Cinnamon and Sugar

Velvet Cheesecake

Even though I have somehow neglected to read the Oxford Tearoom Mystery series in order, I have enjoyed every single one of these books written by H.Y. Hanna! I recently had the pleasure of catching up with the second book in this series, TEA WITH MILK AND MURDER!

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Synopsis

Gemma Rose, owner of The Little Stables Tearoom in Meadowford-on-Smythe near Oxford, is happy that her new business seems to be taking off. Her mother has stepped in as the baker, introducing some new treats that has their clients clamoring for more. Her best friend, Cassie, helps run the tearoom and their friendship is better than ever…until Cassie meets and falls in love with Jon Kelsey. Jon is an art dealer and the owner of a gallery and he’s taken Cassie on as a protégé. Cassie is having her first art exhibition and even though Gemma does not like Jon, she attends to support her best friend.

During the exhibition, beautiful Sarah Waltham shows up drunk and causes a scene with Jon. Jon insists that the woman is stalking him but tells the bartender to give her some tea before sending her on her way. Sarah barely takes a few sips before she collapses and dies. Gemma’s former boyfriend from college, CID Detective Devlin O’Connor, is in charge of the investigation and she’s happy to not be involved this time. But when the four old biddies, who attended the exhibition, tell Gemma they think the bartender poisoned Sarah, she can’t help but start asking questions. The more questions she asks the more people she finds had reasons for wanting Sarah dead, including Jon. Can Gemma find the real killer or will her snooping be the final wedge that destroys her friendship with Cassie? Can she keep the old biddies out of trouble? Can she find justice for the rude woman or will the killer get away with murder?

My Review

TEA WITH MILK AND MURDER has so many things that I love about a great cozy mystery. First off is the clever title and the adorable cover! And while I’m more of a dog person than a cat person, Gemma’s tabby, Muesli, steals the show and a few hearts. Even though I have read the other books in this series there’s still enough tension between Gemma and Devlin to keep it interesting while Gemma’s interfering mother keeps it entertaining. H.Y. Hanna provides so many wonderful characters and I know I’ve said this in previous reviews, but I just love the four old biddies! They bring a lightheartedness and zest for living to the story but I also liked how they taught Gemma to accept help and accept friendship no matter what form it may come in. The plot was tightly written and kept me turning pages while the conclusion came as a surprise!

H.Y. Hanna also includes her mother-in-law’s traditional English / Jewish recipe for Velvet Cheesecake at the back of the book and has graciously allowed me to share it. Simple but oh so rich and velvety with the only garnish needed is a bit of fresh, jewel-toned fruit! I was transported back to my childhood when I tasted this delightful dessert…it is very similar to what my mother used to make and I haven’t had it for a couple of decades at least. My family called it cream cheese pie way back then but I think I like the name Velvet Cheesecake much better. I’m very happy to have this recipe and pass it on to my grandchildren! Thank you, H.Y. Hanna, for sharing your family recipe!

A special thank you to H.Y. Hanna for offering the winner a choice of either print or an e-book copy of TEA WITH MILK AND MURDER. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Monday, September 5, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. 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!)

Velvet Cheesecake

Author’s Note: This recipe came from my mother-in-law and is a traditional English / Jewish cheesecake. I don’t know if it’s as popular – I have a feeling the style is different to a lot of the popular cheesecakes – but my husband loves it. It’s one of the few things I’ve managed to “bake” and hasn’t come out a disaster!

Ingredients

Base Crust

A small packet of digestive biscuits (U.S.: 2 cups graham cracker crumbs)
2 ounces melted butter (U.S.: half a stick)
1/4 cup sugar

Filling

1/2 pound (8 ounces) double cream cheese, room temperature (e.g. Philadelphia)
1/2 pound (8 ounces) of curd cheese, room temperature (if you cannot find this, you can substitute with Philadelphia Light or Philadelphia 1/3 Less Fat, which works perfectly. Be careful about the “curd cheese substitute” suggestions you find on the internet, such as ricotta cheese – these are too runny and cause the cake to fall apart!)
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup caster sugar (granulated sugar ran through a food processor for 2 minutes is a good substitute)
1 tablespoon flour
Juice from 1 lemon, plus some finely-grated lemon peel (about 3 tablespoons juice)
A few drops of vanilla essence
Pinch of salt

Topping

Sour cream
Fresh fruit to decorate, e.g. strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or you can cover with a fruit glaze

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 205C / 400F.

