Thursday, July 9, 2026

Grilled Pork Chops #recipe @vmburns

VMBURNS: It's hot outside, so I have fired up the grill. This time, I grilled pork chops. They were delicious. IN fact, I've made them twice more since the first time. You'll notice that I only made 2 pork chops, not 4. I also like the sweet grilled taste and used a tad more than the 1/4 cup brown sugar listed in the ingredient list. Sadly, the brown sugar doesn't appear in the ingredient picture, but trust me. It's there. If you don't like the sweetness, then you can reduce the brown sugar. I also LOVE using grill mats, They allow your grill to stay clean, but you still get the lovely grill marks on your food. I didn't have grill mats, so I sprayed my grill with Pam. NOTE: Do that before you fire the grill up to avoid flames. Don't ask how I know this.

GRILLED PORK CHOPS

INGREDIENTS

4 Pork chops, bone in
1/4 Cup Brown sugar
2 Tablespoons Smoked Paprika
1 1/2 Teaspoon Kosher salt
2 Teaspoons Ground Black pepper
2 Teaspoons Ground Mustard
1 Teaspoon Onion powder
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

INSTRUCTIONS

Let pork shops get to room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling.
Preheat your grill with cover closed to approximately 400 degrees or Medium-high heat for ten minutes.
Pat pork chops dry with paper towel and coat with vegetable oil
Mix all of the dry ingredients in a Zip loc bag. Place the pork chops in the bag and coat with the dry rub.
Place the pork chops on the hot grill. Leave undisturbed for 6 minutes, until they release from the grates with minimal effort. Rotate a quarter turn and continue grilling for 2-3 more minutes to create the cross hatch marks.
Flip the pork chops and sear the second side for 2-3 minutes.
Check the internal temperature of the pork chops with a thermometer. When the temperature reaches 140 degrees, remove from the grill.
Let the pork chops rest for five minutes before serving.

READERS: When it comes to barbecue, do you like sweet heat? Fiery heat? Or No heat? Let me know in the comments below.

MURDER AT FIRST SLICE (ARC)

As Maddy’s wedding day approaches, friends and family descend on the little town of New Bison, Michigan, to celebrate—so much so that Maddy wonders if there might be another happily-ever-after in store for her widowed father and innkeeper Mrs. Law. Unfortunately, she also has to deal with an unhappy couple: feuding cousins Hannah and Dorothy, who haven’t spoken in decades. Maddy can only hope the spectacular wedding cake crafted by her head baker doesn’t wind up as ammunition in a food fight.

But she doesn’t have to wait long for a wedding disaster to strike. When the imperious Dorothy crashes the rehearsal dinner—with several uninvited guests in tow—and starts battering everyone with constant complaints, the drama reaches reality-show levels. And the next day, Dorothy is dead . . . with Hannah standing over the body, bloody rolling pin in hand.

Nobody in town believes Miss Hannah could commit murder. But a detective newly relocated from New York doesn’t know the sweet, memory-challenged Hannah the way the locals do—and the evidence seems open-and-shut as an oven. Now, with her sous-sleuths the Baker Street Irregulars, the bride-to-be is busy digging into Dorothy’s past to catch a killer before she cuts the cake . . .

BUY LINK

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Sautéed Green Beans with Miso and Dijon Mustard #recipe by @LeslieKarst

This simple recipe is inspired by one I saw in the New York Times a few weeks back but, as I generally do, I tweaked it some to make it my own (and to accommodate for what I happened to have in the kitchen at the time). And I must say, it came out quite tasty, indeed—the tang of the mustard and lemon go nicely with the salty umami of the miso.

I used red miso, but any variety should work fine for this dish.

Sautéed Green Beans with Miso and Dijon Mustard

(serves 4)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon miso

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 lb. green beans, cut into bite-size pieces

salt and black pepper, to taste (not pictured)

sesame seeds, for garnish (not pictured)

Directions

Combine the miso, mustard, and lemon juice in a small bowl.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and sauté until just starting to brown.

Add the green beans and continue to sauté until the beans are almost done. (You can add a bit of water to the pan to hasten the cooking, if you like.)

Pour in the miso mixture and stir until the vegetables are all covered with it. Continue to cook until the beans are done to your liking (I like mine still somewhat crisp).

Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Note that you may not need any salt, as the miso is quite salty!) Serve topped with the sesame seeds.

🌱 🍋 🌿

Just Released!

Orchid Isle Mystery #3

MURDER, LOCAL STYLE

Available for purchase here.

"The beauties and customs of Hawai‘i provide a striking backdrop for a murder with an unexpected motive."

Kirkus Reviews

🍍 🌴 🍹

Out now in paperback!

