#COOKING WITH CLORIS--STRAWBERRY COBBLER RECIPE FROM MYSTERY AUTHOR NANCY J. COHEN

Award-winning author Nancy J. Cohen writes the long-running Bad Hair Day Mysteries, featuring South Florida hairstylist and sleuth Marla Vail. However, when Nancy drops by for a visit to Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers, she often shares a recipe rather than tips from Marla’s salon. And those recipes are often the best kind—desserts! Such is the case today with her recipe for strawberry cobbler.

Learn more about Nancy and her books, including her paranormal/fantasy and sci-fi romances, a nonfiction book on writing cozy mysteries, and a recipe book, at her website and blog. 

 

Strawberry Cobbler

(serves 8)

 

Strawberries are popular any time of year, but in summer, fruity desserts are especially welcome. This dish makes a festive and appetizing presentation for a party or family dinner. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream for a special treat.

 

Filling Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 cup water

32 oz. strawberries

2 Tbsp. unsweetened butter

 

Topping Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. sugar

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. unsweetened butter

¾ cup heavy whipping cream

 

Hull, clean, and quarter the strawberries and set aside. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, and water in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in strawberries and remove from heat. Pour mixture into greased 2-quart baking dish. 

 

Cut 2 Tbsp. butter into small pieces and dot butter on top of fruit.

 

For the topping, sift together the flour, 1 Tbsp. sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in 3 Tbsp. butter. Stir in whipping cream. Mixture will be lumpy. Drop by the teaspoonful onto top of berries. 

 

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. 

 

Star Tangled Murder

A Bad Hair Day Mystery, Book 18 

Hairstylist Marla Vail is having a blast visiting a Florida living history village over Fourth of July weekend. But when a battle reenactment turns up a real dead body, it sets off fireworks among the villagers. One of the cast members has gone off script to murder the town marshal. Instead of spending the holiday chilling and grilling, somebody’s mind is on killing. Marla determines to find the culprit before she becomes the next victim. 

 

Recipes Included!

 

Buy Links

#COOKING WITH CLORIS--COZY MYSTERY AUTHOR NANCY J. COHEN BAKES WITH ROOT BEER

Today we’re thrilled to have a return visit from author Nancy J. Cohen. Nancy writes the award-winning Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail. She’s also the author of Writing the Cozy Mystery and A Bad Hair Day Cookbook. When not busy writing, she enjoys reading, fine dining, cruising, and visiting Disney World. Learn more about Nancy and her books at her website and blog where you’ll also find links to her other social media.

Root Beer—in History and Cake

My latest book, Star Tangled Murder, takes place at a living history village in South Florida. This attraction represents pioneer life in the late 1800s. If they had access to root beer in this early settlement, it would have been a popular summer beverage.

 

Root beer originated in Europe in the seventeenth century. European settlers brought it to the United States during the colonial period. The drink was traditionally made from the root and bark of the sassafras tree. Sarsaparilla was a similar drink, made from a vine of that name. 

 

These brews, called small beers, were flavored with various herbs, barks, and roots. It was originally carbonated by fermentation. As technology improved, carbonated water was used. The foam on top is due to the properties of sassafras. 

 

Safrole was the aromatic oil in sassafras that gave the drink its distinctive flavor. However, this element was banned in 1960 due to its carcinogenic properties. Since then, most root beers are flavored with artificial sassafras or with a safrole-free sassafras extract.

 

In 1876, Pharmacist Charles Elmer Hires debuted a commercialized version of root beer at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. Hires began to bottle the beverage in 1886. By 1893, root beer was distributed widely across the United States. 

 

Not all root beers are based on sassafras. Barq's began selling a sarsaparilla-based root beer in 1898. In 1919, Roy Allen opened a stand to sell root beer in California. This led to the development of A&W root beer. IBC is another brand. Most brands other than Barq's are caffeine-free.

