Tear-and-Share Christmas Tree Pizza Bread

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SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PIZZA is the fourth book in the Deep Dish Mysteries by Mindy Quigley. I eagerly await each new release in the series and this newest one didn’t disappoint. This character-driven cozy mystery kept me engrossed not only in the investigation, but had me invested in their relationships and antics. Ms. Quigley’s humor shines on the pages (especially with the metaphors), yet brings a sensitivity to each person’s personality and circumstance. Protagonist and pizza chef Delilah O’Leary is the heart that holds her crew together, while her sidekick, Sonya, is her sounding board not only for the murder investigation but for keeping Delilah true to herself. With Christmas and Hanukkah right around the corner, the author explores family relationships and how people deal with dysfunctional issues, especially around the holidays. It brings an emotional depth to the story that can sometimes be missing in mysteries.

But being a mystery, there has to be a murder. Ms. Quigley has created a doozy of a death with a doozy of a method! I was actually stunned as I read through to the reveal and I applaud her creativity. (No spoilers here, but it includes a snow sculpture.) Given the Chrismukkah party that facilitated the crime, there are a lot of suspects to consider. There are clues to follow but, in the end, I was having too much fun reading to try to solve the mystery. With twists and turns, and handsome Detective Capone (yes, from that family!) trying to keep Delilah safe and out of the investigation—and Delilah doing all she can to keep a valued employee and friend free—the plot moved at a fast pace. The heartwarming and humorous conclusion has me eagerly anticipating to find out what happens next with Delilah and crew!

Be prepared to get hungry while reading all the delectable dishes mentioned throughout the story. The author has kindly included several recipes at the back of the book and it’s worth reading just for the humorous introductions alone! As Delilah so succinctly muses in the book, ‘Food was my love language, my gratitude language, my sympathy language, my “thank you for your service” language.’ And I have to agree with her wholeheartedly! When I saw the recipe for Tear-and-Share Christmas Tree Pizza Bread, I knew I had to try it. With the holidays right around the corner, this is such a great appetizer for gatherings, and it feeds a crowd. (Hint: you can fashion the dough balls into any shape to fit the occasion!) While it might be a little time consuming, using store-bought pizza dough simplifies the process. AND, little hands can easily help out, making this a fun family project. The pizza dough is filled with chunks of mozzarella cheese sticks (and bits of pepperoni if you like). After baking, it’s given a good brushing of melted butter mixed with parmesan cheese, garlic, and Italian herbs. Served with a simple side of marinara sauce, your guests will be rockin’ around the Christmas tree!

Amazon Synopsis

Pizza chef Delilah O’Leary and her kitty companion, Butterball, get into the holiday spirit as Geneva Bay, Wisconsin hosts the nation’s premier snow sculpting championship. The annual event transforms the charming resort town into a wonderland of snow castles, ice rinks, and cozy cups of cocoa.

On the eve of the festival though, a too-good-to-be-true Chrismukkah catering gig brings some frosty tidings and heralds an unexpected visit from Delilah’s high-intensity older sister. Suddenly it seems that the holidays may not be the hap-happiest season of all. And when one of the town’s snowy sculptures reveals a chilling surprise, murder threatens to put the celebrations―and Delilah’s crew―on ice for good.

A special thanks to Minotaur Books for offering a print copy of SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PIZZA to one lucky winner! Contest ends November 3, 2024 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. 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!)

Tear-and-Share Christmas Tree Pizza Bread

Sonya here. Not everyone celebrates Christmas, but no matter your background or religious affiliation, the people of the world are united by a common love of melted cheese. Hence, we developed a crowd-pleasing holiday recipe that's essentially pizza, but in a festive guise. At Delilah & Son, we always have extra pizza dough knocking around, but if you're making this at home, you can use any brand of good-quality pre-made dough.

