A Well-Read Tart

A Food and Book Lover’s Blog

Ratatouille Pasta (Recipe Inspired by RODHAM)

Ratatouille Pasta is the rescue recipe for anyone whose vegetable garden is still in zucchini and tomato overload.  *raises hand* This is the first year that Mr. Tart and I have managed to successfully grow our own vegetables. We've been in the Cottage for five years now, and we've completely failed at growing food for three of those. However, since quarantine's forced us to spend a LOT more time at home, we've been able to properly tend to the...

Salsa Verde Shrimp Pasta (Recipe Inspired by SUMMER RENTAL)

It's official: I'm welcoming in all things spring and summer with Salsa Verde Shrimp Pasta. This recipe was originally created to be a stand-alone. However, I dreamt it up while I was reading Summer Rental, and soon this flavorful dish was screaming to become the book-inspired recipe for this great summer read. Even though the ladies of Summer Rental are on a beach vacation, they're still on a budget, which means they do a lot of cooking at...

Mushroom Thyme Pasta (Recipe Inspired by TWO STEPS FORWARD)

Although I had a difficult time writing the review for Two Steps Forward, I had a very easy time deciding on my book-inspired recipe. Zoe, Martin, and the other pilgrims sleep at a variety of lodgings throughout their pilgrimage, and while meals are provided at some places, they often have to make their own in hostel or boarding house kitchens. In these situations, most pilgrims eat alone, but if a few are staying at the same place, they’ll...

One-Pot Swedish Meatball Pasta (Recipe Inspired by HORRORSTOR)

Everyone knows that the best part about Ikea -- apart from it not being a haunted Orsk store -- is the in-store restaurant. There's just something exciting about grabbing that tray, standing on the line cafeteria-style, and being ladled up a giant spoonful of steaming Swedish meatballs smothered in gravy. That's what makes an Ikea trip so great -- you can spend the entire day there, wandering around and being fed a hot meal without ever...

Cincinnati Chili (Inspired by FOOTBALL!)

We're well into September now, and that means it's time for crunchy falling leaves, taking cozy sweaters out of storage, all things pumpkin spice and apple related, and...the return of FOOTBALL! I can't even believe I'm writing this post. If you knew me about 10 years ago, you would understand why. I was a completely different person; football did not factor into my life, except for knowing that Sunday afternoon games meant I could grocery shop...

Ziti ala Colucci

I'm finally posting about my favorite food. PASTA. Honestly, I'm shocked I've held out as long as I have. I could eat pasta every single day. Confession: I might have actually done that in college and ballooned 40 pounds. So, I have learned the hard way that, no matter how much I want to, I cannot eat pasta every day. But, if I could request to eat only one food for the rest of my life, it would be pasta. (And maybe Chinese takeout. And some...