Base Crust

Crush the biscuits (e.g. in a food processor) and mix with the melted butter and sugar.

Press this mixture into the bottom of a collapsible cake tin (where the sides can be removed, e.g. springform pan) and put in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Filling

Place all the ingredients for the filling into a blender or mixer and combine until smooth.

Take the cake tin out of the freezer and pour filling over biscuit base.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 – 45 minutes (until cake filling is firm).

Take out of oven, remove the sides of the tin, and allow to cool slightly. Finish cooling in the refrigerator.

Topping

When cake is chilled, at least two hours, take out of refrigerator and pour the sour cream on top and over the sides. Return to the refrigerator and let it “set” for at least two hours.

Once the sour cream has set, you can decorate the top with fruit, icing, etc.

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FREE DOWNLOAD FROM H.Y. HANNA!

Be sure to check out H.Y. Hanna’s just released prequel to the Oxford Tearoom Mysteries, ALL-BUTTER SHORTDEAD! Free for a limited time on Amazon! You can download at:

Amazon: http://www.hyhanna.com/butter-amazon

Amazon UK: http://www.hyhanna.com/butter-amazonuk

Gemma ditches her high-flying job and returns to Oxford to follow her dream: opening a traditional English tearoom serving warm buttery scones with jam and clotted cream… Only problem is–murder is the first thing on the menu and Gemma is the key suspect! And the only people Gemma can turn to for help are four nosy old ladies from her local Cotswolds village – not to mention a cheeky little tabby cat named Muesli. Who was the mysterious woman Gemma met on the flight back from Australia and why was she murdered? Now Gemma must find the killer, solve the mystery and clear her name if she’s to have her cake–and serve it too.

This PREQUEL to the OXFORD TEAROOM MYSTERIES includes BONUS CHAPTERS FROM “A SCONE TO DIE FOR” (BOOK 1). It is slightly shorter than the rest of the series – which are all full length novels – and can be read as a standalone, before or after any other book in the series.

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Chocolate Chip Muffins

I was beyond excited when I found out Lynn Cahoon was coming out with a new series. I’ve always loved her Tourist Trap Mystery series and knew whatever she wrote, I’d enjoy. A STORY TO KILL, the first book in the Cat Latimer Mystery series, did not disappoint and I can’t wait to read the next one!

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Synopsis

Former English Professor turned author, Cat Latimer, has moved back to Aspen Hills, Colorado after inheriting her ex-husband’s Victorian house. He broke her heart with his chronic cheating and she’s unsure why he would have left the house to her after his untimely death. Hoping to supplement her writing income, Cat turns the house into a writer’s retreat one week each month. One of the attendees is Tom Cook, a best-selling thriller author. Cat isn’t sure why he’s attending but the elderly romance writing sisters, Daisy and Rose, are smitten with him. Unfortunately one of the other guests, Billy, seems to want to pick a fight with Tom, while grad student Sara seems to have other things on her mind besides writing.

When Cat finds Tom murdered in her guestroom, she’s terrified that the news will scare away other attendees and she’ll lose the house. Even though her uncle, Chief of Police Pete Edmond, is doing all he can to find the killer, Cat is afraid it won’t be enough. She starts looking into Tom’s background and finds he could be connected to the mysterious disappearance of a girl he knew, fifty years ago. She also finds that Tom had made many enemies and even his wife remarks that she’s surprised he hadn’t been murdered before then. As Cat continues asking questions and digging around, strange things start happening. First an anonymous person leaves her ex-husband’s journal for her, but there’s no fingerprints on the journal at all. A flower her ex used to give her is left just outside her bedroom door and she’s hearing odd noises. Can Cat piece together the puzzle that Tom’s life and find the murderer or will an innocent person take the blame?

