recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Sue Plotnik

**Son:** Kevin

## Books

* Gingerbread Cookie Murder
* Sugar Cookie Murder
* Key Lime Pie Murder

## Bio

**Sue Plotnik** is the president of the Homeowners' Association at Hannah's condo complex and lives downstairs from Hannah. Married to Phil Plotnik and they have a young son, Kevin.

## Chronology of Novels

### Key Lime Pie Murder

Her orange cake won first place in the Cakes division of the Desserts category.

### Cream Puff Murder

After Phil mentions to Hannah that Sue seems to be depressed and is concerned about being cooped up in the condo taking care of Kevin over the winter, Hannah has an idea that will help out two people, so she visits Janice Cox

*It’s perfect for Sue Plotnik. Phil works the swing shift at Del Ray, and he sleeps until midafternoon. She’d get home about the time he was getting up*.”
Janice and Sue work it out and Sue goes to work at Kiddie Korner part time. She takes her son Kevin with her when she goes to works, even though he is a little too young. She also attends Community College classes to finish her teaching degree.

### Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Murder

Sue has finished all of her classes toward her teaching degrees so will be in charge of "Kiddie Kamp," held in the summers when Janice Cox closes Kiddie Korner and takes a vacation.

## References

1. ↑ Fluke, Joanne. Cream Puff Murder (Hannah Swensen series Book 11) (p. 44). Kensington Books. Kindle Edition.
Pink Lemonade Cake Murder

## Short Summary

In this irresistible mystery from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Joanne Fluke, Hannah Swensen is at the center of a lively summer fest with fun for everyone in Lake Eden, Minnesota—including a cold-blooded murderer . . .

The Tri-County Summer Solstice Celebration has come to town, and even among local artisans, athletes, and marching bands, Hannah attracts fans of her own while serving lip-smacking pink lemonade desserts. But the mood sours when a body turns up, leading revelers to wonder if the festivities mark both the longest day of the year and the deadliest . . .

A retired professional MLB player has met a terrifying end—and, considering the rumors swirling about his past, the list of suspects could fill a small stadium. Among them could soon be Delores, Hannah’s mother, who publicly held a grunge against the victim after he infamously dunked her in the tank at a previous county fair . . .

Now, with her mother’s innocence on the line, a life-changing announcement at The Cookie Jar, and a plethora of desserts to bake, Hannah can’t afford to strike out as she begins a dangerous investigation into the ruthless killer who’s truly in a league of their own . . .

***Features Over a Dozen Cookie and Dessert Recipes from The Cookie Jar*!**

## Main Characters

* Hannah Swensen
* Delores Swensen
* Andrea Todd
* Michelle Swensen
* Norman Rhodes
* Mike Kingston

## Minor Characters

* Doc Knight
* Lonnie Murphy
* Bill Todd
Three-Way Brownie Cookies

Red Velvet Cupcake Murder

1. Fruit and Nut Brownie Cookies
2. Hot Stuff Brownie Cookies
3. Four Alarm Brownie cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position, for all three types of brownie cookies.

1. To make **Fruit and Nut Brownie Cookies**, follow the recipe below.
2. To make **Hot Stuff Brownie Cookies**, leave out the cinnamon, raisins, and chopped nuts. Add one small can of chopped green chilies, well drained and patted dry with paper towels.
3. To make **Four Alarm Brownie Cookies**, leave out the cinnamon, raisins, and chopped nuts. Add one small can of chopped jalapenos,  well drained and patted dry with paper towels. ***(If you can find a can already chopped, use those. If you can't, you'll have to chop your jalapeno peppers by hand.)***

## Ingredients

* 1 box brownie mix ***(the kind that makes an 8-inch square pan)***
* 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/2 cup copped nuts ***(your choice--I used walnuts)***
* 1/3 cup vegetable oil
* 2 large eggs
* 1/2 cup chocolate chips
* 1/2 cup raisins

## Directions

* Spray cookie sheets with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray, or line them with parchment paper and spray that.
* Pour the dry brownie mix into a mixing bowl. Add the 3 Tablespoons of flour and the cinnamon. Mix thoroughly. ***(I used a fork to do this.)***
* Add the chopped nuts and mix them with the dry ingredients to coat them.
* In a separate bowl, whisk the oil and the eggs together.
* Pour the egg mixture into the bowl with the brownie mix. Stir until everything is combined, but DO NOT OVER STIR.
* Stir in the chocolate chips and the raisins.
* Drop the cookies by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the cookie sheet, 12 cookies to a standard-sized sheet.

**Hannah's 1st Note: If you wet your fingers, you can shape these cookies into rounded mounds.**

* Bake these cookies at 350 Degrees F. for 8 to 10 minutes. ***(Mine took the full 10 minutes.)*** To test for doneness, lightly touch the top of a cookie. If it feels firm to the touch, they're done.
* Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes and then remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

**Hannah's 2nd Note: This recipe is so easy, I gave it to Andrea. It's a first cousin to her "Whippersnapper" cookie recipes. The only difference is that her recipes use cake mix, and this recipe uses brownie mix. My youngest niece, Bethie, adores these cookies. Her favorites are the Hot Stuff Brownie Cookies variation. She says they tickle her tongue and she calls them "Hot Chockitts".**
Surprise Cookies

## Book Reference

Fudge Cupcake Murder

**Surprise Cookies** is the sixth recipe featured in Fudge Cupcake Murder.

## Ingredients

* 1 cup melted butter *(2 sticks)*
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 2 beaten eggs *(just whip them up with a fork)*
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 Tablespoons water *(or coffee, if you have some left over from breakfast)*
* 3 cups flour *(no need to sift)*
* 1 lb chocolate bridge mix or assorted chocolate candies\*\*\*
	+ \*\*\*If I can't find bridge mix, I like to use chocolate wafers or Hershey's assorted miniature candy bars cut into four pieces. You can even use full-size chocolate candy bars if you cut them up into little pieces.
* 4 -5 dozen walnut halves *(or pecan halves)*

