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DEEP FRIED REVENGE, the fourth book in the Farm-to-Fork Mysteries by Lynn Cahoon, is another strong addition to a highly enjoyable series! The protagonist, Angie Turner, is co-owner of the County Seat restaurant with her best friend, Felicia. Their banter with the restaurant employees is pure entertainment and I greatly appreciate the way they treat each and every one of them as family. Thrown into the mix in this newest release is a runaway teen, Bleak (I know, a sad, sad name…). Angie and her team show their true worth as they take the girl into their midst and show her heartwarming kindness and help create a stable life for the girl. One of Ms. Cahoon’s greatest strengths is character development for all of the players in the book. It helps the reader connect to and feel invested in the story as it unfolds. Not only are the human characters well-developed, but the animal characters also have their individual personalities, like Dom, the adorable St. Bernard, Precious the goat, and Mabel the chicken. Their antics adds a layer of humor to the book.
In addition to fun characters, Ms. Cahoon writes a compelling mystery set at the Boise, Idaho fair. The reader is treated to the sights, sounds, smells, and especially tastes of the setting with the author’s vivid descriptive passages. Taking place at the fair is a Restaurant Wars / Top Chef type of competition. Since I love watching those types of shows, I found it entertaining reading about Angie’s participation in the multi-day event and about all the work that goes into preparing for that kind of contest. But the fun and games comes to an end when one of the chefs competing is poisoned after winning the first round and another chef falls gravely ill after winning the second round. Tantalizing clues are sprinkled throughout the book as Angie starts asking questions and the author adds twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Ms. Cahoon writes a roller coaster worthy ending that had me sitting on the edge of my seat until I’d read the very last page.
One of the things I admire about the Farm-to-Fork Mystery series is the downhome food served at the County Seat. Ms. Cahoon writes such enticing descriptions of the delectable dishes it makes me want to call for a reservation. She does include a family recipe at the back of the book and I was anxious to try her recipe for Shepherd’s Pie. This is comfort food at its purest! Rich browned beef and some veggies are smothered with creamy mashed potatoes, then baked. I appreciated the ease of preparing the dish and my family appreciated the tasty heartiness. Shepherd’s Pie is especially appealing on a chilly winter evening when you’re craving something warm and comforting!
Amazon Synopsis
Angie Turner is all prepped to face Boise’s culinary best when she enters her restaurant, The County Seat, into a big State Fair challenge. Instead, she gets dunked into a new murder investigation after a killer starts scrapping her competition . . .
The Idaho State Fair is in full swing and chefs are lining up to enter Boise’s Best Restaurant contest, including Angie and her County Seat crew. They might be the hometown favorite, but the competition is steeper than a funhouse floor. And when a top contender is felled following a heated confrontation over a corn dog recipe, winning suddenly becomes a matter of life or death. With a foul foodie on the prowl, it’s up to Angie to dig into the case and put a murderer on ice.
A special thanks to Lynn Cahoon for providing an e-book copy of of DEEP FRIED REVENGE! Contest ends Sunday, April 26, 2020 at 11:59 pm PST. 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!)
I do love weekday meals that don't take forever to make, yet taste like you slaved away in the kitchen. This recipe is one of those meals. My version of Shepherd's Pie. To save even more time you can can use the refrigerated mashed potatoes found at most groceries. Or to make it lower in carbs, use mashed cauliflower. So, so good and filling for a chilly winter night!
Enjoy,
Lynn Cahoon, Author
- 4 large russet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 cube) butter
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Salt/pepper to taste
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or 2 crushed cloves)
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1-1/2 pounds ground beef
- 12 ounces frozen mixed veggies
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2/3 cup beef broth
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F).
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Peel and boil potatoes until soft, then drain and mash with the butter, milk, sour cream, salt, and pepper.
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Fry the onion, garlic, and thyme over medium heat for five minutes. Add in and brown the ground beef.
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When beef crumbles, add in the frozen mixed veggies and cook for 5 minutes.
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Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir so it coats the hamburger.
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Add the beef broth and cook down for 5 minutes.
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Place meat mixture in a shallow baking pan. Spread mashed potatoes over the top of the meat mixture and put in the oven for 20 minutes.
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I was provided an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I do like the mini donuts at the State Fair. Also Pronto Pups!
I like funnel cakes as my favorite deep-fried item. Thanks for the chance.
No, but I’ve always been curious to try a funnel cake. Love this series!
fresh apple cider doughnuts.
I love deep fried Oreos!
deep fried oreos and deep fried twinkies!
i love deep fried ice cream ! thanks for the contest
With the Texas State Fair I love the Big Tex Choice Award food. It’s always a thrill to see what new and interesting creations people come up with each year.
My all time favorite is deep fried cookie dough.
I love corn dogs snd funnel cakes. I also like deep fried twinkies.
My favorite State Fair food, a must have, Is the Pronto Pup.
Well – donuts certainly come to mind!!!
The new and interesting food that people come up with each year for the The Big Tex Choice Awards is my favorite part of the Texas State Fair. My favorite is deep fried cookie dough.
You show 3 different size casseroles.
What size would you use for one batch? 9 X 13?
I haven’t been to the State Fair in years, but I always used to get fried dough and cotton candy!
I love Fried Zeppolis at the state fair, and funnel cakes as well! Thank you for sharing the recipe, and for this chance to win!
thank you for this wonderful recipe. I think my favorite fair fried food is the funnel cakes with lots of powdered sugar on top.
I love this cover. And the book sounds wonderful.
I love donuts and funnel cakes.
Corn dogs and funnel cakes.
Favorite treats are funnel cakes and twinkies.
I love me a funnel cake and a good corn dog! I would love to add Deep Fried Revenge to my collection! Thanks for the chance!
No, but I do like corn dogs. Unless they start selling hush puppies!
Just so happens we’re doing chicken pot pie with a side of mashed potatoes tonight. ?
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Love shepherd’s pie and this series!
I like deep fried caneles or churros
I like almost anything deep-fried, but at the fair, it’s a funnel cake.
Donuts
Funnel Cakes with cherry topping!
Every festival I go to, funnel cakes are a must!
If I had a deep fryer I would be in so much trouble… I think my favorite deep fried treat is Southwest Chicken egg rolls… oh man they are soooo yummmmy! Thank you for the chance.
lilyanngill56(at)Gmail(dot)com
Would love to win a copy of Deep Fried Revenge. Thanks for the chance to win one!
I’ll have to go with funnel cakes, I did have a deep fried Milky Way once, oooh it was good.
No, the only thing I eat at the fair is pizza. I know, I am strange.
I haven’t been to a state fair for a very long time. I do go to outdoor craft shows and always head for funnel cakes and corn dogs.
I love funnel cakes. I haven’t been to a fair in so long that I haven’t got to try the fun new fried things they have now.
We used to go to the NM state fair when my children were young. Then many years later hubby & I would go to the County Free Fair held in the town we were living in. There the FFA guys & gals would fry potatoes they had made into long spiral strings. Mmmm, so good.
We have been to the Oklahoma State Fair (OKC) only once. Corn dogs, Indian Tacos (on fry bread), and funnel cakes were my choices there.
I like the onions like the ones at Outback. Yum and I share too!!!
Funnel cake. Thanks for the chance.
favorite deep fried treat is funnel cake on the boardwalk.
Mini donuts are my favourite. Thanks for the chance.
Funnel cake with LOTS of powdered sugar!!
I used to love fried dough with loads of powdered sugar on them or funnel cakes too. But I haven’t had any in years as almost every place uses canola oil to fry in and I’m extremely allergic to this oil. I’ve had anaphylactic reactions with just one bite and even my Epi-pen didn’t work so off to the ER.
So if I do crave either of these often but it will be me making them from now on!
Fried dough and funnel cakes loaded with powdered sugar! And now made at home due to severe allergy to canola oil that is used almost everywhere!