I'm always happy to have Kris Bock on Discover... This time she really satisfies me with a fun, new book and the best recipe. I LOVE Mexican food and mystery! Enjoy.
A Stone Cold Murder opens with Petra cleaning her new office. The man who previously held her job died suddenly, leaving behind personal items and shelves of mineral samples that aren't on display. When Petra picks up a cluster of crystals, her psychic powers overwhelm her with flashes of rage and fear. The rock was clearly used as a weapon. Everyone says her predecessor died in a car crash, but what if he was murdered? If he died because of the job, she could be next.
Petra usually avoids making personal connections, because her psychic powers make it awkward. But she needs to know what happened in order to protect herself. Her friendly coworkers—too friendly? – make it easy to get involved in the community. A transplant from Seattle, Petra soon learns about the joys of southwestern food, the benefits and challenges of small town life, and the danger of whatever she's stumbled into.
Learn more or order The Reluctant Psychic Mystery series, available in ebook and print at all major retailers.
New Mexicans love their green chile, which comes slathered over almost any dish. The official state question is “Red or Green?” – which version of the chile sauce do you want? Despite what spell check thinks, I’m not talking about chili, which is a stew that may contain beans and/or meat. Rather, chile refers to chopped or puréed New Mexico chile peppers, possibly cooked in broth with some onion and garlic.
You can buy green chile or green chile sauce in some grocery stores. The 505 brand is good. You can also try salsa or other fresh hot peppers. Poblano (also called pasilla) peppers are a find substitute.
These books don't include recipes, but here is something Petra might have tried in her new town.
2 bacon
strips per person
1/2 cup hash
browns per person
2 eggs per
person
Salt and
pepper to taste
Green chile
to taste (or salsa if you can’t find green chile)
1 (8-inch)
flour tortilla per person
1/4 cup
shredded cheddar cheese per person
Extra red or green chile sauce (optional)
- Use your favorite method to cook the bacon until
crisp. Drain, reserving 1-2 tablespoons drippings.
- Add the hash browns to the bacon drippings in a
skillet at medium heat. Cook until browned.
- Lightly beat the eggs with salt and pepper. Add to
the skillet. Mix in the green chile and stir until the eggs are set.
- Divide the egg mixture between the tortillas,
spooning it down the center.
- Sprinkle cheese and bacon over eggs.
- Fold the tortilla into a burrito. Eat it out of
hand, or smother the burrito with red or green chile sauce and eat it with
a knife and fork.
- Use crumbled, cooked sausage, cubed ham, carne
adovada (pork cooked with red chile), or chorizo instead of the bacon. Try
different cheeses. Or make a veggie version with sautéed mushrooms,
onions, bell peppers, and diced tomatoes.
- For a group, you can let people add their own choice
of meat, cheese, and veggie.
- You can make a large batch, wrap each burrito in waxed paper and aluminum foil, and freeze for up to a month. To heat, remove the foil and place the waxed paper-wrapped burritos on a plate. Microwave at 60% power until hot, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Learn more or order The Reluctant Psychic Mystery series, available in ebook and print at all major retailers.
Snippet:
Liberty sat at a table and was the first to glance over at me. She
smiled and waved me into the room. Haven’s glance followed the gesture to me,
and she grinned.
I got a weird feeling. Like . . . people were happy to see me? And
I enjoyed it?
I liked Haven and Liberty. I might enjoy being friends with them—assuming, of course, neither of them were murderers. But even taking murder out of the equation, friendship was hard with a secret like mine. When did you tell people? How would they react? But maybe if we got to know each other as coworkers . . .
Readers say:
“The prose is sharp, the mystery is
addictive, and Petra’s journey is one I won’t forget. If you love atmospheric
thrillers with a deeply human core, you need this book.”
“The depiction of the small-town environment is so vivid that I could almost sense the dust in the museum and feel the heat of the desert. The mystery itself is exceptionally well-crafted.”
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Thanks, Brenda! Always fun to visit you here.
ReplyDeleteGlad to have you. Thanks for the recipe. Best of luck with the book!
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