Monday, December 14, 2009

Cranberry Scones with Cream Cheese Frosting!


My big news: I’m proud to announce my first BOOK COVER is out. Look in the right hand column. That’s it. The Long Quiche Goodbye. Just as I’d envisioned. Don't you love the blue awning? And my pals, Lorna Barrett, Krista Davis, and Cleo Coyle provided yummy quotes for the front and back!

But you’re here for recipes, so enough crowing.


Let me share how I used our first Iron Chef challenge ingredient– CRANBERRIES. What a fabulous fruit! Tart yet juicy.

For the holidays, I decided to make two recipes.

But first, did you know that different cheeses go with coffee, tea, soda, and spirits? Not just wine? Fellow blogger, Cleo Coyle matches up coffee and cheese in her Coffeehouse Mysteries, book #6. How about that?

Today…for my Iron Challenge, I decided to offer a twist on "Holiday Tea.” I paired a cranberry scone with cream cheese frosting and a cranberry margarita. Oh, yeah, this makes for a fun switch up!

**FYI, I’m providing a gluten-free recipe, but for those who absolutely must have regular flour, substitute regular flour for Pamela’s Mix.

NOTE: I served the gluten-free scones to my taste testers, and not one could tell the difference. I think the orange juice in the recipe gives them a real zip. And of course, the cream cheese frosting is melt-in-your-mouth scrumptious.

GLUTEN-FREE CRANBERRY SCONES

Ingredients:
2 ¼ cup Pamela’s Gluten-Free Baking Mix
1 tsp. baking powder
4 Tbs. butter, softened
2/3 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbs. orange juice
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh cranberries

Directions:

Makes 8 scones. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix butter, milk, juice, sugar and eggs. Add in Pamela’s mix and baking powder. Beat until all flour incorporated. Add in cranberries. Drop large dollops onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 15-17 minutes until golden brown.

Ice with Cream Cheese Frosting.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup butter, softened
1 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Blend all together until smooth.

*Note: leftover icing may be placed in sealed container and refrigerated.

CRANBERRY MARGARITA

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup cranberry juice cocktail
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
3/4 cup Rose’s Lime Juice
3/4 cup Tequila
1/2 cup Triple Sec
3 cups crushed ice

Directions:
Pour 1/4 cup cranberry juice into a shallow bowl.
Pour 3 Tbs. sugar onto a separate plate.
Dip the rims of 4-6 glasses in the juice and then the sugar. Set aside.

Reserve 12 cranberries. Roll in sugar and skewer with toothpicks.

In a blender, whip the rest of the cranberries, the juice, the sugar, lime juice, tequila and Triple Sec.

Fill glasses with crushed ice. Pour blended mixture over ice. Garnish with the skewered berries.

NOTE: You may whip the ice and mixture together to make a smoother drink.


Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

REMEMBER, next month we’ll have a week of recipes with our new SECRET ingredient, provided by JANEL G, who just won this month's contest and a Junior’s Cheesecake!

But we’re going to have another Iron Chef contest !!! Check back soon for more details!


Last but not least, check out my web page by clicking: Avery Aames. I’ve just posted my latest newsletter. I’ll be having a contest in January for all those signed up to receive the newsletter. Yes, you can forward it to a friend.

And if you read outside the cozy genre, why not check out the website for my alter ego, Daryl Wood Gerber. I just posted a podcast of a mystery noir short story called Hangover! There are lots of gluten-free recipes on that website, too. And inspirational thoughts, just right for the holiday season or all year long.

Enjoy.

13 comments:

  1. Beautiful cover, Avery! I'm loving it. Looks like the perfect place to hang out...if it wasn't deadly! :)

    2 recipes today! I love scones---AND cream cheese. And the margarita made me want a sip...and it's not even 6 a.m. yet! Very pretty drink.

    Elizabeth
    Mystery Writing is Murder

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  2. WOW! Where to start?! I am drinking my first cup o' joe of the day and am wishing the Internet had taste-o-vision because those scones look fabulous. (I'm sure if it were a little later in the day, I'd be yearning for a long, cool sip of that incredibly pretty cranberry margarita.) And your COVER!!! So excited to see the beautiful cover on our right column now. A lovely representation of Charlotte's cheese shop and the wonderful mystery between its covers. Also so excited about your uploading a podcast of a story -- what a lovely holiday gift for everyone. Looking forward to an afternoon coffee break and listening to your reading of "Hangover"! Thank you!

    ~Cleo
    Coffeehouse Mystery.com
    Free Coffee Drawing today LIVE at 7 PM (Eastern)
    Cleo Coyle on Twitter

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  3. Good morning, Avery! And congratulations on that beautiful cover. You've got to be flying high. Can't wait to get my hands on a copy. Let me echo Cleo here... taste-o-vision would be genius! Somebody better invent that. I would love to try these scones this morning!

    Julie

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  4. You are all so sweet! Thanks so much for the support and cyber-love. Enjoy the treats. Definitely flying high.

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  5. Congratulations on the cover Avery. Can't wait to read it. Your recipes sound delicious. I'm with the others wishing for taste-o-vision.

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  6. The cover looks beautiful - very yummy and cozy!

    The cream cheese frosting sounds like the perfect addition to the scones. I know I can use all of the sugar I can get to keep going this time of year :) Of course, the margarita looks like it can make any situation better!

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  7. Congrats on the book cover...

    Ladies, I have an idea for this blog. I wonder if there is any interest in a monthly or every other monthly event. You have over 100 followers, and you all have books you would like us to buy...

    How about as a group. I would say club, but I hesitate to join a club that is willing to have me as a member (the old jokes are the best jokes), you pick a book (possibly the latest book published first, and rotate individual favorites, or the book that introduces your on going series heroine (where is the guy BBQ hero story by the way... but I digress...).

    Once the book is announced, anyone part of the "club" cooks a recipe either directly from the book, or inspired from something in the book. We all post the results on our own blogs, with lots of links to my new favorite site (yours), as well as mini-book reviews, as well as links to AMAZON.COM to sell the book.

    It would be a way to advertise your books among an interested clientele, cross promote your site with other bloggers, as well as build a true sense of comradeship among your readers.

    And it would be fun.

    I have some other thoughts on promotion if you like that one... if you want to contact me, feel free

    YearontheGrill@yahoo.com

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  8. Avery! I love your cover. It's fabulous!
    And I love the scones and the marg recipes.
    Now I wish I had all three and a vacation day
    to enjoy them!

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  9. These all look fantastic. I also LOVE your book title. Clever!

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  10. Very nice cover, Avery. Congradulations again.
    Patg

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  11. I love Avery's cover, too. Makes me want to dive right in. I've been lucky enough to read The Long Quiche Goodbye -- it's a wonderful read with characters that will have you coming back for more!

    Mr. A Year on the Grill, we'll be in touch with you!

    Avery, a Cranberry Margarita would hit the spot right now!

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  12. A Year on the Grill - interesting idea. We're going to discuss. Thanks!

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  13. If you want to stay away from refined sugar this holiday but still eat all your fav holiday recipes, take a look at this www.RoseCole.com/HolidayCookbook . There is also a cool video at the bottom showing Rose Cole making one of her famous dishes. Enjoy!

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