#giveaway Celebrating Cinnamon & Sugar’s 3rd Year Blogiversary

 

I am very excited to be celebrating Cinnamon & Sugar’s third Blogiversary with a $20 Amazon gift card giveaway!

 

 

I am overwhelmed by gratitude for the many, many wonderful authors and their fans who have made my blog a success! I truly appreciate the generosity of these talented authors who share their books and delicious recipes with both me and my followers. You have all inspired me both in the kitchen and writing my own books! 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a part of my journey!!!

 

 

 

Contest ends February 13, 2018

Chocolate Almond Biscotti

Click on book to visit Amazon

It’s always a delight to open a new book in a long-enjoyed series and visit with friends. Such is the case with BISCUITS AND SLASHED BROWNS, the fourth book in the Country Store Mystery series by Maddie Day. The protagonist, Robbie Jordan, is a no-nonsense, can-do type of young woman. Not only is she a great chef at her restaurant, Pans ‘N Pancakes, in South Lick, Indiana, but she is also a skilled carpenter. Robbie has a keen intelligence, solving the hardest crossword puzzles (in ink, no less!) and creates her own crossword puzzles when trying to figure out murder mysteries. I’ll be honest here, the ability to do crossword puzzles completely eludes me and I greatly admire anyone who can get even a few answers on the easiest of puzzles! When I “retired” from a day job many years ago, I read that doing crossword puzzles keeps your mind sharp. I tried a few in the newspaper and quickly gave up. Then I came across the book Crossword Puzzles for Dummies… I had to use the answers in the back more than solving any puzzles on my own so I came to the conclusion that it wasn’t my cup of tea so to speak. Anyway, this is about Robbie and not me… Robbie is an admirable character who cares for not only her friends but the townspeople and visitors alike and I’ve enjoyed getting to know her with each book. The town of South Lick is preparing for the fifth annual National Maple Syrup Festival and Robbie is gearing up by creating maple themed dishes. The fact that Indiana has forests of maple trees and produces maple syrup was news to me and I enjoyed doing a bit of research on the subject. (Here is the link if you’re curious: Indiana Department of Natural Resources)

When a visiting professor is found murdered after arguing with Robbie’s assistant’s father, Robbie knows she needs to get involved. Even when the family appears to be hiding something and clearly does not want her help, Robbie is driven to find the truth. She feels a compelling urge to protect her town especially when it appears the local law enforcement is on the wrong track. I love how the community rallies behind each other, pitching in to help each other no matter what. The local colloquialisms are quaint and adds to the charm of both the characters and the setting. Ms. Day captures the essence of a small mid-west farming community perfectly, and I could see and experience it all as I read. There are plenty of viable suspects provided to keep you guessing and a suspenseful, dangerous climax wraps the story up for an exciting ending.

Robbie, being such a great cook, serves up lots of delectable dishes at Pans ‘N Pancakes, often with an ethnic culinary theme involved. She creates Chocolate Almond Biscotti for her Italian day and fortunately for the reader, the author includes several recipes at the back of the book including the biscotti. There are so many reasons I love biscotti and this recipe is no exception: It’s sturdy and packages up extremely well, so it’s perfect for gift giving; you don’t have to eat it within a day or two of baking since it stores well in an airtight container; it adds to the enjoyment of a cup of coffee or tea on a chilly morning! I loved the combination of chocolate with the added crunch of almonds while the drizzle of chocolate was pure bliss. Buona mangiata! 

 

 

Amazon Synopsis

For country-store owner Robbie Jordan, the National Maple Syrup Festival is a sweet escape from late-winter in South Lick, Indiana—until murder saps the life out of the celebration . . .
 
