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LIVE AND LET PIE, the ninth book in the Bakeshop Mystery series by Ellie Alexander, is another charming addition to a sweet series! Protagonist Jules Capshaw, owner of the newly expanded and remodeled Torte Bakeshop in Ashland, Oregon, is an easy to love character. She is the type of person you’d want to hang out with and get to know… and if you’re lucky, sample all the yummy goodies she creates in her bakery kitchen! I love the friendships she has developed with her employees and how she freely mentors them to enhance their talents. She also has a very close relationship with her mother which is endearing. The story starts out after the marriage of Jules’ mother to the town’s detective, The Professor. Jules wasn’t sure about her mother moving forward but has learned to love and respect her new stepfather. I enjoy how the author continually gives the characters new learning experiences to expand their personal growth and I find it touching how emotional interaction is brought to some of the scenes.

While the delightful characters bring readers back to the series again and again, Ms. Alexander also provides a compelling murder mystery to intrigue us. She does provide a lot of setup before the cold case murder is brought to light but once Jules’ investigation starts, the plot moves forward with many twists and turns. She creates an interesting scenario with the connection between the decades-old victim and the murder victim that happens right after the first gruesome discovery. Jules’ investigation uncovers surprising conflicts surrounding the lack of housing and land available in the town. Ms. Alexander also touches on the plight of homelessness, especially homelessness affecting families. This hidden social issue is heart wrenching but the author treats the subject with sensitivity.

The reader will savor the descriptions of yummy foods coming from the kitchen of Torte and thankfully Ms. Alexander provides several recipes at the back of the book. I was drawn to the Raspberry Bars because you can use either frozen or fresh raspberries, making this an ideal dessert year-round. The crunchy brown sugar crust is layered with simple raspberries and then topped with a gooey-chewy nut and coconut layer for a satisfying treat!

Amazon Synopsis

Life is sweet once you step into Torte, everybody’s favorite small-town bakeshop. But what happens when it becomes the scene of a crime?

The heat is on for pastry chef, family business operator, and unlikely sleuth Jules Capshaw. Just when she thought she could enjoy some time away from the kitchen, Jules manages to discover a skull during a picnic by the lake. As if unearthing remains that may be connected to a missing-persons case from the 1960s isn’t enough on her plate, Jules must contend with the unsolved matter of her own marriage while her estranged husband Carlos sails the open seas, awaiting a verdict. Then there’s Jules’s bitter landlord Edgar, who is intent on making a sweet deal on a vacant lot down the block from Torte―until he turns up dead. If only Jules could find a recipe that would let her bake her cake and eat it, too…

A special thanks to Ellie Alexander for providing a winner with a print copy of LIVE AND LET PIE plus some Torte swag. Contest ends Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below 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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Raspberry Bars

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/4 cups flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 1-1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/3 cup coconut
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1 package frozen raspberries (thawed and drained). If fresh raspberries are in season, Jules highly recommends using them!

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

2. Sift 1-1/4 cups flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. Cream butter and 1/2 cup of brown sugar. Stir in lemon juice.

4. Add to flour and mix until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Press into a greased 7" x 11" baking pan.

5. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool.

6. In a new mixing bowl, combine eggs, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and vanilla. Stir in nuts and coconut.

7. Spread raspberries over cooled crust and then pour the egg mixture over the raspberries. 

8. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool and cut into bars.

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I am excited to be participating in the Great Escapes Virtual Book tour for EGGS ON ICE, the eighth book in the Cackleberry Club Mysteries by Laura Childs! This newest release brings A Christmas Carol to life on the pages. Protagonist, Suzanne, and her best friend, Toni, volunteer behind the scenes for the community production. They get caught up investigating when Scrooge is murdered by the Ghost of Christmas Future right in front of their eyes during dress rehearsal. I thought it was a very unique and clever setup for the murder and added a certain mystic to the scene. It just so happens that Scrooge is played by the town’s miserly scrooge and as they investigate, find even more people who weren’t all that unhappy with his death. I enjoyed the imagery and colorful descriptions the author provides in introducing the characters, which accurately captures their personalities. It makes the people in the story memorable.

