Cinnamon and Sugar

Jewel Brooch Cookies

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YULE LOG MURDER is a collection of three cozy mystery novellas by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis, and Barbara Ross. With the holiday season often hectic, it’s nice to sit down and relax with a story that captures the Christmas spirit. I greatly appreciate that each novella can be read as a standalone and aren’t so long that I can’t get to the myriad of activities and chores that get scheduled for this time of year.

Each of the stories are set in Maine: Yule Log Murder by Leslie Meier is in Tinker’s Cover; Death by Yule Log by Lee Hollis is in Bar Harbor; and Logged On by Barbara Ross is in Busman Harbor. I greatly enjoyed spending time with each of the well-known characters from these well-loved series. Even if you’re not familiar with these authors, the stories can easily be read without feeling lost by not knowing the characters and backstory. Despite the limited word count, the three authors expertly captures the setting of their stories and flavor it liberally with the holiday spirit. They also give the reader an excellent feeling for their protagonist and supporting characters. The mysteries have good plots but have a gentler feel to them which, in my opinion, makes them ideal for the holidays. YULE LOG MURDER is the perfect book to curl up with in front of the fire with a mug of hot cocoa and a plate of Christmas cookies!

Each of the three authors have included holiday recipes with their story. I adore Barbara Ross’ description of her protagonist, Julia Snowden, learning to make Bûche de Noël. Barbara includes the recipe for it at the back of the book and I was intrigued. However, after reading through her introduction and advice for the recipe (which totally cracked me up) I took it to heart… and decided to make her recipe for Jewel Brooch Cookies instead! I loved that this recipe was handed down from Barbara’s grandmother. Easy to make, the jewel tones of jam makes these shortbread-style cookies festive and a lovely, delicious addition to any holiday cookie plate!

Amazon Synopsis

Fresh-baked cookies, pies, and cakes can warm even the frostiest Christmases in coastal Maine. But there’s little room for holiday cheer when murder is the new seasonal tradition . . .

YULE LOG MURDER by LESLIE MEIER
Lucy Stone is thrilled to be cast as an extra in a festive period film—until the set becomes a murder scene decorated in blood and buttercream icing. Returning to her role as sleuth, Lucy dashes to restore peace to Tinker’s Cove, unwrap a cold-hearted criminal’s MO, and reveal how one ornate Yule log cake could possibly cause so much drama.

DEATH BY YULE LOG by LEE HOLLIS
Hayley Powell’s holidays aren’t off to a very merry start. Not only has her daughter brought Conner—an infuriatingly perfect new beau—home to Bar Harbor, but a local troublemaker has been found dead with traces of her signature Yule log cake on his body. As Conner becomes the prime murder suspect, Hayley must put aside her mixed feelings to identify the real killjoy.

LOGGED ON by BARBARA ROSS
Realizing she can’t make a decent Bûche de Noël to save her life, Julia Snowden enlists the help of her eccentric neighbor, Mrs. St. Onge, in hopes of mastering the dessert for Christmas. With everyone in the old woman’s circle missing or deceased, however, it’s up to Julia to stop the deadly tidings before she’s the next Busman’s Harbor resident to meet a not-so-jolly fate.

A special thanks to Barbara Ross for providing a winner with a hardcover copy of YULE LOG MURDER. Contest ends Thursday, November 1, 2018 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!)

Jewel Brooch Cookies

From the author, Barbara Ross: Many people make these cookies and call them by various names, including gems. This version came to me from my grandmother and I think they are particularly good.

Ingredients

1 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon floor (yes, really, that's what the recipe says)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup soft butter (Note: 1/2 cup, not 1/2 pound. That is the only way you can screw this recipe up)
1 egg yolk, beaten with a fork
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Your favorite jam or jelly

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
Mix flour and sugar. Cut in butter like a piecrust. Add egg yolk and vanilla.
Mix with fingers until dough holds together.
Place in refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Roll into balls the size of a marble and set on parchment-lined cookie sheet, 1-inch apart.
Make an indentation in the center of each ball with your thumb. Fill the indentation with any jam or jelly.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Makes about a dozen cookies, depending on the size of the balls. I almost always double the recipe.

