Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 01-17-11

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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,

Karen's dunking some of my homemade chocolate chip cookies, I'm ready to bake for you, too.

"Dear Suzanne,

I received the cookies late yesterday afternoon and immediately my daughter and I opened the package. I don't know who was more excited, my husband, the kids or me! We all huddled around the box. Ah ha! There they were, the infamous chocolate chip cookies. My favorite. We all grabbed our mugs filled them with milk and began dunking. They were delicious! We had them before dinner and of course after dinner. Cookies before dinner is a real treat in our house. Thank you again and I shall continue to read, and share with friends!"

Karen Gasperian

Today's the day to enter my Chocolate Chip Cookie Giveaway. To see a photo of Karen's dunking technique and to enter the cookie drawing, goto: http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/node/58738

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

Ready to bake for you,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/

* This month's Penguin Classics book is THE LEAVENWORTH CASE by Anna Katharine Green. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/January11Classics

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 01-14-11

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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,

The daily email has changed slightly this week, slimmed down, yet offers fun and variety. Have you noticed?

Here's a line-up of the new format.

You'll find the featured book of the week at the top of the email, along with a handy link, if you'd like to read the HTML version.

Then AuthorBuzz

The Dear Reader column

The book for the week in the familiar text version

Book Club Discussion Forum

Reserve a Copy of this book at your library link (if offered).

And finally, a link if you'd like to purchase the book

If you've never checked out the HTML version of the read, please do. Also, if you missed any day's read, you'll be able to retrieve it in the HTML version. You'll find AuthorBuzz there, too.

In two weeks you can join in the Online Book Club's first Pajama Party! Since June of 1999, folks have been able to sample a new book each week at the daily book clubs, but there's always something new and fun going on.

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

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

* This month's Penguin Classics book is THE LEAVENWORTH CASE by Anna Katharine Green. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/January11Classics

 

 

Dear Reader Column 01-13-11

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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 know you're busy. Thanks for taking the time to write. Reading your emails is the best part of my day. Today, Tim, who reads at the book club asks...

"Hi Suzanne, I just wanted you to know that I know there are too many e-mails to answer each one personally. Something peaked my interest in [yesterday's Dear Reader letter], when you mentioned a "Finding your purpose in life" column. Would you send me a copy of the column you wrote about finding your purpose? Thank you."--Sincerely, Tim

(Suzanne responds:) Tim, looking back through my columns, I was amazed at how times I've written about finding my purpose in life. But then again, it's a topic I ponder daily. I've chosen this one for you...

For a long time now, I've felt I was put here on earth to do the "little things." But I've always had a difficult time writing one or two sentences to explain exactly what I mean by the little things.

When I experience someone else doing the little things for me, there's no mystery, instantly I recognize the feeling and I smile, because it feels so good.

Little things are nothing fancy, life would go on very nicely without them, but I do believe that "little things" make people feel special. At least that's how they make me feel. A little extra touch added to something--nothing that makes a big change in my life--but something that makes life a little softer, a little sweeter.

When my neighbor, my cooking buddy John, returns something he's borrowed it always comes back to me with a little extra touch. A kind of Cinderella story. A plain old rolling pin when he borrowed it, but when it came back to me, it looked like a Williams-Sonoma window dressing--a delicate bow and long pink strands of raffia hanging down from one of the handles. And ever since then, whenever a recipe calls for a rolling pin, I always reach for a different one, (not the one my neighbor John returned) because I'm not quite ready to part with one of the "little things."

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

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

AUTHORBUZZ: Don't miss out on a chance to win free signed books from these notable authors:

Cara Lynn James/LOVE ON ASSIGNMENT

Rex Ghosh/NINETEENTH STREET NW: A TALE OF TERROR IN THE WORLD FINANCIAL MARKETS

Janice Thompson/STARS COLLIDE

Syrie James/NOCTURNE

John Lescroart/DAMAGE

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

* This month's Penguin Classics book is THE LEAVENWORTH CASE by Anna Katharine Green. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/January11Classics

 

 

Dear Reader Column 01-12-11

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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 day I write down my thoughts, not only for this column, but in my personal journal. I rarely go back and reread what I've written, but a few weeks ago when I was feeling like I'd lost my groove--lost the peace in my heart--I went searching for answers and this is the entry I discovered...

