Mother's Day #giveaway with Krista Davis

Lucy Burdette: We adore having one of our founding mothers back to visit the blog--and it's a special treat on Mother's Day! Read on for Krista's recipe and a chance to win her new book, The Diva Hosts a Murderer!

Krista Davis: Happy Mother’s Day! It’s always a delight to come back to Mystery Lover’s Kitchen. And especially nice today. I hope you’re all having a wonderful day! Please see the giveaway below!

My latest book, THE DIVA HOSTS A MURDERER, releases on May 23rd. It’s perfect timing for this special 250th Anniversary marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Old Town, Alexandria is a special place to visit any day, but it’s especially appropriate for the Fourth of July, so Sophie’s family has come to visit, and her house is packed with guests. Other than the usual problems wrangling a small crowd, everything seems to be going smoothly until Sophie and Nina catch the brand new husband of Sophie’s aunt sneaking out of someone else’s garden gate early in the morning! It seems that things can’t get worse when a body is found nearby, but then the police find the dead man’s DNA on her father’s sweater!

There are lots of fun recipes in this book, including Baked Scrambled Eggs for a crowd. Scrambling eggs and baking them turns out fluffy and beautiful eggs, so don’t miss that recipe if you serve breakfast to a big family. And one of my other favorites is Cranberry Cole Slaw. I know you’re thinking Christmas because of the cranberries, but it’s delicious any time of year!

Today I’m sharing Blueberry Buckle which is fast and easy and packed with blueberries!

Blueberry Buckle

8x8 baking pan

1 ½ cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup butter at room temperature + 1 teaspoon for greasing the pan

1 large egg

½ cup milk

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ½ cups blueberries

Topping:

4 tablespoons butter, softened

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons white sugar

½ cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease the pan with 1 teaspoon of butter.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 

Cream the sugar with the ¼ cup butter. Add the egg. Alternate adding the milk and the flour mixture. Mix in the lemon juice and the vanilla. Stir in the blueberries. Pour into the prepared pan and prepare the topping.

In a medium bowl, add the butter, sugars, flour, and cinnamon. Use your fingers to mix them. Sprinkle over the batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

 Be sure to leave a comment to win a signed hardcover copy of THE DIVA HOSTS A MURDERER!

Sheetpan Pork Tenderloin with Krista Davis

  Happy Mother’s Day to every one of our MLK-ers! We celebrate today by hosting one of our founders and all-around great friend, Krista Davis! Welcome back! Read all the way to the bottom for her generous giveaway…

KRISTA DAVIS: Hi everyone! It’s always fun to be back at Mystery Lovers Kitchen. I love seeing all the newcomers and I’m glad it lives on!

THE WAGTAIL MURDER CLUB is out now, and THE DIVA POACHES A BAD EGG is coming on May 27th. I’m delighted to give away a copy to two lucky winners today. Leave a comment stating which book you would prefer to win.

There are twelve recipes in THE DIVA POACHES A BAD EGG. I’m trying to keep them easy because, honestly, when we’re juggling life and company, we don’t always have time for elaborate meals. There are a couple of desert recipes in the book that are so easy and elegant. Your guests will never realize that the oven did all the hard work.

I am in love with sheet pan dinners. They’re so easy! No big muss or fuss. You can modify this recipe with the vegetables your family loves. But try not to omit the shallots because they add delicious flavor. This was a big hit with my “meat and potatoes” eaters. But the rest of us liked it, too.

I recommend using two pans to fit all the vegetables. Be sure to peel the carrots. Unpeeled carrots aren’t pretty after they cook. This will serve four, but if there are only two of you, make it all anyway because the leftovers are also tasty!

I tested this on company and on family to rave reviews. I was thrilled to have leftovers for the next day because it’s that good.

Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin

2 sheet pans

Aluminum foil

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup + ¼ cup olive oil, plus more

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 + 1 tablespoons oregano

1 + 1 teaspoons thyme

1 + 1 teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 pork tenderloins around 1 pound each

1 medium sweet potato

1 ½ pounds mixed small white and red potatoes

1 ½ cups shallots, peeled

Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, 1/3 cup olive oil, garlic, oregano, thyme, and salt. Place pork tenderloins in a shallow flat dish and pour the balsamic mixture over them. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 450. Line the sheet pan with aluminum foil. Cut the sweet potato in bite-sized pieces. Cut the potatoes in half. Mix together the sweet potato, potatoes, carrots, and peeled shallots in a large bowl. Mix together the ¼ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon oregano, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Pour over the potato mixture. Place the pork on the sheet pans and surround with the potato mixtures. Pour remaining seasoned oil from the vegetables over them on the pan.

