Beth Cato's Blog, page 138
October 29, 2013
Publications, ahoy!
First of all, time is running out to buy Metastasis using a 25% off coupon at CreateSpace or Smashwords. The offer is good through the 31st. A big chunk of proceeds go to cancer research!
--
I'm very happy that OOMPH: A Little Super Goes a Long Way is out from the folks at Crossed Genres. This anthology is all about not-so-super superpowers. My story "Hat Trick" is first in the book and is about hockey and friendship. It actually takes place in the world of my novel Normal (some of you may remember that much-beloved project of mine).
--
I also have two brand new Chicken Soup books. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Positive for Kids is out today and features a story about the start of my 7th grade year, when I was the only one in the locker room doing the pledge of allegiance. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Just Us Girls is out next Tuesday; that story is about my husband leaving on naval deployment while I was pregnant and how my fellow Navy wives took care of me.
I'll have copies of both books soon so if you want a signed one, gimme an email at Beth.L.Cato at gmail dot com and we'll work it out. Christmas is coming!
--
--
I'm very happy that OOMPH: A Little Super Goes a Long Way is out from the folks at Crossed Genres. This anthology is all about not-so-super superpowers. My story "Hat Trick" is first in the book and is about hockey and friendship. It actually takes place in the world of my novel Normal (some of you may remember that much-beloved project of mine).
--
I also have two brand new Chicken Soup books. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Think Positive for Kids is out today and features a story about the start of my 7th grade year, when I was the only one in the locker room doing the pledge of allegiance. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Just Us Girls is out next Tuesday; that story is about my husband leaving on naval deployment while I was pregnant and how my fellow Navy wives took care of me.
I'll have copies of both books soon so if you want a signed one, gimme an email at Beth.L.Cato at gmail dot com and we'll work it out. Christmas is coming!
--
October 27, 2013
Sunday Quote calls on Lovecraft for Halloween week
“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” ~H.P. Lovecraft
October 25, 2013
Now and November
I gave myself an insane deadline to wrap up these revisions on Breath of Earth. I'm staying busy-busy through the end of the month, and I have a strong hunch that November will be plenty busy with other tasks.
I'm not doing NaNoWriMo this year (though I will start on a new novel very soon) but I do plan on doing Poem a Day.
What are your November writing plans?
I'm not doing NaNoWriMo this year (though I will start on a new novel very soon) but I do plan on doing Poem a Day.
What are your November writing plans?
October 23, 2013
Bready or Not: Pumpkin Pie Bars
There are times when you make a recipe, follow it exactly, and things go disastrously wrong. That's what happened the first time I made these pumpkin pie bars.
I know exactly what happened, too--I used a box of organic pumpkin puree. The organic stuff is fine for taste, but I've noticed in baking pies that it's a lot more watery and takes longer to bake.
Here, I reached the middle of the recipe and poured on the pumpkin. I sprinkled the crumb topping on... and it all promptly sank like it was downed by a U-Boat. Here and there little bits of crumb wreckage poked out of the orange soup, but it was almost invisible.
This vexed me.
But it was my first time doing the recipe, so maybe that's how it was supposed to look? I decided to continue to bake it, because the pumpkin layer might bake down and let the crumbs surface. I baked it for 10 minutes. It looked exactly the same.
At that point, I went into triage mode. The pumpkin had firmed up, so what I needed was more crumb topping. I dug out my tried and true recipe for caramel apple pie and threw the topping ingredients together. I spread the crumbs on and continued baking.
IT WORKED. The crumb topping turned out beautifully.
However, this now meant I did a drastically different recipe than the one I followed, which I clipped from the paper about two years ago. The organic pumpkin puree might be at fault, but using more crumb topping wasn't a bad idea. I rewrote the recipe to figure out how to combine everything, baked it again, and ta da!
I obviously liked the recipe a lot to make it twice. It is seriously yummy. The top and bottom are basically pecan shortbread. It goes magnificently with that pumpkin pie layer in the middle. The bar comes out pretty solid--it doesn't crumble apart--and my husband found them to be very portable to his workplace, though he did tote them in a freezer bag because of the Arizona heat.
Another note: this recipes makes a lot of bars; this would be ideal for a large family gathering or potluck. However, the bars are freezable, so don't feel like you have to cram them all in your belly. Unless you want to, of course.