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Baked Blueberry French Toast

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KILLED ON BLUEBERRY HILL, the third book in the Berry Basket Mysteries by Sharon Farrow is another action-packed addition to an entertaining series! The reader is immersed in the festivities of Oriole Point’s Blueberry Blow Out Festival. With the author’s strong descriptive narratives, I could taste the blueberry pies; hear the screams coming from the rides like Blueberry Hill Death Drop (a tower drop ride); see the flashing lights from the carnival games; and feel the chills and thrills from the scary fun house. The protagonist, Marlee Jacob (I love that she’s named after a character in Christmas Carol!) owns The Berry Basket and has her hands full running her shop and having a strong presence at the festival. She is a marvelous character and I greatly admire the way she cares for her employees and friends. She treats them all like family. I especially enjoyed Marlee’s adorable African Grey Parrot, Minnie, who add some humor to the scenes with her ‘chatter’. I had no idea these beautiful birds had such huge vocabularies.

Marlee is engaged to Ryan Zeller. She is an independent woman and is having a difficult time reconciling herself to Ryan’s overbearing and controlling ways. After an ongoing feud erupts into violence between Ryan and a neighboring farm owner, Ryan finds himself a suspect in murdering the man. Marlee is sure her fiancé is innocent, but Ryan is hiding secrets from her. Determined to clear the name of the man she loves, Marlee gets involved in trying to find the truth. As she asks questions, she uncovers family feuds and secrets that people don’t want uncovered. Ms. Farrow knows how to bring an exciting pace to the story and the suspenseful conclusion had me sitting on the edge of my seat!

I greatly enjoy the various berry themes of this series and KILLED ON BLUEBERRY HILL doesn’t disappoint. The author includes interesting bits about harvesting blueberries along with some of the health benefits of this tiny berry. Ms. Farrow also includes several blueberry recipes at the back of the book and I was drawn to the recipe for Baked Blueberry French Toast. I love any breakfast or brunch item that can be mixed up ahead of time and then baked right before serving while I prepare other “hands-on” items. The cream cheese adds a luscious, rich texture while the blueberries mixed into the bread and milk mixture provide little pockets of sweet berry bites. Crowning the dish, though, is the blueberry orange sauce… I could have eaten it all on its own and loved the delicious flavor and yummy color it brought to the Baked Blueberry French Toast!

Amazon Synopsis

It’s peak tourist season in Oriole Point, Michigan—the blueberry buckle of the fruit belt. Nothing draws the crowds quite like their annual carnival. And nothing turns it sour faster than murder . . .

The Blueberry Blow Out festival has begun and it’s time for Marlee Jacob, owner of The Berry Basket, to shine. Unfortunately it’s also bringing out the worst in her fiancé Ryan Zeller. Ryan’s rivalry with Porter Gale, owner of Blueberry Hill Farm, spills over into a very public and very ugly fight. And after they compete in the pie-eating contest and a raucous tug of war, their orchard blood feud takes a deadly turn . . .

The death of the king of Blueberry Hill is a shock but not too surprising—he was a diabetic whose last pig out meal was deliciously fatal. But when authorities discover that someone tampered with Porter’s insulin, a tragic accident is looking like murder—and Ryan is the key ingredient. Now Marlee’s investigation to clear his name is taking her deep into the Gale family secrets, and she’s being shadowed every step of the way by a killer whose sweet revenge is just beginning . . .

A special thanks to Sharon Farrow for providing a winner with a print copy of KILLED ON BLUEBERRY HILL. Contest ends Monday, October 29, 2018 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!)

Baked Blueberry French Toast

When Marlee and Tess meet for breakfast at the Sourdough Café, they order this delicious baked French toast. Since Marlee produced cooking shows during her TV career in NYC, she recognizes the dish as a delightfully gooey recipe by celebrity chef Emeril.

Ingredients

French Toast

10 large eggs
14 slices white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes; crusts removed and discarded
2 cups half-and-half
1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and picked over
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
8 to 16 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (according to personal tastes)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
Blueberry Sauce

Blueberry Sauce

1/2 cup blueberries, rinsed and picked over
1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1-1/2 cups water
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
1-1/2 teaspoons orange zest

Instructions

French Toast

Butter a 9-x13-inch baking dish with a tablespoon of butter.
Arrange half of the bread cubes on the bottom of the baking dish.
Top bread cubes with blueberries and cream cheese cubes.
Layer the remaining bread cubes over the blueberries/cheese cubes.
Whisk eggs, half-and-half, maple syrup, and orange juice in a large bowl.
Pour egg mixture evenly over bread mixture in baking dish.
Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
Remove dish from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Position rack in center of oven.
Bake the covered French toast for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove aluminum foil and continue baking another 30 minutes, or until toast is golden brown and puffed.
Remove from oven and let slightly cool, approximately 15 minutes.
After plating, ladle blueberry sauce over the French toast.

Blueberry Sauce

In small saucepan, stir together over medium-high heat cornstarch, water, sugar, orange juice, and zest.
Cook until thickened, stirring occasionally, approximately 5 minutes.
Add blueberries and simmer mixture, stirring occasionally until berries burst, approximately 5 minutes.
Add butter. Stir mixture until melted.
Remove blueberry mixture from heat. Spoon or ladle over warm French toast.

Notes

French Toast serves 10 - 12

Blueberry Sauce makes 3 cups.

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Chai Spice Cake

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A STEW TO A KILL, the fourth book in Callie’s Kitchen Cozy Mystery series by Jenny Kales, brings the reader to Crystal Bay, Wisconsin, just in time to get into the spirit of Halloween festivities. Protagonist Calliope “Callie” Costas owns Callie’s Kitchen, which is a Mediterranean-meets-Midwest eatery. She and her shop are actively (and very busily) supporting the town’s Halloween Walk and Gala, to raise both food and money for the local food pantry. I enjoyed the small-town dynamics between Callie, her employees and the other local downtown shops surrounding Callie’s Kitchen. Callie shows her caring personality by trying to help them be successful. When one of her friends finds an employee murdered in her shop, Tea for Two, Callie knows she needs to ask a few questions so her friend doesn’t lose any business. Callie is also drawn to helping find the real killer because her boyfriend, Detective Ian Sands, is in England and she’s not liking how the stand-in detective has their eye on her friend for the crime. The murder mystery plot is well-paced and Ms. Kales weaves in plenty of suspects and clues which kept me guessing. The exciting conclusion was a nail-biter and wrapped up the threads of the plot in a satisfying manner.

One of the things that keeps me anticipating and coming back to read this series is the character development. Callie has a wonderful family in her 11-year-old daughter, her widowed Greek father and his girlfriend. They are close knit and I’ve enjoyed seeing how they’ve grown from the first book through this fourth book. Ms. Kales also includes a bit of humor by including some Midwest personality and amusing references to the movie ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding.’ It gives the book a good feel of what Callie’s eatery is trying to accomplish with fun results.

And speaking of Callie’s Kitchen, be prepared to drool as you read through the mouthwatering passages detailing Callie’s delectable treats coming out of her kitchen. Fortunately for the reader, Ms. Kales provides several recipes at the back of the book, with many being traditional Greek dishes. I was drawn to her recipe for Chai Spice Cake for several reasons. With autumn and the holidays here, warm spices seem to capture the season. Plus I really like that the recipe includes using individual spices to create the chai mix instead of having to track down and buy a specialty spice. And lastly, the cake is baked in a bundt cake pan which makes the cake seem festive with little effort. Ms. Kales includes a yummy cream cheese glaze for the Chai Spice Cake, but if pressed for time I think a sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar would be a simple alternative. I’ll definitely be adding this cake to my repertoire of “go-to” desserts for autumn-flavored sweets.

Amazon Synopsis

When a new employee at a neighboring business, Tea for Two, is found dead, Callie is drawn into a murky brew of motives and murder suspects. It turns out that the seemingly mild-mannered victim might have a few skeletons in his closet. What’s more, the timing of the murder, just a day before Crystal Bay’s first annual Halloween Walk, has threatened to derail the town’s festive fall events, including a Halloween Gala benefiting the local food pantry, one of Callie’s favorite causes.

