“Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth; she has charm and elegance. He’s a dedicated attorney who has never lost a case; she is a flawless homemaker, a masterful gardener and cook, and dotes on her disabled younger sister. Though they are still newlyweds, they seem to have it all. You might not want to like them, but you do. You’re hopelessly charmed by the ease and comfort of their home, by the graciousness of the dinner parties they throw. You’d like to get to know Grace better.
But it’s difficult, because you realize Jack and Grace are inseparable.
Some might call this true love. Others might wonder why Grace never answers the phone. Or why she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. Or why she never seems to take anything with her when she leaves the house, not even a pen. Or why there are such high-security metal shutters on all the downstairs windows.
Some might wonder what’s really going on once the dinner party is over, and the front door has closed.”
The last thing I’m usually thinking about at 5 am is reading a book, but this book caught my attention while I was at the airport. Behind Closed Doors had me searching for every excuse to read. There were times when I agreed to go to the gym with Kyle so that I could read my book on the stationary bike. Who does that? I couldn’t put the book down! I finished it in two days. I’m not an avid reader, so that’s a big step for me. I can usually choose my computer or a movie over a book, but not with this one. I just had to know what happened next because I hardly ever predicted it. The author, B.A. Paris, created real emotions and fear inside of me for the characters. Sometimes I just wanted to throw the book across the room because I was so mad. I found the book on Amazon (for much cheaper than the airport) if you’re interested.
AMAZON: paperback/hardcover/download/audio/kindle
I also loved her book so much that I purchased her second book, The Break Down!! I’ll let you know how that goes!
After reading this book and getting so many questions about it, I came up with the idea of a book review & recipe post. I’d love to do this every month with a new book. I talked everyone’s ears off about this book, so it’ll be fun to discuss the book with you all! Now, please remember. I don’t claim to be an excellent writer or a very descriptive person, so I’m going to try to do my best! The point of creating a recipe that goes along with the book and adding in a book review is to get me to escape from the technology world at least an hour a day to read. And if no one cares about the book, there is always a recipe to try!
I do not want to give anything away about the book or give you any spoiler alerts. I’m going to do a little discussion at the bottom of the post. You’ll see the words **SPOIL ALERT** and know when to stop reading. If you’ve read it, let’s chat all about it! If you haven’t read it, come back, and I’ll still be around to discuss! And feel free to interact with other people’s comments about the book! This is the type of book that you either loved or absolutely hated. It had a really sick plot, but it kept pulling me in for more. You’ll start to find yourself a bit more curious about the couples that live a “perfect life.” Sometimes, I found myself reading pages over and over again because I couldn’t believe what I was reading. The psychological thrillers are always my favorite genre, but I’ll try to pick something much softer for next month’s read. 
“She waits until Jack has carved the beef Wellington and served it with a gratin of potatoes, and carrots lightly glazed with honey. There are also tiny sugar peas, which I plunged into boiling water just before taking the beef from the oven.”
Why couldn’t Grace, the protagonist, have made an easier meal? Because Grace made beef Wellington, I knew that would be the recipe to go along with my review!
But guess what? You’re not off the hook. If you make a beef Wellington and take a picture of it with Behind Closed Doors next to it, tag me and use the hashtag #simplytaralynnbookreview you’ll be entered to win a $100 Barnes & Noble Gift Card! I’ll be hosting a giveaway each month to go with my book reviews. Winners will be announced in January!
“Serving anything that is less than perfect—isn’t an option.”
Back to this beef Wellington. It’s not as hard as it looks. In fact, I’d be fine making this meal again and again. It’s a dish you can make in advance and place it in the fridge the night before cooking. If you want to get fancy this Christmas, make this recipe, refrigerate it and bake it an hour before dinner! It’ll save you a lot of time.
So what the heck is beef Wellington?
“Beef Wellington is a preparation of filet steak coated with pâté(often pâté de foie gras) and duxelles, which is then wrapped in puff pastry and baked. Some recipes include wrapping the coated meat in a crêpe to retain the moisture and prevent it from making the pastry soggy.”
When I read that and googled a photo of it, I was intimidated.
