Cinnamon and Sugar

Whitney’s Famous Cherry Scones

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CHERRY SCONES & BROKEN BONES is the second book in the Very Cherry Mysteries by Darci Hannah but the first I’ve had a chance to read… and I’m SO very glad I did! From the very first page, protagonist Whitney Bloom’s internal humorous dialog had me chuckling. And with the author’s strong descriptive voice, each new situation and scene was brought to life further increasing the humor. Whitney has found herself back in her childhood home which has turned into an Inn, and has taken on the job of manager for the Cherry Orchard Inn. After the recent murder (that occurred in book one) the Inn is struggling and rescue appears to come in the form of a famous painter, Silvia Lumiere, who has booked herself in for nine weeks. Except once she arrives, Silvia’s prickly personality and penny-pinching meanness has Whitney and the staff running for cover. Ms. Hannah “paints” vivid pictures of the characters and the setting with her words, and I felt like I was right there. She’s also created a colorful core cast of characters (including roof climbing goats and a best friend who conducts a goat yoga and all the ensuing mayhem that follows) that had me invested in what happens to them. Their snappy repartee makes the scenes flow and kept me turning pages.

With all the fun going on in the story, it was almost easy to forget that it was a cozy murder mystery… but Ms. Hannah effectively weaves in the crime and gives Whitney’s investigative skills a chance to shine. The plot is well-paced and the clues are there if you don’t get too caught up in just enjoying the read. With lots of suspects, thanks to the artist bringing a wide variety of admirers to the Inn, I didn’t guess who the culprit was until the big reveal. With a hair-raising conclusion, the author had me on the edge of my seat, and I finished the book highly entertained and satisfied that justice had been done.

Not only does Whitney manage the Inn, but she also bakes up all sorts of yummy cherry-based recipes. Her cherry scones have become quite famous and she can barely keep up with the demand. Thankfully, the author has included the recipe for the scones plus a couple other recipes that feature cherries. Scones are a special treat in my household and I had to give Whitney’s cherry scones a try. The flaky pastry is studded with plump dried cherries and toasted pecans, making these substantial. A drizzle of cherry juice glaze makes these even more delicious. On their own or smeared with butter and cherry preserves, these scones are the perfect addition to breakfast or an afternoon teatime treat!

Amazon Synopsis

At the Cherry Orchard Inn, “Cherry Scones to Die For” turns out to be all too true!

Tainted by a recent murder, the Cherry Orchard Inn is struggling to attract guests–until celebrated portrait painter Silvia Lumiere books a room for the summer. Whitney Bloom, the inn’s new manager, can’t believe her good luck. Between her scrumptious scones and the painter’s remarkable talent, the inn swiftly becomes the center of the Cherry Cove art scene.

However, all is not the bowl of cherries it appears. There’s a rotten core in the portrait painter that only Whitney and her friends can see. And just as Whitney’s baking skills and patience are pushed to their limits, another death occurs at the inn. With all fingers pointing at her, Whitney realizes it will take all her cherry-tastic talents to bake her way out of this one.

A special thanks to Darci Hannah for providing winner’s choice of either an ebook or print copy of CHERRY SCONES & BROKEN BONES. Contest ends April 24, 2022 at 11:59 pm PST and print 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!)

Whitney's Famous Cherry Scones

So good, they're to die for!

Ingredients

For the Scones:

2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoon cold butter
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup unsweetened dried Montmorency cherries
1/2 cup toasted pecans
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk

For the Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons tart cherry juice

Instructions

For the Scones:

Heat oven to 350 degrees (F). Place pecans on baking sheet and bake 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from oven and set aside.
Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees (F).
In large bowl or mixer, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or mixing attachment until butter is the size of peas.
Add cherries and toasted pecans.
Mix the sour cream into the heavy cream and stir until blended. Pour over dry ingredients and mix gently until well blended. Be careful not to overwork the dough or scones will be tough.
With floured hands, remove dough and place on floured surface. Form into round ball, then gently flatten into round disk approximately six inches in diameter and one inch high. Using a sharp knife, cut into six wedges.
Place scones one inch apart on parchment-covered baking sheet.
Beat the egg with the tablespoon of milk. Brush the top of each scone with the egg wash. Let rest for ten minutes.
Bake 15 minutes in heated oven until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.

