The Menuscript

Trust no one, question everything, and maybe think twice before picking up a mysterious manuscript! This week on The Menuscript Podcast, we're diving into the twisty worlds of Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and Verity by Colleen Hoover. We'll explore the allure of thrillers, unreliable narrators, shocking plot twists, and the unsettling question of how well we really know the people around us. Plus a tasty meal to share on cool fall nights. Spoiler-free summaries, suspicious characters, and plenty to ponder ahead!Recipe: 2 Tbsp olive oil, a large diced onion, 2-3 cloves of minced garlic, 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, a 15 oz can of tomato sauce, 6 cups of chicken stock or broth, a large can of shredded chicken, or you can use a freshly cooked and shredded chicken breast, 8 oz uncooked penne or pasta noodle of choice, a cup of milk, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, oregano, salt, and pepper to taste. You may also want shredded mozzarella and extra grated parmesan for topping. Once you’ve gathered all your ingredients you will need to find a large cooking pot or Dutch oven. Heat the stove to medium-high and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, and seasonings and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer and give it a few good stirs. Return the heat to medium-high and add the uncooked pasta, parmesan, and milk. Cook for 15-20 minutes until noodles are cooked. Ladle into bowls and top with more cheese if desired. Enjoy!Book Recommendations: The Guest List by Lucy Foley, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig LarssonFollow me on Instagram to see the mouthwatering meals I’m making and amazing books I’m reading. You can order this book, or any book, using my Bookshop link!Artwork by @stephanieilanaEditor: Alex SchmitzSong: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major

Author Megan Shade steps into the kitchen to talk all about her new book, Washwoman at River’s End. We talk about the inspiration for the book, the challenges and joys of writing, and what to expect for the rest of the series. Want to order this incredible book? Find it here! Recipe: 1 lb. ground beef or turkey, 1 chopped onion, tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp nutmeg, shortcrust pastry (enough for 6-8 pastries), and a beaten egg. Brown the meat, mixing with the onion and spices until combined. Roll out the pastry and cut it into roughly 5 inch circles. Place a spoonful of filling in the center of each circle. Fold the pastry over and pinch the edges to seal it. Brush each pastry with the egg was and bake for 20-25 minutes at 390ºF. Serve warm and enjoy!Book Recommendations: One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig, The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig, Outlander by Diana GalbaldonFollow me on Instagram to see the mouthwatering meals I’m making and amazing books I’m reading. You can order this book, or any book, using my Bookshop link!Artwork by @stephanieilanaEditor: Alex SchmitzSong: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major

Game, set, match! Carrie Soto is back in your podcast feed! With the US Open in it’s final rounds, the time felt perfect for releasing this Season 1 episode on a book that continues to stand out in my memory. Grab a snack, a water bottle, and your racket and let’s go. Recipe:You will need: a cup of peanut butter (or some other nut butter if you are allergic or just don’t like peanut butter), a quarter cup of honey, a dash of salt, two cups of rice krispie cereal, and a cup of mixed chocolate and butterscotch chips. The ratio doesn’t have to be exactly half and half, it can be whatever you’d like. Or you can omit the butterscotch chips and use all chocolate chips. In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, honey, and salt. Then stir in the rice krispies. Once combined, scoop the mixture into an 8x8 baking pan. Using a microwave oven, melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips. You want them to be thoroughly melted so you can pour them over the krispies mixture. Once you have poured the chocolate butterscotch over the peanut butter rice krispies, place the tray in the fridge for at least two hours so it can set. Tennis Olympic history Follow me on Instagram to see the mouthwatering meals I’m making and amazing books I’m reading. You can order this book, or any book, using my Bookshop link!Artwork by @stephanieilana

Lots of exciting news for the ACOTAR fans! This episode begins with a quick taste of the titles and blurbs for ACOTAR 6 and 7. Then we dish out First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave, the sequel to her 2021 novel The Last Thing He Told Me. Featuring summaries, setup, chef’s kiss quotes, and book recommendations. And, of course, a recipe!Recipe: Want to make some ratatouille? You will need: olive oil, one large onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 zucchini, an eggplant, 2 bell peppers, six medium sized tomatoes or a pint of cherry tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste. You can also toss in some oregano. Dice the onion, zucchini, and eggplant, and cut the peppers into squares. If you’re using large tomatoes, cut them into cubes as well, if you are using cherry tomatoes you can cut them in half or leave them as is. Heat the olive oil in a pan or cookpot on medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté for two minutes. Add the eggplant and pepper pieces, stirring until soft for about 7 minutes. Add the zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, and seasonings and give it all a stir. Cover and simmer on medium-low for an hour. If it’s too watery, allow it to simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes with the lid off. Once it’s done, add more seasonings if desired and enjoy!Follow me on Instagram to see the mouthwatering meals I’m making and amazing books I’m reading. You can order this book, or any book, using my Bookshop link!Artwork by @stephanieilanaEditor: Alex SchmitzSong: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major

