Guest Author Elizabeth Craig with Mother's Day Recipe & #Giveaway @elizabethscraig

Click to learn more.

Please join me in giving a warm welcome back to Elizabeth Craig (aka Riley Adams), a talented author of multiple bestselling mystery series, a busy mother of two and a dedicated blogger who has offered online fellowship to the writing community for years.

(Elizabeth's Twitter feed is a marvel, and I encourage you all to follow her!)

Elizabeth is also a beloved alumna of Mystery Lovers' Kitchen, and we're thrilled that she's returned for a visit, especially on this particular Sunday so I can wish her a very...

Happy Mother's Day! xoxo

~ Cleo 

Hi everyone! And a special hi to all the mothers out there on this Mother’s Day installment of Mystery Lovers' Kitchen. Thanks so much to the gang here for hosting me . . . I enjoy coming back for visits!

Hope you’re all enjoying your spring so far. Life has been busy for me recently—my husband and I moved (just in-state, but wow! I’d forgotten how frantic moving makes you) and I’ve had books come out all through the process. Two books came out during my great I-Must-Reduce-the-Number-of-Things-in-This-House phase (Frictional Characters and A Dash of Murder) and one book came out last month in the We’re-Staying-in-an-Airbnb-to-House-Hunt phase (A Notion to Murder). Yes, all three active series are represented in those releases, ha. I must have lost what’s left of my mind.

On the upside, I was most concerned about my elderly cat, Mr. Smoke, and my somewhat neurotic corgi, Finn, making the move.

Mr. Smoke

I fretted over it quite a bit and took myself and my reluctant animals to the veterinarian to buy a concoction that might help them with any anxiety they might experience. 

As you can see, however, there was no need to dose them up. What a relief! They were real troopers. 

Finn

So, as mentioned, it’s been busy. I have the feeling y'all might possibly be, too. The month of May always seems to be that way. I thought I’d revisit an oldie-but-goodie recipe that first "aired" here in 2013. It’s simple and tasty—two important traits of a recipe for a busy mom or a busy person, period. 

If you can’t find specialized chutney in your store and just have the plain variety, you can quickly mix up a small can (8 oz.) of crushed pineapple and a regular jar of chutney (no special type, just run-of-the mill.) You’ll end up with the same, delicious, fruity taste.

EASY CHUTNEY CHICKEN

Ingredients:

1 chicken fryer (or a comparable number of chicken breasts)

1 teaspoon salt

¼ cup regular mustard

2/3 cup apple-cranberry chutney (or peach chutney, or whatever-suits-your-fancy chutney)

½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and place in a shallow casserole dish.

Mix all the other ingredients and cover the chicken with them.

Bake at 350 F., uncovered, for an hour and fifteen minutes.

Bestselling cozy mystery author Elizabeth Spann Craig is a library-loving, avid mystery reader. A pet-owning Southerner, her four series are full of cats, corgis, and cheese grits. The mother of two, she lives with her husband, a fun-loving corgi, and a shy fluffball of a cat. Follow Elizabeth and learn more about her books by visiting her website at  ElizabethSpannCraig.com

How are things for all of you? Do you find late-spring a busy time, too? Made or are considering making any moves lately? And are your pets low-key and laid-back or a little edgier?

Giveaway!

Today, Elizabeth is giving away an e-book copy of the first book in her charming Southern Quilting mystery series...

QUILT OR INNOCENCE?

(Click here to learn more.)

To be entered in Elizabeth's drawing,

leave a comment for her on this post

with your email address.

Congrats to the winner:

"jarjm"

Welcome Elizabeth Spann Craig with Guest Post and #Giveaway

(Click to learn more.)

Please join me in giving a warm welcome back to Elizabeth Spann Craig!

Elizabeth is a talented author of multiple bestselling (and absolutely delightful) mystery series, a busy mother of two, and a dedicated blogger who has offered online fellowship to the writing community for years. (Her Twitter feed is a marvel, and I encourage you all to follow her!) 

Elizabeth is also a beloved alumna of Mystery Lovers' Kitchen, and we're thrilled that she's returned for a visit. Take it away, Elizabeth! 

