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SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PIZZA is the fourth book in the Deep Dish Mysteries by Mindy Quigley. I eagerly await each new release in the series and this newest one didn’t disappoint. This character-driven cozy mystery kept me engrossed not only in the investigation, but had me invested in their relationships and antics. Ms. Quigley’s humor shines on the pages (especially with the metaphors), yet brings a sensitivity to each person’s personality and circumstance. Protagonist and pizza chef Delilah O’Leary is the heart that holds her crew together, while her sidekick, Sonya, is her sounding board not only for the murder investigation but for keeping Delilah true to herself. With Christmas and Hanukkah right around the corner, the author explores family relationships and how people deal with dysfunctional issues, especially around the holidays. It brings an emotional depth to the story that can sometimes be missing in mysteries.
But being a mystery, there has to be a murder. Ms. Quigley has created a doozy of a death with a doozy of a method! I was actually stunned as I read through to the reveal and I applaud her creativity. (No spoilers here, but it includes a snow sculpture.) Given the Chrismukkah party that facilitated the crime, there are a lot of suspects to consider. There are clues to follow but, in the end, I was having too much fun reading to try to solve the mystery. With twists and turns, and handsome Detective Capone (yes, from that family!) trying to keep Delilah safe and out of the investigation—and Delilah doing all she can to keep a valued employee and friend free—the plot moved at a fast pace. The heartwarming and humorous conclusion has me eagerly anticipating to find out what happens next with Delilah and crew!
Be prepared to get hungry while reading all the delectable dishes mentioned throughout the story. The author has kindly included several recipes at the back of the book and it’s worth reading just for the humorous introductions alone! As Delilah so succinctly muses in the book, ‘Food was my love language, my gratitude language, my sympathy language, my “thank you for your service” language.’ And I have to agree with her wholeheartedly! When I saw the recipe for Tear-and-Share Christmas Tree Pizza Bread, I knew I had to try it. With the holidays right around the corner, this is such a great appetizer for gatherings, and it feeds a crowd. (Hint: you can fashion the dough balls into any shape to fit the occasion!) While it might be a little time consuming, using store-bought pizza dough simplifies the process. AND, little hands can easily help out, making this a fun family project. The pizza dough is filled with chunks of mozzarella cheese sticks (and bits of pepperoni if you like). After baking, it’s given a good brushing of melted butter mixed with parmesan cheese, garlic, and Italian herbs. Served with a simple side of marinara sauce, your guests will be rockin’ around the Christmas tree!
Amazon Synopsis
Pizza chef Delilah O’Leary and her kitty companion, Butterball, get into the holiday spirit as Geneva Bay, Wisconsin hosts the nation’s premier snow sculpting championship. The annual event transforms the charming resort town into a wonderland of snow castles, ice rinks, and cozy cups of cocoa.
On the eve of the festival though, a too-good-to-be-true Chrismukkah catering gig brings some frosty tidings and heralds an unexpected visit from Delilah’s high-intensity older sister. Suddenly it seems that the holidays may not be the hap-happiest season of all. And when one of the town’s snowy sculptures reveals a chilling surprise, murder threatens to put the celebrations―and Delilah’s crew―on ice for good.
A special thanks to Minotaur Books for offering a print copy of SLEEP IN HEAVENLY PIZZA to one lucky winner! Contest ends November 3, 2024 at 11:59 pm PST and is limited to U.S. residents only. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below to enter. The winner will be announced on this page and on Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page, as well as notified by email (so check your spam folder!)
Sonya here. Not everyone celebrates Christmas, but no matter your background or religious affiliation, the people of the world are united by a common love of melted cheese. Hence, we developed a crowd-pleasing holiday recipe that's essentially pizza, but in a festive guise. At Delilah & Son, we always have extra pizza dough knocking around, but if you're making this at home, you can use any brand of good-quality pre-made dough.
It may seem strange that I'm recommending using mozzarella sticks for this--the kind you put in a kid's lunchbox--instead of some fancy artisanal cheese. But for this recipe, you want to keep the moisture level low so the dough balls stay crispy.
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
- 7 mozzarella sticks
- 1 pound refrigerated pizza dough
- Egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon water)
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, cut into a thin chiffonade
- Marinara, warmed (for serving)
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Cut mozzarella sticks into 1-inch pieces and set aside. If you're me, you'll need one extra mozzarella stick so you can peel off some cheese strands, drape them over your top lip, and walk around the kitchen pretending you have a cheese mustache until Delilah notices and tells you to get back to work.
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On a floured surface, divide pizza dough into two equal pieces. Stretch and roll each piece of dough into a long rectangle, then cut the dough into 2-inch squares (you'll need 30 - 35 squares).
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Wrap a dough square around each piece of mozzarella, forming a tightly sealed ball. Arrange the balls seam-side down on the baking sheet in the shape of a Christmas tree. You can, of course, make other shapes if you prefer. What you do with your balls in the privacy of your kitchen is your own business and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Brush egg wash on those doughy little balls and bake them until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
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Meanwhile, whisk together the melted butter, Parmesan, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Brush your balls again! This time with the butter mixture. Sprinkle the basil on top. It's important to serve this warm so that the cheese will have the maximum gooeyness. Add a side of warm marinara for dipping.
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If desired, add chopped bits of pepperoni with the cheese before forming the dough ball.
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I used yellow bell pepper to shape stars and the tree trunk. Cheddar cheese would also be a good choice.
From Sleep in Heavenly Pizza by Mindy Quigley. Copyright © 2024 by the author and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
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I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Yum! Looks like an easy thing to make!
I LOVE this series! And that pull-apart bread tree looks delicious! So festive!
That looks delicious. I might be making it before Christmas.
Yum! That looks like something I would really enjoy
Yum I need this to try.😁😁😁
Looks delicious and I can’t wait to try the recipe. Thanks as always for your great generosity.
Looks like fun to read!
Contest won’t take my email.🙁
I’m so sorry you’re having issues with Rafflecopter, Donamae! Try using a different browser and if that still doesn’t work, send me a pm through Cinnamon & Sugar’s Facebook page with your email address and I will manually add you to the contest.