Gifts For The Book Lover

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Looking for a good book for the holidays? Here is where all the books will be listed.

The Art of Picnics

What could be the hidden key to health and happiness? It may just be tucked away in your picnic basket. The Art of Picnics encourages you to take a break from your fast-paced lifestyle, pick up a picnic basket, and reconnect with nature. There’s nothing more satisfying than good food and the great outdoors. And if you’re yearning for tranquility and the charm of nature, your own backyard may be your own special retreat. With a bounty of family-style food recipes for foodies of all skill levels, The Art of Picnics offers a new perspective on the traditional picnic.

Part easy recipe-book, part outdoor entertaining manual, The Art of Picnics is an accessible, visual guide to creating a quintessential outdoor gathering. Whether it’s cooking during the day for an upcountry lunch or preparing for a twilight gathering, you’ll capture a spark of outdoor adventure with twenty seasonal picnic ideas.

Learn more about The Art of Picnics. 

Wilson & Bella’s Christmas Wish! 

Wilson & Bella’s Christmas Wish! follows Wilson, the adopted poodle and his dog friend Bella on their quest to find a foster home for their canine friend Holly. This story incorporates the beauty and traditions of Christmas and provides wonderful lessons for children. Filled with charming illustrations, each page has a little tale about the meaning of Christmas: friendship, generosity, hope, togetherness, tradition, celebration and joy. Children will learn about fostering animals, how providing a temporary home for a pet alleviates overcrowded shelters and helps to transition a pet into their “fur-ever” home. It will undoubtedly be enjoyed every holiday season. Written and illustrated by award winning author Susan Castriota.

Learn more about Wilson & Bella’s Christmas Wish!

The Unofficial Hogwarts Cookbook for Kids

Calling all Potterheads! It’s time to whip up something spellbinding in the kitchen. With 50 easy-to-follow, low-mess recipes, you and your kids will learn to cook all of the best wizarding world favorites. From breakfast all the way to dessert, this book makes any meal or snack extra special, with recipes like:

• Pumpkin Pasties
• Cauldron Cakes
• Muggle-Style Pizza
• Chocolate Frogs
• Great Hall Sandwiches
• And many more!

Perfect for any young fan of Harry Potter, The Unofficial Hogwarts Cookbook for Kids will have aspiring witches and wizards brewing potions, baking stellar treats, and cooking creative dishes in no time. With easy step-by-step instructions and spellbinding full-color photographs, this cookbook is sure to become a kitchen favorite.

Learn more about The Unofficial Hogwarts Cookbook for Kids.

The One With All the Cross-Stitch 

Get stitching with this adorable collection of cross-stitch patterns inspired by the greatest TV show of all time: FRIENDS!

The One with All the Cross-Stitch brings your favorite TV sitcom to the craft space in a first-of-its-kind cross-stitch book! Crafty fans of FRIENDS will love this adorable book and its 25 clever cross-stitch patterns that pay homage to one of the most binged shows ever.

With this book, you’ll be able to relive the very best moments of FRIENDS as you stitch together iconic images like the Central Perk sign, the chick and the duck, and unforgettable quotes like “PIVOT!” Whether you’re making fabulous wall art to proudly display your FRIENDS superfandom or one-of-a-kind handmade gifts for your friends and family, this cross-stitch book is a must-have for any die-hard lover of FRIENDS.

Learn more about The One With All the Cross-Stitch.

The Unofficial Disney Parks Drink Recipe Book

With travel still discouraged and uncertainty raging throughout the country, Disney fans are guaranteed to go wild for this new book, with more than 100 recipes for park-goers’ favorite coffees, teas, milkshakes, slushies, mocktails, and cocktails that’ll bring familiarity, comfort, and joy to home kitchens this fall and winter.

Recipes include:

–          Frozen Cappuccino from Joffrey’s

–          Teddy’s Tea from Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar

–          The Goofy Glacier from Goofy’s Candy Company

–          The Sparkling No-Jito from the Tambu Lounge

–          La Cava Avocado from Mexico in EPCOT

–          The Peanut Butter and Jelly Milkshake from the 50’s Prime Time Café

–          And of course, the Dole Whip Float from Aloha Isle

Here are 3 recipes from the book you can enjoy!

