Mystery Lovers' Kitchen: Cheese Pops + book #giveaway from author @AveryAames

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Cheese Pops + book #giveaway from author @AveryAames

As Gouda As Dead is out. Reviews have been great. Thanks to all the bloggers and reviewers on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and elsewhere for your fabulous support!

“As Gouda as Dead by Avery Aames was a solid cozy mystery that had me guessing from the beginning to the end. It was well-written and didn’t give away the identity of ‘whodunit’ until the end of the story."

~ Brooke Blogs

“I have not read any of this series but absolutely love Avery Aames other series under the name of Daryl Wood Gerber. I know I am putting the first 5 of this series on my wish list for sure. This is a super read, with amazing characters, a wonderful town and the writing is stellar."

~Kayt18 on Alibris

“I’d recommend you have some napkins handy while reading this one. The food described in these pages is delicious. I swear I could smell and taste it and my mouth was watering. There are some wonderful recipes included at the end, so be sure to check them out.”

~Laura

To celebrate the launch, AND VALENTINE'S DAY...you do know we have a special Valentine page, over on the left. With special Valentine's menus. See it? Or here's the link: VALENTINE'S PAGE...

And I'm offering another giveaway today - a Say Cheese mug filled with sweet kisses!

See details below.

I loved writing As Gouda As Dead. I got to take Charlotte on another leg of life's journey. She had to face many challenges. As she goes through them, so do I. Which makes me eat more. Or certainly crave cheese more. So I came up with this recipe and attributed it to one of my favorite characters: Tyanne. If you don't know, Tyanne is a good friend of Charlotte. She started out as an assistant at the Cheese Shop and is now the premier wedding planner in town. Tyanne and her family migrated from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Not soon after, her husband dumped her (the rat). But she is resilient and determined to make a better life for herself. No matter what personal dramas she faces, she will survive. I think many of us can learn from Tyanne's strength.

These quickie appetizers are simple and easy. And as always is the case during a book release, they are cheese-y! :)

Enjoy.

CHEESE POPS

À la Tyanne

(makes 12)

1 8-ounce container mascarpone cheese

2 tablespoons honey

½ cup craisins

½ cup sunflower seeds

8 ounces Gouda, shredded, room temperature

Put all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Using your hands, form the mixture into balls. Insert a white lollipop-style stick. Set the pops, cheese-side down, on parchment paper and return to the refrigerator to harden.

When ready to serve, cut a piece of Styrofoam to fit into a serving bowl or basket. Cover the Styrofoam with a piece of parchment. Make 12 slits in the parchment. Shove the cheese pops, stick-side down, through the slits into the Styrofoam. Bring to room temperature and serve.

[Note from Tyanne: These are so easy to make, even my children could do it. In fact, it’s a fun activity for families. If you prefer, you can always substitute the craisins with raisins and the sunflower seeds with a nut of your choice. Pecans are my favorite. If you’re not a Gouda fan, try another cheese that you like, for example, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, or Havarti. Savor the flavors!]

GIVEAWAY

And now for that giveaway. I'm giving away a cute Say Cheese mug plus some swag! Tell me, do you try out new recipes when you have company over, or do you test them first?

Leave your email so I can reach you if you win. If you don't feel like leaving an entire email, you can go cryptic and I'll try to figure it out. I am a mystery writer, after all. I will not use your email for any other purpose other than to contact the winner. I'll pick a name tomorrow morning. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me.