Showing posts with label Daryl Wood Gerber. Show all posts

Sunday, April 20, 2025

Please Welcome Guest Daryl Wood Gerber! #Giveaway

Peg: I am thrilled to welcome my good friend Daryl Wood Gerber (AKA Avery Aames) to the blog today. At one time, Daryl was a founding member of Mystery Lovers Kitchen and I'm thrilled to see her back again today with a delicious recipe for a green smoothie.

DARYL: I’ve been busy the past year. A TWINKLE OF TROUBLE, the 5^th in the Fairy Garden Mysteries, came out in the spring. Then MURDER ON THE PAGE, the 1st in the LITERARY DINING MYSTERIES came out in October. And now, in March, the 1^st in the AROMA WELLNESS MYSTERIES came out! Lots of writing. Lots of editing. Lots of fun.

In ESSENCE OF FOUL PLAY, Emma Brennan is opening a day spa along with a gift shop and café. It’s located in a charming courtyard in Carmel-by-the-Sea. At the spa, customers will enjoy massages, facials, mindful meditations, and more. In the shop, customers can browse geodes, gemstones, and wind chimes, as well as aromatic candles and meditative guides. In the café, the chef creates “good-for-you” treats. Anything from protein bars and healthy muffins to chewy cookies made with honey and power-packed smoothies. The whole vibe is supposed to bring calm to not only the spa’s customers, but to you, the reader, as well. Yes, a murder might be in the mix, but relax. All’s well that ends well.

You might not think this smoothie is for you, particularly because it’s a “green” drink. Also, it’s made with kale, and kale can be quite bitter on its own. But fret not! The green is a minty green—quite pretty! AND You won’t taste any bitterness. The pineapple, banana, and honey make sure of that. This smoothie keeps me going all day long. I hope you’ll give it a try.

Big hint: I purchased a Ninja blender which is a perfect size for making single or double smoothies. It’s super powerful and easy to clean.

Enjoy.

Kale-Banana Protein Smoothie

(Yield: 1)

1/2 cup chopped ice

2 cups kale, chopped, no stems

3/4 cups milk

1 medium-sized banana chopped

1/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt

¼ cup pineapple chunks

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon protein powder (coconut protein powder is great!)

1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter, if desired

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Easy peasy.

Emma Brennan may have her head in a cloud of eucalyptus, but her feet are firmly planted on the ground in breathtaking Carmel, California, as she prepares to open her new spa business, Aroma Wellness. But all the reiki, shiatsu, and massage in the world can’t help her relax when she’s accused of murder . . .

Everything is going smoothly as Emma prepares for the grand opening of the spa. The sales shop and café are stocked with meditative and delicious goodies, from essential oils to avocado masks and pricky pear massages. In fact, there isn’t a whiff of trouble until that morning when Emma is shocked to learn that a rival spa owner has been bludgeoned . . . with an item from the goodwill basket Emma gave her. Worse, a witness is pointing the finger at Emma . . .

With the police treating Emma like she’s the only suspect,

she’s left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Incensed by the accusation, but empowered by her cousin, her nana, and her trusted Birman cat, Vivi, Emma reviews the potpourri of possible suspects, determined to uncover the essence of foul play—before she’s cold-pressed for murder

BIO:

Daryl Wood Gerber is the Agatha Award-winning and nationally bestselling author of the Literary Dining Mysteries, Aroma Wellness Mysteries, Fairy Garden Mysteries and Cookbook Nook Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes suspense novels, including the well-received The Son’s Secret, Girl on the Run, and the popular Aspen Adams trilogy. Daryl has published a standalone Christmas romance, Hope for the Holidays, and her short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies. Fun Tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote.” She loves to cook, garden, read, and walk her frisky Goldendoodle. Also she has been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. You can learn more on her website: https://darylwoodgerber.com

GIVEAWAY

A choice of A TWINKLE OF TROUBLE, MURDER ON THE PAGE, or ESSENCE OF FOUL PLAY, paper or e-book to one commenter.