You can't have peace with others until you create peace within.

I've lost the peace in my heart that I normally feel. Instead, I wake up every morning and I'm on a treasure hunt--searching for peace. But instead, I should settle back and let peace find me. Looking for something gets irritating. Can't find it, not even sure what I'm looking for, so how could I expect to find it?

Seemed like only yesterday I felt happy and life was sailing along. I knew where I was going. I could identify the things in life that brought me joy and peace. Now out of the blue, it feels like something is missing. Have I taken a wrong turn? My confidence has disappeared. Trying to put my life together, can't find the pieces; everything feels jumbled. Peace is not within my reach.

But looking back--you silly girl, sometimes you fret and worry when you need to be patient and wait. My life tends to cycle, problems all around, but if I just stop looking, peace will find me once again.

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

My best to you,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/

* This month's Penguin Classics book is The Leavenworth Case by Anna Katharine Green. Start reading now and enter to win a Penguin totebag. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/January11Classics

 

 

Dear Reader Column 01-11-11

Now on sale . . .Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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,

Cold, wet weather brings the chili out in this girl. Yesterday I made two huge pots: one using lean ground beef and I made the other with ground chicken and pinto beans. Here's my favorite recipe. Change it up using the ground chicken or turkey, or leave out the meat altogether and add a different kind of bean in its place.

This recipe is easily doubled, tripled, quadrupled or decupled for a crowd--invite the neighborhood or deliver bowls of chili to their doors. Here's my recipe for Hearty Chili. You'll also find it on page 65 of my book, Muffins and Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if disorderly) Life.

Hearty Chili -- serves 6

1 1/2 pounds ground beef; browned and drained
1 chopped onion
1 - 15 oz can whole kernel corn
1 - 18 oz can kidney beans (drained)
2 - 28 oz. cans of whole, peeled tomatoes--use the juice (I squash the tomatoes. I don't use any special tool, I just wash my hands and start smishing tomatoes after I put them in the pan.)
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 to 2 T. Chili powder
2 tsp. salt
1/2 pound dry elbow macaroni, cooked and drained And I add a few shots of Tabasco sauce

Blend all the ingredients in a big cooking pot. Simmer at least one hour.

** Sample this month's Penguin Classic: The Leavenworth Case by Anna Katharine Green, goto:  http://tinyurl.com/January11Classics Remember, you can get a discount on the Classics all year long at Penguin's website. Use the code "Dreader17" when you purchase Classics. Be sure to enter the free giveaway while you're there, too.

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

Stay warm,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

 

 

Dear Reader Column 01-10-11

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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 had an epiphany in the bathroom the other day and it reminded me of an email I received from a book club reader years ago. I'd written a column about finding my purpose in life, and the reader wrote to share how one of her life's frustrations, had also become one of her callings in life. Every time she used a bathroom she faced an empty toilet paper roll, so she'd have to change it, and it drove her crazy. "How could people be so rude? Use the last few squares and then not replace the roll?"

Even when this woman was on vacation, touring a castle in Europe, and she had to use the bathroom--even there--she faced an empty toilet paper roll. But the TP gods shined down upon her that day and opened her eyes to the fact that everyone has assignments in this life, tasks they are expected to do to make the world run smoother, and one of her assignments was to change the toilet paper roll. She joyfully accepted her assignment that day, and now whenever she faces an empty TP roll, she cheerfully changes it. "Though I do wish folks wouldn't hide the extra rolls," she said, "sometimes I have to do a lot of digging through bathroom cupboards and vanities to find the toilet paper."

Changing the toilet paper roll--someone's calling in life? Not too glamorous you might say, but aren't you happy that when you need it, someone's made sure it's there?

The TP gods were busy again the other day handing out assignments and I was on the receiving end. When Consuelo, the woman who cleans my house, cleans the bathroom, one of the special things she does is leave behind a fancy V-fold on the end of the toilet paper roll. Strange as it may sound, it makes me feel kind of special when I see the fancy fold waiting for me--like I'm queen for a day. So the other day after Consuelo left, when I looked over at the TP roll, I decided that from now on whenever I leave a necessary room, one of my "callings" is to leave a fancy fold behind. Kind of like paying for the car behind me at the tollbooth, the next person will undoubtedly smile and feel like queen or king for a day, too.

