Amanda Flower's Blog
September 18, 2024
My Mom’s Fresh Salas #Recipe
Every year my garden is different, and for this the first time, I have had a bumper crop of tomatoes. Because of this I have been making my mom’s fresh salsa recipe every few days. Before my mom passed away, she typed up some of her best recipes on cards for me. This was definitely a favorite, and any time I make it, I think of her. My husband loves this salsa, but he likes spicy food a lot more than I do. Because of that, I always make two batches at a time: one mild for me and one hot for him. I use Anaheim peppers for myself and jalapenos for him. I hope you enjoy it!
Mom’s Fresh Salas
Ingredients-crust
3 tomatoes1/4 oniontablespoon of fresh lime juice2-3 peppers- Choose peppers on your own heat preference. The hotter the pepper the hotter the salsa.salt to tasteDirections
Rough chop tomatoes, onion, pepper.Put all ingredients in a food processor and chop until the desired consistency.Enjoy!
FEATURED BOOK OF THE MONTH
Available October 22, 2024!For fans of Laura Childs’ Tea Shop Mysteries and Ellery Adams’ Culinary Cozy Mysteries, the Ohio-set Amish Candy Shop series combines a fascinating look at Amish life with the fun of candy making, plus the romance between chocolatier Bailey King and her county sheriff fiancé.
Amish Candy shop owner and star of TV’s Bailey’s Amish Sweets, Bailey King has a lot to be excited about. She’s happily engaged to Aiden Brody, newly appointed county sheriff, and her candy factory is finally having its grand opening in Harvest, Ohio—just before Christmas! Bailey is ready to let the sweet celebrations
begin . . .
With the help of local community organizer Margot Rawlings, Harvest will have a Candy Land themed Christmas on the village square—featuring Bailey’s recently perfected recipe for gingerbread men. When the big day comes, everything is going well—until bitter news arrives. One of Bailey’s Amish friends has been killed in an apparent accident just outside the candy factory. Aiden is promptly on the case—with more than a little input from Bailey . . .
Together, they soon learn that the victim was working for some powerful men in the county, and in doing so was spying on his own Amish community. Still, Bailey is determined to find the perpetrator. If she can’t cut out the killer from the rest of the suspects, her gingerbread men won’t be the only ones in danger of disappearing . . . Amazon
Preorder Everywhere Books Are Sold.
Happy reading! 
Amanda
August 8, 2024
Homemade Cheesecake #Recipe
This month we have two recipes for your summer fun! Have you been invited to a potluck summer party for the 4th of July or just a get together with friends and don’t want to spend a lot of time in the hot kitchen cooking? Try these summer bites, veggie pinwheels and chocolate peanut butter crispie cups. Both are fast and easy, and you can make them ahead!
Homemade Cheesecake
Ingredients-crust
1 ½ cups graham crackers crushed1 teaspoon sugar1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon4 tablespoons melted butterIngredients-batter
16 oz of softened cream cheese16 oz of sour cream3 eggs1 cup sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extractCherry pie fillingDirections
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.Whisk together graham cracker, sugar, and cinnamon for the crust.Add melted butter to the crust mixture.Bake crust for 10 minutes and let cool.Beat the cream cheese with the eggs until smooth for the batterAdd in the 1 cup sugar and vanilla. Gently fold in the sour cream.Pour batter over the cooled crust.Bake for 60-65 minutes.Chill over night.Add cherry pie filling on top.Enjoy!
FEATURED BOOK OF THE MONTH
Now Available!While not as famous as her older siblings Wilbur and Orville, the celebrated inventors of flight, Katharine Wright is equally inventive – especially when it comes to solving crimes – in USA Today bestselling author Amanda Flower’s radiant new historical mystery series inspired by the real sister of the Wright Brothers.
December 1903: While Wilbur and Orville Wright’s flying machine is quite literally taking off in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina with its historic fifty-seven second flight, their sister Katharine is back home in Dayton, Ohio, running the bicycle shop, teaching Latin, and looking after the family. A Latin teacher and suffragette, Katharine is fiercely independent, intellectual, and the only Wright sibling to finish college. But at twenty-nine, she’s frustrated by the gender inequality in academia and is looking for a new challenge. She never suspects it will be sleuthing…
Returning home to Dayton, Wilbur and Orville accept an invitation to a friend’s party. Nervous about leaving their as-yet-unpatented flyer plans unattended, Wilbur decides to bring them to the festivities . . . where they are stolen right out from under his nose. As always, it’s Katharine’s job to problem solve—and in this case, crime-solve.