For the Glaze:

Stir two tablespoons of tart cherry juice into the cup of powdered sugar. Pour over scones and let sit until glaze is set.
The scones are ready to eat! For an extra tasty treat, serve them with clotted cream and lemon curd.

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

Honey Peanut Butter Cookies

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A MATTER OF HIVE AND DEATH is the second book in the Oregon Honeycomb Mysteries by Nancy Coco. While it’s the first book I’ve read in the series (much to my chagrin) I easily picked up the necessary backstory and characters without feeling lost. I’ll be reading the first book right away to catch up with the charming protagonist, Wren Johnson, and her delightful Let It Bee shop set along the Oregon coast. Ms. Coco uses the educational backdrop of the plight of honey bees and what their destruction can do to our environment and food sources, for the murder mystery. I adored that Wren’s shop has a glass-walled working bee hive to educate visitors. I had the opportunity to see one on vacation long ago and was fascinated by the industrious bees. Wren is heartbroken when she arrives at a local farm to find the beekeeper murdered and several of his hives vandalized. The author’s descriptive voice brought the sound of the angry, swarming bees and the panic of those trying to rescue the downed man to life. Her attention to detail made me feel like I was right there throughout the story.

When another local beekeeper, and a friend of Wren’s, becomes the main suspect, she can’t help but try to find the culprits who have been destroying hives up and down the Oregon coast. Her investigation brings her into contact with quirky characters attending the annual UFO festival, to conspiracy theorists, and Bigfoot enthusiasts, providing a swarm of suspects. Ms. Coco also introduces the most unique of crimes, which is both eye-opening and thought-provoking for our modern times. It is obvious she’s done her research and she expertly weaves it into the tightly plotted mystery, right through to the edge-of-your-seat reveal.

In addition to a complex, well-written mystery, the author has created a cast of characters that will bring readers back for each new book. Wren is one of those people who I’d like to become friends with, and spend hours in her shop trying all of her products. Wren’s Havana brown cat, Everett, and her quirky Aunt Eloise, bring some lighthearted humor to the story as well as a sounding board for her investigation. Her good friend and employee, Porsche, is a great sidekick, and I admired the way she juggles being a mother to two young sons, working at Let It Bee, and helping in the investigation.

I was delighted to find that not only are there honey-based recipes sprinkled throughout the book, but there are also tips using honey for a variety of beauty and health conditions. I marked a few that I’ll be trying out. I was also drawn to her recipe for Honey Peanut Butter Cookies. Using half honey and half sugar for the sweetness, these tasty cookies are crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. In my family, it’s the perfect combination!

Amazon Synopsis

When a bee wrangler is bludgeoned, Let It Bee honey shop owner Wren Johnson makes it her beeswax to solve the crime . . .

For the picturesque town of Oceanview on the Oregon Coast, May brings blossoming fruit trees and the annual UFO festival. As Aunt Eloise tries out alien costumes on their Havana brown cat Everett, Wren is off to meet with a bee wrangler, her go-to guy for local fruit tree honey.

But when she arrives, Elias Brentwood is lying on the ground amidst destroyed hives and a swarm of angry bees. The bees didn’t kill him, a blow to the head did. As blue-eyed Officer Jim Hampton investigates and the town is invaded by its own swarm of conspiracy theorists and crackpots, Wren and Aunt Eloise decide the only way to catch the bee wrangler’s killer is to set up a sting.

A special thanks to Nancy Coco for providing a print copy of A MATTER OF HIVE AND DEATH. Contest ends April 17, 2022 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!)

Honey Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes 30 cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar for topping

Instructions

For a soft cookie, preheat oven to 325 degrees (F). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter, honey, and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla, stirring until combined.
Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Beat until well-combined.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on prepared cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches between. Place a fork, tines flat, in the sugar and then make cross hatch marks on each cookie, dipping the fork in sugar before each cross so the dough doesn't stick to it.
Bake for 15 - 18 minutes. Look for a golden-brown cookie that is crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. Remove from the cookie sheet and let cool.
Enjoy!

