Just in time for the upcoming holiday season, A CAJUN CHRISTMAS KILLING, the third book in the Cajun Country Mystery series by Ellen Byron is celebrating its release! It’s Christmas time in Pelican, Louisiana and the protagonist, Maggie Crozat, is preparing to celebrate with her family and their Crozat Plantation Bed and Breakfast guests. I loved the descriptions provided about the local holiday traditions enjoyed by the residents, especially the elaborate bonfires built to light the way for Papa Noel. Maggie is a smart, likeable artist who cares deeply for her family and friends. She pitches in to help no matter what the problems are. There are many memorable characters to support the plot and Maggie’s nemesis, Rufus, is back on the scene. One of my favorite lines in the book comes from Rufus, “Chère, it’s Louisiana. We only follow the rules we like.” This premise leads to some interesting developments!

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The murder victim, investor Steve Harmon, is one of their former bed and breakfast guests and was tossed out by Maggie’s mother. His interest in staying at their property was only to figure out a way to take over the business and force the family to leave their ancestral plantation. In addition, Steve wanted to exploit Maggie’s boyfriend’s young autistic son. Bo threatens Steve and demands he leave his child alone. With both of her loved ones suspects, Maggie takes it upon herself to clear their names and find the real killer. The plot is multi-faceted with threads of subplots woven throughout the story. There are many suspects each of them viable and once the bonfires are lit a suspenseful conclusion pulls the story together for an exciting ending!

Maggie’s mother, Ninette, is the cook for the family’s bed and breakfast. She serves amazing Cajun meals to her family and guests. I appreciate that the author provides recipes at the back of the book and has allowed me to share her recipe for Spicy Cajun Christmas Cookies. These sugar cookies are flavored with cinnamon and cayenne powder. Before you think that you don’t like spicy, the cayenne did not make the cookies overly hot. Instead it enhanced the flavor of cinnamon and both of my granddaughters loved them! With Halloween right around the corner, I decorated cookies to fit in with that theme plus threw in a nod to Christmas. No matter what holiday you’re celebrating, these Spicy Cajun Cookies are a nice change from plain vanilla sugar cookies.

Amazon Synopsis

Maggie Crozat is back home in bayou country during the most magical time of the year. In Pelican, Louisiana, Christmastime is a season of giant bonfires on the levee, zydeco carols, and pots of gumbo. Except, this year, the Grinch has come to stay at the family-run Crozat Plantation B&B. When he floods travel websites with vicious reviews, Maggie thinks she’s identified him as rival businessman Donald Baxter. That is, until he’s found stabbed to death at Maggie’s workplace. And Maggie and her loved ones become top suspects.

The Crozats quickly establish alibis, but Maggie’s boyfriend, Detective Bo Durand, remains under suspicion. With Bo sidelined during the investigation, Maggie finds herself forced to work with an unlikely ally: longtime family enemy Rufus Durand. Her sleuthing uncovers more suspects than drummers drumming, and lands her in the crosshairs of the murderer.

The sleigh bells are jingling, and the clock is ticking for Maggie and Rufus, who must catch the killer or it will be the opposite of a Joyeux Noël…

 A special thanks to Ellen Byron for providing a hardcover copy of A CAJUN CHRISTMAS KILLING for one lucky winner! Contest ends Friday, October 20, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST and is restricted to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) 

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Spicy Cajun Christmas Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour*
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Royal Icing**

• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons meringue powder (available to most craft stores)
• 5 tablespoons warm water

Instructions

Cookies

1. Cream the butter, then add the sugar and beat until it's fluffy.

2. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.

3. In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.

4. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter and sugar mixture. Mix together until well combined.

5. Divide the dough in half and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for a minimum of two hours or overnight.

6. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F).

7. Roll out the cookie dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a well-floured board.

8. Cut the dough with cookie cutters of your choice and place the unbaked cookies on an ungreased cookie tray (or line a baking sheet with parchment paper). If the dough gets sticky, add more flour to the board and/or rolling pin.

