What do these books have in common: the mystery Devonshire Scream and the cookbooks Simply Scratch and The Love & Lemons Cookbook? They are all great books with recipes and I have them all here for one in one giveaway!
In Devonshire Scream, New York Times bestselling author of Ming Tea Murder serves up robberies, murder, and tea blends in her latest Tea Shop mystery. I read the book on a recent flight to New York and thoroughly enjoyed Laura Child’s writing style as well as the recipes and tea tips. Our main character, Theodosia, owns Indigo Tea Shop and finds herself in the middle of a crime scene that involves a robbery with a side of murder while catering a show at a local jewelry store. At her dear friend Brooke’s insistence, who is the aunt of the victim, she begins playing detective. You will have to read the book to find out more!
The Love & Lemons Cookbook from Jeanine Donofrio has been discussed a great deal in The Cookbook Junkies and I had to get my hands on a copy. From Jeanine’s first line, “Why Love & Lemons? Because once, we walked by an Italian dog with a lemon in its mouth. Obviously” I was sold. Quirky – I like quirky.
The book is visually beautiful with 26 chapters from A to Z or Apples to Zucchini & Summer Squash. Not only do the recipes look amazing, but the author adds valuable information such as “How to Cook with What You Have” and “What to Have on Hand at all Times”. Her ease with words and encouraging tips instill confidence in cooks who might be newer to cooking. Loaded Sweet Potato Nachos, Curried Parsnip and White Bean Soup, and Spring Leek & Lemon Pasta all look like winners.
Special thanks to Jeanine and her publisher for sharing a tasty crostini recipe that will be perfect for your next tea party or brunch. This recipe is so easy and tasty – my son loved it (as did I).
APPLE, BRIE & THYME CROSTINI = Serves: 4
8 slices ciabatta bread
8 (¼-inch/0.5-cm) slices brie cheese
1 Gala apple, thinly sliced
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Honey, for drizzling
4 sprigs fresh thyme, thick woody stems removed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the ciabatta slices on the baking sheet and top each with a slice of brie, a few slices of apple, and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted. Remove from the oven and drizzle each crostini with honey. Top with a sprig of fresh thyme, season with salt and pepper, and serve hot.
Reprinted from The Love & Lemons Cookbook by arrangement with Avery Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © 2016, Jeanine Donofrio
Simply Scratch by Laurie McNamara shares 120 Wholesome Homemade Recipes Made Easy. My favorite recipes in this book are those for Cream of Chicken Soup and Cream of Mushroom Soup – no more sodium laced cans in your casseroles. This weekend I’m going to be trying her Orange-Ginger Chicken and Rice – because it looks and sounds amazing. I also have the Mississippi Mud Pie (But Actually Texas Sheet Cake) and Pecan Toffee Oatmeal Cookies marked to be made. This is the perfect book to add to your collection as it provides scratch recipes from the Basics to Desserts.
Special thanks to the author and her publisher for sharing Laurie’s Lemon Ginger Scones with us another great option for a brunch or tea party. I love making scones and this recipe combine two of my favorite flavor combinations. A little trick I use to make perfect scones is that I grate the butter, spread it out on a small sheet pan and place it back in the fridge or freezer until I’m ready to use it.
This is the part where I confess that I once ate a whole batch of these scones in a record three days. I was testing the recipe and poof! They were gone. I didn’t mean to, but do we ever? For me, a scone served with a steaming cup of coffee or tea is perfection. I haven’t looked back since I was first introduced to scones by my friend Nichole, and this recipe does not disappoint. These scones are inspired by some I love at a bakery in a nearby town. A quintessential classic American bakery complete with exposed brick walls and a hodgepodge collection of cute tables and chairs, this place serves the most amazing breads and baked goods. Ever. It’s safe to say I’ve tried one of all their scones, and the lemon ginger are my number one favorite. These scones are lemony, with a subtle ginger flair, and are topped with a thick layer of powdered sugar. What’s not to love? So naturally when I tried them at home I ate them all. The end.
NOTE: The key to any good scone recipe is using ice-cold ingredients, so I cube the butter and keep it in the freezer, and keep everything else, with the exception of the dry ingredients, measured and combined in the fridge until I’m ready to mix them in.
MAKES 8 SCONES • TOTAL TIME: 30 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup cold heavy cream
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon organic lemon extract
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup (1½ sticks) ice-cold
unsalted butter, cut into cubes
¼ cup finely diced candied ginger
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
¼ cup powdered sugar
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, use a fork to beat together the heavy cream, eggs, lemon extract, and vanilla until combined. Chill until ready to use.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Drop in the ice-cold butter and use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse wet sand.
- Pour in the chilled cream mixture, ginger, and lemon zest and use a rubber spatula to stir until just combined.
