Kate Carlisle's Coronation Chicken Salad -- #recipe and #giveaway

LESLIE BUDEWITZ: Mystery writers--and I say this in all modesty--are the nicest people. Maybe it's because we work our aggressions out on the page, killing without fear of punishment or a stain on our soul. And one of the nicest is Kate Carlisle, author of the Fixer-Upper Mysteries and the Bibliophile Mysteries, and we're delighted to welcome her back today to celebrate the launch of Dressed to Drill, the 10th Fixer-Upper Mystery, earlier this month. 

Let's talk lunch! Three lucky readers will win a Fixer-Upper measuring tape---and who wouldn't love that?

KATE CARLISLE:  In my latest book, Dressed to Drill, a Fixer-Upper Mystery, building contractor Shannon Hammer has been hired to renovate a beautiful Victorian church and turn it into a fabulous art museum in her small hometown of Lighthouse Cove. On the first day of demolition, she discovers a body in the chapel—a young woman—not the first murder on one of Shannon’s job sites. Shannon feels compelled to follow the clues to catch a killer and bring justice for the victim.

She doesn’t do this alone, but with the help of her boyfriend Mac and her closest friends. Between them, they know pretty much everyone in Lighthouse Cove, so they can ask questions and discover things that the police can’t. One of the things I love best about writing mystery series is the feeling of community. We return to the same town, and interact with the same characters, book after book. It feels so homey, doesn’t it?

In Dressed to Drill, Shannon meets her girlfriends for lunch and a sleuthing session at their favorite local tea shop, where they enjoy Emily Rose’s famous coronation chicken salad. I thought this would be the perfect recipe to share here today. This chicken salad makes delicious sandwiches, too!

Coronation Chicken Salad

1 pound cooked chicken breast

¼ cup slivered almonds

1 Tbsp curry powder

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup cream

2 Tbsp apricot jam

¼ cup raisins

2 celery sticks

Shred the chicken breast with two forks and set aside.

Heat a small pan over medium-high heat. Add the almonds and toast, stirring constantly, until golden, about a minute.

Set almonds aside and add the curry powder to the same pan. Toast until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Combine mayonnaise, cream, apricot jam and toasted curry powder with an immersion blender. Mix well.

Chop celery.

Put all ingredients into the bowl with the chicken and fold in.

Scoop the coronation chicken salad onto mixed greens or use it to make a sandwich. Enjoy!

What is your favorite lunch spot? Do you have a favorite thing to order there? 

Three random commenters will each win a Fixer-Upper Mystery measuring tape, my all-time favorite swag. (Be sure to leave your email address. International addresses accepted! Winners will be chosen Wed, May 24.)

SNEAK PEEK AT DRESSED TO DRILL

While you’re munching away on your coronation chicken, enjoy this sneak peek from Dressed to Drill. . . 

I pushed open the chapel door. And jumped back in shock.

The body of a young woman was sprawled on her back on the floor. She wore a white linen tunic over black tights and boots. Her long blonde hair covered half of her face and was splayed across the hard marble surface, almost as if she were posing.

“Oh, no.” Chills swept through my body. “This can’t be happening.”

“What is it?” Madeline asked, then spotted the woman and started to rush over to her.

I held my arm out to block her from entering the room. “Madeline, no. Stay back.”

She glared at me. “But she needs help.”

She is beyond help, I thought, but couldn’t say it. Instead, I said firmly, “Don’t come any closer.”

Madeline struggled to pull away from me, then simply gave up trying. She stared down at the victim and all of a sudden comprehension hit her. Her tote bag slipped from her grasp and she began to scream. 

ABOUT DRESSED TO DRILL

Contractor Shannon Hammer’s new project renovating an old church reveals some old sins when a body is found on the premises in the latest Fixer-Upper Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author Kate Carlisle. 

While Shannon Hammer is thrilled to attend the premiere of the movie based on the latest book by her boyfriend, Mac, she can’t wait to trade her killer heels for work boots and start her next renovation project in Lighthouse Cove: a quaint Victorian church that has seen better days. And it will see them again—as an art museum—if Shannon, her talented crew, and her sister, Chloe, have anything to say about it.