Orchid Isle Mystery #2

WATERS OF DESTRUCTION

Buy link here.

2026 Lefty and Agatha Award Finalist

for Best Mystery/Contemporary Mystery!

"Immerse yourself in Hawaiian lore and savor the portrayal of the stunning landscapes
while enjoying the entertaining mystery."

Kirkus Reviews

Also available

in paperback!

MOLTEN DEATH

Orchid Isle Mystery #1

Buy link here

2025 Lefty Award Finalist

for Best Mystery!

“Karst’s first Orchid Isle novel is part murder mystery, part vividly evocative, colorful sketch of Hawaii and its history, geography, tradition, culture, food, language, and people. Armchair travelers and mystery aficionados alike will find it entertaining.”

Booklist

This first book in my brand-new Orchid Isle mystery series features retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen who, on a trip to the Big Island of Hawai‘i, swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions when a hike to an active lava flow turns deadly.

Praise for MOLTEN DEATH:

“a compelling read that will enlighten, engage, and entertain, leaving readers longing for their next trip to the Orchid Isle.”

--New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay

“a terrific debut to a series that will go on my must read list!”

--USA Today bestselling author Deborah Crombie

A SENSE FOR MURDER

2024 Lefty Award Finalist

for Best Humorous Mystery!

This newest Sally Solari mystery

is available for purchase here !

Praise for A SENSE FOR MURDER:

“[Sally is] sassy, irresistible company... Culinary cozy fans will be in heaven.”

--Publishers Weekly

“An enjoyable read for mystery mavens and foodies alike.”

--Kirkus Reviews

Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops,

the Law, and Cooking for RBG

is the 2024 Silver Medal Winner for both the

IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award

and the IPPY Award!

Buy link here

Praise for Justice is Served:

"a suspenseful, exhilarating memoir; Karst relays her determination to serve the 'perfect' meal to RBG alongside an uplifting, enlightening portrayal of one of the most admired justices in the history of the Supreme Court."

-Foreword Reviews (starred review)

"[This] book is a romp from cover to cover—and, just like a great meal, left me ready for more."

-Karen Shimizu, executive editor, Food & Wine-

All of the Sally Solari Mysteries (as well as my other books) are available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.

Tuesday, July 7, 2026

Green Bean Salad with Feta, Almonds, and Herbed Vinaigrette from Leslie Budewitz

LESLIE BUDEWITZ: The New York Times food writer Sam Sifton says Wednesdays should be no-recipe cooking days, when you get an idea and riff on it, getting creative with what you’re craving or have on hand. I love that approach, though I don’t limit it to Wednesdays!

And sometimes, I have no recipe because my starting point is a photo and description in the NY Times daily food newsletter, which is free to nonsubscribers, but doesn’t include access to the recipes themselves. So I punt. At least one family fave came about that way, our Crispy Gnocchi with Burst Tomatoes and Mozzarella.

This green bean salad had similar origins. The original called for fresh dill, but my plant is new and I didn’t want to sacrifice all those lovely fronds for one dish. My tarragon, on the other hand, was just screaming to be trimmed and enjoyed. I made my Tarragon Vinaigrette, which I’ve shared here in the past but you could just as easily use fresh dill and a standard vinaigrette of your choice.

Another note: I used frozen green beans because that’s what I had, but I think fresh would be even better. My amounts are approximate. If you’re concerned about turning on the oven because of hot weather, a toaster oven is a good alternative. But toasting doesn’t take long. You could also add cooked seasoned shrimp, or even golden raisins.

That’s the thing about a no-recipe recipe: It can be anything your little mouth desires.

Enjoy!

PS: I finally figured out how to embed a PDF of the recipe for easy printing.

Scroll down to the 💕 for the link.

Green Bean Salad with Feta, Almonds, and Herbed Vinaigrette

1/4 sliced or slivered almonds, toasted

1 pound green beans, fresh or frozen

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

½ cup crumbled feta

1/4 cup fresh herbs, such as dill or tarragon

1/4 cup vinaigrette, or more to taste

OR in place of the herbs and vinaigrette, 1/4 cup Tarragon Vinaigrette, or more to taste.

Heat oven to 300 and toast almonds, about 10 minutes. Remember that nuts will continue to cook and brown after they are removed from the oven.

Cook the green beans until tender-crisp. Drain and rinse to cool and stop the cooking. Slice the red onion and combine with the green beans. Add the almonds, feta, and vinaigrette.

So, I forgot to take pics as I made the dressing and assembled the salad, but figured I'd use shots from the original vinaigrette recipe. Turns out I forgot to take a picture then, too! I rarely do that, and twice? Must be something about tarragon . . .

