Guest Gabby Allan #Recipe Super Easy Cheesy Burritos #Giveaway

 

 

Hi everyone! Gabby Allan here! I was going to share a recipe I thought Whitney Dagner from the Whit and Whiskers Mysteries might make but Whit's best friend, Maribel, decided to take over and so here we are. I hope you enjoy the dish. And if you don't, I'd like you to remember this was not my doing...

Super Easy Cheesy Burritos

Love, Maribel

 

So when Whit and I became BFFs I had to show her around the kitchen a little. I’m sure Goldy set a great table, but Whit wasn’t schooled on the basics of certain types of food, so I took it upon myself to help her out. And we ended up with a little thing I like to call the Super Easy Cheesy Burrito. The girl loved her takeout but I grew up with lots of time cooking with my mom and wanted to continue that tradition with my best friend. But this was Whit, which meant we started out with basics that were easy but also delish!

 

Ingredients:

 

Here’s the thing with this recipe––it can truly be whatever you want and however you want it. I’m going to set it up the way I like it, but if you want to add a dash of something here or there, only like vegetarian options, or need to go the gluten free route, there is no wrong way to make this dish. Do all the things in all the ways!

 

I use:

Large tortillas

Refried Beans

Shredded Cheese

Taco Meat

Vegetable Oil

 

 

How to make the magic happen:

 

Cook the meat you like––this can include chicken, carne asada, ground beef, pork, even tofu if that’s your jam

 

Get your hands on some refried beans. For the quick option a can from your local grocery store is not cheating as making them from scratch can be time consuming

 

After heating the beans I like to mix in the cheese by the handful––please see above for the name of these thing and act accordingly.

 

 

 

When you have your beans and cheese and meat ready, you’re going to lay out your tortilla and start building. I scoop some of the beans onto the tortilla first, then add some taco meat and more cheese. Some like to also put veggies or guacamole or sour cream in the burrito too. Your call, but remember we have to fold this baby up to get it to the pan, so don’t fill it up too far. You can always add more stuff on top once it’s done.

 

Now this part is not always easy, but once you get the hang of it there’ll be no stopping you. Take the sides of the tortilla, fold them and press gentle while drawing your fingers out to spread your goodies a little flatter. Turn the plate and start rolling it kind of like a wrap. It’s ideal to have all the stuff inside without anything squeezed out since we’re about to fry these babies just a little.

 

 

 

 

In a flat pan, cover the bottom with oil and slide the burrito in. The first turn can take a bit as the oil is heating. Use a spatula to lift the burrito to check for the level of crisp you like. When it hits the threshold, flip that baby over and give the other side a little sizzle.

 

 

 

When I remove the burritos from the pan, I often put them on a plate covered in a paper towel just to soak up some of the leftover oil.

 

 

 

And then get busy with your toppings. The sky’s the limit on what you can use as long as it looks yummy and is making your mouth water.

 

 

 

And we’re done! Go enjoy that burrito and know that Whit is probably trying really hard to roll it without any beans peeking out of the folds…

 

Are there any super quick dishes that you love that look like a massive undertaking but are actually super easy?

 

GIVEAWAY!! 

 

GIVEAWAY!  Please leave a comment with your email to be entered to win Something Fishy This Way Comes!  US only, please.

 

 

Take in the wild beauty of Santa Catalina Island with tour guide and eclectic gift shop owner Whitney Dagner. On the itinerary: dramatic Pacific coastlines, diverse marine life, and murder!

Since returning home from mainland California and finding her groove with the family tourism business, Whitney Dagner’s daily routine has become a wonderfully chaotic adventure. She and her nimble kitty, Whiskers, often find themselves at the center of the action on Catalina, from staged treasure hunts to gossipy birdwatchers. But before Whit can get too comfortable in the place where she grew up, a gift shop order leads to a stunning discovery—someone’s dead body . . .
 
One of Whit’s best boat tour client’s, Leo Franklin was young and newly engaged when he unceremoniously took his own life. Only it doesn’t seem like that’s what really happened—not after the suspicious activity displayed by his family’s old rivals at the scene of his death. As a bitter, generations-long feud between Leo’s kin and the local Ahern clan comes to a head, Whit and her police diver not-so-ex-boyfriend must lead a dangerous investigation into years of scandal and bad blood to figure out who’s innocent . . .  and who’s covering a killer’s tracks.
 