 

Commercial root beer is now produced in Canada and the U.S, as well as some other countries. The drink usually includes filtered water, sugar, and safrole-free sassafras extract. Other flavors may be added. Soybean protein, cassava or yucca create the foamy quality, and caramel coloring makes the beverage brown.

 

Root Beer Cake

This is an amazingly easy cake to prepare. It is not advisable to use a diet soft drink as a substitute for the root beer. Guests will want seconds of this moist chocolatey cake. It’s best served slightly warm with whipped topping or vanilla ice cream.

 

Ingredients

 

Cake

15.25 oz. box German chocolate cake mix
1-1/4 cups root beer
2 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil

 

Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter
7 Tbsp. root beer
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
16 oz. package powdered sugar 
1 tsp. vanilla

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the German chocolate cake mix, 1-1/4 cups root beer, 2 large eggs, and 1/4 cup vegetable oil. Beat with mixer until blended. Pour mixture into a greased and floured 9x13x2 inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool on rack. 

 

Meanwhile, melt 1/2 cup butter in saucepan over medium high heat. Add 7 Tbsp. root beer and 3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa. Blend and remove from heat. Add 16 oz. package powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla. Mix to blend. Spread frosting over cake. Serves 12.

 

Star Tangled Murder

A Bad Hair Day Mystery, Book 18

 

Hairstylist Marla Vail and her detective husband Dalton are having a blast visiting a Florida living history village over Fourth of July weekend. But when a battle reenactment turns up a real dead body, it sets off fireworks among the villagers. One of the cast members has gone off script to murder the town marshal. Instead of spending the holiday chilling and grilling, somebody’s mind is on killing. Marla needs to find the culprit before she becomes the next victim. 

 

Buy Links

paperback 

ebook 

COZY AUTUMN BOOK PARTY WITH GIVEAWAYS

Some of you may be aware that my author Lois Winston is one of the bloggers at Booklover's Bench. The Benchers are holding a party with lots of giveaways this evening over on Facebook, and although Lois isn't on Facebook, she's vicariously taking part in the festivities by offering two copies of A Stitch to Die For, the fifth Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery. Why that book? Given the theme of the party, the cover says it all. The fun begins at 7pm EST. Stop by tonight for a chance to win one of the books about me or any of the other books by the Booklover's Bench authors.

MEGA-COZY MYSTERY BOOK GIVEAWAY

In February 2013, a group of cozy mystery authors got together to form Booklover’s Bench as a way of supporting each other with cross-promotion. Over time, membership changed as both writing lives and personal lives changed, but the group is still going strong. Today, it consists of authors Terry Ambrose, Nancy J. Cohen, Debra H. Goldstein, Cheryl Hollon, Diane A.S. Stuckart, Maggie Toussaint, and Lois Winston. 

The Booklover’s Bench “Let’s Talk” features a blog every Thursday by one of our authors. The fourth Monday of each month features either “Authors on the Bench” or “Characters on the Bench,” where we all respond to one question.

 

We promote each other through our blogs, websites, newsletters, contests, and social media posts. Our goal is to increase the readership of all our members. We do this by offering interesting content, contests, and book giveaways.

 

Each month we hold a Rafflecopter book giveaway where the winner can choose one of seven books offered that month. However, every February in celebration of the anniversary of our founding, the lucky winner receives all seven books offered for the month. 

 

Want a chance to win? Click on over to Booklover’s Bench to enter between now and February 18^th and while you’re there, check out the beautiful new redesign of the website.

#COOKING WITH CLORIS--CHEESY HASH BROWNS AND A NEW BAD HAIR DAY MYSTERY FROM AUTHOR NANCY J. COHEN

Award-winning author Nancy J. Cohen writes cozy mysteries, paranormal and fantasy romance, and sci-fi romance. In addition, she’s authored a cookbook tied to her mystery series and a how-to book on writing cozy mysteries. Her Bad Hair Day Mysteries, featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail, currently includes seventeen titles. Learn more about Nancy and her books at her website and blog.