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

Scottish Cranachan

I’m delighted to welcome Paige Shelton to my blog as she celebrates her new release, THE BURNING PAGES! Paige has graciously written a piece explaining the premise for her new cozy mystery: Burns Night Dinner celebrating the venerable poet, Robert Burns! Plus she’s giving away a copy of her book and I’m sharing the recipe for a super easy Burns Night dessert: Scottish Cranachan.

Robert Burns Day

Every January 25, all around the world, but mostly in Scotland, people gather to celebrate one of Scotland’s most beloved bards – Robert Burns, also known fondly as Rabbie Burns.

Robert Burns Day dinner or supper, or Burns Night, is quite an event, particularly if done right with long-standing and cherished traditions as well as a table full of delicious food. For the sake of keeping in the spirit, I’ll pretend I actually like haggis, but just this one time.

The poet Robert Burns was born on January 25, 1759, in Alloway, Scotland. The eldest of seven children of William Burnes (spelling later changed), a self-educated tenant farmer, and Agnes Broun. Their house is still there, now serving as a Burns Museum, set up as it was all those centuries ago.

To say it was an austere beginning for Burns is putting it lightly. Even after the family moved away from Alloway, when young Rabbie was seven, their lives of poverty and hardship continued. Despite his success, when he died at the age of thirty-seven, he still wasn’t living high on the hog. Though he wrote what has become some of the world’s most recognizable poetry, including the words to Auld Lang Syne, his life was always a challenge, and was cut way too short.

It is said that the first Burns supper was held five years after his death on July 21, 1801, at Burns Cottage in Ayrshire. The idea of it spread, and it has now become a worldwide yearly event – every anniversary of his birthday, January 25.

Burns and his words may always be celebrated, but if you want to serve up a real dinner event, there are some traditions and classic menu items you must incorporate:

First of all, and this shouldn’t be a surprise, a bagpiper usually greets the guests. But don’t put those pipes away after everyone arrives. You’ll need them again.

Image courtesy of Google images

The host then says a few words of welcome and reminds everyone why they are there, to celebrate Burns. Grace is said. It’s the Selkirk Grace which is spoken in the Scots language and is a poem of Thanksgiving. Though it’s in Scots, I love it, and it’s pretty easy to translate:

Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
And sae the Lord the thankit.

After the prayer, the haggis is brought in. Everyone stands and the bagpipes play again. Bard Burns loved his haggis. Once star of the show (haggis) is set down in front of the host, Burns’s Address to a Haggis is read. It’s much longer than the Selkirk prayer, a real love letter to the food, and much more difficult to translate, but delightful just the same. At the end of the poem, a whisky (of course!) toast is proposed to the haggis, and everyone sits down and digs in.

Image courtesy of Butchers-Sundries

Also served are the traditional neeps and tatties (turnips and potatoes), usually a fish soup, some cheeses and desserts, as more whisky is consumed and used for toasting throughout and after the meal, and as Burns’s works are recited.

Image courtesy of Farmison & Co

In closing, a resounding version (I’m guessing here, but considering all the whisky . . .) of Auld Lang Syne is sung to bring the evening to an end.

Image courtesy of Google Images

Though I’ve never been to one of the dinners, I plan to host one someday, except maybe I’ll use a fake haggis, you know something that resembles a steak, or maybe even pizza. I included a traditional dinner event in The Burning Pages, though there’s a good chance that one is ruined by an untimely murder.

Thanks for letting me stop by today, Kim – Sláinte, friends!

A special thanks to Paige Shelton for providing a hardcover copy of THE BURNING PAGES. Contest ends April 10, 2022 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!)

In our family, dessert is the most anticipated course of a meal. As I browsed through images of traditional Burns Day suppers, I was captivated by several desserts featuring raspberries and whipped cream and found out it’s called Scottish Cranachan. Once I tracked down several recipes on Pinterest, I couldn’t believe how simple it was so decided to Americanize it and feature it with Paige’s post. I’ll be honest, Americans have a huge sweet tooth compared to other countries so I added some confectioners’ sugar to the whipped cream for a bit of sweetness and to help stabilize it, then added some granulated sugar to the raspberries to enhance their natural sweetness. It still wasn’t as sweet as most desserts but ended up being a refreshing change to heavy cakes, pies, and cookies. While traditional Cranachan calls for pinhead oats, I used the readily available rolled oats found in the U.S. If you’re serving the dessert to minors or don’t care for whiskey, by all means omit it. Once I assembled the Cranachan and took the requisite photos, I dived in and enjoyed every single spoonful as I relished the fresh, fruity raspberries and the whiskey imbued whipped cream!