Roast about 20 minutes and check the internal temperature of the pork. Cook until a thermometer registers 140 to 145 degrees.

Slice the meat and serve with the vegetables.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway! Do you want THE WAGTAIL MURDER CLUB or THE DIVA POACHES A BAD EGG?

New York Times bestselling mystery author Krista Davis writes three mystery series: the Domestic Diva Mysteries; the Paws & Claws Mysteries; and the Pen & Ink Mysteries.

Mystery Lovers Kitchen Celebrates 15 years of Eating and Writing!

Lucy, Peg, and Ellery

 LUCY BURDETTE: Believe it or not—and we hardly can—our blog celebrates 15 years of life this summer! Fifteen years of writing and cooking and sharing all of that with you, our treasured readers! To celebrate, we thought you’d like to share a birthday celebration with us of course, but also with some of our distinguished alumna. We’ll have two days of MLK memories and stories, and two big giveaways. So do leave a comment today, and come back tomorrow for part two of our birthday celebration and leave another!

Today we’ll start with our alums. I rounded up as many as were available and asked them about a favorite memory or recipe from their days on the blog, and a sentence about what they’re writing now. 

ELIZABETH SPANN CRAIG: I was a mom of young kids when I was a regular at the Kitchen. Cooking kid-friendly meals could become monotonous, but the Kitchen kept me from getting stuck in a rut. There was always warm camaraderie on the blog and terrific comments! My kids are grown and flown now, and I'm writing 4 active cozy series. 

JULIE WILLIAMS FOR SHEILA CONNOLLY: When I think of my mother, I immediately remember her fresh apple cake. It's always a crowd-pleaser at potlucks, it stays moist for days as the glaze melds into the cake, and best of all it is very simple to make! Both my parents used to make this for all occasions, and now I make it too -- and sometimes just the glaze, to pour over a bowl of extra-decadent late-night vanilla ice cream. Try a fresh apple cake for the summer barbecue sweets table! I am currently writing a new play with music called Rich and Strange, which will be staged by Curious Theatre Branch in spring 2025. Come see it if you're a Chicago local! I also have a hardcover copy of my mom's final book, The Secret Staircase, to give away. I finished it for publication after she passed, so I think of it as a collaborative effort, though the characters and setting are all classic Sheila Connolly!

Krista and Daryl

KRISTA DAVIS: It seems like yesterday when Daryl Wood Gerber and I approached Julie Hyzy about starting Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen. She was the first one on board. I’m thrilled that the blog continues to thrive and that so many talented authors are sharing their recipes.  I’m working on The Diva Poaches a Bad Egg. The Wagtail Murder Club with be released in February!

DARYL WOOD GERBER: I loved blogging on Mystery Lovers Kitchen and meeting all our regular readers. When I was first published, writing the Cheese Shop Mysteries as Avery Aames, I had such a blast sharing all the cheese-y recipes I was creating for the books: quiches, fondues, cheesecakes. I particularly liked offering tidbits about all the new cheeses I was tasting. Do you know I tasted over 1,000 cheeses while writing that series? Who knew when I started writing mysteries I’d have to be able to cook AND know cheese? It has been a delicious adventure. Daryl will give away A TWINKLE OF TROUBLE, book #5 in the Fairy Garden Mystery series. 

ELLERY ADAMS: I can’t tell you how many amazing recipes I’ve discovered on Mystery Lovers Kitchen. One of Krista Davis’s cookie recipes became a family favorite and when my daughter went gluten-free, I found plenty of treats on the blog, thanks to Daryl Wood Gerber. Thanks for uniting so many writers and readers through words and food—two of the best things in life! I’m currently working on The Tattered Cover, Book 8 in The Secret, Book, and Scone Society series as well as a new fiction project that is not at all cozy. 

TINA KASHIAN: I have many favorite memories from my time at Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen. I enjoyed connecting with new readers, and I loved meeting some readers and my fellow blog mates at Malice Domestic conferences. My favorite recipe was baklava. My Armenian parents owned a restaurant for thirty years and my mother was a talented Mediterranean cook. She’s passed away but I have her treasured recipe box and I shared many of her recipes on the blog, including the baklava recipe.

