Beth Cato's Blog, page 53
June 23, 2018
Four Months Until ROAR OF SKY is Out–and I Need Help!
Four months from today, Roar of Sky will be released. As you likely know, Amazon is (for better or worse) the biggest bookseller in the world, and reviews and ratings on there matter. The higher those numbers, the more that Amazon’s algorithms will favor the books.
That’s where you, my awesome readers, can be a huge help. Breath of Earth and Call of Fire need more ratings and reviews on Amazon. Have you read one or both? Are they in your to-read pile–and can you get to them soon? My hope is that in the next month, by July 23rd:
Breath of Earth will reach at least 50 reviews
Call of Fire will reach at least 20 reviews
Please note that I’m not asking for 5-star reviews. I want honest feedback from people who have read the books. Judge them as you will. If you share your reviews on Facebook or Twitter, tag me, and maybe I can share them in turn!
Thank you!
#SFWAPRo
June 20, 2018
Bready or Not: High Fiber Muffins
These High Fiber Muffins are a delicious way to start your day!
When I was challenged to make high-fiber muffins, this turned out to be more of a challenge than I anticipated. I wanted them to be delicious but to include ingredients I already had in the kitchen.
In other words, I didn’t want to order some fancy high fiber mix-ins that I would never use again.
I found a good base recipe from King Arthur Flour and set to work modifying it. Instead of Hi-Maize Fiber, I tried almond flour. I switched in white whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour.
When the topping portion of the recipe made way, way too much, I tested out reduced amounts in my next attempt. I judged how well the muffins held up after being frozen for weeks.
The end result in a higher-fiber muffin recipe that’s light, cakey and delicious.
Note that the muffin tops will get soggy after about two days at room temperature. Make them last a lot longer by freezing them! Remove the paper liners and set muffins on waxed paper to freeze, then store them in a gallon bag or other freezer-safe container.
Modified from King Arthur Flour.
OM NOM NOM!\n","cookTime":"P","prepTime":"P","totalTime":"P"}
Bready or Not: High Fiber Muffins
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These high-fiber muffins are light and cakey and packed with good things! Store them at room temperature for a day or two, or freeze to make them last longer.
Muffins:
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
2/3 cup white sugar
3/4 cup almond flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon King Arthur Flour Cake Enhancer, optional
1/3 cup milk or half & half
3/4 cup (one standard single cup) Greek vanilla or fruit-flavored yogurt (not nonfat)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup (half stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup dried fruit such as golden raisins
Topping:
2 Tablespoons white whole wheat flour
2 Tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup old-fashioned (rolled) oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 Tablespoons unsalted softened butter
Preheat oven at 400-degrees. Place muffin liners in pan and apply nonstick spray.
In a big bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, almond flour, baking powder, salt, and cake enhancer (if using). Mix in the milk, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla, followed by the melted butter. Stir in the dried fruit until just distributed.
Using a muffin scoop or heaping spoonfuls, fill muffin cups until mostly full.
Combine topping ingredients. Spoon onto the top of each muffin and lightly press in with fingertips.
Bake muffins for 16 to 18 minutes, until lightly domed and center muffin passes the toothpick test. Immediately remove them from the pan to cool on a rack.
Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to two days; after that, tops will start to get soggy, though muffins will still taste good. To freeze, remove paper liners and place on a wax-paper lined pan in freezer. Then place in gallon freezer bag or plastic container to store in freezer up to several weeks.
OM NOM NOM!
June 17, 2018
Sunday Quote agrees with Lloyd Alexander
“Fantasy is hardly an escape from reality. It’s a way of understanding it.”
~ Lloyd Alexander
June 13, 2018
Bready or Not: No-Bake Peanut Butter Pretzel Fudge
These easy-to-make No-Bake Peanut Butter Pretzel Fudge pieces are basically like homemade candy bar bites.
They are a fantastic combination of savory, salty, sweet, and crunchy. They have it all going on.
Plus, you don’t even have to turn on the oven–just a food processor, microwave, and maybe a stand mixer. The fridge does all the lengthy work.
These went over so well at my husband’s work that a guy immediately logged onto my website via his phone to try to find the recipe. Uh, sorry, dude. There is quite a lead time between the initial baking/making and the online post.
However, by his enthusiasm, maybe he’ll find this post is worth the long wait.
Modified from America’s Test Kitchen, Christmas Cookies 2013.
OM NOM NOM!\n","cookTime":"P","prepTime":"P","totalTime":"P"}
Bready or Not: No-Bake Peanut Butter Pretzel Fudge
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These no-bake fudge bites are kinda like candy bars with an incredible combination of savory, salty, sweet, and crunchy. They require almost no labor, but will need several hours of chill time in the fridge.
Fudge:
5 ounces salted thin pretzel sticks broken into pieces (2 cups, divided)
12 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups confectioners' sugar
Chocolate Ganache:
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 1/2 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
Line an 8x8 or 9x9-inch pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray.
In a food processor, process 1 cup of broken pretzels until finely ground. Stir together the pretzel crumbs and melted butter in a large mixing bowl and let sit to cool a few minutes.
Add peanut butter, vanilla extract, and salt to the butter mixture, and mix until the peanut butter is smooth. Slowly mix in the confectioners' sugar until it all comes together. Add the additional 1 cup of pretzel sticks and stir to combine.
Transfer the mix to the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Cover surface directly with plastic wrap or waxed paper and smooth out more, then stash in fridge for 30 minutes.
