Deanna Raybourne: Veronica Speedwell Mysteries and Lady Gray Mysteries < Back Deanna Raybourne Author of The Veronica Speedwell Mysteries and Lady Gray Mysteries July 7, 2021 Deanna Raybourne (Veronica Speedwell Mysteries and Lady Gray Mysteries) combines romance and mystery in the Victorian era, with charming details about food, dress, and manners of the time. Although there must have been free-thinking young women in the 1900’s, it was probably rare, but I set aside any concern about the appropriation of modern thinking and just enjoyed Veronica’s adventures (A Treacherous Curse, A Perilous Undertaking, A Murderous Relation) as a butterfly collector and amateur sleuth (along with her handsome sidekick, the aristocratic Stoker, who helps solve mysteries when he isn’t stuffing and mounting animal specimens). I read three of these in a row during a vacation and enjoyed every minute, no matter how improbable the situations. Previous Next

These are hamantaschen for grown-ups. Not too sweet; just right. < Back Chocolate Hamantaschen February 26, 2021 Prep Time: 1 Hour Cook Time: 15 Minutes Serves: 20 Servings Tags: Gluten Free, Vegan, Baking About the Recipe Ingredients 1 ¼ cup quick or old-fashioned oats 1 ¼ cup almond flour (or gluten-free flour) 1 TBSP corn or potato starch 1 tsp baking soda ¼ tsp salt ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (I use half a seeded apple) ¼ cup coconut or monkfruit or brown sugar ½ cup plant milk 1 tsp zest (from one medium orange) 2 TBSP coconut oil 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp apple cider vinegar Chocolate Filling ¼ cup monkfruit, cane, or brown sugar (1/3 to 1/2 cup if you like sweeter chocolate!) ¼ cup coconut or canola oil ¼ cup plant milk ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tsp pure vanilla extract ¼ tsp sea salt ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Preparation In a blender or processor pulse oats, flour, starch, baking soda, and salt into flour. Move to a large bowl. In the same blender or processor, pulse apple, sugar, plant milk, zest, oil, vanilla, and vinegar until blended. Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir until it comes together as a dough. Then, refrigerate the dough while you make the filling. Preheat oven to 375℉. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. In the same blender, pulse together sugar, oil, plant milk, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt for about 40-60 seconds until it turns shiny. Transfer from blender to a small bowl and gently stir in the chocolate chips. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide in half. Roll to about ⅛ inch thick, adding flour if needed to make it less sticky. Cut circles with a drinking glass. Fill with 1 teaspoon of chocolate filling. Create a triangle by folding the left side over the filling into the center, then the right side over the filling, then then fold the bottom side over the filling. Pinch the corners to hold the shape. Place cookies on the prepared cookie sheets and brush with oil (if you want shinier cookies, otherwise this step is optional). Bake at 375℉ about 14-15 minutes until golden brown. Previous Next

Ruthie dropped off a tray of frozen sweet potato-black bean empanadas. < Back Oven-Baked Sweet Potato-Black Bean Empanadas July 23, 2019 Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes Serves: 24 Servings Tags: Entrees, Vegetarian, Vegan About the Recipe 125 Battered: A Whipped and Sipped Mystery That night, Brianne invited the sixth-floor neighbors for dinner, including Joan, who didn’t answer her phone or respond to Brianne’s text. Elderly neighbor, Gloriadine declined, explaining that the funeral had exhausted her for the day. Alene vowed to have Kacey join them instead of sitting alone in her room but she wasn’t sure how she was going to manage it. Brianne was planning to order in, but Ruthie dropped off a tray of frozen sweet potato-black bean empanadas with fresh garlic bread, a big salad, and a jar of her homemade, garlicky salad dressing. Alene decided to send Sierra to get Kacey, who wasn’t responding to texts. It was a chance, but Sierra could be very persuasive. Quinn and Noah were reading comic books on the couch in front of Brianne’s coffee table while Alene and her father joined Brianne at her round kitchen table. Sierra rushed back into the kitchen looking flushed. “Joan just screamed at me,” she said in a hushed tone. “It was unbelievably scary.” Brianne gulped and Cal covered his mouth in surprise. “What did she say?” Alene asked. How dare she scream at a child? Sierra reported the story as if it had been a big adventure. “She opened the door and said, ‘Get away from me, you little shit. I’ve had just about enough from all of you.” “Oh, my goodness,” said Cal, “kindness really doesn’t come naturally to that woman.” Brianne shook her head. “She’s in mourning. We should be patient with her – but who talks that way to a little girl?” “I’m nearly twelve-and-a-half. I’m not exactly a little girl,” said Sierra with a sigh. Ingredients 3 cups all-purpose or bread flour 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp kosher salt 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar ¾ cup ice cold water 1 cooked medium sweet potato 1 cup black beans (reserve some of the liquid from the can to moisten the filling) 1 red pepper (or poblano if you want heat) roast, remove seeds and membrane, chop 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (toss in heated pan until fragrant, or use powdered cumin) 1/3 cup chopped scallions 2 or more tablespoons chopped cilantro (use parsley if someone hates cilantro) ½ to 1 teaspoon chili powder (depending on how much heat you want) 1/2 teaspoon salt Preparation Use a food processor to pulse together flour, baking soda and salt Add in oil, cold water, and vinegar: pulse 2-4 times just to combine Remove from the food processor and form into a loose ball Wrap in plastic and place in refrigerator for at least one hour Mash the sweet potato with the rest of the ingredients (add more liquid from can if needed) Remove the dough from the fridge, divide and shape into 8 equal balls On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball of dough into an approximately 5” circle Spoon about 2-3 TBSP of the sweet potato mixture onto each circle Moisten edges of the dough with water and fold over the filling Seal edges with a fork on both sides Place on a large greased baking sheet (or parchment paper/silicone mat) Cut diagonal slits across each empanada and bake at 400° 15 minutes until golden Great for appetizers (Serve 2-3 per adult with salad, guacamole and salsa for dinner) Recipe also works with store-bought pie dough Previous Next

