Beth Cato's Blog, page 113

Bready or Not: Snickerdoodle Krispy Treats

Good ol’ Rice Krispie Treats are a standard from my childhood. I used to think it was an amazing twist to get the cocoa version. But this? Oh, people. My husband took these to work and was informed that these were “better than crack.” I take that as pretty high praise.

I found the original recipe because it was labeled as Churro Crispy Treats. For me, though, churros are very much a texture thing and the name didn’t fit. They seem more Snickerdoodle-like to me. They are soooo chewy and delicious.

The recipe is very straightforward. Use any brand of cinnamon crisp cereal. Add marshmallows. Add more awesomeness. Heck, I heated everything in the microwave. Make sure you sprinkle some coarse salt and turbinado sugar on top, too. It adds an extra oomph.

Modified from Brown Butter Churro Crispy Treats at The Law Student’s Wife.

PrintBready or Not: Snickerdoodle Krispy Treats

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
10 ounces miniature marshmallows ( 1 bag)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 cups cinnamon rice squares (like Cinnamon Chex or Cascadian Farms Cinnamon Crunch)
more kosher salt or pretzel salt plus turbinado sugar for the top

Instructions

Coat an 8-inch square pan with butter or non-stick spray. Stage the sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla, and marshmallows so they are ready to add quickly.
This can be made in the microwave or on the stovetop. Either method: on low, gradual heat, melt the butter in a large container.
Once the butter is melted, remove from heat and stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Add marshmallows and stir to melt. The hot butter should melt the marshmallows, but if needed give it an extra zap in the microwave or briefly heat on low on the stovetop. Stir until no white streaks remain.
Remove from heat again, if needed. Add in the cinnamon cereal and 1/4 teaspoon salt. As soon as everything is coated, pour it into the prepared pan. Quickly spread it to the corners and evenly press it down. Sprinkle more coarse salt and turbinado sugar on top.
Let the pan cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
OM NOM NOM!3.0http://www.bethcato.com/bready-or-not-snickerdoodle-krispy-treats/

Sunday Quote’s Mom loves Louis L’Amour

“One day I was speeding along at the typewriter, and my daughter – who was a child at the time – asked me, “Daddy, why are you writing so fast?” And I replied, “Because I want to see how the story turns out!”

~Louis L’Amour

Bready or Not: Philly Biscoff Fluffernutter Cookies

A while back I shared my recipe for Biscoff Fluffernutter Bars. I couldn’t help but ponder ways to mix up the recipe. What if I did a cookie version? What would I use for a base recipe? This put me in mind of my Philly Chippers recipe. So, as though summoning Captain Planet, I combined elements to create something awesome.

The Philadelphia cream cheese in the mix creates a lush cookie dough. These are soft and dense in the best kind of way. The addition of Biscoff spread adds a touch of mildness. Mind you, you could also use nut butter instead (which is what Fluffernutter is all about, really).

I chopped up chocolate bars instead of using my usual chips here. The effect was awesome. Oozing pools of chocolate, people!

The marshmallows create pockets of sweetness. It’s a different kind of sweet than the richness of the dough, so it creates these complex layers of OMG. I ended up with about 40 cookies using a tablespoon scoop.

A Bready or Not original recipe combining my Philly Chippers recipe and Biscoff Fluffernutter Bars.

PrintBready or Not: Philly Biscoff Fluffnutter Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter (two cubes), softened
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup Biscoff spread
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
7 ounces chocolate, chopped (about two bars)
2 cups mini marshmallows (about 1/2 bag)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.
Cream together the butter, cream cheese, Biscoff spread, and sugars. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Sift dry ingredients together and slowly incorporate them with the wet ingredients. Add the chocolate and marshmallows and incorporate.
Use a tablespoon scoop or tablespoon to drop dough onto the cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Leave them on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before moving to a rack to cool.
OM NOM NOM.
3.0http://www.bethcato.com/bready-or-not-philly-biscoff-fluffnutter-cookies/

Sunday Quote is getting used to 2015

“Tell the readers a story! Because without a story, you are merely using words to prove you can string them together in logical sentences.” ~Anne McCaffrey

Short Stuff Published in 2014

I figured I should do a post on what I had published in 2014. I know I didn’t write as many new stories, though a number of my older ones found homes. What I didn’t realize was how many poems I had published. Wow. Dude.

