Serving Spirits for the Holidays? Jack Shepard, PI Ghost, offers himself and Irish Coffee via Cleo Coyle

Something spooked our scheduled guest today, so we asked a good friend of ours to step in. Meet Jack Shepard, the hardboiled PI star of our Haunted Bookshop Mysteries. 

Take it away, Jack!

~ Cleo Coyle

ARE YOU SERVING SPIRITS
FOR THE HOLIDAYS?

Jack Shepard will be right over...

Jack: Hello Guys and Dolls, had enough turkey yet? Or maybe you’re just tired of sitting around the dining room table with a bunch of turkeys? 

Cleo: Hey, Jack, watch the attitude. And remember what I told you about your language. This blog is G-rated. Keep it clean.

Jack: Okey-doke, doll. I'll do my best. If your audience is serving spirits this holiday season, I'll be right over. I've got a recipe for them, too. It's a nice warm drop for a cold winter's night . . . or afternoon...

The view from Cleo's
window in Queens, New York

Cleo: I'm listening, Jack. So what is this "warm drop" for a cold winter's night?

Jack: Irish Coffee, doll. Didn't you read the headline? Hey, wait a minute, there's coffee in it, so it's a breakfast beverage, too, right? 

Cleo: Irish Coffee for breakfast? I don't know...

Jack: My gal pal, Penelope McClure (that's "Pen" for short), you remember her, don't you? She owns Buy The Book, that quaint little shop in Quindicott, RI, that I like to haunt . . . anyway Pen calls this drink the "breakfast of champions for the film noir" set. 

Cleo: Did you actually type film noir, Jack? I can't believe it. Don't you have a problem with that term.

Jack: Don't remind me. And don't get me started on a flock of over-educated critics giving a French name to a bunch of B-movies that couldn't afford color. This 21st Century of yours is a circus with one too many clowns. Why I stick around for this silliness, you tell me.

Cleo: I will, Jack, and her name is Pen.

Jack: No comment. But I will present Pen's question for the ages: Does Film Noir Have a Drinking Problem? You decide...

* * * *

They Drink by Night

"Does Film Noir Have a Drinking Problem?"


Click the arrow in the window above
to watch the video. What's that?
You don't see a window above?
How about a door? Kidding, kidding...

You can also watch the video
on YouTube by clicking here.


* * * * 

Baileys Irish Coffee with Irish Whiskey

Courtesy Jack Shepard, PI, and Baileys

Ingredients:

2 ounces Baileys® Original Irish Cream

6 ounces freshly-brewed hot joe

1 ounce Irish whiskey

Whipped Cream (optional, unless you're a dame)

Jack's Directions: Combine Baileys, coffee, whiskey, top with whipped cream (if you're a dame) and enjoy.

Oh, yeah. The scribblers tell me that the Baileys people are hawking other flavors. You dolls might like 'em. Me? I'll stick to the original and Jameson, thanks.

Love, Jack

Friend or Follow Jack Shepard on Facebook
by clicking here. He doesn't Tweet yet, but give him time (he has plenty of it, an eternity actually).

Cleo: Thanks for stepping in today, Jack. I appreciate it. As it happens, I kind of like those other Baileys flavors! Not all are available in the USA, but the list includes Hazelnut, Chocolate, Mint Chocolate, Coffee, Vanilla Cinnamon, Orange Truffle, Biscotti, and the newest one is Chocolate Cherry.

To learn more about Jack Shepard, PI Ghost,
and his Haunted Bookshop Mysteries, click here.

Haunted Bookshop Mysteries 

Download this free title checklist (PDF),
with mini plot summaries, by clicking here.

Cleo: Any parting thoughts, Jack?
Or should I say departing?


Jack: Now who's being a wiseacre?


Cleo: What is it you always tell Pen?


"I'll see you in your dreams."
~ Love, Jack

* * * 

Learn more about Jack Shepard, 
our PI ghost by clicking here. 

Mexican Meatball Soup #recipe @LucyBurdette

LUCY BURDETTE: There comes a time during the holiday season when you cannot eat one more cookie. No more sugar, no more chocolate, and definitely no more turkey. I'm not there yet, but I know I will be!

This dish is perfect for the overindulged, because it’s full of holiday color, but warm and slightly spicy instead of sweet. It’s not fatty either because you bake the meatballs ahead of time. You could serve it with cornbread or biscuits and a green salad and easily call it dinner! If you don’t do a big Christmas Eve dinner, this could do the trick for that night too. And hey, speaking of celebrations, this would do nicely for a post-book launch supper too! (I happen to have one of those coming up…) 

Mexican-Style Meatball Soup Ingredients

    •    2 tablespoons olive oil
    •    1 large onion, chopped
    •    1 bay leaf
    •    1 32 oz box beef broth
    •    1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
    •    1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
    •   
    •    1 and 1/4 pound lean ground beef
    •    6 tablespoons cornmeal (I used blue)
    •    1/4 cup milk
    •    1 large egg
    •    1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
    •    1 onion, finely chopped
    •    1/4 cup cilantro

 •    1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

To make the meatballs:Place the beef, cornmeal, chopped onion, cilantro, cumin, milk and egg in a bowl. Mix well. Shape the meatballs into golfball-sized globs and bake them at 350 for 15-20 minutes until fat is rendered and meatballs have begun to brown. (I turn them over halfway through.) Drain them on paper towels.

