Friday, February 17, 2017

I got a late start promoting Cozy Food Friday yesterday due to Internet issues.
Author Maria Grazia Swan has agreed to stay and play another day!
So, it's Cozy Food Saturday! 🙂


It's
Cozy Food Friday

and a

*****!!!GIVEAWAY!!!*****

That means it's time to share a recipe from 
another great cozy mystery!

Today I'm featuring a recipe from
Book 1 in the Bakers Girls Cozy Mysteries
COOKS, CROOKS, AND A CORPSE
by
Maria Grazia Swan


Can't resist lighthearted comedy dressed with a little mystery that never takes you down a dark road? Good, because that’s what you get when you put two hot Italian imports together. Meet the hot pink Fiat 500 and its owner, real estate agent Monica Baker. Now stir in a dead body, a caterer about to lose her license, a real estate office coming off the rails, a goofy Great Dane, and a lively heroine who can’t help falling for the brooding bad boy. This is the world of Monica Baker: a high-speed mystery with a serving of mischief and a side of laughs.

About Maria


National Bestselling author Grazia Swan was born in Italy, but this rolling stone has definitely gathered no moss. She lived in Belgium, France, Germany, in beautiful Orange County, California where she raised her family, and is currently at home in Phoenix, Arizona--but stay tuned for weekly updates of Where in the World is Maria Grazia Swan?

As a young girl, her vivid imagination predestined her to be a writer. She won her first literary award at the age of fourteen while living in Belgium. As a young woman Maria returned to Italy to design for--ooh-la-la--haute couture. Once in the U.S. and after years of concentrating on family, she tackled real estate. These days her time is devoted to her deepest passions: writing and helping people find happiness. 

Maria loves travel, opera, good books, hiking, and intelligent movies (if she can find one, that is). When asked about her idea of a perfect evening, she favors stimulating conversation, Northern Italian food and perfectly chilled Prosecco--but then, who doesn't? 

Maria has written short stories for anthologies, articles for high profile magazines and numerous blogs tackling love and life. 

"I love to hear from my readers. mgsweb1@gmail.com thank you"

Website: www.mariagraziaswan.com
Contact Maria: mgsweb1@gmail.com
-or- touch base with her on Facebook  

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*****!!!GIVEAWAY!!!*****

1 - $10.00 Amazon Gift Card - USA
or
1 - eBook copy of COOK, CROOKS AND A CORPSE -Worldwide  

Use the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post to enter.

📕📖📗📚📘📖📙

On to the recipe!

Brenda’s Pasta Primavera

Food photo are courtesy of Google Images. your dish will vary in appearance.

Serves 4

This version works for vegetarians. 
If you are following a gluten-free diet, substitute gluten-free pasta for regular pasta. You can use your favorite brand. My choice is Barilla.


Ingredients

12 ounces of pasta. Brenda’s uses Barilla thin spaghetti
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
½ pound of broccoli, trim thick stems
½ pound of cauliflower
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup of heavy cream 


   Cook pasta according to directions.
   While waiting for water to boil chop broccoli and cauliflower into bite size pieces.
   Once the pasta is in the pot, melt butter in large skillet over low heat, but don’t let it brown. Set aside.


   Two minutes before removing the pasta from the boiling pot add the chopped broccoli and cauliflower to the boiling water/pasta.
   Drain well pasta and veggies, transfer to the skillet with melted butter, toss well. Add heavy cream and cheese, toss some more and serve. 

(4 servings)

Buon appetito

Monica’s 1 pot-15 minutes version….if you dare
Serves 2


8 ounces of pasta, (half a package) Barilla thin spaghetti 
   cooks in 5-6 minutes al dente
Salt and pepper as needed.
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
2 tablespoon of olive oil
¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1-10 ounces package of frozen vegetables. Monica likes the Oriental Stir-fry plain, but any frozen vegetables would do.


   Cook pasta according to directions.
   While pasta is cooking, open frozen vegetables, discard wrapping and put vegetables in colander. Let hot water from kitchen faucet run over frozen vegetables. That way they will thaw but remain crisp.
   When pasta is done, turn off faucet and pour pasta over vegetables in colander.      Drain well.
   Quickly return the pot in which the pasta was cooked to the same burner, add butter. Allow it to melt over a low burner but do not allow it to brown.
Pour pasta and vegetables on top of melted butter, add olive oil and toss well.
Serve with grated cheese to taste. Add salt and pepper to taste.


Admit it. 
You're stomach is growling, isn't it?

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Please keep reading and check out my 
installments of 
Book Beginnings on Fridays
and
The Friday 56

Both are from 
COOKS, CROOKS AND A CORPSE






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Book Beginnings on Fridays is a meme hosted by Rose City Reader
Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading

My Book Beginnings

I parked my Fiat 500 inside the open gate and headed up the long driveway of the Dumont residence.

The Friday 56 is a meme hosted by Freda's Voice
Rules: *Grab a book, any book. *Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader (If you have to improvise, that's okay.) *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you. *Post it.

My Friday 56 

"Swell, can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to meeting him," 
she said sarcastically. 


GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

As always, please leave a comment and 
let me know what you think!

Want to follow my blog? 
Click on the link in the 
upper right hand corner of this page!

22 comments:

  1. Thanks, Lisa. The recipe looks yummy! Happy Friday, to you.

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  2. Recipe looks great. Thank you for this chance.

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  3. Thanks for sharing, Lisa. The recipes sound delicious. And thanks for making me part of the giveaway.

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  4. Sounds like an interesting book and recipe.
    Have a great weekend, Lisa! :)

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  5. Thanks Lisa, your presentation of my book is simply...magnifica!!! Mille grazie.

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  6. I like books like this. Love the cover and that there are recipes. Both look good, but I like making the quicker versions for any recipes. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  7. You had me at pasta...thanks for sharing, and here's mine: “RIGHT BEHIND YOU”


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  8. Thank you Lisa. Cozies with recipes and blog posts about food are so great. Looking forward to reading this book soon.
    Cynthis

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  9. Thank you for posting the recipe (looks delish!) and also the giveaway. This looks like a fun series.

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  10. This is a new series for me, I can't wait to get started! Thank you

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  11. Also, the pasta primavera looks amazing! I think I'll try it tonight since I already have all the ingredients. =)

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    Replies
    1. Hey Marci, if you do, let me know how it turns out. Thanks.

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  12. I love Pasta Primavera! Sounds like a great cozy too! Happy weekend!

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  13. So good tonight is shrimp with angel hair pasta and hubby brought home asparagus to add in so good.

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  14. Thanks! I downloaded a sample of the book enjoyed it and bought the book yesterday.

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  15. This series is new to me but it looks like a book I'd enjoy! And that pasta looks delicious!

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  16. I want this one. And I adore that cover!
    I just had some really good Mac & Cheese, but your dish sure looks better. LOL

    My Friday 56 from The Blood Gospel

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  17. That recipe sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing! :)

    Lauren @ Always Me

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  18. Thanks for the chance! This recipe sounds really good!,

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  19. Sheila from Illinois here. The recipe looks delicious! Definitely going to try it! Thanks for the giveaway!

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