BEYOND DELICIOUS: The Ghost Whisperer's Cookbook (More Than 100 Recipes from the Dearly Departed) - Mary Winkowski & David Powers

From the back of the book: What you hold in your hands is completely unique.

For the first time ever, here's a cookbook that will tickle your tastebuds while making your paranormal senses tingle. BEYOND DELICIOUS is half cookbook and half ghost story---the two ingredients you need to create meals that are yummy and chilllingly unforgettable....

We cook because our connections to food is everpresent. We cookd for sustenance and joy. What Mary Ann Winkowski (aka "The Ghost Whisperer") has learned over the years in talking with spirits is that this connection with food is not broken after death. In fact, some spirits become earthbound because of food.

Mary Ann has been communicating with earthbound spirits for most of her life. Through the years, she has received countless recipes from spirits of great cooks who have passed on. As she notes, these recipes are the best home-cooked meals you can find because they came straight from the kitchens of families who prepared, and perfected them, over a lifetime.

BEYOND DELICIOUS includes more than 100 recipes. Each entry includes the ghost story of how Mary Ann learned about the dish then the recipe. The cookbook is divided into sections such as soups, casseroles, beef, chicken, vegetables and sides, desserts, and much more. The stories and recipes come from every slice of society.

These are meals so beloved that the living asked Mary Ann to get them before a loved one crossed over, or so meaningful that a spirit asked her to record them for those they left behind. Each one inspires the kind of love and attention that fills homes with mouthwatering aromas and creates long-lasting memories for guests. The stories that go along with the recipes are often sweet, sometimes spooky, and always transfixing. When you reach for your favorite cookbook, make sure to grab BEYOND DELICIOUS so you can prepare family favorites that have been handed down "directly" from previous generations.

******************************************
Another book that I am very pleased to have received from LibraryThing (http://www.librarything.com/). I had a lot of fun reading each recipe and the ghost story accompanying each. I have to admit to a fondness more for the dessert choices, like Ted's Coconut Kisses, Mitzi's Golden Pumpkin Cookies, Lemon Sour Bars, Elderberry Pie, Frying Pan Cake (sort of a pineapple upside down cake in a frying pan)

There were some intriguingly named ones: Hank's Rabbit Pie...take one cleaned rabbit...., Florence's French Pork Pie, Grandma's Cuban Chicken, Toledo Lebanese Meatballs.

There were two that I know I will never ever, no way, nuh-uh make: Grandma's Pickled Beet Soup, Secret Harvard Beets...ask my mom, she'll tell you.

The stories accompanying each recipe were sweet, funny, odd and any mixture thereof. I do hope that Mary Ann does do a travel book sometime like she thought about in the book. I'd love to read about where she goes and the sites she visits, as much as the ghosts she sees every day.

I have a new cookbook for the keeper shelf in the kitchen. I look forward to trying many of these and see what my family thinks. I know the desserts will be a hit. Brown Sugar Refrigerator Cookies or Chocolate Torte to start.....

Four spooky yummy beans.....