Sunday Quote is conning people this weekend

Posted by on Jun 8, 2014 in Blog, Quote | Comments Off on Sunday Quote is conning people this weekend

“The dull witted will get dullness and the brilliant may find things in my book I didn’t even know were there.”

~John Steinbeck, original dedication to East of Eden

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A bit of wit while I’m away at Comicon

Posted by on Jun 6, 2014 in Blog, whimsy | Comments Off on A bit of wit while I’m away at Comicon

No matter what genre you write, the first draft is always horror.

Grab the image and feel free to post it on your blog, Tumblr, Pinterest board, etc. No need to ask.

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Bready or Not: Glazed Maple Blondies

Posted by on Jun 4, 2014 in Blog, blondies, Bready or Not, maple | Comments Off on Bready or Not: Glazed Maple Blondies

I’m ripping off recreating my own recipe.

Last fall I shared Maple Truffle Blondies. It consisted of three layers: maple blondies, cream cheese and pulverized maple cookies, and a maple glaze.

So I wondered, hey, those blondies are really good. I have more maple creme cookies to use up. I do have cream cheese, but I don’t want to use it right now. Let’s knock this down to two layers and see what results.

The result: WOW.

Maple goodness, let me tell you. The blondie is chewy and not overly sweet, so that glaze is perfection. Sweet, but not cloyingly so like some frostings are. If you want, you could also mix nuts (pecans would be great, I imagine) into the blondies or sprinkle them on the glaze.


Before the glaze…

The maple creme cookies are a Christmas seasonal thing in some areas, but I can find them year-round at Fresh & Easy or Sprouts Farmers Markets. If you can’t find them, just sub in Golden Oreos and add more maple flavor, or omit entirely. It would make for thinner bars, but they would still be awesome.

If you love maple, you gotta make this.

Bready or Not: Glazed Maple Blondies

An original recipe for delicious maple blondies.
Course: Dessert, Snack
Keyword: bars, maple
Author: Beth Cato

Ingredients

For maple blondies:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 10 Tablespoons butter melted
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 maple creme cookies box

For glaze:

  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar sifted
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 Tb butter melted
  • 3/4 tsp maple flavoring vanilla will do in a pinch
  • 2 + Tb milk almond milk works!

Instructions

  • Line a 9x13 pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
  • Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Set aside. Coarsely chop the cookies. Reserve 1/4 cup of the finer crumbs.
  • In a mixing bowl, blend the butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Add the eggs and vanilla. Pour in the flour mix until just combined, then stir in the chocolate chips and cookie pieces.
  • Spread batter in the pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Let the blondie layer cool completely. Place in fridge for a while, if necessary.
  • Combine glaze ingredients in bowl. Add enough milk so that the icing is spreadable but not runny. Immediately dollop over blondies and smooth it out. Immediately sprinkle on the reserved crumbs. Use fingers to gently press in.
  • Place pan in fridge to set for hour or two before slicing. Store in fridge.

OM NOM NOM.

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    ARCs! Holy Taco Church!

    Posted by on Jun 3, 2014 in Blog, Bready or Not, clockwork dagger, cookies, holy taco church, publication process, whimsy | Comments Off on ARCs! Holy Taco Church!

    When an author gets copies of the book she has yearned to hold her entire life, it’s only right the book first be offered to the cat.

    Porom with books

    Porom the Cat, who would much rather nibble on my toes than pose for a photo op.

    Then the book must be read to Big Blue, because that’s the kind of thing monsters demand.

    Reading to Big Blue

    Reading time for a Dragon Quest Slime.

    The books were also loved, hugged, and named George.

    I just have the four copies for now, and no, I haven’t decided what to do as far as contests or anything. These decisions are HARD, man.

    In other news!

    I’m a High Priestess of Churromancy in the Holy Taco Church. (I know, I know, you’re thinking, “Well, duh.”) But this is a Real Thing. It’s a whole bunch of awesome writers congregating to talk food and liquor and happy thoughts. To name drop, our Tacopope is Kevin Hearne and other members include Chuck Wendig, Jaye Wells, Diana Rowland, and Vicki Pettersen.

    My first offering is up today: Churro Shortbread.

    churrocaduceus2

    Yes, that’s a caduceus made of a churro and two tacos.

    And because I’m hardcore, I created my own holy symbol.

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