As Robbie arranges a breakfast-themed cook-off at Pans ‘N Pancakes, visitors pour into Brown County for the annual maple extravaganza. Unfortunately, that includes Professor Connolly, a know-it-all academic from Boston who makes enemies everywhere he goes—and this time, bad manners prove deadly. Soon after clashing with several scientists at a maple tree panel, the professor is found dead outside a sugar shack, stabbed to death by a local restaurateur’s knife. When an innocent woman gets dragged into the investigation and a biologist mysteriously disappears, Robbie drops her winning maple biscuits to search for answers. But can she help police crack the case before another victim is caught in a sticky situation with a killer?

 

 

 

 A special thanks to Maddie Day for providing one winner with a signed copy of BISCUITS AND SLASHED BROWNS! Contest ends Thursday, February 8, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) 

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Almond Biscotti has the delectable combination of chocolate with added crunch of almonds while the drizzle of chocolate is pure bliss. It's ideal for gift giving and stores well in an airtight container. Or keep for yourself and enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea on a chilly morning!

Print
Chocolate Almond Biscotti
Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 cups sliced almonds, toasted and divided
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2/3 cup cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips optional
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips optional
  • 2 teaspoons shortening optional
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


  2. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. Set aside.


  3. Place 3/4 cup of toasted almonds in a food processor and pulse until ground. 

  4. Beat butter in large bowl for 30 seconds, then add sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; beat until combined.


  5. Beat in eggs and almond extract.

  6. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with mixer.


  7. By hand, stir in remaining flour, the ground almonds and the remaining 3/4 cup of sliced almonds.


  8. On pieces of wax paper, shape dough into two 14 inch long rolls.


  9. Place rolls on prepared cookie sheet at least 5 inches apart, flatten slightly.


  10. Bake 25-30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near centers comes out clean.


  11. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 hour.


  12. Cut each roll diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices.


  13. Place slices, cut sides down, on ungreased cookie sheets (or cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper).


  14. Bake 8 minutes.


  15. Turn slices; bake 7 to 9 minutes more or until cookies are dry and begin to crisp (do not overbake).


  16. Remove from cookie sheets to wire racks.


  17. Cool completely.


  18. If desired, to make glaze or drizzle, place semi sweet chips and white chips in separate small microwave safe bowls.


  19. Add 1 teaspoon of shortening to each bowl.


  20. Microwave on high for 45 seconds, stirring once; stir. If necessary, microwave an additional 15 seconds or until chips are melted and mixtures are smooth when stirred.


  21. Dip biscotti into mixtures or drizzle over tops.

 Chocolate Almond Biscotti has the delectable combination of chocolate with added crunch of almonds while the drizzle of chocolate is pure bliss. It's ideal for gift giving and stores well in an airtight container. Or keep for yourself and enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea on a chilly morning!

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

Pin to Pinterest:

Chocolate Almond Biscotti has the delectable combination of chocolate with added crunch of almonds while the drizzle of chocolate is pure bliss. It's ideal for gift giving and stores well in an airtight container. Or keep for yourself and enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea on a chilly morning!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you receive my blog post via email you will need to visit my website to view the video.

 

 I was provided an advance copy with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

 

Chocolate Almond Biscotti has the delectable combination of chocolate with added crunch of almonds while the drizzle of chocolate is pure bliss. It's ideal for gift giving and stores well in an airtight container. Or keep for yourself and enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea on a chilly morning!

 

 

The Strangled Strudel (Apple Strudel)

 

 

I’m delighted to be hosting VANGIE VALE AND THE STRANGLED STRUDEL as part of the Great Escapes Book Tour! This third book in the Matchbaker Mystery series by R.L. Syme starts out with the town of Saint Agnes, Montana under extreme fire danger with a wildfire in the area threatening them. Given the recent fires in Southern California, I could totally relate to the anxiety that Vangie (Evangeline) Vale is experiencing in this story. Vangie, owner of the Matchbaker bakery and a part-time pastor, is finally feeling connected to the town and accepted by the folks who live there. Having recently completed her six-month probation with her church, she’s starting to breathe just a little easier, no longer worrying that she might be fired. That is until a mother is found dead, poisoned while eating Vangie’s pudding. With both her bakery reputation and personal reputation on the line, Vangie starts asking questions, trying to piece together who would have wanted the mother out of the way… and the answers she finds are quite shocking.

