Herbed Flatbread -- a food adventure from Leslie Budewitz

LESLIE BUDEWITZ:  Who loves crispy bread topped with flavorful herbs? Who loves it even more topped with cheese? All hands raised in my house!

I’d been tempted to make this for a while, but when I saw an easy recipe from King Arthur, I moved the plan to the front burner. Or rather, to the very hot oven. Seriously, this recipe calls for an oven so hot it rivals the heat of the self-cleaning cycle, so get your tongs and heaviest oven pads out. But that’s the only thing daunting about this recipe.

The recipe makes 4 rounds, so we were able to try 3 different herb toppings. I used a za’atar and a dukkah, both Middle Eastern blends, from Savory Spice, and a dukah from World Spice. (We also love both their za’atars, but were out.) The WS dukah may have been our favorite, but we loved them all. Try what you have or think you’ll most enjoy. The herb and cheese toppings, as written, are enough for all 4; reduce amounts as needed. The dough keeps several days in the fridge and freezes nicely, but I suggest making the toppings fresh.

We live in Montana’s Flathead Valley, so if I call this flathead instead of flatbread, forgive me. Flathead Flatbread has a nice ring, doesn’t it?

One option, the last one we tried, includes a cheese topping. Mr. Right has been experimenting with ChatGpT for research on a medical treatment he’s curious about (for a patient). One afternoon, I walked into his office and said I wanted to make the last of the flatbreads with dinner, and thought I might try the cheese topping. He looked amused – cheese can do that – and then a posh male British accent replied, from his computer, saying cheese tacos for dinner sounded good.

So I give you Flathead Flatbread, aka Cheese Tacos. 

What food adventures have you enjoyed lately?

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

Scroll down to the 💕 for the link. 

Herbed Flatbread, aka Flathead Flatbread and Cheese Tacos

Adapted from King Arthur Baking Company

For the dough:

2 cups plus 1 tablespoon unbleached bread flour

1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

1 1/2 teaspoons yeast

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

3/4 cup warm water 

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

For the herb topping:

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) za’atar, Dukah, or another spice blend for topping 

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon table salt, optional* (omit if your blend contains salt)

For the cheese topping (optional): 

2 garlic cloves, minced or grated

1 scant tablespoon white or yellow onion, grated

2 cups low-moisture mozzarella, grated

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon dried mint, crushed

For the dough: 

Using the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, yeast, and sugar with a spoon. Gradually add the water, continuing to mix by hand until a shaggy dough forms. 

Place the bowl on the stand, attach the dough hook, and knead on medium-high until smooth and slightly sticky, about 3 minutes.

Oil the bottom and lower third of a small mixing bowl. Using your hands, shape the dough into a ball. Place the ball in the oiled bowl, flipping it to oil the dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a plate. Let dough rise until about doubled, roughly 45 minutes.

Place dough on a clean work surface and divide into four parts. Shape each into a ball. Cover and let rise until almost doubled, another 45 minutes.

Place your baking steel or stone in the lower third of your oven, removing upper racks to make reaching in and out easier and safer. Preheat oven to 550°F. 

Make the herb topping: 

In a small bowl, combine the spices and olive oil, along with the salt if you’re using it.

Make the cheese topping: 

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, onion, cheese, olive oil, and dried mint. 

Roll the dough:

Lightly flour a cutting board or silicon work surface. Place a ball of dough on the flour and dust the top with flour. Press ball to flatten, then roll into a 9" round. Rotate if needed to create an even round and prevent sticking. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Repeat with other balls, if you are baking them now. 

Spoon one quarter of the herbed oil on the dough and spread or brush almost to the edges, leaving about a 1/4 inch border.

With Savory Spice Za'atar

With Savory Spice Dukah

Use a peel or a thin baking sheet and a wide spatula to transfer the dough to the baking steel or stone. 

Bake 3 to 4 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown; some bubbles and char are fine. If your dough seems sticky, use tongs to rotate for even cooking.