So here’s the full list of my short works published in 2014. If you’re bored, maybe you’ll take a gander. (And I don’t mean you should thieve a goose.)

Short stories:

“A Mother’s Touch,” Perihelion Science Fiction
“Hatchlings,” Daily Science Fiction
“Post-Apocalyptic Conversations with a Sidewalk,” Nature Magazine
“The Cartography of Shattered Trees,” FAE; on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
“Degrees of Starvation,” Every Day Fiction
“Bad Snake Day,” Every Day Fiction
“Sanctified Ground,” Trust and Treachery: Tales of Power and Intrigue
“Measures and Countermeasures,” Daily Science Fiction
“Cold Beyond White,” Stupefying Stories Showcase #13

Podcast stories:

“Red Dust and Dancing Horses,” Escape Pod; read by Marguerite Kenner
“Reading Time,” Cast of Wonders; read by Dave Thompson
“213 Myrtle Street,” Toasted Cake; read by Tina Connolly
“La Rosa Still in Bloom,” Comets and Criminals; read by Catherine Smith
“Frail Men of Metal and Bone,” Every Day Fiction; read by Folly Blaine

Poetry:

“How a Modern Green Man Grows,” NewMyths.com
“Sorry,” Mobius: The Journal of Social Change
“Time Traveler’s Seance,” “Thank Hecate for Insurance,” and “From Grandma, With Love,” Star*Line 37.4
“Grandfather and Granddaughter (Age 5),” Devilfish Review
“Nisei” and “Seeds” (reprinted), Mythic Delirium Anthology; available in all formats
“Mama Bogey’s Advice,” “The Time Traveler’s Buttonhook,” “The Time Traveler’s Pants,” “The Time Traveler’s Gratitude,” and “Advice on Befriending a Siren,” Star*Line 37.3
“To Walk Upon Clouds,” NewMyths.com
“Suddenly, a Unicorn,” Grievous Angel
“Mad Scientist’s Lament,” Lakeside Circus
“Quercus Californica,” Tales of the Talisman Volume IX Issue 4
“Unanimous,” Star*Line 37.2
“Authentic Mother Version 2.6,” Star*Line 37.2
“Barstow,” Spark Volume V
“Cogs,” Apex Magazine Issue 59
“Nisei,” Mythic Delirium Issue 0.4
“Bird Girl,” Niteblade Magazine
“Cloud Catcher,” Tales of the Talisman Volume IX Issue 2
“Seeds,” Mythic Delirium Issue 0.3

Nonfiction:

“Believing in Unicorns,” Blood on the Floor: How Writers Survive Rejection
“Welcome to the Navy” and “All About the Balloon,” Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cat Did What?

Short Stuff Published in 2015

I figured I should do a post on what I had published in 2014. I know I didn’t write as many new stories, though a number of my older ones found homes. What I didn’t realize was how many poems I had published. Wow. Dude.

So here’s the full list of my short works published in 2014. If you’re bored, maybe you’ll take a gander. (And I don’t mean you should thieve a goose.)