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The interaction between Suzanne and her best friend, Toni, provides great interaction and opportunities for one-liners which had me chuckling. I found it heartwarming that Suzanne not only volunteers for various community projects, but also takes in rescue horses to foster until she finds people to give them forever homes. Her caring personality is exhibited over and over again, even when having to deal with Toni’s trying ex-husband, who is short a brick or two but is arrogant enough to think he’s got the full stack.

I also appreciate that Ms. Childs starts her books off quickly with a crime, which moves the story along instead of dragging down the pace with too much backstory and set up. Even if you haven’t read any previous books in this series, this is easily read as a standalone. While there isn’t a ton of action in the investigation (Suzanne has a business to run and she devotes herself to it) there is a heart-pounding conclusion to wrap the story up, and had me sitting on the edge of my seat.

Suzanne owns the Cackleberry Club Café and serves so many delicious dishes. She also provides catering on occasion and one of her clients requests she make Church Basement Funeral Bars for the victim’s wake. Layers of graham cracker crumbs, coconut, dates, cherries, pineapple, and pecans mix up in a jiffy and create a sweet, chewy treat! They also received very high praise from my taste testers… several times, which I think was a hint. I will definitely make these again… they’re perfect for any gathering be it fun or a somber event or just to spoil the special people in my life!

Amazon Synopsis

Some say that casting crusty attorney Allen Sharpe as Scrooge in the Kindred Players production of “A Christmas Carol” is just playing to type. He’s not the most beloved man in town. In fact, you’d have a dickens of a time finding someone who liked him. Still it’s a shock when the Ghost of Christmas Past stabs him during the first rehearsal. Suzanne, co-owner of the Cackleberry Club café, Kindred’s favorite combination diner, craft store and bookshop, chases the murderer out of the building but loses him in the alley. 

As the days pass the list of suspects grows longer. Is it the disgruntled partner? The former secretary whom Sharpe sexually harrassed? Or is it fellow owner of the Cackleberry Club, Toni’s almost ex-husband, Junior? The women of the Cackleberry Club are determined to find the killer before he can add another victim to his Christmas list.

A special thanks to Laura Childs for providing TWO hardcover copies of EGGS ON ICE for two lucky winners! Contest ends December 16, 2018 at 11:59 pm and is limited to U.S. residents. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The contest is administered by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours and the winner will be announced on this page as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

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Church Basement Funeral Bars

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1-1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
• 1 cup coconut flakes
• 1 cup dates, chopped
• 1 cup candied cherries, chopped
• 1 cup candied pineapple, chopped
• 1 cup pecans
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).

2. In a bowl, combine melted butter with graham cracker crumbs. Pat crumb mixture into a 9" x 13" pan.

3. Press each ingredient, in a single layer, on top of the crumbs, starting with the coconut flakes, then adding the dates, cherries, pineapple, and pecans.

4. Cover the entire dessert with the sweetened condensed milk.

5. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely and cut into 15 to 18 bars. 

Cinnamon & Sugar's Note

1. My family is not a fan of candied fruit so I substituted dried cherries and dried pineapple. The candied cherries would make the dish more festive looking though. 

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

December 3 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
December 3 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
December 3 – The Power of Words – REVIEW
December 4 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW
December 4 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
December 5 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW
December 5 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW
December 6 – A Wytch’s Book Review Blog – REVIEW
December 6 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 7 – Cinnamon, Sugar and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW
December 7 – MJB Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 8 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – SPOTLIGHT|
December 8 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW
December 9 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
December 10 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW
December 10 – My Journey Back – REVIEW
December 11 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 11 – A Holland Reads – REVIEW
December 12 – The Cozy Pages – REVIEW
December 12 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
December 13 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT
December 13 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
December 14 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 14 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW
December 15 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
December 15 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
December 16 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

I was provided an advance copy via Netgalley with the hopes I would review. 

