A Well-Read Tart

A Food and Book Lover’s Blog

Tex-Mex Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas (Recipe Inspired by THE HACIENDA)

I'm so excited to share my recipe for Tex-Mex Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas with you today, Tartlets. If you've come to my house for a Super Bowl party over the past decade, then there's a good chance you've tried this dish. If not, well, today's your lucky day to try these enchiladas for yourself.  At your own home, just to be clear. I'm not cooking for everybody.    Why are Tex-Mex Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas the book-inspired recipe for The...

Super Easy Ground Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry (Recipe Inspired by THE HOLLOW PLACES)

Ground Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry is your go-to recipe for a quick weeknight dinner. There’s a lot of Chinese take-out happening in The Hollow Places, which made my horror-loving heart very happy. One of my favorite things to do is order Chinese take-out for dinner and settle down with a good movie or TV show. Sadly, I don't live in an area where I can get good Chinese. That means I end up trying to make Asian-inspired dishes at home, and...

Authentic Anisette Cookies (Recipe Inspired by THE BAKESHOP AT PUMPKIN AND SPICE)

I hate Anisette Cookies with the fiery passion of a thousand burning suns. Yeah, I said it. A food blogger started off her own blog post by saying "I hate these cookies." However, my husband adores them. He loves whenever I make them. #TheThingsWeDoForLove He can't get enough of all things anisette, anise, or licorice. If you're anything like him, then YOU'RE WELCOME for this recipe.  I’m gonna be frank with you – if you don’t like the...

Easy Mushroom Risotto (Recipe Inspired by GHOSTER)

I can't tell you why Mushroom Risotto is the book-inspired recipe for Ghoster. That's because the inspiration for this dish comes at the very end of the story.  What I can tell you is that this Mushroom Risotto is my new make-at-home culinary obsession. (Much to my mushroom-hating husband's dismay.) Mushroom Risotto is one of my favorite meals, but I rarely get the opportunity to eat it. A lot of restaurants offer it on menus, but I'll be...

Quick Chickpea Curry (Recipe Inspired by THE CANDID LIFE OF MEENA DAVE)

You guys, I am SO EXCITED to be sharing one of my favorite recipes with you today: Quick Chickpea Curry! Who else loves a good hot lunch? (Did anyone else read the words "hot lunch" and have a flashback to lining up in their elementary school cafeteria? You are my people.) I'm not a fan of raw or chilly foods, so if given the choice, I prefer my lunchtime meals to be piping hot. Now that I’m working remotely on a permanent basis – which...

Creamy Tomato Pasta [Recipe Inspired by A (NOT SO) LONELY PLANET: ITALY]

Hello, please meet my new best friend: Creamy Tomato Pasta. Because carbs are our friends, right? (If you disagree, please unsubscribe from this blog. #Kiddingnotkidding... ) We all know that I love carbs. If I could eat pasta every day for the rest of my life without gaining 5,742 pounds, I would totally do it. And Creamy Tomato Pasta would make a weekly appearance on my dinner table. Okay, maybe twice a week since this recipe could feed an...

Chicken Saltimbocca (Recipe Inspired by SUNRISE BY THE SEA)

I can't believe I've just tried Chicken Saltimbocca for the very first time. Much like with Bara Brith, this is another moment when I can't believe I've lived this long (in Northern New Jersey, no less, with Italian genes) without ever tasting this classic Italian dish. Sure, I’ve seen saltimbocca on menus before; it's pretty much a staple for Italian restaurants. But, it's never been a dish I wanted to eat. I think I shied away from it...

Sunday Night Chicken Dinner (Recipe Inspired by FRIENDS AND STRANGERS)

Sunday Night Chicken Dinner, coming in hot! We’re talking pan-seared chicken smothered in a creamy tomato sauce and served over pasta. It’s perfect for a chilly February night with the snow falling outside and the wind howling at your door. In Friends and Strangers, main characters Elisabeth and Sam quickly move beyond their employer-employee relationship and develop an intense friendship, with Sam regularly going over to Elisabeth’s house...

Loaded Turkey Nachos (Recipe Inspired by PARTY OF TWO)

Don't run away! I know this looks like a salad. Let me reassure you that you're looking at a big ol' honkin' plate of Loaded Turkey Nachos. That's right: there's meat under there. (That's what he said.)  Tartlets, you don't even know how difficult it was choosing my book-inspired recipe for Party of Two. This rom-com doubles down on the food talk; cakes abound, as do burgers and fries, take-out food, pizza and beer. There's even a drink served...

Caprese Farro Salad (Recipe Inspired by MUSICAL CHAIRS)

The Summer of Salads continues with make-ahead marvel Caprese Farro Salad. While my Arugula Salad with Watermelon and Feta is a perfect appetizer for your fancy dinner party, you’ll want to haul along a container of Caprese Farro Salad to your next BBQ or neighborhood potluck. One of the things I loved about Musical Chairs was the mood that it sets: think hot, lazy summer days along the breezy Connecticut coast; guests coming and going from a...