Sunday, February 26, 2017

Ooh, Muffins! Guest Lynn Cahoon and a #bookgiveaway


LESLIE: I met today's guest, Lynn Cahoon, last fall at Bouchercon in New Orleans, where we shared a panel talking about food in mysteries. She writes the Tourist Trap mysteries, featuring Jill Gardner and the crew from South Cove, CA, and the brand new Cat Latimer mysteries, set in small town Aspen Hills, Colorado, where Cat runs a B&B and writers' retreats The second Cat Latimer mystery, FATALITY BY FIRELIGHT, comes out on Tuesday!

Leave a comment below for a chance to win the first in the series, A STORY TO KILL!  

LYNN: Muffins. They were the first thing we made in Intro to Home Economics my freshman year. We learned not to stir this batter too much as it loses the air that keeps muffins light and fluffy. Yet, you have to stir them just enough or you’ll get a mouth full of baking powder.

It took a lot of practice but I played with muffin recipes after school until I could mix up most anything into a batter. This one I call the kitchen sink recipe.

When I started writing my versions of a bed and breakfast mixed with a writer’s retreat in the Cat Latimer mysteries, my enjoyment of different breakfast breads came in handy. I’d love to be Shauna and be able to try out new recipes to wow the guests.

Shauna’s Special Chocolate Chip Muffins

Pre-heat oven to 400. Grease 12 muffin tins (or use spray oil).

Mix into a large bowl
· 2 cups all-purpose flour
· 1⁄3 cup light-brown sugar, packed
· 1⁄3 cup sugar
· 2 teaspoons baking powder
· 1⁄2 teaspoon salt


In a separate bowl, mix
· 2⁄3 cup milk
· 1⁄2 cup butter, melted and cooled
· 2 eggs, lightly beaten
· 1 teaspoon vanilla

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix together, but don’t over mix.

Add
· 2 cups (one 12-ounce package) semi-sweet chocolate chips
· 1⁄2 cup walnuts, chopped
· 1/2 cup dried cranberries


Pour into prepared muffin tin and bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool. Enjoy!



Leave a comment with your email address for a chance to win the first book in the series, A STORY TO KILL, by midnight Monday, Feb 27. (US addresses only, please.) 

From the cover of FATALITY BY FIRELIGHT:

Cat Latimer’s Colorado bed-and-breakfast plays host to writers from all over. But murder is distinctly unwelcome . . .
To kick off a winter writing retreat, Cat and her handyman boyfriend, Seth, escort the aspiring authors to a nearby ski resort, hoping some fresh cold air will wake up their creative muses. But instead of hitting the slopes, they hit the bar—and before long, a tipsy romance novelist named Christina is keeping herself warm with a local ski bum who might have neglected to tell her about his upcoming wedding.

Next thing Cat knows, her uncle, the town sheriff, informs her that the young man’s been found dead in a hot tub—and Christina shows up crying and covered in blood. Now, between a murder mystery, the theft of a rare Hemingway edition, and the arrival of a black-clad stranger in snowy Aspen Hills, Cat’s afraid everything’s going downhill . . .


Lynn Cahoon is the author of the NYT and USA Today best-selling Tourist Trap cozy mystery series. GUIDEBOOK TO MURDER, book 1 of the series, won the Reader's Crown for Mystery Fiction in 2015. She's also pens the Cat Latimer series. A STORY TO KILL, and FATALITY IN FIRELIGHT are available in mass market paperback. She lives in a small town like the ones she loves to write about with her husband and two fur babies. Sign up for her newsletter at www.lynncahoon.com and find her on Facebook and Goodreads.







65 comments:

  1. Ah, so now we know the secret of Kat's muffins! Yummy!

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    1. Muffins look so easy, but they are tricky little buggers. :)

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  2. The muffins sound delicious; and I would LOVE to read the book! EMS591@aol.com

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  3. Lord, I love muffins! And I love the name of the book! Injennius@yahoo.com

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  5. Reading and baking are my two most favorite things!

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  6. I need more muffins! I already own this book, but wanted to say that it is a fantastic read. I can't take the agony of waiting until Tuesday for the next book! Lol. Thank you for your generous giveaways. =)

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  7. Thanks for the muffin recipe! Sounds yummy! Love your books! Looking forward to the new series. Dspinlexo@aol.com

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  8. I like the addition of cranberries and nuts. Guess it's muffins for breakfast today! amysue511(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Hi Amy, In a perfect world, muffins are always on the menu.

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  9. Yum Muffins...this would be good to me for breakfast.Nothing wrong with chocolate right? The book sounds great too...thank you for the contest.
    Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com

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  10. Well I am ready to bake a d be booked in Lynn's contest.

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  11. I love any kind of muffins, thanks for the secret to making them great. I love your mystery books they are always a great read. Thanks as always for your generosity. lindamay4852@yahoo.com

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  12. I like muffins but I've never tried making them
    sgiden at verizon(.)net

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  13. Muffins in the morning for me! Thanks for the recipe and a chance to win a fun new book! We don have any if your books in our library, if I win, this will be the first!
    Flirence dot Evans 60 at gmail dot com

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  14. Haven't had muffins n awhile will need to try. pwtish171@gmail.com

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  15. Looking forward to muffins with a new book. -mollie. IEMERCEDEZ@AOL.COM

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  16. Great post book looks good would love to read. Recipe looks delish. Thanks for the recipe. And for a chance to get the book. Della at deepotter (at) peoplepc (dot) com

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  17. Welcome, Lynn! We're delighted to have you as our guest today. Now, pass one of those muffins through the screen to me, and all will be well!