 

 

Bio: After writing plays for her friends to act out as a kid, bad poetry in high school, and her high school Alma Mater song, Gabby Allan finally found her true passion—cozy mysteries. Being able to share her world with readers, one laugh at a time, and touch people’s hearts with her down-to-earth characters makes for the best job ever. This California girl now lives with her husband in Central Pennsylvania where she is hard at work on her next novel.

 

 

www.gabbyallan.com

Instagram @gabbyallanspeaks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MistySimonAuthor

 

Gabby Allan – a little charm, a little mayhem, a lot of fun

 

Kensington link with all retailers - https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9781496731074/something-fishy-this-way-comes/

 

Oreo Popsicles #Recipe @PegCochran

Summertime is the time for cold treats like ice cream and popsicles.  My granddaughter told me about these Oreo popsicles--I think she might have seen them on Tik Tok--so we decided to try making them.  You'll need individual packages of Oreo cookies--all we could find was a six pack but I think it would work better with a smaller two or four pack because these were HUGE. The individual packages are often sold by the candy at the cashier's desk.  We used low fat milk but I imagine whole milk or even cream would be divine! We also couldn't find real popsicle sticks and had to settle for this thinner version.  They were still fun for us to make together and if there's a little one in your life, I think they would enjoy it, too. Obviously these would work with any variety of Oreo or you could substitute a different cookie altogether. 

Ingredients:

Individual packs of Oreo cookies
Milk
Popsicle sticks

Without opening the package, use a mallet, rolling pin or other heavy object to crush the Oreos so they are in small pieces.

 Snip the top off the package and stand in a glass or other container that will hold the package upright.

Carefully pour milk into the package until it is nearly full.  

 

Add popsicle sticks and freeze until solid.  Enjoy on a hot day!

 

OUT NOW!

Book #3 in the Open Book Series

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Barnes & Noble

A murder in her quaint British bookshop drops American Gothic novelist Penelope Parish into her deadliest caper yet.

Penelope Parish is ready to close the book on her amateur sleuthing—from now on, The Open Book’s writer-in-residence will be sticking to villains of the fictional variety while she puts the final touches on her new novel. But when an author is murdered inside the bookshop, all of Upper Chumley-on-Stoke goes on high alert.
 
Now it’s up to Pen and the quirky citizens of Chumley to stop a killer and protect the charming British town she’s begun to call home.

 

 

 Book #1

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

    Book #2

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Treacle Bread from Guest Author Connie Berry, plus #Giveaway!

 

Molly MacRae here, delighted to welcome Connie Berry to Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen. Connie writes the brilliant Kate Hamilton Mysteries set in the U.K. After reading Connie’s books, I long to hop a plane to Britain. After reading this recipe, I immediately wanted to hop to the kitchen. After you read and drool over the recipe, be sure to answer Connie’s trivia question for a chance to win a signed copy of her latest Kate Hamilton Mystery—The Shadow of Memory. Here’s Connie:

 

While in the village of Long Barston in Suffolk, American antiques dealer Kate Hamilton has the great fortune to board with Vivian Bunn, the elderly, opinionated, and endearing seventy-something who lives in Rose Cottage on the Finchley Hall estate. Besides Kate’s cozy room under the thatch, she enjoys Vivian’s lavish and legendary cooking and baking. Treacle bread is one of Vivian’s specialties.

 What is treacle, you ask? If you Google it, you’ll find that both treacle and molasses are the byproducts of refining sugar. The thickest version in the UK is known as “black treacle,” which has a characteristic sweet bitterness and a slightly burnt flavor. A similar product in the States is known as unsulphured or blackstrap molasses, which is thicker, darker, and a little sweeter than the British equivalent. Interestingly, up to the seventeenth century, treacle was used medicinally as an antidote to poison and snakebite. Now both versions are used primarily in cooking and baking.

 Here's Vivian Bunn’s recipe:

Vivian Bunn’s Treacle Bread

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter brought to room temperature

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans

2 cups coarse wholemeal flour (or whole wheat if you must, but the texture will be different)

1/2 cup black treacle (if you can find it) or unsulphured molasses

3/4 cup European-style hard cider (or a malty beer)

3 packages active dry yeast

4 teaspoons kosher salt

 

Method:

1. Butter two 8” x 4” loaf pans and dust lightly with all-purpose flour. 

2. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup water, the cider or beer, and the treacle or molasses. Bring to about 80⸰ F (warm room temperature). Sprinkle all the yeast on top and stir gently. Let stand about 5 minutes until bubbly. 

3. Combine both flours and salt in a large bowl. Add the liquid yeast mixture and beat until well    combined (5 minutes or so). You may use a paddle blender, but Vivian prefers a sturdy wooden spoon. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until doubled, about 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours. 

