Sunday, June 11, 2017

Welcome our guest, author Maya Corrigan!

Maya (Mary Ann) Corrigan lives in Virginia, an easy drive from Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the setting for her Five-Ingredient Mysteries: By Cook or by Crook, Scam Chowder, Final Fondue, and the upcoming mystery, The Tell-Tale Tarte. The series features café manager Val Deniston, who solves murders with her live-wire grandfather in a historic Chesapeake Bay town. Each book has five suspects, five clues, and Granddad's five-ingredient recipes. Visit Maya’s website, mayacorrigan.com, for trivia and quizzes about classic mysteries. She loves hearing from readers.

Take it away, Maya...Mary Ann!

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Thank you, Daryl, for hosting me again on Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen, my favorite site for great recipes and news about mysteries in which food plays a role. I’m excited to tell your readers about the latest book in my Five-Ingredient Mystery series, The Tell-Tale Tarte, coming out on June 27th.

The book’s title derives from a story about a murder, “The Tell-Tale Heart,” written by the father of the detective story, Edgar Allan Poe. As a Poe fan, I thoroughly enjoyed incorporating his life and writing into the plot of a current-day mystery. The victim and suspects in my mystery include people whose lives Poe has influenced: an actor, a scholar, and a writer. My sleuth Val fears for her grandfather’s life when an actor famed for his Poe one-man show is murdered while dressed like Granddad. She soon learns the actor isn’t the only one doing an impersonation. The search for his murderer takes Val to the home of a Poe-inspired author, Rick Usher. When she and Granddad are stranded at the "House of Usher" by an ice storm, they uncover clues to the murder, but will they live to tell the tale? 

A crucial turning point in the story occurs when Val serves a French dessert, tarte Tatin, during a book club dinner party. Mystery Lovers Kitchen already has recipes for that dessert and similar apple tarts, so instead of a dessert recipe, I’m sharing a main dish recipe, a variation on Granddad’s Scrumptious Shrimp, which appeared in Final Fondue. At the Malice Domestic convention this year, a reader told me she and her husband loved that quick recipe. Though it calls for fresh shrimp, she used frozen shrimp and said it turned out great.  

Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

1 pound of large shrimp, shelled and with veins removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup white wine [optional]
2 large cloves of garlic, chopped fine
1 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled into small pieces

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it is hot, but not smoking. Add the shrimp and garlic to the pan. Cook until the shrimp are opaque (about a minute), stirring them in the pan. Remove the shrimp from the pan. Deglaze it with the wine if you are using it.






Add the tomatoes with juices. If you haven’t deglazed the pan with wine, stir to loosen any bits in the bottom. Cook at medium high until the liquid is reduced by a third. Add the shrimp and feta, turn the heat to low, and simmer until the shrimp are cooked through (around 3 minutes, longer for jumbo shrimp).

Serve the shrimp with crusty bread to sop up the sauce.
Serves 3-4 as a main course.


GIVEAWAY

Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of The Tell-Tale Tart. A U.S. winner will receive a signed paperback. An international winner will get an e-book for a Kindle or Nook. To enter, comment below about your favorite tart or pie and include your email address for notification if you win. Good luck!













Visit Maya at her website or on Facebook
Sign up for her newsletter here. 


57 comments:

  1. Welcome, Maya! My favorite pie is definitely Cherry Pie. EMS591@aol.com

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    1. Thank you, Liz. I think cherry pie is as American as apple pie.

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  2. I've read your series. I didn't realize you had a new one. I like most pies but my favorite is peach. suefoster109@netzero.net

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    1. Glad to hear you've read earlier books in the series. Good luck in the drawing.

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  3. Hi Maya. I like cherry pie. grace dot koshida at gmail dot com

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    1. Hi Grace. I love to serve cherry pie on the fourth of July! Good luck in the drawing.

