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? 

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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.

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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. 

     

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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!

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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! 

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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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A Sense for Murder by Leslie Karst 

A Delicious Deception by Lucy Burdette

Called to Justice by Edith Maxwell, aka Maddie Day

No Roast for the Weary by Cleo Coyle

Framed and Frosted by Kim Davis

A Cup of Flour, A Pinch of Death by Valerie Burns (Kindle copy)

Diet of Death by Ang Pompano

All Shell Breaks Loose by Molly MacRae

Murder at the Campfire Cookout by Darci Hannah

Treble at the Jam Fest by Leslie Budewitz

 

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Comments open through Wed. July 8

Winner will be contacted via email, so be sure

to leave your email address 

check your email (inbox/spam/junk)

 

Happy 250th 

Independence Day, 

USA!

Pollo Loco (Crazy Chicken) #Recipe Peg Cochran/Margaret Loudon

 

Happy 4th of July!  You might think this is a strange recipe to share on the holiday, but if your weather forecast is like ours (rain, rain and more rain) you might want to try this recipe rather than grilling the traditional hamburgers and hot dogs during a downpour!  This was really delicious and quick and easy (my two favorite words.)  Note: be sure your pot lid is air tight.  If it has a vent, plug it with foil or place a piece of tape over it.  The steam is necessary for the rice to cook properly. I could only find an 8 ounce packet of rice so I followed the package directions for the quantity of water.  Since my husband is somewhat spice averse, I did not stir in the queso but let everyone add their own according to their taste.

1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast cut into small pieces

1 tsp. Goya Adobo Seasoning (or other brands like Badia or make your own)

1 10-oz pkg Vigo Saffron Yellow Rice  

2½ cups water

3 oz White Queso Dip  (from the refrigerated section)

2 tbsp. milk  

cooking spray 

 

Pat chicken dry and dice chicken into bite-sized pieces. Toss with Adobo seasoning.

 

Heat oil in a pan or skillet with a tight fitting lid, add chicken and brown on all sides.

 

Add the package of rice and the water and stir.  Bring to a boil then cover and lower heat to a simmer.  Check rice after 20 minutes (do not open lid before then so the steam doesn't escape.)  The rice may need another five minutes.

 

When the rice has finished cooking, add in the queso and serve. 

 

And for a festive dessert to cap off the meal, you might want to try the strawberry and blueberry shortcake I made for the blog's fifth anniversary!

 

When it's hot out, cool off with Where the Bodies Are Berried! 

 

  

 

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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Scrumptious S’mores Cookie Bars, #Recipe #Giveaway @AuthorDarciHannah

Darci Hannah: Today I’m celebrating the launch of the 7th book in my Beacon Bakeshop mystery series, MURDER AT THE CAMPFIRE COOKOUT! Every time I get the opportunity to write another Beacon Bakeshop mystery, I feel like I’m visiting my best friends. Seven books ago, Lindsey Bakewell and her lovable Newfoundland dog, Wellington, popped onto the page when I began to write my first Beacon Bakeshop mystery, MURDER AT THE BEACON BAKESHOP. That was six years ago, and I’ve enjoyed getting to know Lindsey, her best friend Kennedy Kapoor, her hunky boyfriend, Rory Campbell, and Officer Tuck McAllister, Beacon Harbor’s hottest man in uniform, through all their adventures and misadventures in the charming lakeside village of Beacon Harbor, Michigan. When I started writing this book, I was told that my publisher was going to end the series with Campfire Cookout, simply because these books are published in the mass market format, and bookstores no longer wish to carry mass market books. The argument was made that if bookstores no longer carry these books, sales will go down, and that’s not good news for any author! If you’re a fan of this series, you might have heard the news as well. The Beacon Bakeshop mystery series is ending!

