Southern Girl Secret #060: “There are only two reasons someone new comes into your life: They’re either gonna be a blessin’ or a lesson.”  WAR AND PEACH, the newest release in the Georgia Peach Mystery series by Susan Furlong, is chock-full of fun tidbits like this at the beginning of each chapter. Each “secret” while cute, also has a ring of truth to it that I so enjoyed! Susan has created a tight-knit Georgia peach farming family for the feisty protagonist, Nola Mae Harper. No matter what troubles they find themselves in, they know they have the full support of each other. In WAR AND PEACH, Nola’s daddy, Raymond, finds himself in the cross-hairs of the vengeful Sheriff Maudy Payne when she suspects him in the murder of his rival, Clem Rogers. Nola Mae has never understood the antagonistic nature between the two men but as she starts digging into the past to clear her daddy’s name, she uncovers secrets that both her parents have tried hard to keep buried. Despite the circumstantial evidence that is found, she has trust that she will find the truth and her daddy will be exonerated.

Susan Furlong also deftly explores the prejudices Southerners and Northerners have for each other… or any “newcomer”. Apropos for the current events going on in our world today and will hopefully make a reader give pause to consider while at the same time being entertained. The story has a strong plot with several subplots intertwined which connect at the shocking reveal…I just didn’t see it coming! With plenty of suspects to keep the reader guessing I had a very difficult time pausing to take notes for this review and it was nearly impossible to put down to attend to other commitments.

Nola Mae has also just opened her peach shop, Peachy Keen. I adored the clever and humorous names she created for her gift baskets and I want to order some of them! Thankfully, the author includes a few recipes at the back of the book so some of her treats can be recreated at home. Susan has graciously allowed me to share her own mother’s recipe for Ginny Wiggins’s Perfect Peach Cake. Using a boxed cake mix as the base, a few simple pantry and dairy ingredients are added, resulting in a delicious, beautiful dessert! I love knowing that this is an old family recipe and I always like having recipes that riff on boxed cake mixes on hand. Thanks to my granddaughter, Emory, for making this cake for our family! 

Amazon Synopsis

Nola Mae Harper is too busy restocking the jars of preserves and chutney flying off the shelves of her shop, Peachy Keen, to keep up with all the gossip about the upcoming mayoral election, but she does know the debate is sure to be a real barn burner.
 
Local farmer Clem Rogers claims he has a bombshell that could take small business owner Margie Price out of the running. But before Clem can reveal his juicy secret at the debate, his actual barn goes up in flames—with him inside of it. The town casts its vote against Margie, but Nola isn’t convinced the hardworking woman is capable of murder. Now to clear Margie’s name Nola will have to work fast under pressure, before Margie gets taken in by the fuzz…

A huge thank you to Susan Furlong for providing the choice of any book from her Georgia Peach Mystery series: WAR AND PEACH; REST IN PEACH; or PEACHES AND SCREAM for one lucky winner! Contest ends Monday, February 13, 2017 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!)

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** If you read the recipe then watched the video you will notice Emory and I didn’t follow the directions exactly. Somehow we both missed the part where you beat everything together EXCEPT the cake mix, then add the mix in…lol! No worries though, it turned out super yummy anyway! 

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

Chocolate…my most favorite flavor in all the world! It was with great happiness when I picked up Ellie Alexander’s brand new release in her Bakeshop Mystery series, FUDGE AND JURY, and started reading about Ashland’s annual Chocolate Festival! The author transports us to a world of sweet confectionery with Jules, owner of her family’s bakeshop Torte, the “Queen of Sugar”. I love to bake and spend time in the kitchen and Ellie Alexander beautifully captures the feelings I have being there. She writes those feelings in such descriptive language that I feel like I’m right in Torte’s warm, cozy kitchen. “Food is an expression of art and love” is how Jules puts it and that expression truly shows as the theme is woven into a nice “whodunit” mystery. There are plenty of suspects to keep you guessing with the plot moving along nicely. 

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However, this series’ greatest strength is the characters and keeps me coming back to see what happens next. Jules and her mother have a tender relationship, even if Jules was quite distant during her ten years away from Ashland. They’ve made up for that time and as a result share a true friendship. Jules has wonderful staff at Torte and each of them have their own story that is touched upon in each book. I’m always eager to see what creative coffee drink Andy, the college-age barrista, will come up. I’m also glad to see that the quirky character, Lance, continues to be a fixture. He adds a dose of levity to each story. And of course Jules is always creating a fabulous yummy dessert to share with her customers.

