I am so excited to have Nancy J. Cohen here at Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews with a Spotlight, Giveaway and Guest Post.
Thanks Nancy and Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours for allowing me to join your A Bad Hair Day Cookbook Blog Tour!
Please take it away, Nancy!
Cooking Can Be Dangerous by Nancy J. Cohen
Choose your weapon — metal kabob skewers, chef’s knife, cast iron skillet, or rolling pin? A climactic scene in a kitchen is appropriate for a cozy mystery novel featuring an amateur sleuth. Imagine the killer brandishing a butcher knife while the heroine grabs a skillet to defend herself. What scarier place for a confrontation exists than at home where you feel safe? It’s especially frightening in the kitchen, where we prepare food to please our family and friends. We don’t expect a violation of our space while going about our daily routine.
And yet, how many times do you read in the newspapers about a domestic incident that turned violent? Maybe the abusive husband didn’t like the way his peas were cooked. Or the cowed woman had suffered enough, and she grabbed the meat fork from a kitchen drawer. A house is full of dangerous objects, many of which can be found in the kitchen.
Next time you go to cook a meal, take a look around and picture what you could use if you had to defend yourself. Don’t forget boiling water or acidic liquids that you can toss into an assailant’s eyes. But do forget reality, because cozy mysteries contain an element of fantasy. The heroine always escapes. The killer is always caught. This may not happen in real life, but it does happen in the pages of our books.
And hey, you could always toss a cookbook at the bad guy’s head.
The only dangerous tale in my new release, A Bad Hair Day Cookbook, is from one of the excerpts included. Hairstylist sleuth Marla Vail is working in the kitchen. She gives her husband a task to perform. Here’s what happens:
Speaking of challenges, she gave Dalton one in the kitchen that afternoon. He’d come home from work with the acorn squashes she’d requested. Occupied with retrieving serving platters, Marla asked him to stick a squash in the microwave for five minutes. Once softened, she could slice it and save the baking part for later.
She’d lined up her serving dishes and was drying dishes by the sink when a loud popping noise sounded from behind. She whipped around just as the microwave door burst open. With a shriek, she leapt back. That thing might have cracked her on the head if she’d stood in front of it.
Regaining her equilibrium, she dropped her dish towel and went over to cancel the programming. Oh no. Dalton had timed it for fifteen minutes, not five minutes as requested! Her pulse still raced as she regarded the mangled mess inside the oven. Steam billowed from the interior.
“You should have pricked the skin if you put it in for that long,” she admonished Dalton, who’d rushed over from his perch in front of the TV. He gaped at the microwave unit, his astonished expression diminishing her annoyance.
“What do you mean?”
“I told you to put it in for five minutes, not fifteen. Pricking the skin lets air escape so the squash doesn’t explode. It’s a good thing we have more of them to cook.”
His forehead creased. “Thank goodness you weren’t hurt. That’s all that matters.”
Brianna wandered into the room. “What did you do, Dad?”
He pointed to his chest. “Hey, why does everybody blame me? How am I supposed to know about these things? If you want it done right, do it yourself.”
ROASTED ACORN SQUASH
Ingredients
2 Acorn Squash
Olive Oil
Paprika, Oregano, Parsley, Garlic Powder
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook acorn squash in microwave on high for a few minutes until somewhat soft. Place the squash on a cutting board and slice it in half length-wise. Remove the seeds. Lay the half pieces cut-side-down on the board and slice into ¼ inch length-wise slices or along ridges.
Arrange the slices in a single layer on a greased aluminum-foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over the top of each squash piece and sprinkle with spices. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until slices are fork-tender. Serves 4.
A Bad Hair Day Cookbook: Recipes from Nancy J. Cohen’s Cozy Mystery Series
Cozy Cookbook
Orange Grove Press (November 19, 2019)
Paperback: 324 pages
ISBN-10: 099979325X
ISBN-13: 978-0999793251
Digital ASIN: B07XSH6C7B
A BAD HAIR DAY COOKBOOK: Recipes from Nancy J. Cohen’s Cozy Mystery Series
Are you having a bad hair day? Whip out your whisk, snatch up your spoon, and prepare your palate. Inside the pages of this cookbook are recipes that will bring you good cheer.
Enjoy 160+ tasty recipes from Nancy J. Cohen’s popular Bad Hair Day cozy mystery series. Included in this cookbook are excerpts, cooking tips, and anecdotes written by hairstylist and savvy sleuth Marla Vail. From appetizers to desserts, Marla offers cooking tips and tricks along with commentary about the dishes she prepares for her family. Whether you’re a skilled cook or an eager novice, this cookbook will unravel the mystery of cooking. Put on your apron and plan to make some killer recipes!
Bonuses Include:
Meet the Sleuth
Introduction by Marla Vail
Cooking Tips
Excerpts from Series Titles
Themed Menu Suggestions
“A Sabbath Dinner” by Nancy’s Mother
For Home Cooks, Food Lovers, Mystery Fans and Cookbook Collectors
BUY LINKS
Amazon Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Hair-Day-Cookbook-Recipes-ebook/dp/B07XSH6C7B/
Amazon Print: https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Hair-Day-Cookbook-Recipes/dp/099979325X/
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-bad-hair-day-cookbook/id1479889058
Nook: https://bit.ly/2kvrySl
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-bad-hair-day-cookbook
Books2Read: https://books2read.com/ABadHairDayCookbook
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-bad-hair-day-cookbook-recipes-from-nancy-j-cohen-s-cozy-mystery-series-by-nancy-j-cohen
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48136773-a-bad-hair-day-cookbook
Nancy J. Cohen writes the Bad Hair Day Mysteries featuring South Florida hairstylist Marla Vail. Titles in this series have been named Best Cozy Mystery by Suspense Magazine, won a Readers' Favorite gold medal, placed first in the Chanticleer International Book Awards and third in the Arizona Literary Awards. Nancy’s instructional guide, Writing the Cozy Mystery, was nominated for an Agatha Award and won a gold medal at the President’s Book Awards from the Florida Authors and Publishers Association. When not busy writing, Nancy enjoys cooking, fine dining, cruising, visiting Disney World, and shopping.
Website: https://nancyjcohen.com
Blog: https://nancyjcohen.com/blog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyJCohenAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nancyjcohen
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyjcohen
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/nancy-j-cohen
Instagram: https://instagram.com/nancyjcohen
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/njcohen/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/nancyjcohen
Giveaway
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/59c47e2844
Please follow the rest of the tour here, thanks:
https://www.escapewithdollycas.com/great-escapes-virtual-book-tours/books-currently-on-tour/a-bad-hair-day-cookbook-recipes-from-nancy-j-cohens-cozy-mystery-series-by-nancy-j-cohen
1 comment:
Thank you for having me here!
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