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  4. One of my favorites is actually a crostata that is a wonderful appetizer. It is dough spread with cream cheese, fig preserves and prosciutto. So easy - so good!!
    sharonquiltsatyahoodotcom

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    1. Hi Sharon, I've never tried an appetizer like that, but it sounds yummy. Thanks for commenting.--Maya

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  5. Your books sounds captivating. My favorite pie is rhubarb. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Hi traveler, Thanks for commenting and good luck in the drawing.--Maya

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  6. all kinds, but probably my favorite is apple. parkeremma2003 at yahoo dot com

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  7. Apple is my favorite pie, and the cover of your book is definitely making me hungry for a piece! mbradeen@yahoo.com

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  8. Lemon pie is my favorite and lemon tarts are delectable. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  9. I like Dutch apple pie. lkish77123 at gmail dot com

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  10. Looks like a great read. Love that you are playing off Poe. Always did love his work. Very much hoping to read it sooner. Rather than later. My Grandma's upside down apple tart was the best. She had a lovely apple tree, gravensteins she always had dozens of apple and cherry treats for us. Della at deepotter (at) peoplepc (dot) com

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    1. Jennifer, Marla, petite, Linda, and Della,
      Thank you for your comments. Four more votes for my favorite, apple. Petite, lemon tarts are my next favorite. Thank you for commenting.

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  11. I love pecan pie. turtle6422(at)gmail(dot)com

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  12. My favorite pie is Strawberry Rhubarb and wish I could make it taste the way my grandmother made it. Looking forward to reading The Tell-Tale Tarte.
    debbie.erickson14@gmail.com

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  13. My favorite pie is cherry.
    sgiden at verizon(.)net

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  14. Somehow I've missed your Five-Ingredient Mystery series but now have it on my wish list! Favorite pie is homemade Peach Crumb - yum!
    kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

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  15. I think I just found a new favorite pie. I bought a French rhubarb pie at the farmers' market yesterday and it's absolutely delicious!
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

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    1. Jana, Debbie, Sandy, Karen, and Sue,
      Two votes for rhubarb in this group. Pecan pie is definitely a favorite around my house and cherry pie for July 4th or peach crumb. Thanks for commenting and good luck in the drawing!

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  16. Going to try the shrimp recipe and would love to win the book!

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  17. Shrimp recipe looks so yummy!
    I have three pies I really enjoy. Pecan, Banana Cream and Coconut cream.
    Thank you for the chance.
    lady(dot)janel(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  18. I love pecan pie! lkleback@hotmail.com

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  19. Book sounds interesting.
    kckendler at gmail dot com

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    1. Carol,Janel, Ikleback, and Kathleen,
      Thanks you for commenting. Pecan pie is a family favorite at our house, and so is the shrimp dish. Good luck in the drawing.

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  20. This is a favorite at our house, with fresh tomatoes and a dash of dill. Congratulations on the new book, Maya, and thanks for stopping by the Kitchen!

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    1. Thank you for commenting, Leslie, and for the congratulations. Everything's better with fresh tomatoes! I'll try the shrimp with a dash of dill too the next time I make it.

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  21. Great review loved this thank you, my favorite pie is Key lime and for a tart is cherry or apple.
    Penney penneyw(at)sbcglobal(dot)net

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  22. Love lemon tarts.

    jtcgc at yahoo dot com

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  23. I'm not a seafood fan, but my dad would love this recipe. My favorite is a fresh strawberry pie my mom would make at this time of year.

    cozyupwithkathy @ gmail dot com

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  24. My favorite pie when I was a kid was cherry. Now I think I'd go with key lime. The shrimp recipe looks good! I could have used it last night.
    patdupuy@yahoo.com

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    1. Penny, taurus, Katreader, and Pat,
      Thank you for commenting. Desserts that have a little bit of tartness, like key lime pie and lemon tarts, are great. A pie with fresh strawberries is also hard to beat. Good luck in the drawing!

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  25. Hi Maya, when my husband and I eloped years ago, we stopped at a Marie Callendar's for dinner. Dessert was banana cream pie. We have it every year on our anniversary! Love it. Thank you for the recipe! Meg85242 at gmail dot com.