Pumpkin Pie Bars
Modified from "Cravings beyond Pickles and Ice Cream" by the nurses in the Labor and Delivery Unit at Maricopa Medical Center, quoted in Rescued Recipes by Jan D'Atri in the Arizona Republic (October 29, 2011)
Shortbread base and topping:
1 1/4 cups butter, COLD (2 sticks plus 4 Tb)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
Pumpkin layer:
1 can (15-16 ounces) pumpkin puree (or 28-ounce can of yams, drained and mashed) [NOT ORGANIC]
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup molasses
2 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
1)Prepare a 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan. Line it with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray or butter it. Preheat the oven at 350-degrees.
2) In a large bowl, use a fork or a pastry cutter to start mixing the butter and sugar, then add flour. Mix until the butter is down to about pea-size. Add the nuts and stir well.
Set aside half of the mix (4 cups) to be the topping.
3) Press the other half of the crumbs into the pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the edges are starting to turn color slightly. It will still be very pale.
4) While that's baking, combine the rest of the ingredients. When the crust is out of the oven, pour the pumpkin mix over it and smooth it out. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs over the top.
5) Bake at 350-degrees for 30-35 minutes; a toothpick in the middle should come out clean. Let cool at room temperature for a while, and then refrigerate to chill for several hours.
Once set, cut into bars and store them in the fridge. Bars can also be frozen after baking.
OM NOM NOM.
I know exactly what happened, too--I used a box of organic pumpkin puree. The organic stuff is fine for taste, but I've noticed in baking pies that it's a lot more watery and takes longer to bake.
Here, I reached the middle of the recipe and poured on the pumpkin. I sprinkled the crumb topping on... and it all promptly sank like it was downed by a U-Boat. Here and there little bits of crumb wreckage poked out of the orange soup, but it was almost invisible.
This vexed me.
But it was my first time doing the recipe, so maybe that's how it was supposed to look? I decided to continue to bake it, because the pumpkin layer might bake down and let the crumbs surface. I baked it for 10 minutes. It looked exactly the same.
At that point, I went into triage mode. The pumpkin had firmed up, so what I needed was more crumb topping. I dug out my tried and true recipe for caramel apple pie and threw the topping ingredients together. I spread the crumbs on and continued baking.
IT WORKED. The crumb topping turned out beautifully.
However, this now meant I did a drastically different recipe than the one I followed, which I clipped from the paper about two years ago. The organic pumpkin puree might be at fault, but using more crumb topping wasn't a bad idea. I rewrote the recipe to figure out how to combine everything, baked it again, and ta da!
I obviously liked the recipe a lot to make it twice. It is seriously yummy. The top and bottom are basically pecan shortbread. It goes magnificently with that pumpkin pie layer in the middle. The bar comes out pretty solid--it doesn't crumble apart--and my husband found them to be very portable to his workplace, though he did tote them in a freezer bag because of the Arizona heat.
Another note: this recipes makes a lot of bars; this would be ideal for a large family gathering or potluck. However, the bars are freezable, so don't feel like you have to cram them all in your belly. Unless you want to, of course.
Pumpkin Pie Bars
Modified from "Cravings beyond Pickles and Ice Cream" by the nurses in the Labor and Delivery Unit at Maricopa Medical Center, quoted in Rescued Recipes by Jan D'Atri in the Arizona Republic (October 29, 2011)
Shortbread base and topping:
1 1/4 cups butter, COLD (2 sticks plus 4 Tb)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
Pumpkin layer:
1 can (15-16 ounces) pumpkin puree (or 28-ounce can of yams, drained and mashed) [NOT ORGANIC]
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup molasses
2 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
1)Prepare a 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan. Line it with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray or butter it. Preheat the oven at 350-degrees.
2) In a large bowl, use a fork or a pastry cutter to start mixing the butter and sugar, then add flour. Mix until the butter is down to about pea-size. Add the nuts and stir well.
Set aside half of the mix (4 cups) to be the topping.
3) Press the other half of the crumbs into the pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the edges are starting to turn color slightly. It will still be very pale.
4) While that's baking, combine the rest of the ingredients. When the crust is out of the oven, pour the pumpkin mix over it and smooth it out. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs over the top.
5) Bake at 350-degrees for 30-35 minutes; a toothpick in the middle should come out clean. Let cool at room temperature for a while, and then refrigerate to chill for several hours.