Naturally, I was devastated by the thought of ending my beloved series. However, just as I was told it was prudent to end the series with #7, I was also asked to relaunch the series with the same characters, same setting, but a slightly new hook so that it could be printed in a more bookstore-friendly format. Now, I don’t pretend to know all the ins and outs of the publishing industry, and I was slightly confused by what they were asking me to do. Yet after a long conversation with my agent, it suddenly dawned on me that the adventures in Beacon Harbor were not going away. They are simply being repackaged and given a slightly new focus in order to weather the fickle nature of the book industry. It was great news indeed!

I am so delighted to share this last Beacon Bakeshop mystery with you. I’ve always known that I wanted to bring Lindsey and her friends on a camping trip to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for the adventure of a lifetime, and this was the perfect opportunity to do just that. The setting in Campfire Cookout is as stunning as it is isolating, and the ladies from Beacon Harbor are way out of their element in this mystery. However, even characters in a book need to be pushed outside their comfort zone in order to grow and do a little soul-searching. Like a good tale told around a campfire, this book is a little spookier than the others in the series, but if you push through to the end, you just might get a little hint at what’s in store for Lindsey and her friends in books to come. I hope you enjoy MURDER AT THE CAMPFIRE COOKOUT as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it!

 

Here's one of my favorite recipes from the book.

Scrumptious S’mores Cookie Bars

Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook Time: 25 minutes. Makes 16 bars.

Ingredients:

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

¾ cup light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup milk chocolate chips

Small jar (7.5 oz) marshmallow cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line and 9 x 9 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl whisk together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and brown sugar, about 2 minutes, then add the egg and vanilla, mixing until creamy. Gently incorporate the flour mixture into the butter mixture until a soft dough forms. Gently press half the dough into the prepared pan. 

Using a spoon, dollop enough of the marshmallow cream to cover the bottom crust. Use as much as you need, then gently spread it until smooth. Next, sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the marshmallow cream. 

On a piece of parchment paper, roll out the remaining dough to about 1/8 inch thick, and to roughly the size of the pan. You can use your hands for this, or a rolling pin. You might need to spray your hands or the rolling pin with non-stick cooking spray to keep the dough from sticking. Using a knife, cut dough into 2-inch squares and lay them as best as you can on top of the chocolate chip layer. There will be space between them, but that’s okay. You want a little marshmallow and chocolate poking out. 

Once done, put pan into the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely. Enjoy!

Print your copy here!

I’m giving away a copy of MURDER AT THE CAMPFIRE COOKOUT to one lucky winner.

Please tell me in the comments below if you’ve ever been camping. If so, what’s your favorite thing to make on a campout?

*Don’t forget to include your email in your comment.

**Continental U.S. only please!

Darci Hannah is the bestselling author of the Beacon Bakeshop Mystery Series, the Food & Spirits Mystery Series, the Very Cherry Mystery Series, and two works of historical fiction, The Exile of Sara Stevenson, and The Angel of Blythe Hall. Darci grew up in the Midwest and currently lives in a small town in Michigan with her husband and two dogs. Darci is a lifelong lover of the Great Lakes, a natural wonder that inspires many of her stories. Passionate about family, dogs, food, baking, history, books, lighthouses, laughter, good conversations, coffee, and the paranormal, Darci feels especially blessed to have found a way to combine her interests in the stories she writes. It brings her great joy to be able to share them with you. 

Connect with Darci at www.darcihannah.com

Instagram: @authordarcihannah

Facebook: @Author Darci Hannah

Murder at the Campfire Cookout

By Darci Hannah

Book #7 in the Beacon Bakeshop Mystery Series

 

GET YOUR COPY TODAY! 

When Lindsey Bakewell leaves behind her lighthouse bakeshop, her boyfriend, Rory, and her Newfoundland dog, Wellington, for a glamping trip with her mother in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the bears leave them alone—but a killer doesn’t. . .