9. Chill the cutouts on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before baking. This will help keep them from spreading out and losing their shape.

10. Bake 6 - 10 minutes, basically until they're golden brown around the edges. They will brown quicker if the shapes are thinner.

11. Transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.

12. Once the cookies have cooled, frost with royal icing, either as prepared below or prepared on the icing box. 

Royal Icing

1. Beat all ingredients until icing forms peaks (7 minutes at medium-low speed with a heavy-duty mixer, 10 minutes at high speed with a hand-held mixer). If icing seems too thick, add more water 1/2 teaspoon at a time and beat in until desired consistency is reached.
   

Tips for Cookies

1. *When measuring the flour firmly scoop and level the flour. If you have a scale, use 15 ounces of flour.

2. I often mix up cookie dough one day, refrigerate overnight, then bake the cutouts the following day. The cookies will keep in an airtight container for a few days, so I often decorate a day or two after baking them to spread out the work on decorated sugar cookies. 

Tips for Royal Icing

1. **Instead of making your own royal icing, you can purchase a boxed mix at your local craft store.

2. It is imperative that your bowls, spoons, spatulas, beaters and any thing else that comes in contact royal icing is grease free. I use Dawn Liquid Dish soap on these items because I know it will remove any trace of residual grease.

3. Cover the icing bowl with a damp paper towel or plastic wrap in between working with royal icing. It dries out quickly.

4. For longer storage, royal icing can be stored in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator for 3 days, or in the freezer for 3 months. 
   

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I am very happy to be helping Catherine Bruns celebrate her new release, DEATH OF THE KONA MAN, while I’m visiting the Big Island of Hawaii and the Kona area this week!

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Set in a tropical paradise, DEATH OF THE KONA MAN is the exciting tenth addition to the Aloha Lagoon Mystery series (written by various authors) and the second contribution by Catherine Bruns. The author captures the spirit of Hawaii accurately… the sun, the sand, the food… her descriptions will make you feel like you’re visiting the warm, tropical island while reading! Protagonist, Carrie Jorgenson, is a likeable and somewhat sympathetic character. A recent transplant from Vermont, Carrie has had a very difficult childhood and as a result, she is often filled with self-doubts and low self-esteem. To balance that, the author has connected Carrie romantically with her boss, Keanu Church, whose parents own the Loco Moco Café where they work. Keanu is an optimist and he is everything a girl could want in a boyfriend: caring, pretty hot, supportive, and generous with his time, compliments, and money. He allows Carrie to discover who she is and what she wants out of life, creating a caring environment for her to grow as a person.

The murder mystery surrounding who would want to kill Randolph Cremshaw, renowned food critic, is well plotted. Carrie is a suspect because she served him coffee and food from the café. Is someone setting her up or was she just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Randolph was known as the Kona Man because he drank up to 10 cups of Kona coffee a day… and no other coffee would do. In fact, he was quite obnoxious about his coffee and heaven help anyone who served him something sub-par. However, from personal experience while visiting some of the coffee plantations in Kona, I have to agree that Kona coffee is pretty special! (You can see a few photos that I took while learning how to roast coffee beans this week, at the bottom of the page.) The conclusion and wrap up of the story holds some unforeseen surprises which will have the reader turning pages faster and faster while hoping that Catherine’s next release in this series comes sooner than later!

I had the pleasure of creating the recipe for Aloha Mix-Up Cookies for DEATH OF THE KONA MAN. Aloha Mix-up Cookies starts with a sweet brown sugar cookie dough base and adds an assortment of Hawaiian treats, such as macadamia nuts, dried pineapple, crunchy coconut, and creamy white chocolate to tantalize your taste buds! The best part is that you can mix and match the add-ins to suit your family and friends’ tastes and share the aloha spirit! 

