Garlic Ginger Green Beans #Thanksgiving @MaddieDayAuthor

MADDIE DAY here. Today is the first in two weeks of Thanksgiving-themed posts here at the Kitchen. I'll let my author-chef pals bring you the sweeter and more savory dishes. But I recently found a great recipe for something green, and wanted to share it here. 

Because don't we all want one dish that's green and crunchy to go along with the turkey and stuffing and potatoes and pies on Thanksgiving? This one adds notes of garlic and ginger without overpowering the deliciousness of fresh green beans.

Garlic Ginger Green Beans

I always like to have something green at my Thanksgiving table. This recipe adapted from Julia Moskin's at New York Times Cooking is perfect.

Ingredients

Salt

1 pound green beans (slim haricots verts work especially well), trimmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup minced fresh ginger (from 6 inches peeled ginger root)

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and fill a large bowl with ice water. Boil beans until just tender but still crisp and bright green for 4 minutes or less, being careful not to overcook. When done, drain and plunge beans into ice water to stop cooking.

Lift out immediately when cool and drain on towels. (Recipe can be made to this point up to a day in advance and kept refrigerated, wrapped in towels.)

When ready to cook, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide skillet over high heat. Add the ginger, and garlic, and cook, stirring for one minute.

Add beans and cook, stirring and tossing constantly, until beans are heated through and ginger and garlic are softened and aromatic. 

Sprinkle with salt, and remove to a serving dish. Serve hot, or later at room temperature.

(I served mine with a chicken and tomato dish and it was great.)

Readers: what green thing do you like with your Thanksgiving dinner?

🦃🧄🦃

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Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell) is a talented amateur chef and holds a PhD in Linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-winning and bestselling author, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and also writes award-winning short crime fiction. She lives with her beau and sweet cat Martin north of Boston, where she’s currently working on her next mystery when she isn’t cooking up something delectable in the kitchen.

MOM'S POTATO SALAD #recipe @vmburns #Thanksgiving

 VMBURNS: My mom was a good cook, but she wasn't a good teacher. She never taught me to cook. She didn't measure anything. A typical conversation about cooking went something like this:

ME: "How much do I need?"

MOM: "Depends on how much you want to make?"

Me: "How long do I cook this?"

MOM: "Until it's done." 

ME: "How do I know when it's done?" 

Mom: "Taste it."

SIGH! I was content to show up for meals with my Tupperware containers for years (okay decades, but don't judge). My sister was more highly motivated than me. Big insider secret (she didn't like her mother in law's dressing). So, after she married, she started hosting their Thanksgiving. Which meant, my sister had to learn how to cook everything including dressing, for Thanksgiving dinner from my mom. I don't know how the early days went, but she and my mom got into a tradition where my sister would call my mom and they would cook together (virtually). My sister learned to master all of my mom's best meals. One of those was my mom's potato salad.

Potato salad is something that can be unique and varied. Just swing by your local deli. You will find German potato salad, Amish potato salad, etc. My mom's potato salad is more like Amish potato salad (minus the yellow color from mustard). It is creamy and somewhat sweet. In the pictures, you will notice that my portions don't match the ingredient list. I'm single, so I tried to reduce it. I still made too much. 

MY MOM'S POTATO SALAD

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Russet Potatoes
• 4 Eggs, boiled
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 Cup Sweet Gherkins (chopped) or sweet relish
• 1/4 Cup Mayo (I use Dukes)
• 1/2 Tablespoon Salt (I use Lawry's)
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1/4 Teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• 
  

• 
  
• INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fill a pot with water and place potatoes and eggs in the pot. Cook on medium heat until potatoes are fork tender.
2. Remove pot and drain. Replace with cold water and sit until potatoes and eggs are cool to touch.
3. Finely chop onions and pickles and set aside.
4. Remove potato skin (it should peel off easily), and cut potatoes into bite-sized cubes.
5. Peel eggs and cut into cubes.
6. Gently combine potatoes, eggs, onions, pickles, and mayo.