 “Murder in the Air” just released. The anthology includes my short cozy story “A Contest Win to Die For” which features my Kebab Kitchen sleuth Lucy Berberian.

JENN MCKINLAY: Wow! As a founding member of MLK, this blows my mind. Congratulations to all the participants of this delicious blog. What an amazing achievement! I still make Julie Hyzy's walking tacos for my guys and Cleo Coyle taught me the art of the muffin top which has been invaluable for quick breakfasts! Keep on serving up the good stuff, chefs!

Sheila and MJ

MARY JANE MAFFINI AND VICTORIA ABBOTT: I am thrilled to be at this great party! I’ll never forget the close bonds forged during my years at Mystery Lovers Kitchen and the fun we had. I loved those smart women who created clever plots and dynamite endings one-handedly while casually whipping up souffles with the other.  It doesn’t get any better! For us, it was a family affair because for some years my daughter Victoria (of Victoria Abbott)  was part of it too.  Plus my husband was thrilled with the results on his plate and said so. Not only did he enjoy the many new recipes I tried but he liked those of my MLK friends. It spurred him to cook. From Peg Cochran he learned about mirepoix and he has been a dedicated soup maker ever since.  Win-win!  Thank you, MLK, present and past, for years of great recipes, for enduring friendships and for all those wonderful books.  But I cannot leave out the faithful readers and the commenters. The comments section always rocked and camaraderie blossomed with several commenters.  You know who you are!  Bon appétit, everyone. 

Sheila Connolly: THE SECRET STAIRCASE

Jenn McKinlay: FONDANT FUMBLE

Mary Jane Maffini: DEATH PLANS A PERFECT TRIP

Krista Davis: THE DIVA GOES OVERBOARD

Ellery Adams: PAPER CUTS

Daryl Wood Gerber: A TWINKLE OF TROUBLE

Tina Kashian: HUMMUS AND HOMICIDE

Elizabeth Spann Craig: THE TYPE-A GUIDE TO SOLVING MURDER

Krista Davis Serves Up Lavender Lemonade!

LUCY BURDETTE: We sure hated to see our friend Krista Davis leave the kitchen, but lucky for all of us she's back for a visit! With four giveaways! Welcome Krista!

KRISTA DAVIS: It’s such a pleasure to be back at Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen. I love the new lineup of authors here and enjoy seeing their recipes. It has been so long that I have four giveaways today. Don’t miss them at the bottom of the post!

I began this year with the release of THE DOG ACROSS THE LAKE in the Wagtail series. Holly’s family comes to celebrate Oma’s birthday, and her cousin lands in hot water. It’s the first time her dad has made an appearance. There’s even a family tree in the book! 

The DIVA DELIVERS ON A PROMISE will be out in trade paperback on April 23rd. 

On May 21st, the 17th book in the Diva series, THE DIVA GOES OVERBOARD will be in bookstores. No, it doesn’t take place on a cruise. The theme is food boards, which are the easiest way in the world to entertain. Almost no cooking required. Hit the cheese, deli, cracker, and fruit sections of your grocery store, unpack, and place on a wood or marble board. It’s that easy! Large ones for big parties become the center of attention. Just remember to give yourself a couple of hours to assemble everything nicely. Or you can use a small cutting board with cheeses, crackers, and a bunch of grapes for an appetizer if you have a smaller group.

Today, I’m offering the recipe for a drink that I love. While a glass of wine is always appropriate, sometimes a special drink can really amp up the festivities. This is super easy and can be made in advance, leaving you free to enjoy the company of your guests. Please be sure to use “culinary lavender” when you make this.

 

Lavender Lemonade

Lemonade base with lavender and a spirit but can be served as a mocktail without the alcohol.

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

¼ cup culinary lavender

1½ cups lemon juice

4 additional cups water

1½ cups vodka

Sprigs of fresh lavender or lemon slices for garnish

Make the lavender syrup first because it need to steep.

Place ¾ cup sugar in a heat proof bowl. Boil the water and pour it over the sugar. Stir to help it dissolve. Add ¼ cup culinary lavender and stir. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes while it steeps.

Meanwhile squeeze the lemons. Pour the lavender syrup into a pitcher and add the lemon juice, 4 cups of water and 1 ½ cups vodka. Chill before serving. To serve, pour into individual glasses and garnish with a fresh lavender sprig or lemon slice.