With Savory Spice Za'atar

With Savory Spice Dukah 

If using the cheese topping, bake the bread for 2 minutes, add about half a cup to the bread, spread quickly, and bake 2 minutes more. 

With World Spice Dukah and Cheese Topping

Remove the bread from the oven using tongs or your peel. Place on a cutting board and cool 3-4 minutes. Start the next round, if you’re baking more than one. Cut into wedges and serve. 

Storage:

Unbaked dough balls can be kept in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped, for several days. Bring to room temperature, then bake as above.

To freeze, tightly wrap dough balls and freeze up to a month. To bake, thaw in refrigerator for several hours, then bring to room temperature and bake as above. 

💕 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.

Sweet and Sour Shrimp: The Perfect Weeknight Takeout Fake-Out Plus a book giveaway By Ang Pompano

Ang Pompano: Sweet and sour shrimp is one of my absolute favorite, easy-to-prepare meals. For some reason, the origins of which are completely lost to time, my family always has this dish on Halloween. But even though it’s only May, it’s way too good for me to wait until October rolls around to make it again. For this batch, I loaded mine up with chunks of pineapple and red and green bell peppers. Then as the sauce simmered, the kitchen filled with the incredible aroma of fried peppers, onions, and ginger.

Cooking it at home means the shrimp stay tender, while the homemade sauce strikes a perfect balance between tangy and sugary without crossing into candy territory. Personally, I think this version easily beats anything you can get from the takeout places.        

Come to think of it, the fact that the dish comes together so fast may be exactly how our Halloween tradition started. Back then, we would both rush home from work and needed something fast and filling before the fun began. It’s also the kind of quick, easy meal that’s perfect for a busy weeknight when you’re short on time. In fact, if you’re anything like me, you’ll probably spend the last five minutes of cooking ‘taste-testing’ a few shrimp straight from the pan while pretending you’re just adjusting the seasoning.

Over to you: What’s your ultimate sweet-and-sour addition? Are you team pineapple, all about the peppers and onions, or are you one of those daring people who tosses in extra chili heat? Let me know in the comments! And don't forget to leave your email address to win a copy of When It's Time for Leaving.

Ingredients:

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Red pepper flakes
Oil for frying or sautéing
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon fresh ginger
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 small onion, sliced
1 cup pineapple chunks

How to Make It:

First, make the sauce. Whisk together the pineapple juice, ketchup, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a bowl. Set it aside, but give it another stir before using it later so the cornstarch doesn’t sink to the bottom.

Season the shrimp lightly with red pepper flakes and set them aside.

Heat a little oil in a large skillet over low heat and cook the onion slices for about four to five minutes until they soften. Remove them from the pan and set aside.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook the peppers until they start to brown around the edges. Remove them and set them aside with the onions.

Add the shrimp to the pan and cook for about two to three minutes, just until they turn pink. Don’t overcook them unless you enjoy chewing rubber bands.

Return the onions and peppers to the skillet along with the pineapple chunks. Pour in the sauce and stir everything together well. Let it simmer for five to ten minutes until the sauce thickens and coats everything in that shiny sweet-and-sour glaze that makes you immediately reach for a second helping whether you planned to or not.

Serve over rice. 

Ang Pompano is a mystery author, editor, publisher, and blogger. He writes the Blue Palmetto Detective Agency, and the Reluctant Food Columnist series, both published by Level Best Books. In addition to his writing, Ang is a co-founder of Crime Spell Books and serves as co-editor of the Best New England Crime Stories anthology. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Annette, an artist, and their two rescue dogs, Dexter and Alfie.

Just Released!

Diet of Death

by Ang Pompano

The first in the Reluctant Food Columnist series.

Buy Link

Betty Ann Green is a beloved culinary icon…who doesn’t exist. She is the brilliant, beautiful illusion created by two unlikely collaborators. Behind the façade is Quincy Lazzaro, a culinarily challenged writer whose witty, sharp prose is the public face of Betty, while those flawless, genius recipes are all thanks to his octogenarian neighbor, Mary Ticarelli.