Anyways…
I decided to start looking up a ton of different recipes for beef Wellington. Mushrooms? Seriously? How was I going to make this work? I hate mushrooms. When I was walking around the grocery store looking for a “mushroom alternative” I saw the big giant eggplants staring back at me. I’m not huge eggplant eater, but they remind me of mushrooms. I decided to cook with those instead. However, if you do like mushrooms, just replace the eggplant with mushrooms. 
I watched Gordon Ramsy’s video about five times before I became confident enough to master the beef Wellington. He made his a bit fancier than mine, but I’m very proud of the way mine turned out. My parents came over to eat it and so did Kyle. They both loved it. He also made it look so easy, which gave me more confidence in myself. It’s not one of those recipes that you have to work super quick. You can have a glass of wine, relax, and cook at your own pace. Another nice part of this recipe is the cost. Some people think beef Wellington is super fancy and expensive, and it is at restaurants for sure! You’ll probably pay $30+ a plate. All of the ingredients for the beef Wellington cost me $45, and that is much cheaper divided up than all of us ordering beef Wellington at a restaurant.
This recipe was inspired by Chef Gordon Ramsy, but I made a lot of changes! 
Beef Wellington
Ingredients
- 1 (1.5 -2 lb) Center Cut beef Tenderloin Roast (chain removed)
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 Large Shallot
- 1 1/2 Medium Onion
- Salt/Pepper/Onion Powder/Dill Weed
- 6 Garlic Cloves (peeled)
- 2 Tbsps Dry Red Wine
- 2 Cups Chopped Eggplant
- 1 Large Egg (beaten)
- 1 Sheet (1/2 package) Frozen Puff Pastry (make sure you thaw it out)
- Fresh Thyme
- 1 Tbsp Honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 Degrees
- Season the beef with pepper, sea salt, onion powder, and dillweed.
- In a large skillet on medium-high, add one tablespoon of olive oil and heat until hot. Once the olive oil is hot, use tongs to brown all sides of the roast evenly. Do not cook for too long, but remove from heat and set the roast on a plate when all sides are brown. (make sure to watch the video)
- Spread the honey mustard all over the browned beef and set aside.
- Add onions, garlic, eggplants, and the shallot into blender or food processor and pulse on and off until finely chopped. You don't want to over blend, or it'll be a sauce! You need some chunks in there.
- To the same skillet with the oils from the beef, add the blended ingredients in with salt and pepper. Cook for about four minutes on high and then add two tablespoons of the red wine, honey, and a pinch of fresh thyme. Cook for one more minute.
- Flour a surface and unfold the thawed puff pastry dough. Roll the dough out and spread the eggplant mixture onto the sheet of dough. Leave about 1/2 inch around the dough uncovered. Set the roast in the middle of the dough and fold the dough carefully around the roast. The dough is a bit stretchy so don't be afraid to pull it a bit. I tucked the seems underneath on the sides.
- Spread the beaten egg over the outside of the dough to help give the beef Wellington a crispy texture.
- Slice a couple of cuts (they work as vents) on top of the beef Wellington.
- Bake the roast for about 40-50 minutes (depending on the size.) The outside dough will be golden brown, and your thermometer should read between 150 degrees (medium rare) to 180 degrees (medium) I've always liked my roast beef to be cooked well.
- Slice!
Unlike Grace, I purchased the red wine on the bottom of the shelf. I couldn’t taste the difference, nor would I ever be able to tell the difference between expensive and cheap wine. 
After rubbing the beef with all of the right seasonings, you’ll want to brown all the edges on a high heat with olive oil. Be aware of the splatters. Chef Ramsy tilts his pan to the sides to cook the edges of the meat, and you’ll definitely want tongs.
You could add the dijon to your pâté or spread it on the browned roast. I just copied chef Gordon Ramsy!
You can use a food processor or blender to make the pâté. Just pulse a couple of times! You don’t want to overdo it. 
I used the leftover oils from the beef to cook the pâté. It gives it a lot of extra flavor!
Just don’t drink all the wine before adding it in! 😀 I had to pour myself a glass while cooking.
