Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 12-17-15

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Dear Reader,

It's only taken me 61 years to master making cutout Christmas cookies and it almost didn't happen again this year. Decorating the cookies has never been the insurmountable step for me, it's rolling the dough, pressing down the cookie cutter and then lifting it ever so gently, to transfer the freshly cut cookie dough onto a baking sheet, without losing Santa's foot, that's been my challenge.

Every year I attempted the cutout cookie feat, and every year I gave up and made Spritz, Candy Cane, and Chocolate Crackle cookies instead. It's been especially frustrating for me since I mix and roll out pie dough without any trouble.

So this year, what the heck, I gave it another try (it had become a holiday tradition), and just like in years past, I failed--again. But this time after I tossed the dough in the trash (and grumbled a few choice words), something inside me was determined to face the cutout cookie demon and I gave it one more try. The heck with my grandmother's tried and true recipe, I decided to venture out on my own and try a different recipe for cutouts--and it worked!

Easy to mix, easy to roll, never once did I amputate Santa's foot while transferring him to the baking sheet--and the cookies tasted amazing. My neighbors sent me a text suggesting I should consider starting a second career baking cutout cookies.

To read the recipe and see photos of our family's cookie decorating Saturday, go to:
http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/cookies-12-15-15.html

* My apologies to those of you who tried to enter yesterday's giveaway for a copy of Mountain to Mountain by Shannon Galpin. There was a snafu with the link, but the publisher has it working now. They still have ten copies to giveaway, so enter today: http://us.macmillan.com/smp/promo/mountaintomountainsweepstakes

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

 

 

Dear Reader Column 12-16-15

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Dear Reader,

Ten people are going to win gifts today at the book club, but you have to enter to win. People do win and it's fun. Just ask recent winners. Congratulations to...

* Lana D., the winner of the Wilton Recipe Right 3-Piece Mini Loaf Pan Set Giveaway.

* Bette Ann K. and Carolyn J. the winners of my Vintage Apron Giveaway

* Marci V., Betty R. and Nancy H., the winners of a copy of Forever This Time by Guest Author Maggie McGinnis.

Today author Shannon Galpin is giving away 10 copies of her book Mountain to Mountain: A Journey of Adventure and Activism for the Women of Afghanistan.

About the Book: being inspired to act can take many forms. For some it's taking a weekend to volunteer, but for Shannon Galpin, it meant leaving her career, selling her house, launching a nonprofit and committing her life to advancing education and opportunity for women and girls. Focusing on the war-torn country of Afghanistan, Galpin and her organization, Mountain2Mountain, have touched the lives of hundreds of men, women and children. She narrates harrowing encounters, exhilarating bike rides, humorous episodes, and the heartbreak inherent in a country that is still recovering from decades of war and occupation.

Enter the drawing for Mountain to Mountain by Shannon Galpin:
http://192.168.78.87/MacCMSTool/ToolFormGenerator/PromoXML.aspx?type=plainXml&id=930

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

May you find peace and make memories this holiday season,

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

 

Dear Reader Column 12-15-15

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Dear Reader,

Today's guest author, Debora M. Coty is a humorist, popular speaker, and award-winning author of numerous inspirational books, including her best-selling Too Blessed to be Stressed line.

Deb's new Too Blessed to be Stressed Cookbook has been named a 2016 Okra Pick: "Great Southern books, fresh off the vine," by SIBA, representing the best in Southern literature. All of the recipes are quick and tasty, 20 minutes or less to make.

You can win your very own copy of the Too Blessed to be Stressed Cookbook. Deb has five copies waiting to send to readers. Email: deboracoty@gmail.com

Welcome to the book club, author Debora Coty...

One Christmas, I came up with the idea of cooking a pot of homemade chili in the slow cooker while my ten guests and family members were at church on Christmas Eve. I have a fabulous chili recipe and a slow cooker the size of a swimming pool. Hey, what could go wrong?

So I prepared the chili, making sure to double the batch and fill my jumbo slow cooker to the brim.

But something didn't look right. The soup looked too, well, soupy. It should be thick enough to give your tongue a workout licking it off the spoon. Something must have gone awry when I doubled the recipe.

I did the only thing I could think of: add cornstarch to thicken the concoction. One heaping tablespoon. Two. Aw, heck--four for good measure. That should do it.

