Dear Reader

Dear Reader Column 6-30-17

AUTHORBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
"meet" the authors and enter to win. 

Dear Reader,

I write a daily column, you read it and you send a gift back to me. It's such a blessing to hear from readers. Thank you so very much.

"Dear Suzanne, I just felt the need to reply and let you know that your newsletter is the highlight of my day. I enjoy your opening message more than I enjoy some of the books! Feel free to pass this along to "the powers that be" so that they will realize....there are many book list newsletters out there, but we all subscribe to yours for a reason!! I bless the day I stumbled across yours, and I love your stories about your grandchildren and their cooking adventures. Keep up the good work! You truly uplift my mornings!" -- Juli

"I love reading your blog and reading all the splendid new books. Thank you so much. What a joy it is to find out I won!" -- Claire B. (who won one of the prizes from our "Week of Funnies" at the book club.)

"Suzanne, those cookies [your grandson's pumpkin chocolate chip] sound delicious. I have made pumpkin cookies in the past, but it never occurred to me to put chocolate chips in them. That could be a pregnant lady's dream dessert! I will have to try it." -- Tess C., Public Services Librarian

Tess also shared this recipe with me...sounds perfect for the 4th of July.

Tropical Breeze Smoothie

1 cup frozen pineapple chunks.
1 cup frozen mango chunks
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk

Place all ingredients in blender. Cover; process 15 to 30 seconds or until smooth, using on/off pulsing action to break up chunks. Pour into glasses; serve immediately. Makes 2 servings. (We make multiple servings)

* If you haven't entered this week's drawing, now's the time. You could win a coupon for a free box of Dove Ice Cream Bars (my favorite treat). It's free, it tastes divine, enter! To enter, click here.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 6-29-17

AUTHORBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
"meet" the authors and enter to win. 

Dear Reader,

Some friends of mine telephoned me last Saturday, they wanted to know if they could come over to my house and "hide out" for a while. Hide-out? When I asked them what was going on, they said they'd been tricked.

"It all happened so fast. We didn't see it coming. Our neighbor asked us if we were going to be home on Saturday. We said 'yes'. And the next thing we knew he was thanking us for agreeing to help him move furniture and paint the walls in his new house across town."

I understood their situation all too well. This was déjà vu for me. Years ago, when we lived in Middleton, Wisconsin, been there, done that...

...an invitation was taped to my front door. It was from the neighbors across the street, inviting me to a "Sod Party" on Saturday. This was the first time that I'd ever been invited to a sod party, and I was surprised that I was even on their esteemed guest list, considering that we'd never formally met. I'd wave to them when I was coming and going, but I didn't even know their first names.

Now, I'm paraphrasing the invitation here, but basically my neighbors were inviting my husband and I to spend our Saturday unloading, cutting, and laying sod in their yard. A tempting invitation, I mean it was a real once in a lifetime experience. They did have the most expensive home in the neighborhood, (I've always been curious to see what it looked like inside), but not curious enough to lay sod, and gee, I really didn't have a thing to wear to a sod party, so I think we'd have to pass. Their invitation required an RSVP and I graciously declined.

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends--unless you're planning a sod party, a fix your toilet party, a clean the gutters party, or a pump your septic system party...

* If you haven't entered this week's drawing, now's the time. You could win a coupon for a free box of Dove Ice Cream Bars (my favorite treat). It's free, it tastes divine, enter! To enter, click here.

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:

(Thriller)
STORM SHELTER by J.L. Delozier

(Fiction)
GAINING VISIBILITY by Pamela Hearon

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

Dear Reader Column 6-28-17

AUTHORBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
"meet" the authors and enter to win. 

Dear Reader,

Dove Chocolate lovers unite! I'm a number one fan of Dark Chocolate Dove Bars. So it's in that spirit that I shall refer to the person who drafted today's reader email as, "An Anonymous Canadian Reader." After all, I wouldn't want the reader's next email to be sent from a jail cell.

From My Inbox:

"Suzanne, I had to respond to your Dove Chocolate column...

At one time you were able to purchase Dove dark chocolate bars in Canada. My all-time favorite in times of crisis. When they suddenly disappeared, I called the company. I was told that Dove was not a preferred chocolate in Canada and therefore could not maintain its market share.

Phooey!

And it is also illegal to import chocolate from the U.S. without a special licence.

Phooey!

So my cousin ships Dove Chocolate from Texas to me, and we hold our breath for four days, hoping it'll show up and not be confiscated. Nothing stands between me and my Dove Chocolate! Nothing!" -- Anonymous

(Suzanne replies:) As the little verse on one of my Dove Chocolate ice cream sticks says, "A day without Dove Chocolate is a sad day, indeed."

I'm with Anonymous. Phooey!