I’m grateful that Ellie includes some of those recipes at the back of the book because you most definitely will be craving chocolate as you read! Ellie has graciously allowed me to share Mom’s Famous Chocolate Spice Cake with Mocha Frosting. Frankly I was torn about which recipe to try because they all sound amazing but this cake recipe won out for a couple of reasons. First, it’s vegan….no eggs, no dairy and I had a dinner party I needed to bake a dessert for where a vegan friend was attending as well. Don’t be put off by the word vegan because it certainly does NOT mean no flavor. My husband isn’t a huge chocolate fan (yep, I married him anyway) but he loved this cake! I think the spices nicely balanced the chocolate and I fell in love with the Mocha Frosting…it will definitely be my “go-to” chocolate frosting here on out…I just couldn’t stop nibbling on it! The second reason I chose this recipe is because it’s EASY! No bowl and beaters to clean up for the cake since it mixes up with a fork, right in the baking dish. The crumb is very tender and moist so I recommend you bake and serve as instructed without trying to create this into a layer cake. (You can see my hilarious “goof” trying to stack layers with another vegan cake from long ago at the bottom of the page.) I did add some piping with the generous amount of frosting and added gold and silver star sprinkles to dress the cake up for the party, where it was gobbled up by vegans and non-vegans alike! 

Amazon Synopsis

Welcome to Torte―a friendly, small-town family bakery where the pastries are delicious…and, now, suspicious.

It’s almost spring in Ashland, Oregon, and the town is preparing for the Shakespeare and the annual Chocolate Festival. Business is cookin’ at Torte, and the store is expanding as Jules’ team whips up crèpes filled with mascarpone cheese and dark chocolate. Torte stands a chance of being this year’s confectionery belle of the ball! Life couldn’t be sweeter―unless murder taints the batter.

Evan Rowe, of Confections Couture, makes a chocolate fountain that would put Willy Wonka to shame, and his truffles are to die for―literally? Yes, the world-renowned chocolatier has just turned up dead…right after sampling a slice of Jules’ decadent four-layer chocolate cake. Now all eyes are on Jules as she tries to find the mysterious ingredient in her own recipe. Can she sift out the truth before another contestant bites the buttercream?

A huge thank you to Ellie Alexander for providing an autographed copy of FUDGE AND JURY for one lucky winner! Limited to U.S. residents only. Contest ends Thursday, January 5, 2017 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!)

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Years ago, when I was starting to experiment with fondant in cake decorating I volunteered to create a “piggie” cake for a vegan friend. Vegan cakes are made without eggs or dairy but I never appreciated the stability eggs bring to cakes until I tried stacking the vegan cake and covering with fondant. I was in tears as the cake toppled and tore until my husband said to just tell the birthday girl and party goers that the big bad wolf blew the house down…I did and everyone had a good laugh then ate the cake because it still tasted great.

This is what the cake was supposed to look like

This is what the big bad wolf blew down!

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

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I knew that SHADES OF WRATH was going to be a bit different, perhaps even special, when I started out reading the dedication (am I the only one who does that?) and saw that Karen Rose Smith dedicated the book “for women who have faced domestic violence.” As the story unfolds the reader is immediately introduced to Wendy Newcomb, the founder and director of Sunrise Tomorrow, a foundation for victims of domestic violence. Wendy is passionate about protecting women and that focus is explored within the plot, quite effectively. The protagonist, Caprice De Luca, has a very close-knit, loving family that has helped her develop healthy self-esteem while growing up. She is also in a caring relationship with Grant that seems to be progressing. But working with Wendy and meeting some of the women she has helped, Caprice realizes that not everyone is as fortunate as she has been, which gives her a greater empathy for others and provides an opportunity for her to grow as a person. I applaud Karen Rose Smith for tackling this social issue and bringing a spotlight on a subject that is typically ignored. 

