts on his way to work and call it breakfast. Olivia’s finally persuaded him to have some granola or her Good Morning Strawberry-Banana Smoothie instead.
Remember Olivia’s little saying: The better your breakfast, the better your day!
Good Morning Strawberry-Banana Smoothie
Creamy and satisfying—a true morning treat. Want it sweeter? Increase the sugar by using flavored yogurt.
Serves 1
1 banana, cut into chunks and frozen at least 15 minutes
1 cup frozen strawberries, blueberries or raspberries
¼ cup orange juice
1 6-ounce container (¾ cup) nonfat plain yogurt
1. In blender or food processor, combine banana chunks, berries and orange juice. Puree until blended. Add yogurt; purée until smooth. If needed, add more juice to achieve desired consistency.
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TIP
Don’t throw out overripe bananas! Plan ahead for future smoothies; peel and freeze those black bananas in resealable plastic bags.
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Best Banana Bread
Toasting walnuts add a nice crunch to this super-moist bread. Just spread the nuts out on a baking sheet and place in a preheated 350°F oven for 10 minutes.
Makes 1 loaf
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 large very ripe bananas
½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for pan
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter bottom and sides of a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan; lightly coat with flour.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda and salt. In another bowl, mash bananas with sour cream or yogurt until blended. In a large mixing bowl with electric mixer on high speed, cream butter and sugar until light. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined.
3. Fold banana mixture into batter until blended. Lightly fold in dry ingredients and walnuts until just combined. Batter will be chunky. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake about 1 hour, until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool inpan for 5 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pan to loosen bread. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
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TIP
The riper the bananas, the better the banana flavor.
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Hearty Bran Apple Muffins
Simple and satisfying, these muffins make a healthy breakfast.
Makes 12 muffins
2½ cups All-Bran cereal
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey or molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted
1¾ cups plain yogurt or buttermilk
1 small apple, peeled and cut into chunks
¾ cup granulated sugar tossed with 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a standard muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. In food processor, pulse 2 cups of the cereal until finely ground. (Reserve remaining cereal.) In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt until combined. In another large bowl, whisk egg and yolk until light in color. Whisk in brown sugar, honey or molasses and vanilla, then melted butter. Whisk in yogurt until combined. Fold in ground cereal until blended.
3. Gently fold in flour mixture, un ground cereal and apples just until batter is combined. Do not overmix. Drop batter into prepared muffin cups. Batter should fill cups and mound on top. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar over top of muffins.
4. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few crumbs. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Run a knife around muffin edges to release from pan. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
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TIP
To pit olives, hit them with the flat side of a knife to break the flesh, remove the pit and set the olive pieces aside to garnish the tart.
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Breakfast Casserole with Bacon and Cheddar
This is a great winter weekend brunch dish.
Serves 6
8 ounces bacon
½ medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups whole milk
1 pound frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
½ cup snipped fresh chives,
1 ¼ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square glass baking dish.
2. Cook bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove slices; drain on a paper towel–lined plate. In same skillet over medium-low heat, cook onion and pepper in bacon drippings 8 minutes, until softened, stirring often.
3. Reduce heat under skillet to low. Stir in flour. Slowly pour in milk, ½ cup at a time, stirring to incorporate smoothly with the flour. Cook until mixture thickens and comes to simmer, about 3 minutes, stirring often. Crumble bacon into mixture.
4. Evenly spread potatoes in prepared dish. Top with half of the chives, 1 cup of the cheese, and the vegetable-bacon mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake 40 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with remaining chives before cutting into squares.
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TIP
The easiest way to cut fresh chives is to snip them with scissors.
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Cowboy Eggs with Smoky Black Beans and Lime-Avocado Salsa
Chipotle chilies lend a smoky flavor to the black bean sauce in this hearty breakfast. Chipotles are canned in adobo, a spicy tomato sauce. They are available at Latin American markets, specia
lty foods stores, and many supermarkets. Be sure to seed the chile before adding it to the sauce.
Serves 4
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 canned chipotle chile packed in adobo sauce, seeded and chopped (about 2 teaspoons)
2 medium avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper
4 large eggs
4 small (6-inch) flour tortillas
½ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese or sharp cheddar cheese
1. Warm 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes, until softened, stirring often. Add cumin; cook 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes with juice, beans, and chilies; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat; simmer 6 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring often.
2. In a medium bowl, combine avocado, cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Warm remaining 1 tablespoon oil in another large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Crack eggs into skillet; fry about 2½ minutes, until whites are just set but yolks are still soft. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Meanwhile, wrap tortillas in paper towel and warm in microwave. Set one tortilla on each of 4 plates. Divide bean mixture among tortillas. Top each with 1 fried egg; sprinkle with cheese. Serve with avocado salsa.
