Wreath Between the Lines by Daryl Wood Gerber – Recipe / Guest Post & Giveaway!

~ Erika K

The Agatha Award–winning author of Pressing the Issue returns to the Cookbook Nook, where Jenna Hart is busy decking the halls and ducking a killer . . .

The holidays are Jenna Hart’s favorite time of year, but just as she’s decorating the Cookbook Nook for all the festive events, her imperious older sister makes a surprise visit, anxious that her husband’s been more naughty than nice. To make matters worse, her father’s good friend Jake shows up on her doorstep with a frantic report that his friend has been murdered—trussed with Christmas lights and impaled with a tree star.

Worried that Jake was the intended victim, Jenna makes a list of suspects and checks it twice. Swapping her Santa’s hat for a sleuthing cap, she gets busy investigating Jake’s long-lost sister, his Grinch of a neighbor, and a stamp collector who covets Jake’s most treasured piece. When Jake himself is poisoned and nearly dies, Jenna knows she’ll have to do whatever it takes to corner the culprit before it’s lights out for Jake . . .

Includes tantalizing holiday recipes!

Jake, a friend of Jenna’s father,  shows up to tell her that his friend has been murdered, and then winds up poisoned himself. Worried that he may have been the intended victim, Jenna decides to investigate before the killer can remedy the mistake.

I love Daryl Wood Gerber’s books and the Cookbook Nook series has become one of my favorites, so I was thrilled to get the chance to read Wreath Between the Lines. The cover is beautiful, I really enjoy the cookbook shop setting, and Christmas themed cozies are always a hit with me. Jenna is a smart, capable sleuth and this puzzler of a story kept me guessing and in the holiday spirit all the way through.

I am so excited to have Daryl here to share a recipe from Wreath Between the Lines with us! Please help me welcome her to The Book’s the Thing.

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WREATH BETWEEN THE LINES is out!  It’s the 7th in the Cookbook Nook Mysteries, and as any fan knows, there are recipes in the book. I thought I’d share one on my blog tour. *You can read more about the book above. 

 Today, I’ll share a recipe for Brownie Christmas Trees. I saw pictures of these trees on Pinterest and knew I had to have Jenna, the owner of the Cookbook Nook and Nook Café, serve these to children who visit her establishments during the holidays. They are so darling. I’m sure your little darlings will want to help make them.

 But first….the brownies. This is the best darned brownie recipe I’ve ever concocted, and it’s gluten-free!! So chocolate-y, so moist. By the way, “whey” powder helps keep gluten-free baked goods moister longer. *Note about using regular flour at end of post.

Brownie peppermint stick Christmas Trees

brownie_tree (1)

*Use the brownie recipe below, but bake it in two 9-inch cake pans for half the time so they are ultra thin.

(Makes 12-16)

For decoration:

Green gel icing or green frosting

White or silver ball-shaped sprinkles

Sno-cap candies

Peppermint sticks cut to 2-inch length

HOW TO CONSTRUCT:

Cut brownies into wedge shapes (6-8 per cake pan). Set on decorative flat platter.

Carefully insert peppermint stick for tree trunk.

Ice with green swirls, on an angle.  (If using frosting, you might want to use a piping tool and very small tip.)

Sprinkle with white or silver sprinkles.

Using gel or icing, “glue” one snowcap at top of tree for the star.

Brownies

(Makes 12-16)

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract

3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa (I like Penzey’s but Hershey’s is quite good, too.)

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 chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line a round 9-inch pan with parchment paper and rubbed with butter.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Add sugar and salt and stir until the mixture lightens in color. Just a pale yellow is fine.

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, baking powder, and whey powder.  Stir in the 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 that you’re not eating tightly with plastic or store in sealed glass containers.

*If you’d like to make this using regular flour, just swap out the flour and you may use any vanilla extract. I’d still use the whey powder.

About the Author

DARYL WOOD GERBER writes the nationally bestselling Cookbook Nook Mystery series featuring a cookbook store owner who is an avid reader and admitted foodie, set on the coast of California. As AVERY AAMES, she pens the Agatha Award-winning, nationally bestselling Cheese Shop Mystery series featuring a cheese shop owner amateur sleuth, set in the fictional town of Providence, Ohio. Daryl’s short stories have been nominated for the Agatha, Anthony, and other awards. Fun tidbit: as an actress, Daryl has appeared in “Murder, She Wrote” and more.