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THE COLORING CROOK is the second book in the Pen & Ink Mystery series by Krista Davis. I greatly enjoyed examining the cover, which is meant to be used as a coloring page. The details of the line drawings includes clues and pieces of the story… kind of like a “Find the Picture” type of layout, which brought back fond memories of solving those types of puzzles and coloring with my granddaughter. I wish I had a few spare moments to join the coloring hobby for relaxation but, unfortunately, I already have more hobbies than I know what to do with, lol! For those who do like to color, this is a great addition to the book. 

Once the reader opens the book, Ms. Davis provides some intriguing historical information in the acknowledgements about a famous adult coloring book that was created in the 1700’s! Then the reader is introduced to the protagonist, Florrie Fox. Florrie is a very sweet, slightly old-fashioned, young woman whom I find charming. In her free time she designs and publishes adult coloring books. She also manages the Color Me Read bookstore. With the author’s strong descriptive voice, Color Me Read is a place I can see in my mind and a place that I would dearly love to hang out at.

Tragically one of the elderly ladies who has joined the book store’s coloring club, Hues, Brews, and Clues, is murdered. Florrie then discovers a mysterious skeleton that has been hidden behind a walled in bookcase in the murdered woman’s attic. The plot is fast-paced once the murder takes place and there is a slew of characters and suspects. I appreciated the list of “Cast of Characters” at the front of the book which helped keep them straight. The wrap-up holds a satisfying reveal but felt a bit rushed. Overall THE COLORING CROOK is an entertaining read with a delightfully artistic protagonist!

Florrie and her friends enjoy several yummy treats in the book and Ms. Davis includes several recipes at the back of the book to indulge any sweet tooth. I was drawn to her recipe for Salted Chocolate Brownies because, well… chocolate! I’ve also noticed that salt really brings out the flavor of chocolate and enhances the enjoyment. I love that these brownies don’t use a lot of flour and instead are more fudgy than cake-y, which is the type of brownie my family prefers. The richness of each bite will melt in your mouth and honestly, these are the perfect bars to serve as the base for a brownie sundae!

Amazon Synopsis

Life is looking rosy for Florrie Fox, manager of the Color Me Read bookstore in Georgetown, Washington D.C. She’s working on an adult coloring book of gardens, her romance with Sergeant Eric Jonquille has entered a new chapter, and the bookstore’s weekly coloring club is a source of friendship and entertainment. No member is more vibrant than Dolly Cavanaugh. Dolly likes to say she was blessed with beauty and cursed with lousy husbands, but at least she has a grown daughter and a stunning brownstone to show for it!
 
When Dolly’s love of garage sales results in her showing up at Color Me Read with a rare book in hand, Florrie is astounded. The Florist, the earliest known coloring book, was first published in 1760. An original copy would be worth a fortune—and someone else knows it. That same evening, Florrie finds Dolly dead on the floor of her apartment, a corner of a coloring book page clutched in her hand. As Florrie delves into Dolly’s past and her personal effects, she discovers a skeleton in the closet—literally—and a whole lot of shady suspects. One of them is an expert in the fine art of murder, but can Florrie draw the right conclusion?

A special thanks to Krista Davis for providing a winner with a print copy of THE COLORING CROOK. Contest ends Monday, December 3, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below 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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Salted Chocolate Brownies

(makes 20 brownies)

Ingredients

• 1 8-by-8-inch baking pan
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing pan
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour, plus extra for greasing pan
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Flaked sea salt like Maldon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour the baking pan.

2. Melt the butter. (Krista does this in a glass Pyrex measuring cup in the microwave.) When melted, add the chocolate chips and stir until they melt. Set aside.

3. Beat the eggs with the sugar until thick and cream-colored. Beat at least 2 to 3 minutes.

4. While they are beating, mix together in a separate bowl the flour, the 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, and the baking powder. Set aside.

5. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the butter mixture to the eggs. (Hint: After adding flour, beat at low speed.) When they are incorporated, add the vanilla. Beat well.

6. Pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with two pinches of flaked sea salt. Holding a knife tilted at an angle, gently swirl the salt into the batter. Bake 25 minutes. The edges should look firm. The middle should be firm enough not to quiver when gently shaken. Place on baking rack to cool. (Hint: It's easier to cut them while they are still slightly warm.)