Short stories:

“A Mother’s Touch,” Perihelion Science Fiction
“Hatchlings,” Daily Science Fiction
“Post-Apocalyptic Conversations with a Sidewalk,” Nature Magazine
“The Cartography of Shattered Trees,” FAE; on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
“Degrees of Starvation,” Every Day Fiction
“Bad Snake Day,” Every Day Fiction
“Sanctified Ground,” Trust and Treachery: Tales of Power and Intrigue
“Measures and Countermeasures,” Daily Science Fiction
“Cold Beyond White,” Stupefying Stories Showcase #13

Podcast stories:

“Red Dust and Dancing Horses,” Escape Pod; read by Marguerite Kenner
“Reading Time,” Cast of Wonders; read by Dave Thompson
“213 Myrtle Street,” Toasted Cake; read by Tina Connolly
“La Rosa Still in Bloom,” Comets and Criminals; read by Catherine Smith
“Frail Men of Metal and Bone,” Every Day Fiction; read by Folly Blaine

Poetry:

“How a Modern Green Man Grows,” NewMyths.com
“Sorry,” Mobius: The Journal of Social Change
“Time Traveler’s Seance,” “Thank Hecate for Insurance,” and “From Grandma, With Love,” Star*Line 37.4
“Grandfather and Granddaughter (Age 5),” Devilfish Review
“Nisei” and “Seeds” (reprinted), Mythic Delirium Anthology; available in all formats
“Mama Bogey’s Advice,” “The Time Traveler’s Buttonhook,” “The Time Traveler’s Pants,” “The Time Traveler’s Gratitude,” and “Advice on Befriending a Siren,” Star*Line 37.3
“To Walk Upon Clouds,” NewMyths.com
“Suddenly, a Unicorn,” Grievous Angel
“Mad Scientist’s Lament,” Lakeside Circus
“Quercus Californica,” Tales of the Talisman Volume IX Issue 4
“Unanimous,” Star*Line 37.2
“Authentic Mother Version 2.6,” Star*Line 37.2
“Barstow,” Spark Volume V
“Cogs,” Apex Magazine Issue 59
“Nisei,” Mythic Delirium Issue 0.4
“Bird Girl,” Niteblade Magazine
“Cloud Catcher,” Tales of the Talisman Volume IX Issue 2
“Seeds,” Mythic Delirium Issue 0.3

Nonfiction:

“Believing in Unicorns,” Blood on the Floor: How Writers Survive Rejection
“Welcome to the Navy” and “All About the Balloon,” Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cat Did What?

2015 Goals

2014 was a year of Holy-Crap-My-Dreams-Are-Coming-True. I survived the book release! I have a book! It’s available in libraries in Wellington, New Zealand and Singapore and everywhere in between! Most every Barnes & Noble in America carries it, and about a dozen airport bookshops, too. How crazy is that?

I do wish I had the chance to write more short fiction this year. I’m down to just a couple stories in circulation–one of those nice problems, as it means everything else sold. It still bugs me, though.

My original post for my 2014 goals can be read over on my LiveJournal. I fulfilled everything but #6, as I did not write a second book.

I’m not sure what 2015 will bring. My two-book contract is fulfilled, with my final edits on The Clockwork Crown turned in just before Christmas. I already have a small Secret Project in the works that I can’t quite discuss in public yet, but I really want to write more novels. So let’s cross fingers and offer burnt butter cookie offerings that good stuff will happen!

Here are my goals for 2015:

1) Meet the deadlines for the three parts of my Secret Project. These are spaced out throughout the year.

2) Prepare comprehensive marketing plan for release of Clockwork Crown in June. This includes regular updates on my personal blog, scheduling interviews and blog posts for other blogs and sites, participation in Novelocity, and seizing other viable opportunities.

a) Don’t have a mental breakdown.

3) Release Clockwork Crown in June.

a) Don’t have a mental breakdown.

4) Participate in Write 1 Sub 1′s Light Ray option and write a new story (fiction or nonfiction) or poem each month, if balanced with novel obligations. Aim to have at least ten works on submission at all times.

5) Write stories to fulfill invitations to anthologies; at least four at this time.

6) Write at least one novel.

7) Continue to participate in 50book challenge, LibraryThing, and Goodreads, reading at least 50 books during 2015 and posting reviews for all.

