
EASY-BREEZY-BLUEBERRY
BOOK CLUB TREATS
It’s steamy mid-summer, but my odd-couple sleuths Summer and Dorothy—aka the Ladies Smythe & Westin—and I have a lot on our (paper) plates. I’m working on a new book and the Ladies are working to solve a murder. And as the Goddesses of High Humidity would have it, all three of us need to whip up some tasty, quick-and-easy treats for our next book club meetings ASAP. Dorothy, a seventy-something widow, has fond memories of the long-ago summers she and her husband spent in a cozy Maine cabin. Now that she lives year-round at the Hibiscus Pointe Senior Living Community in Florida, those cool, pine-scented days can seem very far away.
But she vividly remembers how much she loved filling baskets with freshly-picked, wild blueberries, and the simple but delicious recipes her mother jotted onto berry-stained cards and filed in a small wooden box. In fact, Dorothy keeps that same, faded box with the blueberry wreath painted on the lid in a place of honor on her kitchen counter.
Dorothy’s twenty-something neighbor and co-sleuth Summer, an ex-party-girl from California who’s camping in her late grandma’s condo, doesn’t have much experience with blueberry-picking.
But she knows those berries are full of antioxidants and Vitamin K to pack a punch in her favorite smoothie. Plus, she loves the idea of minimal cooking and maximum yum. Book club refreshments (or unexpected visitors) problem solved—and more time to solve a mystery!
ROUND-THE-CLOCK COOKIES
Serves 2 dozen
Prep Time: 30 mins.
Cooking Time: 10-12 mins at 350°
INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup soft butter
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 cup flour
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1½ cups old-fashioned oats
Sprinkle of cinnamon
1 cup blueberries
Chocolate chips or chopped walnuts (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS: Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper (for easy blueberry clean-up!)
In large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugars, egg, vanilla, cinnamon, and lemon zest on Medium until smooth. Mix in flour, baking soda, and salt until combined, then mix in oats with wooden spoon. Add chopped walnuts or chocolate chips, if desired. Carefully fold in blueberries.
Use cookie or ice cream scoop to form and drop cookies onto lined cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with back of scoop. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Let stand on sheets for a minute or two, then transfer to wire rack for cooling.
BLUEBERRY MOON LEMONADE
Dorothy brings this classic, refreshing beverage to the pool in a Thermos to share with Summer and their adorable 6-year-old friend, Juliette-Margot. (At cocktail hour, the Ladies sometimes add a little vodka to theirs.)
Serves 6-8
Prep Time: 20 mins.
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup sugar
1 cup blueberries
¾ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
½ lemon (sliced)
Mint leaves or springs
Water (total 7-8 cups)
INSTRUCTIONS: To make a blueberry simple syrup, stir sugar and 1 cup water together in saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Stir in blueberries and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer about 3-4 minutes, until blueberries pop.
Strain blueberry mixture and discard skins. Allow liquid to cool.
In large pitcher, whisk together blueberry syrup, lemon juice and 6-7 cups water. Chill in refrigerator.
Serve over ice. Add a few more blueberries, lemon slices, and mint to each glass, for a festive touch!
BLUEBERRY-LEMON ICED TEA ZINGER
Need a morning or late-afternoon pick-me-up? The Ladies have the perfect answer, especially if you have a lot of reading to do! (If you prefer, though, you can substitute decaffeinated tea bags.)
INGREDIENTS
1 16-oz package frozen blueberries
½ cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
4-6 cups of water
3 large tea bags
¾ cup sugar
Lemon slices and mint leaves or sprigs
INSTRUCTIONS: Bring frozen blueberries and lemon juice to a boil in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and pour through a strainer. (Dorothy suggests doing this over the sink.) Discard skins and rinse saucepan.
Bring 4 cups water to a boil in same saucepan. Add tea bags and steep 5 minutes. Remove tea bags, stir in sugar and blueberry syrup. Pour into pitcher, add more water to fill. Cover and chill. Serve with ice and garnish with lemons and mint.
SUMMER’S 1-2-3 SALAD
This was Summer’s favorite side dish back in LA. It’s so fast and easy, you may have time to catch some rays (or a murderer) before book club!