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TIP
Save time by substituting 1 ¼ cups prepared salsa for the onion and tomatoes in the sauce.
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Buttermilk Hotcakes with Blueberries
Cornmeal adds a bit of lightness and a delicate crunch to these pancakes. Frozen blueberries work just as well as fresh here.
Makes about 12
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 ¼ cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons butter, melted Vegetable oil, for cooking
1–1 ½ cups fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries, thawed
1. In a large bowl, stir flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt until blended. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk and melted butter until combined. Pour buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients, stir just until smooth.
2. Preheat oven to 250°F. Lightly coat a heavy large skillet with oil; warm over medium heat. Drop batter by ¼ cupfuls into skillet. Sprinkle each pancake with 1 tablespoon blueberries. Cook pancakes about 2 minutes per side, until bottoms are golden brown. Transfer pancakes to large baking sheet; place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter and blueberries, adding more oil to skillet as necessary.
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TIP
These hotcakes are substantial enough to serve at dinner. Just substitute crumbled bacon and cheddar cheese for the blueberries. Top with sliced scallions and serve with sautéed onions and bell peppers.
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Honey Nut Granola
Add your family’s favorite nuts and dried fruit to this easy recipe. Since granola can burn quickly, keep an eye on the cereal as it bakes.
Makes 10 cups
6 cups old-fashioned or quick oats
2 cups chopped nuts, any kind
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup honey or maple syrup
2 cups dried cranberries, raisins or chopped dates
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, coconut, cinnamon and salt. In small cup, heat honey or maple syrup in microwave just until warm. Fold honey into oat mixture, stirring to coat well.
2. Evenly spread granola on two large rimmed baking sheets. Place in oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes, carefully stirring granola often so it doesn’t burn. Rotate pans after stirring. Granola is done when it seems lightly browned, mostly dry and no longer sticky. Let granola cool 15 minutes on baking sheets; pour into large bowl. Stir in dried fruit. Press mixture into bowl with back of a spoon; this will form some clumps. Let cool completely before sealing into an airtight container.
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TIP
Warming the honey makes it easier to blend it into the oat mixture.
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Ham and Cheese Stuffed Omelet
This savory satisfying omelet is a great way to start the day—or a comforting light dinner.
Serves 2
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
5 large eggs
Salt and pepper
¼ cup diced cooked ham
¼ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
1. Melt butter in an 8 or 9-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk eggs, salt and pepper until frothy.
2. Once pan is hot, add eggs; let sit for 3 seconds, until edges begin to set. Using a spatula, draw cooked egg to center of pan. Tilt pan so uncooked egg runs to bare spots. Repeat process all around edge of pan until omelet is just set.
3. Sprinkle ham and cheese evenly over half of omelet. Cook 10 seconds, or until of desired doneness. Run spatula around pan to loosen edges. Jerk the pan sharply to move entire omelet. Tilt pan, resting edge of pan on serving plate. Gently slide omelet onto plate, using spatula to fold omelet in half. Sprinkle with chives and serve hot.
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TIP
Omelets cook best if you wait until the pan is hot before adding the eggs.
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Sunday Sour Cream Coffee Cake
If you make this cake once, you’ll make it a hundred times—it’s that delicious.
Makes 1 cake
TOPPING
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
CAKE
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a large (10-cup) tube pan, preferably with a removable bottom. Dust pan with flour. In a small bowl, combine nuts, brown sugar and cinnamon for topping and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt. In a large bowl with electric mixer on high speed, cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, until blended, and stir in vanilla. Alternately add sour cream and dry ingredients, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
3. Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the topping over the batter. Spoon remaining batter into pan. Sprinkle with remaining topping.
4. Bake 1 hour 5 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Run a knife around the edges to loosen from pan. Remove pan sides. Run a knife under cake to loosen from pan bottom. Carefully lift cake out of pan. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
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TIP
You can substitute plain yogurt or low-fat sour cream for the sour cream.
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Corn Muffins with Raspberries
These are best eaten the day they are baked; the juicy berries will make the muffins soggy if left too long.
Makes 12
1 1/3 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup plus
; 2 tablespoons buttermilk
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons molasses
1 large egg plus
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten 1 cup fresh raspberries or frozen raspberries, thawed
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a standard muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a wooden spoon, fold in buttermilk, melted butter, molasses and beaten eggs until blended. Let mixture stand 10 minutes to absorb liquid. Gently fold in raspberries.
3. Drop batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake 15 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Run a knife around muffin edges to release from pan. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
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TIP
Not in the mood for muffins? You can easily make this recipe into cornbread. Just pour the batter into a greased heavy 9-inch skillet and bake for about 25 minutes.
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Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Although there are a lot of steps to this recipe, the joy of creating homemade cinnamon rolls make it worth the effort.
Makes 12
½ cup whole milk
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 package (2¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
½ cup warm water