My Review

Oh my, what a ride A STORY TO KILL takes you on! There are such interesting characters and I loved the two elderly romance writing sisters, who made me laugh from their dialog and antics. The author creates vivid beautiful settings that make me want to visit the area. Her mysteries had me turning pages long into the night, wishing the second book was here already! Lynn knows how to pull you into her characters’ lives and I enjoyed the peek into the life of a writer as portrayed through Cat. In addition to a great mystery, there is a theme of letting go of past betrayals and giving love a second chance.

Cat couldn’t run the retreat all on her own and still write so her best friend, Shauna, is concierge and cook. And cook she does! So many delectable treats are mentioned in the book that it made me want to run to the kitchen and start baking. While Lynn does not include any recipes with the book she was very happy for me to create a recipe that Shauna served to the guests….and was so yummy Cat used as a bribe. Chocolate Chip Muffins have a delicate, moist crumb while the added mini chocolate chips add a rich decadence. Coarse sparkling sugar on the tops give them additional texture and visual appeal. Perfect for breakfast, a mid-morning snack, an afternoon snack or a bedtime snack while reading this terrific book!

I am pleased to offer the winner a choice of either print or an e-book copy of A STORY TO KILL. Print limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Thursday, September 1, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. 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!)

Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups (12.5 ounces) all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup (7.2 ounces) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup (4 ounces) Greek yogurt (2% or whole)
1/3 cup (2.6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup milk (2% or whole)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Coarse sparkling sugar (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F).

Line muffin tins with paper liners or generously spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Stir the apple cider vinegar into the milk and set aside while you collect the remaining ingredients.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and mini chocolate chips. Set aside.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, Greek yogurt, melted butter, and the milk/cider mixture.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the sugar and egg mixture. Stir just until batter is combined.

Fill muffin cups 3/4 full.

Sprinkle tops of batter with coarse sparkling sugar if desired.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. A wooden skewer inserted into the center should have a few moist crumbs attached. Be careful to not overbake.

Remove muffins from tin and allow to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before serving.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and gently reheat before serving.

Makes 18 – 20 muffins.

Tip

Cooled leftover muffins can be individually wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. Freeze and then defrost as needed, gently reheating to serve.

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Fudgie Cheesecake Brownie

I have been a fan of the Candy-coated Mystery series by Nancy Coco since her first book released a few years ago. I was delighted to find out that she was releasing a new one this summer so I made sure I secured a copy. ALL YOU NEED IS FUDGE is the fifth book in this series and it’s as delectable as the recipes Nancy includes with her book.

Synopsis

Allie McMurphy is in her first year of running her grandparents’ historic hotel and fudge shop on MacKinac Island. She’s not finding it easy to be accepted by the locals and it doesn’t help that her adorable bichonpoo puppy, Marshmallow (or Mal for short) keeps finding dead bodies. With the beginning of yacht club race week on the island, no one is happy when Allie and Mal come across another body. The murdered young woman, Carin Moore, is from a prominent, very wealthy MacKinac Island family but has the reputation for being mean. Most of the islanders know about Carin’s long-time rival with Paige Jessop and several people witness a very verbal argument between the two women the day before the murder.

Paige just so happens to be one of Allie’s good friends and the sister of Trent…the man Allie is dating and falling in love with. When Paige is arrested for the murder, Trent and his family completely shut Allie out. She’s not a local and to make matters worse, Trent tells her to leave the investigation alone and go back to making fudge. Only Allie can’t do that. She must show that she belongs on the island and can be a part of Trent’s family by helping prove Paige is innocent. Will she be able to work things out with Trent or will the hunky cop, Rex, finally get a chance with Allie? Can she get the locals to open up to her and help her find information to solve the murder and clear Paige’s name?

My Review

ALL YOU NEED IS FUDGE starts off with a bang from the very first page and the mystery had enough twists and turns with several suspects for an enjoyable who-dun-it read! The undercurrent of relational subplots added to the book’s appeal. I enjoyed how Allie’s best friend and event planner, Jenn, seems to be making friends and fitting in with the islanders and how she nudges Allie to do the same. It creates scenes that make Allie move out of her comfort zone and gives more insight into other people living on MacKinac. Her other friends, elderly Frances Wentworth who manages the McMurphy reception desk, and Douglas Devaney, the handyman, also force Allie to see that she hasn’t done her part to really get to know them. It gives Allie a chance to grow and not be so focused on herself and her business.

