Happy Holidays, EVERYONE! I hope you’re having a chance to spend time with those close to you. As I sit down to write this post, the weather is chilly, damp, and dark. In other words, typical for Central Indiana this time of year. Not exactly conditions that are conducive to merriment, know what I mean?
That got me thinking. What if I took a page from Elmo Simpson, the amateur sleuth and namesake of my Tule mystery series? Elmo left Indianapolis, and after taking a rather winding path, settled down in the fictional town of Paradise Springs, in the real-life Florida Panhandle.
Would I move to a tropical locale? I would absolutely love to! As long as I don’t find myself being asked to solve a murder mystery. I’ll leave that to the experts. Would my life be different? I’m sure it would, including how I’d celebrate the holiday season.
First, the decorations would be different. Currently, our Christmas tree is an artificial white pine. If I lived in the tropics, I’d replace that by decorating a palm tree. Something like this, perhaps.
Yeah, that would get the tropical holiday vibes started.
What about decorations for my new domicile? My wife and I currently have four plastic crates that we store our ornaments, figurines, and other festive items in. I certainly wouldn’t abandon all of those items. Memories, after all.
I’d prioritize the placement of these two statuettes, though
I mean, my author friends don’t call me The Flamingo Kid for nothing! By the way, the flamingo on the right was a gift from one of my sisters, so my family supports my tropical madness dreams.
Once the tree and the house are decorated, I’ll turn my attention to music. Holiday music, from the classics delivered by Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby to more recent deliveries from the Brian Setzer Orchestra, is played a lot during the final few weeks of December. Not much of that would change, though, I’d add a lot more Jimmy Buffett. He has two Christmas albums, “Christmas Island” and “’Tis the SeaSon.” If you haven’t listened to them, do yourself a favor and do it soon. You’ll be glad you did.
Last, but not least, food. You aren’t fully embracing the holidays if you don’t partake in at least a little bit of feasting, right? I think I’d go with something like this mofongo dish. For those who aren’t familiar with it, mofongo is a traditional Puerto Rican dish made of mashed plantains and mixed with pork or other meats. Doesn’t it look amazing?
So, let’s see. I’ve got the tree and home decorated. I’ve got music playing. The holiday meal is ready. I think that means it’s time to celebrate the season in tropical style.
How about you? Would you like to celebrate the holidays in a different part of the world? If so, where and how would you do it? Let me know in the comments. Until next time, cheers!
J.C. Kenney is the bestselling author of The Allie Cobb Mysteries, The Darcy Gaughan Mysteries, and The Elmo Simpson Mysteries. He’s also the co-host of The Bookish Hour webcast. When he’s not writing, you can find him following IndyCar racing or listening to music. He has two grown children and lives in Indianapolis with his wife and a cat.
My mom died when I was in my early twenties, leaving an impossible void in our lives. Of course, no one could replace her, but my grandmother became a surrogate mother to my brother and me.
Even though we lived about 1,200 miles apart, we spoke almost daily. She was my confidant, my example, and a fountain of sage advice. She meant the world to me.
She tried to visit for holidays as often as she could, but when she couldn’t, she would send a box of her homemade Christmas candy and cookies. It was so exciting when the box arrived – always well before Christmas, which meant not only did she make and package the goodies far enough in advance to accomplish this, but she also got the package to the post office in plenty of time for us to enjoy the treats in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
The box, always addressed in her beautiful handwriting, would be packed with holiday tins, each one containing a batch of one of delicious confections FROM her kitchen: 7-Layer cookies; divinity; chocolate peanut clusters; peanut brittle; chocolate fudge; and peanut butter fudge.
Like all earth angels, she was only on loan to us. We lost her several years ago, but I keep her memory alive by cooking her recipes – especially her Christmas candy. Often, I work her recipes into my books. There’s a lot of my grandmother in the treats that Tess creates at the Briar Patch Bakery in the Wedding Bell Mysteries series.
Here are her recipes for 7-Layer Cookies and Peanut Clusters. They’re in her own words – not necessarily in conventional recipe format, but they’re just as she sent them to me. I can hear her voice as I read them.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays, my friends!
