The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Book Club/Tea Party: Sausage, Green Bean, Potato Casserole

I am sooo, sooo, sooo behind in these. In October 2020 some friends and I have been meeting every Wednesday, and started a Tea Party/Bible Study/Book Club. We began with The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis, and when we finished moved on to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This is different from my book club and the Book Club Picks I have been reviewing (and also desperately need to catch up on).

The first week of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe we were inspired by the tea party between Mr. Tumnus and Lucy Pevensie:

Now, Daughter of Eve!” said the Faun. And really it was a wonderful tea. There was a nice brown egg, lightly boiled, for each of them, and then sardines on toast, and then buttered toast, and then toast with honey, and then a sugar-topped cake. And when Lucy was tired of eating the Faun began to talk. 

We had Chami Tea’s Winter Grey: Deviled Eggs (for brown egg lightly boiled); Salmon, Cucumber, and Radish Canapés (in place of sardines on toast); Bagels (buttered toast), Honey French Toast (for toast with honey); and a Bear Claw Coffee Cake (for sugar topped cake).

The second week we were inspired by the time Edmund spends with the White Witch. 

“It is dull, Son of Adam, to drink without eating,” said the Queen presently. “What would you like best to eat?”

‘Turkish Delight, please, your Majesty,” said Edmund.

Of course as that only mentions one thing to eat, we ended up adding other recipes that sounded good. We decided to go with: Rose Petal and Green Tea, Rose Petal Earl Grey Tea, Blueberry Rose Petal Scones, Radish Ruffle Canapés, Zuppa Toscana Soup, Meatloaf, and Turkish Delight.

For the third week we decided to go with the dinner meal that the beavers serve the Pevensie children. 

“And when they had finished the fish Mrs. Beaver brought unexpectedly out of the oven a great and gloriously sticky marmalade roll, steaming hot, and at the same time moved the kettle on to the fire, so that when they had finished the marmalade roll the tea was made and ready to be poured out..

For this week we had Chami Tea Winter Apple Spice Tea, a loaf of Dutch Crust bread, trout (and chicken for the non-fish eaters), boiled potatoes, and marmalade rolls.

The fourth week we had the breakfast meal the Pevensies have with Father Christmas.

“And now”—here he [Father Christmas] suddenly looked less grave—”here is something for the moment for you all!” and he brought out (I suppose from the big bag at his back, but nobody quite saw him do it) a large tray containing five cups and saucers, a bowl of lump sugar, a jug of cream, and a great big teapot all sizzling and piping hot. Then he cried out “A Merry Christmas! Long live the true King!” and cracked his whip and he and the reindeer and the sledge and all were out of sight before anyone realised that they had started.

Peter had just drawn his sword out of its sheath and was showing it to Mr. Beaver when Mrs. Beaver said:

Now then, now then! Don’t stand talking there till the tea’s got cold. Just like men. Come and help to carry the tray down and we’ll have breakfast. What a mercy I thought of bringing the bread-knife.”

For this week we had Tiesta Tea Royal Breakfast (as the Pevensies are Narnian royalty), English muffins, scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, and waffles. As nothing was homemade, I have no recipes to share.

For the fifth and final week we did the the feast with Aslan:

“Meanwhile, let the feast be prepared. Ladies, take these Daughters of Eve to the pavilion and minister to them.”

For this week we had Nobilitea’s Regal Plum (as the Pevensie’s are royalty), French Bread, Sausage and Veggie Pan, Spinach Puffs, and Strawberry Shortcake.

One thing I will be doing differently here than in my earlier posts, is that I will be sharing discussion questions that your group can discuss as you read and eat. I didn’t post discussion questions in the previous posts on The Magician’s Nephew, as I wasn’t in charge of that book. For discussion questions, click on this link:

This recipe comes from Great Grub, Delicious Eats.

