A (Super Natural) in the Kitchen, BY ASHLEY FISCHER Contributing writer May 9, 2012, Bakersfield News

If you love Harry Potter, chances are you've dreamed of sampling Butterbeer, The Three Broomstick's most famous brew. Maybe you've even suffered some ill-fated attempts in the kitchen trying to create it yourself.

Fortunately, Fresno author Gina Meyers is a bit more of a wizard in the kitchen than most.

The creative cook has self-published several "uniquely themed" cookbooks, including "Muggles to Magic: The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook," which will be featured during a book-signing Saturday at Barnes & Noble, where Meyers will demonstrate different ways to prepare Harry's favorite frothy beverage in her Butterbeer 101 demonstration.

Meyers also has a book for readers who have dreamed of munching on a plate of mushroom ravioli while gazing into the eyes of their undead true love: "Love at First Bite: The Unofficial Twilight Cookbook."

"My 'Twilight' cookbook is really what started the ball rolling as far as my notoriety goes," Meyers said. "I had never read the books before, but my friend invited me to a movie premiere in 2008, and I just was floored. I immediately went home and grabbed my teenage stepdaughter's books from her room, and everything just sort of took off from there."

In "Love at First Bite" as well as "Muggles to Magic" (which is, to date, Meyers' best-seller), readers will find recipes for dishes lifted directly from the pages of the novels that inspired them, such as cauldron cakes and chicken enchiladas (diehard Twi-hards know their significance). And then there are recipes simply inspired by the books, like pumpkin fudge and Charlie's catch of the day crab cakes.

"It just seemed so natural to me to write these books," Meyers said. "Because food plays such an important role in both of these series."

The majority of the dishes seem flavorful yet familiar, the recipes passed on to Meyers by members of her Sicilian family, or created by the author herself for the many cooking classes she continues to teach today.

Some are a mixture of the store-bought and the homemade, but all of them, according to Meyers, are easy enough for even novice cooks to prepare.

"By incorporating popular culture with cooking, I hope to bring people of all ages back into the kitchen," she said. "I want to encourage older cooks to try new things, and I intentionally made the recipes simple so that I can maybe introduce new cooks to the world of the culinary arts."

Though Meyers' book sales don't pay all the bills, she said between teaching her cooking classes, writing and running her own publishing company, she has managed to create a life for herself doing more than a few of her favorite things.

"My life has been really magical. I've had these great opportunities for my passion for cooking and popular culture to translate, and it all started out with me just baking for family and friends. It's just amazing to think about the fact that the dreams that I had for my life have somehow turned out even bigger than I once imagined."

Cooking Through The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook, Hagrid's Hearty Potatoes au gratin, Chocolate and Apricot Torte of Little Hangleton Village, Dumbledore's Dumplings, & Potato and Onion Soup

RECIPES
Cooking Through Harry Potter

Cooking Through The Harry Potter Cookbook
Teach us something please whether we be old and bald or scabby knees. Smuggle in some muggle magic with autumn treasures to bring warmth and magic to your life!

Hagrid’s Hearty Potatoes au gratin
4 cups of chopped potatoes, peeled and cubed
¼ cup of milk
Minced garlic
2 Tablespoons of cream cheese or grated cheddar cheese
½ teaspoon of salt
⅛ teaspoon of pepper

Directions: cut and peel potatoes and place in a saucepan with water. Bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes, or until soft. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain the water and add milk, garlic, cheese, salt and pepper. Mash the ingredients. Serve warm.



Potter Stew

2 ½ cups of water
1 ½ pounds of cooked lamb, diced
1 teaspoon of salt
¼ teaspoon of pepper
2 small onions, sliced
1 Turnip, diced
2 medium sized carrots, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 cups of cubed potatoes

Directions: Place enough water to cover meat in the pot; add onions, turnip, carrots, celery, and potatoes, and cook for 35-45 minutes. Thicken liquid with flour if necessary and serve stew with dumplings.

