Sunday, October 12, 2014

Debut Author Maya Corrigan Offers #Oatmeal Cran Pecan #Cookies #Recipe #Giveaway


Thank you to Lucy/Roberta for inviting me to write a guest post on Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen. I feel like I know all of you through your books and recipes, as well as from panels at mystery conventions. On November 4th my first mystery comes out, By Cook or by Crook, the debut title in the Five-Ingredient Mystery series. The series features Val Deniston, a former cookbook publicist.

Val left New York City after a car accident nearly killed her celebrity chef passenger and doomed her career. Now living with her curmudgeonly grandfather in a tourist town near the Chesapeake Bay, she runs the Cool Down Café at an athletic club and tests recipes for her long-planned cookbook. When a club patron is found dead, Val cooks up a scheme to expose the murderer who framed her cousin.

While Val investigates five suspects and uncovers five key clues, Granddad takes up cooking, creating havoc in the kitchen even when trying recipes that have only five ingredients. In a reaction against the elaborate gourmet dishes of celebrity chefs, Val prefers recipes “the average person could make in less time than it took to watch a TV cooking show.” By Cook or by Crook includes 8 five-ingredient recipes.

Having boxed myself in with the five-ingredient blueprint, I relish the chance to share a recipe on Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen with more ingredients than that . . . but not a lot more. Oatmeal cookies are comfort food perfect for all seasons, but this version with dried cranberries, cider spices, and pecans suits the autumn and winter holidays particularly well.

Oatmeal Cran Pecan Cookies
Yield: approximately 50 cookies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients
½ cup butter
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 large or extra large unbeaten egg
1 cup uncooked rolled oats (or quick oats)
¾ cup unsifted flour
1 tsp vanilla

¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp double-acting baking powder

½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:





Cream the butter and sugars. Beat in the egg and the vanilla. Add the oatmeal and flour. Mix well.
Combine the spices and baking powder in a separate bowl and add them to the butter mixture.
Fold in the cranberries and chopped pecans.
Drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto a greased cookie sheet, spacing them two inches apart.

Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes.
Remove the cookies from the sheet and cool them on a rack.

Note: The cookies shown in the photo are only a fraction of the ones this recipe yields. Certain members of my family got to the batch before I had a chance to take a picture of them. You gotta expect that with oatmeal cookies.
Maya (Mary Ann) Corrigan lives near Washington, D.C., within easy driving distance of Maryland's Eastern Shore, the setting for her series. When not reading and writing, she enjoys travel, tennis, trivia, cooking, and crosswords. Her website features food trivia and quizzes on mysteries.






NOTE FROM LUCY: Doesn't this all sound delicious? And Maya is offering a galley copy to one lucky commenter for her brand new mystery, BY COOK OR BY CROOK. JUST LEAVE YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT TO BE ENTERED!

107 comments:

  1. Would love to read this book. The cookies look awesome!
    b5sycop@nefcom.net

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    1. These cookies taste better than they look and disappear fast. Thank you for posting.

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  2. Looks like a great cozy mystery. Congrats on the New Book.

    xzjh04 gmail.com

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    1. Thank you for the congratulations and for posting. I'm excited about my first book coming out.

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  3. Good luck with the series. Sounds like a good read. And the cookies look delicious, have to try those.
    sallycootie@gmail.com

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    1. Thank you the good luck wishes. I hope you enjoy the cookies.

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  4. Cookies sound great, as does this new book. Thanks for the giveaway. Kuzlin at aol.com

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    1. Thanks for posting. I hope you enjoy the cookies and the book.

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  5. Both the book and the cookies sound wonderful. I plan to try both! :) Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy of your book! rencw@verizon.net

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  6. Easier way to cook and a great mystery, what better combination is there?

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  7. Thank you. Happy reading and eating!

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  8. Sounds great, can't wait to read it

    debbiec1313@yahoo.com

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  9. sounds delish!! both the series and the recipe!! thank you!

    annie

    mysandycat@aol.com

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  10. The cookies sound delicious. I love cranberries in cookies.

    cozyupwithkathy at gmail dot com

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    Replies
    1. I'm a cranberry fan too. Thanks for your comment.