When the arrogant diet guru, Dr. Alan Tolzer, inventor of the Westport Diet, demands a face-to-face interview, Quincy reluctantly steps in as Betty’s frontman, only for Tolzer to drop dead. The police call it natural causes, but Quincy knows better. He sees it as the investigative break he’s been waiting for.

Now, caught between a crime-solving grandma, a no-nonsense detective girlfriend, and a killer who may be one step ahead, Quincy must unravel the mystery before the killer strikes again.

When It’s Time for Leaving

by Ang Pompano

Buy Link

Al DeLucia walked away from the police—and his past. But when his long-lost father leaves him a detective agency in Savannah, Al finds himself trapped between family secrets and a murder on the agency’s dock. Partnered with Maxine Brophy, a fierce detective who doesn’t trust him, Al is pulled into a deadly search through Savannah and the Okefenokee Swamp—where the truth about the case, and his father, may cost him everything.

Blood Ties and Deadly Lies

by Ang Pompano

Buy Link

Al DeLucia returns to Sachem Creek expecting a kayak race and a chance to confront his childhood bully, Abe Cromwell. Instead, he finds a dead lawyer, a web of deceit, and Abe claiming they’re brothers by DNA. Reluctantly joined by Maxine Brophy, his formidable partner and girlfriend, Al dives into a murder investigation that exposes land swindles, hidden maps, and buried family secrets. In a town where the past won’t stay buried, Al must face truths that could upend everything.

Snakeberry: Best New England Crime Stories 2025

Edited by

Christine Bagley, Susan Oleksiw, Ang Pompano, and Leslie Wheeler

BUY LINK

Every year the anthology brings welcome surprises and satisfactions, and this year is no different, featuring stories by 21 of New England’s best crime writers.

Includes “Minnie the Air Raid Warden” by Ang Pompano.

Winging it with our guest, Carmela Dutra! #recipe and #bookgiveaway

LESLIE BUDEWITZ:  Happy to introduce you to a first-time guest today, Carmela Dutra, whose second Food Truck Mystery, Hot Wings and Homicide, just out last week. I met her at Left Coast Crime and she is a delightful addition to the mystery community!

One lucky reader will win a signed copy of Hot Wings and Homicide and other goodies.

And a special bonus: the first in the series, Murder Most Fowl, is a 1.99 Kindle Deal for the month of May!

CARMELA DUTRA: A Little Heat, A Little Mystery, and an Exclusive Recipe 

There are two things Beth Lloyd knows for certain: a good wing can turn any day around, and trouble has a way of finding her.

In Hot Wings and Homicide, Beth and her twin brother Seth are serving up their signature dishes from the Kluckin’ Good food truck at the Flavors of the Bay Food Festival. Business is booming, tensions are high, and when a murder rocks the event, Beth finds herself once again caught between keeping the fryer going and figuring out what really happened.

And if there’s one thing she can count on through all of it? Wings.

This recipe is a little special to me. It’s one my husband and I came up with together. A little spicy but full of flavor (well, spicy for me, I’m a wimp). It’s also the first recipe I asked readers to name. In an online poll, readers chose between three names, and Wings of Fire won by a landslide.

This is an exclusive recipe that’s only given out at book events. It hasn’t officially made its way into the series, but I’ve been thinking, it might. So, consider this your exclusive sneak peek.

And I’d truly love to hear what you think: should this stay a behind-the-scenes treat, or does it deserve a permanent place in a future book?

Wings of Fire 

Serves 4–6

Ingredients

3 pounds chicken wings

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon honey

4 tablespoons butter, melted

½ cup hot sauce (Frank’s RedHot or similar)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease it.

Rinse the chicken wings and pat them very dry, then place them in a large mixing bowl.

Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, tossing until the wings are evenly coated.

Arrange the wings in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the wings and continue baking for another 20–25 minutes, until they are crispy and browned.

While the wings finish cooking, whisk together the hot sauce, honey, and melted butter in a small bowl.

Transfer the hot wings to a large bowl and toss them evenly in the sauce until fully coated.

Serve immediately with celery, carrots, and ranch dressing if desired.