However, on the first day of demolition, work comes to a screeching halt when they stumble upon the body of a beautiful young woman in one of the chapels. Who killed the assistant artistic director? Suspects crawl out of the woodwork as fast as Shannon can restore it. The church is hiding a century of secrets dating back to the days when smugglers wreaked havoc on the California coast. But it’s a more recent secret that leads to murder. Shannon and Mac will use every tool in their toolbox to nail down the truth before any more lives are sacrificed.

ABOUT KATE: 

Kate Carlisle is the New York Times bestselling author of two ongoing series: the Bibliophile Mysteries featuring San Francisco bookbinder Brooklyn Wainwright, whose rare book restoration skills uncover old secrets, treachery and murder; and the Fixer-Upper Mysteries (as seen on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries), featuring Shannon Hammer, a home contractor who discovers not only skeletons in her neighbors' closets, but murder victims, too.

Please welcome guest Kate Carlisle with #book #giveaway

Kate Carlisle is the New York Times bestselling author of two ongoing series: the Bibliophile Mysteries featuring San Francisco bookbinder Brooklyn Wainwright, whose rare book restoration skills uncover old secrets, treachery and murder; and the Fixer-Upper Mysteries (as seen on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries), featuring Shannon Hammer, a home contractor who discovers not only skeletons in her neighbors' closets, but murder victims, too.

Kate’s Latest Fixer-Upper Mystery is Shot Through the Hearth, is out now.

Kate is offering a giveaway below.
 

One of the things I love best about traditional mysteries is the homeyness of them. When you pick up a book from a beloved ongoing series, it feels like you’re visiting friends or family. You learn which characters have moved, who’s dating, and who’s up to the same old antics. (Incorrigible!) They’re often set in a small town or a close-knit community, to add to this homecoming feeling. Murder notwithstanding, they’re comfort reads.

No wonder they’ve become known as cozy mysteries.

Each Fixer-Upper Mystery novel has these homey elements—small town setting, familiar characters—and also a larger, self-contained plot that makes the story enjoyable on its own, even for readers who are new to the series. (Then, of course, they can go back and binge-read the earlier books.) 

In Shot Through the Hearth, contractor Shannon Hammer has been hired by local tech billionaire Rafe Nash to restore his Victorian farmhouse. Rafe has invited environmental scientists from all over the world to Lighthouse Cove for a conference with a lofty goal—to save the planet.

In this snippet from the book, Rafe tells Shannon about his plans.

He sat forward in his chair, getting into the subject. “We’ve got an eco-fisheries expert whose passion is tide pools. And another, my friend Julian Reedy, is a world-renowned plant expert who is determined to prove that plants can communicate with humans.” He grinned. “Oh, and wait ’til you see the Stephanie vine. She’s this huge, fast-growing plant that moves and grows in reaction to human pheromones. She’s extraordinary.”

“Wait,” Carla said. “Stephanie is . . . a plant?”

“Yeah. You’ll see. It’s very cool. And another buddy, Arnold Larsson, is a pioneer in the field of smart mice studies.”

Mice? I shivered. One of my deepest, darkest secrets was that I was deathly afraid of mice. But I wasn’t about to mention it here and now.

“And Shannon, I would love to display some of the tiny houses you’ve been building. They’re perfect for people who’re looking to step away from the grid and leave a smaller carbon footprint.”

Unfortunately for Rafe, things won’t go exactly as planned, and soon he’ll be more interested in saving himself than in saving the planet.

In honor of the cozy mystery genre and the upcoming holidays, I’d love to share my recipe for Cauliflower Au Gratin. It’s a perfect Thanksgiving side dish recipe—or an any old night side dish recipe, for that matter—and it’s much lower in carbs than, say, scalloped potatoes.

Cauliflower Au Gratin

1 head of cauliflower, cut roughly into 1-inch chunks

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1 packet of Italian seasoning

8 oz shredded Swiss cheese, divided

1 clove of garlic, minced

½ cup onion, diced

¼ cup fresh parsley, minced

A sprinkling of nutmeg (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375. In a large bowl, combine soup, Italian seasoning, ¾ cup cheese, garlic, onion and parsley. Mix well. Stir in cauliflower to coat.

Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Add cauliflower mixture. Top with remaining cheese and, if desired, a sprinkling of nutmeg, preferably freshly grated. Bake for 30 minutes. Cauliflower will be al dente, so if you prefer it softer, you might want to cook a little longer.

Just look at how cheesy and delicious this is! Yum!

 

I hope you’ll have as much fun reading Shot Through the Hearth as I had writing it. You can read chapter one for free at https://katecarlisle.com/shot-through-the-hearth.php. Please let me know what you think! You can reach me via my website or at www.facebook.com/katecarlislebooks 

ABOUT SHOT THROUGH THE HEARTH: 

Contractor Shannon Hammer is measuring murder motives in the latest Fixer-Upper Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author of A Wrench in the Works and Eaves of Destruction... 

Shannon's good friend and retired tech billionaire, Raphael Nash, is loving his new retired life but he can't stay unoccupied for too long. He's started the Marigold Foundation that helps fund small companies and individuals who do humanitarian work around the world. It's an exciting time in Lighthouse Cove as Raphael hosts the first ever global conference inviting big thinkers from every area of industry to give presentations on eco-living.

Raphael's old business partner arrives in town with a grudge and a plan to steal him away from his important new passion project. Shannon knows her friend has no intention of giving up Marigold and is proud of Raphael for sticking to his guns. But when his former associate winds up dead, all signs point to Raphael.

It's up to Shannon to hammer out the details of the murder before her friend gets pinned for the crime...

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2U55a1K

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2HKrHud

BN: http://bit.ly/2YaPtFr

IndieBound: http://bit.ly/2CwAEnI

GIVEAWAY

Kate is offering a giveaway A HIGH-END FINISH 

plus a Fixer Upper measuring tape to one commenter.   

Leave your email in case you win so she can contact you.  

What are the "homey" elements you love in a cozy mystery? 

Welcome guest Kate Carlisle + book giveaway!

Bibliophile Appetizer: Ham and Cheese Book Puffs

by Kate Carlisle

I'm a bibliophile. Big time. So much so, that I write a series called the Bibliophile Mysteries, in which a master bookbinder solves murders that are connected to the rare books in her care.

In the latest Bibliophile Mystery, Buried in Books, Brooklyn Wainwright is planning her wedding to the man of her dreams, British security expert Derek Stone. (Even better than James Bond because Derek loves books almost as much as Brooklyn does.) Just before their wedding, the largest library convention in the country hits San Francisco—one of the most bookish cities in the United States.

Hundreds of book lovers in one place! I think that's what heaven is like. Except, you know, murder. You can read chapter 1 here: http://katecarlisle.com/buried-in-books.php





In honor of Buried in Books, I created some bibliophile appetizer recipes to share with members of my mailing list in the Secret Room at KateCarlisle.com. Wouldn't these Ham and Cheese Book Puffs be perfect for a book lover's wedding, a potluck party at a library, or for book club?

I had the idea when I got started to carve out letters on the covers of the books. Like this one, with the word READ. On some others, I carved out my initials.




That turned out to be wasted effort because the letters were illegible when the puffs came out of the oven. However, slicing along the spine and putting a vertical line down the front of the spine did show up and made the puffs look more book-like.




I used metal cocktail picks because they sort of look like murder weapons, but you can use toothpicks if you prefer. Super quick and easy to throw these together!


Kate Carlisle's Ham and Cheese Book Puffs

8 oz thinly sliced ham (or turkey), cut into 1" x 1.5" rectangles – a stack of 4-5 pieces will be the pages of your books
4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup French fried onions
½ tsp dry dill
½ tsp garlic salt
1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the meat and set aside into 16 stacks. In a food processor, combine the cream cheese, cheddar, onions, dill, and garlic salt until smooth.

Unfold the sheet of puff pastry. Cut it into 16 rectangles. Roll out each rectangle until it's large enough to fold around a stack of meat as a book cover. Spread about 1 Tbsp of cheese mixture on each book cover. Put the pages into the book, fold it closed and, if desired, make a small slice to mark the spine. Hold it closed with a toothpick or cocktail pick. Brush with egg yolk. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet until they're puffy and golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Serve with or without the picks.