While the book has some scenes of making fudge (which I thoroughly enjoyed and made me want to make candy right then and there!) it doesn’t detract from the pace of the story. Nancy offers numerous delectable recipes, including those for fudge, and she graciously allowed me to share one of them with you. Since I had a house full of guests coming and going this summer, I chose to make her Fudgie Cheesecake Brownie recipe with the help of my niece, Nicole. (Thank you, Nicole!) A super chocolatey, decadent brownie base is topped with rich and creamy, fluffy cheesecake, which is then topped with dark chocolate candy…a chocolate lover’s dream dessert! Trust me, my dinner guests swooned!

A very special thank you to Nancy Coco for providing an autographed copy of ALL YOU NEED IS FUDGE for one winner. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest is open to U.S. residents only and ends Monday, August 29, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. 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!)

Fudgie Cheesecake Brownie

Ingredients

Brownie

1/2 cup butter, melted
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup flour

Cheesecake

1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Topping

2 cups dark chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

Brownie

Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).

Butter an 8-inch round pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt.

Stir the eggs and vanilla into the butter, sugar, cocoa mixture. Do not over beat the eggs.

Gently add the flour and stir until all lumps are gone.

Pour into the pan and bake for 20 minutes until center is set.

Remove and cool.

Cheesecake

In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar.

Pour the heavy whipping cream into a clean, cold bowl and whip until stiff peaks form.

Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and spread over cooled brownie.

Refrigerate for at least an hour. Longer is better.

Topping

In a microwavable bowl, add the chocolate chips and the butter.

Microwave on 50 percent power for one minute. Stir until smooth.

Pour over the chilled cheesecake covered brownies and spread.

Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Slice and serve. Enjoy!

Tips

To easily remove the Fudgie Cheesecake Brownie from the pan for serving, line the cake tin with parchment paper, overlapping sides to make “handles” to help lift from the pan.

The chocolate topping is a wonderfully thick slab of dark chocolate. To cut, dip a chef’s knife in very hot water, dry, then slice. Repeat with each cut.

Half of my guests loved the thick topping while the other half thought it was a bit much for the delicate cheesecake. The next time I make this I will try using only 1/3 cup of the dark chocolate chips melted together with 2 teaspoons of butter and then drizzle lightly over the top, Jackson Pollack style.

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Lemon Cupcakes with Blackberry Buttercream

This past spring when I saw a several other book review bloggers showcase RAISIN THE DEAD, the second book in the Bread and Batter mystery series by Karoline Barrett, I immediately wanted to take a closer look. As soon as I read the description of the book I knew I wanted to read it since it combines some of my favorite things: a bakery, a library, and a murder mystery!

Click on the book to visit Amazon.com

Synopsis

Molly Tyler owns Bread and Batter with her best friend, Olivia, in Destiny, New York. Things are going well with both her bakery and her relationship with Detective Sean Corsino…until her mother, Anne, turns into a murder suspect. Anne is the director of the Destiny-Oleander County Public Library and is pushing hard for an expansion. She finally received a huge financial commitment from Philip Baldelli to support the expansion but then he backs out. Anne is overheard arguing with Philip and then finally threatening him if he doesn’t follow through. Not long after, Philip is found dead by none other than visiting celebrity perfume owner, Serafina Alessi.

When Sean keeps officially questioning her mother as the evidence mounts against Anne, Molly decides she must take matters in her own hands and find the real culprit. Can she find out what Serafina is really in town for and if it’s connected to the murder? Can Philip’s grieving fiancee shed light on the case or will Molly and her book club strike out, leaving Anne to take the blame?