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  26. Hi Maya, I'm so glad to learn of your series and am adding it to my list. I love cozy mysteries with cooking and often make the recipes. My favorite pies are chocolate peanut butter and strawberry rhubarb, but not at the same time. patruta.mcghan@gmail.com

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  27. Warm apple pie. A very small piece pecan pie.
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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    1. Hi Libby, We have similar tastes. For Thanksgiving dessert I always have a big piece of apple pie and a small slice of pecan. Thank you for commenting.

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  28. Favorite pie...so many choices and so many favorites. Right now I would have to say it is the Rhubarb Strawberry Custard pie I made for dinner today. I will be making that recipe again. I also like Chocolate pie and lemon meringue pie. dbahn(at)iw(dot)net

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  29. Blackberry Pie...yum...
    Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com

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  30. Love this series and have this one pre-ordered! That is a hard one, I love chess pie, pecan pie and a few others, but I think berry pie has to be my favorite
    kayt18 (at) comcast (dot) net

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  31. My favorite pie is the Dutch Apple Pie. I like to make it in the Fall with fresh apples from the orchard.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  32. Dianne, Lisa, Marilyn, and Kay, Thank you for commenting. You're so right that it's hard to choose a favorite pie. So far, the three favorites among those who commented are apple, strawberry rhubarb, and pecan. It's hard to go wrong with any of them. Good luck in the drawing for the book. And thank you, Kay, for pre-ordering.

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  33. Its to hard to pick one. I like coconut custard,cherry and peach pie best. Candykennedy45@gmail.com

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  34. My favorite pie is pecan pie. I love it so much! <3
    Thanks so much for the chance. Maya is a new author for me.
    jackielizn at gmail dot com

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    1. Hi Candy and Jackie, Thank you for commenting. Pecan pie has received a lot of votes, but I think this is the first vote for coconut custard pie. Good luck in the drawing for a free book.

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  35. An absolutely brilliant pun for the title!!! That alone, makes me want to read the book. You know, I don't know if I have ever actually eaten a tarte. I have eaten pie though! Growing up in the country and having a huge garden, we picked berries and rhubarb for our fruit pies and several times even made Ground Cherry pies. At the end of June or early in July we would drive to Door County, Wisconsin to pick our yearly harvest of fresh cherries! Although, all of the pies were delicious, I would have to say that blackberry pie was definitely my favorite...and still is!
    eeyore722(at)gmail(dot)com

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  36. Thank you for your message, Cindy. Tart and pie are used interchangeably. People who want to make a distinction between them say that a tart is a pie without a top crust. But many desserts we call pies have no top crusts, like key lime pie and pecan pie. BTW, I like your email address. Eeyore is one of my favorite characters. I hope you'll read and enjoy The Tell-Tale Tarte. Good luck in the drawing.

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  37. Thanks for visiting Mystery Lovers' Kitchen and sharing your recipe which looks wonderful -- adding feta cheese is a wonderful idea. My favorite pie in the world is Jack Daniels Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie - it is heavenly! bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net

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  38. Thanks for visiting Mystery Lovers' Kitchen. Your recipe looks delish! My favorite pie is Jack Daniels Chocolate Chip Pecan Pie -- it is heavenly! bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net

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    1. Thank you for commenting, Celia. The pecan pie with extras sounds yummy.

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  39. My favorite pie is my mom's blackberry pie. Although, I'm seriously not picky when it comes to pie! It's one of my favorite desserts.
    awilcox1182@gmail.com

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    1. Thank you for your comment. Pie, any pie, is my favorite dessert too. Good luck in the drawing.

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  40. My favorite pie is chocolate pie. My grandmother's pie was amazing! acate9@utk.edu

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  41. My mom and hubby are big shrimp fans bet they would love this! I'd really love to win the book lol barbie17(at)gmail(dot)com

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