When I started seeing reviews this past September for CHEDDAR OFF DEAD, the second book in the Undercover Dish Mystery series by Julia Buckley, I knew I needed to add it to my reading list. And when I found out it was centered around Christmas I moved it up in my pile of books so I’d have it at the ready in early December to start reading. CHEDDAR OFF DEAD lived up to and even exceeded my expectations both for a riveting, well written plot and for the holiday setting!
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Even though I have not read the first book in the series (it’s been sitting on my Kindle since its release and I somehow overlooked reading it!) CHEDDAR OFF DEAD was easy to jump in and get to know the characters. I loved the protagonist, Lilah Drake, and her very clever side job of providing clandestine dishes to those in town who don’t want anyone to know that they’re awful cooks or are too busy to cook themselves. It sets the stage for some humorous situations. There’s a strong undercurrent of romance between Lilah and Detective Jay Parker and I liked how Lilah remained feisty and true to herself when it appeared things weren’t going to work out. Plus she is very funny when she accidentally runs into him at the market and I found myself chuckling out loud. There’s a strong cast of supporting characters and each adds a nice element to the story and enhances Lilah’s character.
With so many delicious dishes mentioned in the book making me hungry, I was happy to find that the author includes some recipes at the back of the book. When I saw Julia’s recipe for Serafina’s Pizzelles (Italian Christmas Waffle Cookies) I knew I had to try them….not that I owned a pizzelle maker….but I’ve been wanting one and this was the perfect excuse…err, opportunity. The batter-like dough whips up super fast using a blender and the cookies cook incredibly quick in the pizzelle maker. The cookies have a delicate flavor and are beautifully lacy looking with the addition of a dusting of powdered sugar. Perfect for serving to guests or dressing up a platter of holiday treats for sharing!
Amazon Synopsis
Caterer and cook Lilah Drake is up to her elbows in deadly trouble in the latest mystery from the author of The Big Chili…
The Christmas holidays are one of Lilah’s favorite times of the year, filled with friends, family, and, of course, tons of food orders for her covered dish clients. But Lilah’s Yuletide cheer ends when she sees a most Grinch-like crime: the murder of a Santa in a school parking lot.
It turns out the deceased Kris Kringle was a complicated tangle of naughty and nice, with a long list of people who might have wanted him dead. And whoever did the deed wants to make sure that Lilah keeps quiet. Now, Lilah will have to team up with her former fling, Detective Jay Parker, to unwrap the mysteries of a deadly Christmas killer and stay alive long enough to ring in the New Year…
I am happy to be able to provide a print copy of CHEDDAR OFF DEAD for one lucky winner! Limited to U.S. residents only. Contest ends Thursday, December 15, 2016 at 11:59 pm PST. Please use the Rafflecopter box located below the recipe 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!)
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla (or almond extract, if you prefer)
- Powdered sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- First, preheat your pizzelle baker.
- Mix flour and baking soda and set aside.
- Melt butter and mix with eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a blender until smooth.
- Add the flour mixture until you have a sticky dough.
- Check to see that your baker is ready; spray the inside lightly with baking spray to avoid sticking.
- Place a rounded teaspoonful of dough on each of the pizzelle pattern grids.
- Lower the lid and hold for 30 - 40 seconds (you may have to experiment with timing).
- Lift and genly pry up the cookies with a fork tine or thin knife, then set cookies on a baking rack to cool.
- When cookies are finished, sift powdered sugar over them to create a lacy, holiday effect.
- Your finished pizzelles will be thin, delicate, snowflake-like cookies that are sweet and addictive.
- Place batter just slightly behind the center of each pattern to help center the cookie as it cooks.
- Don't try to multi-task as these cookies cook very quickly.
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Our family does a non-traditional Christmas dinner with tamales (purchased since they’re so time consuming to make!) and my step-daughter makes paella. I’m in charge of the desserts and it varies with what I make.
We make Chili Upside Down Pie on Christmas Eve and iced sugar cookies for Santa.
My fav dish to prepare for Christmas each year is sweet potato casserole. I use my sister’s recipe and it is delicious.
i love to make homemade whole berry cranberry sauce with blueberries in it
Green bean casserole
Oh my gosh these look so good.
If I have time I will usually make cranberry marshmallow salad. Its a must have for at least me. My in-laws don’t seem to like it. Course they never really tried it either but just means more for me. And I probably could eat the entire content of that alone over the course of 4 days. I love it that much. lol
Fantastic looking cookies. I love to try out new desserts at Christmas.
Raw cranberry sauce–cranberries chopped with sugar, 1/2 a lemon, and an orange. Beautiful and delicious.
I’d love to try these cookies. They sound lovely. But I am not going to give in and get another kitchen gadget in order to make them.