The plot moves along at a good pace that kept me turning pages. There were also lots of suspects who could have wanted Wendy dead, which kept me guessing. I was completely caught off-guard at the reveal…I just didn’t see it coming! But I think what keeps me coming back to read the Caprice DeLuca Mystery series are the characters. They’re people you’d want to have as your friends and are good role models. Caprice and her family get together often to share meals and there’s also a lot of food mentioned in the book which can make a reader hungry. 

Thankfully the author provides recipes with her story and has graciously allowed me to share her recipe for Bella’s Old-Fashioned Coconut Cake. I was drawn to this cake because it’s naturally dairy-free so my husband could enjoy it. Even though he never complains, I know that it can’t always be an easy thing to have to smell all the wonderful aromas coming from my kitchen and not be able to eat any of it. I also liked that the cake did not rely on artificial extract for flavor and instead uses real coconut products. I’ve never made frosting that called for flour and granulated sugar and I was a bit apprehensive about the amount of coconut milk it called for. But oh my, this was the lightest, fluffiest frosting I’ve ever made! I’ll be making it again and again for cupcakes and any other cakes that need a lightly flavored fluffy frosting. The cake is equally scrumptious…I’m sure it will be making another appearance for upcoming birthdays too! 

Amazon Synopsis

Between her booming business, her family, and her work rescuing stray animals, home stager Caprice De Luca’s life is packed. But when a murder unsettles peaceful Kismet, Pennsylvania, she adds amateur sleuth to her resume.
 
Thanks to a wealthy patron, Kismet’s women’s shelter, Sunrise Tomorrow, has inherited a run-down mansion. Now the shelter’s director, Wendy Newcomb, wants Caprice’s decorating expertise. Caprice is happy to help, but when she glimpses a few heated encounters between Wendy and some locals, she fears that Wendy may be in need of protection herself.
 
When Wendy is found dead inside the old house, Caprice is compelled to poke around in her affairs, and discovers she had her share of enemies. Now, with countless clients, a TV gig that could make her a household name, and rumors of a marriage proposal on its way, Caprice must find time to design an investigation that will lure a crafty killer into the wide open–before someone else winds up in a state of permanent disrepair…

A huge thank you to Karen Rose Smith for providing an autographed copy of SHADES OF WRATH for one lucky winner! Limited to U.S. residents only. Contest ends Thursday, December 1, 2016 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!)

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Several months ago I had the opportunity to meet Cindy Sample, author of DYING FOR A DONUT. I have read a couple of her books in her Laurel McKay Mystery series prior to this release and love her humor. Let me tell you, Cindy is just as entertaining in person as she is on the page and I had a delightful dinner chatting with her!

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Synopsis

Laurel McKay is visiting Apple Tree Farm with her grandmother while waiting to pick up her her daughter, Jenna. A fight erupts between the owner’s son, Eric, and Tony, one of the young men employed by the Farm. Eric has accused Tony of stealing from their business so the owner, Abel, has no choice but to fire him. Laurel is caught in the middle and decides she must talk to Abel about his son’s behavior. When she goes to his office early the next morning after taking Jenna to work, she finds Abel the Donut King dead, covered head to toe in powdered sugar.

Tony is arrested for the murder and Jenna, who appears to be crushing on Tony, begs her mother to prove his innocence. Laurel doesn’t want to get involved but when Jenna and Gran start investigating on their own, she knows she’d better do something before either of them get into real trouble.  The arrogant new female detective in town is also getting on Laurel’s nerves and Laurel would like to show Detective Reynolds a thing or two. As she starts asking questions she finds that the Donut King had lots of secrets that several people might have wanted to keep hidden. Can she find the real killer or will an innocent young man take the fall?

My Review

DYING FOR A DONUT is the perfect autumn treat! Cindy’s descriptions of Apple Tree Farm and the delectable goodies produced there will have your mouth watering and make you want to go for a visit. The mystery pulled me in while the zinger of a plot twist had me reluctant to put the book down! Her dialogue is full of snappy quips that had me laughing out loud several times. I loved Gran….she is a hoot and the perfect compliment to Laurel. I felt like the characters were very likeable and easy to relate to. Laurel, as a single mother, has the usual issues with her teenage daughter which makes her seem personable and vulnerable.

Being a native California girl, I could completely relate to the drought issues woven into the story and enjoyed the factoids Cindy shares. Did you know that it takes 32 gallons of water to make 1 glass of wine? Or 1 gallon of water to grow just ONE almond? I doubt this knowledge will make me rethink what I consume but I will be more grateful when I imbibe.

