Beth Cato's Blog, page 148
April 10, 2013
Bready or Not: Homemade Chick-Fil-A Nuggets
Chick-Fil-A chicken is good stuff. My husband got me hooked on it back when we were newly married and living in South Carolina. A few years later when he was stationed Washington, we mourned the loss of Chick-Fil-A, even as we discovered yummy new restaurants like Ivar's and Taco Time and teriyaki joints in every strip mall.
Lo and behold, when we looked at a transition to civilian life in Arizona, we found Chick-Fil-A waiting for us. There was much rejoicing, and eating of the chicken and waffle fries, and it was good.
Fortunately for our waistlines and budget, Chick-Fil-A is not located very close to us. Plus, I want to eat healthier and watch portion sizes now. And sometimes I crave good chicken on a Sunday. Or want to avoid eating at places that make certain political or religious statements. *ahem*
So, I rejoice in the opportunity to make my own Chick-Fil-A at home, for much cheaper, and on any day of the week I so desire.
The marinade is a cool thing here. It sounds gross, but when you think about it, it's really a variation of homemade buttermilk or sour milk. That combination really breaks down the meat and tenderizes. I buy low sodium Vlasic pickles and that juice seems to work just fine.
I've made this with canola and peanut oil. Both work really well, though peanut leaves a slightly "cleaner" taste.
This recipe makes a lot of chicken. Really, really, good chicken. Even with my husband's hearty appetite, we can get a few meals out of this. Also, it's exceptionally good cold. When we did our last road trip to California, I packed a sandwich bag full of these bites and we ate picnic style and it was awesome.
Homemade Chick-Fil-A Nuggets
modified from Iowa Girl Eats
Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts (1.5 pounds), cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup pickle juice
1-1/4 cups flour
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2-1 cup oil, divided (peanut, canola or vegetable oil)
Directions:
1) Whisk together milk and pickle juice, and pour into a large ziplock bag or bowl. Add chicken pieces and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.
2) Combine flour, powdered sugar, salt and pepper in a large ziplock bag. Shake to combine. Remove chicken from the marinade and add into the bag. Shake to coat the chicken completely.
3) Heat some of the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat (6 or 7 out of 10.) Test the oil by dropping in a bit of the flour mixture. If it sizzles, the oil is ready; if it pops, lower the temperature a bit.
4) Gently place chicken pieces into the oil with a big spoon or tongs; don’t overcrowd the pan. You will probably end up doing 2-4 batches. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown on one side. Turn the chicken over and allow to cook for 3-4 more minutes. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate and cover with a towel to keep warm.
Heat more oil and continue with the chicken pieces until all done.
OM NOM NOM.
Lo and behold, when we looked at a transition to civilian life in Arizona, we found Chick-Fil-A waiting for us. There was much rejoicing, and eating of the chicken and waffle fries, and it was good.
Fortunately for our waistlines and budget, Chick-Fil-A is not located very close to us. Plus, I want to eat healthier and watch portion sizes now. And sometimes I crave good chicken on a Sunday. Or want to avoid eating at places that make certain political or religious statements. *ahem*
So, I rejoice in the opportunity to make my own Chick-Fil-A at home, for much cheaper, and on any day of the week I so desire.
The marinade is a cool thing here. It sounds gross, but when you think about it, it's really a variation of homemade buttermilk or sour milk. That combination really breaks down the meat and tenderizes. I buy low sodium Vlasic pickles and that juice seems to work just fine.
I've made this with canola and peanut oil. Both work really well, though peanut leaves a slightly "cleaner" taste.
This recipe makes a lot of chicken. Really, really, good chicken. Even with my husband's hearty appetite, we can get a few meals out of this. Also, it's exceptionally good cold. When we did our last road trip to California, I packed a sandwich bag full of these bites and we ate picnic style and it was awesome.
Homemade Chick-Fil-A Nuggets
modified from Iowa Girl Eats
Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts (1.5 pounds), cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup pickle juice
1-1/4 cups flour
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2-1 cup oil, divided (peanut, canola or vegetable oil)
Directions:
1) Whisk together milk and pickle juice, and pour into a large ziplock bag or bowl. Add chicken pieces and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.
2) Combine flour, powdered sugar, salt and pepper in a large ziplock bag. Shake to combine. Remove chicken from the marinade and add into the bag. Shake to coat the chicken completely.
3) Heat some of the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat (6 or 7 out of 10.) Test the oil by dropping in a bit of the flour mixture. If it sizzles, the oil is ready; if it pops, lower the temperature a bit.
4) Gently place chicken pieces into the oil with a big spoon or tongs; don’t overcrowd the pan. You will probably end up doing 2-4 batches. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown on one side. Turn the chicken over and allow to cook for 3-4 more minutes. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate and cover with a towel to keep warm.
