One-Pot Fish Dish @MaddieDayAuthor #giveaway

MADDIE DAY here. I'm thrilled that A Poisonous Pour releases in just 18 days. Protagonist and wine bar owner Cece Barton is a pescatarian - a vegetarian who also eats fish. The books don't include recipes, but when I came across this recipe for a one-pot fish stew with pearl couscous, tomatoes, and black olives, I knew it was a dish Cece would love and might cook at home.

Doesn't it look pretty in my Olive Oil dish?

One Pot Fish with Tomato, Olives, and Couscous

I adapted this recipe from one by Lidey Heuck in NYT Cooking.

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil, plus more for serving

¾ cup jarred roasted red peppers, roughly chopped

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 pound skinless skinless white fish fillet, such as cod, fluke or halibut, cut into two-inch chunks

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic (about 3 large cloves) - not shown in photo

1 tablespoon chopped anchovies (about 4 fillets)

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Pinch of ground cayenne

⅓ cup dry white wine

1½ cups fish or chicken stock

1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes

½ cup pitted Kalamata olives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving

¾ cup pearl couscous

(2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar - the recipe called for this but I didn't add it.)

Directions

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion, tossing occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add roasted red peppers with the garlic, paprika, and cayenne, and cook for 1 more minute, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the wine and stir to scrape up any brown bits from the pan. 

When the wine has almost entirely evaporated, add the stock, anchovies, tomatoes, olives, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add the couscous and reduce the heat. Simmer the sauce and couscous, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until it’s tender and the liquid in the pan has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes.

Ten minutes before serving, add the fish.

Gently submerge in the sauce. Cook until fish is no longer translucent. If you use it, add two tablespoons of herbal or wine vinegar.

Serve hot in shallow bowls garnished with additional parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. 

Readers: How do you like your fish? Are you all caught up on the Cece Barton books and ready for the new one? I'll send one commenter an ARC of A Poisonous Pour, which will be out on April 28!

🐠🍅🫒

Murder at Cape Costumers is out and available wherever book are sold!

Next up is A Poisonous Pour! This third Cece Barton mystery releases April 28.

My most recent releases are Scone Cold Dead, #13 in the Country Store Mysteries,

 Deadly Crush, 

and A Case for the Ladies.

Check out all my writing.

We hope you'll visit Maddie and her Agatha Award-winning alter ego Edith Maxwell on our web site, sign up for our monthly newsletter, visit us on social media, and check our all our books and short stories.

Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell) is a talented amateur chef and holds a PhD in Linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-winning and bestselling author, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and also writes award-winning short crime fiction. She lives with her beau and sweet cat Martin north of Boston, where she’s currently working on her next mystery when she isn’t cooking up something delectable in the kitchen.

Jailhouse Rice #recipe @vmburns

 VMBURNS: Sometimes, I get in a rut and find myself eating the same things over and over. One of those repeat items includes potatoes. I like potatoes, but I don't love them. Still, I find myself reverting to them as a side dish staple. WHY?  No idea. However, I decided to break the habit. Instead of potatoes, a quick look in my pantry showed that I had another staple, rice. Rice isn't something I prepared often. As a kid, I was stuck between two opposing forces. My mom hated rice. WHY? No idea. It's such a bland food, that it's hard to imagine anyone feeling so strongly, but she did. So, she NEVER made rice. My dad, however, loved rice. In fact, he loved rice for breakfast (don't judge). Every Sunday, my dad cooked breakfast, which included biscuits, bacon (or sausage), scrambled eggs, and rice with sugar and butter. So, once per week, 52 weeks per year, for 18 years, I ate rice for breakfast. Needless to say I was really tired of rice. Fast forward forty years, and I think I'm ready to try more rice dishes. :-)  But I wanted something interesting. That's when I discovered several recipes for Jailhouse Rice. I have no idea where the title came from, but I liked that the rice was seasoned. There were variations with sausage and/or ground beef. Since, this was going to be a side dish and not the main attraction, I kept it simple, and skipped the meat. 

