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OF MASQUES AND MURDER, the fourth book in the Rita Calabrese Mysteries by Maureen Klover, is the best in the series so far! From the opening pages to the last sentence, the author captured my imagination and kept me entertained. The protagonist, Rita Calabrese, is a sixty-something Italian matriarch and instead of relaxing and resting on her laurels, she’s still going strong. From running (or ruining as her daughter might say) her family’s lives, to cooking massive amounts of Italian food, to investigative reporting for the local newspaper, Rita lives life to the fullest. Ms. Klover sets up internal conflict nicely by Rita’s daughter goading her into giving up “meddling” for Lent. What’s a devout woman to do when there’s blackmail, murder, and failed romances that need her attention? This lends itself to plenty of humorous situations and witty dialog that kept me chuckling.

In addition to superbly developed characters, who have grown with each new book, the author captures the unique setting of Rita’s world. From the smells and tastes of her delectable Italian specialties to the grandeur of the Carnevale masked ball with the sumptuous costumes to the fog-laden cemetery, I felt like I was there, experiencing it alongside Rita. The murder itself was well-plotted with a quick pace that kept me turning pages to find out what happens next. Lots of suspects kept me guessing and once the Agatha Christie-style reveal came, I’ll admit the killer wasn’t even on my radar. This well-crafted mystery left me wishing there was another one in this delightful series to pick up and start reading right away!

With Rita spending loads of time in the kitchen, you’ll be drooling over all the food descriptions. Ms. Klover has included several recipes at the back of the book, from decadent traditional desserts, to Easter dishes, to Lenten fare. While I was sorely tempted by her decadent dessert recipe, with weather turning cooler I was drawn to the recipe for Curried Sweet Potato Soup. Maybe it was the warming spice or the comforting flavors or the need to have something nourishing in the midst of this pandemic that called to me. No matter what drew me, in the end, I loved this soup and enjoyed every last drop of the tantalizing blend. The beautiful, rich-colored hue added to the enjoyment and mimicked the colors of the season. I’ll be reaching for this recipe again and again when I want a nourishing and comforting bowl of soup!

Amazon Synopsis

In the Italian-American community of Acorn Hollow, it’s Carnevale. The townspeople are reveling in masked balls and lively processions—and overindulging in meaty lasagnas and rich desserts like sanguinaccio and bomboloni.

For once, though, the town’s most ardent Italophile, matriarch-turned-reporter Rita Calabrese, is not in the holiday spirit. With no crime to solve, nothing to write about, and the clock ticking down towards her hasty and ill-advised Lenten resolution to stop interfering in (or, as she would say, “improving”) the lives of others, she’s staring down forty days of sheer boredom.

But that’s before her twin sister is blackmailed for a scandalous indiscretion and the world’s most uncouth, boorish houseguest shows up and refuses to leave until Rita gives him a crash course in feminism and romance, all to woo back his estranged wife.

Rita tries to adhere to her Lenten resolution, but fate has other plans. When a friend’s wine is poisoned at a masquerade ball and a local vintner’s glamorous fiancée is murdered, Rita bows to the inevitable and dives into an investigation rife with suspects and riven by romantic entanglements and family drama.

A special thanks to Maureen Klovers for providing one lucky winner with their choice of print or ebook copy of OF MASQUES AND MURDER. Print is limited to U.S. residents and ends Sunday, November 22, 2020 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

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Curried Sweet Potato Soup

This soup is perfect for Meatless Mondays or simple Lenten soup suppers - but to make it truly vegetarian, you will need to substitute vegetarian stock for the chicken stock (although I think it tastes better with chicken stock).

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a big soup pot. Add onions, salt, and pepper, stirring until onions are translucent.

2. Stir in the curry powder, coriander, and garlic, and stir for 1 minute.

3. Add stock, sweet potatoes, and carrots. Cover and bring to a boil until the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork (about 25 minutes).

4. Purée the soup with a stick blender and stir in the fresh lime juice. Garnish with chopped cilantro and pumpkin seeds.