Once set, cut into bars and store them in the fridge. Bars can also be frozen after baking.
OM NOM NOM.
October 20, 2013
Sunday Quote wonders what 2014 will bring
"As novelists--observers or listeners--we of all people should trust our ability to grow and change." ~Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
October 18, 2013
Blogging About
I posted about the Metastasis anthology on Tuesday. Today Rhonda posted a short interview where I talk about my cat Palom and how cancer has impacted my life. It has. In a big way.
I also have a guest post on the InterGalactic Medicine Show blog with the The Story Behind the Story of "The Sweetness of Bitter." Also known as the story revision that gave me a nervous breakdown.
I also have a guest post on the InterGalactic Medicine Show blog with the The Story Behind the Story of "The Sweetness of Bitter." Also known as the story revision that gave me a nervous breakdown.
October 16, 2013
Bready or Not: Maple Fudge Bites
I will have you know, I am very dedicated to sharing only the best recipes here. I will make the noble sacrifice of making a recipe more than once, just to get it right. It's tragic, really, but I think it's all worthwhile in the end.
I made my own recipe, you see, inspired by Fudgy Oreo Bites. The inspiration for these actually struck me while I was in Canada at the very end of our Alaskan cruise. We docked for a few hours in Victoria. Just off the harbor, there are approximately a gazillion stores targeted at tourists. This means they are filled with massive walls containing nothing but maple syrup and things that use maple syrup or are shaped like maple leaves.
While surrounded by the maple mother load, we acquired some freshly-made maple fudge. Good grief, that stuff was good. We ate fudge and walked to the next store filled with an explosion of Canadian goodness, including tons of boxed maple sandwich cookies. I thought of my Oreo mock-fudge recipe and realized, huh, I bet I can make mock fudge out of those cookies, too.
Maple sandwich cookies may be tricky to find (outside of Victoria or other Canadian cities, anyway). Sometimes they are just a seasonal thing at places like Ross or Marshall's. Around here, I have found they are available year-round at Sprouts and Fresh & Easy stores (tip: they are cheaper at F&E) and the cookies at both places are absolutely identical. Just boxed differently.
Maple flavor can be found by the extracts in most grocery stores. Even here in the desert, I can get it at Wal-mart and Safeway. But then, we do get a lot of Canadian snowbirds each winter.
My first attempt at making these wasn't a failure, really. They were still quite edible. The thing was, I used all white chocolate. It was too sweet and strong and blended with the maple flavor. The maple did grow stronger after the bars sat in the fridge a few hours, but the mix just wasn't quite right.
Attempt #2 nailed it.
The white chocolate and sweetened condensed milk create a cohesive, sweet bond. The milk and semi-sweet chips stand out and complement the maple without overpowering it. Feel free to use other nuts here, too--or omit them entirely.
This stuff tastes like maple fudge. It looks like maple fudge. However, it requires no candy thermometer and no fuss. Grind up your cookies, spend a few minutes at the stovetop, then throw everything together. Easy-peasey, and so, so good.
I think you'll agree, eh?
Maple Fudge Bites
based on Fudgy Oreo Bites
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups finely crushed maple creme cookies (11.4 oz package)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
10 oz white chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon maple flavor
1/2 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1/4-1/2 cup chocolate chips for garnish (mini chips are best)
Instructions
1) Line 9x9 baking dish with foil, making sure to overlap the sides to create handles for easy removal later. Coat foil with cooking spray.
2)Crush sandwich cookies in gallon bag or a food processor. No chunks allowed.
3) In a medium saucepan, combine chopped white chocolate and sweetened condensed milk. Over low heat melt together stirring frequently.
4) In a large bowl, stir together the cookie crumbs and melted white chocolate mixture until evenly incorporated. Add maple flavor and stir again; the extract is dark, so it will be easy to see when it's mixed. Let sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly before stirring in the chocolate chips and macadamia nuts. If it looks like the chocolate is melting, don't stir too much! It's okay if it's swirled through in a layer.
5) Immediately press the mix into prepared pan.
6) Sprinkle more chips on top and gently press into cookie mixture.
7) Chill for approximately 30 minutes until firm and cut into squares. Try not to eat them all.
OM NOM NOM.
