Kate Collins's Blog, page 86
July 11, 2017
Favorite Summer Food
It’s July and the best time ever to buy food! Farmer Markets are amazing of course and a feast for the eyes as well as the belly but even the local grocery is bursting with yummy things in season. I know you can get most fruits and veggies all year long in the grocery store but then they’re trucked in from who knows where. But now...it’s local yummy all the way.My fave summer thing is watermelon. I keep watermelon in the fridge all summer long. I get hungry and go whack off a chunk for an instant snack.
Then there’s the corn. I just love corn on the cob. I have my fave oven recipe below if you want to give it a go. I cook up a dozen ears and have them on hand all week long. Ears with yellow and white together are the best IMHO.And of course there are homegrown tomatoes. A tomato sandwich
is amazing. No need for bacon, just cut up a tomato and add a smear of mayo and there’s nothing better. My daughter grows tomatoes in with her flowers so
she has a steady supply.So what about you? Do you have a fave summer fruit or veggie? One you look forward to each summer? Do you grow your own fruits or veggies? Got a fave summer recipe to share?
Oven corn on the cob
Shuck the corn, smear with butter, put on a piece of foil. Add garlic salt, sprinkle of oregano, basil, parmesan cheese. Roll up and wrap tight and bake at 400 for 30 min. Simply delish!
Wireless Problems
by Maggie SeftonPotomac River at dusk, just a block away.
Sorry for this late post, Cozy Chicks Readers and Fans. The wireless connection I had
with my laptop down by the Potomac River went kaput early this morning. After several tries, I finally decided to simply pack up and load my things---suitcases, backpack, frankly everything I'd just brought down to the River House last Friday---and, drive right back up to Northern VA. Yep. You heard that right. Right where I started.
Sigh. . .stuff happens, as they say. (I will not repeat the actual saying ). And, our lives have become way more complicated with wireless devices----laptops, phones, iPads, etc----over these past 10 years. It's like we are all dragging around this invisible electronic tail. Dragging it behind us. Stirring up the dust. And creating more opportunities for our devices---and our schedules---to go Kaput! Have any of you experienced "equipment problems" recently?
July 9, 2017
WHERE HAS SUMMER GONE?
By Mary Kennedy
'Is it just me, or is summer slipping away? Something must have happened to those long lazy days I dreamed about--they've disappeared! I don't know how I missed this, but I just put my head up from the computer long enough to notice that summer is sliding out. Okay, here's my first clue. The 4th of July has come and gone. Let's face it, this never bodes well. Somehow after the 4th, the days and weeks are speeded up, like someone pressed the "fast forward" button. And before you know it, it's the dreaded September.
Clue #2 I'm seeing a LOT of sales on summer clothes, including bathing suits. Oh no! Are all those wonderful days at the lake and ocean really over? (okay, they only existed as a fantasy, but still, a girl can dream, you know?) Clue #3 God help us, I'm seeing Fall/Winter clothes in the stores and online. I saw a mannequin in a parka, for heaven's sake. A parka! It's 86 degrees here in the northeast and headed up to the 90's next week. I don't want to see anyone dressed up like the Michelin man, it's too depressing. Clue #4 People seem to have given up (or completed) their "summer projects." My local plant store has a huge sale on perennials and annuals. I suppose people have already filled their garden. And really, how much impatiens does one person need? Unless you're a serious gardener or have a yard the size of Versailles, a few flats will do nicely.
Another thing I've noticed. There are LOADS of Mason jars on sale. Did people think they were going to spend the summer in Maine making jam or canning fruit? (like Kerry Washington on the TV show SCANDAL).
Sometimes the "idea" of doing some serious canning is more appealing that actually doing it. If you bought a ton of jars and still have them empty in your cupboard, don't despair. They make nifty drink glasses with a hole punched in the lid for a straw.
If you're still dreaming of a summer getaway, there's still time. I know it's high season at the beach, but in just a few weeks, prices will drop and the beaches will be less crowded. And you'll still be able to soak up some rays and save a few bucks.
