Strawberry and Spinach Salad Recipe and Book Review of a Cozy Mystery
A wonderful first book in a cozy mystery series. The main character, Hayley is a single mom making ends meet by working at her local newspaper. She decides to try to make some extra money and volunteers to write a food and spirits column for the paper. These columns are in the novel and they are one of the best things about this book.
This is the first book in the Hayley Powell Mystery series a cozy mystery novel. The reader will enjoy the realistic story telling and root for Hayley’s success from the very beginning.
Death of a Kitchen Diva by Lee Hollis
Cozy Mystery Novel Review
Outline and Tone:
This is the first in the Hayley Powell Food and Cocktails Mystery series. One of the best parts about this book is that it doesn’t read like a first in a series. The reader jumps in and is off and running in Hayley Powell’s life of a single mom in Maine who works at a local newspaper. Hayley, like so many of us, looks for a way to make more money. Her first attempt is to ask for a raise. Her boss then offers her the job of writing the food and spirits column. Having never been a writer before, Hayley is surprised when it is a hit. I am not surprised, the columns are witty, entertaining, and have delicious recipes. Lee Hollis created a well rounded cast of characters for this series. I already mentioned Hayley. She has two teenage children, an older girl and younger boy. Her brother owns a successful bar, Drinks Like a Fish, and is married to the chief of police. She has 2 best friends who are polar opposites and her newspaper office has a slight resemblance to Mary Tyler Moore’s tv studio with a tough but caring boss.
The author:
This book was written by Lee Hollis. Well sort of… Lee Hollis is the pseudonym for the real authors, a brother and sister team, Rick Copp and Holly Simason. There is more information on Goodreads. Like their protagonist Hayley Powell, Copp and Simason are from Maine. Copp moved to Hollywood and wrote for The Golden Girls, Wings, Teen Titans and a long list of impressive television and movies. Simason is a columnist in Maine and writes a cooking column. Fortunately for us readers, they decided to combine their talents and write the Lee Hollis series, currently being published by Kensington House Publishing Corporation. The Hayley Powell series has a Facebook page. The authors are active on both Twitter and Instagram.
What is not to like?:
I just want to know more about everyone. I think Hayley’s BFF Mona could be comedy gold. I want to know more about her. Hayley describes her ex husband as not being reliable with child support, there must be a story there too. We learn a bit about Hayley’s brother and his husband Sergio, but I want to know more! I guess I will have to read the next book. I’m glad that at the time of this post, there are 16 books in the series.
The verdict:
If the rest of the books in the series are this good, then this is another winning series. My verdict is winner; keep reading.
Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).
Strawberry and Spinach Salad with Dressing Recipe
Assemble the ingredients
The recipe calls for roasted almonds. I recommend you do this first. Warm a skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot add the almonds. Toss them frequently. Keep a close watch on them. Roasted nuts go from not roasted to black very easily.
In a medium bowl, (the small bowl from OXO Good Grips 3- Piece Plastic Mixing Bowl Set is the perfect size for making the dressing)
whisk together the sesame seeds, sugar,
Good Grips, no slip when mixing. Each bowl has a spout for easy pouring. Dishwasher safe.
olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and onion.
I forgot to include the Worcestershire sauce in the ingredients picture, but don’t forget it in the dressing. It adds a needed savory flavor.
Cover, and chill for one hour. The OXO Good Grips 7-Piece Nesting Measuring Beaker Set, one cup size is the perfect size for the dressing.
In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries, and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss.
Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
If you were curious as to if this dish is family friendly, this picture says it all!
Strawberry and Spinach Salad & Dressing from a cozy mystery novel
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup good olive oil
- ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
- ¼ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 10 punces fresh spinach, rinsed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces (support your local farmers)
- 1 quart strawberries (cleaned and sliced)
- ¼ cup almonds toasted and slivered (warm up a small pan and toss your almonds and toast them until golden brown)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and onion.
- Cover, and chill for one hour.
- In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries, and almonds.
- Pour dressing over salad, and toss.
- Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
What would I do differently next time?
This was such a success, I can’t think of anything to do differently. I am also certain that you could use any type of berry. Blueberries would be wonderful, raspberries, and blackberries too.
If you need more savory recipes try Cheese Grits from When the Grits Hit the Fan by Maddie Day, Hot Mama Frittata from Bedeviled Eggs by Laura Childs, and Cheese Biscuits from Flipped for Murder by Maddie Day.
You will enjoy the recipes and the books!
Loved this book, loved this recipe, and loved this blog post!