Cole's Famous Taco Dip for the Busy Writer

Oh, you guys. What a crazy couple of months I've had. First, I had bronchitis for FOREVER! But, seriously, it was five weeks straight. And then, because of said bronchitis, I cracked my rib while coughing, had a book release, several conferences to attend, another book release, several author events, a massive hail storm with damage to my cars and house, a sick child...and the list goes on and on forever. And the list will continue to go on and on forever because this is life and, hey, it's not going to slow down, right?

Because of this, I'm going to let you in on my top secret taco dip recipe. (All right, it may not be TOP SECRET, but it is delicious and will be devoured quickly.) What I love about this recipe is that it is the perfect dish for the harried writer to throw together when decorum demands they bring a dish to the potluck, birthday party, graduation, picnic, whatever they've been invited to. Seriously, you can slap this baby together in less than twenty minutes (the kiddos have a blast sprinkling on the cheese) and it will be devoured, so you don't have to worry about leftovers chillin' in your fridge and collecting mold along with the pizza from a month ago. (Please tell me I'm not the only one.) But I digress...

Cole's Not-so Famous (But Delicious!) Taco Dip 

Ingredients:
1 Package Cream Cheese
1 Small Tub Sour Cream
1 Packet Taco Seasoning
1 Can Refried Beans
1 Jar Salsa
1 Package Shredded Lettuce
1 Package Shredded Cheddar
Optional Ingredients: Guacamole, Olives, Diced Tomatoes, Jalapenos

1. Take a cookie sheet and spread the beans along the bottom with a spatula

2. In a bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning until smooth. Next, spread in a layer on top of the beans.

3. Spread a thin layer of salsa on top of the sour cream/cream cheese mixture.

4. Sprinkle the layers with shredded lettuce until covered and top with shredded cheese.

5. Last, add any additional toppings according to taste (olives, diced tomatoes, etc.)

6. Bring to party, pretend you slaved over it, watch it be devoured with tortilla chips, and enjoy a margarita. Oh, and try not to think too hard about those edits you're supposed to be working on.

Oh, and some people go as far as to heat their dip up before serving so the cheese is all gooey. But really, who has that kind of time?

Guest Interview: Katy Longshore

Today, Pots 'n Pens is pleased to have Katy Longshore, whose young adult novel, GILT, debuts in the fall of 2012. Gilt is one of the books I'm most excited to read next year. Here's the back cover description:

In the Tudor age, ambition, power and charismatic allure are essential and Catherine Howard has plenty of all three. Not to mention her loyal best friend, Kitty Tylney, to help cover her tracks. Kitty, the abandoned youngest daughter of minor aristocracy, owes everything to Cat – where she is, what she is, even who she is. Friend, flirt, and self-proclaimed Queen of Misrule, Cat reigns supreme in a loyal court of girls under the none-too-watchful eye of the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk.

When Cat worms her way into the heart of Henry VIII and becomes Queen of England, Kitty is thrown into the intoxicating Tudor Court. It’s a world of glittering jewels and elegant costumes, of gossip and deception. As the Queen’s right-hand-woman, Kitty goes from the girl nobody noticed to being caught between two men – the object of her affection and the object of her desire.

But the atmosphere of the court turns from dazzling to deadly, and Kitty is forced to learn the difference between trust and loyalty, love and lust, secrets and treason. And to accept the consequences when some lessons are learned too late.

If you were marooned on an island and Pots & Pens granted your wish for only one book and one food, what would you choose?

I would have to ask for Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall and chocolate. Preferably dark chocolate peanut butter cups from Trader Joe's. They could probably sustain me long enough to savor Mantel’s luscious words.

I love anything from Trader Joes. *Drool* Let's say a couple of your characters are raiding your fridge right now, what are they most likely to eat? Are they disappointed or excited about what they find?

I think my characters would be disgusted by what they found in my refrigerator today. I write about the Tudors, who ate a lot of meat, and pretty much scorned fresh raw vegetables. But I'm a vegetarian, so that's what I have in my fridge. However, in one of the first scenes of GILT, my narrator, Kitty, talks about midnight parties to which the boys bring strawberries. So she would probably go for those.

What are three must-have foods/seasonings in your kitchen?

Fresh tomatoes in the summer, garlic and chocolate. What else do you need?

Agreed! You can't go wrong there. Hot out of the oven: What inspired your latest book, and what ingredients do you hope make it a tasty treat for readers?

