by Mel Gresham
from the Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries by Molly MacRae
Season’s Readings! Mel Gresham, here, owner of the best café in Blue Plum, Tennessee. I’m doing at least double duty today, if not triple duty—by letting you know that the whole Killer Characters blog is celebrating this season of holidays with a month of giveaways, and by reminding you that Crewel and Unusual, book 6 in the Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries comes out in January. To celebrate that good news, Kath and the rest of us in Blue Plum have been counting up from book 1 to book 6 by giving away a book each month along the way. This month we’re giving away book 4, Plagued by Quilt.
What’s going on in Plagued by Quilt? Kath and some of us in her needlework group TGIF (Thank Goodness It’s Fiber) are teaching a workshop for a group of gifted high school students at the Holston Homeplace Living History Farm. But our lesson in crazy quilts hasn’t been a match for the crazy antics of the site’s assistant director, Phillip Bell. He led an archaeological dig of the farm’s original dump site, hamming it up with equal parts history and histrionics—until one of the kids stopped the show by uncovering human bones.
And then Phillip was found dead, and, well, it’s going to be up to us—but mostly Kath—to thread the clues together before someone else becomes history.
So how am I doing triple duty? By wishing you all seasoned greetings, too, and sharing one of my favorite recipes for sweet potatoes—Molasses and Horseradish Sweet Potato Spears. Some people are a little tentative when they approach these beauties, but that’s no way go through life. It’s no way to solve a murder, either, and in Plagued by Quilt Kath and the rest of us prove we’re anything but.
Molasses Horseradish Sweet Potato Spears
Serves 8 – 10
preparation time: 45 minutes
3 lb medium sweet potatoes, peeled and each cut lengthwise into 8 to 10 spears.
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
5 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup bottled horseradish (including juice)
Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 450.
If potato spears are very long, halve them diagonally. Toss potatoes with oil and salt in a large bowl, then spread in 1 layer in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep.) Roast in lower third of oven, turning once or twice, until tender, 18 – 22 minutes. Leave oven on.
While potatoes roast, bring butter, molasses, and horseradish to a boil in a small, heavy saucepan, stirring. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced to about ¼ cup, 10 or 15 minutes.
Drizzle glaze over cooked sweet potatoes and gently toss until coated.
Just before serving, bake glazed sweet potatoes in lower third of oven until hot, 3 – 5 minutes.
Note: Sweet potatoes can be roasted 2 hours ahead. Toss with glaze and reheat just before serving.
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Counting up from 1 to 6 – 5 months of giveaways celebrating the release of Crewel and Unusual, book 6 in the Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries, on January 1, 2019. Leave a comment and your email address by midnight November 25th for a chance to win a copy of Plagued by Quilt, book 4 in the series. Already own a copy? That’s okay! Win another and give it to a friend.
Molly MacRae is the author of the award-winning, national bestselling Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries and the Highland Bookshop Mysteries. Visit Molly on Facebook and Pinterest, connect with her on Twitter @mysteryMacRae.
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I really enjoy books that include discussions about crafts, such as quilting. I have read Last Wool & Testament plus both of the Highland Bookshop mysteries. dbahn(at)iw(dot)net
ReplyDeleteWhat a great recipe for sweet potatoes. Thank you for sharing it! I am really looking forward to the new book!
ReplyDelete[email protected]
I make sweet potato spears but have never tried using molasses
ReplyDeletesgiden at verizon(.)net
I make sweet potatoes but this sounds good. thanks for sharing. [email protected]
ReplyDeleteThe recipe looks delectable. Yum. Thanks for this lovely giveaway. saubleb(at)gmail)dot)com
ReplyDeleteI have never read her books. They sound interesting. Thanks for the chance.
ReplyDeleteHoliday greetings.
ReplyDeletelibbydodd at comcast dot net
This sounds like such a great series. I love the cover and the title. Thank you for the giveaway! aut1063(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteSeries interests me greatly and the potatoes are so appetizing. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThe recipe would be enjoyed by my family but not me. Allergies.
ReplyDeletedebby236 at gmail dot com
Love sweet potatoes cooked any way. Thanks for the chance to win. nettiem(at)toledotel(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI love this series, but the highland series is a close second! Can't wait to read the newest book!
ReplyDeleteI've been dying to win one of your books! thanks for the chance! Maceoindo(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThis is a new series to me. Would love to read "Plagued by Quilt", sounds like a great book.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
Yum. Those sweet potatoes sound tasty.
ReplyDeleteturtle6422 at gmail dot com
I have a few in the series but not this one.
ReplyDelete[email protected]
I've got some of the books in this series, but I haven't managed to add this one to my personal library yet. I would love to do so now. Thank you for offering us all the chance to win. [email protected]
ReplyDeleteThe sweet potatoes here look oh so delicious that I has put them on the must try now list. Thanks for the chance to enter your giveaway for a chance to add to my library. You all are most generous. robeader53(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThe horseradish and molasses combination sounds delicious - thanks for the recipe!
ReplyDeletejtcgc at yahoo dot com
What a cool giveaway. I love the recipe too. [email protected]
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed hearing from Mel Gresham. Love the folks in Blue Plum, Tennessee and can't wait for the opportunity to read "Plagued by Quilt". I really enjoy reading Molly MacRae's books.
ReplyDeleteNaturally living in the south, I love sweet potatoes. The recipe for Molasses Horseradish Sweet Potato Spears definitely sounds like one I am going to have to try.
Thanks for the chance to win a copy of this great book.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Interesting recipe. This sounds like a great read. Thanks for the chance.
ReplyDeleteematov (at) comcast (dot) net
Thank you for the recipe here's hoping I get this book. It sounds so interesting.
ReplyDeleteThe book and recipe both look delicious.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Thanks for the chance to win this mystery :-)
ReplyDeleteDonah42 at aol dot com
I am unfamiliar with this series. Thanks for the opportunity.
ReplyDeletebrowninggloria(at)hotmail(dot)com
Thanks for introducing this series to me.
ReplyDeletekckendler at gmail dot com
Thanks for the opportunity! cheers (at) MarjimManor (dot) com
ReplyDeleteThis book is one I have not read in this series. Thank you for the recipe and this chance to win. 1cow0993(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI love Molly MacRae's books and would love to add this book to my library. Sweet potatoes are one of
ReplyDeletethose things that people either love it or don't. Your recipe sounds very interesting especially with
the use of horseradish. robeader53(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thanks for the chance to win this book for my library. doward1952(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance! I love Molly MacRae! nani_geplcs(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good book. Thank you for the giveaway.
ReplyDeleteKit3247(at)aol(dot)com
I've been enjoying all the titles of your books - they are wonderful. Thanks so much for the giveaway! [email protected]
ReplyDeleteGreat recipe and a contest ! Thanks. trwilliams 69 at msn dot com
ReplyDeleteThank you for the chance! mbradeen [at] yahoo [dot] com
ReplyDeleteHappy Holidays and thanks for the giveaway. I just love those titles!
ReplyDeletesallycootie(at)gmail(dot)com
Thanks for the chance & the sweet potato recipe
ReplyDeleteSorry, forgot my email, [email protected].
ReplyDeleteThank you for the chance! [email protected]
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recipe. I'd have to go without the horseradish myself. I don't think my stomach would take it too well. But, I do love sweet potatoes.
ReplyDeletelkish77123 at gmail dot com