The Case of the Cheesy Hash Browns

Food has always been an essential element in a mystery. Friends meet over coffee or chat about suspects while at lunch. When preparing a meal at home, the sleuth might muse over which suspect is more likely to be the killer. Her occupation might also involve food if she’s a caterer, bakery owner, café proprietor, or cupcake maven. Every food encounter is an opportunity to deepen the story and give the characters added depth.

 

Everyone has a creative talent, and in my hairstylist sleuth’s case, she likes to cook, same as me. I don’t have the patience or ability for handicrafts or doing puzzles or creating works of art, but I like to experiment in the kitchen. So does my sleuth Marla Vail. However, she has little time to spend over the stove these days. She has a baby, owns a hair salon, and is married to a police detective. Her life is full enough without adding meal preparation amid her crime solving exploits. 

 

In my latest release, Styled for Murder, Marla whips up breakfast for her in-laws before they leave on an excursion. Both of these hash brown recipes are easy to put together once you have the ingredients on hand. The cheesy casserole is a lovely accompaniment to a quiche or other egg dish for brunch. You could also pair it with a breakfast meat of choice and some sliced tomatoes. As for the potato zucchini mash, that’s a meal in itself. Both of these dishes reheat well as leftovers.

 

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

 

Ingredients

15 oz. can cream of celery soup

1 cup reduced fat sour cream

1 Tbsp. flour

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

30 oz. package frozen hash brown potatoes

2 cups reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Paprika

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine soup, sour cream, flour, and garlic powder. Stir in potatoes and cheddar cheese. Pour into a greased 9x13x2 inch baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and paprika on top. Bake uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Serves 6 to 8.

 

Potato Zucchini Mash 

 

Ingredients

30 oz. package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes

10 oz. package matchstick carrots

3 large zucchini, peeled and shredded

5 eggs

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup fresh chopped onions

2 Tbsp. chopped garlic

3 Tbsp. egg substitute

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, carrots, and zucchini. In a separate small bowl, beat the eggs. Add mayonnaise and onions. Stir egg mixture into potatoes. Add chopped garlic and egg substitute. Blend until moist. Transfer into greased 9x13x2 inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until edges are browned. Serves 6 to 8.

 

Note: These recipes appear in A Bad Hair Day Cookbook © 2019 by Nancy J. Cohen

 

Styled for Murder

A Bad Hair Day Mystery, Book 17

 

When hairstylist and savvy sleuth, Marla Vail, gets a frantic call from her mother that there’s a dead body in her shower, Marla realizes this wasn’t part of the home renovation plans. The victim turns out to be the project manager, who had an untrustworthy reputation in town. Disgruntled customers, unpaid suppliers, and the design company’s staff are among the suspects, but Marla is more concerned about her stepfather’s connection to the victim. Can she flush out the clues and nail the killer before he strikes again? Recipes Included!

 

Buy Links

paperback 

ebook 

#COOKING WITH CLORIS--MYSTERY AUTHOR NANCY J. COHEN'S HANUKKAH BRISKET RECIPE

Nancy J. Cohen returns today to celebrate offer us a Hanukkah recipe. Nancy writes the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail. Her books have won numerous awards, including her instructional guide, Writing the Cozy Mystery. Her latest title is A Bad Hair Day Cookbook: Recipes from Nancy J. Cohen’s Cozy Mystery Series. When not busy writing, Nancy enjoys cooking, fine dining, cruising, visiting Disney World, and shopping. Learn more about Nancy and her books at her website and blog.

Hanukkah Traditions

Hanukkah was never as big a deal as Christmas when I grew up. Nonetheless, we made the holiday festive and celebrated the traditions. When I had kids, I continued these practices and added blue and silver decorations as they became prominent in stores.

As I prepared the holiday meal, I would play a CD with Hanukkah music. The strains of “I Have a Little Dreidel” played in the background as I made the brisket and potato latkes for a traditional meal. After dinner, we’d light our eight-branched menorah with the shamashcandle and exchange gifts. Staring at the lit candles, I would remember how an oil lamp had started the holiday.