MY GRANDMOTHER’S 7-LAYER COOKIES
Melt 1 stick of butter in a 9 x 13 pan.
Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over the butter (about one cup or so)
Next sprinkle a 12 oz. package of butterscotch chips over the graham cracker crumbs, then sprinkle a 12 oz package of chocolate chips
Then sprinkle some angel flake coconut over the top of the chips.
You can add 1 cup of chopped nuts if you like. I use pecans.
Drizzle 1 can Eagle Band sweetened condensed milk over the top of everything. (see my note below and make sure you don’t use evaporated milk – that won’t taste very good. It has to be sweetened condensed milk. I like the Eagle Brand.)
Preheat the oven to 350 and bake until it begins to brown a little around the edges and bubbles a little. You just need to let the chips melt. Let it cool before trying to cut it into small squares.
* Note about the Eagle Brand milk – I found out that if you put the Eagle Brand milk in a pan of hot water while you’re getting the rest of the ingredients ready, it will be easier to drizzle. Otherwise, it is so thick it is hard to get out of the can. Be sure the can is unopened when you put it in the hot water. Don’t open it until it’s heated and you are ready to pour it. The first time I tried that, I opened the can first and got some water in the milk and I had to throw it out and start over. Be very careful not to burn yourself when you take the can out of the water and open the can. Use tongs and pot holders.
MY GRANDMOTHER’S PEANUT CLUSTERS
12 oz. chocolate chips
3/4 package almond bark *see note
Large jar dry roasted peanuts (unsalted)
Melt chips and almond bark in a double boiler.
Add peanuts and mix well. Put tablespoons full on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Let them set up before you try to remove them from the cookie sheet.
* I found out that it is too much if you use the whole package of almond bark. I made a smaller batch with some cashew nuts and the leftover bark, and it was so good! But I know you’re partial to the peanut variety.
Award-winning author Nancy Robards Thompson has worked as a newspaper reporter, television show stand-in, production and casting assistant for movies, and in fashion and public relations. She started writing fiction seriously in 1997. Five years and four completed manuscripts later, she won the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart award for unpublished writers and sold her first book the following year. Since then, Nancy has sold 30 books and found her calling doing what she loves most – writing romance and women’s fiction full-time.
I love to bake, so it was no surprise that in my Hart of Texas Murder Mystery series, Rosie Hart also loves to bake. In fact, she has her own baking business, From the Hart, and she’s way more skilled than I am! Actually, Rosie hasn’t yet made a pavlova, but I wanted to include a recipe that reflected our Christmases here in Australia, and not too complicated. We all get busy enough at this time of the year, so something relatively easy that’s still a decadent treat? Yes, and yes!
I’ve been making this pavlova for over 40 years. The recipe was passed from a friend, and quickly became the most often requested, especially by my family. Our Christmas Days are hot, and this is just a lovely light dessert after a big meal. I guess it wouldn’t be Christmas here without what the kids call Kaz’s Pav!
Light as a Feather Pavlova
INGREDIENTS
6 egg whites
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. white vinegar
Good pinch cream of tartar
Topping:
1 pint double cream
1 banana
Handful of strawberries
3 fresh passionfruit
2 dessertspoons lemon juice or 1/2 cup fizzy lemonade (dip banana slices to prevent from turning brown.)
DIRECTIONS
Set oven to 350F (180c)
Separate eggs very carefully. (Even the tiniest speck of yolk will not allow whites to whip properly.)
Ensure the mixing bowl is perfectly clean and dry before adding egg whites.
Using a stand mixer, thoroughly whip egg whites until peaks form.
Add sugar slowly while continuing to whip.
Add vanilla, vinegar and cream of tartar.
Continue whipping until the mixture is very firm, and the peaks will stand by themselves. (Feeling brave? Hold the inverted bowl over your head. It’s a sure test.)
Cover a flat baking tray with baking paper. Use little dabs of prepared meringue mixture in 4 or 5 places to secure the paper so it doesn’t slip around.