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

I’m still celebrating the release of SPRINKLES OF SUSPICION with another giveaway and recipe from my book! Today I’m sharing the recipe for Potluck Rootin’ Tootin’ Beans which were served at a western-themed party my protagonist helped cater with her sister. My dear friend, Janet, always served these Potluck Beans as a side dish at her delicious barbecues where friends gathered to enjoy a fun evening or watch a major sporting event together. (I miss those days where it was safe to hang out with friends!) She kindly allowed me to share her recipe, which I’ve slightly adapted. My family loves to eat this as an entrée with warm cornbread muffins served alongside.

Amazon Synopsis

One glass of cheap California chardonnay cost Emory Gosser Martinez her husband, her job, and her best friend. Unfortunately, that was only the beginning of her troubles.

Distraught after discovering the betrayal by her husband and best friend, Tori, cupcake caterer Emory Martinez allows her temper to flare. Several people witness her very public altercation with her ex-friend. To make matters worse, Tori exacts her revenge by posting a fake photo of Emory in a compromising situation, which goes viral on social media. When Tori is found murdered, all signs point to Emory being the prime suspect.

With the police investigation focused on gathering evidence to convict her, Emory must prove her innocence while whipping up batches of cupcakes and buttercream. Delving into the past of her murdered ex-friend, she finds other people had reasons to want Tori dead, including Emory’s own husband. Can she find the killer, or will the clues sprinkled around the investigation point the police back to her?

Print, ebook, and Kindle Unlimited versions are available here:

SPRINKLES OF SUSPICION

One lucky winner will win their choice of either print or an e-book copy of SPRINKLES OF SUSPICION plus a Sur La Table cupcake kitchen towel and a $5 Amazon gift card. Giveaway is limited to U.S. residents. Contest ends Sunday, June 28, 2020 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!) For those outside the U.S., I’m happy to offer the winner e-book copies of both my books SPRINKLES OF SUSPICION and A GAME OF DECEIT via BookFunnel instead.

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Potluck Beans

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef (or substitute ground turkey)
• 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
• 1 (3-pound) can pork & beans
• 1 (15-ounce) can chili beans
• 1 (15-ounce) can butter beans, drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup ketchup
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon liquid smoke (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Salt to taste (I don't add but some people might think it necessary)

Garnish Suggestions

• Crisply cooked bacon, crumbled
• Chopped red or green onions
• Grated cheddar cheese
• Sour cream
• Sliced black olives
• Pickled jalapeño slices

Instructions

1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, cook the ground meat with the chopped onion over medium-high heat until the meat is no longer pink. Drain off any grease.

2. Add the remaining ingredients, except the salt, and stir until thoroughly combined.

3. Bring to a simmer then turn to low and cover the pot. Cook an additional 30 minutes, stirring often.

4. Remove from heat and season with salt before serving, if desired. Allow guests to garnish their bowl of beans with a variety of choices.

Notes:

1. If serving for a party, place hot Potluck Beans into a slow cooker and cook on the low setting to keep hot for several hours.

2. This recipe makes a large batch, enough for 10 guests as an entrée or 20+ servings as a side dish. When I prepare for our family, I divide the prepared beans and freeze half of the portion to enjoy for an easy meal later on. Be sure to thoroughly chill the beans in the refrigerator before placing in the freezer. Either defrost using the microwave option or in the refrigerator overnight. Never defrost at room temperature.

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Praise for Sprinkles of Suspicion:

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DRAWN AND BUTTERED by Shari Randall, the third book in the Lobster Shack Mystery series, is the first I’ve read although I have to admit I’ve had my eye on the series for several months now. Despite my best intentions to start reading this series, it’s been the case of too many books and too little time… but now I’m realizing I should have moved it to the top of my to read pile. Despite starting with the third book, DRAWN AND BUTTERED was easily read as a standalone and I felt like it was easy to get to know the characters and settings. Protagonist Allie Larkin is an injured professional ballerina. While recuperating, she’s moved back to Mystic Bay to help her Aunt Gully run her lobster shack, the Lazy Mermaid. The reader is treated to a goose-bump worthy, Halloween-themed, slightly spooky story filled with a giant lobster, aka Lobzilla,; a coven of witches who have their eyes on Aunt Gully, and a murdered victim found on top of a supposedly haunted ancestral grave.