Scottish Cranachan

This Americanized version of Cranachan features layers of sweet red raspberries, whiskey imbued whipped cream and toasted oats making it a popular Burns Day dinner dessert!

Ingredients

1/2 cup rolled oats
8 ounces fresh raspberries
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons Scotch whiskey
1 tablespoon honey, plus more for drizzling over dessert just before serving

Instructions

Heat a large skillet until hot. Add the oats and toast until they begin to turn light brown. Stir the entire time they are cooking because they can quickly burn. Immediately remove oats and place on a plate to cool completely. Reserve a tablespoon of the cooled oats for garnish if desired.
Reserve several raspberries for garnish, and place the remainder in medium-size bowl. Using a fork coarsley crush the berries several times until broken apart and chunky. You don't want to turn them into puree. Stir in the granulated sugar.
In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream and confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form. Slowly add in the Scotch whiskey and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the tablespoon of honey and the cooled oats.
Starting with a layer of whipped cream, layer the dessert into either a large glass trifle bowl or individual serving glasses, alternating with the raspberries and whipped cream. Finish with a layer of the cream.
Cover the bowl or glasses with plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 1 hour and up to 4 hours. Leftover dessert does not keep well, so plan on consuming the day it is made.
To serve the cranachan, drizzle extra honey over the top and garnish with the reserved whole raspberries and toasted oats.

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My Review

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THE BURNING PAGES, by Paige Shelton, is the seventh book in the charming Scottish Bookshop Mysteries. I’ve so enjoyed this series and delight in each book’s theme. In this newest release the poet Robert Burns is showcased. I loved the peek into the historical aspect of his life and the ways he’s been celebrated since 1848 with Burns Night dinners. While I’m not very familiar with the majority of his works, I was much surprised to find out that Robert Burns is the author of Auld Lang Syne! Lest you think this isn’t a cozy mystery, it is… Ms. Shelton skillfully weaves the famous poet into a modern-day crime along with a colorful cast of characters. The protagonist, Delaney Nichols, and Hamlet, her young coworker at The Cracked Spine Bookshop in Edinburgh, are invited to attend a Burns Night dinner. This sets the stage for long ago grievances to be brought to the foreground and a deadly retribution to occur. When Hamlet becomes a suspect and then disappears, Delaney knows she needs to get to the bottom of the crimes, past and present, and prove her friend’s innocence. As she delves deeper into the mystery, she begins to find pieces of Hamlet’s tragic past. I truly loved getting to know Hamlet better and the author does an admirable job weaving in his heartbreaking backstory into the present-day mystery. The pace of the mystery was spot-on and there were enough suspects to keep me guessing as I turned the pages faster and faster.

Delaney is a delightful character, full of care for those she meets. I’m also quite intrigued with her gift for hearing “bookish voices”, i.e., quotes from various books she comes across, which provide enigmatic clues that don’t always make sense right away. An American transplant to Scotland, Delaney is married to a Scottish pub owner. Rounding out the core cast of charming characters is her mysterious boss, Edwin, bookshop employee Rosie and her adorable dog, Hector, and her former landlords, Elias and Aggie. I thoroughly enjoy the attention to detail and the authenticity of the country, the brogue language, and food (haggis anyone?!) that the author brings to the story through these characters. It’s like taking an armchair vacation while playing armchair detective all at the same time and has me impatiently waiting until the next book becomes available!

Amazon Synopsis

One winter’s night, bookseller Delaney Nichols and her coworker Hamlet are invited to a Burns Night dinner, a traditional Scottish celebration of the poet Robert Burns. She’s perplexed by the invitation, but intrigued. The dinner takes place at Burns House itself, a tiny cottage not far from the Cracked Spine bookshop but well hidden. There, it becomes clear that Delaney and Hamlet were summoned in an attempt to make amends between Edwin, Delaney’s boss, and one of the other invitees, who suspected Edwin for burning down his own bookshop twenty years ago after a professional disagreement.