In the old days, the Syrians—under the leadership of a tyrant named Antiochus—defiled the holy Temple in Jerusalem and abolished the practice of Judaism. Jews were given a familiar choice: conversion or death. But a resistance movement grew strength, led by Judah Maccabee. His forces liberated the Temple from Syrian armies. To purify the Temple, the saviors lit the eternal lamp that is in every synagogue to this day. But there was only enough oil to last for one night. Miraculously, the lamp burned for eight days. Hence, Hanukkah is known as the Festival of Lights. It symbolizes freedom from oppression. This is why we eat potato pancakes, because they’re fried in oil. Jelly doughnuts are another traditional food.

Each night, we add another candle from right to left. Normally, the kindling is done from left to right so the newest candle is lit first.

Children play the dreidel game and eat the foil-wrapped chocolate coins known as gelt. At our house, we gave a gift each night of Hanukkah. Our kids got used to having at least eight wrapped presents over the holiday. It’ll be interesting to see how they celebrate these traditions with their offspring.

Brisket with Dried Plums

If you want a recipe for Hanukkah, try this one. You get a side of tzimmesout of it with the sweet potato chunks, prunes and apricots. You can serve potato latkes on the side with a dollop of applesauce.

Ingredients:

3-1/2 lb. flat cut beef brisket

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 medium onions, sliced

1 cup beef broth

1/4 cup sweet Marsala wine

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

3 Tbsp. honey

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

2 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1 cup pitted dried plums (prunes)

1 cup dried apricots

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Trim fat off brisket. Heat olive oil in Dutch oven. Sear meat on both sides until lightly browned. Remove brisket and set aside. 

Add onions and sauté until wilted, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix beef broth, Marsala wine, balsamic vinegar, honey, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon in a bowl. Place brisket on top of onions in pot. Pour broth mixture over meat.

Cover and cook for 3 hours. Then add sweet potato chunks. Scatter dried fruit on top. Cover and bake 1/2-1 hour more until meat is fork tender.

Transfer brisket to cutting board. Cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. With slotted spoon remove fruit and sweet potatoes from pot into a separate bowl. Ladle any pan juices into gravy boat. Slice meat and serve warm with fruit and potatoes on the side along with pan juices.

Facials Can Be Fatal is my book with a Hanukkah theme.

Facials Can Be Fatal 

Salon owner Marla Vail’s new day spa hits a snag when a client dies during a facial. The victim, Valerie Weston, was a major donor for Friends of Old Florida, a historic building preservation society. Marla’s stylists are scheduled to work backstage at their upcoming fashion show, but Val’s demise might put a crimp in their plans. Hoping to salvage her reputation, Marla determines to track down the killer. As she learns more about Val, she realizes the benefactress might have stumbled onto secrets others would kill to keep. She’d better prepare for a body count that has nothing to do with hot stone massages and everything to do with murder.

Buy Links

hardcover 

paperback 

ebook 

#COOKING WITH CLORIS--BAD HAIR DAY RECIPES FROM NANCY J. COHEN

Nancy J. Cohen writes the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail. Nancy’s books have won numerous awards, including her instructional guide, Writing the Cozy Mystery. Her latest title is A Bad Hair Day Cookbook: Recipes from Nancy J. Cohen’s Cozy Mystery Series. When not busy writing, Nancy enjoys cooking, fine dining, cruising, visiting Disney World, and shopping. Learn more about her and her books at her website and blog.

Fun and Fumbles in the Kitchen

I like to cook and experiment with recipes in the kitchen. Wanting to share my favorite dishes, I created A Bad Hair Day Cookbook: Recipes from Nancy J. Cohen’s Cozy Mystery Series. This is written from the viewpoint of my hairstylist sleuth, Marla Vail. Marla shares her comments and tips on each page. Her experiences in the kitchen mirror my own.

