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“There are so many motives and suspects that this mystery will keep you guessing.”
Kirkus Reviews
Molly MacRae: I'm tickled to welcome Traci Hall – aka Traci Wilton and Ellie Brannigan – to the kitchen today. She's prolific, funny, and has a delightful mother. When she told me about the cauliflower biscuits she makes, I knew I had to invite her to share the recipe here. And what better time than right before Valentine's Day with her newest Salem B&B mystery, Mrs. Morris and the Venomous Valentine?
💕💘💕
Traci Hall, writing as Traci Wilton: In Mrs. Morris and the Venomous Valentine, the housekeeper is a stellar chef at Charlene’s B and B. Minnie believes that fat equals flavor and the reviews for the bed and breakfast reflect that.
This is book 9 in the Salem B and B
series about widow Charlene Morris who flees Chicago after the death of her
soulmate to start over by buying a mansion on the internet to run a bed and
breakfast. She finds out that the mansion is haunted the first night, forcing
her to open her mind. Before Dr. Jack Strathmore, she didn’t believe in ghosts.
Jack is stuck to the property and Charlene is the first person to see him since
his demise. She helps him solve his murder, with Detective Sam Holden’s capable
assistance. Two years later, Sam still does not believe in the paranormal which
causes friction. Charlene and Sam are dating with the speed of molasses in
January.
Photographer Dane Stallone has booked
the entire mansion for a Valentine’s Day calendar photo shoot starring artistic
cupids, using models that he’s made famous in one way or another. 12
past-their-prime, according to Dane, models that all owe him. All have secrets.
And when he dies during his celebratory dinner eating his second-favorite meal
of oysters, they discover he’s been poisoned by his all-time favorite: Japanese
fugu. This fish is so toxic that chefs must be specially trained to serve it.
Every one of the guests has a reason
to want Dane dead—but those aren’t his only enemies. He’s got a local muse in
Brandy Flint, and a grudge against her for breaking his heart twenty years ago.
Blackmail is Dane’s weapon of choice as it has allowed him to sustain his
lifestyle even as his photography career tanks. This calendar is to be Dane’s
comeback, and he’s pulled out all the stops.
Charlene, Jack, Avery, the teen she’s
practically adopted, and Silva must help Sam find the culprit because her
guests are trapped in the B and B and the killer might be among them.
My husband loves biscuits and sausage gravy. Last year, he had issues with high blood pressure and was pre-diabetic. We decided to tackle his health with some food adjustments, and this remains one of our favorite recipes. The sausage gravy is made with two percent milk. We plan on trying it out with almond milk or oat milk but for now, this works and tastes great.
The biscuits are sturdy enough to be a vehicle but not big or fluffy enough to split. The flavor is terrific, and I honestly prefer the cauliflower biscuits to regular ones. You could add cheese or herbs but because we had spicy sausage gravy we opted to keep the toasted cauliflower the main flavor.
Ingredients
5 cups diced cauliflower
3/4 cup almond flour
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 or 2 TB of water if needed
((no mysterious or toxic
ingredients!))
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Combine cauliflower and almond flour in blender, pulse until
cauliflower is fine
Add one egg and baking powder, and mix
in a large bowl
Add water if needed
Form into balls and flatten
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes
Crust should be golden
We served our biscuits covered in sausage
gravy!
Are you an adventurous eater? I adore
food and one of the best things about traveling is the local cuisine. Costa
Rica, to Salem, to Greece, I’ve tried deep-fried anchovies with the heads (not
terrible) and fresh calamari, like ‘just caught’ fresh, lol. Not a fan. Lobster
in Maine? Delish. I plan on going to Scotland and I will taste the haggis
(winky face).
Readers: What is the most exotic thing
you’ve ever tried?
I’d love to choose two winners from
the comments—US only, please—for an autographed copy of Mrs. Morris and the
Venomous Valentine. Winners will be chosen, at random, on 2/11/25.
Thank you for checking out my post, and thanks to Molly MacRae and the authors at the Mystery Lover’s Kitchen for hosting. I hope you enjoy Mrs. Morris and the Venomous Valentine, and be sure to try these cauliflower biscuits!
From cozy mysteries to seaside romance, USA Today bestselling author Traci Hall writes stories that captivate her readers. As a hybrid author with over sixty published works, Ms. Hall has a favorite tale for everyone. Mystery lovers, check out her Scottish Shire series, set in the seaside town of Nairn, or the Salem B&B Mystery series, co-written as Traci Wilton. Her latest project is an Irish Castle cozy as Ellie Brannigan. Whether it’s her ever-popular By the Sea romances, an Appletree Cove sweet romance, or a fun who-done-it, Traci finds her inspiration in sunny South Florida, living right near the ocean.
Get your copy of Mrs. Morris and
the Venomous Valentine here
(the link takes you to all vendors!)
Follow Traci here: Website
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