 


Meanwhile, in a large pan, sauté the second set of onions in the olive oil with the bay leaf until onions are soft. Add the beef broth, tomatoes, and cilantro, and simmer for fifteen minutes. Add the cooked meatballs and rice to the pot and simmer another 30 minutes.

Like many soup recipes, this will taste even better if you refrigerate overnight and heat it up the next day. Serve with salad and cornbread. Here’s my favorite recipe—this time I used the blue cornmeal in the bread too, and it was delicious and beautiful.


The writers of Mystery Lovers Kitchen are thrilled to have three books coming out this week! We'd love to remind you that mysteries make great stocking stuffers! And you can preorder today....


DEATH WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS (Lucy Burdette)

THE GHOST AND MRS. MEWER (Krista Davis)

ONCE UPON A GRIND (Cleo Coyle)

Sauteed Apples and Leeks

by Sheila Connolly

Thanksgiving is over. The family and guests have scattered again, or not. They either ate everything they could lay hands on, or you shoved leftovers into their hands and sent them on their way.

Now you don’t want to cook, maybe ever again. But there are still a few hungry mouths to feed, so I thought you’d like something simple. Five ingredients. No peeling. Tasty and healthy.

Sauteed Apples and Leeks

2 Tblsp cooking oil

1 Tblsp butter

2-3 crisp cooking apples, cored and cut into 1/4” slices (look, no peeling!)

My apples!

(note: whatever apples you choose, they should be a little tart, and should hold their shape while cooking. Me, I just used whatever had fallen off the little apple trees I planted in front of my house, and what I had was mainly Northern Spys and Cortlands. And maybe an Esopus Spitzenberg thrown in.)

2 large or 3 small leeks (white part only), sliced crosswise (try to match the thickness of the apple slices)

1 Tblsp honey

1 Tblsp cider vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter and the oil together in a saute pan. Saute the sliced leeks until they are beginning to turn translucent. Add the apple slices and continue to cook until the apples are soft but not mushy.

You could stop here, but if you want to dress it up a little, add the honey and the vinegar shortly before serving and mix well. Season as you like it.

Told you it was easy! This side dish goes well with pork (roast or chops), or leftover turkey if you happen to have any.

The latest Orchard Mystery: Picked to Die (October 2014)

No, I don't know what kind of apples those are on the cover, but I made sure my protagonist Meg and her neighbor Seth have planted a few acres of heirloom apples. Try some, if you can find them at local farm stands--you don't know what you're missing.

Happy Thanksgiving to All Our Readers at Mystery Lovers Kitchen

We hope you're having a wonderful day filled with family and friends and turkey and mashed potatoes and gravy and stuffing and vegetables and pie--or whatever your favorite Thanksgiving traditions are! We are so grateful for your visits to our blog, for your comments, for reading our books, and for making our lives a little bit richer.

We thought it might be fun to share a few of our favorite foodie gifts--to make your mouth water while you're waiting for dinner. So if you're visiting this holiday season or want ideas for the elves in your lives, here are some ideas.

LUCY BURDETTE: For immediately edible treats, I'm mad for Nocciolato, an organic Nutella-like hazelnut spread that I use to make fudge (about $10.) I took the fudge when we were houseguests at our son’s prospective in-laws’ home—it was an instant sensation.

KRISTA DAVIS: I recommend Theo Pink Salted Caramels. Perfect caramels are enrobed in dark chocolate and sprinkled with exactly enough pink sea salt. About $7.50 for four little mouthwatering wonders. I added a box to our tip for the garbage collectors last Christmas, and our trash cans haven’t been tossed to the curb since.


SHEILA CONNOLLY: My grandmother used to arrive for Thanksgiving laden with foodie nibbles (since she lived in New York, they were pretty special): all kinds of nuts in the shell, dates, giant apples and grapes. Most of them I stuck up my nose at, but she also brought wonderful macaroons from what used to be Robert Day Dean's. I'm still hunting for any as good as those. Their decorated sugar and ginger cookies were also pretty spectacular. So if you're eating Thanksgiving with children: bring sweets (and if mom is worried about spoiling their appetites, just slip them a few tastes under the table).



