Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL** with SYLVIE KURTZ!
Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!! Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of her favorite recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors. Introducing author, SYLVIE KURTZ, and her favorite recipe for CANDYCANE BROWNIES!
CHRISTMAS BY CANDLELIGHT
Love in Brighton Village Book 1
BY SYLVIE KURTZ
Blurb
She’s duty bound to a family dream. One that isn’t hers.
Claire Chandler’s passion has just been put on hold. After her parents unexpectedly pass away, she turns down a coveted wildlife photography grant to move back to New Hampshire and run their inn. But when a face from the past whose vacation she ruined as a kid shows up as a guest, she vows to turn the grumpy author’s stay into a fun-filled festive retreat.
Struggling to keep up with everyone’s never-ending demands, Claire does her best to help her prickly adversary reclaim his muse. But as she juggles a challenging cookie tour, an ex-boyfriend’s sudden arrival, and a powerful nor’easter cutting the power, she fears all her guests will unwrap is disappointment.
Will the overwhelmed host survive a snowstorm of stress and restore the Yuletide cheer?
CHRISTMAS BY CANDLELIGHT
Love in Brighton Village Book 1
BY SYLVIE KURTZ
Interview
Where Do I Get My Ideas?
Readers always ask me where I get my ideas for my books. Usually, it’s a constellation of at least three things. Sometimes it’s a place, a character, or an object that starts the story rolling. This book came about because of the pandemic.
I was working on a psychological suspense novel when the pandemic hit. As it dragged on, I found it harder and harder to work on the novel, until I was avoiding my office altogether. I couldn’t watch anything that had adrenaline-producing music. I couldn’t listen to the news. I thought I was going to have to give up writing.
Then I found myself watching a lot of Hallmark and reading a lot of rom-coms. This lightened my mood. I started thinking about my books and which one I’d most enjoyed writing. I know, I’m not supposed to have a favorite, but I do (shh, don’t tell the others!) A Little Christmas Magic has always had a special place in my heart. I wrote it when I was feeling sorry for myself because I was far away from my big family. Writing it helped me find my Christmas spirit again.
I had so much fun writing Christmas by Candlelight that I’m not sure why I waited twenty years to write another Christmas story.
During the pandemic, I started dreading leaving the house. It was getting bad enough that my husband commented on it. So, I gave Emma agoraphobia, which allowed me to work through the dread. I know that psychological issues like agoraphobia can’t be cured in a month, which is why I left Emma with a lot of work left to do, but also with a lot of hope.
My wish for this story is that it gives the reader a break from the uncertainty, and negativity of this world, and brings them a sense of hope and joy.
What helped you get through the pandemic?
About Author Sylvie Kurtz…
Sylvie writes stories that celebrate family, friends and food. She believes organic dark chocolate is an essential nutrient, likes to knit with soft wool, and justifies watching movies that require a box of tissues by knitting baby blankets. She has written 23 novels. Visit www.sylviekurtz.com for more information.
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Links to Sylvie’s website, blog, books, #ad etc.:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3UrcTmN
Website: https://sylviekurtz.com
Links: https://sylviekurtz.com/christmas-by-candlelight
Facebook: https://facebook.com/sylviekurtzauthor
Instagram: https://instagram.com/sylviekurtzauthor
Reach me at: sylvie@sylviekurtz.com
I hope you enjoy the recipe Sylvie is sharing today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy Eating!
Karen
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CANDYCANE BROWNIES
Note from Sylvie: I love tinkering with recipes. My husband complains that he never eats the same thing twice. Here, I took my favorite brownie recipe and tweaked it for the holidays.
Makes: 9 brownies (technically, it’s supposed to make 16, but let’s be real here 🙂 )
1 bag (10 oz.) of 60% cacao chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli)
¼ cup butter
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs (at room temperature)
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup crushed candy cane, plus 2 tablespoons
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract, adjust to your taste
Heat oven to 350F. Line an 8″ square pan with parchment paper, leaving “handles” overhanging.
Combine 1 cup of the chocolate chips and the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 min. Stir until smooth.
While the chocolate mixture is melting, whisk the eggs and sugar into a medium bowl. Add the chocolate mixture and stir until smooth. Add the flour, salt and candycane bits and stir until smooth.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 23 minutes.
Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips over the brownie and return to the oven for 2 minutes.
Remove from the oven. Spread the melted chips until smooth to form a “frosting.” Top with the 2 tablespoons of crushed candy canes.
Refrigerate for 20 minutes to set the chocolate. Cut into squares.
If there’s any left, store at room temperature.
**Special Giveaway** Sylvie is giving away a signed trade paperback copy (U.S. Only) of Christmas by Candlelight to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Fixin’s blog.
Happy Reading!
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Thanks, Sylvie, for sharing your book and recipe with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
I love Christmas romance stories! Thank you for sharing!
Diana–they’re my favorites, too.
Good morning and welcome! Your book sound like a great read and like a perfect read for Christmas, and the cover is beautiful and it looks very inviting, I love dogs and I love Red Cardinals! Here in west Texas we don’t see many red cardinals at all , once in a while we will see one in our backyard , and I have taken a couple of pictures of him, but he is hard to get on camera. Thank you for sharing about your book and thank you for sharing the delicious sounding and looking recipe. Have a great day and a great weekend.
The cover artist did a terrific job capturing the heart of the book. Cardinals are hard to get on camera. I have one that visits outside my office and by the time I reach for my phone, he’s gone. Enjoy your weekend!
The cover artist did a terrific job of capturing the spirit of the book. Cardinals are tough to capture on film. There’s one that visits the bush outside my office window and flies away when I reach for my camera. Wishing you a great weekend, too!
CHRISTMAS BY CANDLELIGHT sounds like a good read! Thanks for the chance.
This story is Right up my alley.
Nice to meet you, Sylvie.
I must confess, I cheat…crush candy canes and stir them into fudge brownie mix, along with some more cocoa powder and a touch of almond😉
Thanks, Sylvie and Karen
KA–That sounds good, too. I’ll have to try the almond.
Good morning, Sylvie, and welcome to Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. I loved your blog about how you come up with book ideas. It’s always fascinating because we all find stories in different ways. I love holiday stories, too. Can’t wait to read your story, Thanks for sharing it with us today.
Thanks, too, for the scrumptious recipe. Can’t wait to make this one for my family for Christmas. 🙂
Shh, don’t tell my other books, but Christmas stories are my favorite to write. Enjoy reading!
Ooh I have to try those brownies! 😀
Omg, the story sounds very interesting. Can’t wait to start reading it. The Brownies are a Christmas treat to use. Thank you for this delicious recipe. Merry Christmas to you and your family
I enjoy Christmas reads and thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing your book premise, a behind the scenes of what brought you to writing it, and the delicious recipe. I’ve been adding peppermint to my brownies since I was teen. It makes them so much better!!
Eileen–I love tinkering with recipes 🙂
I enjoy stories set at Christmas time, I will read them all year round. The recipe sounds delicious!
I read Christmas books all year long, too. They’re just so uplifting.
sounds innteresting