I love a little sweetness in my recipes, especially ones that call for dijon. You don’t have to add the honey, but I think it gives it amazing flavor. 
Break apart some thyme and add to the pan.
Before you start cooking anything, make sure your dough is out on the counter thawing. You’ll only need one sheet of the pastry dough.
Roll the dough out on a floured surface.
Top the dough with the cooked pâté and leave about 1/2 inch around the edges.
Fold the dough over the roast and tuck the seems underneath. Spread the beaten egg over the dough to give the beef Wellington a crispy texture. 
Slice the top of the pastry puff to give the roast ventilation for cooking. 
Top with a stem of thyme for decor. I think it adds a little something special 😉
Roast the carrots with garlic, pepper, olive oil, sea salt, and honey. 
Like Grace, I lightly boiled the peas! They were so good, and I’ve made them twice since learning how to cook them like this. They don’t need any seasoning because they are naturally sweet.
Stick the thermometer into the roast to determine if it’s done! 
When the beef Wellington came out looking like this, I almost cried because I was so proud of myself. You may be rolling your eyes behind the computer screen, but I did not think I could do it. I took about a billion snaps and sent them to my family and friends. That is also why you’ll see so many photos in this post. Just let me have my proud moment for like ten seconds. 
I served the beef Wellington just like the Angel’s did. I did skip out on the gratin potatoes though! I bought all the ingredients but opted out. I also decided not to make her perfectly crafted dessert. The beef Wellington was enough. I had to keep telling myself that it’s just a book because I almost started comparing my talents to theirs. “how did they make this and the dessert?” Oh…because they didn’t. 
Whether you read the book or not, this is a recipe you’ll definitely want to make. It’s guaranteed to impress pretty much anyone. Someone messaged me and said they made a “turkey Wellington” and now I’ll have to try that one out. If you’re not sure what to prepare for the Holiday season, give this a try! You can do what Chef Gordon Ramsy does, and make it the night before and just pop it into the oven before dinner. Smart thinking and I may even do that for our Christmas dinner. And I highly recommend serving it with red wine. Also if you’re not a wine drinker, pour a shot glass and sip on it before each bite. It brings out the taste of the beef Wellington and takes your tastebuds into overdrive. 
This recipe makes eight large slices of beef Wellington. If I were to round up, that’s about $6 per plate! Not bad compared to restaurant prices. Even though cooking intimidating meals at home can be a pain in the butt, it can pay off. Literally.
Did you guys enjoy the past to present flip?
It’s hard for me to believe that Behind Closed Doors was B.A. Paris, the author’s, first debut. I think the book was written wonderfully, and I loved the pass to present flip. I usually get confused and have to reread pages during past and present books, but the way she told the story fit perfectly with this style of writing. I think the flip between past and present is what builds up the suspense and eagerness to know more. It’s what kept me reading because I just had to find out what happened next. You will honestly feel the anxious tension every single page.
Were there times during the book when you got mad at Grace for NOT reacting?
Let’s talk about Grace. She made me so anxious at times. I kept finding myself upset that she didn’t react differently. I know that Jack was always ten steps ahead of her, but I just wanted her to expose the situation to Esther, or Janice. When she was sitting in the office with Janice, Millie, and Jack, I kept thinking it was the perfect time for her just to react. It seemed as if Janice would have believed her, and Millie was in sight so Jack couldn’t harm her. I just wanted her to react the entire time. I guess this just proves that you have to plan for the right escape and that there is always a strategy? Maybe not reacting the way you’d think one would react is a smart move.
What did you think was going on behind closed doors during the first few pages?
Jack, that nasty human being. When I started reading the first few pages, I was thinking that some Stepford Wives type stuff was going on. I had no idea he was such a monster. I figured he had groomed his wife to be a perfectionist and that he was emotionally abusive. I would never have imagined the dark and evil side that was to come.
Did anyone else predict that Millie’s fall was intentional?
I guessed it right away that Jack had tripped Millie and tried to take her life. What I didn’t understand was why Jack tried to do that to Millie if his ultimate plan was to have Millie as his “prisoner” in the end?
