Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!
I am always excited when Avery Aames stops by for a visit!
I adore Mac ‘n Cheese
By Avery Aames aka Daryl Wood Gerber
My author pal Krista Davis tells me that everything tastes better with bacon. I believe her. I believe everything Krista says.
When I’m writing, I need mental support. And mac ‘n cheese is, quite simply, comfort food to the MAX. Each bite packs a punch. Each bite melts in your mouth. Add bacon and wow!
By the way, according to Wikipedia, which happens to be my go-to source for absolutely truthful information (LOL), I discovered the following.
Did you know that pasta and cheese casseroles have been recorded in cookbooks as early as the Liber de Coquina (which is one of the oldest medieval cookbooks)? Also, a pasta and cheese casserole known as makerouns was recorded in an English cookbook in the 14th century. The casserole was made with hand-cut pasta and sandwiched between a mixture of melted butter and cheese. Oh, yum!!! AND it was considered an upper class meal in Italy until around the 18th century.
So there. Raise a pinky and eat mac and cheese!
What’s your favorite guilty-pleasure food?
Mac & Bacon & Cheddar Cheese
(Gluten-free or regular)
Ingredients:
2 cups dried macaroni, cooked to tender (about 4-5 cups cooked) (gluten-free or regular macaroni – I like the Bionatura brand of gluten-free elbow pasta)
4 tablespoons butter [1/2 cube]
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons rice or potato flour (for regular, you may use regular white flour)
1 cup milk
1 cup grated cheese (equal parts white and orange Cheddar)
4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and broken into bites
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
Paprika (for garnish)
Directions:
Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside. This may be made a day ahead. NOTE: Do not forget to drain and set aside. You do not want the pasta to be “wet.”
In a large sauce pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic salt & pepper and cook about 2 minutes. Add flour (gluten-free, if necessary) and stir. Cook 1 minute more, letting boil. It will thicken into a roux. Stir constantly.
Add milk, stir and let boil to thicken. About 1 minute.
Remove from heat and add white and orange Cheddars. Add bacon. Stir.
Pour sauce over drained macaroni. Toss well. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Dash with paprika.
For Cheddar or Worse:
A Cheese Shop Mystery
7th in Series
Cozy Mystery
Setting – Ohio
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley (February 2, 2016)
ISBN-13: 978-0425273326
E-Book ASIN: B00X593CK8
In the new Cheese Shop Mystery from the Agatha Award-winning author of As Gouda as Dead, an extra-sharp tongued cheese critic is cut down during a summer cheese festival.
It’s time for the annual Cheese Festival in Providence, Ohio, and Charlotte Bessette’s cheese shop is packed with homemade specialties. Meanwhile, her friend Erin is prepping her dairy farm and inn for cheese makers, marketers, journalists, and one surprise guest—Lara Berry, pretentious cheese whiz, pompous bestselling author, and pungent critic whose extra sharp tongue can crumble a reputation.
Even though any love for Lara by her friends curdled long ago, Charlotte is surprised when the foodie is smothered to death in her room at Erin’s inn. Accusations start flying, but the one laying blame on Erin strikes Charlotte as a crock. Now, to clear her friend’s name, Charlotte has to sift through Lara’s ex-lovers, former business partners, and unforgiving enemies to find a killer before Lara’s past casts a tainted pall on the festival’s future.
RECIPES INCLUDED
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Say Cheese for one last time. Seriously, I had tears in my eyes when I learned that this would be our last visit to Fromagerie Bessette. I absolutely love these characters and I will miss them dearly. Avery Aames pulls out all the stops and gives us a fabulous mystery to bring the series to a close.
Providence, Ohio is hosting their annual cheese festival. Food, music, plays and a “brain trust” for cheese makers, distributors, and journalists. The “brain trust” is being held at the Emerald Pastures Farm owned by Erin Emerald. She also has an inn where several of the participants are staying. One special surprise guest has been added to the group, Lara Berry, best selling author and food critic. She is not well liked by those who know her, her reviews have done damage throughout the industry. When she is found murdered there is no shortage of suspects but the prime one is Charlotte’s friend, Erin Emerald. Charlotte butts right into the investigation to prove her friend’s innocence.
