Today, on this special Eve of the year, we're delighted to welcome our friend Vicki Delany who quite appropriately writes the Year-Round Christmas Mysteries. Besides having a delicious and easy recipe for a mouth-watering appetizer, in case you're caught off-guard, Vicki is also having a draw to give away a copy of the latest book in this series, HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SLAY! Read on....
If you think your Christmas week is busy, consider Merry
Wilkinson. Merry owns Mrs. Claus’s Treasures, a decor and gift shop in Rudolph,
New York, your Year Round Christmas Destination.
The shop is busy all year round, but everything climaxes on Christmas Eve. In the days leading up to Christmas, Rudolph is packed with holiday-loving tourists, many of whom are so busy enjoying all the winter festivities they forgot to finish their shopping – until Christmas Even. Not to mention the other Rudolph shop and business owners, who also suddenly remember that they still have gifts to buy.
Last year, Merry invited everyone in her family and several
friends for dinner, forgetting that she isn’t much of a cook and that she lives
in a very small apartment.
“If you don’t have plans for Christmas dinner,” I said
without thinking, “I’d love to have you join us. My brother, Chris, will be
home, and Mom and Dad and some of their friends are coming to my place.”
Christmas was now three days away. Not only did I not have enough plates for
twelve guests—now thirteen—I had forgotten to order a turkey or a roast; I had
not thought about chairs or dishes in which to serve the sides. I would be
working until three on Christmas Eve, the same time as all the other shops
closed.
“I think I’m already invited,” Alan said. “When your
mom heard that my parents are visiting my aunt in Phoenix this year, so my
brothers aren’t coming home, she said I would be joining them. It wasn’t a
question. She didn’t tell me we were going to your place.”
“I’m thinking pizza,” I said, “or Chinese. On paper
plates on laps. While Mattie tries to climb into said laps.”
“Sounds absolutely perfect.”
“My dad won’t think so.”
We Wish You a Murderous Christmas by Vicki Delany
This
year Merry intends to plan ahead, but just in case that doesn’t happen, this
warm appetizer is perfect for Merry, and anyone else, who needs something
super-fast and easy to put together for those last-minute visitors who bring a
few other guests, because “you won’t mind”.
Vicki Delany’s Last
Minute Warm Cranberry Brie Appetizer
Ingredients:
½ cup crushed whole berry cranberry sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 shot of rum
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 (8oz) Brie
2 tbsp pecans
Method:
Combine first four ingredients. Peel off top rind of Brie.
Top brie with cranberry mixture and sprinkle with pecans. Bake at 500 F for 4 -5 minutes.
Serve immediately
with sliced baguette or crackers.
The town of Rudolph celebrates Christmas all year round. In the
third book in the series, Hark the Herald
Angels Slay, it’s Christmas in July and the town is preparing for the
semi-annual Santa Claus parade when Santa will arrive by boat to begin his
summer vacation at the lake. But someone
else shows up unexpectedly, and brings murder with him.
Vicki Delany /Eva
Gates is one
of Canada’s most varied crime writers and a national bestseller in the
U.S. Her latest book is Hark
the Herald Angels Slay, a Year-Round Christmas Mystery from Penguin
Random House. Look for The Cat of the Baskervilles, the third
in the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series from Crooked Lane in Feb 2018
Vicki is having a draw for a signed copy of HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SLAY! Just leave a comment along with your email address and your name might be drawn for this really fun read.
Great appetizer; and I'd love to read the book. Wishing you an early Merry Christmas! EMS591@aol.com
ReplyDeleteThis would be a nice Christmas surprise! Thanks.
ReplyDeletebrowninggloria at hotmail
Thanks for the quick appetizer recipe. Happy holidays and Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeletegrace dot koshida at gmail dot com
Thanks for sharing the recipe! Looking forward to The Catif the Baskervilles! MerryChristmas 🎄dspinlexo@aol.com
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas.
ReplyDeletesgiden at verizon(.)net
Yummy appetizer, thanks for sharing! And thanks for the chance to win a copy of the book! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeletekaren(dot)kenyon(at)rogers(dot)com
Enjoyed the post. Looks to be a great read. Thanks for the recipe. Will have to try. And thanks for a chance to get the book sooner.
ReplyDeleteDella at deepotter (at) peoplepc (dot) com
Looks yummy!!! Merry Christmas...joanie13b@outlook.com
ReplyDeleteEnticing recipe. Vicki's books are entertaining, captivating and special. Merry Christmas. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteBlush
DeleteThanks for the recipe which I would eat with the baguette. my favorite snack food. The book sounds intriguing and perfect. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteBetter get your baguettes early everyone. I just went to the specialty bakery here in Ottawa where I'm spending the holiday and they are sold out. Merry Christmas to everyone.
ReplyDeleteWe plan on taking a baked brie item to our family's gathering. Very similar to this recipe!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas! Thank you for the brie appetizer recipe. I think it'll be a hit at our family's Christmas gathering on Christmas Day. I'm all for Christmas year 'round so I'm looking forward to getting to know the people & happenings in Rudolph. lnchudej@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteYum! I love baked brie, and I bet it tastes amazing with cranberries. Thanks for visiting Mystery Lovers' Kitchen and sharing your recipe with us! bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recipe. It sounds delicious. And, thanks for the opportunity to enter for the chance to win a copy of your book, too.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas. lkish77123 at gmail dot com
Think I'll try your brie appetizer for New Year's Eve. Looks delicious! Happy Holidays! lola777_22 at hotmail dot com
ReplyDeleteLove this recipe & series. Thanks for sharing the recipe & the giveaway. doward1952(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteYou can never have too many quick appetizers. This one looks yummy.
ReplyDeleteturtle6422(at)gmail(dot)com
You say Brie, but the container says Camembert, not that it makes much of a difference.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly looks pretty.
libbydodd at comcast dot net
That's not the container. It's a serving dish
DeleteI think I just found the perfect use for a can of cranberries left over from Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeletesuefarrell.farrell@gmail.com
Glad to be of help
DeleteGreat recipe! I would make this for any gathering. Thanks for the giveaway and Merry Christmas! aut1063(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI love baked Brie. This looks amazing and yummy! Thank you for shati! jusjan94 at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteYum! That practically has me drooling! I'll add this for New Year's Eve. We usually do hot appetizers and finger foods. Thank you! Meg85242 (at) gmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteIt will fit in perfectly but must be served as soon as it comes out of the oven
DeleteFun, festive, quick and classy. I love that in foods I can serve. And the book series sounds like it would hit the spot perfectly, too!
ReplyDeletelittle lamb lst at yahoo dot com
Merry Christmas and thank you for sharing the recipe!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas! I think the Warm Cranberry Brie Appetizer sounds yummy and be delicious eating while reading HARK THE HERALD ANGELS SLAY. :) Thanks for the chance to win a copy!
ReplyDelete2clowns at arkansas dot net
Merry Christmas from my house to yours...thank you the chance.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com
Yum, I love cranberries! What an easy, yet elegant, appetizer idea. Thanks for sharing this recipe and for the giveaway. I love the Year-Round Christmas Mysteries. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI love brie this sounds like an awesome appetizer. I might make it tomorrow I have all the ingredients. Thank you for sharing and the chance to win. Lamonicaks at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteThat looks so good. Is the rind edible?
ReplyDeleteseffichinchilla@outlook.com
It is edible, but might be a bit tough
DeleteMerry Christmas to all and many thanks to the MLK gang for hosting me
ReplyDelete