What role did you think Esther was going to play in the ending of the book?
At the beginning of the book, I didn’t like Esther. She reminded me of someone I once knew. That kind of person that just wants to find fault or is curious about everything you do. And then I started to think that she was secretly in on whatever was going on with Jack. But as the book went on, I began to like her. It made me look at those “curious” people in a different light. Maybe it’s good to keep people like that in your life because they’ll be the first ones to know when something is off.
Did you predict anything before it happened?
We knew that eventually, someone was going to find that red room. I was thinking that she could lie and say it was a spot where Jack went before his trials to put him in the mood to defend these women. And that is exactly what happened! Other than that, I didn’t predict much during this book.
Did you like the way the book ended?
I loved the way the book ended. The curious Esther knew that Millie’s favorite color was yellow and that is what color her room was going to be when she moved in. When news broke, and people found out about the disgusting red room, Esther knew what was going on and was quick to help Grace. She wanted Grace to know that she knew what a monster Jack was and she’d be her witness during questioning.
Do you think this book will turn into a T.V. show or movie?
Even though the abuse is rough to get through during this book, they could make it into a T.V. series. The author left the book open to a trial.
What actors would play Grace, Esther, and Jack?
I think Grace would be played by Jennifer Lawrence, Jack would be played by Jude Law, and Esther would be played by Krysten Ritter.
How did you feel about Jack’s death?
Maybe I’m just a sick person, but I was happy that the pills and the fall did not kill Jack. I’m glad that he suffered a slow death of dehydration the same way Molly did. Also, I kept telling myself that it’s just a book and that didn’t actually happen. There were no dogs harmed in the writing of this book.
Do you have any “perfect people” that make you wonder what’s really going on behind closed doors?
This book makes me stop and think about the people around us. We get an impression from a person by the way they dress, the way they talk, or their money status. Maybe instead of being blinded by the flashy and charming things, we should be more like Esther and start asking questions.
Who was your favorite Character?
I think the biggest fighter and smartest character was Millie. I loved that she was thinking outside of the box and saved all of the sleeping pills. I loved that she was smart enough to know that keeping Grace’s secret would protect them, and she caught on quick to Jack’s behavior. I loved her character!
I could go on all day with Questions about the book. I want you guy to ask questions; let’s chat it out in the comments 🙂
Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!
Now, let’s discuss.
Tara, would you ever join a book club? Sounds like something you could virtually do with us. I k now you said you would do a blog post on it, but I somehow wish there could be an inner circle where we meet as a “virtual date” over skype!
I think my schedule is too all over the place for that, but maybe one day! Let’s just see how the recipe & book reviews go first! 😀 xo xo
The recipe looks great! I’ve never tried beef wellington before and it’s so interesting to learn about it. 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Hi, Charmaine!
Thanks so much and I bet you’d love it!
xo
I love this!! I don’t eat meat, but I’ve been looking into mushroom wellington. I can almost hear the collective gag right now, LOL, but when marinated/seasoned and roasted, they can get pretty savory. 🙂 I will say, though, that it was a learning curve for our palates!
Hi, Krista!
You know me too well. I made that EXACT reaction. Now, you and my brother can enjoy that one! 😉
I love this idea and I love this blog post.
I just purchased the book so I’ll come back to let you know what I think!
I can’t wait!
Now I want to read Behind Closed Doors! (I just put a hold on it at my library, hopefully I get to read it soon). It sounds so intriguing. If you like psychological thrillers, I recommend Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, and The Girl On the Train by Paula Hawkins. Both books have intense stories that kept me guessing the whole time. I wrote a review about Gone Girl on my blog because it was so mind blowingly awesome.
I’m excited to see what book/recipe pairing you’ll have for next month!
Hi, Siobhan!
I think you’d love the book. I actually saw both of the movies! Would that ruin the read for me? But those are both incredible story lines.
xo
If you’ve already seen the movies then the twists in the books won’t be as mind blowing obviously, but I’m sure they would still be worth reading. Movies inspired by books always end up leaving out some of the details so I bet there would be some hidden gems in the pages that didn’t make it onto the screen. I haven’t seen the movies yet, but I want to!
