Cookies & Bars Archives - Page 26 of 32

Serafina’s Pizzelles (Italian Christmas Waffle Cookies)

When I started seeing reviews this past September for CHEDDAR OFF DEAD, the second book in the Undercover Dish Mystery series by Julia Buckley, I knew I needed to add it to my reading list. And when I found out it was centered around Christmas I moved it up in my pile of books so I’d have it at the ready in early December to start reading. CHEDDAR OFF DEAD lived up to and even exceeded my expectations both for a riveting, well written plot and for the holiday setting!

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Even though I have not read the first book in the series (it’s been sitting on my Kindle since its release and I somehow overlooked reading it!) CHEDDAR OFF DEAD was easy to jump in and get to know the characters. I loved the protagonist, Lilah Drake, and her very clever side job of providing clandestine dishes to those in town who don’t want anyone to know that they’re awful cooks or are too busy to cook themselves. It sets the stage for some humorous situations. There’s a strong undercurrent of romance between Lilah and Detective Jay Parker and I liked how Lilah remained feisty and true to herself when it appeared things weren’t going to work out. Plus she is very funny when she accidentally runs into him at the market and I found myself chuckling out loud. There’s a strong cast of supporting characters and each adds a nice element to the story and enhances Lilah’s character.

With so many delicious dishes mentioned in the book making me hungry, I was happy to find that the author includes some recipes at the back of the book. When I saw Julia’s recipe for Serafina’s Pizzelles (Italian Christmas Waffle Cookies) I knew I had to try them….not that I owned a pizzelle maker….but I’ve been wanting one and this was the perfect excuse…err, opportunity. The batter-like dough whips up super fast using a blender and the cookies cook incredibly quick in the pizzelle maker. The cookies have a delicate flavor and are beautifully lacy looking with the addition of a dusting of powdered sugar. Perfect for serving to guests or dressing up a platter of holiday treats for sharing!

Amazon Synopsis

Caterer and cook Lilah Drake is up to her elbows in deadly trouble in the latest mystery from the author of The Big Chili…

The Christmas holidays are one of Lilah’s favorite times of the year, filled with friends, family, and, of course, tons of food orders for her covered dish clients. But Lilah’s Yuletide cheer ends when she sees a most Grinch-like crime: the murder of a Santa in a school parking lot.

It turns out the deceased Kris Kringle was a complicated tangle of naughty and nice, with a long list of people who might have wanted him dead. And whoever did the deed wants to make sure that Lilah keeps quiet. Now, Lilah will have to team up with her former fling, Detective Jay Parker, to unwrap the mysteries of a deadly Christmas killer and stay alive long enough to ring in the New Year…

I am happy to be able to provide a print copy of CHEDDAR OFF DEAD for one lucky winner! Limited to U.S. residents only. Contest ends Thursday, December 15, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Serafina’s Pizzelles (Italian Christmas Waffle Cookies)

Ingredients

Author's Note: For this recipe, you need a pizzelle baker, similar to a waffle iron, which imprints a beautiful, snowflake-like design on each cookie. The dough takes only minutes to prepare, and the cookies themselves can be hot on your table in less than half an hour. My sister-in-law, Serafina Bellini Drake, assures me that these cookies, when made with love and just the right amount of butter, taste like Christmas itself, whatever that means.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla (or almond extract, if you prefer)
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

First, preheat your pizzelle baker.
Mix flour and baking soda and set aside.
Melt butter and mix with eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a blender until smooth.
Add the flour mixture until you have a sticky dough.
Check to see that your baker is ready; spray the inside lightly with baking spray to avoid sticking.
Place a rounded teaspoonful of dough on each of the pizzelle pattern grids.
Lower the lid and hold for 30 - 40 seconds (you may have to experiment with timing).
Lift and genly pry up the cookies with a fork tine or thin knife, then set cookies on a baking rack to cool.
When cookies are finished, sift powdered sugar over them to create a lacy, holiday effect.
Your finished pizzelles will be thin, delicate, snowflake-like cookies that are sweet and addictive.