Microwave the three ganache ingredients at 50% power, stirring often, until melted and smooth. This will total about 1 minute or so. Let cool slightly.
Remove plastic cover from atop the fudge and use an uneven spatula to spread ganache on top.
Chill pan for about 4 hours. Use the foil sling to lift contents from pan and onto a cutting board to parcel into bars.
Keeps well in fridge for days in a sealed container.
OM NOM NOM!
June 10, 2018
Sunday Quote has a Peanut Butter Pretzel Fudge recipe up on Wednesday
“Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.”
~ Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own
June 6, 2018
Bready or Not: Lemon Shortbread Bites
If you love lemon, brace yourself. These Lemon Shortbread Bites are small, delicious, and poppable like potato chips.
This recipe would be perfect for a potluck or picnic or shower. Anywhere where you need small cookies that aren’t necessarily filling… if you manage to restrain yourself.
These things are sandy and light in texture, and the lemon glaze gives a refreshing, bright flavor that isn’t hardcore sweet.
That’s what makes these so dangerous. They are cookies you can easily grab by the handful.
If you have clear vanilla extract, that’s ideal for this recipe so that it doesn’t tint the glaze. But regular ol’ vanilla will certainly do.
I don’t know how long these cookies will keep. They tend to vanish rather quickly.
Modified from Pink Cake Plate.
OM NOM NOM!\n","cookTime":"P","prepTime":"P","totalTime":"P"}
Bready or Not: Lemon Shortbread Bites
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Be warned: this recipe makes dangerously-addictive lemony bites of shortbread! The recipes will make anywhere from 45 to 64 cookies, depending on how you slice up the dough, but keep in mind they will spread in the oven. For the glaze, use a clear vanilla extract, if possible, to keep the glaze white rather than tinted.
Cookies:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon lemon extract
zest of 1 lemon
Glaze:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice (more as needed)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (clear, if available)
yellow or white sanding sugar, optional
In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy. Gradually add in the flour, lemon extract, and zest.
Lay out plastic wrap. Dump dough onto the surface and form into a 6-inch square about 3/4 inch thick. Completely wrap dough and set in fridge for at least two hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 325-degrees. Using a knife or bench knife, cut dough into small squares; note that they will spread in the oven. Set up on parchment-covered cookie sheet, with cookies spaced out.
Bake 22 to 26 minutes, or until cookies are set and turning golden. Use parchment to slide them onto another surface to cool or let cool on cookies sheet.
Mix confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, until it forms thick but oozy consistency. Drizzle glaze over cookies. If desired, immediately sprinkle sanding sugar on top to create a glittery shine.
OM NOM NOM!
June 3, 2018
Sunday Quote hides from the heat
“It is perfectly okay to write garbage—as long as you edit brilliantly.”
~C. J. Cherryh
May 30, 2018
Bready or Not Original: Apple Butter Bars
Last month I shared a recipe for Apple Butter Oatmeal Bars. This time around, I’m sharing easy and straightforward Apple Butter Bars.
This is a totally original recipe out of necessity. I tried another recipe, and ended up with a crumbly mess. Therefore, I decided to adapt my Lemon Cheesecake Bar recipe.
That attempt turned out perfect. It’s fast to make, as you don’t have to bake in stages, and the end result was cohesive.
Do note that these are best chilled. They will get softer if kept at room temperature for a while.
The taste is phenomenal. The crumb layers taste like vanilla shortbread, with a sporadic crunch from nuts. The thin layer of apple butter adds just the right about of spice and flavor.
This would be great with other fruit butters, too!
OM NOM NOM!\n","cookTime":"P","prepTime":"P","totalTime":"P"}
Bready or Not Original: Apple Butter Bars
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This easy recipe will produce a large dish of delicious Apple Butter Bars. The crumb topping tastes like vanilla shortbread, while the thin apple butter layer adds just the right amount of spice and sweetness.
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup walnuts, chopped finely
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 sticks (12 Tb) unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups apple butter or other fruit butter
Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 9x13 pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray or butter.
In a large bowl, blend together flour, walnuts, confectioners' sugar, butter, and vanilla, until it is crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of crumbs; press the rest into the ready pan.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the edges are turning golden brown and crust is set.
Pour apple butter over crust and smooth to edges. Crumble reserved flour mixture all over the top. Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes.
Cool to room temperature then chill in fridge. Use foil to lift out bars to slice. Store in sealed container in the fridge for maximum flavor and cohesiveness.
OM NOM NOM!
May 28, 2018
SFF Grand Book Giveaway!
Psst, want to enter to win a bunch of awesome books–no matter where you live in the world? The winner gets over a dozen books total from me, Kate Heartfield, SL Huang, Aliette de Bodard, Jim C. Hines, JY Yang, and Kate Elliott!
While we’re encouraging entrants to sign up for our mailing lists, in keeping with new GDRP rules from Europe, there is no requirement to sign up for a single list. When you click on the author buttons, you get to choose if you want to sign up for a list or not. (If you’re already subscribed to my Cato Log, that means you can easily enter this by choosing the ‘don’t subscribe’ option.)
This contest runs through June 25th.
#SFWAPro
May 27, 2018
Sunday Quote digs into post-con laundry
“I am irritated by my own writing. I am like a violinist whose ear is true, but whose fingers refuse to reproduce precisely the sound he hears within.”
~Gustave Flaubert