Could this Canadian Dove Chocolate ban have been encouraged by border control customs agents? (Closet Dove Chocolate lovers looking for a way to de-stress in their jobs?) After all, everyone knows chocolate helps you relax and deal with any situation. It's true, it's one of sayings printed right on the stick of the Dove Dark Chocolate Ice Cream Delight that I ate last night. Those sticks can't be wrong: "A little chocolate can help you get through anything." Especially a long stressful day at the border control.

I can picture it now; an agent is scanning packages entering Canada looking for illegal chocolate shipments, when suddenly we hear, "Oh darn! Lookie here, another box of Dove Chocolate Bars. We can't let this into the country, guess we'll have to confiscate the whole box."

On a positive note, making shipments of Dove Chocolate Bars to Canada against the law, has turned a very stressful border control job into one of the least stressful in the country--instead of high blood pressure, agents wipe chocolate from their smiling faces all day long. "Chocolate makes you happy." Another little saying on my ice cream Dove Chocolate Bar stick.

Of course, all this talk about chocolate makes me want to go find my Dove Bar stash, and in solidarity, I think I should eat two--one for me and one for my Canadian friend, "Anonymous."

Chocolate is best when it's shared with a friend. So today I'm giving away a coupon for a free box of Dove Ice Cream Bars. To enter the drawing, click here.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 6-27-17

AUTHORBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
"meet" the authors and enter to win. 

Dear Reader,

Welcome to the book club, author Susan May Warren, who has graciously written today's guest column.

Susan May Warren is the ECPA and CBA bestselling author of over fifty novels with more than one million books sold. She's written contemporary and historical romances, romantic suspense, thrillers, romantic comedy, and novellas.

Please welcome her by sending an email. And when you do say hello, you'll automatically entered in a drawing for one of three copies of her current book, Rescue Me. To say hello, click here.

Please welcome author Susan May Warren...

A Matter of Trust

While living on assignment in Russia, twenty-two years ago, on May 9th, Victory Day in Russia, I lost my four-year-old daughter, Sarah, for forty-five harrowing minutes in a crowd of thousands spread over a hundred acre amusement park.

I was talking to friends while holding her hand and I'm not sure why, or how, but I let go. When I turned, no less than thirty seconds later, the girl had vanished.

Sarah has always followed her own creative spirit. She hated me combing her hair into high pigtails, or dressing her in frilly pink outfits. From birth, she had to do things her way, ruled by a fierceness that compelled her to wrestle with her big brother, snarl at her babysitters and generally live as if she were Supergirl. (I still call her that). Probably, she thought she'd had enough of being shackled to my confining grip, and decided she'd see the world on her own terms.

Our group of friends, along with my husband, scattered, searching for her. I stayed, rooted in case she materialized, and prayed that God would send an angel to protect her until we found her. I'll never forget the smell of hotdogs and cotton candy in the air, the redolence of spring captured in the budding wildflowers, the tall grasses, the flow of people brushing past me, anxious to embrace summer in Siberia.

I thought, how could I have let her go? Something deep inside me ripped open, and I couldn't imagine life without my feisty daughter.

I couldn't let my thoughts settle there, so I just kept praying, and watching.

God answered my prayers. A woman I barely knew, who had attended only one of my bible studies recognized my daughter, who'd wandered nearly a mile away from us, along a crowded path. She took Sarah's hand and refused to let go (even when my friends and my husband found them!) until she returned my daughter to my arms. (No one gets between a Russian woman and her quest!)

Miracle.

Not long ago, I recounted that story to Sarah, now an adult, married, with her own feisty daughter. To my shock, she laughed and said, "Mom, I remember that. But I wasn't scared, because I wasn't lost. I knew where I was--I was--well, right there, where I was."

Her words stuck to me, and still lingers. Not lost--right there, where she was. Where I am. I wonder sometimes if I stop long enough to think--I'm here. Right here. And maybe I don't know where I'm going, or what to do next, but perhaps there is no need to panic. Maybe I should just stop, breathe and trust that help will come. Or that I'll figure a way out.

Or even, if I take a second to open my eyes, and see my surroundings, I'll find that I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.

I'm currently writing an epic romantic adventure series about a Search and Rescue Team who find the lost, injured and desperate. And, I'm giving away three copies of my current book, Rescue Me, in anticipation for the next book in the series, A Matter of Trust.

--Susan May Warren

Susan would love to hear from you. Comment on her guest piece, or just say hello, and when you do you'll will be entered in her drawing. CLICK HERE.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Gaining Visibility (Fiction) by Pamela Hearon

Googling 'women feel invisible' instantly brings up 28,000,000 results, and Julia Berkwith is only one of those affected. That is, until an Italian vacation introduces her to stonemason Vitale DeLuca. Under his attention, Julia learns that even the deepest scars hold beauty--only perspective and perception need to change.