Trial and Error

Like any trial and error experiment, not everything I tried turned out successfully. Let’s examine my mint recipes, for example. I wanted to use up a bottle of Vandermint in our liqueur cabinet, so I found recipes using this ingredient and put my own twist on them.

After cooking the lamb in the oven for the allotted time, the roast was still raw inside. I’d forgotten the advice to remove the lamb roast from the refrigerator an hour before cooking to let it warm to room temperature. Oops! I put it in our slow cooker for another two hours and it came out just right. 

For dessert, I thought the chocolate mint cake sounded tempting. I baked the cake as directed in a rectangular pan and turned it out onto a powdered-sugar dusted surface. Then I attempted to roll it up as instructed. The cake broke apart. Uh-oh. Maybe I should have let it cool more first? Not to worry. I decided to make it into a torte instead. And so I did, adding filling in between three layers of cake.

NOTE: Leave a comment below for a chance to win an ebook copy of A Bad Hair Day Cookbook.

Minted Roast Lamb

Serves 8

Ingredients:

5 lb. boneless leg of lamb

1/2 cup water

1 cup Vandermint liqueur

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 Tbsp. lime juice

3/4 oz. package fresh basil, trimmed and chopped

1/2 cup dry white wine

Remove lamb from refrigerator one hour before cooking to bring to room temperature. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place lamb on rack in roasting pan. Pour water into bottom of pan. Roast uncovered for 1 hour. 

In a bowl, combine Vandermint liqueur, melted butter, lime juice, and chopped basil. Baste lamb with mixture. Roast for 1-1/2 hours more, basting occasionally. Meat thermometer should register 135 to 155 degrees F, depending on how well done you like the meat.

Transfer lamb to cutting board. Cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Meanwhile, skim fat from pan juices. Add remaining basting liquid and 1/2 cup white wine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour into gravy boat. Serve on the side with lamb. 

Chocolate Mint Torte (pictured above)

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup Vandermint liqueur

Powdered sugar

Filling

8 oz. whipped topping

2 Tbsp. Vandermint liqueur

2 Tbsp. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 10”x15” baking pan with wax paper. Coat with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.

Using an electric mixer, beat eggs in a large bowl until well blended. Gradually add 1 cup sugar. Mix in Vandermint liqueur. Stir in dry ingredients in batches until smooth.

Pour into baking pan and bake for 15 minutes. Invert cake onto towel sprinkled with powdered sugar and remove wax paper. Allow cake to rest. Meanwhile, blend whipped topping with 2 Tbsp. Vandermint liqueur and 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar. 

Cut cake into thirds cross-wise. Spread filling on top of first third. Place second cake piece on top. Cover with another layer of filling. Top with remaining third piece of cake. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Slice and serve cold. 

A Bad Hair Day Cookbook: 

Recipes from Nancy J. Cohen’s Cozy Mystery Series 

Are you having a bad hair day? Whip out your whisk, snatch up your spoon, and prepare your palate. Inside the pages of this cookbook are recipes that will bring you good cheer.

Enjoy 160+ tasty recipes from Nancy J. Cohen's popular Bad Hair Day cozy mystery series. Included in this cookbook are excerpts, cooking tips, and anecdotes written by hairstylist and savvy sleuth Marla Vail. From appetizers to desserts, Marla offers cooking tips and tricks along with commentary about the dishes she prepares for her family. Whether you're a skilled cook or an eager novice, this cookbook will unravel the mystery of cooking. Put on your apron and plan to make some killer recipes! Bonuses Include:

*Meet the Sleuth

*Introduction by Marla Vail

*Cooking Tips

*Excerpts from Series Titles

*Themed Menu Suggestions

*"A Sabbath Dinner" by Nancy's Mother

Recommended for Home Cooks, Food Lovers, Mystery Fans and Cookbook Collectors

Buy Links

paperback 

ebook 

ANASTASIA WELCOMES BOOKLOVER'S BENCH

No craft-themed post today. Instead, I want to tell all of you about some exciting news—especially for those of you who love receiving free books. (Is there anyone reading this who doesn’t?)

