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Olga’s Brownies

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SEALED OFF, the eighth book in the Maine Clambake Mystery series by Barbara Ross, is another entertaining installment in an enduring series. It’s been a treat watching the protagonist, Julia Snowden, develop as a well-rounded character from the beginning of the series. She’s smart, she’s determined, and she has a kind heart to help those in need around her. Julia’s family’s clambake is wrapping up the season on their private island and ramping up the remodel on the decrepit family historical mansion. One of their longtime employees is found murdered on the island when Julia and her brother-in-law arrive to prepare for one of the last clambakes of the season. Despite how a lot of people feel about her boyfriend’s ex-con brother and despite his physical fight with the victim, Julia agrees to find the truth and see justice done. I admire Julia’s loyalty to her boyfriend, Chris, and by extension, to his down-on-his-luck, brother. I also enjoy the close relationship the protagonist has with her family and the closeness they share by working together and socializing together frequently. It adds a heartwarming thread throughout the story.

In addition to the murder mystery, Ms. Ross consistently adds a non-fiction thread through each story and I’ll admit, I always find them intriguing. It’s obvious she invests a lot of time researching so that the end result is believable and fits seamlessly into the tale. (Be sure to read the acknowledgements notating her research. This one is quite charming!) She also touches on social issues in this story that can’t help but make the reader give pause to think about the larger picture. Again Ms. Ross weaves these portions into the story without slowing down the plot which keeps the reader’s interest in turning the pages until the very suspenseful ending.

Julia’s family is known for delicious food served at their clambake along with the food served at their family gatherings. It’s not uncommon for friends to join their gatherings and bring scrumptious dishes to share. The author kindly provides several recipes at the back of the book for the reader to drool over. I was drawn to the recipe for Olga’s Brownies. In the book, Julia’s elderly B & B owning friends bring these brownies to one of their dinners but in reality, the recipe is one from Barbara’s mother-in-law, who also ran a B & B in Maine. Rich and thick, almost like fudge, these scrumptious treats will satisfy the most avid chocoholic! I also loved that these whisk up quickly using a saucepan so cleanup is a breeze.

 

Rich and thick, almost like fudge, Olga's Brownies are scrumptious treats that will satisfy the most avid chocoholic! And cleanup is a breeze since the recipe uses only 1 saucepan to whisk the ingredients together. Recipe shared with permission granted by Barbara Ross, author of SEALED OFF.

 

Amazon Synopsis

Early October is “winding down” time in Busman’s Harbor, Maine, but there’s nothing relaxing about it for Julia Snowden. Between busloads of weekend leaf peepers at the Snowden Family Clambake and a gut renovation of the old mansion on Morrow Island, she’s keeping it all together with a potentially volatile skeleton crew—until one of them turns up dead under the firewood.

When the Russian demo team clearing out the mansion discovers a room that’s been sealed off for decades, Julia’s baffled as to its purpose and what secrets it might have held. Tensions are already simmering with the crew, but when one of the workers is found murdered, things come to a boil. With the discovery of another body—and a mysterious diary with Cyrillic text in the hidden room—the pressure’s on Julia to dig up a real killer fast. But she’ll have to sort through a pile of suspects, including ex-spouses, a spurned lover, and a recently released prisoner, to fish out one clammed-up killer.

 

 

 

 

 

A special thanks to Barbara Ross for providing one winner with a print copy of SEALED OFF. Contest ends Thursday, January 9, 2020 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents. 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!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rich and thick, almost like fudge, Olga's Brownies are scrumptious treats that will satisfy the most avid chocoholic! And cleanup is a breeze since the recipe uses only 1 saucepan to whisk the ingredients together. Recipe shared with permission granted by Barbara Ross, author of SEALED OFF.

Print
Olga’s Brownies

My mother-in-law used to make these brownies for her young family and they are the first thing my husband recalls making by himself. Over the years the recipe fell out of use in the family and we thought it was lost. Bill searched the Internet to no avail. After his mom died, we found the recipe among her effects and Bill has shared it with his siblings. In Sealed Off, Vee makes the brownies and brings them to dinner at the Snowden's, which is entirely appropriate because, like Vee, my mother-in-law ran a B and B in Maine and was an excellent cook and baker.

Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup cocoa
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1-1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chopped nuts, optional
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil of your choice to grease the pan
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  2. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Remove from heat. Stir in cocoa until it mixes completely, then stir in sugar until it mixes completely.

  3. Add the 5 eggs one at a time, stirring each in before you add the next.

  4. Add the vanilla, flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring each one before adding the next. Stir in the nuts, if desired.

  5. Bake in a greased 13 x 9 pan for 30 to 35 minutes.

Rich and thick, almost like fudge, Olga's Brownies are scrumptious treats that will satisfy the most avid chocoholic! And cleanup is a breeze since the recipe uses only 1 saucepan to whisk the ingredients together. Recipe shared with permission granted by Barbara Ross, author of SEALED OFF.