Carefully spoon the mixture onto the tray, building a high little drum-shape that is about 7 inches – no more – across. Smooth sides and flatten top with a spatula. The mixture will spread in the oven and there will be plenty, but it’s important to begin with this shape to ensure that lovely feather soft, marshmallow-like center. Otherwise, it will spread too thin and become hard and crunchy.
Place in oven and bake for 5 minutes only at 350F (180c).
Lower oven temp after 5 minutes to 240F (120c) and continue baking for one hour.
When the time is up, turn the oven off, but leave the pavlova in oven to cool completely. (At Christmastime, I will bake this the day before, the last bake of the day, and leave it in the oven overnight.)
It can also be stored for a day or two in an airtight container. Top with cream and preferred fruit – and serve!
Or top with cream, then add chopped pink and white marshmallows and grate chocolate, or crumble a Cadbury Flake bar, over the top. That’s how my grandchildren prefer it, and I often have to decorate the pavlova half and half to satisfy everybody.
This will serve 8 or more depending on serving portions.
For the topping:
Note: any preferred fruit can be used. I simply recommend the addition of at least one selection with a natural tartness or tang, such as fresh passionfruit. This can cut through all the sweetness of the meringue and give your dessert balance.
First, prepare the fruit – wash, peel, slice. Then whip cream until stiff. (Sugar is not needed as the meringue is so sweet.)
Additional notes:
This is an easy recipe to tweak to your own size requirements. E.g. 4 egg whites = 1 cup of sugar. 8 egg whites = 2 cups of sugar. (The size I usually have to make, though the accompanying image is simply a 4-egg version.) Temperatures and baking times will remain the same. Adjust the other ingredients accordingly. Also, the pav may split or collapse somewhat as it cools. This is fine. It all gets covered, and you will still have a soft, high pavlova inside.
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With A Corgi Conundrum being the fourth book in the series, I needed a new creative unaliving method. My husband and I are big spicy food eaters and watched a documentary on Hulu called “Super Hots,” thus the weapon was found.
This recipe is my husband’s dad’s “famous” recipe that is probably the best one we’ve ever had. You can make it spicier by adding more peppers, just be careful who you serve it to!
A Corgi Conundrum Chevy Salsa
INGREDIENTS
6 medium tomatoes
10 small jalapenos (red is best)
1/4 medium Spanish onion
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro (chopped)
2 tbsp. white vinegar
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. liquid smoke (mesquite flavored)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat barbecue grill to high temperature.
Remove any stems from the tomatoes, then rub some oil over each tomato. (You may want to cut the tomatoes in half for easier grilling.)
You can leave the stems on the jalapenos.
Place the tomatoes on the grill and cook about 10 minutes.
Place the jalapenos onto the grill (Tip: To adjust the heat, cut in half and scoop out seeds, roasting skin side to the flame).
Allow tomatoes and jalapenos to cook an additional 10 minutes and turn.
When almost the entire surface of the peppers has charred black, you can remove from the grill. The tomatoes will turn partially black, but when the skin begins to come off, then they are done.
Put the peppers and tomatoes on a plate and let them cool. (TIP: Placing the tomatoes and peppers into a zip-top bag or placing a bowl upside down over them will make the skins easier to peel off later.)
When the tomatoes and peppers have cooled, remove most of the skin from the tomatoes and place them into a food processor.
Pinch the stem end to remove them from each of the peppers and place them into the food processor as well. Toss out the liquid that remains on the plate.
Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor and puree on high speed for 5-10 seconds or until the mixture has a smooth consistency.
Place the salsa into a covered container and chill for several hours or overnight while the flavors develop. Makes about 4 cups.
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Geri’s Super-Secret Christmas Cookie recipe is so very special to my family. I grew up with large, thick cut-out cookies displayed on a pretty silver platter with a doily at my Polish-American grandmother’s house, and my maternal Aunt Margie made cut-outs with her delectable cooked frosting. I combined the two and voila! A match made in cookie heaven.
This recipe is a perfect choice for my Tule cozy mystery series, Shop ‘Round the World. I envision Angel baking these up for Nate in A Santa Stabbing, and since Nate’s the one that owns Latte Love—Stonebridge’s favorite coffee shop—it makes sense that he’d help Angel with the frosting and sprinkling. I hope this special recipe makes your reading of A Santa Stabbing all the sweeter, and may your holidays be bright!