Author Lois Winston, my doppelganger and she who writes about me, has been invited to join the wonderful mystery authors over at Booklover’s Bench, where she’ll blog once every six weeks about all things book-related. Booklover’s Bench is not just another book blog, though. Their tagline is “Where readers are winners” because once a month they hold a drawing to give away a free book from their Book Vault, a place where their authors deposit a book each month. Blog visitors can enter the monthly Rafflecopter, and the winner gets to choose one of the books in that month’s vault. Cool, huh?

Lois will be posting her introductory blog at Booklover’s Bench on May 23rd.  Today I thought I’d take the opportunity (at Lois’s suggestion) to introduce you to the other Booklover’s Bench authors. Some of the names may be familiar to those of you who are frequent visitors to Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers because they’ve often appeared as our guests.

Maggie Toussaint 

Southern author Maggie Toussaint writes mystery and suspense. She’s won two Silver Falchion Awards, the Readers’ Choice Award, and the EPIC Award. She has been a finalist twice for Georgia Author of the Year. Her series include the Dreamwalker Mystery Series, the Lindsey & Ike Series, the Cleopatra Jones Series, the Guardian of Earth Series, and the Mossy Bog Series. Maggie is on the board of Southeast Mystery Writers of America and is Vice-President for Low Country Sisters In Crime.

She lives in coastal Georgia, where secrets, heritage, and ancient oaks cast long shadows. Yoga, beachcombing, and music are a few of her favorite things.

Nancy J. Cohen 

Nancy J. Cohen writes the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail. Titles in this series have made the IMBA bestseller list, been selected by Suspense Magazine as best cozy mystery, won a Readers’ Favorite gold medal, and earned third place in the Arizona Literary Awards. Nancy’s instructional guide, Writing the Cozy Mystery, is an Agatha Award finalist. A featured speaker at libraries, conferences, and community events, she is listed in Contemporary Authors, Poets & Writers, and Who’s Who in U.S. Writers, Editors, & Poets. When not busy writing, she enjoys fine dining, visiting Disney World, cruising, and shopping.

Diane A.S.Stuckart 

Diane A.S. Stuckart is the New York Times bestselling author of the Black Cat Bookshop Mystery series (written as Ali Brandon). She’s also the author of the award-winning Leonardo da Vinci historical mysteries, as well as several historical romances and numerous short stories. Her upcoming new cozy mystery series are the Tarot Cat Mysteries from Midnight Ink (November 2018 launch) and the Georgia B&B Mysteries from Crooked Lane (May 2019 launch—writing as Anna Gerard).

Diane is a member of Mystery Writers of America and has served as the 2018 Chapter President of the MWA Florida chapter. In addition to her mystery writing affiliations, she’s a member of the Cat Writers’ Association and belongs to the Palm Beach County Beekeepers Association. She’s a native Texan with a degree in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma, but has been living in the West Palm Beach FL area for the past dozen or so years. She shares her “almost in the Everglades” home with her husband, dogs, cats, and a few beehives.

Cheryl Hollon 

Cheryl Hollon writes full-time after an engineering career designing and installing military flight simulators in England, Wales, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, and India. Living the dream, she combines a love of writing with a passion for creating glass art in the small studio behind her house in St. Petersburg, Florida. Cheryl is President of the Florida Gulf Coast Sisters in Crime, a member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and Novelists, Inc.

Debra H.Goldstein 

Judge Debra H. Goldstein is the author of One Taste Too Many, the first of Kensington’s new Sarah Blair cozy mystery series. She also wrote Should Have Played Poker and 2012 IPPY Award winning Maze in Blue. Her short stories, including Anthony and Agatha nominated “The Night They Burned Ms. Dixie’s Place,” have appeared in numerous periodicals and anthologies including Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Mystery Magazine, and Mystery Weekly. Debra serves on the national boards of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and is president of SinC’s Guppy Chapter and the Southeast Chapter of MWA.