Tip

Place batter just slightly behind the center of each pattern to help center the cookie as it cooks.
Don't try to multi-task as these cookies cook very quickly.

https://cinnamonsugarandalittlebitofmurder.com/pizzelles/

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Candy Cane Snowball Cookies

I know most people envision Christmas morning with newly fallen snow outside while the family inside are curled up in front of a warm, cozy fire opening gifts and enjoying holiday treats. After all, I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas is a very popular Christmas carol! However, having been born and raised in Southern California, I’ve only experienced a white Christmas once…and that was enough to last me a lifetime. I’ll take warm weather any time, no matter how picture postcard perfect snowy landscapes may be. So when I started reading MURDER AT CHRISTMAS, the fourth book in the Sand and Sea Hawaiian Mystery series by Kathi Daley, I was right at home with the Hawaiian tropical setting!

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Synopsis

The week before Christmas, Lani Pope is working double shifts at the Dolphin Bay Resort which is packed with holiday visitors. With the flu taking out half the staff, she’s working as a lifeguard by day and as Santa’s Elf at night. The evening of the resort’s huge “Step Into Christmas” event, Lani is sent to look for Santa while all the guests eagerly await his arrival. Things go from bad to worse when Lani finds Santa dead in the alley behind the loading dock, murdered. Lani feels a certain responsibility since she’s the one who asked her senior citizen friend, Sam, to play Santa at the last moment.

When a group of Sam and Lani’s senior citizen friends decide to investigate, Lani knows she must jump in and find the killer before one of them gets hurt. With the help of her boyfriend, Luke Austin, they try to find clues, keep the ladies out of trouble, and plan a holiday party. Can Lani keep up with her double shifts, talk to suspects, and keep the ladies occupied and out of trouble? Will Luke decide he wants a white Christmas with his family in Texas or will he stay and celebrate Christmas with Lani in the tropics? Can they capture the murderer and find justice for Sam?

My Review

Kathi paints a vivid picture with her words, drawing you in. There is one scene in particular that stayed with me long after I finished the book, where Lani rescues a boy who almost drowns. A parent’s (or grandparent’s) worst nightmare and I appreciate the valuable lesson Kathi includes in her story. I enjoyed the easy friendship Lani also has with the senior citizens, including them in both her sleuthing and in her social life. It says a lot about a person when they are comfortable not only around their own age group but also with the elderly. There are moments of humor that her senior friends provide yet they also add wisdom and insight to help Lani solve the crime. The relationship she has with Luke is sweet as it blossoms and he is very supportive of Lani and the decisions she makes. One thing that strikes me with all of Kathi’s series is that the characters are such nice people and good role models both as friends and with their romantic relationships. Even though the book is fairly short, the mystery is well plotted with plenty of suspects and a nice conclusion. It held my attention and I knew I would stay up to finish the book to see how it ended.

Set at Christmas time, Kathi provides plenty of tropical holiday ambiance along with seasonal recipes at the back of the book. I was ecstatic when I found out that one of the many recipes included at the back of MURDER AT CHRISTMAS was my own recipe for Candy Cane Snowball Cookies! One of my granddaughter’s favorite cookies (okay, it’s probable that any cookie is her favorite depending on what she’s munching on at any given moment!) it’s just not Christmas until I make these Candy Cane Snowball Cookies. Starting with a buttery cookie base, either crushed candy canes or Andes Peppermint Crunch baking pieces (usually available in December) are mixed in creating a tasty holiday treat. When Emory was very young I would form the dough into small balls and let her roll them in granulated sugar and place them on the baking sheets for me. She enjoyed getting to help in the kitchen although I know a few cookies were always missing by the time I started baking them. I hope you enjoy our recipe as much as we have!

A huge thank you to Kathi Daley for providing winner’s choice of either an e-book or print copy of MURDER AT CHRISTMAS for one lucky winner! Print copy limited to U.S. residents only. Contest ends Monday, December 12, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Candy Cane Snowball Cookies

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1-1/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup finely crushed peppermint candy canes*
Granulated sugar for rolling cookies

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and sea salt together. Set aside.
In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the powdered sugar and butter together until creamy, about 2 minutes.
Add the egg and beat until well combined.
Add the peppermint extract and vanilla and stir to thoroughly combine.
Slowly add the flour mixture and stir until well blended on low speed.
Remove the bowl from the standing mixer and add the crushed peppermint candy, stirring into the cookie dough by hand.
Form the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in granulated sugar.
Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, 12 cookies per sheet.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The bottoms of the cookies should just start to be showing golden color.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then remove and cool completely.
Makes approximately 5 dozen cookies, depending on size.