But after the dinner, there’s another fire. The Burns House itself is burned to the ground, and this time there’s a body among the ruins. When Hamlet is accused of the crime, Delaney rushes to prove his innocence, only to discover that he might actually have a plausible motive…

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

Baba’s Pierogi (Pirohi) + Book Auction to benefit Ukraine

When Russia invaded the Ukraine, my heart immediately went out to the people and I desperately wanted to do something to show my support. Our family has a special connection to the country since my stepdaughter’s grandparents were born and raised there, until Nazis captured them and forced them into labor camps in Germany during the early 1940’s. After the war, Baba and Dido immigrated to the U.S. where they settled in Chicago and raised their family. Several decades later, after I married my husband, I had the utmost pleasure in spending time with Baba and eating her delectable pirohi (aka pierogi) on many occasions. While Baba never wrote down her pirohi recipe, she verbally gave the recipe to her daughter-in-law, Diana Ostrowsky, who was kind enough to share it with me. I’m passing it along to you as it was written down and as I observed while she made them for the family. I’ve also included a scaled down recipe. I’ll freely admit mine don’t do justice to Baba’s pirohi – she was an expert and I dearly wish she were still alive to teach me how to make them properly. Scroll down the page to find the recipe.

As our family’s thoughts, prayers, and financial support made their way across the ocean to Ukrainian family members, author Amy Patricia Meade began to organize a book auction charity event to benefit CARE’s Ukraine Crisis Fund, which strives to reach 4 million with immediate aid and recovery, food, water, hygiene kits, psychosocial support, and cash assistance — prioritizing women and girls, families, and the elderly. https://www.care.org/

I, along with over 150 other authors, jumped at the chance to donate our books for the auction. The bidding is open from March 29th through April 12th. Check out the links below to view the books (including my own) and start bidding.

The main auction website to view all books is: https://www.32auctions.com/AuthorsforUkraine

If you’re interested in bidding specifically for signed copies of my books, these are the links to use:

Essentials of Murder: https://www.32auctions.com/organizations/95545/auctions/120997/auction_items/3618287

A book bundle containing all 4 books in my Cupcake Catering Mystery Series: Sprinkles of Suspicion, Cake Popped Off, Framed and Frosted, Frosted Yuletide Murder:

https://www.32auctions.com/organizations/95545/auctions/120997/auction_items/3618270

From the bottom of my and my family’s hearts, we thank you for considering participating in this auction to help the Ukrainian people!

Baba's Pierogi (Pirohi)

Ingredients

Topping

2 - 3 large yellow onions, diced
1 cup butter

Dough

5 pounds flour
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup milk
1 cup water cooled from cooked potatoes
1/2 cup butter from fried butter and onion mixture, cooled

Filling

10 large potatoes (peeled and boiled whole, until cooked through)
1 hard cake feta cheese or 8 ounces farmer's cheese
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 slices American cheese

Instructions

Topping

Add the diced onions with the butter to a pot/pan with a good fitting lid. Caramelize the onions over medium to low heat until browned. Stir often. According to Baba, the tight cover keeps the onions tender. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Dough

Beat the eggs, milk, onion butter, water, sugar, and salt together in a bowl. Add the flour, 1 cup at a time, until fully blended.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Allow dough to rest under an overturned bowl for 20 minutes.

Filling

Mash the boiled potatoes and stir in the cheeses until combined.

Putting it together (from my own remembrances with Baba since she didn't include this with her recipe)

Dust a parchment-lined baking sheet with flour and set aside.
Pinch off a half-walnut-sized piece of dough and, using a rolling pin, roll it into a very thin disk.
Place an approximate tablespoon of filling into the center of the dough circle. Moisten the edges of the dough with water then then fold the dough in half, to cover the filling. Press the edges together, with floured hands, to seal.
Place the pirohi on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Fill a Dutch oven with water and bring to a boil. Add 5 pirohi to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes or until they float to the surface. Removed the cooked pirohi with a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining pirohi.