Amazon Synopsis

Carrie Jorgenson is living the dream in Hawaii. She has a steady job as a waitress at the Loco Moco Café, a hot new love interest in her manager, and the curtain’s about to rise on her role in a local theater production. But when she’s asked to deliver food to a guest at the Aloha Lagoon resort—who then drops dead!—her dreams quickly become the stuff of nightmares. 

World renowned food critic Randolph Cremshaw has no shortage of enemies. He’s rude, patronizing, and famous for his one-star reviews. After the coffee Carrie delivers is discovered to have been poisoned, she and the café quickly rise to the top of the suspects list. A jealous co-worker, thefts at the restaurant, and a performance that threatens to blow up in Carrie’s face only make things worse. With an already full plate, Carrie is also forced into making a decision that may change everything for her. But this all pales in comparison when she comes face to face with Randolph’s killer and what might be the final curtain call…of her life. 

A special thanks to Catherine Bruns for providing one winner the choice of either print or an e-book copy of DEATH OF THE KONA MAN for one lucky winner! Contest ends Tuesday, October 17, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST and print copy is restricted to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) 

SALE 

 For a very short time, DEATH OF THE KONA MAN will be on sale for $2.99! Don’t miss out on this special introductory price. (You can click on the book cover above to visit Amazon.) 

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Aloha Mix-Up Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups 14.4 ounces all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Mix-ins (use as much or as little as you wish)

• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup dried pineapple, chopped
• 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Instructions

1. Don't preheat the oven yet as the dough needs to chill for a minimum of 30 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
3. Using a large bowl with an electric mixer or a stand mixer, cream together the butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Stir in the vanilla extract.
6. Add the flour all at once and pulse the mixer to keep flour from flying. Once mostly combined, increase speed and mix until flour is completely incorporated. Resist the urge to over-mix. (If using a hand-held electric mixer, you will need to add the flour in increments.)

Mix-ins

1. You can either stir the white chocolate chips, macadamia nuts, dried pineapple, and coconut into the dough or mix-and-match. You can create several combinations of cookies by dividing the dough between four separate bowls and mix some of the white chocolate chips with macadamia nuts into one, pineapple and coconut into another, pineapple and macadamia nuts in the third, and using all four mix-in ingredients in the last portion. Or create your own combinations.

Baking

1. Place the bowls of dough in the refrigerator and allow to chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
2. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and scoop tablespoon-sized rounds of dough onto the sheet.
4. Bake 10 - 12 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie starts turning lightly golden. Rotate baking sheet half way through baking.
5. Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
6. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
7. Makes 6 dozen cookies, depending on size.

Tip

1. If you refrigerate the dough longer than 30 minutes, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to make scooping easier.

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I had the pleasure of taking a coffee plantation tour and learning how they roast their Kona coffee beans! It was fascinating and the smell was absolutely incredible!

Coffee “cherries” are ripe when they turn bright red. The bean is contained inside the fruit.

Once the bean has been extracted they are washed and dried and look green.

The green coffee beans are roasted at around 400 degeees (F) in a large drum for 20 – 25 minutes, until they turn a chocolate brown. When they are released from the drum there is lots of aromatic smoke.

The beans are cooled with a stirring machine that also blows cool air through the bottom of the tub.

100 pound sacks are waiting to be distributed. Wish I had some room in my suitcase!

It’s always fun to be introduced to a new author who is debuting a new series! I had the pleasure of recently reading BREWING UP MURDER by Neila Young, where the very first sentence and then paragraph captured my attention. The protagonist, Blake Harper, owns Mystery Cup Café in Wilton, Missouri. The town is known for a string of murders that happened 50 years ago, the crimes never solved. While the author doesn’t go into great detail, there is enough information provided that makes me curious if subsequent books in this series will lead the protagonist to find answers to the deaths of twelve young women. I’m definitely intrigued with this plot! In addition to the old, unsolved murders, a new murder has taken place. Blake finds her assistant, Nikki, dead in the Mystery Cup Café and her kitchen trashed. Even though Blake’s sister, Kyle, is the detective working the case, the café owner still feels responsible for bringing the murderer to justice.