~ Cleo 




Thanks to Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen for hosting me on the blog today! It’s good to be back. 

One fun thing about being on the blog is that I get to fall into a rabbit hole by looking to see all the recent delicious recipes that have been posted lately.  I like to make sure no one posted one just like mine recently...and then, the next thing you know, I’ve spent over an hour on Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen and my Evernote recipe folder is filled to the brim! 

I thought I’d share my grandmother’s recipe for vegetable sandwich spread. If you’re from the South and you’re of a particular age, you’ll remember vegetable sandwiches. They’re crustless on platters at funerals, on trays at weddings and other special occasions, and may even be allowed at home with no event taking place at all (although, in my experience, that was sadly rare).

A food processor makes the chopping for this dish non-existent. Maybe everyone would have enjoyed this spread on a daily and casual basis with a food processor in their kitchen. 

I will admit that some traditional Southern recipes are a little formidable or may not really be suited to today’s more sophisticated palate. I grew up with a lot of tomato aspic. Desserts were frequently a sliced canned pear with a dab of mayonnaise and shredded cheese...and a cherry on top, if it was a fancy occasion. I’m not sharing those recipes with you today (you’re welcome, ha!)  Today’s recipe does have some plain Knox gelatin in it, but I’m sure the other ingredients will seem refreshingly normal. And you won’t taste the gelatin at all. 😊 

Not to start a debate in the comments, but I’m using Miracle Whip in the recipe instead of Hellmann’s or Duke’s. That’s only because that’s the way the recipe had it and I don’t want to be haunted by any of my Southern forebears. 
Also, if you’d prefer, you can use this veggie mixture as a dip.  

So here we are...

Southern Veggie Sandwiches

Ingredients: 

2 tomatoes, cut very fine
1 large bell pepper, seeded, cut very fine
1 large cucumber, cut very fine
1 medium onion, finely cut
2 envelopes of Knox gelatin
1 pt. Miracle Whip
3 T water
½ cup boiling water 

Directions: 

After chopping the vegetables, put them in a colander to drain a bit. Put a few tablespoons of cold water on the gelatin mix to soften it, about a minute. Then add ½ cup boiling water. When gelled, let cool and combine all ingredients. Put in fridge to cool and set. Spread thickly on bread. Sandwiches are better if spread hours before eating and then refrigerated. 

Here’s all you need to get started (minus the boiling water):

Drain your veggies to personal taste (I don’t mind a fairly juicy sandwich, but tastes vary!). If you’re making a dip, you may want it to drain less than if you have it in a sandwich. 

After putting the gelatin together, mix all in a large bowl and put in the fridge for a bit to set. 

You may end up with folks in the kitchen who don’t want to wait for the mixture to set. 

When you’re done, enjoy some yummy sandwiches. A dollop of potato salad goes well on the side.  

Enjoy!  And, I’m curious to know…what are some of your favorite family recipes? 

For more Southern life, cooking (and murder, of course), I hope you’ll take a chance on one of my books. I’m currently writing three series (The Myrtle Clover Mysteries, The Southern Quilting Mysteries, and The Village Library Mysteries) and am also the author (as Riley Adams) of the Memphis Barbeque Series. 

Elizabeth's Giveaway!

Today, I’m giving away a copy of the first book of my newest series, Checked Out. If you like libraries, cats, and murder, you’ve come to the right place. 😊

(Click the cover to learn more.)

Thanks again to Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen!

Elizabeth is the bestselling cozy mystery author of the Southern Quilting mysteries, the Myrtle Clover Cozy Mysteries, the Village Library Mysteries, and Memphis Barbeque mysteries for Penguin Random House, Midnight Ink, and independently.  

Find her at her website: elizabethspanncraig.com.  She lives in Matthews, North Carolina with her husband and is the mother of two. 

Thank you, Elizabeth!


Leave a comment on this post with
your email address and you'll be entered
to win the first book in Elizabeth's charming
Village Library Mysteries: Checked Out. 

This contest is now over.

Congrats to the winning comment,
selected by random number draw...

"CENTRAL EAST 2"



Those who entered answered
Elizabeth's question:

"What are some of your
favorite family recipes?"

