Kim, Author at Cinnamon and Sugar

Irish Cream Ganache Chocolates

With Halloween right around the corner I was excited to find out that BEHIND CHOCOLATE BARS, the brand new release by Kathy Aarons, is a Halloween themed book! The story holds just the right amount of thrills and chills to get you in a festive spirit and I found it extremely difficult to put down until I read the very last page!

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Synopsis

Michelle Serrano and her best friend and business partner, Erica Russell, own Chocolate and Chapters. Their chocolate boutique and book store is helping sponsor West Riverdale’s Halloween Festival and in addition to running their business, they have their hands full setting up the annual haunted house. They’ve hired an intern, high-schooler Dylan Fenton, to help out both in the shop and with the festival. Dylan’s mother had been involved in a scandal earlier that year and moved out-of-town, deserting her son. Michelle has a soft spot for Dylan and takes him under her wing.

When the battered body of a young woman is found in the abandoned and creepy development that half the town’s people call Cuesta Verde after the Poltergeist movie (that movie gave me some serious nightmares!!!) Dylan is taken to the police station for questioning. Michelle and Erica are positive Dylan is innocent but as Michelle starts digging into the dead woman’s past, she finds Dylan is hiding something. She also discovers that the woman had numerous people who wanted her out of the way, going all the way back to her high school days. As Michelle tries to clear Dylan’s name, she also has to come to terms with Leo’s (her brother) PTSD, which seems to be spiraling out of control. He doesn’t want Michelle involved in the investigation and when she won’t back down, he falls into a deep depression. Can Michelle balance helping a vulnerable young teen while keeping her brother from falling over the edge? Or will the murderer destroy all that she holds dear?

My Review

First off I really, really, really want to visit Chocolate and Chapters! I can’t think of a better place to spend an afternoon! Kathy paints the settings of BEHIND CHOCOLATE BARS vividly, be it Michelle and Erica’s shop or the haunted house or Cuesta Verde. I felt like I was there. The characters who surround Michelle and Erica are well developed and I especially enjoyed getting to know Michelle’s boyfriend, Bean…who just so happens to be Erica’s brother. Michelle comes across as a very sympathetic, caring person who takes in strays, be they human or animal. She shows maternal caring towards Dylan but is also not beyond using “Mom guilt” to get her way, resulting in a bit of humor.

What sets this book apart and makes it thought provoking is the author’s willingness to tackle a sensitive and often swept under the rug issue: wounded vets and their place in society. She uses Leo to highlight some of the plights they face when returning to civilian life. They must deal with both physical and psychological injuries, often without any support system in place. Leo has Michelle but she feels helpless in the face of his PTSD. Kathy has expertly woven this into the story without detracting from the plot. I hope that with awareness there will be more discussions on this issue which will lead to positive action and change for the men and women who serve our country!

Of course a chocolate shop must have chocolates and let me tell you, the descriptions of all the yummy goodies in this book had me craving sweets. Fortunately, Kathy has included some recipes with her book and I made her Irish Cream Ganache Chocolates. Super easy to make, these delightfully decadent treats are sure to make your Halloween a spirited occasion! Thank you, Kathy, for letting me share your delicious recipe!

I am pleased to offer one winner a choice of either print or an e-book copy of BEHIND CHOCOLATE BARS. Print limited to U.S. residents only. Contest ends Thursday, October 13, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. 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!)

Irish Cream Ganache

Ingredients

3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup glucose syrup corn syrup can be used, but see my note in the tips below
1-3/4 cups dark chocolate chopped
4 teaspoons softened butter
2 tablespoons Irish Cream Liqueur
Premade chocolate molds available at candy/baking shops or online

Instructions

Combine the heavy cream and glucose (or corn) syrup in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Pour the hot cream mixture on the chopped dark chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes in a bowl.
Using a spatula, stir the mixture in small circles until it emulsifies.
Stir the softened butter into the ganache until it's incorporated.
Add the Irish Cream liqueur, stirring until the mixture is homogeneous.
Pipe into premade chocolate molds.
Chill for two hours.

