On the other hand, I can't help thinking of the many people who are not in the hearts and flowers mood this week. If you are among them, I'm here to help (if only a little) by suggesting...
(#1) We include our beloved pets in the
"Valentine Sweetheart" category and...
(#2) We indulge in a little baking therapy.
💘
Behold...
My Valentine Baking Therapy!
💘
This beautiful Cherry Streusel Pastry Cake is insanely easy to make yet impressive to serve. So bake up this blushing Valentine's week breakfast, brunch, or coffee-break treat, and consider celebrating Valentine's Day not as a couple's holiday, but as one that celebrates all who have love in their hearts, including love for children, grandchildren, siblings, best friends, and even those furry little souls (our pets) who bring so much joy and love into our lives.
☕ A Recipe Note from Cleo
 |
Thank you to Shirley Jackson for the original inspiration. I know she would join me in wishing you boundless joy in baking, eating, and living!
Note from Shirley: "I made this cake for the first time in Houston for a group of Red Hat friends. This cake tastes just like a yeast bread that has taken you a long time to make. Sure does make your kitchen smell cozy."
Note from Cleo: Shirley is absolutely right about the yeast and the coziness of this cherry streusel cake, which is why I call it a pastry cake. Over the years, I've seen many cake recipes with a cake mix as starter. I've seen many "pie-filling-over-cake-mix" recipes, too. But I've never seen yeast used as an ingredient. The use of yeast in this recipe gives the streusel cake a sweet bread-like flavor and texture, but without kneading or rising time. It's great with coffee so it works as a breakfast treat, afternoon snack, and an after-dinner dessert.
May you bake it with love and eat with joy!
~ Cleo
Ingredients:
For the dough base:
1 package yellow cake mix
1 cup all-purpose flour, unsifted
1 packet (1/4 ounce) dry yeast
2/3 cup very warm tap water
2 large eggs, whisked with fork
For the topping:
5 Tablespoons butter (salted is fine)
1 can (1 pound 5 ounce) cherry pie filling
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Step 1 - Make dough base: First preheat your oven to 375° Fahrenheit and coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with cooking spray (or grease and flour it to prevent sticking). Then, into a large mixing bowl, measure out 1-1/2 cups of the dry cake mix. (You are setting aside the remaining mix, which you will use for the topping.)
Add the flour and dry yeast to the bowl. Now add the 2/3rds cup of very warm tap water. Allow the yeast to come alive and bubble for a minute. Finally, add the 2 eggs. Beat everything for 2 minutes at medium speed, scraping bowl often. Dough will be thick. Using a rubber spatula or back of a spoon, spread it across the bottom of your coated baking pan.
Prize Package Giveaway
Ingredients:
For the dough base:
1 package yellow cake mix
1 cup all-purpose flour, unsifted
1 packet (1/4 ounce) dry yeast
2/3 cup very warm tap water
2 large eggs, whisked with fork
For the topping:
5 Tablespoons butter (salted is fine)
1 can (1 pound 5 ounce) cherry pie filling
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Step 1 - Make dough base: First preheat your oven to 375° Fahrenheit and coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with cooking spray (or grease and flour it to prevent sticking). Then, into a large mixing bowl, measure out 1-1/2 cups of the dry cake mix. (You are setting aside the remaining mix, which you will use for the topping.)
Add the flour and dry yeast to the bowl. Now add the 2/3rds cup of very warm tap water. Allow the yeast to come alive and bubble for a minute. Finally, add the 2 eggs. Beat everything for 2 minutes at medium speed, scraping bowl often. Dough will be thick. Using a rubber spatula or back of a spoon, spread it across the bottom of your coated baking pan.
Step 2 - Make streusel topping: Melt butter in a saucepan and pour it over the remaining dry cake mix, which you set aside in Step 1. Mix the butter in well with the dry mix. It should be lumpy and crumbly. (See photo below.)
Step 3 - Assemble pastry cake: Spoon the cherry pie filling evenly across the top of the dough in the baking pan. Sprinkle sugar on top of the filling. Finally, using your fingers, crumble the streusel topping over it all. NOTE: Because there was so much topping, I held back some of mine so the bright redness of the cherries would show through, making a prettier presentation.
Step 4 - Bake and glaze: Bake the cake for 30 minutes in your preheated oven (375° F). Cool the cake on a rack, allowing air to circulate under the hot pan bottom. When the top is cool, drizzle with glaze. See my Quick Glaze recipe below. After cake is served, refrigerate leftovers to keep fresh. This cake is also delicious chilled!