Tips

If the dough is too sticky when rolling into balls, refrigerate for 1 hour.
You can substitute Andes Peppermint Crunch baking pieces for the crushed candy canes, if desired.

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Suzanne’s Cherry Cake Bars

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I am very excited to be a part of the Great Escapes Virtual Book tour for EGG DROP DEAD by Laura Childs! While I’ve been a long time fan of Laura’s Tea Shop Mystery series, I haven’t read any books in her Cackleberry Club Mysteries until now…and I found that I’ve been missing out on another fantastic series! Even though EGG DROP DEAD is the seventh book in the series, I had an easy time jumping into the book and getting to know its delightful characters. The story starts off with a bang in the very first chapter, pulling you in to see if Suzanne can find the killer who brutally murdered a well-respected, elderly dairy farmer. As she asks questions around town, she finds out there could be numerous people who had a motive for killing the farmer, which kept me guessing with each turn of the page. Along the way she rescues horses, befriends an autistic teen, and serves up delicious food at the Cackleberry Club Cafe she owns with her best friends, Toni and Petra.

Another aspect of EGG DROP DEAD, that I greatly enjoyed, is the close relationship Suzanne has with her friends and fiancé, Dr. Sam Hazelet, who all realize that Suzanne has a “devilishly curious mind”. There is plenty of sassy repartee to enliven the conversations that kept me entertained and chuckling at times. The author’s descriptive and colorful use of language effortlessly draws you in, making you feel like you’re experiencing what Suzanne is experiencing. Being a co-owner of a cafe also means there is lots of mouthwatering food being served and the author provides several recipes at the back of the book. Laura has graciously allowed me to share her recipe for Suzanne’s Cherry Cake Bars with you. These amazing treats are part cake, part cookie and super easy to make starting with a boxed cake mix. The colorful and flavorful cherry pie filling will bring holiday cheer to your dessert table this Christmas season!

Amazon Synopsis

In Laura Childs’s New York Times bestselling mystery series, Suzanne, Petra, and Toni—co-owners of the Cackleberry Club café—are back to track down another bad egg…

Maintaining good personal relationships with their suppliers is one of the secrets of the Cackleberry Club café’s success, so Suzanne doesn’t mind going out to Mike Mullen’s dairy farm to pick up some wheels of cheese. She’s looking forward to a nice visit with the mild-mannered farmer before heading back to their hectic kitchen.

But when she arrives, Mike’s nowhere to be found. The moaning of his cows leads her to look in the barn, where she discovers a bloodcurdling sight—the farmer’s dead body. Apparently not everyone was as fond of Mike Mullen as the Cackleberry Club.

Churning with grief and outrage, Suzanne, Petra, and Toni vow to find the farmer’s murderer—but as they get closer to the truth, the desperate killer gets whipped into a frenzy and plans to put the squeeze on them…

A very special thank you to Laura Childs for providing 2 hardcover copies of EGG DROP DEAD! 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 December 18, 2016 and is limited to U.S. residents only. Winners will be announced on this page and on Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours site, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Suzanne’s Cherry Cake Bars

Ingredients

I package white cake mix
8 tablespoons butter, softened (divided)
1-1/4 cup rolled oats (divided)
1 egg
1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees (F).
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, 6 tablespoons butter, and 1 cup oats. Mix until crumbly.
Reserve 1 cup of this dry mixture for topping.
To remaining dry mixture add 1 egg and mix well until blended.
Press mixture into greased 9" x 13" inch pan to form bottom crust.
Pour cherry pie filling over this crust.
With reserved dry mixture, add remaining 1/4 cup oats, 2 tablespoons butter, nuts, and brown sugar. Beat until thoroughly mixed.
Sprinkle carefully over cherry mixture.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.
Allow to cool.
May be served with whipped cream or ice cream.