4. The dough should be coarse and sticky. Tip dough onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly flour hands and divide dough in two equal parts. Roll up each half into a log and place in the prepared loaf pans. 

5. Cover with plastic and let stand in a warm spot until doubled again, about an hour. Halfway through, place a baking sheet in oven and preheat to 350⸰ F. 

6. Place two pans  in oven and bake for 30 minutes. 

7. Remove loaves from pans and transfer to hot baking sheet. Bake another 30 minutes. 

8. Loaves are done when an instant thermometer registers about 185⸰. 

9. Cool on wire racks. 

10. Serve with unsalted butter.

 

Bread is a staple food all over the world. Here’s a trivia question:

Which country used bread as a currency in ancient times—China, Egypt, or Italy?

If you know the correct answer, comment below for a chance to win a signed copy of The Shadow of Memory. I'll choose a winner, at random, on Sunday 7/31. 

And head over to my website to sign up for my monthly newsletter. Right now I’m giving away vintage cocktail recipes! Website: www.connieberry.com

You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter. 

Facebook: www.facebook/connieberryauthor               

Twitter: @conniecberry

 

 

CHILI LIME CHICKEN TACOS #Recipes @vmburns

 VMBURNS: It's summer and as Mama B from my RJ Franklin Mystery series would say, "it's hotter than east hell." I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing West Hell must have a bit of a breeze. Regardless, when it's hot, I don't like to cook. I long for an outdoor grill (it's on my wish list), so maybe one day. In the meantime, I am thankful for my gas stove, which I use to grill vegetables. I found a recipe for Chili Lime Chicken Tacos at Carlsbad Kitchens a few years ago and its become one of my favorite summer meals. I also like their grilled pineapple salsa. Maybe I'll include the recipe for that in a future post. For now, I hope you'll try these chicken tacos. They are yummy.

CHILI LIME CHICKEN TACOS

INGREDIENTS

• Chili Lime Chicken Rub

• • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder 
  • 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili pepper 
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • fresh-squeezed lime juice from 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)

Tacos 

• • 1 lb chicken breast
  • 4 flour tortillas 
  • 1/2 cup cheese
  
  
• 
  
• INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix the ingredients for the chicken rub together and rub evenly over the chicken breasts. Allow chicken to marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate for up to 8 hours, and then bring to room temperature before cooking.
2. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until nicely browned. Flip the chicken over and cook for approximately 5-7 more minutes until cooked through. If you have a grill, then by all means, grill the chicken.

   

   
   
3. Grill your tortillas until they start to char (about 1-2 minutes). OPTIONAL

   

   
   
4. Melt the cheese or, assemble your tacos and allow the heat from the chicken to melt it.

   

   
   

READERS: Do you have a favorite summer recipe? Let me know in the comments for a chance to win a $10 gift card for Bookshop.org.

V. M. Burns is the author of the RJ Franklin Mystery series which includes soul food recipes. 

A house fire is extinguished to reveal the body of a choir director. The smell of gasoline points to murder. Thomas Warrendale was employed by First Baptist Church, where Detective RJ Franklin Jr. is a parishioner. Recovering from a car accident, RJ is on leave from the police force in St. Joseph, Indiana, when this puzzling case calls him back. His insider's knowledge makes him the obvious choice to lead the investigation. The congregation doubled after Warrendale revamped the music to appeal to a more youthful crowd. RJ's godmother, Mama B, gives the detective an earful about the choir director's non-musical activities. Warrendale was also an accountant and a "fancy pants" seducer. His clients believe the man was stealing from them. Warrendale turns out to be an alias; his real name was Tyrone Warren, once a highly paid CPA in Cleveland. Was Warren in hiding? From his stone-faced wife? A disgruntled client? Now someone is breaking in to the dead choir director's office and the homes of his former clients. Believing the vandal to be the killer, RJ is particularly concerned about the safety of one client, the striking owner of two hair salons. Book 1 in the RJ Franklin Mystery series. Soul food recipes included.