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 cups diced cucumbers
3 cups diced watermelon
½ lime, juiced
Pepper and pinch of sea salt to taste
Mint leaves
INSTRUCTIONS: Mix together the watermelon and cucumber. Drizzle with lime juice and stir. Carefully fold in blueberries. Add pepper to taste (if you’re not eating til later, wait to add the salt). Garnish with mint, stick in the fridge, and hit the beach!
SAL’S ALMOST-INSTANT
BLUEBERRY SAUCE
The Ladies and I found we still had plenty of blueberries left over, even after making so many book club treats. Dorothy went back to her mother’s old recipe box for this one—try it over pancakes, yogurt, toast, graham crackers, bananas, in smoothies and, of course, over ice cream for a perfect sundae. (Stir into slightly-melted, classic vanilla and, presto! Designer-blueberry ice cream.)
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup water
½ cup sugar
1 ½ Tbsp. corn starch dissolved into 3 Tbsp. water
½ tsp. vanilla
INSTRUCTIONS: Place 2 cups of the blueberries in saucepan. Cover with water; add sugar and vanilla. Heat over medium-high until mixture comes to a low boil and blueberries start to pop.
Add dissolved cornstarch to saucepan and bring mixture to rolling boil. Turn down heat and simmer on low for about 2 minutes, until sauce reaches desired thickness. (If it gets too thick, add water, a tablespoon or two at a time.)
Remove from heat and add remaining blueberries. Stir gently. May be served warm or cold.
Lisa Q. Mathews was a lifeguard, a competitive figure skater, and a Nancy Drew editor before starting to write her own mysteries. She was also an executive editor at Random House Children’s Books and penned kids’ series such as Mary-Kate and Ashley and The Lizzie McGuire Mysteries. Like her odd-couple co-sleuths in The Ladies Smythe & Westin series from Carina Press/Harlequin, Lisa loves swimming, rich desserts, romantic comedies, and above all a good mystery!
To learn more about Lisa and her books, please visit her website at: LisaQMathews.com.
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To learn more or buy, click here. |
Permanently Booked
by Lisa Q. Mathews
The final chapter…?
Semi-reformed party girl Summer Smythe is finally feeling at home at the Hibiscus Pointe retirement community. All that’s left to do is replace her late grandma’s massive book collection with a big-screen TV. Donating them to the on-site library is the perfect solution—until she finds the librarian buried in books. Literally.
Summer and her sleuthing partner, longtime resident Dorothy Westin, can’t imagine who would want to kill poor, dedicated Lorella. Soon they’re on the case…and the Hibiscus Pointe Book Club is the perfect cover for their investigation.
A murdered librarian is headline news in South Florida, and even outsiders, including an oddball professor and a pair of dueling authors, are eager to join the once-dull group. But one menacing member has Dorothy and Summer bookmarked for the morgue. If the Ladies Smythe and Westin don’t nab the killer fast, the Hibiscus Pointe Book Club may be reading their own obituaries next…
PERMANENTLY BOOKED, CARDIAC ARREST and the Ladies’ most recent case, FASHIONABLY LATE, are available wherever e-books are sold. And don’t forget to mark your engagement calendar for October 1, 2018, when the paperback edition of PERMANENTLY BOOKED officially pubs (you can pre-order here)!
#GIVEAWAY!
LISA'S PRIZE PACKAGE INCLUDES...
An e-book copy of PERMANENTLY BOOKED (if preferred, print copy available to winner late August) with matching mug and spoon set and a tin of blueberry green tea. Available to US and Canadian readers. Good luck!
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Congrats to Lisa's winner Martha Franks! |
Drawing for winner will take place
after 12 Midnight, Wed. July 18
🌺
Another fabulous guest post, Lisa, thank you so much for coming back to our Kitchen, and sharing such a lovely and generous summer giveaway! xoxo ~ Cleo
ReplyDeleteAnd thank YOU and Mystery Lovers Kitchen for having me back, Cleo! I had fun whipping up these recipes--you can never have too many blueberries! (The blueberry lemon iced tea is my favorite.)
DeleteLove recipes that use in season fruits and vegetables. Looking forward to trying these blueberry recipes and reading Permanently Booked. I would prefer a print copy. dbahn(at)iw(dot)net
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dianne! The blueberries at our house are a little late this year--but fortunately we have some U-picks nearby that are open for business.
