Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 11-28-08

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,

If you live in the U.S., you're probably wondering what to do with all that left over turkey today. I'm making turkey pies. It's an easy way to get rid of leftovers and I do it every year.

Buy ready-made crusts (this is the one day of the year I don't roll my own). The other ingredients are all from leftovers: turkey, a little dressing, dice an onion, add leftover vegetables--cut up the relish tray and dump it into the pie or open a bag of frozen vegetables, pour the leftover gravy on top (or if Uncle Fred polished off the gravy, use a can of gravy) add the top crust, bake in a 400 degree oven until golden brown and you've got the perfect leftover turkey pie. It's as simple as that.

To see this and others recipes at my Recipe Blog, go to: http://tinyurl.com/yuf6aq

I'm taking the rest of the day off. Talk to you on Monday.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
http://www.DearReader.com

* This month's Penguin Classic book is: The Lost Estate by Henri Alain-Fournier. To start reading and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEFEEF19E&c=CLASSICS

Dear Reader Column 11-27-08

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 Thanksgiving to those of you who live in the United States.

My husband and I are celebrating Thanksgiving Dinner with our neighbors this year.

Thanks for reading with me. It's truly a blessing to be able to read with friends like you every day.

Warmest regards,
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Win free copies of books you'll read and never forget from these terrific authors: Sherryl Woods, Welcome to Serenity; David Morrell, The Spy Who Came for Christmas; Dr. Richard Bandler, Guide to Trance-formation; and Ed Butchart, More Pages from the Red Suit Diaries. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

* This month's Penguin Classic book is: The Lost Estate by Henri Alain-Fournier. To start reading and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEFEEF19E&c=CLASSICS

 

Dear Reader Column 11-26-08

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,

Somebody always wins the crazy stuff I give away! If you enter this week's drawing you just might be the winner of the Crock Pot Giveaway!

To enter, go to: http://tinyurl.com/5n65co

For the Crock Pot Dressing recipe, go to: http://tinyurl.com/27y4rg

1,195 book club readers signed up for the apron giveaway last week. Congratulations to these lucky winners: Gwen Prohaska, Jennifer Goff, Elinor Homann, Cariad Morgon, Sandy S. Goodman, Alice Withrow, Kristen Russell, Jana Mann, Cherrie Markwood and Charlene McClure.

The winners of the November Chocolate Chip Giveaway, (the last cookie giveaway of 2008) were: Tina Gavaletz, Sandie Franks, Suzanne Diaz, Mary Shukers, Shannon Jensen, Iris Sutcliffe, Dee Clark, and Elaine Schwendeman.

Next week watch for another crazy giveaway, inspired by book club reader Wanda King; a bathrobe and slippers for one lucky reader along with a free book. (I'll personally shop for the winner.) Read all about it in next week's column.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
http://www.DearReader.com

* This month's Penguin Classic book is: The Lost Estate by Henri Alain-Fournier. To start reading and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEFEEF19E&c=CLASSICS

Dear Reader Column 11-25-08

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,

We had a technical glitch and if you entered the Crock Pot giveaway on Monday morning, we might not have gotten your entry--so be sure to enter again.

If your oven's always full on Thanksgiving, remember readers highly recommend Crock Pot Dressing.

From my Email Bag:

"Gave the dressing a trial run last week cause I also NEVER have enough room in the oven. Plus having a vegetarian daughter who LOVES stuffing, not having it in the bird is a must. I did substitute veggie broth for the chicken broth and it was DELICIOUS!!!!! I did make an error in forgetting to turn the crockpot down to low until a bit too late but I will remember on Thanksgiving Day! We loved how moist it was and it's definitely a keeper!!!! I've already passed this on to a few people who also have no room in their ovens!!!! Thanks so much for coming up with this idea! Anything I can do ahead and not leave for the last hour is a real bonus.

Your columns are always so enjoyable and it's great that you are always giving things away and encouraging readers to write to you. I wish I lived on your street and could come see your beautiful house and maybe taste a cookie or two!!! But you are a long way from Pittsburgh, PA...we're already getting snow! Wishing you a Blessed Thanksgiving! Sincerely,"--Kim Z.

"I, too, love your Crock-Pot Dressing recipe, as does my whole extended family. This year, I'm spreading the love (and the dressing) to a friend's house! Actually, it may be two friend's homes, because I'm e-mailing another friend your recipe, along with information about joining the book clubs, of course."--Alison Wohlwerth

To enter the Crock Pot giveaway, go to: http://tinyurl.com/5n65co

For my Crock Pot Dressing recipe, go to: http://tinyurl.com/27y4rg

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
http://www.DearReader.com

P.S. Thank you to everyone who's sent Get Well Wishes to me. My cold turned into bronchitis, but I'm on the mend!