Callie’s already full plate is set to overflowing with the return of an old boyfriend who has his eye on developing a mall that will compete with and possibly destroy Crystal Bay’s small business scene. Could there be a tie between the mall and the murder?

Somebody has been stewing. Will Callie help find the unsavory killer before things reach the boiling point?

A special thanks to Jenny Kales for providing winner’s choice of print or an e-book copy of A STEW TO A KILL. Print copy limited to U.S. residents only. Contest ends Thursday, October 25, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winners will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Chai Spice Cake

Bring out your best Bundt pan for this one and you will have one impressive cake to share at a fall gathering or the holidays. I use my Vintage Star Bundt pan for this, but any Bundt or tube pan will work. With its warm blend of spices, this cake could even grace the table at a special brunch. An easy glaze recipe is included, but you could also dust this cake with powdered sugar for a simple decoration. Either way, this cake is full of scrumptious flavor.

Ingredients

Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
4 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chai spice mix:

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch finely ground black pepper

Cream Cheese Glaze:

1 tablespoon very soft cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 - 2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
Spray a Bundt pan or tube pan with Pam baking spray (with flour).
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and chai spice in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Beat butter and cream cheese with sugar until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating until blended.
Add flour mixture in thirds, alternating with sour cream. Do not overbeat.
Add the vanilla extract and mix until just blended.
Pour batter into Bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for 38-40 minutes. Check for doneness by testing the center with a toothpick; it should come out clean. Be careful not to overbake.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes before unmolding to cool completely on a wire rack. Let cool a little longer before slicing the cake. It is best served warm.

Cream Cheese Glaze:

Whisk ingredients together until the glaze is smooth and pourable. Add a little more milk if the mixture is too stiff. Drizzle over top of cake.

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Fall Soup with Charred Vegetables

THE PINT OF NO RETURN, the second book in the Sloan Krause Mystery series by Ellie Alexander brings the reader to Oktoberfest time in the quaint Bavarian-style village of Leavenworth, Washington. The author paints a vivid picture of the festivities, capturing the sights, sounds, smells and most importantly, the tastes of the celebration. The protagonist, Sloan Krause, is a capable young woman who is exerting her independence and strength to stand on her own after leaving her cheating husband. Sloan had been working for her husband’s family at their very successful brewery but is now working for a small pub, Nitro, helping with the brewing, managing the pub and preparing food to sell.

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I really like that Sloan isn’t afraid to take risks and do what is right for herself and her young teenaged son. It’s enabled her character to grow and be a good role model for other women. I also appreciate that Sloan has remained a beloved daughter-in-law to her husband’s family, despite the breakup of her marriage, since she was raised in foster care and has no other family. The author weaves in the mystery of Sloan trying to discover who her biological mother is and my curiosity is definitely roused. The thread of this mystery has been carried from book one and appears to be continuing on with the series since it wasn’t resolved with book two.

Ms. Alexander has developed some great characters and several have continued from book one such as April Ablin, Sloan’s nemesis. April is annoying, as she’s meant to be, yet provides a bit of comedy with her insistence on everyone in town dressing in Bavarian dirndl and/or lederhosen. The new characters introduced are part of the film crew and actors who descend on Leavenworth to film a documentary. The documentary gives the author plenty of opportunities to providing interesting insights into brewing. I especially enjoyed the bits and pieces of facts pertaining to what it takes to develop new brews and the distinctive ingredients that can be used to create unique flavors. The murder of the star of the documentary, Mitchell, pulls Sloan back into investigating. I like that her boss and the owner of Nitro, Garrett, doesn’t mind her investigating and in fact, wants to help out. They make a good team and it seems, perhaps, that some romance might be brewing between the two. After seeing Mitchell interact with other characters, the reader isn’t surprised he’s the victim. He’s a nasty piece of work and almost anyone who meets him would want to kill him. Still, the author manages to provide enough clues to keep the reader guessing and ties the threads of the mysteries together in an exciting conclusion. I found THE PINT OF NO RETURN to be an even stronger book than the first installment and look forward to what’s next in store for Sloan!

