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AS THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE CRUMBLES by Leslie Budewitz is the fifth book in the Food Lovers series. The Christmas holidays are gearing up with lots of festivities planned in Jewel Bay, Montana, which prides itself on promoting local food and crafts. Erin Murphy, manager of her family’s Murphy Mercantile, is a delightful protagonist. I adore the closeness she shares with her family which spills over into the close-knit community. Erin is kind-hearted and befriends Merrily, who has been shunned from her family for a long-ago transgression which she had paid dearly for. Given the ongoing holiday festivities, Merrily’s family situation becomes all that more heartbreaking. I found Ms. Budewitz writes rich, emotional connections between the characters and brings the spirit of the season to life on the pages. And even though it’s only June, I’m happy to read about Christmas any time of the year!

When Merrily is found murdered, Erin grieves for a friend she barely knew and is pulled into finding justice for the woman. Even though Erin is busy finalizing her wedding plans to Adam and participating in the town’s events, she still finds time to ask questions and find the truth. There were enough suspects to keep me guessing without too many overwhelming the plot. Subplots were woven into the story to bring an added depth of richness to the tale and Ms. Budewitz brings all the threads together in one satisfying conclusion. I also appreciated how the author includes a list of characters at the very beginning of the book. While I didn’t need to reference it since characters were judiciously introduced, it was nice to have “just in case”. And truth be told, it was terrific to have when writing this review since I got so caught up in the fast-paced story I forgot to take many notes.

With the Christmas season being celebrated in the village, Erin hosts a cookie exchange party. It was fun reading Erin’s description of how she connects the cookie qualities with the personality of the baker who brought them to the exchange. The reader will be drooling over the myriad of recipes Ms. Budewitz includes at the back of the book, both for cookies and savory dishes alike! It was certainly difficult to choose just one recipe to share but in the end, Chocolate Ecstasies won out. I was smitten by the generous amounts of chocolate these cookies hold and the fact that it mixes up in one pan. No lugging the heavy-duty mixer out, no rolling out dough, no worrying about getting the butter softened enough. This ultimate chocolatey, easy-peasy cookie recipe is still super yummy and will have your friends and family begging for it year-round!

Amazon Synopsis

Erin is one smart cookie, but can she keep the holiday spirit―and herself―alive till Christmas?

In Jewel Bay, all is merry and bright. At Murphy’s Mercantile, AKA the Merc, manager Erin Murphy is ringing in the holiday season with food, drink, and a new friend: Merrily Thornton. A local girl gone wrong, Merrily has turned her life around. But her parents have publicly shunned her, and they nurse a bitterness that chills Erin.

When Merrily goes missing and her boss discovers he’s been robbed, fingers point to Merrily―until she’s found dead, a string of lights around her neck. The clues and danger snowball from there. Can Erin nab the killer―and keep herself in one piece―in time for a special Christmas Eve?

A special thanks to Midnight Ink and Leslie Budewitz for providing a winner with a print copy of AS THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE CRUMBLES! Contest is limited to U.S. residents only and ends Wednesday, June 13, 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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Fudge Ecstasies

Adding half the chocolate chips just before baking gives these crackletopped cookies a soft, fudgy interior. And mixing the batter in the saucepan makes clean up easy!

Ingredients

• 1 12-ounce package (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips (divided)
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, heaping
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• Dash of salt
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees (F).

2. In a heavy medium sauce pan, melt one cup of the chocolate chips, the unsweetened chocolate, and the butter, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

3. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and a dash of salt.

4. Add the eggs, sugar, and vanilla to the chocolate mixture, in the saucepan but off the heat; mix well.

5. Add the flour mixture and mix well.

6. Stir in the remaining one cup of chocolate chips and the nuts.

7. Drop by teaspoons onto a baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the surface dull and cracked.

8. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for a minute or two, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Notes

Makes about 3 dozen.

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PICK AND CHEWS, the fourth book in the Barkery & Biscuits Mystery series by Linda O. Johnston is a cute read for dog and pet lovers! Protagonist Carrie Kennersly is both a veterinarian technician and the owner of the Barkery & Biscuits pet bakery plus Icing on the Cake bakery for human treats. She has her hands full running her businesses with the help of great assistants, plus keeping her part-time job at the vet clinic in Knobcone Heights. I loved the location and the settings. Knobcone Heights is located in the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California, which is in my neck of the woods so to speak. The two bakeries (pet and human) are adorable and I enjoyed the interaction Carrie has with her clients. It’s obvious she has a great love for pets, especially dogs, and it was sweet how she went out of her way to share extra treats with the town’s animal shelter. I also enjoyed the supporting characters, both human and canine, especially Carrie’s adorable dog, Biscuit.

