Friday, July 11, 2025

Falafel Dinner from @MaddieDayAuthor

MADDIE DAY here, with a simple vegetarian dinner.

In sorting through my pantry recently, I discovered not one but two open bags of chickpea flour. Aspirational? Maybe, but I decided to figure out how I could use at least part of one of the bags. I headed off to look up falafel recipes. To my dismay, most included soaking whole, uncooked chickpeas overnight and using only a tablespoon of chickpea flour in the finished falafels the next day.

But then I ran across a recipe that used only chickpea flour, and I went for it!

We also like to have a couple of non-meat meals each week, and falafels fit the description perfectly.

Chickpea Flour Falafel

Recipe adapted from KibitzSpot.com

Ingredients

1 cup chickpea flour

1/4 cup fresh parsley or cilantro, minced

½ tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp baking soda

½ cup hot water

3 tablespoons olive oil

Pita bread

Tomato chunks

Directions

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Add herb and hot water and stir until combined.

Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes or longer.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and oil lightly.

Drop tablespoon scoops of batter onto the pan and flatten slightly with a spatula. Drizzle olive oil over the tops of all.

Bake for 14 minutes, then turn and bake until golden brown. (Oops, forgot to take that photo.)

Serve with tzatziki sauce, tahini sauce, and pita bread.

Tzatziki Sauce

Adapted from LoveandLemons.com

Ingredients

½ cup finely grated cucumber

1 cup whole milk yogurt (Greek-style is even better)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (lemon not shown in photo)

½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, grated

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Directions

Place the cucumber on a towel and gently squeeze out a bit of the excess water.

In a medium bowl, combine the cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and dill.

Chill until ready to use. This sauce is also great as a salad dressing or a dip with raw vegetables or pita chips.

Tahini Sauce

Adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

This is a fabulous cookbook that I rarely use, mostly because I never quite have all the ingredients. I was delighted to find everything for this tahini sauce in the kitchen.

Ingredients

2/3 cup well-stirred tahini

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 medium clove garlic, pressed

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

Stir all ingredients until it becomes a thick sauce.

Add a couple of drops of water if needed. Serve with falafels or other Mideastern foods.

Enjoy!

Readers: Do you enjoy dishes from other areas?

Scone Cold Dead is out and available wherever books are sold.

Next out, on August 26, will be Murder at Cape Costumers!

My most recent releases are Deadly Crush,

Murder at the Rusty Anchor,

A Case for the Ladies,

and Deep Fried Death, #12 in the Country Store Mysteries.

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.

Thursday, July 10, 2025

Easy Rotisserie Chicken Tacos #recipe @vmburns

VMBURNS: What to do with a leftover rotisserie chicken? I decided to make tacos. I shredded the leftover meat and fried it in olive oil with a jalapeno and seasonings to give it a taco flair. The beauty of this recipe is that you can add whatever you want to your tacos. I don't like tomatoes, but I do like salsa (don't judge), so you won't see tomatoes in my tacos. I heated the chicken in olive oil, which I didn't include in the picture of ingredients. Also, when it came time to eat, I decided to skip the lettuce. I like my tortilla's grilled, but was too lazy to fire up the grill. So, I used my gas stove. These tacos were tasty and I would definitely do this again.

EASY ROTISSERIE CHICKEN TACOS

INGREDIENTS

1 Rotisserie Chicken, shredded
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (optional)
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Chili powder
1 Tablespoon Cumin
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Paprika
Corn tortillas
Shredded cheese (Optional)
Salsa (Optional)
Sour Cream (Optional)
Red onions, chopped (Optional)
Lettuce, shredded (Optional)
Tomatoes (Optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the olive oil in a skillet while you shred the chicken.
Chop the jalapeno and add to the skillet. For less heat, remove the seeds.
Add the shredded chicken and seasoning and cook until heated through.
Grill tortillas.
Assemble tacos.

READERS: Red onions, cheese, salsa, and sour cream are my taco go tos. What do you like on your tacos? Leave me a comment below.

ICING ON THE MURDER
Influencer-turned-bakery-owner Maddy Montgomery has sold plenty of wedding cakes before, but before she turns one out for her and her fiancé’s wedding, she’ll have to solve a little case of murder . . .

Aunt Octavia would be so proud! Maddy has turned Baby Cakes Bakery—named for her 250-pound English Mastiff, Baby—into a runaway success, and she’s marrying the love of her life, veterinarian Michael Portman. #DreamWedding! Plus the timing couldn’t be better: the country’s biggest bridal expo has come to New Bison, Michigan, and Maddy has secured a spot for Baby Cakes to showcase their cakes. She’s also entered a contest for an all-expenses-paid wedding extravaganza offered by world-renowned wedding planner Serafina.

Unfortunately, supremely nasty Serafina truly takes the cake—she makes the worst bridezilla seem like a shy flower girl. But there’s one thing the wedding planner didn’t plan on—being impaled by one of the skewers Baby Cakes uses on their tiered wedding cakes.

While Maid of Honor Sheriff April Johnson rounds up suspects at the expo, Maddy and her aunt’s friends, the Baker Street Irregulars, and even Baby join forces to unveil a killer hiding in plain sight . . . before wedding bells start to chime.

BUY LINK

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Petrale Sole Meunière

This is a slightly simplified version of the dish that supposedly triggered Julia Child’s “ah-ha!” moment, sending her on her voyage of culinary discovery and delight. Julia’s fish was Dover sole, whereas this recipe uses what’s known as Petrale sole (actually a right-eyed flounder), a fish native to the Pacific Coast.

The recipe is pretty simple: simply dredge the fillet in seasoned flour, pan fry it quickly in butter, then finish it with a squeeze of lemon juice. (The traditional sole meunière adds a final drizzle of brown butter, which I didn’t do here, but could easily be added as a last step. I also used garlic powder, not a part of the French dish.)

Petrale Sole Meunière

(serves 1)

Ingredients

1 fillet of sole, flounder, or whatever flat fish you prefer

salt and pepper

garlic powder

1-2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons butter

lemon juice

Directions

Lightly season both sides of the fish with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. (See photo above.)

Either sprinkle flour onto the fish and spread evenly on both sides, or pour flour onto a large plate and dredge the fish in it, then shaking off the excess.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once it melts and starts to bubble, carefully lay the fish in the pan.

Cook until golden brown on the bottom—about 2 minutes.

Flip the fillet and continue cooking until just done in the middle—another minute or two. You don’t want to overcook the fish, or it will dry out.

Remove to a serving plate and squeeze lemon juice over the fish.

Serve with lemon wedges, in case more juice is desired. I had mine with sautéed beet greens and baby artichokes from my garden.

Bon appétit!

🌿 🐟 🌱

Out now!

Orchid Isle Mystery #2

WATERS OF DESTRUCTION

Buy link here.

"Immerse yourself in Hawaiian lore and savor the portrayal of the stunning landscapes
while enjoying the entertaining mystery."

Kirkus Reviews

And now available

in paperback!

MOLTEN DEATH

Orchid Isle Mystery #1

Buy link here

“Karst’s first Orchid Isle novel is part murder mystery, part vividly evocative, colorful sketch of Hawaii and its history, geography, tradition, culture, food, language, and people. Armchair travelers and mystery aficionados alike will find it entertaining.”

Booklist

This first book in my brand-new Orchid Isle mystery series features retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen who, on a trip to the Big Island of Hawai‘i, swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions when a hike to an active lava flow turns deadly.

Praise for MOLTEN DEATH:

“a compelling read that will enlighten, engage, and entertain, leaving readers longing for their next trip to the Orchid Isle.”

--New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay

“a terrific debut to a series that will go on my must read list!”

--USA Today bestselling author Deborah Crombie

A SENSE FOR MURDER

2024 Lefty Award Nominee

for Best Humorous Mystery!

This newest Sally Solari mystery

is available for purchase here !

Praise for A SENSE FOR MURDER:

“[Sally is] sassy, irresistible company... Culinary cozy fans will be in heaven.”

--Publishers Weekly

“An enjoyable read for mystery mavens and foodies alike.”