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The two sisters have strong personalities and I enjoyed the close bonds they share with their brother, Ryan. There is fun interaction between the three siblings and a bit of entertainment with Ryan always trying to set Blake up on blind dates. Ms. Young has created a great cast of characters to surround her protagonist; some are there for support, a couple to offer romance, while others to create tension and conflict in Blake’s life. The town and the characters are good backdrops for a puzzling mystery with plenty of suspects that kept me guessing. When I finally read the surprising conclusion the only thing on my mind was wondering when the next book is coming!

The Mystery Cup Café serves up delectable treats and fortunately for the reader the author provides a couple recipes at the back of the book. Blake has indeed perfected her Espresso Brownie recipe and Ms. Young has graciously allowed me to share it with you. Super rich, super gooey and oh so decadent is the only way to describe these amazing brownies! I found small squares, each topped with a chocolate covered espresso bean, and served with a piping hot cup of coffee made the perfect pick-me-up for a morning snack. The staff at my granddaughter’s school certainly enjoyed having these show up in their break room and I was happy that I could share such a delicious treat with them! 

Amazon Synopsis

As the owner of Mystery Cup Café in Wilton, Missouri, a town made famous by a string of long-ago murders, Blake Harper is used to the mysterious. When her barista is found strangled in a mound of coffee beans, Blake vows to find the killer, even though her sister, the town’s lead police detective, tells her to stay out of it. Blake finds plenty of suspects, like the owners of a rival coffee shop and the handsome new bookstore owner. But when new threats are made, she soon realizes the danger is centered around Mystery Cup and someone is targeting her personally. Will Blake be able to solve the murder, find a new barista, and perfect her recipe for espresso brownies before she becomes the next victim?

 A special thanks to Neila Young for offering a copy of BREWING UP MURDER for one lucky winner! Contest ends Friday, September 22, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST and is open to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

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Blake's Signature Espresso Brownies

Ingredients

• 1-1/3 cup butter, softened
• 2-2/3 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup baking cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chocolate-covered espresso beans

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

2. Cream butter and sugar together.

3. Beat in eggs and vanilla.

4. Combine flour, cocoa, salt, and instant coffee. Add to the creamed mixture.

5. Add chocolate chips and pecans and mix well.

6. Spread into a greased 9x13-inch pan.

7. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and espresso beans.

8. Bake at 350 degrees for 26 to 28 minutes.

9. Cool completely before cutting into squares and serving. 

Tip

1. If the brownies seem too soft after cooling, chill in the refrigerator for an hour before serving. 

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I’m very happy to be a part of the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour introducing VANGIE VALE AND THE MURDERED MACARON. To be honest, the author, R.L. Syme, had me at the mention of macaron and her cover made me eager to dive into the book and try her cookie recipe! Aside from finding a delectable macaron cookie recipe that I couldn’t stop eating (more about that later) I found a story that left me salivating for more! Ms. Syme creates a refreshing, unique protagonist in Vangie Vale and sets up situations that allows both the character and the plot to shine. I love that not only is Vangie a part-time baker, she is a matchbaker AND the part-time pastor of the town’s community church. The matchbaking business was dreamt up by her sister as a marketing tool, but Vangie has a knack for matching up a patron to a drink, pastry, or a sandwich. She claims she’s not psychic but some might disagree. Being the pastor gives Vangie the inside track on the residents and because of her compassionate nature, people open up to her which helps in her investigation when brutal murders rocks her town.

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As the reader delves into the book, the layers of complexity in both Vangie’s personal life and the plot are slowly revealed with intricate twists and turns that kept me turning pages. In addition to a suspenseful plot, I found the dialog and interaction between Vangie and the characters highly entertaining. Ms. Syme comes up with some delightful sentences that are spot on, such as “So much L.A. in one little package,” to describe an actress. And her perfectly delectable descriptions of the shop’s macarons are drool worthy and made me want to visit the town of St. Agnes, Montana for a taste testing!