I made my own recipe, you see, inspired by Fudgy Oreo Bites. The inspiration for these actually struck me while I was in Canada at the very end of our Alaskan cruise. We docked for a few hours in Victoria. Just off the harbor, there are approximately a gazillion stores targeted at tourists. This means they are filled with massive walls containing nothing but maple syrup and things that use maple syrup or are shaped like maple leaves.
While surrounded by the maple mother load, we acquired some freshly-made maple fudge. Good grief, that stuff was good. We ate fudge and walked to the next store filled with an explosion of Canadian goodness, including tons of boxed maple sandwich cookies. I thought of my Oreo mock-fudge recipe and realized, huh, I bet I can make mock fudge out of those cookies, too.
Maple sandwich cookies may be tricky to find (outside of Victoria or other Canadian cities, anyway). Sometimes they are just a seasonal thing at places like Ross or Marshall's. Around here, I have found they are available year-round at Sprouts and Fresh & Easy stores (tip: they are cheaper at F&E) and the cookies at both places are absolutely identical. Just boxed differently.
Maple flavor can be found by the extracts in most grocery stores. Even here in the desert, I can get it at Wal-mart and Safeway. But then, we do get a lot of Canadian snowbirds each winter.
My first attempt at making these wasn't a failure, really. They were still quite edible. The thing was, I used all white chocolate. It was too sweet and strong and blended with the maple flavor. The maple did grow stronger after the bars sat in the fridge a few hours, but the mix just wasn't quite right.
Attempt #2 nailed it.
The white chocolate and sweetened condensed milk create a cohesive, sweet bond. The milk and semi-sweet chips stand out and complement the maple without overpowering it. Feel free to use other nuts here, too--or omit them entirely.
This stuff tastes like maple fudge. It looks like maple fudge. However, it requires no candy thermometer and no fuss. Grind up your cookies, spend a few minutes at the stovetop, then throw everything together. Easy-peasey, and so, so good.
I think you'll agree, eh?
Maple Fudge Bites
based on Fudgy Oreo Bites
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups finely crushed maple creme cookies (11.4 oz package)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
10 oz white chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon maple flavor
1/2 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1/4-1/2 cup chocolate chips for garnish (mini chips are best)
Instructions
1) Line 9x9 baking dish with foil, making sure to overlap the sides to create handles for easy removal later. Coat foil with cooking spray.
2)Crush sandwich cookies in gallon bag or a food processor. No chunks allowed.
3) In a medium saucepan, combine chopped white chocolate and sweetened condensed milk. Over low heat melt together stirring frequently.
4) In a large bowl, stir together the cookie crumbs and melted white chocolate mixture until evenly incorporated. Add maple flavor and stir again; the extract is dark, so it will be easy to see when it's mixed. Let sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly before stirring in the chocolate chips and macadamia nuts. If it looks like the chocolate is melting, don't stir too much! It's okay if it's swirled through in a layer.
5) Immediately press the mix into prepared pan.
6) Sprinkle more chips on top and gently press into cookie mixture.
7) Chill for approximately 30 minutes until firm and cut into squares. Try not to eat them all.
OM NOM NOM.
October 15, 2013
Metastasis release
Today is the release date for Metastasis: A Charity Anthology Benefiting Cancer Research. It features some big names like Jay Lake and Kevin J. Anderson, and two of my poems. WolfSinger Publications, the editor and contributors combined are donating a total of 62.5% of all proceeds to the American Cancer Society. The book will be sold through Amazon, B&N, and every other retailer, but there are special deals available.
Buy the anthology through CreateSpace before 10/31 and use the discount code TGERED9J to save 25%.
Buy the anthology through Smashwords before 10/31 and use the discount code LM63L to save 25%.
Here's the official press release from WolfSinger Publications.
“Walk with us.” -Jay Lake
Walk with us as we explore the world of cancer as seen through a speculative fiction lens. Hold our hands while we venture into the world of what-ifs. Take a journey at our side as we experience the full spectrum of what cancer has to offer. The light, the darkness.
Within these pages you'll meet a woman who adores her cancer as a lover, another who sees it as her ticket to immortality. We'll meet a boy willing to do anything to save his mother and another with superpowers. There's a witch who uses magic to fight against the beast ravaging her friend's body, a cat whose capacity for love is unparalleled, a damaged musician, aliens, a goddess butterfly and so much more.