Tips:

If you can't locate glucose, you can substitute corn syrup. However, corn syrup has a higher water content so reduce the heavy cream to 2/3 cup. Be aware the candy may not set up as firm as the original recipe but if that happens, just keep the pieces refrigerated until ready to serve.
Yields 60 - 100 pieces depending on size of candy molds.

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Spooky Surprise Cupcakes!

I’ll admit it…I’m not a huge fan of Halloween EXCEPT for the fun goodies and treats and the cute little kids dressed up so adorably. I’ll pass on the scary clowns and bloodied zombies, thank you very much.

That said, Pamela DuMond has written a zany Halloween treat with lots of tricks thrown in to entertain the reader in CUPCAKES, BATS, AND SCARE-DY CATS! This sixth book in the Annie Graceland Cozy Mystery series is lighthearted with laugh out moments and quirky ghosts that kept me entertained. Annie is a thoroughly likable protagonist with a good heart. As much as she gets annoyed with ghosts wanting her to help solve their murder or help them find “the light”, she still finds sympathy to help, even though she may have truly disliked the person while they were alive. There is plenty of action happening to move the plot along and enough suspects to keep it interesting. The supporting characters in this book are a hoot, from her friends to her huge Himalayan mix cat, Theodore von Pumpernickle, and the dog she’s watching. Pamela has an interesting twist in this book: not only is the point of view from Annie’s, but she also includes the point of view from the animals. Don’t worry, it’s not confusing at all as each short chapter clearly delineates each character.

In addition to a fun read, Pamela provides several yummy recipes (including my recipe for Cherry Dream Pie!) with the book. Since it’s Halloween season, she has graciously allowed me to share the recipe for Spooky Surprise (Cookie Dough) Cupcakes, developed by Laura Devries. A delicious chocolate cupcake encases a gooey chocolate chip cookie dough center. The vanilla buttercream is light and fluffy, the perfect medium for making ghosts or puffy clouds to hold flying bats! Wishing you a spooktacular Halloween!

Since the e-book for CUPCAKES, BATS, AND SCARE-DY CATS is currently on sale for $0.99, Pamela is generously offering a print copy for one lucky winner AND an e-book copy of her brand new release, TO LIVE AND LET LIE! Read below for the synopsis for both these books.

Cupcakes, Bats, and Scare-dy Cats

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Annie Graceland has a pinch of psychic ability… it turns out her cat, Theodore, does too!

Annie’s dog sitting for her new neighbor, but her creepy apartment manager, Anthony Spiggottini, accuses her of violating the “No Dogs Allowed” lease, and threatens to evict her. She’s at a Halloween party when Anthony busts into her place, and literally lets the dog and cat out! She’d gladly have killed him, but someone beats her to it. Now Annie’s desperately searching for her lost cat while dealing with Anthony’s ghost who refuses to accept he’s dead.

It’s a good thing she doesn’t know that Theodore her cat, Mozart the dog, and Bloody Mary, (the spirit cat they conjured), are running loose on Venice streets, sniffing out Anthony’s murder suspects!

To Live and Let Lie: A Theodore von Pumpernickel Secret Agent Cat Mystery

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Theodore von Pumpernickle looks like a mild mannered, domesticated, long-haired cat living a quiet life in the seaside village of Venice Beach, California.

Looks can be deceiving, can’t they?

In reality, Theodore is a Secret Agent Cat Double O Nine, working undercover for the Pet Intelligence Agency (P.I.A.) spying on evil masterminds and diabolical geniuses that seek chaos and world domination.

When Theodore’s bejeweled cat food bowl (worth ONE MILLION DOLLARS) is stolen, he takes on an international cartel of criminals trafficking in priceless stolen jewels.

With the help of other P.I.A. agents: Flyby the carrier pigeon, Mozart the German shepherd dog, and Susan — the eighty-five year old Super Spy, Theodore dives into dangerous espionage waters where he is forced to use all his Double O Nine brains, brawn, and special gadgets.

Will the evil masterminds and their minions win at last — or will Theodore von Pumpernickel, Secret Agent Cat save the day?

A huge thank you to Pamela DuMond for providing a print copy of CUPCAKES, BATS, AND SCARE-DY CATS to one winner AND an e-book copy of TO LIVE AND LET LIE to one winner! Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe for a chance to win. Contest ends Monday, October 10, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. 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!) Print copy open to U.S. residents only.

