Crossed Up

Murder, She Wrote 3:13

May 14, 2025

If you watch just one episode of Murder, She Cooked this month, why not make it this one?

Jessica is “gathering dust in mind and body,” as she is bedridden with a bad back. Her sickbed is covered with magazines, proofs and books.

Her spectacles, pencils and telephone are all within arm’s reach. I am laughing out loud, as that is precisely what my bed looked like as I wrote this entry for the Murder, She Cooked book!

A storm is raging in Cabot Cove, and when Jessica tries to obtain a weather report on her phone, she gets a crossed line (remember those?!)

and hears two criminals hatching a murder plot. Or does she? Sheriff Tupper, Grady and the Doc think she’s imagining things. “Cabin fever,” says Amos.

Jessica’s nephew Grady is taking good care of her, but his cooking leaves much to be desired. His “famous tuna omelet” for breakfast is followed by “tuna surprise”

and tuna pot pie also makes an appearance, so you could definitely serve your favourite tuna dish. Just add “surprise” to the name of it. Eventually, Grady brings something Jessica obviously really likes, Pepperoni Pizza.

Mona’s Diner of Cabot Cove features in this episode,

and it looks like a fabulous spot. There is a big sign advertising Cabot Cove Clam Chowder

and on the daily specials board scrawled in chalk are Bean Soup or Salad and Broiled Fresh Scrod. $5.95 - what a bargain!

Angela Lansbury’s Kitchen Sink Salad is an absolute delight. It featured in her brilliant book, Positive Moves,

and I think it would be lovely to have this salad followed by broiled scrod (the internet tells me this is a name for a young fish such as a cod or haddock split and boned). Some clam chowder would be great too.

As Angela’s Kitchen Sink Salad was the recipe I assigned to this episode in the Murder, She Cooked book, I have decided to share this video of me rustling it up. I made this a while ago for my paid subscribers. This is the kind of PREMIUM content you get behind the paywall folks!

Angela Lansbury’s Kitchen Sink Salad

½ bunch arugula/rocket, coarse stems removed

½ head romaine lettuce

½ zucchini/courgette

1 small crookneck or yellow squash/pumpkin

¼ jicama*

2 green onions/spring onions

1 carrot, peeled

1 medium tomato, peeled if you prefer

1 cup cauliflower florets

¼ avocado, peeled

1 oz slivered almonds

2 tablespoons salad dressing

Tear the arugula and romaine lettuce into small pieces. Chop all the vegetables into ¼-inch dice. Add the slivered almonds to the salad bowl. Toss everything with 2 tablespoons of my favorite mustard vinaigrette [Angela’s vinaigrette recipe can be found in the book entry for Night of the Tarantula and there is a video demo here], or any salad dressing you like. You really don’t need to use more dressing than that because the vegetables have so much flavor.

Serves 2

*Jicama (pronounced hick-a-mah) is a Mexican root vegetable with a brown skin and a crisp white interior that is always eaten raw. If it isn’t available where you live, you can substitute ½ a bell pepper or a sweet red pepper.