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it a few times before forming it into a ball. With floured fingers, flatten it out into a 11⁄2-inch-thick round. Cut the round into 8 equal-size wedges and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer the baked scones to a wire rack to cool. Once the scones have cooled, dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.
Reprinted from Simply Scratch by arrangement with Avery Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © 2015, Laurie McNamara
GIVEAWAY: My lovely friends at Avery Books and Berkley Books who provided me with copies of these books for this review want to share a set of them with one of you! This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. There are several options to enter – do one or do them all.
1) Leave a comment on this post (daily if you like) telling me something you love to serve or have at a brunch or tea party.
2) Share this post on social media – there are several icons on this page to make this easier. Leave a comment telling me where you shared.
3) Visit The Cookbook Junkies Facebook page. Likes are appreciated. Sharing the page is even more appreciated. I only post giveaways on that page. Leave an additional comment telling me you did so.
4) Visit Avery and Berkley’s Facebook pages. Likes are appreciated. Leave an additional comment telling me you did so.
5) Visit Eat Your Books Facebook page. Likes are appreciated. Leave an additional comment telling me you did so.
A random winner will be chosen on November 5th! Good luck.
Random Number Generator picked #111 Carolsue.
Disclaimer: Links to Amazon are affiliate links and help to support this page. Please see the right side bar for links to my stores on Amazon and Book Depository – any purchases there also support this page. Lastly, the Dover Publications promotion is still going on until January 1st. See the ad on the right side bar. Using that link and code will result in a 25% discount on your purchases there.
Jesse says
I can’t resist a good breakfast cake or quickbread, mostly because it is so versatile. Quickbread one day, toasted or made into French toast the next, crumbled on top of yogurt after that!
With a good homemade tea latte and fresh seasonal fruit, it’s a perfect morning meal for family!
Lisa Barron says
Blueberry cream cheese french toast is my favorite brunch item
Lisa Barron says
Shared on Facebook
Lisa Barron says
Visited the Cookbook Junkies Facebook Page
Melissa says
I love cucumber sandwiches and lemon curd!
Melissa says
Shared on fb
Melissa says
Liked cookbook junkie fb page
Lisa Barron says
Visited Avery and Berkley’s Facebook page. Can’t wait to see Big Little Lies
Melissa says
Liked eat your books
Melissa says
Liked avery
Melissa says
Liked Berkeley
Lisa Barron says
And lastly, visited Eat Your Books Facebook page
Odebt Massey says
I love a good frittata for brunch! And there are so many choices for ingredients to always make them interesting.
Judy says
I love a custardy Challah French toast with a berry orange compote.
Odebt Massey says
I shared your review on facebook. My friends always appreciate it too.
Jim Huff says
Two favorite Brunch dishes at my house are: Vegetable laden frittata, often with leftovers and Bacon Jam on creamy goat cheese on toasted baguette slices!
lisa says
Scones are a great choice to serve for tea!
Odebt Massey says
I visited the Avery page on Facebook. It is interesting!
Odebt Massey says
I visited and “liked” the Berkley Publishing page. I am always looking for a good read.
Odebt Massey says
I have been a member of the Facebook page Cookbook Junkies for a long time and visit it often. It is also in my newsfeed often. I love the page and am quite the cookbook junkie myself.
Thank you Jenny for all you do!
sheri kline says
Apricot scones with lemon curd and Devonshire cream are one of my anytime scones 🙂
Odebt Massey says
And last but far from least; I visited and “liked” the Eat Your Books page. I think this one is going to get me in trouble!
But then again, it is good trouble to be in! I love my cookbooks!
Elizabeth Ericson says
I have shared and completed and liked all. I love to serve quiches for brunches with whatever veggies are in season – i also like flavor when ricotta is in them
Laura Fifield says
I love to serve Lemon Shortbread cookies with tea. They add a nice touch of citrus tones to compliment the teas. 🙂
Laura Fifield says
Shared on Pinterest
Laura Fifield says
Shared on Twitter
Laura Fifield says
Now liked/joined The Cookbook Junkies on Facebook..
Laura Fifield says
Now following The Cookbook Junkies on Twitter.
Laura Fifield says
Now following The Cookbook Junkies on Pinterest.
Laura Fifield says
Now liked Avery’s Facebook page.
Laura Fifield says
Now liked Berkley’s Facebook page.
Laura Fifield says
Now liked Eat Your Books Facebook page.
Marcia1206 says
I shared on FB
Marcia1206 says
Scones
Stephanie says
I love serving fresh scones and a big bowl of fruit salad!
Stephanie says
Liked Berkley Publishing on FB- thanks for the tip!
