Kate Collins's Blog, page 21

A VEGAN THANKSGIVING

By Mary Kennedy                                             

This year, I prepared two Thanksgiving dinners. The traditional one, (turkey with all the trimmings) and a vegan one. I'd like to tell you about the vegan one. Some people think it's hard to "go vegan," but honestly, it's easy. I'll show you.
The main thing you need to do is to get some vegan supplies on hand. I used almond milk, Chao cheese, Pepperidge Farm cornbread stuffing (make sure to get the cornbread variety, some of the others have chicken broth) and Gardein turkey cutlets. They include little vegan gravy packs, which is handy.                                                                                                                                         


Now, for a nice vegan scalloped potato casserole, here's a foolproof recipe. The potatoes are tender and cheesy and crispy on the outside. The dish is easy to prepare and it takes 90 minutes in the oven.
Scalloped potatoes (vegan)
4 russet potatoes2 cups almond milk, unflavoredone package CHAO cheese. (Whole Foods has a really good selection of vegan cheese but you can usually find CHAO in the "vegetarian" section of your local grocery)2 Tablespoons flour2 Tablespoons vegan butter like Earth Balance1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
Slice the potatoes thinly, by hand or with a mandolin. Mix the almond milk, mayo, butter and flour in a sauce pan over low heat and add the Chao, chopped up. It comes in slices and is hard to grate, so just chop it.
Cook for about five minutes and then pour over half the sliced potatoes that you have placed in an oven proof dish. Now add the other half of the potatoes and top with the rest of the hot mixture. Cover and bake at 350 for one hour. Remove cover and bake for an additional 30 minutes.                                                                           
I guarantee you won't know it's dairy free! Have a happy holiday! And don't forget to make a donation to your local animal shelter. The animals deserve a treat, too!
Mary Kennedy

Thankfully Reflecting On A new Release

by Karen Rose Smith



I have so many things to be thankful for and I could write about the traditional thanksgiving list of family, friends, health and on and on--all the things that surround me on a daily basis.  Truthfully as I grow older, I reflect on these things every day.  The one thing, as I get wrapped up in my day to day writing chores, that I sometimes forget to appreciate is the fact that I was gifted with the talent of telling stories in the written word and that I was fortunate enough to be able to share my stories with my readers.  So it seems significant that I celebrate my 103rd release this week with the publication of MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS, the fourth in my Daisy's Tea Garden cozy mystery series for Kensington Books.  And today I want to thank my faithful readers through the past twenty-seven years for believing in me and trusting me to produce a story that will warm your hearts and touch your spirit.  I have appreciated all of your kind words and supportive notes through the years.

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS is a cozy mystery which revolves around Daisy's outreach to a homeless single father and his darling daughter.  I created a yummy cherry tart recipe for this book that is included in the back of the book. 

Pirated Treasures is an antiques shop that also plays a significant
role in the mystery.  Daisy purchases a Burton and Burton Victorian design teapot atop a teacup from the owner of the shop on one of her many visits to the shop while she is gathering clues to solve the murder of the store owner's nephew.  Notice its uniquely-shaped infinity handle.

What could better than a steaming cup of tea, delicious food and delicate china to soften the sometimes terrifying search for a murderer in the community of Willow Creek, Pennsylvania, deep in Amish country!

Here is a little summary of the book which is now available:


Keith Rebert is homeless with a sad story that includes the death of his wife and medical bills that decimated his finances. Daisy and her friend Jonas Groft meet him through one of Daisy’s employees and offer help. But soon Keith is caught up in a murder investigation. He was supplying the shop Pirated Treasures with antiques, including Gettysburg Battlefield memorabilia. The nephew of the shop’s owner, Barry Storm, was lowballing merchandise that Keith brought in. One day Keith and Barry vehemently argued. Soon after, Barry was found dead, killed with a marble rolling pin that held Keith’s fingerprints. Daisy’s special for the month, cherry tarts, was found spilled on the floor next to him. Keith is the number one suspect.
Keith finds a job on a farm where he can live in a cabin with his daughter Mandy. A friend of Barry’s lived and worked there before the murder, then suddenly moved out. As Daisy finds clues that give insight into Barry’s life and prepares for her daughter’s wedding, she faces danger, verbally battles with the detective on the case, and tries to figure out what part Jonas Groft plays in her life. When she finds the ultimate clue that tells her exactly what Barry Storm was involved in, she almost loses her life. 

MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon
MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble

Thanksgiving the Savannah Way

Reagan Summerside here from the Consignment Shop Mysteries by Duffy Brown and I’m gearing up for my favorite holiday…Thanksgiving Savannah style.It all starts with a beautifully set table. KiKi uses the good china, crystal and best linens.  There will be turkey and dressing for sure and AnnieFritz and her sister Elsie who live next door will bring the best pecan pie you ever put in your mouth. It’s so good I’m going to share the recipe with you right here.9” unbaked pie crust 1 cup light corn syrup1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar3 eggs slightly beaten1/3 cut butter melted½ tsp salt1 tsp vanilla1 cup pecan halves (or walnuts)heat oven to 350. Combine corn syrup, sugar, eggs, butter, salt, vanilla and mix well. Pour into crust, sprinkle with nuts and bake for 50 min till knife comes out clean. Cool. Add whipped cream or a scoop of Leopold’s vanilla ice cream. J
Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without mamma’s cornbread stuffing and this year I’m trying my hand at making the cranberry salad. I stole the recipe right out of Paula Deen’s kitchen.
1/2 orange2 cups water1 tart apple3 cups cranberries1 1/4 cups sugar1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon1/4 tsp. ground clovesSqueeze the orange and set the juice aside. Cut the rind into pieces. Boil the rind and water for 10 minutes, then drain. Dice the apple add the cranberries along with the orange juice, orange rind, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Boil, then simmer till the sauce thickens, the apple is tender and the cranberries have burst. 
Uncle Putter always says the blessing and then we each take a turn telling what we are most thankful for. This year I started the Prissy Fox and found my new four-legged BFF, Bruce Willis under my front porch. That’s a lot to be thankful for.
After dinner friends drop by. I’m sure that no-good, low-rent lawyer Walker Boone will come visiting and mooch leftovers, that’s just his style. 
It’s going to be a mighty fine Thanksgiving Day here in Savannah, I’m sure. So what are your plans for Thanksgiving and do you have any favorite foods you’re looking forward to? I’ll give away two Iced Chiffon totes from the answers.
Happy Thanksgiving from the Consignment Shop mystery regulars.

Thanksgiing Coming

'by  Maggie Sefton




I hope all of you wonderful Cozy Chicks Readers and fans have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday this Thursday.  I'm in Colorado now and slowly recuperating from that wicked Flu virus that started out West and has been moving East ever since.  Enjoy all the Turkey and stuffing and all the rest of those yummy extra dishes.  I'll be easting more simply this holiday.  :)    Enjoy, Everyone!

103 BOOKS BUT WHO'S COUNTING?

By Mary Kennedy                                                   

My pal and fellow Cozy Chick, Karen Rose Smith, is remarkably calm and composed for a lady who's written 103 books. Yes, 103!                                                                             
The latest, Murder with Cherry Tarts, is a delightful release in the Daisy's Tea Garden Mystery series. What's it about? Here's a one sentence wrap up. Enough to whet your appetite but not give away the plot!   
In Pennsylvania’s Amish country, Daisy Swanson has a tea shop to run, a daughter to marry off—and a murder to solve . . .
If you've been following the series and Karen's posts, you'll know that she makes regular trip to the Amish country in Pennsylvania and her books have a wealth of authentic detail. She also gives book signings at a cozy tea shop and readers can catch up for a chat with her while enjoying a delightful tea including soup, finger sandwiches, quiche and scones. She goes to the TranquilaTEA Room in Waynesboro, PA for their Friday night Book Lovers Tea Party.                                                                                                          

Karen moves from table to chat with the guests as they chat about her wonderful series and enjoy delicious tea time treats. Here is the mouth-watering menu. I want to go there right now! If anyone's up for a road trip to Waynesboro for her next appearance, count me in!                                                                                                                                                                  
 Karen collects teddy bears, and here's one that Mandy carries in the latest release. I always think of warmth and comfort for the soul when I see a teddy bear and Karen's books are full of heart. The bugle in the photo also features in the plot and a transaction for it could provide a clue to the killer.                                                                                
                                                                                    

