It's

Cozy Food Friday

That means it's time to share a recipe from 

another great cozy mystery!

Today I'm featuring 

SPICED AND ICED

Book 2 in the Callie's Kitchen Mysteries

by Jenny Kales

The holidays can be murder! Greek-American restaurateur Callie Costas finds herself on thin ice when a colleague is killed. Recipes included!

The season is bright when Calliope "Callie" Costas agrees to contribute her Greek snowball cookies to a December bridal shower at The English Country Inn in the scenic waterfront town of Crystal Bay, WI. But when Callie finds a colleague dead, she's sucked into another murder investigation -- all while juggling her growing business and staggering holiday workload.

As she reluctantly agrees to help the Inn's owner track the killer, Callie is soon up to her spiced Greek biscotti in difficulties. For one thing, the hotel staff is freezing her out as she tries to uncover information, helped by her feisty Grandma Viv and her sweet but nosy aunt who's visiting from Greece. And then there's her deepening relationship with the suave and mysterious Detective Sands, a British expat now living in Wisconsin, who seems to have a few secrets of his own.

The icing on the cake is a host of simultaneous family mayhem including her father's surprising fixation on a real estate agent and her ex's plans to move back to Crystal Bay. As the Inn's annual Christmas Tea approaches, things are heating up in Callie's Kitchen, but she's on thin ice! Will Christmas be a festive celebration this year - or will it be murder?

Turn to the end of the book for six delicious recipes, including Greek cookies and savories, plus traditional Midwestern favorites!

About Jenny Kales

Jenny is an avid reader, cook and baker and she’s addicted to mystery TV, especially anything on Masterpiece Mystery or BBC America. A member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime, she lives just outside of Chicago with her husband, two daughters and one cute but demanding Yorkshire terrier. Keep up with author news for Jenny Kales by following her on social media: Facebook (Jenny Kales Mystery Author), Twitter @Jenny_Kales, Instagram (jennykales_author) and Goodreads. Visit her website at jennykales.wordpress.com/

On to the recipe!

GREEK SNOWBALL COOKIES

(Kourabiethes)

These are the festive cookies on the cover of SPICED AND ICED. 

They are a family favorite and a Callie’s Kitchen bestseller.

Ingredients:

1 lb. (4 sticks) unsalted butter, very soft

1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar, plus more for sprinkling on cookies

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 oz. ouzo (Greek liqueur) OR 1 tsp anise extract or 1 tsp orange extract

5-6 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat softened butter in a standing mixer (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer) until very light and fluffy. Add confectioner’s sugar, egg yolk, vanilla and ouzo (or extract), beating thoroughly after each addition. Add flour a little at a time until soft dough is formed that can be handled easily.

Taking about a teaspoonful at a time, (I use a small ice-cream scoop) roll into a small ball about the size of a walnut. Place on a non-stick cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. Cookies should be light golden brown on the bottoms.

Roll in powdered sugar while still hot. When cool, sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar again.

Makes about 5 dozen.

This image is courtesy of Google Images

Yum!

What a perfect cookie for any winter holiday!

~*~*~

Please keep reading and check out my 

installments of 

Book Beginnings on Fridays

and

The Friday 56

~*~*~

Book Beginnings on Fridays is a meme hosted by Rose City Reader

Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading

My Book Beginnings

“Why does anyone think it’s a good idea to have their bridal shower right before the holidays?” grumbled Natalie Underwood, her long red curls bouncing pertly as she rushed about the room. Her slim figure, decked out in a short, sleek dress and dark-colored tights seemed to bristle with consternation as she straightened silverware and adjusted the festive Christmas centerpieces in The English Country Inn’s waterfront dining room.

“Because they enjoy making everyone as stressed out as they are?” Calliope Costas responded, but with a smile. Her friends and clients called her “Callie,” but her Greek father normally stuck with Calliope.

As the proprietor of Callie’s Kitchen, a Mediterranean meets Midwest from-scratch meals business, she’d had her fair share of demanding clients.

The Friday 56 is a meme hosted by Freda's Voice

Rules: *Grab a book, any book. *Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader (If you have to improvise, that's okay.) *Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) that grab you. *Post it.

My Friday 56 

Finally, Callie saw the inn just ahead, looking like a picture postcard with its snow-covered roof, Christmas wreath on the door and silvery, snow-covered pines flanking the entrance. Callie maneuvered the car into an icy parking space and turned off the engine. Her breath frosted the air as she scooped up her Christmas treats and carefully made her way around the icy patches that led to the inn’s front door. Someone – Bix Buckman, probably – had sprinkled salt but Callie took her time. She didn’t want another fall on the hard cement like she’d had just a few months earlier, after Drew’s murder.

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