So my advice is, don't despair, wrap up those projects you really wanted to accomplish. Say adios to the ones you don't, and plan a fun week-end (or more!) someplace. It will cheer you up and September will be here before you know it. And yes, I plan on taking my own advice!
Have a great "rest-of-summer." As they say, it's not over till it's over! Mary Kennedy
'Is it just me, or is summer slipping away? Something must have happened to those long lazy days I dreamed about--they've disappeared! I don't know how I missed this, but I just put my head up from the computer long enough to notice that summer is sliding out. Okay, here's my first clue. The 4th of July has come and gone. Let's face it, this never bodes well. Somehow after the 4th, the days and weeks are speeded up, like someone pressed the "fast forward" button. And before you know it, it's the dreaded September.
Clue #2 I'm seeing a LOT of sales on summer clothes, including bathing suits. Oh no! Are all those wonderful days at the lake and ocean really over? (okay, they only existed as a fantasy, but still, a girl can dream, you know?) Clue #3 God help us, I'm seeing Fall/Winter clothes in the stores and online. I saw a mannequin in a parka, for heaven's sake. A parka! It's 86 degrees here in the northeast and headed up to the 90's next week. I don't want to see anyone dressed up like the Michelin man, it's too depressing. Clue #4 People seem to have given up (or completed) their "summer projects." My local plant store has a huge sale on perennials and annuals. I suppose people have already filled their garden. And really, how much impatiens does one person need? Unless you're a serious gardener or have a yard the size of Versailles, a few flats will do nicely.
Another thing I've noticed. There are LOADS of Mason jars on sale. Did people think they were going to spend the summer in Maine making jam or canning fruit? (like Kerry Washington on the TV show SCANDAL).
Sometimes the "idea" of doing some serious canning is more appealing that actually doing it. If you bought a ton of jars and still have them empty in your cupboard, don't despair. They make nifty drink glasses with a hole punched in the lid for a straw.
If you're still dreaming of a summer getaway, there's still time. I know it's high season at the beach, but in just a few weeks, prices will drop and the beaches will be less crowded. And you'll still be able to soak up some rays and save a few bucks.
So my advice is, don't despair, wrap up those projects you really wanted to accomplish. Say adios to the ones you don't, and plan a fun week-end (or more!) someplace. It will cheer you up and September will be here before you know it. And yes, I plan on taking my own advice!
Have a great "rest-of-summer." As they say, it's not over till it's over! Mary Kennedy
July 8, 2017
SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY: Life On Victoria Square
By Lorraine BartlettMy Victoria Square Mystery series has had a few ups and downs. It came out like gangbusters in 2011--and bam bam--two of the books hit the New York Times bestsellers list. But then ... there was a nearly four-year lag from the time One Hot Murder came out and Dead, Bath and Beyond was published.
A lot of readers forgot about Katie Bonner and Artisans Alley.
I'm now writing the series with a co-author, but nobody told me my first co-author only had a one-book contract. I assumed we'd write the rest of the books in the contract together. Since her life had taken another turn, I had to find another author. Meanwhile, Victoria Square was once again taken out of the publishing schedule. My agent found the wonderful Gayle Trent (who also writes as Gayle Leeson and Amanda Lee), and we're hard at work on the next book in the series. (So far not titled.) We're back on the publishing schedule, but not until December 2018. That's 18 months from now. So the big question is -- will readers forget about Katie and Artisans Alley once again?
Hopefully not -- because I've begun a companion series called LIFE ON VICTORIA SQUARE. In the Victoria Square Mysteries, Artisans Alley takes center stage, but the merchants--and their businesses--are just as intriguing. They all have stories to tell ... and that's what the Life on Victoria Square companion series is all about.
