Around the Kitchen Table: Our Favorite Chocolate Desserts + 6-Book #Giveaway!:  KIM DAVIS: February always means a couple of things to me: first is Valentine’s Day – whether you celebrate yourself, a loved one, or a friend, it’s still a day to cherish love and to share chocolate (or eat it all…

French Butter Cake #Recipe Peg Cochran/Margaret Loudon:      This cake was so easy and so delicious.  Using oil instead of butter made it extremely moist.  At first, I thought the oil was never going to blend in and I'd done something wrong but I kept whisking and eventually it coalesced into a…

Crispy Gnocchi with Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Gorgonzola #recipe from Molly MacRae:  Gnocchi, in my book, is comfort food. This is true whether you make your own or take a short cut with a package of shelf-stable, refrigerated, or frozen gnocchi from the grocery store. Using a shelf-stable…

There's a new cook in the kitchen! Any guesses? Head over to Mystery Lovers Kitchen next week to find out.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies by Lucy Burdette: LUCY BURDETTE: One of my favorite things about visiting the grandkids is baking something special with Henry.This time we chose peanut butter chocolate cookies courtesy of Rancho Gordo. Ingredients    •    1 cup unsalted Butter (softened)    •    1½…

Potatoes au Gratin #recipe by @LeslieKarst:  Today, I bring you one of my very favorite dishes, potatoes au gratin, aka cheesy scalloped potatoes. To my mind, there are few dishes more scrumptious than this, because c'mon--potatoes and cheese! And they’re quite easy to prepare, to boot.  But before…

FRITO SHEPHERD'S PIE from author Cleo Coyle for National #CornChipDay #glutenfree: With National Corn Chip Day coming up this Thursday (we kid you not), Marc and I decided to re-share our own unique twist on the famous Frito Pie, which the late, great chef Tony Bordain once called "shockingly…

Valerie Burns Spotlight @vmburns #spotlightSunday #giveaway: VMBURNS: It's me, Valerie (V.M.) Burns aka Kallie E. Benjamin. And, it's my turn in the spotlight. As you can see, I write multiple mysteries using several pen names. Today, I'd like to turn the spotlight on my Mystery Bookshop Mystery…

Roasted Broccoli Soup #recipe from Molly MacRae:  Brrrr, it’s cold here on the windblown prairie of central Illinois, and soup is just the thing. This soup is delicious and the kind of recipe that lets you add and subtract ingredients depending on what you have in your kitchen or what you have a…

Salmon Stroganoff @MaddieDayAuthor #giveaway: MADDIE DAY here. It's cold in New England. Half a pint of sour cream in my fridge was waiting to be used, and I had a hankering for a hearty stroganoff. But I also wanted something a little lighter than beef or chicken liver. When I happened by a scant…

Apple Puff Pastry #recipe @vmburns:  VMBURNS: During the holiday, I wanted sweets, but didn't want to bake a lot for one person. So, I found a great recipe for an apple puff pastry and had to give it a try.The beauty of this recipe is that you can make small quantities. The ingredients picture…

Dark Chocolate Vegan Mousse:  KIM DAVIS: January may usher in good intentions to eat healthier but my sweet tooth doesn't sit quietly by, especially when a chocolate craving hits. I'm always happy when I find a "healthier" version of a delicious dessert, such as chocolate mousse. Eons ago, back…

Apple Oat Muffins -- a morning treat from @LeslieBudewitz: LESLIE BUDEWITZ:  I love muffins crammed with fruit (or fruit and veg, like these Zucchini Muffins with raisins!). Add oats, and I’m in – an easy way to add more whole grains to your diet. Any crisp apple will do – I used Red Delicious…

Cucina Povera The Art of Makin a Three-Course Meal When There's “Nothing to eat!” by Ang Pompano Plus a giveaway!: There's nothing to eat!Ang Pompano: When I was a kid, I had a habit of opening the refrigerator and just standing there, staring inside, trying to decide what I wanted. My mother would…

Remembering Maya Corrigan: LESLIE BUDEWITZ:  Some of you may have heard of the January 3rd passing of our dear friend and former Kitchen member, Maya Corrigan, author of the Five-Ingredient Mysteries as well as several short stories, written as either Maya or Mary Ann Corrigan. Maya's daughter Nora…