Hickory Smoked Homicide Release Day Party with Favorite Southern Recipes!

Publication Day is always an exciting one around here and today we can share that excitement with our own Riley Adams/Elizabeth Spann Craig. Her 3rd Memphis BBQ Mystery officially releases today. Please join me in toasting her on the pub day of HICKORY SMOKED HOMICIDE! Woot!

Be sure to check out Riley's comment-to-win contest at Dru's Book Musings blog, where you can enter to win her new mystery. Click here to jump there.

In the Kitchen
with Riley... 


For two years now, Riley/Elizabeth has been my co-blogging buddy, and my husband and I have enjoyed so many of her recipes. Because today is such a special one for her, I'm making her my "guest of honor" in the kitchen by sharing five wonderful Riley recipes with you. (And, let me tell you, there were many more I wanted to include. This was a difficult list to narrow down!) 


Riley's affection for her Southern roots shines through in her posts as well as her books, and it's irresistible. Click on each photo below. A new window will open up and Riley/Elizabeth will share her ingredients and directions. 


TIP: Now that we have a "print friendly" button at the end of each post, you will find that it is much easier to print or save (to PDF) some of Riley's earlier posts. With our blog's Recipe Index now LIVE, you can easily locate more of Riley's past recipes. To visit our Index, click here or on the "Recipe Index" icon in the upper left column.



Lowcountry Boil

A true keeper of a recipe! "This dish first originated in South Carolina’s coastal regions," Riley informed us, "where it was called ‘Frogmore Stew,’ after the town of Frogmore, SC, (which no longer exists)."


According to Riley, this recipe can be easily adjusted to feed a crowd; and in the South, it’s frequently served on newspapers laid out on picnic tables for easy clean-up. To see Riley's recipe, click here.

Smoked Salmon 

Shirred Eggs 

“Down in the small but pretty town of Saylors Crossroads, South Carolina, there’s a little restaurant that’s starting to make quite a name for itself,” Riley wrote. “And, with a name like Grits and Groceries, it’s only natural. It’s in an old country store in an historic building. The building itself might be old, but the interior is full of fresh ideas from owners…” One of those ideas was an incredible recipe for Smoked Salmon Shirred Eggs. To see Riley's post on this recipe, click here. 

Lulu's Special 

Asparagus with bacon and walnuts

My husband now eats asparagus. 
'Nuf said. :-) .... To see Riley's tasty recipe, click here.

Pimento Cheese

This favorite Southern treat brought very happy memories back to my husband, Marc. His mother made this often when he was a little boy. Until Riley's post, he had forgotten. Thanks to Riley, we both now enjoy this (on crackers, bread, or with chips) a few times a month! To see Riley's recipe, click here.

Apple Cobbler 

"There’s something about a small-town festival that’s really appealing," Riley wrote after she attended a local apple festival. According Riley, "North Carolina is the 7th largest apple producer in America." With apple season upon us once again, Riley's Apple Cobbler is a welcome treat in our house. To make it one in yours, too, see her recipe here.

Thank you, Riley/Elizabeth
for sharing your warmth, wit, and recipes with all of us!

~ Cleo Coyle, author of

The Coffeehouse Mysteries

 CoffeehouseMystery.com

Full yet? 

Just in case you have a little room left for chocolate, I have a quick reminder for my readers. Tonight at 12 midnight is the cutoff to enter the "Favorite Coffeehouse Mystery Character" contest.

CLICK HERE
FOR CONTEST INFO

My first Newsletter in a very long time went out last week with 3 Recipes, 3 Contests, 1 New Review and more... 

TO SEE MY NEWSLETTER

IN YOUR BROWSER 

CLICK HERE.

If you didn't receive my newsletter and you'd like to subscribe, simply
send an e-mail to CoffeehouseMystery@gmail.com that says "sign me up" and you will also be entered in my weekly Free Coffee Drawings.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

HAPPY 

RELEASE DAY, RILEY!

To purchase 

HICKORY SMOKED HOMICIDE, 

click here.

To learn more about Riley/Elizabeth
and the books she writes, visit her
official author page by clicking here.

And don't forget about her
comment-to-win contest
at Dru's blog!