 

 

Black Spire Hot Chocolate

Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo, Disneyland 

Black Spire Outpost is home to some of the roughest thugs, smugglers, gangsters, and bounty hunters in the galaxy. But even ruffians like to kick off their boots on a cold winter’s day and sip some hot chocolate with out-of-this-world purple whipped cream on top. The smooth hint of brown sugar in the chocolate, alongside the cream, will have your friends asking what your secret is. You can tell them, or play it close to the chest, because you’re the mob boss of your own kitchen! Black Spire Hot Chocolate is a holiday offering at Disneyland, but can be whipped up in your kitchen any time of year. 

SERVES 4 

For Hot Chocolate 

31⁄2 cups whole milk 

1⁄3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

1 cup granulated sugar 

1⁄8 teaspoon salt 

1⁄3 cup water 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

4 tablespoons light brown sugar 

1⁄2 cup half-and-half 

 

For Brown Sugar Whipped Cream 

6 ounces heavy whipping cream 

1⁄4 cup light brown sugar 

1⁄8 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

2 drops purple gel food coloring 

 

1. To make Hot Chocolate: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, salt, water, vanilla, and brown sugar. Stir continuously until well mixed and hot, about 5−10 minutes. Pour into four large cups or mugs and add 1⁄8 cup half-and-half to each. 

 

2. To make Brown Sugar Whipped Cream: Combine cream, brown sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until stiff peaks form, about 3−5 minutes. Mix in vanilla and food coloring until well combined. Pipe or scoop 1⁄4 cup whipped cream onto each mug. Serve immediately. 

Night Blossom 

Pongu Pongu, Disney’s Animal Kingdom 

The Night Blossom has quietly risen in the ranks to become one of the most beloved beverages in all of the Disney Parks. Guests make their way to the tiny window at Pongu Pongu in Pandora just to get one. Lines for the shop tend to get exceptionally long, and a designated Cast Member has to manage the queue with an “End of Line” sign, just like for a popular attraction. One nice thing about making this at home? No line! Strawberry watermelon juice can be found in the juice section of most grocery stores. 

SERVES 2 

2 cups limeade 

1⁄2 cup frozen apple juice concentrate 

1 cup strawberry watermelon juice 

2 drops pink gel food coloring 

1 drop purple gel food coloring 

1 cup lime sherbet 

1⁄4 cup lemon-lime soda 

1⁄2 cup passion fruit popping pearls, drained 

 

1. Mix together limeade, apple juice concentrate, and strawberry watermelon juice in a pitcher

or large mixing bowl. Pour mixture into an ice cream machine and run according to manufacturer’s 

instructions 8 minutes or until slushy. Drop in pink and purple food coloring and run machine 1 more minute. 

 

2. In a blender, blend together lime sherbet and lemon-lime soda.

 

3. Set aside half of the pink limeade mix, and divide the other half evenly into the bottoms of

two tall drinking glasses. Divide green sherbet mix evenly and layer on top of the pink mix in the glasses, then layer on the remaining pink mix. Top with popping pearls and add large gauge straws. 

Bam Bam Shake

Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes, Downtown Disney 

Black Tap is known for its over-the-top Crazy Shakes, and this one is no exception. The original Fruity Pebbles cereal had the Flintstones as its mascots. Since this shake has Fruity Pebbles on the inside and outside, what name could be a better throwback to the family that started it all in the Stone Age? 

SERVES 1 

For Fruity Pebbles Bars 

1 (10-ounce) bag mini marshmallows 

3 tablespoons salted butter 

3 cups Fruity Pebbles cereal 

3 cups crisp rice cereal  

1 cup powdered sugar 

1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

11⁄2 tablespoons whole milk 

 

For Shake 

1⁄2 cup Fruity Pebbles cereal 

3 cups vanilla ice cream 

1⁄4 cup whole milk 

 

For Topping 

2 tablespoons vanilla frosting 

1⁄2 cup Fruity Pebbles cereal, divided 

1⁄2 cup whipped cream 

1⁄2 untoasted strawberry Pop-Tart 

1 Laffy Taffy candy 

1 maraschino cherry 

1. To make Fruity Pebbles Bars: Line a 9″×13″ cake pan with parchment paper. Combine marshmallows and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high 2 minutes. Stir, then microwave an additional 1 minute. Stir well. Add Fruity Pebbles cereal and rice cereal and stir well. Scrape into prepared pan and flatten with a greased spatula. Allow to set 2 hours at room temperature. 

