Cinnamon and Sugar

Cinnamon Chip Biscotti

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IT CANNOLI BE MURDER, the second book in the Italian Chef Mysteries by Catherine Bruns, is another delicious addition to a delectable series. Ms. Bruns crafts an intriguing tale featuring Tessa Esposito, a fledgling Italian restaurant owner. Tessa has had a heartbreaking year after losing her husband and she’s trying to recover while moving forward with their dream of opening a restaurant featuring her award winning Italian dishes. The author captures the angst of Tessa which brings an emotional element into the story. Ms. Bruns also has a strong descriptive voice that conveys the sights, sounds, aromas, and tastes of Tessa’s cooking along with the setting to make the reader feel like they’re right there, experiencing everything alongside her. With strong character development, Tessa and her cousin, Gabby, have great chemistry together. I greatly enjoyed watching the plot unfold as they work as a team to clear their names while their repartee brings some humor to the book.

Ms. Bruns writes a tightly plotted mystery involving Gabby’s old high school mean-girl nemesis, an egotistical best-selling author, his arrogant wife, and a detective that has his sights set on Tessa and Gabby. There were suspects aplenty and the author uses a creative method for the murder. As the story unfolded I found myself drawn in and suffered from the “just one more page” syndrome until the late hours of the night. But it was well worth it as the twists and turns had me on the edge of my seat until the surprise reveal!

Tessa is a trained chef and makes all sorts of delicious foods and delectable desserts. As a reader, I was practically drooling over the yummy descriptions and I was happy that Ms. Bruns includes recipes at the back of the book. I had the honor of creating the recipe for Cinnamon Chip Biscotti for this book. The biscotti has been a long-time Christmas favorite of my family and friends. The generous amounts of ground cinnamon along with the sweet-spicy bit of the cinnamon chips are complemented by the crunchy cookie base. While these might take some extra time to double bake the biscotti, the batch makes a plentiful amount to share with grateful friends. These store well in an airtight container for three weeks, so you can enjoy them dipped in tea, coffee, or hot cocoa for a sweet treat.

Amazon Synopsis

Six months after her husband’s death, Tessa Esposito is hoping to drum up reservations for her restaurant’s grand opening. And since a signing with bestselling author, Preston Rigotta, is sure to draw a crowd, Tessa agrees to cater her cousin’s bookstore event—whipping up some of her famous Italian desserts. But the event soon takes a sour turn when Preston’s publicist, an old high school rival, arrives and begins to whisk up their old grudges.

That night, a fight breaks out in front of the crowd, and it becomes clear there’s bad blood in Harvest Park. And when the publicist is found dead on the bookstore floor the next morning, a stray cannolo at her side, Tessa knows who will be framed as the prime suspect.

To clear both her cousin’s and her own name, Tessa must investigate the murder. But Preston’s publicist has many secrets to hide, and in the end, the truth is bittersweet…

A special thanks to Catherine Bruns for providing one lucky winner with a print copy of IT CANNOLI BE MURDER! Giveaway is limited to U.S. residents. Contest ends Sunday, August 9, 2020 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Cinnamon Chip Biscotti

Ingredients

Biscotti:

1/2 cup (4 ounces) butter, room temperature
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/2 cups (11 ounces) all-purpose flour (use the lightly spoon & level method)
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cinnamon chips

Optional Drizzle:

1/2 cup cinnamon chips*
1 teaspoon vegetable shortening

Instructions

Biscotti:

In the bowl of a standing mixer beat butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until thoroughly blended. Add vanilla and blend.
In a separate bowl, whisk flour, salt, cinnamon and baking powder together. Slowly add to butter mixture and mix on low speed until thoroughly incorporated.
Stir in the cinnamon chips.
Leaving the dough in the mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).
Divide dough into four equal pieces and shape into logs about 8 – 10 inches long. Long & skinny logs are better than short & wide logs since the dough spreads while baking. If needed, spritz your hands with non-stick cooking spray while handling the dough.
Place on parchment lined baking sheets, 2 logs per sheet approx. 8 inches apart. Slightly flatten the logs then bake 25 – 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Be aware if you prick a cinnamon chip it won’t give you an accurate read. Try to get the dough only.
Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet at least 30 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut logs crosswise into 1/2 inch wide slices. A serrated bread knife works best.
Place slices, cut side down, on a parchment lined baking sheet. Return to oven and bake 6 minutes at 325 degrees (F). Turn each slice over and bake an addition 7 to 9 minutes, until slightly golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes on baking sheet then remove and let completely cool on wire rack. Biscotti will harden as they cool.