Spooky Surprise (Cookie Dough) Cupcakes!

Yield: 24 Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cookie Dough:

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup 2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large pasteurized eggs OR equal amount liquid egg substitute 3-1/2 ounces*
2 cups chocolate chips mini or regular

Cupcake Batter:

1/2 cup 1 stick butter, softened
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2-3/4 cups cake flour
1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder sifted
1-1/2 cups whole milk

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

1 cup 2 sticks butter, softened
3 - 4 cups confectioners' sugar sifted
A pinch of salt
2 - 3 tablespoons whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Cookie Dough:

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixer bowl until creamy.
Add eggs (or egg substitute) one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Gradually beat in flour mixture.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Using a tablespoon as a guide, scoop balls of cookie dough onto waxed paper or parchment and place in a container that will fit in your freezer.
Once all of the cookie dough is scooped, place in the freezer for at least 1 hour or until completely frozen.
*Using pasteurized eggs or liquid egg substitute will reduce any potential hazard that might result from using raw eggs. However, egg-free cookie dough can be used. Any uncooked or undercooked meat or egg product carries potential risk. Take appropriate precautions and safety measures as necessary.

Cupcake Batter:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
In a large bowl or bowl of a standing mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add vanilla and eggs. Mix on low speed until fully incorporated.
Add oil and mix thoroughly.
In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pudding mix, and cocoa powder.
Add half the flour mixture to the mixing bowl and mix until smooth.
Add half the milk to the mixing bowl and beat until smooth.
Repeat with remaining flour and milk.
Fill baking cups 2/3 full and and add a ball of frozen cookie dough to each cupcake just before placing into the oven.
Bake for 18 - 22 minutes (in a standard oven, less for convection ovens) until a toothpick inserted at the edge comes out clean. (Inserting in the center will not give an accurate reading as cookie dough will be gooey.)
Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting and decorating.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

Place softened butter into the bowl of a stand mixer that has been fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on medium setting and cream the butter until it is smooth and has lightened in color, about 3 minutes.
Add confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time.
Add vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
After each cup of confectioners' sugar has been incorporated, turn the mixer onto the highest speed setting for about 10 seconds to lighten the frosting.
Add milk until the frosting has reached the preferred consistency.
For a firmer frosting, add more confectioners' sugar, a 1/4 cup at a time. For softer frosting, add more milk, a tablespoon at a time.
Apply to cupcakes after they have cooled.
Serve fresh, or cover and refrigerate.

Tips:

While this recipe is lengthy, you can prepare it in stages by making the cookie dough up to a month ahead of time. Make the dough and freeze the cookie dough balls. Once frozen solid, place the dough balls into a freezer-safe Ziplock bag. You can also prepare the buttercream frosting a few days ahead of time but be sure to rewhip it right before using.
To make the bat decorations, separate Oreo cookies and remove the frosting from the middle. Cut each circle in half for the wings. Attach a candy eye to one tip of each piece. Position 2 cookie halves on each cupcake.
Bake any extra cookie dough at 350 degrees (F) for 8 - 11 minutes, until slightly golden.

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Chocolate Chip Meringue Kisses

I have been a fan of the mother-daughter writing team, Victoria Abbott, for quite some time. I was thrilled when I heard that not only were they coming out with a new book in their Book Collector Mystery series, but it was going to be set in San Francisco! I just love that city and spent some time there when I lived up in the wine country for a couple of years. Victoria Abbott expertly captures the flavor and feel of San Francisco while delivering their best story yet with
THE HAMMETT HEX.

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Synopsis

Jordan Bingham is finally taking a vacation away from her not-quite-so-lawful uncles and her crabby employer, Vera Van Alst. Vera is against Jordan leaving, even if it’s only for a week, but finally relents when Jordan agrees to track down a rare copy of Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett. Accompanying Jordan to San Francisco for the romantic getaway is Officer Tyler “Smiley” Dekker. Smiley, it seems, is keeping a few secrets from Jordan, like reconnecting to his estranged grandmother who lives in San Francisco. Smiley is also a huge fan of Dashiell Hammett and wants to visit some of the places mentioned in his books.