   
7. Add salt and pepper. My mom always poured a bit of the juice from the pickle jar into the potato salad. It made the mixture creamy, but not soupy.
8. Add one table spoon of sugar. Mix and taste. Is it too sweet? Not sweet enough? I need 2 tablespoons, but if you don't like sweet, then you can skip this step.
9. Sprinkle paprika over the top and refrigerate.

   

   
   
   
   
   
• READERS: Do you like potato salad? If so, what do you like in yours? Mustard? Olives?  Let me know in the comments below. 













ICING ON THE MURDER

Influencer-turned-bakery-owner Maddy Montgomery has sold plenty of wedding cakes before, but before she turns one out for her and her fiancé’s wedding, she’ll have to solve a little case of murder . . .

Aunt Octavia would be so proud! Maddy has turned Baby Cakes Bakery—named for her 250-pound English Mastiff, Baby—into a runaway success, and she’s marrying the love of her life, veterinarian Michael Portman. #DreamWedding! Plus the timing couldn’t be better: the country’s biggest bridal expo has come to New Bison, Michigan, and Maddy has secured a spot for Baby Cakes to showcase their cakes. She’s also entered a contest for an all-expenses-paid wedding extravaganza offered by world-renowned wedding planner Serafina.

Unfortunately, supremely nasty Serafina truly takes the cake—she makes the worst bridezilla seem like a shy flower girl. But there’s one thing the wedding planner didn’t plan on—being impaled by one of the skewers Baby Cakes uses on their tiered wedding cakes.

While Maid of Honor Sheriff April Johnson rounds up suspects at the expo, Maddy and her aunt’s friends, the Baker Street Irregulars, and even Baby join forces to unveil a killer hiding in plain sight . . . before wedding bells start to chime.




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Roasted Chickpeas, Peppers, and Eggplant with Miso #recipe by @LeslieKarst

 

It's apparently chickpea week here in the Kitchen--which is a good thing, as that delicious and versatile legume is one of my favorites.

 

I came up with this recipe after one friend gifted me with a passel (but not a peck) of Jimmy Nardello peppers and another, several Japanese eggplants—all from their home gardens. 

 

Since you roast everything in the oven rather than doing a stir-fry, this is a simple dish to prepare, and tasted great over steamed white rice.  

 

(Note that although Jimmy Nardello peppers are known for their mildness, some of the ones I was given turned out to be a bit spicy.) I can’t remember why I chose to include miso—maybe because I’d seen a recipe recently using it with roasted veg? I can’t remember. But be sure not to add any salt or soy sauce to this recipe, as the miso itself is quite salty.

 

But before the recipe...drum roll, please! I'm thrilled to reveal the cover of my next Orchid Isle mystery, Murder, Local Style, which releases on April 7 and is now available for pre-order. Scroll down to the end of the recipe to see the delightful cover of this newest book--I love it! (And I guarantee it will make you hungry for some Hawaiian poke.) 

 

Roasted Chickpeas, Peppers, and Eggplant with Miso

(serves 2-4, depending on your appetites)

Ingredients

6 small Japanese eggplants, or one large Italian one, cut into bite-size chunks

12-16 Jimmy Nardello peppers, coarsely chopped

1 small red onion, cut into bite-size chunks (feel free to substitute a yellow one)

1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans

2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola

4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1” piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1 tablespoon red or white miso

2 tablespoons Japanese-style seasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

cooked steamed white rice, for serving

 

(I cut the eggplant at the last minute, so it wouldn't turn brown.)

 

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Drain the chickpeas, reserving the liquid for later use, and spread them out on paper towels. Let sit for a few minutes to dry.

 

Arrange the chickpeas, onion, peppers, and eggplant on a large roasting pan, then drizzle with the canola oil.

 

Roast until the vegetables are tender and starting to brown, stirring occasionally so they don’t burn—about 30 minutes. Here are a couple of photos taken at different times during the roasting.

 

While the veg are roasting, add to the reserved chickpea liquid the miso, vinegar, sesame oil, black pepper, garlic, and ginger, and stir well, until the miso is dissolved.

 

 

 

 

Cook the rice.

Once the vegetables are soft and brown, give the chickpea liquid another stir and then pour it over the roasted vegetables. Return the to the oven and continue to roast until the liquid has mostly cooked away.