GIVEAWAYS!

To enter, please tell me which item you would like to win: 

Diva tote bag; 

THE DOG ACROSS THE LAKE, a mass market paperback; 

THE DIVA DELIVERS ON A PROMISE, a trade paperback;

or THE DIVA GOES OVERBOARD, hardcover. 

Please note that I do not have copies of The Diva Goes Overboard yet, so I will ship it when I receive them, probably in May. I’m so sorry, but US addresses only for the giveaway.

Chocolate Cupcakes and a giveaway for Mother's Day @KristaDavis

 

 

 

 

 

 LUCY BURDETTE: It's Mother's Day and what could be a better way to celebrate than having our own dear Krista Davis bring news of a giveaway, plus chocolate cupcakes! Welcome Krista! We miss you and are so happy to have you visit, especially with a new book!

KRISTA DAVIS: I am so excited to be back at Mystery Lovers' Kitchen! Thanks for inviting me, Lucy. Today I'm sharing my new go-to recipe for chocolate cupcakes. They are so light and airy that I have to ration them and not indulge too much. The recipe makes a whopping 24 cupcakes, but happily they freeze very well, which makes them the perfect cupcake for Sophie Winston, who always likes to have something on hand to serve, because you never know when people might gather in your kitchen to discuss a murder.

In The Diva Serves Forbidden Fruit, Sophie's best friend Nina returns from a European vacation looking much worse for the wear.

The next day, one of Nina's traveling companions is murdered. The only clue is a strange image the dying victim scratched into the soil. Could it point to a cryptic killer? A cursed artifact? When another traveler dies, Sophie knows if she doesn't find the murderer soon, her best friend may be next.

 

The Diva Serves Forbidden Fruit will be in stores on May 25th, but I have copies! I'm so happy to be here that I will give away two books today. A copy of The Diva Serves Forbidden Fruit and a copy of the newest Wagtail book, Big Little Spies. See how to enter below.

 

I'm always intrigued by alternative uses for ingredients, so I experimented with mayonnaise instead of butter in these cupcakes.They exceeded my expectations. These rise quite high, so if you prefer a lower cupcake, fill the wells 1/2 full.

I frost these with a super creamy frosting. Unfortunately it does involve a double boiler, which has sort of gone out of fashion. So if you prefer, frost these with your favorite frosting. If you're feeling adventurous, haul out the double boiler. This makes a dark chocolate (not overly sweet) frosting. For more sweetness, use 3 ounces of unsweetened chocolate. Taste to be sure it's sweet enough for your taste!

 

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cupcakes

 

 3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
3 eggs
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups water

Preheat the oven to 350. Place cupcake papers in wells in cupcake pan.
Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar in a medium bowl and stir with a fork to blend.

In a mixer, beat together the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the mayonnaise and vanilla and beat. Alternate between adding the water and the flour mixture. Divide the batter among the cupcake papers, filling ¾ full.

Bake 18 minutes. Frost with Chocolate Frosting.

Chocolate Frosting

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

4 large egg yolks

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup heavy cream 

1 1/4 cups softened unsalted butter

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot water. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks with the sugar. Mix in the salt and heavy cream. Pour it slowly into the chocolate and stir constantly. Bring it briefly to 160 degrees, (you may need to turn the heat down afterward) and continue stirring until thick. Remove from heat and cool.

Cream the butter thoroughly. Add the cool chocolate mixture one spoon at a time until it is all mixed in. If it is too soft, chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.

To enter to win a hardcover copy of The Diva Serves Forbidden Fruit or a paperback copy of Big Little Spies, please leave a comment with your email address and let me know which book you would like to win. Good luck!

Happy Mother's Day!

( It's not too late to bake cupcakes for Mom!)

Around the Kitchen Table: Your Most Memorable Holiday Dinner + #Giveaway

MAYA CORRIGAN: Which is your most memorable holiday celebration? Christmas Eve dinner in 2016 stands out for me because it collided with my research for the 5th Five-Ingredient Mystery, S’More Murders. My sleuth Val is hired to cater a Titanic memorial dinner aboard a yacht while the guests assume the roles of Titanic passengers in a whodunit mystery game. I couldn’t write that scene without doing what Val does. I downloaded a Titanic mystery dinner party game. Then I coaxed family members into assuming roles as Titanic guests, eating their last meal and solving a murder that took place on the ship. 

