Monday, March 18, 2024

Patatas Bravas Spanish Potatoes by Maya Corrigan #Recipe

 

When my daughter visited last week, she made patatas bravas, which she’d eaten often while studying and traveling in Spain. This dish appears on the menu in most restaurants that serve tapas, Spanish snacks similar in size to our appetizers. Tapas are usually served between the midday meal and the late dinner that most Spaniards eat--with a starting time as late as 10 pm.

Patatas bravas (literal translation: spicy potatoes) is a national dish with regional variations. The spiciness comes from the sauce added when the potatoes are served. Traditionally, patatas bravas come with a sauce of paprika and olive oil, with tomato sauce sometimes added. Garlic aioli is also common on the potatoes, providing a creamy, mellow taste to balance the spice. In the U.S. you can buy both the bravas sauce and the aioli in supermarkets, in Walmart, and on Amazon. The potatoes are yummy enough for me without the sauces. 

Today I’m sharing the recipe my daughter jotted down as she prepared the potatoes. The ingredient list contains no quantities because you can make however many potatoes you need to feed a few or a crowd. The photos show potatoes for three as a side dish. With so few potatoes to fry, my daughter was able to use a small but deep saucepan for the oil.


Ingredients

Potatoes, peeled if they are large or tough-skinned, unpeeled for thin-skinned, smaller potatoes

Enough oil to deep fry the potato pieces

Salt and paprika to taste, either smoked or regular paprika 



Cut the potatoes into bite-size pieces, approximately one inch on a side.

Boil the potatoes the for five minutes. Drain, pat dry, and allow to cool.




Heat the oil at a medium setting until a thermometer reads 350-375 degrees F. Alternately, you can tell the oil is the right temperature to deep fry by inserting the handle of a wooden spoon. If bubbles form around the handle and start to float up, it's hot enough. But if the oil is bubbling a lot, it's probably too hot. Let it cool for a while and test it again. 

Add the potato pieces a few at a time. Don't crowd them in the oil. Fry them until they're golden brown. Remove them carefully and put them on a paper towel to drain. Season them with salt and smoked paprika. Repeat the instructions if you have more potatoes to fry. 



Top with aioli and/or spicy tomato sauce, if desired. The photo below shows the potatoes twith both sauces on a side plate.




I ate the potatoes plain. They were so good that I coaxed my daughter into making them the next night as well. Sadly, that was the last night of her visit before she returned to her teaching job in Mississippi. 


Readers: What's your favorite potato dish?

 

📚



Maya Corrigan writes the Five-Ingredient Mystery series. It features a young cafe manager and her young-at-heart grandfather solving murders in a Chesapeake Bay town. Each book has five suspects, five clues, and Granddad’s five-ingredient recipes. Maya has taught college courses in writing, literature, and detective fiction. When not reading and writing, she enjoys theater, travel, trivia, cooking, and crosswords.

Visit her website for books news, mystery history and trivia, and easy recipes. Sign up for her newsletter there. She gives away a free book to one subscriber each time she sends out a newsletter. Follow her on Facebook.


A PARFAIT CRIME: Five-Ingredient Mystery #9


Cover of A Parfait Crime with a teapot, a parfait, scones, and a copy of Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap
Set in a quaint Chesapeake Bay town, the latest novel in Maya Corrigan’s Five-Ingredient Mysteries brings back café manager Val Deniston and her recipe columnist grandfather – a sleuthing duo that shares a house, a love of food and cooking, and a knack for catching killers.

At the site of a fatal blaze, Val’s boyfriend, a firefighter trainee, is shocked to learn the victim is known to him, a woman named Jane who belonged to the local Agatha Christie book club—and was rehearsing alongside Val’s grandfather for an upcoming Christie play being staged for charity. Just as shocking are the skeletal remains of a man found in Jane’s freezer. Who is he and who put him on ice?

After Val is chosen to replace Jane in the play, the cast gathers at Granddad’s house to get to work—and enjoy his five-ingredient parfaits—but all anyone can focus on is the bizarre real-life mystery. When it’s revealed that Jane’s death was due to something other than smoke inhalation, Val and Granddad retrace the victim’s final days. As they dig into her past life, their inquiry leads them to a fancy new spa in town—where they discover that Jane wasn’t the only one who had a skeleton in the cooler.