If you were going to have a book-themed party, on what book would you base your theme? Why?

ABOUT BURIED IN BOOKS


Matrimony and murder collide as San Francisco book-restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright walks down the aisle...

Brooklyn has it all covered. She’s triple-checked her wedding to-do list, and everything is on track for the upcoming ceremony with the love of her life, security expert Derek Stone.

Not everyone has been as lucky in love as Brooklyn. Her old library college roommates Heather and Sara lost touch twelve years ago when Sara stole Heather’s boyfriend. Brooklyn was caught in the middle and hasn’t seen her former besties since their falling-out. When they both arrive in town for the annual librarians’ convention and then show up at her surprise bridal shower, Brooklyn is sure drama will ensue. But she’s touched when the women seem willing to sort out their differences and gift her rare copies of The Three Musketeers and The Blue Fairy Book.

Brooklyn’s prewedding calm is shattered when one of her formerly feuding friends is found murdered and Brooklyn determines that one of the rare books is a forgery. She can’t help but wonder if the victim played a part in this fraud, or if she was targeted because she discovered the scam. With a killer and con artist on the loose, Brooklyn and Derek—with the unsolicited help of their meddling mothers—must catch the culprit before their big day turns into a big mess.

GIVEAWAY

Today, I’m giving away a paperback copy of A COOKBOOK CONSPIRACY. US only, please.


You can find Kate on the Internet here:

Website: www.katecarlisle.com
Twitter: @Katecarlisle
Facebook: www.facebook.com/katecarlislebooks

Welcome guest author Kate Carlisle + book #giveaway

Homemade Garden Rolls ala Kate Carlisle, Author of Eaves of Destruction

Kate Carlisle is the New York Times bestselling author of the Bibliophile Mysteries and the Fixer-Upper Mysteries. Kate's Fixer-Upper Mystery series is being brought to the small screen by Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, starring Jewel and Colin Ferguson. The latest book in the series is EAVES OF DESTRUCTION, available November 7. Read Chapter 1 for free at www.KateCarlisle.com.

BOOK GIVEAWAY DETAILS BELOW!

Take it away, Kate!

*

I'm always honored when Mystery Lovers Kitchen invites me to spend the day with you, but slightly intimidated, too, because the truth is, I don't cook much. More now than I used to, when we lived closer to lots of restaurants, but I tend to carefully follow recipes written by someone else. Since I'm an author, I have an overdeveloped sense of respect for other people's intellectual property, which means I don't want to share someone else's recipe on a public forum like this.

So… every time I come here, I create a brand new recipe inspired by two or three recipes I find online.

Are you impressed?

My goal each time is to create a recipe that is somehow inspired by my latest book which, this time around, is Eaves of Destruction, Fixer-Upper Mystery 5.

Shannon is hired by rival homeowners who will do anything to win Best in Show in Lighthouse Cove's annual Victorian Home and Garden Tour—until murder throws a wrench in the works. The small town’s corrupt building inspector is found dead on one of Shannon’s jobsites, and plenty of suspects come out of the woodwork. It's up to Shannon to nail down the details and build a case against the killer.

Home and Garden Tour… Home and Garden Show… Homemade Garden Rolls!!!

This recipe was inspired by a very clumsy homonym. Hey, I'm a writer. That's the way I roll—pardon the pun.

Homemade Garden Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Peanut Dipping Sauce:

¾ cup peanut butter

½ cup hot tap water

3 Tbsp hoisin sauce

3 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp Tabasco

2 cloves garlic, minced

Whisk together all ingredients. Add more hot tap water, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.

Garden Rolls:

10 spring roll wrappers (aka rice paper)

2 small avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced

½ carrot, cut into matchsticks

½ cucumber, cut into matchsticks

¼ red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks

½ cup bean sprouts

4 green onions with tops, sliced or cut into matchsticks

½ cup cabbage, thinly sliced

½ cup fresh basil, sliced

½ cup fresh cilantro, sliced

Cooked and diced meat, if desired (pork, chicken, or shrimp)

If you don't like any of the vegetables mentioned above, then use whatever you like. This really is an "anything goes" kind of recipe. One very popular herb used in spring rolls is mint, so you might want to try that, too.