We were desperate for pancakes so I tweaked another recipe I was working on to make these. < Back Gluten-Free Pancakes January 24, 2021 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 20 Minutes Serves: 10 Pancakes Tags: Muffins and Breads, Gluten Free, Baking, Breakfast About the Recipe Ingredients 1 cup gluten-free flour 1 cup almond flour 1 tsp baking soda ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp cinnamon 2 eggs 1 cup plain kefir or yogurt 1 cup water 1/3 cup canola oil 1 TBSP unfiltered apple cider vinegar 1 tsp pure vanilla extract Preparation In a medium bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Mix the wet ingredients together in a smaller bowl and pour wet ingredients into drive ingredients. Stir just until blended. Heat a large baking pan to medium high. Scoop a large spoonful of batter (it’s thicker than usual pancake batter), three or four at a time. Flip when bubbles form and bottom is golden brown. Place finished pancakes on a serving plate and cover lightly with a tea towel until all the pancakes are ready. We love eating them with Earth Balance and real maple syrup. Note: there is no sugar added to the batter. Previous Next

No dairy, low-sugar, healthful, delicious! < Back Fudgy Chocolate Butternut Squash Muffins June 18, 2019 Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 20 - 25 Minutes Serves: 12 Muffins Tags: Muffins and Breads, Gluten Free About the Recipe p.186 Battered: A Whipped and Sipped Mystery She cut through the alley, unlocked the back entrance and stepped into Whipped and Sipped’s kitchen. The comforting smell of yeast, the enticement of cinnamon and the complexity of chocolate all soothed Alene, who realized she’d been holding her shoulders and neck in awkward stiffness. Ruthie approached with a steaming cup of her favorite espresso topped with whipped almond milk, cocoa and cinnamon powder. “I talked to Isobel, and she couldn’t get any information about Kacey,” said Alene. “That poor girl,” said Ruthie. “Let’s send her some healthy food as soon as we know where they took her. You’re not going to believe this, but Edith came in today.” Alene took a sip of her coffee and nodded, saying, “I texted her last night and told her to take whatever time she needed, but I see her through the kitchen door – looks like she’s back making smoothies.” “Yup,” said Ruthie, thrusting her hands into a large bowl and pulling out a ball of dough. Ingredients 1 cup smooth almond butter or peanut butter (room temperature) 2 eggs 3/4 cup pure maple syrup 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt 1 tsp baking soda 3/4 cup pureed butternut squash* ½ to 1 cup chocolate chips (more is more) *To prepare the squash, spread a 12 oz bag of fresh or frozen cubed squash onto a pan. Spray with olive oil and roast for about 25 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool. Measure out about ¾ of a cup and use the rest in a salad or some other dish. Or, if you’re feeling lazy, just use about 3/4 can of pumpkin instead (but not pumpkin pie filling). Preparation Preheat oven to 350 degrees Set 12 regular or 24 mini muffin liners in a muffin tray In processor, blend butternut squash until smooth Add almond/peanut butter with eggs, maple syrup and vanilla and blend together Add cocoa powder, salt and baking soda, pulse 3 – 4 times Add chocolate and pulse twice Spoon into the muffin cups and bake about 20 – 25 minutes Cool before serving, if you can wait that long Previous Next