Optional Drizzle:

Be sure to use cinnamon chips for this. Cinnamon Sweet Bits* won't work.
In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt cinnamon chips with 1 teaspoon vegetable shortening for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. If necessary, heat in additional 10 second increments, stirring well each time. (Be careful not to overheat.) Pour the cinnamon chip mixture into a piping bag fitted with a small circle tip (or use a small zipper seal bag with the corner cut off). Drizzle over the biscotti. Allow the drizzle to set before storing in an airtight container.
Without drizzle, biscotti will last for 2 weeks if stored in an airtight container away from heat. If drizzle is added, consume within 3 days.

Note:

*Hershey’s makes cinnamon chips but I typically only find them during the holidays at my local grocery store. King Arthur Flour carries Cinnamon Sweet Bits and can be mail ordered year-round.
These sturdy cookies are excellent for shipping to family and friends!

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Cover Reveal + giveaway of 20 Cake Popped Off ebooks

Available 9/22/20

I’m thrilled to introduce my upcoming release, CAKE POPPED OFF! (Thanks to Lisa of Lisa Ks Book Reviews for another fabulous title!!!) It’s available now for preorder on Amazon and will also be available on Kindle Unlimited. Print will be available on the release date. Preorder link: https://amzn.to/3gfWCx0

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I’m celebrating my new cover with a giveaway for a chance to win 1 of 20 ebook advance copies of CAKE POPPED OFF! If you enter, please try to have a review posted to Goodreads and Amazon within a week of the release date, 9/22/20. Use the Rafflecopter below to enter. Contest ends 8/5/20.

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Synopsis

Cupcake caterer Emory Martinez is hosting a Halloween bash alongside her octogenarian employer, Tillie. With guests dressed in elaborate costumes, the band is rocking, the cocktails are flowing, and tempers are flaring when the hired Bavarian Barmaid tries to hook a rich, hapless husband. Except one of her targets happens to be Emory’s brother-in-law, which bodes ill for his pregnant wife. When Emory tracks down the distraught barmaid, instead of finding the young woman in tears, she finds her dead. Can she explain to the new detective on the scene why the Bavarian Barmaid was murdered in Emory’s bathtub with Emory’s Poison Apple Cake Pops stuffed into her mouth?

With an angry pregnant sister to contend with, she promises to clear her brother-in-law’s name. As Emory starts asking questions and tracking down the identity of the costumed guests, she finds reasons to suspect her brother-in-law has been hiding a guilty secret. Her search leads her to a web of blackmail and betrayal amongst the posh setting of the local country club crowd. Can Emory sift through the lies she’s being told and find the killer? She’ll need to step up her investigation before another victim is sent to the great pumpkin patch in the sky.

Includes spooky Halloween recipes!

I promise I’ll be sharing some of the recipes here in September and October, along with fun giveaways, but for now let me tempt you with some of the treats included in the book:

Chai Cupcakes
Halloween Black Cat Chocolate Cookies (my chocoholic taste testers LOVED these + they’re super easy!)
Smashed Pumpkin Cupcakes (as in they have lots of yummy liqueur)
Poison Apple Cupcakes (no real poison is used, I promise!)
Poison Apple Cake Pops
Yummy Mummy Calzones
Chicken Cordon Boo Casserole
…and several more

I also have another contest going on for a print copy of Sprinkles of Suspicion (non U.S. residents will receive an ebook copy) so don’t miss out!

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Churros with Mexican Chocolate Dipping Sauce

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LINEAGE MOST LETHAL is the second book in the Ancestry Detective Mysteries by S.C. Perkins. While I thoroughly enjoyed the first in this series, Ms. Perkins finds her stride in this newest release and her writing shines. From memorable and well-developed characters to an intricate and well-paced plot to WWII intrigue to murder, the author weaves an entertaining tale. The protagonist, Lucy Lancaster, is a genealogist working on a family project for 24-year-old hotel heiress, Pippa Sutton. I love how intelligent Lucy is and the author is meticulous in inserting enough of the research process in tracking ancestors (through a variety of methods) into the story that gives it a feel of authenticity. She also includes an opening scene that promotes the preservation of ancient tombstones while still allowing a person to access the engravings without causing damage. I found it interesting, especially for those who might be fascinated in tracking down their ancestors. This added scene weaves in another layer of authenticity.