All our favorite characters are back. Charlotte and Jordan are settling in to their married life and doing their best to mesh their very busy schedules. Charlotte’s grandmother, the mayor, is involved in almost every aspect of the festival. Her grandfather is helping out at the cheese shop while Charlotte attends the brain trust with her new hubby. Matthew and Meredith are expecting and she has been put on complete bed rest. Not an easy task for an active woman with 2 young girls in the house or the man trying to keep everything as normal as possible. Delilah and the police chief, Urso, have rekindled their relationship. And then we have all the crazy characters in town for the festival and the brain trust.
A fantastic plot full of surprises carries these characters through the pages. Interspersed between the main plots and subplots there is plenty of cheese, both tasting and food created with cheese. You will find yourself drooling. I found myself so entranced by the story I felt like I was searching out clues along with Charlotte and could almost taste the delectable treats sprinkled throughout the entire story.
I didn’t want the story to end. I slowed down my reading and tried to savor each and every interaction and step the characters took. I knew when I reached the final page there would be no more. No more Charlotte and Rebecca working together at the shop, no more Matthew picking out the perfect wine, no more Pépère sneaking pieces of cheese, no more Grand-mère and her magnificent plans for the city or the playhouse, no more Charlotte trying to get Urso to tell her things he shouldn’t, no more cheese and those amazing recipes, no more of so many things I am going to miss. I am greedy. I wanted more! The only good thing is that I will still be able to read what Avery Aames
About The Author
Avery Aames is the Agatha Award–winning author of The Long Quiche Goodbye
Author Links
Blog: www.mysteryloverskitchen.com (Blog Wednesdays)
www.facebook.com/darylwoodgerber www.pinterest/darylwoodgerber
www.twitter.com/darylwoodgerber www.twitter.com/averyaames
www.goodreads/darylwoodgerber www.goodreads/averyaames
and Avery is giving away copy of winner’s choice of CHEESE SHOP MYSTERY!!
Contest is open to anyone over 18 years old
with a US mailing address.Duplicate entries will be deleted. Void where prohibited.
something you like here and become a follower.
Plus 2 Bonus Entries For Liking My Facebook Fan Page.
Leave a comment for Avery for 5 Bonus Entries.
Pin this giveaway to Pinterest for 3 Bonus Entries.
5 Bonus Entries For Each Link.
Winner Will Be Chosen By Random.org
Winner Will Be Notified By Email
and Will Be Posted Here In The Sidebar.
Click Here For Entry Form
Avery is also touring with
Great Escapes Book Tours this week!
Visit every stop for more reviews, recipes and giveaways
Tour Participants
January 25 – Shelley’s Book Case – Review, Giveaway
January 26 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – Review, Guest Post, Giveaway
January 27 – Brooke Blogs – Review, Guest Post, Giveaway
January 28 – Mallory Heart Reviews – Review
January 29 – Griperang’s Bookmarks – Review, Giveaway
January 30 – Melina’s Book Blog – Review, Guest Post, Giveaway
January 31 – Cozy Up With Kathy – Review, Guest Post, Giveaway
Including this Great Grand Prize!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
My favorite guilty pleasure food is fried shrimp with tartar sauce. The mac and cheese with bacon looks delicious! Thank you for sharing another great recipe!
Rach, that sounds delicious! And you bet re: the recipe. My pleasure. ~ Daryl / Avery
Love these series. Thanks for the giveaway.
Sally, always. 🙂
~ Daryl / Avery
I am sad that this series is ending for I have enjoyed the characters (and events). Thank you for the giveaway.
Jeanetta, events will continue, just for my other series instead. So keep an eye out on my FB page, etc.! In fact I have a release party this coming Sunday! Don’t miss it. ~ Daryl / Avery
This should be a good read.
Melody, I sure hope so. Dollycas thinks it is. And she’s never wrong. 🙂 ~ Daryl / Avery
Can’t wait to read thanks for the chance to win.
Lisa, you are welcome. Love your last name. 😉 ~ Daryl / Avery
Fun series…thanks for the giveaway. Kuzlin at AOL.com
Kuzlin, I have to admit, I’m always curious what Kuzlin stands for. 🙂 ~ Daryl / Avery
Although I am sad to see the series end, can’t wait to read this finale! Thanks!
HJ, I hope you enjoy it as much as Dollycas did. It really was a work of love for me. 😉 ~ Daryl / Avery
So sorry to hear this series is ending, but now maybe I can catch up!
Gram, LOL. How true. You won’t be on 5 when there are 20 more to go! LOL ~ Daryl / Avery
The saying “All good things must come to an end” applies here. So sorry to see this series ending.