And of course, our very own…

Lois Winston 

USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes the critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries and the Empty Nest Mysteries. She’s also published in romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction. A Book-of-the-Year nominee from ForeWord Reviews, Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun, the first book in her ongoing Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, also received starred reviews from both Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Kirkus Reviews dubbed Anastasia, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” Lois would like the quote etched on her headstone, although she hopes the need for such a monument will be decades in the future. Lois is also a former literary agent and an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry.

We hope you’ll add Booklover’s Bench to your weekly blog-reading list for a chance to get to know these wonderful authors and their books. And don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter each month for a chance to win a free book. 

#COOKING WITH CLORIS--BLUEBERRY CRUMBLE WITH AUTHOR NANCY J. COHEN'S HAIRSTYLIST AND AMATEUR SLEUTH MARLA VAIL

Award-winning author Nancy J. Cohen writes the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail. She’s also written the instructional guide, Writing the Cozy Mystery. Learn more about Nancy and her books at her website and blog. Keep reading to learn how you could win a digital copy of Nancy’s short story “Hairball Hijinks”. 

Food Fiction with Hairstylist Marla Vail

I’d never thought much about my food sources before my recent adventures. But learning that a lot of the items we buy in stores are mislabeled was an eye-opener for me. Normally, I work all day at my salon that I own along with an adjacent day spa. When I get home, it’s near dinnertime and I’m in a rush to fix a meal for my husband and teenage stepdaughter. Tonight, for example, I’ll pull together whatever is convenient from my kitchen.

I’ve always enjoyed experimenting with cooking when I have the time. In my previous marriage, I liked to create recipes using tropical fruits. So it wasn’t any big stretch when my friend Tally coaxed me into entering a bake-off contest at a fall harvest festival. The event was hugely fun, despite the fiasco that followed. I love farmer’s marketplaces, don’t you? It’s even better when the farmers use sustainable growing techniques.

Food blogger Alyce Greene, another entrant in the contest, has a lot to say on the subject of food sources. I interviewed her after I found food magazine publisher Francine Dodger dead in the strawberry field. Alyce bears an uncanny resemblance to the dead woman. I’d even wondered if the killer got the wrong target.

Alyce was eager to tell me about how restaurants and fresh markets offer seafood at high prices when the item is actually a lower-priced variety. Take Florida-caught shrimp, for example. Through DNA testing and tracing the bills of sale, she discovered it came from a fish farm in India. She found “locally grown” heirloom tomatoes that came from Mexico, Florida blue crab that came from the Indian Ocean, and Alaskan pollock that was frozen fish from China.

Alyce did a service to consumers through her reports, but how many providers had she offended along the way? Did she ruin someone’s business without being aware of the damage she’d caused? I suggested to my husband, homicide detective Dalton Vail, that Alyce may have ticked someone off enough to want to kill her.

After this conversation, I decided to eat home for a while. At least that way, I could control the ingredients that went into my meals. Fortunately, I know the source of my Florida blueberries. I pick them myself at Beck Brothers Blueberry Farm in Windermere when I visit Orlando.  Sometimes my author comes along, too! Here’s a luscious dessert recipe using this fruit.

Blueberry Crumble

Ingredients:

2 pints fresh blueberries

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup flour

1 packet flavored instant oatmeal

4 Tbsp. butter, softened

Cinnamon sugar

Grease square baking pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread blueberries in bottom of pan.  Sprinkle with lemon juice, cinnamon, and sugar. In separate bowl, combine flour, contents of oatmeal packet, and softened butter. Mixture should resemble small crumbs. Spread over blueberries. Sprinkle top with cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Serve warm with whipped topping or vanilla ice cream.

Question for Readers: Do you examine labels for the origins of what you buy in the supermarket? Do you care where they originate? Leave a comment below, and you’ll be entered into a random drawing for a digital copy of Hairball Hijinks short story.