I began the series featuring Ray Davenport, the former homicide detective who has retired and opened a gift shop on Victoria Square. In CARVING OUT A PATH, a young shoplifter not only swipes a couple of hand-carved figurines from Ray's Wood U shop, but barrels into and injures Katie Bonner, manager of Artisans Alley. Upon his escape, the police are called, but before the ink is dry on the report, the boy’s grandmother drags the would-be thief back to return the purloined items. She’s got an agenda and great expectations. Can Ray come through in a pinch?
The second installment, A BASKET FULL OF BARGAINS, comes out on Tuesday. This one features Gilda Ringwald-Stratton, owner of Gilda's Gourmet Baskets. Iris Drake is an odd duck. She knows everyone at Artisans Alley arts-and-crafts arcade, but nobody knows her. When she walks into Gilda’s shop on Victoria Square, she’s a stranger there, too—but not for long. Yet she hasn’t to come to Gilda to buy her wares—she’s there to sell some of her own. All goes well until Iris’s secret is exposed. Should Gilda step in to make things right, or walk away from an unpleasant situation?
I've already written a third story (now available for Pre-Order, and to be published on September 8th) called THE BROKEN TEACUP. I hadn't meant to feature Katie Bonner in any of the stories in this series, but I was inspired by a teacup I bought an an estate sale. Katie Bonner needs a pick-me-up one cold and gloomy fall day, and the US Mail delivers—literally. A mysterious package arrives at Artisans Alley with her name on it, but the return address is obscured and the treasure inside, a beautiful bone china teacup, is broken. Before Katie can open the accompanying card, she’s called away and one of the vendors mistakes the package for trash. Katie makes a quick rescue, but the card is gone. Who sent the cup? What is its significance? Can Katie solve this mini mystery?I'm already plotting the next story, which will come out in either late December or early January. My goal is to write a new story every three months -- at least until the new novel comes out.
If you've enjoyed the Victoria Square Mysteries, perhaps you'll enjoy Life On Victoria Square, too.
To find out more about the stories, please check out my website.
July 7, 2017
Visit Martha's Vineyard with me
by Lorraine Bartlett / Lorna Barrett / L.L. Bartlett
I guess the most important thing a writer needs is her (or his) imagination. The first story I remember making up (before I could write--so I must have been about four) I called Shipwrecked. I vaguely remember having Robinson Crusoe being read to me and my brothers, and the part about being being awash on the ocean clinging to debris stuck with me. When I was six, I went to Scotland for the first time and saw the Robinson Crusoe statue. Whoa! Pretty big deal. (It's actually of Andrew Selkirk--but kids don't remember stuff like that.)
Something I've wanted to do for decades is visit Nantucket at Christmas. I have a coffee table book about the island with a big section their Christmas Stroll. However, we looked at the hotel rates during that event and said, "Oops, out of our league."
The island right next door is Martha's Vineyard. I've heard loads about it, but I guess the first I'd heard was back in 1982 when John Belushi was buried there. And I knew my favorite cookbook author, Susan Branch, lives there.
Two years ago, another author group I'm part of (Storytellers-Unlimited) decided to write about a B&B on the island. We called the series Tales From Blythe Cove Manor. We chose a few common themes (the innkeeper, her cat, Martha, and sort of know what the place lookes like. So far, we've done three anthologies with another planned for the future. (The future is kinda dark and murky, so I'm not sure when that will be.)
There's also something subtly magical about Blythe Cove, so all the stories have a little something extra--it might just be an odd quirk, but it's there.
I've taken a different approach to my stories, which revolve around the proprietress, Blythe Calvert (yes, she was named after the whiskey!), whereas my co-writers prefer to concentrate on the guests. Don't get me wrong, without the guests, there'd be no stories, but Blythe possesses the wisdom of the ages, and gently dispenses it.
What are my stories about?
A Dream Weekend: Serious life changes have pushed Paige and Alex Campbell to the brink of divorce. Still, they win a weekend at lovely Blythe Cove Manor and experience vivid dreams that take them back in time. Is there a chance this magical place inspires the nighttime fantasies that could help them fall in love again?
A Final Gift: Will anything heal the pain of a grieving daughter? When a trip meant to be a gift of a weekend trip together turns into a painful solo journey, can the magic of Blythe Cove Manor help heal Jenny Taylor's soul?
An Unexpected Visitor: All is quiet at Blythe Cove Manor as its proprietress, Blythe Calvert, anticipates a peaceful weekend with her cat, Martha. But then a taxi pulls up and drops off a troubled, runaway teen looking for a safe haven. Can the magic of Blythe Cove Manor heal this young girl’s aching heart?
For more information on my series, click this link.
P.S. I. I've still never been there, but that's the beautify of Google and, of course, a good imagination.
Wouldn't you like to take a vacation (vicariously or otherwise) on Mattha's Vineyard?
I guess the most important thing a writer needs is her (or his) imagination. The first story I remember making up (before I could write--so I must have been about four) I called Shipwrecked. I vaguely remember having Robinson Crusoe being read to me and my brothers, and the part about being being awash on the ocean clinging to debris stuck with me. When I was six, I went to Scotland for the first time and saw the Robinson Crusoe statue. Whoa! Pretty big deal. (It's actually of Andrew Selkirk--but kids don't remember stuff like that.)Something I've wanted to do for decades is visit Nantucket at Christmas. I have a coffee table book about the island with a big section their Christmas Stroll. However, we looked at the hotel rates during that event and said, "Oops, out of our league."
The island right next door is Martha's Vineyard. I've heard loads about it, but I guess the first I'd heard was back in 1982 when John Belushi was buried there. And I knew my favorite cookbook author, Susan Branch, lives there.Two years ago, another author group I'm part of (Storytellers-Unlimited) decided to write about a B&B on the island. We called the series Tales From Blythe Cove Manor. We chose a few common themes (the innkeeper, her cat, Martha, and sort of know what the place lookes like. So far, we've done three anthologies with another planned for the future. (The future is kinda dark and murky, so I'm not sure when that will be.)
There's also something subtly magical about Blythe Cove, so all the stories have a little something extra--it might just be an odd quirk, but it's there.
I've taken a different approach to my stories, which revolve around the proprietress, Blythe Calvert (yes, she was named after the whiskey!), whereas my co-writers prefer to concentrate on the guests. Don't get me wrong, without the guests, there'd be no stories, but Blythe possesses the wisdom of the ages, and gently dispenses it.
What are my stories about?
A Dream Weekend: Serious life changes have pushed Paige and Alex Campbell to the brink of divorce. Still, they win a weekend at lovely Blythe Cove Manor and experience vivid dreams that take them back in time. Is there a chance this magical place inspires the nighttime fantasies that could help them fall in love again?A Final Gift: Will anything heal the pain of a grieving daughter? When a trip meant to be a gift of a weekend trip together turns into a painful solo journey, can the magic of Blythe Cove Manor help heal Jenny Taylor's soul?
An Unexpected Visitor: All is quiet at Blythe Cove Manor as its proprietress, Blythe Calvert, anticipates a peaceful weekend with her cat, Martha. But then a taxi pulls up and drops off a troubled, runaway teen looking for a safe haven. Can the magic of Blythe Cove Manor heal this young girl’s aching heart?
For more information on my series, click this link.
P.S. I. I've still never been there, but that's the beautify of Google and, of course, a good imagination.
Wouldn't you like to take a vacation (vicariously or otherwise) on Mattha's Vineyard?
July 5, 2017
Pizza Without A Crust!
by Karen Rose Smith
This time of year we're harvesting tomatoes from our garden faster than we can eat them in salads. I freeze a batch every week too. But this is a casserole I created (recipe is in Caprice De Luca mystery #2, DEADLY DECOR) just for this time of year. If you like the taste of pizza and would appreciate a dish a little healthier without the bread, this one is for you!