Getting ready to serve

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 12 pirohi and saute 5 minutes, flipping over half way through, until warmed through and lightly browned. Sprinkle some of the caramelized onions over the pirohi and stir until they are coated and the onions are warmed. Remove to a serving platter and keep warm while you repeat with the remaining pirohi.

Freezing Extras

If you wish to freeze extra pirohi, prior to boiling them, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet or plate. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until solid, at least 2 - 3 hours. Transfer them to a freezer-safe ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When ready to cook the frozen pirohi, take them directly from the freezer and drop into boiling water. Once cooked through, proceed with the remaining directions.

Cinnamon & Sugar's Notes:

Baba would spend from dawn until late night making her pirohi for her family, and froze a lot of it for future dinners. I scaled down the recipe as follows... and it still made 80 pirohi!
For the dough: 2-1/2 cups flour + more for kneading, 1 egg, 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup potato water, 2 tablespoons butter from onion mixture, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pinch of sugar.
For the filling: 1-3/4 pounds potatoes, 4 ounces farmer's cheese, 4 ounces cream cheese, 3 slices American cheese.
Topping: I made the same amount as listed in Baba's original recipe since I surmise she made the caramelized onions fresh every time she used the frozen pirohi. I cooked half the pirohi and froze the remaining and the caramelized onions were just about the right amount.

To minimize expenses for our authors, who are donating not only their time and work, but all shipping costs, THIS AUCTION IS LIMITED TO RESIDENTS OF THE US AND CANADA. If you are outside this area and wish to help, please consider making a cash donation via the Donate button on the site.

CARE is a Charity Navigator four-star rated charity.

https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/131685039

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Workday Quick and Easy Risotto

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A FATAL FAMILY FEAST, the sixth book in the Farm to Fork Mysteries by Lynn Cahoon, is an engaging, yet bittersweet read. Knowing that this delightfully sweet cozy mystery series was coming to an end when I started the book, I wanted to savor every word yet couldn’t help but turn the pages faster and faster to find out what happened next. The entire cast of characters—from protagonist Angie Turner, to her best friend and business partner, Felicia, to her sous chef (and Felicia’s fiancé), Estebe, to the entire staff at their County Seat restaurant—have felt like family. While there might be conflict leading up to a murder in each book, Ms. Cahoon has imbued the core cast of characters with admirable characteristics. With their sense of kindness and honor, it’s been a pleasure observing their interaction with each other and with their community. There are also Angie’s charming pets: her lovable Saint Bernard puppy, Dom, along with a rescue goat, and a barnyard chicken. They add some humor to the story and steal each scene they inhabit.

With the story centered around the upcoming nuptial of Felicia and Esteban, there is plenty to celebrate and plenty to stress over. Felicia is especially distraught when her family tries to break up her engagement right before the big day, by bringing in her ex-fiancé to woo her. And when the ex is found murdered, law enforcement fingers Esteban for the dastardly deed. With strong descriptive writing, the author makes the reader feel the tension that Angie and her friends are experiencing and the terror that Felicia’s happily ever after might not ever take place. Uniting their creative intellects, the friends piece together clues and hunt down long ago secrets that might have had a hand in the death. Expertly weaving the past into the present, the threads of the crime came together in a surprising way and, in the end, left this reader highly satisfied yet quite sad to say goodbye to such great friends.

Owning the County Seat restaurant, Angie and Estebe are always creating delicious dishes to serve to customers and friends alike. Be prepared to be hungry as you read! Ms. Cahoon includes her recipe for Workday Quick and Easy Risotto. I love risotto, especially when there are lots of vegetables to complement the creamy Arborio rice. This recipe can either be served as a side dish or if desired, a main course, which is my preference. While the recipe doesn’t call for it, I enjoy grating some fresh parmesan over the top right before serving… perfection in a bowl!

Amazon Synopsis

When Angie’s best friend and business partner, Felicia Williams, picks the County Seat to host her upcoming nuptials, Angie wants it to feel like a family affair–especially since Felicia is set to marry the farm-to-fork restaurant’s talented sous chef, Estebe Blackstone. Unfortunately, the bride’s actual family is far less enthusiastic about the union. They’re pulling out all the stops to cancel the couple’s wedding, even arranging for a surprise visit from Felicia’s ex-fiancé (and her father’s current lackey). But when her ex is killed days before the ceremony and Estebe is framed for the crime, Angie and the County Seat crew must scramble to solve the murder and save the wedding . . .