Click on book to visit Amazon

This newest installment grabs the reader’s attention from the beginning with a tragic death. While murder is never acceptable, I’m always a bit more comfortable with a story-line when the super mean person is done in. The fact that a mother is killed off made the story feel heartbreakingly real… but the author, through Vangie, handles the situation with sensitivity and I found myself glued to the pages, waiting for the murderer to be revealed and arrested. Vangie’s self-introspection is quite interesting regarding finding the killer. She obviously wants to find justice for the victim, yet feels guilty because at the same time, wants to clear her own name and save her bakery business. Her emotional conflict brings a depth to the story as does her blossoming relationship with Derek. I cracked up when a character remarks that the big biker guy is dating a woman pastor. You would think they are an unlikely pair, yet their qualities seem to complement each other. This is a terrific addition to a great series and I enjoy how Vangie’s compassion helps solve a crime and brings comfort to the town.

I love the recipes that Ms. Syme includes at the back of all of her books and this Apple Strudel is no exception. I’m always a bit tentative when it comes to making pastry dough… I’m worried that I’m going to overwork it and make it tough, or not add enough liquid so it ends up being dry and crumbly. I was intrigued by the use of sour cream vs. water or another liquid and found, much to my delight, the dough rolled out smoothly and easily. It was super easy to handle and when baked, provided the lightest, crispiest crust I’ve ever made! The filling is full of flavor and my taste testers loved the addition of crushed ginger cookies for both taste and texture. Like her new release, Ms. Syme has hit another home-run with this Apple Strudel! 

Amazon Synopsis

Just when Vangie Vale’s life was getting back to normal after a murder that rocked her little Rocky Mountain tourist town, she found herself in the middle of another murder… as the chief suspect.

Vangie stood shocked on the side of the curb as the sheriff stretched yellow crime scene tape around the front of her new bakery. Wouldn’t this make a lovely headline in next week’s paper: Local Baker Kills Parishioner With Pudding. Vangie’s road back to good graces as a part-time pastor was bumpy enough already. This would be a road block. Can’t have that.

 

 

 

A special thank you to R.L. Syme for providing 1 winner with autographed copies of all three of the books in the Matchbaker Mystery series! This giveaway is administered by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours and you can use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends February 9, 2018. Winner will be announced on this page and on Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours site, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

 

 

 

 

This Apple Strudel uses a couple unusual ingredients but the results are nothing but amazingly delicious! Sour cream and butter create the perfect flaky crust while crushed ginger cookies add body and a yummy flavor to the apple filling.

Print
Apple Strudel
Ingredients
For the pastry:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cold butter
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 8 oz. sour cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the filling:
  • 2 cups crushed ginger cookies
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 cups chopped apples, chunky to your taste (about 8 ounces)
Instructions
For the pastry:
  1. Gently pulse together the flour, butter, and sugar. Add sour cream and salt, pulse a bit longer and then pull out the pastry dough. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least an hour—longer is better, up to 36 hours.
For the filling:

  1. In a bowl, combine cookie crumbs and melted butter until they form a bit of a paste. Add the apples, sugar, and cinnamon and mix.

  2. Preheat oven to 350. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1/3 of the chilled dough into a rectangle just a bit longer than your baking dish. (I recommend 9x13-inch for the baking dish.) Then roll out the other two pieces of dough, in the same manner. 

  3. Split the filling into 1/3 sections as well, and here’s where I like to mix things up. I will put different spices in a couple of the different fillings. Maybe add some lemon zest and a bit of honey to one. Stewed cranberries to another. I like to mix up the fillings.

  4. I like to spoon the filling onto the whole sheet of the strudel, and roll it up like a cinnamon roll dough. But if you’d prefer, you can put the filling in the center and then cut the sides and braid them down over the filling. I prefer to roll. Your preference.