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  11. I like cranberry oatmeal cookies.
    sgiden at Verizon dot net

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  12. The 5 ingredient recipes and the cookies sound relish. Congratulations on the new book.
    Grace dot Koshida at gmail dot com

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  13. Love a new book with food and death. Can't wait to read them. Oatmeal cookies are my favorite cookie of all times. cathyjoenk@charter.net

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  14. Mmmm, Oatmeal cookies are my favorite and to be eaten while reading a new book, pure heaven.
    rjprazak6@gmail.com

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    1. Reading and eating--who could ask for a better way to spend the day? Thank you for your comment.

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  15. I always have oatmeal, pecans, and cranberries in my cupboard so this could become a go-to recipe for me.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

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    1. It's certainly one of my standby recipes. Thanks for commenting.

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  16. I would love to try your book. suefoster109@netzero.net

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  17. The story sounds great as do the cookies. I look forward to reading it and enjoying some yummy oatmeal cookies. Thanks!

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

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    1. Thanks for commenting. I hope you like the cookies and the book.

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  18. Sounds fantastic, thank you for the chance ;)
    jslbrown2009(at)aol(dot)com

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  19. Thank you for visiting and adding a comment.

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  20. I can't wait to try the cookies and the book! Jlsbookclub (at) nc (dot) rr (dot) com

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    1. I hope you enjoy both. Thank you for commenting.

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  21. The recipe and the book both sound great!!

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  22. Yes, they both look yummy. I might "cheat" and add chocolate chips, too.
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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  23. I love the idea of grandpa cooking! Your book sounds terrific and I'll try the cookies since oatmeal-raisin is my very favorite.
    kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

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  24. Who doesn't love cookies and a mystery? I think it's going to be a hoot reading about Grandpa in the kitchen, too.

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  25. Thank you for commenting. I hope you like the book and the cookies.

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  26. What an interesting idea to use 5 ingredients to focus a mystery around. I love a got mystery that includes recipes too. robeader53@yahoo.com

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  27. This debut sounds captivating and wonderful. Thanks. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  28. Welcome, Maya! Your timing couldn't be more perfect. I saw fresh cranberries at the store two days ago and pounced on them! Best of luck with your book. Such a cute title!

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  29. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  30. I love mysteries with recipes. Looking forward to this series.
    amp67 (at) mchsi (dot) com

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    1. I hope you enjoy the book. Thank you for commenting.

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  31. Looking forward to this series!

    diannej at mpinet dot net

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  32. Welcome to the Kitchen, Maya! Big congrats on the launch of your brand new mystery series. "Five Ingredients" is a fantastically fun concept for a culinary mystery, and I'm looking forward to reading it--WITH a plate of your cookies by my elbow, thank you very much! I'm loving all the fall harvest flavors and looking forward to baking up a batch. Thanks for spending time with us today and have a lovely Sunday.

    ~ Cleo

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    1. Thank you for welcoming as a guest to the Kitchen. I grew up in New York and love how you capture the neighborhood feel in your mystery series. Most people think of NYC as an impersonal urban area, but it's really just a bunch of small towns. Thanks also for your kind comments.

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  33. The oatmeal cookies sound like ideal treat for sitting down on a winter evening and reading By Cook and By Crook.

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  34. I appreciate your comment. I warn you, though, those cookies are addictive.

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  35. I've printed out the recipe. Those cookies sound amazing!!

    harbingerdc (at) gmail.com

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  36. My husband *loves* oatmeal cookies! I need to make these for him this weekend!

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  37. Thank you for the recipe. I love oatmeal cookies! The book sounds fabulous, I can't wait to read it.

    Kit3247(at)aol(dot)com

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  38. I appreciate your comments. Thank you.

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  39. I love culinary mysteries and am looking forward to checking out the Five Ingredient series. dboer1222@gmail.com

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  40. Sounds like a great book. The cookies sound great too!
    Dnrocker @yahoo.com

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  41. reneejr@earthlink.net

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  42. Love oatmeal cookies - thanks for the recipe. Congratulations on your debut - love culinary cozies!

    jtcgc at yahoo dot com

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  43. In this fast-paced life we live and the desire for home cooking, the 5-ingredient recipes is just the ticket. Looking forward to reading the first book in this new series and making some of the recipes.
    llblalock @ prodigy dot net

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  44. Book sounds great. The cookie recipe has 3 of my husband's favorite ingredients. ..oatmeal, pecans and cranberries. Would love a copy of the book benglish@whro.net

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  45. Congrats on your 1st mystery soon it will be 1 year and it will be your 3rd mystery and it will be as easy as your Oatmeal cookies. I can't wait to read and review your new book and thank you for the recipe.ptclayton2@aol.com