 

2. Once set, cut into 2″×4″ bars. Place sugar, vanilla, and milk in a small dish and mix well. Use a spoon to drizzle icing over bars. Allow to set 30 minutes at room temperature. 

 

3. To make Shake: Pour Fruity Pebbles cereal into a blender and pulse until consistency is a fine

powder. Add ice cream and milk to blender and blend until smooth. Set aside. 

 

4. To assemble: Coat top outer 1″ of a tall milkshake glass in vanilla frosting and press1⁄4 cup 

Fruity Pebbles cereal into frosting. Pour milkshake into prepared glass. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle on remaining 1⁄4 cup Fruity Pebbles. Place one Fruity Pebbles Bar, Pop-Tart, and Laffy Taffy in glass. Garnish with maraschino cherry. 

Learn more about The Unofficial Disney Parks Drink Recipe Book.

Sleigh Bells on Bread Loaf Mountain

Christmas isn’t fashion editor Roxanne Hudson’s style, but when she finds herself snowed in with a handsome stranger, she might just discover the magic of the season.

Roxanne Hudson does not like the holidays. They come with too many family obligations that take her away from work as a rising fashion editor in New York City. But this Christmas might be Grandma Myrtle’s last, and Roxanne’s parents want her to spend the holiday at the family cabin in the Green Mountains. With her on-again, off-again ex-boyfriend ​ out of the country for a photo shoot, Roxanne decides to brave the long commute—and the wilderness—to spend Christmas in Vermont.

After an uncomfortable call from her boyfriend starts the trip off badly, Roxanne is blindsided by a blizzard on the snowy mountain road, where the last thing she hears before losing consciousness is sleigh bells. When she’s rescued by Mark Foster, a handsome park ranger who’s the exact opposite of everything she always thought she wanted, Roxanne seeks her grandmother’s wisdom and discovers an uncanny connection that could be a sign of what her life is really meant to be.

Learn more about Sleigh Bells on Bread Loaf Mountain.

Aloha With Love

Two hearts. One broken home.
And the house that will bring them together.

Soon to be a Motion Picture Starring Trevor Donovan and Tiffany Smith.
Produced by Fade to Black Films, Branscombe Richmond, and Brian Bird of When Calls the Heart (Hallmark).

From the screenwriter of Rescuing Madison (Ethan Peck, C. Thomas Howell, Alona Tal) and Hallmark’s A Lesson in Romance (Kristy Swanson, Scott Grimes, directed by Ron Oliver)

* * * * *

After a tough week that includes losing a big job opportunity and being dumped by her long-term boyfriend, Jenna Burke receives word that her beloved Aunt May passed away.

Traveling back to her Hawaiian hometown for the reading of the will, Jenna discovers she and her sister have inherited May’s dilapidated Victorian home on desirable beachfront land. The sisters can do whatever they want with the property, but there’s one catch: the house must be renovated before it can be sold, and Jenna has to oversee the work. Their Aunt even stipulated the contractor for the job—Ben Fletcher—who has a gift for making things beautiful again. He also has another skill: driving Jenna crazy.

Jenna vows to sell the property the moment the job is done. But as Aunt May’s broken old house starts to feel like home again, Jenna is torn between the life she’s been chasing in the city, and the one she’d left behind.

Learn more about Aloha With Love.

The Magic Ingredient 

Bar Harbor Holiday Series, Book 1
Optioned by Oren Kamara and the producers of Aloha With Love

The end of summer is approaching, but even at the height of Bar Harbor’s tourist season, Eve Silver is having a hard time keeping enough money in the bank to sustain the family business. Her only hope of paying past due bills is to win the catering bid for the town’s upcoming Harvest Happening Festival. Otherwise, it’ll be lights out for Mount Desserts & Tea by Christmas.

Widower Jeff Parish is moving with his twelve-year-old daughter, Candy, from Manhattan to Maine with one goal: starting over. When sparks fly between Jeff and Eve as the town readies for the annual harvest festival, Candy wishes she had a love potion to help her dad fall in love again.

