Mystery Lovers' Kitchen

Wednesday, November 11, 2026

Roasted Broccoli with Miso Butter #ThanksgivingRecipe by @LeslieKarst

This is another recipe that caught my eye in the New York Times food section some weeks back, and I’m thinking it would make for a terrific (and easy) side to your Thanksgiving bird. It can be served either hot out of the oven or at room temperature, which makes it a perfect dish for your holiday dinner.

I love how the addition of just a little bit of miso to a dish ramps up its umami factor by an amazing level. Add to that the extra flavor that roasting brings to broccoli and you get a side dish that’s absolutely bursting with deliciousness!

Roasted Broccoli with Miso Butter

(serves 4)

Ingredients

1 large head broccoli (at least 1 lb.), cut into bite-size pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter at room temperature

2 teaspoons miso (either white or red will work fine)

1 tablespoon lime juice (fresh or bottled)

salt to taste

Directions

Heat oven to 424 degrees F.

Place the broccoli in a large roasting pan, drizzle with the oil, and then spread it out in a single layer.

Roast until browned and easily pierced with a fork—about 15 minutes.

While the broccoli is roasting, mash together the butter and miso. (It doesn’t have to be uniformly mixed.)

When the broccoli is cooked to your liking, spoon the butter-miso mixture over it and add the lime juice.

Stir to that all the pieces are covered with the butter and juice. Taste, and add salt as needed. (The miso is very salty, so you likely won’t need to use much.)

Enjoy!

🌱 🍋 🌿

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MURDER, LOCAL STYLE

Available for purchase here.

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🍍 🌴 🍹

Out now in paperback!

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WATERS OF DESTRUCTION

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

Kirkus Reviews

Also available

in paperback!

MOLTEN DEATH

Orchid Isle Mystery #1

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2025 Lefty Award Finalist

for Best Mystery!

“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.

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

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A SENSE FOR MURDER

2024 Lefty Award Finalist

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This newest Sally Solari mystery

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

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

--Kirkus Reviews

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the Law, and Cooking for RBG

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"[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, November 10, 2026

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE WITH PECAN TOPPING: My Lighter Version of the #Thanksgiving Classic by Cleo Coyle

From Cleo Coyle: According to a recent survey, 80% of Americans enjoy cooking the side dishes for Thanksgiving even more than the turkey. Marc and I always enjoy roasting our Thanksgiving turkey (and eating its leftovers), but I have to admit the annual feast wouldn't be complete without the stuffing and other sides. Do you feel the same? And do you have a favorite Thanksgiving side?

One of our favorites is this classic sweet potato casserole with a crunchy-sweet pecan topping. My version uses less butter and sugar than many traditional recipes but loses none of the flavor or richness.

You can make my casserole with brown sugar alone or with maple syrup. With dairy or non-dairy. Or even with a brown sugar substitute. Finally, I have a tip for making the process a snap on Thanksgiving day...

So, let's get started!

Cleo Coyle writes two
bestselling mystery

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

☕ A Recipe Note from Cleo

The origin of this recipe goes back a long way. I remember seeing a version published in a 40-year-old cookbook celebrating heritage recipes from Georgia, but that recipe likely had its roots in the "sweet potato pudding" published in the first American cookbook, circa 1796.

For my lighter, easier version of this classic, I started with the more traditional version here, cut an entire stick of butter, some of the sugar, and a small amount of flour. The result was delicious! I did not miss the extra fat and calories and neither did my husband, who is never coy about expressing his opinion on good eats.

I created some options in the ingredients, as well. You can make this casserole with brown sugar alone or with maple syrup. If you're cutting back on sugar, you can even use a brown sugar substitute. And you can go dairy or non-dairy.

Finally, here's my tip for making the process a snap on Thanksgiving day. Forget the traditional method of peeling, dicing, boiling, and mashing, which leaches nutrition from those nourishing sweet potatoes. And don't even think about using canned yams, which can't compare to sweet potatoes made from scratch. Instead, simply bake your sweet potatoes alongside your turkey.

My baking method produces sweet potatoes that are just as moist as the boiled version, but with less fuss and cleanup. And (the best reason to do this...) baking the potatoes will help them retain more nutrition and flavor.

Now let's start (some early Thanksgiving) cooking!

~ Cleo

ORDER UP!

To download a PDF of this

recipe that you can print,

save, or share, click here.

Click for the free recipe PDF.

Cleo Coyle's (Lighter)
Sweet Potato Casserole with
Brown Sugar and Pecans

Ingredients:

For the casserole:

3-4 medium to large sweet potatoes (You will use these to
make 3-1/2 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes)
1/4 cup light brown sugar*
1/4 cup pure maple syrup*
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 cup milk (low-fat cow's milk or dairy-free almond)
4 tablespoons butter melted (or dairy-free margarine, melted)

*To make this recipe without maple syrup, increase the brown sugar to 1/2 cup and reduce the amount of cooked, mashed sweet potatoes by 1/4 cup. If you're cutting back on sugar, you can use a brown sugar substitute.

For the topping:

4 Tablespoons butter, melted (or dairy-free margarine, melted)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar (or brown sugar substitute)
Generous pinch of table salt or finely ground sea salt
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

Step 1 – Easy-bake sweet potatoes (you can either bake these with your turkey or the night before your Thanksgiving meal): Wash the sweet potatoes and leave skins wet. Tap your inner serial killer and stab the taters a few times with a knife to prevent them from exploding in the oven.

Wrap the sweet potatoes tightly in aluminum foil and bake them in a well-preheated 350 degree F. oven for 90 minutes. Remove them from the oven, but do not unwrap! Allow them to cool in their foil cocoons for 30 minutes. This will keep them nice and moist. Now open and slice each potato in half.

As shown above, scoop out the still-warm flesh,

which is now very close to pre-mashed for you.

A fork will make quick work of the mashing.

See the photos above and below.
You want a nice, even consistency.

Step 2 – Assemble the casserole: Measure out 3-1/2 cups of the cooked and mashed sweet potatoes and combine them with the rest of the casserole ingredients. Stir well. Pour into a well-buttered casserole dish (1-1/2 to 2 quarts in size). The dish you see below is 1-1/2 quarts.

Step 3 – Make the casserole topping: Melt the butter (or margarine) in a small saucepan. Remove the pan from heat, add the topping ingredients to the pan, stir well. The mixture should be damp and crumbly. Distribute it evenly over the casserole top.

Bake at 350° F. for about 40 minutes. Casserole will be bubbling when finished and some liquid will appear to be pooling in the topping. Don’t worry. As the dish cools, the liquid will settle back into the casserole and the top will become crusty, crunchy, and delicious.