Baked Parmesan Pesto Tilapia #giveaway #recipe Kim Davis

 

KIM DAVIS: I don't know about you, but after the indulgences of the holiday season I'm ready for simple, yet healthier meals. Eons ago when my granddaughters were very young, we'd have family meals together with their mom at least twice a week (their dad traveled all the time for business). It was a good opportunity to introduce the girls to something other than fast food or convenience products like mac & cheese, which seems to be a staple when both parents work long, full-time hours on top of commuting. Don't misunderstand me, there's nothing with either types of food in moderation. But since I had the time and the inclination, I tried to make meals that they wouldn't normally get. Enter fish. It's easy to prepare, it's quick to cook, and easy for young palates to become accustomed to if you choose mild fish, such as tilapia. Although we were lucky that they both loved salmon from the start too, and I often received requests to cook the "pink" fish for dinner. Starting out I didn't use the pesto sauce base called for in this tilapia recipe, but as the girls grew older and their tastes more sophisticated, I added it. Everyone agrees that the "original" and the pesto-flavored fish is a keeper and I'm happy to serve often! 

Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the page for a giveaway to celebrate the new year! 

Baked Parmesan Pesto Tilapia

Ingredients

4 tilapia fillets (or other mild white fish) 2 tablespoons pesto sauce 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons mayonnaise 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (F).

Line a broiler safe pan or baking sheet with parchment paper.

Pat the fish fillets dry and place on the prepared pan. Brush the pesto sauce over the fillets.

Combine the panko crumbs, parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, Italian herb seasoning, salt, and garlic powder together. 

Divide evenly over the fish fillets, and press the crumbs to adhere.

Bake on the middle rack for 10 minutes, or until the fish begins to flake when tested with a fork.

Turn the oven to the broil setting.

Move the pan to the top rack and broil for 1 to 2 minutes until the crust is golden brown, rotating pan as necessary. Keep a close watch so that the crust doesn’t burn.

Remove from oven and serve with your favorite rice and a vegetable side.

💕 Click here for a free printable PDF of the recipe!💕

Books available at most online retailers

 

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Apple

 

Cupcake Catering Mysteries * Essentials of Murder

 

About the Author:

Kim Davis writes the Aromatherapy Apothecary cozy mystery series, and the award-winning Cupcake Catering cozy mystery series. She has also written several children’s nature articles published in a variety of magazines. For ten years she’s written the Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder culinary cozy mystery blog, in which she features reviews of cozy mysteries along with a recipe from the book, and photos of the prepared dish. And now she’s a member of Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen!
Kim Davis is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

She lives in Southern California with her husband and rambunctious mini Goldendoodle, Missy, who has become an inspiration for several plotlines. When she’s not spending time with her granddaughters or chasing Missy around, she can be found either writing on her next book, working on blogs, or in the kitchen baking up yummy treats to share.

Click here to sign up here for Kim’s newsletter: Newsletter
Connect with Kim on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Bluesky, Bookbub, Goodreads, and website
 

To celebrate the New Year, I'm giving away an ebook copy of Essentials of Murder, open to US residents only.

Readers, do you have favorite dishes that you make after the start of the new year? 

Comment below and include your email (yourname at yourserver dot com) for a chance to win Essentials of Murder. (Contest ends 11:59pm on Wednesday, January 14, 2026.)

GUEST Mia P. Manansala--Chai Hot Chocolate #giveaway

 

Leslie Karst here, pleased as punch--I mean hot chocolate--to bring you a delicious recipe for yes, chai hot chocolate, from the marvelous Mia P. Manansala. And she's giving away a copy of her newest book, Death and Dinuguan, to one lucky commenter! Take it away, Mia!

Happy New Year, everyone! Hope you have a 2026 that's as sweet and satisfying as this drink.

The final book in my Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series, DEATH AND DINUGUAN, is centered around an attack on the town’s new chocolate shop owners during the lead up to Valentine’s Day. As such, much of the food mentioned in the book is focused on chocolate. While I had fun coming up with fancy truffle, fudge, and chocolate bar recipes, my favorite recipe experiments were the creative spins on hot chocolate that my main character, Lila, and her partners served at the Brew-ha Cafe: Ube White Hot Chocolate, Mexican Hot Chocolate, as well as the Chai Hot Chocolate that I’m sharing below. Each drink is inspired by the cafe owners’ backgrounds and is a delicious way to fight the winter blahs.