As she sets out to uncover the thief among their circle of friends, Katharine soon gets more than she bargained for: She finds her number one suspect dead with a letter opener lodged in his chest. It seems the patent is the least of her brothers’ worries. They have a far more earthbound concern—prison. Now Katharine will have to keep her feet on the ground and put all her skills to work to make sure Wilbur and Orville are free to fly another day.
Purchase Everywhere Books Are Sold!
Happy reading!
Amanda
July 2, 2024
Summer Holidays Small Bites #Recipe
This month we have two recipes for your summer fun! Have you been invited to a potluck summer party for the 4th of July or just a get together with friends and don’t want to spend a lot of time in the hot kitchen cooking? Try these summer bites, veggie pinwheels and chocolate peanut butter crispie cups. Both are fast and easy, and you can make them ahead!
Veggie Pinwheels
Ingredients
Two tablespoons of cream cheeseTwo tablespoons of sour creamDill to taste (dry or fresh)Two chopped green onionsOne dice red bell pepperTortillas of choice (I used veggie)Directions
Mix cream cheese, sour cream, dill, green onions, and pepper in a bowlPlace one tortilla flat on a plate and spread mixture on the tortilla.Tightly roll the tortilla into a tube.Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.Cut the tube into one inch thick circles.Enjoy!*You can double or triple the recipe for a larger crowd too!
Peanut Butter Crispie Bites
8 ounces of chocolate2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butterone cup of rice crispies cerealDirections
Melt chocolate in microwave in 30 second intervals.Mix peanut butter with melted chocolate.Add Rice Crispies to mixture and combine.Scoop mixture into a silicone mini cupcake pan.Refrigerate overnight.Enjoy!*You can double or triple the recipe for a larger crowd too!
FEATURED BOOK OF THE MONTHNow Available!While not as famous as her older siblings Wilbur and Orville, the celebrated inventors of flight, Katharine Wright is equally inventive – especially when it comes to solving crimes – in USA Today bestselling author Amanda Flower’s radiant new historical mystery series inspired by the real sister of the Wright Brothers.
December 1903: While Wilbur and Orville Wright’s flying machine is quite literally taking off in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina with its historic fifty-seven second flight, their sister Katharine is back home in Dayton, Ohio, running the bicycle shop, teaching Latin, and looking after the family. A Latin teacher and suffragette, Katharine is fiercely independent, intellectual, and the only Wright sibling to finish college. But at twenty-nine, she’s frustrated by the gender inequality in academia and is looking for a new challenge. She never suspects it will be sleuthing…
Returning home to Dayton, Wilbur and Orville accept an invitation to a friend’s party. Nervous about leaving their as-yet-unpatented flyer plans unattended, Wilbur decides to bring them to the festivities . . . where they are stolen right out from under his nose. As always, it’s Katharine’s job to problem solve—and in this case, crime-solve.
As she sets out to uncover the thief among their circle of friends, Katharine soon gets more than she bargained for: She finds her number one suspect dead with a letter opener lodged in his chest. It seems the patent is the least of her brothers’ worries. They have a far more earthbound concern—prison. Now Katharine will have to keep her feet on the ground and put all her skills to work to make sure Wilbur and Orville are free to fly another day.
Purchase Everywhere Books Are Sold!
Happy reading!
Amanda
June 17, 2024
Greek Potato Salad #Recipe
It’s summer salad season! Potato salad is always a staple this time, but I’m trying a Greek inspired and dairy free recipe. It turned out so well, I think it will be a summer favorite in our house. It’s also a great recipe you can make the day before. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Directions
In a large pot, boil the potatoes until tender.While the potatoes are still warm, move them to a large bowl and mix with all other ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.Serve and top with fresh dill.Enjoy!
FEATURED BOOK OF THE MONTHNow Available!While not as famous as her older siblings Wilbur and Orville, the celebrated inventors of flight, Katharine Wright is equally inventive – especially when it comes to solving crimes – in USA Today bestselling author Amanda Flower’s radiant new historical mystery series inspired by the real sister of the Wright Brothers.
