Be sure to check out how you can get a FREE copy of Catherine’s original short story, Formals, Fortune Cookies & Fraud!
Details at the bottom of the page.
SILENCED BY SUGAR, the fifth book in the Cookies & Chance Mystery series by Catherine Bruns finds protagonist, Sally Muccio Donovan, celebrating six months of blissful marriage to Mike. This newest book shows a more emotional side to Sally, with a different focus than previous books. Instead of detracting, it reflects the natural progression in real life and adds to the story. I love how the author has allowed Sally to grow over the course of the series and how she now exhibits an inner strength that wasn’t apparent at the beginning. Even her best friend, Josie, notices. And that’s saying a lot because Josie is quite the spitfire!
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Sally’s strength and determination are soon put to the test when Josie is arrested, accused of murdering her former nemesis. I loved how, in addition to Sally getting involved in trying to prove her friend’s innocence, her entire family rallies behind Josie. It’s just one example of the close-knit relationship Sally and her family have, despite the hijinks of her parents… who, by the way, are quite a hoot! Sally’s investigation into the murder turns up lots of suspects. So many people could have wanted the witch (with a capital B) dead! Sally must sift through a lot of clues to find the truth and I’ll have to admit, I didn’t see the suspenseful ending coming. Ms. Bruns provides enough twists and drama (the good kind!) to keep the reader turning pages until the very last word is read.
Sally owns the bakery, Sally’s Samples, where Josie bakes up all sorts of delectable cookies. I had the honor of providing a recipe for Lemon Crinkles for the book, that Sally serves to their customers. These tart-sweet treats are a bit crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. My youngest granddaughter is a huge lemon fan and these are one of her favorite cookies. In fact she’d be happy if these Lemon Crinkles made it onto our Christmas cookie platter annually, and for Valentine’s Day, and birthdays, and… well, you know what I mean! Fortunately they are easy to mix up and since the dough must be chilled, you can make them a few days in advance of baking them. I’ve included directions on how to freeze for long-term storage so you can enjoy spur-of-the-moment freshly-baked cookies when you need them. I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as we do!
Amazon Synopsis
Full-time baker and sometime-sleuth Sally Muccio is enjoying life as a new bride and only wishes that sales in her bakery would pick up. So when popular TV host Donna Dooley invites her and best friend, Josie, to be guests on Someone’s in the Kitchen with Donna, it’s the answer to their prayers. The pair is excited about the opportunity until they discover Donna’s new assistant is none other than Josie’s former nemesis from culinary school, Kelly Thompson.
Like cookies in a hot oven, temperatures rise, and their animosity escalates into a food fight during the taping—which then goes viral! But when a dead body is then discovered on the set, fingers immediately point to Josie, and Sal’s usual sassy partner is at a loss of how to defend herself. Sal’s world is once again plunged into chaos as she attempts to keep her friend out of jail, control a blast from the past that threatens to harm her marriage, and keep her crazy parents at bay as they film a commercial for a funeral home. Already knee deep in dough, Sal discovers a possible link between the current murder and an unsolved one from the past. But she’ll have to work fast because a killer is on her trail and determined to silence Sal…forever.
A special thanks to Catherine Bruns for providing one winner with a print copy of SILENCED BY SUGAR! Contest ends Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (7.1 ounces) granulated sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon lemon extract, depending on how lemony you want
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1-1/2 cups (7.2 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
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Don't preheat the oven yet. The cookie dough will need to chill first.
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Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
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In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
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In the bowl of a standing mixer, whip the butter and granulated sugar together until fluffy, about 2 minutes on medium speed.
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Add the egg and beat until fully incorporated.
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Mix in the vanilla, lemon extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
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With the mixer running on lowest speed, slowly add the flour mixture. Beat just until it is fully incorporated.
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Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or even overnight.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
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Place remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a shallow bowl.
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Form cookie dough into small balls, about a heaping teaspoon.
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Roll the balls in the granulated sugar and place on the parchment-lined baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart. Don't crowd the cookies as they spread. You should have 12 cookies per baking sheet.
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Bake for 9 to 11 minutes. The edges should just be turning light golden and the tops should be crackled.
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Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
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Cool completely and store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
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These cookies are ideal for making ahead of time and freezing for spur-of-the-moment freshly-baked cookies! Simply roll the dough balls in the sugar, then freeze them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. When solid, transfer the dough to a freezer-safe ziplock bag. When ready to bake, place the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet and allow to sit at room temperature while pre-heating the oven. You may need to bake an additional minute, depending on how chilled the dough is when you start baking.
Makes 30 - 40 cookies depending on size.
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For a short time, the e-book for SILENCED BY SUGAR is on sale for $2.99! Be sure to grab it before the price increases.
For anyone who purchases Silenced by Sugar, Catherine is giving away her original short story, Formals, Fortune Cookies & Fraud for FREE! This is a lighthearted mystery novella that’s a prequel to Tastes Like Murder and takes place on Sally’s fateful prom night. For details on how to obtain your copy, please click on the book below:
Click on book to obtain your FREE copy!