  5. Place the strudels side by side in a baking dish (bake separately if you have different fruits in the filling, so you can control the bake). Bake for 60 minutes, watching the browning of the crust. Remember to adjust the cooking time up if you are at high elevations, as the air will be thinner.

  6. I glaze with an icing-sugar-and-cream glaze. But traditionally, they are unglazed.

This Apple Strudel uses a couple unusual ingredients but the results are nothing but amazingly delicious! Sour cream and butter create the perfect flaky crust while crushed ginger cookies add body and a yummy flavor to the apple filling.

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Pin to Pinterest: 

 This Apple Strudel uses a couple unusual ingredients but the results are nothing but amazingly delicious! Sour cream and butter create the perfect flaky crust while crushed ginger cookies add body and a yummy flavor to the apple filling.

 

 

 

 

 

If you receive my blog post via email you will need to visit my website to view the video.

 

 

 

 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

January 29 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW
January 30 – A Blue Million Books – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
January 30 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW
January 31 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – INTERVIEW
February 1 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW, GUEST POST
February 1 – Jane Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 1 – Queen of All She Reads – GUEST POST  
February 2 – The Montana Bookaholic – REVIEW
February 3 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
February 3 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
February 4 –A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
February 5 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW
February 6 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 7 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, GUEST POST
February 8 – My Reading Journeys – CHARACTER GUEST POST
February 9 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

 

 

 This Apple Strudel uses a couple unusual ingredients but the results are nothing but amazingly delicious! Sour cream and butter create the perfect flaky crust while crushed ginger cookies add body and a yummy flavor to the apple filling.

 

   I was provided an advance copy with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

 This Apple Strudel uses a couple unusual ingredients but the results are nothing but amazingly delicious! Sour cream and butter create the perfect flaky crust while crushed ginger cookies add body and a yummy flavor to the apple filling.

Lemon Love Notes

Click on book to visit Amazon

I’ve been aware of the Brilliant Minnesota Mystery series by Julie Seedorf for some time and have loved reading other bloggers’ reviews of the books. I’ve intended to read the books but somehow they’ve gotten lost in the shuffle on my Kindle… one of the downsides of reading digital books I suppose. When Lisa Kelley of Lisa K’s Book Reviews asked me to schedule this blog post I was more than willing to do so since it meant I would finally read them. Just as Julie’s Fuchsia Minnesota Mystery series contains memorable, quirky characters, so does her “new” series. My review is for THE DISCOMBOBULATED DECIPHERERS, the second book in the Brilliant Minnesota series, which is easy to jump in and read as a standalone. The protagonist, Jezabelle Jingle, owns Brilliant Bistro and is a caring person. She is surrounded by close friends who love to solve puzzles which also extends to the puzzle of solving murder mysteries, much to the chagrin of the town’s Chief of Police. When Santa’s elf is killed in their village, Jezabelle and her friends start asking questions around town. They also find a puzzle left by the town’s founding fathers (who disappeared long, long ago) and the clues the author sprinkles throughout the book intrigued me and kept me turning pages. Along with an entertaining plot that moves quickly, there is much humor and laugh out loud moments.

One of the fun surprises in the book are the recipes the author includes. I’m very happy to share the recipe for Lemon Love Notes which is a refreshing, delicious end to any meal! I love Julie’s introduction to the recipe: Jezabelle and I would like to thank Gladys Johanson and her family for letting us use her recipe for Lemon Love Notes in the Brilliant Bistro. Gladys celebrated her 100th birthday on October 19, 2017. She fed 14 children with her fabulous cooking. Thank you for sharing love through your baking. And thank you, Julie, for sharing your delightful stories and recipes with us readers!