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

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

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 01-07-11

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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,

"The best things in life may be free," but as book club reader Diana Niedermeier pointed out to me in her email, the "free-for-the-taking," child's kitchen play set (in almost brand new condition) my husband and I found curbside with someone's trash--it won't be "free" for long.

From my Email Bag:

"Suzanne, Suzanne, Suzanne, you have opened a whole big can of worms now. I speak from experience. I picked up a kitchen play set from the curb for my granddaughter. That little 'FREE' child's kitchen play set is going to cost you a fortune! You have already started obsessing about tea cups and frying pans. First comes the dishes, then the silverware. Next you run to the toy store for the pots and pans. Of course, you need the baking set and all of the different size loaf pans. Don't forget the coffee pot and the tea kettle. Now that you have all that organized, you need the food to put in the cupboards--if you have any room left. Don't forget those realistic looking cakes and cookies. It isn't until you have looked at that last item (your grandsons' favorite) mac and cheese, and as you are putting it away you realize...there is more in the cupboards of the kitchen play set, than there is in your cupboards.

Yes Suzanne, I have been there and done that. By the way, have you seen the cute little sundae dishes, they even have ice cream in them with a cute little cherry on top?

Being a grandma isn't cheap."
Diana Niedermeier

(Suzanne responds:) Your email brought great comfort to my husband and me. When we were at the pharmacy yesterday, I was waiting in line to pick up a prescription and my husband was browsing the aisles. Next thing I know he's showing me a child's play toaster, blender and mixer. "It's buy two, get one free! Wouldn't these look great in the boys' new kitchen?"

After the pharmacy we stopped at the children's resale shop, and our grandsons' "free" kitchen now has a complete set of pots and pans, seven baking pans, a child-sized potholder, pretend vegetables, cakes and doughnuts, a tea pot.... The kitchen is so well stocked that we've had to add a portable plastic pantry to hold everything.

Yes, Diana, you are right being a grandma isn't cheap! But it sure is fun, isn't it?

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

KIDSBUZZ: Email an author, sign up for their giveaway, and learn about great books for teens on new beginnings and otherworldly romance from Shari Mauer, CHANGE OF HEART; and Heather Terrell, FALLEN ANGEL. For a chance to win free books and more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 01-06-11

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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,

Sticky fingers, sticky keys on my computer this morning and I have the national news to blame. Years ago I quit watching the nightly news--too much negativity about things I couldn't do anything about. But after watching this past Tuesday's broadcast, I'm rethinking that decision. Maybe I've been missing some real tasty stuff.

Did you know that a glazed doughnut has fewer calories than a plain bagel? Two hundred sixty calories in that sugary glazed delight and 320 calories in a plain, boring bagel. And I bet the cinnamon raisin bagel I normally choose is even more. So I'm eating healthier today. The low-cal glazed French Cruller I devoured this morning with my coffee--it was worth the sticky fingers and sticky keys--a small price to pay for eating right.

The news report also emphasized, "Eighty-five percent of Americans don't count calories and 70 percent rarely get on a scale." No problems there for me. In lieu of a scale, I live by the "no elastic waistband rule." I only buy clothes that snap, button or zip. When I have to start tugging to close things up, it's time to rethink what I'm eating.

Eating a French Cruller is normally a once a year treat for me, but now that I know the truth, I'm going to make better choices and I've even jotted down tomorrow's menu.

Breakfast: Oatmeal with banana, coffee and a low-cal French Cruller

Lunch: Tossed green salad with fresh organic vegetables, one teaspoon French dressing, and a French Cruller

Mid-afternoon snack, when I need a low calorie pick-me-up: one-half of a French Cruller (wouldn't want to spoil my appetite for dinner)

Evening meal: Steamed broccoli, whole grain rice and 1- 1/2 French Crullers (Mother told me never to waste food, so I'll need to finish that 1/2 of Cruller laying around from my 2 p.m., snack.)