I enjoyed how the author combines historical elements from the colonial era with current day events. She effortlessly weaves in bits and pieces about how people dressed in the 1600s, along with sailor and fishermen equipment, and swords. It added to the authenticity of the plot’s premise. Ms. Randall includes several subplots, each building on the other, to keep Allie moving at a fast pace throughout the story. There were plenty of clues to keep me turning pages and plenty of suspects, thanks to the subplots, to keep me guessing. The reveal felt just a little rushed but in the end, the threads were pulled together for a heartwarming conclusion. Now I just need to go back and catch up from the beginning before the next release comes!

The Lazy Mermaid lobster shack serves mouthwatering lobster rolls and clam chowder. Ms. Randall includes a recipe for Aunt Gully’s New England Clam Chowder at the back of the book. Rich, without relying on heavy cream, this clam chowder is full of the briny flavor of clams but isn’t difficult or time consuming to make. While summer may be upon us, I’ll be looking forward to cooler weather to make this again!

Amazon Synopsis

The Lazy Mermaid’s business has slowed to a snail’s pace―until a monster lobster claws his way onto the scene…

With high season behind them, ballerina on-the-mend Allie Larkin and Aunt Gully are finally lying low. But then an unexpected guest arrives at the lobster shack: a crustacean so huge he’s dubbed Lobzilla around Mystic Bay and on social media. Soon, with everyone showing up for a peek in their tank, Allie and Aunt Gully have more on their plate than they can handle.

Meanwhile, another local establishment finds itself in hot water. In exclusive Rabb’s Point, a strange burglary breaches the elegant home of Royal Parrish. Allie takes it upon herself to help with the investigation but, before she can get to the bottom of the case, another alarm sounds: the Lazy Mermaid’s Lobzilla has gone missing and is on the loose! And bodies are beginning to pile up. . .

A special thanks to Shari Randall for providing one winner with a print copy of DRAWN AND BUTTERED. Contest ends Sunday, July 21, 2019 at 11:59 pm PST and limited to U.S. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) 

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Aunt Gully's New England Clam Chowder

If you're in the mood for New England comfort food, you can't go wrong with clam chowder. Purists say that New England clam chowder must be made with salt pork, but if you don't have any you can use bacon for a tasty variation. If you like creamier chowder, substitute half and half for the milk.

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, chopped very fine
• 1/2 cup lean salt port, cut into small pieces (or 3 pieces bacon)
• 2 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams, drained, but be sure to reserve the liquid. You can also use frozen minced clams - just defrost.
• 1 small Russett potato, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pepper to taste
• 2 cups milk
• 1 bottle of clam juice (in case you want to add more clam flavor)
• Oyster crackers
• Sauce pan with lid

Instructions

1. Cook and stir the salt pork (or bacon) and onion until the onion is soft (and the bacon is crisp if you used bacon. If so, remove it now and reserve. Actually, who would discard bacon?).

2. Drain the clams, reserving the liquid. Add the liquid, potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper to the salt pork/onion mixture. Heat to a boil, then lower heat, cover, and simmer until the potato is very soft (10 - 15 minutes). If you need more liquid you can add some clam juice or water.

3. Add the milk and clams, stirring occasionally until they are heated through.

4. Adjust seasoning to your taste.

5. If you used bacon, crumble the pieces to garnish the chowder.

6. Serve with oyster crackers and enjoy!

Cinnamon & Sugar's Note:

1. I couldn't find salt pork so used bacon, which I left in the pot instead of removing for garnish. If you'd rather keep for garnish, cook it separate from the onions.

2. RE: Clam juice. Reserve and use only if the canned clams don't contain enough liquid. I'm used to West Coast type of chowder that is super thick (a spoon can practically stand up in it), so after adding the milk, I allowed the chowder to simmer until thickened. Be sure to stir constantly so that the chowder doesn't scorch. If you like thick chowder, chop the potato into large chunks as it will break down as it simmers.