Amazon Synopsis

It’s Christmas in Brilliant, Minnesota, and Brilliant is known for its glitzy Christmas traditions. A world-renowned Christmas pageant, the town square decked out with Santa’s Village and a live nativity scene bring visitors to Brilliant each year. Just as the tourists arrive, Jezabelle Jingle and her mystery writer friend, Miranda, find the body of Ernest the elf dead and wrapped in a bundle of Christmas lights in the town square. Is Ernest part of a new holiday puzzle the Discombobulated Decipherers need to solve? Or is dead Ernest part of a bigger plot? Will Jezabelle decipher the clues so Brilliant can celebrate Christmas in peace? Or will Jezabelle be the next gift-wrapped box under the village tree?

 

 

A special thanks to Julie Seedorf for providing one winner with a  chance to win an e-book copy of THE DISCOMBOBULATED DECIPHERERS. Contest ends Saturday, February 3, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) 

 

 

 

 

Lemon Love Notes starts with a flaky, buttery crust and then topped with a sweet tart lemony filling while a drizzle of icing adds visual appeal. A delightful, refreshing end to any meal!

Lemon Love Notes
Print
Lemon Love Notes
Ingredients
Crust
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
Filling
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 grated lemon rind
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Frosting
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 teaspoons milk (depending on if you want to spread the frosting or drizzle it)
Instructions
Crust

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

  2. Mix all the crust ingredients together and pat into a 9" square pan. (I used a 7" x 11" pan.)

  3. Bake for 15 minutes then remove from the oven and cool.

Filling

  1. Blend all the filling ingredients together and pour over baked crust.

  2. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes at 350 degrees then remove from oven and cool.

Frosting

  1. Mix the frosting ingredients together until smooth then spread over the lemon bars. 

Notes

From the author, Julie Seedorf:
Jezabelle and I would like to thank Gladys Johanson and her family for letting us use her recipe for Lemon Love Notes in the Brilliant Bistro. Gladys celebrated her 100th birthday on October 19, 2017. She fed 14 children with her fabulous cooking. Thank you for sharing love through your baking. 

 Lemon Love Notes starts with a flaky, buttery crust and then topped with a sweet tart lemony filling while a drizzle of icing adds visual appeal. A delightful, refreshing end to any meal!

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

Pin to Pinterest:

 Lemon Love Notes starts with a flaky, buttery crust and then topped with a sweet tart lemony filling while a drizzle of icing adds visual appeal. A delightful, refreshing end to any meal!

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you receive my blog post via email you will need to visit my website to view the video.

 

 

 Lemon Love Notes starts with a flaky, buttery crust and then topped with a sweet tart lemony filling while a drizzle of icing adds visual appeal. A delightful, refreshing end to any meal!

 

 

 

 

 

Paleo Strawberry Vanilla Muffins

Click on book to visit Amazon

CLASS REUNIONS ARE MURDER, the first book in the brand new Poppy McAllister Mystery series by Libby Klein, is sure to be a mega-hit! From the beginning, I was drawn into the story and the life of the protagonist, Poppy McAllister. Like a favorite dessert, I wanted to gobble the book up all at once in one sitting but real life sometimes doesn’t allow that so I had to put it down frequently. However, those interludes allowed me to savor every delicious word and scene in the story, making my reading time all the more meaningful and enjoyable. Ms. Klein has created a compelling character in Poppy, who is struggling with grief caused by widowhood. Despite her loss, Poppy’s dialog and introspection is humorous and at times laugh-out-loud funny. Poppy starts out being an insecure pushover, bullied by her former mother-in-law and walked over by everyone else. Her journey back to her hometown to visit her Aunt Ginny and attend (unwillingly) her class reunion is the catalyst for Poppy’s transformation. Ms. Klein accurately captures the angst of the insecurities of high school, with the descriptions of interaction between students: the popular kids, the mean girls, the nerds, those trying to just get through without being noticed. Yet through it all, the author writes with a witty sense of humor that truly adds to the entertainment of this engaging read.

