Sunday, November 28, 2021

Guest Lorie Lewis Ham with Grandma's Recipe + Book #Giveaway!


It is my great pleasure to welcome a talented writer, editor, and all-around mystery maven to our Kitchen. ONE OF US, the launch book in Lorie's new Tower District Mystery series is a joy to read, and she's giving a print copy away today to one lucky commenter. To enter Lorie's giveaway, be sure to leave a comment (with your email address) at the end of this post by midnight, Thursday Dec. 2nd. 

And now, take it away, Lorie! 

~ Cleo 

📚

When One of Us, the first book in my brand new Tower District Mystery series, came out this summer, I was thrilled to be asked by one of my favorite authors, Cleo Coyle, to do a guest post here at Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen. 

My main character in One of Us, Roxi Carlucci, doesn’t do much cooking, but she definitely enjoys eating at some of the wonderful restaurants and café’s in the Tower District where she now lives—most of the ones in the book are real! The Tower District is the arts district of Fresno, California and is filled with charm, theatre, art galleries, unique shops, and of course, great food.

Something else that is important to Roxi is family. After losing her book contract as a children’s book author, Roxi moves to Fresno to start over and she moves in with her cousin, PI Stephen Carlucci, who lives in the Tower District. 

Family is also very important to me and one of the best cooks in our family was my Grandma Lewis. Hers was a very homey, old-fashioned style of cooking, having grown up in Oklahoma. And of course, she never used recipes. Thankfully, before she passed away, we made her sit down and write down recipes for some of our favorite dishes. With it being the holiday season, her recipe for French Toast seemed like a good choice to share with you, as I remember as a child having French Toast for breakfast on Christmas mornings. 

The recipe is very simple and a bit heavier than your typical French Toast. I am sharing it here with you exactly how she wrote it down.




Grandma's French Toast
by Lorie Lewis Ham


Makes 8 to 10 slices 

Ingredients:

3 eggs beat real good

1-1/4 cup milk

1-1/2 cup flour

several slices of white bread


Instructions:

Mix eggs, milk, and flour real good

Dip one slice of bread at a time in the mixture

Deep fry in a large pan until golden brown

They can be served with your favorite syrup, jelly, honey, powdered sugar, or eaten plain.





Purchase or Learn More:

One of Us is available on Amazon,
Barnes and Noble online, 
and Kobo.


At 35, children’s book author Roxi Carlucci finds herself starting over again after her publisher drops her book series. With no income, she has to pack up her life on the California Coast, along with her pet rat Merlin, and move in with her cousin, P.I. Stephen Carlucci, who lives in Fresno, CA. The one redeeming factor is that Stephen lives in the Tower District—the cultural oasis of Fresno.


Stephen talks Roxi into helping out with a community theatre production, which is also a fundraiser for a local animal rescue. Little did she know that someone would be murdered during a rehearsal, and that she and Stephen would be hired to find the killer. The killer has to be one of Roxi’s new acquaintances since the theatre was locked at the time of the murder, but no one seems to have a motive. How can they solve a murder without a motive? Could the local gossip website hold any clues? Can they stop the killer before they strike again?


PRAISE FOR ONE OF US

"In her new novel, Lorie Lewis Ham brings the Tower District of Fresno charmingly alive. I loved the charming, quirky, instantly endearing Roxi with her love of all things King Arthur and Sherlock Holmes, her pet rat Merlin, her intense curiosity about everything and her eagerness to plunge into her new life. That plus the Mafia family she’s trying to disassociate from, the circle of new friends, and a fast-paced mystery makes One of Us a treat for mystery readers and a fab start to a promising new series."

~ Vicki Delany/Eva Gates

One Woman Crime Wave
2019 Derrick Murdoch Award for
Contributions to Canadian Crime Writing


About the Author

Lorie Lewis Ham lives in Reedley, California and has been writing ever since she was a child, and publishing since she was 13. For the past 11 years, Lorie has been the editor-in-chief and publisher of Kings River Life Magazine, and she produces Mysteryrat’s Maze Podcast where you can now hear an excerpt of her new book One of Us. You can learn more about Lorie and the new book on her website mysteryrat.com, where you can also sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her on Twitter @mysteryrat and Facebook.




Book Giveaway!

This giveaway is now over.
Congrats to Lorie's winner...

Nancy D.!

Leave a comment for Lorie
 (with your email address)
to be entered in her drawing for
a signed copy of ONE OF US!

Comments open until midnight 
Thursday Dec. 2


40 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for having me here today!
    Lorie

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  2. It's so nice to see you here this morning Lorie! Congrats on the book, and now I'm craving French toast....

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  3. Thank you for the delicious sounding Grandma's French Toast recipe. Although different from what I'm use to, I can already taste the unique difference and my mind's taste buds are saying MAKE IT. I can so relate to having family favorite recipes not written down. Thankfully one year as a project for Christmas presents, I finally got Mom to work with me on getting all our favorites written down. As she would measure in her hand, I would measure it before added to the bowl or pot. Then I would make it from what was written down having Mom taste it and tell me what to change. Once it had Mom's approval, the recipe went into my family recipes. That year I ended up with a large three ring binder full of recipes and household trips that had pasted down from generation to generation. I printed off three copies giving the two extras to hubby's Mom and to my Mom. Extremely glad we did this when we did because in just a few years Alzheimer would have prevented Mom from tell us her secrets.