Toss to coat and serve.

Serves 4 as a side salad.

What herbs are you loving right now? As you can see from my photo above, herbs are perfect for pots for a deck garden, whether you've got a plot of land or not!

💕 Click here for a free printable PDF!

At Seattle Spice Shop, owner Pepper Reece has whipped up the perfect blend of food, friends, and flavor. But the sweet smell of success can be hazardous . . .

Spring is in full bloom in Pike Place Market, where Pepper is celebrating lavender’s culinary uses and planning a festival she hopes will become an annual event. When her friend Lavender Liz offers to share tips for promoting the much-loved—and occasionally maligned—herb, Pepper makes a trek to the charming town of Salmon Falls. But someone has badly damaged Liz’s greenhouse, throwing a wrench in the feisty grower’s plans for expansion. Suspicions quickly focus on an employee who’s taken to the hills.

Then Liz is found dead among her precious plants, stabbed by a pruning knife. In Salmon Falls, there’s one in every pocket.

Pepper digs in, untangling the tensions between Liz and a local restaurateur with eyes on a picturesque but neglected farm, a jealous ex-boyfriend determined to profit from Liz’s success, and a local growers’ cooperative. She’s also hot on the scent of a trail of her own, sniffing out the history of her sweet dog, Arf.

As Pepper’s questions threaten to unearth secrets others desperately want to keep buried, danger creeps closer to her and those she loves. Can Pepper root out the killer, before someone nips her in the bud?

Available at Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books-A-Million * Bookshop.org * and your local booksellers!

ALL GOD'S SPARROWS AND OTHER STORIES: A STAGECOACH MARY FIELDS COLLECTION, now available in in paperback and ebook

Take a step back in time with All God's Sparrows and Other Stories: A Stagecoach Mary Fields Collection of historical short mysteries, featuring the Agatha-Award winning "All God's Sparrows" and other stories imagining the life of real-life historical figure Mary Fields, born into slavery in 1832, during the last thirty years of her life, in Montana. Out September 17, 2024 from Beyond the Page Publishing.

“Finely researched and richly detailed, All God’s Sparrows and Other Stories is a wonderful collection. I loved learning about this fascinating woman . . . and what a character she is! Kudos to Leslie Budewitz for bringing her to life so vividly.” —Kathleen Grissom, New York Times bestselling author of Crow Mary

Available at Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books-A-Million * Bookshop.org * and your local booksellers!

Leslie Budewitz is the author of the Spice Shop Mysteries set in Seattle's Pike Place Market, and the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, set in NW Montana. As Alicia Beckman, she writes moody, standalone suspense, most recently Blind Faith. She is the winner of Agatha Awards in three categories: Best Nonfiction (2011), Best First Novel (2013), and Best Short Story (2018). Her latest books are To Err is Cumin, the 8th Spice Shop Mystery and All God's Sparrows and Other Stories: A Stagecoach Mary Fields Collection, in September 2024. Watch for Lavender Lies Bleeding, the 9th Spice Shop Mystery, on July 15, 2025.

A past president of Sisters in Crime and former national board member of Mystery Writers of America, Leslie lives in northwest Montana with her husband, a musician and doctor of natural medicine.

Swing by Leslie's website and join the mailing list for her seasonal newsletter. And join her on Facebook where she shares book news and giveaways from her writer friends, and talks about food, mysteries, and the things that inspire her.

Release Day News! New Paperback Edition of The Mango Murders by Lucy Burdette

Congratulations to our own... Lucy Burdette!

On the release of the

*New Paperback Edition*

of her Key West Food Critic Mystery

THE MANGO MURDERS

Now in Paperback!

Praise for The Mango Murders:
“A colorful background and fun for foodies enliven a tale of jealousy and revenge.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Readers will fall in love with everything about this series.”
—Cozy Mystery Book Reviews

“Another gem of a cozy mystery . . . For readers with an interest in deftly crafted ‘whodunnit’s starring an amateur female sleuth.”
—Midwest Book Review

“A marvelous mystery.”
—Escape with Dollycas

“Another good one . . . Fans of the series will enjoy.”
—Red Carpet Crash

“If you’re looking for something light and gossipy, full of food and sunshine and friendship—and there are times when we all need that—this is a perfect book for you.”
—Ann Cleeves, New York Times bestselling author

Sunday, July 5, 2026

Around the Kitchen Table: Celebrating the USA's 250th Birthday + 10-BOOK #GIVEAWAY!