Susan, thanks, but I hope you like the rest will read all, even though it is ending. It’s like a good movie or TV, I think. You still want to know the resolution, right? ~ Daryl / Avery
I believe I was a mouse in a previous life because cheese is my daily need. Perhaps this is why I am drawn to Avery Aames’ books. Thanks for the interview. robeader53@yahoo.com
Oh, cute. Robeader…I have a mice gift for my release party. It’s so CUTE! ~ Daryl / Avery
I love to try different types of cheese and i enjoy mysteries. This is a perfect pairing for me. Thanks for a chance to win a copy.
Elaine, if you haven’t read one, all I can say is Say Cheese! ~ Daryl / Avery
Sounds like a great cozy.
What a great series and wonderful giveaway.
I have been a fan since I read my first Avery Aames in this series…which, if memory serves, I won in an online giveaway from this very blog! :O)
I am so happy you found out about Avery’s books here, LuAnn. They are some of the very best out there.
“Dollycas” – Thank you so much for such a lovely review! I am overwhelmed. You captured how I feel, too. I love all my characters and will miss them, but for all of you who haven’t even read one, there are 7 books! Count them 7. Enjoy!
I’m sad to be coming in to this series as it’s ending. That mac and cheese recipe looks wonderful! Thanks for sharing this and all the others! 🙂
Amanda, I’m sad, too, as I said, but it’s the journey that counts. And we can all move into another “protagonist’s life” together, right? 🙂 ~ Daryl / Avery
I am, sadly, never really surprised by the stupidity of publishing.
They delight in killing the goose with the golden eggs.
Now, now, Libby, let’s watch our language. Stupid? LOL It’s publishing and the bottom line. But I’m so THRILLED that I even got the chance to write the series. It established me as a writer and gave me a wonderful experience with a wonderful publisher! Truly. ~ Daryl / Avery
I read Avery’s book As Gouda as Dead because do your recommendation and I loved it! I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series, but am sad that they are ending. Thank you for the introduction!
Cecilia, I’m so glad you liked As Gouda As Dead. One of my favorites. Oh, who am I kidding? I like all my children. 🙂 ~ Daryl / Avery
The books in both of the series that you have are so good. I find it sad that the series is ending but at some point it would have to end unfortunately. Thank you for giving us a taste of what is in this one and i look forward to reading and reviewing it.
Peggy, I like your attitude. At least you got to experience as much as I did, and I’m so happy about that. I learned so much about cheese and Ohio and my characters (and therefore “me”) as I wrote the series. A blessing. ~ Daryl / Avery
Thanks for the chance. Love cheese!
Star, you bet! ~ Daryl / Avery
Love this series and can’t wait for this next book!
New author for me. Exciting.
So sad that this is the last one when I am trying to catch up with this series. As to pleasure foods, I have so many, food is a pleasure. I love mac and cheese, I have got to try this recipe because I love bacon (probably my biggest guilty pleasure). Crab legs is another, luckily I can’t afford to eat them too often, LOL.
Debbie, I adore crab legs. Must be in season. I’m not big on frozen ones. But yum! I was raised in the SF bay area and often went to the city for crab! ~ Daryl / Avery
Her books are great, love reading them.
I’ve read other books by this author and enjoyed them. Not read one about cheese. Sounds deliciously fun.
Fuonlyknew – so you know I’m also Daryl? You’ve read the Cookbook Nook Mysteries? Because that’s the only other series I have out so far. 🙂 ~ Daryl / Avery
Yup, everything is better with bacon.
Thanks for a great bacon, mac and cheese recipe. I will definitely give it a try. Would really love to read this book. I have enjoyed the other books in the series, sorry this is the last in the series.
Thanks, Dianne. I do hope you’ll give it a try and tell a friend about the series. That is how series stay alive is word of mouth so more readers get in on the secret! 🙂 ~ Daryl / Avery
Say it isn’t so—I love this series! It can’t end!
S – it’s so, and I’m so sad, but I have other stories to tell, so I hope you’ll find those as enjoyable! ~ Daryl / Avery
Macaroni & Cheese…such a wonderful comfort food! Thank you for the chance to win!
Sandy, I agree. Especially with bacon. 🙂 You are most welcome. ~ Daryl / Avery
You had me at gluten-free!
I haven’t’ tried this series yet! I would love to get started
Blurb on book looks great. Hope to be reading soon. We are mac & cheese lovers here. So will definitely try. It does look good. Book and recipe look good. Thanks for this chance at the book. And for the recipe
Sounds great on my TBR list on Goodreads.