Carrie’s relationship with veterinarian Dr. Reed Storme is also progressing and when he’s accused of murdering a former co-worker Carrie steps in to clear his name. She has quite a reputation in town for solving murders and even though Reed hasn’t liked her doing so in the past, he asks her to investigate and prove his innocence. There are plenty of suspects who would have liked to kill the victim (you can’t help but truly dislike her!) including, Reed. I was a bit uncomfortable that Carrie wasn’t ever sure of Reed’s innocence, even though she wanted him to be, yet still elected to spend the night with him. The story starts out a little slow but once the murder takes place, the pace picks up. The killer was a big surprise to me, but in hindsight the clues were there as Carrie investigates. The reveal wraps up the threads of the story with a suspenseful conclusion.

The townspeople and pets of Knobcone Heights enjoy an assortment of treats at Carrie’s bakeries and fortunately for the reader, Ms. Johnston provides recipes at the back of the book for both humans and dogs. I chose to make her recipe for Make-in-My-Sleep Brownies (for people only!). The brownies are just the way I like brownies: Ooey, gooey, and chewy with plenty of rich chocolate. I needed to make some goodies for my granddaughter’s school for teacher appreciation week and this recipe was perfect since they are baked in a jelly-roll pan. The brownies, while thin, are rich and satisfying so cutting them into small squares means you can serve a crowd. Although no one would complain if you served them a large Make-in-My Sleep Brownie topped with ice cream and fudge sauce! In fact, you’d get a huge thank you! 

Amazon Synopsis

Carrie Kennersly tries to help her veterinarian boyfriend when he’s under suspicion of murder…Is he a keeper, or should she let him go off-leash for good?

As a technician for a local vet and the owner of the Barkery & Biscuits dog bakery, Carrie Kennersly is excited to host a rescue animal adoption event. She’s also excited to be in a relationship with veterinarian Dr. Reed Storme, despite his pleas for her to butt out of the murder cases she keeps finding herself involved with. Yet when Reed is accused of killing his former veterinary colleague, he seems a lot more agreeable to having amateur detective Carrie butt back in. Can Carrie clear Reed, or does she care too much for a killer?

A special thanks to Linda O. Johnston for providing two print copies of PICK AND CHEWS! Contest ends Monday, June 11, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The 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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Make-in-My-Sleep Brownies

Ingredients

• 4 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup margarine or butter (2 sticks)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).

2. Melt chocolate and margarine (or butter) in microwave. Cool for about 10 minutes.

3. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well.

4. Pour into a greased jelly roll pan (15"x10"); or line pan with non-stick foil for easy removal.

5. Bake for 25 minutes.

6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar while still warm.

7. When cool, cut into squares. 

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

May 29 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
May 29 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
May 30 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – GUEST POST
May 30 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
May 31 – Books Direct – GUEST POST
May 31 – T’s Stuff – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
June 1 – Cinnamon, Sugar and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW
June 1 – Mallory Heart’s Cozies – REVIEW
June 2 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW  
June 2 – The Power of Words – REVIEW
June 3 – Bibliophile Reviews – REVIEW, GUEST POST  
June 4 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
June 4 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
June 5 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
June 5 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 6 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
June 6 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s Blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 7 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW
June 8 – Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – REVIEW
June 9 – The Montana Bookaholic – CHARACTER GUEST POST
June 9 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
June 10 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST
June 11 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
June 11 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

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

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BEAR WITNESS TO MURDER, the second book in the Shamelessly Adorable Teddy Bear Mystery series by Meg Macy is the most adorable cozy mystery out there! Combining a teddy bear factory, and a Cran-beary Tea Party celebrating Octobear Fest while mixing in a close-knit family and a rekindled romance provides Ms. Macy with a delightful hit in this newest release! The beary-fun puns add humor and wit while the Silver Bear Shop and Factory provides a unique setting in the small Michigan town. Sasha Silverman is a likeable protagonist and I enjoyed seeing her interact not only with her family but also with people that she didn’t care for… like her sleazy ex-husband, Flynn, and her high school nemesis. Flynn seems to be cozying up to Sasha’s mom and the reader has to wonder just what it is he is trying to accomplish. The subplots bring an added complexity to the story while the author has allowed Sasha to mature and grow in the face of adversity. The murder of her ex’s girlfriend brings out numerous suspects, including Sasha’s cousin along with her ex-husband and I was kept guessing until the final suspenseful reveal. I loved the first adorable book and I was more than delighted with this second installment in the series!