Of course amazing characters need a terrific plot and Ms. Klein delivers. The pace is steady and the murder mystery well thought out. Almost the entire student body attending the class reunion are suspects, Poppy included, when one of the mean girls from their class is murdered during the party. The author also weaves in another layer of mystery surrounding Poppy’s Aunt Ginny and why she’s being harassed by social services. It brings to light the tragic situations surrounding senior citizens and how often they are targeted for defrauding. As I read, I had to cheer for Aunt Ginny and her spunky, free spirit. She is a delightful sidekick for Poppy. The various threads of plot, suspects, and subplots are all nicely wrapped up in an exciting, suspenseful conclusion. I am counting down the days until the next installment in this terrific new series!

In the book Aunt Ginny sets Poppy up with a holistic doctor who convinces her to go gluten-free and try to give the Paleo diet a try. As difficult as it is for Poppy to adhere to the diet, she does find great relief from several physical discomforts when she eats within the guidelines. In researching the author for this post, I found that she suffers from an autoimmune disease and as such eats a gluten-free diet. I discovered several years ago that I must also follow a strict gluten-free diet so I was very happy to find that Ms. Klein provides several gluten-free recipes at the back of the book. They all look quite delicious but I was especially drawn to the Paleo Strawberry Vanilla Muffins. I don’t often make baked goods for myself, so it was a treat being able to eat something I made. The muffins are quite flavorful and the lemon zest adds a nice zing to the strawberries. The texture is nice and moist but I did notice that after a couple of days the leftover muffins turned crumbly… which isn’t unusual for gluten-free products. I’ve included a tip to combat that in the recipe below. The topping, oh my! I loved the nice crunch of toasted almonds and the coconut sugar added just enough sweetness. In the book Poppy also makes these muffins substituting blueberries for strawberries and I will certainly be giving that variation a try!

 

Paleo Strawberry Vanilla Muffins are gluten-free and quite flavorful thanks to lemon zest adding a nice zing to the strawberries. The texture is deliciously moist while the topping adds a nice crunch from toasted almonds and coconut sugar. You can easily substitute blueberries for the strawberries for variety.

 

Amazon Synopsis

Newly widowed and stuck in a middle-aged funk, Poppy has been running on cookies, infomercials, and one-sided chats with her cat for months. There’s no way on earth she’s attending her twenty-five-year class reunion—especially after receiving a very bizarre letter from Barbie, the popular cheerleader who taunted her all through high school. At least, not until Poppy’s best friend practically drags her to the event . . . 
 
Using the dreaded homecoming as an excuse to visit her eccentric Aunt Ginny, Poppy vows to leave Cape May with pride and Spanx intact. Too bad Barbie is still the queen of mean at the reunion. And worse, that her dead body is lying right in front of Poppy’s old locker. Singled out as the killer, it’s up to Poppy to confront her past and clear her name. But between protecting her aunt from disaster and tackling a gluten-free diet, can Poppy crack the case before she’s voted “Most Likely to Die” by the murderer?

 

 

 

A special thanks to Libby Klein for providing one winner with a print arc of CLASS REUNIONS ARE MURDER!  Contest ends Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) 

 

 

 

Paleo Strawberry Vanilla Muffins are gluten-free and quite flavorful thanks to lemon zest adding a nice zing to the strawberries. The texture is deliciously moist while the topping adds a nice crunch from toasted almonds and coconut sugar. You can easily substitute blueberries for the strawberries for variety.

Print
Paleo Strawberry Vanilla Muffins
Ingredients
Topping
  • 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
Muffins
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 4 tablespoons honey
  • 1 scraped vanilla bean (I used Tahitian) or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract *
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 3 tablespoons full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1-3/4 cups almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup dried or fresh strawberries
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

  2. Line a muffin pan with 12 foil muffin liners or grease with coconut oil.

  3. In a small bowl, toss toasted almonds with coconut sugar. Set aside.

  4. In a large bowl, beat together the coconut oil, honey, lemon zest, vanilla bean paste or extract, and coconut milk. Beat in eggs. Add almond flour, salt, and baking powder and beat until combined. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Fold in the strawberries using a rubber spatula.

  5. Generously fill each muffin tin and sprinkle toasted almonds/sugar mixture on top of each muffin.

  6. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes until golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.

