Wednesday, September 3, 2014

It's #bookclub week w/ #recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Crisp Bonbons from @DarylWoodGerber




From Daryl aka Avery:

It's book club week! Hooray! Yay for book clubs and people talking about books and people sharing books. I love it.


Momentary pause for another Hooray! For Victoria Abbot's new release: 
THE WOLFE WIDOW! Love this series!!!!



Back to book club week:

For one book club this week, I'll be giving away a shipment of bookmarks and swag, so make sure you leave a comment about your book club and your email so I can contact the winner!

I've included a few book club questions below for my upcoming book, STIRRING THE PLOT, the 3rd in the Cookbook Nook mysteries. It comes out in less than 4 weeks: September 30. It has a Halloween theme, but it is NOT a paranormal. It's a traditional cozy with recipes. On my website, I have book questions for all of my books. Check them out!

But you've come to Mystery Lovers Kitchen, where authors, who love to cook up crime, share recipes. So here's a recipe that is perfect for your next book club.

When I write or go to a book club or talk to a book club, I want sweets. I love them. Don't you? There's something about sugar (and chocolate) that makes the brain kick into gear.  Shhh, don't tell anyone. It's our secret.

These goodies are easy to make. Just a few ingredients. Why am I telling you that it's easy? Because Jenna, the protagonist in the Cookbook Nook mysteries, is an avid book reader and a foodie, but she doesn't know how to cook. She never learned. Her mother did it all while Jenna and her siblings were growing up. Once Jenna entered the business world of advertising, she had no need to cook. Dinners out. Lunches on the go. When she lost her husband in a tragic accident and decided to return to Crystal Cove to help her aunt open a culinary bookshop and cafe, Jenna jumped at the chance. Now she's determined to learn how to cook. She's in love with cookbooks. But she needs recipes to be simple.

In Final Sentence, the first of the Cookbook Nook mysteries, I share a recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Crisp Bonbons. I, personally, had never really made candy before. Fudge, sure. Easy. Rock candy? Oh, yeah. String, sugar. Simple. But bonbons? I had to learn a whole technique: how to roll them AND how to keep from eating all of them in one sitting!


CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CRISP BONBONS

1 c. peanut butter
2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chopped Rice Crispies
1 (12 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips (dark)
2 tbsp. paraffin

Beat together powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and Rice Crispies (gluten-free, if needed).

Form into small balls, smaller than walnuts, and place on a tray lined with waxed paper.



Set the tray of balls in the refrigerator while preparing chocolate chips.

Melt chocolate and paraffin over hot water (not boiling).



Remove the balls from the refrigerator. Reshape so smooth and round. Dip bonbons in chocolate mixture (using 2 forks to handle * super easy). Return the bonbons to waxed paper. Cool completely.



Store in airtight container.

PS Lucy asked, so I'm adding this, so that no one is worried about paraffin. It will go right through your system with no ill effects. (per Internet searches). You could substitute beeswax. Paraffin is used in lots of Easter candies, too. 


* * *

Here's an additional recipe that you might enjoy. I blogged about it a bit ago. It's from the 2nd Cookbook Nook mystery: INHERIT THE WORD.

Peanut butter crunch cookies. Click on the picture for the link to the recipe.



* * *

Stirring the Plot
Trouble is brewing, with a dash of murder...


Halloween in Crystal Cove, California, is a big deal, involving a spooky soiree where the Winsome Witches, a fund-raising group, gather to open up their purse strings and trade superstitions. But party magicians, fortune-tellers, and herbalists are only the beginning of this recipe for disaster…  Jenna Hart has packed The Cookbook Nook chock-full of everything from ghostly texts to witchy potions in anticipation of the annual fund-raiser luncheon. But there’s one unexpected addition to the menu: murder.

Book Club Questions

Note: I am available to talk with your book club by telephone or iChat or Skype or FaceTime.  Please email me to arrange a date and time. CONTACT ME LINK


1. The Winsome Witches are throwing their annual luncheon to raise money for literacy. Do you belong to any volunteer programs? Do you, like the WWs, aim for one big blowout of an event or do you feel it’s better to stretch the events over the course of a year?

2.
At the opening faire, Jenna learns that a lot of people are superstitious. She isn’t; not really. But as spooky occurrences increase, she finds herself a little bit more so. Are you superstitious?

3. When Aunt Vera claims to lose her power to see the future, Jenna scoffs. Do you know anyone who is psychic? Does it bother you that they are or you are not?

4. Jenna’s relationship with Rhett is heating up. His past isn’t entirely brought to light yet. Should she or shouldn’t she?


5. Jenna might not be superstitious, but she certainly is suspicious. When she coordinates events so that she might overhear a conversation, do you feel she has overstepped her boundaries?

LINK TO MORE QUESTIONS (on my website).



Hey, if you are up for some fun, here's a link to a book club survey with 9 questions that should take you all of about 15 seconds to do. I'll reveal the results next week! Here's the link: SURVEY




* * * *
And now for
Giveaways!

For the release of STIRRING THE PLOT,  I'm doing a number of giveaways. Books, mugs, stuffed kittens!  On Facebook, on Goodreads, and in my newsletter. Make sure you're signed up for my newsletter and "like" me on Facebook or Goodreads, where information about the giveaways will appear.

Here's a picture of the one coming up for the launch of STIRRING THE PLOT -
for mailing list/newsletter fans only! This will go to US fans only, but I'll be giving away sets of the first two books in the series to all, including international fans.