Nikki's Baked Tomatoes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Prep time—15 to 20 minutes (This always depends on how much you enjoy the process of handling ingredients. Some cooks rush through prep, others put on music and enjoy chopping and measuring!)Bake time—60 minutesServes 6-8 as a side dish
2-1/2 lbs tomatoes–washed, cored and sliced about 1/4" thick (I like to use large tomatoes)1 medium onion thinly sliced 1/8" thick2 teaspoons oregano (You will use half and then the other half later.)1 clove garlic, grated
1 tablespoon sugar (You will use half and then the other half later.)1/2 teaspoon pepper (You will use half and then the other half later.)1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese (You will use half and then the other half later.)1/4 teaspoon salt1 tablespoon Extra Virgin olive oil2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz. bag)1/3 cup Italian style bread crumbs (I use Progresso.)
Layer 1/2 of the sliced tomatoes in 8"x12" glass casserole. Spread 1/2 of onion over first half. Then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon oregano, all of the grated garlic, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Layer remainder of tomatoes and onion. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon of oregano. Drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Remove casserole from oven. Carefully spoon out excess liquid. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan, then mozzarella cheese and bread crumbs. Put the casserole back in oven at 350 degrees uncovered for 20 more minutes until bread crumbs are toasty brown.
After removing, allow the dish to sit for five minutes before serving.
This time of year we're harvesting tomatoes from our garden faster than we can eat them in salads. I freeze a batch every week too. But this is a casserole I created (recipe is in Caprice De Luca mystery #2, DEADLY DECOR) just for this time of year. If you like the taste of pizza and would appreciate a dish a little healthier without the bread, this one is for you!
Nikki's Baked Tomatoes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Prep time—15 to 20 minutes (This always depends on how much you enjoy the process of handling ingredients. Some cooks rush through prep, others put on music and enjoy chopping and measuring!)Bake time—60 minutesServes 6-8 as a side dish
2-1/2 lbs tomatoes–washed, cored and sliced about 1/4" thick (I like to use large tomatoes)1 medium onion thinly sliced 1/8" thick2 teaspoons oregano (You will use half and then the other half later.)1 clove garlic, grated
1 tablespoon sugar (You will use half and then the other half later.)1/2 teaspoon pepper (You will use half and then the other half later.)1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese (You will use half and then the other half later.)1/4 teaspoon salt1 tablespoon Extra Virgin olive oil2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz. bag)1/3 cup Italian style bread crumbs (I use Progresso.)
Layer 1/2 of the sliced tomatoes in 8"x12" glass casserole. Spread 1/2 of onion over first half. Then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon oregano, all of the grated garlic, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Layer remainder of tomatoes and onion. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon of oregano. Drizzle with olive oil. Cover with foil.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Remove casserole from oven. Carefully spoon out excess liquid. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan, then mozzarella cheese and bread crumbs. Put the casserole back in oven at 350 degrees uncovered for 20 more minutes until bread crumbs are toasty brown.
After removing, allow the dish to sit for five minutes before serving.
July 4, 2017
Home sweet home
I have a daughter who lives in NYC and I hate it. NYC if fine of course but what I hate is that she’s there. I want her here in Cincy with me. I know that’s not going to happen, her job in NY and she couldn’t have that job if she lived here.Three of my kids have lived away from home due to jobs. One in Baltimore, one in DC and now NY. They could have gotten some job in Cincy but they went to college, did well and then got good jobs and they were not here.
I’m not like that at all. I’ve lived in Cincy all my life. My husband worked for GE and we didn’t have to move and that was fine by me. I know there are a lot of really neat places to live but for me this is home. My parents were here, and all my relatives. And my husband’s family too. (And so is my hairdresser. I kid you not. If I ever moved I’d have to fly back and have her cut my hair!)
So what about you? Are you living in the city/town where you were born? Where you grew up?Did you go away to college then relocate to a job from there? Did you have to move to get that job you’ve always wanted?
