Recipes Archives - Page 34 of 112

Vee’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies

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HALLOWEEN PARTY MURDER is a compilation of three cozy mystery novellas by three terrific authors: Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Barbara Ross. If you haven’t yet read any books by these authors, this Halloween trilogy is a great way to try them out. And if you’re already a fan, you’ll love catching up with favorite characters via these quick vignettes. Despite the shortened length of each story, the authors do a marvelous job of setting the stage, capturing the essence of Halloween with spooky atmospheres, and creating a murder for the heroines to solve. The short books are well-plotted with a quick pace, yet the stories never feel rushed.

Each author brings their individual styles and strengths to their novella, from Leslie Meier tackling social issues, to the humor and wit imbued by Lee Hollis, to the strong character development and descriptive voice embraced by Barbara Ross. Each of their strengths has a hand in creating stories that captured my attention and kept me glued to the pages all the while adhering to the theme of the title. Another aspect I enjoy about the annual cozy mystery novella trilogy published by Kensington, is that each story is short enough to finish in one evening without feeling the need to stay up half the night to find out the conclusion. Of course, if you have time on your hands, you’ll want to gobble up the entire book all at once while munching on trick-or-treat goodies!

Barbara Ross and Lee Hollis are known for adding tempting recipes to their books, and Halloween Party Murder is no exception. With several tempting Halloween treats mentioned on the pages, be prepared to be hungry and be sure to check out the Halloween-themed recipes included. Barbara Ross includes a recipe for Vee’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies, which sounded intriguing because you don’t have to roll out the dough to cutout pumpkin shapes. Instead, these cookies are shaped free-form (or patted within the confines of a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter like I did). You can easily swap out all-purpose flour for the gluten-free blend called for. Full of flavor, these cookies are pumpkiny and spicy, chocolately and cakey, yet moist with a crunch from the walnuts added. Your ghouls and goblins will thank you for this yummy treat!

Amazon Synopsis

Small town traditions are celebrated throughout Maine during the holiday season. But when it comes to Halloween, some people are more than willing to reap a harvest of murder . . .

HALLOWEEN PARTY MURDER by LESLIE MEIER
Tinker’s Cove newest residents Ty and Heather Moon turn their Victorian home into a haunted house to raise funds for charity. But the Halloween fun turns to horrific fright when Heather overdoses on tainted drugs—and Ty finds himself accused of murder. Digging deep into the story, journalist Lucy Stone uncovers some sinister secrets in the Moons’ past linked to a conspiracy in her hometown . . .

DEATH OF A HALLOWEEN PARTY MONSTER by LEE HOLLIS
Everyone attending Island Times Food and Cocktail columnist Hayley Powell’s Halloween bash is dressed as their favorite movie monster from the Bride of Frankenstein and Jaws to Chucky and Pennywise the clown. But when partygoers stumble upon Boris Candy’s bludgeoned costumed corpse, it falls to Hayley to discover who among her guests wanted to stop the man from clowning around permanently . . .

SCARED OFF by BARBARA ROSS
Three teenage girls having a sleepover on Halloween night get spooked when high schoolers crash the house for a party. But no one expected to find a crasher like Mrs. Zelisko, the elderly third floor tenant, dead in the backyard—dressed in a sheet like a ghost. With her niece traumatized, Julia Snowden must uncover who among the uninvited guests was responsible for devising such a murderous trick . . .

A special thanks to Barbara Ross for providing one lucky winner with a print copy of HALLOWEEN PARTY MURDER. Giveaway is limited to U.S. residents. Contest ends Thursday, September 9 , 2021 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!)

Vee's Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies

In the story, Vee Snugg makes her traditional pumpkin cookies gluten-free in an attempt to entice Sergent Tom Flynn. In reality, you can make them either way. Vee's recipe is a twist on the one that used to appear on the Libby pumpkin can. Lots of people make versions of these cookies, but I think Vee's are particularly delicious.

Full of flavor, these cookies are pumpkiny, and spicy, chocolately and cakey, yet moist with a crunch from the walnuts added.