Daisy buys this Victorian designed tea pot from Pirated Treasures in the book. (I want to go shopping with Daisy, don't you?)                                                                            And there is something else that endears Karen Rose to me. She not only loves cats, but she rescues them and cares for two ferals, Bonnie and Clyde, in addition to her own lovely cats. That makes her a hero in my book!
You can read more about Karen Rose Smith on her website. https://karenrosesmith.com. And of course, you can find her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KarenRoseSmithBooks . You can enjoy her tweets on Twitter @karenrosesmith and she blogs every Thursday on the Cozy Chicks. www.cozychicksblog.com.
Release day for Murder with Cherry Tarts is Tuesday, November 26,  and yes, Karen includes a recipe in the book for the fabulous cherry tart pictured above. Here's the amazon link for the book. https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Cherry-Daisys-Garden-Mystery/dp/1496723929/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1XV07TJP9H23B&keywords=murder+with+cherry+tarts&qid=1574648364&s=books&sprefix=muder+with%2Caps%2C133&sr=1-1 
Enjoy! And I know you join me in celebrating Karen Rose's success!
By Mary Kennedy

                                                                                    

'TIS THE SEASON TO BE CRANKY

By Mary Kennedy                                             

'Tis the season to be jolly, right? Wait, not so fast. Something is off this season and I feel positively churlish, cranky, even curmodgeonly.  And it seems quite a few other people feel the same way. Is it stress, the crowds, the pre-season sales, the endless traffic? The need to put on a happy face?
Maybe it's a combination of all those things. Today was the worst. Two people cut me off on the highway; one person went sailing through a stop sign and nearly flattened me on my daily walk.
Worse, during a quick trip to pick up coffee at Mickey D's, I saw a father and son leaving the parking lot, throwing their trash out their car window. Yes, out the window!  I was so annoyed I pulled into a space and picked up the trash myself. They spotted me and yelled, "Hey, girlie, they have people to do that!"
"Yeah, well, I don't see any."
"What a moron!" the father replied and father and son broke into raucous laughter.  A horrible braying laugh and with their overlarge teeth, the bore a striking resemblance to Mr. Ed, the talking horse. At least that image brought a smile to my face.
Maybe it's just me or maybe it's the rest of the country, but something feels off. I promise I'll be back and in a more cheery frame of mind on Monday!
By Mary Kennedy

It's Tough Being Adored

by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett



I have been lucky to have a string of wonderful cats. In fact, I came across a saying just yesterday:  "No amount of time can erase the memory of a good cat." They were all special, but one stands out:  Fred.  He was my son. My little prince.  My sweet puppy boy. I adored him from the day I first saw him at Pet Smart. It took me five months to convince Mr. L to finally let me have him. (The store stipulated that he MUST be adopted with his brother, which is why they were both there for THIRTY-NINE WEEKS.)

Unfortunately, George didn't work out. He was a runt, but he was also a bully. He attacked the other cats, and even I was bitten (and my thumb started to turn black), but when he viciously attacked our Betsy, that was the last straw. He had to go. (And believe me, it was a tearful decision. We'd never had a cat failure.) Luckily, Mr. L's cousin's best friend was looking for a cat. George went to live in Buffalo and the minute he saw Cindy, it was love at first sight. He's still with her and he has not only tolerated her other cats, but been best buddies.  Go figure. (We learned the hard way that five cats strains the system.)

After George left, Fred became my boy. He was the most cheerful cat on the planet. All I had to do was look at him and he would purr. He loved for me to throw him over my shoulder and dance. He came when I called him. He wasn't much of a lap cat, but he'd sit with me for at least five minutes every evening. I loved that cat with all my heart and he loved me. I'm still broken-hearted that we lost him to kidney disease 20 months ago.

But loving Fred did not prepare me for Emma.

We got Emma and her sister nine months ago after 11 sad months of being catless. Not that we didn't look for cats. We looked for cats all the time visiting shelters and pet stores. None spoke to us. We wanted babies, because all of our previous cats had been elderly and we didn't want to lose new ones for at least a couple of decades. (We had three cats that lived to be 20.) One of my readers fosters cats.  She told us about Poppy and Emma.

At first, Emma was aloof and Poppy was the lover. (She still is, but on HER terms.) It took Emma a while to warm up to us. She's only now learning to be a lap cat (and it seems ONLY when I'm sitting in the family room editing the day's work. Go figure.)  But over the summer, Emma decided that I am her human. She is with me at least 22 hours of the day. She sits beside me (in the other chair) in my office. If I get up, she gets up. She follows me like a puppy. If she's out of sight and I call, she immediately comes running.  At night, she sleeps either at my feet, or next to my pillow.

