Apple Clafoutis @MaddieDayAuthor #giveaway

MADDIE DAY here, full into a New England fall. And you know what that means - apples! Cider Hill Farm is a mile from my house and has acres of apple and other fruit trees and bushes plus, of course, apple cider donuts. Yum.

I like to bake with apples, and this recipe from the Boston Globe caught my eye. It's easier than pie and a looked like a nice change from apple crisp. Also, to minimally assuage my deep envy of Leslie Karst eating her way through France for an entire month, Clafoutis is a French dish.

Apple Clafoutis

Adapted from a recipe by Sheryl Julian in the Boston Globe.

According to the article, clafoutis came about in the Limousin region of France, which is famous for cherries. Bakers made a batter similar to what they would use for crepes and poured it over black cherries in a baking dish. It’s now made widely with other kinds of fruits (the dish technically is called a flôgnarde when the fruit isn't cherries).

Ingredients

2 eggs

1 cup whole milk

½ teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup unbleached white flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

½ cup granulated sugar plus more for sprinkling

3 medium baking apples

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Generously butter a 10-inch baking dish or deep pie pan (2 inches deep) and set aside.

Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the milk and vanilla, and then the flour. When the mixture is smooth, whisk in the baking powder, salt, and sugar. 

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Slice apples in half through the core. Carefully remove cores, keeping each half intact. Note: The original recipe calls for peeling the apples, but I think they are fine unpeeled.

Set each apple cut side down on a cutting board. Holding the knife perpendicular to the board, slice the apple half thinly. Keeping the slices together, transfer to the dish and fan them slightly. Repeat for each half.

Whisk the chilled batter until smooth. Pour it over and around the apples, letting it settle in an even layer.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the batter is set at the edges and the apples are starting to brown. 

Note: I hadn't made this before, and my apples came out looking a bit dry on top, with all the batter cooked underneath. I spread butter over the top, sprinkled it with cinnamon and granulated sugar, and put the dish back into the oven for five minutes. Butter and cinnamon aren't shown in the ingredients photo.

Remove dish to a wire rack and let settle as it cools for at least fifteen minutes. Enjoy warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.

Readers: What's your favorite apple dessert? I'll give away a copy Murder at the Toy Soldier, my latest release, to one lucky commenter (include your email address). 

🍎🍏🍎

Murder at the Toy Soldier, Cozy Capers Book Group #8, is out and available wherever books are sold!

Next up is Murder in the Lighthouse, out in late February, 2027 and up for preorder now!

My other recent releases are:

A Poisonous Pour, Cece Barton #3,

Murder at Cape Costumers,

Scone Cold Dead, #13 in the Country Store Mysteries,

and A Case for the Ladies.

Check out all my writing.

We hope you'll visit Maddie and her Agatha Award-winning alter ego Edith Maxwell on our web site, sign up for our monthly newsletter, visit us on social media, and check our all our books and short stories.

Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell) is a talented amateur chef and holds a PhD in Linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-winning and bestselling author, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and also writes award-winning short crime fiction. She lives with her beau and sweet cat Martin north of Boston, where she’s currently working on her next mystery when she isn’t cooking up something delectable in the kitchen.

 

Chicken with Tomatoes and Garam Masala @MaddieDayAuthor

MADDIE DAY here, with an easy Indian-flavored chicken dish. 

I still have lots of garden tomatoes, plus some greens, and we always have chicken in the freezer. 

Chicken with Tomatoes and Garam Masala

I adapted this recipe from Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cookery, one of two favorite cookbooks by her that are well-loved in my kitchen.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 tablespoon grated ginger

6 cloves finely chopped garlic

Six medium tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon curry powder

1-3 inches cinnamon stick

2 chicken breasts, cut into 3-4 chunks each

2 cups chopped greens such as kale, Brussels sprouts leaves, or Asian cabbage

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon garam masala

Directions

Heat oil in large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Saute onion until tender. Add ginger and garlic and stir for one minutes. Stir in tomatoes, spices, and chicken.

Note: Original recipe calls for whole cumin, cardamom, and black peppercorns. I live with someone who gets seeds caught in his teeth, so I use ground versions of the spices.