As I turned the pages and lost myself in the story, I often had to pause to admire the level of research Ms. Perkins had to undertake to create this book. I’m an avid fan of WWII historical fiction, especially stories of behind-the-scenes heroes and heroines who sacrificed to bring freedom to Europe. When combined with Lucy unraveling the history and the role her beloved grandfather played in the war, along with a current day mystery, I just couldn’t put the book down. Added to my admiration of how the murder mystery plot intertwines with the historical aspect, Ms. Perkins’ characters add enjoyment. Lucy’s two best friends, Serena and Josephine, bring lighthearted humor with their banter, while Lucy’s 92-year-old grandfather brings heartwarming moments. His zeal for life and his support of Lucy makes me hope he is featured prominently again in future books. As Lucy unravels the cipher left for her by the victim and as she follows the clues, she finds secrets that could be hiding the killer. With an edge-of-your-seat reveal, Ms. Perkins brings all the threads of the story together with a highly satisfying conclusion that has me waiting on pins and needles for the next release!

While there aren’t any recipes in the book, Lucy and her friends eat plenty of mouthwatering Tex-Mex dishes at Flaco’s Tacos. Oh how I wish there was a Flaco’s Taco near me! Ms. Perkins graciously created a recipe for Churros with warm Mexican Chocolate Dipping Sauce for me to share with you. Let me tell you, the first batch was gobbled up so quickly I made a second batch the very next day! I’ve eaten plenty of churros during trips to Disneyland but they didn’t compare with these. There’s something so delectable about eating fresh, hot from the skillet, churros that have been rolled in cinnamon and sugar, and then dipped into warm chocolate sauce. The combination elevates these to the stratosphere from anything I’ve had before. And on top of that, the recipe was easy to follow and didn’t take a lot of work. Probably the hardest part was cleaning up the oil after deep-frying :). For a special treat or when you want to go all out for a Tex-Mex meal, these churros can’t be beat!

Amazon Synopsis

It’s the week before New Year’s Eve and genealogist Lucy Lancaster is ready to mix work and play at the beautiful Hotel Sutton, enjoying herself while finalizing the presentation for her latest client, hotel heiress Pippa Sutton.

Freshly arrived at the hotel—and determined not to think about Special Agent Ben Turner, who went radio silent on her after one date—Lucy is stopped in her tracks when a strange man comes staggering toward her. She barely has time to notice his weak, sweaty appearance before he presses a classic Montblanc pen onto her hand, gasps, “Keep them safe,” and collapses at her feet, dead.

When Lucy shows the fountain pen to her grandfather, an avid collector and World War II veteran, she’s in for another shock. Not only does Grandpa recognize the Montblanc, he also reveals a secret: he was an Allied spy during the war and the pen is both a message regarding one of his wartime missions and the key to reading a microdot left by the dead man.

On the microdot is a series of ciphers, some decrypted to form names. Could they be the descendants of Grandpa’s fellow spies? When two from the list end up murdered—including the chef at the Hotel Sutton—and Grandpa’s life is put in jeopardy, Lucy’s sure she’s right. And with Lucy’s and Pippa’s names possibly on the list, too, she’s got to uncover the past to protect those in the present.

With a secret Allied mission, old grievances, and traitors hiding behind every corner, Lucy must use her research skills to trace the list’s World War II ancestors and connect the dots to find a killer in their midst—a killer who’s determined to make sure some lineages end once and for all.

A special thanks to S.C. Perkins for providing one lucky winner with a print copy of LINEAGE MOST LETHAL! Giveaway is limited to U.S. residents. Contest ends August 2, 2020 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Churros with Mexican Chocolate Dipping Sauce

If you don’t have a pastry bag, these are just as tasty hand-rolled, even if not as pretty. Simply pull off a portion of the dough and roll it between your hands until it’s about ¾-inch in diameter. I find a four-inch-long churro is the perfect size, but you can make them any size you like. You can also make these into smaller bite-sized churros!