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WHO MOVED MY GOAT CHEESE? by Lynn Cahoon is the first book in the brand new Farm-to-Fork Mystery series and one not to be missed! The premise is based on the farm-to-fork restaurant, The County Seat, that protagonist Angie Turner is opening with her best friend in rural Idaho. I enjoyed reading about the issues Angie faces in making sure her restaurant procures local produce and food and what it takes to open an eatery. I would love to tag along with her, visiting the farmers’ market and various farms! The theme of being an outsider after being away for many years and finding your place in the community is also a part of the story as Angie settles into her deceased grandmother’s farm house. She also has to find a way to win over the townspeople who express their opposition to her new restaurant, since many don’t want changes coming to their small village. Angie’s sidekicks, a St. Bernard puppy, a baby goat, and a hen, make for some entertaining and heartwarming reading. The reader is able to see Angie’s personality as she interacts with the animals in her care and made me want to know more about her.

When the goat dairy farmer, Old Man Moss, is found murdered shortly after Angie visits him to procure cheese for her restaurant, she feels a responsibility to find justice for him. I’ll have to admit I was saddened that the elderly, secretive man was the victim… he was a strong character that I thought would be a good sounding board for Angie in future books. Unfortunately it’s not always the mean person who gets killed in our cozy mysteries and the author has set the series up with many more memorable characters. The mystery itself was intriguing although the suspect pool wasn’t large. The suspenseful ending wrapped up the plot and subplots while setting the stage for the next book, which I’m eagerly waiting for!

Reading about all the dishes Angie creates for her restaurant will have you drooling! Ms. Cahoon shares her family recipe for Potato Sausage Soup with Egg Dumplings at the back of the book. I enjoyed that she shares insight into her family as she describes the recipe. Many thanks to Lynn for allowing me to share her recipe with you! The overwhelming description about this dish is that it is truly “comfort in a bowl”! Warming and filling, the chunky potatoes give support to rich sausage and cream while simple egg dumplings add texture and substance. I chose to make it with mild sausage and cut back on the red pepper flakes since my granddaughters were eating the soup as well. And for the one granddaughter who detests any kind of soup, she said it was like thin mashed potatoes with sausage and it was much better than she expected…as she ate every drop in her bowl. Trust me, that’s high praise from a thirteen-year-old, lol! I’ll definitely be making this again while the weather is still chilly.

A special thank you to Lynn Cahoon for providing one lucky winner an e-book copy of WHO MOVED MY GOAT CHEESE? Contest ends Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!) 

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Potato Soup with Egg Dumplings

Ingredients

Soup

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound fresh sausage (sweet Italian or spicy, your choice)
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 quart (4 cups) chicken stock
• 4 - 6 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small pieces (about 2-1/2 pounds)
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced, including the leaves
• 1 teaspoons salt
• A few grinds of fresh pepper
• Water as needed
• 1 cup heavy cream
• whole milk, as needed

Egg Dumplings

• 1/2 cup flour
• Dashes of salt, pepper, garlic salt and/or seasonal salt
• 1 egg

Instructions

Soup

1. Coat the bottom of a large, heavy stockpot with olive oil. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook until lightly browned.

2. Add the fresh sausage to the pan and sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Cook until the meat is done but not overcooked and dry. Drain the sausage mixture in a colander, discarding all the fat. Set sausage mixture aside.

3. Pour 1 quart of chicken stock into the empty stockpot. Don't worry that there might be bits and pieces from the sausage mixture still in the pan.

4. Add the chopped russet potatoes and the celery into the pot. Add enough water to cover the potatoes and add salt and pepper. 

5. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, checking the water level occasionally. You don't want this to dry out and burn so add water if needed. When potatoes are soft, mash up some of the potatoes. Not all of the pot. You can also do this by inserting an immersion blender, but it seems a bit fancy for this recipe. 

6. Return the drained sausage mixture to the stockpot along with the heavy cream and enough milk to make the soup appear creamy. Bring to a very low simmer, stirring often.

Egg Dumplings

1. In a separate bowl mix the flour and seasoning together. Crack an egg and place in the middle of the flour mixture. Mix together in the bowl, then drop by spoonful into the soup. If there are leftover crumblings, add those as well as the flour/egg mixture will thicken your soup.

2. Put a lid on the soup and heat until the egg dumplings are cooked through before serving, 12 minutes. Don't lift the lid. Dumplings should float to the top of the soup.  

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