DARYL WOOD GERBER
aka AVERY AAMES: I love making a hot chocolate mix and putting it in a jar with a special spoon attached. I print out these directions. Dump all these things in a bowl: 2 cups powdered sugar; 1 cup cocoa; 2 1/2 cups powdered milk; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Stir. Put into jars. You can top with some marshmallows, but if you have a gluten-free recipient, don’t do that unless the marshmallows are gluten-free. FYI: Kraft Marshmallows are!  J Add a tag with directions to fill the mug half full with mix and then add steaming hot water. Stir and enjoy!

PEG COCHRAN: One of my favorite things to make and bring is a gift box (or bag) of homemade peanut brittle (recipe here).  Just add some fancy wrapping and you have a delicious hostess gift that can be nibbled after dinner or saved for another occasion (if you can resist the temptation!)


VICTORIA ABBOTT: Everyone we know is so busy.  We all want gifts that work for us. One gift that keeps on giving is a stash of refrigerator or freezer cookies. They'll be there the day or the week after when the busy hostess wants to put her feet up. She can slice off the exact number and enjoy cookies fresh from the oven without all the clean-up, with our without guests. We love to get them and this year we plan to give a brown sugar and almond version.  Or should it be the chocolate chip ones? Hmmm.


CLEO COYLE: For coffee lovers, a premium package of coffee makes a lovely gift. This year, Marc and I are excited to be giving our very own blend, "Billionaire's Blend," which was created by Holly O'Connor of One Good Woman Fine Coffees and Teas and her master roaster Shane in honor of our visit to their store in Eastern PA. The name of the blend is taken from our Coffeehouse Mystery, Billionaire Blend, and the customers liked it so much that Holly and Shane decided to keep roasting and selling it. Giving someone a gift with the word "Billionaire" in the title is a real hoot. And while this delicious blend is rich, the price is not (under $15.00 a pound, which is a good deal for premium, small-batch roasted coffee). To order it for yourself, simply call the toll free number at their shop 1-866-610-2872. Their staff is incredibly warm and friendly and they excel at fulfilling special orders. May you drink with joy!

Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

Cheese Popovers & Cheese Shop Book #Giveaway from @AveryAames

From Daryl aka Avery:

We've been having a special giveaway this past week for Thanksgiving. 

We now have over 2000 Facebook followers and a horde of regular viewers of our blog. 

To thank you all, we have been giving away a book a day, through tonight. Winners will be announced on Thanksgiving! Check back to see if you won!

I'm giving away a copy of your choice of  Cheese Shop Mysteries to celebrate the upcoming launch of AS GOUDA AS DEAD, which debuts February! Say cheese! If you already have all of the Cheese Shop Mysteries,  I'll even give you a choice of the Cookbook Nook Mysteries,  including STIRRING THE PLOT.

Leave a comment with your email so you can be entered to win!

* * *

And now, to savor the season, I'm offering a tasty treat.  One of my specialties on Thanksgiving. Cheese Popovers. For all you gluten-free people who cannot eat the stuffing, this is a great alternative. I've provided both versions of the recipe for regular eaters and celiacs! 

They pop up beautifully and satisfy any palate.

And they're so easy to make. I did purchase a special popover pan for them, but you can use a muffin pan and the yield will be 12 instead of 6. 

Cheese Popovers
Gluten-free OR Regular recipe
Read ahead to see the difference

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided

¼ cup milk (I've used both 1% and 2% milk)

¼ cup water

2 large eggs

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour 
[To make regular popovers; substitute out the GF flour for regular; omit the xanthan gum]

½ teaspoon xanthan gum

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon garlic salt

½ teaspoon dried rosemary

½ teaspoon dried thyme

6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese (you'll need more if using cupcake pan)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Divide 2 tablespoons melted butter among the wells of a 6-cup popover pan, brushing each to coat. Place popover pan in oven to preheat. [If you're using regular cupcake pan, use a little more melted butter so they are all well lubed.]

In large bowl, whisk together the milk, water, and eggs. Gradually whisk in remaining tablespoon melted butter.

Add the gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, salt, pepper, garlic salt, rosemary, and thyme. [As noted in the ingredients, to make regular popovers; substitute out the GF flour for regular; omit the xanthan gum]

Whisk until batter well combined. Carefully remove hot popover pan from the oven and ladel the batter evenly among the popover cups. (They’ll be about half full.)

Sprink each with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes until puffed and golden. Do not open the oven during baking time. Remove popovers from pan. Using a small knife, make a small slit in the side of each popover to release the steam. That will keep them from deflating. [Baking time if you're using cupcake pan is much shorter; 15-18 minutes.]

Serve immediately.

Remember, leave a comment and your email to enter to win a book!
Tell me what you most enjoy on the Thanksgiving table!


******************

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STIRRING THE PLOT is available for order: order here.

AS GOUDA AS DEAD, February 2015, available for
preorder here.

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