Molly Brown and the Titanic captain are on the right

My relatives arrived dressed to kill 1912 style. We had wine with Titanic labels and clues to peruse, including a telegram, a birth certificate, and a medical examiner’s report. 

After dessert we each accused the person we believed had committed the murder. And none of us figured it out! We all had fun, though, and I had the experience I needed to write the dinner scene in S’more Murders. The murder game played by my characters is nothing like the game I downloaded. The victim, suspects, and crime are different, and the game in S'more Murders is designed for nefarious purposes rather than fun. If you'd like a fun version of the Titanic murder game, you can download it at Printable Mystery Games. Read about S'more Murders and the last dinner on the Titanic.

Leave a comment to enter a raffle for 7 cozy mystery books!

Accusations fly across the table

🤶

 

LUCY BURDETTE: I have to go with a New Year's eve celebration too, about five years ago. Our kids came to Key West to celebrate (a special treat). Our son-in-law Jeff's birthday is New Year's eve so I made a special dinner with all his favorite things including his mother's recipe for stuffed shrimp and a giant carrot cake. Here's the recipe--delicious even though I'd never choose carrot cake myself! Then we all went out to watch the madness on Duval Street...

🎄

MADDIE DAY: I got divorced in the fall of 2002. The first Christmas, I wanted to make new traditions with my young-teen sons. We all love sushi, and I had learned to make it when I lived in Japan in my twenties. My boys were going to be with their father on Christmas Day, so the three of us made Christmas Eve sushi, a tradition we've kept nearly every year since.

I brought that round wooden dish home from Japan, as well as a nori-maki rolling mat. I'm not sure I'll have the heart to make it this year, but fingers crossed for a safe family Christmas in 2021, along with more festive sushi. 

🎅

LESLIE B: Oh, I love these stories! This truly is the time of year for memories, especially as we get older and the memories pile up! The little Irish nun who taught high school French class decided we would make a French dinner, and I was assigned the buche de Noel, or Christmas log, a long, rolled-up cake filled with raspberry jam and covered with chocolate frosting. My mother helped me---she wasn't a good cook, but boy, could she bake---and it was such a hit that we made another for our own Christmas dinner. My father hadn't seen the school version and was totally surprised. He hadn't had or even seen one since the Christmas of 1944 when he was stuck in a small Swiss village, one of the Swiss internees---the troops whose planes had been forced to land in Switzerland, his because of engine damage during a raid; to retain its neutrality, Switzerland had to keep all soldiers who landed there, Allies on one side of the country, Axis on the other, separated by nationality and by officers/enlisted men. He cried at the sight. When Don and I were in France last January, we saw elaborate buches de Noel in bakery windows, many with little trees and mushrooms made of frosting, surrounded by forest animals. I thought of my father, long gone, and I cried. 

🎄

      

DARYL: Maya, your mystery dinner sounds amazing. What fun.  Nearly every holiday has been good for me. I love when family gathers. We had a full house a few years ago. The smiles were constant and food plentiful.  I serve the same thing every year. It's now expected, so that tradition won't change, although I do switch up the desserts! The number of people will change from year to year, I fear, as we go through this particular year and then going forward when the little ones grow up and go off to college, etc. We have to be ready for change, I think.  I will admit that a cranberry cheesecake dessert was one of the favorites over the years as was the gluten-free yule log I made. 

 

🌞

VICKI DELANY: Two years ago my mother and I went to Mozambique to have Christmas with my daughter, newly arrived to live there for four years.  I lived in South Africa for a long time, so I know hot Christmases, but that was a long time ago. It was fun to see our holiday traditions - Santa Claus, a decorated tree - implanted in such a different sort of place. But never fear, we went to a pot luck dinner, and my daughter made a turkey and I made an apple pie.  This picture is of my mom and me out for drinks on Christmas Eve. And a picture of the Christmas tree. 

 

🍷 🌲 🍴

 

LESLIE KARST: Our family’s traditional Christmas dinner has long been roast beef (or “roast beast,” as we call it), Yorkshire pud, and green beans, with pumpkin and mince pies for dessert. And we always include British Christmas crackers, which come with a small toy, a “motto” (i.e., riddle or joke—which we act out as a game of charades), and a festive paper crown. But one time some years back, Robin and I were lucky enough to celebrate Christmas with my parents and sister in Hawai‘i, where Robin and I live half time. Good fun!