A special thanks to Lynn Cahoon for providing a winner with an ebook copy of A FATAL FAMILY FEAST. Contest ends March 27, 2022 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!)

Workday Quick and Easy Risotto

Ingredients

*4 cups chicken stock (or 4 cups of boiling water mixed with 4 bouillon cubes)
Assorted chopped veggies: Onions (or green onion), mushrooms, asparagus
1 to 1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
Optional: a handful or two of spinach leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Put a pot of chicken stock (or bouillon broth) on the stove to warm.
Chop the assorted veggies - I usually chop the onions pretty fine, but the others can be coarsely chopped or sliced.
Heat a large skillet, and when warm, add a touch of olive oil (1 - 2 tablespoons).
Sauté the onion and mushrooms until the onion wilts but doesn't brown, and the liquid from the mushrooms mostly evaporates.
Then add a cup or cup and a half of Arborio rice to the skillet. Keep stirring as the rice browns (think Rice-A-Roni) for a minute or two.
Then add a ladle or two of the chicken stock. Stir to mix. **Add asparagus now. Let the risotto cook as you prepare your main dish.
Continue to stir and add stock when rice appears dry.
When the stock is all added, and the rice is creamy, you're done. It should take about 30 minutes.
If you want a veggie boost, add a handful or two of spinach leaves with your last bit of chicken stock. The leaves will wilt into the risotto and give you a nice color and extra nutrients. And that's it!

Cinnamon & Sugar's Notes:

*I found that 4 cups of stock worked well for 1 cup Arborio rice, but I needed 6 cups of stock for 1-1/2 cups of Arborio rice.
**My family likes our asparagus crisp tender, so I added it with the last addition of the stock, along with the spinach. Or, steam the asparagus ahead of time in the microwave for a couple of minutes (plunging the stalks into an ice bath to preserve the deep green color), then add to risotto to warm up the last minute or two before serving.
Feel free to sprinkle freshly grated parmesan on top just before serving.
This makes a nice meatless main dish meal too! Substitute vegetable broth for the chicken stock for vegetarian needs.

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

Easy-Peasy Chocolate Eclairs

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MURDER ON AN IRISH FARM is the eighth book in the Irish Village Mysteries by Carlene O’Connor. This newest addition to a delightful series can easily be read as a standalone, however, it’s been a huge pleasure watching the characters develop over the years from the very first book. The protagonist, Siobhán O’Sullivan, isn’t your usual amateur sleuth. Instead, she’s an Irish garda and has the necessary skills to investigate crimes in their village. Despite her occupation, she has a deep caring side for those in need, especially when it comes to her orphaned siblings, whom she’s mothered over the years after the unexpected death of their parents. I greatly enjoy seeing their interaction and while there might be a lot of teasing and sometimes annoyance, you can feel their genuine love for each other. Siobhán garda partner and soon-to-be husband, Macdaras Flannery, fits into her and her siblings’ life perfectly. I appreciate that he doesn’t try to minimize Siobhán’s commitment to her siblings but instead, embraces it and pitches in where needed. Ms. O’Connor flavors the book with Irish colloquialisms and her descriptive voice brings the village and surrounding countryside to life. It made me yearn to revisit Ireland and experience the delightful people and country in person again.

When an old skeleton is found on the farm Macdaras purchased for Siobhán as a wedding present, the couple postpone their vows and try to determine who the victim was and who might have wanted to kill him. When a new victim shows up in the same location, the stakes turn even higher. I enjoyed the way the author effectively ties in the old murder with the new one. As the clues unfolded, the story turned in directions I hadn’t anticipated and kept me glued to the pages. She also includes clues involving falconry. It’s quite obvious that a lot of research was done on the subject and I appreciated the realistic details woven into the story. The author’s details never slowed down the fast-paced plot and only added to the enjoyment of the book. I was especially enthralled because it brought back wonderful memories of my experience with falconry during my visit to Ireland a few years ago and I’ve included a photo at the bottom of the page.