Heat more oil and continue with the chicken pieces until all done.
OM NOM NOM.
April 9, 2013
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Raising Kids on the Spectrum
I mentioned last week that my story "We Love Vermont" is in the new Chicken Soup for the Soul: Raising Kids on the Spectrum.
Well, I was surprised this morning to find it's Chicken Soup's featured story for the day! You can read "We Love Vermont" online.
Critter is still has an uncanny knack for memorizing maps. The drive to my parents' house in California is 8-9 hours long, and we only make the trip once or twice a year. This kid has the route memorized down to the exits, streets, and the mileage between exits. When we did a 3,000 mile road trip a few years ago, he memorized that full route based on the Mapquest directions and could recite it from memory, down to the 'slight rights' and decimal points for distance.
It makes me happy to see the kid pull out a favorite atlas and settle in for a good five hours straight of reading.
Well, I was surprised this morning to find it's Chicken Soup's featured story for the day! You can read "We Love Vermont" online.
Critter is still has an uncanny knack for memorizing maps. The drive to my parents' house in California is 8-9 hours long, and we only make the trip once or twice a year. This kid has the route memorized down to the exits, streets, and the mileage between exits. When we did a 3,000 mile road trip a few years ago, he memorized that full route based on the Mapquest directions and could recite it from memory, down to the 'slight rights' and decimal points for distance.
It makes me happy to see the kid pull out a favorite atlas and settle in for a good five hours straight of reading.
April 7, 2013
Sunday Quote hopes it's not too hot today
“After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.” ~ Philip Pullman
April 5, 2013
Publication flood! And an excerpt.
Whew! The first week of April brought a crazy little flood of publications.
April is Autism Awareness Month, and as some of you know, my just-turned eight-year-old is very much on the spectrum. My story "We Love Vermont" is in the brand new Chicken Soup for the Soul: Raising Kids on the Spectrum. It's about how at age two, Critter couldn't speak sentences but he memorized all the states and their locations, and how that broadened his awareness of the world. If anyone wants to buy a signed copy, please drop me a comment, or send me a message through Twitter/Facebook/email/etc.
My science fiction flash "Bloom" is in the new issue of 713 Flash and can be read online for free.
My tale set in World War II California, "American Shadow," can be read in The California Cantata. It's also available for Nook. This story is a personal favorite of mine since it's set in the small town of Armona where I grew up, and my grandma was my fact checker.
---
Progress continues on Breath of Earth.
Here's an excerpt from this week's writing:
She was surrounded by soldiers. One stooped to pick up her purse.
"Thanks for grabbing that for me," she said. "Now if you'll just pass it here, I'll move along—"
"Miss Carmichael, I've spent a great deal of time and fuss looking for you the past day."
"Should I be flattered?"
"Sir!" It was the soldier with her purse. "There's a pistol here, sir."
Captain Sutcliff tilted his head to one side. "Anything else?"
"Stubs for Lincoln, sir, and a hair brush."
The captain returned his cool gaze to her. A light from behind cast his face in bright yellow the same shade as his hair. "What did you have in mind tonight, hmm?"
"Isn't it obvious? I planned to brush my hair."
April is Autism Awareness Month, and as some of you know, my just-turned eight-year-old is very much on the spectrum. My story "We Love Vermont" is in the brand new Chicken Soup for the Soul: Raising Kids on the Spectrum. It's about how at age two, Critter couldn't speak sentences but he memorized all the states and their locations, and how that broadened his awareness of the world. If anyone wants to buy a signed copy, please drop me a comment, or send me a message through Twitter/Facebook/email/etc.
My science fiction flash "Bloom" is in the new issue of 713 Flash and can be read online for free.
My tale set in World War II California, "American Shadow," can be read in The California Cantata. It's also available for Nook. This story is a personal favorite of mine since it's set in the small town of Armona where I grew up, and my grandma was my fact checker.
---
Progress continues on Breath of Earth.
Here's an excerpt from this week's writing:
She was surrounded by soldiers. One stooped to pick up her purse.
"Thanks for grabbing that for me," she said. "Now if you'll just pass it here, I'll move along—"
"Miss Carmichael, I've spent a great deal of time and fuss looking for you the past day."
"Should I be flattered?"
"Sir!" It was the soldier with her purse. "There's a pistol here, sir."
Captain Sutcliff tilted his head to one side. "Anything else?"
"Stubs for Lincoln, sir, and a hair brush."
The captain returned his cool gaze to her. A light from behind cast his face in bright yellow the same shade as his hair. "What did you have in mind tonight, hmm?"