My Review

While I have not read the first book in this series yet, I found RAISIN THE DEAD a delightful read and easy to jump in and get to know the characters. I enjoyed that the book was character driven and gave greater details and insight into Molly and her blossoming relationship with Detective Sean Corsino. Molly also has a close relationship with her mother. When Anne is being questioned by Sean, Molly has conflicted emotions but ultimately knows her mother deserves her loyalty over her feelings for Sean. Molly is also surrounded by a group of fun loving, supportive friends and I adored the clever name of their book club, ‘The Destiny Divas’. The author also comes up with other creative names for shops, such as Barking Mad Books and the Bread and Batter Bakery which makes me want to visit the quaint town of Destiny! The mystery had some twists and turns that kept me guessing and turning pages, while the subplots and conclusion were wrapped up nicely.

Having the mystery center around a bakery calls for lots of yummy treats mentioned in the book! While the author does not have recipes included with the book, Karoline was kind enough to share her own recipe for Lemon Cupcakes with Blackberry Buttercream. A beautiful and tasty summery concoction! Every summer I drive up to Oregon to visit my sister and pick wild blackberries. We then turn those juicy blackberries into delicious jars of fresh, homemade jam to share with family and friends throughout the year. I used some of my jam for this recipe (although store bought will be good too) and let me tell you, this Blackberry Buttercream is some of the best frosting I’ve had! Plus its beautiful jewel tone compliments the delectable lemon cupcakes. Thank you, Karoline, for providing such a yummy recipe!

A very special thank you to Karoline Barrett for providing an e-book copy of RAISIN THE DEAD for one winner. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Thursday, August 25, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. 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!)

Lemon Cupcakes with Blackberry Buttercream

Ingredients

Cupcakes

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, salted
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1 lemon, juice and zest

Frosting

1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup seedless blackberry jam

Instructions

Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Line muffin cups with paper liners.

Cream sugar and 1/2 cup butter in the bowl of a stand mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and mix 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract into mixture with the second egg.

Beat in flour and baking powder until thoroughly combined; beat in milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest to make a smooth batter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, 3/4 full.

Bake in the preheated oven until cupcake edges are slightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes completely.

Frosting

Beat 1 cup butter with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and salt until smooth and creamy.

Beat in confectioners’ sugar, 1 cup at a time, to make a creamy frosting.

Beat in blackberry jam.

Spread frosting on cooled cupcakes.

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Josie’s Genettis

I love stories that are centered around bakeries and especially bakeries that specialize in cookies! The Cookie Monster from Sesame Street has always been my favorite character too. 🙂 When I had the opportunity to read and review TASTES LIKE MURDER, the first book in the Cookies & Chance Mystery series by Catherine Bruns, I jumped at the chance. I knew I would find a good read and some terrific cookie recipes!

Click on the book to visit Amazon.com

Synopsis

Sally Muccio has moved back to Colwestern, New York to get away from her cheating ex-husband, Colin, who still lives in Florida. She opens her dream bakery, Sally’s Samples, and hires her best friend, Josie, as the baker. To set her bakery apart from other businesses, Sally offers a free fortune cookie with any purchase. Her offering attracts many clients including her high school nemisis who grew up to be the woman who stole Colin away from her: Amanda Gregorio. Beautiful and wealthy, Amanda is still nasty to Sally and those around her, including her own cousin. Sally would like to kick Amanda out of the bakery, but Amanda threatens to create bad publicity and close down Sally’s Samples if she doesn’t serve her.

Not long after closing her shop for the night, Sally finds Amanda dead on the front porch of the bakery, her partially eaten cookies still in the box. The rumor mill of the small town goes into overdrive and most people believe Sally killed Amanda, not that they blame her. But business at the bakery drops off and Sally can barely afford to stay open. She decides she must prove her innocence and find the real killer in order to keep her dream bakery operating. When her main suspect is murdered after eating her cookies she realizes the murderer has set her up to take the fall and she must solve the case or lose all that she holds dear.