Buy Link

Valerie (V. M.) Burns

Valerie (V. M.) Burns is the author of the Mystery Bookshop Mystery series. Her first book, The Plot is Murder, was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best Debut Novel. She is the author of the Dog Club Mystery Series, the RJ Franklin Mysteries, a three-time finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and an Edgar Award nominated short story. Valerie’s newest series, Baker Street Mysteries, will release later this year. And her Pet Detective Mystery series will release in 2023. Valerie is on the board of Sisters in Crime and the Southeastern chapter of Mystery Writers of America. She is also a member of Dog Writers of America, Crime Writers of Color, and International Thriller Writers. She is a manager for a fortune 100 company and a mentor in the Writing Popular Fiction Program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA. Born and raised in northwestern Indiana, Valerie currently lives in the Southeastern United States with her two poodles. Readers can visit her website at vmburns.com. 

Easy Ramen Salad by @LeslieKarst

 
One dish I like to prepare for potlucks is a ramen salad my mom used to make, as it’s inexpensive, easy-to-prepare, colorful, and quite tasty.

Ramen soup noodles come in packages of six, so for this large gathering, I purchased two of those (i.e., 12 noodle packets). I buy the “oriental” flavor—which is vegetarian—so everyone can indulge.

For the vegetables, I had a few red bell peppers left from my last harvest of the year, and supplemented these with a head of napa cabbage and two bunches of green onions. But feel free to use other veg too, such as sliced raw mushrooms, bean sprouts, julienne-cut zucchini, etc.

 

Easy Ramen Salad

(serves a large party or potluck)

 

Ingredients

12 packets dried ramen

6 red bell peppers

1 head Napa cabbage

2 bunches green onions 

any other veg that strike your fancy!

12 ramen flavor packets

¼ cup soy sauce 

¼ cup white vinegar 

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ginger powder

 ¾ cup sugar

 ¼ cup toasted sesame oil

1 cup neutral oil (such as canola or peanut) 

black sesame seeds (for garnish)

chopped cilantro (optional, for garnish)

  

 

 

Directions

 

Thinly slice the peppers, and chop up the onions and cabbage:

 


Next, open up all the ramen packets, take out the “flavor envelopes,” and break the noodles in half (for easier eating).

 


Drop the noodles into boiling water, and cook them for about five minutes—until tender, but not yet mushy.


The noodles can be cooked at any stage of the salad process, as once they’re done, you’ll drain, and then rinse them in cold water (to remove the excess starch, so they don’t stick together). Once rinsed, drain them again and put them back in the pot you cooked them in.
 

Rip open the flavor packets and pour the powder into a medium-size mixing bowl. To this, add the soy sauce, vinegar, garlic powder, ginger powder, and sugar.


Mix this all together well, and then taste it, and add more of anything that you think is required. Then add the sesame oil and whisk this in. Finally, whisk in (adding it gradually) the canola or peanut oil. Finish the dressing by adding 1 or 2 tablespoons of cold water, and whisking this in well.

Pour this dressing over the cold, drained noodles in the pot, and mix it all together.

 


Now it’s time to add the vegetables. I recommend using your hands, because you want to pull the noodles apart as you mix it all up; they tend to clump together, and you want to have the veg well-integrated into the salad. First I added the bell peppers and green onions.

 


Then the napa cabbage:

 


Once it’s all combined, dump the salad into your serving bowl, sprinkle on black sesame seeds, and garnish it with a few sprigs of cilantro:

 


The salad can be made a day ahead, and kept covered and chilled until service. 

 

🍃  🍲  🌱

The daughter of a law professor and a potter, Leslie Karst learned early, during family dinner conversations, the value of both careful analysis and the arts—ideal ingredients for a mystery story. Putting this early education to good use, she now writes the Lefty Award-nominated Sally Solari Mysteries, a culinary series set in Santa Cruz, California.

An ex-lawyer like her sleuth, Leslie also has degrees in English literature and the culinary arts. She and her wife and their Jack Russell mix split their time between Santa Cruz and Hilo, Hawai‘i.

Leslie’s website
Leslie also blogs with Chicks on the Case
Leslie on Facebook
Leslie on Twitter
Leslie on Instagram

 

THE FRAGRANCE OF DEATH, coming Aug. 2, 2022, 

is now available for pre-order!

 

 

Praise for Leslie's most newest Sally Solari mystery, THE FRAGRANCE OF DEATH:

 

“A pager turner for me from the very first chapter, THE FRAGRANCE OF DEATH had everything I’m looking for in a mystery and more.”

Lisa K's Book Reviews



"[An] enjoyable fifth outing for Santa Cruz, Calif., chef Sally Solari.... This well-done culinary cozy should win new fans for the ever enterprising Sally."

Publishers Weekly

All five Sally Solari Mysteries are available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.

 

 

Dying for a Taste, A Measure of Murder, and Murder from Scratch are also available as AUDIOBOOKS from Audible!