Marcia1206 says
I like always Cookbook Junkies
Barbara Caggiano says
Our favorite springtime brunch, or Sunday morning late breakfast is Sliced strawberries, a baked potato, steamed artichoke and scrambled eggs. Sounds strange? Living in the Pacific Northwest we knew it was spring when strawberries started popping up in the grocery stores, but also artichokes. Yum!! At first it was just digging into the strawberries and artichokes; and don’t ask me how the baked potato got added, but it did, and became an annual tradition; the eggs got added as a source of protein. This isn’t an Easter Breakfast, or saved for special occasions, except that first spring weekend when all of these things come into the store at the same time, and are on sale. We’ve been having this brunch once a year for about 18 years.
Robin says
Make the Almond Croissant french toast from Bobby Flay’s brunch book! I made it for Easter last year and it was a huge hit!
Kayla says
I love blueberry scones with some tea!
Barbara Caggiano says
I shared this on Facebook.
Karen Rowland says
Scones! If any variety. Sweet, savory…I love them all
Robin Chesser says
Danishes, I love danishes. I have never hosted a brunch but danishes are what I love to have when out doing brunch.
Robin Chesser says
I shared on Facebook, I tweeted it and G+1’ed it, sharing is caring.
Robin Chesser says
I visited the CBJ Facebook page and liked it!
Robin Chesser says
I visited Avery and Berkley’s FB page and I liked it!
Lorraine Groom says
I love raspberry .scones for brunch. Can’t wait to see some of these books.
Danielle S. says
I love to serve some shortbread cookies when serving tea to guests.
royalegacy at gmail dot com
Danielle S. says
I shared this on Twitter
https://twitter.com/royalegacy/status/789181709677842432
Danielle S. says
I visited The Cookbook Junkies Facebook page and shared it with my friends.
Danielle S. says
I visited Avery and Berkley’s Facebook pages giving them a like
Danielle S. says
I visited Eat Your Books Facebook page and gave them a like, too.
Joni says
I love to make a “bread basket.” I make a bunch of different treats in advance and freeze them unbaked, and then bake a few of each the morning of brunch so there can be a variety of different items and I can have them fresh from the oven without too much stress in the morning. I usually include plain biscuits (with different jellies/jams/butters I may have around) and cheddar-chive biscuits and then at least one type of scone (most recently I did apple cheddar and blueberry).
Tamara Mitchell says
Maple Scones. The recipe on NYT is great
Teruska says
I visited The Cookbook Junkies Facebook page again today.
Teruska says
I usually make Roast Beef with Horseradish Crema on party Rye for the Wilderstein teas in Rhinebeck NY. Teas are held in December and April and include a tour of Daisy Suckley’s home.
Teruska says
I posted this on my friend, Karen’s page. She would love these books ~ almost as much as I would!
Teruska says
I tweeted about these cookbooks and this giveaway.
Teruska says
I visited Avery Books Facebook page.
Teruska says
I visited and liked Berkley Publishing’s Facebook page.
Teruska says
I came to your website from Eat Your Books Facebook page although I follow your blog and follow you on Facebook.
Teruska says
I usually make Roast Beef with a Horseradish Crema on party Rye for the teas held at Wilderstein in Rhinebeck NY in December and April. A tour of Daisy Suckley’s home is included in the price of the tea!
Teruska says
I poste this on my friend Karen’s Facebook page.
Teruska says
I tweeted about the sweepstakes.
Teruska says
I visited your Facebook page today ~ as usual.
Teruska says
I visited Avery’s Facebook page.
Teruska says
I visited Berkley Publishing’s Facebook page.
Teruska says
I visited Eat Your Books Facebook page. I visit their website pretty much daily.
Ellen@BakeItWithBooze says
I always make a quiche and some biscuits for a brunch. Thank you!
Linda G. says
I visited Eat your Books.
Linda G. says
I visited Berkley Publishing’s Facebook page.
Linda G. says
I visited Avery’s Facebook page.
Linda G. says
I shared on facebook.
Judy says
I love winning.
Nadia Murray says
I visited The Cookbook Junkies Facebook page
Nadia Murray says
for brunch my favorite is sticky buns with pecans
Teruska says
One of my favorite dishes to see on the table at a tea is smoked salmon.
Gail Magnani says
I love serving Dutch babies! And I always LIKE your FB page!
Joan says
Scones are a great option for a tea party. The lemon ones sound delicious.
Joan says
Shared on Facebook.
Odebt Massey says
Today’s brunch was a wonderful avocado stuffed with tuna salad! Scrumptious and healthy!
Danielle S. says
Well, if my mother and grandmother stop by for tea, they always want tortilla chips and salsa. Doesn’t go that well together for me.
Marcia1206 says
I like EYB!
Marcia1206 says
I don’t love super sweet things in the morning but I love croissants!
