Back in October when I attended the Ladies of Intrigue conference in Huntington Beach, I had the pleasure of listening to a panel discussion that included author Linda O. Johnston. Later that day I had the opportunity to meet her and talk a bit about her books. Linda writes a couple of series but the book that caught my attention was TO CATCH A TREAT from her Barkery & Biscuits Mystery series. First off, I loved the play on the title since To Catch a Thief with Cary Grant is one of my favorite classic movies. Next, the adorable cover with the darling dogs and delectable showcase of goodies invited me in. And then as I began reading, the well crafted plot with the interesting and well-developed characters kept my attention as I turned the pages. 

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The protagonist, Carrie Kennersly, is endearing with her close relationship to her brother. She is very protective and has become almost a mother to him after their parents divorced and went on to create new families. Carrie also has a soft heart when it comes to animals, working both as a vet technician in addition to owning a bakery that caters to pets (and humans too). The author weaves information into the story about pet rescue shelters with a plea to help find forever homes for these animals…which adds to the appeal of the book. The setting of Knobcone, California is a delightful, beautiful place. The descriptions of the mountains and lake have me curious if the setting was based on Big Bear, a mountainous community not too far from where I live and a location I have visited often. Even if not, it was still fun to imagine it as that location.

Since Carrie Kennersly owns two bakeries, one for pets and one for humans, it’s a natural that the author includes recipes for each at the back of the book. All the recipes sound delicious, both for myself and for our grandpuppy. A special thank you to Linda for allowing me to share the recipe for LA Lime Pie. Using three pantry/refrigerator staples for the filling, which is poured into a prepared graham cracker crust, this dessert is super quick and easy to make. However, the resulting creamy, custard-like sweet-tart filling tastes like it could be a labor intensive dessert and is oh so yummy! While it’s not a traditional holiday dessert, the cool, refreshing flavor is a nice change from heavily spiced fare and I know that LA Lime Pie will be highly requested in my family throughout the year.

Amazon Synopsis

Carrie Kennersly, veterinary technician and owner of the Barkery and Biscuits bake shop, agrees to a day of hiking with her brother Neal—mostly because she wants to meet and critique his latest romantic interest, Janelle Blaystone. But instead of judging her, Carrie feels only sympathy for Janelle, whose beloved black Labrador, Go, was recently dognapped.

Janelle thinks the culprit is Ada Arnist, a wealthy homeowner spotted at the dog park where Go was stolen. Soon after Janelle confronts Ada, though, the woman is found dead. With Janelle and Neal on the suspect list, Carrie must solve the mystery before the police bark up the wrong tree.

I am happy to be able to provide an autographed copy of TO CATCH A TREAT for one lucky winner! Limited to U.S. residents only. Contest ends Thursday, December 22, 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!)

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I have been following the Oxford Tearoom Mystery series by H.Y. Hanna for some time and am impressed with her entertaining stories and classic English desserts! I was delighted that I didn’t have too long of a wait in between her last book and eagerly pick up the newest release in her series, MUFFINS AND MOURNING TEA.

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Synopsis

Gemma Rose, owner of Little Stables Tearoom near Oxford, has finally moved into her own tiny cottage with her darling tabby, Meuseli. Gemma is happy to be on her own except for worrying a bit that her boyfriend, CID Detective Devlin O’Connor, might be a tad upset that she chose not to live with him. But between working at her busy tearoom and preparing for May Day festivities, she doesn’t have much time to worry too much. Her best friend, Cassie, talks Gemma into attending Oxford’s early morning May Day celebration, like they did as students. With the crush of people on the bridge listening to the university’s choir usher in the day, Gemma is horrified when the man next to her topples off the bridge and instead of swimming out of the water, floats face down.

It is soon discovered that the student was stabbed to death. Gemma is sorry for the young man and his distraught Russian girlfriend, but is glad she’s not connected to this death…until her chef begs her to solve the case because her best friend, middle-aged Miriam, is the chief suspect. Miriam worked as the Scout (housekeeper) for the dead man’s university room and the weapon turns out to belong to her. The four “Old Biddies” are soon dragging Gemma into the investigation even though Devlin repeatedly warns her to stay away from his case. Can Gemma survive the Krav Maga training the Old Biddies drag her to? Can she figure out why Devlin is so withdrawn or will she cave in to his wishes to not investigate? Will she be able to clear Miriam’s name or will the killer walk away from the crime? And just what is Gemma going to do with all the hysterically hideous housewarming “gifts” and plants being given to her by the Old Biddies and her mother?