I was inspired to write GILT by the way Catherine Howard has been treated by history. She is often portrayed as empty headed, fashion-obsessed, and even slutty. I wanted to write a character who was Queen Bee before she became queen. I hope readers will be able to relate to this personally, and not just historically.

Tell about a time when food inspired your writing or a book inspired your cooking.

Haven't we all wanted to try fried green tomatoes? And when I was in college, working at a coffee bar, I thought that would be the perfect setting for a novel. Kind of Like Water for Chocolate, only with espresso.

 That's so funny because I actually did make fried green tomatoes from the recipe in the back of the book. They were...interesting. But I digress. R
ecipe Row: What favorite recipe do you have for us today? (If you have a

picture, please include it.)

This is a recipe that I go to when I only have about 15 min. to prepare dinner. During the summer, I don't actually cook, because where I live it gets too hot to want to turn on the oven or the stove. So we eat a lot of salads.

WHITE BEAN SALAD (serves 2 for dinner, can be doubled)

Combine in a medium-sized bowl:

1 can white kidney (cannellini) beans, rinsed and drained.

2 small celery stalks, thinly sliced

15 pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced.

In a separate bowl, whisk together:

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced or put through a press

¼ tsp. sweet paprika

dash of salt

Whisk in:

2-3 Tbsp. olive oil (preferably extra virgin)

Pour dressing over the bean mixture and toss gently.

I like to serve this over a bed of baby arugula and top it with chunks of perfectly ripe heirloom tomatoes.  And if you have to have some kind of meat (like the Tudors!), it blends well with a small can of tuna, too.

 ***

You can follow Katy at her various websites:

Blog:  http://yamuses.blogspot.com

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/#!/KALongshore

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/katy.longshore?ref=ts

Seriously, how amazing does that book sound? But on to the interview!

WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Sorry for the late post, guys. I've been running around ragged trying to get my revisions done before I leave for Dragoncon on Thursday. But, alas, they defeated me. It's not going to happen. But that's okay because I'm giving away STUFF! And that always puts me in a good mood. :)

After putting all of the entries into a random drawing the winners are:

For the handmade/hand-embroidered Wish coffee sleeve

J. ANDERSON COATS!

For the signed copy of FOREVER

GABY891!

To claim your prizes, please be so kind as to send me your mailing address to my email: cole@colegibsen.com

And if you didn't win, don't fret! Please stay tuned right here for more awesome interviews, recipes, and prizes to come!!!

Friday Only Contest! Win this Handcrafted Coffee Sleeve

Because today is Friday, I'm having a spontaneous contest for this handcrafted (by me!) coffee sleeve. It has the word "Wish" as well as a wand hand embroidered on the front.

What is a coffee sleeve, you ask? Its a green alternative to the little cardboard sleeves the coffee places put on your cup so you don't burn your hand. I keep mine in my purse so I have it whenever I stop for some joe. It's washable and reusable! So yay for reducing your carbon footprint in such a cute and stylish way!

All you have to do to win is leave a comment on THIS post (you have until midnight on Monday) saying that you would like to be entered in the random drawing. Then, check back on Tuesday when I'll announce the winner of the coffee sleeve as well as the signed copy of FOREVER. (There's still time to enter that contest by the way.) If I announce you as the winner, just email me at the email address I'll provide in the post.

Happy Friday!!!

Interview with Leland McCaslin and his secret recipe for Pasta Lee!

I am so excited to introduce you all to Leland C McCaslin. Lee has been a good friend of mine way back in my querying days. We met about four years ago on one of my favorite websites, Query Tracker. And a nicer guy you couldn't hope to meet. Here's his bio:

 Leland graduated from Mississippi State University in 1969 where he majored in communications, studied Military Science (and received some airborne training) and obtained his Army commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Intelligence Corps. On active duty in 1969, he attended the combat arms tanker's Armored Officers' Basic Course; the Counterintelligence Special Agent's Course and served at various locations in the US. Upon leaving active duty, he joined the US Civil Service and began working for the military in various intelligence jobs, starting as a GS-9 in 1973.

He served at our nation's Military Headquarters, The Pentagon from 1973 to 1976. In 1979, he arrived in Heidelberg, Germany, and served 16 years at US Army Europe where he actively participated in the Cold War. To thwart espionage, he appeared on several live and recorded segments of the European Armed Forces Network TV and Radio to discuss counterespionage strategies, both past and present.

He then retired as a GM-14 in 1995. At that time, he was the most senior Security Specialist in Europe. While overseas, he acquired a M. Ed. from Boston University.

After he retired from civil service, he taught speech at several local colleges. With his background in Security and Intelligence, he worked as a contract investigator for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) with 9/11 related duties.