December 1903: While Wilbur and Orville Wright’s flying machine is quite literally taking off in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina with its historic fifty-seven second flight, their sister Katharine is back home in Dayton, Ohio, running the bicycle shop, teaching Latin, and looking after the family. A Latin teacher and suffragette, Katharine is fiercely independent, intellectual, and the only Wright sibling to finish college. But at twenty-nine, she’s frustrated by the gender inequality in academia and is looking for a new challenge. She never suspects it will be sleuthing…
Returning home to Dayton, Wilbur and Orville accept an invitation to a friend’s party. Nervous about leaving their as-yet-unpatented flyer plans unattended, Wilbur decides to bring them to the festivities . . . where they are stolen right out from under his nose. As always, it’s Katharine’s job to problem solve—and in this case, crime-solve.
As she sets out to uncover the thief among their circle of friends, Katharine soon gets more than she bargained for: She finds her number one suspect dead with a letter opener lodged in his chest. It seems the patent is the least of her brothers’ worries. They have a far more earthbound concern—prison. Now Katharine will have to keep her feet on the ground and put all her skills to work to make sure Wilbur and Orville are free to fly another day.
Purchase Everywhere Books Are Sold!
Happy reading!
Amanda
May 20, 2024
Vegetarian Ramen #Recipe
Recently, I have fallen in love with fresh made ramen, but the kind you can get in restaurants can be very salty. This recipe cuts the salt but none of the flavor. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Directions
In a large pot, simmer 2 cups of vegetable broth with the garlic and ginger for 5 minutes.Add the remainder of the vegetable broth, miso broth, soy sauce, green onions, sprouts, baby corn, mushrooms, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, cilantro, and dry parsley to the pot until the green onions, mushrooms, and baby corn are soft.Add salt and pepper for taste.Add ramen noodles and boil until the noodles are soft.Let cool for 2 minutes.Serve and top with fresh cilantro.Enjoy!
FEATURED BOOK OF THE MONTHNow Available!While not as famous as her older siblings Wilbur and Orville, the celebrated inventors of flight, Katharine Wright is equally inventive – especially when it comes to solving crimes – in USA Today bestselling author Amanda Flower’s radiant new historical mystery series inspired by the real sister of the Wright Brothers.
December 1903: While Wilbur and Orville Wright’s flying machine is quite literally taking off in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina with its historic fifty-seven second flight, their sister Katharine is back home in Dayton, Ohio, running the bicycle shop, teaching Latin, and looking after the family. A Latin teacher and suffragette, Katharine is fiercely independent, intellectual, and the only Wright sibling to finish college. But at twenty-nine, she’s frustrated by the gender inequality in academia and is looking for a new challenge. She never suspects it will be sleuthing…
Returning home to Dayton, Wilbur and Orville accept an invitation to a friend’s party. Nervous about leaving their as-yet-unpatented flyer plans unattended, Wilbur decides to bring them to the festivities . . . where they are stolen right out from under his nose. As always, it’s Katharine’s job to problem solve—and in this case, crime-solve.
As she sets out to uncover the thief among their circle of friends, Katharine soon gets more than she bargained for: She finds her number one suspect dead with a letter opener lodged in his chest. It seems the patent is the least of her brothers’ worries. They have a far more earthbound concern—prison. Now Katharine will have to keep her feet on the ground and put all her skills to work to make sure Wilbur and Orville are free to fly another day.
Purchase Everywhere Books Are Sold!
Happy reading!
Amanda
April 12, 2024
Spring Vegetable Gnocchi #Recipe
This is a quick and easy recipe to make when you have a lot of vegetables in your crisper that you need to use up. Below you will see the veggies I used, but you can substitute whatever you have! Enjoy!
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees FLine sheet pan with aluminum foil for easy clean upSpread all the vegetables gnocchi on a sheet panDrizzle olive oil over the veggies and gnocchi and toss with tongs to make sure they are completely covered. Add more olive oil if neededAdd garlic and dried herbs to sheet pan and toss with tongs againBake 40 minutesEnjoy
FEATURED BOOK OF THE MONTHNow Available!While not as famous as her older siblings Wilbur and Orville, the celebrated inventors of flight, Katharine Wright is equally inventive – especially when it comes to solving crimes – in USA Today bestselling author Amanda Flower’s radiant new historical mystery series inspired by the real sister of the Wright Brothers.
December 1903: While Wilbur and Orville Wright’s flying machine is quite literally taking off in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina with its historic fifty-seven second flight, their sister Katharine is back home in Dayton, Ohio, running the bicycle shop, teaching Latin, and looking after the family. A Latin teacher and suffragette, Katharine is fiercely independent, intellectual, and the only Wright sibling to finish college. But at twenty-nine, she’s frustrated by the gender inequality in academia and is looking for a new challenge. She never suspects it will be sleuthing…
Returning home to Dayton, Wilbur and Orville accept an invitation to a friend’s party. Nervous about leaving their as-yet-unpatented flyer plans unattended, Wilbur decides to bring them to the festivities . . . where they are stolen right out from under his nose. As always, it’s Katharine’s job to problem solve—and in this case, crime-solve.
As she sets out to uncover the thief among their circle of friends, Katharine soon gets more than she bargained for: She finds her number one suspect dead with a letter opener lodged in his chest. It seems the patent is the least of her brothers’ worries. They have a far more earthbound concern—prison. Now Katharine will have to keep her feet on the ground and put all her skills to work to make sure Wilbur and Orville are free to fly another day.
Purchase Everywhere Books Are Sold!
Happy reading!
Amanda
February 29, 2024
Very Cherry Cupcakes #Recipe
My latest novel takes place at the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Michigan. The best way I can think of celebrating its release earlier this month is by sharing my super easy Very Cherry Cupcake recipe. It makes 24 cupcakes. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees FFollow the directions on the cake mix boxLine cupcake pan with cupcake linersFill each cupcake 1/4 cup of cake mixAdd one teaspoon of cherry pie filling to middle of each cupcakeBake 16-18 minutesAllow to cool for at least 30 minutes and frost with cream cheese frostingEnjoy
FEATURED BOOK OF THE MONTH
Now Available!Head back to snowy Michigan just in time for the annual cherry pit spitting contest. It’s all fun and games until the local drama professor chokes on more than just his pride.
Shiloh Bellamy can hardly believe it―for the first time in her family farm’s seventy-year history, she has managed to score a highly-coveted booth at the Cherry Farm Market in Traverse City, Michigan. It’s a huge win in her master plan to bring the rundown farm back to life… and the fact that her coup has sent her next-door neighbor and organic farming competitor into fits of jealousy doesn’t hurt, either. But the festive atmosphere at the farm market takes a dark turn when a man entered in the famous cherry pit-spitting competition chokes and dies right in front of Shiloh, who is standing near the sidelines as a spectator.
When the death turns out to be more suspicious than a cherry pit down the wrong pipe, Shiloh finds herself under local law enforcement’s microscope―she has developed something of a reputation for being unwittingly involved in local murders. And when they discover her cousin Stacey had been secretly dating the man in question―and that he was married to someone else―Shiloh begins to worry that everything she has worked so hard to accomplish with her family’s farm is about to be taken away. It will take all her investigative skills, a tenuous friendship (or is it something more?) with the local sheriff, and some help from Shiloh’s trusty pug, Huckleberry, to prove the cops are barking up the wrong cherry tree and put the real killer behind bars for good.
Purchase Everywhere Books Are Sold!
Happy reading!
Amanda
January 7, 2024
Game Day Veggie Dip #Recipe
It’s Super Bowl season, and if you are thinking of what snacks to share on Game Day, I have a lighter veggie dip that is a great option. It can easily be adapted to you taste too with you own combination of herbs and spices.
Ingredients
Directions
Mix all ingredients on a bowlChill for at 30 minutesServe and enjoy with veggies, chips, or crackers
FEATURED BOOK OF THE MONTH
Available 2.20.24Head back to snowy Michigan just in time for the annual cherry pit spitting contest. It’s all fun and games until the local drama professor chokes on more than just his pride.
Shiloh Bellamy can hardly believe it―for the first time in her family farm’s seventy-year history, she has managed to score a highly-coveted booth at the Cherry Farm Market in Traverse City, Michigan. It’s a huge win in her master plan to bring the rundown farm back to life… and the fact that her coup has sent her next-door neighbor and organic farming competitor into fits of jealousy doesn’t hurt, either. But the festive atmosphere at the farm market takes a dark turn when a man entered in the famous cherry pit-spitting competition chokes and dies right in front of Shiloh, who is standing near the sidelines as a spectator.
When the death turns out to be more suspicious than a cherry pit down the wrong pipe, Shiloh finds herself under local law enforcement’s microscope―she has developed something of a reputation for being unwittingly involved in local murders. And when they discover her cousin Stacey had been secretly dating the man in question―and that he was married to someone else―Shiloh begins to worry that everything she has worked so hard to accomplish with her family’s farm is about to be taken away. It will take all her investigative skills, a tenuous friendship (or is it something more?) with the local sheriff, and some help from Shiloh’s trusty pug, Huckleberry, to prove the cops are barking up the wrong cherry tree and put the real killer behind bars for good.
Purchase Everywhere Books Are Sold!
Happy reading!
Amanda
December 4, 2023
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie #Recipe
Just in time for Christmas, I’m sharing my chocolate chip cookie recipe I make every year on my annual cookie day with my best friend. We have been making cookies together every Christmas since 1995! This year it’s out 28th Annual Cookie Day! It’s so great to have such a long friendship and delicious cookies. Merry Christmas!
Ingredients
Directions
1) Preheat oven 375 degrees F.
2) Beat butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla extract.
3) Add flour, salt, and baking soda and mix.
4) Add eggs and beat well into the batter.
5) Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
6) Using a teaspoon drop cookies on a greased cookie sheet.
7) Bake for 10 minutes.
8) Enjoy!
FEATURED BOOK OF THE MONTH
Now Available!When a literary icon stays with the Dickinson family, Emily and her housemaid Willa find themselves embroiled in a shocking murder in this new mystery from USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award–winning author Amanda Flower.
August 1856. The Dickinson family is comfortably settled in their homestead on Main Street. Emily’s brother, Austin Dickinson, and his new wife are delighted when famous thinker and writer Ralph Waldo Emerson comes to Amherst to speak at a local literary society and decides he and his young secretary, Luther Howard, will stay with the newlyweds. Emily has been a longtime admirer of Emerson’s writing and is thrilled at the chance to meet her idol. She is determined to impress him with her quick wit, and if she can gather the courage, a poem. Willa Noble, the second maid in the Dickinson home and Emily’s friend, encourages her to speak to the famous but stern man. But his secretary, Luther, intrigues Willa more because of his clear fondness for the Dickinson sisters.
Willa does not know if Luther truly cares for one of the Dickinson girls or if he just sees marrying one of them as a way to raise himself up in society. After a few days in his company, Willa starts to believe it’s the latter. Miss Lavinia, Emily’s sister, appears to be enchanted by Luther; a fact that bothers Emily greatly. However, Emily’s fears are squashed when Luther turns up dead in the Dickinson’s garden. It seems that he was poisoned. Emerson, aghast at the death of his secretary, demands answers. Emily and Willa set out to find them in order to save the Dickinson family reputation and stop a cold-blooded fiend from killing again.
Available Everywhere Books Are Sold!
Happy reading!
Amanda
October 22, 2023
Broccoli Cheese Casserole #Recipe
It’s hard to believe that October is nearing the end and Thanksgiving will be here before we know it. If you’re like me, you might already be thinking about side dishes that you would like to prepare for Thanksgiving. One side dish you should consider adding to your roster is this Broccoli Cheese Casserole!
Ingredients
Directions
1) Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
2) Steam broccoli (Tip: Use the steam in microwave frozen broccoli. Huge time saver!)
3) Mix broccoli, onion, butter, egg, sour cream, cream of mushroom soup, 3/4 cup of shredded cheddar in a bowl.
4) Transfer mixture to an 8 x 8 baking dish.
5) Add 3/4 cup of shredded cheddar to the top of the mixture.
6) Add 1 cup of Panko bread crumbs to the top of the cheese.
7) Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the bread crumbs are a gold brown.
8) Enjoy!
FEATURED BOOK OF THE MONTH
Available October 24th!Set in the fan-favorite Amish village of Harvest, Ohio, the latest novel in USA Today bestselling author Amanda Flower’s Amish Matchmaker Mysteries brings back the unlikely sleuthing duo of a widowed Amish matchmaker and her zany, four-times-divorced Englisch best friend as they must solve the murder of a quilting competition judge.
It’s August in Holmes County, and that means it’s time for the Holmes County Fair. It’s the county’s biggest annual event, drawing tourists and locals alike to see livestock, eat too much fried food, and watch the rodeo and speed racing contests. This year, Millie has entered the quilting competition—while her very not Amish best friend, Lois Henry, is distracted by her new dating app and her search for husband number five. In a place where quilting is a way of life, the competition is fierce—especially this year, when an anonymous donor doubles the winning cash prize. Amish and English women are up against each other, and some will do anything to win—even murder . . .
When someone attacks the quilt barn by slashing the quilt display, it’s unsettling enough. But when a quilting judge is found murdered, Millie knows it’s time to for Lois to get off her app and help her hunt for a killer instead—before the competition is wiped out for good . . .
Available 10/24/23
Happy reading!
Amanda