Ingredients:

  • Sausage Kielbasa
  • Baby creamer potatoes
  • Green beans
  • Oil, butter
  • Onions, garlic
  • Seasoning
  • Garlic powder
  • Pepper
  • Red pepper flakes

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400° and spray a 9×13 baking dish with a non stick spray.
  2. Wash creamer potatoes, cut in half and add to a sealable gallon size baggie.
  3. Add oil, seasonings, pepper and red pepper flakes to baggie. Shake to coat.
  4. In a large frying pan, add sausage and water and cook over medium high heat until sausages have browned and most of water has evaporated.
  5. Remove sausage from pan and when cool enough add to baggie.
  6. Melt butter in frying pan and add onions and garlic, cook until onions are translucent.
  7. Let cool for a few minutes and then when cool enough, add to baggie and shake to mix.
  8. Lastly, add green beans to baggie, shake to mix and then empty contents into prepared baking dish.
  9. Cover with foil and place in the oven. Bake for 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
  10. Carefully remove from oven and enjoy!

Delicious and perfect for our tea.

For more from our The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe teas, go to Marmalade Rolls

For more recipes, go to What Excellent Boiled Potatoes

For more tea posts, go to Spill the Tea: The Laughing C.A.T. (Coffee Roasting and Tea)

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Tea Party/Book Club: Zuppa Toscana

So last October, every Wednesday, I have been a part of a Tea Party/Bible Study/Book Club. We started on The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis, and when we finished moved on to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This is different from my book club and the Book Club Picks I have been reviewing (and desperately need to catch up on). 

Party time!

The second week we were inspired by the time Edmund spends with the White Witch. 

“Perhaps something hot to drink?” said the Queen. “Should you like that?”

Yes please, your Majesty,” said Edmund, whose teeth were chattering.

The Queen took from somewhere among her wrappings a very small bottle which looked as if it were made of copper. Then, holding out her arm, she let one drop fall from it on to the snow beside the sledge. Edmund saw the drop for a second in mid-air, shining like a diamond. But the moment it touched the snow there was a hissing sound and there stood a jewelled cup full of something that steamed. The Dwarf immediately took this and handed it to Edmund with a bow and a smile; not a very nice smile. Edmund felt much better as he began to sip the hot drink. It was something he had never tasted before, very sweet and foamy and creamy, and it warmed him right down to his toes.

‘It is dull, Son of Adam, to drink without eating,” said the Queen presently. “What would you like best to eat?”

‘Turkish Delight, please, your Majesty,” said Edmund.

The Queen let another drop fall from her bottle on to the snow, and instantly there appeared a round box, tied with green silk ribbon, which, when opened, turned out to contain several pounds of the best Turkish Delight. Each piece was sweet and light to the very centre and Edmund had never tasted anything more delicious. He was quite warm now, and very comfortable.

Of course as that only mentions one thing to eat, we ended up adding other recipes that sounded good. We decided to go with: Rose Petal and Green Tea, Rose Petal Earl Grey Tea, Blueberry Rose Petal Scones, Radish Ruffle Canapés, Zuppa Toscana Soup, Meatloaf, and Turkish Delight.

One thing I will be doing differently here than in my earlier posts, is that I will be sharing discussion questions that your group can discuss as you read and eat. I didn’t post discussion questions in the previous posts on The Magician’s Nephew, as I wasn’t in charge of that book. For discussion questions, click on this link.The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Discussion Questions Chapter 4-6.pdfDownload

This recipe comes from Slow Cooker Gourmet.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound Italian Sausage
  • ½ pound Yukon gold potatoes
  • ½ sweet yellow onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup frozen kale
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2 pieces thick cut cooked bacon, chopped
  • Salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Add ground sausage to skillet over medium high heat and cook through.
  2. Transfer to slow cooker.
  3. Scrub and dice potatoes and add to slow cooker along with diced onion, garlic and red pepper flakes
  4. Add kale and chicken broth and cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8
  5. Stir in cream, cooked bacon and salt and pepper to taste

This soup was soooo good! I ate several bowls!

For more from our The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe teas, go to Radish Ruffle Canapés

For more recipes, go to Blueberry Rose Scones

For more soup recipes, go to Baked Potato Soup

For more tea posts, go to Honey French Toast