While the book doesn’t contain any recipes, Sloan is an able cook and prepares food to serve at the pub with their craft microbrews. Ellie has graciously developed a recipe for Fall Soup with Charred Vegetables that will complement any Oktoberfest brew and satisfy the heartiest of appetites. Along with a flavorful broth, small chunks of substantial veggies are broiled to provide char that mimics the undertones of the bitterness in beer. I really appreciated the large amount of veggies used (I’m always on the lookout for ways to increase produce in my meals) and the star-shaped pasta added a fun element to the bowl.

Amazon Synopsis

Amateur sleuth Sloan Krause returns in The Pint of No Return, another delightful cozy by Ellie Alexander―this time investigating a movie star who’s murdered not long after arriving in Leavenworth, WA to film his latest project.

No other festival compares to Oktoberfest in Leavenworth, Washington. The whole town is buzzing with excitement over this year’s activities and eagerly awaiting Nitro’s latest offering Cherrywizen, made with locally sourced cherries. But local brewmaster Sloan Krause is tapped out. Between trying to manage the pub, her pending divorce with Mac, and her mounting feelings for Garrett, she’s fermenting in internal turmoil.

To complicate matters, dreamy movie star Mitchell Morgan and his production crew have arrived in the village to film during the authentic Bavarian brewfest. Mitchell has his eye on Sloan and a taste for Nitro’s Cherrywizen. Sloan escapes his advances for good when she finds Mitchell slumped over the bar. Is this a case of one pint too many, or has Mitchell been murdered by microbrew?

A special thanks to Ellie Alexander for providing a winner with a hardcover copy of THE PINT OF NO RETURN. Contest ends Tuesday, October 23, 2018 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!)

Fall Soup with Charred Vegetables

Ingredients

Olive oil
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
3 large carrots
3 stalks celery
½ pound brussels sprouts
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
Half a head of broccoli
6 cups vegetable stock
2-3 sprigs of fresh herbs—parsley, sage, thyme, and rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of stelline pasta (star pasta) (or other small-type pasta)
Tin foil

Instructions

Chop garlic, celery, onions, and carrots. Heat a large stock pot with a healthy glug of olive oil and add the veggies. Sweat on low heat.
While the mixture on the stove begins to sweat cut brussels sprouts in half, slice peppers into thin strips, and trim broccoli florets into smaller pieces. Preheat oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and drizzle with olive oil. Toss the veggies in the oil and place the baking tray in the oven. Broil for five minutes, then remove tray from oven and flip vegetables. Return to oven and broil for five more minutes. Repeat until vegetables develop a lovely char—about twenty minutes.
Set charred vegetables aside and finely chop herbs—parsley, sage, thyme, and rosemary. Add herbs to stock pot, along with the vegetable stock, pasta, and salt and pepper. Bring to a low boil. Simmer for ten to fifteen minutes. Add charred vegetables just before serving.
Pairs perfectly with a hunk of rustic bread and a pint of Oktoberfest beer.

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Easy-Peasy King (Bundt) Cake

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MARDI GRAS MURDER, the fourth book in the Cajun Country Mystery series by Ellen Byron, contains an intriguing look at small town Mardi Gras celebrations while providing a humorous cozy mystery read! While I’ve attended the wild festivities of Mardi Gras in New Orleans (in my much younger days) Ms. Bryon paints a delightful and family-oriented picture of how the bayou celebrates the Carnival. Protagonist, Maggie Crozat, is roped into judging the town’s Miss Pelican Mardi Gras Gumbo Queen Contest, a contest she has always despised. Making matters worse, the head judge is pretentious and wants his favorite candidate to win the crown. When the judge is murdered practically in front of her, Maggie feels pressure to get involved and help solve the case. Except her boyfriend, Detective Bo Durand, is investigating and doesn’t want her involved. There is new tension between the couple and I wanted to turn the pages faster so I could find how it turns out. The pace of the mystery is lively and pulled me deeper into the story with each passing chapter.