I was provided an advance copy with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Seeing how I’ve never eaten a fortune cookie I can’t give a real one so a fortune I’d like to see is “Someone will gift you with endless cozy mysteries” 😉 barbie17(at)gmail(dot)com
Think about the best fortune I’ve gotten in a cookie has to be the one that basically stated I was going to make a major move in my life and that everything was going to work out just as I wanted. This was just prior to when we decided to take the plunge and sell out moving to the Ozark Mountains to build our new home. As per forecast, it was a very major move and it did all work out just as we wanted without a hitch. 🙂
Can’t wait to read SILENCED BY SUGAR! Thanks for the chance to win a copy. <3
Those lemon crinkles look delicious. Lemony desserts are always so nice. Silenced by Sugar sounds fantastic. Of course, I love anything that has sugar in it 🙂
“Make today your happy day!”
Gotta try these cookies, love lemon pie. Nice refreshing cookie with a cup of tea. Would love to win the book, enter every book contest just keep hoping.
Gonna try these..nice and refreshing looking with a cup of tea.
I always get the weird fortunes in cookies that sound like something Yoda would say. I really want to try out this recipe for the lemon cookies. Looks yummy!
Love the cookie recipe & I can’t wait to try it. I have never gotten a cookie fortune that stuck out in my mind. Thanks for this amazing giveaway.
We don’t eat the fortune cookies, and I can’t remember any fortune that had any kind of deep meaning. Mine would be: Don’t you wish these cookies tasted good?
The craziest fortune I probably would get is: You will NOT win publisher’s clearing house sweepstakes! I have been one of those that enter online almost every day. A person can hope, right lol!
Sadly, the fortunes I’ve had in the past were all completely generic and mostly badly worded…still waiting on a great one!
That’s a great tip about rolling them in sugar and freezing! Will have to try that. THANKS!
I con’t ever remember getting a fortune cookie message that couldn’t have applied to anyone. I love lemon—so I’ve got to try these cookies.
Thanks to Catherine for sharing her book with us. Also I love anything lemon and this recipe is now in my recipe box. Thanks
for including Catherine and her book on your blog.
I love lemon cookies….thanks for the recipe! Catherine’s books are the best. Wonderful contest!
I’ve never received a very inspiring or unique fortune cookie, btw. Most of the ones I get sound like badly translated stereo instructions, haha!
i always get cheesy fortunes like fame and fortune are headed your way lol
These sound great.
Hm, maybe a drizzle of melted dark chocolate on top?
I haven’t received any unique fortunes. I do like the ones that mention friendship. Thanks for the recipe – it looks yummy!
I haven’t had any fortunes cookies lately. I don’t remember any outstanding fortunes from the cookies that I’ve had.
I got one with a series of numbers that would make me a lucky lottery winner. Just for fun bought one , didn’t win.
I’ve never gotten a bad fortune in a fortune cookie, but the worst one I can think of is something like, “You’re going to die today!”
I never remember any of them. I’d like one that says I’m going to win the lottery and then win it.
You cannot love life until you live the life you love.
Usually I find my biggest enjoyment when someone plays that fortune cookie game where they add the words “in bed” to the end of each fortune. It’s makes them so much more enjoyable that way. Here’s two that we had just today, not such good ones til “in bed” is added. You will be selected for a promotion because of your accomplishments IN BED. LOL Then there’s You shall attain great wisdom with each passing year IN BED. LOL We really get to laughing our heads off.
I never had a fortune cookie. But if I did get one I would love it to say your future is looking good. Thank you for a chance to win a signed copy of Silenced By Sugar.
I’ve only had Fortune cookies, a couple times and cannot remember what type of fortune was inside. A good one would be “Be good to yourself!”
I can’t remember the best one but what we love to do is read our fortunes out loud and add “in the bedroom” to the end. That often makes them hilarious!
I always get fortunes that are strange. Like you need another fortune. Hard work makes a hungry person and sayings like that.
i cant remember what any of them said..but i would like one that said’you will come into alot of money”and have it actually happen…that would be great
I’m going to have to make one up, I’ve never eaten a fortune cookie. I would like the fortune of enough money to see me through retirement.
“Be happy with the person you are, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” I don’t remember when I got it but I taped it up to remind me that no one can put you down or trample your dreams.
My favorite is “People find you witty.” I have it taped to my computer at work, and it helps a lot on stressful days!
Just opened one. It says..First think of what you want to do; then do what you have to do. I prefer the opposite!
I usually just get generic ones.
I can’t remember the last time I had a fortune cookie. I think “Follow your heart and be happy” would be perfect.
“You will acquire wealth within 24 hours”. LOL
Haven’t eaten a fortune cookie. But for ‘wise’ sayings? Your life is what YOU make of it. No one can live it for you
My last fortune cookie told me to go shopping. ?
Thank you so much! I just listened to Book 1 on Audible…this is my new favorite series! Yay!!
Thank you!