LINKS:

WEBSITE: https://darylwoodgerber.com

FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/darylwoodgerber

BOOKBUB: https://bookbub.com/authors/daryl-wood-gerber

YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/woodgerb1

INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/darylwoodgerber

GOODREADS: https://goodreads.com/darylwoodgerber

BLUE SKY: @darylwoodgerber.bsky.social

AMAZON: amazon: https://bit.ly/Daryl_Wood_Gerber_page

https://bit.ly/3SenzVy

NEWSLETTER: https://darylwoodgerber.com/contact-media/

Thursday, November 7, 2024

A Chocolate Trifle #recipe from author Daryl Wood Gerber

Today, we're thrilled to invite our old blogmate, Daryl Wood Gerber, back to blog with us! She comes bearing chocolate...welcome Daryl!

DARYL WOOD GERBER: I recall asking my editor when I wrote my first cozy mystery, The Long Quiche Goodbye, the initial installment in the Cheese Shop Mysteries (which I penned as Avery Aames), what kinds of recipes she wanted. It was a no-brainer that they would contain cheese. She said she’d like me to make a couple of easy ones, a few medium-difficulty ones, and some hard ones. That way all my readers who enjoy recipes would be happy. To this day, I still think about that advice when I’m coming up with recipes to include in a book. I’d like my readers to try them if they choose, but the difficult ones or the ones requiring a lot of steps can be daunting.

For Murder on the Page, the 1st Literary Dining Mystery, which debuted October 22, I researched recipes made during the Regency Era. Why that era? Because my protagonist Allie is using Pride and Prejudice as the book theme for the memorial she’ll put on for a dear friend who absolutely adored Jane Austen books. She wants to serve dishes from that era and is encouraging attendees to wear period costumes if they like. I came up with Maids of Honor (many steps and is on my website), Delightful Trifle (many many steps), and White Soup, (way too many steps but delicious!). White soup is mentioned in Pride and Prejudice. However, I also decided to include a recipe that Helga, the cook at Allie’s friend’s B&B, makes because it is too good to pass up, and it’s easy! Really easy. Messy, for sure. But kids and chocoholics will love it.

Do you like to experiment with recipes? Do long recipes overwhelm you?

I’ll give a copy of the book (e-book or hardcover) and swag to one commenter. Or if the winner has already purchased it, the winner may choose another of my published books.

HELGA’S SUPER EASY TRIPLE CHOCOLATE TRIFLE + CARAMEL TOPPING

(Yield: 8 portions)

1 brownie mix, prepared and cooled, cubed (*may be gluten-free)

1 4-ounce chocolate instant pudding, prepared

½ cup caramel topping, store-bought or homemade *see recipe below

2 Snickers candy bars, chopped

2 Heath or Skor bars, chopped

1 16-ounce frozen whipped topping, thawed

In a large glass trifle dish or a glass bowl, layer 1/3—1/2 of the cubed brownie, then half of the pudding, then half of the caramel topping, then 1 of the chopped Snickers bars, and 1 of the chopped Heath bars. Top with half of the whipped topping.

Repeat the layers in the same order, reserving a few bits of the Snickers and Heath or Skor bars for decoration on top of the final layer of whipped topping.

Refrigerate at least 6 hours.

HOMEMADE CARAMEL TOPPING

(Yield: 2–3cups)

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup dark corn syrup

1 can sweetened condensed milk

½ cup margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat until the mixture reaches 235 degrees F on a candy thermometer.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk, margarine, and vanilla.

Return the pan to the stove and cook, over medium, stirring frequently until the mixtures comes to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.

Store unused caramel topping in a jar in the refrigerator. Heat before reusing. May be heated in the microwave on medium low level. Do not boil.