Praise for A Parfait Crime







📚


Sunday, March 17, 2024

Chicken in Guinness with Mash from Guest Author Lisa Q. Mathews + Giveaway

KORINA MOSS here, excited to have my first Mystery Lovers' Kitchen guest, LISA Q. MATHEWS, sharing her recipe for a complete St Patrick's Day meal, plus a bonus leftovers breakfast! I'd say she's the perfect author to be joining us today. Read on to find out why! Be sure to comment to be entered in her Irish Giveaway!  

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, one and all! And thank you, Mystery Lovers' Kitchen, for inviting me to share my favorite holiday with you. The Jig is Up, the first book in the Irish Bed & Breakfast series, kicks off on August 20th—but it’s never too soon to start celebrating!

The bagpipes are calling and you’re donnin’ the green, ready to hit the parade. Unless…you somehow forgot to prepare the corned beef and cabbage yesterday. Or you’re still trying to banish last year’s fine aroma from your kitchen. No worries, here’s a delicious, hearty recipe that’ll have you ready for Paddy’s in a pinch—no need for the luck o’ the Irish or a prayer to St. Jude. Send the family off to save a spot at the parade, and Bob’s your uncle.

What you do need are a few simple, fresh ingredients and a can or two of Guinness to make this Irish version of coq au vin. It’s a modified version of the traditional Beef in Guinness, using chicken, which cooks faster. The alcohol burns off in the cooking, and if you don’t have Guinness on hand, you can substitute another beer (the Guinness does give a lovely taste, though.) No need to measure precisely, and if you prefer you can substitute simple boiled potatoes (add salt, butter, and parsley) for the mash. Every family has their own style of spuds, but this is our favorite—and thanks to early training, all of my kids are champion peelers. (My relatives in Ireland can peel with a knife faster than I can get a Good Grips peeler out of the drawer, but there you have it.)

Note: If you’re looking for a truly authentic taste of the Emerald Isle, Kerrygold butter is the way to go. Pure cream from happy Irish cows (all that rain and green grass to roam) and salt. Keep in mind that, due to its higher fat content, it melts faster, and you can use a wee bit less—but you won’t be sorry. (Fun fact: Kerrygold was banned in Wisconsin until 2017.)

Chicken in Guinness with Mash (serves 4)

Ingredients

(Chicken)

2.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

2 yellow onions

6 medium carrots

Enough flour to coat the chicken 

Pepper 

¼ c butter 

2 c Guinness and water, mixed (more as needed)

Fresh parsley


Instructions

Peel and slice the onions and carrots. 

Cut chicken into chunks and toss in flour seasoned with pepper. (I shake the chicken in a brown paper bag and dump the chicken pieces into the pot, hands-free.)

Brown chicken quickly in hot butter in Dutch oven or other high-sided pot. 

Remove chicken into a bowl and fry onions until transparent. 

Return chicken to pot with onions, then add carrots and Guinness/water mixture.


Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover closely and cook for about an hour. Check periodically to make sure the dish doesn’t dry out, adding more Guinness and water if needed. (I add a little more Guinness than water.) Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.


(Mash)

Ingredients

8-10 potatoes (Note: Rule of thumb is 2 medium spuds per person—but make it 3 and you’ll have leftovers. Mashed potatoes can be reheated (microwave works well if you add a little milk and stir-halfway through—but freezing is not recommended!)

1.5 c milk (I use 2%--with more added as needed for smooth consistency)

.5 c butter (more to personal taste, depending on number of spuds)

Sea salt if desired

Pepper

6-12 scallions/green onions (I don’t use the tops)

1 t nutmeg (to taste)


Instructions

Rinse potatoes in cold water, then peel and rinse again. Cut each potato into quarters, then cut any larger pieces so sizes are uniform (they’ll cook more evenly). Place in large saucepan and cover with cold water. Add water high enough so there’s liquid above the spuds, but not so high that the water is likely to boil over. 

Bring to a boil on medium-high heat, leaving the lid a bit open. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon, so the spuds cook evenly in a crowded pot. Lower heat, and let spuds boil until soft and mushy when pricked with a fork. (It’s okay if the water is a little murky.)

Slice scallions and butter separately while potatoes are cooking and place aside.

Drain water from the pot. Use a potato masher to give the spuds an initial smash, then mash them with a dinner fork. (This prevents hard, uneven surprise lumps.) 

Add butter, a few slices at a time. Season potatoes with pepper (and sea salt if you’d like) and stir lightly with fork. Then start gradually adding the milk. Switch from fork to wooden spoon and stir, adding scallions.  Then sprinkle nutmeg in, a wee bit at a time—it really “perks” the potatoes. 