Will Eve be able to save Mount Desserts & Tea—and open her heart to Jeff—by the most bewitching night of the year?

It’ll take a lot of love, a little bit of luck … and just a pinch of magic.

Learn more about The Magic Ingredient.

Bookmarks & Breadsticks

Could you ever imagine getting set up on a blind date and it doesn’t go so well? Maybe this has already happened to you. This could be a total nightmare, right? One female business owner has come up with a novel solution that literally cuts out the middleman – a Blind Date With A Book. You’ll get to relax with gourmet food and a book. No having to be awkward with any strangers. Also, $3 from every box is used to fight hunger by working with local non-profits and food pantries.

Learn more about Bookmarks & Breadsticks.

Making Vegan Meat

To all food lovers and enthusiasts out there. Making Vegan Meat is a staple cookbook for kitchens where home cooks, professional chefs, foodies, vegans, vegetarians, and the vegan curious can find super vegan meat recipes.

Foodie, food scientist. and YouTuber Mark “Saustache” Thompson shows you a multitude of filling vegan dishes to deeply satisfy your tastebuds. Step out of your comfort zone and have fun with healthier, delicious, plant-based cuisine, from mouth watering BBQ ribs made from mushrooms to crispy bacon from a daikon radish. You will have your dinner guests exclaiming, “Wait! That’s a vegetable?”

Learn more about  Making Vegan Meat

Bread Baking Basics

The best—and easiest—way to make the perfect loaf. Baking new things can be intimidating. But if you never try, you’ll never get to taste the flavors of hard work and success. Practice the art of making bread through new skills that mirror life in surprising ways. Learn confidence while discovering the science of food. Find abundance while trying new and tasty recipes. Explore healthy living with healthy foods, all in Bread Baking Basics.

From making sourdough bread to pizza dough, learn new, simple, and classic recipes for bread. Author Gregory Berger knows what it’s like to try something new. He started making bread as a personal hobby on a whim. Now, he’s an award-winning baker who has learned to make the perfect loaf—and has created recipes for some of Sacramento’s top restaurants while at it.

Learn more about Bread Baking Basics.

Otaku Food!

With dishes inspired by otaku culture, this cookbook brings Japanese anime and manga to chefs of all levels. Japan fever has taken the West by storm. Praised for its attention to detail, it’s no wonder that some of the most appealing images are colorfully culinary. From beautifully animated bowls of ramen and curry to cakes and confectionery, Japanese food culture never looked so good. If only you could reach out and take a bite…and now you can!

With our increasing hunger for Japanese pop culture, comes an appetite to match. And with dishes from pop culture icons like One Piece and Naruto, manga and anime can finally be enjoyed in the comfort of your very own kitchen. Whether you’re enjoying Japanese ramen from Naruto or fried rice from Food Wars, readers and foodies can learn about Japanese cooking basics and some new series to enjoy, featuring recipes like: Mitarashi Dango from Samurai Champloo, Onigiri from Fruits Basket and Yakiniku from Rurouni Ken shin. Learn more about Otaku Food!

Food Americana

David Page changed the world of food television by creating, developing, and executive-producing the groundbreaking show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Now from the two-time Emmy winner David Page comes the book Food Americana, an entertaining mix of food culture, pop culture, nostalgia, and everything new on the American plate. The remarkable history of American food. What is American cuisine? What national menu do we share? What dishes have we chosen, how did they become “American,” and how are they likely to evolve from here? David Page answers all these questions and more.

Food Americana is engaging, insightful, and often humorous. The inside story of how Americans have formed a national cuisine from a world of flavors. Sushi, pizza, tacos, bagels, barbecue, dim sum―even fried chicken, burgers, ice cream, and many more―were born elsewhere and transformed into a unique American cuisine. Food Americana is a riveting ride into every aspect of what we eat and why. From a lobster boat off the coast of Maine to the Memphis in May barbecue competition. From the century-old Russ & Daughters lox and bagels shop in lower Manhattan to the Buffalo Chicken Wing Festival. From a thousand-dollar Chinese meal in San Francisco to birria tacos from a food truck in South Philly.

Learn more about Food Americana.