 

 Robin, Mom, and Laura

 

For this special occasion, I decided to try my hand at making a “real” mince pie—i.e., with actual minced beef and suet, as well as fruit. It was the most delicious pie I’ve ever had (though very rich). And that "Christmas in Paradise" we celebrated together lives on as one of my very favorite memories.

🎅

DENISE

My husband and I celebrated New Year's Eve in Melbourne, Australia on a converted tram car. We had dinner in our own little cubby and then were invited to join a large party of Australians to ring in the New Year. Truly a one of a kind experience!

⛄

 

PEG: So many interesting stories here! All holidays are memorable so it's hard to choose.  I'd have to say that it might be the Christmas my late husband and I spent in England. He was there on business so I joined him.  We spent some time in London having afternoon tea, seeing Cats, which was new then and visiting Harrods and enjoying the decorations at Marks & Spencer.  I found a bookstore and snapped up a bunch of books by Nancy Mitford and Patricia Wentworth.  We then headed into the countryside via train to a manor house that had been turned into a hotel. It was exquisite and the food was fantastic. Christmas Eve all the guests were taken to a small, stone church in the village for the midnight service.  When we arrived back at the manor house, we were served a small bowl of hot soup and the British version of grilled cheese.  Christmas morning they brought a real English "fry up" to our room. By the time we finished the eggs, sausage, tomato, mushrooms etc. we thought we'd never be hungry again. But then it was time for Christmas dinner, another memorable meal shared with new friends, made jolly by Christmas crackers and paper crowns!

🎄

MARY JANE MAFFINI

What fantastic Christmas memories you all have!  Are we the only people where things go pear-shaped? Christmas Eve is the big shindig in our family, but we always have a smaller dinner on Christmas Day.  Many of our memorable Christmas stories involve nearly-averted disasters such as the time when, in addition to the usual suspects, we had four Brazilian visitors and my ninetysomething mother-in-law arrive at the same time. In the confusion of arrivals and multiple languages our adventurous little dachshund, Lily, escaped without anyone noticing  and trotted purposefully down the road in the cold Ontario winter late afternoon wearing her velvet and taffeta Christmas dress.  She was spotted by a passing librarian (you can't make this stuff up!) who found our phone number on the tag and saved the day.  Dinner resumed with the breakout artist back in her bed, cuddled up with her sister awaiting extra treats.  Lily is nearly fifteen now and none the worse for her many adventures, but I may have lost a few years off my life.   Merry and safe Christmas, friends!

☕

CLEO COYLE:  Because our beloved parents and grandparents are gone now, both Marc and I are sentimental about our most memorable holiday meals. Both took place during our childhoods. Mine was a Thanksgiving feast with my big Italian-American family, where homemade Italian foods (from wedding soup and gnocchi to pizzelle and biscotti) were served right along with traditional American Turkey and pumpkin pie. Marc’s most memorable meal took place one Christmas eve, when his family served him the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes. “As the oldest grandson,” Marc told me, “I sat at the adult’s table for the first time, beside my cousin Loretta. We listened to their conversation—some of it in Italian—and shared a wee bit of wine and a drop of after-dinner anisette.” 

As for the menu, Marc’s grandmother was a poor orphan from Naples, but (as he put it) “she could have been a master chef.” The seven seafood dishes she served that night were: (1) shrimp cocktails with white garlic sauce, (2) savory fritters with anchovies; (3) smelts; (4) baccàla (dried and salted cod) in red sauce; (5) calamari, coated with seasoned flour and fried “to perfection.” (Marc remembered the tentacles resembling “dried flower blossoms” though his cousin Loretta was “thoroughly grossed out by them!”) The main course included (6) a whole fresh cod, stuffed with crabmeat, and finally (7) fried shrimp coated with a breading that included Italian herbs and parmesan cheese. Marc and I still make and enjoy that wonderful “Italian-fried shrimp.” We love it so much we shared our recipe and tips with our readers via one of our most popular Coffeehouse Mystery characters. (Click here or on the picture below for a free PDF of our recipe.) As for the desserts, Marc remembered some amazing treats being served, but he failed to eat them. “Why?” I asked. “Because after that seven fish dinner, I was stuffed to the gills.” (Hey, no groaning. Puns are our business, too.) May your own holidays be delicious!

Click here for a free PDF
of Cleo's recipe.

GIVEAWAY

Now it's your turn!
Do you have a holiday meal memory to share?

