ASTRID TUTTLE WINEGAR is the author of the Cooking for Halflings and Monsters series. She is a nerd and a geek, but only in the most positive senses of the words. She loves Star things, both Trek and Wars. She loves J. R. R. Tolkien. She cooks and bakes too much, reads too much, watches television shows and movies way too much, then she writes about all of these activities in comfy, cozy cookbooks. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which is otherwise known as the Land of Enchantment. Ms. Winegar's first book, Cooking for Halflings and Monsters: 111 Comfy, Cozy Recipes for Fantasy-Loving Souls, was a finalist in the 2018 New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards. Her second book, Cooking for Halflings and Monsters, Volume 2: A Year of Comfy, Cozy Soups, Stews, and Chilis, was a finalist in the 2020 New Mexico Press Women's Communications Contest and the 2020 New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards. She holds bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of New Mexico. For more information, go to astridwinegar.com.
Winner of the 2025 Indie Reader Discovery Award Honorable Mention in the New Mexico Press Women's 2025 Communications Contest CELEBRATING COMFY, COZY FOODS FROM NORTH AMERICA, Astrid Tuttle Winegar's third cookbook in her Cooking for Halflings & Monsters series, focuses on North American cooking, especially that of her home region of the southwest. Winegar's first cookbook was inspired by her love of fantasy, Tolkien, STAR WARS, etc. This cookbook was written during the COVID pandemic, dedicated to both those who survived and those who did not. The tone of the book is light and fun, with short asides and anecdotes around the recipes. The recipes themselves read clearly and cook up well as written. (...) There's a delightful array of cocktails. The chapters are built around either a holiday (Fourth of July, Thanksgiving) or a type of food (Lunchy Stuff, Pasta). There are multiple delectable versions of mac and cheese, including one with bacon. The chicken salad is particularly tasty, as is the Hidden Treasure Meatloaf. If you like a pan-sized cookie, the Chocolate Chips in a Pan resembles a pizza made of cookie dough (and is delicious). Winegar's writing style is warm and conversational. It's pleasurable reading, and cooking from the book feels like cooking with a friend. COOKING FOR HALFLINGS & MONSTERS VOLUME 3 deserves a place of honor on the cookbook shelf, and leaves the reader eagerly awaiting the next volume (which will focus on Europe).---IndieReader.com