Along with a terrific book Cindy includes numerous autumn dessert recipes! So many incredibly delicious treats…I wanted to make them all…and probably will… However, I had to choose one so settled on Pumpkin Roll Cake as shared by Sharon Bitz. When I was in my twenties I had a recipe similar to this but with all the moving around I did I somehow lost it. Once I started making this Pumpkin Roll Cake I was so happy Sharon submitted this recipe for Cindy’s book. I will definitely not be losing this recipe again! The yummy autumn spices warms the kitchen and your mouth while the pumpkin provides gorgeous fall color. The rich and creamy cream cheese filling provides a cool contrast making this moist cake a picture perfect accompaniment to any gathering!

A very special thank you to Cindy Sample for offering two winners an autographed copy of DYING FOR A DONUT! Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Monday, September 12, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST and is open to U.S. residents only. 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!)

Pumpkin Roll Cake

Ingredients

Cake

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup pure pumpkin, canned is fine (do NOT use pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar (to sprinkle on a towel)

Filling

1 8-ounce package cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
6 tablespoons softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Cake

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).

Grease a 15 x 10-inch jellyroll pan and line it with waxed or parchment paper. Grease and flour the paper.

Sprinkle a thin, cotton kitchen towel with confectioners’ sugar. Set aside.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a small bowl.

Beat the eggs and granulated sugar together in a large mixing bowl until thick.

Beat in pumpkin.

Stir in flour mixture.

Spread evenly into prepared pan.

Sprinkle with walnuts if using.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of the cake springs back when touched. If using a dark colored pan, begin checking for doneness at 11 minutes.

Immediately loosen and turn cake on to prepared towel.

Carefully peel off paper.

Lightly sprinkle the cake with additional confectioners’ sugar.

Roll up cake and towel together, starting at the narrow end, then cool on wire rack.

Filling

Beat the cream cheese, 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, butter, and vanilla extract together in a small mixing bowl until smooth.

Carefully unroll cake.

Spread the cream cheese mixture over cake and then reroll the cake.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Sprinkle with additional confectioners’ sugar before serving, if desired.

Tip

Be sure to put enough confectioners’ sugar on the kitchen towel before rolling up the cake so it will not stick.

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Releasing January 2017, DYING FOR A DIAMOND by Cindy Sample! Keep watching Cindy’s Facebook page for her cover reveal coming soon!

Henery Press is releasing ALL 6 books in this series on September 6, 2016!

I am very excited to be a part of Kathi Daley’s Countdown to Paradise to celebrate the release of all SIX books in her TJ JENSEN MYSTERY SERIES! Kathi is offering one winner a choice of either print or an e-book copy of any TJ JENSEN title so be sure to enter via Rafflecopter below!

I had the pleasure of reading PUMPKINS IN PARADISE, the first book in this series and am wowed! Tj Jensen is a young woman with a big heart. Her generous humanity comes across the pages making for a touching, sentimental story. From Tj’s longterm friendship with elderly recluse Zachary Collins, she learns to solve puzzles and games of logic using her intelligence and imagination. The author is very clever with creating a puzzle for Tj to solve within the story, setting up the clues that kept me guessing until the very end. The setting of the lakefront community in Serenity, Nevada is spectacular and pulls the reader in, making you want to actually visit the place. I am very happy that all six books are available at once so I don’t have to wait to read the next one!

While there are no recipes in PUMPKINS IN PARADISE, Kathi was gracious and shared her recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake. Perfect for the autumn season, this easy recipe calls for making this luscious dessert in a casserole dish. It is much less fussy than using a springform pan and easier to transport for holiday parties and gatherings. Once you try this highly rated recipe, Pumpkin Cheesecake will be sure to become a go-to recipe! Thank you Kathi, for sharing your yummy dessert!

Read below for a brief description of each of the books in this series:

Pumpkins in Paradise (a Tj Jensen Mystery Book 1) Between volunteering for the annual pumpkin festival and coaching her girls to the state soccer finals, high school teacher Tj Jensen finds her good friend Zachary Collins dead in his favorite chair. When the handsome new deputy closes the case without so much as a “why” or “how,” Tj turns her attention from chili cook-offs and pumpkin carving to complex puzzles, prophetic riddles, and a decades-old secret she seems destined to unravel.

Snowmen in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 2) Winter Carnival comes to Serenity, and with it Tj finds her schedule busier than ever. Not only is her ski and snowboard team heavily involved in demonstrations and local competitions, but her ragtag choir is about to debut in their first live performance. To make matters even more complicated, someone has killed Travis Davidson, a town favorite son, world-class snowboarder, and Olympic hopeful. Tj is determined not to get involved in the subsequent investigation until she learns the prime suspect is Chelsea Hanson, high-school boyfriend Hunter Hanson’s sister. Although there’s no shortage of Sereninites with a grudge against the hometown hero, even Tj has to admit there’s good cause to suspect Chelsea of the murder. Balancing bridesmaid duties, Winter Carnival obligations, show choir duty, and after-hours investigation, Tj sets out to prove Chelsea innocent.

Bikinis in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 3) When the Tropical Tan Corporation descends on Maggie’s Hideaway, the lakeside resort where Tj Jensen lives, she must juggle a bikini contest, a BBQ cook-off, a missing model, and a dead chaperone while her father is out of town. Lead Deputy Dylan Caine is on vacation while his sister is visiting, leaving Assistant Deputy Roy Fisher in charge. When Roy asks Tj for her help they find there may be more going on than anyone realized. With Kyle and Jenna’s help, they dig into the lives of those involved, only to find a mystery more complex than anything they could ever have imagined.

Christmas in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 4) Christmas in Serenity is a magical time of year Tj has always looked forward to with happy anticipation. This year her holiday spirit is marred by the impending arrival of two new men in her life. When one of them ends up dead, Tj must juggle community plays, Christmas tree cuttings, sleigh rides, and holiday shopping with a complex murder investigation. As the facts begin to unravel, she realizes she may have to risk everything to save someone she loves.

Puppies in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 5) When a friend of Tj’s is injured in a car accident during a blizzard, Tj takes responsibility for the litter of puppies left behind. Meanwhile, she works with Kyle, Jenna, and the gang to catch the person responsible for the death of a close family friend. When it turns out that the main suspects are also close to the Jensens, Tj must deal with one of the most difficult decisions she’s ever had to make.

Halloween in Paradise (A Tj Jensen Mystery Book 6) In the midst of the annual Halloween frenzy, Tj finds herself pulled into a series of events at the high school where she works. Not only must she help one of the girls on her team deal with a case of cyberbullying, but she must help a student who has recently suffered a personal tragedy. And as if Tj wasn’t busy enough, in walks Samantha Colton, a reporter for Second Look, a television series that takes a look back at unsolved murders. This time the case is the death of a popular student after the homecoming dance ten years before. To make matters even worse—or maybe more convenient—the graduating class of the victim is in town for their ten-year reunion and all the suspects just happen to have converged on Serenity for the weekend. When Samantha turns up dead, Tj must track down someone who seems willing to kill again to keep their secret.

A very special thank you to Kathi Daley for offering the winner a choice of either print or an e-book copy of any TJ JENSEN title! Non US residents are limited to Kindle copy only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Sunday, September 4, 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!)

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Kim’s Note: This makes a very large, rich dessert so if you don’t have enough people to help you eat the Pumpkin Cheesecake you can make a half recipe and bake in an 8″ x 8″ square dish. 

Ingredients

Cheesecake

1 box of graham cracker crumbs – follow directions on box to make crust for a 9 x 13-inch pan
4 packages cream cheese – softened
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
16 ounces pumpkin
3/4 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
6 eggs

Topping

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).

Beat the cream cheese and sugar together until creamy.

Add pumpkin, whipping cream, flour, spices, and vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined.

Add 4 whole eggs plus 2 egg yolks.

Pour over prepared graham cracker crust.

Bake about one hour until toothpick comes out clean.

Refrigerate until completely chilled.

Topping

Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Slowly add the granulated sugar, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract and whip until firm peaks form.

Spread over chilled cheesecake.

Tip

Thoroughly chill your bowl and beaters before whipping the heavy cream for the topping.

I was impressed with the whipped cream topping. It stayed fluffy for 3 days in the refrigerator!

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I received a copy of PUMPKINS IN PARADISE in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.