Sunday, October 8, 2017

Welcome Ellen Byron!




A very warm welcome to Ellen Byron, author of the Cajun Country Mysteries. Her latest book A CAJUN CHRISTMAS KILLING releases in two days! Not only is she sharing a fabulous recipe but she's giving away a copy of her book, too. Scroll down to enter.




When you’re coming up with recipes for a mystery series, some are riffs on a familiar dish, some may be treasured family recipes, and some are recipes that spring wholly from your imagination. This recipe from A CAJUN CHRISTMAS KILLING is the last with a hint of the first and I have to say, I’m very proud of it.

The Muffaletta Sandwich originated with New Orleans’ Italian immigrants. The sandwich consists of a variety of Italian cold cuts covered with olive salad on a round loaf of Sicilian sesame bread. I’ve always loved the sandwich’s confluence of flavors. But I also love making frittata. They’re quiches without the heavy crust, and can support pretty much any add-ons. When I began creating recipes for the third book in my Cajun Country Mystery series, I decided to marry two of my favorite dishes. Behold the recipe mash-up I created. Serve the frittata with a baguette and it’s a great breakfast or brunch dish. Make the pieces larger, add a salad, and you’ve got lunch or dinner. Whatever meal you decide to go with, laissez les bon aliments rouler! Let the good food roll.


MUFFULETTA FRITTATA

Here are the ingredients. NOTE: the dog in the background is not one of them.


INGREDIENTS:

1 cup diced hard salami

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 T. chopped pepperoncini salad peppers

1 (2 ¼ oz.) can sliced black olives, drained

¼ cup sliced green olives, drained

4 oz. Provolone cheese, diced

1 celery rib, finely chopped

½ red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 T. olive oil

2 T. cooking sherry

1 T. red wine vinegar

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

6 eggs

1 ½ cups egg whites

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper


INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Stir together the first twelve ingredients (everything except the eggs, salt, and pepper) in a medium-size mixing bowl. Cover and chill anywhere from one to twenty-four hours.

When ready to prepare the dish, grease a 9”x13” pan with olive oil. In a separate large or medium-size mixing bowl – it should be bigger than the first bowl - beat the eggs, egg whites, salt, and pepper. Spoon the Muffaletta mixture into the eggs and stir them together. Pour this mixture into the greased pan, making sure the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the eggs are firm. If they’re not firm, keep cooking until the are.

Serves 8.











To enter the giveaway of a copy of A CAJUN CHRISTMAS KILLING, please leave a comment with your email address so we can contact you if you win! Good Luck!

51 comments:

  1. Welcome, Ellen! What a great recipe and awesome-sounding book. EMS591@aol.com

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  2. Looks delicious!
    Thanks for the chance to win!
    karen(dot)kenyon(at)rogers(dot)com

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  3. Hmmn....I haven't ever eaten this! Lots of color in the finished product...thank you for a new recipe.
    Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com

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  4. I have a couple Ohio versions of muffuletta and loved them so this frittata looks great.
    Bleakney750@yahoo.com

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  5. What a great idea! (And I never assumed the dog was an ingredient--my cats show up in quite a few pictures like that, particularly when there is chicken involved in the recipe).

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  6. I am really looking forward to reading this book when it comes out. My email address is amer986@hotmail.com.

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  7. I have never had a muffuletta, but I adore frittatas. This one looks absolutely delicious.
    little lamb lst at yahoo dot com

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  8. I love the series and would kill to win a copy. The recipe does look interesting and I'm going to see what I can replace the cheese with to be able to make it in a kosher kitchen. I know there are non-dairy alternatives for some cheeses and they do melt (probably soy based).

    NoraAdrienne (at) gmail (dot) com

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  9. Great series! Would love to win a copy, and the recipe was to die for!

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  10. I used to live in Louisiana and miss it. Muffuletta sandwiches were so good. My favorite along with oyster po boys. Very creative to make a frittata version! I love this series and really enjoyed the first two books. ~ Lynn. Lynnh555@gmail(dot)com

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  11. Wonderful series which I would enjoy greatly. Enticing recipe. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  12. Recipe looks delicious! Book sounds like a wonderful read. 📚
    donnaing1 (at) gmail (dot) com

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  13. Looking forward to the book. Thanks for the chance.
    im2early4u(at)gmail(dot)com

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  14. That looks like something that would be good for a breakfast buffet. I'm guessing you could cut the portions down to make a smaller one. It does look good (and very filling).
    lkish77123@gmail.com

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  15. That looks delicious and so easy to make! Thanks for sharing.
    meaganab(@)yahoo(dot)com

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  16. I need to make this fir my sister. She will love it. I’ve enjoyed your other two books. sue foster109 at gmail dot com.