When we arrived back home, the house smelled heavenly. I'm pretty sure I saw drool trickling down a chin or two. Everyone grabbed a bowl and eagerly lined up at the chili pot. Brandishing my festive red ladle, I removed the lid and reached in to scoop out the first sumptuous serving.

But the ladle bounced off the surface like a basketball rim shot.

With five-alarm dismay, I discovered that my chili had congealed into a solid rubber block. Seriously, you could have jumped onto it from a three-story building and bounced back up to the roof.

This is how I learned about the super powers of cornstarch. A culinary lesson about chili I'll never forget: Thick = good. Goodyear = bad.

So here's my chili recipe from my Too Blessed to be Stressed Cookbook. It really is no-fail--as long as you omit the cornstarch.

Humdinger Chili

2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey (I use turkey)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped (optional)

1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes (may use combo diced tomato/peppers if desired)

2 (10 1/2 oz) cans condensed tomato soup

1 (15 oz) can Ranch Style beans

1 (15 oz) can kidney beans (light or dark red)

1 pkg chili seasoning (mild, medium or hot) OR 3 Tbsp chili powder

1 1/2 cups water

1 large potato, peeled and coarsely diced

Sour cream and grated cheddar cheese for garnishing

Brown ground meat with onion; drain. Combine with all other ingredients in slow cooker and cook for 4 hours on low until potatoes are soft. Serve garnished with sour cream and cheese.

I'm giving away 5 copies of my award-winning Too Blessed to be Stressed Cookbook (over 100 easy, delicious recipes each requiring less than 20 minutes prep time). To enter the drawing, send an e-mail with your mailing address (so I'll know where to send your prize!) via deboracoty@gmail.com

--Debora M. Coty

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

 

 

Dear Reader Column 12-14-15

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Dear Reader,

The days leading up to Christmas feel different for me this year. I've been a bit weepy the past couple of weeks. Tears well up in my eyes just because. No, nothing bad has happened. I've been doing a personal year-end review and I'm pleased with myself. It's bold of me to compliment myself, but one of my personal goals is to take the time to make memories with my family and looking back, I've done a great job this year.

My Grandma and Grandpa Hale were my inspirations. They spent time with me, seemingly doing nothing special, but those gifts I continue to carry with me through my life. And those feelings inspire me to create memories with my children and grandchildren. I must confess, creating memories for my family is not a selfless act, because every time I create a memory, it's a gift of love I give, but it's an even bigger gift for me.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

 

 

Dear Reader Column 12-11-15

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Dear Reader,

In the spirit of holiday gift giving, today I'm sharing one of my most popular giveaways at the book club. I know readers love it, from the number of entries I receive. It's one of my favorites, too, vintage aprons.

I have two vintage aprons that somebody else owned, then I used, and now I'm ready to pass one on to you. I do some mighty fine cooking when I'm wearing a vintage apron. I suspect you will, too. So get in on some of that good apron karma.

To enter the giveaway, go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/DearReader-Apron-1014.html

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

Happy Holidays,
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: TIPPING POINT (Fiction) by David Poyer

Captain Dan Lenson's under fire at sea and in Washington. His command of the Fleet's first antiballistic-missile cruiser is threatened when someone begins assaulting female crewmembers. As a showdown begins between India and Pakistan, Savo Island stands between two nations on the brink of theater nuclear war. I'm proud of what's now the longest-running US Navy series in history.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on TIPPING POINT to read more and to email author David Poyer, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 12-10-15

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Dear Reader,

A "whoops" sometimes turns out to be better than the way it was supposed to be. Book club reader, Cathy, writes...

"Suzanne,

A funny thing happened on the way to making your [banana bread] recipe. I had lots of bananas so thought I would try it out and then if we liked it, I'd experiment with additional holiday spices on a second loaf. It took a while to get all the ingredients assembled and mixed (my adult daughter and her beautiful 8-week-old daughter live with us so there are lots of distractions.) Finally the bread was in the oven and I was moving on to the next project, pumpkin pie.

But when I opened the refrigerator, there staring back at me, was the bunch of black bananas. The bread had been baking for 20 minutes, so too late to pull it out and add them. I figured the results might be a bit dry, but worth trying.