Traditional recipes never tasted so good! < Back Challah August 20, 2019 Prep Time: 90 Minutes Cook Time: Varies Serves: 1 Large Loaf or 2 Medium Loaves Tags: Muffins and Breads, Baking About the Recipe When I first started baking challah, it came out looking like pita. I was pregnant and we’d moved to Colorado Springs. I had to go to the library to look up high altitude baking (this was in the eighties) and while I was there, I picked up an old book on a display shelf. I stood there reading about an eccentric detective in NYC who liked growing orchids, reading, and eating gourmet meals prepared by his personal chef. It was Rex Stout, and it was riveting, but I didn’t borrow the book. I considered myself to be a reader of literature, not mysteries. I learned how to bake challah at altitude and ended up borrowing four novels that day. I’d always loved reading and usually read between forty and fifty books a year. Mysteries were iffy because they often included violence or disgusting discussions about the trajectory of blood and the placement of body parts. Mysteries, I thought, were a lower form of literature, like romances. I was a reading snob. Ingredients 6 cups (720 g) bread flour (If you can’t get it, use all-purpose flour and start the night before) 2 room temp eggs, lightly mixed (plus one egg white if you wish to do an egg wash before baking) 1 ½ tsp (9 g) fine-grained sea salt ¼ cup (50g) canola or any olive oil 1 packet or 1 TBSP (9g) active dry yeast ¼ cup sugar (50g) or honey (85g) 1 ½ to 2 cups of room temperature or lukewarm water (More as needed) Preparation In a large mixing bowl, stir the yeast, sweetener, and 1 cup of flour into 1 ½ cups of lukewarm water. It should start to bubble in a moment or two. Add the rest of the flour, eggs, salt, and oil to the bowl Use your hands or a scraper to pull the dough into a ball, adding water as needed into the bowl. When it forms a ball, remove and knead until the dough feels like an earlobe (even though it sounds gross) I count up to at least fifty turns, each turn including the right and left side. Place in a large, lightly sprayed bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature (not in front of the window!) until it is double in bulk (about an hour), or in the fridge overnight, or overnight on the counter (a good method if it’s a pandemic and you can’t get bread flour). Once the dough is doubled (or the next morning), punch it down, cover the bowl loosely with a tea cloth or plastic wrap, let it double in size again for about an hour If you are making authentic ‘Challah,’ this is where you take an olive-sized piece of the dough and bake it in the toaster after saying the traditional blessing. This dough is enough for 2 good-sized loaves, 4 small loaves, or 8 personal loaves if you want to give each guest a separate loaf. For 2 loaves, divide the dough in half, and divide one half into the number of pieces you want to braid. There are plenty how-to braid videos, and you can get creative! I do 4, 5 and 6 braid challahs, but 3-braided challahs taste just as delicious. For beginners who haven’t raised long-haired children, divide each half into 3 pieces of dough and roll them into foot-long ropes. Set the three ropes of dough in front of you on the counter and pinch them together at the top. Now take the rope on the right and place it over the rope in the middle. Take the rope on the left and place it over the NEW middle rope (the one you already moved). Again, lift the rope on the right and place it over the middle rope. Keep going. Before you know it, you’ll have a braid! Tuck the ends of each loaf under and set them in place with a little water. Place your braided loaves on a silicone mat-covered or sprayed baking pan with space in between. The loaves will poof up more. Cover the loaves loosely with a tea towel for the last rise, for about an hour, or until you are ready to bake. Then, preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C OPTIONAL: Just before you set them in the oven, in a small bowl, stir the white of one egg with a teaspoon of honey and brush the loaves. You can also sprinkle the loaves with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or chopped dehydrated onion. Baking time will depend on the size of the loaves and on your oven. If you bake 2 loaves, check at 25 minutes – if they aren’t golden brown and hollow when you tap, bake for an additional 5 minutes. If you are baking 4 loaves, check after 20 minutes. If you are baking 8 loaves, check after 15 minutes. And in each case, add an additional 5 minutes if needed. Final internal temperature should be about 200° – but the golden brown and hollow sound will tell you that the loaves are done. Previous Next

The story of middle-aged sisters Zara and Lilly begins in Long’s fast-paced, first novel in this witty series, Nine Tenths of the Law, when Zara recognizes a family menorah in a New York City Museum. < Back Our Lying Kin Claudia Hagadus Long May 30, 2023 The story of middle-aged sisters Zara and Lilly begins in Long’s fast-paced, first novel in this witty series, Nine Tenths of the Law , when Zara recognizes a family menorah in a New York City Museum. She remembers seeing it displayed thirty years before on a visit to the Jewish Museum, when her mother recognized it as a family heirloom. Zara is haunted by her mother’s memory, and schemes to get it back, but the menorah and other Holocaust art works suddenly disappear from the museum. The assistant who might have stolen it is murdered, and Zara hallucinates her mother’s experiences as a young girl in 1939, when Nazis took the family’s possessions and singled her out for “special duties.” In Our Lying Kin (Kasva Press, 2023), Zara and her sister are just coming out of the long pandemic and planning a reunion when a woman calls, claiming to be related and demanding money. Now, Zara is dealing with both her mother’s and her father’s legacy. The sisters learn that the art thief/murderer who nearly killed Lilly has escaped from custody, and now the FBI is involved. The sisters spring into sometimes illegal action in this zany adventure about family, memory, International Art Theft, and figuring out what is worth preserving. Claudia Hagadus Long is the author of six novels which span centuries and serious topics. All are fueled by history, family secrets and hidden scandals. They are also funny. Her own conflicted background provides ample fuel for the imagination. Though born stateside, Claudia grew up in Mexico City, came to the US permanently as a seventh grader, and is the daughter of Hungarians on one side and a Polish-Sephardic Holocaust survivor on the other. She received her BA from Harvard University, her law degree from Georgetown, and promptly fled to California. Besides writing and practicing law, she's a dedicated weaver and a passionate cook. Married, with two grown children and two grandchildren, she lives in the far reaches of Napa Valley, California, land of wine, hot springs, and earthquakes. Listen to Episode Buy Book Previous Next

Need iron? This delicious soup will do the trick! < Back Spinach-Lentil Soup October 27, 2020 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Serves: 6 Servings Tags: Soup, Vegetarian, Vegan, Entrees About the Recipe Ingredients 2 TBSP olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 2 cups frozen spinach 1 cup lentils 1 large potato, peeled and cut into ½” pieces 5 cups water 1 cup coconut milk 2 TBSP lemon juice (squeeze the juice from 1 small or ½ large lemon) 1 tsp sea salt (more to taste) 1 tsp paprika Preparation In a medium saucepan, sauté chopped onion in the oil for about 10 minutes until soft. Add spinach, lentils and potato – stir for a minute. Add water, coconut milk, lemon juice, salt and paprika. Simmer on low for 20-30 minutes until lentils are soft. Add salt to taste. Previous Next

Lindsey Davis: Marcus Didius Falco and Flavia Albia Mysteries < Back Lindsey Davis Author of The Marcus Didius Falco and Flavia Albia Mysteries December 25, 2021 Lindsey Davi s was born in Birmingham, England, studied at Oxford, and worked as a civil servant for 13 years. After a romantic novel she’d written was runner-up for the 1985 Georgette Heyer Historical Novel Prize, she became a full-time writer. She wrote twenty delightful novels about an informer and all-around solver of problems (Marcus Didius Falco Mysteries). Set in ancient Rome, her protagonist is delightfully human, happy when his hair looks good and disappointed in himself when he screws up. I loved his courtship of Helena Justina, the senator’s daughter who becomes his wife and the mother of his children. Now Ms. Davis is writing about Marcus and Helena’s British-born adopted daughter, Flavia Alvia, who solves murders when she isn’t taking care of her busy household, supervising slaves and planning family gatherings. These are action packed stories set in a violent society, but I loved spending cold winter afternoons back in Davis’s Ancient Rome. Ms. Davis won the 2011 Cartier Diamond Dagger for her outstanding contribution to the mystery genre. She was honorary president of the Classical Association and is a lifetime member of the Council of the Society of Authors. Previous Next