My Review

MUFFINS AND MOURNING TEA is even better than the last book in the series, which is saying a lot since I’ve loved each and everyone of H.Y. Hanna’s books. She makes you feel like you’re actually visiting Oxford and participating in the May Day celebrations and sipping tea at her Little Stables Tearoom. I loved the bits and pieces of history that she provides about the area and the traditions. It adds to the book without detracting from the story. Be sure to read through to the back of the book for the Glossary of British Terms, which is entertaining reading on its own.

The plot has a good flow to it with lots of interesting suspects that kept me guessing until the very end. But once again, it’s the characters that have me coming back and eagerly waiting for the next installment! Without a doubt, the Old Biddies steal the scenes they are in and they create many laugh out loud moments. Adorable Meuseli is a cheeky little tabby that will win your heart. Gemma’s relationship with Devlin seems to be at a turning point while her friendship with Cassie provides a sounding board. They all combine to create a story where I wish I could hang out at Little Stables Tearoom and take in the gossip and atmosphere while Gemma solves her cases!

H.Y. Hanna also provides a recipe for Classic Banoffee Pie at the back of the book. When she asked me to test the recipe I’ll have to admit that while I had heard of this dessert I had never tried it or even seen a recipe. Thank goodness for Wikipedia and Pinterest 🙂 According to Wikipedia, “credit for the pie’s invention is claimed by Nigel Mackenzie and Ian Dowding, the owner and chef respectively of The Hungry Monk Restaurant in Jevington, East Sussex in 1971.” They combined the the words banana and toffee to create Banoffee which is amazingly rich and decadent! The pie isn’t difficult to make but the results are quite elegant and I think I just about licked the plate clean! In fact, the toffee sauce is so easy I’ll be making it for ice cream sundaes instead of purchasing the jarred caramel sauce. Thank you, H.Y., for allowing me to share your delicious recipe!

A huge thank you to H.Y. Hanna for providing winner’s choice of print or an e-book copy of MUFFINS AND MOURNING TEA to one winner. Since the author is traveling internationally, I’ve extended the contest for a few extra days and it will end Friday, November 4, 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!)

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Classic Banoffee Pie

Ingredients

• Approximately 9 or 10 inch loose-bottomed cake or tart tin greased

Crust:

• 100 g butter melted (7 tablespoons)
• 250 g digestive biscuits 2-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs in the U.S. can be substituted. Gluten-free graham crackers can also be used.

Filling:

• 1 tin of sweetened condensed milk 14 ounces eg. Nestlé Carnation or Eagle Brand
• 100 g butter melted (7 tablespoons)
• 100 g dark brown soft sugar 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons
• 3 tablespoons water

Topping:

• 300 ml whipping cream 1-1/4 cups
• 4 small bananas this can be increased or decreased according to taste
• Grated chocolate

Instructions

1. Crumble the digestive biscuits (or graham crackers) in a food processor until they become fine crumbs.
2. Pour in the melted butter and combine well, until the crumbs stick together when pressed.
3. Press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of your cake tin. This is the base of the pie.
4. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes.
5. Melt the dark brown sugar and 3 tablespoons of water in a non-stick pan, over a low heat, stirring continuously until the sugar has completely dissolved.
6. Add the remaining butter and condensed milk and bring to rapid boil, for at least 1 minute. Stir continuously until the mixture forms a thick, golden toffee sauce. (This step is important for creating a delicious, thick caramel / toffee)
7. Remove the toffee sauce from the heat and spread most of it over the pie base (reserve a small amount to keep at room temperature for drizzling over the pie at the end).
8. Refrigerate for at least an hour – until the toffee is semi-firm. (It can be kept in the fridge until ready to serve)
9. Beat the whipping cream using an electric mixer, until it is very thick and forms soft peaks.
10. Carefully remove the pie base from the cake tin and place it on a serving plate.
11. Slice the bananas thinly. Arrange them on top of the toffee sauce in the pie, followed by a layer of the whipped cream (alternatively, you can fold them gently into the soft whipped cream, then spoon the mixture over the toffee sauce). Keep a few slices back for decoration on top.
12. Decorate the top of the pie with the last few slices of banana and sprinkle with grated chocolate. You can also drizzle some more toffee sauce on top (you may need to rewarm it slightly if it has thickened too much to drizzle)
13. Serve immediately and refrigerate any leftovers.

