Recent Publications and Promo Stuff

Posted by on Oct 13, 2023 in anthology:nonfiction, anthology:story, Blog, podcast, Thousand Recipes for Revenge | Comments Off on Recent Publications and Promo Stuff

Someday, I’ll feel like I am no longer playing catch-up from the move. Today is not that day.

I’m doing such much-belated updating on my Bibliography page. In particular, the sections for short stories, interviews, guest blogs, and podcasts. The poetry section needs many new entries and will be done soon.

Short Stories

“Apocalypse Playlist” (reprint), The Big Book of Cyberpunk
Birds of London,” Abyss & Apex
“Monsters of the Places Between,” Stupefying Stories #24
“Believe Nothing Said by Clouds,” Stupefying Stories Showcase

Interview

6 Books with Beth Cato at Nerds of a Feather
eSpec Books interviews Beth Cato, contributor to Other Aether: Tales of Global Steampunk

Guest Blogs

Scalzi’s Big Idea: A Thousand Recipes for Revenge
My Favorite Bit from A Thousand Recipes for Revenge

Podcasts

H. P. Lovecast Podcast – Ep 22 – Tom Starita and Beth Cato
Russ’s Rockin’ Rollercoaster Ep #97– The Writer’s Chair: How to Build Magic Systems in Genre Fiction featuring AARON ROSENBERG, BETH CATO and SHERRI COOK WOOSLEY
“Headspace” reprint, CatsCast (only subscribers have access to full content)

#SFWAPro

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Bready or Not Original: Portuguese Sweet Bread Rolls in the Bread Machine

Posted by on Oct 11, 2023 in Blog, Bready or Not, side dish, yeast bread | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Portuguese Sweet Bread Rolls in the Bread Machine

These Portuguese Sweet Rolls come together fast thanks to a bread machine. The resulting bread is sweet, flaky, and perfect to go with any meal–though as a born Central Californian, I have to recommend serving alongside tri-tip!

Bready or Not Original: Portuguese Sweet Bread Rolls in the Bread Machine

I grew up surrounded by a vibrant Portuguese community. That meant a lot of awesome food, like linguica on Me-N-Eds pizza, and rounds of sweet bread on the counter at Boston Pizza. We didn’t have a lot of money, so when we could grab that bread loaf, it was a real treat!

Bready or Not Original: Portuguese Sweet Bread Rolls in the Bread Machine

As with most any bread, these rolls are great to freeze and eat later. The fresher they are when you freeze them, the fresher they’ll still taste when you warm them up later!

Bready or Not Original: Portuguese Sweet Bread Rolls in the Bread Machine

Bready or Not Original: Portuguese Sweet Bread Rolls in the Bread Machine

The convenient sweet rolls are the perfect accompaniment for many meals!
Course: Bread, Side Dish
Keyword: yeast bread
Servings: 23 rolls
Author: Beth Cato

Equipment

  • bread machine
  • 2 1/2-inch cutter
  • rimmed baking sheet
  • plastic wrap

Ingredients

  • 1 cup half & half
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/3 cup melted butter 80 ml
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 4 cups white bread flour plus more
  • 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast or bread machine yeast

Instructions

  • Place the half & half and water in a liquid measuring cup and gently warm in a microwave-safe cup in microwave to reach 100-110 degrees.
  • Follow bread machine directions for loading ingredients into the bucket; for most, that means liquids first. Stir together the half & half, water, butter, and sugar. That should lower the temperature enough to make it safe to add the eggs (you don’t want them scrambled!); stir those in to break the yolks. Add the salt, flour, and yeast. Start the machine on the DOUGH cycle.
  • Check on it once it starts mixing. If the mixture looks runny, add spoonfuls of flour until it comes together; if it’s too thick, add a touch of warm water. Let the cycle finish.
  • Grease a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray or butter.
  • Lightly flour a flat surface. Pat out the dough to be about 1/2-inch thick. Use cutter to slice dough into rounds; place rounds spaced out just a touch on the greased pan. Press dough scraps together as much as possible, and bring together into more rounds. Loosely cover baking sheet with plastic wrap and set in a warm place to rise for about 45 minutes.
  • Near the end of the second rise, as the rolls begin to look puffy, preheat oven at 350-degrees. Discard plastic wrap.
  • Bake rolls for 17 to 20 minutes, until they are golden across the top. Let cool a few minutes before pulling apart to enjoy.
  • Rolls may be eaten fresh, or will keep in a sealed bag at room temperature for a day or two. They can also be frozen right after initially cooling, and thawed later for later enjoyment. They can be eaten at room temperature but are even better warmed up.

OM NOM NOM!