Join our chat and leave a comment by December 9th
to win these seven terrific books, US only.

Include your e-mail address
so we can contact you if you win.

As the Christmas Cookie Crumbles by Leslie Budewitz

Candy Slain Murder by Maddie Day

Deadly Feast by Lucy Burdette

Mistletoe, Moussaka & Murder by Tina Kashian 

Not a Creature was Purring by Krista Davis

Wreath between the Lines by Daryl Wood Gerber

Gingerdead Man by Maya Corrigan

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Around the Kitchen Table: Our Summer Weight Loss Tips & Recipes w/book #giveaway

CLEO COYLE: If you follow this blog, then you know we all enjoy treats. We've blogged beautiful cakes, cookies, and rich desserts. Just for today, however, with summer now upon us, I thought it would be fun to ask my fellow culinary mystery writers to share some ideas for lighter fare, as well as weight loss tips they've found helpful over the years.

I'll go first...

By now, I'm sure most of us have heard about intermittent fasting, though it may not not be the solution for everyone. It has worked for me and my metabolism. I've lost twenty pounds with this method (singing "Hallelujah!" from the chubby girl chorus), although the key for me has been keeping my carb intake low, as well, and that means keeping my cravings under control.

My best tip is: don't fight your cravings, trick yourself into satisfying them. Here is one example. I enjoy pizza, but it's too high in carbs and calories for me when I'm not moving around enough. Instead of eating a New York slice, I'll make my "Pizza Bites" (click here for the recipe or on the photo below). It's just one example of how I'll "trick" my craving monster with a lower carb (and calorie) treat...

Click the photo for Cleo's recipe.

How about you, fellow foodies? 

Do you have any tips or recipes that you

find helpful for weight loss?

(Join us in the comments with your own!)

🌿

LESLIE B: Though I've been a Weight Watchers' Lifetime member for more than 30 years, I do occasionally need to take off a few pounds, usually after the holidays. What works best for me is to focus not on what I can't eat, but on making the positive choices that will help me reach my goal. It's starts with planning -- knowing what we'll make for dinner for the next few days, often making a soup or a dish full of vegetables, grains, or beans. Bonus? Plenty of leftovers so it's easy to figure out lunch and avoid being tempted by, say, grilled cheese -- our topic in March! 

Herbs and spices are a great way to make dishes tasty without adding calories. This Greek Chicken with Baby Bell Peppers, Orzo, and Tzatziki is my adaptation of a Weight Watchers recipe that fits the bill perfectly.

And I always save "room" in my plan for dark chocolate or a glass of wine!

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DARYL:  My dieting tip is eat less at night and try to eat only protein and vegetables at night.  About a year ago, I cut back to eating "half" what I thought I'd like to eat and that seems to be perfect for maintaining my weight.  Now, don't get me wrong. I like sugar and carbs, and I do eat those in morning, before lunch. I might splurge with a Dove's dark chocolate mid-afternoon. But I find that having my carbs early lets my body burn it off throughout the day. I use protein powder in my milk with fruit breakfast. I like scrambled eggs for lunch.  Like Leslie I think herbs make all the difference in a meal, so use liberally. Also, like Leslie, I do like a glass of wine at night. With a good book? Heaven. 

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Lucy's vegetable beef soup

LUCY: This is such an important question, Cleo, with the news out last month that 40% of Americans are obese. 40%! Yikes! Here's my best advice: Don't diet. Eat everything in moderation, except for vegetables--and there the sky is the limit! If I make cookies for example, I then freeze them so I can dole them out one by one. It's harder to eat a lot of cookies if they're frozen. If you eat out one night and order fried chicken and mashed potatoes, maybe the next night a vegetable soup and salad are in order? Here's an easy recipe for creamed vegetable soup, but you'll find lots more on our website!

And plan all this before you're starving--it's so much harder to resist treats when you're hungry. One more tiny tip--make water your drink of choice. It has no calories and it's good for your body.

And finally, exercise. Walk, attend a yoga class, go to a trainer at the gym. You'll feel better and did you know that muscles burn more calories than fat?

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MAYA: I agree with Lucy about eating in moderation instead of giving up foods you like. Like her, I freeze cookies to enjoy them one by one. In my case, it's more often two than just one, but they're small cookies :-) and I don't usually have a dessert after dinner unless it's fruit.

