Showing posts with label cozy mystery blog tours. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cozy mystery blog tours. Show all posts

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Blog Tour: Final Sentence with Recipe


Today I'm part of the blog tour for Daryl Wood Gerber. She also writes under the pen name Avery Aames - writing the Cheese Shop Mysteries - which I love! The 5th books comes out in early February 2014 entitled Days of Wine and Roquefort. I can't wait to read her newest book!


* First in a new series - Cookbook Nook series * 

Check out this recipe from the author! 
I believe I discovered this recipe in the LA Times Food section. I can’t be sure. Once I “discover” a recipe, I often copy the ingredients into a computer file. I used to keep all the old clippings from newspapers in a recipe file, but I’ve moved so many times that I finally realized hording paper was a thing of the past. Most are streamlined into my computer now, except my mother’s favorites handed down over time. 

However, I do horde cookbooks. I’ve got a growing collection. Why? Because I love them and because I’ve started a new series called A Cookbook Nook series. The first, FINAL SENTENCE, debuts soon. I hope you’ll join the cast of fun characters in Crystal Cove, California. Jenna, the protagonist, is a former ad executive who returns home to help her aunt open a culinary bookshop
. Jenna seems to have all the right ingredients for a fresh start—until someone adds a dash of murder.
 
As for this recipe, goat cheese, coffee, and chocolate go fabulously together. You’ll see. This recipe is too good to pass up.
 
Savor the flavor!


GOAT CHEESE AND COFFEE BROWNIE

 
Ingredients:

Brownie:
7 oz. dark chocolate
2 sticks butter, unsalted
1 ¾ cup brown sugar
4 eggs [For gluten-free make this 3 eggs and 2 egg whites]
1 1/3 cup flour  [For  gluten-free make this 1 1/3 cup gluten-free flour plus 1/2 teaspoon Xanthan gum]
¼ tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup cocoa powder

Goat cheese topping:
2 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 oz. goat cheese [used Laura Chenel’s Chevre]
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons ground espresso coffee

Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted.
  2. In a large bowl combine sugar and eggs.  Slowly stir into chocolate mixture.
  3. Sift flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder into bowl and combine with chocolate and egg mixture.
  4. Pour batter into a greased, 9-inch square baking pan and set aside.
  5. Whip together softened cheeses and sugar until smooth.  Add coffee and stir.
  6. Place large spoonfuls of mixture on top of batter and swirl with a butter knife.
  7. Bake for 45-50 minutes until set.  Brownies will still be gooey in middle.  Let cool before cutting.

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Saturday, May 4, 2013

Blog Tour: Topped Chef

 * Book 3 in the Key West Food Critic series*

Hayley Snow just gave her first bad review for a restaurant. It killed her, but after eating there three times, she couldn't justify a positive review for Key Zest magazine. On the day it's printed, she gets called into the office as the owner of the restaurant's complaining about it.  She overhears the conversation between him and her boss - it's not pleasant.

Afterwards, her boss gives her another assignment. She's to represent the magazine as a judge for a reality TV show featuring chefs from Key West. One of the judges is none other than the restaurant owner she just reviewed.

When he ends up murdered, Hayley doesn't believe the show should continue. The producers disagree as the winner of Topped Chef could become the next cooking TV star. As the show proceeds, Hayley wonders if one of the contestants wants to eliminate the competition or if Sam's business practices and politics on the island made him a target. Could someone be targeting the judges?
My Thoughts: I'm a big fan of this series - I love the setting and all the talk about food. It makes me want to get into the kitchen and whip up something delicious. I loved the idea for this book - where a murder happens on a reality TV show setting. It was amusing to see the behind the scenes of TV series - the work that it takes, the encouraged drama, and people it draws. I loved Hayley and how she struggles making decisions, but has a team of great friends for support, including her tarot card reader Lorenzo. I like how she struggled over her critical review. I like that in this book, we learned more about some characters: her ex-boyfriend's secretary and her new house boat mate. I love the romance frustrations and the possibility of romance. All in all, Topped Chef is a  fabulous addition to this charming series!

Cover Thoughts: Perfect
Source: Sent for review for blog tour

I got to meet Lucy when her last book came out and she went to RJ Julia's. I wrote up a post about it. She'll be there next week and I wish I could attend, but I have a program at the library that night. If you're in the area and you like cozy mysteries and/or books about food - go check it out. It's sure to amazing.


Prizes:

To enter:
2. There is no requirement to follow any of the blogs participating, but we hope you will support these amazing blogs by following them. They do a great job, many of whom host for us every month.
3. Giveaway ends on May 15, 2013 at midnight and the winners will be contacted via email.