However, from the very beginning of their stay in the City by the Bay, things go terribly wrong. Jordan is pushed from a cable car and then a car almost runs them over. When they meet with Smiley’s grandmother an unknown person puts her in harms way. Someone seems to be following them but they have no idea why. When Jordan’s Uncle Kev shows up it can only mean more bad news. Can Jordan find out what their assailant is after or will their vacation end up in tragedy? Can she learn to completely trust Smiley or will her family’s unsavory background pull them apart?

My Review

THE HAMMETT HEX pulled me in from the very start and I became so engrossed in the book that I forgot to take notes for my review! The story has lots of exciting twists and turns that had me turning pages late into the night. I love the characters surrounding Jordan in Harrison Falls but the new addition of Smiley’s grandmother and her helper in San Francisco adds a whole new dimension to the series. Smiley’s Gram has a spunkiness and zest for life that compliments Jordan’s adventurous spirit. I also enjoyed “The Kelly Rules” that started each chapter, shared by Jordan’s uncles. It gives some insight in to how Jordan was raised and her outlook on life, while providing a bit of humor.

Victoria Abbott also shares several recipes, all of them sound oh so yummy! I chose to make Chocolate Chip Meringue Kisses which are naturally gluten-free. These delicately delicious cookies had me nibbling the delectable treats often over several days…and they stayed just as fresh as the first day I made them. Thank you for allowing me to share your amazing recipe, Victoria!

A huge thank you to Victoria Abbott for providing a signed copy of THE HAMMETT HEX to one lucky winner! Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe for a chance to win. Contest ends Thursday, October 6, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. 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!) Open to U.S. and Canadian residents only.

Chocolate Chip Meringue Kisses

Author's NoteThese are the meringue kisses that Smiley remembers from his childhood. They're very easy, as long as your eggs are room temperature and there's not a speck of anything greasy near bowl or beaters and that means not a single drop of yolk, according to Gram.

Ingredients

4 egg whites from extra large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup minus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon good quality vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract optional
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips mini chocolate chips work great!

Instructions

Preheat oven to 225 degrees (F).
Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
Add the vanilla and almond extract.
Slowly add sugar, tablespoon by tablespoon, beating well after every addition, until stiff peaks have formed.
Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop out meringue and shape into "kisses".
Bake in preheated oven at 225 degrees (F) for about 50 minutes.
Turn off oven and let kisses dry for at least an hour.
Don't let them brown at the edges.
If your oven runs hot, reduce temperature.
Store in a cookie tin in a cool, dry place.
Makes about eighteen kisses, depending on size. They keep well if no one finds them. (Cinnamon & Sugar's note: I made mine "mini" and got about 80 cookies. Baking time was still the same.)

Tips:

Eggs separate easier while they are cold and then allow the egg whites to come to room temperature.
Mini chocolate chips make great eyes if you want to turn the kisses into little Halloween ghosts.

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Mini Cranberry Crab Cakes

I am very excited to be a part of the Great Escapes Virtual Blog Tour for the release of CREPE FACTOR by Laura Childs with Terrie Farley Moran! Even though this is the fourteenth book in the Scrapbooking Mystery series, I am embarrassed to say it has somehow missed my attention. However, now that I’ve read this one book, I am thrilled I have thirteen more to catch up on in this very fun series!

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Synopsis

Carmela Bertrand is owner of Memory Mine, a scrapbooking shop, in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Carmela and her best friend, Ava, (owner of Juju Voodoo), are attending the Winter Market to shop, eat, and drink and get into the holiday spirit. They run into Quigg, Carmela’s former boyfriend, who gets into a violent argument with Martin Lash. Lash writes restaurant reviews for food website Glutton for Punishment and gave Quigg’s star restaurant a very nasty review and refuses to retract. Not long after the fight breaks up, Martin Lash is stabbed with a restaurant fork and left for dead in the middle of Winter Market.