It may seem strange that I'm recommending using mozzarella sticks for this--the kind you put in a kid's lunchbox--instead of some fancy artisanal cheese. But for this recipe, you want to keep the moisture level low so the dough balls stay crispy.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

7 mozzarella sticks
1 pound refrigerated pizza dough
Egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon water)
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon fresh basil, cut into a thin chiffonade
Marinara, warmed (for serving)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut mozzarella sticks into 1-inch pieces and set aside. If you're me, you'll need one extra mozzarella stick so you can peel off some cheese strands, drape them over your top lip, and walk around the kitchen pretending you have a cheese mustache until Delilah notices and tells you to get back to work.
On a floured surface, divide pizza dough into two equal pieces. Stretch and roll each piece of dough into a long rectangle, then cut the dough into 2-inch squares (you'll need 30 - 35 squares).
Wrap a dough square around each piece of mozzarella, forming a tightly sealed ball. Arrange the balls seam-side down on the baking sheet in the shape of a Christmas tree. You can, of course, make other shapes if you prefer. What you do with your balls in the privacy of your kitchen is your own business and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Brush egg wash on those doughy little balls and bake them until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the melted butter, Parmesan, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Brush your balls again! This time with the butter mixture. Sprinkle the basil on top. It's important to serve this warm so that the cheese will have the maximum gooeyness. Add a side of warm marinara for dipping.

Cinnamon & Sugar's Note:

If desired, add chopped bits of pepperoni with the cheese before forming the dough ball.
I used yellow bell pepper to shape stars and the tree trunk. Cheddar cheese would also be a good choice.

Notes

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

Maple Cream Pie

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IN THE BLINK OF A PIE is the third book in the Maple Syrup Mysteries by Catherine Bruns. I’ve enjoyed the first two books in this series, but this is my favorite! Protagonist Leila Khoury, manager of her family’s maple syrup Sappy Endings Farm, has found her stride and self-confidence. She’s thinking of new ways to bring in new business to the farm and hosting a pie baking contest before Thanksgiving is just the yummy boost they need. Ms. Bruns has crafted an inviting setting with the maple syrup farm, with tidbits of the syrup production to give it authenticity. Her core characters are appealing and well-developed, and I love the direction Leila and her love interest, Noah, are heading in. It adds a heartwarming touch to the overall story. There’s also an underlying emotional depth on mother-daughter relationships as well as Noah’s young daughter’s response of Leila being in her life, which made me invested in the outcome. Family is definitely a strong theme throughout the book!

With the pie baking contest bringing visitors galore to the farm, the last thing Leila needs is for one of her neighbors to cause a scene and insert herself as one of the judges. Except the neighbor got more than she bargained for when she sampled the pumpkin pie…she ingested poison and couldn’t be saved. Not only does the murder cause a disruption to the festivities, but it doesn’t take long for people to avoid Sappy Endings at all costs. With the family business on the line, Lelia takes it upon herself to investigate and find the truth, and soon discovers she may have been the intended victim! Ms. Bruns writes a tightly plotted tale with twists and turns that keeps the reader engaged. There are suspects galore and it will take a sharp reader to catch all the clues and put them together for the solution. The heart pounding reveal brings all the threads of the story together in one highly satisfying conclusion!

Be sure to read through to the end of the book for several delicious pie recipes…they all sound utterly decadent! I was delighted to create the Maple Cream Pie recipe for the book, in keeping with the maple syrup and pie baking contest theme. With a graham cracker crust to provide both a pleasing crunchy contrast and a subtle flavor, the maple shines through in the creamy filling. While the ingredients may be simple, the richness of the custard filling complements the maple flavor, making this a comforting dessert to serve!

Amazon Synopsis

Sometimes, there’s no one you can crust…

It’s Thanksgiving in Sugar Ridge, Vermont, and Leila Khoury, manager of Sappy Endings Farm, is ready to usher in the holiday season by hosting a pie-baking contest. The day is meticulously planned, from the judging panel to the maple lattes, and Leila can’t wait for the entire town to enjoy some sweet treats.