ABOUT DARYL: Agatha Award-winning author Daryl Wood Gerber is best known for her nationally bestselling mysteries, including the Literary Dining Mysteries, Fairy Garden Mysteries and Cookbook Nook Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes suspense including the well received The Son’s Secret, Girl on the Run, and the popular Aspen Adams suspense novels. Recently Daryl, who loves a challenge, published a Christmas romance, Hope for the Holidays. Fun Tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote.” She loves to cook, garden, read, and walk her frisky Goldendoodle. You can learn more on her website: darylwoodgerber.com

Social Links:

WEBSITE:

FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/darylwoodgerber

BOOKBUB: https://bookbub.com/authors/daryl-wood-gerber

YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/woodgerb1

INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/darylwoodgerber

GOODREADS: https://goodreads.com/darylwoodgerber

TIKTOK: www.tiktok.com/@daryl_wood_gerber

AMAZON: amazon: https://bit.ly/Daryl_Wood_Gerber_page

https://bit.ly/3SenzVy

NEWSLETTER: https://darylwoodgerber.com/contact-media/

ABOUT THE BOOK: It’s a truth universally acknowledged that a genuinely top-notch party must be in want of a theme. Allie Catt, caterer and personal chef in the beautiful mountain community of Asheville, North Carolina, has devised a winning formula by using her clients’ favorite books as inspiration. Her first themed event is based on Pride and Prejudice (Allie’s cat, Darcy, approves), and it’s so popular that soon she has grand ideas for future parties based on Rebecca, The Great Gatsby, Babette’s Feast and more.

Business is booming, and a rival catering company is fuming. But there’s a sting in the tale when the aunt of one of Allie’s clients and best friends, Tegan, is murdered. Tegan is the victim’s sole heir, and quickly becomes the main suspect. Allie has no doubts about her friend’s innocence, but how to prove it?

Once again, Allie’s love of literature comes to the rescue, and with some guidance from her favorite fictional detectives, including Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes, Allie sifts through the clues. With a little luck—and the kind of pluck that would make Elizabeth Bennett proud—she may be able to stop a killer from serving up a second course of murder . . .

Sunday, April 21, 2024

Guest Daryl Wood Gerber #giveaway and Chocolate Mousse Pie #recipe

VMBURNS: I'm super excited to welcome Daryl Wood Gerber back to Mystery Lovers' Kitchen. Daryl is sharing information on her newest book, along with a yummy recipe for Chocolate Mousse Pie and a giveaway!

DARYL: Thank you, Valerie, for having me on Mystery Lovers Kitchen. It’s so good to be back!

Readers, do you love chocolate? Of course you do! Even if you don’t, I’ll bet you know someone who does. Also, if you’re a baker, I’ll bet you like recipes that are easy-peasy. If so, you’re in luck, because I have a super easy recipe to share with you. I’ve included it in my upcoming Fairy Garden Mystery, A TWINKLE OF TROUBLE, the 5^th in the series, in which the murder of Courtney’s friend, Genevieve, casts a pall over the Summer Blooms festival. Working with only a germ of a clue, Courtney will have to overturn every rock to get the dirt on the real killer . . .

For those of you who don’t know what a fairy garden is, think of it as doll-housing for miniature gardens. You can plant fairy gardens in pots, under trees, inside your house. There’s no set rule. They’re fun to make, and they open the possibility to invite magic into your life!

For those who aren’t familiar with the Fairy Garden Mysteries, the series is set in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California and features a fairy garden shop owner, Courtney Kelly and her fairy sidekick, Fiona. In this story, Courtney is dating a restaurateur named Brady Cash, and they discover a new treat at Sweet Treats, a bakery located in the same courtyard as the fairy garden shop, which Courtney named Open Your Imagination. When Courtney tells Brady that she absolutely adores the chocolate mousse pie, he cajoles the recipe out of the baker.

Hurrah! Because now I can share it with you.

FYI, adding coffee or espresso to a chocolate recipe can really enhance the flavor. It deepens its intensity. Note: there are gluten-free chocolate wafers, so that’s an easy substitution for those who need to eat gluten-free. I find mine at Whole Foods, but they’re available online.

Enjoy! And fairy best wishes to you all!

Chocolate Mousse Pie

(Yield: 6 slices)

INGREDIENTS

One 4-ounce package chocolate wafers, broken into pieces (*they do make these gluten-free)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

¼ cup strong brewed coffee or espresso

¾ cup heavy whipping cream

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons sugar

Pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a 6-inch springform pan. Pulse the chocolate wafers in a food processor until finely ground. Add the butter and pulse 3–4 times. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 5 minutes and remove from the oven and let cool.