Serve chicken alongside or atop the potatoes, using plates or bowls. Garnish with parsley sprigs. Serve with Irish brown bread (it has a nuttier, less-sweet taste than soda bread).

I don’t have a bread recipe because…I use a mix, just like my relatives in Ireland! During my first visit I was amazed that delicious fresh bread was served at every meal. I couldn’t stop remarking on it. Upon my return home, I discovered a family member had tucked a package into my suitcase. It just happens that the Buckley family in The Jig is Up secretly uses the same shortcut at their bed & breakfast, The Buckley House. (And so does their big competition, The Smiling Shamrock across town in Shamrock, Massachusetts.)

There's a bonus to using mash instead of boiled potatoes: You’re halfway to a delicious Irish-style breakfast (a mini version) tomorrow. Just form those leftover spuds into paddy’s patties and fry them up with a few Irish bangers (I got mine online). Bring out that trusty brown bread and serve with Irish jam. Leave the dishes to family members or the kitchen fairies (more helpful than the other kinds). 

GIVEAWAY: Here's an Irish-themed giveaway for one lucky commenter, complete with an Irish tea-cozy, a tiny inspiring potato, bookmarks, and a package of Cadbury buttons. Giveaway open to US and Canada.

 Sláinte, and may the spirit of St. Patrick stay with you year-round!

Readers, how are you spending this fine St. Patrick’s Day?


Irish step dance takes a deadly turn in this Celtic cozy series debut, perfect for fans of Carlene O’Connor and Paige Shelton.

Single-mom and police chief’s daughter Kate Buckley is all about family. After she receives an urgent text from her younger sister Colleen, she puts her life on hold and rushes to her Irish-themed hometown of Shamrock, Massachusetts. With her two daughters in tow, she’s ready to fight if it means she can help her charming but hapless sibling.

When they arrive, Colleen claims it was all a misunderstanding. But everything changes in an Irish minute when Colleen’s best friend Deirdre, a dance show star, is found dead in the parish hall. With the discovery of a possible witness, a chilling motive, and a wee bit of incriminating evidence, Colleen quickly becomes a person of interest in Deirdre’s murder. Convinced her sister isn't a killer, Kate is determined to clear Colleen’s name.

As Kate investigates, Colleen takes charge of Shamrock’s popular Irish dance show in honor of her late friend–with disastrous results. With the St. Patrick’s Week festivities in full swing, Kate must catch the killer before the celebrations are ruined and her sister’s Irish luck runs out. 

Available for preorder here


LISA Q. MATHEWS began her publishing career editing Nancy Drew books. She also wrote for kids’ series such as Mary-Kate and Ashley and the Lizzie McGuire Mysteries. She now writes lighthearted mysteries for grownups with strong female characters and plenty of family, including the Irish Bed & Breakfast Mysteries (Book One, THE JIG IS UP debuts 8/20/2024) and the Ladies Smythe & Westin. Her short story “Fly Me to the Morgue” was an Agatha Award finalist. Lisa lives in New Hampshire. The “Q” in her name stands for “Quinn.”

Website & Newsletter: https://www.lisaqmathews.com/

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/LisaQMathewsAuthor

Blog: https://chicksonthecase.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisaqmathews/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14418623.Lisa_Q_Mathews

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lisa-q-mathews





Saturday, March 16, 2024

Cake Mix + Pudding Mix Cake

 


I had to bring a dessert to an early St. Patrick's party.  The recipe below is the original from MarginMakingMom.  This is a great basic recipe for a simple and quick cake that can be customized with different flavor mixes and add-ins like chocolate chips or nuts.  I substituted pistachio pudding for the vanilla, which gave the cake a light green hue.  I also added green food coloring to the glaze and added a bit of Bailey's (why not?)  I made it thick enough to ice the cake but it can be made thinner for drizzling.  Or simply finish the cake with a dusting of confectioners sugar.  I then went wild with the sprinkles and topped the cake with a miniature leprechaun hat.  You can add any flavor pudding mix you like, ditto the cake mix. I also baked the cake in a tube pan because I can never get a cake out of my Bundt pan without leaving chunks of cake behind.  (Any tips welcome!)

French vanilla cake mix

3.4-oz instant vanilla pudding mix

3 eggs

1 cup warm water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze

2 cups confectioner’s sugar

Heavy cream


Preheat oven to 325 degrees 

Grease and flour a Bundt or tube pan (or spray generously with cooking spray.)

Place cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, vegetable oil, sour cream and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer.  Beginning on low, raise speed to medium high and beat mixture for two minutes until well combined.




Pour into prepared pan and bake 40 to 50 minutes.


Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove cake to a wire rack to continue to cool.




MAKE GLAZE

Add confectioners sugar to a bowl and add (1 to 2 tablespoons optional liqueur) heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached--from thick enough to ice cake or thin enough to drizzle.


 



Enjoy!


The Open Book Series

When murder taints writer-in-residence Penelope Parish’s charming British bookshop, she must follow the clues to catch a killer before tempers boil over.

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE


 

Family fireworks lead to murder in the new Cranberry Cove Mystery from USA Today bestselling author Peg Cochran!

The Fourth of July always means endless celebrations in Cranberry Cove, and this year Monica and Greg have the added pleasure of spending it with Monica’s college roommate, Kelly Cargill. When they join Kelly and her family to watch the fireworks, it’s all very exciting—until the elderly matriarch of the family dies on the spot. Then evidence comes to light that she was poisoned, and Monica promises to do what she can to catch the culprit.

Just about everyone in Kelly’s family wanted to get their hands on what was sure to be a sizable inheritance. But Monica also discovers that one of them was trying to hide a messy love affair the older woman had discovered, and that the victim’s caretaker may have wanted revenge for enduring years of mistreatment. And just as more secrets surface and the clues begin to fall into place, Monica realizes that as she’s closing in on the killer, the killer is closing in on her . . .

Includes a mouthwatering cookie recipe!

 

Cranberry Cove #10 coming Summer 2024!

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

 

My article on the Enduring Appeal of Cozy Mysteries  

Find me on:

Facebook
My web site

 

 

Friday, March 15, 2024

Slow Cooker Mexican Pulled Pork from Vicki Delany


Another keeper from the slow cooker.  A 1.5 kg boneless roast is quite large, so the recipe makes a lot (about 6 – 8 servings). I froze the individual servings to provide a quick lovely dinner in the months to come. I served this over mashed potatoes with a side of asparagus, but it would work well in tacos also.

Slow Cooker Mexican Pulled Pork

INGREDIENTS:

 1.5 kg boneless pork shoulder, quartered

 1 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

 2 tablespoons canola oil

 1 onion, chopped

 4 cloves garlic, chopped or minced

 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped

 2 bay leaves

 1 tablespoon chili powder

 1 tablespoon ground cumin

 2 teaspoons dried oregano

 1 teaspoon ground coriander

 1 cup  chicken broth

 1/2 cup orange juice

Directions:

Sprinkle pork with 1 tsp each of the salt and pepper. In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; brown pork, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to slow cooker.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add onion, garlic, jalapeño pepper, bay leaves and remaining 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper to pan; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano and coriander; cook for 2 minutes. Add broth; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Add orange juice. Transfer to slow cooker.

Cover and cook until pork is tender, 4 to 5 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low.










Follow Vicki at www.vickidelany.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor. You can sign up to receive Vicki’s quarterly newsletter at Vicki Delany – Canadian Author of Mystery Novels and Suspense Novels » Contact


The Sign of Four Spirits, the ninth Sherlock Holmes Bookshop book is now available from Crooked Lane Books.


 

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Cauliflower Mash @vmburns #recipe #giveaway #Stpatricksday

 Vmburns: I am trying to make better food choices in the hopes of improving my health and (of course) losing some weight. I've learned that I can't do everything at once, so my goal is to make better choices. I realize that Cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes is great for folks on a low-carb diet. It took me a while to get on the cauliflower bandwagon. There was something about the texture that just wasn't hitting it with me. However, considering I was pairing the cauliflower with a stuffed chicken marsala that was NOT diet-friendly (but oh so delicious), I decided to make one better choice with my meal. While scouring the Internet, I ran across a variation from Every Last Bite which claimed her cauliflower mash was the best. Their version was not only low-carb but Paleo, Vega, Keto, dairy-free, grain-free, gluten-free and Whole30. WHEW! That's a lot to expect from a head of cauliflower. My version isn't all those things. She used Almond Milk. I used heavy cream (it was all I had).  She used Coconut oil. I used butter. I have to say, this was the best cauliflower mash that I've ever made. I will definitely make it again. NOTE: I don't have a picture of the ingredients before I started. I was halfway through the recipe before I remembered. Sorry! 



Cauliflower Mash





INGREDIENTS
  • 1 Head of Cauliflower
  • 1 Cups of heavy cream
  • 1/2 Cup of Water
  • 1/2 Teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 Teaspoon ground pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons butter


  • INSTRUCTIONS

    1. Cut the cauliflower into chunks, place in a food processor, and pulse until the cauliflower is crushed into small pieces.