Ingredients

3-1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour (or standard all-purpose flour)
2-1/3 cup old-fashioned oats (if gluten-free is necessary, make certain to use gf oats)
1-3/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
3-1/2 sticks butter, softened
1-3/4 cup sugar
1-3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 (15-ounce) can of pure pumpkin
2 large eggs
1-3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1-3/4 cup chocolate chips
Decorator icing (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix flour, oats, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy.
Add pumpkin, eggs, and extract. Mix well.
Gradually stir in flour mixture. Add nuts and chocolate chips.
Drop 1/4 cup dough onto a parchment-covered baking sheet. Spread into a pumpkin shape, about 1/4 inch thick. Continue until all dough is used.
Bake for 14 - 16 minutes, until firm and golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes and then remove to wire racks.
Decorate with icing when cool, if desired. Vee uses orange icing to outline the pumpkin ribs and green icing for the stem and leaves.

Makes approximately 40 cookies.

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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lemon Rosemary Scones

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NO GRATER CRIME is the nineth book in the Country Store Mysteries by Maddie Day. Set in Indiana, the author captures the essence of the Midwest with the mannerisms and vernacular of the small-town residents. Her strong descriptive voice brings the area to life and allows the reader to feel like they’re living right alongside Robbie Jordan, owner of the Pans ‘N Pancakes. Robbie is busy running her successful café and shop, plus planning her wedding to Abe and getting to know her future step-son. Ms. Day has allowed the characters to grow and evolve over the course of the series, and as a result, I feel invested in what happens to them. I love how they are kind and supportive of each other. Even when facing unsavory characters or delving into investigations, Robbie manages to exude a sense of kindness.

With everything going on the last thing Robbie needed or wanted was for someone to die in her restaurant after eating her omelet containing poisonous mushrooms. With the café temporarily closed, Robbie feels obligated to find out how the mushrooms ended up in her kitchen, and who might have wanted the man dead. Or, is someone trying to frame Robbie and put her out of business? Ms. Day sets the mystery up and then delivers a pitch perfect investigation. While it seems kind of obvious from the onset who might be responsible for the crime, there are twists and turns to follow alongside Robbie. I waffled back and forth multiple times as I followed the clues until the final reveal. Wrapping up the story is a heartwarming end that will leave a smile on the reader’s face and the desire to find out what is in the future for Robbie.

Running a café gives Robbie the opportunity to showcase her culinary skills. Be prepared to be hungry from all the mouthwatering descriptions mentioned on the pages, and be sure to check out all the recipes included at the back of the book. With an overabundance of rosemary in our herb garden, I couldn’t wait to try out the recipe for Ms. Day’s Lemon Rosemary Scones. While rosemary can be overpowering, the scones contained just the right amount while the lemon complemented and tempered the flavor. Flaky and rich, these scones are delightful with or without the glaze included in the recipe. I chose to go the easy route of just a sprinkle of sugar on the tops before baking. Perfection with a cup of fragrant tea!

Amazon Synopsis

Ever since meeting the wary owners of an antique shop opening across the street, Robbie has been scrambling to manage weird incidences plaguing her café and country store. Pricey items vanish from shelves without explanation, a fully equipped breakfast food truck starts lingering around the area each morning, and loyal diners mysteriously fall ill. When an elderly man dies after devouring an omelet packed with poisonous mushrooms, Robbie must temporarily close down Pans ’N Pancakes and search for the killer with a real zest for running her out of business—or else.

A special thanks to Maddie Day for providing one lucky winner with a print copy of NO GRATER CRIME. Giveaway is limited to U.S. residents. Contest ends Wednesday, September 1 , 2021 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!)

Lemon Rosemary Scones

Ingredients

2 cups unbleached white flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes
1 tablespoon rosemary, finely minced
Zest of one lemon
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons milk

Optional Glaze

Zest of half a lemon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon rosemary, finely minced
1 teaspoon milk
1 cup icing sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 410 degrees (F). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a food processor, add the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Pulse until combined.
Spread the butter on top of the dry ingredients. Pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
Add the rosemary and lemon zest and pulse until combined. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add the buttermilk and egg over the flour mixture and stir, using a rubber spatula, until just combined.
Flour a work surface and transfer the dough on it. Knead for 1 minute.
Using your hands, pat the dough into a circle and cut into wedges. Arrange scones in a single layer on the prepared cookie sheet.
Brush tops with milk, then sprinkle with sugar.
Bake until tops are golden brown, for 12 - 15 minutes. Let scones cool completely.

Optional Glaze

Omit brushing the tops with milk and sprinkling with sugar.
Whisk together lemon zest and juice, rosemary and milk. Gradually add the icing sugar until the desired consistency is reached.
Drizzle the glaze on the completely cooled scones and serve.