While the book does not contain recipes there are so many adorable bear-themed treats on Pinterest. The author sent me a photo of Panda Macarons and I almost swooned over their cuteness… and decided I really had to try them out! Even though there are so many ways to flavor macarons, I sometimes prefer something simplistic that allows the filling flavor it shine, especially since I had already decided I wanted a subtle white chocolate filling. But simple and subtle definitely don’t mean boring! The crunch of the almond-flavored macaron is complemented by the sweet, rich creaminess of the white chocolate ganache which provides a hint of vanilla. If you feel you need a burst of flavor, by all means substitute semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips for the white chocolate in the ganache. Either way, kids of all ages will be happy to eat these Panda Macarons!   

Check out the free macaron piping guide I’ve included at the bottom of the page as a pdf download.  

Amazon Synopsis

Silver Bear Shop and Factory manager Sasha Silverman is cozying up to the fall season by hosting Silver Hollow’s Cranbeary Tea Party, the opening event of the village’s Oktobear Fest—a too-cute celebration themed around teddy bears. She barely has a moment to agonize over the return of her former high school rival, Holly Parker, whose new toy and bookstore in town could spell big trouble for the Silver Bear Shop and her cousin’s small bookstore . . .
 
But when Sasha discovers Holly’s shop assistant dead with a knife plunged in her body, the unpleasant woman suddenly looks like a real backstabber. So does Sasha’s ex-husband, rumored to have rekindled the fiery extramarital affair he once had with the victim. Now, before a gruesome homicide case takes the fun out of both the Fest and her personal life, Sasha must identify the true culprit from a daunting suspect list—or risk becoming as lifeless as one of her stuffed bears . . .

A special thanks to Meg Macy for providing a winner with a print copy of BEAR WITNESS TO MURDER! Contest is limited to U.S. residents only and ends Wednesday, May 30, 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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Panda Macarons with White Chocolate Ganache Filling

It is important that you weigh the ingredients to obtain good results. 

Ingredients

Macarons

• 200 grams confectioners' sugar (1-1/2 cups + 1-1/2 tablespoons)
• 110 grams almond meal (1 cup)
• 90 grams egg whites, room temperature (from 3 eggs)
• 50 grams granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
• Pinch cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon white food color (optional)
• Black food coloring

White Chocolate Ganache

• 254 grams premium white chocolate chips (1-1/2 cups)*
• 90 ml heavy cream (6 tablespoons)
• Pink petal dust (optional)

Instructions

Macarons

1. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the almond meal and confectioners' sugar until it becomes a fine powder, about 30 pulses. Sift the almond meal mixture into a large bowl. If small chunks of almond remain in the sifter, process the chunks in the food processor and sift back into bowl. Set aside.

2. Add the egg whites to the bowl of a standing mixer. Whip the eggs with the whip attachment on medium-low speed. Once soft peaks start appearing (2 – 3 minutes) add the cream of tartar and then slowly sprinkle the granulated sugar onto the egg whites while the mixer is still running. Increase speed to medium high and whip until stiff peaks appear. 

3. Using a spatula, fold in the white food coloring (if using) and about 1/3 of the almond and sugar mixture until combined. Fold in another third of the almond mixture until combined, then repeat with remaining almond meal mixture and fold until batter is fully mixed. Batter should easily drop from the spatula but shouldn't be runny. Be cautious to not overmix though.

4. Remove 1/3 cup of the batter and place into a small bowl. Add black food coloring, a little at a time and thoroughly mix until desired shade is reached. Place into a piping bag fitted with a size 3 round tip. I like to use a coupler so I can change out tips if needed, such as using a size 2 tip to pipe the mouth of the panda.

5. Place the remaining batter into a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip (I used a size 10). Pipe the batter onto the parchment paper, making 1-inch to 1-1/2-inch circles. (You can do this free hand or have a template placed beneath the parchment paper.) Leave 1 – 2 inches between the cookie circles to allow for spreading.