The hot chocolate drinks served at the Brew-ha Cafe are rather decadent (Adeena, the barista, does not have the word “moderation” in her vocabulary) but I don’t like making my everyday drinks too rich, so I’ve included a range for how much chocolate to add. The higher the amount, the richer it gets, so make sure to adjust your sweetener accordingly!

Chai Hot Chocolate Recipe
Yield: about one 12oz mug

Ingredients:

1 TBSP loose-leaf chai or 2 chai teabags 
2 cups milk of choice
1 TBSP cocoa powder
2-4 TBSP chocolate chips or good quality chocolate bar, chopped up
2 TBSP brown sugar, jaggery, or sweetener of choice (or to taste)
Pinch of salt, optional

 

Directions:

Add the milk and chai to a medium saucepan. Choose a saucepan that’s slightly larger than you think you need since milk has a tendency to boil up.

Heat on medium until the milk comes to a simmer, then turn to low/medium-low and let simmer for 5 minutes.

 

Add the cocoa powder, chocolate, sweetener, and salt (if using) to the mixture and whisk until the chocolate is fully melted and everything is well-incorporated. Taste and adjust to your palate. Too sweet or rich? Add more milk. Not sweet or rich enough? Add more chocolate or sweetener. You want a stronger chai flavor? Add another teabag or spoonful of tea leaves and let steep for a few minutes.

 

 

Once you get the flavor how you like it, turn off the heat. If using teabags, remove them now and pour the chai hot chocolate into a mug. If using tea leaves, ladle the mixture through a handheld strainer directly into your mug.

 

You can get fancy and top it with whipped cream, a sprinkle of cinnamon, etc. but I prefer it straight. Enjoy! 

Mia P. Manansala (she/her) is a writer from Chicago who loves books, baking, and bad-ass women. She is the author of the multi-award-winning Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series and the YA mystery, DEATH IN THE CARDS. She uses humor (and murder) to explore aspects of the Filipino diaspora, queerness, and her love for Millennial pop culture.
 
Find her on Facebook and Instagram: @MPMtheWriter 
Check out her website: www.miapmanansala.com

Find Death and Dinuguan here. 

 

 

And now for the GIVEAWAY: For all you hot chocolate drinkers out there, what’s the best hot chocolate you’ve ever had? If you don’t care for hot chocolate, what’s the best chocolate you’ve had (yes, white chocolate counts)? 

Let me know in the comments for a chance to win a signed paperback copy of DEATH AND DINUGUAN! Make sure to leave your email address in the comments. (U.S. only.)

 

Umbrian Flatbread #recipe from Molly MacRae

 

These no fuss flatbreads are fun to make and remind me of a lighter version of Irish griddle bread (also fun to make). They cook more quickly than griddle bread and they can be eaten as is or split to make sandwiches. We’ve had them with a lovely combination of sauteed mushrooms and fontina cheese. We also like them alongside soup or salad.

When you knead the dough, do it briefly ( less than a minute), just to bring it together in a smooth, cohesive mass. If you knead it the way you would a yeasted loaf or the flatbreads will be tough.

 

Umbrian Flatbread

Adapted from Milk Street Bakes by Christopher Kimball

Makes 4  

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil

 

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a measuring cup or bowl, combine the olive oil and water. While stirring the flour mixture, slowly add the oil and water mixture. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, adding another tablespoon of water (or 2 or 3), as needed, if the mixture is too dry.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board. Knead until smooth and cohesive, but only for about 30 seconds, 1 minute tops. Divide the dough into four equal parts (I make one large ball and cut it into quarters). Shape each quarter into a smooth ball. Leaving the balls on the floured board, cover them with a kitchen towel and them let rest at least 15 minutes and up to an hour.

Using your hands, press each dough ball into a 5- or 6-inch round. Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-low until water flicked onto the surface immediately sizzles. Add a round (or two if they’ll fit) and cook until well browned in spots, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip and cook until the second side is spotty brown, another 4 or 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Cook the rest of the rounds the same way. Wrap the breads in a kitchen towel and set them aside until the rest of your meal is ready.

See the flatbread on the small plate above the bowl of soup?
You'll find the recipe for that Spicy Peanut Pumpkin Soup here.

💗 click here for a free, printable pdf of the Umbrian Flatbreads recipe 💗

 

Coming in June 2025!