My best tip for weight loss: Fish rather than fast. Fish can be a leaner and lower-calorie source of protein than meat, and it doesn't take long to cook or require elaborate preparation. I shared one of my favorite fish recipes on Mystery Lovers' Kitchen a few weeks ago: Parmesan Halibut Steak. It has only five ingredients and takes barely 15 minutes to prepare. While it's cooking, you can make a salad to go with it. Fresh Alaskan halibut is readily available during the spring months, but you can also use this recipe for any firm-flesh fish like mahi or swordfish. 

Maya's halibut steak with a side salad

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PEG: I recently lost 20 lbs. using the Weight Watcher blue plan--you've probably seen some of the WW friendly recipes I've been posting. I do what a lot of other MLK folk do--I eat fewer carbs.  I've found substitutes like these pancakes made with bananas and eggs.   I measure the carbs I do occasionally eat like rice to keep me honest and I also measure the oil I cook with.  I've found you usually don't need anywhere near the amount in so many recipes! Luckily I don't have much of a sweet tooth--I'd rather have a glass of wine.  Like Lucy, if we go out to dinner or a party, I allow myself to indulge in whatever I want--but I eat a light breakfast and lunch beforehand and also cut back the next day. That way I don't feel deprived.  Plus hubby and I have started to take a short walk (just shy of a mile) with our coffee in the mornings and then a longer "power" walk in the afternoons.

ESSIE LANG:   Honestly, the only weight-reducing solution in my house would be to lock up the kitchen cabinets with timed releases on them, only at mealtime. It's just too, too easy to stop and pull open a cabinet door, rummage around and pop something into my mouth - every time I walk past. Especially when I'm writing. I love what Daryl does and may try to switch to that. Carbs aren't difficult for me to give up, except for pasta, and sweet potato fries, and potato salad. Okay, it will be a work-in-progress.  What I seriously try to do is drink as much water as I possibly can and stock up on baby carrots. Often I'll add a delicious green dip from a local restaurant -- I'm not totally sure what all is in it but I know there are few calories and lots of goodness. I also like Peg's walking program but for now, will stick to my early morning power walks.

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LESLIE K: With a metabolism that wants to conserve fat as if I were stranded in an arid desert with only grass and radishes to eat, I’ve spent most of my adult life watching my calories. And what I’ve learned is that it’s best if I stick to a regimen on a daily basis (the French word for a “a diet” is “un régime,” after all)—generally something light like a salad or cottage cheese and tomatoes for lunch. But I try to make the lunch colorful and artfully arranged—it tastes better that way!

I then allow myself a normal (though moderately-sized) dinner, since to deny that to this food lover would be torture. As many of us MLKers have already said, it’s all about moderation. Allow yourself that treat from time-to-time; just keep it small.

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MADDIE: I'm right there with Leslie K, both in stature (those calories have nowhere to go...) and metabolism. That salad looks yummy, my friend. I learned a delicious cucumber soup recipe from a woman I cleaned house for when I was a southern California college student many (many) years ago. It's tasty, refreshing, and fills you up with veggies and low-fat dairy. What's not to like, especially mid-summer? Thank you, Mrs. Schwartz!

I included the Cucumber-Dill Soup recipe in Strangled Eggs and Ham, which takes place during a steamy southern Indiana August, and Brooke Blogs featured it. (Note: the giveaway has been over for most of a year.) It's best when you can use locally (or home) grown cukes and dill, but if you're not a gardener or don't have a farm stand nearby, don't let that stop you. For me, I have cukes AND dill in my little organic garden, and I can't wait for them to be ready to harvest. Gardening burns calories, too - and I always save room for wine.

VICKI: Sorry, no weight loss tips from me. I lost 55 pounds about 2 -3 years ago, and I'd like to say it was hard, but it wasn't.  I had several gall bladder attacks and had to be very strict about my diet for two months before I had the pesky thing removed. And I quite simply lost a lot of my appetite over those months and it never came back. One thing I have been aware of since then though, is not letting the weight creep up.  I weigh myself every day and once it creeps over the number I've set as unacceptable, I cut back for a few days.

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KRISTA: Ouch, Vicki. That's a very hard way to lose weight. I'm always having to lose weight. In fact, I am probably the very worst person to give advice on this topic. However, I do have one trick that helps and that's limiting dinner to soup. It works very well for me. The hardest part is convincing myself to do it! Pass the Krispy Kremes, please.

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