Dear Reader: Holidays

Dear Reader Column 01-05-10

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Feeling a bit rattled from all of the holiday hoopla, I mentioned to my husband that I needed to find a way to get grounded, and he reminded me that my life seems to flow best when I'm spending time doing something for someone else. Thirty minutes later the phone rang.

"I don't know what's wrong with me, but I'm really sick. Can you come over? Thank heavens you have a key, because I'm so sick I think I'd have to crawl to open the front door." Author Blaize Clement, a good friend of mine, was on the other end of the line.

Stomach pain, feeling hot and cold at the same time, nausea that comes and goes in huge waves, and enough overall pain that made Blaize wonder if she should dial 911 or me. My husband and I decided it sounded like the flu. We don't claim to be doctors, but we've had a lot of personal experience lately. It's been a rough couple of months for contracting numerous "bugs," because our grandchildren, who go to daycare, visit us three times a week. And as one book club reader recently commented, "I dearly love them, but grandchildren who attend daycare are like little typhoid Michaels and Marys."

My husband and I packed a doctor's bag for our soon to be patient: tissues with aloe, a thermometer, hand sanitizer, Sprite, Jello, popsicles, Dove Bars, Tylenol and most important, two hot water bottles. And for the two of us: books, a notebook, an iPod, and I even brought along one of my favorite cookbooks. I realized I wouldn't be cooking broccoli crepes for Blaize, but we might be there a while, and cooking would help pass the time.

"I wonder how long it took her to make the call?" my husband was sympathetic to the fact that most people, including himself, would wait until they felt death approaching any minute before they'd call a friend and ask for help.

But I'm so glad Blaize made the call. My husband was right. Lending a hand to someone was just what I needed to get me out of my funk. And when Blaize gets to feeling better, I'll explain all of this to her. I'll thank her for coming down with the flu--taking one for the team, so to speak--and for helping a friend (that's me) get grounded again.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. Blaize has a new book, Raining Cat Sitters and Dogs coming out on January 19th. I spotted an Advanced Reading Copy on her kitchen table, and I'm giving that copy away to a reader today. It's even signed! I tried to get Blaize to sit up long enough for a photo, but there's only so much you can talk a bed-ridden delirious author into. To enter the book drawing, go to: http://tinyurl.com/yf2dsxv

January 05, 2010 in Books, Families, Food and Drink, Games/Contests, Health/Excercise, Holidays, Music, Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dear Reader Column 01-04-10

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Since this is my first column of the New Year, I suppose I should be writing about New Year's resolutions--but I didn't make any. Instead, I spent some time looking back through the past year. What exactly did I accomplish? And more importantly, what sorts of memories did I create? Did I want to bring any of them along with me this year?

Fortunately strolling down memory lane made me realize it was a pretty good year. Not because nothing bad happened, hey, that's part of life. But through it all, I think I did a good job of listening to myself last year, and I've made up my mind to try for a repeat performance in 2010.

Learning how to really listen to your hearts' desires--it can be risky business--because I discovered I'm weird. Weirder than the average Suzanne, but that's okay, because one realization leads to another, and for me, it really took the pressure off. For instance, now I understand that just because something makes everybody else happy, and not me, it's okay, of course it wouldn't, I'm weird. Weird doesn't go with the flow, and that's why last year went smoother, because when I listened to my heart I discovered my place in life. Everyone has a job that adds to the scenery of life: kids with orange and purple hair, the teenage boy holding up his pants with one hand, even the guy who chews tobacco and then spits in the street (a habit I find completely disgusting, Yuck!). Yes, we all have our jobs in making this world a more interesting place. And my job, I've discovered is to allow myself to be a little strange, never knowing for sure what quirky idea will pop into my head next. People may roll their eyes on occasion, but I'm looking forward to another good year, because I've learned to listen to my heart and it tells me, "Suzanne, you're weird and that's okay, just roll with it in 2010."

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: With so many new books out every week, we promise these are five that deserve your attention: Katharine Weber, True Confections; Sharon Gillenwater, Jenna's Cowboy: The Callahans of Texas series; Debbie Macomber, The Man You'll Marry; Jeffrey Deaver, Watchlist; and Jennifer Stanley, Stirring Up Strife. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

January 04, 2010 in Books, Holidays, Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (1)

Dear Reader Column 01-01-10

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Happy New Year!

