Welcome Elizabeth Spann Craig with Guest Post and #Giveaway

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Please join me in giving a warm welcome back to Elizabeth Spann Craig!

Elizabeth is a talented author of multiple bestselling (and absolutely delightful) mystery series, a busy mother of two, and a dedicated blogger who has offered online fellowship to the writing community for years. (Her Twitter feed is a marvel, and I encourage you all to follow her!) 

Elizabeth is also a beloved alumna of Mystery Lovers' Kitchen, and we're thrilled that she's returned for a visit. Take it away, Elizabeth! 

~ Cleo 




Thanks to Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen for hosting me on the blog today! It’s good to be back. 

One fun thing about being on the blog is that I get to fall into a rabbit hole by looking to see all the recent delicious recipes that have been posted lately.  I like to make sure no one posted one just like mine recently...and then, the next thing you know, I’ve spent over an hour on Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen and my Evernote recipe folder is filled to the brim! 

I thought I’d share my grandmother’s recipe for vegetable sandwich spread. If you’re from the South and you’re of a particular age, you’ll remember vegetable sandwiches. They’re crustless on platters at funerals, on trays at weddings and other special occasions, and may even be allowed at home with no event taking place at all (although, in my experience, that was sadly rare).

A food processor makes the chopping for this dish non-existent. Maybe everyone would have enjoyed this spread on a daily and casual basis with a food processor in their kitchen. 

I will admit that some traditional Southern recipes are a little formidable or may not really be suited to today’s more sophisticated palate. I grew up with a lot of tomato aspic. Desserts were frequently a sliced canned pear with a dab of mayonnaise and shredded cheese...and a cherry on top, if it was a fancy occasion. I’m not sharing those recipes with you today (you’re welcome, ha!)  Today’s recipe does have some plain Knox gelatin in it, but I’m sure the other ingredients will seem refreshingly normal. And you won’t taste the gelatin at all. 😊 

Not to start a debate in the comments, but I’m using Miracle Whip in the recipe instead of Hellmann’s or Duke’s. That’s only because that’s the way the recipe had it and I don’t want to be haunted by any of my Southern forebears. 
Also, if you’d prefer, you can use this veggie mixture as a dip.  

So here we are...

Southern Veggie Sandwiches

Ingredients: 

2 tomatoes, cut very fine
1 large bell pepper, seeded, cut very fine
1 large cucumber, cut very fine
1 medium onion, finely cut
2 envelopes of Knox gelatin
1 pt. Miracle Whip
3 T water
½ cup boiling water 

Directions: 

After chopping the vegetables, put them in a colander to drain a bit. Put a few tablespoons of cold water on the gelatin mix to soften it, about a minute. Then add ½ cup boiling water. When gelled, let cool and combine all ingredients. Put in fridge to cool and set. Spread thickly on bread. Sandwiches are better if spread hours before eating and then refrigerated. 

Here’s all you need to get started (minus the boiling water):

Drain your veggies to personal taste (I don’t mind a fairly juicy sandwich, but tastes vary!). If you’re making a dip, you may want it to drain less than if you have it in a sandwich. 

After putting the gelatin together, mix all in a large bowl and put in the fridge for a bit to set. 

You may end up with folks in the kitchen who don’t want to wait for the mixture to set. 

When you’re done, enjoy some yummy sandwiches. A dollop of potato salad goes well on the side.  

Enjoy!  And, I’m curious to know…what are some of your favorite family recipes? 

For more Southern life, cooking (and murder, of course), I hope you’ll take a chance on one of my books. I’m currently writing three series (The Myrtle Clover Mysteries, The Southern Quilting Mysteries, and The Village Library Mysteries) and am also the author (as Riley Adams) of the Memphis Barbeque Series. 

Elizabeth's Giveaway!

Today, I’m giving away a copy of the first book of my newest series, Checked Out. If you like libraries, cats, and murder, you’ve come to the right place. 😊

(Click the cover to learn more.)

Thanks again to Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen!

Elizabeth is the bestselling cozy mystery author of the Southern Quilting mysteries, the Myrtle Clover Cozy Mysteries, the Village Library Mysteries, and Memphis Barbeque mysteries for Penguin Random House, Midnight Ink, and independently.  

Find her at her website: elizabethspanncraig.com.  She lives in Matthews, North Carolina with her husband and is the mother of two. 

Thank you, Elizabeth!


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Village Library Mysteries: Checked Out. 

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"CENTRAL EAST 2"



Those who entered answered
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"What are some of your
favorite family recipes?"