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  17. OMG! Muffaletas!! Nom Nom Nom! Recipe says serves 8. Not in my household! Have to at least double it.

    Love the Cajun books. Makes me a little homesick though.

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  18. What an interesting recipe. Thank you for the chance to win. Dmskrug3(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  19. That's a recipe I want to try! Thanks for the contest.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

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  20. Thanks for a chance to win. Can't wait to read.
    judytucker1947@gmail.com

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  21. I love Christmas themed mysteries. I'm copying the recipe so I can make this for supper. Can't wait to read the book and eat the muffeletta. dbahn(at)iw(dot)net

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  22. That looks delicious. Living in Louisiana, I love Ellen's love for the home of many festivals! minishoes(at)msn(dot)com

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  23. I love hearing about new series to start. Thanks for the chance.
    lilyanngill56(at)gmail(dot)com

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  24. Hi all!! What great comments! I was hoping to respond individually, but I have to enter my ID and prove I'm not a robot each time, so I can't. I don't have the time, but for a good reason! I'm doing refreshments at our Sisters in Crime Los Angeles meeting, so pretty busy. In addition to everything else I'm bringing, I made Spicy Cajun Christmas Cookies, another recipe from the book. There's a picture of them on my FB home page. Anyhoo, I'll be back and comment again. So glad you all like the recipe. It really does deliver. :-)

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  25. I can't wait for the release of A CAJUN CHRISTMAS KILLING! Wow, it's hard to believe that Christmas is getting closer and closer ~ Thanks for the great recipe and for your giveaway! bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net

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  26. New author for me. Looks like a good one from book cover. Would love to read. terigriffis@gmail.con
    Thank you for the chance to win.

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  27. I love this series and looking forward to this new one.Thanks for the recipe. RUTH NIXON ruthenixon@sbcglobal.net

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  28. Love the cover! Newly found author. Thank you for the chance to win! Would love to win. joeyandmamie@bellsouth.net Mamie McBee-Harrison

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  29. I am anxious to try the recipe and to read the book. Both sound great! Thanks for sharing.
    Connie
    cps1950(at)gmail(dot) com

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  30. This recipe sounds delicious and I am looking forward to trying it.
    Jo
    azladijo@aol.com

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  31. Ha! I didn't even notice your dog in the picture at first. So cute. I like that this is a breakfast, lunch, or dinner meal. Yum.
    turtle6422(at)gmail(dot)com

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  32. Wow that looks amazing. I would eat the mixed first 12 ingredients just like that. This sounds just fabulous. I bet your dog was happy to be included, but sure did want some of that meat. Thanks for the chance to win your book. It is on my tbr list for sure. kayt18 (at) comcast (dot) net

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  33. Thanks for the recipe - looks delicious.

    jtcgc at yahoo dot com

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  34. Looks amazing. MOLLIE. IEMERCEDEZ (AT) AOL (DOT) COM

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  35. I would love this book! Legallyblonde1961@yahoo.com

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  36. What a neat recipe! I would love a copy of your new book!!! Wjcline@att.net

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  37. Hi, it's Ellen again! Loving these comments. To all those who've already read books in my series, thank you!! To all those whose appetites have now been whetted - sorry about the "appetites" pun, couldn't resist - thank you!! Hope you enjoy this recipe - AND the book. More commenting to come...

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  38. This recipe looks and sounds delish. I think I will have to make it soon.
    And I am going to have to try your Cajun Country Mysteries soon also.

    donna (dot) durnell (at) sbcglobal (dot) net

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  39. SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT BOOK AND RECIPE! THANKS FOR THE CHANCE! SHELLEY SUMMERS calicolady60@hotmail.com

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  40. Thank you for the chance. Lamonicaks at gmail dot com

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  41. Please enter me! I love to try new recipes and new cozy series!
    clarksrfun at gmail dot com

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  42. Hi, Ellen again!! Thanks for reading the post and entering. Good luck to all!

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  43. Looks great! Noahcpatterson (at) gmail (dot) com.

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  44. Hi Ellen! I appreciate that you posted this recipe as I am going to have hubby make it. Sounds so San Franciscan and I love those. My husband does all of the cooking as i am severely disabled so i am the sous chef lol well we love to try new recipes and i miss these kind moved from SF to Ia 16 years ago and so miss ptclayton2@aol.com

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    Replies
    1. I hope you and your husband enjoy it! Thanks so much for the kind words.

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  45. I love this series & author. Thanks for a wonderful looking recipe & giveaway. doward1952(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  46. Looking forward to the new book! Thanks for the great post and chance to win.
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

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  47. What a great New Orleans recipe. Love this series, can't wait to read "A Cajun Christmas Murder".
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  48. This recipe looks really good. I love this series and Your new book is on my to be read list! Thank You for letting me enter! lilcleo61@yahoo.com

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