7. Serve warm or cold. These freeze well. Those with midnight cravings might even find them quite delicious frozen.

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YULE LOG MURDER is a collection of three cozy mystery novellas by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Barbara Ross. With the holiday season often hectic, it’s nice to sit down and relax with a story that captures the Christmas spirit. I greatly appreciate that each novella can be read as a standalone and aren’t so long that I can’t get to the myriad of activities and chores that get scheduled for this time of year.

Each of the stories are set in Maine: Yule Log Murder by Leslie Meier is in Tinker’s Cover; Death by Yule Log by Lee Hollis is in Bar Harbor; and Logged On by Barbara Ross is in Busman Harbor. I greatly enjoyed spending time with each of the well-known characters from these well-loved series. Even if you’re not familiar with these authors, the stories can easily be read without feeling lost by not knowing the characters and backstory. Despite the limited word count, the three authors expertly captures the setting of their stories and flavor it liberally with the holiday spirit. They also give the reader an excellent feeling for their protagonist and supporting characters. The mysteries have good plots but have a gentler feel to them which, in my opinion, makes them ideal for the holidays. YULE LOG MURDER is the perfect book to curl up with in front of the fire with a mug of hot cocoa and a plate of Christmas cookies!

Each of the three authors have included holiday recipes with their story. I adore Barbara Ross’ description of her protagonist, Julia Snowden, learning to make Bûche de Noël. Barbara includes the recipe for it at the back of the book and I was intrigued. However, after reading through her introduction and advice for the recipe (which totally cracked me up) I took it to heart… and decided to make her recipe for Jewel Brooch Cookies instead! I loved that this recipe was handed down from Barbara’s grandmother. Easy to make, the jewel tones of jam makes these shortbread-style cookies festive and a lovely, delicious addition to any holiday cookie plate!

Amazon Synopsis

Fresh-baked cookies, pies, and cakes can warm even the frostiest Christmases in coastal Maine. But there’s little room for holiday cheer when murder is the new seasonal tradition . . .  
 
YULE LOG MURDER by LESLIE MEIER
Lucy Stone is thrilled to be cast as an extra in a festive period film—until the set becomes a murder scene decorated in blood and buttercream icing. Returning to her role as sleuth, Lucy dashes to restore peace to Tinker’s Cove, unwrap a cold-hearted criminal’s MO, and reveal how one ornate Yule log cake could possibly cause so much drama. 
 
DEATH BY YULE LOG by LEE HOLLIS
Hayley Powell’s holidays aren’t off to a very merry start. Not only has her daughter brought Conner—an infuriatingly perfect new beau—home to Bar Harbor, but a local troublemaker has been found dead with traces of her signature Yule log cake on his body. As Conner becomes the prime murder suspect, Hayley must put aside her mixed feelings to identify the real killjoy.
 
LOGGED ON by BARBARA ROSS
Realizing she can’t make a decent Bûche de Noël to save her life, Julia Snowden enlists the help of her eccentric neighbor, Mrs. St. Onge, in hopes of mastering the dessert for Christmas. With everyone in the old woman’s circle missing or deceased, however, it’s up to Julia to stop the deadly tidings before she’s the next Busman’s Harbor resident to meet a not-so-jolly fate.

A special thanks to Barbara Ross for providing a winner with a hardcover copy of YULE LOG MURDER. Contest ends Thursday, November 1, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below 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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Jewel Brooch Cookies

From the author, Barbara Ross: Many people make these cookies and call them by various names, including gems. This version came to me from my grandmother and I think they are particularly good.

Ingredients

• 1 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon floor (yes, really, that's what the recipe says)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup soft butter (Note: 1/2 cup, not 1/2 pound. That is the only way you can screw this recipe up)
• 1 egg yolk, beaten with a fork
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Your favorite jam or jelly

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

2. Mix flour and sugar. Cut in butter like a piecrust. Add egg yolk and vanilla.

3. Mix with fingers until dough holds together.

4. Place in refrigerator for 20 minutes.

5. Roll into balls the size of a marble and set on parchment-lined cookie sheet, 1-inch apart.

6. Make an indentation in the center of each ball with your thumb. Fill the indentation with any jam or jelly.

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

8. Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet then move to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Notes

Makes about a dozen cookies, depending on the size of the balls. I almost always double the recipe.