As Maggie digs into the judge’s life, she becomes more aware of his involvement in the area’s historical society. I was fascinated by the author’s inclusion of the history of the area, especially the Orphan Train. This train brought numerous orphans into Louisiana in the early 1900’s for families to raise when no one else would take them. Even though some history is included, the writing is vivid and descriptive, providing substance to the story instead of dragging it away from the plot. Adding to the sense of festivities is Maggie’s dad’s involvement in the town’s annual gumbo competition. His attachment to and reverence of his special gumbo pot and the lengths he goes to creating Louisiana’s official state cuisine adds lightheartedness and humor. I adore Maggie’s family. They are close-knit yet at times there are some arguments and irritation which makes them believable because of the author’s great character development.

Maggie and her family own and operate the Crozat Plantation Bed & Breakfast. Maggie’s mother, Ninette is the cook for both family and guests, serving up mouthwatering dishes and desserts every day. One of the traditional desserts served during Mari Gras is King Cake. Maggie’s Grandmere came up with a recipe for Easy-Peasy King (Bundt) Cake instead of following Ninette’s labor intensive traditional recipe. While I’m not opposed to spending time in the kitchen, sometimes it’s wonderful having a convenient and easy recipe that looks and tastes like it was made 100% from scratch… and this recipe fits the bill perfectly. Canned cinnamon rolls layered into a bundt pan and then slathered with a brown sugar and cinnamon mixture before baking created a lovely cake, especially after the doctored icing was drizzled on. A few sprinkles of the traditional purple (for justice), gold (for power), and green (for faith) sugar completed the look before my guests were wowed by both the appearance and taste. I won’t be relegating Easy-Peasy King (Bundt) Cake to Mardi Gras only… it will definitely become a fixture anytime of the year I serve brunch!

Amazon Synopsis

Southern charm meets the dark mystery of the bayou as a hundred-year flood, a malicious murder, and a most unusual Mardi Gras converge at the Crozat Plantation B&B.

It’s Mardi Gras season on the bayou, which means parades, pageantry, and gumbo galore. But when a flood upends life in the tiny town of Pelican, Louisiana―and deposits a body of a stranger behind the Crozat Plantation B&B―the celebration takes a decidedly dark turn. The citizens of Pelican are ready to Laissez les bon temps rouler―but there’s beaucoup bad blood on hand this Mardi Gras.

Maggie Crozat is determined to give the stranger a name and find out why he was murdered. The post-flood recovery has delayed the opening of a controversial exhibit about the little-known Louisiana Orphan Train. And when a judge for the Miss Pelican Mardi Gras Gumbo Queen pageant is shot, Maggie’s convinced the murder is connected to the body on the bayou. Does someone covet the pageant queen crown enough to kill for it? Could the deaths be related to the Orphan Train, which delivered its last charges to Louisiana in 1929? The leads are thin on this Fat Tuesday―and until the killer is unmasked, no one in Pelican is safe.

A special thanks to Ellen Byron for providing a winner with a hardcover copy of MARDI GRAS MURDER. Contest ends Sunday, October 14, 2018 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!)

Easy-Peasy King (Bundt) Cake

The Crozats generally leave the baking to Ninette or order delicious treats from Fais Dough Dough. But if Maggie's called upon to make a King Cake, she follows Gran's advice and takes a tasty shortcut, using cinnamon roll dough. Gran's super-easy King Cake recipe will have all your friends thinking you made one from scratch. Tradition dictates whoever gets the baby in their slice of King Cake has to provide the cake for the following year's Mardi Gras celebration.

Ingredients

The Cake

2 17.5 ounce cans jumbo cinnamon rolls (reserve icing packets)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt

The Frosting

3 ounces whipped cream cheese
Both frosting packets from cinnamon roll cans
A little milk to thin the frosting
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Purple-, green-, and yellow-colored sugar
1 tiny plastic baby

Instructions

The Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F).
Mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and pinch of salt.
Layer the cinnamon rolls, one by one, in the bottom of a Bundt pan so they overlap. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the top, pressing it into the uncooked buns gently with the back of a spoon or spatula.
Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, until cinnamon rolls are done. Let cool. When the cake is completely cooled, poke the plastic baby inside it, then flip the cake over onto a plate or cake plate.