Remember, today leave a comment about your book club so you can enter to win "swag" for the club! (Don't forget your email so I can contact you.)


******************

Friend Daryl on Facebook
Friend Avery on Facebook
Follow Daryl on Twitter
Follow Avery on Twitter
Follow both of us on Pinterest
Check out our website.

Days of Wine and Roquefort 
is out!
order here

Inherit the Word
  is out!
                                    order here

STIRRING THE PLOT is available for preorder: order here.


If you haven't done so, sign up for the mailing list 
so you can learn about upcoming events, releases, and contests! 






34 comments:

  1. I can't wait to try the Chocolate Peanut butter Crisp Bon Bons. They look awesome. Love your books, too! bevarcher at me dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Booklady. I've always loved your "handle." :)

      Daryl / Avery

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  2. gorgeous Daryl! I'm just curious about the paraffin, no harm from eating wax I guess?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Absolutely none. Lots of candy has it. Interesting, isn't it? That was something new for me to learn, too. So now you know, if you are ever in the woods, and you don't know what berries you can eat, but you have a candle... LOL

      Daryl / Avery

      Delete
  3. Chocolate and peanut butter--a marriage made in heaven!
    How did I miss your post on the peanut butter crunch cookies?!
    I question how satisfying that candle would be, Daryl. ; o)

    ReplyDelete
  4. My daughter's roommate at college this year is Gluten Free - I'll have to try these with Gluten Free Rice Crispies in my next care package so they can share.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, good, Susie. They pack well, I'm sure. Like a brownie. Remember to stick in a moist piece of paper towel to keep them moist during travel.

      Daryl / Avery

      Delete
  5. What an enticing and delightful recipe and post today. So delectable. thanks.saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Look so good... can't make them. Our daughter is allergic to nuts. :( ourbutton@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, "Fish," so sorry. I have a high reaction to nuts because I'm celiac. But I seem to be able to handle peanut butter. Because it's a legume???

      Daryl / Avery

      Delete
  7. Anything peanut butter is a winner in my house ! kathambre@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You and my husband...and Sparky, too. My dog loves peanut butter!

      Daryl / avery

      Delete
  8. Can we enter, even if not a member of a book club? I have friends, I discuss books with (and could pass goodies to).


    patucker54 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, of course. And having friends, and talking about books? That's a club. :)

      Daryl / Avery

      Delete
  9. Love, love, love the great recipes. I have used them for our book club!

    ReplyDelete
  10. We at the library formed a book club and do different genres each month -- would love to win your book club contest for my book club jody.714@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jody, nice that you do different genres. I think that's so important!

      Daryl / Avery

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    2. Jody,

      You won one of yesterday's swag giveaway! Yes, there were two chosen. Surprise. Congrats.

      Best,

      Delete
    3. Thank you so much from all of us - we are so looking forward to receiving our package

      Delete
  11. I'm delighted to see so many book club participants here today! Must be the peanut butter crisp bonbons! ; ) They sound wonderful. Soooo, how do you keep from eating them all?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Um, I invite family over whenever I bake goodies like this! Or...I eat them and exercise hard for weeks. Oh, well. LOL

      Daryl / Avery

      Delete
  12. Reading a book...eating bon bons...who WANTS to stop? :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have a small group of ladies at work that I have converted from hard core "Patterson" type mysteries to the wonderful world of cozy mysteries. Our group is slowly building and I'm working on getting one of the IT guys at work to read one. I almost have him talked into trying a cozy novel. :D

    We usually get to get during lunch and we chat about the books. I've been thinking about setting up a more formal book club, but I have never hosted a book club before. Providing questions helps out alot! I'm thinking Stirring the Plot would be a great October Book Club book. ;)

    carol (at) carolbee (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Carol, what a wonderful thing to do at work. That creates a whole lot of camaraderie. Good for you! Wishing you luck with the IT guy. :) I hope you enjoy the questions. They're a jumping off point, sort of like the food is...

      Daryl / Avery

      Delete
  14. Oh boy! You have outdone yourself, Daryl! Wow. And more.

    Hugs and thanks for the shout-out about The Wolfe Widow.

    XO

    MJ

    ReplyDelete
  15. Recipes sound great. Peanut butter anything is awesome. Your books are also great. Thanks for the chance to win.

    ReplyDelete
  16. My book club is called Morgan's Guild, and our mascot is a dragon. We started at an independent book store named Creatures 'n Crooks (mystery and sci fi/fantasy) something like 15 years ago. Unfortunately, the store has closed, but our book club continues. We read anything mystery-related, but several of us prefer cozies. We'd love some swag. mackisa at gmail dot com. Thanks for the chance!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Kelly Pfistersk@yahoo.comSeptember 6, 2014 at 10:57 AM

    Sounds like a great recipe. Like Jenna, my cooking skills are light! Really enjoying the CookBook Nook mystery series! I am new to cozy mysteries and really enjoying them. Thanks for the chance for swag!

    Kelly pfistersk@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  18. we alternate between cozy mysteries and thrillers. many of the authors listed here are picked every time. i love the recipes in this weeks blogs. we always bring treats to our bookclub. the finger foods listed here will be a bit hit! thanks for sharing. i love the questions. sometimes that is the hardest part in our book club (Mad for Mayhem Book Club)
    mardox@consolidated.net

    ReplyDelete