Hey Night Worms, Kallie here. Kami and I are back again to bring you some bookish recipes that you’re sure to use around this time of year (you can use those leftovers in your fridge, finally). We just had the big feast. And now what? Now that it’s over? We have feasted on the spread that brought our families together. We have feasted on a stiff drink (or, let’s be honest, a few drinks) because our families were all in one place. So now is the time to feast on horror in the books we read now that our families have all gone home and it’s finally silent.
Family get-togethers are wonderful and you have given your thanks, but you need to take some time for yourselves before your December holidays start. Some quiet time to devour some horror. The theme of November’s Night Worm’s package was Feasting on Horror and December’s theme is Winter White, Winter Fright. We hope you get to use these recipes while you sit back and relax in between these crazy holidays (and hopefully you’ll get to squeeze in a few chapters as well).
Now, I don’t know about you, but I have a tendency to theme the books I choose to read based on what is going on in my life. Since November and December are a time that revolves around family, I usually try to pick books around this time that focus on family. I have chosen three books that feature families to pair with some delicious drink recipes.
The Tremblay Toddy
The Cabin at the End of the World - Paul Tremblay
Apple Cinnamon Tea
Whiskey
Honey
Cinnamon
Make a mug of apple cinnamon tea and sweeten it to taste with honey. Add in a shot of your preferred whiskey and throw on a dash of cinnamon.
A Family Tradition
The Lottery - Shirley Jackson
Traditions are an important part of our lives during this time of year. Shirley Jackson lets us glimpse how seriously some families will take these traditions. I decided to use my family’s recipe for Gluhwein for this one since it’s a tradition to make it when we all get together.
One bottle of red wine (I prefer dry reds, but a red blend will work as well)
2 oranges
A handful of cherries
Clove
Cinnamon Sticks
¾ Cup of Sugar
1 Cup water
Mix the water and sugar in a saucepan and dissolve the water on low heat. Pour your bottle of red wine in. Quarter the oranges and squeeze the juices into the wine. Put the rest of the orange in the wine (yes even the rind). Add your cherries, cloves and cinnamon sticks. Heat on low for an hour. Serve warm.
Cosmology Kalimotxo
A Cosmology of Monsters - Shaun Hamill
Family is all about balance. Shaun Hamill gives us a glimpse of what happens to a family when someone loses that balance. When thinking of a drink that requires balance, I can only think of the Spanish Kalimatxo. It’s a drink that is an equal balance of just two ingredients.
Red Wine (again, I prefer dry reds, but you can use a sweeter one if you’d like)
Coke
This is an easy one. The Kalimotxo is equal parts red wine and coke. No ice, nothing fancy. Pour it in a glass and enjoy it!
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Coming down off the Feast. From Feasting on Horror to feasting on The Feast. For most of us, the thought of food right now makes you want to hurl. As we place Thanksgiving in our rearview mirror, for those who indulge, we overindulged. For many of us that hosted or simply just cooked for the Family, we are left with leftovers. I personally don’t mind eating leftovers but I would prefer that there is a little creativity when eating or preparing them. In this edition of consuming I will share with you a few of my favorite leftover recipes!
Take an intense journey down a dark desolate road in Nicholas Day’s Grind Your Bones to Dust. Here you can at least boil the meat off the bones. That's dark too. Well, dark meat maybe. At least eating tacos won't make you feel desolate.
Carnitas-Style Turkey Tacos
Ingredients:
2 tbsp oil (your cooking preference)
Bay Leaves to taste
1 Cilantro Sprig (can avoid if you don't like the taste)
2 Limes
1 Onion, medium
½ Red Onion
4 oz Pico de Gallo or preferred fresh salsa
Kosher Salt
12 corn tortillas
Leftover Turkey meat
1 orange per pound of turkey, preferably sour, cut into wedges
Fill the pot with water about halfway,
Boil Turkey with oranges and bay leaves until meat is tender and falls off bones
About 1 hour
Drain.
(Stock can be saved for other recipes such as rice)
Shred meat
Crisp with heated oil in a frying pan
Assemble Tacos;
Place meat in warmed tortilla
Top with shredded cabbage or lettuce, cheese, onion, tomatoes, salsa or pico and lime wedges and cilantro
Avocado is also delicious
Struggling to stay sane in an insane world; the premise of A Sick Gray Laugh, By Nicole Cushing
Can relate when trying to stay sane in the kitchen.
Coming up with creative recipes can be difficult sometimes, but finding one everyone can agree on is the real struggle. But something just about everyone can agree on is Breakfast!! I have no idea what this is called, but my Mother has been making it for my Dad for years. I’ll call it the open-faced breakfast enchilada without the sauce. But you could add Rojo (red) or Verde (green) and both would be amazing!
Open-faced Breakfast Enchilada
Ingredients:
Leftover cooked Turkey
Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
Corn Tortillas
Fresh Medium or Large Eggs
Fresh Salsa or Louisiana Hot Sauce to taste
Prep:
Fry up turkey in a hot oil heated pan, to crisp
Set aside, save the grease
In the same pan lightly crisp the corn tortillas
Lay on a paper towel as completed to absorb the excess grease
Assemble:
Lay corn tortilla flat on a plate
Add turkey
Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Add a Fried Sunny-Side or Over Medium egg (the hotter/fresher the better as to help melt the cheese)
I recommend making these by order, per person, instead of in bulk to ensure everything remains fresh and warm.
Add Salsa or hot sauce to taste
Once presented, a consumer will break-open egg to allow the hot yolk to run over the turkey and cheese!! YUM
Serve and Enjoy!
The Devil’s Dreamland: Poetry Inspired by H.H. Holmes by Sara Tantlinger
Well, serial killers don’t necessarily make most people feel warm and fuzzy all over, but the sound of a warm blanket does! But I am certain this poetry collection will give you all the feels! Happy reading and a very Happy Holiday Season!
Thanksgiving in a Blanket
Ingredients:
1 Tube of refrigerated crescent rolls
¾ of a cup shredded turkey
¾ of a cup prepared stuffing/dressing
¾ of a cup prepared mashed potatoes
1 cup cranberry sauce (relish or canned)
¼ cup of prepared warmed gravy (for serving)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 f Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll out crescent rolls. Top with a spoonful of mashed potatoes, turkey, stuffing, and cranberry. Roll up crescent and transfer to the baking sheet.
- Bake until golden, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Serve with gravy to dunk
Of course, you can add or subtract ingredients to taste or to satisfy the use of your own leftovers.