I was so happy for Victoria Hamilton when I found out that her Vintage Kitchen Mystery series had found a new home with Beyond the Page! And I’m equally happy to share in her celebration with her brand new release, LEAVE IT TO CLEAVER!
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This newest book opens with a very tender scene featuring Jaymie Leighton, her beau Jakob Mueller, and his young daughter, Jocie. It sets the stage for the rest of the book… a well crafted mystery interspersed with sweet, heart-warming interludes. The mystery itself dates back to 1984 and Victoria effectively uses flashbacks, from different points of view, to piece together the story. She expertly weaves the current story with the long ago story so I never felt lost, and in fact, found it to be an exciting variation that grabbed my attention. The author uses strong descriptive language that captured the setting and feel of the 1980’s and had me reliving that time period. It was a blast from the past for me!
Jaymie is a likable protagonist and she is often at odds with her much older sister, Becca. It was enjoyable seeing them work out their differences and the way the murder of Becca’s classmates brought them together. The author provides quite a few viable suspects and the fact that the murders occurred so far in the past, made the puzzle more difficult. Just when I was sure I had figured it out, a twist and turn pulled me in another direction. I am glad that there will be future books coming in this delightful series!
Not only does the author include a vintage recipe at the back of the book, but she has allowed me to share one of her other vintage recipes from a previous book. I had never heard of Queen Elizabeth Cake but loved the list of ingredients, which are a bit reminiscent of Sticky Toffee Pudding. According to Wikipedia, the cake may have been prepared for the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953. During this time, food rationing still existed in Great Britain, and a cake with few ingredients was in order. A recipe for Queen Elizabeth cake was published by the Coronation Cook Book in 1953. Queen Elizabeth Cake is easy to make but turns out moist and flavorful. The cake typically is baked in an 8″x8″ pan with the frosting spread on top. I chose to make it in two 6″-round pans, double the frosting, and layer the two cakes. It makes for a festive looking cake but no matter how you serve it, it will be enjoyed by all!
Amazon Synopsis
Vintage cookware and cookbook collector Jaymie Leighton has agreed to help her sister clear out the house of a deceased older neighbor, and she’s thrilled at the prospect of discovering antique kitchenware and other treasures—until she opens a vintage trunk in the cellar and finds the remains of a teenage girl with a cleaver buried in her skull. When the body of a second girl is found just days later in a nearby river, the clues all indicate that the crimes are connected—and that the culprit’s motives are hidden in the past.
Jaymie just wants to cut and run, but the victims were both high school classmates of her sister when they disappeared, and that makes Jaymie the perfect person to help the local police investigate the killings. As she dredges up old memories and even older rivalries and jealousies, her list of suspects grows. But Jaymie knows she’ll have to whittle it down to just one, and fast, because someone has decided to cut their ties to Jaymie—in the most fatal of ways . . .
A huge thank you to Victoria Hamilton for providing an e-book copy of LEAVE IT TO CLEAVER plus a pen, bookmark, and a fridge magnet for one lucky winner! Contest ends Monday, June 26, 2017 at 11:59 pm PST. Swag is limited to U.S. and Canadian residents. 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!)
- 1 cup dates, chopped
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts, (walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts)
- 1-1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons cream
- Additional coconut for garnish
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
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Mix dates, boiling water, and baking soda together and let stand while doing the rest.
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Blend together shortening, sugar, egg, and vanilla in large bowl.
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Mix together in a separate bowl the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add chopped nuts.
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Mix dry ingredients with wet until thoroughly combined, then fold in date mixture.
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Spray an 8x8 pan with Pam, or other spray oil, pour cake batter in and bake in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.
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Meanwhile… mix topping ingredients and boil 3 min.
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Remove cake from oven, and while still warm pour this mixture over cake. Sprinkle additional coconut over and put back in the oven to brown. Keep a close watch as coconut will burn quickly.
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I used two 6" round cake pans to bake the batter. The cakes baked for 30 - 34 minutes. I also made extra Icing/Topping using these measurements: 2/3 cup brown sugar; 3/4 cup coconut (for a thicker frosting that won't drip off the cake while warm); 1/3 cup butter; 1/4 cup cream.
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I was provided a copy of this book with the hopes I would review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I love antique/vintage teacups and saucers but for the rest of my purchases I prefer new.
I love some antique items. Like tea cups or lace dollies.
I love vintage items…they dont make things the way they used to! ❤️
I love to find vintage items on the weekends. Thanks for the chance. Maceoindo(at)yahoo(dot)com
I’m a new is better person!