But when a neighbor drops dead from sampling a poisoned pumpkin pie, it’s not just Leila’s perfect day that’s in jeopardy—her livelihood is now at stake. And after yet another near-fatal incident, she realizes an even more terrifying truth: the killer wasn’t targeting her neighbor, but someone even closer to home!

Can Leila figure out who’s behind the murder, before the dough hits the fan?

A special thanks to Catherine Bruns for offering a print copy of IN THE BLINK OF A PIE to one lucky winner! Contest ends October 30, 2024 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. 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!)

Maple Cream Pie

Ingredients

9-inch pre-baked graham cracker crust, cooled
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 cups whole milk, divided
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, divided

Instructions

Combine the cornstarch and salt in a heavy saucepan. Whisk in 1/2 cup cold milk until the mixture is smooth. Gradually whisk in the remaining milk and 3/4 cup maple syrup.
Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir frequently starting out but as the mixture heats, stir constantly to keep from scorching. Reduce the heat to low once it begins bubbling and cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Whisking constantly, add a 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks. Slowly and whisking constantly, add the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan containing the milk mixture.
Over medium-low heat, cook the mixture until it begins to bubble, then cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter.
Cool to room temperature without stirring.
Once filling has cooled, add 1 cup heavy cream to a chilled medium-size bowl. Whip on high until soft peaks form. Reduce speed to low and slowly add 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar. Increase speed and beat until stiff peaks form.
Whisk 1 cup of the whipped cream into the fully-cooled filling. Pour into the cooled pie crust.
Spread the remaining whipped cream over the pie filling.
Refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, whip the remaining 1/4 cup heavy cream on high speed until soft peaks form. Reduce speed and add 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, then increase speed and beat until stiff peaks form. Using a piping bag and large star tip, pipe the whipped cream around the edges of the pie to decorate.
Refrigerate any leftovers.

Notes:

If you want to make this using non-dairy milk and non-dairy whipping cream, add an additional 1 tablespoon cornstarch to the saucepan before adding the non-dairy milk. I used almond milk. For the whipped cream, I used the Silk brand, and found I needed to increase the amount of cream used since it doesn't whip up as the same volume as regular cream. Whip the full 1-1/4 cups for adding to the pie and topping it, and then an additional 1/3 to 1/2 cup for piping around the edges. The confectioners sugar measurement remains the same.

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Maids of Honor

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MURDER ON THE PAGE is the first book in the Literary Dining Mysteries by Daryl Wood Gerber. As I wrote my review, I couldn’t help but grieve over the destruction wrought on the charming town of Asheville, North Carolina, by Hurricane Helene, the setting for this new series. Ms. Gerber’s strong descriptive voice brings the town and the surrounding area to life—before disaster hit—and gives the reader a glimpse at the appeal of the area while the brave residents of that region rebuild. Focusing on the fictional side as portrayed in the book, I appreciate even more the care the author took to help the reader experience the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the area. She’s filled the book with delicious food, delightful characters (how can you not love a cat named Darcy?!), books—lots and lots of books—and a puzzling mystery to solve. With the literary theme, I enjoyed the opening Jane Austin quotes at the beginning of each chapter, along with real life mysteries that readers will want to make a note of and check out. The protagonist, Allie Cat, is a caterer and personal chef. Running your own business takes a strong person, and Allie definitely possess strength…which unfortunately sometimes verges on the edge of pushiness. But she gets things done and is there to support her friends in their time of need…like when a beloved aunt is murdered.

After Allie stumbles across the body of her best friend’s aunt in the local bookstore, and when said friend, Tegan is viewed as a suspect, Allie gets to work to prove her innocence. Ms. Gerber’s tightly plotted mystery has clues for the armchair detective to follow, but what I truly adored was Allie’s investigations made use of literary detectives, from the classics to modern day mysteries. (My list of books to read grew reading Murder on the Page!) Despite it being a “locked room” mystery, Allie is tenacious for certain. She refuses to let any setbacks slow her down and uses all her resources, like her potential relationship with the local detective, to find answers.