The Frosting:

Blend the cream cheese, icing packets, vanilla and milk together. Frost the cake.
Once the cake is frosted, sprinkle it with alternating rows of purple-, green-, and yellow-colored sugar.
Serves 8 - 16, depending on how big you cut the slices.
Alert guests to the baby so it doesn't become a choking hazard!

Notes

If you're interested in an authentic King Cake, bakeries around Louisiana will ship them during the weeks prior to Mardi Gras.

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Lazy Girl Peach Pie

I’m excited to be participating in the Great Escapes Blog Tour introducing GLITTER BOMB, the fifteenth book in the Scrapbooking Mystery series by Laura Childs and Terrie Farley Moran! This new release provides a rollicking romp through New Orleans’ French Quarter during Mardi Gras! I love how the authors capture the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of this decadent celebration, making me feel like I was right there in the midst of it all. According to the authors, New Orleans is a town “filled with music, brimming with history, and perfect for foodies.” And they are so right!

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The action starts right from the beginning when protagonist, Carmela Bertrand, witnesses her ex-husband’s Mardi Gras float explode during a parade, raining gold glitter onto the crowded street. While her ex, Shamus, is not injured, one of his float-mates is killed from the explosion. When it’s discovered that the death wasn’t an accident, Shamus begs Carmela to find the murderer and clear his name since he had a huge reason to want the man dead. Unfortunately Carmela’s fiancé, Detective Edgar Babcock, is none too happy about her helping out her ex and putting herself in danger to do so. But, Carmela does what she knows is the right thing to do even if she doesn’t care for Shamus. Plus she can’t say “no” to her curiosity and the thrill of investigating on her own.

Her sidekick and best friend, Ava Gruiex, provides plenty of opportunity for fun dialog and dragging the pair into escapades. The authors have created characters that exude both charm and memorable personalities which adds to the appeal of the story. The plot moves at a consistently fast pace and entertains the reader page and after page, until the last word is read.

I also like that there are scrapbooking, craft, and stamping tips at the back of the book along with recipes. Ms. Childs has graciously allowed me to share her recipe for Lazy Girl Peach Pie. I’m always drawn to any dessert that has fruit (fruit is healthy!) and easy is always good! Lazy Girl Peach Pie is part cobbler, part pie and oh so delicious. A few pantry and refrigerator staple ingredients are quickly layered into a baking dish. And then magic happens in the oven as the ingredients meld together creating a moist filling that’s a bit crunchy on top while the cinnamon complements the luscious peaches. A scoop of vanilla ice cream atop a warm piece of pie is all you need to garnish this comforting dessert.

Amazon Synopsis

An exploding Mardi Gras float has got to be the strangest murder weapon scrappy sleuth Carmela Bertrand has ever encountered in this latest Scrapbooking Mystery from the New York Times bestselling author.

It’s Mardi Gras in New Orleans and scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand is excited to be attending the Pluvius Parade along with her best friend Ava. Carmela’s ex-husband Shamus rides by the duo on his float at the head of the parade, when suddenly the revelry turns to disaster. Shamus’ float crashes and explodes, and although Shamus escapes unhurt, a member of his krewe is killed.

Carmela and Ava plunge into an investigation of the krewe-member’s death, but as they dig deeper it starts to look less like an accident and more like a murder….and Shamus seems less like a victim, and more like a suspect.

A special thanks to Laura Childs and Terrie Farley Moran for providing two print copies of GLITTER BOMB! Contest ends October 14, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. The contest is administered by Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours and the winner will be announced on this page as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)

Lazy Girl Peach Pie

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup SELF-RISING flour*
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 (15-ounce) can peaches
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
Melt butter in 8-inch glass or pyrex pan.
Combine flour, sugar, and milk and pour this mixture over the butter.
Reserving juice, spread peaches over the batter.
Now pour reserved peach juice over mixture.
Combine cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar and sprinkle half of mixture evenly over the top.**
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until brown. Half way through baking, sprinkle the remaining cinnamon mixture over the top.

Tips

Wonderful with ice cream!
*Or substitute 1 cup all-purpose flour mixed with 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
**I found that if you sprinkle the mixture all at once before baking, it sinks into the middle. It works better dividing and sprinkling half after the top has had a chance to set while baking.