I hope you're having a relaxing day. If you feel like cooking, try one of the recipes below. They are all from members of my staff. You can also visit my recipe blog at: http://tinyurl.com/yuf6aq

Tiffany's Tator Tot Casserole

1-2 pounds of hamburger (or ground turkey)
1 package of Onion Soup Mix
2 cans of cream soup of your choice (I use cream of potato and cream of celery)
2 cups of corn
1 bag of Tator Tots Milk Seasoning Salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Brown hamburger. Drain and put into baking dish. Add package of Onion Soup mix to hamburger and mix. Add the corn and mix.

In a separate bowl add the 2 cream soup mixes. Add a half a can of milk to the soup. Stir and pour half of the soup mix over the hamburger mix. Add Tator Tots and pour remaining soup mix over top. Season with seasoning salt and bake for one hour.

Mary's Layered Bean Dip

This is a satisfying dip with lots of layers of flavor. Enjoy with your favorite tortilla chip and beverage!

2 cups Refried Beans
2 cups Guacamole
1 cup chopped black olives
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chunky salsa
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Valerie's Dutch Butter Cookies

3/4 lb. of butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt sugar for top of cookies

Mix butter and sugar until creamy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Sift dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Roll into small balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Dampen a drinking glass with water, dip into a bowl of sugar and use the glass to flatten the cookies. Use colored sugar if desired.

Bake at 325 for 12 minutes or until slightly golden. Allow to cool for just a minute or two before removing from cookie sheet.

Or, if you'd like to do a little quick reading for fun, visit my online blog, go to: http://dearreader.typepad.com/

My column will be back this coming Monday, January 4, 2010.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Warmest regards,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.DearReader.com

SEARCHING FOR YOUR NEXT BIG THRILL? Read the "Between the Lines" feature interview with Sandra Brown then read about great thrillers from: Carole Nelson Douglas, Lee Goldberg, Charles Kipps, C. E. Lawrence, Michael A. Black, Carla Neggers, Brad Parks, Jonathan Hayes, Richard Belzer & Michael Black and David Morrell. Go to: http://www.thrillerwriters.org

January 01, 2010 in Books, Food and Drink, Holidays, Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (1)

Dear Reader Column 12-31-09

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

I asked the folks on my staff to write about one of their favorite Christmas memories during this holiday week. Today, Patrick and Diana share one of their favorite Christmas memories and a tasty recipe, too. Patrick's memory has become a Nerf gun family tradition that started years ago...

"I have two younger brothers and one year we decided to get Nerf guns and go around shooting one another throughout my mother's house. Each year we make it a point to have the Nerf guns ready and loaded after Christmas breakfast is done. As we grew older, the guns became bigger and more elaborate. What started out as a dollar store one-shooter turned into bazookas and Nerf rocket launchers. We've all grown and now have children of our own and the kids are included in the mix as well. This favorite pastime is always something we look forward to on Christmas morning."--Patrick

Diana remembers a special memory from Christmas day at Grandma's house . . .

We would always go to my Grandma and Grandpa's house (they lived about half an hour away) with our cousins. We (the kids) had a special table set up in the living room with Grandma's special vinyl table cloth that had Christmas on one side and Happy Birthday on the other. We even had lit candles on our table which my older cousins would freak us all out by putting their finger through the flame. We'd exchange gifts and have a wonderful time together. Then the evening always ended with us loading up on our wood-paneled station wagon (six kids) and having to back out of the driveway and then stop in front of Grandma and Grandpa's picture window where they were standing waiting for us to turn on the dome light in the car and we'd all wave one final wave good-bye. We'd travel down the road just a bit...waiting, and waiting for my dad to start singing. No one else could start...we had to wait for Dad. He always picked the song, sang the first verse and then we all joined in...all the way home!!

Our favorite recipe we make every Christmas Eve.

HEAVENLY ONION CASSEROLE

2 large white onions
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms
1/2 lb. Swiss cheese
10 or more slices French bread (buttered)
2 T. butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. milk
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Butter a 9 x 13 inch casserole pan. Chop onions. Slice mushrooms. Saute onions and mushrooms in butter and put into casserole. Shred Swiss cheese over above. Butter French bread on both sides. Put bread on shredded cheese. Mix soup, milk, soy sauce, salt and pepper; pour over bread. Make this a day ahead; refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serves 10-12 people.

(Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.)

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: New authors, old favorites--all wonderful books you can win: Mary Balogh, A Matter of Class; Robyn Carr, Forbidden Falls; Beth Wiseman, An Amish Gathering; Steve Hamilton, The Lock Artist; and Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Wench: A Novel. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

December 31, 2009 in Books, Families, Food and Drink, Games, Games/Contests, Holidays, Travel, Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dear Reader Column 12-30-09

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

I've asked the folks on my staff to write about one of their favorite Christmas memories during this holiday week. Today, Lori shares and a recipe for Creamy White Chili and a Christmas memory.

Creamy White Chili

I love making this because everyone seems to really enjoy it. Also it has a little bit of a kick that warms you up in the cold months.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cans (15-1/2 ounces each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

In a large saucepan, saute the chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add the beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and cream.
Yield: 7 servings.

One of my favorite Christmas memories is from when I was eight years old. Cabbage Patch dolls were really popular that year. I had wanted one so bad, but my parents couldn't afford much that year. So Mom worked all Christmas Eve to make me one from a doll's head she found in the fabric store. It looked just like the real thing, and I was more than happy to get it as a gift. My dad also made a cradle for it.

That year my parents made gifts and gave some of their personal treasures to me and my five siblings, and we were all so happy for what we received. The years that money was tight ended up being some of the best.

(Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.)

Happy Holidays,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.DearReader.com

December 30, 2009 in Books, Families, Food and Drink, Holidays, Shopping, Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dear Reader Column 12-29-09

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

I've asked the folks on my staff to write about one of their favorite Christmas memories during this holiday week. Today, Jean, shares one of her favorite Christmas memories and a recipe for Good Sugar Cut Out Cookies.

MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MEMORY by Jean

One of my favorite memories of Christmas happened when I was about six or seven years old. Every year my family would spend Christmas Eve at my Aunt and Uncle's house in Verona, Wisconsin. It was always a great time, good food and lots of laughs.

This particular Christmas, my oldest brother, Mike, who is ten years older than me, had to work so he didn't join us. We had just finished dinner and the adults were sitting around the table chatting when the phone rang. It was my brother Mike. He was all excited, and told us that when he came home from work Santa had already visited our house! Well, I was ecstatic! We couldn't leave my aunt and uncle's house fast enough!

We went home and got to open a few packages that evening and saved the rest until Christmas morning. Of course, years later I realized that Mike had come home and put all the packages under the tree to surprise us (still not sure if Mom and Dad were in on it). It was one of my most magical memories of Christmas.

My recipe is for cut-out cookies. I got the recipe from a woman I worked with years ago and I make them every year with my kids. They turn out delicious every time. My kids have been doing all the decorating from the time they were 3 and 5, and now they're 17 and 19 (yes, they still love to bake together!). I guess that's probably why I love this recipe so much, because it's fun to see my son and daughter working together and having fun (except when they fight over the red sprinkles!).

GOOD SUGAR COOKIES (cut outs)

1 cup shortening
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix like pie crust.

Beat and add:

2 eggs
4 Tbsp. milk (1/4 cup)
1 tsp. vanilla or nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. soda

Mix and chill two or more hours. Roll and cut out. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes. Cool before decorating and no fighting over the red sprinkles!

(Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.)

Happy Holidays,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.DearReader.com

December 29, 2009 in Books, Families, Food and Drink, Holidays, Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (1)

Dear Reader Column 12-28-09

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

I've asked the folks on my staff to write about one of their favorite Christmas memories during this holiday week. Today, Tina shares her Gram's French Apple Pie and a Christmas memory she says is a little "corny" but I think it's very sweet.

Tina's favorite Christmas memory. . .

It's a little corny, but here it goes. My husband (who wasn't my husband yet) and I moved to Florida from Massachusetts away from all of our friends and family in 1988. We were very young (I was only 18 and he was 19). We had no money, I was a full-time college student and only worked part-time and he had just started a new job making $8.00/hr which had to cover all of the household bills. We were all alone, 1300 miles away from family and it was Christmas.

I was really sad. It was my first Christmas away from home, and we had no money to fly back home for the holiday. There were no presents under our three foot Christmas tree, adorned with a few strands of garland and one Ornament, ("Our First Christmas Together" ornament that we still put on the tree every year). We didn't have any money to buy gifts for each other, so we bought the tree and the ornament instead.

