Kathy McIntosh's Blog, page 3
March 3, 2022
THAT FINAL CRUNCH
One of the last things I do when editing is to search for cliched words or those that I frequently overuse. For example, in my most recent novel, I found 187 instances of “just,” too many “that’s,” and a lot of wondering.
So I do a search for each of the words from my list and try to r...
March 1, 2022
Vegetarian Chili
From Better Homes & Gardens, January, 1997
2 Tbsp. olive oil1 tsp. sugar1 ½ cups chopped celery1 ½ tsp. dried basil, crushed1 ½ cups chopped red or yellow pepper1 ½ tsp. dried oregano, crushed1 cup chopped onion1 ½ tsp. ground cumin3 cloves garlic, minced1 tsp. ground allspice2 28 oz. cans tomatoes, cut up½ tsp. salt3 15-16 oz. cans beans (kidney, black, northern (cannellini), pinto, and/or garbanzo, rinsed and drained¼ ts...December 18, 2021
Double Ginger Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Source: WorththeWhisk.com and More Magazine, November 2009
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour1 tsp. baking soda1/4 tsp. coarse salt1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger1 tsp. cinnamon1/4 tsp. ground cloves1 Tbsp. cocoa powder12 Tbsp. unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) at room temperature1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/2 cup for rolling1 large egg yolk1/2 cup molasses1 tsp. vanilla extract1/3 cup coarsely chopped c...December 13, 2021
Mushroom Pie
A combination of mushrooms, such as cremini, porcini, chanterelle and Portobello makes the tastiest pie. Just be sure there are no poisonous ones in the mix! The recipe comes from What Einstein Told His Cook, by Robert L. Wolke (W.W. Norton & Co., 2002)
Make the filling up to a day ahead.
Pastry for a 9-inch double-crust pie. (I love the pie crust from Trader Joe’s.)
2½ cups finely chopped onions (approximately 3 medium onio...
November 11, 2021
The Making of an Audio Book
The Life and Challenges of an Audio Book Narrator
I recently had the opportunity to interview Allen B. Ellis, the narrator for Murder, Sonoran Style, the audio book released earlier this year. He was an adept narrator and I wanted to share a bit more about Allen, his background and his take on narrating audio books.
About Allen: Allen B. Ellis has taugh...
March 17, 2021
Strawberry Bread
From Penzeys Spices
Even if you can’t find gariguette strawberries from France, you can still make this quick, delicious bread. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a real treat.
Ingredients
1 1/2 Cups fresh strawberries, sliced (about 1 pint with a few left over)
1 Cup granulated sugar, divided
1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. PENZEYS CINNAMON
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. PURE VA...
February 7, 2021
Hope in 2021
As we move toward the possibility of beating the pandemic sometime this year, I reflected on some events that brought me hope.
Finding Hope Amidst PovertyIn the midst of the scourge of poverty, I observed the power of hope, and the courage, determination and kindness of humans while visiting two African ...
December 16, 2020
Ham, Grapes, and Kings’ Day Babies
It’s fascinating how many of our family’s traditions are centered around food.
Let’s start with last year’s Christmas. We’d been to Spain a few years earlier and went to a small taverna near our lodging. When we walked in, we were greeted boisterously by a British couple who’d obviously been drinking there for quite some time. They were, in BritSpeak, pissed. (which means sloshed, not angry) They encouraged us to sit at the...