My Review

TASTES LIKE MURDER is a clever start to a terrific series! I love how the fortune cookies had messages that seemed tailored for the recipient and gives a glimpse into the characters through the messages. Sally is not only caught up in trying to prove her innocence and keep her business afloat, but she is learning to come to terms with a failed marriage. She has a lot of self doubts and issues which makes her seem more relatable to me. She has been given room to grow, to learn to let go of the past and move forward. Sally’s parents, along with Josie, are such fun characters, providing plenty of laughs and entertainment, while her Italian grandmother, Rosa, provides wisdom and stability. The plot was well paced and provided plenty of red herrings. I thought I knew who the culprit was but then a twist was thrown in that kept me guessing along with Sally.

Of course a bakery must have baked goods and Catherine has kindly allowed me to share her recipe for Josie’s Genettis. These soft, cake-like traditional Italian cookies are fun to make and kids will enjoy helping roll thin logs of dough and shaping them into beehives. Topped with a super easy frosting and colorful nonpareils, these cookies are tasty and festive! My niece, Nicole, was visiting me for a couple weeks this summer and we made these cookies together. Thanks for all your help in the kitchen, Nicole!

A very special thank you to Catherine Bruns for providing the winner with a choice of either a print copy or e-book copy of TASTES LIKE MURDER. Print copy limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest ends Monday, August 22, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. 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!)

Josie’s Genettis

Ingredients

Cookies

6 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoon anise extract*
4 cups flour

Frosting

1/2 cup Confectioners’ sugar
Water
Nonpareils

Instructions

Cookies

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Whisk together eggs, and then add vegetable oil, sugar, baking powder, and anise extract to the mixture.

Stir together and then add the flour by small amounts until mixture is no longer sticky.

Roll out into a rope and then break out into six-inch long sections that should be about the thickness of a pinky finger.

Wrap coils upward like a beehive and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 12 minutes or until the bottom is golden.

Cool on a wire cooling rack.

Cookies can be frozen in an airtight container to be frosted at a later time.

Frosting

Mix 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar with a few drops of water. Keep adding a few drops at a time until it is the desired consistency.

If glaze is too runny, just add more sugar.

After spreading the glaze over the tops of the cookies, sprinkle nonpareils before the glaze sets.

Makes approximately three dozen cookies.

Tips

* Our family isn’t a fan of anise flavoring so I substituted lemon extract. Vanilla would be another good substitute option.

The dough should feel a bit tacky and not overly dry. If you add too much flour and your cookies are on the dry side, allow them to set overnight after applying the frosting and they will moisten up.

When making the beehive shape, roll one end of the 6-inch piece thinner than the other end. Use the thicker side as the base and wrap the thinner side up for the beehive.

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Coming October 11, 2016, the next book in the Cookies & Chance series, BURNED TO A CRISP by Catherine Bruns!

Just when things appear to be going well for baker and sometime sleuth, Sally Muccio, life turns up the heat again.

It’s summertime, and the living is easy for the Muccio clan. Sal’s wedding to her beloved fiancé is rapidly approaching, Mom’s won a beauty contest, and sister Gianna is now a licensed public defender. But when the bakery Sal’s worked so hard for goes up in smoke—along with her dreams!—she’s not sure how much more she can stand. Even worse, the man found dead in the bakery’s back room is none other than Gianna’s latest client, Bernardo Napoli.

The dough really hits the fan for Sal and Josie when they’re forced to temporarily relocate their bakery to the crazy Muccio home. Trouble is quickly stirred up as the best friend team must now contend with Sal’s father and his new mortuary business “undertakings,” a middle aged mother parading around customers in bikinis, and an Italian family hell bent on revenge. For Sal, several questions demand answers. Where has Gianna disappeared to? What role did she play in Bernardo’s death? What secret is Sal’s fiancé hiding from her? Sal is determined to find answers…before she gets burned once again!

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Gouda and Harvest Vegetable Chowder

While I have read Victoria Hamilton’s Vintage Kitchen Mystery series and the Teapot Collector Mysteries (under her pseudonym, Amanda Cooper) somehow I haven’t gotten around to trying the books in her Merry Muffin Mystery series. True, I have a couple of the books in that series loaded on my Kindle, but… just not enough time in the day to read everything I plan on reading… Fortunately, that changed when I picked up MUCH ADO ABOUT MUFFIN, the fourth book in the Merry Muffin Mysteries! I am so glad I did make time and will go back and catch up with the preceding three books!