LESLIE KARST: Yesterday the United States celebrated our 250th anniversary of independence from Great Britain, and I'm sure many of us in this country observed that occasion with parades, fireworks, picnics, and gatherings of family and friends. And I'm also guessing that many of us will continue to celebrate throughout the month of July. For notwithstanding our faults (and yes, there have been plenty over the years), the two-hundred and fifty-year American experiment of democracy has proved to be amazingly successful.

hurray for the red, white, and blue!

So today in the Kitchen we're celebrating foods we associate with the Fourth of July, and with picnics and family gatherings in general. For me, that has to be hot dogs. I don't eat them very often (though I can't resist whenever I go to a baseball game), but really, few things beat a freshly-grilled hot dog with mustard and pickles on a hot summers day, right? (Here's a simple recipe for icebox pickles for those dogs.)

And to go with those hot dogs? It's gotta be potato salad! Here's my current favorite variety of potato salad, inspired by a Japanese recipe.

Now it's your turn, Kitchen-mates:

What dishes bring to mind Independence Day for you? Or picnics, or simply summer in general?

🍦 🎆 🍔

MADDIE DAY: Happy 250th to us! Some New Englanders like to have salmon and fresh peas on Independence Day, and these mini salmon cakes are a perfect appetizer to bring to a party or a picnic.

But on the 4th, my thoughts go more to a perfectly grilled hamburger. A cool Asian noodle salad full of crunchy veggies would be a great side. It doesn't use mayonnaise so it won't spoil in the sun.

We'll need dessert, though. Why not whip up an American flag cheesecake like I did here five years ago?

May our democracy, and its values of justice and liberty for all, survive and endure far into the future.

Note: My book in the giveaway, Agatha-nominated Called to Justice, is the second Quaker Midwife Mystery (written as Edith Maxwell), and it opens during the Independence Day festivities in Amesbury, Massachusetts in 1888.

🍓 🎂 🍓

LUCY BURDETTE: It feels like such a strange and fraught time in our country, but I think it's important to celebrate this anniversary and our hopes for the future. My best suggestion would be the strawberry roll-up cake recipe I posted here two days ago. It's red and white, and with blueberries added, could easily be blue as well! Also, happy anniversary to our Canadian friends!

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PEG COCHRAN/MARGARET LOUDON: Yes, even though things aren't perfect right now, there's no reason not to celebrate our previous 250 years! The 4th of July menu usually involves the grill and is often hot dogs and hamburgers with sides like potato salad, Cole slaw and chips. Or maybe for something special, barbecued ribs.

But what to have for dessert? My mind usually goes to something with fresh berries--blueberries, strawberries, etc.

And what better to celebrate our nation's birthday with than a strawberry pie!

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KIM DAVIS: Growing up our entire extended family would gather on the Fourth of July, close to 30 people. It wasn't to celebrate the holiday but to celebrate the birthdays of my grandmother, my mother, and two aunts. (1 born on July 3, 2 born on July 4, and one born on July 5!) It was always potluck style instead of grilled hotdogs and hamburgers, and there was always cake and homemade ice cream... you know the kind that required a lot of ice, salt, and elbow grease to turn the crank! There were also huge wedges of chilled watermelon and my cousins and I had our fair share of watermelon seed spitting contests, held out of sight of the grownups.

Now as an adult, when my immediate family has a get together, Cherry Dream Pie is always the requested dessert. The recipe was passed down from my sister-in-law ages ago and while there isn't any "blue" associated with it, you could always mix blueberries into the filling or dot the top with fresh blueberries for a more traditional red, white, and blue holiday dessert.

🍉 🎂 🍧

LESLIE BUDEWITZ: One of the things I love most about this big, crazy country of ours is the richness of its people and culture, and how we love to celebrate. And celebration means food, because in every culture, in every language, we show our love by feeding people.

When I was a kid, we usually spent the 4th of July along a Montana river – my dad was a fly fisherman before it was cool – and that meant a picnic: hot dogs on the campground grill, my mother’s potato salad, watermelon, and S’mores. (I’ve always found marshmallows too sweet, but one a year beside a campfire is perfect. And I was a certified campfire building champion at Girl Scout Camp!)

These days, Mr. Right and I celebrate by going to the Village parade – it’s short, since there’s just the one street. (Oddly, I've never written about the Village 4th, but do celebrate Montana summers in Crime Rib and Treble at the Jam Fest, two of my Food Lovers' Village mysteries.) Then we relax on our deck with “fun foods,” never the same combo twice, but always including a variety of dips and spreads. This year, we savored our Lavender Goat Cheese and Watermelon Burrata Salad. Traditional? Maybe not, but served with love and joy, fully in keeping with the spirit of what the founders called “the Great American Experiment.”