The recipe at the back of the book, The Murdered Macaron Recipe is a Matcha green tea macaron with ginger buttercream filling. Yes, it is a unique flavor combination but I loved the earthy, delicate green tea flavor that melded with the spiciness of both fresh and crystallized ginger. The flavors were even more enhanced the day after making them and I had a hard time sharing the batch with a variety of people… I wanted them all for myself! Naturally gluten-free, these delectable cookies rely on egg-whites whipped into a meringue and sweetened with both confectioners’ sugar and granulated sugar. Instead of wheat flour, fine ground almond flour is used. The ginger buttercream filling was amazing and I’m already dreaming of other ways to use it! 

Amazon Synopsis

Small towns and gossip go together like flaky crust and sweet pastry cream. Between the police scanners, the coffee ladies, and the senior center, no secret is safe for long. But Vangie Vale wants nothing more than to stay under the radar…especially the police radar. So when her new bakery is linked to a murder investigation, nothing will stop the gossip mill from connecting her to the dead body. Can’t have that. In order to clear her good name and keep her face off the front page, this bakery owner becomes extra nosy…with a little side of breaking-and-entering… But when she comes face-to-face with the Sheriff, Vangie can’t ignore the fact that one of her macarons was involved in a murder. She has to find the real murderer.

A special thank you to R. L. Syme for providing some yummy macaron treats for the giveaway! This giveaway is administered by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours and you can use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends August 14, 2017 and is limited to U.S. residents only. Winner will be announced on this page and on Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours site, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

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Matcha Green Tea Macarons with Ginger Buttercream Filling

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 142 grams confectioner's sugar
• 115 grams fine almond flour
• 1 tablespoon matcha green tea powder
• 89 grams room temperature egg whites
• 71 grams granulated sugar
• pinch cream of tartar

For the filling:

• 3 ounces softened butter
• 1-1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
• 2 ounces sour cream
• 1-1/2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

Instructions

For the cookies:

1. Make sure you weigh all the ingredients (even the egg whites), instead of using cups and teaspoons as measurement. Those are less precise than weight measurements, and precision is super important with these cookies.

2. In a food processor, combine the almond flour, confectioner's sugar, and matcha powder. Grind together until it's a fine, incorporated powder. 

3. Sift into a large bowl (if there's a lot of material left, then grind again, and keep sifting).

4. In a silver mixing bowl, begin whipping the egg whites and cream of tartar, starting on low speed and gradually increasing. 

5. Slowly pour in the granulated sugar, allowing them to incorporate together.

6. If you'd like your macarons to be more green than they will be with matcha only, put a couple drops of green gel food coloring in the mix (not liquid coloring -- gel only). I like the light green color, so it's up to you.

7. Once the egg whites form stiff peaks, put the dry ingredients in and fold them, until they are just incorporated, and there are no streaks left. But don't over-fold. It's a delicate balance.

8. Transfer to a piping bag and pipe out little 1/2-inch circles (with about an inch between them) either on parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.*

9. Once they're all piped out, smack the cookie sheet onto your counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles in the cookies, then leave the cookies out on the counter for about 20 minutes, until the cookies have a bit of a crust.**

10. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). ***

11. Once cookies have formed their crust, cook for 10 - 12 minutes, watching not to over-bake. (Be careful of altitude--if you're at higher altitude, the air is thinner, so that affects your baking time.) Take out the cookies and let them cool. Do not fill before they're completely cool. 

For the filling:

1. Whip the butter in a standing mixer until it's creamy.

2. Add the confectioner's sugar slowly, until it's thick, then add the sour cream.

3. Add the grated ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon. Mix until incorporated.

4. Stir in the crystallized ginger.

5. Pipe the filling into the center of the cookies and sandwich them together, check for size fit with each cookie.

6. Eat and enjoy! 

Tips

1. *I like a variety of sizes so made large (up to 1-1/2"), medium, and small-sized cookies. For the larger cookies I added 1 - 2 minutes extra baking time.
   