As in Ms. Gerber’s other series, there are several delectable recipes included at the back of the book. The recipe for Maids of Honor intrigued me, just because of the name alone. Part tart, part muffin-like topping, these little dessert morsels are single serving, pop-in-your-mouth treats. Starting with a pie crust base in a 2-inch tart pan (or mini muffin pan), then layered with raspberry jam, and then an almond muffin batter, these are topped with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar after baking. I liked how easy they were to serve (like a cookie) and the pie crust base made them sturdy enough to easily transport. Personally, I had a bit of trouble getting the crust to bake appropriately (I think different ovens with their variety of heating elements might be the culprit) so I made some notes on the recipe listed below. It took some finagling, but in the end this recipe turned out to be a delicious and unique dessert that would make a delightful addition to a dessert buffet or cookie tray.

Amazon Synopsis

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that a genuinely top-notch party must be in want of a theme. Allie Catt, caterer and personal chef in the beautiful mountain community of Asheville, North Carolina, has devised a winning formula by using her clients’ favorite books as inspiration. Her first themed event is based on Pride and Prejudice (Allie’s cat, Darcy, approves), and it’s so popular that soon she has grand ideas for future parties based on Rebecca, The Great Gatsby, Babette’s Feast and more.

Business is booming, and a rival catering company is fuming. But there’s a sting in the tale when the aunt of one of Allie’s clients and best friends, Tegan, is murdered. Tegan is the victim’s sole heir, and quickly becomes the main suspect. Allie has no doubts about her friend’s innocence, but how to prove it?

Once again, her love of literature comes to the rescue, and with some guidance from her favorite fictional detectives, including Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes, Allie sifts through the clues.
With a little luck—and the kind of pluck that would make Elizabeth Bennett proud—she may be able to stop a killer from serving up a second course of murder. . .

A special thanks to Kensington Publishing for offering a print ARC copy of MURDER ON THE PAGE to one lucky winner! Contest ends October 20, 2024 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. and Canadian residents only. 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!)

Maids of Honor

Yield: 12

Ingredients

1 recipe for pastry for a single-crust pie (your own or premade)
1/4 cup raspberry jam
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar for dusting

Instructions

Put the oven rack at the bottom and preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). You may use a silicon 2-inch tart pan that doesn't need greasing, but if you use metal, lightly grease it.
Roll out the pastry and cut 12 circles, 2 inches each. Fit 1 circle into each of the tart forms. *
Spread 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam into the bottom of each tart.
In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in the egg. Add flour, baking powder, and almond extract. Mix until combined.
Drop 1 tablespoon of the batter on top of the raspberry jam that is already in the tart shell.
Bake in oven for 20 minutes. They will rise and become firm, like a muffin.
Remove from oven. Let cool slightly. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Cinnamon & Sugar's Notes:

* Depending on the shape of your tart pan, you may need to cut circle larger so that the pastry covers both the bottom and sides of the cups.
I found that the pastry crust was undercooked by the time the batter had cooked through. I'd recommend prebaking the crust for 5 minutes before adding the jam and the batter. It's possible it's due to how individual ovens bake, whether the main heating element is on the bottom of the oven or at the top.

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Curried Butternut Squash Soup

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A SLAY RIDE TOGETHER WITH YOU is the seventh book in the Year-Round Christmas Mysteries by Vicki Delany. What do you get when you combine a year-round Christmas-themed town with Easter week and things that go bump in the night at a purported haunted house? You get a page-turning story with heartwarming vibes, a puzzling mystery to solve, a wedding to plan, and Mrs. Claus’s Treasures. Protagonist Merry Wilkinson, owner of said Mrs. Claus’s Treasures, is a terrific character. She’s a bit sassy, puts up with her know-it-all employee with some tongue-in-cheek humor, and knows when to provide support to her friends when they need it the most. Ms. Delany has developed a multitude of characters to inhabit the city of Rudolph, New York, and mostly are people you’d want to spend time with and call friends. Especially Merry and her father, Noel, who just happens to be the town’s official Santa! These characters are what make this series so endearing and make me come back for each new release.