DeleteLove the recipes especially the blueberry sauce, jcook22@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteMe too--not only is it versatile (sundaes are still my fave!), but easily frozen for year-round goodness.
DeleteLooking forward to trying the lemonade and iced tea recipes and reading Permanently Booked. Thanks for your giveaway. mrogers1954@charter.net.
ReplyDeleteThanks, parTea Lady! (Love your handle, so cute.)
DeleteThe recipes look delicious! I want to make the ice tea. Our summers here in east Texas are hot so it sounds like a great way to cool off. We also have the Blueberry Festival here every June so our blueberries are fresh and plentiful. lnchudej@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteLinda, the iced tea recipe is my favorite. I've already made a zillion more batches to beat this heat--it's perfect!
DeleteI love blueberries.
ReplyDeletesgiden at verizon(.)net
Yay! We sure have a lot of them for you here. :-)
DeleteThe recipes are perfect for this hot summer. Delightful and refreshing. Tea is soothing and my favorite drink. I would enjoy Permanently Booked greatly. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThanks, Traveler! Another iced tea fan--definitely try this one.
DeleteI am so happy when it is blueberry season! Frozen ones are good, but fresh are better! Thank you for the recipes! Love your books!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the contest.
debprice60@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Deb! I was afraid the fresh blueberries might be trickier to work with than frozen, but they're both easy!
DeleteI love blueberries and trying new recipes! I also love reading mysteries and my mom is a retired librarian so this is perfect! I’d love to win the giveaway! I’m at vperfetti@comcast.net! Thx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Vicki! Hope you like them. (My mom was a librarian, too.)
DeleteThank you for the blueberry recipes - can't decide which one to make first!
ReplyDeletejtcgc at yahoo dot com
It's a tough choice, Taurus--I made them all at once! (Easy clean up.)
DeleteBlueberries are so versatile and ideal. Your book sounds captivating and unique. I love tea. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThanks, Petite! I practically consume tea on IV drip.
DeleteThank you for the blueberry recipes . I am going to try many of them and going to read your book .
ReplyDeletenancyhsllenbeck@gmsil.com
Thank you, Nancy. Hope you enjoy them all!
DeleteThis is so much fun and what a great title. cornpeassmile-4@outlook.com thanks
ReplyDeleteThanks, Desdemona. I had fun writing and cooking, too!
DeleteI have already made a blueberry pie and blueberry blondies so I think I know what is next!! Good use for all those blueberries in my fridge and freezer!! sharonrizzo@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Sharon! Did you use Cleo's blueberry blondie recipe for National Blueberry Day? (I had no idea there was a holiday!)
DeleteThat is a boatload of blueberries! When you make a syrup are you throwing out the boiled blueberries?
ReplyDeletepatdupuy@yahoo.com
Actually, I didn't want to waste the strained blueberries, so I spooned them into little Tupperware containers and stuck them in the fridge. Presto! Instant "jam!"
DeleteThank you for the blueberry receipes. I am going to try many of them . I can’t wait to read your book also.
ReplyDeleteNancyhallenbeck@gmail.com
Thanks, Nancy! The books pair well with blueberries, I think. :-)
DeleteWelcome to the Kitchen, Lisa, and congrats on the new book! What a treasure trove of recipes for summer berry fun -- I can taste them now...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Leslie! It's all berries, all the time at our house now. Congrats on your latest book also!
DeleteThe blueberries in my fridge may soon become cookies and sauce!
ReplyDeleteI'd love a print copy should I be lucky enough to win. Thanks.
kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com
Thanks, Karen! Just a warning, making blueberry treats means going back for multiple batches, so make more room in that fridge now!
DeleteWe are headed to Ellsworth, Maine this coming week.
ReplyDeleteThe cookies look like a perfect way to use the lovely wild Maine blueberries.
libbydodd at comcast dot net
Libby, wild Maine blueberries are the best! Trying not to be jealous...
DeleteGreat recipes ! I plan to try them all. I would love a print copy - thanks for the opportunity trwilliams69 at msn dot com
ReplyDeleteYou are most welcome, Taylor. Good luck!
Delete