Fill a shallow bowl that is wider than the spring roll wrappers with warm water. Lay one wrapper in the water for 15 seconds, then move it to a wet plate. Place approximately ½ cup of mixed vegetables and meat, if using, on the side of the wrapper that's closest to you. Roll once, keeping it as tight as possible, tucking in the filling. Fold the edges of the wrapper toward the center, then continue rolling like a burrito. The rice paper feels delicate, but it's stronger than it seems. Just be careful not to let it stick to itself. You'll get the hang of it quickly.

Set aside and cover with a damp towel while you continue to wrap the rest of the garden rolls. No cooking is required. Serve with peanut dipping sauce.

Note: you should be able to find spring roll wrappers or rice paper in the Asian/international section of your grocery store. If not, you can buy them online. This is the kind I used:

Have you ever made spring rolls before? If so, how did they turn out? If not, does this recipe inspire you to give it a try?

GIVEAWAY!

Kate is offering a copy of DECK THE HALLWAYS, the #4^th book in the Fixer-Upper Mystery series plus a Fixer-Upper Mystery measuring tape to one commenter. Remember to leave your email address (even cryptically) so we can contact you if you win.   

Remember you can touch base with Kate here:

www.katecarlisle.com

www.facebook.com/KateCarlisleBooks

and on twitter:  @katecarlisle

Kate Carlisle is the New York Times bestselling author of the Bibliophile Mysteries and the Fixer-Upper Mysteries. Kate's Fixer-Upper Mystery series is being brought to the small screen by Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, starring Jewel and Colin Ferguson. The second movie, Concrete Evidence, debuts tonight at 9 EST/8 CST. Kate and the whole gang at MLK will live tweet during the broadcast. Join the party by following #FixerUpperMystery!

Read free excerpts of Kate's books at www.KateCarlisle.com.

Thank you for inviting me back to Mystery Lovers Kitchen! I'm delighted to celebrate with my friends here the debut of the second Fixer-Upper Mystery movie on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, based on my book, CROWNED AND MOLDERING.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Contractor Shannon Hammer works on plenty of hot properties but is about to tackle her first cold case...

When Mac Sullivan—famous thriller writer and Shannon's new beau—first moved to Lighthouse Cove, California, he bought the historic lighthouse mansion that is the town's namesake. Of course, Mac needs help returning the run-down place to its former glory, and Shannon is more than happy to get her handywoman hands busy. But the renovation grinds to a halt after the remains of a missing young woman are found.

Fifteen years ago, locals assumed Lily Brogan had simply run away. Now Shannon knows she must pry the right secrets and clues from Lily's problematic past, and bring the guilty to justice, before an old murder sparks a new killing...

I thought you might enjoy a few pictures from my visit to the set of Concrete Evidence.

I felt giddy when I saw Lighthouse Cove—from my imagination—on the side of a police car.

And…. Action! Deputy Tommy is behind the board. This is the first scene that I watched being filmed.

The amazing cast: Jason Cermak (Tommy), Erin Karpluk (Jennifer/Jane in the books), Jewel (Shannon), me (me), and Colin Ferguson (Mac). They welcomed me warmly, despite working 15- to 20-hour days.

One of the crew members had a pink leather tool belt—a nod to Shannon's pink tools in the books???

Jewel is lovely and perfect in the role of Shannon.

The charming Lighthouse Cove waterfront. One of my favorite scenes was filmed here.

I wanted to share a recipe inspired by the book. Buuuuut… "moldering" doesn't exactly sound appetizing. So instead, I decided to share a seasonal recipe. What could be more perfect for mystery readers than deviled Easter eggs? (cue evil laughter)

Kate Carlisle's Deviled Easter Eggs

12 hard-boiled eggs (I did them in my pressure cooker because they're easier to peel)

¼ cup + 1 tbsp mayonnaise

¼ cup whipped cream cheese with chives

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

½ tsp lemon zest

½ tsp minced fresh dill

4 oz smoked salmon

Peel the eggs, then slice them in half lengthwise. Put the yolks in a blender with the remaining ingredients, except the salmon. Blend. Carefully spoon yolk mixture into the egg whites. Roll a small piece of salmon and press it into the top.

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