* This month's Penguin Classic book is: The Lost Estate by Henri Alain-Fournier. To start reading and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEFEEF19E&c=CLASSICS

Dear Reader Column 11-24-08

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,

Laura recommends my Crock Pot Dressing and you could win a Crock Pot this week!

From my Email Bag:

"What a life-saver!

Six years ago I was volunteered to host Thanksgiving at my house. I was given simple things to do--set the table, wine, and vegetables. Everyone else brought the turkey, potatoes, cranberries, stuffing, pies, etc. Then a few years ago the turkey/stuffing supplier dropped out and the burden of cooking the turkey, stuffing and gravy became my responsibility. I found a turkey recipe in my local paper that both my son-in-law and I use, and the turkey and gravy comes out just fine. That same year my mother was trying to get me to use her stuffing recipe, but I discovered your no mess-no, no fuss slow cooker stuffing.

I got up early that Thanksgiving morning, threw the ingredients in one slow cooker and viola--stuffing that was gone in an instant. So this year I am making two slow cooker stuffings and I may have just a little bit left-over for Friday's do-over turkey meal. Thanks so much for the recipe."--Laura

Here's your chance to win a crock pot and I'll send you one of my recipe cards with the recipe handwritten on it, too. I won't be able to have it delivered by Thanksgiving, but it will be sure to arrive in time for your Christmas entertaining.

To enter the Crock Pot giveaway, go to: http://tinyurl.com/5n65co

For my Crock Pot Dressing recipe, go to: http://tinyurl.com/27y4rg

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Win free copies of books you'll read and never forget from these terrific authors: Sherryl Woods, Welcome to Serenity; David Morrell, The Spy Who Came for Christmas; Dr. Richard Bandler, Guide to Trance-formation; and Ed Butchart, More Pages from the Red Suit Diaries. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

* This month's Penguin Classic book is: The Lost Estate by Henri Alain-Fournier. To start reading and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEFEEF19E&c=CLASSICS

 

Dear Reader Column 11-21-08

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,

It's hard to believe, but after two weeks I'm still sick with a cold. The doctor assures me it's "just" a cold--no doubt a whopper of a cold--and I won't be dying any time soon. But my friend's words felt more sympathetic when I shared my doctor's diagnosis. "Suzanne, it's only 'just' a bad cold, or 'just' a simple procedure, when somebody else has it."

Ironically my yearly checkup is scheduled for this coming Monday and I was thinking of canceling, because I'm still sick with this cold. (I figured since my doctor said there wasn't anything he could do for me, why not wait until I'm healthy? Put my best foot forward for my yearly checkup--so to speak.)

I'm sick of being sick, boy am I sick of being sick! But instead of sitting around moaning, I decided to see if there were any little "sick" tips I could pass on to friends. Save them some of the misery I've endured over the past two weeks.

My list so far...

Chicken soup with matzo balls is really soothing when you're sick, on the other hand stay away from Mexican food. When I got a hot pepper stuck in my already sore throat, I thought I was going to have to call 9-1-1.

But, if you can make it through the brutal coughing jag, hot peppers are great for clearing your sinuses.

You don't have to wait in line when you have a bad cold. I ran out of tissue, so I made a run to the store and while I was waiting in the check-out line, I had one of my violent coughing jags--and the long line in front of me parted like the Red Sea.

Dark Chocolate Dove Bars feel real good on a sore throat. But if you eat enough of them, you're gonna have to switch to stretchy pants--the kind with the elastic waist.

After several doses of prescription cough syrup, if you stare at the wall long enough you'll see pretty pictures.

Signing off for today.

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
http://www.DearReader.com

SEARCHING FOR YOUR NEXT BIG THRILL? Read a "Between the Lines" interview with David Morrell and features and stories about these great authors: Clive & Dirk Cussler, Jennie Bentley, Phil Bowie, Heather Graham, Carla Neggers, Martha Powers, Cody McFadyen, Bob Morris, David Angsten, Chanette Paul, Karen Olson, Rick Robinson Robin Burcell and Carole Nelson Douglas. Visit the November issue of the Big Thrill now! Go to: http://www.thrillerwriters.org

*This month's Penguin Classic book is: The Lost Estate by Henri Alain-Fournier. To start reading and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEFEEF19E&c=CLASSICS

Dear Reader Column 11-20-08

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,

Every year I get an urgent SOS email from a reader, "Help! I was going to make your Crock Pot Dressing, but I've misplaced the recipe!" So today the plan is to head off a cooking crisis. Even though I always buy a big bird, at least 23 pounds, I still can't get all of the stuffing inside, and there's never any extra room in my oven for a separate casserole dish. So Crock Pot Dressing has been my salvation and folks seem to love it. If you've tried the recipe, send me an email, I'd love to hear from you.

