Beth Cato's Blog, page 70

Bready or Not: Oatmeal Cream Pies

Today I present something seriously delicious: Oatmeal Cream Pies, aka Sandwich Cookies.

These things are about the size of a sandwich, too, and about as filling because of the chewy oatmeal cookies. You have two tablespoons worth of dough with a teaspoon of marshmallow cream between them. So yeah.

I don’t think I’d make smaller cookies, though, for sheer reasons of space and time. The recipe makes over four dozen cookies, which makes for over two dozen sandwich cookies. This is a recipe to make for a lot of hungry adults or kids!

If you love commercial-made cream pies like the ones from Little Debbie, these homemade ones will blow your mind. They have that same taste and texture, but with some extra chewy freshness.

I highly advise that you use tablespoon and teaspoon scoops for this recipe, too. It helps a lot if the cookies are of uniform size and that the amount of filling is equally distributed.

Modified from Taste of Home.

OM NOM NOM!\n","cookTime":"P","prepTime":"P","totalTime":"P"}


Bready or Not: Oatmeal Cream Pies





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These taste like Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Pies, but incredibly fresh. The cookies are chewy, and the filling is perfectly sweet–like a fluffier Oreo filling. These are time-consuming to make simply because of the sheer number of cookies (about 4 1/2 dozen, so you end up with over 2 dozen sandwich cookies), but they are very easy to make and assemble. Modified from Taste of Home Feb/March 2001 issue.

Cookies:
1 1/2 cups shortening
2 2/3 cups brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 cups old-fashioned (rolled) oats
Filling:
3/4 cup shortening
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme
1 to 3 tablespoons milk or half & half

Preheat the oven at 350-degrees. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and brown sugar until they are light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.

In another bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; gradually add this dry mix to the creamed mix. Stir in oats. If you're using a stand mixer, you'll probably need to stir the last of the oats in by hand. This is a lot of dough!

Use a tablespoon scoop to dole out the dough onto a cookie sheet, keeping two inches between each spoonful. These will spread.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes; they brown very fast, so keep an eye on them at the end. Remove them when they are turning golden brown. Let sit on cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transitioning them to a rack to cool.

To make the filling, start by sifting the confectioners' sugar into a large bowl. Add the shortening and marshmallow crème. Add a tablespoon of milk, start mixing that in, and gradually add more milk as needed to get it to spreadable consistency. Use a heaping teaspoon to dollop filling onto the base of a cookie. Spread it with a knife, top with another cookie, and press together to get cream to the edges.

End result: about 30 large sandwich cookies.

OM NOM NOM!

Clockwork Crown Giveaway & Breath of Earth Series Sweepstakes

Free books! Who wants free books?! My publisher is hosting a sweepstakes to win both Breath of Earth and a galley of Call of Fire. All it takes is your email address to enter! Do that right over here.

Also, my giveaway for The Clockwork Crown on Goodreads ends TOMORROW (Wednesday). [US only] Enter that through the spiffy widget below!

Goodreads Book Giveaway


The Clockwork Crown
by Beth Cato

Giveaway ends May 10, 2017.

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

#SFWAPro

Sunday Quote ponders cheese

“Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”

~ J.K. Rowling

Shut Up! Times When It’s Imperative You DO NOT Share Happy Writing News

Writing is hard. Revising is hard. The submission cycle is downright depressing. Querying agents? It sucks away your soul, email by email.

That means that it’s especially hard to contain yourself when good news comes at last. It’s tempting to scream to the world–in reality and in all caps–that the story finally sold! That an agent wants your full manuscript! That a publisher wants your book!

DON’T. Take your hands off the keyboard. Step away from your phone. Maybe tell a few select people, but don’t you dare announce your good news in the early stages. Speaking out too soon shows that you’re unprofessional and unable to keep a secret. You may very well sabotage the deal you’re so happy about. Google is the biggest tattle-tale in the world, you know. Editors and agents will follow your social media and blog, and not in a creepy way, either. If they are taking the time to look you up, that’s a great thing. They want to know you! You’re establishing an important business relationship.

You want that relationship, too. So here are the moments when you need to sit on your hands.

- A story acceptance

It’s awesome to get that initial acceptance email, but the deal isn’t real until there is a double-signed contract. That makes it legally binding. Even then, sometimes a publisher will ask you to refrain from public mention for a while; for example, this might happen if they are still sending out rejections for that particular issue. Respect that request.

- The contract is signed but the work hasn’t been published after months of wait OR you didn’t get paid when it was published OR your story was revised without your permission, etc.

Sometimes, even after a contract is signed, a deal might fall apart. Maybe the editor pulls a jerk move, or editors change and the new one doesn’t want your work, or the publication dies, or your reminders about payment get no reply. This puts you in a delicate position because you have a valid right to complain. Don’t do that in public as step one, though. You want to build your case. Query the editor, if you can. Query more than once over a period of time. Go onto password-protected writer forums and find out if there are other writers in the same position as you. You want allies! Maybe together, you can make yourselves heard, either through email or as a united front on social media. If you’re a member of SFWA, Griefcom is a valuable resource with professionals who will intercede on your behalf.