I eliminated the meat, but you can turn this into a main dish by adding a pound of ground beef, and 1 pound of sausage. You all probably know by now that while I like garlic, it doesn't like me. So, feel free to double the garlic. I also don't like tomatoes, so I included Rotel instead of regular diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Want more flavor? Instead of 4 cups of water, 2 cups beef broth will give you plenty of flavor. You can also add cheddar cheese and bake like a casserole. 

JAILHOUSE RICE

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups white rice
• 4 cups water
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 cup corn, frozen or canned
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
   
   
   
5. Add the rinsed rice to the saucepan, stirring to coat it with the spices and onion mixture.
   
   
   
6. Pour in the water and bring to a boil.
   
   
   
7. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.
   
   
   
8. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff the rice with a fork.
9. Stir in the black beans, diced tomatoes, and corn until well combined.
   
   
   
10. Adjust seasoning as desired and garnish with fresh cilantro before serving.

READERS: What's your favorite side dish? Let me know in the comments below. 

MURDER FROM A TO Z

Nana Jo has volunteered her lawyer granddaughter, Jenna, to teach estate planning to retirees—with Sam providing her bookshop as the venue. But during the seminar, entitled Getting Your Ducks in Order, it quickly becomes clear someone’s up to Fowl Play. When elderly Alva Tarkington, accompanied by her niece, sits down for a consultation, Sam realizes the woman’s frequent blinking is actually Morse Code—S.O.S. The sisters get her alone, and Alva tells them she believes her life is in danger and must change her will . . .

Unfortunately, Alva is found dead the next day—seemingly from natural causes. But Nana Jo and the sisters suspect otherwise. In between penning her latest historical mystery, set in 1939 as England declares war on Germany and Lady Elizabeth Marsh pursues stolen paintings and a traitor, Sam teams up with the senior sleuths of Shady Acres to search for motives—beginning with Alva’s family. They soon learn not everyone is who they say they are, and someone is more than qualified to teach a class on cold-blooded murder . . .

BUY LINK

Lemongrass Blast #cocktailrecipe by @LeslieKarst

 

To celebrate the release yesterday of Murder, Local Style, book three in my Orchid  Isle mystery series, I present today a delicious cocktail (one of the recipes in the new book) with which you can join me in toasting the new book!

 

This is a refreshing drink created by my bartender protagonist, Valerie Corbin, which is similar to a Moscow Mule, but the blast of lemongrass provides alluring, perfumy notes lacking in the other. In addition, this drink contains only a little ginger beer—as well as a splash of soda water—making it less sweet than its cousin.

Note that the recipe here for simple syrup will make enough for about 6 cocktails.

Lemongrass Blast

(makes 1 cocktail)

Ingredients

For the Lemongrass Simple Syrup

1 cup water

½ cup white sugar

¼ cup lemongrass, cut into 1-inch chunks (1-2 stalks)

For the Cocktail

2 oz. vodka

1 tablespoon lemongrass simple syrup

1 tablespoon lime juice, preferable fresh-squeezed

2 oz. ginger beer

1 oz. soda water (not pictured)

1 slice lime, slit halfway through, for garnish

1 thin stalk lemongrass (cut as needed to fit the serving glass), for garnish

 

Directions

Place the water, sugar, and lemongrass chunks in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat down to low and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about half—about 10-15 minutes. 

 

Turn off the heat and let the lemongrass sit in the syrup until it’s cooled, then discard the lemongrass. 

 

The syrup will keep, refrigerated in a covered container, for several days.

Fill a rocks/Old Fashioned glass with 6-8 ice cubes. Pour in vodka, simple syrup, and lime juice and stir to mix. 

 

simple syrup, lime juice, lime slices, and lemongrass garnishes

 

Add the ginger beer and soda and stir once more.

Slide the slit lime slice over the lip of the glass and use the lemongrass stalk as a swizzle stick.

🌱  🍋  🌿

 

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.

 

 

Celebrating the Release of MURDER, LOCAL STYLE!

 

Happy book birthday to Leslie Karst, whose newest Orchid Isle mystery, MURDER, LOCAL STYLE, releases today--hurrah! 

 

 

About Murder, Local Style: 

 

Retired caterer Valerie Corbin investigates a suspicious poisoning in this Orchid Isle cozy culinary mystery, featuring a feisty queer couple who swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions in tropical Hilo, Hawai‘i.