2. **If you live in a humid environment, it may take longer for the cookie to develop a crust. I've had it take close to an hour with other recipes on hot summer days, but be patient. The "crust" is what keeps the cookie top from cracking during baking. If the crust has developed properly, the cookie should not feel sticky when touched.

3. ***You don't want these cookies to brown, so I would recommend baking at 325 degrees (F). 

4. After the cookies have baked, remove the parchment paper (with the cookies still attached) to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

5. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I thought the cookies were still very good the following day, after the flavors had melded together. 

My Note:

1. I took the liberty of adapting the author's ginger buttercream recipe by only making half the original but adding additional confectioners' sugar to make it thicker. The filling recipe above is the one that I made and proved to be sufficient to generously fill the macarons. 

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 Tour Participants:

August 1 – Blogger Nicole Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 1 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW
August 2 – Babs Book Bistro – REVIEW
August 2 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
August 3 – Bibliophile Reviews –  REVIEW, GUEST POST
August 3 – Varietats2010 – REVIEW
August 4 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
August 5 – Bookworm Cafe – REVIEW  
August 5 – My Funny View of Life – REVIEW
August 6 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
August 6 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
August 7 – Sleuth Cafe – CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 7 – StoreyBook Reviews – REVIEW
August 8 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
August 8 – Teresa Trent Author Site – INTERVIEW
August 8 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
August 9 – The Power of Words – SPOTLIGHT
August 9 – A Blue Million Books – INTERVIEW
August 10 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – REVIEW
August 10 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
August 11 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
August 11 – Book Babble – REVIEW
August 12 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
August 12 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW
August 13 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW
August 13 – Girl with Book Lungs – CHARACTER GUEST POST
August 14 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
August 14 – Jane Reads – REVIEW, GUEST POST

 I was provided a copy of this book with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

From the moment I heard that Jenn McKinlay was writing a romantic comedy, in addition to her cozy mysteries, I knew I just had to read it. ABOUT A DOG, the first in the Bluff Point Romance series, did not disappoint! I found it to be the ultimate beach read: entertaining, humorous dialog; an easy read; characters you can love and characters you can hate; an adorable puppy; and romance with just the right amount of zing. The protagonist, MacKenzie “Mac” Harris, wants the world to see her as self-confident and someone who has figured out her life, but inside she’s still trying to get over being left at the alter in her small hometown, Bluff Point. After fleeing to Chicago to pick up the pieces, she’s done nothing but insulate herself from love and instead, has immersed herself in her career. Returning home, after being gone seven years, for her best friend’s wedding Mac’s plan is to get in and out of the town just as quickly as she can. The scenario sets the stage for the lively banter between the best friends along with humorous scenes that keeps the reader entertained and turning pages. Jenn McKinlay is wickedly witty and it translates to a fun book! I read with a grin on my face just about the entire book… except when it was appropriate to hate a character or worry about the lovable puppy.

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I enjoyed the development of the characters and the close friendship Mac has with her two best friends. But it’s Mac’s two elderly aunts along with the rescue puppy, Tulip, the who steal each scene that they’re in! They each provide a nice subplot to go along with the main romantic theme between Mac and Gavin, without detracting from the story. The small town setting is quaint where everyone knows everyone’s business and as Mac finds out, no one forgets anything that happened in the past. Jenn creates great chemistry between Mac and Gavin, carefully building the tension until the conclusion. There is also a teaser chapter for the next book, BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE, which made me sorry it wasn’t available right then and there! 