All Shell Breaks Loose

Haunted Shell Shop book 3

 

On North Carolina’s Ocracoke Island, Maureen Nash sells exquisite seashells to locals and tourists—with Bonny the shop cat and the ghost of a Welsh pirate for company. And when needed, she steps in to help the police solve a murder . . .

Dr. Irving Allred is boasting around town that he’s about to get his hands on an authentic haunted sword. But minutes after Maureen hears the story, a woman walks into the Moon Shell, sword in hand. She found it while walking her bulldog on the beach—and its blade is stained with what looks like blood. Looks like it’s time to call the sheriff’s department.

Allred is furious that his prize is now in police custody—and even more agitated that an unknown buyer was trying to outbid him. He’s convinced the sword will lead him straight to the ghosts he’s been hunting. He’s not the only one on the Outer Banks who’s been searching for spirits, though. An odd visitor also showed up at Maureen’s shop claiming the ability to sense them . . . though somehow she didn’t seem to notice Maureen’s spectral friend hanging about.

When a man who’d been camping nearby is found cut down along the shore, Maureen starts providing some unofficial assistance to Captain Rob Tate by digging into the island’s maritime history. But it’s not the only mystery she’s facing—because the shop’s resident ghost is seeing ghosts himself . . . 

Happy reading!

 

 

The Boston Globe says Molly MacRae writes “murder with a dose of drollery.” She’s the author of the award-winning, national bestselling Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries and the Highland Bookshop Mysteries. As Margaret Welch, she writes books for Annie’s Fiction. Her short stories have appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine and she’s a winner of the Sherwood Anderson Award for Short Fiction. Visit Molly on Facebook and Pinterest and connect with her on Instagram or Bluesky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creamy Tomato Lentil Soup @MaddieDayAuthor

MADDIE DAY here, with a yummy recipe for the new year - and for a new baby's parents!

My younger son and his wife, Alex, had a due date of January 2nd for the birth of their first baby. That has come and gone, but I wanted to stockpile a few easy-to-reheat vegetarian meals for them after they are home with their little boy. They live less than an hour's drive from us, so food delivery is easy.

When I saw a recipe in the New York Times Cooking section (I'm a subscriber to that and the puzzles) that used red lentils, I knew I had a winner, with a jar of red lentils in my pantry and all other ingredients at hand.

This turned out to be such an easy dish to make, and it will freeze easily to keep for whenever they're ready for it.

(Aren't they cute? I got them matching flannel shirts for Christmas.)

Whether you or yours have a new baby coming along or not, I guarantee you'll love this warming comfort soup this winter.

Creamy Tomato Lentil Soup

Adapted from a slow cooker recipe by Sarah DiGregorio in NYT Cooking

Ingredients

5 cups water

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

2 cups red lentils

4 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Black pepper

Juice of 1 lemon

2 cups grape tomatoes, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons basil pesto

¾ cup heavy cream 

Directions

In a Dutch oven or large pot, combine water, the can of tomatoes with juices, lentils, garlic, tomato paste, olive oil, salt, sugar, oregano and several generous grinds of black pepper. Bring to a boil, then stir and reduce to a simmer for one hour.

Stir in the chopped tomatoes, pesto, and lemon juice. Simmer for another half hour or more, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or pepper if necessary. 

Fifteen minutes before serving, add cream and stir. Do not let it come to a boil.

Serve with rice or cornbread and a green salad.

Note: When tomatoes and basil are ripe in season, absolutely substitute in fresh versions instead of pre-prepared.

Readers: What's your favorite warm winter meal?

News Flash - the baby boy was born in the wee hours last Sunday! Silvio Ilán Llegus-Maxwell was just under eight pounds, and after an under eight-hour labor, he and his mama are doing well, as is my son. They're now home and figuring out life with a newborn. I'll be dropping off their frozen lentil soup, plus cornbread and a cheese-broccoli quiche, this weekend. I'm over the moon to meet the newest addition to our family!

🍅🌿🍜

Murder at Cape Costumers is out and available wherever book are sold!

My most recent releases are Scone Cold Dead, #13 in the Country Store Mysteries,

 Deadly Crush, 

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.

Virgin Sangria @vmburns #recipe

 VMBURNS: I was looking for a fruity punch to celebrate the holidays and stumbled across a recipe for a virgin sangria. I, of course, made adjustments and tweaked to my tastes. Feel free to do the same.