6. Using the black batter, pipe the panda face details: eyes, nose, and ears on half the macarons. On the remaining macarons, pipe a round tail. If desired, switch to a smaller round tip and pipe mouth details.

7. Once baking sheets have been filled, firmly tap the sheets on the counter 2 times to release any air bubbles in the batter. Let the cookie shells rest on the counter for 30 to 60 minutes, until the tops feel dry. They should NOT feel sticky or tacky. This will prevent the tops from cracking when baked.

8. Preheat the oven to 315 degrees (F) and position the rack in the lower third of the oven.

9. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 15 – 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. 

   They will be done if the cookie lifts fairly easy from the parchment. If it sticks or separates from the bottom, cook a minute or two longer.

10. Remove baking sheet from oven and allow the cookies to cool completely before removing from parchment paper.
    

White Chocolate Ganache

1. Combine the white chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl.

2. Heat in the microwave, on full power, for 1 minute. Remove and whisk until melted and smooth. If needed return bowl to microwave and heat an additional 15 seconds, being very careful to not overheat. 

3. Once melted, place the bowl in the refrigerator until it cools. Stir often until it becomes a spreadable consistency that won't drip off the macaron. If the ganache is too firm, reheat in the microwave for 5 seconds and rewhisk. If it becomes too thin, re-chill until spreadable.  

4. Place the ganache in a piping bag fitted with wide, round tip.

Putting it together

1. Match up the cookie shells into face and tail pairs. Pipe a layer of white chocolate ganache onto the bottom side of one cookie and then add the top cookie, creating a “sandwich”. Press the cookies together to spread the ganache to the edges. If desired, brush pink petal dust onto the cheeks of the panda macarons. 
   

2. Immediately serve. Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 3 days. 

Tips

1. Use blanched almond meal for lighter-colored macarons.

2. I didn't stir my batter long enough so it was too thick as I piped it. The batter should easily drip from the spatula. It resulted in having to bake the macarons longer than necessary which made them extra crunchy instead of slightly chewy. My husband actually preferred them this way! 

3. *Feel free to substitute semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips for the white chocolate.

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Click here for the free pdf template to use beneath parchment paper: Macaron piping template

I’m delighted to be participating in the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour by sharing my review and a recipe from a brand new book in a brand new series! CAKE & PUNISHMENT by Maymee Bell (aka Tonya Kappes) is the first book in the Southern Cake Baker Mystery series and one not to be missed! Filled with Southern charm and sayings, the characters bring the Kentucky region to life for the reader. The protagonist, Sophia Cummings, is a talented pastry chef taking a short leave from her prestigious position at a Manhattan, New York restaurant after catching her boyfriend in a compromising position with the maître d’. Returning home to Rumford, Kentucky to stay with her folks, Sophia finds herself volunteering to make the wedding cake for one of her old high school friends. I love how the author integrates cake baking and decorating tips into the story and the descriptions of her gorgeous confections are drool-worthy. Bitsy, Sophia’s mother, is as southern as they come and adds appeal to the story. Many of the scenes are centered at the Rumsford Country Club and when the head chef is found murdered right before Sophia shows up to start on the cakes, she gets involved. Some might call her nosy but she pays close attention to details and finds that people like to talk to her. The author provides many suspects to keep the reader guessing while for the most part, the pacing of the story was good. The final reveal felt a bit rushed or maybe I just didn’t want this enticing story to end.

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Not only did Sophia bake the wedding cake for her friend, she pitched in to work in the country club’s kitchen after the chef was murdered. She also baked yummy treats for her friends and family throughout the book and I was constantly drooling. Fortunately Ms. Bell provides several mouthwatering recipes at the back of the book and I want to try them all! But having to settle for one to share, I chose the Red Velvet Crunchies which Sophia made numerous times during the story. The base is a chocolate red velvet with a generous amount of chocolate chips added to the dough and then additional chocolate chips pressed into the tops as soon as the cookies are done baking. To be honest, I’ve never made red velvet anything so was quite alarmed when the batter turned SO red when I mixed it… I thought I’d done something terribly wrong. But, once the cookies baked, they turned a delicious chocolate brown with a red tint instead of looking like they were straight out of a horror show. The warm, gooey chocolate cookies were a huge hit when served with an ice cold glass of milk. I found these to be a wonderful variation on everyone’s favorite chocolate chip cookies!