Converting the old Beacon Point lighthouse into a bakery is as adventurous as Lindsey cares to get. Her mother, Ellie, a former 80s fashion model, likes her creature comforts even more—until she sees a business opportunity for her Beacon Harbor fashion boutique when she’s invited by the Mitten Kittens Glamping Club on a woodsy getaway.

Far from roughing it, the ladies will be warm and cozy in chic vintage campers. Ellie insists Lindsey come along to win the campfire cookout contest. Campfire cooking has come a long way from bacon and beans. Soon Lindsey is making pizza, berry cobbler, and gooey Carmelita camping bars.

But the festive spirit is soon dampened when a body is found in Ellie’s camper. It seems like an accidental death until everyone’s tires are slashed and it’s clear the glampsite has become a crime scene. With no cell service to call for help, it’s up to Lindsey to smoke out the killer around the campfire . . .

Because no one is out of the woods yet.

A Spirited Supper at Dundoon Castle

By Darci Hannah

Book #2 in the Food & Spirits Mystery Series

 

PURCHASE YOUR COPY TODAY!

When chef Bridget “Bunny” MacBride got a role on the reality show Food & Spirits, she thought “spirits” meant cocktails. Instead, she’s cooking up dinners meant to tempt the departed to appear. And to her surprise, she’s discovered abilities to connect with the beyond—and crack murder cases . . .

Now that Bunny’s entrées come with a side of the Other Side, it comes in handy to have a grandma who’s friendly with the elderly owners of a haunted Scottish castle. During Bunny’s childhood she heard all about Dundoon’s bloody history and the “ghostly piper” who roamed the grounds—and soon she’ll be visiting the ancient place with her ghost hunter and psychic co-stars. The annual bagpipe competition in the late piper’s honor will make for some good footage as well. 

After Bunny serves a feast fit for a 17th century king, including lamb chops with plenty of fresh herbs, she heads outdoors for the ghost hunt. But in the dark, dense fog, someone fatally plunges from the clifftop over the loch. The sound that follows is a mournful, otherworldly bagpipe . . . and once the body of another perished piper is retrieved, Bunny is determined to solve this Highlands homicide—and prevent a killer from getting off scot-free . . .

A Fatal Feast at Bramsford Manor

By Darci Hannah

Book #1 in the Food & Spirits Mystery Series

 

PURCHASE YOUR COPY TODAY!

https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9781496747457/a-fatal-feast-at-bramsford-manor/

While filming at a haunted English manor, chef Bunny MacBride’s big break on her first reality TV show may be cut short by an unscripted murder in Darci Hannah’s new Food & Spirits cozy mystery series . . .

It isn’t how chef Bridget “Bunny” MacBride imagined her own cooking show unfolding. But, if preparing historic meals with a modern flair is what it takes to get her cooking on the air, she can deliver, even if her dinner guest is a ghost. That’s the premise of the new reality TV show Food & Spirits, where Chef Bunny teams up with ghost hunter Brett Bloom and psychic medium Giff McGrady to visit haunted locales around the world and tempt lingering spirits back to the table with a beloved meal. For their first episode, the Food & Spirits team sets off to investigate Bramsford Manor, a historic house turned famously haunted hotel, in picturesque Hampshire, England. The sprawling estate is said to be home to the Mistletoe Bride, a young woman who died in the 18th century, the victim of a tragic accident on her Christmas wedding night.

Bunny leaves the spectral search to the pros and focuses on the feast, creating a traditional English holiday wedding dinner, complete with a gorgeous prime rib, Yorkshire pudding, and rustic apple tarts. But Bunny’s task is made more difficult when someone steals a boning knife from her custom kit. Alas, when the blade finally turns up again—in the chest of an all-too-human dinner guest—Bunny’s woes only grow as she is named a lead suspect in the case! Now, with a haunted house full of living residents, staff, and crew, Bunny will need the help of Brett, Giff, and her clairvoyant Grandma Mac, to solve this murder before the manor gains another ghost!