In the top of a double boiler set over about 2 inches of simmering water, melt the chopped chocolate and the coffee. Remove the bowl form the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

In a medium mixing bowl, whip the cream, vanilla, sugar, and salt with an electric mixer on medium-high until the cream holds stiff peaks. With a spatula, fold the chocolate mixture into the cream, in 3 batches, until nicely blended. Transfer the mixture to the crust and smooth the top. [For this recipe on MLK, I added an additional tablespoon of espresso to the cream mixture. Yum.]

Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours and up to 1 day. To serve, remove the sides of the springform pan and cut the mousse into wedges.

*For a 9-inch springform pan, double the ingredients and prepare as above.

GIVEAWAY

To enter the GIVEAWAY, tell me, what do you like to serve to guests as dessert?

A TWINKLE of TROUBLE

Carmel-by-the-Sea garden shop owner Courtney Kelly sees things others can’t—like fairies, and hidden motives for murder . . .
Courtney is delighted when her tiny friend Fiona returns from the fairy realm, appearing at the base of a Cypress tree. When her Ragdoll cat, Pixie, emerges from her own portal—aka the cat door—the three set off for a busy day. Busier than usual, since Courtney has rented a small plot of land at the Flower Farm, where she hopes to grow her own supplies for her fairy-garden business. Plus, the annual Summer Blooms Festival is coming up, and Courtney has booked a booth . . .
But the murder of Courtney’s friend, Genevieve, casts a pall over the festival. Ever since Genevieve sold her floral business, she’d been building a career as an influencer. She was perennially opinionated—but in her new role she’d become surprisingly vicious, dissing local entrepreneurs with nasty posts and unwarranted bad reviews. That’s landed a couple of Courtney’s other friends on the suspect list—including Flower Farm owner Daphne Flores. And when a second victim is discovered, seeds of doubt about Daphne’s innocence sprout in Courtney’s mind. Working with only a germ of a clue, Courtney will have to overturn every rock to get the dirt on the real killer . . .

Daryl Wood Gerber Bio

Agatha Award-winning author Daryl Wood Gerber is best known for her nationally bestselling mysteries, including the Fairy Garden Mysteries and Cookbook Nook Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes suspense including the well-received The Son’s Secret, Girl on the Run, and the popular Aspen Adams suspense novels. Recently Daryl, who loves a challenge, published a Christmas romance, Hope for the Holidays. Fun Tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote.” She loves to cook, garden, read, and walk her frisky Goldendoodle. Also she has been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. You can learn more on her website: httsp://darylwoodgerber.com

Social Links:

WEBSITE: https://darylwoodgerber.com

FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/darylwoodgerber

BOOKBUB: https://bookbub.com/authors/daryl-wood-gerber

YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/woodgerb1

INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/darylwoodgerber

GOODREADS: https://goodreads.com/darylwoodgerber

TIKTOK: www.tiktok.com/@daryl_wood_gerber

AMAZON: amazon: https://bit.ly/Daryl_Wood_Gerber_page

https://bit.ly/3SenzVy

NEWSLETTER: https://darylwoodgerber.com/contact-media/

Sunday, April 9, 2023

A Flicker of a Doubt and Coffee cake from @DarylWoodGerber

LUCY BURDETTE: We are delighted to have an old friend visiting today with a new book! Please welcome Daryl to talk about all that, plus offer a coffee cake and a giveaway!

DARYL WOOD GERBER: I’m so excited because my latest Fairy Garden Mystery, A FLICKER OF A DOUBT, just came out. What’s a fairy garden? It’s a whimsical miniature garden that tells a story, complete with plants—living or faux—and decked out with fairy figurines as well as structures like fairy houses or castles or huts, swings and slides, and whatever else suits your fancy.