Author Links

Visit Daryl or Avery atwww.darylwoodgerber.com.

“They” blog on www.mysteryloverskitchen.com as well as www.killercharacters.com

Daryl’s Blog – http://www.darylwoodgerber.com

Avery’s Blog – http://www.averyaames.com

Mystery Lover’s Kitchen – http://www.mysteryloverskitchen.com

Killer Characters – http://killercharacters.com

Facebook:

Daryl http://www.facebook.com/darylwoodgerber

Avery http://www.facebook.com/averyaames

Twitter: @AveryAames @DarylWoodGerber

Goodreads:

Daryl Wood Gerber https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4750535.Daryl_Wood_Gerber

Avery Aames https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3153786.Avery_Aames

Purchase Link – Amazon

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win a copy of a book and a $25 Amazon gift card (US ONLY)

(ENDED) Want a 2nd chance to win a book? Leave me a comment below to tell me your favorite holiday treat. Don’t forget to include your email address, and on 11/17/18 I will choose one winner at random to win their choice of one of Daryl Wood Gerber’s books. US only please, and good luck! 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

November 8 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW, RECIPE GUEST POST

November 8 – My Journey Back – SPOTLIGHT

November 9 – That’s What She’s Reading – SPOTLIGHT

November 9 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

November 10 – Here’s How It Happened – SPOTLIGHT

November 11 – Moonlight Rendezvous – REVIEW

November 12 – A Chick Who Reads – REVIEW

November 12 – Reading Is My SuperPower – RECIPE GUEST POST

November 13 – Cinnamon, Sugar, and a Little Bit of Murder – REVIEW

November 13 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT

November 14 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW

November 14 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT

November 15 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW

November 16 – The Avid Reader – REVIEW

November 16 – Valerie’s Musings – REVIEW

November 17 – cherylbbookblog – REVIEW

November 18 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

November 18 – Varietats – SPOTLIGHT

November 18 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW, RECIPE GUEST POST

November 19 – Books a Plenty Book Reviews – REVIEW

November 19 – Carole’s Book Corner – SPOTLIGHT

November 20 – Carstairs Considers – REVIEW

November 20 – The Montana Bookaholic – REVIEW, RECIPE GUEST POST

November 20 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

November 21 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW

November 21 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT

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89 thoughts on “Wreath Between the Lines by Daryl Wood Gerber – Recipe / Guest Post & Giveaway!”

  1. Pingback: #Review / #Giveaway - Wreath Between the Lines (A Cookbook Nook Mystery) by Daryl Wood Gerber - Great Escapes Tour @DarylWoodGerber - Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

  2. I really don’t have a favorite holiday treat. I guess I’m just not into sweets much — and sweets are what I think of when you say ‘treat.’ I do enjoy homemade fudge, and homemade cookies of most kinds.

    donna (dot) durnell (at) sbcglobal (dot) net

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  9. It’s tough to choose a favorite holiday treat! 🙂 I do a lot of cooking and baking more than anything. One thing that I really like to make this time of year is biscotti– all different kinds of it. It’s great to have on-hand, and makes a great little gift!

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  11. Look forward to reading the book I love all of your books! cookie would be surprise snowballs( roll them and put gumdrip in them). Kids all love them.

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  24. Great review and love the cover. One of my favorite authors also. Thanks for the recipe. I think my favorite is Pizzelles which I only make at Christmas.

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  27. LOL – I’ve got the book waiting for me if I can fix my Kindle WiFi connection!
    My favorite treat during the holiday is peppermint ice cream with hot fudge…yumm. I’m drooling just thinking about it! Congratulations on the release. I can’t wait to read it!
    dm_richards (at) yahoo (dot) com

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      1. Sorry about the double post. I didn’t think the first one posted because I wasn’t logged in to Word Press when I posted it and then they had me sign in. But you’re right, there are a lot of yummy comments here!

        Liked by 1 person

  31. My favorite holiday treat is the Christmas cookies. Why do we only make special cookies at Christmas? Daryl Wood Gerber is one of my favorite authors and this sounds like a great Christmas mystery.

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  36. My favorite treat during the holiday is peppermint ice cream. I am looking forward to reading Daryl Wood Gerber’s book, Wreath Between the Lines. Thanks for including it on your blog.

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