Amazon Synopsis

In the first of a delectable new Southern-set baking cozy series, Sophia Cummings, pastry chef extraordinaire, must craft the perfect cake for an old friend’s wedding while sifting through the suspects in a murder. 

Bucolic Rumford, Kentucky has glowing fields of bluegrass, a fine selection of bourbons, and now a professional pastry chef. Broken-hearted Sophia Cummings has come home from New York City. She’s not there a minute before she’s charmed into making her high school friend Charlotte’s wedding cake. The kitchen at the Rumford Country Club seems perfect until Chef Emile’s body is discovered, sprawled near the stove, a cast iron skillet on the floor close by. 

With one look at the shiny, new frying pan, Sophia knows it’s not Emile’s. She offers her knowledge to Sheriff Carter and her talents to Evelyn, the manager, who needs an interim chef. The mood in the country club is grim: Emile’s peppery personality had burned members and staff alike. Sophia wonders which one of them burned him? 

A special thanks to Tonya Kappes for providing one winner with an Amazon Kindle tablet! Contest ends Friday, May 11, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The contest is administered by Tonya Kappes and the winner will be announced on this page as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) 

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Red Velvet Crunchies

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon red food coloring, liquid or gel (might might need more, depending on how red you want your cookies)
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips plus 1/2 cup for after baking to stick on top for decorations

Instructions

Do not preheat the oven because the dough has to be chilled for one hour.

1. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.

2. Use a mixer to beat the butter on high speed until creamy. Beat in the brown sugar and granulated sugar until combined and creamy. Beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla extract. Once mixed, add the food coloring and beat until combined. 

3. Turn mixer off to add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on low and slowly beat until a very soft dough is formed. Add more food coloring if you'd like the dough to be brighter red, which I do. I eyeball this. On low speed, beat in the chocolate chips. The dough will be sticky. 

4. Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour. It has to be chilled.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

6. Put parchment paper on two baking sheets and set aside so they are ready for you to place dough on once you've rolled it into balls.

7. Scoop up 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball.

8. Place nine balls on each baking sheet. Bake each batch for 10 - 11 minutes. The cookies may only spread slightly because the center will be nice and moist. If you want to press down the warm cookie, you can, and it will make crinkles on top. I stick a few chocolate chips on top and in the crinkles for decoration only.

9. Keep the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

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Tour Participants

April 25 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – CHARACTER GUEST POST
April 25 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW
April 26 – Babs Book Bistro – SPOTLIGHT
April 26 – Bibliophile Reviews –  REVIEW
April 27 – The Book Diva’s Reads –  CHARACTER GUEST POST
April 27 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
April 28 – Ms. Cat’s Honest World – REVIEW
April 28 – MJB Reviewers – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW
April 29 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW, GIVEAWAY
April 30 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW
April 30 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
May 1 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
May 1 – Mysteries with Character – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 2 – Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW
May 2 – Island Confidential – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
May 3 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
May 3 – Valerie’s Musings – GUEST POST
May 4 – The Power of Words – REVIEW
May 4 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
May 5 – Varietats – REVIEW
May 6 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
May 7 – FUONLYKNEW – REVIEW
May 7 – Ruff Drafts – GUEST POST
May 8 – The Montana Bookaholic – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
May 8 – Cinnamon, Sugar and a Little Bit of Murder – RECIPE POST
May 9 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
May 9 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW, GUEST POST
May 10 – That’s What She’s Reading – REVIEW, GUEST POST
May 10 – Bookworm Cafe – REVIEW
May 11 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, RECIPE POST
May 11 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

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

I am so happy to have Paige Shelton on my blog today to share an amazing shortbread recipe and celebrate her upcoming release, LOST BOOKS AND OLD BONES, with you! Be sure to check out her giveaway below the recipe, too!  

 * * * * * * * * * * 

Of course, shortbread direct from Scotland is the best shortbread in the world. Except for your grandmother’s. No one can beat your grandmother’s anything. Having said that, I do love shortbread. Known by a number of different names in the UK, I was first introduced to these cookies as Empire Biscuits. They are addictive. So, no matter if you call them Imperial Biscuits, Double Biscuits, German Biscuits, Linzer Biscuit, or Empire Biscuits, they are delicious. And pretty easy to make. If you’re craving something sweet, these are the way to go. Also, if you’d just like a yummy recipe for shortbread, this one is good.

I found a tip somewhere on the Internet, and I have really enjoyed what this ingredient does to shortbread. Bird’s Custard Powder.

Instead of 4 cups of the flour, I use 3 cups flour, and one cup of the custard powder. If you don’t want to track down some Bird’s, just use 4 cups flour. I ordered mine from Walmart.com. This recipe should yield about 24 sandwich cookies (more might be possible if you make small, thin cookies), but I make my cookies bigger than the normal “biscuit” size, so I only get about 18.

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Empire Biscuits

Ingredients

For the biscuits:

• 2 to 2-1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 cup Bird’s Custard Powder (or substitute with flour)

For the filling and topping:

• 1 cup raspberry preserves
• 12 or more maraschino cherries

For the icing:

• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For the biscuits:

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Gradually stir in the flour and custard powder until well blended. Start with 2 cups butter. Add more if you can’t keep the dough together enough to roll it out. It takes some work and some getting used to. If your dough seems too sticky, add a bit more flour at a time until it can be rolled out. 

2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to ¼ inch thickness. Cut into rounds using a cookie cutter.

3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. Sandwich one teaspoon of preserves between two cookies. Repeat until all cookies are used, or all jam is gone, and remaining cookies must be sacrificed to the baker for all her hard work.

For the icing:

1. In a medium bowl, gradually stir the milk into the confectioners’ sugar until the icing is of a spreadable consistency. Spread on top of the sandwiched cookies. Top each cookie with half a cherry while the icing is till wet. If you’re feeling like a rebel, go ahead and top with something else. Anything you like would work just fine. 

Cinnamon & Sugar's Notes:

1. Here is a recipe for making your own custard powder to use: 
   1 cup confectioners' sugar; 
   1/2 cup powdered milk; 
   1/2 cup cornstarch; 
   1 teaspoon vanilla powder (if you don't use, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to shortbread recipe); 
   1 teaspoon salt; 
   Whisk together and then measure out 1 cup to use for shortbread recipe.

2. If you substitute flour for the custard powder, but sure to add 1 teaspoon of salt to the shortbread recipe.

Thanks to Kim for letting me stop by today! See you all in the bookstores.

 A special thanks to Paige Shelton for providing a hardcover copy of LOST BOOKS AND OLD BONES for one lucky winner. Contest is limited to U.S. residents only and ends Wednesday, April 4, 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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My Review

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I’ve been a fan of the Scottish Bookshop Mystery series by Paige Shelton and was excited to read an advance copy of her third book, LOST BOOKS AND OLD BONES. Not only did it meet my high expectations but I think it’s the best book in the series so far! Ms. Shelton captured my attention starting with her Acknowledgments and continuing all the way through to her list of real-life victims at the back of the book. I couldn’t put the book down and devoured it in one sitting while neglecting to pause to even take a single note for my review. I greatly admire the protagonist, Delany, from Kansas in America, as the Scottish people are prone to call her. She has an adventurous spirit, enjoys researching historical books and items, and has a kind, friendly heart to those she meets… even to those who might not seem to deserve her compassion. She is surrounded by a wonderful cast of characters that greatly add to the enjoyment of the story. I adore The Cracked Spine, the delightful bookshop with its mysterious treasures and tomes! It’s a place I could spend days and days exploring and wish it were a real location. It’s also the perfect setting from which to feature Delany getting involved in murder mysteries.

Ms. Shelton weaves an intriguing plot incorporating not only a modern day murder but a murder that spans a decade and several historical murders from the early 1800’s! While the plot lines are intricate, the author writes skillfully so that the reader never feels lost. In fact, the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat, turning pages faster and faster to see how she would tie the seemingly unrelated deaths together. Ms. Shelton deftly brings the threads of the story together in an exciting and very satisfying conclusion that leaves me pleading for the next book to release soon!

Amazon Synopsis

Delaney Nichols, originally of Kansas but settling happily into her new life as a bookseller in Edinburgh, works at The Cracked Spine in the heart of town. She’s recently befriended a few medical school students after they came into the shop to sell some antique medical tomes. But when one of the students’ friends is found murdered outside in the alley, Delaney takes it upon herself to help bring the murderer to justice.

During her investigation, Delaney finds some old scalpels in the bookshop’s warehouse―she finds out that they belonged to a long-dead doctor, whose story might be connected to the present-day murder. It’s all Delaney can do to race to solve this crime before time runs out and she ends up in danger herself.