"Isn't it obvious? I planned to brush my hair."
April 3, 2013
Bready or Not: Chocolate Chip and Walnut Scones
I have a confession to make. I kinda went crazy over the holiday season when all the stores had chocolate chips on sale. I stocked up. This is a good thing, really. I love making things with chocolate chips, and I love a good sale.
The problem is I live in Arizona. It starts to heat up in March and April. We keep the air conditioner on 82 degrees, but that still means that any chocolates in the pantry get too soft. I have to keep my chocolate chips in the fridge through the summer.
There's no way I can squeeze a dozen bags of chips in there, not if I want us to have, um, good food.
This means I have to make a concerted effort now to use up a good chunk of my chocolate chip stockpile. Darn.
Last summer I shared this strawberry scones recipe. It occurred to me that chocolate chip scone recipes are out there--I have even bought ready-made mixes, years ago--but that I could tweak my own recipe and make it work. It did.
And like the original recipe, these are totally freezable, either baked or unbaked. Some of these chocolate chips may end up frozen instead of merely refrigerated...
Chocolate Chip and Walnut Scones
Modified from my strawberry scones recipe
Ingredients:
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or other nut, or dried fruit)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup half-and-half or cream or cold buttermilk
Topping:
1 tablespoon turbinado or granulated sugar (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper, or grease a scone pan.
Combine sugars, flour, baking powder and salt. Add butter, using a pastry cutter or 2 knives to cut in butter. Stir in chips and nuts; then add cream/half-and-half/buttermilk all at once. Flour your hands, and gently knead and turn the dough to make sure you get all the dry bits from the bottom. Sprinkle dough with extra flour if it's too sticky to work with, or add more milk.
Form into scone pan, or form dough into a circle 3/4 inch thick. Cut circle into 6-8 wedges (or smaller), then transfer wedges to the cookie sheet, leaving at least 1/2 inch of space between them. It's imperative you leave space between the scones, as they will expand in the oven! Sprinkle the top with the extra turbinado sugar, if using.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until the tops are beginning to brown.
Store in a sealed container. Scones can be eaten at room temperature, or heated in microwave for 20 seconds or so.
OM NOM NOM.
The problem is I live in Arizona. It starts to heat up in March and April. We keep the air conditioner on 82 degrees, but that still means that any chocolates in the pantry get too soft. I have to keep my chocolate chips in the fridge through the summer.
There's no way I can squeeze a dozen bags of chips in there, not if I want us to have, um, good food.
This means I have to make a concerted effort now to use up a good chunk of my chocolate chip stockpile. Darn.
Last summer I shared this strawberry scones recipe. It occurred to me that chocolate chip scone recipes are out there--I have even bought ready-made mixes, years ago--but that I could tweak my own recipe and make it work. It did.
And like the original recipe, these are totally freezable, either baked or unbaked. Some of these chocolate chips may end up frozen instead of merely refrigerated...
Chocolate Chip and Walnut Scones
Modified from my strawberry scones recipe
Ingredients:
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or other nut, or dried fruit)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup half-and-half or cream or cold buttermilk
Topping:
1 tablespoon turbinado or granulated sugar (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper, or grease a scone pan.
Combine sugars, flour, baking powder and salt. Add butter, using a pastry cutter or 2 knives to cut in butter. Stir in chips and nuts; then add cream/half-and-half/buttermilk all at once. Flour your hands, and gently knead and turn the dough to make sure you get all the dry bits from the bottom. Sprinkle dough with extra flour if it's too sticky to work with, or add more milk.
Form into scone pan, or form dough into a circle 3/4 inch thick. Cut circle into 6-8 wedges (or smaller), then transfer wedges to the cookie sheet, leaving at least 1/2 inch of space between them. It's imperative you leave space between the scones, as they will expand in the oven! Sprinkle the top with the extra turbinado sugar, if using.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until the tops are beginning to brown.
Store in a sealed container. Scones can be eaten at room temperature, or heated in microwave for 20 seconds or so.
OM NOM NOM.
April 1, 2013
Breath of Earth progress as of end of 3/31
Plodding onward. Here's the word count as of last night:
Today, however, is one of those days where the words may require a laxative. (Yes. This post is a complete and utter exercise in procrastination.)
Also, it's the first day of the Poem a Day Challenge!
Today, however, is one of those days where the words may require a laxative. (Yes. This post is a complete and utter exercise in procrastination.)
Also, it's the first day of the Poem a Day Challenge!
March 31, 2013
Sunday Quote will buy cheap chocolate tomorrow
"There is no perfect time to write. There’s only now." ~Barbara Kingsolver
March 29, 2013
Bracket Madness at Daily Science Fiction
The folks at Daily Science Fiction grabbed 64 of their longest stories published last year and have them paired off in daily "Bracket Madness" polls. Today is my turn in round one! "Cartographer's Ink" is up against another fine story.