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TOUR PARTICIPANTS

December 4 – Varietats
December 5 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder
December 6 – Laura’s Interests
December 6 – Brooke Blogs
December 7 – MysteriesEtc
December 7 – Readeropolis
December 8 – Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews
December 8 – Queen of All She Reads
December 9 – Island Confidential
December 9 – Community Bookstop
December 10 – The Editing Pen
December 11 – The Book’s the Thing
December 11 – Cozy Up With Kathy
December 12 – The Power of Words
December 12 – StoreyBook Reviews
December 13 – Bibliophile Reviews
December 14 – Texas Book-aholic
December 14 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf
December 15 – Melina’s Book Blog
December 16 – A Holland Reads
December 17 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too!
December 18 – Booklady’s Booknotes

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

Paximathia – Spiced Greek Biscotti

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Ever since Jenny Kales debuted her first cozy mystery, ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK, earlier this year I’ve been looking forward to the second installment in her Callie’s Kitchen Mystery series! Fortunately, Jenny didn’t disappoint and is celebrating the holidays with her new release SPICED AND ICED! First off, the cover is whimsically festive and invites a reader in for some Christmas cheer, cookies, and murder. Callie is an enjoyable protagonist and I would dearly love to spend some time with her in her kitchen baking up some of the delectable treats she serves at her restaurant. In addition to being a wonderful cook, Callie has a caring personality. She treats her employees, friends, and family with equal respect and love and is a good role model to her ten-year-old daughter. I so enjoy her relationship with her Greek father and especially her “Aunt” Sweetie, visiting from Greece. It provides an opportunity to learn some bits and pieces of Greek words, culture, and customs which adds character to a terrific story.

The murder mystery provided suspense and kept me turning pages wanting to find out what happens next, while there were plenty of suspects to keep me guessing. Callie’s Grandma Viv and Aunt Sweetie also join in the sleuthing with humorous results as does the scenes where Callie finds out about the woman her father may or may not be dating. Callie is dating Detective Sands, who is in charge of the investigation. They are in the early stages of their romance but the author gives them room to grow, to learn to trust each other. I look forward to what is in store for them in future books.

And then there are the recipes the author includes with her book…so many yummy ones! Jenny graciously allowed me to share her husband’s grandmother’s recipe for Paximathia, Spiced Greek Biscotti which has been passed down through the family! I so love knowing that this recipe is a family tradition which makes it even more special in the sharing. Biscotti are wonderful cookies for several reasons: they’re delicious and ideal for dunking into coffee, tea, or hot cocoa; they can be made several weeks ahead of time, which is perfect for gift giving around the hectic holiday season; they’re sturdy so they ship well. These Paximathia are flavored with the Greek liqueur, Ouzo (although you can use anise extract instead) which lends a delicate spicy flavor and scent. Not too sweet, they can be “decorated” by drizzling some melted white chocolate over them. With Christmas right around the corner I drizzled melted red candy melts over them, then immediately sprinkled with red sparkling sugar for a festive look. Either way, your family and friends will thank you for such a thoughtful treat!

Amazon Synopsis

The season is bright when Calliope “Callie” Costas agrees to contribute her Greek snowball cookies to a December bridal shower at The English Country Inn in the scenic waterfront town of Crystal Bay, WI. But when Callie finds a colleague dead, she’s sucked into another murder investigation — all while juggling her growing business and staggering holiday workload.

As she reluctantly agrees to help the Inn’s owner track the killer, Callie is soon up to her spiced Greek biscotti in difficulties. For one thing, the hotel staff is freezing her out as she tries to uncover information, helped by her feisty Grandma Viv and her sweet but nosy aunt who’s visiting from Greece. And then there’s her deepening relationship with the suave and mysterious Detective Sands, a British expat now living in Wisconsin, who seems to have a few secrets of his own.

The icing on the cake is a host of simultaneous family mayhem including her father’s surprising fixation on a real estate agent and her ex’s plans to move back to Crystal Bay. As the Inn’s annual Christmas Tea approaches, things are heating up in Callie’s Kitchen, but she’s on thin ice! Will Christmas be a festive celebration this year – or will it be murder?