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

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THE UNINVITED CORPSE, the first book in the brand new Food Blogger Mystery series by debut author Debra Sennefelder, was such a fun read for me as a fellow blogger! Protagonist Hope Early writes the blog, “Hope at Home”. I so enjoyed seeing her blogging process along with her ideas for creating recipes. Hope has some baggage that she’s brought back to the small Connecticut town and she’s learning to move past her perceived failures. But trying to settle in “back home” has its own problems and among them, her sister being accused of murdering the real estate agent she’s in competition with. It doesn’t help that Hope was the one to find the body and as she starts asking questions around town, finds that her sister had several reasons to kill the victim. Despite that, Hope is loyal and learns how important it is to take time to connect with her family and friends without having ulterior motives. There is also humor interjected via the character of Hope’s former reality show manager and his ideas he pitches to her for new reality shows. I’ve never been a fan of reality shows aside from Cupcake Wars and the cake challenges on the Food Network and Ms. Sennefelder brings to light what I’ve always envisioned them to really be: contrived contentious situations having nothing to do with reality.

Being the first book in a new series, the author introduces many characters all at once. I’ll admit I had a hard time following who was who at the beginning of the book but once the murder happens the story falls in place and the pace picks up. In addition to Hope’s sister being a viable suspect, Ms. Sennefelder weaves in several other suspects who wanted the abrasive real estate agent dead. The climatic ending brought good resolution to the mystery and wrapped up the subplots nicely.

One of the scenes in the book revolves around Hope creating a blog post for celebrating National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. She develops five recipes for her blog post in the story (and they all sound amazing). Ms. Sennefelder shares two of those chocolate chip cookie recipes at the back of the book plus other delectable sounding treats. I chose to make Hope’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies because these generously-sized cookies are thick and soft with just a bit of chewiness thanks to the addition of a bit of bread flour. While I’ve never met a chocolate chip cookie that I didn’t like, these are perfection!

Amazon Synopsis

Leaving behind a failed career as a magazine editor and an embarrassing stint on a reality baking show, newly divorced lifestyle entrepreneur Hope Early thought things were finally on the upswing—until she comes face-to-face with a murderer . . .
 
Hope’s schedule is already jam packed with recipe testing and shameless plugs for her food blog as she rushes off to attend a spring garden tour in the charming town of Jefferson, Connecticut. Unfortunately, it isn’t the perfectly arranged potted plants that grab her attention—it’s the bloody body of reviled real estate agent Peaches McCoy . . .
 
One of the tour guests committed murder, and all eyes are on Hope’s older sister, Claire Dixon—who, at best, saw Peaches as a professional rival. And suspicions really heat up when another murder occurs the following night. Now, with two messy murders shaking Jefferson and all evidence pointing to Claire, Hope must set aside her burgeoning brand to prove her sister’s innocence. But the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she gets to a killer intent on making sure her life goes permanently out of style . . .

Thanks to Debra Sennefelder for providing a print arc copy of THE UNINVITED CORPSE for one lucky winner. Contest is limited to U.S. residents only and ends Sunday, April 1, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) 

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Hope's Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted by Hope Early: I know it's wrong to have a favorite cookie. As a food blogger, I shouldn't play favorites with recipes but I can't help myself with these cookies. Loaded with chocolate chips, these buttery, thick, soft chocolate chip cookies are heavenly. You won't want to miss out on these. Seriously.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup bread flour
• 3/4 teapoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1-2/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F) and line cookie sheet pans with silicone baking sheets. (Or line with parchment paper.)

2. Cream butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, about 3 - 4 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed of mixer and then add in the egg and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well to incorporate into mixture.

3. Beat in vanilla.

4. Whisk together flours, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Slowly add flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

5. Stir in chocolate chips.

6. Scoop dough by rounded tablespoon and drop onto prepared pan, 2-inches apart to allow room for spreading. Then drop another scoop (approximately 1-1/2 teaspoons) of dough onto top of each cookie. Press lightly together making sure to not flatten the cookie. 

7. Bake for 9 - 12 minutes, rotating half-way through baking, or until cookies have spread out and the edges are golden, but the center of the cookie still looks soft and just slightly undercooked. Every oven is different, so I like to bake two cookies first to get the timing down correctly and then fill up the next cookie sheet.

8. Let cookies cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. 

Notes

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

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

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