I know what you mean, Elizabeth, about adding kitchen gadgets! I’d been eyeing a pizzelle maker for numerous years and finally caved when I saw the recipe in the book and thought it would make a lovely blog post. I think it will get more use than my regular waffle iron…lol!
I always make cornflake wreaths. They are so festive.
These look wonderful. thank-you for the opportunity.
I do stuffed onions not hard to do but takes time. I’v passed the recipe down to my DIL.
Only at this time of year do we make Divinity. 3 batches. One with pecans, one with walnuts, one plain without nuts (for one with dentures. Though he is only one with that avoids nuts and seeds) And only at this time of year do we roll out cookie dough (sugar cookies) and decorate. Rest of year we just drop by spoonful, sometimes frost, but usually don’t
I love your recipe no I am disabled so my husband makes most of the dishes now. I do like a sweet potatoes with a little butter and a little brown sugar if in a dish with others but I can’;t be picky anymore when I was in Ca and had a family that was different then I was not in a chair and could do a lot of things and loved to cook. Spritz cookie making with my grandma is what i loved to make.
One of the recipes we have each year is lasagna. Although we have ham, lasagna is also included and of course a fruit salad, usually some vegetable like parsnips or brussell sprouts. My husband loves pizzelles and I’m always searching for other recipes. Thanks for sharing this one. robeader53(at)yahoo(dot)com
Those cookies look amazing and so does this book. My list is growing overwhelmingly…I can’t keep up! 😉
I’m not the cook at Christmas…but I am known for my pasta salad. I add tomatoes and spinach to curly pasta to make it festive! Thanks for the great opportunity…
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I love to make cookies. I’ll add this to my recipe collection.
I have never heard of these. Sounds scrumptious!
I don’t have a favorite dish.
I make Divinity each year. These cookies look delicious.
Christmas dishes we keep changing because we haven’t quite decided what to make. We all work retail so we have been trying to make it simple for Christmas. Christmas Eve we have surf and turf, Christmas day the last couple years we make cheese dips and appetizers to munch on through the day, still trying to find that main thing to make that’s easy. We do make Spritz cookies every year though, that is a must.
My favorite Christmas tradition is cheese grits served with Christmas ham. These cookies look wonderful. Many thanks for the opportunity to win this wonderful giveaway!!
Christmas coffee cake and Peanut Butter Date Balls (a no bake cookie dipped in chocolate.)
My sister and I make the Christmas cookies that my Mom used to make, walnut cookies and pecan crescent cookies.
Christmas is the only time that I make a prime rib roast.
We don’t have one but I am always looking for new ideas.
One of the recipes I always prepare for Christmas is my special 3-layer Ribbon Cookie recipe. Everyone loves them!
green bean casserole, and watergate salad
I make banana pudding pies with layers of bananas every Christmas. I would love to win a print copy of Cheddar Off dead. Thank you for the chance.
A neighbor of mine was Italian and made these every Christmas. I miss eating them, as we moved! Maybe it’s time I do it myself! Thank you for the giveaway.
Oyster Cornbread Dressing. It is a family tradition.
We love stuffed shells for xmas eve dinner
The Christmas goodies we make, vary from year to year but fudge, chocolate chip cookies, ginger snap cookies, caramel popcorn usually make the list most years. The caramel popcorn is made in memory of my Father who adored it!
I haven’t heard of these gonna try these!!!! We make Christmas cookies a few days before christmas!!!
Love the recipe and the book sounds awesome. Thanks for the chance to win.
I love curling up to a good cozy mystery. I would love to read cheddar off dead. it sounds intriguing and I’ve never read anything by it’s author. I love making tamales for Christmas.
Sorry I am Jjewish, don’t observe Christmas only Hanukkah.
No need to be sorry! I should have worded my question differently since so many people celebrate a variety of things in the month of December. I’m sure you have many lovely dishes you prepare to celebrate Hanukkah!
I love the cover of the book. We have a chocolate lab that looks like that. He loves to sit by the kitchen table. The cookies are part of our Christmas. Thank you!
Merry Christmas!
I always have to make Hash Brown Casserole for our Christmas Eve dinner. And a Gooey Butter Cake for my daughter-in-law. Those cookies look scrumptious!
When I look at the picture of the Pizzelles I remember a cookie that I used to make for Christmas that you dipped the batter coated “iron” into hot oil & fry them. They were then dipped in powdered sugar. For the life of me I cannot remember the name of the cookie now. I have since lost the recipe & the “iron” to someone who borrowed them and never returned them to me. Do you know the name of the cookie I’m referring to Kim? Please PM me if you do. Those cookies were the bomb!
Thanks for a chance to win Cheddar Off Dead! Fingers crossed!
Sandy, I think the cookies you are thinking of are Rosette Cookies. I’ve never made them but now you have me intrigued 🙂