Tips:

1. Thoroughly chill the mixing bowl and beaters before whipping the cream.
2. Use a vegetable peeler to make chocolate curls. Drag the peeler across the edge of a chocolate bar.
3. If you are going to serve this several hours after making, be aware that the whipped cream may deflate. To prolong the life of the whipped cream, add 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar after soft peaks form when whipping the cream. Continue to whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Add the whipped cream to the pie as desired, either spooned or piped on using a decorative tip. Be sure to refrigerate Banoffee Pie until serving time.

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I have been a huge fan of the Domestic Diva Mystery series by Krista Davis and was elated when I won an early copy of THE DIVA SERVES HIGH TEA! Shortly after receiving the book my 11-year-old granddaughter, Emory, came to spend a long weekend with me. We browsed through Krista’s recipes together but it only took her two seconds to decide we HAD to make the Lemon Tarts and have a tea party! Lemon has long been Em’s favorite flavor and these Lemon Tarts will become a much requested dessert from here on out. The tarts were easy enough for Em to make on her own with a bit of help from me rolling out the dough and providing a few tips. I liked that the filling did not have to be baked but instead, cooks quickly on the stovetop. The tartness of the lemons and zest perfectly compliments the sweetness of the luscious filling, while the shortbread style cookie crust provided a tender and flaky bite. Thank you, Krista, for allowing me to share such a delicious recipe with my granddaughter and on my blog!

Synopsis

Sophie Winston’s nemesis and ex-husband’s girlfriend, Natasha, is frantically organizing the Tea, Brie, and Skeleton Key fundraising event. The new tea shop in town, The Parlour, is hosting the event and Sophie and her friends gather to support the charity. Numerous antiques have been donated to the cause and Robert Johnson, owner of the antique store in town, is in charge of the auction. Many of the ladies in town have crushes on the handsome man and he has developed quite a reputation.

The day after the auction Sophie drops by Robert’s house and finds him lying on the floor, barely conscious. He doesn’t survive and it is determined that he died from botulism. The Parlour is shut down and the new owner is devastated by both the loss of life and the loss of her business, but she’s sure her food isn’t the cause. Not long afterwards a young mother, with ties to Robert, is found murdered and her son begs Sophie to find out who killed her. When Sophie’s ex-husband, Mars, comes down with botulism poisoning, Sophie decides it’s time to take action and find out who is behind the crimes since the police aren’t any closer to stopping the killer. Can she stop the culprit before they strike again or will she be the next victim on the list?

My Review

THE DIVA SERVES HIGH TEA by Krista Davis is book ten in her Domestic Diva Mystery series and I think her best book by far! The preceding books in this series have all been great and I eagerly anticipate each new release, but THE DIVA SERVES HIGH TEA captivated me from the very beginning. The first page starts off with a bang and the fast-paced story continues throughout. I literally kept saying ‘just one more chapter’ even though my sleep-deprived eyes begged for rest…it is a true page turner of a story and I couldn’t put it down until I finished it!

Aside from a terrific plot with many complex (in a good way) characters and suspects intertwined, Krista writes with humor. I truly enjoyed beginning each chapter with the Dear Natasha or Dear Sophie letters, and then got a chuckle when Sophie gave opposite (correct) advice to Natasha’s answers. It takes a very creative writer to think to put Natasha and chickens in the same sentence…the results are hilarious! And even though Natasha can be an annoying character, it was nice to get an inside peek at why she’s become this way and she’s earned some sympathy from me. It was a bittersweet moment when I closed the book after finishing the very last sentence…it’s much too long of a wait for the next book in the Domestic Diva Mystery series!