At Open Your Imagination, a fairy garden shop in Carmel-by-the-Sea, a charming town on the coast of California, you will find items to delight your inner child and inspire you to make your own fairy gardens. If you’d like, you can even sign up for a fairy garden class given by the owner, Courtney. On the weekends, Courtney serves afternoon tea. Fairies love tea, and there are fairies that populate my stories. Yes, real fairies. Fiona, a righteous fairy who is in the human world to help humans solve problems, lives in the ficus trees that populate the shop’s lovely covered patio.

I have had such fun making tea treats to include as recipes in the books, like tea cakes, brownies, cookies, and scones. In the fourth edition, I share a gluten-free cinnamon coffee cake recipe. The flavors are warm and inviting; the texture is perfect. Why gluten-free? Because I’m a celiac. *If you want to make this using regular flour, substitute out the flour for the gluten-free flour, and omit the xanthan gum.

Savor the mystery!

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Gluten-free Version

(Yield: 12-24 slices)

For the cake:

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sour cream, divided

3 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

2 2/3 cup gluten-free flour blend (*see blend below)

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces, softened

1 tablespoon cinnamon

For the topping:

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

5 teaspoons milk

Cinnamon for dusting

To make the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an angel food-like tube pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1 cup of the sour cream, and 1 tablespoon of the vanilla.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or in a food processor, mix the gluten-free flour blend, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and xanthan gum until combined. Add the remaining 1/2 cup sour cream and softened butter, and mix until the dry ingredients are moistened and the butter is the size of peas. Gradually add the egg mixture in small portions to the dry mixture, beating after each addition. When it’s all added, scrape down the bowl, and then beat on medium-high until the batter is fluffy, about 1 minute. This will be a thick batter.

Put 1 cup of the batter into a small bowl and add in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and cinnamon.

Pour the regular batter into the tube pan. Drop dollops of the cinnamon batter on top. Using a knife, work the cinnamon batter into the regular batter, swirling so the cinnamon batter will be inside the cake. Don’t overmix.

Bake the cake for 45—55 minutes. Remove from oven and let the cake stand for 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and let cool on a wire rack for an hour.

For the topping:

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk. Pour the glaze evenly over the top of the cooled cake. Dust with cinnamon, if desired.

Tip: Coffee cake is best eaten right after it’s been baked, but you can save this by cutting slices and wrapping them individually in a good saran wrap. It should last at least 3 days, and if frozen, up to 3 months.

Gluten-free Flour Blend: I like to combine 2 cups (less 2 tablespoons) of sweet rice flour and 2/3 cup tapioca starch, plus 2 tablespoons of whey powder. The total will measure 2 2/3 cup of blended flour.

About A FLICKER OF A DOUBT

With a theater foundation tea and an art show planned at Violet Vickers’s estate, Courtney is hired to create charming fairy gardens for the event. It’s not so charming, however, when her best friend Meaghan’s ex-boyfriend turns out to be Violet’s latest artistic protégé. Even worse, not long after Meaghan locks horns with him, his body is found in her yard, bludgeoned with an objet d’murder.

There’s a gallery of suspects, from an unstable former flame to an arts and crafts teacher with a sketchy past. But when the cops focus on Meaghan’s business partner, who’s like a protective older brother to her, and discover he also has a secret financial motive, Courtney decides to draw her own conclusions. Fearing they’re missing the forest for the trees, and with some help from Fiona the sleuthing fairy, she hopes to make them see the light . . .

“Plenty of suspects, gardening tips, and fairy lore combine for a sweet treat.” ~ Kirkus Reviews

Giveaway: Daryl is giving away, to one commenter, a choice of Fairy Garden Mysteries (print or ebook) and a Savor the Mystery tote bag.

About Daryl: Agatha Award-winning author Daryl Wood Gerber is best known for her nationally bestselling mysteries, including the Fairy Garden Mysteries, Cookbook Nook Mysteries, and French Bistro Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes suspense novels and short stories. Fun Tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote.” She loves to cook, fairy garden, and read. She has a frisky Goldendoodle who keeps her in line. And she has been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. You can learn more on her website:

WEBSITE: https://darylwoodgerber.com

FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/darylwoodgerber

BOOKBUB: https://bookbub.com/authors/daryl-wood-gerber

YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/woodgerb1

INSTAGRAM: https//instagram.com/darylwoodgerber

GOODREADS: https://goodreads.com/darylwoodgerber

AMAZON: amazon: https://bit.ly/Daryl_Wood_Gerber_page

NEWSLETTER: https://darylwoodgerber.com/contact-media/

Sunday, April 24, 2022

Guest Daryl Wood Gerber #Giveaway +#Recipe for a Brookie

MAYA: Please welcome back Agatha Award-winning author Daryl Wood Gerber, a former regular on Mystery Lovers Kitchen. She's joining us today with book news, a sweet recipe, and giveaways.

DARYL: Hi. Thank you for having me back on Mystery Lovers Kitchen. I’ve missed all of you so much! I’m excited because there’s a lot to catch up on. I have a new Cookbook Nook Mystery (#11 in series) coming out in a couple of days, SIMMERING WITH RESENTMENT. In June, I have the 3rd Fairy Garden Mystery coming out.

I think many of you have read at least one of the Cookbook Nook Mysteries, and I hope you’ll order this new one and enjoy. A killer’s explosive vengeance may lead to Jenna Hart’s happily never after . . . There are lots of tasty recipes in the book including an ice cream bombe! Watch out for an explosive story!

But today, I’d like to share a bit more about the Fairy Garden Mysteries. How many of you heard of them? They feature Courtney Kelly, the owner of Open Your Imagination, a fairy garden shop in the Cypress and Ivy Courtyard, one of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California’s many courtyards. They also feature Courtney’s sidekick Fiona, a fairy sleuth. Actually, Fiona is a righteous fairy (there are a few other types). She was kicked out of the fairy kingdom for being a bit of an imp, and now, in order to earn her adult wings and return to the kingdom and because she is a righteous fairy, she has to help humans—in particular, Courtney—solve problems.

Open Your Imagination serves tea on the weekends on the patio and often hosts a book club tea. I love drumming up recipes for the teas. Courtney doesn’t make them all. She can cook, but her friend Yvanna, who works at Sweet Treats, another shop in the courtyard, is a baker. She has dreamed up some deliciousness like lemon cupcakes with lavender icing, cinnamon swirl scones, and now brookies, a delicious brownie cookie that has won the hearts of all of Courtney’s customers. Actually, Courtney’s best friend Meaghan came up with the recipe and shared it with Yvanna, but Yvanna has tweaked it to perfection.

So I’d like to share it with you.

But first, what’s A HINT OF MISCHIEF about?

The proprietor of a fairy garden and tea shop in Carmel-by-the-Sea, Courtney Kelly has an occasional side gig as a sleuth—with a sprinkling of magical assistance. . . .

Courtney has thrown a few fairy garden parties—for kids. But if a local socialite is willing to dip into her trust fund for an old sorority sister’s fortieth birthday bash, Courtney will be there with bells on. To make the job even more appealing, a famous actress, Farrah Lawson, is flying in for the occasion, and there’s nothing like a celebrity cameo to raise a business’s profile.

Now Courtney has less than two weeks to paint a mural, hang up tinkling windchimes, plan party games, and conjure up all the details. While she works her magic, the hostess and her girlfriends head off for an indulgent spa day—which leads to a fateful facial for Farrah, followed by her mysterious death. Could the kindhearted eyebrow waxer who Farrah berated in public really be the killer, as the police suspect? Courtney thinks otherwise, and with the help of her imaginative sleuth fairy, sets out to dig up the truth behind this puzzling murder . . .

Now for the recipe!

BROOKIE

(Yield 20-24)

For the cookie layer:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

For the brownie layer:

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, if desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.

To make the cookie layer:

In a large bowl, beat softened butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and egg.

Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda together in a small bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir until combined.

Stir chocolate chips into the dough

Spread mixture evenly into the bottom of the 9 x 13 dish.

To make the brownie layer:

In a large bowl, stir sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. Add in eggs and beat well. Mix in cocoa powder and mix well. Add flour, baking powder, and salt to the cocoa mixture. Mix well. If desired, stir in the extra chocolate chips. Pour brownie mixture over cookie dough and spread to cover completely.