Geri’s Super-Secret Christmas Cookies
In the tradition of Jean Stachelski and the Kaleta Family. I usually double or triple this recipe so there is plenty to give away.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter (originally shortening, but I don’t use this)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 8-oz. carton sour cream
1 tsp. anise (you can use vanilla) extract
4 3/4 cups flour (King Arthur’s All Purpose is best)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp, baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
DIRECTIONS
Cream butter, gradually add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add egg, beat until well blended. Stir in sour cream and vanilla, mixing well.
Combine flour, baking powder and soda, salt; add to creamed mixture, beating well. Divide dough into thirds; cover and chill at least 1 hour. (note: you can chill for a few days if needed, this keeps your workload more even throughout the holidays).
Roll one portion of dough to 1/8 inch (I do more like 1/4 inch) thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes (trees, bells, stars, Santas, holly leaves). Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. You can sprinkle with colored sugar now if you’re not going to frost. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Yield: about 8 dozen.
Geri’s Aunt Margie’s Sugar Cookie Frosting: Mix 1/2 cup of milk and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until it thickens. Stir the entire time (I use a metal whisk). Remove from the stove and allow to cool thoroughly. Whip up 1/2 cup butter (1 stick, softened) and 1 pound of confectioner’s sugar. Pour the cooled mixture into this while you are beating. Use food coloring as desired.
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Ginger is a favorite flavor in our house, from ginger ale to gingersnaps to crystallized ginger. So I knew I had to share our favorite ginger cookie recipe for this cozy holiday cookbook. These cookies are a spicy, chewy treat to share anytime of the year. Wren Winters and her friends in Player Elimination, the first of my Cardboard Cafe cozy mystery series, would love baking the dice-shaped cut-out cookies in this recipe to enjoy while spending a winter’s afternoon around the gaming table. You can buy dice-shaped cookie cutters online (or use any fun shape of your choice!). For an extra special touch, be sure to add the dots on the dice sides, called pips. Pip, Wren’s black and white cat, will be sure to approve!
Chewy Ginger Spice Cookies
PREP TIME: 10-15 min. | CHILL TIME: 1-plus hours | BAKE TIME: 12-14 min.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. cold water
1 large egg
2 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. clove
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
If baking immediately: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two large baking sheetswith parchment paper.
Beat together butter, shortening, sugar, salt, baking soda and baking powder. All mixing can be done with a pastry cutter or an electric mixer.
Beat in egg, brown sugar, and water.
Add the flour and spices and beat together until smooth. The mix will be somewhat firm and crumbly, but should press together easily.
At this point, refrigerate until ready to bake. For best results, refrigerate for 1+ hours so cut-out cookies will hold shape.
Form dough into a large ball and roll out on a floured surface with a rolling pin. Cut out cookies in whatever shape you prefer. (Alternatively, you can simply form 1-inch balls and place them on a cookie sheet).
If the cookies are soft, you can place them in the refrigerator for 10-20 minutes to firm up before baking.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until browning across the top. Sides will be crisp, but the middle will be soft. The cookies will still be puffed up when you take them out of the oven, but will drop as they cool.
Cool cookies thoroughly before icing. You’ll need an icing bag and a size no. 2 decorating tip for icing. Use white cookie icing to outline the facets of the dice. Allow the icing to set for approximately 10 minutes. Then use red and green (or color of choice) icing to flood in the dice faces. You may need to use a toothpick to spread out the icing to the edges. Let the flooded sections set 10 minutes before going back with white icing to add the pips (the spots on the dice sides representing numbers).
Alternatively, you can buy pre-made cookie icing already in a piping bag in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.
Makes approximately 24 two-inch cookies.
Cookie Icing
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tbsp. light corn syrup
2-3 tbsp. milk (or enough to reach desired consistency)
Food coloring of your choice
DIRECTIONS
Beat powdered sugar, vanilla extract, corn syrup and 1 tablespoon milk in a small bowl until smooth.
Add one tablespoon of milk at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
Stir in food coloring to reach desired color. Decorate cookies and allow icing to set.
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