A very special thank you to Krista Davis for providing an autographed copy of THE DIVA SERVES HIGH TEA! (U.S. residents only.) Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Friday, June 24, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Winners will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) If you are a new commenter, please be aware that your comment won’t post until I approve, however, your entry will still be valid. Since I am traveling the end of this week there may be a delay in comment approval.

Lemon Tarts

Ingredients

Pastry

1-3/4 cups flour, plus extra for rolling out
7 tablespoons cold butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cold egg

Filling

6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

Garnish

Whipped Cream

Instructions

Pastry

Cut the butter into 7 pieces.

In a food processor, whir together the flour and the butter until the butter disappears.

Add the powdered sugar and pulse to combine.

Add the egg and whir until it starts to form a ball.

Place the dough on a piece of wax paper and shape into a ball, then refrigerate for 1/2 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll out the dough and cut into 3 – to 4-inch circles.

Tuck the circles into the wells of a cupcake pan and bake 12 – 15 minutes until baked and light golden.

Filling

Cream the butter with the sugar in a stand mixer.

Beat in each egg.

Add the lemon juice, salt, and lemon zest (if using) and beat.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, cook over low heat until it begins to bubble, roughly 10 minutes.

Pour into the baked shells and refrigerate until firm.

Garnish with a swirl of whipped cream if desired.

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I was provided a copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest opinion. All thoughts and views are my own.

I’m very happy to be a part of the Great Escapes Virtual Book tour with Laura Bradford’s brand new book, ÉCLAIR AND PRESENT DANGER, the first book in her brand new Emergency Dessert Squad Mystery series! When I started seeing the promotions for this book, I immediately knew I had to read it…the amazing cover and the incredibly clever title drew me in. I just love titles with word play and I was a huge fan of the original book and movie by Tom Clancy! When I received my advanced copy and started reading I immediately realized the cover and title was only the beginning of the fun and it continued non-stop for several delicious hours! 

Winnie Johnson is closing the doors on her beloved bakery, thanks to her greedy landlord. She had hoped that an inheritance from a dear, elderly friend would save her bakery but instead of cash, her friend bequeathed her a temperamental cat and a vintage ambulance. After meeting Master Sergeant Hottie, aka the new paramedic in town, who is interested in buying her vintage ambulance, Winnie has a brilliant idea: she can deliver desserts via the ambulance! She calls her new business The Emergency Dessert Squad. With help from her best friend, Renee, the two women launch the business with its emergency themed desserts, such as ‘Don’t Be Blue, Blueberry Pie’ or my personal favorite, ‘Hot Flash Fudge Sundae’.

Winnie has also been delivering a peach pie to a recently widowed neighbor once a week. She arrives with her pie in hand to find that the man has been suffocated to death. The small town police are not all that interested in finding the killer since the victim was old and probably ready to die anyway. Winnie’s elderly neighbors and friends are terrified someone is targeting them so she decides to bring the culprit to justice. As she begins asking questions she finds that the murdered man had several people who may have wanted to see him dead. As alibis are confirmed she’s no closer to the truth but the killer knows she’s after them. Can she solve the crime or will the murderer make sure her amateur sleuthing is permanently over?

I’m embarrassed to admit that I haven’t read any books by Laura Bradford before. Sure, I’ve wanted to but that “to read pile” just keeps getting taller and taller and I never got around to it. Well let me tell you, Laura just gained herself a new lifelong fan! ÉCLAIR AND PRESENT DANGER is a smart, snappy read and I was struck over and over again how absolutely creative the author is. The clever plot and setting enhances the theme of caring…Winnie has a very kind heart and a soft spot for the elderly. While society and media promotes youth, and senior citizens are at best ignored or at worse ridiculed, the author weaves their valuable contributions to their community and Winnie into the story. The results left me craving more and I will certainly be reading other series by Laura Bradford.

You can’t have an Emergency Dessert Squad without desserts and Laura provides several delectable treat recipes at the back of her book. She’s graciously allowed me to share her You’re a Peach Pie recipe. With juicy sweet peaches in season now, this pie is absolutely mouth-watering! Brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg gives the filling a depth of flavor that will make you want to lick your plate clean. The lattice crust adds visual appeal…and while I had never attempted a lattice crust before, I found it easier than I thought. I have included a video tutorial below to show you the easy steps.