While the book doesn’t contain recipes, one of Mac’s best friends owns a Whoopie Pie shop. Honestly, I’ve never tried whoopie pies so when I read through Jenn’s recipe I realized they’re like mini cakes with the frosting sandwiched between two halves. It’s hard to classify them: are they cookie, cake, or cupcakes? It doesn’t really matter… they’re just yummy! Jenn shared her recipe at Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen (click on link to see her recipe) a while ago and she filled her chocolate whoopie pies with a more traditional marshmallow buttercream filling. I deviated and went with more chocolate and mixed up a Nutella buttercream filling, flavoring it with Frangelico for the adults. Either way, I’m happy to have discovered this East Coast treat! 

 Amazon Synopsis

Mackenzie “Mac” Harris fled her hometown of Bluff Point, Maine, after being left at the altar—and seeking solace in the arms of her best friend’s off-limits brother. Now, seven years later, she’s back to attend her best friend’s wedding—safe, or so she thinks, from the mistakes of her youth.

But Gavin Tolliver has never forgotten the woman who has always held his heart. And when Mac rescues a stray puppy named Tulip, only Gavin, the town’s veterinarian, can help. With a little assistance from Tulip, Gavin vows to make Mac realize that their feelings are more than just puppy love…

 A huge thank you to Jenn McKinlay for providing a print copy of ABOUT A DOG plus a bag tote for one lucky winner! Contest ends Thursday, July 27, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

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Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Nutella Buttercream Filling

Ingredients

The Cookies:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup buttermilk, well shaken

The Filling:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup Nutella
• 3-4 tablespoons Frangelico liqueur (or sub milk)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). 

The Cookies:

1. Mix together dry ingredients – flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. 
   

2. Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl at medium speed until fluffy. 
   

3. Add egg and vanilla. 
   

4. Alternately mix in dry ingredients and buttermilk until smooth. 
   

5. Spoon ¼ cup mounds of batter about two inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. 
   

6. Bake 11 to 13 minutes until top is puffed and springs back when touched. 
   

7. Cook completely on a wire rack before filling.

The Filling:

1. Beat together the butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and nutella until smooth.

2. Add in 3 tablespoons of Frangelico liqueur (or milk) and beat filling until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes on medium speed. If filling appears too stiff, add additional liquid, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. 

Putting it together:

1. Spread a heaping tablespoon of the filling onto the flat side of one cookie and top with another. Easy Peasy!
   

Tip

1. If you cook 2 baking sheets at a time, be sure to rotate them front to back and swap the sheets from top to bottom half way through baking time. This will help them bake more evenly. 

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 I was provided a copy of this book with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Author Laura Bradford writes a variety of series but I was completely smitten with her Tobi Tobias Mystery series and was thrilled when 30 SECOND DEATH, the second book in the series, became available! From the opening page to the very end I was struck again and again at how creatively funny this author is! Writing humor is a gift and Laura is gifted in spades. The protagonist, Tobi Tobias, is a proud chocoholic, addicted to Cocoa Puffs, and owns a fledgling advertising agency. The agency allows the author another avenue for developing punny sayings and slogans along with creating interesting companies for Tobi to work on… I’d actually like to frequent some of the companies she mentions 🙂

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The characters surrounding Tobi are varied and just as developed and entertaining on their own as the main protagonist. Tobi’s upstairs neighbor and friend, Carter McDade, is the focal point of 30 SECOND DEATH. He tends to be a drama queen but still has a smile and kind word for everyone. That is until he is a murder suspect in the death of his nemesis and the theater manager’s niece, Fiona. As Carter’s world comes crashing down, Tobi steps in and starts trying to figure out who the real killer is, despite her problems going on with her sweetheart, Andy. Laura Bradford expertly juggles a variety of story-lines and plots between Tobi and the characters and weaves them together in one entertaining story that will keep you guessing “whodunit”! 

While there aren’t any recipes in 30 SECOND DEATH, Tobi Tobias is a dedicated chocoholic. She frequents a bakery every day after work and some of the treats that she purchases and shares with one of her suspects are White Chocolate Brownies. Quick to mix up, these bake up into a truffle-like consistency. Rich, soft and chewy with a delicate white chocolate flavor, these bars make a nice after-dinner dessert or a mid-afternoon treat or even sharing with a suspect you need to interrogate. 

