Hit musicals inspire Las Vegan’s cookbook recipes

You could say Veeda Bybee owes her cookbook to “Hamilton.”

As a child, Bybee loved musical theater. From participating in “Grease” in high school to attending productions of shows like “Guys and Dolls” and “My Fair Lady,” she soaked it all in. But as time went on, her ardor cooled.

“Over time, I didn’t feel like the theater loved me back,” the Las Vegan writes in the introduction to “A Few of My Favorite Things” (Shadow Mountain Publishing, $24). “As an Asian American, I didn’t see people who looked like me on stage.” She also was chagrined by the whitewashed or stereotyped Asian characters she saw in movies.

So when Bybee had children, she didn’t introduce them to the genre. Her kids would develop other ideas, though. The two eldest — Mei, who’s now 18, and Cassius, now 16 — were inspired by friends and extended family to participate in community theater. And in 2016 they discovered the “Hamilton” soundtrack.

Soon it would be on heavy rotation in the Bybee household. Then the COVID pandemic hit, and the family — which includes husband and father Brendan and the couple’s younger children, 13-year-old Grey and 11-year-old Selah — gathered to kill time watching the live stage recording of the show.

“They were captivated,” Bybee says. She decided the family needed to watch more musicals together.

“There was that void in our life,” she adds. “I think music is really powerful. I think we need to watch musicals.”

A plan popped up to lighten the long weeks of quarantine: weekly family viewings of movie musicals, along with food themed to the shows.

“We watch the movies together,” she says. “It’s a good thing to bond and watch the story unfold. We can sing the songs in the car. Having the music there is a shared experience.”

And so Bybee’s new cookbook, “A Few of My Favorite Things,” was born, with more than 70 recipes keyed to more than 40 movies.

In some cases, the links between recipes and movies are pretty obvious: Von Trapp Schnitzel with Noodles for “The Sound of Music,” for example; Kalua Pulled Pork for “Lilo &Stitch” and “Moana”; and Pink Lady Lemonade for “Grease.”

For others, she concedes to using a fair amount of latitude. One of her favorites is Pickpocket Cardamom Bread Pudding, for “Oliver!” That one started with a recipe her mother-in-law shared with her.

“I added orange juice and orange zest and cardamom, and it takes it to the next level,” Bybee says. “It’s approachable, and pretty easy to make.”

The links to the movie: “Bread pudding is a very British thing. And I think the cardamom kind of steals the show,” much in the way of a pickpocketing orphan.

There’s even a recipe for Gray Stuffed Crushed Cookie Frosting, for “Beauty and the Beast.” Try the gray stuff; it’s delicious.

Bybee’s kids created the food with her.

“They helped me with the recipes,” she says. “There’s at least one or two recipes in the book that’s a tribute to (each of) them. It’s great to stand next to them and cook with them and be together. It’s a good excuse.”

Plus, she says, “It helps them be open to other foods.

“Food is such a great way to bring people together. I’m hoping no one feels they have to do the whole movie and make a huge project. Just spend time together — it’s really important.”

Pickpocket Cardamom Bread Pudding

Butter or nonstick baking spray

1 16-ounce loaf challah bread

1½ cups granulated sugar

1 tablespoon orange zest (from one medium-sized orange)

6 eggs

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cardamom (freshly ground preferred)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons orange juice

4 cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Toppings: Barnum’s Salted Caramel Sauce and Big Top Whipped Cream (recipes follow)

Heat oven to 325 degrees and place rack in center of oven. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with butter or cooking spray.

Cut challah in 1-inch cubes and place in the prepared pan.

Place sugar and orange zest in a bowl. With your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar until fragrant. In a separate large bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Stir in zested sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and salt. Next, mix in the orange juice, milk, cream and vanilla. Pour the wet mixture over the bread cubes. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Serve warm with desired toppings.

For Barnum’s Salted Caramel Sauce, melt ½ cup (1 stick) butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add ½ cup brown sugar and ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup heavy cream, and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Stir frequently until boiling. Once bubbly, continue to stir for 1 minute, then take off the heat. Mix in the vanilla and salt. Serve warm or at room temperature. The sauce will thicken a bit as it cools.

For Big Top Whipped Cream, whip 1½ cups cold heavy cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whipping on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons confectioners sugar and continue to whip for another 2-3 minutes. (The peaks will be stiffer.) Use immediately or cover and store in the refrigerator.