He is now fully retired and resides with his wife, Charlotte, and rescued greyhound, Keener, in Alabama.

Lee wrote a fantastic nonfiction book about the cold war called, SECRETS OF THE COLD WAR: US Army Europe's Intelligence and Counterintelligence Activities Against the Soviets During the Cold War.

You can pick up your very own copy at Amazon.   

Not only has Lee agreed to sit down with us and answer a few questions, but he's also agreed to share his super secret recipe for PASTA LEE.

PNP: What was the military food like when you served as a security specialist for the US Army?

Lee: Regular American food like we have but very tasty and LOTS OF IT! Served steak frequently! Loved the SOS for breakfast!!

PNP: Was there a particular food or meal that you missed while overseas?

Lee: Fried Okra!

PNP: While you served our country with the military, you visited many countries and sampled many cuisines. Is there one meal that stands out in your memory above the rest?

Lee: I'll have to give you two: Coquilles St. Jacques and Steak au Poivre, both French! 

PNP: When you were working on your book, SECRETS OF THE COLD WAR, did you have a favorite writing/editing snack? 

Lee: Crystal Light Lemonade and LAY'S® Kettle Cooked Jalapeno Flavored Potato Chips.

PNP: You’re sharing with us your world famous recipe, PASTA LEE. How did you develop such a delicious pasta?

Lee: I made it up. Really! Before I was married to my wonderful wife Charlotte, I needed a nice meal I could make for my dates in Germany!! :) Now she fixes it!! I can't count a time when we weren't asked for 2nds (or 3rds).

PASTA LEE

Ingredients:

Chopped onions, garlic, mushrooms, red bell peppers, salt, pepper, garlic powder, brown chili powder, 2 Jars of Prego or whatever, EVO, 1 pound hamburger, sliced Italian hot sausage, some red dry wine, 3 packages of fresh tortellini and sugar.

Fix:

Get a big, deep skillet or pot, put in the EVO, med-high heat, sauté all the vegetables, scoot them over when almost done and add the chopped up hamburger, as it cooks add salt-pepper-chili powder-garlic powder.

When pretty much done, mix vegetables and meat back in together, add 2 jars of Prego (and clean out jars with a little red wine in bottom of jar to pour in mixture (put cap back on and shake jar mixture) and cut up sausage (previously cooked separately) and add fresh tortellini and let cook in mixture (not water). Add a pinch of sugar now.  Turn down heat and let cook down and simmer.

Later, transfer to a pasta serving dish, add whatever shredded cheese you like over top and nuke or bake on low, low heat, until cheese melts. Drink lots of red wine as you cook!!  Lee

Contest: Win a Signed Copy of Maggie Stiefvater's FOREVER

It's Monday! Why not turn those frowns upside down with a contest? And today I will be giving away a signed copy of FOREVER signed by Maggie Stiefvater.
Here are the deets:

The winner of the signed book will be chosen by a random drawing. I'll have a random number generator assign each person entered a random number - because who wants to comment first and be number 1? 1 never wins. And then I'll have the random number generator randomly pick a number from the random number assigned. Simple, right? Hee.

Anyway, you have the opportunity to earn two entries. For the first entry, you must be a follower of Pots 'n Pens and leave a comment on THIS post. It could be something as simple as "Yo!" I don't care, it's up to you. But remember, compliments and flattery may not help you win, but they will definitely endear you to my heart. Second, you can earn another entry by retweeting this blog post. Just let me know that you did in the comments of THIS post.

DISCLAIMER: There is one stipulation. The contest ends NEXT Monday and the winner will be chosen and announced in a blog post on Tuesday, August 30th. If you are the winner, contact me through the email I'll provide on the winning post with your name and address so I can send you the book. I'm only doing this because last time I held a contest it took me FOREVER (Ha! Pun intended!) to track down the winner's contact info.
Good luck and stay tuned to this blog for more contesty goodness!

Harry Potter: The Series that Made my Stomach Growl

Now that we've introduced ourselves, get ready for a series of exciting interviews as well as blogs exploring the relationship between writing and food.

Take Harry Potter for example. Now only did J.K. Rowling open up the doors to a magical world of witches and wizards, but she also introduced an entire world of culinary delights such as pumpkin pasties, sugar quills, butter beer, and cauldron cakes just to name a few. And, while we as readers have never eaten such things, it isn't hard for us to imagine the way they would taste on our tongue.

Ear wax Bertie Bott's every flavour bean?

Um...yeah...