Enjoy browsing through My Favorite Recipes, (which includes the Crock Pot Dressing) and if you find something you like, how about a recipe exchange? Send me one of your holiday favorites. I'd love to add it to my holiday buffet table.

To see my Recipe Blog, go to: http://tinyurl.com/yuf6aq

Some recently posted reader recipes:

Liz's Pumpkin Pie Cake
Alane's Pineapple Sauce
Rose's Southern Style Okra

Deborah's Garlic Whipped Potatoes
Shanna's Turnip Puff
Cosetta's Sweet Potato Casserole

Susana's Oatmeal Coconut Nut Cookies
Denise's Spaghetti
Colleen's Peanut Butter Cookies

Jami's Candy Coated Pretzels
Cynthia's Banana Bread

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

Gratefully,
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: With so many new books out every week, we promise these are five that deserve your attention: Nate Kenyon, The Reach; John Wareham, The President's Therapist; W.L. Hoffman, The Soulstealer War: The First Mother's Fire; M.M. Buckner, Watermind; and John B. Olson, Shade. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

*This month's Penguin Classic book is: The Lost Estate by Henri Alain-Fournier. To start reading and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEFEEF19E&c=CLASSICS

 

Dear Reader Column 11-19-08

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,

It looks like I am not the only person who still enjoys wearing an apron. Thanks for sharing your apron stories with me.

From my Email Bag:

"Suzanne, I am an apron collector too. We traveled a lot when we lived overseas and it was so easy to buy my souvenir apron: run in to a department store of any city, buy an apron and throw it in my backpack. What wonderful memories I have of our travels because of aprons. I also wear them. On Thanksgiving day, I have one for each of the female guests in our home that she can wear as she helps me prepare dinner. I save a see-through netted apron for my one sis-in-law who is a Methodist minister and tell her to wear something sexy. It always makes us giggle like we're in junior high, doing something naughty. I love aprons. Regards,"--Marilyn Grinnell

"Your column this morning made me smile. I remember my mom's aprons--she had quite a few. It reminded me that somewhere I had seen a picture of her in one of her aprons--so I went searching on my archive and found one! I'm going to start looking for a few aprons of my own! Thanks for sharing with us--I miss my mom so much and it brought back some wonderful memories!"--Susan Tucker

"Your aprons remind me of my wonderful Granny who always wore an apron. She lived with us and took care of me while my Mother worked. I loved her dearly. Thanks for the memory."--Mary M. Smith

"The picture of the aprons brought back memories of my mother. She was a farmer's wife who did lots of cooking (long ago, she cooked on a stove that burned coal or wood). She always wore an apron because she didn't have many clothes and wanted to keep them clean. Later in life, she sewed many fancy aprons and sold them. Since she was adept at embroidery, tatting, crocheting and knitting, she used many of these techniques to embellish the aprons. She made a utilitarian apron for me which I still use."--Chris Budd

"I love your aprons! I can smell the apple pie baking in the oven, the warm smells of cinnnamon and apple. I am a messy cook, so the apron all the way to the left looks like it would give me maximum coverage. And it reminds me of one my grandmother used to wear when she baked. Thanks for offering up a warm kitchen and a good friend every morning."--Mary Clark

And then there's author Marshall Cook, who's decided after reading my apron column that....

"I gotta remember that about aprons. I could reform my behavior a whole lot if I wore aprons."

There's still time to enter my apron give away. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/695pdh

To read the original apron column, go to: http://tinyurl.com/699cng

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
http://www.DearReader.com

*This month's Penguin Classic book is: The Lost Estate by Henri Alain-Fournier. To start reading and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEFEEF19E&c=CLASSICS

Dear Reader Column 11-18-08

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,

There's a new fence in my yard. I know, it doesn't sound like such a big deal, but the fence has brought a sense of cozy to me--and cozy is important. I do a lot of writing sitting in my sunroom. Surrounded by windows, my flower gardens are an inspiration and now there's a new cozy wooden fence that frames two sides of my property, with just enough of an opening, so I can watch people walking by on the sidewalk.