Lately, we noticed that the normally silent Emma only talks when I go into the kitchen. For the rest of the day, she's as quiet as a mouse. Here's a video I took of her just yesterday.




I often feel sorry for Mr. L because Emma snubs him. Just yesterday, I walked into his office (which adjoins mine) and Emma walked past him (on his desk) to jump to his other office chair, climbed on top and begged me to make a fuss of her. She would love it if I made a fuss of her 24/7 telling her what a beauty she is and how much she's loved.

Yeah, she (and her sister) is a keeper.

Have you ever had a very special cat?

Vote for Mamma.

Hi, Reagan Summerside here from the Consignment Shop mysteries set in Savannah. Pearls and Poison is all about my mamma, Judge Gloria Summerside. Not often does a judge get accused of murdering her opponent, especially my very own mamma. Here’s a bit of how things got there...



A dead-as-a-doornail opponent is one way to win an election…unless you wind up in jail for the murder.  get Pearls and Poison here
     “People are going to hate me if I do this,” I said to Auntie KiKi. “They’re going to cuss a blue streak and call me names and tell me to mind my own blankety-blank business and then slam the phone in my ear.”                                      “Oh for crying in a bucket, Reagan.” KiKi shoved a computer printout at me. “Time to put on your iron-clad bloomers and dial the numbers on this here sheet. It’s your very own mamma everyone in this room is trying to get elected to city council. Least you can do is tell folks what a fine alderman she’d be, and Lord knows the city needs her instead of the scumbucket running against her.”     It’s election time in Savannah and my very own mamma, Judge Gloria Summerside known affectionately...or not so affectionately depending on who you were and what you did...as Guillotine Gloria is on the ballot.     
Mamma and my Auntie KiKi are sisters. At birth the muses tangoed over auntie’s crib turning her into Savannah’s dance diva and they wrapped mamma in a blanket with little elephants resulting in this campaign and me getting the name Reagan. 
If I had my way Mamma would run ads on TV saying what a total jerk Kip Seymour is because that’s exactly what he’s doing to her. The problem is that mudslinging politics is not mamma’s style.
The HotDoggery serves as Mamma’s campaign headquarters, the place filled with banners, signs and a Lego replica of Mamma from the Garrison Elementary kindergarten class over on Jones Street. 
Bruce Willis, my four-legged bff with wagging tail, and I hated to see the Doggery fold but even we couldn’t eat enough to keep the place afloat, though heaven knows we tried. All that remained was a dull yellowish mustard stain in the back corner and a faint whiff of relish. 
Today Mamma looked worried, riddling me with bad-daughter I hate making callsguilt. I’m the product of a Catholic education from no-nonsense nuns who take the honor thy mother and father idea real serious. I snapped up the phone. “Look, look, I’m dialing, I’m dialing!” 
Mamma’s lips thinned to a fine line across her face reminiscent of when I married Hollis Beaumont the Third. Considering how that turned out, I figured whatever worried Mamma today was sending us all straight to hell in a hand-basket. 
“I heard that Kip Seymour has a new attack ad coming out about me,” Mamma said. “I don’t know what it is but I’m concerned. They say it’s a nasty one, even worse than the that accused me of embezzling money from the Children’s Aid Society.” 
“Oh, but I can do much, much better,” Kip Seymour said from the doorway of the HotDoggery. “I’m going to win this election, Gloria Summerside, if it’s the last thing I do.” 

The Gettysburg Connection in MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS

by Karen Rose Smith


When I write a cozy mystery, I try to make each book special with an element that will give the novel an extra sparkle.  In MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS, which will be released on November 26, I wanted to give the book a Pennsylvania local connection.  I chose historic Gettysburg.
My favorite and most meaningful landmark has always been THE ETERNAL LIGHT PEACE MEMORIAL, also known as THE PEACE LIGHT.

If you have ever visited the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. and felt the church-like atmosphere of standing there before the monument, you can begin to understand the hushed atmosphere at The Peace Light.  There are no picnic tables or interactive stations.  There is simply the monument and what it stands for...the words engraved in granite.  The monument symbolizes the blue and grey uniting under one flag.  The gas-lit flame was the inspiration for the eternal flame on President John F. Kennedy's grave at Arlington.