My daughter doesn't like bananas, so when she came into the kitchen I asked her to give the bread a try without telling her about my "whoops." She declared it the best banana bread ever. Laughing, I told her what happened and she said I should make banana bread that way all the time. Thanks for the very whoops-proof new recipe."--Cathy

(Cathy, your "whoops" reminded me of one of my own recipe "whoops" when I published my Beef with Broccoli recipe for readers several year ago. After reading my recipes, Beatrice, a reader at the book club wrote...

"Dear Suzanne, are you okay? I was reading your Beef with Broccoli recipe but interestingly enough, the recipe does not include 'Beef.' Is it an oversight? Or was I just imagining things?"--Beatrice

(Suzanne replied:)

"Where's the beef?"

I don't know, Beatrice, I'm still looking for it. Started looking for it early this morning, when hundreds of emails, similar to yours, started showing up in my inbox.

So I dug through my recipe box and found the recipe card. "Beef with Broccoli" was clearly printed at the top of the card, but when I read through the recipe--you're right, there's no beef! So what happened to the beef? And the bigger question, "Where's the beef 'been' all these years?"

It's amazing what you can convince people to believe. Because I've been serving this recipe for 20 plus years, "Here, enjoy some of my Beef with Broccoli," and no one has ever questioned what was--or wasn't--on their plate.

But now I'm amazed that a dinner guest didn't ask, "Suzanne, I see mushrooms in this delicious Beef with Broccoli. Are you sure this isn't Broccoli with Mushrooms?"

"Of course it's Beef with Broccoli. Those mushrooms on your plate? They're a newfangled kind-of-beef. Vegetarian beef--came from a cow that had a real thing for mushrooms."

So, "Where's the Beef?" I'm still looking for it, Beatrice.

In the meantime, trust me, it must be a great recipe because you're the very first person who's ever asked "Where's the Beef?"

If you'd like to see my Banana Bread or "Almost" Beef with Broccoli recipes (and many of my other favorites), visit my recipe blog at: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/users/susandemo/mweb/path1-17.html

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: With so many new books out every week, we promise these titles deserve your attention:

(Fiction)
TEASED: A Dark Protectors Novella by Rebecca Zanetti

(Fiction)
DRAGON KING: A Dark Kings Novella by Donna Grant

(Thriller)
DIG TWO GRAVES by Kim Powers

(Fiction)
TIPPING POINT by David Poyer

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

 

 

 

 

Dear Reader Column 12-09-15

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Dear Reader,

Gina, a reader at the book club, emailed after reading Monday's column about the age-old practice of knocking on your neighbor's door and borrowing a cup of sugar. Or in my case, a 1/4 cup of milk for cupcakes I was making. I grew up in a small town of 2,000 people where folks didn't think twice about borrowing whatever, from a neighbor. But I must admit, Gina's email about what she borrowed from her neighbor takes the cake. Asking would have even made me blush, and reading her email made me laugh until I cried.

"Suzanne,

Your story today made me smile. Two years ago I was staying with a friend who was getting married. The night before the wedding her mother and I were getting a few things ready, and realized we needed to iron some things. My friend was out doing last minute wedding errands and we couldn't find her ironing board. After a few minutes of deliberation and wardrobe examination, it was decided that I would walk next door to borrow an ironing board. (My friend's mother and I were both in our pajamas trying to keep warm--Florida girls in Alaska!), We still laugh at the thought of me knocking on a complete stranger's door, asking for the ironing board, and then walking down a flight of stairs and across two yards with the thing! Thanks for your emails.

--Gina Henderson
P.S. There was an ironing board at my friend's house, just very well hidden!"

After reading Gina's email I've now widened my horizon for the kinds of things I can ask to borrow from my neighbor. I rarely give advice, but I would encourage you to knock on your neighbor's door and ask to borrow something, even if you really don't need to borrow anything. Because I've discovered that when I knock on the door--magic happens!

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: DIG TWO GRAVES (Thriller) by Kim Powers

Years ago, I saw the Brad Pitt movie Seven and it scared the life out of me. I wanted to write a mystery like that--a smart thriller, minus the gore, with riddles and a hero you ache for. My newest work is that book--about an Olympic hero whose daughter is kidnapped and in order to save her, he must solve the 12 Labors of Hercules.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on DIG TWO GRAVES to read more and to email author Kim Powers, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 12-08-15

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Dear Reader,

The list is long for today's guest author, Matthew Dicks. What a list of accomplishments and experiences, with more to come, I'm sure. Matthew is the internationally bestselling author of several novels including Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend. His novels have been translated into more than 25 languages worldwide. Matthew's highly anticipated new novel The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs, is featured this week in the Fiction Book Club.