Wearing an apron makes me feel cozy, too. People extend a warm-hearted smile when they see me wearing an apron. Yeah, okay, part of those warm feelings might be sympathy because they're thinking, "Look at that nice woman, she's probably lost part of her mind and that's why she wears an apron to the market. But she does look sweet." and so they smile.

It's practically impossible to swear, or think bad thoughts about someone when I'm wearing an apron. Instead I'm surrounded by the smells of a warm apple pie, right out of the oven, I'm biting into pieces of left-over crust that Grandma Hale put a little sugar and cinnamon on before she baked. Or I'm basking in the sun, it's summertime, no school, my parents are at work and for two hours I can do anything I want, be anybody I want to be. When I'm wearing an apron, those are the memories I visit.

Most of the aprons I own were worn by someone else. And most of the "somebodies" I never knew. A light stain on an old apron doesn't bother me a bit. It's character. It's history. It's a chance for me to imagine who used to own the apron. Of course only great cooks and loving mothers used to own the aprons I wear today. Nobody was a grump, or regularly burned their chocolate chip cookies.

Today I'd like to share some of my "cozy" with you. I have 10 vintage aprons, that I've worn myself, to give away to readers. (You'll receive the apron in time for Thanksgiving.) My husband pinned them up on our new fence! Take a look and feel free to hint at your favorite when you enter the drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/695pdh

And don't forget to enter the last Chocolate Chip Cookie giveaway of the year! Go to: http://tinyurl.com/5z4cko

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
http://www.DearReader.com

SEARCHING FOR YOUR NEXT BIG THRILL? Read a "Between the Lines" interview with David Morrell and features and stories about these great authors: Clive & Dirk Cussler, Jennie Bentley, Phil Bowie, Heather Graham, Carla Neggers, Martha Powers, Cody McFadyen, Bob Morris, David Angsten, Chanette Paul, Karen Olson, Rick Robinson Robin Burcell and Carole Nelson Douglas. Visit the November issue of the Big Thrill now! Go to: http://www.thrillerwriters.org

*This month's Penguin Classic book is: The Lost Estate by Henri Alain-Fournier. To start reading and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEFEEF19E&c=CLASSICS

 

 

Dear Reader Column 11-17-08

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,

It's the last Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway until the New Year! I'm ready to bake. Are you ready to dunk?

Be sure to enter, go to: http://tinyurl.com/5z4cko

When you click on the cookie link, you'll also see the thank you that Ms. Anderson's entire second grade class at North Liberty Elementary School sent. (It's very cute. You'll love it!) Abigail, my Flat Stanley buddy was one of last month's cookie winners. The kids will vouch that my cookies are pretty amazing.

The unexpected "gifts" I receive from readers every day are delightful. Christy's email (below) was pretty amusing. She's a worrier, just like me. Thank you so much for taking the time to write. (To see the "Worry" column that Christy wrote about, go to: http://tinyurl.com/6ooxja )

From my Email Bag:

"Suzanne, thank you for sharing your worries, and lack thereof, with us. I, too, am a worrier. While I have little sayings tacked around me such as 'Worrying does not empty tomorrow of it's troubles, it empties today of it's strength,' so I can rationalize away many of my worries during daylight hours when I can concentrate, it's when my mind wakes up at 3:00 a.m. convinced (for example) 'the pain in my back is not the result of overexertion in the garden yesterday but some fatal disease' that I am powerless to stop it.

My husband is not a worrier, which is fortunate as I worry more than enough for both of us, and, bless him, he has learned to hold me and murmur, 'it's okay, it'll be okay' in his sleep. But others will tell me, 'stop worrying' as if it were that easy. I'd love to stop worrying! If you find the switch to turn it off, please let me know.

Thanks again, and I hope you are feeling better soon. Or maybe not too soon? Whatever is best for you, I hope you receive that. Now I'm worried I've bothered you."--Christy

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

Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
http://www.DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: With so many new books out every week, we promise these are five that deserve your attention: Nate Kenyon, The Reach; John Wareham, The President's Therapist; W.L. Hoffman, The Soulstealer War: The First Mother's Fire; M.M. Buckner, Watermind; and John B. Olson, Shade. Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

*This month's Penguin Classic book is: The Lost Estate by Henri Alain-Fournier. To start reading and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to:
http://www.supportlibrary.com/bc/v.cfm?L=drclass&V=Q1AFEFEEF19E&c=CLASSICS