No matter how wonderful the characters are, this is still a cozy mystery and boy, does it provide a doozy of a ride! From investigating her best friend’s haunted house and its tragic history, to clearing her best friend’s fiancé from being a murder suspect, to breaking up a food fight, Merry has her hands full. The well-plotted clues will keep the armchair detective on their toes and with many suspects to consider, it will be a challenge to zero in on the killer. Ms. Delany is an expert at writing perfectly paced tales with twists to keep the reader engaged and guessing. A Slay Ride Together With You is a terrific way to get your Christmas fix with a fascinating whodunit!

There are several recipes included at the back of the book and, with the fall weather season upon us, I couldn’t wait to make the Curried Butternut Squash Soup recipe. It’s just as warming and delicious as it sounds! Chockful of veggies with no added cream or dairy, the soup still tastes creamy and satisfying, with just the right amount of heat thanks to the curry powder and pepper flakes. This soup will be making another appearance in my household to ward off the chilly evenings as winter approaches!

Amazon Synopsis

Rudolph, New York, shop owner Merry Wilkinson’s best friend Vicky Casey is newly engaged to Chef Mark Grosse and is moving into the historic Cole House–a home surrounded by drama, intrigue, and a possible haunting that is in desperate need of renovation. The wedding is just three weeks away, but all is not bliss for the newly engaged couple as estranged relatives of the late owner fight over her will. Then, late one night, Vicky and Merry come across a dead body in the garden of Cole House–and Mark is the one standing over the corpse.

As Detective Diane Simmonds focuses on Mark as the prime suspect, Vicky asks for Merry’s help to clear her fiancé’s name in time for the wedding. As they dig deeper into the connection between the house, Cole relatives, and town residents, past and present, it becomes clear that plenty of people wanted the victim dead.

With a bakery to run, the busy Easter weekend fast approaching, a house to renovate, and a fiancé to clear of a murder accusation, Vicky’s wedding may end up on the chopping block. It’s up to Merry to put aside the chocolate bunnies and stuffed rabbits and help her best friend save her wedding–and her life.

A special thanks to Vicki Delany for offering a print copy of A SLAY RIDE TOGETHER WITH YOU to one lucky winner! Contest ends October 6, 2024 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. and Canadian residents only. 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!)

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

From Vicki Delany: This is totally my own recipe, so feel free to mix ingredients as you like. This soup freezes well, so I make lots of it to enjoy over the cold winter months. I particularly enjoy soups that have no milk or cream – just the vegetables and a touch of spices.

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into about 1 inch pieces
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into about 1 inch pieces
2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into about 1 inch pieces
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Instructions

Combine curry powder, chilli powder and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
Add all chopped vegetables to a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with mixed spices. Toss until coated.
Roast about 45 minutes in 350 degree (F) oven, or until the potatoes and squash are soft.
Dump the cooked vegetables into a soup pot. Add stock. Bring to boil and then simmer about 20 minutes.
Using an immersion blender or blender, puree until smooth. If the soup seems too thick, just add more stock and simmer to combine.
Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Cinnamon & Sugar's Note:

I garnished the soup with some sour cream and extra red pepper flakes.

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Gluten-free Gingerbread Biscotti

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SILENT NIGHTS ARE MURDER is the ninth book in the Poppy McAllister Mysteries by Libby Klein. This is one of those series that the second I receive the new release, I immediately move it to the top of my TBR pile. With laugh-out-loud one-liner zingers, zany characters that keep you on your toes, hilarious descriptive analogies, and a complex mystery to solve, it’s no wonder this continues to rate as one of my favorite series. Protagonist Poppy McAllister has her hands full trying to keep her Aunt Ginny corralled, and her internal dialog relating to all the madcap antics kept me giggling. Besides Aunt Ginny, the supporting characters are all well-developed and each has their own unique personalities. I adore Poppy’s relationship with Gia and his young son. Each scene they inhabit brings special tender moments.

