As a food critic, Hayley reviews more than just sweet treats. This allows author Lucy Burdette to include a variety of recipes and not just desserts. As Hayley scrambles to keep her job, she gives a rave review of the Spring Vegetables and Polenta. You will also love this side dish.
This is book #5 of the Key West Food Critic series. Hayley Snow followed a boyfriend to Key West, but after a break up, she was able to create a good life on her own. She has the envious job of a food critic and is paid to sample and review restaurants. Everything she has developed is not at risk because the magazine she works for, Key Zest, is considering downsizing and selling.
Death with All the Trimmings by Lucy Burdette
Cheesy Polenta with Vegetables
from a Cozy Mystery Novel with Recipes
by Lucy Burdette
Murder Mystery Books
Outline and Tone:
When a new restaurant has a fire before it could even open, that is bad enough, but when a body is found inside, that is murder.
Hayley’s mom and boyfriend decide to rent a place in Key West for the winter. Hayley is delighted to spend the holiday season with her mom and Hayley also likes her mom’s boyfriend. A famous chef has also decided to come to Key West. She is bringing her New York style cooking to the Keys. What a treat to get to review this chef’s creations. But before the restaurant can even open, the dishes are sabotaged. The chef discovers that olive oil is replaced with peanut oil and signature sauces become unpalatable and bitter.
This Christmas set cozy mystery isn’t over the top with the holiday, but the holiday, and spends more time focusing on the mystery and character development. The reader gets to know Hayley’s mom better, giving us a hint that she may become a more important character in this series.
Point of View:
The book is told from a limited omniscient view. We know Hayley’s thoughts and what she experiences, we don’t know what happens when she is not present.
The Author: Lucy Burdette
Like so many cozy mystery authors, Lucy Burdette is a pen name for Roberta Isleib; she is a clinical psychologist and author of three book series. She has written 12 books in the Key West Food Critic series and book 13 is due to be released in 2023. She is also the author of a Golf Mystery Series and the Advice Column Mysteries. Many of her books have been on the short lists for awards and The Key Lime Crime won a bronze medal in the Florida Book Awards. She is active on many social platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. She also has an active Pinterest account. On Goodreads, she does a great job answering questions. Be sure to reach out to her on some platform to let her know you enjoyed her book.
What is not to like?:
The only thing that I didn’t like is that I want more from Hayley. I want to see her grow both as a person and I would love to see her in love.
The verdict:
I love this series. It is lively and always keeps my interest. This is a fantastic book to enliven your hot summer days with some Christmas in July fun.
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).
Cheesy Polenta with Vegetables
Assemble the Ingredients
Easy to make side dish: 4/5 on the easy as pie scale 🥧🥧🥧🥧
The recipe calls for carrots, onions, radish, snow peas and broccoli, but I also had some small red potatoes, so I added those too.
ROAST THE VEGETABLES
Start by prepping then roasting the vegetables. Clean all the veggies and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
Toss them with 2 tablespoons of oil and roast them in the air fryer or in the oven. For air fryer, cook at 400 for 15 minutes, shake half way through. You may need to cook them for a total of 30 minutes.
If you would rather roast them in the oven, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the veggies on a baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes, then flip them with a spatula and roast for another 15 minutes.
I used the air fryer because large air fryer that could handle the veggies. Do not over pack the air fryer or the veggies on the bottom won’t cook well. Set the vegetables aside when they are roasted.
MAKE THEPARMESAN CRISPS
Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese, (use a block of cheese, not the stuff in a green container).
Heat the oven to 400°F. Grate the Parmesan using the large holes of a grater.
Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and grease the paper, or use a silicone baking mat like this one:
Drop the grated cheese into small mounds, about 1 tablespoon each, leaving an inch or more of space between them. Bake at 400°F for 4 to 5 minutes, watching carefully so they don’t burn.
At first the cheese will melt and bubble; then it will gradually turn golden. Take them out FAST!
I tried both the block cheese and the pre-shredded kind.
I found the pre-shredded kind cooked faster and was more prone to burn. The block cheese took about 7 minutes before it started to get crispy.
CHEESY POLENTA INGREDIENTS
Bring the water and the broth to a boil, and slowly add the grits or polenta.
Easy to read measure marks on inside of cup. Dishwasher safe.
Reduce to low heat and simmer for about 2½ minutes, whisking often to keep lumps from forming and to keep it from sticking to the pan. (Take care, because the grits will pop and can burn the chef.)
Mix in the cheese and butter, and set aside.
Serve the polenta topped with some vegetables and garnished with a parmesan wafer.
So delicious 😋😋😋😋😋
Cheesy Polenta with Vegetables
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 3 carrots
- 2 radishes
- 1 small white onion
- big handful of snow peas
- 1 cup broccoli florets (or asparagus, fiddleheads, or green beans)
Parmesan Crisps
- 2 oz fresh Parmesan, grated (use a block of cheese, not the stuff in a green container)
Cheesy Polenta
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup cornmeal grits or polenta
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 Tbsp butter
Instructions
Vegetables
- Clean all the veggies and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
- Toss with 1-2 Tbsp. oil
- Air fry at 400 for 15-30 minutes as needed for roasting ORBake at 425 for 30 minutes in oven
Parmesan Crisps
- Heat the oven to 400°F.
- Grate the Parmesan using the large holes of a grater.
- Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and grease the paper, or use a silicone baking liner on the cookie sheet.
- Drop the grated cheese into small mounds, about 1 tablespoon each, leaving an inch or more of space between them.
- Bake at 400°F for 4 to 5 minutes, watching carefully so they don't burn.At first the cheese will melt and bubble; then it will gradually turn golden. Take them out FAST!
Cheesy Polenta
- Bring the water and the broth to a boil, and slowly add the grits or polenta.
- Reduce to low heat and simmer for about 2½ minutes, whisking often to keep lumps from forming and to keep it from sticking to the pan. (Take care, because the grits will pop and can burn the chef.)
- Mix in the cheese and butter, and set aside.
- Serve the vegetables on the hot polenta, garnished with Parmesan wafers.
What would I do differently next time?
Just to mix it up, I would try adding different vegetables. However, I would use the radish and the peas, they add great color and texture.
Will I make it again?: Absolutely Yes! 😋😋😋😋😋
Here are some ideas for a dessert to make.
Chocolate Mint Cookies from Chocolate Cream Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke
Molasses Sugar Cookies from An Appetite for Murder by Lucy Burdette
Lydia’s Date Filled Cookies a Baking Bonus
Christmas Ginger Snap Cookies from A Catered Christmas by Isis Crawford