A huge thanks to Laura Bradford for providing a chance to win three of her books: Éclair and Present Danger, A Churn for the Worse, and Needle and Dread! Please use the Rafflecopter below the recipe to enter.

You’re a Peach Pie

Ingredients

Pastry for a double-crust 9-inch pie
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
4-1/2 cups sliced and peeled peaches
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine both sugars.

Add peaches and gently toss. Cover and let stand for one hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F).

Line a 9-inch pie plate with the bottom pastry. Trim and set aside.

Drain peaches and reserve juice.

In a small saucepan, mix the cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Slowly add in reserved juice and stir.

Bring to a boil, then cook and stir for 2 more minutes to thicken.

Remove from heat. Add in lemon juice and butter, and stir.

Gently fold in peaches and pour all into the crust.

With a rolling pin, make a lattice crust from the remaining pastry.

Seal edges and flute if desired.

Cover edges loosely with foil.

Bake at 400 degrees for 50 – 60 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.

Remove foil and cool on a wire rack.

Tips

To easily peel the skin from peaches, dip the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds and then rinse in cold water. Peel and seed, then proceed with recipe.

No matter how careful I am, my pies always seem to bubble over the edges creating a smoky mess in my oven. I found this tool to be very helpful when baking pies: Chicago Metallic Pie Drip Catcher

And instead of fighting aluminum foil to keep the crusts from over browning, I use this pie crust shield: Mrs. Anderson’s Pie Crust Shield  I did notice, when looking for the link for this crust shield, that there are now adjustable silicon models available…one just might make its way on to my birthday wish list :).

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Be sure to visit other stops in the Great Escapes Book Tour for ÉCLAIR AND PRESENT DANGER!

June 2 – The Self-Rescue Princess
June 2 – cherylbbookblog
June 3 – Shelley’s Book Case
June 3 – Texas Book-aholic
June 3 – Cozy Up With Kathy
June 4 – 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &, Sissy, Too!
June 4 – Brooke Blogs
June 5 – Island Confidential
June 5 – Kaisy Daisy’s Corner
June 6 – The Book’s the Thing
June 6 – Reading Is My SuperPower
June 6 – fuonlyknew
June 7 – Classy Cheapskate
June 7 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews
June 7 – Books Direct
June 8 – A Holland Reads
June 8 – Jersey Girl Book Reviews
June 8 – Community Bookstop
June 9 – Melina’s Book Blog
June 9 – deal sharing aunt
June 9 – Mystery Playground
June 10 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews
June 10 – Booklady’s Booknotes
June 11 – LibriAmoriMiei
June 11 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews
June 11 – The Girl with Book Lungs
June 12 – Book Babble
June 12 – I Read What You Write 

I was given an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest opinion. All thoughts and views are my own.

I’ve had the pleasure of reading a few of the books in Lynn Cahoon’s Tourist Trap Mystery series over the last couple of years. When MURDER ON WHEELS came out in February, I added it to my to-read-pile, but after seeing some of the other book blogger reviews, I knew I wanted to read it sooner than later. Lynn mixes just the right amount of small town charm with a cleverly crafted plot in her latest cozy mystery. Added in is a pinch of geocaching with it’s gluten-free baking president hiding stolen recipes and a cast of characters to round out the menu.

Jill Gardner, owner of Coffee, Books, and More in South Cove, California, seems to have trouble find her more often than not. Her best friend’s boyfriend is becoming a geocaching enthusiast and drags Jill and her boyfriend, Detective Greg King, along for an afternoon search. There they meet Kacey, the young president of the Coastal Geocache Club, who recently reunited with her estranged husband, Dustin Austin. The problem is that Dustin recently dumped Sadie, one of Jill’s good friends, to go back to his wife. Sadie’s heart was broken, especially when Austin stole some of her treasured recipes from her business, Pies on the Fly, before leaving her.

Kacey and Austin are planning on opening up a gluten-free dessert food truck in the very same truck that Jill had planned on purchasing before Austin “stole” it out from beneath her. There’s lots of bad feelings going around and then Kacey is found dead on the beach. She was highly allergic to gluten and it appears that someone slipped her a deadly dose. Could it have been Austin, who had made her sick in the past? Or could it be Sadie looking for revenge over the young woman stealing both her recipes and her lover? Jill is certain Sadie is an innocent victim but the police suspect otherwise, so Jill starts asking questions.

On top of trying to clear her friend’s name, Jill is also having best friend troubles and Amy is no longer speaking to her. Her aunt’s love life is more active than her own and Jill is caught in the middle of the conflict between the two men vying for her aunt’s affections. When one of Kacey’s friends gives Jill a cryptic message and later that day is pushed off a cliff while geocaching, Jill knows she’d better find the culprit before the murderer comes after her.

While Murder On Wheels does not have any recipes included, Sadie is quite the baker, providing treats to sell at Coffee, Books, and More. One of the desserts she likes to make is her Lemon Summer Surprise and Lynn Cahoon has graciously allowed me to share that recipe with you. A delicately flavored lemon cheesecake-style pie, Sadie’s Lemon Summer Surprise is super quick to whip up (especially if you buy a pre-made graham cracker crust!) and isn’t fussy like traditional cheesecakes. Basically dump the ingredients in a bowl, mix them until creamy, then pour into a crust and bake. I worried about the cracking that can occur on regular cheesecakes, but this baked up beautifully with no special care! I took the liberty of adding gluten-free substitutions to the recipe, probably similar to what Kacey would have done for her food truck. I have also included a short video tutorial on how to make Sadie’s Lemon Summer Surprise at the bottom of the page, along with a sneak peek at Lynn’s next release debuting June 7th!

A huge thank you to Lynn Cahoon for providing an e-book copy of MURDER ON WHEELS to one lucky winner! Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Thursday, April 14, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Winners will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Sadie’s Lemon Summer Surprise

Ingredients

Filling

2 8-ounce packages softened cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (if necessary, make sure your vanilla is gluten-free)
1- 1/2 tablespoons flour (or use your favorite gluten-free flour + 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum)
2 eggs, room temperature
A couple drops yellow food color (if you want it really yellow)

1 Graham Cracker Crust (pre-made such as Keebler, or make your own like Sadie would)

Crust

2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs (Use gluten-free graham cracker crumbs if desired. My favorite brand is Kinnikinnick.)
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter

Instructions

Crust

Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter together.

Pat into a spring-form pan or a deep dish pie plate. Set aside.

Filling

Mix all the ingredients together until smooth and pour into your crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Cool and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

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A sneak peak at Lynn’s soon-to-be released book, TEA CUPS AND CARNAGE! Available June 7, 2016!

The quaint coastal town of South Cove, California, is all abuzz about the opening of a new specialty shop, Tea Hee. But as Coffee, Books, and More owner Jill Gardner is about to find out, there’s nothing cozy about murder . . .

Shop owner Kathi Corbin says she came to South Cove to get away from her estranged family. But is she telling the truth? And did a sinister someone from her past follow her to South Cove? When a woman claiming to be Kathi’s sister starts making waves and a dead body is found in a local motel, Jill must step in to clear Kathi’s name–without getting herself in hot water.

With St. Patrick’s Day fast approaching, I looked forward to reading SHAMROCK SHENANIGANS by Kathi Daley to get in the spirit of the Irish celebration…and it certainly did just that!  Zoe Donavan and her husband, Zak Zimmerman, and their dog, Charlie, have traveled to Ireland so Zoe can participate in a murder mystery weekend at an ancient Irish castle that is supposedly haunted. Lord Fergus Dunphy’s family has owned the castle for centuries and rumor has it that some of the former residents have not moved on.

After settling in to their room, Zoe and Zak meet up with the other guests over dinner. They find out that they occupy the room that Catherine, wife of a former Lord Dunphy, occupied in the 1600’s and she’s supposedly still around. Only five of the twelve guests are competing in the mystery contest, the rest are guests, a reporter, and a movie star, Brent Silverwood, who asked to attend in order to “study” for an upcoming role. It has been raining non-stop since they arrived but as the evening progresses, the storm intensifies. Lord Dunphy announces that the bridge to the mainland has flooded and with the storm raging, they are completely stranded. To make matters worse, the storm has knocked out both the telephone service and cell service. Lord Dunphy assures the guests there is nothing to worry about…there is plenty of food and they are completely safe…. until Zoe and Zak stumble across the murdered body of Brent Silverwood late that night, hidden in the massive grounds.