 

Use about a quarter cup of water to deglaze the roasting pan—i.e., using a spatula, lift any brown or stuck bits from the bottom of the pan—then serve the roasted vegetables over the steamed rice. (See photo at top.)

 

 

🌱  🍋  🌿

 

Coming April 7!

Orchid Isle Mystery  #3

MURDER, LOCAL STYLE

Available for pre-order here.

 

A dinner to die for! Retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen investigate a suspicious poisoning in this new Orchid Isle mystery featuring a feisty couple who swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions in tropical Hilo, Hawai‘i.

 

 🍍 🌴 🍹

 

Out now in paperback!

Orchid Isle Mystery  #2

WATERS OF DESTRUCTION

Buy link here. 

 

"Immerse yourself in Hawaiian lore and savor the portrayal of the stunning landscapes
while enjoying the entertaining mystery."

Kirkus Reviews

 

Also available

in paperback!

MOLTEN DEATH

Orchid Isle Mystery  #1

Buy link here

 

2025 Lefty Award Finalist

for Best Mystery!

 

“Karst’s first Orchid Isle novel is part murder mystery, part vividly evocative, colorful sketch of Hawaii and its history, geography, tradition, culture, food, language, and people. Armchair travelers and mystery aficionados alike will find it entertaining.”

Booklist

 

This first book in my brand-new Orchid Isle mystery series features retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen who, on a trip to the Big Island of Hawai‘i, swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions when a hike to an active lava flow turns deadly. 

 

Praise for MOLTEN DEATH:

“a compelling read that will enlighten, engage, and entertain, leaving readers longing for their next trip to the Orchid Isle.”

--New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay

“a terrific debut to a series that will go on my must read list!”

--USA Today bestselling author Deborah Crombie

 

 

A SENSE FOR MURDER

2024 Lefty Award Finalist

for Best Humorous Mystery!

This newest Sally Solari mystery

is available for purchase here !

 

Praise for A SENSE FOR MURDER:

 

“[Sally is] sassy, irresistible company... Culinary cozy fans will be in heaven.”

 --Publishers Weekly

 

“An enjoyable read for mystery mavens and foodies alike.”

--Kirkus Reviews

Justice is Served:  A Tale of Scallops,

the Law, and Cooking for RBG

is the 2024 Silver Medal Winner for both the

IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award

and the IPPY Award!

Buy link here

 

 

 

Praise for Justice is Served:

 

"a suspenseful, exhilarating memoir; Karst relays her determination to serve the 'perfect' meal to RBG alongside an uplifting, enlightening portrayal of one of the most admired justices in the history of the Supreme Court." 

 

-Foreword Reviews (starred review)

 

"[This] book is a romp from cover to cover—and, just like a great meal, left me ready for more."

-Karen Shimizu, executive editor, Food & Wine-

All of the Sally Solari Mysteries (as well as my other books) are available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best Ever PECAN PIE BARS (or Bites) from Cleo Coyle #Thanksgiving #ChristmasCookies

From Cleo Coyle: These Pecan Pie Bars make a great dessert for Thanksgiving and a lovely cookie for eating or gifting at Christmas and Hanukkah. They're also a handy pantry recipe for winter because they freeze so well. But there are even more reasons why Marc and I call these the "Best Ever" Pecan Pie Bars. And I'll give you those reasons in the recipe below...

Cleo Coyle writes two
bestselling mystery

 series with her husband.
To learn more, click here.

☕ A Recipe Note from Cleo

The buttery layers of sweet, nutty flavor in these Pecan Pie Bars pair beautifully with coffee or tea. They freeze well, keep fresh for long periods of time, and are a cheerful favorite when served on cookie trays for parties, or after-dinner dessert plates.

After experimenting with different types of crusts and topping ingredients, I believe this version is the "best ever," and here’s why…

(1) Cream Cheese Crust: Because cream cheese does not melt as easily as butter, it makes a dough that is easier to work with yet it's still flaky. I've adjusted the ratio of flour to fat to create the perfect press-in crust, one that's tender but also strong enough to hold its shape for a bar. But the main reason I'm using this crust is for flavor. The slightly tangy (yet tender) crust creates a delicious counterpoint to the very sweet pecan topping. It's a marriage made in culinary heaven!