Quigg becomes a suspect in the murder when Detective Edgar Babcock is put in charge of the investigation. The only problem is, Detective Babcock is dating Carmela and is jealous of her past involvement with Quigg. Carmela worries about his objectiveness since she knows Quigg is innocent. When both Ava and Quigg beg her to do her “Nancy Drew thing” she can’t say no, even though she worries it will jeopardize her relationship with Edgar. Can Carmela juggle the demands of her shop while peeling off the layers of deceit and secrecy surrounding the dead man? Can she balance her quest for justice and keep her relationship with Edgar intact? The more questions she asks, the more the truth becomes as murky as the bayou swamp.

My Review

CREPE FACTOR is truly a fun, fun read! Even though I was unfamiliar with the characters starting out, they quickly became people I wanted to read more about and enjoyed getting to know them and their quirky personalities. There is a lot of humor sprinkled throughout the book, making it a lighthearted, entertaining read that kept me turning pages wanting to see what new mischief Carmela and Ava would get themselves in to. There were plenty of suspects and red herrings to keep the mystery appealing and me guessing. The authors captured the setting of New Orleans perfectly and I could see, smell, and taste that amazing city on the pages. I also loved that there are facts about New Orleans woven into the story along with “local” words that had me opening a dictionary to find out what they meant. I so enjoy learning while being entertained!

One of my (many) hobbies is scrapbooking. I used to scrapbook a lot when my granddaughters were very young, but other hobbies and interests have intruded. I still have a cupboard full of beautiful papers and embellishments and whenever I see them, wish I could find time to take it up again (and do something with the hundreds of photos I have of the girls). CREPE FACTOR is not only a fun, madcap romp through New Orleans and the bayou with memorable characters, the book provides inspiration and tips for scrapbooking along with several delicious recipes. Terrie Farely Moran has graciously allowed me to share her recipe for Mini Cranberry Crab Cakes, a very tasty yet easy appetizer to put together for upcoming holiday gatherings! The gorgeous jewel tones of the cranberry sauce brings elegance to an appetizer platter while the creamy crab filling provides a satisfying bite.

A very special thank you to Laura Childs and Terrie Farley Moran for providing 2 hardcover copies of CREPE FACTOR! This giveaway is provided by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours and you can use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends October 16, 2016 and is limited to U.S. residents only. Winners 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!)

Mini Cranberry Crab Cakes

Yield: 15 pieces

Ingredients

1/3 cup cream cheese softened
1/4 cup crabmeat drained, flaked, cartilage removed
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons scallions finely chopped
1 1.9-ounce package frozen miniature phyllo tart shells
1/3 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).
In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, crab, sugar, and scallions until thoroughly blended.
Place tart shells on an ungreased baking sheet.
Fill each shell with 1 tablespoon crab mixture.
Top each crab mound with 1 teaspoon cranberry sauce.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until heated through.
Makes 15 mini crab cakes.

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Tour Participants

October 3 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews
October 3 – Cinnamon, Sugar and a Little Bit of Murder
October 3 – View from the Birdhouse
October 4 – A Holland Reads
October 4 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too!
October 5 – Celticlady’s Reviews
October 5 – The Power of Words
October 6 – I Wish I Lived in a Library
October 6 – Sleuth Cafe
October 7 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies
October 7 – The Girl with Book Lungs
October 8 – Shelley’s Book Case
October 8 – Community Bookstop
October 9 – A Blue Million Books
October 10 – Melina’s Book Blog
October 10 – StoreyBook Reviews
October 11 – MysteriesEtc
October 11 – Island Confidential
October 12 – Grace. Gratitude. Life. by Marie McNary
October 12 – Babs Book Bistro
October 13 – Socrates’ Book Reviews
October 13 – fundinmental
October 14 – LibriAmoriMiei
October 14 – deal sharing aunt
October 15 – Brooke Blogs
October 15 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews
October 16 – Laura’s Interests
October 16 – Booklady’s. Booknotes

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lemon Thyme Cookies

I so enjoy visiting Seattle’s Pike Place Market vicariously through the Spice Shop Mystery series by Leslie Budewitz! The smells and tastes of this landmark is a food lovers’ dream and I was delighted to have the chance to read KILLING THYME, Leslie’s newest release in this series. The author knows how to flavor her book with a mesmerizing plot and interesting characters, making me want seconds!