Unfortunately the body disappears before anyone else sees it and some guests are either skeptical that a murder actually took place or think Zoe and Zak are killers. Without any way to contact authorities, Zoe decides she needs to find the real killer before another murder takes place on the isolated island.

In amongst a nicely written who-done-it in an exciting location, Kathi has included interesting sub-plots. Catherine, the 1600’s Lady of the castle, hasn’t passed on to the light and takes an interest in Zoe. When Catherine was alive, she bore the Lord twelve sons and upon each birth, she was given a precious jewel. No one knows what happened to the jewels and Zoe is intrigued so begins to search for them in addition to trying to figure out who the killer is. She is also challenged to think about having children of her own. Is she ready for that kind of commitment? She also believes that Catherine has stayed at the castle because she has a centuries old secret that needs discovery. Can Zoe figure out what the ghost is trying to communicate? The parade of characters in the story bring intrigue to the party. They all seem to be hiding something and some aren’t who they say they are. Zoe has her hands full in her latest adventure in the Emerald Isle and kept me entertained the entire book!

In addition to an entertaining read Kathi has included several recipes. The one that caught my eye immediately was the Triple Layer Pistachio Pie…a crunchy Oreo crust with a fudgy layer of chocolate and buttery pistachios, then topped with 3 layers of creamy pudding and whipped topping. I shared some of the pie with friends and one labeled it, “The Mother Lode of desserts!” And of course she went back for seconds! Best of all? It’s a no-bake dessert if you choose to buy a pre-made Oreo crust. The perfect pie to serve for Saint Patrick’s festivities or anytime you want something incredibly delicious with little effort. I have a short video tutorial at the bottom of the page if you would like to see just how easy it is to make this. No cooking experience necessary 🙂  Thank you to Vivian Shane for submitting the recipe for this book and to Kathi for allowing me to share it!

A very special thanks to Kathi Daley for offering readers a chance to win either an e-book or print copy of SHAMROCK SHENANIGANS – winner’s choice! (Non-U.S. residence will be awarded an e-book.) Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe for a chance to win. Contest ends Thursday, March 10, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. 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!)

Triple Layer Pistachio Pie

This is a visually appealing pie with its graduated colors in the three layers, which are a nice contrast to the dark Oreo crust.

Ingredients

2 ounces Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate, melted
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 Oreo pie crust (purchased pre-made or see my recipe below)
3/4 cup chopped toasted pistachios, divided
2 packages (3.4 ounces each) Jell-O pistachio flavored instant pudding
1-3/4 cup cold milk
1 tub (8 ounces) whipped topping, thawed

Instructions

Mix the chocolate and condensed milk until blended then spread onto the bottom of the crust.

Sprinkle with half the nuts.

Refrigerate until ready to use.

Beat the pudding mixes and milk with a whisk for 2 minutes (pudding will be thick).

Spread 1-1/2 cups over the chocolate layer of the crust.

Stir half of the whipped topping into the remaining pudding and spread over the pudding layer.

Top with the remaining whipped topping and sprinkle with the remaining nuts.**

Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm.

Tip

**To make the pie more holiday festive, omit the pistachio garnish and instead, place a shamrock cookie cutter on top of the pie and sprinkle inside the cutter with green sparkling sugar. You can see how to do this on my video tutorial below.

To easily melt chocolate, place chopped chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on high for 30 seconds in the microwave. Stir vigorously, allowing the heat from the bowl to help melt the chocolate. Heat in additional 10 second intervals, stirring each time, until chocolate is smooth. Use caution and don’t overheat!

Oreo Pie Crust

Ingredients

20 Oreos (approximately 8.1 ounces)
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

Crush or pulse the Oreo cookies in a food processor until they become fine crumbs. No need to scrape off the frosting!

Mix the crumbs with the melted butter.

Pat the mixture into a 9-inch pie plate.

Bake 8 minutes then cool completely before filling.

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