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    Bready or Not Original: Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies

    Posted by on Oct 4, 2023 in Blog, Bready or Not, cookies, pumpkin | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies

    Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies! These are simple, delicious classic cookies, with warm spices inside and out.

    Bready or Not Original: Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies

    These were among the last cookies I made in Arizona as I was frantically trying to use up my remaining butter and eggs. I thought I had everything figured out, and then I realized (after I made the dough) that I’d already packed up all of my rolling pins. Whoops. Therefore, I used good ol’ arm muscle to flatten the dough, and I ended up satisfied with how they turned out!

    Bready or Not Original: Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies

    That said, don’t be like me. Make your life easier and use a rolling pin! You’ll get more consistent cookies, for sure.

    Bready or Not Original: Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies

    Bready or Not Original: Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies

    These are classic butter and spice cookies, crisp yet chewy, great for autumn or year-round.
    Course: Dessert, Snack
    Keyword: cookies
    Servings: 55 cookies
    Author: Beth Cato

    Equipment

    • plastic wrap
    • parchment paper
    • Rolling Pin
    • 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter
    • cooling rack

    Ingredients

    Cookie dough

    • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) room temperature
    • 2 cups white sugar
    • 2 large eggs room temperature
    • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 Tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

    Topping

    • 1/2 cup white sugar
    • 1/2 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy. Add the eggs. Gradually mix in the flour and pie spice. Roughly divide the dough in half, flattening each portion into a disc, and wrap in plastic wrap. Tuck into the fridge overnight.
    • Let dough sit out about 20 minutes to warm up enough to roll out. Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Prepare a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place the topping ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
    • On a lightly floured flat surface, roll out one disc of cookie dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Portion out using the cookie cutter. Press the top of each round into the topping mix and then set, spaced out, on prepared cookie sheet.
    • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies ae set. Let sit on sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Repeat process with remaining dough, reassembling scraps to create more cookies. Store cookies in a sealed container at room temperature.

    OM NOM NOM!

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      Bready or Not Original: Marble Swirl Bundt Cake

      Posted by on Sep 27, 2023 in Blog, Bready or Not, breakfast, bundt, cake, maple | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Marble Swirl Bundt Cake

      This Marble Swirl Bundt Cake is not only delicious but pretty, as it contains a light and dark swirl inside!

      Bready or Not Original: Marble Swirl Bundt Cake

      Spices are the prevalent flavor through the darker portions of the cake, with the pale portions plain and sweet in balance.

      Bready or Not Original: Marble Swirl Bundt Cake

      There are a lot of ingredients in this cake, though the assembly is straightforward. Save yourself some effort at baking time by combining the spice ingredients a day ahead!

      Bready or Not Original: Marble Swirl Bundt Cake

      Bready or Not Original: Marble Swirl Bundt Cake

      This delicious bundt cake contains swirls of light and dark! The cake is soft and tender, perfect for a breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
      Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
      Keyword: bundt cake, cake, maple
      Author: Beth Cato

      Equipment

      • large bundt cake pan
      • nonstick spray with flour or regular nonstick spray

      Ingredients

      • 2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
      • 4 teaspoons baking powder
      • 1/2 teaspoon salt
      • 4 large eggs room temperature
      • 2 cups white sugar
      • 1 1/3 cup almond milk or regular milk
      • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
      • 1/3 cup canola oil
      • 1/4 cup maple syrup
      • 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder or unsweetened cocoa powder (sifted)
      • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
      • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
      • 1 teaspoons ground cloves
      • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

      Instructions

      • Move rack to lower 1/3 of oven; set to preheat at 350-degrees. Generously coat the interior of a large bundt pan with nonstick spray, preferably a baking spray with flour.
      • In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a big mixing bowl, place eggs, sugar, milk, butter, and oil, beating until creamy yellow. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, but reserve the empty bowl to one side. Scrape the bowl of batter as needed, mixing until it is smooth.
      • Measure out 3 cups of the batter into the reserved bowl. Add the maple syrup, espresso powder or cocoa, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg, whisking until smooth.
      • Pour half the plain batter into the greased pan. Top with half the spiced batter, spreading to the sides. Draw a butter knife through the layers, swirling up and down and around. Pour the remaining batters into the pan, repeating the swirl process with the butter knife.
      • Bake bundt cake for 45 to 50 minutes. The top should feel dry and the middle should pass the toothpick test. Let cool in pan for 1 hour, then carefully invert onto a cooling rack; if any chunks stick to the pan, try to nestle them back into place on the cake.
      • Finish cooling. Slice into wedges. Store under a cake dome or otherwise wrapped; individual slices can also be wrapped in plastic.

      OM NOM NOM!

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