Bready or Not Original: Swirled Cookie Butter Brownie Bars

Posted by on Oct 18, 2023 in biscoff spread, Blog, blondies, Bready or Not, brownies, cheese galore, chocolate, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Swirled Cookie Butter Brownie Bars

These Swirled Cookie Butter Brownie Bars are thick and luscious with just the right balance of chocolate and cookie dough flavors.

Bready or Not Original: Swirled Cookie Butter Brownie Bars

If you’re one of those people who had just to discover the joys of cookie butter–you’re in for a treat! Think cookies blended with oil to create a spreadable mass just like peanut butter. There is nothing healthy about it, but it tastes like cookie dough. You can find it at Trader Joe’s as Speculoos and at other stores as Biscoff or as a generic.

Bready or Not Original: Swirled Cookie Butter Brownie Bars

Cookie butter can pretty much replace peanut butter in any recipe, or even on something as simple as a sandwich. Here, it’s great swirled in with brownie batter. Chocolate and cookie dough, ever the perfect combination.

Bready or Not Original: Swirled Cookie Butter Brownie Bars

Since the swirl-in includes cream cheese, be sure to refrigerate these after they’ve baked and cooled. They are divine straight from the fridge!

Bready or Not Original: Swirled Cookie Butter Brownie Bars

These gorgeously-swirled bars infuse the gentle flavor of cookie butter with rich brownies, a perfect combination.
Course: Dessert, Snack
Keyword: brownies, cookie butter, cookies, cream cheese
Author: Beth Cato

Equipment

  • 13×9 pan
  • aluminum foil
  • nonstick spray
  • uneven spatula
  • cutting board

Ingredients

Brownie base

  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) melted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup baking cocoa sifted
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips

Cookie butter swirl-in

  • 2 boxes cream cheese (8 ounces each) softened
  • 1/2 cup creamy cookie butter
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 2 Tablespoons milk

Instructions

  • Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 13×9 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray.
  • In a big bowl, beat together eggs, butter, and vanilla. In another bowl, combine the brownie dry ingredients and gradually add them to the egg mix. Fold in the chocolate chips. Set aside 1 cup of the brownie batter for the topping. Scoop the rest into the prepared pan and use an uneven spatula to even it out.
  • In another bowl, beat together the cream cheese blocks, cookie butter, and sugar. Once that is blended, add the egg and milk. Use an uneven spatula to spread the mixture in a thin layer across the top of the brownie batter in the pan. Dollop the reserved brownie batter on top. Use the tip of the uneven spatula or a butter knife to create swirls.
  • Bake pan for 35 to 40 minutes, until the very middle passes the toothpick test. Cool on a wire rack for an hour, then place in fridge to completely chill. Use the foil to lift the contents onto a cutting board. Slice up and store in a sealed container in the fridge. Keeps for at least 3 days.

OM NOM NOM!

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    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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