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CRUMBLED TO PIECES is the sixth book in the Cookies & Chance Mystery series by Catherine Bruns. Sally Muccio Donovan owns a delicious cookie shop, Sally’s Samples, while her best friend, Josie bakes all the delectable treats. I love the setting of the shop and can easily visualize and taste the cookies thanks to the strong descriptive language the author uses. I also adore the relationship Sally and Josie have. As close as sisters, they have a humorous repartee that provides plenty of opportunity for strong dialog. The theme running through all the books is the messages found in random fortune cookies that Sally hands out to every customer. Sometimes fortune cookies break in Sally’s hand and she finds her own puzzling fortune… sometimes hinting at disastrous events. In CRUMBLED TO PIECES it’s Sally’s new tenant that karma visits. Even though the elderly Sicilian woman is as nasty as you can possibly imagine, Sally’s adorable grandmother begs Sally to find justice for the woman after she is killed.

With the help of her best friend, grandmother and her grandmother’s friend (also known as “the thorn in Sally’s side”) the search for the killer takes them on a trip to Las Vegas. Their mission is to track down the estranged daughter of the deceased and find out why she was the only one of her siblings to inherit. Even though it’s a short trip, the author manages to capture the sounds and sights of Sin City while infusing more humor into the story and weaving a tight plot. As the reader turns the pages, the clues start providing more and more suspects which kept me guessing up until the suspenseful reveal. With a strong mystery as the focal point, it’s the characters that add delightful charm to the story and keeps me coming back for each new book in this series!

Sally’s Samples serves so many yummy cookies in addition to the fortune cookies. I am honored that Ms. Bruns has included my own recipe for Double Chocolate Chili Cookies in her book. Rich and chocolatey, these cookies have a bit of hot spice that adds to the depth of the chocolate. I’ve tinkered with this recipe for years and they’ve gained a permanent position on my Christmas cookie platters. I’ve tried substituting other chocolate cookies for a change of pace but my recipients all want these. I’ve found that the majority of people enjoy the cookies more when I use the smaller amount of cayenne for just a hint of spice, although others (like my son-in-law) prefer their cookie spicier. If spicy isn’t your cup of tea, then by all means omit it… these fudgy, chewy cookies will still be delicious!

Amazon Synopsis

In need of some quick dough, full-time baker and sometime sleuth Sally Muccio decides to rent the vacant apartment over the bakery to a friend of her grandmother’s. Allegra Fiato is nothing like Sal’s darling Grandma Rosa, though. She’s mean, dishonest, and harboring a deadly secret.

When the elderly woman is mowed down in a hit and run, it quickly becomes obvious this was no accident. Grandma Rosa asks for Sal’s help to find the killer which involves a last minute trip to Vegas crashed by Sal’s crazy parents, stolen fortune cookies, and a mysterious missing
locket. To add more spice to the mix, a loved one makes a startling admission to Sal that shocks her to the very core. Suddenly, Sal’s world is in danger of crumbling around her. Can she put the pieces back together in time before the killer makes her the next victim?

A special thanks to Catherine Bruns for providing a winner with their choice of print or e-book of CRUMBLED TO PIECES. Contest ends Sunday, October 7, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below 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!)  

Start the series for only 99 cents!

For a short time the first book in the Cookies & Chance Mystery series, TASTES LIKE MURDER, is on sale for only $0.99! Don’t miss out on this special pricing! 

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Double Chocolate Chili Cookies

Ingredients

• 1-1/3 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup (102g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons flaky sea salt or kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon cayenne powder (depending on how spicy you want the cookies)
• 3/4 cup (172g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup (210g) packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (152g) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1-1/2 cups (245g) chocolate chips (your choice of semi-sweet, dark, milk, or white)

Instructions

1. Don't preheat the oven yet since the dough needs to chill first.

2. Whisk flour, cornstarch, cocoa, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cayenne powder together in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream butter until pale and fluffy.   
   