Cleo's Favorite Quick Glaze
Cleo's glaze note: Shirley's cake glaze used corn syrup, water, and powdered sugar. With her indulgence, I am giving you my favorite butter glaze instead, which is what I use when I make this cake. Here is the simple recipe...
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons butter (salted is fine)
2 Tablespoons whole milk (cream or half-and-half)
1 cup confectioner's (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
Directions: Over medium heat, warm butter and milk in a saucepan. Do not let this mixture brown, burn, or boil or you will have a scalded taste in your glaze. As soon as butter has melted, whisk in the sifted confectioner's sugar, a little at a time, until it is completely melted. You must work with the glaze quickly, while it is still warm. Drizzle the warm glaze over the cake using a rubber spatula, the tines of a fork, or a spoon. If the glaze hardens up on you, place the saucepan over the heat again and whisk well until liquefied and smooth once more.
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons butter (salted is fine)
2 Tablespoons whole milk (cream or half-and-half)
1 cup confectioner's (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
Directions: Over medium heat, warm butter and milk in a saucepan. Do not let this mixture brown, burn, or boil or you will have a scalded taste in your glaze. As soon as butter has melted, whisk in the sifted confectioner's sugar, a little at a time, until it is completely melted. You must work with the glaze quickly, while it is still warm. Drizzle the warm glaze over the cake using a rubber spatula, the tines of a fork, or a spoon. If the glaze hardens up on you, place the saucepan over the heat again and whisk well until liquefied and smooth once more.
Happy Valentine's Week to all those with love in their hearts, including all of you pet moms and dads out there. So many of us dearly love our furry friends. (Two of our many New York strays are featured in my photos today.) Without a doubt, they're our Valentine's, too.
from Mr. Fellows & Cleocatra, may you...
Cleo's HONEY ROASTED
Winner Chosen!
We asked a question of our readers and randomly
drew the winner from the comments below...
Congrats to our winner:
Tamara G. of
Fresno, California!
"Be the Bear!"
--Matt's advice to Clare
in Honey Roasted
by Cleo Coyle
in Honey Roasted
by Cleo Coyle
What does it mean?
Find out by reading the book!
Find out by reading the book!
Eat (and read) with joy!
Eat (and read) with joy!
Coming Soon!
Our brand-new
Coffeehouse Mystery:
No Roast for the Weary
No Roast for the Weary
includes a killer menu of delicious
recipes. And so does our 20th
Coffeehouse Mystery...
Coming Soon!
Coffeehouse Mystery:
No Roast for the Weary
includes a killer menu of delicious
recipes. And so does our 20th
Coffeehouse Mystery...
"WILDLY ENTERTAINING"
~ Criminal Element
National Mystery Bestseller
#1 Amazon Category Best SellerFresh Fiction Readers' Selection
& 2 Best of Year Lists!
To Buy:
🔎 KIRKUS REVIEWS
"Scads of red herrings, peeks behind the show-biz curtain, and bountiful appended recipes will leave fans smiling contentedly."
📚 BOOKLIST
"This twentieth Coffeehouse mystery (after Honey Roasted) brings together the history of the shop, ripped-from-the-headlines plot elements, [and] the drama of on-site filming."
☕ FRESH FICTION
"This book has amazing pacing, excellent dialogue and a FANTASTIC MYSTERY!" Fresh Pick Readers' Selection
The Coffeehouse Mysteries are bestselling works
of amateur sleuth fiction set in a landmark
Greenwich Village coffeehouse, and each of the
21 titles includes the added bonus of recipes.
Get a free Title Checklist of
Cleo Coyle's Books in Order
Click here or on the image below.
Don't Miss Our Latest
Haunted Bookshop
Mystery...
Jack & Pen Together Again!
"Amazing and Unique"
~ Fresh Fiction
"WILDLY ENTERTAINING"
~ Criminal Element
National Mystery Bestseller
#1 Amazon Category Best Seller
#1 Amazon Category Best Seller
Fresh Fiction Readers' Selection
& 2 Best of Year Lists!
& 2 Best of Year Lists!
To Buy:
🔎 KIRKUS REVIEWS
"Scads of red herrings, peeks behind the show-biz curtain, and bountiful appended recipes will leave fans smiling contentedly."
"Scads of red herrings, peeks behind the show-biz curtain, and bountiful appended recipes will leave fans smiling contentedly."
📚 BOOKLIST
"This twentieth Coffeehouse mystery (after Honey Roasted) brings together the history of the shop, ripped-from-the-headlines plot elements, [and] the drama of on-site filming."
☕ FRESH FICTION
"This book has amazing pacing, excellent dialogue and a FANTASTIC MYSTERY!" Fresh Pick Readers' Selection
The Coffeehouse Mysteries are bestselling works
of amateur sleuth fiction set in a landmark
Greenwich Village coffeehouse, and each of the
21 titles includes the added bonus of recipes.
of amateur sleuth fiction set in a landmark
Greenwich Village coffeehouse, and each of the
21 titles includes the added bonus of recipes.
Cleo Coyle's Books in Order
Click here or on the image below.
Haunted Bookshop
Mystery...
Jack & Pen
Together Again!
~ Fresh Fiction
👇
👇
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next book and Newsletter!
Don't miss her book news,
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Don't miss her book news,
bonus recipes, and fun
prize package giveaways!
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Welcome to our online party! Thank you for joining us in celebrating the release of our brand-new Coffeehouse Mystery, HONEY ROASTED #19 in our long-running Coffeehouse Mystery series.
ReplyDeleteBIG THANKS to so many of you who have given Clare, Madame, Matt, Mike Quinn and our merry band of baristas such a warm welcome back to sleuthing again!
We’re also looking forward to the upcoming publication of our Haunted Bookshop Mystery, THE GHOST AND THE STOLEN TEARS. So be sure to keep in touch with us for more info on Jack & Pen's next sleuthing adventure.
These past few years have thrown many challenges our way. And your way, too, no doubt! Marc and I hope the coming year will bring health and happiness to all of your homes. We look forward to hearing from you in the comments below and seeing your answers to our Valentine Party Giveaway question...
WHAT CHARACTER (OR CHARACTERS) FROM OUR COFFEEHOUSE AND/OR HAUNTED BOOKSHOP WORLDS WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO TREAT YOU TO A SPECIAL VALENTINE DINNER?
Good luck, everyone, have fun, and we sincerely hope our books, recipes, and newsletters will continue to give you joy!
With much love...
~ Cleo
Sign up for Cleo’s free Newsletter
Coffeehouse Mystery.com
“Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
HauntedBookshopMystery.com
I would love to dine with Madam & Claire.
DeleteI would love to dine with Claire and Jake !!
Deletemshbele. I would love to dine with Claire and Madame. Both of them would be a hoot to have a conversation with!
DeleteI would love to dine with Esther and Boris. Her level of snark is right up there with mine!
DeleteI would like to dine with Michael Ryan Francis Quinn. I think his job is fascinating and would love to hear the inside scoop. cabinkak
DeleteHow about Clare's daughter; I bet her perspective on everything would be very interesting - Clare's 1st marriage to Matteo, her relationship with Madame helping her through this tough time and more! patdkfl
DeleteClaire and Mike
DeleteI would love to dine with Madame and Detective Quinn. crazych
DeleteI would want to have a Valentine dinner with Claire and Madame.
DeleteMike Quinn
Deletejschiro I would like to have dinner with Claire so we can discuss recipes and our kitties!
DeleteI would find it interesting to dine with Madame
DeleteFor a Valentine's dinner I would definitely sit down with Madame or with Jack. Either one would have a fascinating sense of history.
DeleteBjhart6
I'd love to dine with Madame, Clare's ex-MIL. jokan99
ReplyDeleteJack Shepard!
ReplyDeletejtcgc at yahoo dot com
I would love to have Valentine's dinner with Jack Shepard <3 marilar
ReplyDeleteMateo.
ReplyDeletekathyclugston3@gmail.com
Definitely Jack! I would love to hear his stories! Thank you for this chance! areewek
ReplyDeleteI'd invite the detective that was in the first book I think his name is mike
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure as this is a new series for me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance.
barbiefan(@)comcast.net
Madame or Clare. They both seem to make the most mouth watering dishes when I read the Coffee Shop mysteries. They make things I probably won't get around to making myself. Yum!
ReplyDeleteI would definitely say Claire of course but Jack is a very close second!!!!
ReplyDeleteBlessed
I would love to dine with Claire and share gossip and recipes.
ReplyDeleteemmasmo
OMG Matteo, for sure! What a special Valentine's Day dinner THAT would be!! a007gyr
ReplyDeleteI need coffee with Madame! Claire is my second choice.
ReplyDeleteThat recipe sure looks like it's delicious and yummy.
ReplyDeleteI would like like to have dinner with Madame & Detective Mike Quin. OH the questions I have for both of them.
Hope I Win this amazing contest
Congratulations on the release of "HONEY ROASTED"! On my TBR list and I can't wait for the opportunity to dive in reading it.
ReplyDeleteFor me, I think it would be Madame Dreyfus Allegro Dubois. You have to love a senior citizen may have lived a lot but feels there's way more ahead of her and is always ready for a new adventure. Kind of sounds like me. :)
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Jack Shepard! :)
ReplyDeletepeggyg8
dinner with Jack
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
Without question I would love to spend Valentine's Day with Jack Shepard! And have him tell me about the "good ol' days."
ReplyDeletecolorad
I would love to have a Valentine dinner with Jack Shepard but in case I couldn't hear or see him, I would want Pen there too. I'd just like to hear some of his stories. I think he'd be fascinating. I know he wouldn't be eating so we'd have to have it in a private setting.
ReplyDeleteMadame would interesting and fun to have as a dinner companion. sbills23
ReplyDeleteJack because I am a retro kid of gal.
ReplyDeletei forgot my first seven letters are ktpotat
DeleteMadame would for sure be my first choice. Bobnton
ReplyDeleteI will say Clare Cosi, because maybe she would know the best coffee-flavored chocolates to give me! jsmith3
ReplyDeleteI would like to dine with Claire, she always makes such good food -- and then there's the coffee!!
ReplyDeletevalleyr
Mike quinn but it would have to be apple as I am highly allergic to cherries and one bit would kill me.
ReplyDeleteI'd most like Madame to treat me to Valentine's dinner because she seems to be a most interesting person! marafra
ReplyDeleteYum! I'd love to dine with Jack, he'd be an excellent dinner companion and have some great stories.
ReplyDeletekozo898
I would love to have dinner with Jack and Penny. It would be a spooktacukar dinner.
ReplyDeleteSand194
I want to have dinner with Dante Silva! But if he had an art exhibit, I'd like to have dinner with Esther and Tucker because we'd laugh the whole time. :) Thank you for the opportunity to enter. khpinel
ReplyDeleteMadame and Claire. dianesh
ReplyDeleteIf I could have two dinners, I like to dine with Jack, of course! But, I'd also like to dine with Aunt Sadie! I have some questions I like to ask both of them! obdo@ao
ReplyDeleteI would enjoy a girls night out, or morning, or afternoon with Clare. She would be great to talk and laugh with (and share yummy coffee too!) My email: laidbac
ReplyDeleteI'd love to be treated to dinner with Claire...everything would have coffee in it!
ReplyDeleteMike Quinn would be awesome to go to din we with
ReplyDeleteJwisley(at) aol(dot) com
I choose Clare Cosi. :)
ReplyDeletemwzarac
Jack or Mateo.
ReplyDeleteHarbing
I would love to dine with Jack. He seems like a great guy ( ghost lol)
ReplyDeletenvictor
Dinner with Matt Allegro. Lou817b
ReplyDeleteDinner with Jack which I would enjoy greatly. sauble
ReplyDeleteAnyone of them. As long as they know how to cook.
ReplyDeleteClaire and Matt would be the best to have dinner with !
ReplyDeletetammywe
I’d love to have dinner with the infamous detective.
ReplyDeleteI would like to have dinner with Matt Allegro - rhondawh
ReplyDeleteI would love a date with Jack for Valentine's Day! karenbe
ReplyDeleteI can't resist, Matteo allegro! First 7 of Email: camimye
ReplyDeleteClare could treat me to a Valentine dinner which, of course, would include choclate. I always check the dessert menu first hunting for chocolate or other decadent desserts. Chocolate mousse speaks my name.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to include the first 7 letters of my email address. amwiden
ReplyDeleteDefinitely Matt! Love his adventure, can't wait to hear about the places he traveled too, finding the perfect beans!
ReplyDeleteTGordon first 7 of my email for the newsletter
Congratulations, Tamara G. You are the winner!
DeleteTHANKS TO EVERYONE who entered our giveaway. We wish we could give a prize package to all of you. (Maybe someday!) Until then, we want to thank you for keeping us inspired. Be sure to check out our upcoming newsletters for new contests, and thanks again for joining in the fun!
~ Cleo
Sign up for Cleo’s free Newsletter
Coffeehouse Mystery.com
“Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
HauntedBookshopMystery.com
I would like to eat with Pen
ReplyDeleteMy first instinct is to say Mike, but I respect his and Clare's relationship too much. I'd love to have dinner with Nancy, though! I love her country charm and would love to be her friend.
ReplyDeletemaydais
I would love to dine with Jack..... recipe looks yummy, thank you
ReplyDeleteJack would be my favorite! thephil
ReplyDeleteWow I would love to have dinner with Officer Greene and of course Jack then if cancels then Nancy would of course have to be in one of the chairs. Thank you for writing these wonderful books in print I enjoy them so much while I battling my RSD your newsletters are great Peggy Clayton
ReplyDeleteI would love to have dinner with Madame. Just think she is so fascinating and interesting.
ReplyDeleterac_885
My dinner companion choices are Jack and Penny. Thank you for the chance to win.
ReplyDeletemadamha
I'd love to have dinner with Penelope! Especially in her bookstore in RI :)
ReplyDeleteI'd love to have dinner with Penelope! Especially in her bookstore in RI :) janesay
ReplyDeleteIt would be an experience to dine with Tucker and Dante - I think they would complement each other. bobandc
ReplyDeleteI think dining with Clair & Madame would be fun.
ReplyDeletelcwiley@
I would love to have dinner with Madame Dreyfus Allegro Dubois or Ester Best! Both would be very interesting to meet and get to know better! bethiaw
ReplyDeleteI’d choose Madame
ReplyDeleteMateo would provide interesting stories (and provide eye candy!)
ReplyDeletegrahamh
Definitely Clair and Mike. lndklbck @ gmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteI'd love to dine with Jack Shepard in a black and white restaurant with Mateo as our sommelier and Madame as the menu curator. For dessert, we'd head back to the coffee shop and have a latte and amaretti cookies with Claire and her kitties.
ReplyDeletejstone2
My Valentine's Day dinner companion of choice would be Mateo Allegro as who doesn't crave some romance, flattery and flirtation on Valentine's Day!
ReplyDeleteI would love to dine with madam. She would have such fascinating stories! aut1063
ReplyDeleteA long, long dinner with Madam.
ReplyDeleteI would enjoy a Sunday night supper with with Pen and her family and Jack has to be there,too.
ReplyDeletedarlene
I would to have dinner with Jack Shephard.
ReplyDeletediannekc8
I think Tucker and Punch would be wonderful dinner companions. Tucker and I share a home state, and Punch seems like he's great fun!
ReplyDeleteI would like to share dinner with Clair and Mike Quinn. dalec29.
ReplyDeleteI would love to share dinner with Clair and Tucker.
ReplyDeleteI would love to dine with Clair!
ReplyDeleteritajoe4.....
I would love to dine with Clair and Madam.
ReplyDeleteIt would definitely be great fun to have dinner with Mateo. bmalic61
ReplyDeleteMatt.
ReplyDeletejhteagu
Mat hands down! I would love to talk about Italy and his over seas journeys, plus the eye candy would be a great bonus. Branmel4
ReplyDeleteDefinitely Madame - she has had and continues to have such an interesting life
ReplyDeletemarinac
Clare and her daughter Joy (joyce.z)
ReplyDeleteI'd like to dine with Madame, Clair, Joy and Detective Quinn.
ReplyDeletenani_ge
I have the hots for Jack...not quite sure how that would work but...
ReplyDeleteschneidt79
While all of the characters in the Coffeehouse series are great, for Valentine's Day I would love to have dinner with Detective Mike R. F. Quinn. I listen to the audio version of the books and love how he says "Sweetheart" to Clare. eg@garr
ReplyDeleteI would enjoy Valentine's Day dinner with Jack Shepard!! ❤❤ Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeletejarjm1980(at)hotmail(dot)com
I love detectives, so I have to go with Mike Quinn.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the opportunity!!
lindalou64(@)live(dot)com
I would love a dinner with Mike and Jack! ♥ Stephanieagoodrich@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteOh, I definitely think I would love to dine with Madame. Ithink her stores would be wonderful. Although I am just a tiny bit younger, and live somewhere completely different, still our memories of the times would be swimilar. diane@buttenews.net, or dianerae56@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteDefinitely jack Shepard and Mike Quinn. bnharris6218@outlook.com
ReplyDeleteThis giveaway is now over. By random number draw, the winner is Tamara G. of Fresno, California. Congratulations, Tamara!
ReplyDeleteTHANKS TO EVERYONE who entered our giveaway. We wish we could give a prize package to all of you. (Maybe someday!) Until then, we want to thank you for keeping us inspired. Be sure to check out our upcoming newsletters for new contests, and thanks again for joining in the fun!
~ Cleo
Sign up for Cleo’s free Newsletter
Coffeehouse Mystery.com
“Where coffee and crime are always brewing…”
HauntedBookshopMystery.com
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ReplyDelete