--Kirkus Reviews

Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops,

the Law, and Cooking for RBG

is the 2024 Silver Medal Winner for both the

IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award

and the IPPY Award!

Buy link here

Praise for Justice is Served:

"a suspenseful, exhilarating memoir; Karst relays her determination to serve the 'perfect' meal to RBG alongside an uplifting, enlightening portrayal of one of the most admired justices in the history of the Supreme Court."

-Foreword Reviews (starred review)

"[This] book is a romp from cover to cover—and, just like a great meal, left me ready for more."

-Karen Shimizu, executive editor, Food & Wine-

All of the Sally Solari Mysteries (as well as my other books) are available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

LIGHT BLUEBERRY BLONDIES by Cleo Coyle for #NationalBlueberryDay

From Cleo Coyle: For National Blueberry Day (yes, there is such a thing!), I'm baking up my lovely, light BLUEBERRY BLONDIES. A cross between a butterscotch blondie and a blueberry muffin, these treats deliver delectable butterscotch background notes thanks to the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. And though they're more cakey than a traditional blondie, once cooled they develop a slightly chewy texture and crusty top reminiscent of an actual blondie. Best of all, this blueberry version has less calories and more nutrition than a regular blondie (more on that below).

Now let's get our

Blueberry Blondies on
for National Blueberry Day!

Cleo Coyle writes two
bestselling mystery

series with her husband.
To learn more, click here.

☕ A Recipe Note from Cleo

I originally developed this recipe for the Coffeehouse Mystery series that I write in collaboraton with my husband, Marc, and ever since he and I have enjoyed many fresh pans of these babies. When fresh blueberries aren't plentiful, you can make this recipe anytime of year because it works just as well with frozen berries.

As for the "healthified" aspect, here's the scoop. While an 8-inch square pan of blondies typically calls for 1 whole stick (8 T.) of butter, this recipe uses only 3 T. butter and includes plenty of blueberries, a superfood that offers nutrition and fiber.

Finally, here's a clue to maintaining the chewy texture with less butter. It's the additon of an astringent ingredient (in this case vinegar, but lemon juice will also work). It interacts with the proteins in the incredible, edible egg--a baker's trick that's been around for years.

May you eat with joy and (slightly) less guilt.

~ Cleo

ORDER UP!

To download this recipe in a
free PDF document that you can
print, save, or share, click here.

Click here for Cleo's
Free Recipe PDF.

Cleo Coyle's

Light Blueberry Blondies

Makes one 8-inch square pan of blondies
(Cut as you like, in my photos, you see 16 small squares)

INGREDIENTS

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (Do not omit! The vinegar
interacts with the eggs to create the proper texture.)

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup white, granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest (grated rind of a lemon,
yellow only, no bitter white pith)

1/4 teaspoon table salt (+ a generous pinch)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled a bit

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup frozen (or fresh) blueberries

DIRECTIONS:

Step 1 - Prep oven and pan: Preheat oven to 325° F. Because this is a relatively low fat recipe and blueberries secrete juice as they bake, the best way to prevent sticking is to create a parchment paper sling for your 8-inch square pan (see my photo).

Step 2 – One bowl mixing method: Into a large mixing bowl, break 2 eggs, add the cider vinegar, and whisk well. Add the brown and white sugars, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and salt. Whisk until well blended. Add melted (and cooled!) butter and the baking soda. Whisk again until smooth. Now add the flour and switch to a spoon or spatula, stirring well. (Do not over-mix at this point.) Gently fold in the blueberries, trying not to smash or crush them.

Step 3 – Bake: Transfer batter to the prepared baking pan. Batter will be thick but loose enough to pour. Be sure to even it out in the pan. Bake in your well pre-heated 325° F oven for 30 to 40 minutes (exact time depends on your oven). The low temperature and long cooking time will promote more even baking. The pan of blondies is done when the top is deep golden brown and firmly set. The slight cracking that you see in my photos (the kind you usually find on the top surface of a brownie or blondie) will appear when the blondies are cooled and cut.

Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before gently lifting by the parchment paper handles. Cut into 16 small squares and...eat with joy!

F o o d i e

Photos