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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Gooey Pineapple Pecan Cake

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CAJUN KISS OF DEATH, the seventh book in the Cajun Country Mysteries by Ellen Byron, ends the series with a bang. A longtime favorite series of mine, Ms. Bryon pulls out all the stops with a topnotch mystery, characters who will linger in my memory, and the drool-worthy bayou setting of Louisiana in addition to a jaunt in New Orleans. With a strong descriptive voice, the author takes the reader on a ride where you can see, taste (oh, especially taste!), feel, smell, and hear all the things the setting has to offer. Starting the book already knowing that this will be the last one, left me with a bittersweet feeling. That said, I appreciate that Ms. Byron allows the reader to experience joy alongside protagonist, Maggie Crozat, as she settles into life with her new husband and charming stepson. She also does an admirable job of wrapping up and bringing closure to all the core characters from the series so the reader isn’t left dangling with a “whatever happened to so-and-so”.

The mystery itself is expertly woven into the fabric of the characters and the setting. When a celebrity chef ventures into the small town of Pelican to open a new restaurant, tempers fly both at his arrogance and his theft of cherished recipes from local eateries. His tragic death proves to be a murder and Maggie’s own mother becomes a suspect. Maggie’s perseverance for finding the truth gives the book a fast pace while several subplots kept the action going. With plenty of suspects around who hated the celebrity chef, by locals and out-of-towners alike, I was surprised at the Agatha Christie-style reveal – I didn’t guess the culprit in the least. And just as I thought the story was wrapping up, another heart-stopping conclusion came along. Ms. Byron has proven, once again, to be an expert storyteller!

With so many mouthwatering dishes mentioned throughout the story, I was practically drooling on the page and couldn’t wait to get to the end of the book to check out the delicious recipes the author includes. I couldn’t pass up her recipe for Gooey Pineapple Pecan Cake, which not only is easy-peasy to make, but lives up to its delectable name. Ellen recommends baking the cake in a 13 x 9-inch casserole dish but since I was sending it to my granddaughter’s Fourth of July boat party, I didn’t want to worry about her remembering to bring my glass dish home. Instead, I made it in a springform pan then transferred it to a cheapie decorative plate that I didn’t mind not getting back. Topped with fresh berries and/or whipped cream, my family and guests devoured the cake with requests for me to make it again. Soon!

Amazon Synopsis

In Pelican, Louisiana, Valentine’s Day has a way of warming the heart, despite the February chill. But the air at Crozat Plantation B&B turns decidedly frigid when celebrity chef Phillippe Chanson checks in. And when the arrogant Phillippe–in town to open his newest Cajun-themed restaurant–perishes in a fiery boat crash, Maggie Crozat’s dear friend JJ lands in very cold water.

Did JJ, proprietor of Junie’s Oyster Bar and Dance Hall, murder Phillippe because he feared the competition? Might Maggie’s mother, Ninette, have bumped off the chef for stealing one of her cherished recipes? Or was the culprit a local seafood vendor, miffed because Phillippe was somehow able to sell oysters for a remarkably reasonable price, despite an oyster shortage?

Maggie had planned to devote her February to art lessons in New Orleans, a present from her sweetheart, Bo. But now she has to focus on helping her friend and her mother cross a murder charge off the menu. Meanwhile, Maggie receives a series of anonymous gifts that begin as charming but grow increasingly disturbing. Does Maggie have an admirer–or a stalker? And are these mysterious gifts somehow related to Phillippe’s murder?

Blood may be thicker than water, but this case is thicker than gumbo. And solving it will determine whether Maggie gets hearts and roses–or hearse and lilies–this Valentine’s Day.

A special thanks to Ellen Byron for providing one lucky winner with a print copy of CAJUN KISS OF DEATH! Giveaway is limited to U.S. residents. Contest ends Sunday, August 22 , 2021 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!)

Gooey Pineapple Pecan Cake

This cake is super sweet - and super tasty! if you prefer a less sweet version, simply skip the topping and just make the cake. Since it requires only three ingredients, it's very easy. You can always add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.

Serves 16 - 24, depending on serving size.

Ingredients

Cake

1 box yellow cake mix
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple (don't drain; use with the juice)
1 cup chopped pecans

Topping

2 large eggs
1 (8-ounce) package regular or low-fat cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon rum or rum flavor
1 pound (16 ounces) powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).
Combine the cake mix and pineapple in a large bowl, stirring until well blended. Add the cup of pecans and mix well to incorporate.
Transfer the batter into a 13 x 9-inch baking pan, spreading so it covers the whole pan.
Beat the eggs with the cream cheese until well blended. Add the rum flavoring, then the powdered sugar one cup at a time, making sure to mix the ingredients together at medium speed before adding the next cup.
Pour the mixture over the cake layer, making sure the cake layer is entirely covered.
Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes or until set. Cool and cut into squares.