    2. Place the butter into a large skillet and heat on medium. Then, add the cauliflower and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
    3. Cook until the cauliflower turns golden brown, approximately 7-8 minutes.
    4. Add the heavy cream and water and cook until the milk evaporates, approximately 10 minutes.

    5. Transfer the mixture back to your food processor or blender and puree until smooth.

    READERS: Do you like Cauliflower? - Let me know in the comments for a chance to win a KINDLE copy of MURDER ON TOUR (US Only). I have several copies so if you're interested, include the word YES in your comment. Please remember to include your email address if you want to be included in the giveaway. 


    MURDER ON TOUR

    Bookstore owner and Michigander Samantha Washington is thrilled to see her debut historical mystery finally on the shelves, but a killer seems determined to steal away the spotlight . . .
     
    While Sam wraps up her first whirlwind book tour, Nana Jo has kept Market Street Mysteries running smoothly. The last stop is a prestigious book festival in Sam’s hometown of North Harbor, Michigan. But not everyone thinks the guest of honor, bestselling author Judith Hunter, deserves stellar reviews. Sam witnesses nasty arguments between Judith and two different authors—who accuse her of plagiarism and sabotage . . .
     
    When a publicist is poisoned during a cocktail reception, Sam wonders if the killer missed the intended target. It’s a twist that echoes the plot of Sam’s mystery, 
    Murder at Wickfield Lodge. But fact can be stranger—and deadlier—than fiction. How much collateral damage is the killer willing to risk? With feisty Nana Jo and the girls from Shady Acres Retirement Village lending a hand, Sam tries to solve the case before the festival delivers another fatality . . .


    Wednesday, March 13, 2024

    Bubble and Squeak, Santa Cruz Style #StPatricksDayRecipe by @LeslieKarst

     

    It's been rainy and cold here in Hilo, Hawai'i, so I can only imagine what the weather is like in other parts of the country right now. A good time for a hearty dish of the traditional British Isles dish of bubble and squeak, I say! Perhaps prepare a batch for St. Paddy's Day, which is just around the corner--the dish pairs perfectly with Guinness!

     


    But in honor of my half-time home, Santa Cruz, CA, where my Sally Solari mysteries are set, this recipe employs Brussels sprouts instead of the traditional cabbage, as Santa Cruz County is one of the primary growing areas in the United States for the tiny crucifers

     

    Lots of folks are not too fond of Brussels sprouts because they can be bitter. But if you get fresh ones and cook them properly, they’re not at all like those mushy balls you were forced to eat as a child growing up in the '50s and '60s (yes, I'm dating myself here)--they’re quite delicious. 

     

    What follows is a method more than a recipe, because the amount you use for each ingredient isn't terribly important.  A good rule of thumb, though, is to use equal parts potatoes and sprouts--unless you decide not too. 😄

     

    Start by pre-cooking however many Russet potatoes you want to use. Boil them as you would for mashed potatoes, but drain them while they're still slightly hard in the middle, as you'll be cooking them again. You can do this the day before and store them in the fridge until you're ready to make the rest of the dish.



    Next, wash, trim, and cut in half the Brussels sprouts.

     

     

    Cut the potatoes into bite-size slices and fry them over medium-high heat in whatever oil you like until brown and crispy, then season with salt and pepper. I seasoned mine also with garlic powder (not traditional in British Isles fare, but that’s the cook’s prerogative). They’d be even better fried in bacon fat, but I didn't have any on hand.

     

     

    Set the potatoes aside, and next fry the sprouts in oil over medium-high heat, until they start to turn a golden brown.

     


     

    Once the sprouts have browned, add a splash of water to the pan and continued sautéing until tender, and all the water has cooked away. (Add more water, if needed.)

     

     

    Finish the sprouts with a few splashes of Balsamic vinegar (also not typically British or Irish, but very Santa Cruzian). 

     

    The last step is dump the potatoes back into the pan, stir them together with the sprouts until warmed through, and season with more S&P, to taste. 

     

    Cheers, mate!

     

     

    🌱  🍋  🌿

     

     

    Coming April 2!

    MOLTEN DEATH

    Orchid Isle Mystery, book 1

    available for pre-order 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. 

     

    Advance 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

    has been short-listed for the Lefty Award

    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



    Also now available:

    Justice is Served:  A Tale of Scallops,

    the Law, and Cooking for RBG

    (available for purchase here)



     
    "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 are available through AmazonBarnes and Noble, and Bookshop.