A huge thank you to Jenny Kales for providing an e-book copy of SPICED AND ICED for one lucky winner! Contest ends Monday, December 5, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Paximathia - Spiced Greek Biscotti

Ingredients

1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon olive oil (or canola oil)
2 ounces of ouzo (Greek liqueur) or 2 teaspoons pure anise extract
3 cups flour (if using 2 ounces of ouzo) OR 2-3/4 cup if using anise extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
Cream butter until light and fluffy and gradually beat in sugar.
Mix in the beaten eggs, oil and ouzo or anise extract. Add dry ingredients gradually until incorporated. The dough will be sticky, but should not be too loose. You should be able to form loaves with it.
Spray a large baking sheet with Pam spray or use baking parchment paper. You need one of your bigger baking sheets, as the dough spreads out during baking.
Pat dough into two loaves, about 1 inch high and 1-1/2 wide. Don’t place loaves too close together, or they will join together while baking.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove baking sheet from oven and allow the loaves to cool undisturbed for 15 minutes.
Using a sharp knife, slice each loaf diagonally into slices 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick.
Lower oven temperature to 250 degrees F.
Turn biscuits on their sides on the baking sheet and dry slowly in oven for an additional 50 minutes, turning biscuits over once.
Allow cookies to cool completely. They can be stored in airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 3 weeks.
Makes two dozen.

Tips

If dough is too sticky to work with, refrigerate for 30 minutes before forming loaves.
Spritz your hands with non-stick cooking spray before patting into loaves.
A serrated bread knife works well for slicing the loaves into cookies.
These are the perfect cookies for gifting during the holidays since they can be made several weeks in advance! Plus, they are sturdy enough for shipping.

https://cinnamonsugarandalittlebitofmurder.com/biscotti/

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Molly’s Double Chocolate Cookie Bars

I always love finding new books to read and I was happy when I picked up the newest release in Betty Hechtman’s Crochet Mystery series, HOOKING FOR TROUBLE. Even though I have not read any in this series and this is the eleventh book (boy do I have a lot of catching up to do!) it was an enjoyable, fun read!

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Synopsis

Molly Pink is an event coordinator and assistant manager at Shedd & Royal Books and More in San Fernando Valley, Southern California. She has organized the Tarzana Hookers, a group of crocheters who meet at the shop and work on projects for charities. Celebrity Cheyenne Chambers has just moved in next door to her house and Molly thinks she witnesses domestic abuse occurring so calls her ex-boyfriend, Detective Barry Greenberg. When Barry investigates he finds no evidence of wrong doing and tells Molly to mind her own business. But she can’t and late at night she’s certain she sees a dead body lying in the yard below the celebrity’s balcony. When Barry shows up again to investigate, the nanny shows him that the “body” is nothing more than a chaise lounge cushion.

Barry warns Molly to leave things alone but she’s certain she knows what she saw. When Cheyenne and her sister join the shop’s crochet group, Molly determines to ask questions and get to the bottom of things. She finds out that the Chambers’ nanny took a leave of absence with no notice, right after the detective showed up. No one seems concerned but Molly is still certain there was foul play. However, as her best friend says, “How can you find a body when you don’t even know who you’re looking for?” Undeterred, Molly continues her search for answers while helping organize a musical event at the shop featuring Cheyenne Chambers and Molly’s own mother. She’s also in the middle of helping two friends plan their weddings. Can she stay focused and solve the mystery proving Barry wrong, or will she get tangled up in the activities and follow the detective’s advice to leave well enough alone?

My Review

I grew up watching my grandmother crochet all evening long whether she was watching tv or chatting with family. There is a certain mesmerizing rhythm to crocheting (and knitting) that can be soothing and Betty Hechtman manages to convey that feeling throughout the book, even with a murder mystery taking place. The plot surprised me and stepped outside the usual format which kept me guessing, erroneously, which way the twists and turns where heading. It’s the kind of story that kept me turning pages late into the night to find out what happens next. While the characters were new to me, it was easy to jump in and figure out who was who without being distracted. The bits of backstory and the writing is concise without being distracting. I enjoyed Molly’s entertaining mother, who adds lots of fun to the subplots, along with her friends who both inspire and challenge.

While the crocheting bug never grabbed me (I tried but didn’t have the patience to stick with it) Betty has included a scarf pattern at the back of the book that sounds delightful. She also has a couple of recipes included and has graciously allowed me to share the recipe for Molly’s Double Chocolate Cookie Bars. Oh my, a chocolate lover’s dream cookie! Rich cocoa powder flavors the dough while dark chocolate chunks provide creamy melt-in-your mouth yumminess and walnuts add a nice crunchy contrast. I liked that the dough bakes in a jelly roll pan, creating lots of small bars for a group, while not taking as long to bake as baking sheets of cookies. This recipe is perfect for upcoming holiday parties or for sharing with family and friends to celebrate the season!