You are right!
I have never commented before but i wanted to let you know that I love this idea! I dnt read much I always want to start reading but there are so many books out there I dont even know where to begin. Im also the type of person that tends to judge a book by its cover making it harder lol. I finally decided I just need to start. I purchased this one on amazon a few days ago because I saw your post on it and how you couldnt put it down lol looks like a lot of ppl seemed to enjoy it. I can not wait to start reading this book and seeing all the upcoming book reviews! The food recipes and pics are a plus! I have never heard of beef Wellington before but yours looks beutiful:)
Hi, Anna!
I’m so glad you like the idea 🙂 I judge a book by the cover or by the first chapter. This caught me on the first page!
I cannot wait to hear your thoughts on this book and I guarantee you won’t be able to put it down either! I’m not a huge reader so I know what you mean.
I have always heard of it but never put the name with the picture! 😀 xo
I’m so in love with this book! I can’t wait to make the beef wellington! Cool post. I look forward to more of your reviews!
Ahhhh yay!!!!!
I love this idea!! How fun! I’ll definitely be adding this book to my list of upcoming reads! I’ve been such a fan of audio books for a while now, but I miss having an actual book in my hands too! AND that recipe sounds AMAZING!!! Yours turned out so pretty!!!
Hi, Chelsea!
Thank you 😀
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the book! Audiobooks are great for car rides!!
It’s much easier than is sounds!
This was such a great idea!!!
Thank you, Danielle!!
Thank you for the step by step photos! You made it look like something I can actually make.
I like your actor picks for the book! I think Jude Law would be great.
It’s a lot easier than it sounds/looks! 😀
I LOVE this idea! I have been wanting to cook beef wellington, but was so intimidated by it! I am going to have to pick up this book for sure! The description is giving me “Big Little Lies” vibes.
Hi, Abby!
Don’t be intimidated by it! So easy!!!
It’s actually way better than BLL and I love that book/show!
LOVING the idea of the book review/recipe!! Now I have to go buy the book so I can finish reading the rest of the post haha it sounds good from what you wrote in the top so far! Psychological thrillers are also one of my favorites. Mindhunter on Netflix is so good. You should let us/me know what you’re going to read for January/February so we/I can read along!! 🙂
Thanks, Jennifer!
Yes, please go get the book and read!!!! We just finished watching Mindhunter! It was pretty good. I will figure out the book soon!
I have a friend named Wellington so it’s always fun to hear about beef wellington 😛 I didn’t realize there was a layer of pate!
Yup!!! That’s what gives it a lot of flavor! 😀 Wellington is such a cool name.
Oh WOW this might just be the most incredible looking recipe you’ve shared! Funnily enough, I’ve never eaten beef wellington, but I love pastry, I love mushrooms, I love mustard and I bloody love beef. I’m going to give this a go for Christmas. Oh & also that book sounds fab – it’s been on my TBR for months and months but you’ve just inspired me to pick it up 🙂
Sharni xo
http://www.agirlandgrey.com
Hi, Sharni!
Thank you thank you!! 😀
You’d LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe then! I think you should just stick with the mushrooms! lol
The book is so good! 😀
Your beef Wellington looks impressive. I might even make it now.
You should read A Man Called Ove next.
Thank you, Kara!
I’ve heard that it’s so good!
Beef Wellington is a dish that I just haven’t gotten around to making yet. It definitely is on my list, but just never got around to it. This looks so nice, I might have to start thinking about actually making it happen.
I hope you enjoy it! It’s definitely a fun dish to make and a rewarding one 🙂
Taralynn
Ah just finished the book! I LOVED it!! I’m sad it’s over haha but it ended well! Your recipe looks delicious! Excited to try it!
It’s soo good and I was mad when it was over too!!!! That’s why I bought her second book!
Hi Tara! What temperature is your meat cooked to in the photos, medium? Curious for comparison, because I’d like to try the recipe but I like my roast beef a little more pink 🙂
1701 😀
On the beef wellington- I have a pretty serious gluten allergy, but I’ve always wanted to try beef wellington. I feel like it’s one of those recipes, though, that there is no easy sub to make it gluten free. Can you think of anything I could use to do a GF beef wellington?
