Cozy Food: 128 Cozy Mystery Writers Share Their Favorite Recipes
by Nancy Lynn Jarvis
Paperback: 246 pages
Publisher: Good Read Mysteries; 1 edition (May 15, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0983589178
ISBN-13: 978-0983589174
What happens when 128 cozy mystery writers get together to do a cookbook? You get more than 220 recipes that are as varied and interesting as an amateur sleuth’s day job. Regional recipes come from every part of the United States and England — a couple find their way from Australia and Italy, too — and from diverse times. There are recipes from people looking to keep gluten out of their lives, eat vegetarian, or make a treat or two for their furry four-legged friends. And yes, there are recipes that appeal to the sweet tooth, lots of them, in fact. There’s no mystery about what happens when cozy writers get together. They bring the wit, inventiveness, and adventure found in their books right along with their recipes. The recipes are introduced by their authors and linked to the writer bios in the back of the book. You can look up your favorite cozy writer and see which recipes are their favorites; they’ll tell you what the recipe means to them. Or you can enjoy a dish and then link to the recipe’s author’s biography and books. Either way you enjoy the cookbook, you’re sure to find great new recipes to make and terrific new cozy authors to read.
Thoughts
This is a wonderful book for anyone who loves cozy books, food, or both. In this book, 128 Cozy Mystery Writers share their all time favorite recipes and I loved seeing what they all chose.
Table Of Contents:
Starters and Beverages
Soups and Crumbles
Salads and Dressings
Pasta and Casseroles
Main Course Dishes
Veggies and Sides
Desserts and Pies
Cakes, Cupcakes, and Frostings
Cookies, Bars, and BrowniesBreakfast, Brunch, Lunch, and Teatime
Quick, Easy, Quirky, Saucy, and Even Pet Treats
There is also a section called Cozy Author Biographies. There are so many other bits of information about these authors in the book, and I loved learning all these interesting facts. One thing I learned about author Joan H. Young, author of the Anastasia Raven Mysteries is that she has been writing stories about the outdoors since she was 7 years old, with “The Adventures Of Skippy The Field Mouse”.
Before each recipe there is a paragraph or two about the book the recipe is from. I’m not familiar with all the authors or their books, so I loved reading these.
There are so many yummy recipes in this book that it would be a very long post if I listed all that I want to try. I’ll give you the one I want to try first.
We don’t eat hot dogs very often, but when we do we like different toppings at different times…cole slaw, hot dog sauce, chow chow, relish etc. When we want hot dog sauce, I buy it in a can from the store (yeah, I know). The problem with that is that while it’s ok, it doesn’t have the taste that I remember from my childhood. So when I saw this recipe, I knew I wanted to try it. In the snippet for this recipe it says “It surely tastes like what I remember!” That’s all I needed to hear! So here is the recipe:
from Death Dangles A Participle (Miss Prentice Mystery #2) by E.E. Kennedy
(page 161)
3 lbs. finely ground lean beef, sauteed and well-drained
10 ts. chili powder
14 oz. can tomato sauce (or less)
Scant 1/4 cup good hot sauce, NOT Tabasco!
3 tsp. garlic powder
3 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. black pepper
3 tsp. ground cumin
Make sure the beef is cooked into tiny particles.
(Hester used a pastry cutter to achieve this, chopping the beef as she browns it.)
Blend all ingredients well BEFORE cooking.
Add the tomato sauce, but sparingly.
The mixture should ultimately be just barely moistened.
Simmer for 2 hours, stirring frequently.
Results are best if you use non-direct heat, such as a crock pot on low for six hours or double boiler.There is some controversy about using tomato sauce.
Some say there should no tomato in this sauce, but this recipe turns out with a very authentic-tasting result..
My crock pot is my favorite kitchen appliance, so I love that this is best in a crock pot.
If you love cozies, or food, or both, this book is perfect for you. Not only will you find a bunch of recipes to try, you’ll learn about new to you cozy writers and series you’ve never heard of.
I would recommend this book 100%. It’s a book I’ll keep and go to when I want to try a new recipe.
25 Responses to “Cozy Food: 128 Cozy Mystery Writers Share Their Favorite Recipes
by Nancy Lynn Jarvis”
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With all the different foodie varieties of cozy mysteries, I’m sure those authors have some wonderful recipes!
I have a long list I want to make, the problem is figuring in which order to make them.
Since I love cozies, especially foodie cozies, I guess I’m going to have to get a copy of this book. Sounds like a great way to meet new authors and series.
That’s true Beth! I found so many new to me authors and series I want to read!
I love the fact that there are so many cookbooks coming out that are linked to authors. Such fun. Recipes and new books. Lovely.
I love it too Kay! Besides finding new recipes and authors, it makes me want to read more cozies!
I love cookbooks like that because they usually feature recipes your family will really eat.
There were so many I want to try. I’ll be posting my thoughts on them as I make them.
I love food, cozy mysteries and cookbooks so this is definitely a must buy! Thanks for sharing and the hot dog sauce sounds tasty!
Katherine, I plan on making it this week and posting my thoughts on Weekend Cooking next Saturday.
I’m not familiar with many cozy mystery authors, so this might be a good introduction. 🙂
That’s another reason I wanted to read it. It introduced me to so many new cozy authors.
This sounds wonderful, Vicki. I enjoy crockpot cooking, too, especially in the cooler months.
I use mine year round for all kinds of different meals. So handy and easy clean up. And yes, less heat in the summer.
I never heard of hot dog sauce! If you’re going to put ground beef on your hotdog, though, why not just have a burger? 😉
This cookbook sounds like fun. Our genre study group is reading cozy mysteries this month, so I’ll have to tell the group about this one!
Laurie~ That’s like saying if you’re going to put lettuce, tomato and onion on a hamburger, why not just have a salad. 🙂 Two totally different things. Give it a try, you may love it.
If you read the book I’m sure you’ll love it.
OK, that’s about my level of adventurous eating! Will give it a try!
🙂
What a fun cookbook theme. That will have to be checked out for sure, probably includes some of my favorite authors.
It probably does Claudia! There are 128 authors in this book.
I’ve been hearing so much about cozies lately. Cheers
I love cozies, but cozies about food are my favorite!
I like books like this one. I recently checked A Mystery Writer’s Cookbook out of the library. These are fun to read and the recipes are a bonus.
Tina~ I’ll have to check that one out since I haven’t read it.
Vicki,
Thanks for your review of Cozy Food. OK, I’m the editor and somewhat biased, but I love the cookbook, too. People keep picking out different recipes as their favorites: it has broad appeal. That said, my favorite parts of the cookbook are the biography section and the intros authors wrote to go with their recipes. Cozy writers have a great sense of humor (it shows in their books) so it’s not a surprise that their stories are entertaining. Also not to be missed are the outtakes which are great fun.