Bake the brookie in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely, at least 30 minutes, before cutting into bars.

If you want the gluten-free version of this recipe, write me at daryl@darylwoodgerber.com to request it.

And now for the GIVEAWAY

I’ll give a choice of the first 2 Fairy Garden Mysteries

to one commenter or a choice of the Cookbook Nook Mysteries

and a totebag!!

Answer one of these two questions:

What’s your favorite treat with tea or coffee?

Or… have you ever seen a fairy?

BIO

Agatha Award-winning author Daryl Wood Gerber writes the nationally bestselling Cookbook Nook Mysteries as well as the Fairy Garden Mysteries and the French Bistro Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she pens the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. Daryl also writes the Aspen Adams novels of suspense as well as stand-alone suspense. Daryl loves to cook, garden, and read, and she has a frisky Goldendoodle who keeps her in line!

MY LINKS

WEBSITE: https://darylwoodgerber.com

FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/darylwoodgerber

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/darylwoodgerber

BOOKBUB: https://bookbub.com/authors/daryl-wood-gerber

YOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/woodgerb1

INSTAGRAM: https//instagram.com/darylwoodgerber

PINTEREST: https://pinterest.com/darylwoodgerber

GOODREADS: https://goodreads.com/darylwoodgerber

AMAZON: amazon: https://bit.ly/Daryl_Wood_Gerber_page

NEWSLETTER: Have you signed up to receive my newsletter? I send one out every month and with a new release. In the monthly, there is always a GIVEAWAY to one (or more) subscribers. Check it out here and make the call. There's always a recipe, a bit about Sparky, what I'm reading, etc. https://darylwoodgerber.com/contact-media/

Sunday, June 27, 2021

Welcome guest, Daryl Wood Gerber w/book #giveaway and mint chocolate #brownie #recipe

Welcome back, Daryl Wood Gerber!

Agatha Award-winning author Daryl Wood Gerber, a former regular on Mystery Lovers Kitchen, is best known for her nationally bestselling Fairy Garden Mysteries and Cookbook Nook Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes the Aspen Adams Novels of Suspense as well as stand-alone suspense. Daryl loves to cook, fairy garden, and read. She has a frisky Goldendoodle named Sparky who keeps her in line. And she has been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane and hitch-hike around Ireland alone.

Her latest Fairy Garden Mystery, A GLIMMER OF TRUTH, comes out June 29.

What is it about?

Courtney Kelly has a shop full of delights, a cat named Pixie, a green thumb—and a magical touch when it comes to garden design. But in Carmel-by-the-Sea, things aren’t all sweetness and fairy lights . . .

When Courtney’s friend Wanda gets into a ponytail-pulling wrestling match in public with a nasty local art critic, Courtney stops the fight with the help of a garden hose. But Lana Lamar has a talent for escalating things and creating tension, which she succeeds in doing by threatening a lawsuit, getting into yet another scuffle—in the midst of an elegant fundraiser, no less—and lobbing insults around like pickleballs.

Next thing Courtney knows, Lana is on the floor, stabbed with a decorative letter opener from one of Courtney's fairy gardens, and Wanda is standing by asking “What have I done?” But the answer may not be as obvious as it seems, since Wanda is prone to sleepwalking and appears to be in a daze. Could she have risen from her nap and committed murder while unconscious? Or is the guilty party someone else Lana’s ticked off, like her long-suffering husband? To find out, Courtney will have to dig up some dirt . . .

Thanks for having me on the blog, ladies. It’s always a delight to visit! I miss you guys, but, boy, is my writing plate full!

Many people ask me where I came up with the idea for writing the Fairy Garden Mysteries. Well, I was at the Renaissance Faire and saw a woman making these adorable plantings with fairy figurines and tiny lights and such, and I thought I must try to make one myself. I love gardening and especially planter gardening. Doing a little research, I found a garden shop about ninety minutes from me that featured fairy figurines. So I drove down there and fell in love. With the shop, the garden, and the notion of bringing fairies to life in my backyard. After all, fairies encourage creativity. What author couldn’t use more of that?