 

 

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

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Rich and thick, almost like fudge, Olga's Brownies are scrumptious treats that will satisfy the most avid chocoholic! And cleanup is a breeze since the recipe uses only 1 saucepan to whisk the ingredients together. Recipe shared with permission granted by Barbara Ross, author of SEALED OFF.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you receive my blog post via email you will need to visit my website to view the video.

 

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

 

Rich and thick, almost like fudge, Olga's Brownies are scrumptious treats that will satisfy the most avid chocoholic! And cleanup is a breeze since the recipe uses only 1 saucepan to whisk the ingredients together. Recipe shared with permission granted by Barbara Ross, author of SEALED OFF.

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74 thoughts on “Olga’s Brownies”

  8. No I have not attended a clam bake. Most of my life I grew up in the desert. Thank the mid west.
    It sounds like it would be a fun thing to do.
    I love this cover and the story sounds wonderful.
    I would love to read this new to me author

  13. I have not been to a clam bake due to the fact I don’t like clams, but they do sound like fun if I did. Love this series, thanks for the chance to own one of the books.

  14. Yes I’ve been to a clambake in York, Maine. There were 2 bus loads of us from the company my ex worked at. Then we took a cruise to Nova Scotia overnight. It was a fun time. I love this series so much!! I used to live in NH and spent most of our vacations in Maine and this series brings back a lot a good memories. No murders, thank goodness but they are good reading about. Thank you so much for this chance.

  20. I have not attended a clam bake. However, I would like to because it sounds like fun. Thanks for sharing the brownie recipe. Definitely going to try. Thanks for the chance!

  21. Never been fortunate enough to attend a clambake. However, given the opportunity , I’d be there in a flash.

    Can’t wait for the opportunity to read “SEALED OFF”!

  23. Haven’t been to a clambake but I bet I would love it. My Cajun hubby is from Louisiana so I am familiar with crawfish or shrimp boils which is a delightful event so I can only imagine the fun with a clambake! Thanks for the chance.

  30. Only once, when I was 15. We went out to Cape Cod to visit my father’s family and we were treated to a clam bake one of the evenings of our stay.

  31. I have never been to a clambake, but I would love to go to one. Thanks for the chance to win a copy of your new book and for the recipe!

  32. Maine is someplace I have always wanted to visit so this series set there is soooo much fun for me. The stories are pleasant and the mystery is intriguing. I always eagerly await the next book in the series.

  38. No I haven’t sounds like fun. Can’t wait to read sealed off. The brownies look delicious. I’m going to make them. Thank you for the chance

  40. It’s funny that I’ve lived in New England for over 40 years.and I’ve never been to one although I’d love to.
    scarletbegonia5858(at)gmail(dot)com

  41. I’ve never been to a clambake but it sounds like something I would love. It’s on my bucket list along with a trip to Maine. Thanks for the chance…this is one of my favorite series.

  44. I have never attended a clambake. I love brownies! Thank you for the recipe, and this chance to win!

  50. I’ve never been to a real clambake. I made something similar, though, minus the clams, lol. I used to do a weekly family dinner and did a huge amount of shrimp, sausage, potatoes and corn on the cob, all done together. Everyone seemed to really like it.
    [email protected]

  52. I have not ever attended a clambake. Sounds like fun though! Thanks for the chance! almaj80(at)suddenlink(dot)net

  56. Nope, never been to a clam bake. I have not had a clam since when I was 16 my boyfriend had shoved one down my throat. Never tried one again.

  57. I have never attended a clam bake. But would like to attend one in New England on vacation someday.

  58. My father’s employer used to have a clam bake each fall for the employees and their families. There would be clam and oysters as well as steak and sweet potatoes. I’m not a big fan of clams and oysters but the steak and sweet potato was always tasty.

  60. I’ve been to several clam bakes and they were fun..sandy, but fun. I love the story of Barbara’s mother-in-law!!!

  64. Being a New England native, we have always done our own clam bakes or go to at least two clam bakes a month about 9 months of the year. And we’ve been to clam bakes on Peaks Island off the coast of Portland, Maine a number of times which is how I visualize the clam bakes in this series!!!

    Thank you for a book giveaway and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for this which is one of my very favorite series.

  65. This book looks great. I have read her books before and loved them. The brownies remind me of my grandmas. Thanks for this.

  71. A clambake sounds like a great time! They are just not too common in the desert SW! Someday maybe, until then I’ll just gave to virtually enjoy them, thanks to Barb and the Snowden family!

  73. No, I have never been to a clambake. Don’t think they have been held much in New Mexico or Oklahoma. ?

  74. Have never been to a clambake since I am allergic to shellfish. They have them all the time in Maryland.

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