(A note from Leslie: Mr. Right and I are traveling right now and he ordered hot wings for dinner last night, in Taos, NM. When I showed him this recipe, his eyes lit up!)

A Little Something Extra 

One of my favorite things about writing this series is bringing food into the story, not just as a detail, but as part of the experience. That’s why I include recipes in the back of my books, so readers can step into Beth’s world long after the final page.

If you’re new to the series, this is actually the perfect time to start, A Murder Most Fowl (book one) is currently on a Kindle deal for just $1.99 for the month of May.

Let’s have a giveaway!

To celebrate the release of Hot Wings and Homicide, I’m giving away a signed hardback complete with all sorts of goodies to one plucky winner!

To enter, leave a comment and tell me: Should this wing recipe stay an exclusive… or become a permanent feature in the series?

(Please leave your email address to enter. U.S. mailing addresses only. Winner will be announced Thursday, May 14.) 

About the Author

Carmela Dutra writes cozy mysteries steeped in food, family, and Bay Area flavor. Her Food Truck Mystery Series debuted with A Murder Most Fowl, praised by Kirkus Reviews, Criminal Element, and New York Times bestselling author Ellery Adams. She lives in the Bay Area with her family and pets. Find her on Facebook and Instagram: @authorcarmela Or check out her website www.carmeladutra.com   

Hot Wings and Homicide releases May 12, 2026 from Crooked Lane Books

 

Website: carmeladutra.com

Instagram: @authorcarmela

Facebook: @authorcarmeladutra

Creamy Parmesan Chicken #Recipe Peg Cochran/Margaret Loudon

 

 This was a quick and tasty chicken dish that is elegant enough for company.  You can get fancy if you want and sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving. The recipe is adapted from one by How to Feed a Loon.  I used Italian seasoning in place of the oregano and basil and I also added frozen peas so it was meat and a vegetable dish all in one dish.  I'm all for making things easy!  It is good served over rice or a side of pasta.

Chicken

6 6-oz chicken breasts skinless, boneless, pounded thin (or cut in half horizontally)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 tablespoon olive oil

 

Sauce

2 tablespoon unsalted butter

4 teaspoon garlic minced (or “jarlic”)

½ cup white wine  

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

¾ cup chicken broth  

 ¾ cup heavy cream or half and half

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon salt or to taste

½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese  

frozen peas, optional

If your chicken breasts are thick, cut in half horizontally.  Season with salt and pepper and smoked paprika. 

 

Heat olive oil and brown chicken on both sides.  Remove to a plate and cover.

 

Melt butter in the same skillet, add garlic and sauté briefly.  Add wine and scrape up any browned bits from pan.

 

Stir in the flour and cook for one minute while stirring.  Add chicken broth and whisk until smooth and slightly thickened. 

 

Turn the heat to low and whisk in heavy cream, Parmesan, basil, oregano and salt and pepper to taste.

 

Return chicken to pan along with optional frozen peas if using and simmer until heated through.

 

 

 

  

 

When a wealthy local benefactor is slain on the farm, Monica has to figure out who wanted to cash in on the killing . . .

As Sassamanash Farms hunkers down for the long winter, Monica agrees to let the local animal shelter host their Christmas-themed fundraiser there. The draw of the event—a chance to have your pet’s picture taken with Santa—brings in animal lovers from far and wide. But when the crackling fire dies down and the festive holiday props are all carted away, Monica discovers a very un-jolly sight next to the barn—the dead body of one of the shelter’s biggest donors. With the farm’s good name in jeopardy, Monica goes to work to root out the killer.

By all accounts the victim was a charming and generous supporter of the shelter, but Monica discovers that he was loathed by those who knew him for being tight-fisted and unscrupulous. Suspecting money might be the motive, she turns her sights on his stylish wife and her lavish lifestyle, along with the manager of the struggling shelter, who stood to collect a hefty bequest from his will. But as Monica closes in on one final clue, the culprit closes in on her. Caught unawares, she’ll have to survive the brutal winter weather, as well as a cold-blooded killer . . . 

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