When I pitched the series idea to my agent, he wasn’t completely on board, but the “magical” proposal won over an editor—who I adore—and voilà, I started writing the series. It’s set in Carmel-by-the-Sea, one of my favorite places in the world, featuring art and crafts, delicious food, and the gorgeous California shoreline. It’s a spiritual place that I believed fairies might convene.

The fairy garden shop that Courtney opened is called Open Your Imagination. One recurring event that I created for the series is the weekend tea. It’s served on the shop’s patio. The area is covered with a domed skylight so there’s no worry about the weather. Courtney’s friend Meaghan Brownie often plays the harp during the teas. Sometimes customers continue to shop for figurines and plants. Often, the tea revolves around a book for a book club. Most importantly, Courtney always serves delicious tea goodies, like scones, cakes, and cookies. So in addition to crafting fairy gardens (plenty populate my garden now) I’ve had my hands full making up recipes for the books.

Meaghan, thanks to her last name, has always been a brownie freak. She loves to find new brownie recipes. When she landed on this one, with mint, it was a done deal! And she will always share a good recipe with Courtney and Yolanda, the baker who bakes the goodies for the teas. Courtney, with Meaghan’s blessing thought that you might like to try your hand at them, too. She’s providing both the regular and gluten-free versions! Enjoy!

MINT CHOCOLATE Brownies

Regular version

(Yield: 12–16 brownies)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon, divided

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa

3 large eggs

3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup mint chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a round 9-inch pan with parchment paper and rub with 1 tablespoon butter.

In a medium saucepan, melt the 1/2 cup butter over medium-high heat. Add sugar and salt and stir until the mixture turns a pale yellow.

Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl. Blend in the vanilla and cocoa, and then add the eggs. Mix until shiny, about 1 minute.

Add in the flour and baking powder. Stir in the mint chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Make sure you spread it to the edges.

Bake for 32–36 minutes until the top of the brownie is set. Insert a toothpick in the center to make sure it’s cooked through. A tad of chocolate at the tip is fine.

Remove from oven and cool 15–20 minutes before cutting. For the prettiest brownies, wait until they are completely cool. No crumbs!

Once cool, cover any brownies that you’re not eating tightly with plastic or store in sealed glass containers.

MINT CHOCOLATE Brownies

Gluten-free version

(Yield: 12–16 brownies)

1/2 cup unsalted butter plus 1 tablespoon, divided

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract

3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa

3 large eggs

3/4 cup gluten-free flour (I like a combo of sweet rice flour and tapioca flour)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon whey powder

1 cup mint chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a round 9-inch pan with parchment paper and rub with 1 tablespoon butter.

In a medium saucepan, melt the 1/2 cup butter over medium-high heat. Add sugar and salt and stir until the mixture turns a pale yellow.

Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl. Blend in the vanilla and cocoa, and then add the eggs. Mix until shiny, about 1 minute.

Add in the gluten-free flour, baking powder, and whey powder. Stir in the mint chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Make sure you spread it to the edges.

Bake for 32–36 minutes until the top of the brownie is set. Insert a toothpick in the center to make sure it’s cooked through. A tad of chocolate at the tip is fine.

Remove from oven and cool 15–20 minutes before cutting. For the prettiest brownies, wait until they are completely cool. No crumbs!

Once cool, cover any brownies that you’re not eating tightly with plastic or store in sealed glass containers.

GIVEAWAY

I am giving away a copy of A GLIMMER OF TRUTH, a copy of A SPRINKLING OF MURDER (the first in the series) OR a copy of my other new book this year, WINING AND DYING, the 10^th Cookbook Nook Mystery to one commenter. Paperback or e-book. Tell me which title you’d prefer if you win.

A GLIMMER OF TRUTH comes out June 29. There are pre-order buttons on my website for all of the sales sites. If you want an autographed copy, I will be signing some books at Mysterious Galaxy and I’ll be providing bookplates at Murder by the Books after I do a virtual event at each store.

Follow Daryl on all her social media sites and don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter. Each month there is a giveaway, a recipe, and a little chatter about her dog Sparky.