Click on the book to visit Amazon.com

Synopsis

Merry Wynter has been in Spain for two months, making peace with her dying former mother-in-law. Lulled into a sense of complacency by her in-laws’ luxurious lifestyle, Merry loses touch with her friends back in Autumn Vale. When circumstances pull her out of her torpor and she returns to her inherited castle, Wynter Castle, she finds things have fallen apart in her absence.

One of her good friends is barely talking to her and seems to be under the sway of a cult. Another friend is isolating herself from her new husband and won’t confide in Merry. Her boyfriend, Sheriff Virgil Grace, is barely speaking to her. And to top things off, a melodramatic opera diva, Roma Toscano, has moved into the castle. When Merry and Virgil’s mom find the postmistress stabbed to death, Roma is suspected of murder.

While Merry may not like Roma very much, she’s pretty certain Roma is innocent. The postmistress, Minny, had made several enemies, including Merry herself. Despite the bad feelings between them, Merry wants to find the killer and provide justice for Minny. But her questions around town are hitting close to home and someone tries to kill Merry. Can she rescue her friendships and relationship with Virgil and find justice or will a killer put an end to her meddling once and for all?

My Review

Since I started with the fourth book on the series, I felt like I had some catching up to do to figure out the characters and how they related to the protagonist, Merry. There was backstory from previous books that would have helped, but by about one third of the way into the book, the author filled in what I needed to know and made the book more enjoyable. In addition to a tightly written mystery with several suspects that kept me guessing, Victoria Hamilton weaves the theme of home into the story. Merry’s heart isn’t sure where home is when the book starts out, but she finally realizes Autumn Vale is where she belongs. The love for family, friends, and family history pulls her in and allows her to create a home where she wants to stay and allow her heart to mend.

Merry loves to cook and bake for her family, friends, and also provides muffins for several of Autumn Vale’s establishments. The author includes a couple of muffin recipes at the back of the book…both sound absolutely delicious and perfect for upcoming fall weather. Victoria Hamilton also gave me her recipe for Gouda and Harvest Vegetable Chowder from BRAN NEW DEATH, the first book in the Merry Muffin Mysteries, to share with you. I loved how the chowder uses pureed cauliflower to help thicken it, instead of relying on heavy cream or lots of flour and butter. Easy to make and full of vegetables, this Gouda and Harvest Vegetable Chowder uses nutty, buttery Gouda cheese for flavoring and will become a healthy family favorite! Thanks, Victoria, for sharing your nourishing chowder recipe with us!

A very special thank you to Victoria Hamilton for providing an autographed copy of MUCH ADO ABOUT MUFFIN. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe to enter. Contest is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only and ends Monday, August 15, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. 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!)

Gouda and Harvest Vegetable Chowder

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups cauliflower, broken into small florets
2 cups broccoli, broken into very small florets
1 cup grated carrot
3 cups good quality or homemade chicken stock
2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cup shredded Gouda; you can substitute a different cheese if you like. Cheddar works well!
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Melt butter in large saucepan. Add onion and cook over medium heat until soft.

Add the cauliflower and 3 cups chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until the cauliflower is soft, about 10 minutes.

Puree the cauliflower and onion mixture until smooth.

Add the broccoli florets and grated carrots. Bring to a simmer and cook until almost tender, about 5 minutes.

Slowly whisk 1 cup of the milk into the flour. Whisk until completely smooth.

Add the flour mixture and an additional cup of milk to the chowder. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens.

Remove pan from heat and add 1-1/2 cups Gouda (or cheese of your choice) and stir until melted.

For serving, sprinkle with additional cheese and buttered croutons if desired.

Enjoy the Bacon Cheddar muffins from BRAN NEW DEATH with the chowder, or plain cheddar muffins! Mmmm!

Tips

If your cheese is fairly soft before grating it, place in the freezer while prepping the vegetables for the chowder. Firm, cold cheese will grate much easier.

If leftover chowder is too thick, add additional chicken broth when reheating until desired consistency is reached.

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