- An agent has rejected your manuscript OR requests a partial or full manuscript OR wants to call you

Querying agents is a long, difficult, demoralizing process, but it’s not one to be discussed in public. Why? Agents NEED to check you out online. You don’t want them to know they’re the 73rd agent you’ve queried, or that you’ve been querying this book for three years. More than likely, you’re querying a bunch of agents at the same time (as one should, unless you offered an exclusive; it would take forever to query one by one). You want all of those agents to think they are your top choice. You want to appear professional yet also personable. Throughout various stages of the publishing process, you need to be able to keep a secret. If you’re a blabbermouth, well, will they want to work with you?

You DO need a safe place to vent or celebrate through the querying process, though. Find a password-protected private place to do that. I used Agent Query back in the day, but there are various other writer forums or private Facebook groups where you can safely chronicle your journey.

- An agent offers representation

Again, this is a test of how you can keep a secret, but it’s also a show of respect for other agents who may be considering your work. You likely have queries out with multiple agencies. When you get an offer, don’t say ‘yes’ right away, no matter how tempting; ask for a period of time like a week or two so that you can send notice to other agents to give them a chance to respond. You suddenly look a lot more appealing once you have an offer on the table. Other agents will likely want to push your query/manuscript to the top of their pile so they can find out what the fuss is all about. You might get more requests for the full manuscript or other offers of rep.

Again, share this joy in a private setting online. Don’t liveblog it, or you’ll look tactless and rude to other agents. Again: until the contract is signed with an agent, it’s not a done deal. Don’t sabotage yourself.

- An editor makes an offer for your book

This is the most aggravating secret in the world, but you dare not say a thing until the proper time. And that proper time may be a long time coming. Contract negotiations may take months with a major publisher–maybe even six months or more. If you speak out before the deal is done, you will look very, very bad.

There’s an extra level of aggravation here, too. Even after the paperwork is signed, you still need to keep every mum for a little while longer. Most large-publisher book deals aren’t official-official until they are in Publishers’ Marketplace. Most writers don’t subscribe to that because it’s expensive, but a friend may scream the news to you online (that’s how I knew I could announce my first deal at long last–a friend told me on Twitter!) or your agent can give you the head’s up.

At that point, mash down the capslock and scream the news to the world. YOU HAVE A BOOK DEAL!!!!!!!!

Reposted from Novelocity.

 

 

Goodreads Book Giveaway


The Clockwork Crown
by Beth Cato

Giveaway ends May 10, 2017.

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Bready or Not: Stuffed Churro Nuggets

With Cinco de Mayo two days away, let’s revisit a classic Holy Taco Church recipe: Stuffed Churro Nuggets.

This recipe is EASY. It uses store-bought puff pastry. (I mean, you can use a homemade version, but even the great Mary Berry of the Great British Bake Off says she prefers the store kind.) I haven’t tried it with gluten-free puff pastry, but I know that it exists; if anyone uses that with this recipe, let me know how it turns out!

You can choose whatever filling you want. I like to make this and fill half with Nutella and half with Dulce de Leche, but you could try this with any kind of thick, spreadable delicious stuff.

Maybe try peanut or other nut butters? Or maple butter? (OOOOOOOOH.) But trust me, you can’t go wrong with Nutella and Dulce de Leche (and if you can find the squeeze bottle Dulce de Leche, it’s especially convenient).

These nuggets are best eaten the same day, but if you take this to any sizable gathering, that won’t be a problem. These are a perfectly-sized hors d’oeuvres, and I doubt that anyone will have just one!

OM NOM NOM!\n","cookTime":"P","prepTime":"P","totalTime":"P"}


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Stuffed Churro Nuggets are super-easy to make thanks to store-bought puff pastry and handy fillings like Nutella and Dulce de Leche. Nuggets are best eaten the same day.

Nuggets
1 bag puff pastry dough (1/2 a box of a brand like Pepperidge Farm)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
Choose your stuffing of one or more of these
Nutella
Dulce de leche (squeeze bottle, can, etc)
anything else delicious with thick, spreadable texture
Note that if your filling is stiff, you can make it more spreadable with a zap in the microwave. Make sure you do so in a microwave-safe container.

Let puff pastry come to room temperature. Preheat oven at 425-degrees.

Get out a large cookie sheet and line it with parchment paper. Unfold puff pastry onto the surface and use a pizza cutter to quickly cut the dough into 1-inch cubes.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the squares are puffed and golden.

Set out whatever will be used to stuff the nuggets. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. In another bowl, melt the butter.

Remove the puff pastry from the oven. Pop open each cube by removing the top completely or opening it as if on a hinge--it's surprisingly easy, with those flaky layers--and add a dab of filling. Close the pastry, then roll it in butter and then in cinnamon-sugar.

Churro Nuggets are best eaten the same day. Store them in a sealed container, with parchment or waxed paper between layers.

OM NOM NOM!

 

Goodreads Book Giveaway


The Clockwork Crown
by Beth Cato

Giveaway ends May 10, 2017.