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  46. Looks like I have another "cozy" series to read!
    jlhanson302@hotmail.com

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  47. I can't wait to try the cookies, they sound yummy. I am looking forward to reading your book it sounds right up my alley. Thank-you for the opportunity to win a copy. kittygirl15401@yahoo.com

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  48. Sounds like a fun series, and one I get to start at the beginning. Good luck! And those cookies sound yummy. debmeldrum@gmail.com

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  49. Sounds great.I would love to win this book.jackie_tessnair@yahoo.com

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  50. Thank you. I'm overwhelmed by everyone's response. I really appreciate the kind words and good wishes. May we all have happy reading and eating this evening.
    Maya

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  51. This sounds like a great new cozy series.
    dotkel50@comcast.net

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  52. First of all, I would like to wish you much success in the writing field and want to congratulate you on your debut novel. What a fun concept; 5 ingredients!!. I have a friend who will only make 5 ingredient (or less) recipes, so this book should be perfect for her especially. :) I am a huge cozy mystery fan and was so happy to read about another series that sounds so inviting.

    Here is a hint about cookies, (extra cookies) which you may already use yourself, Maya. If you have too many cookies (it CAN happen, right?) or if you have cookies that you want or need to use up, you can pulse them in the food processor until you have coarse crumbs and then add enough butter to make a nice crumb crust for a cold ingredient pie filling.. Almost all kinds of homemade cookies work for a crust for an ice cream pie or a base for a cream pie and since the cookies were already baked, you usually don't have to bake the crust. Just fill and refrigerate. I guess that would then be classified as a two ingredient recipe!!!!

    I would be very pleased to be the recipient of your new book and would love to read and post reviews for it. Thank you so much.

    Sincerely,
    Cynthia

    ceblain(AT)tmlponline(DOT)net

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  53. Yummy! I've been waiting for this series fr awhile. So excited it's release is right around the corner. Would love to win! Fingers crossed!
    Scouts579 (at)aol(dot)com

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  54. Anita13dwayne5@hotmail.com

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  55. Sounds like another culinary mystery author to look forward to, love these types of stories and love the recipes being included, have made many,

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  56. can't wait to try your cookies. jchizmar01@windstream.net

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  57. LOVE 1st cozies!!! thank you for the giveaway!!
    will pass the recipe along to others!!!

    cyn209 at juno dot com

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  58. Congrats on your new book! I love culinary-themed cozies! The oatmeal cookies look great; I'm definitely going to have to try your recipe.

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  59. I forgot to leave my email. It's tcuevas@iccable.com

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  60. Congratulations, and great good luck with the book (which I would love to read, by the way)—thanks for the opportunity to win a copy!

    skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net

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  61. I have not read a book by this author and I need to follow a new cozy author and buy some books, I could of course start with this book.
    Thanks for the chance to win this great novel.

    cenya2 at Hotmail dot com

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  62. That looks like a fun read! Congratulations!!

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  63. Looking at all the comments I see that many others think this series is starting out with a "must have" book. This really does appeal to my reader self and my kitchen self.
    celtic_rayne3@charter.net

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  64. Candace7399@aol.com. this book sounds very good. Cant wait to read it

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  65. Thanks to everyone who left a comment today. I'm grateful for your support. I also want to express my gratitude to Lucy and the other writers in the Kitchen for inviting me to post on this great blog. --Maya

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  66. Looks like a fun new series. I enjoy culinary cozies. gibsonbk at hiwaay dot net

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  67. Yum, that cookie recipe looks delicious. The book sounds like the beginning of a fun new series.

    kaye.killgore@comcast.net

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  68. Sounds like a great book! I am cooking-challenged and could benefit from a keep it simple cooking cozy! Jeaniedannheim at ymail dot com

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  69. yum! both the book and the cookies woofmew@aol.com

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  70. Welcome and thank you for a new family favorite receipe. I adore culinary cozies !

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  71. Seascapelife@gmail.com

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  72. This looks wonderful! Thank you! rockergoddess2002@yahoo.com

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  73. I wanna win!! fittingintovegan@yahoo.com

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  74. This is just my kind of book! AND the cookies look so good I could pluck one right off the page. Guess I'll just have to make some myself. peanutpet@aol.com

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  75. I love oatmeal cranberry cookies but I leave all nuts out - doesn't go well with dentures. Although my husband would love nuts in it as they are good for diabetics. I would love to win and review your book. jrs362@hotmail.com

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