Dumbledore’s Dumplings
2 cups of flour
1 ¼ teaspoons of baking powder
¾ teaspoon of salt
1 Tablespoon of butter
⅔ cup of milk

Directions: Sift dry ingredients together, cut in butter, add milk to make dough soft. Roll ½ inch thick on a floured board. Cut into squares and drop into hot oil, cook 15 minutes or until dumplings are browned, makes 10 dumplings.

Creamy potato, onion and cheese soup
3 Tablespoons of butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
6 scallions, green part included, finely chopped
4 potatoes, cut into chunks
3 cups of chicken stock
Salt and pepper
⅔ cup of milk
⅔ cup of whipping cream
2 teaspoons of chopped fresh parsley, flat-leaf
¾ cup grated Cheddar cheese

Directions: heat the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion, scallions, and potatoes, cover and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until onions are tender.
Add the stock, bring to a boil. Cover and let simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Remove from the heat. Mash the potatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the milk, cream, and chopped parsley. Reheat, ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cheese and parsley.


Chocolate and Apricot Torte of Little Hangleton Village
½ cup of butter
1 cup of chocolate chips
5 large eggs, separated
¾ cup of sugar
1 cup of ground almonds
⅓ cup of dried apricots, finely chopped

Directions: Melt the chocolate chips and butter together in the top of a double broiler and cool. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until they become pale yellow. Mix the cooled chocolate mixture into the eggs and sugar mixture, blending in the ground nuts. Add the chopped apricots too. Next, beat the egg whites until stiff, and fold into the chocolate mixture. Place a pan of water on the bottom shelf of a pre-heated 375 degree oven. Finally, line the bottom and side of a 9-inch spring form pan with aluminum foil and place cooking spray or olive oil on the aluminum foil. Pour in the batter and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Release the sides of the pan and carefully place onto a serving plate. Peel off the foil and allow to cool completely. To serve, dust with ground almonds, powdered sugar and garnish with dried apricots.

To watch Gina cooking Harry Potter Style: Wiggle Worm Pie

The Unofficial & Unauthorized Harry Potter Cookbook is not affiliated nor endorsed by JK Rowling or Warner Brothers Studios. 

Unofficial & Unauthorized Harry Potter Menu Ideas for the autumn time. Delightful Dumplings, Potter Stew, and Pumpkin Juice Recipes

Let the magic of autumn and the warmth of the holidays bring about magic in your life.
Below are a few suggestions for creating an awesome Harry Potter Themed Autumn Feast.

Harry Potter Menu

Dumbledorf Delightful Dumplings
2 cups of sifted flour
1 1/4 teaspoons of baking powder
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1 Tablespoon of butter
2/3 cup of milk
Directions: Sift dry ingredients together. Next, cut in butter with a knife and add milk a little at a time to make soft dough. Roll 1/2 inch thick on a floured board. Cut into squares and drop in hot oil or a deep fryer, cook for twenty minutes or so depending upon size, can make 10 dumplings.

Potter Stew
2 1/2 cups of water
1 1/2 pounds of lamb, diced
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
2 small onions, sliced
2-3 medium sized carrots, sliced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 cups of cubed potatoes, red or white, whatever your preference
1 turnip diced (optional)
1 cup of sweet potato (optional) cubed

Directions: In a crock pot place all of the ingredients, substitute a little red wine in place of water. 2 cups of water to 1/2 cup of red or white wine. Preferred is the red wine in this dish, may also place lamb stock (if available) or beef or chicken broth to give a nice flavor. Cook on low for 4-5 hours in the crock pot. You may also place additional salt and pepper and a little flour on the lamb and cook it slightly on the pan with a little of extra virgin olive oil to sear the meat before placing in the crock pot.



Pumpkin Juice
2 Tablespoons of pumpkin puree, such as the easy pumpkin pie spice mixed pumpkin
1 Tablespoon of apricot puree or apricot preserves
1 cup of apple cider
1 cup of apple juice
1 teaspoon of brown sugar

Directions: Place two heaping tablespoons of pumpkin pie mix, 1 Tablespoon of Apricot Preserves, 1 teaspoon of brown sugar, 1 cup of apple cider, 1 cup of apple juice into a food processor and pulse for about 30 seconds. May add ice and organic ingredients if you like. Can serve warm in a mug with a cinnamon stick, whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon.