Beth Cato's Blog, page 158
October 5, 2012
Hey, look! Published stuff!
My flash fic "The Vulgarity of Flowers" can be read for free in the brand new second issue of Plasma Frequency. It's available on Kindle, Nook, PDF, or can be bought in print.
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Hooked on Hockey came out this Tuesday. On page 317, you'll find my story, "Numbers Game." This publication is really special for my hockey-loving husband, and the story is about how our autistic little guy grew to love the game (and the Phoenix Coyotes) through his fixation on numbers.
If anyone wants to buy an autographed copy of Hooked on Hockey, or most any of the Chicken Soup books I've contributed to, send me an email at Beth.L.Cato at gmail dot com. They do make good Christmas presents!
Chicken Soup for the Soul: Hooked on Hockey came out this Tuesday. On page 317, you'll find my story, "Numbers Game." This publication is really special for my hockey-loving husband, and the story is about how our autistic little guy grew to love the game (and the Phoenix Coyotes) through his fixation on numbers.
If anyone wants to buy an autographed copy of Hooked on Hockey, or most any of the Chicken Soup books I've contributed to, send me an email at Beth.L.Cato at gmail dot com. They do make good Christmas presents!
October 3, 2012
Bready or Not: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies
Brace yourself. October has arrived. Things are about to get festive around here. I'm going pumpkin crazy. That's right, through October and November I'll be featuring pumpkin in all sorts of cookies, cakes, pies and bars. There will also be a few Halloween-related recipes coming up, but the big emphasis will be on pumpkin.
This recipe for brownies just has a 1/2 cup of pumpkin, but it lends the bars that perfect orange tint and an autumnal taste that blends well with chocolate chips.
Two additional notes about canned pumpkin puree:
1) One of the nice things about canned pumpkin is that it freezes well. If you open a can and only use part of it for a recipe like this, measure what's left and put it in a small freezer bag. Pull it out when you have another recipe that requires that amount.
2) If you use pumpkin in baked goods, after a day or so the items get sticky and a little softer, but the taste is still great. You may want to use wax paper between stacking layers as a precaution, though.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies
Found at Pennies on a Platter
Ingredients:
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a rectangular casserole dish inch pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, eggs and oil until smooth. Set aside.
In a separate medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, spices, salt and brown sugar. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until passes toothpick test. Cool completely before cutting.
OM NOM NOM.
This recipe for brownies just has a 1/2 cup of pumpkin, but it lends the bars that perfect orange tint and an autumnal taste that blends well with chocolate chips.
Two additional notes about canned pumpkin puree:
1) One of the nice things about canned pumpkin is that it freezes well. If you open a can and only use part of it for a recipe like this, measure what's left and put it in a small freezer bag. Pull it out when you have another recipe that requires that amount.
2) If you use pumpkin in baked goods, after a day or so the items get sticky and a little softer, but the taste is still great. You may want to use wax paper between stacking layers as a precaution, though.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies
Found at Pennies on a Platter
Ingredients:
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a rectangular casserole dish inch pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, eggs and oil until smooth. Set aside.
In a separate medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, spices, salt and brown sugar. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until passes toothpick test. Cool completely before cutting.
OM NOM NOM.
Bready or Not: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownie
Brace yourself. October has arrived. Things are about to get festive around here. I'm going pumpkin crazy. That's right, through October and November I'll be featuring pumpkin in all sorts of cookies, cakes, pies and bars. There will also be a few Halloween-related recipes coming up, but the big emphasis will be on pumpkin.
This recipe for brownies just has a 1/2 cup of pumpkin, but it lends the bars that perfect orange tint and an autumnal taste that blends well with chocolate chips.
Two additional notes about canned pumpkin puree:
1) One of the nice things about canned pumpkin is that it freezes well. If you open a can and only use part of it for a recipe like this, measure what's left and put it in a small freezer bag. Pull it out when you have another recipe that requires that amount.
2) If you use pumpkin in baked goods, after a day or so the items get sticky and a little softer, but the taste is still great. You may want to use wax paper between stacking layers as a precaution, though.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies
Found at Pennies on a Platter
Ingredients:
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a rectangular casserole dish inch pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, eggs and oil until smooth. Set aside.
In a separate medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, spices, salt and brown sugar. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until passes toothpick test. Cool completely before cutting.
OM NOM NOM.
This recipe for brownies just has a 1/2 cup of pumpkin, but it lends the bars that perfect orange tint and an autumnal taste that blends well with chocolate chips.
Two additional notes about canned pumpkin puree:
1) One of the nice things about canned pumpkin is that it freezes well. If you open a can and only use part of it for a recipe like this, measure what's left and put it in a small freezer bag. Pull it out when you have another recipe that requires that amount.
2) If you use pumpkin in baked goods, after a day or so the items get sticky and a little softer, but the taste is still great. You may want to use wax paper between stacking layers as a precaution, though.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies
Found at Pennies on a Platter
Ingredients:
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a rectangular casserole dish inch pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, eggs and oil until smooth. Set aside.
In a separate medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, spices, salt and brown sugar. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until passes toothpick test. Cool completely before cutting.
OM NOM NOM.
September 30, 2012
Sunday Quote is hanging out with her father-in-law this weekend
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand." ~ Albert Einstein
September 29, 2012
Palom at rest
I mentioned in August that my cat Palom was diagnosed with cancer.
Yesterday, we took him to the vet. He's not hurting anymore.
Me? I'm hurting. I expect to hurt for a while yet. Even when you know this is coming, no logic can prepare you for the actual loss.
I'll miss that cat to the end of my days.
Yesterday, we took him to the vet. He's not hurting anymore.
Me? I'm hurting. I expect to hurt for a while yet. Even when you know this is coming, no logic can prepare you for the actual loss.
I'll miss that cat to the end of my days.
September 28, 2012
Forthcoming publications in October
Since I am not currently working on any novels, that's given me a surprising amount of free time. As in, time for me to go crazy because I don't feel like I have enough to do. I've had to resort to... cleaning.
However, it's also meant that I've been writing a lot more short stories. In August, I sent out five, with one already accepted. In September, I have written four; one has already been accepted, one has been sent in to a contest, one sent out, and the other is currently being critiqued. I hope to have that ready to go by the end of the month.
Whew.
Some of my acceptances from earlier in the year are seeing the light of publication in October. Here's the list:
- "Vulgarity of Flowers" in Plasma Frequency
- "Overlap" in the book Cucurbital 3
- "Numbers Game" (nonfiction) in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Hooked on Hockey
- "Lessons from my Grandparents" (nonfiction reprint in paperback) in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Gift of Christmas
- "Pigeons in Heaven" at Every Day Fiction
I'll be posting more about these stories, along with direct links, as they are released.
Man. I've had a lot of rejections in the past month and a half. It's a relief to see other stories finally reach publication--it reminds me that it will all be worthwhile in the end.
However, it's also meant that I've been writing a lot more short stories. In August, I sent out five, with one already accepted. In September, I have written four; one has already been accepted, one has been sent in to a contest, one sent out, and the other is currently being critiqued. I hope to have that ready to go by the end of the month.
Whew.
Some of my acceptances from earlier in the year are seeing the light of publication in October. Here's the list:
- "Vulgarity of Flowers" in Plasma Frequency
- "Overlap" in the book Cucurbital 3
- "Numbers Game" (nonfiction) in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Hooked on Hockey
- "Lessons from my Grandparents" (nonfiction reprint in paperback) in Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Gift of Christmas
- "Pigeons in Heaven" at Every Day Fiction
I'll be posting more about these stories, along with direct links, as they are released.
Man. I've had a lot of rejections in the past month and a half. It's a relief to see other stories finally reach publication--it reminds me that it will all be worthwhile in the end.
September 26, 2012
Bready or Not: Tender Cornbread
There's just something about autumn and comfort food. That brisk morning breeze. The falling leaves. Pulling out those musty-smelling jackets from the back of the closet...
Oh, heck. Who am I kidding? I live in Arizona. It'll still likely be over 90-degrees at Halloween. My jackets will be staying in the closet another two months, and won't get much wear after that.
However, there is definitely a psychological feeling about autumn. I want all those cozy, sentimental signatures of the season, even if the air conditioner is blaring. When it comes to cold weather comfort food, cornbread is high on the list because it's such a good companion for all those winter goodies--soups, chowders, roast chicken, chili, turkey and gravy, the list goes on and on.
That tortured chicken THINKS it's the star of the dinner plate, but that cornbread is the Luigi to its Mario. Or something.
I cooked this cornbread up in a cast iron skillet because I love the crisp crust, but really any round cake pan or smaller casserole dish will do.
Tried and True Tender Cornbread
Adapted from Can You Stay for Dinner?
Ingredients:
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter (½ stick), melted, plus
2 Tablespoons butter
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk (make your own with milk and lemon juice or vinegar)
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pull out an 8-inch round pan or a cast iron skillet. Place the 2 tablespoons of butter in pan/skillet and place it in oven to warm up.
Whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the butter, eggs, and buttermilk until well blended. Pour this mixture into dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
OM NOM NOM.
Oh, heck. Who am I kidding? I live in Arizona. It'll still likely be over 90-degrees at Halloween. My jackets will be staying in the closet another two months, and won't get much wear after that.
However, there is definitely a psychological feeling about autumn. I want all those cozy, sentimental signatures of the season, even if the air conditioner is blaring. When it comes to cold weather comfort food, cornbread is high on the list because it's such a good companion for all those winter goodies--soups, chowders, roast chicken, chili, turkey and gravy, the list goes on and on.
That tortured chicken THINKS it's the star of the dinner plate, but that cornbread is the Luigi to its Mario. Or something.
I cooked this cornbread up in a cast iron skillet because I love the crisp crust, but really any round cake pan or smaller casserole dish will do.
Tried and True Tender Cornbread
Adapted from Can You Stay for Dinner?
Ingredients:
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter (½ stick), melted, plus
2 Tablespoons butter
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk (make your own with milk and lemon juice or vinegar)
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pull out an 8-inch round pan or a cast iron skillet. Place the 2 tablespoons of butter in pan/skillet and place it in oven to warm up.
Whisk cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the butter, eggs, and buttermilk until well blended. Pour this mixture into dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
OM NOM NOM.
September 23, 2012
Sunday Quote evokes the wisdom of one her mom's favorite authors
“For one who reads, there is no limit to the number of lives that may be lived, for fiction, biography, and history offer an inexhaustible number of lives in many parts of the world, in all periods of time.” ~ Louis L'Amour
September 21, 2012
Do it anyway!
Writing is full of scary moments.
Sending a story to a market that rejects 99.9% of submissions? Do it anyway!
Submitting a rough story to a critique group? Do it anyway!
Querying agents with a novel that you fear will never be ready? Do it anyway!
Of course, motivational speeches are much better when there are Fraggles involved.
Sending a story to a market that rejects 99.9% of submissions? Do it anyway!
Submitting a rough story to a critique group? Do it anyway!
Querying agents with a novel that you fear will never be ready? Do it anyway!
Of course, motivational speeches are much better when there are Fraggles involved.
September 19, 2012
Bready or Not: Coffee and Butter Cookies
When I was a teenager, I hated Martha Stewart. The very sight of her made me roll my eyes and gag. I mean, come on. The prim haircut. The obsessive from-scratch crafting. The valium voice. She was so... so... manically domestic.
My eighteen-year-old self would be appalled that the thirty-two-year-old me has subscriptions to both Martha Stewart Living and Everyday Food and that I thoroughly enjoy them both.
I flipped through an issue of Living earlier this year and saw a recipe for Dad Sugar Cookies. I was intrigued. I read the ingredients. I saw mention of poppy seeds and cringed. Poppy seeds are okay, but how often do I use them in recipes? Never. Do I want to buy a whole bag of them just to use 3/4 teaspoon in a recipe? No!
So I got to thinking about substitutes and thought of the Irish Coffee Bars I made a few months back. The coffee granules in that recipe gave the bars a beautiful speckled look and a fresh taste. I figured coffee would do the same in cookie form.
What'd you know? It did.
This recipe creates thin, crisp cookies that taste of coffee and butter (the name suddenly makes sense!). My husband took them to work and they were a huge hit. His co-workers found that the cookies were excellent dipped in coffee--hey, coffee cookies, coffee-coffee--why not?
Coffee and Butter Cookies
Modified from a recipe in Martha Stewart Living
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh coffee grounds
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and coffee.
2. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer for about 5 minutes, until it's pale and fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. If the dough is crumbly, add in water by teaspoons until it's cohesive; if it gets sticky or goopy, add more flour to balance. Divide the dough in half and form into disk shapes, then surround each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate a few hours or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 325. Prepare a lightly floured surface, then roll out the dough one disk at a time to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes.
4. Bake about 15-18 minutes, until edges of cookies are just turning golden. If you use two cookie sheets at once, rotate them halfway through. Cool cookies on wire racks.
OM NOM NOM!
My eighteen-year-old self would be appalled that the thirty-two-year-old me has subscriptions to both Martha Stewart Living and Everyday Food and that I thoroughly enjoy them both.
I flipped through an issue of Living earlier this year and saw a recipe for Dad Sugar Cookies. I was intrigued. I read the ingredients. I saw mention of poppy seeds and cringed. Poppy seeds are okay, but how often do I use them in recipes? Never. Do I want to buy a whole bag of them just to use 3/4 teaspoon in a recipe? No!
So I got to thinking about substitutes and thought of the Irish Coffee Bars I made a few months back. The coffee granules in that recipe gave the bars a beautiful speckled look and a fresh taste. I figured coffee would do the same in cookie form.
What'd you know? It did.
This recipe creates thin, crisp cookies that taste of coffee and butter (the name suddenly makes sense!). My husband took them to work and they were a huge hit. His co-workers found that the cookies were excellent dipped in coffee--hey, coffee cookies, coffee-coffee--why not?
Coffee and Butter Cookies
Modified from a recipe in Martha Stewart Living
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh coffee grounds
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and coffee.
2. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer for about 5 minutes, until it's pale and fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. If the dough is crumbly, add in water by teaspoons until it's cohesive; if it gets sticky or goopy, add more flour to balance. Divide the dough in half and form into disk shapes, then surround each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate a few hours or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 325. Prepare a lightly floured surface, then roll out the dough one disk at a time to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes.
4. Bake about 15-18 minutes, until edges of cookies are just turning golden. If you use two cookie sheets at once, rotate them halfway through. Cool cookies on wire racks.
OM NOM NOM!