## Directions

* Do NOT preheat the oven--dough must chill before baking.
* Melt the butter and mix in the sugars. Add the beaten eggs, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and water (or coffee). Add the flour and mix thoroughly. Then chill the dough for at least an hour (overnight is fine, too).
* Preheat over to 375°F, rack in the middle position.
* Scoop out a tablespoon of dough and form it around a chocolate wafer (or a piece of cut up candy bar). Place a walnut half on top and place it on a greased baking sheet, 12 cookies to a standard sheet.
* Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes, or until nicely browned. Cool on cookie sheet for two minutes and then transfer the cookies to a wire rack.

Yield: 8 to 10 dozen, depending on cookie size.

## Hannah's Note

*When I use Hershey's miniatures, Mother always tries to guess which cookies have the Krackles bars inside. If she gets one with a piece of Mr. Goodbar, she passes it to me.*

## Conversion Charts

See Baking Conversion Chart for non-USA baking conversions.
Sally's Sunny Vegetable Salad

Carrot Cake Murder

## Ingredients

* 5 cups chopped broccoli florets
* 5 cups chopped cauliflower florets
* 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese ***(the sharper the cheddar the better the salad)***
* ½ cup golden raisins ***(Sally says to tell you she used sweetened, dried cranberries as as substitute for the raisins)***
* ⅔ cup minced onion ***(Sally uses chopped green onions)***
* ½ cup white ***(granulated)*** sugar
* 1 cup mayonnaise ***(Hannah uses Hellmann's—it's called Best Foods west of the Rockies)***
* 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar ***(I used raspberry vinegar)***
* 6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled ***(or ½ cup bacon bits)***
* ¼ cup ***shelled***, salted, toasted sunflower seeds

## Directions

* Chop the broccoli and cauliflower florets into tiny bite-sized pieces.
* Combine the broccoli and cauliflower in a large salad bowl. Add the shredded cheese and mix it with your fingers.
* Mix in the raisins and the minced onion.
* In a small bowl, combine the sugar, mayonnaise and red wine vinegar. Mix it with a rubber spatula, or a whisk until it is smooth.
* Pour the dressing you just mixed over the top of the salad. Toss it, or stir it with a spoon or spatula until the vegetables are coated with the dressing.
* Sprinkle the bacon bits on top.
* Sprinkle the sunflower seeds on top of that.

**Hannah's 1st Note: You can make this salad several hours before serving. It's even better that way because the flavors blend. Just toss the vegetables and raisins with the dressing, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it until your company arrives. Then all you have to do is sprinkle on the bacon bits, and the sunflower seeds, and serve.**

Yield: 12 to 16 servings.

**Hannah's 2nd Note: I made this for a 6-person dinner party once, and I ended up with about half of the salad left in the bowl. I refrigerated it to see what would happen, and it was every bit as good the next day!**
Patsy Diehl

'

No Children

**Parents**: *deceased*

**Twin Sister**: Marge Beeseman**Brother**: Gus Kleins

## Books

Carrot Cake MurderApple Turnover Murder

**Patsy Diehl** referred to as **Aunt Patsy** is Herb Beesman's aunt and Marge's twin sister.
First appearance Carrot Cake Murder, next appearance Apple Turnover Murder.

## Bio

She is the twin sister of Marge Beeseman. She was a legal secretary for over 30 years.

Patsy cannot swim. She had all the same lessons that every student in Lake Eden get, but because her buoyancy is off, she sinks instead of floats.

## Chronology

### Carrot Cake Murder

When her brother returns after being missing and no word for over 30 years, her and Madge are over joyed. But Gus has changed for the worse and they are not even sure that it really is Gus.
Then Gus is killed and it is obvious that it is someone at the reunion that killed him.
Even though she knows her husband, Mac lied to the police, she doesn’t suspect him of being the murderer so when he invites her on a romantic canoe trip to the waterlily gardens, she goes with him. When they are nearly there, he tells her that he did kill Mac and they were going to have an accident with the canoe, because he was going to over turn it.
But Hannah and Michelle are close in their own canoe and over hear Mac. Hannah tries to bluff Mac that she has a gun, but Mac over turns the canoe. Michelle dives in the water to save Patsy and to get her a shore.
Mac is picked up by Mike in a motor boat and arrested for Gus’ murder.
The baseball card that Gus came to “Lake Eden” to retrieve was inherited by Marge and Patsy as his closest living relatives.
Nettie Grant

**Son**: Jamie - *deceased*

**Granddaughter**: Suzie

## Books

Fudge Cupcake Murder Sugar Cookie Murder

**Nettie Grant** was the wife of Sheriff Grant

## Biography

She is well-known for making appliqué wall hangings to order. Once her wall hangings were featured on a televised tour of a celebrities home her home-based business became a world-wide success with many orders from around the world.

When her son died in a car accident, it took her over a year to get come to terms with it.

## Chronology

Nettie makes her first appearance in Fudge Cupcake Murder when Hannah and Andrea interview her concerning the Sheriff's death.