4. Beat in sugars until smooth and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  
   

5. Add in vanilla, then beat in one egg at a time until incorporated. 
   

6. Add in half the flour mixture on low and mix to incorporate before adding the other half. 
   

7. Once flour is incorporated stir in the chocolate chips.  
   

8. Refrigerate dough for several hours or overnight. 
   

9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

10. Using 1-1/2 teaspoon scoop, roll dough into a ball. Roll each ball in granulated sugar before placing on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
    

11. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes. The tops of the cookies will have a crackled appearance, but the inside should still look soft.
    

12. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. 
    

13. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. 
    

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A DEADLY BREW is the latest Tourist Trap Mystery novella by Lynn Cahoon and is already a USA Today Best Seller! This fun, quick read definitely got me in the mood for Halloween with a ghost story as the central theme. I enjoyed how it started with the author’s dedication to her mother and their shared love of Dark Shadows. It brought back memories of my childhood when I would sneak over to my best friend’s house to watch that scary fun program! It wasn’t allowed in my home but I was intrigued by the peek into the supernatural and looked forward to the program each week.

Protagonist Jill Gardner, along with her boyfriend (the handsome detective Greg King) and 3 other couples are participating in a haunted house lock-in. The owner of the house disappeared fifteen years previously and had never been found. One of the friends participating is Esmerelda, who purportedly has psychic abilities and hopes to contact the owner from the “other side” to find out what happened. Most of the group is skeptical but when Jill starts experiencing strange things in the house, she finds her beliefs are challenged. Ms. Cahoon weaves in a tight tale of the cold case concerning the missing woman who was a supposed witch, a ghost searching for a lost child, and things that go bump in the night! Even though it is a short novella, I felt the story contained all the necessary elements to make it a delightful read: good characters, a mystery or two to be solved, clues sprinkled around, and an exciting conclusion. You’ll definitely want to curl up with a cup of hot cocoa with marshmallows and a plate of Sadie’s Cheesecake Brownies while reading this “spirited” book!  

While A DEADLY BREW does not contain recipes, Sadie’s Cheesecake Brownies are served during the lock-in and Ms. Cahoon was kind enough to develop a recipe for me to share. The base is rich, moist chocolately brownies that mix up quickly. Tangy cream cheese, egg, and sugar mixes together to top the brownie base and is then swirled a bit to marble. The resulting dessert is devilishly yummy and sure to please all your ghouls and goblins!

Amazon Synopsis

As Halloween approaches South Cove, California, four couples get into the spirit of the holiday by conjuring up spirits. . .
 
The house has sat empty for fifteen years, taking up prime real estate along the picturesque coastline. Built by one of the founders of South Cove, its last known owner, Maryanne Demerit, vanished without a trace. Now her home will be demolished for a condo development, but until then, it’s the perfect spot for a Halloween haunted house.
 
Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books, and More, her boyfriend, and three other couples are spending the weekend in the Demerit home. But what begins as an all-in-good-fun fright fest turns into a mystery begging to be solved as Jill is contacted by the ghost of Maryanne . . .

A special thanks to Lynn Cahoon for providing a winner with an e-book copy of A DEADLY BREW. Contest ends Sunday, September 23, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below 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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Sadie's Cheesecake Brownies

Author's Note: You can use a box for the brownie section if you're short on time, but I love making brownies from scratch. This is a recipe I developed in high school and it has never failed me...

Ingredients

Brownies:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup cocoa

Cheesecake Topping:

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup sugar

Instructions

Brownies:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

2. Cream the sugar into the butter then add the vanilla and eggs.

3. Once combined, stir the dry ingredients into the mix. Spread batter into a greased 9- x 9-inch pan and make your topping.

Cheesecake Topping:

1. Mix all the topping ingredients together until creamy.

Putting it together:

1. Spread over the top of the brownie batter. You can also marble this by running a knife through the top, mixing the brownie and cheesecake mixture together. Do not overmix.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes. Check at 30 minutes to see if brownies are done by putting a toothpick in the middle to see if brownies have set.

3. Allow brownies to completely cool before cutting into squares and serving.

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