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
www.MuffinsandMayhem.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Start off the New Year with free books, a chance to win a romantic getaway and even a brand new Kindle from these great authors:

Adam Schwartz/A STRANGER ON THE PLANET

Suzanne Woods Fisher/THE SEARCH

Jill Paton Walsh/THE ATTENBURY EMERALDS

James J. Kaufman/THE COLLECTIBLES: A NOVEL

Alisa Bowman/PROJECT: HAPPILY EVER AFTER: SAVING YOUR MARRIAGE WHEN THE FAIRYTALE FALTERS

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader

 

Dear Reader Column 01-05-11

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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,

My husband and I accidentally went trash picking yesterday. We were taking a late afternoon walk around the block when we spotted a child's kitchen play set: a cute one piece unit that included a sink and oven, with a built-in counter top. It was lined up with other trash near the curb, but the kitchen set was in excellent shape, except for some rust in the stainless-steel sink.

"I have some rust cleaner at home that could take that right out," my husband said. So I picked up one end, my husband grabbed hold of the other, and we walked back home carrying our treasure. Our own childs' imaginations in full bloom, by the time my husband and I got the play set home, we'd stocked the kitchen. Miniature baking pans, spatulas, plastic bowls and plates from my own kitchen, along with small-sized cans of tomato paste and vegetables for the shelves, and of course at least one box of macaroni and cheese--our grandson's favorite breakfast, lunch, AND dinner. And when the second-hand children's store opens today, we're hoping to find a frying pan, two sauce pans and if we're lucky, a play mixer and toaster.

The kitchen set was in such excellent shape that even though it was out at the curb for the morning's trash pickup, on our walk back home, my husband and I were a little nervous wondering, 'Did they really intend to toss this out?' But then we reminded ourselves that we do the same thing. Sometimes instead of donating an item we no longer need, we set it out at the curb with a FREE sign. We live on a busy street, so it never takes long for a new owner to show up and it's a lot of fun for us to crouch down behind the window, in our living room, to see who stops. The trash pickers are excited about finding the thing we've tossed out, and my husband and I take joy in knowing that our "trash" is someone else's treasure.

I wonder if anyone was watching from behind the curtains today? I sure hope so, because my husband and I felt like excited little trash-picking kids, who'd just found a wonderful treasure.

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

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

KIDSBUZZ: Email an author, sign up for their giveaway, and learn about great books for teens on new beginnings and otherworldly romance from Shari Mauer, CHANGE OF HEART; and Heather Terrell, FALLEN ANGEL. For a chance to win free books and more, see http://www.authorbuzz.com/kidsbuzz

 

 

Dear Reader Column 01-04-11

Now on sale . . . Muffins & Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy (if Disorderly) Life by Suzanne Beecher, and when you purchase it, request a free autographed bookplate, by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/Muffins-MayhemPO

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,

During their first week of marriage, book club reader Rick Martin's wife, announced that she was going to make one new recipe a week for the rest of their lives together. "And believe it or not, 1899 weeks later she is still keeping up the tradition!" Ricks says. "Some have been main courses, other appetizers and of course desserts, so we have recipe boxes, books and clippings everywhere. Most of her recipes have been great, but there have been a couple of memorable failures, e.g., creamy beef something or other."

Rick, I'd like to pass on a new recipe that I tried the other day. My husband found Dorie Greenspan's Chicken in a Pot: A Warming Dish for a Cold Winter's Night in the Wall Street Journal and suggested I give it a try. Not only was the chicken out-of-this-world great tasting--the presentation at the table was priceless, because one of the serving utensils is a screwdriver.

Another intriguing thing about the recipe was that it called for preserved lemon. I assumed "preserved" lemon was something I was going to do to the lemon later in the recipe, so I bought two lemons when I went to the market. But preserved lemons are lemons that have been pickled in a brine of water, lemon juice and salt. The mixture ferments for weeks or months before it's used. I couldn't find preserved lemons at the regular supermarket, but I did find them at Sur La Table and you can buy preserved lemons online. If you decide to try the recipe, even though the recipe only calls for one-half of a lemon, don't leave it out. The preserved lemon definitely "makes" the dish--and so does the ring of dough that seals the pot and the screwdriver you'll need to open it.

To get a copy of the recipe, go to: http://tinyurl.com/26pemxz

To see my steamy, screwdriver at-the-table presentation of Dorie Greenspan's Chicken in a Pot, go to: http://www.muffinsandmayhem.com/node/56330

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

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