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

CLOCKWORK CROWN giveaway on Goodreads + Newsletter Tomorrow

I’m hosting a giveaway for two signed copies of The Clockwork Crown over on Goodreads! (Please note: US only. Sorry!) This runs through May 10th. Spread the word, please!

Also, tomorrow morning I’m sending out my monthly Cato Log. Find out the latest book news and get a Bready or Not recipe way in advance. This newsletter will feature Cardamom Bundt Cake with Coffee Glaze! Input your email address in that the sign-up box on the right hand side of this page. Ta-da!

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Goodreads Book Giveaway







The Clockwork Crown



by Beth Cato

Giveaway ends May 10, 2017.

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

#SFWAPro

Sunday Quote braces for a busy May

“The very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future of man.”

~ T.S. Eliot

Bready or Not: Jumbo XXL Lemon-Blueberry Muffins

You could made normal, piddly muffins. Or you can make ENORMOUS HONKIN’ MUFFINS like the kind you get in bakeries. These Jumbo XXL Lemon-Blueberry Muffins taste pretty darn good and will fill your belly, too.

These muffins pans are surprisingly cheap. Amazon has a couple different kinds. Search for “jumbo muffin pan” or “Texas muffin pan.” (Because everything is bigger in Texas).

Confession: one reason I like these muffins is because they are pretty. I add a couple blueberries on top to make sure they don’t all sink, and I add some turbinado sugar to make them glisten.

Then there’s the size. Look at the pictures here and you’ll see that silver cup for size contrast. That’s 1 cup. Yeah.

If that’s too much muffin for you to eat, you can easily cut one in half. Or you can do what I do and freeze most of the batch. Wrap’em up in a few layers of plastic wrap and they’ll keep well in the freezer for a few weeks.

That’s a perfect way to make these cakey lemon-blueberry bombs last a little longer!

Modified from Sally’s Baking Addiction. Shared another version of this recipe in 2013 on my LiveJournal.

OM NOM NOM!\n","cookTime":"P","prepTime":"P","totalTime":"P"}


Bready or Not: Jumbo XXL Lemon-Blueberry Muffins





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Use a jumbo muffin pan to make delicious and ginormous lemon-blueberry muffins, just like the kind you get in bakeries! These muffins are best eaten within a day or two, but they can also be frozen to enjoy later. Eat at room temperature or warmed.

3 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs, room temperature
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 cup sugar
1 cup milk (almond milk and half & half work well)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 ounces fresh blueberries, washed and patted dry
sparkling or turbinado sugar for the top, optional

Preheat oven at 425-degrees. Use nonstick spray or butter on the muffin pan.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, lemon zest, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Mix in the milk, oil, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Mixture will be pale and yellow.

Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, making sure to scrape the bowl, but don't overmix. The batter will be thick and somewhat lumpy.

Carefully fold in the blueberries, reserving some to place on top of the muffins.

Pour the batter into the greased muffin tins, filling just about to the top. Add the reserved blueberries and some turbinado or sparkling sugar, if desired.

Bake at 425-degrees for 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375. Continue to bake for about 25 minutes. The tops should be lightly golden, and the muffins should pass the toothpick test. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes in pan, then remove to begin eating or to allow them to cool completely on a rack. (If you leave the muffins in the pan too long, they will steam and get soggy.)

Muffins are best eaten within a day or two, but they can also be frozen for later enjoyment. Eat at room temperature or zap in the microwave to warm up.

OM NOM NOM!

 

Sunday Quote feels poetic today

“Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”

~ Shel Silverstein

4 Ways to Affordably Acquire Historical Research Books

When you’re engaged in historical research, web pages often are not the best sources: old-fashioned books are. But how do you find the right books? How do you acquire them? How do you afford them?

- Use Wikipedia, but scroll down.

Sure, Wikipedia can provide a decent synopsis of a subject, but the most useful information is in the footnotes at the bottom of the page. That’s where you find cited data, such as book titles and theses. Follow the links and you might even find the materials online for free!

- Libraries still exist.

Shocking, isn’t it? You can go to physical libraries and get books for merely flashing a library card. Look into inter-library loans or see if you can access college libraries nearby. Librarians are available to help you out, too.

- Buy used books.

This is my preferred method of research, simply because I like to hold onto content for future reference. My favorite shop is Better World Books because the shipping is free, the selection is great, and my purchases benefit charities. I also look for used books on Amazon and Half.com.

- Find free ebook archives.

Most people know about places like Project Gutenberg and its efforts to digitize old books, but it’s not the only such resource. State and city governments and museums are also creating more online archives. For example, check out the California Digital Newspaper Collection created by UC Riverside or Washington State’s Online Library of classical state literature ranging from pioneer biographies to native tales or the San Francisco Library’s 1906 earthquake photograph collection. Savoring the Past has digitized a numerous 18th and early 19th century cookbooks. Don’t forget Amazon, either. Look up classic books and check their availability for Kindle; sometimes you can find them for zero dollars or for almost nothing.

Trust me. When you’re deep in the word mines and require dozens and dozens of books to world-build an alternate history, those free and almost-free books are worth a whole lot.

Reposted from Novelocity.