Tag: Duxbridge mysteries

A Little Vacation in the Real Duxbridge

I’m off on a much needed vacation/writing research trip.  Duxbridge Mysteries: Recipe for Murder is at the editor for a second edit, after some major rewrites. Oh, how spoiled am I that this was unusual? But understandable. It’s been a weird year, and I’m surprised anything I wrote was coherent.  It now looks like a solid cozy mystery/romance, and I’m excited to get it to the publisher.

Meanwhile, I’m working on the best way to add all the recipes into the novel. We may be moving those recipes to a dedicated “Dispatches from Duxbridge” website. It’s up to what my writing partner wants to do.

I’m off to the “real” Duxbridge to walk the beach, visit friends and family, and do some research on the next in the series.  There will also be some leaf-peeping.

As soon as my editor gives me the okay, I’ll post the first four chapters to tide you over until publication.

When I get back, I’ll catch you up on everything that’s been going on and why so few entries. I owe this blog a nice, long post. Including updates on the many critters (as you can imagine, they keep me super busy).

Until then…

Summer Favorites: Caprese Pasta Salad

If you’re wondering why I’m posting so many recipes it’s because as I finish up the first Duxbridge Mystery (Recipe for Murder) I am comtemplating what recipes to include. And besides, who couldn’t use a good summer salad mid-August?

X-posted at What’s 4 Dinner Solutions:

This one is a regular at the dinner table. Visiting local farmer’s markets offered me the chance to change this dish up with flavored fettuccini pasta a couple of times.

Pasta Caprese

  • 9 oz linguine or fettuccine
  • 2 large tomatoes, diced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 tsp crushed garlic
  • 4 oz cubed mozzarella
  • salt & pepper to taste

saucepan and large serving dish

Prepare pasta according to package directions. While it’s cooking, mix remaining ingredients together. Drain pasta completely (dab with paper towels, if necessary) then add to tomato mixture. Let sit for 10-15 minutes to let flavors blend. Serve warm or you can refrigerate and serve cold. Add a nice loaf of bread for a complete dinner.

I use a fairly expensive mozzarella for this dish because it’s softer, tastier, and absorbs more flavors. Any locally produced mozzarella would work. Also, my local farmers’ market has a pasta vendor, who hand-makes many flavors of pasta. This dish works very well with flavored pastas – fire roasted chili, lemon pepper, tomato basil, red bell pepper – the list goes on. You can also change-up the cheese to a Queso Blanco (again, use a fairly expensive or locally produced one), use cilantro instead of basil and use a chili flavored pasta for a whole new dish. The possibilities are endless.