Stir to mix. Add greens and bring to a simmer. Cover tightly and simmer for about 25 minutes or until chicken is tender, stirring several times.

Remove lid and raise heat to medium. Sprinkle in salt and garam masala, stirring gently for about five minutes. Remove cinnamon stick. 

Serve hot over rice.

Readers: How do you like to use fresh tomatoes when you have an excess?

🍅🐔🍅

Murder at the Toy Soldier, Cozy Capers Book Group #8, is out and available wherever books are sold!

My most recent releases are:

A Poisonous Pour, Cece Barton #3,

Murder at Cape Costumers,

Scone Cold Dead, #13 in the Country Store Mysteries,

and A Case for the Ladies.

Check out all my writing.

We hope you'll visit Maddie and her Agatha Award-winning alter ego Edith Maxwell on our web site, sign up for our monthly newsletter, visit us on social media, and check our all our books and short stories.

Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell) is a talented amateur chef and holds a PhD in Linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-winning and bestselling author, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and also writes award-winning short crime fiction. She lives with her beau and sweet cat Martin north of Boston, where she’s currently working on her next mystery when she isn’t cooking up something delectable in the kitchen.

Tulia's Fish Cakes @MaddieDayAuthor #CozyCapersBookGroupMysteries #giveaway

MADDIE DAY here. I'm still celebrating this week's release of Murder at the Toy Soldier, my 39th mystery novel. 

In the book, Mac's friend Tulia makes these fish cakes. Tulia owns the Lobstah Shack, where Mac stops by to pick up some takeout dinner for her and Tim on a night when their daughter Ella will be sleeping over with her cousin at their grandparents' house. Mac doesn't cook, but she likes to contribute so her husband Tim doesn't have to prepare dinner every night.

I hope you love these easy and tasty fish cakes.

Fish Cakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Ingredients

1 pound firm white fish fillets

1 egg

1 ounce tapioca flour

2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced, or 1 tablespoon dried

2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated, or 1 teaspoon dried ginger

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ cup bread crumbs or panko

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup whole milk plain yogurt

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick silicone mat.

Pat dry the fish fillets with a paper towel. With a sharp knife finely chop (almost mince) the fish fillets.

 

Place the chopped fish, egg, tapioca flour, dill, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, grated ginger, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and use a fork or your hand to combine.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using an ice cream scoop, make small (about 2 inch) balls and set them on the baking sheet. Slightly flatten the balls with your hands and sprinkle with bread crumbs. (Mine were too wet to form balls, so I just spooned the mixture onto the parchment paper.)

 Bake on the middle rack for about 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden.

Stir 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice into mayonnaise and yogurt. Add salt, pepper, and more lemon juice to taste.

Serve with the lemony mayonnaise on a bun or for dinner with roasted potatoes and a green salad.

Readers: What fish dish do you enjoy? I'll send one commenter a signed copy of the new book along with a special prize of one of my author aprons!

🐟📖🐠

Murder at the Toy Soldier, Cozy Capers Book Group #8, is out and available wherever books are sold!

My most recent releases are:

A Poisonous Pour, Cece Barton #3,

Murder at Cape Costumers,

Scone Cold Dead, #13 in the Country Store Mysteries,

and A Case for the Ladies.

Check out all my writing.

We hope you'll visit Maddie and her Agatha Award-winning alter ego Edith Maxwell on our web site, sign up for our monthly newsletter, visit us on social media, and check our all our books and short stories.

Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell) is a talented amateur chef and holds a PhD in Linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-winning and bestselling author, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and also writes award-winning short crime fiction. She lives with her beau and sweet cat Martin north of Boston, where she’s currently working on her next mystery when she isn’t cooking up something delectable in the kitchen.

#ReleaseDayNews - MURDER AT THE TOY SOLDIER is out from @MaddieDayAuthor!

Congratulations to our own Maddie Day on the publication of her 8th Cozy Capers Book Group mystery, MURDER AT THE TOY SOLDIER!

