Have a Deliciously Cozy Holiday

by Mandy Winter

Is there anything more delightful than a cozy mystery in the winter? Every November I excitedly head into my local library and take out a huge stack of holiday food cozy mysteries. Back home I snuggle up in front of the fire and begin my month-long hobby of reading through them, all the while flagging the recipes to die for. Once December comes and the hustle and bustle starts to derail my cozy holiday spirit I begin to BAKE! I bake for my kids’ teachers, for neighbors, for friends and family. Anyone who needs a little pick me up. It brings me back to what I find most enjoyable about the holidays, giving. Spreading out all the holiday food cozies on my kitchen table and baking my way through them refills my soul. What I love to do is gift these tasty baked goodies along with a copy of the book I found them in. It’s a fun way to share my love of cozy mysteries with people and create a deliciously cozy community. In the spirit of giving I’m sharing some of my favourite books and the recipes I choose to accompany for this upcoming year.

First up for the librarians who do not stop or even bat an eyelash at me walking by with what seems like the entire collection of holiday food cozy mysteries:

Christmas Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke and her featured recipe: Sugar Plum Cookies

For the neighbourhood dogs and their dog parents who always enjoy stopping and supplying my dog (Doc) with hellos and sometimes treats through the dog window we have cut into our fence:

Purring around the Christmas Tree by Liz Mugavero and her Sweet Potato Treats recipe.

For my mother who was the first to gift me a deliciously cozy mystery:

Merry Market Murder by Paige Shelton and her featured recipe: Orange Meltaways

For my allergy free neighbors who until my family moved in lived in a quiet neighborhood:

Joanne Fluke’s Christmas Cake Murder and her delicious Chocolate Hazelnut Bon Bons recipe.

To my mystery book club members who will delight in this book and drink combo for us to share virtually while we zoom:

A Cup Of Holiday Fear by Ellie Alexander and her Lances Hot Buttered Rum

To my brother in law for his love of justice, eggnog and Christmas:

I wanted to share Ellie Grant’s Evie’s Elegant Eggnog Pie recipe, which can be found in her book, Treacherous Tart.

EVIE’S ELEGANT EGGNOG PIE RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 small box vanilla pudding mix, cooked variety

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 ½ cups eggnog

2 teaspoons rum (optional)

2 cups heavy cream

1 nine inch baked piecrust

Combine pudding mix, nutmeg, and eggnog. Mix well. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove from heat, stir in rum (optional). Move ingredients to a large bowl cover and refrigerate until cold.
Whip cream into soft peaks. Remove the cold pudding from the refrigerator and fold in whipped cream. Spoon the mixture into a baked pie shell. Refrigerate 2 hours or until set.
Enjoy!

And last but not least to your arch nemesis (every cozy character has one!) gift the treat skip the book, you don’t want to give them any ideas 😉