Posts made in September, 2016

Bready or Not: Bacon Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted by on Sep 7, 2016 in bacon, Blog, Bready or Not, chocolate, cookies | 1 comment

As you might have noticed, I am gradually reposting all of my Holy Taco Church recipes here on Bready or Not. I knew I needed to move this cookie recipe forward in the queue when I was emailed by a woman who was dismayed the HTC website was gone and she needed this recipe again.

Bready or Not: Bacon Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

She described them as by far the best chocolate chip cookies she had ever made. There’s just something magical about the combination of bacon and chocolate. I’ve worked that alchemy in some other recipes like chocolate-covered bacon toffee (aka BACON CRACK).

Bready or Not: Bacon Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here, the combo plays well together in cookie form. The addition of the bacon fat infuses dough with savory flavor. It’s amazing that the single tablespoon of fat makes such a huge difference.

Bready or Not: Bacon Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are not cakey, soft cookies. They are crisp and chewy–more like the old Fanny Farmer recipe cookies my mom used to make me when I was a kid. Except with added bacon.

Bready or Not: Bacon Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Try this out. Maybe you’ll join the club that thinks these are the chocolate chip cookies of all time!

Modified from the recipe at Something Swanky and originally posted at the Holy Taco Church.

Bready or Not: Bacon Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

These chocolate chips cookies are infused with bacon fat AND bacon to grant them a complex salty-sweet-savory flavor and crisp, chewy texture. Makes 55-60 teaspoon-size cookies. Originally posted at Holy Taco Church. Modified from Something Swanky.
Course: Dessert, Snack
Keyword: bacon, chocolate, cookies
Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 Tb bacon fat solidified
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 cups milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet
  • 1/2 cup bacon cooked and chopped, about 4 thick strips
  • additional sea salt for tops

Instructions

  • Beat together the butter, bacon fat, brown sugar, and white sugar until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
  • Add the flour, salt, and baking soda to form the dough. Gradually mix in the chocolate chips and then the bacon.
  • Chill the dough for a minimum or two hours, covered with plastic wrap, up to a few days.
  • Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Use a teaspoon scoop to dole out dough onto a pan and sprinkle a little extra sea salt over the tops to add some savory oomph. Bake for 10-12 minutes; let cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then transition to a rack.
  • Recipe will make 55-60 teaspoon-size cookies.
  • OM NOM NOM!

Bready or Not: Bacon Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Enter to win a copy of Breath of Earth!

Posted by on Sep 5, 2016 in Blog, breath of earth | Comments Off on Enter to win a copy of Breath of Earth!

I’m in a perpetual state of homesickness for Central California, so it makes me especially happy that Kings River Life Magazine back home has read and reviewed my novels. That continues with Breath of Earth–a book set in 1906 California, with a few mentions of the San Joaquin Valley.

KRL not only gave my book a warm review, but they are also sponsoring a giveaway. Head over there and leave a comment or enter by email. You have until September 10th!

Breath of Earth

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Sunday Quote survived August

Posted by on Sep 4, 2016 in Blog, Quote | Comments Off on Sunday Quote survived August

“To talk about a book is one of the greatest joys that life can offer.”
~Haruki Murakami

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Poetry Publications, Translations, & an Award Nom

Posted by on Sep 2, 2016 in anthology:poem, anthology:story, awards, Blog, online publication | Comments Off on Poetry Publications, Translations, & an Award Nom

The past few weeks brought a small flurry of new poetry publications, a double feature podcast of my stories, the discovery of three of my Nature stories translated into other languages, and the astonishing honor of my story “Headspace” from Cats in Space as a finalist for WSFA Small Press Award!

Cats in SpaceTranslations
– “Human is Late to Feed the Cat” translated as “Hungry Cat” in German at Spektrum (Nature Magazine)
“Bread of Life” in Arabic at Arabic Nature Magazine
– “Post Apocalyptic Conversations with a Sidewalk” translated as “My Friend, the Walkway” in German at Spektrum (Nature Magazine)

Podcast:
Far Fetched Fables No. 119 Beth Cato double feature: “The Quest You Have Chosen Defies Your Fate” and “Cartographer’s Ink” read by Geoffrey Welchman and Martin Reyto

Poems:
“The Box of Dust and Monsters,” Devilfish Review
“Keep This Mystery,” Zetetic
– “The Mermaid, On Display in Phoenix,” Spirit’s Tincture Issue 1 (click on the cover image to read online for free)

 

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Important Post at The Mary Sue

Posted by on Sep 1, 2016 in Blog, breath of earth | Comments Off on Important Post at The Mary Sue

Breath of Earth has been out for over a week and it seems people have actually acquired the book and LIKE IT. It makes me especially happy that readers are vocal in the adoration of Fenris–he often gets more mentions than my main character, Ingrid!

On the subject of Fenris, I have an article online at The Mary Sue: Writing Fenris: Why We Need More Trans Heroes in Genre Fiction. I’m humbled and honored to speak out on this subject because I do come from a position of ignorance. I read, I write, I learn.

Breath of Earth

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