With mouthwatering food mentioned throughout the book, including wedding eclairs given to Siobhán, I was happy to see that the author includes the recipe for Easy-Peasy Chocolate Eclairs at the back of the book. While the recipe may look daunting—there are a lot of ingredients and steps involved—if you break it down into individual sections it becomes doable. I made eclairs once, decades ago, and I recall my arm practically cramping from beating the eggs into the choux pastry with a wooden spoon. I was more than relieved to see that this recipe calls for using a stand mixer which really does make these easy-peasy. Easy-Peasy Chocolate Eclairs melt-in-your-mouth pastries are heavenly: soft and chocolaty, with sweet cream in the middle. You won’t be able to limit yourself to just one!

Amazon Synopsis

In USA Today best-selling author Carlene O’Connor’s eighth Irish Village Mystery, the long-engaged garda of County Cork, Ireland, Siobhán O’Sullivan and Macdaras Flannery, are about to get married at last. But just as the rowdy O’Sullivan brood and all the regulars of the local bistro have gathered at the church, the nuptials come to an abrupt halt when the discovery of an unidentified skeleton puts the wedding on pause….

If only her mother could be here! The entire O’Sullivan brood – not to mention the regulars from Naomi’s Bistro – have gathered at St. Mary’s Church for the wedding of Siobhán and Macdara. It’s not every day you see two garda marrying each other. Only Siobhán’s brother James is missing. They can’t start without him.

But when James finally comes racing in, he’s covered in dirt and babbling he’s found a human skeleton in the old slurry pit at the farmhouse. What farmhouse? Macdara sheepishly admits he was saving it as a wedding surprise: He purchased an abandoned dairy farm. Duty calls, so the engaged garda decide to put the wedding on hold to investigate.

James leads them to a skeleton clothed in rags that resemble a tattered tuxedo. As an elderly neighbor approaches, she cries out that these must be the remains of her one true love who never showed up on their wedding day, 50 years ago. The garda have a cold case on their hands, which heats up the following day when a fresh corpse appears on top of the bridegroom’s bones. With a killer at large, they need to watch their backs – or the nearly wedded couple may be parted by death before they’ve even taken their vows….

A special thanks to Carlene O’Connor and Kensington Publishing for providing a winner with a print copy of MURDER ON AN IRISH FARM. Contest ends March 20, 2022 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents. Be aware that the book may not ship until early April. 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!)

Easy-Peasy Chocolate Eclairs

Ingredients

Choux Pastry

4.2 ounces (by weight) milk
4.2 ounces (by weight) water
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs

Vanilla Cream

1 cup cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain yogurt

Chocolate Glaze

1 cup chopped dark chocolate
1 cup cream
1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Choux Pastry

Preheat the oven to 180C or 350F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
In a medium saucepan combine the milk, water, butter, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted and the mixture just comes to a boil. Remove from the heat.
Add the flour to the milk mixture and mix it with a wooden spoon until incorporated.
Place the saucepan back on the heat and mix with the wooden spoon until you have a smooth ball that comes away easily from the sides of the saucepan.
Place the dough into the bowl of a stand mixer and, using beater attachments, mix for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the dough cools down.
Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix thoroughly after each addition. The dough should form a past.
Place the paste in a piping bag with a plain or large star nozzle. Holding the piping bag at a 45-degree angle, pipe 4-inch strips of the paste onto the prepared baking trays, leaving 2 inches between each.
Bake at 180C or 350F for 10 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 160C or 320F and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the pastries are golden brown.
Remove the pastries form the oven and prick each with a skewer to release the heat. Cool on a wire rack.
Once they have cooled, make two holes in the bottom of each with a piping nozzle.

Vanilla Cream

Combine the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl and beat with a whisk until soft peaks form. Fold in the yogurt.
Fill a piping bag with the vanilla cream and place it in the refrigerator to chill.

Chocolate Glaze

Place the chocolate in a medium glass bowl.
Combine the cream, butter, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring just to a boil, stirring, over medium heat.
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate has melted completely. Keep the glaze warm and set aside.

Assembly