Creamed Chicken à la Paula Deen: It was one of those days where I didn't feel like going to the grocery store. (It was cold and snowing.  it's always cold and snowing in Michigan in the winter).  I googled the contents of my fridge and freezer and this recipe of Paula Deen's popped up.Not only did…

Chocolate and Coffee Tart - again - from Vicki Delany:  I’m trapped in a snowstorm! And I can’t get home to get access to my pending MLK files.  Yes that’s true and I hadn’t prepared any content for this week. So I’m reposting something from this summer.  It’s still yummy! In the Tea by the Sea…

Double Cheddar Drop Biscuits with Everything Bagel Topping by Lucy Burdette: LUCY BURDETTE: I had been admiring a recipe for Cheddar Bay Biscuits on the website spoon fork bacon, meaning to make it. They looked very good, but I wondered if it would be too much garlic and not enough cheese flavor?…

Noodle Kugel #recipe by @LeslieKarst:   Some weeks back when I posted about brisket, I said I’d provide the recipe for the noodle kugel I served alongside it, so here it is.  Kugel is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish baked pudding or casserole—either sweet or savory—made from noodles or potatoes.…

#LOWCARB WINTER CUSTARD with VANILLA & NUTMEG from Cleo Coyle #keto #comfortfood: From Cleo Coyle: Warm vanilla custard brings back equally warm memories for me of my mom and childhood home, of my family's cozy kitchen and a just-baked custard out of the oven, smelling of egg and warm milk, vanilla…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Lentil-Butternut Squash Soup -- a #recipe for winter warmth from @LeslieBudewitz:  LESLIE BUDEWITZ: We’re big fans of butternut squash, and this time of year, it’s often available peeled and cut, although peeling and chopping it yourself isn’t terribly hard. We also love lentils, and the…

Around the Kitchen Table: What We Cook When We’re Eating Alone + 5-Book #Giveaway!:  ANG POMPANO: I was thinking about the protagonist of my soon-to-be-released book, Diet of Death, Quincy Lazzaro. Quincy writes a hugely successful cooking column under protest, made worse by the fact that it runs…

Chicken Marsala #Recipe Peg Cochran/Margaret Loudon:  This chicken Marsala was surprisingly quick and easy.  It's a recipe that's uncomplicated enough for a weeknight dinner or fancy enough for company.  I reduced the recipe since there were only two of us.  I had one enormous chicken breast that I…

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Pasta Shells from Vicki Delany: Happy New Year to Everyone. Here’s to good cooking and good eating, and lots of good books, in 2026!  At this time of year, those of us who live in wintery climes want something piping hot and filling for dinner, and this dish fits…

Top ten things I ate this year by Lucy Burdette: LUCY BURDETTE: They say you should start the year out the way you want it to continue, so I will be writing and eating:). I consider myself super lucky to have eaten many wonderful dishes this year. Most of you are food people—I hope you will drool…

New Year's Eve Banana Creme Pie Puffs - Libby's Final Post @LibbyKlein:  Happy New Year's Eve!2025 is over! Can you believe it? Time just goes faster and faster with every passing year. It seems like I've been on the Mystery Lovers' Kitchen blog forever, but it's only been a couple of years. I've…

Gougeres and French Manhattans -- Happy New Year!: LESLIE BUDEWITZ:  A few years ago, I bought Mr. Right a copy of Drinking French by David Lebovitz for Christmas – just in time to celebrate New Year’s Eve with some of David’s treats. Gougère and French Manhattans are a pairing the man himself…

SPOTLIGHT ON PEG COCHRAN/MARGARET LOUDON #GIVEAWAY:   I’ve done a few of these now and I’ve been puzzling over how to make this Spotlight different.  I could tell you that my 31st book, Where the Bodies Are Berried, #10 in my Cranberry Cove Series, just came out.  I still can’t believe I get to…

Triple Ginger Skillet Cake #recipe from Molly MacRae:  If you’ve read my Haunted Yarn Shop mysteries, you might remember that the ghost, Geneva, loves the smell of ginger. I do, too. Anytime I use ginger in a savory or a sweet recipe, I think of Geneva floating nearby. I made this cake one recent…

Baked Salmon and Broccoli @MaddieDayAuthor: MADDIE DAY here. Christmas and Hanukkah are over for the year, and I wanted to make a simple, healthy dinner for tonight that I didn't have to think too much about. I had a piece of salmon and a head of broccoli, plus a fresh baguette.My son and his wife,…

MERRY CHRISTMAS, FELIZ NAVIDAD, HAPPY HANUKKAH #Holiday #Christmas: HAPPY HOLIDAYS!This is a season for hope, peace, and goodwill. It's a time for spending time with friends and family, and a time to enjoy good FOOD! Happy Holidays from Mystery Lovers' Kitchen!

