LESLIE B: When my first mystery came out in 2013, the book launch party was held at a fabulous art gallery in my town, the basis for my fictional town. A local woman was sure she didn't care for mysteries, but she loves the arts and local artists, so she came to the party and bought a copy of Death al Dente. Surprise -- she loves cozy mysteries and just never knew it! She became an avid fan and we became friends.
Now it's your turn to meet Jane Cleland!
Leave a comment below for a chance to win a signed copy of Hidden Treasure, the newest Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery.
JANE CLELAND: This recipe is one of my favorites. The marinade adds a layer of flavor and helps keep the chicken moist. The sauce is sweet and tangy and velvety and rich.
From Hidden Treasure: “I made a tarragon Dijon sauce for the chicken, a familiar recipe I’d mastered years ago by following my mother’s careful directions. In the weeks before she’d died when I was only thirteen and utterly unprepared for the loss, even though I knew it was coming, she’d written a cookbook by hand, complete with side notes and little drawings. It was one of my most cherished possessions.”
I hope you enjoy it!
CHICKEN DIJON, from Hidden Treasure by Jane Cleland
For the marinade:
Whisk together:
1/3
cup olive oil
¼
cup fresh lemon juice
½
tsp dried basil
¼
tsp ground pepper
·
Clean
the chicken. I use bone-in breasts, and I remove the skin.
·
Place
the chicken in a plastic bag. Pour in the marinade. Squeeze out excess air and
seal the bag.
· Marinate one hour to overnight, turning periodically to ensure both sides sit in the marinade.
While the chicken marinated,
Josie took this photo of her beautiful platinum Maine Coon cat, named Hank!
For the sauce:
3
tabs white wine vinegar
½
tsp dried tarragon
6
tabs butter
3
tabs Dijon mustard
1
½ tab honey
Egg noodles, for serving.
·
Preheat
the oven to 350°
· Heat the vinegar and tarragon in a small saucepan until very hot, but not boiling. Turn down the heat to simmer.
Add the butter, one tab at a time, stirring to mix.
· Stir in the mustard and honey.
· Remove from heat.
· Pour about ¼ cup of the sauce over the chicken.
B Bake for 45 minutes for bone-in chicken; 20 minutes for boneless chicken.
· Serve with egg noodles tossed with a generous helping of sauce.
What recipe do you cherish as much for the person who gave it you as for the food itself? I look forward to reading your stories! One reader will win a signed copy of Hidden Treasure. (Be sure to include your email address. US addresses only. Winner will be announced Wednesday, December 2.)
Hidden Treasure tells the story of dreams, desperation, and second chances—and an ancient Egyptian cat.
The discovery of a mysterious antique trunk leads to a disappearance―and murder―in the latest in this beloved cozy series set on the rugged New Hampshire coast, Jane K. Cleland's Hidden Treasure.
Jane K. Cleland writes both fiction and nonfiction, including the long-running and multiple award-winning Josie Prescott Antiques Mysteries [St. Martin’s & Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine] and the Agatha Award-winning bestsellers Mastering Suspense, Structure & Plot and Mastering Plot Twists [Writer’s Digest Books]. Jane is a contributing editor for Writer’s Digest Magazine, and the chair of the Wolfe Pack’s Black Orchid Novella Award (BONA), in partnership with AHMM. She is a frequent workshop leader and guest author at writing conferences and MFA Residencies. Jane offers free monthly workshops and free podcasts on the craft of writing in the “We’re All in It Together,” series. Details can be found at www.janecleland.com
An excerpt of Hidden Treasure is available here. Join Jane on Facebook and Twitter.