(2) Chopped Pecans: I use coarsely chopped pecans for our bars instead of whole halves like many other recipes. The reason is simple: chopping the nuts allows more surface area to be exposed to the hot sugar, creating more tasty caramelization.

(3) Combo of Dark Corn (or Cane) and Maple Syrups: Maple syrup gives a beautiful flavor to pecan pie and some bakers use it instead of corn syrup. I split the difference for two reasons...

Steen's is my favorite traditional
sugarcane syrup, and I use it 
(in place of corn syrup) when making
these Pecan Pie Bars (and Bites).
To learn more or purchase, click here.

Maple syrup can be pricey. But that's not the only reason to avoid using it at 100%. The bold, earthy flavor of dark corn syrup (or the more traditional sugarcane syrup, which I prefer to use, such as Steen's) is such a classic flavor in pecan pie that leaving it out would be, well, just wrong. So my recipe uses half maple for flavor and a small amount of dark corn (or sugarcane) syrup for economy but also for that more earthy traditional note.

(4) Troubleshooting: I've built tips and advice into this recipe to help avoid pitfalls and achieve a nearly perfect end product.

Why nearly perfect? Because while perfection is a common goal, it's overrated. Or as our amateur sleuth, coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi, once put it in our Coffeehouse Mysteries: "Being good is better than being perfect." That spin on the old adage is still true....

These bars may not be perfect, but they are very good!

May you eat with joy!

~ Cleo Coyle, author of

The Coffeehouse Mysteries

"Where coffee and crime are always brewing"

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To download this recipe in a 

free PDF that you can print, 

save, or share, click here.

Click here for the free recipe PDF.

☕ Cleo Coyle's (Best Ever) 

Pecan Pie Bars or Bites

For the press-in cream cheese crust

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), slightly softened
3/4 cup cream cheese, slightly softened
1/2 cup white, granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon finely ground sea salt or table salt
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 large egg white (save yolk for the filling)

For the whisk-together pecan pie filling

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup dark corn syrup (or sugarcane syrup, such as Steen's)
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white, granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon finely ground sea salt or table salt
3 large eggs (room temperature is best) +
1 large egg yolk (save the white for brushing crust)
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans (measure after chopping)

Step 1 – Prep pan: In your 9 x 13-inch baking pan, create a crisscrossing sling out of parchment paper so you can remove the slab of pecan pie easily and cut it into bars. 

Two Tips: If you butter or spray the pan first, it will act like glue to keep the parchment neatly in place. I would also suggest lightly buttering the paper or coating with non-stick spray.

Step 2 – Make the easy press-in crust: Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, cream cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Stop the mixer. 

Add the flour. Blend until the dough makes coarse crumbs. 

Note: If you went too far and created dough instead of crumbs, don't panic. It simply means that your butter and cream cheese were not "slightly soft" as directed but very soft. You can still proceed with the recipe as directed below...

Pour these crumbs (or dough) into the pan and press it evenly along the bottom and up the sides of the pan at least half an inch (3/4 of an inch is even better). This crust edge will prevent the loose filling from spilling beneath the crust and ruining the bars. Here are a few more helpful tips to create perfect bars.

Tips for perfect press-in crusts: 

Cover the crumbly dough with plastic and use the side of a glass to roll the dough into an even layer. 

Use the bottom of the glass to press the corners into a smooth, even crust. 

Once again: Make absolutely sure you press that crust about half an inch to 3/4 of an inch up the sides of the pan. This is important because it will keep the filling from spilling over the edge, which will ruin the bars.

Flute edges as shown, and use a fork to thin them out. You don’t want edges that are overly thick. The fork tines create a more even texture.

Re-cover with plastic wrap and put the pan in the fridge and chill it for 30 minutes. This is very important to getting good results. The chilled dough going into the hot oven will make a flakier, more tender and delicious crust. Now pre-heat oven to 375° F. You want a nice hot oven and a 30 minute pre-heating time will ensure the temperature is hot enough.

Step 3 – Make easy filling: While your crust is chilling, place a large saucepan on the stove. Over low heat, melt the butter and remove from heat. 

Off the heat, stir in maple and dark corn (or sugarcane) syrups. Add cornstarch and whisk until fully dissolved. Add the two sugars, vanilla, and salt. Fork-whisk eggs separately and beat them in very well until the batter is smooth. Stir in chopped pecans, coat well. Set aside.

Step 4 – Prep Crust and Bake: Take the chilled crust from the refrigerator. Remove the plastic wrap. Prick the crust all over with fork tines to prevent it from rising up during baking. 

Create an egg white wash by whisking the egg white with a few drops of water. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat the bottom and sides of the crust. You are creating a barrier between the crisp crust and wet filling. 

Bake about 12 to 15 minutes 

in your well preheated 375° F oven. 

The crust will turn a very light golden brown. When you first pull it out of the oven, you may see areas that are puffed. That's okay. Allow the pan to cool 5 minutes or so and the crust will settle back down, looking like this...

Step 5 – Final bake: While the crust is still warm, slowly and carefully pour on the filling; you can even ladle it on to make sure that none of it sloshes over the crust edges and beneath the crust, which will ruin the bars (ask me how I know). 

If you’re afraid the pan is getting too full, simply hold back a bit of the liquid filling, but use all of the chopped pecans. All of the filling should fit IF you pressed that crust up the sides of the pan as directed. No matter what, keep every bit of that loose filling inside the crust’s edges! Return the pan to your 375° F oven. See bake time in next step…

Step 6 - Baking time notes: To prevent the ends from over-baking and the middle from under-baking, carefully rotate the pan (don’t spill the filling) after 10 minutes of baking and place foil loosely over the top of the pan. Bake another 15 to 20 minutes…

For a total of
25 to 30 minutes
final baking time. 

When is it done? You are watching for the top of the filling to set. It may even puff up a little. There should be no liquid-looking areas. If there are, remove the foil and bake 5 minutes more and check again, but be careful not to burn the crust or scorch the topping. 

The pecan pie slab must cool completely before being cut. After removing the pan from the oven, allow the slab to cool in the hot pan, undisturbed for at least 1 hour.

TIP: If you're giving these as gifts or presenting on a holiday tray and want perfectly clean cuts, I suggest chilling them in the fridge before cutting.

Use the handles of the parchment paper to lift the slab carefully out of the pan and onto a flat surface. Then cut into beautiful, caramel-topped pecan bars or smaller "Pecan Bites" (see my example below)...

These bars freeze very well, too! Just be sure to protect them from freezer burn with freezer-safe plastic containers or freezer-safe plastic bags. 

Have a Happy 

Holiday Season, Everyone!

May you eat with plenty of joy...

CLEO COYLE is a pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi, writing in collaboration with her husband, Marc Cerasini. Both are New York Times bestselling authors of the long-running Coffeehouse Mysteries, now celebrating more than twenty years in print. With more than 1 million books sold, they have gained an enthusiastic following. Cleo's "relentlessly entertaining" (Criminal Element) novels have been translated into Spanish, Japanese, and Czech; earned starred reviews from Library Journal and Kirkus; received Best of Year selection honors from multiple reviewers; and have been recommended by Booklist as among the best culinary mysteries for core library mystery collections. Alice and Marc are also accomplished media tie-in writers who have penned bestselling properties for Lucasfilm, NBC, Fox, Disney, Imagine, Toho, and MGM. They live in New York City, where they write independently and together, including the nationally bestselling Haunted Bookshop Mysteries.

Visit Cleo's online coffeehouse here.

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"EASILY ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS THAT I HAVE READ THIS YEAR...10 STARS!"  —Escape with Dollycas into a Good Book 

 

"A KNOCKOUT STORY....one of the best books in this endearing series...a TERRIFIC READ..." —Dru Ann Love, Raven Award-winning reviewer, Dru's Book Musings

No Roast for the Weary is also a culinary mystery with a killer menu of delicious recipes. Click here or on the image below to see the free illustrated guide to our book's recipe section...

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the recipes you'll find published in
 No Roast for the Weary.

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