These are not easy stories to read. This is not a comforting collection that will wipe your fears away and make everything all right. It's not that kind of book. These stories will make you cry, but they'll also make you laugh. They'll touch you and stir emotions. These stories aren't all fun, but they are important. All of them.
Edited by Rhonda Parrish, this extraordinary collection of speculative fiction revolves around the theme of cancer. Including work by award-winning and bestselling authors including Jay Lake and Kevin J. Anderson, these 26 stories and poems tell tales of pain and hope, love and loss, fear and strength.
Cancer scares us. There is so much we don't know about it, but it's out there, waiting to strike. This anthology attempts to strike back by supporting research that will develop new treatments and, eventually, find a cure.
WolfSinger Publications, the editor and contributors combined are donating a total of 62.5% of all proceeds to the American Cancer Society.
Metastasis is scheduled for release on Oct 15th, 2013. It will be available through Amazon.com and other online retailers, and can also be ordered through local bookstores.
Metastasis
Edited by Rhonda Parrish
Print ISBN: 978-1-936099-54-2
Print Price: $14.95
eBook Price: $6.95
Buy the anthology through CreateSpace before 10/31 and use the discount code TGERED9J to save 25%.
Buy the anthology through Smashwords before 10/31 and use the discount code LM63L to save 25%.
Here's the official press release from WolfSinger Publications.
“Walk with us.” -Jay Lake
Walk with us as we explore the world of cancer as seen through a speculative fiction lens. Hold our hands while we venture into the world of what-ifs. Take a journey at our side as we experience the full spectrum of what cancer has to offer. The light, the darkness.
Within these pages you'll meet a woman who adores her cancer as a lover, another who sees it as her ticket to immortality. We'll meet a boy willing to do anything to save his mother and another with superpowers. There's a witch who uses magic to fight against the beast ravaging her friend's body, a cat whose capacity for love is unparalleled, a damaged musician, aliens, a goddess butterfly and so much more.
These are not easy stories to read. This is not a comforting collection that will wipe your fears away and make everything all right. It's not that kind of book. These stories will make you cry, but they'll also make you laugh. They'll touch you and stir emotions. These stories aren't all fun, but they are important. All of them.
Edited by Rhonda Parrish, this extraordinary collection of speculative fiction revolves around the theme of cancer. Including work by award-winning and bestselling authors including Jay Lake and Kevin J. Anderson, these 26 stories and poems tell tales of pain and hope, love and loss, fear and strength.
Cancer scares us. There is so much we don't know about it, but it's out there, waiting to strike. This anthology attempts to strike back by supporting research that will develop new treatments and, eventually, find a cure.
WolfSinger Publications, the editor and contributors combined are donating a total of 62.5% of all proceeds to the American Cancer Society.
Metastasis is scheduled for release on Oct 15th, 2013. It will be available through Amazon.com and other online retailers, and can also be ordered through local bookstores.
Metastasis
Edited by Rhonda Parrish
Print ISBN: 978-1-936099-54-2
Print Price: $14.95
eBook Price: $6.95
October 14, 2013
Bonus! Bready or Not: Nanaimo Bars (no bake)
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!
During my Alaskan cruise in June, we had our one evening stop in Victoria. In a few days, you'll get to read about the maple extravaganza and the recipe it inspired, but I wasn't all about maple. I visited Victoria with a specific mission.
Nanaimo Bars.
I knew that they are regarded as a Canadian confectionary delight. I already had several recipes pinned on Pinterest, but how was I going to know if I got the recipe right until I tried the real thing?
My husband's food goal for Victoria was to visit a Tim Horton's. He's used their travel mugs for years and needed a new one, and he loves Timbits.
Before the cruise, I researched for our food mission. There are no Tims near the tourist bonanza of downtown, nor were there any bakeries--the wharf area is all about the nightlife. I had to ask on a cruise forum, and some kind Canadians recommended a particular grocery store with an amazing bakery. It ended up being only a few blocks from Tim Horton's, though all told, we walked well over a mile into the vacant business district on a Saturday night.
It was worth it.
For my husband's birthday in September, he didn't request cake or pie. He wanted Nanaimo bars. I rewrote a recipe to make a 9x13 pan so he would have plenty to share at work.
I have a note on this regarding the pudding. Traditional bars use custard powder--a British/Canadian thing. I was able to find this locally at Fresh & Easy because they were (until a few weeks ago, anyway) owned by Tesco. However, you can substitute using Jell-O instant vanilla pudding.