Please drop by and vote! The poll is on the right side of the screen, and will feature my story through Saturday.
Please drop by and vote! The poll is on the right side of the screen, and will feature my story through Saturday.
March 27, 2013
Bready or Not: Personal Apple Crisps
Let's pretend. Say you have a bunch of apples. Say you're just feeding yourself and maybe one other person. Say you're both trying to eat healthy but want a little treat. That means pies or crisps are out, though they both sound really good. They just make too much food, plus it means everything is shrouded in sugar and pastry.
The healthy answer: personal apple crisps.
These are serving-size perfect for two people (or heck, cut the amounts in half and make enough for one). It's mostly fruit with the tiniest touch of butter and sugar, plus there are no worries about leftovers to ruin your diet for a full week.
I scaled this down and tweaked some things from the original. This makes enough to cover two large apples (each halved) or three to four small apples. I've tried this with several kinds of apples, and they all worked. Red Delicious gets extra soft but still holds up, and Granny Smith stays more firm. I found the best apples to be that mid-range of sweet-tart crisp, like Pink Lady and Braeburn.
Some topping will fall off the apples. That's okay. It's still really good scraped off the cookie sheet.
Personal Apple Crisps
modified from Heidi at Food Doodles
Makes enough for 2 large apples/3-4 small
2.5 Tablespoons rolled oats
2.5 Tablespoons wheat flour
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
pinch of cloves
pinch of salt
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 Tablespoon maple syrup or honey
raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Core your apples and slice them in half, or slice in half then scoop out the core. Just get it out of there. Place each half on a baking sheet. Scoop topping mixture over the exposed half of the apple. The topping will spread very little, so take it right to the edge.
Place the apples in the hot oven for 17-20 minutes, watching that the tops are just golden and don’t burn. Let cool for a few minutes. If you want, serve with ice cream or yogurt, but these are really good just by themselves.
OM NOM NOM.
The healthy answer: personal apple crisps.
These are serving-size perfect for two people (or heck, cut the amounts in half and make enough for one). It's mostly fruit with the tiniest touch of butter and sugar, plus there are no worries about leftovers to ruin your diet for a full week.
I scaled this down and tweaked some things from the original. This makes enough to cover two large apples (each halved) or three to four small apples. I've tried this with several kinds of apples, and they all worked. Red Delicious gets extra soft but still holds up, and Granny Smith stays more firm. I found the best apples to be that mid-range of sweet-tart crisp, like Pink Lady and Braeburn.
Some topping will fall off the apples. That's okay. It's still really good scraped off the cookie sheet.
Personal Apple Crisps
modified from Heidi at Food Doodles
Makes enough for 2 large apples/3-4 small
2.5 Tablespoons rolled oats
2.5 Tablespoons wheat flour
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
pinch of cloves
pinch of salt
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 Tablespoon maple syrup or honey
raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Core your apples and slice them in half, or slice in half then scoop out the core. Just get it out of there. Place each half on a baking sheet. Scoop topping mixture over the exposed half of the apple. The topping will spread very little, so take it right to the edge.
Place the apples in the hot oven for 17-20 minutes, watching that the tops are just golden and don’t burn. Let cool for a few minutes. If you want, serve with ice cream or yogurt, but these are really good just by themselves.
OM NOM NOM.
March 25, 2013
April Attacks!
You can't turn your back on the calendar for an instant. It's sneaky. April almost pounced on me, all ninja-like, but I noted its growing signatures--warmth and wind and a riot of flowers in my backyard.
Now I'm ready for April. Kinda. Sorta. Maybe.
April means the Poem a Day Challenge. This will be extra challenging this year. I've been working on Breath of Earth and hope to finish the rough draft by the end of the month. It's already been a challenge to balance slush, submissions, and work on other short stories against my daily word count goals. Geez, I haven't even had a chance to revise some of my poems from November's challenge.
That calendar. It's devious. It keeps going faster.
Anyone else plan on participating in Poem a Day? Or what about Camp NaNoWriMo?
Now I'm ready for April. Kinda. Sorta. Maybe.
April means the Poem a Day Challenge. This will be extra challenging this year. I've been working on Breath of Earth and hope to finish the rough draft by the end of the month. It's already been a challenge to balance slush, submissions, and work on other short stories against my daily word count goals. Geez, I haven't even had a chance to revise some of my poems from November's challenge.
That calendar. It's devious. It keeps going faster.
Anyone else plan on participating in Poem a Day? Or what about Camp NaNoWriMo?