Anyway, as a die hard Harry Potter fan girl...

*cough*

*ahem*

Of course I would try my hand at making some of the foods talked about in the book. So, in honor of the Harry Potter finale now playing in theaters, I bring you my recipe for

Harry Potter Pumpkin Spice Cakes

And the best part is, they're really simple and really low in fat. Yay!

First, you'll need to gather your ingredients:

1 Box of Spice Cake Mix
1 Can of Pureed Pumpkin
1/2 Cup (or one of those individual cups) of Applesauce
1 Bag of Cinnamon Chips (located by the chocolate chips)

To start, preheat your over to 350 degrees. Add the cake mix, pumpkin, and applesauce together in a bowl and stir by hand until blended.

Next, add in the cinnamon chips.

When all the ingredients are combined, grease twenty-four muffin cups (I use the spray on vegetable oil) and fill each muffin cup with you cake mix. You can fill your muffin cups all the way to the top as your cakes will not rise that much.

Finally, put your cakes in the oven and bake for twenty-five minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. When the muffins are done, let them cool for five minutes and enjoy.

Ah, it's a trip to Hogwarts with every bite.

How about you? Are there any iconic books with food you wish you could try?

Meet the Contributors: Cole Gibsen

A good meal, just like a good book, has the power to transport you to another world. I remember that it was just  around the time I began to write KATANA that I also began collecting Japanese cookbooks. It wasn't enough for me to simply read about Japan so I could write about it, I also wanted to taste it. For me, food is just as an important element to a story as conflict and tension.

Don't believe me? If I said the word 'butterbeer' to you, what's the first thing you think of? I rest my case. :)

And that's why I wanted to start this blog. It's occurred to me that every meal has a story to tell and every story has a meal to share. And who are we kidding? I love books and I love food. Creating a blog that gives me an opportunity to discuss both was a no brainer. In the coming weeks, I've asked each Pots n' Pens contributor to introduce themselves and share one of their favorite recipes.

The recipe I'll be sharing with you is a favorite of mine because it's fast, I can use the basil and tomatoes that I grow at home, and it's a hit with both my husband and toddler. Last year, I created a character who was a vegetarian, so I trotted off to my local library and came home with a armful of vegetarian cookbooks to research foods and recipes that a vegetarian might eat. To say my husband was less than enthused is a gross understatement. But, after playing around with the recipes in the books and adding a few twists of my own, I now have a vegetarian recipe that my husband not only likes, but asks for.

TOMATO MOZZARELLA AND PESTO PASTA SALAD

First, gather your ingrediants:

1 package of speghetti
2 cups freshly packed basil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cups olive oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
1/2 cups Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes (more or less depending on how much you like cherry tomatoes)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 8 oz. package of mozzarella cheese pearls

(Poor unsuspecting basil plant that doesn't know what's coming.)

Next, boil a large pot of water and cook your speghetti per its package directions. You can use plain speghetti or flavored. Just for kicks I bought a package of spinach basil garlic linguine from a specialty olive oil store. Yum.

While your pasta is cooking, take your 2 cups of basil (withholding a few leaves for garnish) and dump it in a food processor. Since my food processor died on me, I had to resort to using my blender which worked really well. Add the garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and blend  until pureed. Next, add your Paremesan and pulse until blended. Viola, you have pesto! Double yum!

In a seperate bowl, cut the cherry tomatoes in half and add the vinegar, dash of pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir gently and gradually add in the mozzarella.

Now, go back to your cooking pasta. When it's finished scoop out 1/2 cup of the cooking water and keep it to the side. Drain your pasta and return it to the pot along with the 1/2 cup of cooking water. Next, add in the pesto and toss to coat.

Spoon your coated pasta into a serving bowl and top with the tomatoes and cheese. Garnish with basil.

Yummy. :)

I hope you'll enjoy this recipe as much as I have. Please stay the rest of the month to meet the rest of the contributors as they share their drool-worthy recipes.

Welcome!

Welcome to Pots & Pens!

We hope you'll have a sit, grab a cup of coffee, and join us for weekly posts on writing, food, and writing about food.

On this blog you'll find everything from interviews with authors, agents, and editors discussing their favorite recipes, posts on how food plays an important part in writing, and quick fix recipes perfect for writers without a lot of time on their hands.

I hope you'll join us for the blog's official start on July 5th. From that day on, we'll have daily posts from each of our contributors who will be introducing themselves and sharing their favorite recipes.

If you are an author who'd like to promote your book and share a recipe, please drop us a line. We'd love to interview you!