## Trivia

* She prefers cookies over cake and her favorite cookie is Hannah's "Cashew Crisps".
Watermelon Cookies

**Watermelon Cookies** is the eighteenth recipe featured in Apple Turnover Murder.

## Ingredients

* 1 package ***(.16-ounce)*** watermelon ***(or any other flavor)*** Kool-Aid powder ***(Don’t get the kind with sugar or sugar substitute added.)***
* 1 and 2/3 cup white ***(granulated)*** sugar
* 1 and 1/2 cups softened butter ***(2 and 1/2 sticks, 10 ounces)***
* 2 large eggs, beaten ***(just whip them up in a glass with a fork)***
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 3 cups all-purpose flour ***(pack it down in the cup when you measure it)***
* 1/2 cup white ***(granulated)*** sugar in a bowl

## Directions

* Preheat oven to 325 degrees F., rack in the middle position.
* Mix the watermelon Kool-Aid with the granulated sugar.
* Add the softened butter and mix until it’s nice and fluffy.
* Add the eggs and mix well.
* Mix in the salt and the baking soda. Make sure they’re well incorporated.
* Add the flour in half-cup increments, mixing after each addition.
* Spray cookie sheets with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray. You can also use parchment paper if you prefer.
* Roll dough balls one inch in diameter with your hands. ***(We use a 2-teaspoon cookie scooper at The Cookie Jar.)***
* Roll the cookie balls in the bowl of white sugar and place them on the cookie sheet, 12 to a standard-size sheet.
* Bake the Watermelon Cookies at 325 degrees F. for 10 to 12 minutes ***(mine took 11 minutes)*** or until they’re just beginning to turn golden around the edges. Don’t overbake.
* Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheets for no more than a minute, and then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

## Yield

Approximately 6 dozen pretty and unusual cookies that kids will adore, especially if you tell them that they’re made with Kool-Aid.
Pink Lemonade Cake

Pink Lemonade Cake Murder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

Coat two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans with Pam or another non-sticking baking spray (the kind with flour in it) and line with parchment paper.

**Ingredients**

* 1 18-ounce box White Cake Mix (plus any ingredients the instructions on the box call for)
* 1 envelope (0.23 ounce) Kool-Aid Pink Lemonade Natural Flavor Unsweetened Drink Mix
* 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (just the rind, not the bitter white part)
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 ounce grenadine (find this in the liquor section of your grocery store—but it is non-alcoholic)

**Note:** 1 ounce of grenadine = 5 Tablespoons

**Directions:**

1. For the cake, in a large bowl, prepare the cake batter according to the package directions.
2. Mix in the 1 envelope (0.23 ounce) Kool-Aid Pink Lemonade Natural Flavor Unsweetened Drink Mix.
3. Stir 1 teaspoon finely-grated lemon zest (just the rind, not the bitter white part) and 2 teaspoons of vanilla into the batter.
4. Stir in the ounce of grenadine and that completes the batter.
5. Pour the batter evenly between the 2 prepared cake pans.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F., for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the cakes 1-inch from the center comes out clean.
7. Using oven mitts, remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool 10 minutes on a cold stovetop burner or wire rack.
8. After 10 minutes have passed, turn the pans upside-down over a wire rack and let them cool completely while you make the frosting (recipe follows).

**To Frost Your Pink Lemonade Cake:**

1. Take the first of your cake layers off the cooling rack and put the first layer, upside down, on a cake plate.
2. Using a frosting knife, slather the top of the layer with the Pink Lemonade Cream Cheese Frosting.
3. Put the second cake layer, right-side up, on top of the frosting you’ve just spread.
4. Use your impeccably clean palms to press down a bit on the second layer, to make sure that it is securely in place on top of your frosted layer.
5. Then, again using a frosting knife, frost the sides of the two-layer cake. Use the edge of the frosting knife to smooth out the frosting.
6. Slather the rest of the frosting on top of your cake and spread out evenly.
7. Smooth the frosting you placed on the top of your cake.

That’s it (unless you want to grate a tiny bit of lemon zest on the top of your completely frosted cake to make it extra fancy)!

**Hannah’s Note:** If you have any leftover frosting, spread it on saltine crackers or graham crackers for a snack for kids or grandkids when they get home.

## Conversion Charts

See Baking Conversion Chart for non-USA baking conversions.
Poppy Seed Cake

Sugar Cookie Murder

Preheat oven to 350°F, rack in the middle position.

*This recipe is from Shirley Dubinski.*

* One package *(4.3 ounces)* lemon pie & pudding filling *(NOT sugar-free)*\*\*\*
	+ \*\*\* You can substitute a 3.4-ounce package of Jell-O Instant Pudding and Pie Filling if you can't find the kind of pudding you have to cook.
* 4 tablespoons poppy seeds
* 1/2 cup lemon juice
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 4 eggs

#### Vanilla Glaze

* 1 cup powdered *(confectioners')* sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 6 Tablespoons cream

### Directions

#### Cake

* Preheat oven to 350°F, rack in the middle position.
* Grease and flour a Bundt pan.
* Dump the dry yellow cake mix in a large bowl. Mix in the dry lemon pudding and pie filling. Add the poppy seeds, lemon juice, water, and oil. Mix until well-blended.
* Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
* Beat 2 minutes on medium speed with an electric mixer or 3 minutes by hand.
* Pour the cake batter into the Bundt pan.
* Bake at 350°F for 45 to SO minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out dry.
* Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Loosen the outside edges and the middle, and tip the cake out of the pan. Let the cake cool completely on the rack.
* When the cake is cool, drizzle Vanilla Glaze on the top and down the sides. *(Or, if you don't feel like making a glaze, just let the cake cool completely and dust it with confectioners' sugar.)*

#### Vanilla Glaze

* Measure powdered sugar into a small bowl. Stir vanilla and cream. Stir until thoroughly mixed. The glaze should be the proper consistency to drizzle over the cake. If it's too thick, add a bit more cream. If it's too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
* Drizzle the glaze over the crest of the cake and let it drip down the sides.
* Refrigerate until serving.

