As an avid reader who also loves to spend time in the kitchen, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been inspired to try cooking something I read about in a book! Here I share recipes for dishes I’ve tried that were featured in books.
Blue Castle Berry Crumble
Valancy Stirling is one of my all-time favorite book heroines. She’s shy but secretly sassy, sweet and vulnerable, and has the guts to break out of her old life in order to make her own happy ending come true. She’s the protagonist of The Blue Castle, L. M. Montgomery’s lovely and lesser-known tale about a…
Watercolors and Blueberries to Brighten Your Winter
I hate winter! About this time every year, the grey skies and shivery weather start to get to me. Instead of venturing out, I prefer to stay indoors with a thick, soft blanket and a good book, with a bite of something yummy to enjoy while I read. I recently got a very pretty calendar…
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Paris is Calling–Now I Want a Cartoon Rat to Cook For Me
I’ve been having a blast looking up photos of Paris lately. They’re everywhere and easy to find, which reinforces my belief that Paris ranks among the top ten most beautiful cities in the world. I’m working on the draft of a new novel, and my main character dreams of going to the City…
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Butterbeer Copycat Recipe
My kids and I love the Harry Potter books and movies. They’ve been an important part of childhood for my girls (both have dressed as Hermione more times than I can count) and the books mean a lot to me. They actually served as a distraction and an escape for me during some difficult times,…
Bird’s Nest Pudding from “Farmer Boy”
I just had to share a fun recipe for a baked apple dessert called “bird’s nest pudding” that I recently discovered. Before I do, though, I also wanted to share some thoughts about a series of books that are familiar to many people: the “Little House on the Prairie” series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I…
Dinner and Dessert: Lasagna with Triple Chocolate Cupcakes
These recipes are inspired by two middle grade novels: Sticks and Stones by Abby Cooper and Out of Tune by Gail Nall. (See my 6/26/17 blog post about my Pitch Wars mentors). In Sticks and Stones, main character Elyse selects triple chocolate cupcakes to be part of the menu for the special school trip she helps to…
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Blue Castle Berry Crumble
Valancy Stirling is one of my all-time favorite book heroines. She’s shy but secretly sassy, sweet and vulnerable, and has the guts to break out
Watercolors and Blueberries to Brighten Your Winter
I hate winter! About this time every year, the grey skies and shivery weather start to get to me. Instead of venturing out, I prefer
Paris is Calling–Now I Want a Cartoon Rat to Cook For Me
I’ve been having a blast looking up photos of Paris lately. They’re everywhere and easy to find, which reinforces my belief that Paris
Butterbeer Copycat Recipe
My kids and I love the Harry Potter books and movies. They’ve been an important part of childhood for my girls (both have dressed as
Bird’s Nest Pudding from “Farmer Boy”
I just had to share a fun recipe for a baked apple dessert called “bird’s nest pudding” that I recently discovered. Before I do, though,
Dinner and Dessert: Lasagna with Triple Chocolate Cupcakes
These recipes are inspired by two middle grade novels: Sticks and Stones by Abby Cooper and Out of Tune by Gail Nall. (See my 6/26/17 blog
Shakespeare Festival Tarts–Copycat Recipe
OK, I promised that I’d share a copycat recipe for the wonderful tarts they sell at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, IF I ever found one. Well,
Elizabethan Pastry, Please!
I grew up in Cedar City, Utah, a small town known for its fantastic Shakespearean Festival. If you’re ever passing through Southern Utah on I-15
Croque Chocolat Banane (or Chocolate Banana Panini)
This is my very first post for the recipe portion of my website: “Cooking by the Books.” The cooking section is for fun experimentation preparing the foods