I can absolutely say that these taste like the real thing.
Nanaimo Bars (9x13 pan)
modified from Live Craft Eat
Base ingredients:
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
10 Tb Cocoa powder, sifted
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups shredded coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
To make the base:
1) Melt butter in a large pot. Add the sugar and cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat.
2) In a bowl, whisk eggs with vanilla and then pour into butter mixture. Stir in graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and nuts.
3) Line a 9x13 pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray. Pour the crust mix into pan and compress it to be as even as possible. Chill until set.
Filling ingredients:
2/3 cup butter, room temperature
6 Tb vanilla custard powder (or vanilla Jell-O powder)
1/2 cup milk
6 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
To make the filling:
1) Beat butter until light and fluffy. Add custard powder (or pudding powder) and milk. Gradually beat in sugar.
2) Spread over chilled base and let set in fridge for several hours or overnight.
Topping ingredients:
16 ounces chocolate
4 Tb butter
To make topping:
1) Melt together chocolate and butter and stir until smooth. Spread in an even layer over chilled filling.
2) Store in fridge until chocolate topping begins to harden, about 10-15 minutes. Pull out the bars by the aluminum foil and cut into bars. (If the chocolate sets too long, it will crack when you cut it.)
Nanaimo bars will keep in the fridge for at least 2 weeks in a covered container, or can be frozen.
OM NOM NOM, eh?
During my Alaskan cruise in June, we had our one evening stop in Victoria. In a few days, you'll get to read about the maple extravaganza and the recipe it inspired, but I wasn't all about maple. I visited Victoria with a specific mission.
Nanaimo Bars.
I knew that they are regarded as a Canadian confectionary delight. I already had several recipes pinned on Pinterest, but how was I going to know if I got the recipe right until I tried the real thing?
My husband's food goal for Victoria was to visit a Tim Horton's. He's used their travel mugs for years and needed a new one, and he loves Timbits.
Before the cruise, I researched for our food mission. There are no Tims near the tourist bonanza of downtown, nor were there any bakeries--the wharf area is all about the nightlife. I had to ask on a cruise forum, and some kind Canadians recommended a particular grocery store with an amazing bakery. It ended up being only a few blocks from Tim Horton's, though all told, we walked well over a mile into the vacant business district on a Saturday night.
It was worth it.
For my husband's birthday in September, he didn't request cake or pie. He wanted Nanaimo bars. I rewrote a recipe to make a 9x13 pan so he would have plenty to share at work.
I have a note on this regarding the pudding. Traditional bars use custard powder--a British/Canadian thing. I was able to find this locally at Fresh & Easy because they were (until a few weeks ago, anyway) owned by Tesco. However, you can substitute using Jell-O instant vanilla pudding.
I can absolutely say that these taste like the real thing.
Nanaimo Bars (9x13 pan)
modified from Live Craft Eat
Base ingredients:
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
10 Tb Cocoa powder, sifted
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups shredded coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
To make the base:
1) Melt butter in a large pot. Add the sugar and cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat.
2) In a bowl, whisk eggs with vanilla and then pour into butter mixture. Stir in graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and nuts.
3) Line a 9x13 pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray. Pour the crust mix into pan and compress it to be as even as possible. Chill until set.
Filling ingredients:
2/3 cup butter, room temperature
6 Tb vanilla custard powder (or vanilla Jell-O powder)
1/2 cup milk
6 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
To make the filling:
1) Beat butter until light and fluffy. Add custard powder (or pudding powder) and milk. Gradually beat in sugar.
2) Spread over chilled base and let set in fridge for several hours or overnight.
Topping ingredients:
16 ounces chocolate
4 Tb butter
To make topping:
1) Melt together chocolate and butter and stir until smooth. Spread in an even layer over chilled filling.
2) Store in fridge until chocolate topping begins to harden, about 10-15 minutes. Pull out the bars by the aluminum foil and cut into bars. (If the chocolate sets too long, it will crack when you cut it.)
Nanaimo bars will keep in the fridge for at least 2 weeks in a covered container, or can be frozen.
OM NOM NOM, eh?
October 13, 2013
Sunday Quote cheers for the coming cooler weather
“A writer only begins a book. A reader finishes it.” ~Samuel Johnson