You’d just have to use a gluten-free dough recipe. It most likely won’t be as flakey and flour-y but you could do it! Maybe just look up gluten-free pasty dough recipes?
Haha I skipped through the post because I’m literally buying the book right now on Amazon and didn’t want to risk any spoilers! I have 2 weeks off (starting next Friday) for Christmas vacation, and I can’t wait to bury myself in this book! It looks like the perfect over break read :).
I’ll let you know what I think, but I can pretty much promise you I’ll love it already from your intro!
YES! Don’t do any spoilers. lol I made sure to add a banner to warn anyone!!
I’m pretty excited for your thoughts!
Woooah! Taralynn you may have just inspired my dinner for tomorrow night! Also, I have been trying to get back into reading and finally decided to pick up a book today. Definitely looking forward to your next book review 🙂
Thank you, Brittany! Let me know how you like the Beef Wellington!
Sorry , long response alert haha
So I literally just finished those last 30 pages and OMG. It didn’t exactly end the way I expected, but it did to an extent!
I really enjoyed the past to present flip. It’s definitely easier to follow although I was angry that it informs the reader that she’s lived like this for the last year! I couldn’t imagine! I felt like Grace reacted impulsively sometimes, to the point where I was overwhelmed with helplessness trying to imagine how that must feel. It made me so sick to my stomach that people never believed her and that Jack was so convincing. I actually didn’t think Millie’s fall was intentional at first. From the very beginning I had a feeling that Esther was going to play an important role. I was half expecting to get a glimpse into her life, perhaps that she was in a similar situation because she was painfully aware of Grace’s own situation. Those last few pages of the book gave me complete goosebumps and it made me so so happy that she was preparing Grace! The only thing I predicted that came to fruition was Jack being killed, but I honestly thought Millie would move in and she would kill him. In a sense, she contributed to it though. But the whole drugging part was very intense. Overall I really like how the book ended, I felt peace for Grace and how she was going to finally be free. Midway into reading I was thinking how awesome this plot would be for a TV series or movie. I can picture Javier Bardem being Jack because he’s great at playing a charming psychopath lol. Jessica Chastain for Grace and Jessica Szohr for Esther! I am also happy Jack died the way he did, although I wish he suffered more! My favorite character was actually Grace because I loved her resilience, her intelligence, her compassion for Millie, and her strong will to live <3
So what's the next book?! 🙂
xo Kelsey
Hi, Kelsey!!
Yes! I thought the same thing. I’M so happpppppy he was dead, but now I want the trial! lol
Yeah, it’s crazy to believe that she did that for a year. My friends would have intervened or found something to be off. I mean my parents would have for sure!!! Yeah, I bet if it as turned into a show they’d add scenes where it’s Esther and her curiosity. Maybe her discussing how weird it is that Grace lives this sort of lifestyle? I’m actually SO happy that Millie never moved in or I would have lost it lol. Oh, yes Javier would make a great Jack for sure! I LOVE your casting selection! 😀 Maybe they should hire us? lol I loved the suspense of not knowing if Jack was actually dead. I sometimes expected him to be on the phone or show up in Thailand.
The next book is “A Man Called Ove”
xo xo
I always wanted to try beef wellington when I ate meat but never got the chance. These photos look beautiful!
Roasted carrots are the best. They look delicious 🙂
http://www.justbeingbrooklyn.com
It was so good! Apparently someone is going to make a mushroom wellington, so maybe you can try that!!
Ah! I am getting super excited to read that book!
I have always LOVED when books + cooking go hand in hand… there is just something nurturing (yes, even with psych thrillers and murder mysteries 😉 ) about reading, and obviously about food! One of the first books I purchased with my own money early in high school was a New Orleans based series of stories about murder, and they ALWAYS had a cook of some kind involved in the story, so after a food was mentioned, they would slide a page in the book with the recipe on it! SO FUN.