So rich in history, Gettysburg is only an hour and a half drive away from my fictional town of Willow Creek that is situated in Lancaster County.  It was easy for me to tap into its history to play an important role in MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS.  Specifics about Gettysburg memorabilia were essential to the intrigue in this cozy.    
During a Willow Creek town council meeting, the idea of prettying up the town to draw in more tourists is raised.  My sleuth, Daisy Swanson, suggests decorating in a similar way as does that Gettysburg with pots waterfall begonias hanging from the street lamps.  She and her beau Jonas Groft have more than one reason to visit the historic town.  Yes, to see how the townspeople make the town a tourist draw but also to follow the breadcrumb clues of the murder mystery they are trying to solve.
Daisy and Jonas know that besides catering to tourists, Gettysburg is, in fact, a college town.  Galleries and theaters dot the area and cafes invite everyone into their eateries.  Nevertheless, because history is a mainstay, visitors also find antique shops on the main streets.  In MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS, memorabilia and shops that sell it are a focal point.  The fictional shop of Cannonball provides an important clue for Daisy when she and Jonas stop in to ask a few questions.  An antique shop in Willow Creek, Pirated Treasures, has a connection to the Cannonball that Daisy and Jonas are pursuing.  Daisy and Jonas also drive to The Peace Light to have an important personal discussion.  The atmosphere there lends to the quiet and serenity that is necessary for sharing.

The plot in MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS revolves around history mixed with modern day concerns...but, most of all, around family connections.  As the Gettysburg connection winds around the mystery, I hope you find Daisy's Tea Garden a cozy place with warmth, soup and baked goods you'll want to visit often.  Be sure to check out the scrumptious cherry tart recipe in the back of the book!  
*****************
AVAILABLE NOVEMBER 26, 2019

 In Pennsylvania's Amish country, Daisy Swanson has a tea shop to run, a daughter to marry off...and a murder to solve!
Daisy's worried one of her employees at Daisy's Tea Garden may be in a spot of trouble.  Lately Karina has been loading up on soup and second-day baked goods at the end of her shift--and while the shop's scrumptious treats may be hard to resist, Daisy suspects there's more going on, especially since Karina has been seen hanging out in a rundown part of Willow Creek.
Planning her own daughter's wedding is enough to keep her busy, but Daisy can't help feeling a protective maternal instinct--and an instinct to investigate.  It turns out Karina has been helping a down-on-his-luck single dad who's been making ends meet--barely--by selling antiques at a place called Pirated Treasures.
But when an employee at the antiques store is bludgeoned to death with a marble rolling pin, Karina's new friend is suspect number one.  Though the motives are muddy and steeped in intrigue, Daisy is more than determined to flush the real killer out. 
MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Amazon
MURDER WITH CHERRY TARTS on Barnes and Noble

FALL RECIPES

by Maggie Sefton


Yes, it's definitely Fall or Autumn, if you prefer.  Days are cooler even if bright and  sunny, and they are shorter.  Winter is waiting and will probably make an appearance, even if brief, in December.


But Thanksgiving will be here before you know it.  Thanksgiving and Fall are also the time for some of our favorite recipes.  This quick bread I've listed below is my Family's Fall Favorite, definitely  around Thanksgiving.  Yummy and easy to make.


Give it a try, if you like, especially if you like the flavors of cinnamon and pumpkin and allspice and. . well, take a glance at the recipe and you'll see.


This bread is quick to make and cranberries can be found year round. I kept tinkering with recipes until I came up with the flavors that I especially like.  Give it a try and enjoy!  

CRANBERRY ORANGE  NUT  BREAD

2 cups all-purpose flour1 ½ teaspoons baking powder½ teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon ground cinnamon½ teaspoon salt1 ½ cups white sugar1 cup orange juice¼ melted butter2 eggs1 cup fresh cranberries (not frozen)1 cup chopped walnuts½ cup grated orange peel
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease one regular size bread loaf pan (or two small loaf pans).  Dust pan lightly with flour, dumping excess.  Combine 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, & salt in large mixing bowl.  Combine the sugar, orange juice, melted butter, & eggs in another bowl, mixing well.  Stir into flour mixture along with cranberries, walnuts, and orange rind. Mix well, blending all ingredients. Pour into prepared loaf pan.  Bake for 50 minutes or into knife inserted into the center of loaf comes out clean.  Remove pan to wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then run knife around edges of pan and turn out onto rack to cool completely.