July 3, 2017
Happy Independence Day!
by Maggie SeftonHappy July 4th, Cozy Chicks Readers and Fans! I'm presently back in Northern
Virginia, my old hometown area where I grew up. I remember countless wonderful July 4th celebrations watching fireworks over the years. When I was a kid, families could actually take blankets and spread them all around the grounds
surrounding the Iwo Jima Memorial and watch the fireworks shooting into the sky across the Potomac River. Beautiful! However you choose to spend this special American holiday---spending time with family or friends as I am, camping, traveling around this gorgeous country, or quietly at home reading---I hope you all have a Happy and Enjoyable Fourth of July. Enjoy, Everyone!
July 2, 2017
ENJOY THE HOLIDAY
By Mary Kennedy
Hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful 4th of July holiday!
Hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful 4th of July holiday!
June 30, 2017
SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY: Scandals, Secrets and Murder
by Maggie Sefton
Good Morning, Cozy Chicks Readers and Friends! This is a Cozy Chicks Spotlight Saturday, so I am Spotlighting my Historical Mystery set in 1890 Washington, D.C. Check it out!
SCANDALS, SECRETS, AND MURDER:The Widow and the Rogue Mysteries
by Maggie Sefton
Powerful and corrupt U.S. Senator Horace Chester is stabbed to death in a Murder Bay brothel, wrapped in the arms of his evening’s entertainment. His assailant escapes into the crush of unwashed bodies filling the streets of 1890 Washington’s notorious red light district just a few blocks from the President’s House.
Amanda Duncan, wealthy young Washington widow, tries to ignore the clairvoyant visions that flash unbidden before her eyes. Since she couldn’t save her own family, perhaps her visions can help others. Now, Amanda turns her back on Washington society and deliberately treads where no respectable lady would dare. This latest vision was most troubling. She saw a man stabbed to death by a shadowy assailant and a young girl screaming.
Devlin Burke, English investor and sometime sleuth, is in Washington on family business and to rescue his nephew Freddie who’s gone bankrupt in one of Sen. Chester’s investment schemes. In a rage, Freddie attacked Chester in a crowded Capitol Hill hallway only days before the senator’s murder. Freddie has no alibi and is now the police inspector’s prime suspect.
Devlin and Amanda join forces in a search to find Senator Chester’s killer, which takes them from the Capital’s poshest salons into the crime-infested streets of Murder Bay. Devlin’s sleuthing instincts and Amanda’s psychic detection lead them ever closer to the truth. But the closer they approach, the more desperate the killer becomes---and the more dangerous.
Good Morning, Cozy Chicks Readers and Friends! This is a Cozy Chicks Spotlight Saturday, so I am Spotlighting my Historical Mystery set in 1890 Washington, D.C. Check it out!
SCANDALS, SECRETS, AND MURDER:The Widow and the Rogue Mysteries
by Maggie Sefton
Powerful and corrupt U.S. Senator Horace Chester is stabbed to death in a Murder Bay brothel, wrapped in the arms of his evening’s entertainment. His assailant escapes into the crush of unwashed bodies filling the streets of 1890 Washington’s notorious red light district just a few blocks from the President’s House.
Amanda Duncan, wealthy young Washington widow, tries to ignore the clairvoyant visions that flash unbidden before her eyes. Since she couldn’t save her own family, perhaps her visions can help others. Now, Amanda turns her back on Washington society and deliberately treads where no respectable lady would dare. This latest vision was most troubling. She saw a man stabbed to death by a shadowy assailant and a young girl screaming.
Devlin Burke, English investor and sometime sleuth, is in Washington on family business and to rescue his nephew Freddie who’s gone bankrupt in one of Sen. Chester’s investment schemes. In a rage, Freddie attacked Chester in a crowded Capitol Hill hallway only days before the senator’s murder. Freddie has no alibi and is now the police inspector’s prime suspect.
Devlin and Amanda join forces in a search to find Senator Chester’s killer, which takes them from the Capital’s poshest salons into the crime-infested streets of Murder Bay. Devlin’s sleuthing instincts and Amanda’s psychic detection lead them ever closer to the truth. But the closer they approach, the more desperate the killer becomes---and the more dangerous.