The Mexican Chocolate Dipping Sauce should be served warm and the consistency should be thinner than hot fudge sauce—but feel free to make it as thin or as thick as you like! You can also dip your churros in a warm caramel (or dulce de leche) sauce.

Ingredients

Churros:

1 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup water
½ tsp. salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

For Frying:

Vegetable oil - enough for about one inch in depth in the skillet

For rolling the churros in after frying:

2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mexican Chocolate Dipping Sauce:

1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons agave nectar syrup or light corn syrup
4 oz. 60% or 70% dark chocolate, chopped
3 oz. Mexican chocolate*, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Optional:

1/2 teaspoon ancho chili pepper or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Equipment:

2-quart saucepan
Cast-iron skillet (9” works nicely)
Pastry bag with a 3/8-inch star tip

Instructions

Churros:

Using a 2-quart saucepan, heat the oil, water, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until boiling, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and add flour.
Stir vigorously until the ingredients combine to form a smooth, thick ball of dough. Leave in pan to cool. Note: You can make your dough up to a couple of hours in advance, if desired. Simply cover the dough and leave it at room temperature.
Heat the vegetable oil in the cast-iron pan until about 375 degrees, or until the oil is shimmering. You will fry 3 to 4 churros at a time, but I recommend doing a “test churro” first to make sure your oil is the proper temperature. Your churros should be crunchy on the outside but soft and somewhat airy (similar to a doughnut) on the inside.
If using a pastry bag: Transfer your dough to the pastry bag and carefully press out the desired length churro directly into the hot oil, using your fingers or kitchen shears to snip off the end. Or, press out the churro onto a piece of parchment paper and then pick it up with fingers or tongs and add it to the hot oil, being careful not to flatten the ridges.
If no pastry bag: Section off some of the dough and, using your hands, roll into a 3/4-inch-diameter rope. Then cut into churros that are about four inches in length and add to the hot oil. If desired, you can also create ridges in the dough by using the tines of a fork or indenting the dough with a knife before frying.
Fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown, turning at least once.
Drain the churros on paper towels and then roll them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Serve warm with Mexican Chocolate Dipping Sauce.

For rolling the churros in after frying:

In a shallow, wide dish combine the sugar with the cinnamon.

Mexican Chocolate Dipping Sauce:

Using a small saucepan, combine the cream and syrup and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and add your chopped chocolate, salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and, if desired, ground chili pepper. Whisk until combined and smooth. Serve as a warm dipping sauce.

Note:

*If you don’t have Mexican chocolate, you can substitute with an equal amount of semisweet chocolate. Then for every ounce of semisweet chocolate, add ½ tsp. cinnamon and, if desired, a drop of almond extract to mimic the spiced sweetness of Mexican chocolate.

Cinnamon & Sugar's Note:

I used two different star tips: Size 822, which made skinny churros. They were hard to pipe out but my family really liked the cinnamon sugar ratio to the fried dough. I also used an extra large star tip, M827, which made the piping much easier. These were good but didn't stay as crisp as the thinner churros. Either way, these are best eaten the day made but the thinner churros were better than the thicker on the second day after making.

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Hilda’s No-Fail Banana Bread

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QUICHE OF DEATH, the third book in the Sugar & Spice Mysteries by Mary Lee Ashford, is another delightful addition to this cozy series. Protagonist Sugar Calloway owns Sugar and Spice Cookbooks with her business partner and friend, Dixie Spicer. I love their business and the author’s descriptive voice makes each of their projects come to life from the mouthwatering recipes to the cookbook layouts to the professional food photos (taken by Sugar’s boyfriend, Max) to the choices of covers and paper. It makes me want to compile my family and in-law recipes and have Sugar create a cookbook for me! The character of Sugar is just as sweet as her name implies and I enjoyed her downhome manners and the cute sayings she pops up with inspired by her Aunt Cricket. Sugar is the type of person you’d want as a lifelong friend: always there for you with a kind word and a willingness to provide a helping hand. She even fostered the victim’s spoiled toy poodle, much to Sugar’s cat’s dismay! This added a bit of humor along with Sugar’s obsession with her fitness activity tracker and how many steps she was getting each day. I had to chuckle because it just might have hit close to home, lol!