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Synopsis

Pepper Reese is owner of the Seattle Spice Shop and has her hands full with her mother visiting from Costa Rica. She’s also preparing for a party hosted by her childhood friend, Kristen, at the community house they both grew up in with their hippie-activist parents. While browsing through the daystallers with her mother, Lena, they come across beautiful pottery by the newcomer, Bonnie Clay. Pepper is stunned that her mother knows the potter under the name Peggy, and believed her to be dead for numerous years. Pepper gets the feeling that her mother and Peggy/Bonnie have issues but her mother won’t confide. Several witnesses see the two women in a very loud argument and when Peggy/Bonnie turns up dead, Lena becomes a suspect.

Pepper can’t help but ask questions, digging into Peggy/Bonnie’s past and piecing together why she disappeared when Pepper was just a young child. But will she find clues to exonerate her mother or will the past tear her family and friendships apart?

My Review

Starting out at the beginning of the book is a handy list of the characters involved in the story. I liked the convenience of having it there, especially since I had to put the book down for several days while I drove to Oregon to see my sister. (Let me tell you, it was very difficult putting the book down too!) Quickly rereading the list of characters immediately brought me right back to the story. I think it is also very helpful for those who haven’t started reading with the very first book in the series. While this is the third book in the series, it is easily read as a standalone.

Leslie has created some very strong characters and I enjoyed seeing how Pepper Reece has grown and developed from the first book. Her supporting cast of characters are personable and her mother, Lena Reese, adds a depth to the story and to Pepper’s personal life. I love when plots can combine old crimes with present day crimes and KILLING THYME effortlessly does that. It’s like getting two mysteries in one. She also provides some fun facts such as it takes eight years from start to finish to create vanilla, which is part of the orchid family…I love learning as I read!

Of course a Spice Shop book series must have recipes and the author generously provides several delicious ones! I made her lovely Lemon Thyme Cookies. These delicately scented shortbread style cookies melt in your mouth providing a refreshing taste for a simple dessert. I love the author’s recommendation to serve with lemon sorbet, which is the perfect pairing. Thank you, Leslie, for allowing me to share your delectable recipe!

I am pleased to offer the winner a choice of either print or an e-book copy of KILLING THYME. Print limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Monday, October 3, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Winners 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 Thyme Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter softened
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or lemon thyme leaves
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Coarse white or granulated sugar for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.
Add 1/4 cup white sugar and mix until combined.
Add thyme, lemon zest, lemon juice, and cardamom, scraping the sides of the bowl if necessary to get all ingredients combined.
Gradually stir in the flour and mix.
Form the dough into a ball.
To make it easier to work with, divide dough into 3 equal portions.
Roll each out on a floured surface into a 6-by-4-1/2 inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.
Cut into 1-1/2 inch squares with a knife or a serrated pastry wheel.
Sprinkle with coarse or granulated sugar.
Place squares on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until edges and bottom are golden.
Cool on a wire rack.

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Kentucky Derby Bourbon Truffles

Not that long ago I finished reading (and reviewing) the fourth book in the Alvarez Family Murder Mystery series by Heather Haven. I was so happy to find out from the author that she was preparing to release her fifth book, THE CEO CAME DOA, this month! This new release kept me turning pages late into the night and wondering when book six is coming next!

Synopsis

With a black belt in karate, Lee Alvarez is the in-house Private Investigator for her family’s company, Discretionary Inquiries, in California’s Silicon Valley. Her impeccably dressed and well-mannered mother is the CEO while her brother, Richard, is the techie. Lee is getting married within the week and while it might seem like she would be too busy to take on a case, she’s left the wedding plans up to her mother, Lila. Lee has been working undercover at a start-up Silicon Valley tech business, Read-Outs, which is preparing for it’s IPO. Apparently someone in the company is intent on sabotaging the business by releasing proprietary information to the competition. Before Lee can find out who the culprit is, she finds the CEO, David H. Collier, dead. At first glance it appears to be suicide but the victim’s teenage daughter is sure he was murdered and begs Lee to find the killer.