Despite it being the Christmas season, there’s a grinch who’s not happy with a fish supplier in town. When his body is found, along with a note to ‘Get Poppy’ in the freezer of Poppy’s ex’s restaurant, Poppy gets pulled into the investigation even though it has nothing to do with her… or so she thinks. Ms. Klein’s attention to detail and her careful plotting of clues takes the reader on the chase to find the killer before they strike again. Just when I thought I’d figured it out, another piece of the puzzle was revealed and had me guessing all over again. But, at the conclusion, I found answers to all my questions. The ending left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling and a longing to have the next book in my hands already!

Not only does Poppy cook dishes for her and Aunt Ginny’s B&B, but she bakes for Gia’s coffee shop and works as a temporary pastry chef at her ex’s restaurant while hunting down the murderer. Needless to say, there are all sorts of mouthwatering dishes mentioned throughout, so be prepared to be hungry or make one of the author’s recipes included at the back of the book before reading. With a Christmas theme, I was happy to find several yummy recipes that are perfect for the season. I couldn’t wait to make the Gluten-free Gingerbread Biscotti. Perfectly sweetened and chockful of warming spices and bits of candied ginger, these make the perfect holiday gift for friends and family, even if they don’t need to eat gluten-free. That is, if you don’t devour them all yourself first 😊

Amazon Synopsis

Ever since Thanksgiving, when an engagement ring in a velvet box—and no gift tag—was left behind, Poppy and her pals have been left with an unsolved mystery. But at least this mystery isn’t the kind that involves murder. That all changes when the body of a fish supplier is discovered in the kitchen of her ex’s restaurant—and he’s frozen, not fresh.

For once, it’s not Poppy who tripped over the corpse, yet she can’t escape being drawn in since the victim has a note taped to him reading Get Poppy. Figures—an engagement ring isn’t labeled, but the dead guy is addressed to her. Now, while Aunt Ginny plans a tree-trimming party and pressures Poppy to decode a mysterious old diary, the amateur sleuth is asked to “unofficially” go undercover at the restaurant to help the police. Until then, the only crime Poppy had been dealing with was the cat Figaro’s repeated thefts of bird ornaments from the tree; now it looks like it’s going to be a murder-y Christmas after all . . .

A special thanks to Kensington Publishing for offering a print copy of SILENT NIGHTS ARE MURDER to one lucky winner! Contest ends September 29, 2024 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. 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!)

Gluten-free Gingerbread Biscotti

Yield: around 16 biscotti

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup almond meal
1-1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend
1 teaspoon xanthan gum, if not included in your gluten-free flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup crystallized ginger, diced fine
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1 bag white chocolate chips for melting and dipping after baking

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F) or 300 degrees (F) for convection.
Mix butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, combine the almond meal, gluten-free flour, xanthan gum if needed, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and sea salt. whisk together.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture and beat until smooth. Fold in the diced crystallized ginger and chopped almonds.
Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper, and form into a log. Flatten the log into the size and shape you want your finished biscotti pieces to be. Roll the log up into the parchment paper to prevent the dough from spreading all over the pan. It will bake into this shape, so be sure it is as long and flat as you want your cookies to be when you slice them.
Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven. Gently and carefully unwrap the dough from the parchment. Return to the oven and bake for 10 - 15 minutes longer, until it is dry and firm to the touch. Remove to cool on a wire rack.
Once the dough is cooled, use a serrated knife to carefully slice the log into 1-inch-thick biscotti. The dough won't be cooperative--don't worry. You can mash any broken pieces together for toasting, and they'll stay together.
Place the slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for another 15 - 20 minutes until slightly crispy. I like to gently touch them to see if they are dry. They will get crunchier as they cool.
Melt white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl on high, about a 1 minute or 1 minute, 30 seconds. Dip each cooled biscotti in white chocolate and place on parchment paper to set. You can either dip the tops, like you're frosting them, or dip one half. It's up to you. I love the way the white chocolate gets all melty when I dip my biscotti into my coffee, so I dip the entire top edge.