8) Attend several conventions and book festivals; at this point, I am planning on Tucson Book Festival (March 15th), Phoenix Comicon (May 28-30th), and WorldCon/Sasquan in Spokane, though nothing is set yet.

9) Be honest with myself about my stress and personal limits. Don’t hold it all inside. Reach out to writer friends. Let my agent know what is going on. Take time out for my husband, son, cat, and family. Read. Bake. Go thrift store shopping.

10) Don’t give up. I’ve come a long way in the past year and there’s plenty of mountain left to climb. If tired of climbing, use dynamite.

Bready or Not: Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

Happy New Year! Let’s celebrate with a cookie.

Just one. It’s about time for those resolutions, right?

 

Is that big enough? That’s a whole cast iron skillet of cookie, right there.

There are a lot of reasons to make a massive cookie. You could top it off with ice cream scoops and drizzle and dig in with a few people you don’t mind sharing germs with. Or you can look at the clock and realize that this sucker cooks up fast and you don’t have to worry about batches.

Plus, you can do what I did and make the dough the night before. Then when I needed to serve it up for brunch, all I had to do was preheat the oven, plop my dough in the skillet, and bake.

Add whatever chips you want. Add nuts. Mix up the flour–I did this with a mix of wheat and all-purpose (and no one could tell!).

It’s very goopy if you eat it fresh out of the oven. If you want it solid enough to cleanly slice, let it rest about 30 minutes.

Tweaked from Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie from Martha Stewart Everyday Food, October 2013.

PrintBready or Not: Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus 1 tablespoon for the skillet
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup flour (worked well with 1/4 cup wheat and 3/4 cup all-purpose)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

The dough can be made the day before baking. In a large bowl, combine with butter and sugars. Add the egg and vanilla, followed by the dry ingredients. Add the chocolate chips or other additions last. Wrap with plastic wrap to chill in fridge overnight or for several hours, at least.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add a tablespoon of butter to a 10-inch cast iron skillet and set it in the oven for a few minutes.
On the plastic wrap, form the dough into the rough shape of the skillet. When the butter has melted in the skillet, pull it out and rotate it to cover the base with butter. Carefully add the cookie dough, and using a spatula, press it in to the edges.
Bake until the cookie is golden brown and just set in the center, about 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, at least, or 30 minutes if you want it set enough to slice.
OM NOM NOM.
3.0http://www.bethcato.com/bready-or-not-skillet-chocolate-chip-cookie/

Sunday Quote says Happy New Year

“My imagination makes me human and makes me a fool; it gives me all the world and exiles me from it.” ~Ursula K. Le Guin

Bready or Not: Overnight Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate! Whether or not you observe the holiday, I offer a breakfast cake recipe that you can throw together tonight and bake in the morning.

It will serve a whole bunch of people. The leftovers are delicious. And heck, it’s CAKE. For breakfast. Actually, it’d be pretty darn good at any time of day.

Sour cream is the secret weapon here. It creates a cake that is moist and luscious without any sour cream taste. Combine that tenderness with the crackled top and the crunch of pecans, and you have a total winner.

Tweaked from Overnight Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake at Relish Magazine.

PrintBready or Not: Overnight Cinnamon Pecan Coffee Cake

Ingredients

Cake:
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
1 cup white sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream

Streusel:
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Make the streusel topping first by combining the brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a big bowl, beat the butter and white sugar until light and fluffy; add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Slowly add the flour mix to the eggs and butter. Pause to add in some sour cream, then more flour, going back and forth until it's all blended.
Apply nonstick spray to a 9x13-inch pan. Pour in the batter and spread to the edges. Sprinkle the streusel all over the top.
Cover well with plastic wrap and chill overnight, or up to 18 hours.
Preheat the oven at 350-degrees. Remove the plastic wrap. Bake the cake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.
HO HO HO & OM NOM NOM!
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