(Unfortunately, my dog ate the ending of one of the stories, and I have yet to remember what the title was in order to find it again :'(( .. )
Seriously. Even my devotional book was written with that theme! She writes devotionals and includes recipes to share with families! It’s so cool!
I am not only going to be making these recipes to go along with reading your reviews, I think this is such a fun thing to experiment with, and I think I’ll do it with the books I read just for my own entertainment as well!
Thanks for being an inspiration, Tara! I hope you’re having a ton of fun and finding joy in taking an hour out of the day to plug into your own mind and get away from the world for a bit!
Adding this book to my wish list at the library. If you like suspense books read “Disturbed” by Jennifer Jaynes. Soo good and such an unexpected ending.
Thanks for the recommendation!!
I downloaded the book last night and I’m already at least a hundred pages in. I’m so curious to see the outcome of it!
It’s so good! Let me know what you think when you’re done!
I made this today and it was delicious! Fresh and flavorful and just the right amount of spiciness; we all loved it.
So happy to hear that!!
This recipe looks incredible!
Thanks, Dani!
Omg, fastest I’ve EVER read a book. I was reading it in the mornings before work, over my lunch hour, then immediately after work. Finished it in 2 days! INSANE! I KNEW I LOVED ESTHER! I had this feeling she was going to step in. Loved it! I have a definitely feeling it will be turned into a movie.
Hi, Jenny!
I’m so happy you read the book!!!!! That is how I felt about the book. I couldn’t put it down. Don’t you wish there was a bigger role or more of Esther? Hopefully they do a show and she has her own point of view of it all!!! xo xo
Just bought two copies of the book, it sounds really good! I just finished Girl on the Train so I’ve been looking for another suspenseful book. I’m sending one down to my friend in Charlotte and keeping one for myself, can’t wait for them to come in this weekend. I have always been so afraid to make beef wellington, I’ve never had it because of the cost in restaurants, and it just seemed so hard to make! Maybe I will try it next weekend when I celebrate Christmas with my family. Love the idea of a book review and a recipe post being a more regular thing. Merry Christmas!!!
Loved this post! I’m a voracious reader and I love to cook and you’ve combined two passions into one post – thank you! I would love to chime in with my thoughts on the book, but I read Behind Closed Doors quite a while ago so it’s not so fresh in my mind (bummer). It is a dark book and such a page-turner…I always tease my husband about his yucky reading-in-the-bathroom habit, but this book made me do the same thing, haha! TMI, I know.
I did like the ending and do believe karma gave Jack what he deserved, however a part of me would have liked for him to survive only to be publicly exposed of all the atrocities he inflicted on his wife…
So is your next book review going to be on A Man Called Ove? I would love to fully participate in your next review.
Oh, and I’m not a big beef eater, but I can surely appreciate a beautiful dish and your beef wellington was just that! Merry Christmas to you and your family!
I bought this book on your recommendation and finished it within ONE DAY! Fantastic book! I was HOOKED!!! SO glad Grace eventually got her freedom xx
Yay!!!!
Hey Taralynn!
Love this idea of a book and a recipe each month. I bought the book (although I haven’t started it yet) and made beef wellington! Posted it with the appropriate hashtag on instagram – hopefully it went through – I’m not very good at that stuff 😃
Hi, Jenna!
I saw it and it looked AMAZING!!!!
Ok, the worst part is Molly. I seriously can’t handle it!!
YUP! IT IS. BUT…remmeber. it’s just a book! never happened!
Hey!
I’m a flight attendant and happened to stumble upon this book as well while in the airport (and out of things to read at work).
I loved it, it only took me two flights to finish. I was expecting Grace at first to actually be in love and have some perfect life but Jack to have some crazy job in some sort of illegal activity (hence the shutters). I didn’t realize the issue would actually lie with in their marriage. I can’t wait to try out your recipe. I think the most painful part of the book though was Molly. I already read the break down and I loved it so much!
Enjoy!
OMG you were so right I just finished the book and I could not put it down such a good read! I would l like to see it as a movie that would be good and I could definitely see Jennifer Lawrence as Grace. Thank you for your recommendation.
I really enjoyed this book.