The story begins with Sugar and Dixie staying at a B & B with the Arbor family in order to work on the family cookbook featuring their famous Arbor Family Foods Quiche Lorraine, which made their fortune. As Sugar and Dixie soon find out, the Arbor family is dysfunctional. It’s not long before Sugar stumbles over the body of Collette, the flaky new fiancée of the Arbor family grandson. Since the family wasn’t happy with his choice of spouse, could one of them have taken matters into their own hands and killed her? While Sugar may be sweet, she’s also intelligent. Using observation skills and the ability to get people talking, she delves into family secrets and starts uncovering the truth about what happened. But as secrets are ferreted out, violence toward members of the family and Sugar escalates. I had no idea who the killer could be so I sat back and enjoyed the unfolding of the story instead of trying to figure it out. While the ending was a bit rushed, it still provided a satisfying conclusion which wrapped up the loose ends and has me eagerly waiting for the next book in the series to release.

There are many mentions of mouthwatering treats and dishes served at the B & B, along with the Arbor family’s famous recipes throughout the story. I was happy to see that Ms. Ashford includes several recipes at the back of the book. I just had to try Hilda’s No-Fail Banana Bread because 1) I always have too many ripe bananas on hand; 2) I love anything that is touted as no fail; and 3) My family loves banana bread! This recipe was easy to mix up since instead of dragging out an electric mixer to cream butter, you melt it. Using a fork to mash and stir, the bread came together quickly. It didn’t take long for a sweet aroma to fill the air as the bread baked. Sliced warm with a pat of butter, Hilda’s No-Fail Banana Bread hit the spot for a delicious treat!

Amazon Synopsis

When editor Sugar Calloway and baker Dixie Spicer went into business creating cookbooks, they found a sideline as amateur sleuths. Now a bitter family grudge could leave a fatal aftertaste…

At Sugar & Spice Community Cookbooks, the friends and business partners have secured a tasty new commission: producing a cookbook for the Arbor family. The Arbors have made their fortune in quiches, and Sugar and Spice have been invited to a weekend gathering where all the siblings, along with crusty matriarch Marta, will be in attendance. But it’s soon clear that this trip will come with a hefty slice of drama.

Theo, the only grandson, arrives with his flaky fiancée, Collette, who quickly stirs up trouble . . . and is found dead the next day. As the investigation unfolds, secrets—and recipes—are shared, and Sugar and Spice realize just how messy and murderous the situation may be. As another family member falls ill, can they solve the case without getting egg on their faces . . .and a target on their backs?

A special thanks to Mary Lee Ashford for providing one lucky winner with their choice of either print or an ebook copy of QUICHE OF DEATH! Print giveaway is limited to U.S. residents. Contest ends Wednesday, July 29, 2020 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Hilda's No-Fail Banana Bread

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3 large, ripe bananas
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray or grease with butter and set aside.
Add the stick of butter to a large bowl and microwave for 1 minute, or until melted.
Add the bananas to the same bowl and mash with a fork.
Add the vanilla extract and egg to the bowl and use the same fork to mash and stir until no yellow streaks of egg remain.
In a second large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together with a spatula just until combined.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 - 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

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Juliana’s Palacsinta

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DEATH OF A WANDERING WOLF, the second book in the Hungarian Tea Room Mystery series by Julia Buckley, is an enchanting cozy mystery that captured my imagination! Protagonist Hana Keller is an engaging character and I love the bond she has with her mother and grandmother. Together, the three of them own and run Maggie’s Tea Room. The descriptive voice of the author makes me want to visit and experience the charming setting and delectable food. The intrigue starts early on in the book and I adored how Ms. Buckley weaves in Hungarian culture through food, art, and fairy tales.

Shortly after Hana purchases two paintings from a Hungarian artist, he is found murdered. Since she and her boyfriend, Detective Erik Wolf, had returned to the artist’s home just as his body was found, Hana feels the need to get involved. On top of that, she felt an unusual connection to the man she’d never met before that day. She also felt a connection to his paintings, particularly those painted in Hungary. The addition of the mystical abilities that Hana’s grandmother has and that Hana is slowly discovering added a layer of intrigue for me, especially as the past is intertwined with the present. I also appreciated that Det. Wolf doesn’t discount Hana and her grandmother’s abilities and instead supports her efforts to find the killer. As Hana’s questions close in on the identity of the perpetrator, her life becomes endangered. Here the author introduces the reader to Det. Wolf’s mysterious sisters, Thyra and Runa. They add a delightful flair to the story and I truly hope that they are featured in future books. With a heart pounding conclusion, this story wrapped up the threads of the plots and subplots and left me wanting more!

With so many mouthwatering Hungarian dishes mentioned throughout the story, I’m grateful that Ms. Buckley includes several recipes at the back of the book. Since my family is a huge fan of breakfast dishes (even for dinner) I was drawn to the recipe for Juliana’s Palacsinta (pronounced pahla-cheenta). These yummy sweet cheese-filled crepes are baked with a light sprinkle of powdered sugar after filling. Garnished with sour cream, fresh strawberries, and jam, this dish is perfect for a brunch gathering or a breakfast-themed dinner.

Amazon Synopsis

Hana Keller is enjoying a day off from serving up tea and delicious pastries at her family’s Hungarian Tea House when her downtime turns deadly….

The only thing Hana loves more than a good cuppa is finding a delicate porcelain treasure to add to her collection. She’s usually on the hunt for teacups but when she spots a rare wolf figurine at a local yard sale, she knows it’s her lucky day. Hana also knows the wolf is valuable and tells the seller that he’s charging too little for it. His reaction is peculiar–he says he received the wolf from someone he doesn’t trust and he just wants it out of his life.

Hana is inspecting her new prize when she finds a tiny microchip attached to the bottom of the porcelain wolf. When she shows the figure to her police detective boyfriend, Erik, Hana is shocked to learn that the chip is actually a tracking device. They decide to confront the seller about the sneaky sale but when they arrive at his house, they find him dead. Erik and Hana now must hunt a calculating killer who has no intentions of crying wolf when it comes to murder…

A special thanks to Julia Buckley for providing one lucky winner with a print copy of DEATH OF A WANDERING WOLF! Giveaway is limited to U.S. residents. Contest ends Sunday, July 19, 2020 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Juliana's Palacsinta

(Pronounced pahla-cheenta)

You can fill these delicious crepes with jam or with the cheese filling described below.

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
4 eggs
2 cups milk
Butter as needed
Powdered sugar

Cheese Filling

1 pound dry curd (dry cottage cheese or sometimes called farmer's cheese.)
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
Vanilla to taste

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees (F).
Mix the flour, salt, and sugar. Beat eggs and mix in milk. Gradually add to the dry flour mixture until you have a thin pancake batter.
Melt butter in a skillet and pour a thin layer of the batter mixture and brown on both sides. This will take less than a minute.
Put the thin pancake on a plate and add your chosen filling. Roll up and place in a buttered baking dish. Repeat until the batter is finished. Sprinkle powdered sugar on the rolled crepes.
Bake 10 - 12 minutes.
Serve warm; top with sour cream, fresh strawberries, or strawberry jam. Apricot jam is also a popular choice.

Cheese Filling

Mix all of the ingredients, adding sugar and vanilla to the desired level of sweetness. Add to the cooked crepes as indicated above.

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Caramel Blondies

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A SPRINKLING OF MURDER, the first book in the brand new Fairy Garden Mystery series by Daryl Wood Gerber, is an enchanting tale that captured my fancy! With a charming setting in Carmel-by-the-Sea situated on California’s Monterey Peninsula, the reader can’t help but feel like they’re on vacation. I adored the fairy garden and tea shop, Open Your Imagination, owned by protagonist Courtney Kelly. It was a treat to learn some of the ins and outs of creating fairy gardens for personal home gardens as the story unfolded. This is one of the times I wish it were possible for pictures to be included within the text as I read along. (However, if you visit the author’s website, she has photos and YouTube videos posts on her “just for fans” page. https://darylwoodgerber.com/fanclub/index.php#fairy)

Sometimes first books in a series introduce a large cast to set the stage for future books and that happens here. However, the author provides a helpful list of characters at the front of the book for easy reference. I liked the protagonist Courtney. She is smart and curious but doesn’t come across as overly nosy or in-your-face. When she discovers the murdered body of her shop’s neighbor on her patio late one night and then becomes a suspect, Courtney knows she needs to get to the bottom of the crime and clear her name. Assisting her in sleuthing is the adorable fairy, Fiona, who is on probation after being expelled from fairy school for too many pranks. Fiona is a fun sidekick to Courtney with her penchant for shenanigans! The introduction of this surprising fantasy element brought a lightheartedness to the story which I greatly enjoyed. To tie in the magical fairy theme, the author also includes lovely “fairy” quotes from literature at the beginning of each chapter. I was tempted to page ahead to read them all before starting the story.

Ms. Gerber is well-known for her other cozy mystery books and her expertise in crafting a well-plotted mystery is on full display here. The pace was even and kept me turning pages wanting to see what happens next. The number of suspects and the way Courtney presented them as she asks questions made it difficult to guess who the culprit was. They all seemed entirely viable. With a surprising twist at the Agatha Christie-style reveal, I was left feeling highly satisfied and entertained!

While this may be a cozy mystery set in a fairy garden shop, they do serve tea and treats there. Courtney also frequents the Hideaway Café which is owned by her potential love interest, Brady, so there’s plenty of yummy food mentioned. True to Ms. Gerber’s love for creating delectable recipes, she’s included several at the back of the book. I couldn’t help but be drawn to the recipe for Caramel Blondies which use a layer of homemade salted caramel sauce… and all I can say is oh my goodness… these are incredibly decadent! And delicious! The blondies are easily mixed up and while the caramel sauce isn’t difficult, you do have to keep a close watch on it. I learned my lesson the hard way on the first go around when the sugar burned. Other than that, I’ll be making these again because there’s extra caramel sauce leftover to eat by the spoonful… err for topping ice cream after the blondies are gone!

Amazon Synopsis

Fairy garden store owner Courtney Kelly believes in inviting magic into your life. But when uninvited trouble enters her shop, she’ll need more than a sprinkling of her imagination to solve a murder . . .

Since childhood, Courtney has loved fairies. After her mother died when Courtney was ten, she lost touch with that feeling of magic. A year ago, at age twenty-nine, she rediscovered it when she left her father’s landscaping business to spread her wings and start a fairy garden business and teashop in beautiful Carmel, California. At Open Your Imagination, she teaches garden design and sells everything from fairy figurines to tinkling wind chimes. Now she’s starting a book club tea.

But the light of the magical world she’s created inside her shop is darkened one night when she discovers neighboring dog-grooming business owner Mick Watkins dead beside her patio fountain. To make matters worse, the police suspect Courtney of the crime. To clear her name and find the real killer, Courtney will have to wing it. But she’s about to get a little help from an unexpected source . . .

A special thanks to Daryl Wood Gerber for providing one lucky winner with their choice of either print or an ebook copy of A SPRINKLING OF MURDER! Print giveaway is limited to U.S. residents. Contest ends Wednesday, July 15, 2020 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Caramel Blondies

The biggest trick to baking with caramel is to let the baked goods cool completely after baking. Wait, wait, wait. Two hours at minimum. Also, make sure you don't overbake these blondies. Dry blondies are no fun.

Ingredients

Blondies:

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled a tad
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup salted caramel sauce, prepared ahead, kept warm (recipe below)
1/2 cup chopped pecans or cashews
fleur de sel

Salted Caramel Sauce:

1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
6 tablespoons salted butter, cut into chunks
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Instructions

Blondies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Butter a 9 x 9-inch baking pan or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in eggs, vanilla, and flour mixture. Mix until well combined.
Spread half of the mixture in the prepared pan and smooth.
Spread salted caramel onto the blondie batter using a spoon, leaving a bit of space around the edges. Top with the chopped nuts. Drop the remaining batter in spoonfuls over the caramel and spread with a spatula. Using a knife, swirl the blondie batter with the caramel. If desired, sprinkle with fleur de sel.
Bake 28 - 32 minutes until set in the middle and golden brown. A toothpick should come out clean. Do not overbake.
Make sure you cool completely, at least 2 hours, before cutting into squares. If necessary, place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to help the caramel set.

For the Salted Caramel Sauce:

In a 3-quart saucepan, add the sugar and water and cook at medium heat. Stir until combined. Do NOT stir again. Heat the mixture until a candy thermometer reads 350 degrees (F). Remove thermometer.
Carefully add the butter and whisk until butter is melted. Remove the pan from heat and slowly pour in the cream, whisking all the time until the cream is incorporated. Whisk in the sea salt and set aside to cool.
Allow to cool for about 5 minutes, then store in a heatproof, airtight container until ready to use. Refrigerate leftovers.

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

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