Tips

  1. * If you do use a vanilla bean, be sure to put the husk of the scraped vanilla bean in a bottle of vodka or rum and make your own vanilla extract.

  2. Rub some coconut oil into your measuring spoon before measuring the honey. It will keep the honey from sticking to your spoon. 

  3. I found freeze-dried, unsweetened and unsulphered, strawberries at Trader Joe's. They worked amazingly well! 

  4. If you're not going to consume the muffins within a day or two of baking them, allow them to completely cool, then tightly wrap individually in plastic wrap. Place wrapped muffins in a freezer-safe ziplock bag and freeze. Defrost muffins as you need them and then gently reheat in the microwave.  

 Paleo Strawberry Vanilla Muffins are gluten-free and quite flavorful thanks to lemon zest adding a nice zing to the strawberries. The texture is deliciously moist while the topping adds a nice crunch from toasted almonds and coconut sugar. You can easily substitute blueberries for the strawberries for variety.

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

Pin to Pinterest:

 Paleo Strawberry Vanilla Muffins are gluten-free and quite flavorful thanks to lemon zest adding a nice zing to the strawberries. The texture is deliciously moist while the topping adds a nice crunch from toasted almonds and coconut sugar. You can easily substitute blueberries for the strawberries for variety.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you receive my blog post via email you will need to visit my website to view the video.

 

 I was provided an advance copy with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

Paleo Strawberry Vanilla Muffins are gluten-free and quite flavorful thanks to lemon zest adding a nice zing to the strawberries. The texture is deliciously moist while the topping adds a nice crunch from toasted almonds and coconut sugar. You can easily substitute blueberries for the strawberries for variety.

Lemon Crinkles

Be sure to check out how you can get a FREE copy of Catherine’s original short story, Formals, Fortune Cookies & Fraud!
Details at the bottom of the page.

 

SILENCED BY SUGAR, the fifth book in the Cookies & Chance Mystery series by Catherine Bruns finds protagonist, Sally Muccio Donovan, celebrating six months of blissful marriage to Mike. This newest book shows a more emotional side to Sally, with a different focus than previous books. Instead of detracting, it reflects the natural progression in real life and adds to the story. I love how the author has allowed Sally to grow over the course of the series and how she now exhibits an inner strength that wasn’t apparent at the beginning. Even her best friend, Josie, notices. And that’s saying a lot because Josie is quite the spitfire!

Click on the book to visit Amazon

Sally’s strength and determination are soon put to the test when Josie is arrested, accused of murdering her former nemesis. I loved how, in addition to Sally getting involved in trying to prove her friend’s innocence, her entire family rallies behind Josie. It’s just one example of the close-knit relationship Sally and her family have, despite the hijinks of her parents… who, by the way, are quite a hoot! Sally’s investigation into the murder turns up lots of suspects. So many people could have wanted the witch (with a capital B) dead! Sally must sift through a lot of clues to find the truth and I’ll have to admit, I didn’t see the suspenseful ending coming. Ms. Bruns provides enough twists and drama (the good kind!) to keep the reader turning pages until the very last word is read.

Sally owns the bakery, Sally’s Samples, where Josie bakes up all sorts of delectable cookies. I had the honor of providing a recipe for Lemon Crinkles for the book, that Sally serves to their customers. These tart-sweet treats are a bit crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. My youngest granddaughter is a huge lemon fan and these are one of her favorite cookies. In fact she’d be happy if these Lemon Crinkles made it onto our Christmas cookie platter annually, and for Valentine’s Day, and birthdays, and… well, you know what I mean! Fortunately they are easy to mix up and since the dough must be chilled, you can make them a few days in advance of baking them. I’ve included directions on how to freeze for long-term storage so you can enjoy spur-of-the-moment freshly-baked cookies when you need them. I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as we do!