Anyway, waking up Christmas morning was not something I was looking forward to, after all, there was nothing to do--no presents to open. When I got up, I noticed there were ten little tiny presents under the tree. What?!! Where did they come from? My husband had bought and individually wrapped ten bottles of nail polish that he got two for $1.00 at the pharmacy and wrapped each one separately so that I would have something to open on Christmas morning. Twenty-one years later, we are still together and still talking about our nail polish Christmas.

Gram's French Apple Pie

This is my favorite because it reminds me of my grandmother. I use to love when she made it, or when we made it together. She passed away eight years ago from brain cancer and I miss her every day. Gram's pie is always a request whenever I go anywhere, and I need to bring a dessert. In fact, I'll be making it twice this Christmas--once for my family and another pie for my husband's family.

6 Cups Apples
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cups milk
2 T. margarine
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Bisquick Baking Mix

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease pie pan. Mix apples and spices together in a bowl. Pour into pan. Beat remaining ingredients until smooth (1 minute). Pour over apples.

3/4 Cup Bisquick Baking Mix
1/2 Cup chopped nuts
1/3 Cup brown sugar
3 T. margarine (softened)

Mix with fingers until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of pie. Bake 55-65 minutes.

(Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.)

Happy Holidays,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.DearReader.com

December 28, 2009 in Books, Families, Food and Drink, Games/Contests, Holidays, Shopping, Travel, Weblogs, Work/Careers | Permalink | Comments (1)

Dear Reader Column 12-25-09

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

Merry Christmas from everyone at the bookclubs!

Suzanne, Bob, Amber, Bob R., Bryan, Diana, Jean, Linda, Lori, Mary, Patrick, Susan, Tiffany, Tina and Valerie.

December 25, 2009 in Books, Holidays, Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dear Reader Column 12-24-09

Join my email book club. Over 350,000 people read 5-minutes a day. To see what books I'm featuring this week, go to: http://www.dearreader.com/

Dear Reader,

A few years ago, I tried my hand at writing some poetry--an amusing version of 'Twas The Night Before Christmas, and now it's become a tradition at the book clubs.

Okay, I admit it's a bit hokey, but it's really kind of a catchy little number once you start reading it. It's got a syncopated beat, and if you throw in a little sing-song rhythm, you'll be smiling by the end of it.

"'Twas The Night Before Christmas at the Book Clubs"

'Twas the night before Christmas and in every house
all good book club readers were clicking their mouse.

They'd hung all their stockings, decorated their trees
And now it was time to sit down and see
What their email had brought them on this Christmas Eve.

A five-minute break to read a good book
Was just what they needed, but oh my--look...

When they opened their email, no read could be found.
"Oh no, we're afraid Suzanne went out of town.
Could she have forgotten to send us our read?
How could she do this in our time of need?"

The readers all panicked, they shivered in fright,
They pined for their emails and settled in for the night.

"Could we have misplaced them? Did we hit the wrong key?
Did it go in our deleted files?" Oh such misery.
And then in a flash, with a stroke of a key,
One by one, they discovered their Christmas Eve reads.

Their eyes how they twinkled, they laughed and they smiled
And they settled into their chairs to read for awhile.

Their hearts were delighted, they felt just like kids,
But it's still such a mystery where that email had hid.
Was it there all the time and they just didn't see?
Or did Santa step in and do a good deed?

Good boys and girls are on Santa's list
And good book club readers he vows never to miss.

It's been a long night, time to climb into bed,
So they shut down their computers and laid down their heads.

But in the quiet of night, before things came to an end,
They heard, "Thanks for reading with me,
It's so good to read with friends."

I wish you peace and joy,

Warm Holidays Wishes from,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: With so many new books out every week, we promise these are five that deserve your attention: Carla Neggers, Cold River; Terri DuLong, Spinning Forward; Lauren Ulm, Vegan Yum Yum: Decadent (But Doable) Animal-Free Recipes for Entertaining & Every Day; Liz Maverick, Crimson & Steam; and Julie Kenner, Tainted (The Blood Lily Chronicles). Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

December 24, 2009 in Books, Holidays, Web/Tech, Weblogs | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dear Reader Column 12-23-09