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VMBURNS: My dad didn't pull out the grill often, but when he did, it was usually for the 4th of July. Hamburgers on the grill, barbecue ribs, grilled corn on the cob, and watermelon are the foods that remind me of past Independence Day celebrations.

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DARCI HANNAH here, and I'd like to say a big, happy 250 birthday to the United States of America! Huzza! I love this big, crazy country of ours and never fail to feel privileged to live here. Every one of our united states is special, unique, and amazingly beautiful. I still have a few to visit, but I'm getting there! I also love our people, our rich culture, and our amazing bounty of food that we produce here. As a kid, our 4th of July celebrations were big, loud, and beautiful gatherings of family and friends to honor the founding of our country. While everyone brought a dish to pass, our family would supply all the burgers, brats, hotdogs, drinks, and the all important cherry pie!

Our cherry pie tradition still holds strong to this day. It just wouldn't be a proper 4th of July without one. It's around the 4th of July when the cherries ripen on the trees. Their bold red color is reminiscent of the strips on our flag. And didn't George Washington chop down his father's cherry tree? Actually, that myth has been debunked, but we still associate the father of our country with the humble cherry! Oh, and they're absolutely delicious!

To mix things up I sometimes make individual cherry pies if we have a smaller celebration. Sometimes my dog, Ripley, likes to watch me bake. She's waiting for me to spill some delicious cherry filling! Oh, and you must top each slice (or individual pie) with vanilla ice cream! That's tradition too! Whatever your Independence Day tradition is, embrace it and celebrate!

Wishing you all a very happy and delicious 4th of July!

If you would like a copy of my

delicious cherry pie recipe, click here!

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ANG POMPANO: As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American experiment, I look to the future with confidence that we can come together and carry our nation forward for another 250 years and beyond. And what better place to begin than around the kitchen table?

I've always believed that those of us who love food and cooking are doing more than simply preparing meals. We're sharing traditions, creating memories, and building bridges, one plate at a time.

For our Fourth of July celebration yesterday, I brought a simple but delicious green bean and potato salad. It may not change the world, but it's a small reminder that some of life's most meaningful connections begin when we gather around the table and share a meal.

I'll be sharing the easy recipe in my next blog post, and I hope you'll give it a try at your own table.

After all, every shared meal is a chance to celebrate what brings us together.

Happy Birthday, USA!

🍉🍧 🍋

MOLLY MACRAE: Our country has weathered a lot over 250 years, hasn’t it? That’s what makes me optimistic that we’ll keep going. For me, Independence Day is a great day to remember that all our families came from somewhere else at some point in the past. That when we welcome each other, and lift each other, we’re all stronger. Of course, the 4th is also about parades, fireworks, and picnics!

When I was a kid, we’d invite friends from around the corner over and have a picnic in the backyard. Dad grilled hot dogs or hamburgers over his homemade brick barbecue. We had corn on the cob, deviled eggs, potato salad, potato chips, and watermelon for dessert. That’s pretty much been the standard ever since, too, and I have no pictures to show 72 years of 4th of July picnics. Not even the deviled eggs and I LOVE deviled eggs. Not to worry, if you search the Mystery Lovers' Kitchen recipe archive, you'll find plenty of recipes for them. And I do have a picture of delicious rosemary watermelon lemonade. Happy 4th of July!

🎆🍧🎆

CLEO COYLE: Every July 4th, my mother would make an American flag cake. It's a great American Independence Day cookout tradition, along with the great American melting pot. My Italian-American family stirred themsevles into that pot decades ago, coming to Western Pennsylvania to work in the steel mills, farm the land, and serve the community in shops, restaurants, and churches. Every July 4th, along with burgers, hot dogs, and corn on the cob, I also feasted on pasta salad, Italian cookies, and my mom's Flag Cake, made once a year to eat before we kids lit sparklers and ran around the yard like crazy, trailing beautiful light through the summer night.

Mom's cake was a yellow sheet with white icing, decorated with red stripes and a blue star field. In tribute to her cake (and so many other great American flag cakes), I created my own version: a red, white, and blue FIREWORKS CAKE. It's actually pretty simple to make, and my recipe post takes you step-by-step through the klutz-proof design, easy enough for non-bakers and grandkids to join in the kitchen fun.

I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend. As my family would say on this holiday with much gratitude: God Bless America. Happy 250th Independence Day, USA!

Click here to see Cleo's recipe post:
"How to Bake a Fireworks Cake +
3 Tips on Frosting Any Cake"

Readers, how about you?

What dishes do you like to eat on the Fourth of July, or for picnics or summer in general? Let us know in the comments. And if you're willing to share, include the recipe, too. Comment below to be entered in this month's giveaway!

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