I can’t adequately express to you how nervous/excited I’ve been to make this dessert. I’ve been wanting to try my hand at baked Alaska for years, and a menu based on a book about the Alaskan wilderness was a perfect excuse.
Arctic Trail Bourbon Baked Beans
In White Fang, beans are a popular companion to fresh salmon. Although it’s easy enough to buy a can of baked beans and call it a day, I decided to make them from scratch. After all, anyone hiking through the Alaskan wilderness would probably want something heartier than just plain beans. This recipe by The Cozy Apron stood out to me because:
A St. Patrick/Pi Day Mash Up Party!
So both is what we’re doing. 🙂
Simple Seared Salmon
Naturally, a book that’s written mostly from a wolf’s point of view isn’t going to have much human-friendly meat in it, but salmon is a notable exception. In White Fang, both wolves and humans regularly feast on fresh Alaskan salmon. And since it’s a dish that can be prepared on the trail, it’s a perfect entree for our menu.
Coffee Muffins with Maple Butter for the Arctic Trail
I love Jack London books SO much. He writes about gritty arctic survival with all the power and heart of someone who truly loves and understands the wilderness. I was desperate to include either White Fang or Call of the Wild as a Book of the Month this year, and since White Fang is longer, it made the cut!
Oh My, March!
February was such a busy month! Between trips downstate, the start of Lent, and crazy weather, March managed to sneak up on me. I was editing pictures for my first March recipe when I realized I hadn’t posted the new Book of the Month hint yet. For shame!
Fear no more, for your photo hint is finally here. And judging from the view outside my window right now, it couldn’t be more seasonally appropriate. 😉
Romeo’s Sighs and Juliet’s Kisses: Italian Sandwich Cookies
When I first decided to do a Romeo and Juliet menu, I was a little worried about finding a suitable dessert. Anything blatantly romantic seemed too cliche, so I was determined to steer clear of anything heart-shaped. I was so excited when I stumbled across these little Italian sandwich cookies!
Star-Crossed Focaccia with Green Onion Parmesan Butter
Considering Romeo and Juliet is based in Renaissance Italy, I wanted to include at least one menu item that the characters would have likely eaten in that time period. Though focaccia has seen a rise in popularity in recent years, the current form of the dish first became popular in Romeo and Juliet’s day. I love this particular recipe because the dough doesn’t need to rise, and it’s got great herbed flavor and fun texture. The star shape, of course, is a tip of the hat to Verona’s famous star-crossed lovers.
10 Valentine’s Day Gifts for Avid Readers
I’ve always closely associated Valentine’s Day with books. Last week, I did a guest post for Real Life at Home explaining why. So if you’re stumped as to what to get your special reader this Valentine’s Day, you’ve come to the right place. I’m always keeping tabs on the latest literary gifts! Here are my Top 10 Valentine’s Day Gifts for Avid Readers, sure to please the bibliophile in your life:
- This awesome scarf
Photo via Uncommon Goods
Poison-Tipped Daggers: Chicken Kabobs with Pesto Dip (An AWR Original Recipe © )
When I first decided to make a Romeo and Juliet menu, I knew I wanted to include the fateful dagger and poison, but finding a way to do it was tricky. Then I took my cue from our Robber Stakes from last year’s Dracula menu and decided to make dagger kabobs. The preparation is super simple, and the “poison” dipping sauce adds a fun punch of color and flavor. It’s reminiscent of two classic Italian recipes (Caprese salad and Margherita pizza), but I swapped out the tomatoes for red peppers, which are more grill-friendly.