Note:

If you're skipping the topping and making only the cake, bake at 350 degrees (F) for approximately 25 - 35 minutes until firm to the touch.
If you'd rather use a springform pan, bake the cake with the topping for 50 - 60 minutes.

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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Banana Date Scones

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A SCONE OF CONTENTION is the eleventh book in the Key West Food Critic Mystery series by Lucy Burdette. This newest installment finds newlywed Hayley Snow heading off to Scotland for her honeymoon. But instead of only her groom, Nathan, at her side, octogenarian Miss Gloria and Hayley’s new mother-in-law, also join them then they meet up with Nathan’s sister and husband. While it has nothing explicit with regards to honeymoon (no mention of feeldoe or anything erotic), it does give the reader opportunity to get to know more about Nathan’s family since they’ve been absent from the pages up until the previous book. I also enjoyed that the setting is in Scotland and it was a treat to sit back and enjoy the various sites Hayley and crew visit. The author’s strong descriptive voice makes the reader feel like they’re experiencing the sights, sounds, and especially tastes that Hayley is experiencing on the page. At times it felt a bit like a travelogue and food book instead of a mystery. However, once the murder takes place, the pacing picks up.

Hayley is quick to forge into the thick of things to solve the crime, despite not being on her home turf. With her new husband conscripted into a golf tournament, she, along with Miss Gloria, are on their own in trying to find answers. Maybe because Hayley was out of her usual element, her investigation seemed a bit more forceful than usual and she lacked her usual finesse. The subplot of finding out what happened to Hayley’s new sister-in-law, Vera, years before, and the current maelstrom surrounding Vera’s Scotland book project, adds another layer of intrigue. The heart stopping reveal came as a surprise to me and in the end, the various subplots are wrapped up nicely. While it’s fun to travel, it’s always wonderful to return home and I look forward to visiting with Hayley and the gang back in Key West in the next book!

Hayley is determined to eat her way through Scotland and does an admirable job in consuming a variety of local dishes. Of course, scones are at the top of the list with several varieties offered. Ms. Burdette has included recipes at the back of the book to tempt the hungry reader. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try her recipe for Banana Date Scones. I liked that, instead of using a lot of sugar, the scones rely on a banana and dates for extra sweetness. This rich and flaky pastry only needs a pat of creamy butter and a cup of tea for a delicious breakfast or snack!

Amazon Synopsis

Key Zest food critic Hayley Snow and her groom, police detective Nathan Bransford, chose Scotland for their long-delayed honeymoon, hoping to sightsee and enjoy some prize-winning scones. But their romantic duo swells to a crowd when they’re joined by Nathan’s family as well as octogenarian Miss Gloria.

Nathan’s sister Vera takes the women on a whirlwind tour of some of Scotland’s iconic mystic places as research for a looming book project. But the trip takes a deadly tartan turn when a dinner party guest falls ill and claims she was poisoned. And then the group watches in horror as a mysterious tourist tumbles to his death from the famous Falkirk Wheel, high above the Forth & Clyde canal.

Vera and her friends deny knowing the dead man, but after observing their reactions to the fall, Hayley is not convinced. With one person dead, a second possibly poisoned, and the tension among Vera’s friends as thick as farmhouse cheese, Hayley fears her long-awaited honeymoon might end with another murder.

Far away from home, surrounded by unfamiliar faces, eccentric characters, and a forbiddingly gorgeous setting, Hayley must call on all her savvy to keep a killer from striking again and then escaping Scot free.

A special thanks to Lucy Burdette for providing one lucky winner with a print copy of A SCONE OF CONTENTION! Giveaway is limited to U.S. residents. Contest ends Sunday, August 15 , 2021 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!)

Banana Date Scones

From Lucy Burdette: On one of our first days during our trip to Scotland, John and I got separated for a bit in the little town of Melrose And he came back with an incredible banana date scone that he'd found in a small bakery. Actually, it was only part of a small scone because he'd eaten the other half. I've been craving another ever since. I've tried to re-create them for you here. Halyley made these for Miss Gloria before they left on their trip.

