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TTT: 10 Fictional Places I’d like to Curl Up with a Good Book

Posted January 16, 2018 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Link Up / 4 Comments

Are we already halfway through January? Things have been so crazy around here, I feel like the new year blew right by. The holidays always go fast, but this year it was wrapped in with cookbook writing for added excitement. I just submitted the last round of edits to my cookbook editor, so I should have an progress update for you all soon. In the mean time, I’m taking a little extra time to relax and think about my goals for the upcoming year.

Read More Books is ALWAYS on my to-do list, but I decided not to create a specific reading goal this year. My busy baby (almost toddler! he’s pulled himself to standing a few times!) doesn’t leave much room for reading goals. Example: I’ve been trying to read a friend’s manuscript for several months, but as great as it is, it’s hard to make headway when the Little Mister shreds the dust jackets of my books and tries to eat a screw he pulled up from the transition strip in the kitchen doorway (both true stories).

So instead of goals, I found myself fantasizing about how lovely it would be to find a quiet corner to read in fictional places like Hobbiton, Redwall Abbey, or Mr. Tumnus’s cozy cave. Before long, I had a list of 10 fictional places I’d like to curl up with a good book! They’re all quiet, soothing places because that’s what I need in my life right now, but whose to say the list won’t change some day to include the deck of a pirate ship or a haunted manor at midnight? 😉

Whoville “Roast Beast” Sandwiches: Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches

Posted December 14, 2017 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 2 Comments

Ah, the roast beast! This wouldn’t be a Grinch Who Stole Christmas menu without it, right? When I first started planning this menu, I instantly knew we’d have roast beast for an entree, but I wasn’t sure what form it would take.

My first goal was to figure out exactly what kind of beast we’re talking about here. In the book, it’s drawn with what could be a hoof or a trotter, which had me thinking beef or pork. However, it also has what could be a tuft on its tail (or a chop holder like you see on lamb shank crown roasts). It DOES say the beast is rare, though this could be in reference to it scarcity, rather than its cook time. I’m sure all this vagueness was a deliberate choice on Seuss’s part, since the Whos would most likely be eating an imaginary animal, but it wasn’t super helpful from a meal-planning perspective. Since the source material left it pretty open-ended, I decided to go with beef, since it’s a hooved animal like the picture and can be cooked rare.

Instead of a pot roast recipe (which I’ve done before), I decided to try something different: roast beef sandwiches! I was intrigued by the idea of making French dip sandwiches in the slow cooker, which I hadn’t tried before, so I tracked down a great recipe from Celebrating Sweets and whipped it right up.

It was delicious and super easy! The broiled provolone drapes the juicy beef and tender onions in a blanket of cheesy goodness, and the French rolls soak up the au jus perfectly—making them soft and flavorful without falling apart. I am SO making this again soon! 🙂

My Cookbooks

Posted November 28, 2017 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in / 0 Comments

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Alison Walsh returns with her third cookbook inspired by classic literature!

A Literary Picnic invites you to embrace summer with 5 outdoor-friendly menus, each inspired by a different classic book. Each menu consists of five recipes: appetizer, entrée, side dish, dessert, and beverage. Designed with picnicking in mind, they’re all easy to prep ahead, transport, and enjoy on the go. Within these pages, you’ll find:

Honey Clementine Cupcakes inspired by Winnie-the-Pooh
Blackberry Almond Croissant Bake inspired by Peter Rabbit
color-changing Drink Me Potion inspired by Alice in Wonderland
Chocolate Raspberry Cream Puffs inspired by The Secret Garden
Fairy Bread inspired by “Thumbelina”
and so many more!

Get ready to grab a picnic basket, your favorite book, and a snack for the road—the summer sun is calling!

(NOTE: The Kindle link above is an Amazon Affiliate link.)

For fans of Little Women, The Chronicles of Narnia, A Christmas Carol, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and more, a literature-inspired cookbook for voracious readers during the festive holiday season.

Some of the most famous instances of fictional fare have become synonymous with the holidays. Who can forget the plentiful food surrounding the Ghost of Christmas Present in A Christmas Carol? The simple but generous and joy-filled Christmas gatherings at the Marchs’ in Little Women? Or the Van Tassel’s autumnal feast in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow? Finally, these literary meals can become a reality on your table with A Literary Holiday Cookbook.

From Christmas and Thanksgiving to Halloween and New Year’s, this seasonal cookbook offers 17 full four-course holiday meals from 25 classic books—each including an appetizer, entrée, side dish, and dessert. Additionally, whip up festive sips and delectable edible gifts to share with loved ones. As you curl up by the fireplace to reread one of your favorite literary classics, learn to make:

Mouse King Cheese Bites and Sugar Plums from The Nutcracker for Christmas
Turkey Roulade and Jo’s Gingerbread from Little Women for Christmas
Skillet Cornbread with Homemade Butter and Venison Pot Roast from The Little House on the Prairie for Thanksgiving
Deviled Raven Eggs and Coffin Pizza Pockets from Edgar Allen Poe for Halloween
The Queen of Hearts Tomato Tart and Eat Me Cakes from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland for the New Year
and many more!

Finally—whether you love Dracula, Phantom of the Opera, Redwall, or The Wonderful Wizard of Oz—book lovers can enjoy full menus of literary delicacies from their favorite books for all of their favorite holidays!

A Literary-Inspired Cookbook for Voracious Readers at Teatime

Tea and books: the perfect pairing. There’s nothing quite like sitting down to a good book on a lovely afternoon with a steaming cup of tea beside you, as you fall down the rabbit hole into the imaginative worlds of Alice in Wonderland, The Hobbit, and Sherlock Holmes . . .

Fire up your literary fancies and nibble your way through delicate sweets and savories with A Literary Tea Party, which brings food from classic books to life with a teatime twist. Featuring fifty-five perfectly portioned recipes for an afternoon getaway, including custom homemade tea blends and beverages, you will have everything you need to plan an elaborate tea party. Cook up and enjoy:

Turkish Delight while sipping on the White Witch’s Hot Chocolate from The Chronicles of Narnia

Drink Me Tea with the Queen of Hearts’s Painted Rose Cupcakes from Alice in Wonderland

Eeyore’s “Hipy Bthuthday” Cake with Hundred Acre Hot Chocolate from Winnie the Pooh

Hannah’s Sweet Potato Bacon Pastries and Jo’s Gingerbread from Little Women

Tom Sawyer’s Whitewashed Jelly Doughnuts from Tom Sawyer

And more!

Accompanied with photographs and book quotes, these recipes, inspired by the great works of literature, will complement any good book for teatime reading and eating.

I Interviewed Cait from Paper Fury about her Debut Novel: A Thousand Perfect Notes!

Posted November 28, 2017 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book Events and Tours / 3 Comments

Hey, folks! 🙂 I’m sure many of you are familiar with Cait, the brilliant mind behind Paper Fury. Her passionate book reviews, tongue-in-cheek writing advice, and love of cake have graced the blogosphere for 6 years and earned her the adoration of readers worldwide.

I’ve been following her blog ever since I started my own 4 years ago, and I instantly loved its energetic tone and distinctive voice. So when she recently announced that her debut novel, A Thousand Perfect Notes, will be published in June 2018, I was thrilled and had so many questions! I was sure many of my readers would feel the same, so I asked Cait for an interview…and she said YES! 😀 😀 😀

Cait has revealed a few details about the book on her blog, but much of the story is still a closely guarded secret (even the cover art). A little more will be revealed closer to the print date, but right now we know that A Thousand Perfect Notes is the story of Beck, whose mother forces him to play piano for hours and hours every day, meeting any hint of rebellion with abuse. Beck longs to compose his own music but lives in fear of his mother, until he meets a girl named August who opens his eyes to new possibilities.

Of course, even that tiny taste of the story is powerful, but Cait has expressed her desire to avoid revealing too much too soon.

That in mind, I chose seven questions related to Cait’s writing process and inspiration for ATPN, along with upcoming projects—enough to satisfy our curiosity for now, while still getting a few delicious details about what we’ll have in store when we crack open A Thousand Perfect Notes for the first time.

So here we go!

Hopper’s Apple Cider Doughnut Holes

Posted November 23, 2017 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 3 Comments

Sheriff Hopper loves him a good doughnut, so there was no doubt in my mind that they’d be the dessert in my breakfast-themed Stranger Things menu. And I knew exactly what kind I wanted to make: apple cider doughnuts! I got the idea while watching the very first episode of Season 2. When Hopper walks into the police station in the morning, he goes straight for the doughnuts, but the secretary takes it out of his hand and swaps it for an apple. Hopper spits it out and tosses it after the first bite. So I thought it would be fun to use apples in a way he’d actually enjoy: doughnuts! Plus, they’re super festive, considering today is Thanksgiving! (Don’t worry, I’m not slaving over my blog today. I’m off visiting family and enjoying having a restful holiday. Yay for scheduling posts in advance!)

I’m kinda new to cake doughnuts (though I’ve made raised doughnuts before), so I used a recipe for apple cider doughnut holes by Lori from Recipe Girl. I decided to go with doughnut holes instead of full-on doughnuts because I lack both a doughnut cutter and doughnut baking pan, and I didn’t feel like buying one. Plus, making holes meant more surface area per bite would be covered in cinnamon sugar, which—c’mon, let’s be honest—is half the fun of apple cider doughnuts.

So fry up some festive goodness! These are perfect for dunking in your morning coffee as you contemplate the mysteries of the Upside Down. 😉

Hopper’s Bacon Stuffed French Toast

Posted November 9, 2017 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 4 Comments

The secret’s out: This whole Stranger Things menu is gonna feature breakfast foods! We started out with Spicy Maple Fried Chicken Waffle Cones, and now we’re moving on to rich, fluffy french toast.

This recipe is inspired by the French toast Sheriff Hopper serves to Eleven in Season 2. Granted, the version he made was a little more basic, but you know me—I can resist playing with my food! Stuffed French toast seemed like the way to go, and the bacon stuffed variety was perfect for health-food-hating Hopper.

This was my first time making French toast, so I took inspiration from several recipes: The Kitchn’s basic French toast, Spicy Southern Kitchen’s Bacon French Toast, and Bon Appetit’s tips for avoiding French toast mistakes. Although I’m not the biggest fan of French toast (hence why I’ve never made it before), I feel like this is a really solid recipe. It starts with thick slices of challah soaked it a lightly sweetened custard, filled with fried bacon and cooked in butter until golden. The texture on the inside was rich, faintly sweet, soft, fluffy, and moist without being wet. In fact, the inside of the bread reminded me a lot of a soufflé. It contrasted so well with the salty bacon in the very center. Top with a dusting of powdered sugar and a healthy drizzle of syrup, and you’re all set!

The Man in the Iron Mask (Aug. 2017)

Posted October 4, 2017 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in / 0 Comments

Dessert: Fouquet’s Meringue Cookies with Peach Curd

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Get Ready for Some Late Night Reading with a Phantom of the Opera Reading Kit!

Posted October 3, 2017 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Reading Kits / 1 Comment

Halloween is peeking it’s head around the corner, so in the spirit of the season, our new Book of the Month has a spooky vibe: The Phantom of the Opera!

There are so many iconic items from Phantom: masks, roses, pipe organs, chandeliers, sheet music, magical lassos—the list goes on! So naturally, it was pure fun to put this reading kit together. It features cozy Phantom throw pillows, perfectly themed snacks, and even fancy abstract sunglasses made to look like the famous Phantom mask.

Read on, Wonderlanders…and be sure to keep your hand at the level of your eyes! 😉 Read More

Top 10 Quick, Easy Literary Recipes to Make with Kids

Posted September 12, 2017 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Link Up / 2 Comments

This week’s Top Ten Tuesday prompt was a freebie, so I decided to cover a topic I’ve had on the brain for a while. When I made astronaut pudding for my Amelia’s Notebook menu, I loved how kid-friendly it was, and I got to thinking about how tough it can be to find fiction-inspired recipes for kids. Dishes like Turkish Delight or Deeper ‘N Ever Pie are fun recipes, but they can be intimidating for kiddos who are just starting to get curious about cooking.

I decided to do a roundup of quick, easy literary recipes for kids here on the blog, so here are ten of my favorites! These recipes require minimal cooking or cutting, and several of them are well known foods from history (sugar plums, hardtack, johnny cake, etc.) that kids are likely to come across in classic books. You can incorporate them into a homeschooling lesson, use them to satisfy your children’s curiosity about foods they’ve read about, or just whip them up for fun. The choice is yours! 🙂

Smoking Bishop: Spiced Red Wine with Port

Posted August 31, 2017 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 1 Comment

I always tend towards making a cocktail whenever I have a chance to make a bonus recipe, and my Man in the Iron Mask menu is no exception. Smoking Bishop is actually a traditional British beverage—not French, like all my other recipes for this menu—but it was just too perfect to pass up. The mulling spices (nutmeg, allspice, and cloves) along with the rich wines make it a perfect companion to our French Onion Soup and Secret Note French Bread. Plus, the name goes perfectly with the story, since Aramis (the Bishop of Vannes) is such an important character in Man in the Iron Mask.

The recipe I use here (a slight variation on one originally from PUNCH), is easy to throw together. Though roasting the orange adds to the prep time, I highly recommend it. Juice from the roasted orange adds so much flavor! The final cocktail is cozy and warm, with a lovely spiced aroma and a bit of citrus bite to offset the sweet wine. I can just imagine Aramis sipping this to calm his nerves before helping the prince break out of the Bastille!