Amazon Synopsis

Full-time baker and sometime-sleuth Sally Muccio is enjoying life as a new bride and only wishes that sales in her bakery would pick up. So when popular TV host Donna Dooley invites her and best friend, Josie, to be guests on Someone’s in the Kitchen with Donna, it’s the answer to their prayers. The pair is excited about the opportunity until they discover Donna’s new assistant is none other than Josie’s former nemesis from culinary school, Kelly Thompson. 

Like cookies in a hot oven, temperatures rise, and their animosity escalates into a food fight during the taping—which then goes viral! But when a dead body is then discovered on the set, fingers immediately point to Josie, and Sal’s usual sassy partner is at a loss of how to defend herself. Sal’s world is once again plunged into chaos as she attempts to keep her friend out of jail, control a blast from the past that threatens to harm her marriage, and keep her crazy parents at bay as they film a commercial for a funeral home. Already knee deep in dough, Sal discovers a possible link between the current murder and an unsolved one from the past. But she’ll have to work fast because a killer is on her trail and determined to silence Sal…forever. 

 

 

 

A special thanks to Catherine Bruns for providing one winner with a print copy of SILENCED BY SUGAR!  Contest ends Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) 

 

 

Lemon Crinkles are tart-sweet treats that are a bit crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. These cookies are best mixed up ahead and refrigerated for a few hours. The dough can even be shaped and then frozen for easy, spur-of-the-moment freshly-baked cookies!

Print
Lemon Crinkles
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup (7.1 ounces) granulated sugar
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon lemon extract, depending on how lemony you want
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1-1/2 cups (7.2 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
For rolling dough
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Instructions

  1. Don't preheat the oven yet. The cookie dough will need to chill first.


  2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.


  3. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.


  4. In the bowl of a standing mixer, whip the butter and granulated sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes on medium speed.


  5. Add the egg and beat until fully incorporated.


  6. Mix in the vanilla, lemon extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice.


  7. With the mixer running on lowest speed, slowly add the flour mixture. Beat just until it is fully incorporated.


  8. Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or even overnight.


  9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).


  10. Place remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a shallow bowl.


  11. Form cookie dough into small balls, about a heaping teaspoon.


  12. Roll the balls in the granulated sugar and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart. Don't crowd the cookies as they spread. You should have 12 cookies per baking sheet.


  13. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. The edges should just be turning light golden and the tops should be crackled.


  14. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.


  15. Cool completely and store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.


Tip

  1. These cookies are ideal for making ahead of time and freezing for spur-of-the-moment freshly-baked cookies! Simply roll the dough balls in the sugar, then freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. When solid, transfer the dough to a freezer-safe ziplock bag. When ready to bake, place the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet and allow to sit at room temperature while pre-heating the oven. You may need to bake an additional minute, depending on how chilled the dough is when you start baking. 

Notes

Makes 30 - 40 cookies depending on size.

 Lemon Crinkles are tart-sweet treats that are a bit crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. These cookies are best mixed up ahead and refrigerated for a few hours. The dough can even be shaped and then frozen for easy, spur-of-the-moment freshly-baked cookies!

 

 

 

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 Lemon Crinkles are tart-sweet treats that are a bit crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. These cookies are best mixed up ahead and refrigerated for a few hours. The dough can even be shaped and then frozen for easy, spur-of-the-moment freshly-baked cookies!

 

 

 

 

 

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For a short time, the e-book for SILENCED BY SUGAR is on sale for $2.99! Be sure to grab it before the price increases.

For anyone who purchases Silenced by Sugar, Catherine is giving away her original short story, Formals, Fortune Cookies & Fraud for FREE! This is a lighthearted mystery novella that’s a prequel to Tastes Like Murder and takes place on Sally’s fateful prom night. For details on how to obtain your copy, please click on the book below:

Click on book to obtain your FREE copy!

 

 

 

I was provided an advance copy with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

 Lemon Crinkles are tart-sweet treats that are a bit crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. These cookies are best mixed up ahead and refrigerated for a few hours. The dough can even be shaped and then frozen for easy, spur-of-the-moment freshly-baked cookies!

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