Jacqueline Winspear: Maisie Dobbs Mysteries < Back Jacqueline Winspear Author of The Maisie Dobbs Mysteries July 5, 2019 Jacqueline Winspear was born and raised in England. She began working on her dream of becoming a writer after emigrating to the United States in 1990. Inspired by her grandfather, who was wounded at the Battle of the Somme in 1916, she decided to set her first novel in England during the tumultuous first decades of the twentieth century. Maisie Dobbs, the debut book in a series of fifteen, was published in 2004. Winspear outlines Maisie’s early years, filling in the details about why she is working as a servant for an aristocrat and how she gets an education. Then, WWI breaks out while she’s in her first year at Cambridge, and Maisie enlists in the overseas nursing service. We learn bits and pieces about her life, about her experience during the war, and about why she goes to work for a distinguished detective after the war ends. Then, in 1929, she sets up her own detective agency. I loved the historical details, the attention to period manners and nuance, and Maisie’s gift at working out the psychology behind human behavior. There was just enough romance to assure readers that she’s a healthy, normal young woman. Reviewers who complain about Maisie’s openness (to people with disabilities, for example) need to remember that there were attitudes across the spectrum even back then. It was refreshing to see a woman (of any nationality) who is not marinated in the prejudices that were common to that era. So far, I’ve only read five of the Maisie books. I liked them all despite an occasional need to suspend disbelief (It wasn’t all that easy to fool the SS during WWII, for example). Having gotten through way too many cozy mysteries that lack literary merit, cohesive plot, or interesting characters, I’d spend an afternoon with Maisy Dobbs any day of the week. So what if she has a tendency to be a know-it-all? So what if she’s a little smug on occasion? When it comes to mysteries, I’d much prefer to read about crimes solved by an imperfect but charming female sleuth who knows how to serve tea. Thank you, Ms. Winspear. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. Previous Next

A decrepit house in Greendale, Mississippi once belonged to Billie James’s father, a renowned black poet who died unexpectedly when she was four years old. Her mother dies of cancer. Then years later, her paternal grandmother dies and leaves Billie the old Mississippi Delta house. < Back The Gone Dead Chanelle Benz July 27, 2020 A decrepit house in Greendale, Mississippi once belonged to Billie James’s father, a renowned black poet who died unexpectedly when she was four years old. Her mother dies of cancer. Then years later, her paternal grandmother dies and leaves Billie the old Mississippi Delta house. At age 34, Billie returns to the house, encounters the locals, and learns that on the day her father died, she went missing. She doesn’t want to leave Mississippi until she finds out what happened, but someone doesn’t want Billie to know the truth. Told from several perspectives, The Gone Dead (Ecco, 2019) is a story about family and memory, justice for those who were never given a chance, and some of the wounds caused by racism in America. Chanelle Benz has published work in Guernica, Granta.com, The New York Times, Electric Literature, The American Reader , Fence and others, and is the recipient of an O. Henry Prize. Her story collection The Man Who Shot Out My Eye Is Dead was named a Best Book of 2017 by The San Francisco Chronicle and one of Electric Literature’s 15 Best Short Story Collections of 2017. It was also shortlisted for the 2018 Saroyan Prize and longlisted for the 2018 PEN/Robert Bingham Prize for Debut Fiction and the 2017 Story Prize. The Gone Dead was a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice and a Tonight Show Summer Reads Finalist. It was long-listed for the 2020 PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel and the 2019 Center for Fiction First Novel Prize. It was also named a best new book of the summer by O, The Oprah Magazine , Time , Southern Living , and Nylon . Benz currently lives in Memphis where she teaches at Rhodes College. Whenever possible, she loves to listen to true crime and history podcasts. Listen to Episode Buy Book Previous Next

I make this version of hummus when I’m out of tahini. < Back Easy Hummus November 5, 2020 Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Serves: 2 Cups of Hummus Tags: Dips and Sauces, Vegan, Gluten Free, Vegetarian About the Recipe I make this version of hummus when I’m out of tahini. Ingredients 1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained (save ¼ cup liquid) and rinsed 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice from about ½ of a medium lemon 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar (it brightens just about everything) 1 TBSP toasted sesame oil 1 clove garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder ½ tsp kosher or sea salt 1 tsp dried basil ½ tsp each: cumin, all-spice, turmeric ¼ cup of the chickpea liquid, or water Optional: serve topped with a dab of olive oil and handful of pine nuts Preparation I make this version of hummus when I’m out of tahini. Mix everything in a food processor (using a high-tech blender turns it into baby food). Once you start mixing, slowly add in the chickpea liquid or water until it turns into a smooth, creamy dip. Add extra liquid as needed. Taste it. You might want more salt or lemon. Sometimes I had a handful of fresh parsley. If you prefer a more traditional hummus, just stick with the garbanzos, lemon, salt, sesame/oil. Add pepper if you like more oomph. You can also thin it out enough to use a salad dressing. No need to ever buy pre-made hummus again! Previous Next