When I think of spring, I think of tulips, apple blossoms, and bird song. And because we live in the Northern Rockies, a late snowstorm or two. I do not think of cookbooks.
Except this year.
Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen author-cooks are featured in two new cookbooks: THE MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA COOKBOOK (Quirk Books, March 2015) featuring Sheila Connolly, Daryl Wood Gerber, and me, along with Mary Higgins Clark, Louise Penny, Scott Turow “and other acclaimed plot stirrers,” as the cover says.

THE COZY COOKBOOK (Berkley Prime Crime, April 2015) features excerpts and more than 100 recipes from eleven cozy mystery writers, including Cleo Coyle, Daryl Wood Gerber, and me, plus Ellery Adams, Laura Childs, Connie Archer, Victoria Hamilton, BB Haywood, Julie Hyzy, Jenn McKinlay, and Paige Shelton. (Where to buy? Check here.)
Publishers Weekly gave the books this delicious review!
And thanks to the publishers -- Quirk and Berkley Prime Crime -- we've got one copy of each to give away, to two lucky winners! Leave a comment by midnight, Wed April 8, to be entered. If you'd prefer one book over the other, say so; if not, you'll be entered for a blind drawing. U.S. addresses only.
So what’s on the menu? You'll recognize the themes of our books in our contributions to THE MWA COOKBOOK. Daryl Wood Gerber shares Cheddar-Monterey Jack Cheese Sauce with Broccoli, a recipe you might pick up at her character Charlotte’s Cheese Shop or find in a treasured volume at the Cookbook Nook, setting of her second series. (Note which gets top billing—and it’s not the vegetable!) Sheila Connolly serves up Apple Goodie, a recipe that Sheila’s been making since long before she started writing the Orchard Mysteries, and which she describes as “my all-time favorite comfort food.” Lucy Burdette contributed Shrimp and Grits, the winning recipe in the Southern cooking contest she created in her Key West Food Critic series. And my offering is a recipe I could easily imagine served at the Murphys’ Sunday table, in my Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, Farfalle with Fennel and Pine Nuts.
In THE COZY COOKBOOK, you’ll get a taste of recipes from several books (some previously published, some to come). To whet your appetite, Daryl gives us Jenna’s Monte Cristo Sandwich and gluten-free biscotti, Writing as Avery Aames, she serves up a variety of grilled cheese sandwiches, for breakfast and lunch, San Simon Frittata, Pancakes with Gouda and Figs, and Gluten-free Popovers, and much more.
Cleo serves up Clare Cosi’s Doughtnut muffins and Coffee Cake muffins, as well as a smorgasbord of coffee drinks, Skillet Lasagna, Glazed Lemon Cookies, and oh, my, I’m getting hungry!
My two protagonists eat all over the map, so we’ve got appetizers, salads, cocktails (huckleberry martinis and margaritas!), steaks, pastas, including the recipe that provides a clue in Death al Dente, Fettucini with Minted Tomato Sauce aka Fettuccine a la Fresca. And we top it off with my Pumpkin Spice Coffee Blend and Mexican coffee.
Here’s a favorite of mine:
Erin’s Two Two-Bean and Pesto Salad
From CRIME RIB by Leslie BudewitzServes 6 to 8 as a main dish, 10 to 12 as a side salad. This is a terrific pot luck dish!
1 pound of fresh green beans (the thin, or French, style called haricots vert, works best)
1 (-14 oz.) can white beans
1 cup of cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 small white onion, chopped fine (sweet, red, or green onions also work well, but a yellow onion will be too strong)
fresh pesto (see recipe, below)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Steam beans until tender-crunchy (start checking after about 3 minutes). (When steaming, use enough water to reach just below the bottom of your steamer basket.) Rinse, drain, and cool, then cut into bite-sized pieces, about an 1 inch long. Rinse and drain white beans. Mix vegetables and beans in a large bowl and toss with pesto. Add sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature or chilled, by itself or on a bed of greens.
Pesto:
In a small (2-cup) food processor, loosely chop about 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves. Toss in one 1 or two 2 cloves of garlic—–the pesto will blend more easily if you slice or chop the cloves first. Drizzle in olive oil and pulse. Add oil and pulse until you get a good consistency for mixing with other ingredients. Add grated Parmesan and, if you’d like, pine nuts or walnuts, and pulse to mix well.
Remember, leave a comment by midnight, Wed April 8, for a chance to win one of these terrific new cookbooks! U.S. addresses only.
Leslie's latest: ASSAULT AND PEPPER (March 2015, Berkley Prime Crime)
ISBN-13: 978-0425271780
7.99

Coming in July 2015: BUTTER OFF DEAD, third in the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries!
Connect with her on her website, on Facebook, or on Twitter.
I would love to add any of these to my collection.
ReplyDeleteI love mysteries and read cookbooks like they are novels.