Cape Cod bike shop owner Mac Almeida is extra busy during a cold, wet February as she and Tim do their best as working parents of a preschooler and a baby. With Ella’s fourth birthday approaching, Mac uses her lunch break to shop for a gift at the Toy Soldier. Behind the counter is Zia Carven, a young woman Mac recognizes. Mac finds a gift Ella will love and Zia offers to gift wrap it. Mac plans to pick it up after work, but when she returns, she finds Zia slumped over the counter, dead, dried blood on a toy rifle nearby.

Mac’s mother, Astra, confides that she’d been trying to help Zia, and now the police want to speak with her, which worries Mac. Then Mac discovers that Zia had been in town searching for her birth mother, which only multiplies the questions—and the suspects. One thing is certain: Mac and the Cozy Capers book group will have to double down to find a killer who isn’t playing around . . . 

Available now, wherever books are sold!

"This is a fast-paced page turner that I could not put down. It was great fun to reconnect with the characters I have grown invested in. Though this is a series, it will be easy to jump in with this book. Then you will be hooked!" – Suzie on Goodreads

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies @MaddieDayAuthor #giveaway

MADDIE DAY here, so excited that Murder at the Toy Soldier releases in a week and a half. 

Here's the blurb:

Cape Cod bike shop owner Mac Almeida is extra busy during a cold, wet February as she and Tim do their best as working parents of a preschooler and a baby. With Ella’s fourth birthday approaching, Mac uses her lunch break to shop for a gift at the Toy Soldier. Behind the counter is Zia Carven, a young woman Mac recognizes. Mac finds a gift Ella will love and Zia offers to gift wrap it. Mac plans to pick it up after work, but when she returns, she finds Zia slumped over the counter, dead, dried blood on a toy rifle nearby.

Mac’s mother, Astra, confides that she’d been trying to help Zia, and now the police want to speak with her, which worries Mac. Then Mac discovers that Zia had been in town searching for her birth mother, which only multiplies the questions—and the suspects. One thing is certain: Mac and the Cozy Capers book group will have to double down to find a killer who isn’t playing around . . .

To celebrate, I'm bringing you one of the recipes included at the back of the book. 

In this book, Mac Almeida and her husband Tim have legally adopted his almost four year old niece, Ella, and his nephew Luca, age ten months. One Sunday Mac's niece Cokey, age six is visiting, and the girls make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies with Tim to bring to family dinner at Mac's parents' home.

It's an easy, yummy recipe. I made it even easier by turning the individual cookies into bars.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour 120g

1/2 tsp baking soda 3g

1/2 tsp salt 5g

1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature, 113g

1/3 cup granulated sugar 65g

2/3 cup light-brown sugar 140g, packed

2 tsp pure vanilla extract 10mL

1 large egg

1 1/2 cups rolled oats 135g

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 150g

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a two-cup measuring cup, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside.

Combine the butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute.

Add flour mixture; mix until almost combined.

Stir in the oats and chocolate chips. 

Press the dough into a rimmed baking sheet. It might help to wet the back of your hand or use a damp rubbermaid spatula to spread the dough and even out the surface.

Bake until the the giant bar is light brown around the edges, but still soft in the center, 10-12 minutes.

Remove from oven to a wire rack, and let cool 1 to 2 minutes. Cut into 2" x 1" bars or whatever size you like and continue to cool in the pan. 

Enjoy with the beverage of your choice.

Readers: What kind of cookie bars do you like? I'll send one commenter a code for the audiobook of Murder at Cape Costumers, the just prior book to Murder at the Toy Soldier!

🍪🍪🍪

A Poisonous Pour is out and available wherever books are sold!

Next up is Murder at the Toy Soldier, Cozy Capers Book Group #8, which releases in late August.

My most recent releases are Murder at Cape Costumers,

Scone Cold Dead, #13 in the Country Store Mysteries,

and A Case for the Ladies.

Check out all my writing.

We hope you'll visit Maddie and her Agatha Award-winning alter ego Edith Maxwell on our web site, sign up for our monthly newsletter, visit us on social media, and check our all our books and short stories.

Maddie Day (aka Edith Maxwell) is a talented amateur chef and holds a PhD in Linguistics from Indiana University. An Agatha Award-winning and bestselling author, she is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and also writes award-winning short crime fiction. She lives with her beau and sweet cat Martin north of Boston, where she’s currently working on her next mystery when she isn’t cooking up something delectable in the kitchen.