A dinner to die for!

It’s been an eventful transition, but retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen are finally settling into life on the Big Island of Hawai’i. Val’s even joined the neighborhood orchid society to make some new friends. So when she’s asked to step in to cater their latest social event, as the newbie of the group she can’t exactly say no.

But what should have been a straightforward gig is soon a dining disaster when the food from the event poisons and kills the society president. As Val herself becomes a suspect in the murder investigation, she’s determined to uncover the truth. Who would want to kill the mild-mannered president of the orchid society?

Turns out the list is longer than a celebrity chef’s tasting menu. Apparently some of the residents did not “love thy neighbor.” Can she reveal the killer’s identity before they strike again?

Praise for Murder, Local Style:

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

Kirkus Reviews 

 

Buy links:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Bookshop 

Congrats, Leslie!

 

Tomato Lovers' Minestrone -- a #recipe from Leslie Budewitz

LESLIE BUDEWITZ:  You all know I love recreating dishes at home that I’ve enjoyed out and about. On my way back from Left Coast Crime in San Francisco, I had a layover in the Salt Lake City airport, plenty long for a sit-down lunch. As I was being seated, I watched a bowl of minestrone go by, and decided that would be perfect. It was, especially with the fresh ciabatta and the plate of fruity olive oil and balsamic vinegar served with it. 

I’d had, and made, minestrone many times, of course. But this bowl was a little different, with an appealing, flavor-rich texture that came, I thought, from a combination of chopped tomatoes and tomato sauce. I wasn’t exactly sure how to recreate that, but using a combo of canned chopped tomatoes and marinara turned out pretty well. Next time, I think I’d use a large can of crushed tomatoes and a small can of petite diced tomatoes for even better results.

Minestrone often includes red beans, but my inspiration soup didn’t use them so neither did I. I did copy the double dose of pasta, putting some in the soup and placing others around the rim of the bowl, like pearls. A flatter pasta or soup bowl works well for that. I added the zucchini near the end, so it didn’t turn to mush. I also noticed that in addition to grated Parm on top, some cheese had been blended into the soup, probably just before serving, as it hadn’t melted. That added a wonderful bit of savory or umami that I highly recommend!

I make my own Italian herb blend; you can find the recipe here. But any commercial blend or your preferred combo of dried herbs will work beautifully. If you use water rather than vegetable broth, pour it into your tomato can to get that last bit of flavor! 

Serve with fresh Italian bread and a glass of Chianti or Pinot Grigio for a quick trip to Italy, no airport—and no shoes—required! 

Buon appetivo!

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

Scroll down to the 💕 for the link. 

Tomato Lovers’ Minestrone

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced or diced 

2-3 stalks celery, sliced

2-3 carrots, diced

1 - 28 ounce can chopped OR crushed tomatoes

1 cup tomato sauce, plus more to taste OR 1 - 15 ounce can small, chopped tomatoes

2 cups vegetable broth or water 

1-2 tablespoons Italian herbs

Kosher salt to taste

1 cup dried pasta, such as shells or orecchietti 

2 small zucchini, diced

1/4 cup grated Parmesan, for the soup, plus more for serving

In a large stockpot (6-8 quart), heat the olive oil and add the onion. Saute until it begins to soften and add the garlic, sauteeing a minute or so, until the garlic becomes fragrant but before it browns. Add the celery and carrots and continue to saute, reducing the heat if necessary, until the celery and carrots begin to soften, about 5 minutes, stirring as needed to prevent stuck bits.

Add the chopped tomatoes and sauce, or the crushed and chopped tomatoes, and the broth. Add the herbs and stir to blend; taste and salt if necessary. 

Bring to a low boil, then add the zucchini. Reduce heat and simmer 25-30 minutes. (You can also turn off the heat at this point and return to the soup a few minutes before you’re ready to eat.)

Meanwhile, cook the pasta. Drain and add to the stockpot, reserving enough to top each bowl with a ring of pretty pasta. 

Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan. Taste and adjust seasonings. Ladle into bowls, using a spoon or fork to place reserved pasta around the edge of the each bowl. 

Serve with additional Parmesan. Enjoy!

Serves 6-8. 

💕 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.