A golden book for a golden summer! Allen Levi’s Theo of Golden has surged atop the bestseller list and it’s not hard to see why. It’s heartwarming, inspiring, and lifts hopes for humanity. This episodes chews on why I read the book, what it’s about, and key takeaways. Sprinkled with other favorite segments and some surprise flavors!Want to relisten to Ballad of Falling Dragons? Find it here on Spotify, or look for it wherever you listen to podcasts!Recipe: You will need: a small to medium peach or nectarine, half a cup of oats, a cup of water, cinnamon, and an optional Tbsp of nut butter. Dice the peach up into little cubes and put half into a bowl with the water and oats. Give it a stir and put it in the microwave for 4 minutes at 60% power. Take it out, stir again, and you may need to add another splash of water if it’s too thick. Then put it back in the microwave for another minute or so at full power. Once your oatmeal is done cooking, stir in the cinnamon and any other spices you may like to add. I like a bit of turmeric and ginger, but nutmeg would be tasty too. There’s no measurement for the cinnamon, you can experiment a bit to find the cinnamon amount that’s best for you! Top your oatmeal off with the rest of the peach and the nut butter if you want to add it. It’s also delicious with some berries. Enjoy your breakfast!Follow me on Instagram to see the mouthwatering meals I’m making and amazing books I’m reading. You can order this book, or any book, using my Bookshop link!Artwork by @stephanieilanaEditor: Alex SchmitzSong: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major

What do you get when you cross a love of fantasy books and writing with a love of musical theater? An Instagram post that inspired me to reach out to VB Lacey! This romantasy author crafts some incredible worlds and you’ll definitely pick up the musical elements. Lacey joins me in the kitchen today to talk about her duology and her independent series.Find VB Lacey’s books and everything else you need to know about her on her website! Follow me on Instagram to see the mouthwatering meals I’m making and amazing books I’m reading. You can order this book, or any book, using my Bookshop link!Artwork by @stephanieilanaEditor: Alex SchmitzSong: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major

Author SL Rosencrans steps into the kitchen to discuss his debut novel, The Shape of What We Keep. There’s nothing like getting an inside peek at an author’s mind and hearing about how they crafted their masterpiece. Dark, moving, and immensely thought provoking, this book provided a bounty of conversation topics and is a very satisfying read!Recipe: Steve had a great suggestion for a summery dish featuring lots of feta cheese! Here is a recipe for some delicious roll-and-cut sugar cookies. You will need: 2 sticks of room temperature butter, 4 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, ¾ tsp salt, ¾ tsp baking powder, 2 eggs, dash of nutmeg, 2 tsp vanilla extract. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Continue icing and add in the eggs, one at a time. Add in the vanilla. Gradually add in the dry ingredients, continuing to mix.until everything is well incorporated. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours. Once you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375ºF. Roll out the dough to about ¼ inch thickness. Using your cookie cutters, cut the shapes and place them on a baking tray. Re-roll dough as needed for more cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before decorating. Order The Shape of What We Keep here!Follow me on Instagram to see the mouthwatering meals I’m making and amazing books I’m reading. You can order this book, or any book, using my Bookshop link!Artwork by @stephanieilanaEditor: Alex SchmitzSong: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major

Join us as we sing the praises of Ballad of Falling Dragons! This was such an epic read and a great followup to When the Moon Hatched. We discuss failed predictions, major revelations, fun theories, and more!Recipe: It’s hot out and that means smoothie season! You will need: frozen watermelon chunks, a kiwi, a spoonful of plain or vanilla Greek yogurt, and possibly more ice or water. Scoop out the inside of the kiwi and place the fruits, yogurt, and water/ice in a blend. Blend until kiwi is broken up. Enjoy immediately. It tastes like summer in a cup.Want to see more from Jon and Con? Find them on Instagram!Follow me on Instagram to see the mouthwatering meals I’m making and amazing books I’m reading. You can order this book, or any book, using my Bookshop link!Artwork by @stephanieilanaEditor: Alex SchmitzSong: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major