Fungi Foul Play is the seventh book in the Backyard Farming series. It takes us back to the small town of Carolan Springs and the quirky characters who live there. In this particular story, mushrooms are on the menu. Unfortunately, these are not meant to be eaten, thus drawing Anne and her cohorts back into solving another mystery.

While mushrooms sometimes get a bad rap, they are one of the most important things we have in our environment. The mushroom itself is the fruit of the mycelium. And a delicious fruit as well. While some mushrooms like Turkey Tail or Reishi are used for more medicinal purposes, others are great additions to meals.

You can even grow mushrooms at home. Vikki has grown oyster mushrooms at home. While hiking in Colorado, she often spots mushrooms in the wild. Unless you are certified mycologist, it’s best not to pick any mushrooms that may look like something else. As the saying goes, “All mushrooms are edible, some only once.” If you’re interested in learning more about them, you might see if there is a mushroom group in your area. This way you can learn from others with experience who can teach you how to determine the various mushrooms and often offers forays into the wild. But you don’t have to go out in the wild to try some wonderful mushrooms. Often you can find them at a local grocery store.

Here’s one of Vikki Walton’s favorite recipes with portobello mushrooms.

Portobello Mushroom Mix

Ingredients:

• Olive oil (if doing no oil, simply add a bit of water to your peppers and onions and allow them to cook down a bit before adding your mushrooms)
• Portobello mushrooms—2-3 large or a container of small ones (sliced)
• Red bell pepper—one (sliced)
• Yellow or red onion—one (sliced)
• Garlic cloves—2-3 (minced)
• Spinach (3-4 heaping handfuls)
• Balsamic vinegar (good quality)
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

 
Directions:

Sauté the peppers, onions, and mushrooms in a non-stick pan until soft. After cooked down, add the garlic, and incorporate it into the mixture. Once to the texture of your liking, add in the spinach. It will cook down a lot, so if you like spinach, add as much as you’d like or save some to add raw on your sandwich. Once the mixture loses most of its moisture, pour the balsamic vinegar over the dish. Just once around the pan should work. You should hear it sizzle as you pour it into the pan. If you don’t it just means there is still moisture in the pan, and you can simply cook for a bit more. Stir to combine the flavors.

This is not an attractive dish. But it is delicious!

Serve on a toasted bun or over rice/noodles

If serving on a bun, you can add:

Mayonnaise (regular or tofu if you want to go plant-based)

Optional:

Havarti or provolone cheese or vegan cheese

Avocado or guacamole

Fresh Spinach

Scallions (chopped)

This dish is great even the next day. Just put any leftovers in the fridge and you’ll have it to make another sandwich the next day. Conversely, if there’s only a little bit left, you could put this over brown rice, quinoa, or pasta.

Of course, now that you’ve gotten something yummy planned to eat, it’s always good to indulge in a fun, cozy mystery. Vikki Walton is the author of three cozy mystery series (currently) and also writes women’s historical fiction under a pen name. You can find out more and grab a free, exclusive cozy mystery when you sign up at her newsletter.

 

 

 

Fungi Foul Play 

 
A Small Town Colorado Cozy Mystery
(Backyard Farming Series)
Cozy Mystery
7th in Series
Setting – Colorado
Morewellson, Ltd.
(May 7, 2023)

Can Anne help her friend from being charged as a murder suspect?

Newlywed Anne is dismayed at the idea of closing the Inn and tensions run high as Hope leads a mushroom workshop. When fingers point toward Hope for causing a death, Anne must help her friend before she loses everything. Was the death a tragic accident or is someone out to destroy Hope? Or is there an even more sinister plot at hand?

Fungi Foul Play is Book Seven in the Backyard Farming series. Each book can be read as a standalone. However, if you enjoy getting to know the quirky characters who live in the town, here are the books in the series..

Chicken Culprit
Cordial Killingg
Honey Homicide
Christmas Capers
Potager Plot
Duck Disaster
Fungi Foul Play

AMAZON

 

 

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May 30 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 31 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
May 31 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST
June 1 – Literary Gold – SPOTLIGHT
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June 2 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
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