A huge thank you to Betty Hechtman for providing an autographed copy of HOOKING FOR TROUBLE for one lucky winner! Limited to U.S. residents only. Contest ends Thursday, November 17, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Molly’s Double Chocolate Cookie Bars

Ingredients

2-1/4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
4.5-ounce dark chocolate bar broken into small pieces
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).
Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
Combine sugars and cocoa powder in a small bowl.
Using an electric mixer, cream butter and then gradually add the sugar and cocoa mixture.
Add vanilla extract. Beat until blended.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Gradually beat in flour mixture.
Stir in chocolate pieces and nuts.
Line a 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
Spread batter in pan and bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
Cool in pan on a wire rack.
Cut into bars. Makes 48 cookie bars.

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Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

I’m very happy to be a part of the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for the brand new release, THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE GUACAMOLE by Rebecca Adler! From the moment I read the title and saw the cover I knew I wanted to dip into this book.

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Synopsis

Josie Callahan has moved back to Broken Boots after being abandoned at the alter by her fiancé. Trying to forget her humiliation she takes a job as a journalist for the Broken Boot Bugle and to help make ends meet, works at her family’s restaurant, Milagro. When country western performer, Jeff Clark, comes to town for the Homestead Days Musical Festival, Josie has her hopes up for a killer interview. After all her best friend, Patti, used to date Jeff and it appears they might be rekindling the romance. When Jeff Clark blows off their interview, Josie tracks him down and finds him dead, face down in a bowl of guacamole in Patti’s house.

The police arrest Patti after her fingerprints were found all over the murder weapon and a witness claims they heard Patti and Jeff violently arguing late the night before. Despite what the police say, Josie is positive her friend is innocent. Using her journalistic skills, she starts asking questions hoping to track down the real killer and free her friend. Plus it wouldn’t hurt her career to scoop the story for her newspaper. But the more questions she asks the more people she finds wanted Jeff out of the way. Can Josie sift through the clues and suspects or will the real killer salsa away while her friend takes the fall?

My Review

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE GUACAMOLE did not disappoint! I loved Josie’s relationship with her aunt, uncle, and grandmother, Señora Mari. She’s been raised by her relatives after her parents died in an accident when she was twelve and it’s obvious that Josie has a very close bond with them. They also provide a bit of comedic relief with their meddlesome antics, especially Señora Mari, who while appearing gruff on the outside, has a heart of gold. Josie’s Chihuahua, Lenny, is a nice sidekick for her and I would dearly love to read Lenny’s blog! And then there is her best friend, Goth princess Patti Perez. While some folks might look at the exterior of Patti and only see a hardened gal, the author helps us see below the surface and get to know the real person. A good lesson in real life not to judge people based on their appearance alone!

Rebecca provides a satisfying mystery to whet your appetite for more, with plenty of suspects drawn from both the townspeople and the band’s roadies. The dialog is snappy and the down-home sayings are cute and add to the feel of the western Texan town of Broken Boots. And then there’s the food…oh my, so many mentions of tamales made me want to run to Costco and pick up a dozen (although I know they would not be as yummy as Señora Mari’s, but at least they’d satisfy my craving) along with lots of other delectable Tex-Mex food served at Milagro. Although I’ll admit I will be pausing for a moment whenever I eat guacamole after reading this book 🙂 Rebecca has also graciously allowed me to share her recipe for The Cogburn Hotel’s Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies. These delightful treats have just the right amount of soft chewiness with melt in your mouth creamy chocolate chips and buttery, crunchy pecans. The perfect combination! Be sure to check out the back of her book for other mouth-watering recipes, all which sound delicious.

Thanks to the publisher, I have a print copy of THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE GUACAMOLE to give to one winner. Limited to U.S. residents only. Contest ends Sunday, November 6, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

The Cogburn Hotel's Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter 2 sticks, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F).
In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until combined.
Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
Gradually stir the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture.
Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans.
Spoon the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet by tablespoons.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.

Cinnamon & Sugar's Tip:

According to King Arthur Flour, refrigerating your dough for at least 30 minutes prior to baking results in a tastier cookie that browns more evenly. I tried it and it really does work!