Depends on the item and time period. I love vintage dresses. Antique furniture from the Renaissance. Course I don’t own pieces but love too.
Depends on the item and time period. I love vintage dresses. Antique furniture from the Renaissance. Course I don’t own pieces but love too.
I love vintage items and when i go back home to SF i love to go into the stores that carry those items.
i do like vintage items.
I love antique things!!! I have one room in my house that I’ve strictly decorated in a shabby chic kind of theme and it’s my favorite by far!
I actually have many vintage kitchen tools.I inherited all of the kitchen “tools” that were used by my Grandma and Mom. They are all very durable and fully functional.
I like old kitchen things too and enjoy using some of my grandmother’s old pans.
I like antique or vintage items for things like kitchen gadgets and dishes but prefer mostly new for things like furniture(couches etc) though if I found an old antique dresser or table I would buy them
Vintage all the way!!!! I love it!
I love vintage and antique items especially anything to do with horses!
I think that vintage and antique items are treasures which I cherish greatly.
Oh, my goodness! That cake looks amazing! I’ll be trying it very soon.
Vintage calls to heart but the recipes call to my stomach! What’s a girl to do?
I like new and antique/vintage items. I like to collect things,. And thank you for the chance to win an e-book copy of Leave It To Cleaver + pen, bookmark & fridge magnet.
Antinque/vintage is awesome! And most of the time, probably all of the time, are made much better than things you can buy now.
The only antique things I own have been passed down from relatives, kitchen items, dishes, tea cups, a table. All other things I have bought new.
I love vintage. This book sounds very good. I am going to put it on my TBR list. The recipe looks delish!
I still have my large collection of antique valentines!
I love antiques, but I’m hesitant to use some of them.
The cake ingredients with shortening, no milk, and only 1 egg are very much of the post-WWII time.
The icing with butter and cream is a bit surprising.
65 years ago my aunt lived in Niagra Falls. I was 3 years old and can remember my aunt and mom crossing the border daily to buy bone china. Today I have a fabulous collection of teapots, sugar and creamers, and beautiful cups and saucers. I am so lucky to have such a collection with so many memories to go with it!!!!!!!
I love vintage items but I also like new electronic gadgets!
I like both. I like vintage glassware and lace and unique items. But for day to day stuff, I like new and modern.
I like antiques I have teacups. [email protected]
I love poking around antique shops and flea markets looking for antique/vintage items that appeal to me. Some things I want brand new. The cake looks and sounds yummy, I can’t wait to try it!
I love vintage things especially kitchen items. When ever my husband and I travel I like to visit the antique shops. I found a 1885 beautiful teacup with gold trim for $5 and a 1957 Betty Crocker cookbook for cooking with children. I hope to cook with my 3 granddaughters some day when they are older. I love the Vintage Kitchen books as it reminds me of items my grandmother had and then my mother inherited. pgenest57 at aol dot com
I like antique and vintage items — more for house decoration. For things like appliances, it’s usually the newer the better!
my problem is that I love antiques and tea-cups, but I am out of room and trying to downsize. It isn’t working too well!
I prefer new things. I collect too many books to also collect vintage items!
Ilove vintage things. I think they bring back memories and they are so nice to collect.
I absolutely love antique and vintage items! I will buy antique when possible. Every item has a story!
I love antiques! This sounds very good thank you
Penney
It depends on what it is. I like antique furniture, however, I’m not a fan of most vintage clothes.
i love vintage things! and i love this series!
Oh, this is right up my alley! New series for me, I can’t wait to get started.
Love this series. The cake looks delicious.
The cake looks delicious. I am anxious to read this book.
I love vintage items. It’s so fun to go into an antique store or stop by a flea market or yard sale and see what I can find. That cake looks scrumptious!
Looking forward to reading it.
Kind of a mix for me. I like vintage items that have some special meeting or catch my eye, but I’m not really a fan of the distressed look.
This has been an enjoyable series and I do a lot of baking and cooking and have for over 50 years. So reading about antique and vintage kitchen tools is so interesting to me as I remember them from older family members or actually used some of them myself. Great stories and I absolutely love the cover on this latest release.
This looks SOOOO good! Consider me entered!
I love antiques! I’ve been lucky to be given some family keepsakes that I cherish. It’s nice to have the family history around in the form of antiques.
I love collecting antiques. Thankyou for the opportunity!
Vintage and antique items are treasures which I cherish..
I love antique/vintage items. Good thing I do because I’ve inherited items from both grandparents and parents. I wouldn’t take for them nor ever thing of replacing them with something “new”. I tell folks they are new – new to my home with special memories of the past. 🙂