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  18. Wonderful recipe which I would love. Great post. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  19. I love all kinds of muffins and yours sound delicious! Thank you for a chance to win a book. Always looking for new authors. crossxjo @hotmail. com

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  20. Thanks for this lovely recipe and great book. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  21. I love making muffins! They are yummy all day long, for any reason and great to share. Thanks for the recipe! I love your books!!!!!
    Awilcox1182@gmail.com

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  22. The muffins sound tasty. I took my first home ec class in 7th grade. Somewhere I still have my recipes hanging around. They were always simple but tasty. I would love to win a copy of A STORY TO KILL. Thanks for the chance.
    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

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  23. Thanks for such an easy recipe & a great giveaway. doward1952(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  24. Love the recipe. Sounds like great cozy mystery.

    xzjh04@gmail.com

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  25. I love making muffins---must try this recipe.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

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  26. The muffins look great. Thanks for a chance to win a copy of your book. elainehroberson@gmail.com

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  27. That recipe sounds delicious! And this series sounds like one I could definitely fall in love with! ericaplee@yahoo.com

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  28. These muffins look very goos -- and easy. Thank you. I'd love to win your giveaway. Michele.vanepps@gmail.com

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  29. The muffins sound great and so does the book.
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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  30. amy guillaume lindermanFebruary 26, 2017 at 4:21 PM

    mmm going to make these this weekend! would love a new book! aelinderman@sbcglobal.net

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  31. Sounds great. Haven't made muffins in a while so I will get on these soon lsum1258@aol.com

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  32. I love muffins and the ones with cranberries and nuts are my favorite.
    marlene(dot)ezell(at)gmail(dot)com

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  33. Sounds like a good snack to eat while reading the book!!!

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  34. Dang it! I haven't had lunch yet and now I want muffins. Shoot. I shall console myself with reading and looking forward to more of your books :). Rbehling1916@yahoo.com

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  35. I took home ec too but my weird teacher did not have us bake muffins, darn it! So what is the secret to stir enough but not too much?
    patdupuy@yahoo.com

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  36. My email address is sandylip12@gmail.com always looking for a good author. I love doing reviews. Keep me in mind.

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  37. Muffins, coffee and a good book = best day of the week. cristinaalaska@gmail.com Thank you!

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  38. Great looking muffins, will have to try them. This is a new series to me and I would really like to start it from the beginning.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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    Replies
    1. "Begin at the very beginning. It's a very good place to start! If you read you begin with ABC..." :)

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    2. For this series, the beginning is A Story to Kill. :)

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  39. I am ready for muffins and a book now! Thanks for chance. Janngrogan@yahoo.com

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  40. Muffins with a fruit addition are often served for breakfast in our home. You are right;they can be touchy to make from scratch.Thank you for sharing your recipe.. servedogmomATyahooDOTcom

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  41. These muffins look delish! Thank you for the chance to win. pgenest57 at aol dot com

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  42. Thanks for the chance to win! I didn't know NOT to stir muffins too much. I stir mine tons. Good to know now.
    nerdsrgood AT msn DOT com

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  43. Hello!! Yum, Yum! Thanks for the recipe! :-) I had Home Economics in 7th grade and made a sweatshirt....still have it! I've never worn it, but I still so proud of my "masterpiece!" Hehe! Thank you so much for this giveaway! I would love to win this...fingers crossed!
    tarafarah7(at)gmail(dot)com

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  44. The muffins sound great, going to try making them tomorrow. Thank you for the chance to win a new book. excited!!! embam1969@comcast.net

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  45. Great synopsis of the book. Putting it on my list to read. As for Home Ec, I can't remember what we first learned to cook, but I will give credit to Home Ec for teaching me how to sew. dbahn(at)iw(dot)net

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  46. I've put this book on my list. The plot sounds great. As for Home Ec, I learned to sew in Home Ec. I'd already learned about muffins in 4-H dbahn(atiw(dot)net

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    1. 4H - we had it, but I wasn't part. I did get my Gold award for Girl Scouts though.

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  47. The muffins sound delicious. Zeta(at)iwon(dot)com

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  48. I need to try making these muffins! Thanks! emmasmom69 AT gmail DOT com

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  49. Well, now I think I know what I will make for our next cozy book club treats! They look delicious. s_snively-at-hotmail.com

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  50. The muffins look like a perfect treat to go with reading a good mystery book!
    traceyr1984@msn.com

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  51. Please enter me.
    clarksrfun at gmail dot com

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  52. I love the recipe and also would love to win the print book that Lynn is giving away i am stalking her all over to get a print book. ptclayton2@aol.com disabled and can't use ebook etc or any tech so print is for me!

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  53. The pancakes are delicious and I can't put your books down! Thank you!

    Mwerb

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