Trimmed to Death

Savvy hairstylist and amateur sleuth Marla Vail enters a charity bake-off contest at a fall festival sponsored by a local farm. While she waits to see if her coconut fudge pie is a winner, Marla joins a scavenger hunt where people playing character roles are the targets. Instead of scoring points with a live person, she finds a dead body planted face-down in the strawberry field. Who would want to cut short the life of food magazine publisher and fellow bake-off contestant Francine Dodger? As she investigates, Marla learns there’s no shortage of suspects. Can she unmask the killer before someone else gets trimmed from life? Recipes Included!

Buy Links

paperback

ebook 

BOOK CLUB FRIDAY -- GUEST AUTHOR NANCY J. COHEN

Nancy J. Cohen is our Book Club Friday guest today. In her newest mystery, Shear Murder, a wedding turns deadly when hairstylist Marla Shore discovers a dead body under the cake table. Nancy is currently on a blog tour and will be giving away a copy of Shear Murder, along with a set of Paua shell jewelry, at the end of the tour. To enter the drawing, simply leave a comment at any of the blogs on the tour. You can find the tour schedule and learn more about Nancy at her website. -- AP

Character Quirks by Nancy J. Cohen

You’d think wedding preparations would keep a bride busy, but not so for Marla Shore, my hairdresser sleuth. She has a gazillion things to do to get ready for her nuptials that are several weeks away in Shear Murder, the latest title in my Bad Hair Day mystery series. Besides running her own salon, prepping for the grand opening of her new day spa, and packing for her move into a new house with her fiancé, Marla has last minute wedding details to surmount.

In the midst of this chaos, she’s a bridesmaid in her friend Jill’s ceremony. Imagine Marla’s horror when she discovers the matron of honor’s dead body at the reception. This launches her into another murder investigation just when she can’t spare the time.

One of the suspects she interviews is the victim’s husband. He owns a clock repair shop and has been accused of paying more attention to his timepieces than to his dead wife. Having fun with secondary characters is something I like to do, and I was delighted to explore this obscure art.

When’s the last time you had a watch fixed? Did you wonder how the person got their training? Where they went to school for this skill? We have a cuckoo clock in our house that once needed repair. Thankfully, there is a shop in town that does this work. It’s like entering a time machine to step inside. The musty smell and the repetitive tick-tocks ringing in your ears herald a bygone era.

Let’s listen in on my heroine’s conversation with the suspect as she interviews him in his house.

Marla sniffed at a hint of tobacco, like from a pipe or cigar. “What kind of work do you do?”

His challenging gaze met hers. “I own a clock repair shop. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but I’ve always had a fascination with time pieces. We fix everything from watches to chime and cuckoo clocks to antique long case models. Those are especially beautiful in mahogany.”

From the passion lacing his voice, she could tell he truly enjoyed his occupation. “How you do train for that type of job?”

“I studied Horology in Pennsylvania.”

“What?”

“Horology. It’s the study of time, timekeepers─meaning clocks and watches─and timekeeping. I’m certified as a master clockmaker and master watchmaker.”

Her ears picked up the sound of clocks ticking. She followed their direction to a wall unit displaying several models. “That’s a nice collection. Are they antiques?” She knew nothing about the subject. Her clocks at home were either battery run or digital, certainly unlike these decorative objects.

“Those are my vintage Atmos clocks.” Scott beamed proudly. “All of these have a mercury motor. It’s inside the round box behind the movement. The motor transforms thermal energy into mechanical energy, which the clock movement uses to drive the balance and display the time. The Atmos clock consumes sixty times less energy than a wrist watch.”

Cool, huh? Although most people today don’t think of them as such, clocks can be decorative objects. Next time you’re in a neighbor’s house, note what type of timepieces they have on display. An interesting clock may reflect their personality. And when you’re reading a story, consider how a character tells time. Does he use his cell phone or wear a wrist watch? It is quirks like these that reveal clues about people.

What is unique and interesting about you that might reveal an insight into your personality?

Thanks for joining us today, Nancy! -- AP