Glazed Carrots #HolidayRecipe @LeslieKarst:   My mom used to make glazed carrots fairly often when I was a kid, and it was the only way I liked that particular root vegetable. She didn’t add much—if any—sugar to the dish, but the natural sweetness of the carrots came out by virtue of the slow…

HEAVENLY CHRISTMAS FUDGE from author Cleo Coyle #Chocolate #ChristmasRecipe: From Cleo Coyle: While my husband was growing up, he and his brother were big fans of their mom's Christmas fudge. Marc's mom is now in heaven, but a few years ago, I wanted him to be able to enjoy her fudge again, so I…

Candy Cane Snowball Cookies for #Christmas #giveaway #recipe Kim Davis:  KIM DAVIS: With Christmas just around the corner I'm on my last push to get the final holiday cookies baked with goodie bags and cookie platters assembled. When my granddaughters were young, extra cookies had to be baked for…

World Spice's Allspice Mushroom Medley and a special #holidayrecipe offer!: LESLIE BUDEWITZ: I'm delighted to welcome back to the Kitchen my friends from World Spice in Seattle, one of the shops that continues to inspire me and my Spice Shop mysteries. With all the emphasis on sweet treats this…

Peppermint Bark Brownies #Recipe Peg Cochran/Margaret Loudon #Christmas:   As you've probably guessed, I'm all about quick and easy under certain circumstances.  At the last minute, I was asked to bring a dessert to our Newcomers Christmas gathering.  This recipe starts with a store bought brownie…

Vicki Delany’s Stained Glass Cookies #Christmas #Christmascookies: My mother made these cookies for Christmas all though my childhood, and long after. She always just called them Christmas cookies, but when I started sharing them with friends, I decided they needed a name.  This is the most basic…

Dorie Greenspan's Orange Loaf Cake with Chocolate Drizzle for #Christmas by Lucy Burdette:  LUCY BURDETTE: Mostly this post is about a new cookbook, DORIE’S ANYTIME CAKES, that any baker, cook, or enjoyer of baked goods might love to get as a gift— including probably you! In my family, I’m giving…

Chocolate Babka #Recipe by @LibbyKlein #Christmas #Hanukkah #holiday: Libby Klein "Back away from the babka!" I've been obsessed with Chocolate Babka since The Seinfeld Dinner Party episode declared cinnamon the lesser babka. I personally would agree since I'm not a huge cinnamon fan - sorry Jerry.…

Savory Palmiers -- a festive appetizer for any occasion!: LESLIE BUDEWITZ:  Here at the Kitchen, we decided ages ago that using commercial puff pastry is not “cheating.” If you’ve ever tried making your own, you know how hard it is. And the ready-made pastry (the grumpy word lover in me refuses to…

Cooking with Friends: Ang and Annette Make What Else? Anginette Cookies #giveaway:  Ang Pompano: From time to time, I bring a friend into the kitchen to cook with me. It is always one of my favorite parts of the blog. Today’s friend is extra special. She’s my best friend and wife, Annette Cicarelli…

GUEST Daryl Wood Gerber Pineapple Upside Down Cake #recipe #giveaway: VMBURNS: I'm super excited to welcome Daryl Wood Gerber back to Mystery Lovers' Kitchen. Daryl is sharing information on her newest book, along with a yummy recipe for Pineapple Upside Down Cake and a giveaway! DARYL: Thanks for…

Pomegranate Blueberry Upside-down Cake #Christmas recipe from Molly MacRae:  Pomegranates are amazing, aren’t they? They’re interesting enough on the outside, but opening them up, to reveal the hundreds of jewel-like berries inside, has always made me think of opening up a universe of…

Eggnog Loaf #WinterHoliday @MaddieDayAuthor #giveaway: MADDIE DAY here, starting our two weeks of winter holiday recipes!Over on my Facebook author page, I recently posted a recipe from Candy Slain Murder for No-Egg Eggnog. Readers Valerie Humowiecki and Pauline Britnell commented that they often…