Amazon Synopsis

To help an old friend, Tobi Tobias gets a third-rate thespian a part in a commercial, and learns that in the advertising business, bad acting can lead to murder . . .

When Tobi Tobias opened her own advertising agency, Carter McDade was there for her every step of the way. A brilliant hairdresser, Carter has just landed his dream project: doing hair and makeup for a theatrical production of Rapunzel. But the dream turns into a nightmare when he runs into Fiona Renoir, a cruel, talentless starlet who won’t let Carter touch a hair on her head.

To get Fiona out of Carter’s hair, Tobi hires the difficult actress for a bit part in her latest commercial. But true to character, Fiona is a terror on set, and Tobi is starting to think she’s made the biggest mistake of her life. But things get even worse when Fiona drops dead in the hairdresser’s chair, and the only suspect is the man left holding the tainted hair dye, Carter McDade. And unless Tobi can prove his innocence, he’ll never do hair in this town again.

Thank you to Lisa Kelley of Lisa K’s Book Reviews for organizing a mini blog tour for 30 SECOND DEATH and a huge thank you to Laura Bradford for providing 3 e-book copies of her new release for 3 lucky winners! Contest ends Sunday, July 16, 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!)

Print

White Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1 cup white chocolate chips (use premium like Ghiradelli)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Topping - Optional

• 1/3 cup semi-sweet or white chocolate chips
• 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

2. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter with the white chocolate on 70% power for 30 seconds. Stir the mixture and repeat as necessary until mixture is melted. Use caution and avoid overheating. Set aside to cool while you collect the remaining ingredients.

3. Line an 8" x 8"x baking dish with foil and spritz with non-stick cooking spray. Leave an overhang on the sides so you can easily remove the cooled brownies to cut into squares.

4. Once the chocolate mixture is lukewarm, stir in the sugar and mix until smooth.

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, and stir until fully incorporated. Be sure the chocolate mixture isn't hot otherwise the eggs could start to cook.

6. Stir in the vanilla.

7. Mix in the flour and salt, stirring until the batter is smooth, then spread into the prepared pan. Batter will be thick.

8. Bake for 23 - 26 minutes. The top should look set and the sides should be starting to pull away from the sides. A wooden skewer inserted into the center should come out mostly clean. (A few moist crumbs are okay.)

9. Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan, then lift them out using the foil and place on a cutting board.

10. Cut into desired-sized squares.

Topping

1. Place the semi-sweet (or white) chocolate chips and the vegetable oil into a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat on 70% power for 30 seconds then stir. Heat in 10 - 15 second increments until fully melted, but don't overheat.

2. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the tops of the cut brownies. 

3. Place the brownies in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to allow chocolate topping to set before serving.

4. Store leftover brownies in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 

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 Visit these pages for more fun information about 30 SECOND DEATH!

July 6 – Sheryl Hagan-Booth – Booth Talks Books – Interview
boothtalksbooks.wordpress.com

July 7 – Karen M. Owen – A Cup Of Tea And A Cozy Mystery – Interview
acupofteaandacozymystery.blogspot.com

July 8 & 9 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – series spotlight
lisaksbookthoughts.blogspot.com

July 10 – Linda Langford – Chatting About Cozies –Spotlight
www.facebook.com/chatcozy

July 11 – Mary Brown – MJBReviewers – Interview
mjbreviewers.wordpress.com

July 12 – Kim Davis  – Cinnamon Sugar and a Little Bit of Murder – Review and recipecinnamonsugarandalittlebitofmurder.com

July 13 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – Interview
lisaksbookthoughts.blogspot.com

July 14 – Mary Brown – MJBReviewers – Review
mjbreviewers.wordpress.com

July 15 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – Review
lisaksbookthoughts.blogspot.com

I was provided a copy of this book with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.