When not hunched over a computer screen, Matthew fills his days as an elementary school teacher, a storyteller, a blogger, a wedding DJ, a minister, a life coach, and a Lord of Sealand. He has been teaching for 17 years and is a former West Hartford Teacher of the Year and a finalist for Connecticut Teacher of the Year.

Matthew is a 19-time Moth StorySLAM champion and three-time GrandSLAM champion whose stories have been featured on their nationally syndicated Moth Radio Hour and their weekly podcast. He has also told stories for This American Life, and TED.

Matthew is married to friend and fellow teacher, Elysha, and they have two children. Matthew grew up in the small town of Blackstone, Massachusetts, where he made a name for himself by dying twice before the age of eighteen and becoming the first student in his high school to be suspended for inciting riot upon himself.

Okay, please do send an email welcoming author Matthew Dicks, and be sure to find out for me about this dying twice thing and being suspended for inciting riot upon himself. And when you email, you'll also be entered in his book giveaway. There are three copies of The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs waiting for lucky readers. Email: matthewdicks@gmail.com

Welcome to the book club, author Matthew Dicks...

I took my children to McDonald's on Thanksgiving morning, hoping to enjoy an Egg McMuffin and finish a chapter or two of my next novel while the kids devoured pancakes and played in the PlayPlace.

For a while, the plan was a good one. Clara (age 6) and Charlie (age 3) finished their breakfast quickly and disappeared into the giant, plastic tubes while I began plowing through the blank pages.

Fifteen minutes later, Charlie called for help. I found him about 25 feet off the ground, trapped in a plastic tube connected to the main structure by netting on both sides. He had climbed higher than ever before, crossed the netting to reach the tube, but was now trapped, afraid to cross back over.

It would be difficult for me to reach him. The tubes were narrow, and there was a sign indicating that the structure was not designed to hold an adult's weight, so I asked Clara to retrieve him. Despite her fear of heights, she agreed. She went as far as the netting--a monumental achievement for her--but refused to cross over to the tube. From a few feet away, she reached her hand out and begged Charlie to crawl to her.

It was while she was trying to coax him across the net that something magical happened. She said, "Charlie, whisper to yourself what you love most, and that's how you can be brave. That's what I do."

Tears welled up in my eyes. My daughter's wisdom astounded me. Then something shifted in me, and I found myself wondering why my daughter knew so much about bravery. Had I failed her in some way? Was she afraid more often than I thought?

Clara repeated her advice. "Whisper to yourself what you love most, and that's how you can be brave. Do it, Charlie."

Then he did. In a tiny whisper, he said, "Mommy."

You can't win them all.

Then he moved. Crawled toward Clara. For a moment, I thought he would make it, but as he moved, the tube shifted, causing him to freeze and resume his cries for help.

Eventually, I climbed through the structure to scoop up my boy, who was, to his credit, very appreciative. Lots of hugs and kisses.

I didn't finish a chapter on Thanksgiving morning. I walked away from McDonald's with skinned knees, a bump on my head, and a new understanding of bravery, courtesy of a six year-old girl who I love dearly and who is clearly wise beyond her years.

--Matthew Dicks

Email: matthewdicks@gmail.com

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: DRAGON KING: A Dark Kings Novella (Fiction) by Donna Grant

For as long as I can remember I've wanted to write a series about dragons. I got that chance when my publisher asked me to spin-off my Dark Sword/Dark Warrior world. I mentioned dragons, and they said yes. In this new book you'll see some familiar faces as well as being introduced to one of the Dragon Kings woken from his sleep--Arian. Remember, follow the magic!

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on DRAGON KING to find out more about the book and the author, Donna Grant. Send her an email, she'd love to hear from you.

Dear Reader Column 12-07-15

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Dear Reader,

Borrowing a cup of sugar from a neighbor. Who does that anymore?