Ingredients

1-5/8 cup flour
1/6 cup brown sugar (= 2 tbls + 2 tsp)
2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
1/3 cup sour cream (can also use whole milk plain yogurt)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ripe banana
1/2 cup chopped dates

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F).
Mix all the dry ingredients (up through the salt) together well.
Cut in the cold butter until it's the size of small peas.
Mash the banana well, and stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Mix well. Add the dates and stir in.
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Knead the dough briefly, and shape it into a circle on a floured surface. Flatten the circle and cut it into 6 pieces.
Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 10 - 12 minutes.
Serve with butter and jam if you like.

Tip

Before chopping the dates, spritz the knife with non-stick cooking spray. Reapply as necessary.

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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Buzzy’s Ultimate Frozen Margarita

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THE ROCKY ROAD TO RUIN, the first book in the brand-new Ice Cream Shop Mysteries, by Meri Allen, is a delightful start to a delicious series! As the story unfolded, I greatly enjoyed that the protagonist, Riley Rhodes, isn’t your typical, stumble through an investigation, amateur sleuth. She’s not only a librarian with great researching skills, but she worked for the CIA until an overseas misfortune sidelined her. Heading home to support her best friend, Caroline, who’d lost her mother, Riley pitches in to run Caroline’s family ice cream shop. Ms. Allen has an admirable descriptive voice and I couldn’t help but want to visit the charming setting of Penniman, Connecticut. She not only captures the beauty of the location but also the yummy tastes and aromas of the Udderly Delicious Ice Cream Shop. The author has developed appealing characters – both human and animal alike – and I especially loved Sprinkles, the cat who rules the household. The quirky feline steals each scene she inhabits!

There are multiple mystery threads running throughout the book, from long ago to current day, and the author effortlessly weaves them together into a cohesive story. I was so charmed by the story, I decided to sit back and enjoy the read as it unfolded instead of playing armchair detective. Either way, the mysteries and subplots are well-paced and entertaining scenes will keep the reader intrigued with lots of suspects and well-placed clues. Cozy mystery fans will drool over this new series by Meri Allen, who also writes as Shari Randall.

There are so many mouthwatering mentions of udderly delicious frozen concoctions throughout the story and I was pleased to see that there are recipes at the back of the book. With summertime backyard grilling in full-swing, I couldn’t help but want to try out Buzzy’s Ultimate Frozen Margarita to share with friends. It’s basically a tart-sweet lime sorbet with a kick from tequila and triple sec, but as the author notes, it makes a great slushy to sip with straws as it melts. This frozen concoction captures the essence of summer!

Amazon Synopsis

Riley Rhodes, travel food blogger and librarian at the CIA, makes a bittersweet return to her childhood home of Penniman, Connecticut – land of dairy farms and covered bridges – for a funeral. Despite the circumstances, Riley’s trip home is sprinkled with reunions with old friends, visits to her father’s cozy bookshop on the town green, and joyful hours behind the counter at the beloved Udderly Delicious Ice Cream Shop. It feels like a time to help her friend Caroline rebuild after her mother’s death, and for Riley to do a bit of her own reflecting after a botched undercover mission in Italy. After all, it’s always good to be home.

But Caroline and her brother Mike have to decide what to do with the assets they’ve inherited – the ice cream shop as well as the farm they grew up on – and they’ve never seen eye to eye. Trouble begins to swirl as Riley is spooked by reports of a stranger camping behind the farm and by the odd behavior of the shop’s mascot, Caroline’s snooty Persian, Sprinkles. When Mike turns up dead in the barn the morning after the funeral, the peace and quiet of Penniman seems upended for good. Can Riley find the killer before another body gets scooped?

A special thanks to Meri Allen for providing one lucky winner with a print copy of THE ROCKY ROAD TO RUIN! Giveaway is limited to U.S. residents. Contest ends Sunday, August 8 , 2021 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!)

Buzzy's Ultimate Frozen Margarita

Enjoy responsibly!

Makes approximately 4 servings.

Ingredients

2 cups water
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
3 - 4 tablespoons triple sec
3 - 4 tablespoons tequila
1 teaspoon grated lime peel

Instructions

Stir water and sugar in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Pour into a bowl.
Mix together lime juice, triple sec, tequila, and lime zest. Add to the sugar base. Refrigerate until cold - at least two hours.
Pour mixture into ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions.
Transfer sorbet to container, cover and freeze until firm - about two hours.
To serve, put glasses in the freezer for one hour to chill, then scoop the sorbet into them.
Have straws ready because it's very good as a slushy too.

