Tag: Appetizer

Cassava Rolls with Honey Lemon Fig Butter

Posted May 12, 2022 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

Swiss Family Robinson has been on my TBR for ages. Like, maybe decades. I think I never felt much urgency to read it because I saw the movie a kid, so I already knew the story. I finally read it a few weeks ago, and not only is it a fun read, it’s positively PACKED with food. Like it was written with me in mind! Get ready for a menu bursting with fun tropical ingredients. I’m so excited to begin! 😀

Today’s recipe is cassava rolls. Cassava bread/cakes are a staple of the family’s diet in the book. The flour itself is made from dried, ground cassava root, also commonly known as yuca (fun fact: tapioca flour is made from the starch of the same root!). I don’t work with alternative flours much, so I was excited to try something knew.

Let me say, this took LOTS of experimentation to get right. First I tried making yeasted cassava rolls, but they never really rose, even after I tweaked the recipe. Then I used my trusty soda bread recipe as a starting point. This at least gave it some rise, but the texture was dense and chewy. In the end, I added a couple eggs and subbed in all-purpose flour for 25% of the total flour to give the rolls more lift and a lighter structure. The final rolls have a rugged exterior and soft, pleasantly chewy interior with an almost nutty flavor.

To pair with it, I whipped up a quick batch of compound butter with honey, lemon, and figs—all ingredients that appear in the book!

Chamomile Scones with Peach Jam

Posted March 3, 2022 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

Today we’re starting a Peter Rabbit menu…and I’ve been looking forward to it for TWO YEARS! 😀 Such a garden-centric story is perfect material for a literary food blog like mine. Plus, there are so many fun uses for a Peter Rabbit menu: kids’ birthday parties, baby showers, Easter, and more!

Originally, I had plans to include a Peter Rabbit menu in my second cookbook, but I had to drop it during the planning stage when I reduced the scope of the book to cold weather holidays only (otherwise the book would have been MASSIVE). Still, I never forgot the delicious Peter Rabbit menu I dreamed up. Now I’m realizing that dream!

Today’s recipe is inspired by the chamomile tea Mother Rabbit has Peter drink when he gets sick. I love tea-infused baked goods, and I’ve been jonesing to make some scones lately. Still, scones alone felt a bit too simplistic. I had peaches on the brain after canning some for the first time a couple months ago, so I developed a peach jam recipe too. The peach and chamomile complement each other sooo well. Yum!

Corn Fritters

Posted January 6, 2022 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 2 Comments

Happy New Year, Wonderlanders! The last two months at my house have been a whirlwind of holiday activity, and it looks like I’ll be hustling for at least two months more. My daughter’s birthday was Monday, her party is Saturday, and my son’s birthday/party are a few weeks after that. With so much to do, it was nice to take a Saturday morning and just work on an easy, yummy blog recipe. Say hello to my first recipe from Charlotte’s Web!

These corn fritters are inspired by the county fair the characters visit near the end of the story. Fritters of any kind have a fun fair food vibe, and I was already workshopping a corn fritter recipe for fun with a whole bunch of fresh corn I froze over the summer. Basically, I was just looking for an excuse to make these fritters again. Sorry not sorry! 😉

What makes them so special? Depends on who’s asking. Maybe you’re a cheese person (if so, this recipe’s got you covered). Maybe you like red pepper’s one-two punch of flavor and color. Maybe you’re like me and think all food needs massive amounts of garlic. But I think the real magic is that you can sub in whatever makes you happiest. Green onion, jalapeno, cooked shrimp, sour cream drizzle—go wherever the spirit moves you! I think my favorite addition was a sprinkling of fresh basil on top. I was out of green onion and wanted a pop of green, so I gave it a try…and OH MAN it was amazing! 😀

No-Knead Rosemary Walnut Bread with Roasted Garlic

Posted September 9, 2021 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

When I was a kid, a row of Nancy Drew books with neon yellow spines sat on the bookshelf in my parents’ living room. I wish I could say I devoured them like a ravenous book beast, but . . . I never actually picked one up. Probably because my TBR was already massive, and I kept telling myself I’d start the series “when I had time.” I’m super embarrassed to admit it, especially since mysteries are my absolute favorite. But now I’m proud to say I’m FINALLY reading the series!

Here’s my take on the books so far: they’re fun, light-hearted little adventures, though a bit paint-by-numbers at times. My biggest quibble is that the character’s don’t experience much character development. However, that’s not surprising considering the series was written by a variety of ghostwriters (the author “Carolyn Keene” is a pseudonym). These books are meant to be quick, fun stories you can read in pretty much any order. If that’s what you’re craving, these books deliver. In fact, this series a perfect introduction to the mystery genre for younger readers, since it has fun with beloved mystery tropes without getting too gritty or disturbing. Plus, Nancy’s confidence, kindness, resourcefulness, and positivity make her a great role model.

Now let’s talk food! Lots of Nancy books have bread in them, and I’ve been looking for an excuse to share this Miracle No-Knead Bread from Pinch of Yum for ages now. It has become my favorite low-maintenance yeasted bread. Since you just mix the dough and let it rest over night, it’s perfect for when you want the flavor of a yeasted loaf but don’t want to deal with multiple rises, punching down dough, or kneading. To make it extra special, I decided to take my inspiration from the nut bread from THE SIGN OF THE TWISTED CANDLES, since it meant I could use my favorite bread flavorings: walnut, fresh rosemary, and roasted garlic.

This trio of flavors always manages to unlock something special in hearty, crusty breads, giving them a textural boost and a new delicate layer of flavor. Today’s bread is no exception. It shines the brightest when you cut thick slices and toast them with a bit of butter. Give it a try. You’ll thank me later. 😉

Very Hungry Caterpillar Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

Posted July 29, 2021 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

As you may recall, the Very Hungry Caterpillar LOVES fruit. When he eats his week-long feast, fruit makes up most of his diet, so today we’re making a recipe that includes every fruit he ate Monday-Friday. Say hello to my 5 Fruit Salsa!

This salsa is composed of finely diced apples, pears, plums, and strawberries generously drizzled with a refreshing clementine white balsamic vinaigrette (the clementine is the 5th fruit). Of course, every salsa needs something to dip in it, so I baked up some flower-shaped cinnamon sugar tortilla chips.

This has to be of the easiest recipes I’ve ever made. Perfect to throw together before a party or as a snack! Munch on, little caterpillars! 😀

Very Hungry Caterpillar Sandwiches

Posted July 1, 2021 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

I was planning to do a Very Hungry Caterpillar menu next year, but after Eric Carle’s recent passing, I really wanted to do it now. It’s been comforting to spend the past month working on recipes inspired by his most famous character. It’s also given me an opportunity to talk with my 4-year-old about the Carle books we’ve read. I grew up with his books myself, and it fills me with warmth to know I’m passing on his legacy to another generation.

This Very Hungry Caterpillar menu is going to have a children’s party vibe, similar to last month’s Stuart Little menu. I know lots of people like to use Very Hungry Caterpillar as a birthday or baby shower theme, so I’m keeping that in mind as I plan.

Today’s super simple appetizer is just right for any kid who’s ever loved lunchables–we’re making Very Hungry Caterpillar sandwiches! I used spinach tortillas for the bread (don’t worry, you can’t really taste the spinach–at least I can’t). For the filling, I used American cheese and Genoa salami, but you can pick whatever meat/cheese combo your kids enjoy most. It took me less than 5 minutes to cut everything out, and the results were SO. FREAKING. CUTE. 😀

It’s super easy to scale the recipe up or down depending on how many you’re serving. There are about 5 sandwiches per hump in the caterpillar, so if you’re serving a small group, you can made individual caterpillars with one hump (just keep in mind you’ll need extra tomatoes for the heads). If you’ve got a large group and a big enough plate, you can add as many humps to the caterpillar as you want. A giant one would be lots of fun!

P.S. If your kids won’t touch anything spinach related (my 4-year-old is going through a no-green-things phase), you can make the same design using fruit or vegetables. For example, you could make a kiwi, watermelon, and mango body with blackberry feet and half an apple for a head. Or go the Caprese salad route with a cucumber, tomato, fresh mozzarella body and tiny basil leaves for feet. Have fun with it!

Mrs. Little’s Seed-Topped Banana Muffins

Posted May 6, 2021 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

Happy May, folks! I’m appreciating these few sunny spring days before there’s enough pollen to absolutely allergy-adle my brain. All the brightness and life outside has me in the mood for a fun new cooking project, so today we’re starting a menu inspired by STUART LITTLE! I just finished reading it with my 4-year-old as our first read-aloud chapter book, and he loved it (especially the roadster and Margalo). A light-hearted, kid-friendly menu would pair perfectly with the great weather. So let’s get started!

Mini Zopf Bread: Soft, White Rolls from HEIDI

Posted March 4, 2021 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

March is here and, with it, a new menu! For March-April, I’ll be making recipes inspired by the book HEIDI by Johanna Spyri. If you ever needed a sweet, wholesome read, this book’s for you. It’s a darling gem of a story about a little orphaned girl who goes to live with her grandfather in a cottage in the Swiss Alps, where she is a force for good in the life of everyone she meets.

If you’re familiar with the book, you know exactly what food we’re making today: the soft, white rolls! When Heidi befriends Granny, the goatherd’s grandmother, she learns the old woman cannot eat tough black bread. Since that’s the only kind of bread the family can afford, Granny hasn’t tasted bread in years. Heidi is extremely distressed by this, so when she’s served soft white rolls while staying in Frankfurt, she resolves to bring some home to Granny. At her departure, her friend Clara sends her home with a heaping basketful! The rolls are the most prominently featured food in the story–arguably synonymous with the book itself–so I knew they had to be the first item on the menu. Read More

Rustic Brown Bread from Jane Eyre

Posted January 7, 2021 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

Hello, 2021! If you guys caught my post yesterday, you’ve heard all about my blog plans for this year, so I won’t dive into the details here. The short, quick version is that I’m back to making 4-course menus for every book I cook here on the blog, albeit on a relaxed schedule. I’ll be spending 2 months on each book instead of 1 and posting a new recipe every other week. Read More

Apple Cider Crullers

Posted November 1, 2018 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 3 Comments

November has arrived and, with it, our brand new book of the month: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow! Normally I save spooky stories like this for October, but as I was rereading Sleepy Hollow in preparation for this menu, I noticed that pretty much all the food was perfect Thanksgiving fare: pies flavored with pumpkin and apples, dressed turkey, cider, and so much more! Thus, I decided to save this menu for November, when people would be hankering for classic autumnal flavors, rather than Halloween-specific recipes.

I’m starting things off with delicious apple cider crullers. When Ichabod Crane describes the delicious food served at the Van Tassel party, crullers are high on the list, as is cider, so I decided to make a recipe that combined the two together. I’d never made crullers before and originally planned to find a recipe online, but when I realized they’re made with choux pastry, I whipped up a batch of the trusty choux recipe from my cookbook, simply subbing apple cider for half the water. The icing was easy to improvise too: just make powdered sugar icing and use cider instead of milk for the liquid. These were scrumptious and fun, a big hit with everyone at our house. They were gone by the end of the day!