My grandsons, Paul and James, and I were making a new cupcake recipe and to my surprise, the recipe called for 1/4 cup of milk, but there wasn't any milk in my refrigerator.

"Okay boys, we need some milk, only a 1/4 cup." I handed a measuring cup to Paul. "How about knocking on a neighbor's door and asking to borrow some milk?" Paul and James aren't shy about sharing cakes and cookies they've made with the neighbors, but asking to borrow--this was a new twist. "Go ahead, don't be shy," I was shooing them out the door. "People used to do this all the time."

The grocery store is only a five minute drive away. The three of us could have hopped in the car, but personally I don't think you really feel neighborly until you've borrowed a cup of sugar, or a 1/4 cup of milk. So today was the perfect opportunity to share that neighborly feeling with my grandsons. Out the door they went.

'Where are those boys?' I know my neighbors, so I wasn't really worried (especially since my grandsons are real talkers once they get started), but still, it felt like they'd been gone a little too long. So I sent my husband out to walk up and down the block. "Don't let them know I'm checking up on them," I told my husband.

The cupcake batter was still sitting in the bowl on my kitchen counter. I looked at the clock, it had been 20 minutes since I sent my husband out the door. Now there were three "boys" missing. So I went looking. Two houses down, I could hear a lively conversation. Yep, my grandsons and husband were inside. Knock, knock.

Turns out the neighbors didn't have any milk either, so while my husband and grandsons were chatting with our neighbor Ann, her husband went to the grocery store. And just to be sure, he bought milk and some heavy cream to give us. What a neighborly thing to do.

Instead of "Today you are a man," I could say to my grandsons, "Today you are a neighbor and you've learned how to be neighborly. You've felt the warm and fuzzy feeling of knocking, asking, smiling, and of course taking a few cupcakes over to the neighbors who lent the ingredients."

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: TEASED: A Dark Protectors Novella (Fiction) by Rebecca Zanetti

Chalton Reese has been in the Dark Protector books for years as a secondary but much trusted character. Although he's surprised when the king sends him on a mission to stop a curvy, sexy, stubborn journalist from printing any more articles about possible vampires, he does his duty...and then some.

Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on TEASED to read more and to email author Rebecca Zanetti, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 12-04-15

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Dear Reader,

Enjoy this column and recipe from a few years ago and enter to win your own Wilton Recipe Right 3 Piece Mini Loaf Pan Set.

I screwed up the banana bread recipe and I'm so happy I did. The recipe was one of those, that after you mix up the main ingredients you can venture out into several different directions. Add a couple of different ingredients and you could end up with cherry, spice, walnut, cranberry or banana bread. I was shooting for banana bread, but the phone rang in the middle of mixing and even though I'd made the recipe several times before, I ended up following a little bit of another recipe and then for some mysterious reason I added another ingredient that wasn't even listed. I realized my mistake when the bread was in the oven, but I figured I might as well see how it turned out. Turns out it was the best tasting banana bread I'd ever made.

Of course, then the challenge was trying to figure out exactly what I did wrong, but after a couple of trial-and-error attempts, I did and here is the result: Suzanne's Whoops! Banana Bread.

It's delicious and keeps great in the refrigerator. The recipe is below and for folks who want the recipe along with photos, go to: http://www.supportlibrary.com/nl/users/susandemo/mweb/path14-12.html

Suzanne's Whoops! Banana Bread

1 1/4 cups mashed very ripe bananas (the riper, or browner, the bananas are, the better the bread will taste)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup shortening
2 eggs
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (overflowing) chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of either a 9x5x3 loaf pan or 4 smaller loaves. Beat all ingredients together, scraping bowl. Beat just until blended. Pour into pan(s).

Bake until wooden toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center. About 50 to 60 minutes baking time for one loaf and about 35 minutes for smaller loaves. Immediately remove from pans after you take out of oven. Cool on a wire rack.

I like to bake my banana bread in smaller loaves, so today I'm giving away mini loaf pans, just like mine. Enter today's giveaway for a Wilton Recipe Right 3 Piece Mini Loaf Pan Set. Go to: http://www.emailbookclub.com/photo/giveaway.html

Enjoy, share with friends and family and be sure to tell them about the book club.

* Congratulations to the winners of I'll Be There by Guest Author Samantha Chase: Mari R., Alison W. and Sharon U.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com