The original recipe I found used a Pink Lady Apple. I didn't have a pink lady, but I did have a red delicious. I thought the bright red skin would be great. I was wrong. I do NOT recommend the red delicious. The texture of the apple's flesh didn't hold up well. I LOVED the blackberries in the sangria. In fact, I eventually scooped them out and ate them with a spoon. My biggest adjustment came with the sparkling water. Initially, I used a plain sparkling water. However, on my second batch, I tried flavored sparkling waters and OMG was it tasty. I tried peach flavored and blood orange. Both were delicious. If you are going to drink this immediately, then I would recommend adding the sparkling water to your pitcher. Otherwise, I recommend waiting until you are serving the sangria/punch and just pour some sparkling water in the glass.

VIRGIN SANGRIA

INGREDIENTS

• 
  
• 1 Apple (I like Honey Crisp)
• 2 Oranges
• 1 Lemon
• 1 Cup Blackberries
• 1 Cup Sparkling Water
• 3/4 Cup Apple Juice
• 1 Cup Orange Juice
• 3 Cups Cranberry Juice
• 
  
• ▢
• 
  

• 
  
• INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut the apple into chunks. Slice the oranges, and cut the lemon in half, and slice one half of the lemon. Add all of your fruit, including the blueberries to a pitcher.

   
2. Fill the pitcher with the apple juice, orange juice, and cranberry juice. Squeeze the juice from the remaining lemon half into the pitcher.
3. Stir and place in the refrigerator to cool.

   

   
   
   
4. Pour the juice into a glass about 80 percent full, then add the sparkling water to the glass.






READERS: Do you have a fruit that you like to include in beverages? Or a fruit that you HATE in beverages? Let me know in a comment below. 







MURDER FROM A TO Z






When Michigan bookshop owner and mystery writer Samantha Washington and her sister, Jenna, agreed to host a class for seniors on estate planning, they didn’t plan on discovering shady doings at Shady Acres Retirement Village . . .

Nana Jo has volunteered her lawyer granddaughter, Jenna, to teach estate planning to retirees—with Sam providing her bookshop as the venue. But during the seminar, entitled Getting Your Ducks in Order, it quickly becomes clear someone’s up to Fowl Play. When elderly Alva Tarkington, accompanied by her niece, sits down for a consultation, Sam realizes the woman’s frequent blinking is actually Morse Code—S.O.S. The sisters get her alone, and Alva tells them she believes her life is in danger and must change her will . . .

Unfortunately, Alva is found dead the next day—seemingly from natural causes. But Nana Jo and the sisters suspect otherwise. In between penning her latest historical mystery, set in 1939 as England declares war on Germany and Lady Elizabeth Marsh pursues stolen paintings and a traitor, Sam teams up with the senior sleuths of Shady Acres to search for motives—beginning with Alva’s family. They soon learn not everyone is who they say they are, and someone is more than qualified to teach a class on cold-blooded murder . . .

 

BUY LINK

Curried Chicken Baked with Rice from Vicki Delany

I cut this recipe out of Canadian Living Magazine long long ago, and only just came across it recently in the back of the recipe folder, so I decided to give it a try.

It makes another delicious warm meal for these cold winter nights. In this dish the rice cooks in the oven right alongside the chicken, meaning you can prepare it all ahead of time, if you need, and then give it a reheat. It doesn’t freeze terribly well, though, but the leftovers will keep in the fridge for a few days.

Curried Chicken Baked with Rice

Ingredients:

6 chicken drumsticks

6 chicken thighs including bones and skin

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large tomato, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 lb button mushrooms, halved

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 ½ cups basmati rice

2 tbsp. curry powder

1 tsp ground turmeric

Salt and pepper

Method:

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add chicken pieces, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Drain chicken while reserving the stock.

Heat oil in an oven-proof saucepan or Dutch oven over medium high heat, sauté tomato, pepper, onion, mushrooms, and parsley for 5 minutes.  Add rice and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.  Stir in 3 cups of the reserved chicken stock, curry powder, turmeric, salt and pepper.

Add chicken and return to boil.

Cover and bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Check occasionally and if the dish seems too dry add more stock.

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. She’s on Bluesky at @vickidelany.bsky.social

Just Released! THE DEVIL IN THE DETAILS, the 11^th Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery.