What's Cooking with the Perch Librarian

Fall is the time for comfort food, at least it is for me. With the leaves dropping along with the temperatures, I enjoy making and eating some savory foods on a chilly day (along with a good book, naturally). Although there are some great cookbooks out there, I actually prefer exploring recipes online. That way I can look for specific recipes and even compare multiple recipes for the same dish to see which one I prefer.

So if you're wondering what are some of my favorite fall dishes, check out the following:

• Rustic Hungarian Mushroom Soup  I love almost anything with mushrooms, but this easy-to-make soup is so mushroomy and creamy you'll be wishing you had a bigger stomach. Enjoy it with a roll or a chunk of crusty bread.
• Easy Slow Cooker Beef Chili  The crockpots tend to come out more in the fall and winter, don't they? Other than sauteing onions and browning beef, this is a "dump" recipe. Pair it with this ultimate moist and tasty Cornbread recipe and you're in heaven.
• Meatloaf Supreme  There are so many meatloaf recipes out there that it's hard to choose. The ingredient that distinguishes this one from others (along with it being a recipe of American author Laura Ingalls Wilder) is your choice of sausage mixed with the beef. I like using mild Italian sausage and an extra can of mushrooms (did I mention I love mushrooms?) beside the can of mushrooms I spread on top.
• Gemma's Best Ever Irish Scones  Scones and tea--what could be better? Not much, in my opinion. Believe this tea snob when she says there are few (if any) recipes for scones that can compare. Make sure you pair this with a good cuppa.
• Polish Apple Cake  I found this recipe on a Facebook page for those interested in their Polish heritage. If you're looking for something different from your standard American pie, give this one a try. It's simple, delicious, and you can decorate the top with sliced apples to impress others.

What are some of your favorite comfort recipes for fall? Share with us!

Wishing you delectable delicacies this season from the perch.

 

Witchy Reads

Some are old, some are new. Find the perfect book for you! 'Tis the witching time of year to read of things that we may fear. Care to read of Salem's trials? Witches of the British Isles? Then come and visit for a spell. The books we like, we'll gladly tell. The cauldron's brewing--that's no joke! The library's where you won't go broke.

Now on to books that are quite charming or (who knows?) a tad alarming:

• The Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian  In 1662 Boston, a woman seeking to divorce her abusive husband is tried for witchcraft. Beware of dinner utensils.
• The Nature of Witches by Rachel M. Griffin  Witches control the climate and are losing control. Now we know the real reason behind climate change!
• A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness  What do you get when you put a witch and a vampire together, and then mix in some daemons? The first book of an exciting trilogy filled with romance, history, adventure, and suspense.
• The Once and Future Witches  by Alix E. Harrow  Three sisters join the suffragists, use witchcraft, and change the course of history. Never underestimate a witch.
• Wicked by Gregory Maguire  Move over Dorothy. This is the backstory about the Wicked Witch of the West in Oz who wasn't always wicked.
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K Rowling  The book that started the world phenomenon centering on an 11-year old boy who discovers he's a wizard and attends a school for witchcraft.
• The Witches: Suspicion, Betrayal, and Hysteria in 1692 Salem by Stacy Schiff  A non-fiction read about the most infamous witch hunt in American history.

Know other books that are divine? By all means share and post a line.

Wishing you good witchy reads from the perch.