David H. Collier was quite the womanizer and as Lee digs into his life, finds he was going to great lengths to hide secrets with several people willing to kill for those secrets. When the bulk of Read-Out’s cutting-edge computer chips are stolen, the CFO asks Lee to find them and save the company. But when Lee finds the chips and they in turn are stolen from her, all of a sudden Lee and her family’s Discretionary Inquiries could be put out of business. Can she find the killer and bring peace to a grief-stricken girl or will the sticky web woven by the CEO put them all in jeopardy?

My Review

THE CEO CAME DOA is a well written, well plotted story! I love Lee and her sassy, humorous attitude (which her mother doesn’t approve of) and the author captures that voice perfectly. Lee isn’t afraid of much and is willing to charge in and find the truth. She also has a soft spot for the “underdog” which I found very appealing. Each chapter starts with a quote about Silicon Valley and I enjoyed reading each and every one of them. One of the components of Heather’s book is based on the scariest drug in the world, Devil’s Breath. It’s obvious Heather has done her research and she has expertly woven it into the plot making for a thrilling read.

While there are no recipes in the book, Heather has shared a delectable recipe for Kentucky Derby Bourbon Truffles (oh yum!) that even Lee could make. These are simple ingredients but the resulting concoction is incredibly decadent! See the author’s entertaining introduction to the recipe below.

A very special thank you to Heather for providing an e-book copy of DEAD….IF ONLY! Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Saturday, September 24, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Winners will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Kentucky Derby Bourbon Truffles

Note from the author, Heather Haven

A little chit-chat and a recipe from Lee Alvarez, Protagonist of the Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries.

Hi everyone! Well, I don’t cook. Not that I’m not opposed to cooking. I’ll chow down anything my wonderful Tío makes. After all, he was the head chef at the Las Mañanitas restaurant in San Jose before he retired. But my theory is, why compete with perfection? And that would be my Tío. Not that he hasn’t tried to teach me how lo these many years, but I have been known to ruin many an enchilada. Wait a minute, you don’t boil those?

However, while chasing down a bad guy during the middle of the Kentucky Derby, I crashed into a table holding some favorite southern desserts. Several fell in my mouth – you know that that goes – but the ones I liked the best were the Bourbon Truffles. And there’s no cooking! My kinda dessert. Cardinal rule: no driving after inhaling two or three. They can be lethal!

Ingredients

12 ounces dark chocolate (70-85% cacao), chopped
1 -1/2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
2 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla extract
9 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 cup good Kentucky Bourbon
1 (5.3-oz.) package pure butter shortbread cookies, crushed (I use Walker’s)
2 cups finely chopped roasted, salted pecans

Wax paper

Instructions

Combine first 3 ingredients in large glass bowl.

Cook cream and bourbon in small saucepan over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes or until mixture is hot but not boiling. (Mixture will steam, and bubbles will form around edge of pan.) This is the hardest part. I usually beg Tío to do this for me. Once I had to do it, though, and it turned out just fine. Just don’t let it boil!

Pour cream mixture over chocolate. Let stand 1 minute.

Stir chocolate mixture until melted and smooth. (If mixture doesn’t melt completely, microwave at HIGH 30 seconds.)

Stir in crushed cookies.

Cover and chill 3 hours or until firm. (Mixture can be prepared and chilled up to 2 days ahead. but I hope you’re stronger than me. I have been known to nibble away over half if it’s in the fridge for 2 days.)

Shape mixture into 1-inch balls (about 2 teaspoons per ball).

Roll in chopped pecans.

I don’t always shape them into balls, folks; I’m lazy. Sometimes I just cut them in squares. And in that case, I press the pecans on the top. It tastes the same! Place on wax paper-lined baking sheets.

Chill 1 hour.

I also don’t always wait an hour to start eating them. You know how it goes.

Tips

The food processor will make quick work of crushing the shortbread cookies and then chopping the pecans, however, a chef’s knife is better for chopping the chocolate.

If you can’t find roasted, salted pecans you can toast chopped raw pecans in a skillet over medium heat. Be sure to stir constantly. Once they start to smell fragrant and turn slightly golden, immediately transfer the nuts to a plate to stop cooking and prevent scorching. Sprinkle hot pecans with a dash of salt. Cool completely before rolling truffles.

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