ReplyDeleteI am excited about both of these cookbooks. So fun to combine two of my favorite things...cooking and mysteries. dmskrug3(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteMy cookbook collection needs a new member, though it's a mystery where I'll put it! sssusieq@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteBoth cookbooks sound wonderful! I will certainly be adding both to my already overwhelming collection, and I can't wait to try the bean salad recipe (I'm always on the lookout for new vegetable recipes to try).
ReplyDeleteI would love a copy of the MWA cookbook! Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteSallycootie@gmail.com
I would love a copy of the MWA cookbook! Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteSallycootie@gmail.com
I love mysteries and I love to cook! Either one would be a perfect take off point for my themed dinner group.
ReplyDeleteThese cookbooks sound fantastic! EMS591@aol.com
ReplyDeleteI would love the MWA cookbook. Thanks
ReplyDeleteI would love to win a copy of The Cozy Cookbook. Thank you for the giveaway.
ReplyDeletemyrifraf(at)gmail(dot)com
I'm leaning toward the MWA because I've read fewer of their books.
ReplyDeletekpbarnett1941[at]aol.com
I am looking forward to adding both of these to my cookbook collection! Thanks for the chance to win one!
ReplyDeleteLove this Blog and each writers entries. I wouldn't mind a copy of The Cozy Cookbook coming my way! kkdaley (@) comcast.net
ReplyDeleteI'd like to try for The Cozy Cookbook since my library is getting the other one. Thanks.
ReplyDeletesgiden at verizon(.)net
These both look wonderful!
ReplyDeleteBoth of these cookbooks sound like fun. A little mystery, a little food. Nice combination. :-)
ReplyDeleteI would love to have either of these cookbooks! Thanks for the contest!
ReplyDeletebobandcelia@sbcglobal.net
i love to have these love cookbooks
ReplyDeleteI would love to have either of these for my collection!
ReplyDeletesbandjz at yahoo dot com
As a cozy mystery lover, I would love to add a cozy cookbook to my collection of cookbooks. Thanks for a chance to have one.
ReplyDeleteBenglish@whro.net
I love cozy mysteries, I would love to add any of these to my collections, they look great. Thank you for a chance to win. weluvdopey@sc.rr.com
ReplyDeleteI would love a copy of the MWA Cookbook. Thank you for the chance! rachaelb2014 (at) gmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteI collect cookbooks and cozy mysteries , so this is right up my alley ! I would be happy with either one ! kathambre@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteThese cookbooks look so great. Thanks for the chance to win one. rencw@verizon.net
ReplyDeleteI would love to win the MWA cookbook. I have the other ordered. Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleteDnrocker@yahoo.com
I would love a chance to win THE MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA COOKBOOK. I love cookbooks and love to cook and bake.
ReplyDeletescarletbegonia5858@gmail.com
I love cookbooks, I've ordered the Cozy Cookbook and it should be here today, but I didn't know about the Mystery Writer's of America. That looks fabulous! llcejka at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteBoth books look great!
ReplyDeleteCookbooks and mysteries, what heaven should be like!
ReplyDeletedebprice60@gmail.com
Love cookbooks zeta@iwon.com
ReplyDeleteIt's fun to read cookbooks whether you make any of the recipes or not.
ReplyDeleteI have both of these as e-books but would love to win a print copy of either book! Thanks for the opportunity!
ReplyDeleteI would love to win, I read on a Kindle and it is so hard to do recipes on it.
ReplyDeletenlb1050@yahoo.com
I have the Cozy Cookbook, but i'd love to win the other.
ReplyDeleteI'd gladly take either one. This would mean I could get rid of all the photo copied pages of recipes from those cozy authors who are in the book. It would make it so much easier to find them. LOL
ReplyDeleteLove to cook and try new recipes. This would maker a great addition to my cookbook collection!!! Congrats to all the contributors.
ReplyDeletepurplewyytch@icloud.com
I've already ordered The Cozy Cookbook so I'd love to win The Mystery Writer's Cookbook. Thanks for the chance! lkleback@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteLove cookbooks and love to read so these books are just right for me :-)
ReplyDeletesusanne@4inchina.dk
Either cookbook would be wonderful. Love the authors in each of them. bobbipad@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteWould love to have these for my Book Club's dinner and discussion groups! Cooking, baking, reading, eating, and chatting...what could be better?! Thanks! pjhans.fl@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI need both of these for my collection. The bean salad looks awesome!
ReplyDeletebevarcher AT me DOT com
would love town and try the recipes
ReplyDeleteWould LOVE to win either book. Have tried some of Clare Cosi recipes and love them!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI would love to win either cookbook----I like to get all sorts of new ideas from them.
ReplyDeletesuefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
I would love to have these cookbooks, I'm ready to place a bunch of sticky notes for things I plan to make. carter.karen@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteKaren Carter