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Vicki’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

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MURDER IN A TEACUP, the second book in the Tea By the Sea Mysteries by Vicki Delany, is a charming and inviting addition to the series. The protagonist, Lily Roberts, is up to her elbows in baking scones and other delectable treats for her tearoom during the busy Cape Cod summer season. The author does an admirable job in making her workday realistic – it’s nonstop with not a lot of time for sleuthing – but yet she manages to find snippets of time to ask questions and find answers. Joining the core cast of characters is Lily’s grandmother, Rose, who owns the B & B next to the tearoom. I’m happy that Rose’s personality shifted from mostly abrasive to simply feisty in this new book. I found her antics enjoyable and her zest for helping in the murder investigation made the scenes fun. Lily’s sidekick and best friend, aspiring author, Bernie, is a hoot. Her very humorous approach to trying to write a novel as each scene unfolded during Murder in a Teacup, kept me chuckling.

With a bickering family staying at the B & B for a reunion to contend with, Lily and her grandmother have their hands full. When one of the guests is poisoned during tea served by Lily, she and her grandmother are left scrambling to find out who did it after the police shut down the tearoom. Ms. Delany writes a tight plot with enough suspects to keep the reader guessing and enough intrigue to keep the reader turning pages. As the story unfolded, I was entertained and delighted with each passing scene and had a difficult time putting the book down to tend to other responsibilities. With a surprising reveal, Ms. Delany has proven once again, to be an expert storyteller!

You’ll be absolutely drooling over all the delicious goodies Lily serves at her tearoom. The author has thoughtfully provided several recipes at the back of the book. I couldn’t help but want to try her recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies even though they are typically pretty standard. But after making several of the author’s recipes in the past, I knew these would be different… and I was right! Chockfull of just the right amount of chips, these cookies are soft and slightly cakelike… and they stay soft. The recipe makes extra large cookies but only about a dozen, which is a nice amount for a small family or to share with a couple of friends. If you need more, the recipe can easily be doubled.

Amazon Synopsis

Lily has her work cut out for her when a visit from her grandmother Rose’s dear friend, Sandra McHenry, turns into an unexpected—and unpleasant—McHenry family reunion. The squabbling boils over and soon Tea by the Sea’s serene afternoon service resembles the proverbial tempest in a teapot. Somehow, Lily and her tearoom survive the storm, and Sandra’s bickering brethren finally retreat to Rose’s B&B. But later that evening, a member of their party—curmudgeonly Ed French—dies from an apparent poisoning and suddenly Tea by the Sea is both scene and suspect in a murder investigation!

Mercifully, none of the other guests fall ill. They all ate the same food, but Ed always insisted on bringing his own special blend of herbal teas. So it seems, amid the whining and dining, someone snuck up to one of Lily’s cherished teapots and fatally spiked Ed’s bespoke brew, but who? Was it Ed’s long-estranged sister-in-law? Did teenage troublemaker Tyler take a prank too far? Or perhaps the family’s feuds have been steeping for longer than anyone realizes? It’s up to Lily, Rose, and their friends to get to the bottom of the poisoned pot and bag the real culprit behind the kettle murder plot.

A special thanks to Vicki Delany for providing one lucky winner with a print copy of MURDER IN A TEACUP! Giveaway is limited to U.S. residents. Contest ends Wednesday, August 4, 2021 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!)

Vicki's Chocolate Chip Cookies

You don't normally find chocolate chip cookies as part of the afternoon tea sweets selection, but Lily makes these for the children's tea. This recipes makes a very soft and chewy cookie.

Makes approximately 12 large cookies. The recipe can easily be doubled if you need more.

Ingredients

8 tablespoons salted butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
Microwave butter until just barely melted. It should be almost entirely liquid.
Using stand mixer or electric beater, beat butter with white and brown sugars until creamy. Add vanilla and the egg; beat on low until incorporated, 10 - 15 seconds. (If you beat the egg too long, the cookies will be stiff.)
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until crumbles form. Use your hands to press the crumbles together into a dough. It should form one large ball that is easy to handle (right at the stage between "wet" dough and "dry" dough).
Add the chocolate chips and incorporate with your hands.
Roll the dough into 12 large balls (or 9 for HUGE cookies) and place on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 9 - 11 minutes until the cookies look puffy and dry and just barely golden. (DON'T OVERBAKE: This is essential for keeping the cookies soft. Take them out even if they look like they're not done yet. They'll be pale and puffy.)
Let them cool on the pan for a good 30 minutes or so. They will sink down and turn into a dense, buttery, soft cookie. They will stay soft for several days if kept in an airtight container.

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