    "One of Us" sounds like and amazing book and one I would love the opportunity to read and review. Can't wait to dive into Roxi's story and work in the shadows with her as we try to figure out whodunit. Thank you for the chance to win a copy! Shared but hoping to be the fortunate one selected.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  4. Now I want French toast, it's been so long since I made it. Have to try this, and the book as well!
    kozo8989(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  5. I make French toast every week but I’ve never used flour.
    sgiden at verizon(.)net

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  6. That recipe sounds delicious!! Thank you for sharing.

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  7. You are all very welcome and thanks so much for commenting! I hope you enjoy the french toast and my book :) Good luck everyone!
    Lorie

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  8. This sounds like truly stick to the ribs French toast!
    Interesting that your photo shows it with green beans and something else. Not your usual French toast plating.
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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  9. Welcome to Mystery Lovers' Kitchen this morning, Lorie!

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    1. Thanks Molly! And thanks Libby for commenting!
      Lorie

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  10. Thank you for visiting MLK and sharing your family recipe. I'll have to try adding flour to French toast. Congratulations on your book release! ~Maya

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    1. Thanks so much for having me and for the congrats! Hope you enjoy the recipe
      Lorie

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  11. I love your grandma's recipe so much, Lorie! It's a bit like chicken-fried steak, but with bread instead of steak, lol. Sounds divine!

    Thanks so much for visiting the Kitchen today, but most of all, thank you so very much for all you do for the mystery writing community, my dear! And congrats on the new book--it looks terrific!

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  12. Your recipe looks amazing. Great for the holidays. I enjoy King Rivers Life and I'm looking forward to reading your book.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  13. Thanks so much for commenting and for the kinds words! I hope you all enjoy the recipe and my book!

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  14. Welcome to the Kitchen, Lorie -- we're delighted to have you here!

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  15. Grandma's French Toast sounds like a delicious and easy recipe. I know I'll enjoy reading your new book too!

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

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    1. Hi, Nancy -- By now you know that you are the randomly drawn winner of Lorie's giveaway of her debut Tower District Mystery ONE OF US. Congrats to you, happy reading, and sincerest thanks to Lorie Lewis Ham for joining us in the Kitchen!

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  16. Lorie, I didn't know Fresno was known as the Tower District! Learn something new every day, and the book and recipe both sound intriguing!

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    1. Oops, email is lola777_22 at hotmail dot com

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  17. Delectable French Toast. We make French Toast with Challah. I learned this from my grandmother and it is the best bread for French toast. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  18. Welcome, Lorie! The French toast looks divine.

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  19. You are a new author to me, and the book sounds good. How can anyone go wrong with french toast?
    terry0743@aol.com

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  20. Thank you so much for being here and sharing your grandmothers French Toast recipe.

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  21. Thanks for sharing the recipe! Makes me hungry for some French toast. I haven't made it for awhile. Your book sounds great too! cherierj(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  22. Thanks for sharing your grandmother's recipe, Enjoy reading Kings River Life Magazine. Congratulations on your book release!
    jtcgc at yahoo dot com

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  23. Thanks for sharing your grandmother's recipe! My family loves french toast and I make it often. Congratulations on your book! Thank you for the chance!

    jarjm1980(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  24. Thanks so much everyone for stopping by and commenting! Hope you enjoy the french toast!

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  25. I love French toast but haven't had it in decades. My Mom made it once a week for my Dad & me when I was a child in the 1950's. I liked it sprinkled with powdered sugar. My Dad liked it with syrup. I never paid attention to her recipe so I'm really happy that you've shared your grandmother's recipe. I'll try it! lnchudej@yahoo.com

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  26. Thank you for your grandmother's recipe. I like to add a splash of vanilla into the egg/milk mixture and sprinkle one side of the French toast with cinnamon. And top with a butter and sifted powdered sugar.

    mostbattyone@aol.com

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  27. You are very welcome! Thanks for commenting!

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  28. Thanks for the recipe and you are a new author for me! tWarner419@aol.com

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  29. You are a new author to me. Thanks for the chance. lindaherold999(at)gmail(dot)com

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  30. Thank you for the opportunity!!
    lindalou64(@)live(dot)com

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  31. Thanks so much for commenting! I recognize the 3 of you from Kings River Life so nice to see you here! Hope you enjoy the recipe.

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  32. I can see the French toast with strawberries piled on One of US sounds like a terrific read

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    1. Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoy the french toast!

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  33. Thanks again to you, Lorie, for joining us in the Kitchen. We loved hearing about your debut Tower District Mystery, ONE OF US. Don't miss it, everyone! And congrats to Lorie's winner (by random draw) -- Nancy D. Happy reading, Nancy!

    ~ Cleo

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