## Conversion Charts

See Baking Conversion Chart for non-USA baking conversions.
Short Stack Cookies

## Book Reference

Blueberry Muffin Murder

**Short Stack Cookies** is the seventh recipe featured in Blueberry Muffin Murder

## Ingredients

* 1 1/2 cups melted butter *(3 sticks)*
* 2 cups sugar
* 2 large beaten eggs, any brand *(just whip them with a fork)*
* 1/2 cup maple syrup
	+ To measure maple syrup, first spray the inside of measuring cup with Pam so that the syrup won't stick to sides of cup.
* 4 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 4 cups flour *(not sifted)*
* 1/2 cup white sugar for coating the dough balls

## Directions

* **DO NOT preheat oven--dough must chill before baking**

* Melt the butter and mix in the sugar. Let it cool and add the beaten eggs. Add maple syrup, soda, salt, and vanilla. Mix it all up. Then add the flour and mix thoroughly.
* Chill the dough for at least 1 hour *(overnight is fine, too)*.
* Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls with your hands. Roll the balls in white sugar and place them on greased cookie sheets, 12 to a standard sheet. Flatten them with a spatula.
* Put oven rack in the middle position. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes or until nicely browned. Cool on the cookie sheets for no more than 1 minute, then remove the cookies to the rack to finish cooling. *(If you leave them on the cookie sheets for too long, they'll stick.)*

## Trivia

*Edna Ferguson says these taste exactly like pancakes that are slathered with maple syrup and butter, and she wishes she could get away with serving them instead of real pancakes at the annual faculty breakfast.*

## Conversion Charts

See Baking Conversion Chart for non-USA baking conversions.
Stan Kramer

**Stan Kramer** is Hannah's accountant for The Cookie Jar and mentioned throughout the Hannah Swensen Mystery series.

*Stan Kramer was the best tax man in Lake Eden. He was pretty liberal about what was and what wasn’t a tax deduction, but Hannah didn’t think he’d go quite that far*.

His business name is Stan Kramer Accounting Services.

## References

1. ↑  Fluke, Joanne. Lemon Meringue Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen series Book 4) (p. 21). Kensington Books. Kindle Edition.
Scandinavian Red Cabbage

## Book Reference

Sugar Cookie Murder

*This recipe is from Minnie Holtzmeier and she says it's so easy, no one can possibly get it wrong. (She obviously forgot about Andrea!)*

### Ingredients

* 6 slices bacon, diced
* 1/4 cup brown sugar
* 1/8 cup flour *(2 Tablespoons)*
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon pepper
* 3/4 cup dry red wine
* 1/4 cup butter, melted *(1/2 stick, 1/8 pound)*
* 1 head red cabbage, roughly shredded *(6 to 8 cups)*
* 1 chopped onion

### Directions

* Dice the bacon, put it in a 2-cup microwave bowl and cook for 2 minutes on high, stirring midway through cooking time. Pour off the bacon fat and set the bacon pieces aside.
* Grease *(or spray with non-stick cooking spray)* the inside of a 4-quart slow cooker.
* Combine bacon pieces, brown sugar, flour, salt, pepper, red wine, and butter in the bottom of the crock-pot. Stir it all up.
* Shred the red cabbage and chop the onion. Add them to the crock and toss them with the liquid. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours.
* Either drain some of the juice before serving, thicken it with a bit of flour and water, or use a slotted serving spoon.

## Conversion Charts

See Baking Conversion Chart for non-USA baking conversions.
Spinach Rollups (plus Hannah's Addition)

## Spinach Rollups

*This recipe is from my friend Susan Zilber. Susan moved away to New York, but I bet she still makes these.*

### Ingredients

* 5 to 8 flour tortillas *(the large burrito size)*
* 16-ounce package frozen chopped spinach
* 1/4 cup mayonnaise
* 1/2 cup softened cream cheese
* 1/4 cup sour cream
* 1/8 cup dried onion flakes
* 1/4 cup bacon bits
* 1 Tablespoon Tabasco sauce

### Directions

* Cook the spinach and drain it, squeezing out all of the moisture. *(Cheesecloth inside a strainer works well for this.)* Mix together all ingredients except the tortillas.
* Spread small amount of spinach mixture out on the face of a tortilla. Roll it up and place it in a plastic freezer bag. Continue spreading and rolling tortillas until the spinach mixture is gone.
* Fold the plastic bag over when all rollups are inside to make sure they stay tightly rolled. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours *(overnight is best)*. Slice with a sharp knife, arrange on a platter, and serve as appetizers.

*Susan says to tell you that once she started to make these and found that she was out of sour cream. She used all cream cheese instead, and they were delicious.*

## Hannah's Addition

#### Ingredients

* 5 to 8 flour tortillas *(the large burrito size)*
* 6 ounces chopped smoked salmon *(or lox)*
* 1 cup *(8 ounces)* softened cream cheese
* 1/4 cup dried chopped onions
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon dill weed *(of course fresh is best)*

#### Directions

* Mix all the ingredients except the tortillas together in a bowl.
* Spread small amount of salmon mixture out on the face of a tortilla. Roll it up and place it in a plastic freezer bag. Continue spreading and rolling tortillas until the salmon mixture is gone.
* Fold the plastic bag over when all rollups are inside to make sure they stay tightly rolled. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours *(Overnight is best)*. Slice with a sharp knife, arrange on a platter, and serve as appetizers.

## Hannah's Note

*I made Susan's Spinach Rollups too, and after I cut them the next day, I arranged both kinds on the platter in contrasting rings. It looked gorgeous.*

## Conversion Charts

See Baking Conversion Chart for non-USA baking conversions.
Sesame Seed Tea Cookies

**Sesame Seed Tea Cookies** is the thirteenth recipe featured in Apple Turnover Murder.

## Ingredients

* 3 cups all-purpose flour ***(pack it down in the cup when you measure it)***
* 3/4 cup white ***(granulated)*** sugar
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup butter, softened ***(1 stick, 4 ounces, 1/4 pound)***
* 2 large eggs, beaten ***(just whip them up in a glass with a fork)***
* 1/4 cup whole milk
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1/4 cup whole milk in a bowl ***(not a misprint—you need 1/2 cup total)***
* 3/4 cup sesame seeds

## Directions

* Preheat oven to 375 degrees F., rack in the middle position.
* Grease your cookie sheets or spray them with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray. You can also use parchment paper, if you prefer.
* In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix them up until they’re well blended.
* Cut the butter into pieces and add them to the bowl. Blend them in with a pastry blender, or a fork, or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
* Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the beaten eggs, 1/4 cup milk, and the vanilla extract. Mix with a spoon until a soft dough forms.
* Divide the dough into 4 pieces. ***(Just eyeball it— this doesn’t have to be perfect.)***
* With your hands, roll each dough piece out into a long roll ***(resembling a snake)*** that’s approximately 1/2 inch in diameter. The rolls should be about 24 inches long.
* Cut the rolls into 2-inch pieces with a sharp knife.
* Put the sesame seeds in a shallow bowl. Dip each piece into the bowl of milk, and then roll it in the seeds. ***(The milk will make the seeds stick to the cookie dough.)***
* Place the sesame-covered pieces one inch apart on greased or Pammed cookie sheets. ***(Parchment paper or baking paper works well also.)***
* Bake the cookies at 375 degrees F. for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they’re golden brown.
* Let the cookies sit on the cookie sheets for one or two minutes, and then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

## Yield

Approximately 4 dozen, depending on cookie size.
Tropical Pie

Pink Lemonade Cake Murder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

**Ingredients:**

* 1 frozen deep-dish premade pie crust (I used Marie Callender’s)
* 1 15-ounce can apricot halves (cut into slices as you would for an apple pie)
* 2 15.25-ounce cans pear halves (cut into slices as you would for an apple pie)
* 1 20-ounce can pineapple slices (cut each ring into 8 chunks)

**French Crumble:**

* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* ½ cup (½ stick, 8 tablespoons, ¼ pound) cold, salted butter (cut into half-inch chunks)
* ½ cup brown sugar

**Directions:**

1. Remove the deep-dish pie crust from package and thaw according to package directions.
2. In the bowl of your food processor combine the flour, salted butter, and brown sugar.
3. Process with the steel blade in an on and off motion until the resulting mixture is in uniform small pieces.
4. In a medium-sized bowl combine the apricot slices, pear slices, and pineapple chunks with ½ of the French Crumble mixture.
5. Arrange this mixture in the deep-dish pie shell.
6. Sprinkle the rest of the crumbled mixture over the top of your pie.
7. Pat the top down with your impeccably clean hands and cut several slits in the top to vent.
8. Place your pie on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees F. for 45-55 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
9. Remove from the oven and let your pie cool on a cold stovetop burner or wire rack.

**Yield:** 8 pie-shaped servings of tropical delight.

Serve with strong, hot coffee or glasses of icy-cold milk.

**Hannah’s Note:** This yummy dessert can be topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a slice of cheddar cheese, or both!

## Conversion Charts

See Baking Conversion Chart for non-USA baking conversions.
Olaf Ohman

**Olaf Ohman** is mentioned in Apple Turnover Murder as having owned a farm in Kensington Park where a Kensington Runestone was found. The Runestone Museum in the park houses a 28-foot high statue of Big Ole, a Viking of legendary folklore that a Nordic explorer in the year 1300 visited the area. (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/big-ole)  Tracey explains to Hannah that she and her class is going to visit the Park with their teacher to learn a little of Minnesota's history.

1. ↑ https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/big-ole
Red Raspberry Muffins

Christmas Caramel Murder

Preheat oven to 375°F, rack in the middle position.

### Directions

* Grease the bottoms only of a 12-cup muffin pan (or line the cups with double cupcake papers--that's what I do at The Cookie Jar)
* Melt the butter in a bowl or measuring cup in the microwave. (This takes me about a minute in the microwave on HIGH).
* Set the melted butter on the kitchen counter to cool.
* Measure out the sugar in the large bowl.
* Mix in the beaten eggs.
* Add the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix thoroughly.
* Cup your hands around the bowl containing the melted butter. If it's cool enough so you won't cook the eggs, stir it into your mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
* Add half of the flour to your bowl and mix it in.
* Add the whole milk to your bowl and mix that in.
* Add the other half of the flour to your bowl and mix until everything is incorporated.
* Mix in the half cup of seedless raspberry jam.
* If you're using a mixer, take the bowl out of the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and give the contents a stir with a spoon by hand.
* Add the raspberries and mix them in by hand.
* Fill the prepared muffin cups three-quarters full and set them aside. If you have muffin batter left over, grease the bottom of a small tea-bread loaf pan and fill it with your remaining batter.
* Make the crumb topping by mixing the sugar, cinnamon, and flour in a small bowl with a fork. Add the softened butter and cut it in until it's crumbly. (You can also do this in a food processor with chilled butter that you've cut into chunks. Use the steel blade in an on-and-off motion until the resulting mixture resembles coarse gravel.)
* Fill the remaining space in the muffin cups with the crumb topping. If you had batter left over and used the tea-bread pan, reserve some topping to sprinkle over that.
* Bake the muffins in a 375°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes. (The tea-bread should bake from 5 to 10 minutes longer than the muffins, but test it with a cake tester or long toothpick when your muffins are done. Insert the tester in the center of the loaf. If your tester comes out clean, your tea-brand is done.)
* When your muffins are baked, take them out of the oven and set the muffin pan on a wire rack or a cold stovetop burner to cool for at least 30 minutes. (The muffins need to cool in the pan for easy removal.) Then just tip them out of the cups, or lift them out by the edges of the cupcake papers. Serve with salted butter for those who want it, and enjoy.
* These muffins are wonderful when they're slightly warm, but the raspberry flavor will intensify if you store them in a covered container overnight.

**Yield:** 12 delicious muffins with a little batter left over for several more muffins or a small loaf of tea-bread.

## Conversion Charts

See Baking Conversion Chart for non-USA baking conversions.
Swedish Oatmeal Cookies

## Ingredients

* 1 cup butter ***(2 sticks, ½ pound)***
* ¾ cup white ***(granulated)*** sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 cup flour ***(no need to sift)***
* 2 cups oatmeal ***(I used Quaker Oats—Quick)***
* 1 egg yolk

## Directions

* Preheat oven to 350°F, rack in middle position.
* Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl on HIGH for approximately 1½ minutes. Let it cool to room temperature. Mix in the white sugar.
* Add the baking soda, flour, and oatmeal. Stir thoroughly.
* Beat the egg yolk with a fork until it's thoroughly mixed. Add it to the bowl and stir until it's incorporated.
* Grease *(or spray with Pam or other nonstick cooking spray)* a standard-sized cookie sheet. Make small balls of dough and place them on the cookie sheet, 12 to a sheet. Press them down with a fork in a crisscross pattern the way you'd do for peanut butter cookies.
* Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes or until they're just starting to brown around the edges. Let the cookies cool for a minute or two on the sheets and then transfer them to a wire rack to complete cooling.

Yield: approximately 5 dozen, depending on cookie size.

## Conversion Charts

See Baking Conversion Chart for non-USA baking conversions.
Triplet Chiplet Cookies

Cream Puff Murder

**Ingredients**

* 2 sticks melted butter ***(4 sticks, one pound)***
* 3 cups white ***(granulated)*** sugar
* 1½ cups brown sugar
* 4 teaspoons vanilla
* 2 teaspoon baking soda
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 4 beaten eggs ***(just whip them up in a glass with a fork)***
* 5 cups flour ***(not sifted—pack it down in the cup when you measure it)***
* 1 cup white chocolate chips ***(6-ounce package)***
* 1 cup milk chocolate chips ***(6-ounce package)***
* 1 cup semi-sweet ***(the regular kind)*** chocolate chips ***(6-ounce package)***
* 2 cups chopped salted cashews

**Hannah's 1st Note: If you can't find white chocolate chips, you can substitute butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, or any other chips you like.**

**Directions**

* Preheat oven to 350°F, rack in the middle position.
* Melt the butter by heating it in a microwave-safe bowl on HIGH for 3 minutes, or in a pan on the stove.

**Hannah's 2nd Note: This dough gets really stiff—you might be better off using an electric mixer if you have one.**

* Mix the white sugar and the brown sugar with the butter. Add the vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.
* Feel the bowl. If it's not hot it'l cool the eggs, add them now and mix well.
* Add 2 cups of the flour and stir well. Then add the chips, and the chopped nuts. Mix it thoroughly.
* Add the 3 remaining cups of flour, and stir them in well.
* Drop by rounded teaspoons onto greased ***(or sprayed with Pam or other nonstick cooking spray)*** cook sheets, 12 cookies to a standard-sized sheet. If the dough is too sticky to handle, chill it for an hour and try again.
* Bake the cookies at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes or until nicely browned. ***(Mine took 11 minutes.)***
* Let the cookies cool for two minutes, and then remove them from the baking sheets. Transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Yield: Approximately 10 to 12 dozen crunchy, nutty, chocolaty cookies that everyone will love.

This recipe can be cut in half if you wish.
Multiple-Choice Bar Cookies

## Book Reference

Blueberry Muffin Murder

**Multiple-Choice Bar** Cookies are the eighth recipe in Blueberry Muffin Murder.

## Ingredients

* 1/2 cup butter *(one stick)*
* 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz.)
* One ingredient from each column:

(1 1/2 cups)
(2 cups)
(2 cups)
 Vanilla wafer crumbs
 Chocolate wafer crumbs
 Animal cracker crumbs
 Sugar cookie crumbs

## Directions

* Preheat oven to 350°F, rack in the middle position.
* Melt the butter and pour it into a 9-by-13-inch cake pan. Tip the pan to coat the bottom.
* Evenly sprinkle one ingredient form Column A over the melted butter.
* Drizzle sweetened condensed milk over the crumbs.
* Evenly sprinkle one ingredient from Column B on top.
* Evenly sprinkle one ingredient from Column C on top of that.
* Evenly sprinkle one ingredient from Column D over the very top.
* Press everything down with the palms of your hands. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Cool thoroughly on a wire rack and cut into brownie-sized bars.

## Trivia

(*Tracey loves to help me bake these---she gets to choose the ingredients.)*

Hannah made *Multiple-Choice Bar Cookies* for the Lake Eden Winter Carnival.

## Conversion Charts

See Baking Conversion Chart for non-USA baking conversions.
Substitute for Sweetened Condensed Milk

Devil's Food Cake Murder

(for anyone who needs to avoid milk or dairy)

### Hannah’s 1st Note

*This is easy to make if you use an electric mixer. You can also make it in a blender. You must make it fresh for each recipe you bake.*

### Directions

* Beat the eggs until they’re of a uniform color and thoroughly blended.
* Add the brown sugar and mix it in.
* Add the vanilla extract. Mix it in.
* Add the flour and beat for one minute, making sure it’s thoroughly incorporated into the mixture.
* Add the baking powder and the salt. Beat for another minute.
* Set the resulting mixture aside on the counter until you need it in your recipe.
* Then add it when your recipe calls for sweetened condensed milk.

**Yield**: One recipe makes enough to substitute for one 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk. (That’s the store-bought size.)

### Hannah’s 2nd Note

*This substitute can be used in any BAKED dessert recipe, including pies, cakes, and cookie bars. DO NOT use it in frostings or candy.*

## Conversion Charts

See Baking Conversion Chart for non-USA baking conversions.
Warren Dalworth

## Bio

Started "Dalworth Enterprises", headquarters located in Minneapolis-St. Paul. His firm was behind the renovations of the old Albion Hotel into seven luxury condos. Two on each floor, with a roof top penthouse condo.
The first floor contains a restaurant.

## Chronology by Novel

### Red Velvet Cupcake Murder

He is in the Lake Eden Memorial Hospital, dying from cancer.
Strawberry Muffins

Double Fudge Brownie Murder

**Strawberry Muffins** is the seventeenth recipe featured in Double Fudge Brownie Murder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F., rack in the middle position

**The Batter:**

* 3/4 cup salted butter ***(1 and½ sticks, 6 ounces)***
* 1 cup white ***(granulated)***sugar
* 2 beaten eggs ***(just whip them up in a glass with a fork)***
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 cup fresh or frozen sliced strawberries ***(no need to thaw if they’re frozen)***
* 2 cups plus one Tablespoon flour ***(pack it down in the cup when you measure it)***
* 1/2 cup whole milk
* 1/2 cup strawberry jam

* **Crumb Topping:**

* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/3 cup flour
* 1/4 cup salted butter ***(1/2 stick)***

* Grease the bottoms only of a 12-cup muffin pan ***(or line the cups with double cupcake papers—that’s what I do at The Cookie Jar.)*** Melt the butter. Mix in the sugar. Add the beaten eggs, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Mix it all up thoroughly.
* Put the one Tablespoon of flour in a baggie with your cup of fresh or frozen sliced strawberries. Shake it gently to coat the strawberries and leave them in the bag for now.
* Add half of the remaining two cups of flour to your bowl and mix it in with half of the milk. Then add the rest of the flour and the milk, and mix thoroughly.
* Here comes the fun part: Add the half cup of strawberry jam to your bowl and mix it in. ***(Your dough will turn a beautiful shade of pinkish red.)*** When your dough is thoroughly mixed, fold in the flour-coated fresh or frozen sliced strawberries.
* Fill the muffin cups three-quarters full and set them aside. If you have dough left over, grease the bottom of a small tea-bread loaf pan and fill it with your remaining dough.

**Crumb Topping:**

* Mix the sugar and the flour in a small bowl. Add the butter and cut it in until it’s crumbly. ***(You can also do this in a food processor with chilled butter and the steel blade.)***
* Fill the remaining space in the muffin cups with the crumb topping. Then bake the muffins in a 375 degrees F. oven for 25 to 30 minutes. ***(The tea-bread should bake about 10 minutes longer than the muffins.)***
* When your muffins are baked, set the muffin pan on a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes. ***(The muffins need to cool in the pan for easy removal.)*** Then just tip them out of the cups and enjoy.

***These are wonderful when they’re slightly warm, but the strawberry flavor will intensify if you store them in a covered container overnight.***

**Hannah’s Note: Grandma Ingrid’s muffin pans were large enough to hold all the dough from this recipe. My muffin tins are smaller and I always make a loaf of Strawberry tea-bread with the leftover dough for my nieces. If I make it for Tracey and Bethie, I leave off the crumb topping. They love to eat it sliced, toasted, and buttered for breakfast. Andrea told me that her girls love strawberries so much, they even put strawberry jam on top of the butter!**
Wedding Cake Murder

**Wedding Cake Murder** is the nineteenth book in the *Hannah Swensen Mystery* series. It was released in 2016.

## Short Summary

**Hannah Swensen’s getting married—but first she has to solve the murder of a notorious celebrity chef—in this entry in the New York Times-bestselling series.**

*Folks in Lake Eden, Minnesota, may have had their doubts, but at long last, Hannah Swensen is getting married! And her excitement only grows when she learns the man of her dreams will be able to join her on her trip to New York City for the Food Channel’s dessert chef contest. They get a taste of the Big Apple before Hannah wins the Hometown Challenge—and the producers bring all the contestants to Lake Eden to tape the remainder of the show*.

*It’s nerve-wracking enough being judged by Alain Duquesne, a celebrity chef with a nasty reputation. But it’s even more chilling to find him stabbed to death in the Lake Eden Inn’s walk-in cooler—before he’s even had a chance to taste Hannah’s Butterscotch Sugar Cookies! Now Hannah has not only lost her advantage, she’ll have to solve a mystery with more layers than a five-tiered wedding cake*...

## Characters

### Main Characters

* Hannah Swensen
* Ross Barton
* Michelle Swensen
* Delores Swensen
* Andrea Todd
* Norman Rhodes
* Mike Kingston
* Lisa Herman

### Minor Characters

* Alain Duquesne
* Aunt Nancy
* Rodney Paloma

## Trivia

* This is the fifth cake title in the series.
Perry Connors

## Relations

Orphans

**Twin Sister**: Sherri Connors

## Books

Apple Turnover Murder

**Perry and Sherri Connors** are twins. They are world-class dancers in Apple Turnover Murder.

## Bio

He and his twin sister, Sherri Connors were orphans and grew up in the Winnetka County Children's Home. His only escape was through dance, something that the other boys would bully him about.

## Chronology by Novel

### Apple Turnover Murder

Perry had a very hard time growing up in the Childen’s Home and he resents that he is often asked to speak up about fund raising and contributions at the home. He is driven to succeed with his twin sister, Sherri as dance stars.
When he finds out that Sherri is pregnant with Professor Bradford’s baby, which results in that they have to give up dance for now, it drives him to murdering the professor.
Rod Metcalf

## Books

He or his newspaper are mentioned in almost every Novel

**Rod Metcalf** is a minor character in the *Hannah Swensen Mystery Series*.

## Bio

He is the owner of the Lake Eden Journal.

## Appearance

### Blackberry Pie Murder

Wrote an article for his Lake Eden Journel that was meant to be humorous, but Delores Swensen didn’t find it funny. “When Is the Next One? No Body Nose!”
“It’s been over four months since a member of the Swensen family has sniffed out the body of a murder victim,”
Fluke, Joanne. Blackberry Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen series Book 17) (p. 13). Kensington Books. Kindle Edition.
The article also included a box with each of their scores, with Hannah in the lead and Michelle a strike out.
Shirley Dubinski

## Relations

**Sons:** 2 unnamed

**ex-husband:** Martin Dubinski, **Ex-mother-in-law:** Babs Dubinski

## Bio

**Shirley Dubinski** ex-wife of Martin Dubinski but wants Martin back. They have 2 young sons.

She is employed as a trade show representative for the DelRay Company in Lake Eden.

## Chronology by Novel

### Sugar Cookie Murder

When her ex-husband shows up at the community banquet and his new Vegas showgirl wife is found murdered, Shirley becomes one of the main suspects.

But her and her ex's alibi for the time of death is each other, they were discussing if it was possible to work out their differences and get back together.
Viking Cookies

## Ingredients

* 2 cups butter ***(4 sticks—melted)***
* 2 cups brown sugar
* 2 cups white sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 4 eggs—beaten
* 2 teaspoons vanilla
* ½ teaspoon cinnamon
* ¼ teaspoon cardamom ***(nutmeg will also work, but cardamom is better)***
* 4½ cups flour
* 3 cups white chocolate chips ***(I used Ghirardelli's)***\*\*\*
	+ \*\*\*Make sure you use real white chocolate chips, not vanilla chips. The real ones have cocoa listed in the ingredients. If you can't find them in your market, look for a block of white chocolate, one pound or a bit over, and cut it up in small pieces with a knife.
* 3 cups rolled oats ***(uncooked oatmeal—I used Quaker's Quick Oatmeal)***

## Directions

* Preheat oven to 350°F, rack in the middle position.
* Melt the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl, or on the stove in a small saucepan. ***(It should melt in about 3 minutes in the microwave on HIGH.)*** Set it on the counter and let it cool to room temperature.
* When the butter is cool, mix in the white sugar and the brown sugar.
* Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs, vanilla, and spices. Make sure it's all mixed in thoroughly.
* Add the flour in half-cup increments, mixing after each addition. Then add the white chocolate chips ***(or pieces of white chocolate if you cut up a block)*** and stir thoroughly.
* Add the oatmeal and mix. The dough will be quite stiff.
* Drop by teaspoons onto a greased ***(or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray)*** standard-sized cookie sheets, 12 cookies to a sheet.
* Flatten the cookies on the sheet with a greased metal spatula ***(or with the palm of your impeccably clean hand.)*** You don't have to smush them all the way down so they look like pancakes—just one squish will do it.
* Bake at 350°F for 11 to 13 minutes or until they're an attractive golden brown. ***(Mine took the full 13 minutes.)***
* Cool the cookies for 1 to 2 minutes on the cookie sheets and then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: 10 to 12 dozen delicious cookies, depending on cookie size.

## Hannah's Note

These freeze well if you roll them in foil and put them in a freezer bag.

These cookies will go fast, even frozen. If you want to throw the midnight freezer raiders off the track, wrap the cookie rolls in a double thickness of foil and then stick them in a freezer bag. Label the bag with a food your family doesn't like, (something like BEEF TONGUE, or PORK KIDNEYS, or even LUTEFISK—it works every time.)

## Conversion Charts

See Baking Conversion Chart for non-USA baking conversions.
Tri-County Mall

## Book Reference

Frequently mentioned in the Novels* Featured in
	+ Blueberry Muffin Murder
	+ Cream Puff Murder

**Tri-County Mall** is the largest shopping center for the three county area.

Andrea and Delores love shopping there while Hannah prefers to avoid the place as much as possible as she's not a fan of crowds.

Some of the shops and businesses:

* Bergstrom's Department Store
* Connie Mac's Kitchenwar Store
* Heavenly Bodies - New fitness center and spa

## Trivia

* The people of the three county area hang out at the mall a lot during the winters.
Powdered Sugar Icing

Chocolate Cream Pie Murder

## Ingredients

* 1 cup powdered ***(confectioners)*** sugar
* ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
* ¼ teaspoon salt
* 2 to 4 Tablespoons cream

## Directions

* Mix the powdered sugar with the vanilla extract and the salt. Make sure everything is thoroughly combined.
* Mix in the cream gradually and whisk until the icing reaches the desired consistency to drizzle over your warm Apricot Coffee Cake.
* Pour the icing into a cup or bowl with a spout and drizzle it over your Apricot Coffee Cake.
* Let the icing cool and "set" before you cut squares and serve your coffee cake.