Ashley Grace says
cucumber sandwiches 🙂
Ashley Grace says
Shared on twitter
Steph says
I love serving liver chopped on crackers at party’s
Barbara Caggiano says
I shared this on Facebook
Steph says
I shared on Twitter
Steph says
I shared and visited on Facebook
Steph says
I liked eat your books
Marcia1206 says
Hi Jenny!
Danielle S. says
I don’t usually have too many people over for tea. Hm…something else I would love to have with tea would be some cake.
Robin says
I think I should have a brunch soon and serve some croissants and brioches
Felice Geoghegan says
I love making english-style scones with jam and cream.
Barbara Caggiano says
I liked and shared “the Cookbook Junkies” Facebook page.
Barbara Caggiano says
I liked Avery’s page
Barbara Caggiano says
I also liked Berkely’s Facebok page. 🙂
Barbara Caggiano says
I visited and liked Eat your Boos Facebook page. Good stuff there.
Barbara Caggiano says
Book’s even
Barbara Caggiano says
A bit off topic, but does anyone know how to start Amish Starter Dough? A friend of mine had given me some across the country, one time and let me tell you if there was ever a reason to have a brunch, using the dough is it. I would make muffins galore with these, and especially make the mini muffins for my son’s pre-school at the time. When I moved I figured the dough was readily available and haven’t been able to find it since.
Lisa Canning says
My husband and I fell in love scones at the Two Loons Cafe in Bandon, OR, they were served with homemade lemon curd and we were hooked! They also made Scotch Eggs which were delicious and we have mever seen anywhere else. We have tried many mixes then and he bought several cookbooks on the subject but we never heard your advice. I’m having to watch my gluten intake but am reinspired by your tips!
Teruska says
I have also made basil pesto and red pepper pesto “elephant ears” with puff pastry dough for one of the Teas. Big hit!
Caroline says
I like mini cupcakes for tea – chocolate with cappuccino buttercream, lemon with raspberry buttercream, gingerbread with caramel buttercream.
Judith says
yum! i’d love these books
Lisa Barron says
Eggs Benedict
Robin Chesser says
Can finally use a computer at home again. Daily entry
Judy says
Love sleeping till noon before brunch.
Danielle S. says
Actually, I would like to make the scones. I do need to get some candied ginger for it.
Danielle S. says
I see that one of the books has a recipe for Cream of Chicken soup. I have been wanting a good recipe. Can’t stand the stuff that comes out of a can.
Carolsue says
I like to serve lemon shortbread cookies at a brunch or tea party
Carolsue says
I visited your Facebook page
Carolsue Anderson
Carolsue says
I shared on Google+
https://plus.google.com/+CarolEzovski/posts/3Nt8S5Acyyt
Carolsue says
I visited Eat Your Books Facebook page also
Carolsue Anderson
Carolsue says
I visited Avery and Berkley’s Facebook pages
Carolsue Anderson
Danielle S. says
After reading how you make your scones, I see where I have gone wrong when I have tried making them before.
Carolsue says
I might serve cucumber sandwiches at a tea party
Carolsue says
I would like to serve blueberry scones at a tea/brunch
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
Susan Ericson says
I love baking and serving any type of tea bread. Particularly if they contain fruit in season.
Susan Ericson says
Visited Avery and Berkly’s pages!
Susan Ericson says
Stopped by the Eat Your Books page…love that site!
Carolsue says
I would make blueberry coffee cake
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
Ashley Grace says
shortbread cookies
Carolsue says
I would make English Toffee Cookies
Carolsue says
Whoops. Duplicate. Please delete.
Carolsue says
I would make English Trifle for dessert – 10/31
Carolsue says
I would make Sticky Toffee Pudding
jess dimovski says
Love lemon curd with my tea and scones
kauai17 says
I like to serve a quiche. It’s easy to make, always a crowd pleaser and the combination of ingredients you can choose to use are endless.
kauai17 says
Tweeted this post
kauai17 says
Pinned the lemon ginger scone.
Caitlin says
Scones with jam and cream are my favorite.
Caitlin says
I shared this on Pinterest, Twitter and Google+.
Carolsue says
I would make Summer Pudding
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net
Danielle S. says
I wonder how those lemon scones would be if I added some fresh blueberries to the mix?
Kate I. says
I’ve shared on Facebook and Twitter (@kate_ivan)
Kate I. says
I’ve liked The Cookbook Junkies FB page and shared it on my timeline …
Kate I. says
I’ve visited both Avery’s and Berkley’s FB pages (both of which I’ve followed for ages).
Kate I. says
I visited the Eat Your Books FB page (of which I’ve been a fan for some time).
Kate I. says
I choose Lobster Eggs Benedict any chance I get. My tastes run more to savory than sweet.
Carolsue says
I would make cranberry scones