Go to AUTHORBUZZ click on GAINING VISIBIITY to read more and to email author Pamela Hearon, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 6-26-17

AUTHORBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
"meet" the authors and enter to win. 

Dear Reader,

The next time you're having a party and need a professional grade cotton candy or popcorn machine, a karaoke machine, punch bowl or a chocolate fountain, and of course--my favorite party item--a bubble machine, you just might be able to check them out at your local library.

A Reader Email:

"Suzanne, I am a librarian at the Sonoma County Library. I was reading an article about changes in libraries across the country. Many libraries are beginning to loan things, not just books. I thought you would be interested to know that the Hillsboro, Oregon Public Library is loaning bubble machines. What a great idea! Hope you have a wonderful day." --Nancy C.

(Suzanne replies:) I agree with you Nancy, what a great idea! I can't begin to tell you how many times I've purchased something for a party, and since it's a one time use, and I don't have a lot of storage, I need to find a home for it. A library who has a "Library of Things" for patrons to check out, like the Hillsboro Public Library would be the perfect place to donate it. And it's such an ingenious idea--a way to make the library one of the go-to places in the community.

I had to find out more, so I called the library and talked to Brendan, the Collection Development Librarian who's in charge of their "Library of Things." Of course the first thing I inquired about was the bubble machine they loan.

We had quite a bubble conversation exchange about the ins and outs of battery versus electric bubble machines. Like I had I discovered, through my own trial and error, Brendan said they started with battery machines, but they just didn't hold up, so now they have an electric bubble machine in their collection. When I went to the library's catalog of "Library of Things" I noticed their bubble machine has 16 holds on it. (The patrons in Hillsboro know how to party!)

Kudos to book club reader Nancy for letting me know about what's happening at the Hillsboro Library and to Brendan, the Collection Development Librarian for making it happen.

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

Get out and blow some bubbles today,

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Storm Shelter (Thriller) by J.L. Delozier

Imagine yourself trapped in a dark, claustrophobic shelter, with people you neither know or trust, by a raging hurricane. Then, one by one, the murders start. Paranoia and madness run rampant. What would you do to survive?

Go to AUTHORBUZZ click on STORM SHELTER to read more and to email author J.L. Delozier, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 6-23-17

AUTHORBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
"meet" the authors and enter to win. 

Dear Reader,

My follow through on discipline is not what it used to be when my kids were growing up. Because lately when I say, "No" it really mean "yes," at least when I'm having a "discussion" with my cats.

My husband and I have five adorable cats. Barry a tuxedo, Cooper a Maine Coon I trapped and rescued, Mama, a cat the neighbors left behind years ago, Claire a black beauty we adopted from the shelter and our youngest, just one-year-old, Natie, also adopted from the shelter. Our cats are always very well behaved (could it be because "no" doesn't seem to be in my vocabulary?), and each of them have their own distinct personality, so it makes living with them very interesting.

But all five cats have one thing in common, they all have me "very well-trained" as my husband describes it. Barry sits and stares at the closed blind covering the bathroom window. His back and forth focused stare--looking at me, then looking over at the blind, and then looking back at me again, is Barry's way of saying he wants me to raise the blind, so he can sit on the windowsill and watch the squirrels eating seeds. (My husband attached a feeder to our back fence--just so our cats could be entertained.) But I tell Barry, "No, I'm not going to raise the blind now because I'm going to use the bathroom. You'll have to wait." Barry looks at me again, mews a soft plea (he's such a cutie), and as I'm saying "No" for the second time, I'm also walking over to the window, and pulling up the blind. Then I head down the hallway to use the other bathroom.

"No" means "Yes" in the kitchen, too. Dinner is served at five-thirty, but if one of my five "children" is hungry before, no problem. I'm here to make sure they have a relaxing, tasty, dining experience. Beef bits and fish are never on the menu, only chicken--dry and canned. No canned pate, only chicken fillets, or bits with gravy--lots of gravy. I should contact Purina and tell them to forget the chicken bits and fillets and just sell cans of gravy. And after I pop the top of the can of chicken bits, their finickiness continues. Barry, Claire and Cooper prefer to eat right out of the can, but only until the gravy on top is gone, then they let me know it's time to get a spatula, put the rest of the chicken bits in a bowl, and stir it up so the remaining gravy comes to the top and they're ready to go back for seconds.

What can I say, my husband's right, I am well-trained, but my cats are so cute and loveable, how can I refuse?

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 6-22-17

AUTHORBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
"meet" the authors and enter to win. 

Dear Reader,

It's been sitting on my bookshelf for years. Published in 1999, I've read the book at least three, four, maybe five times over the past 18 years. And the other day I took the book off the shelf, and started reading it yet again--as if for the first time.

How Much Joy Can You Stand?  is the title of author Suzanne Falter-Barns' book. And to answer her question, personally, I can stand a lot of joy. The problem is hanging on to it. For some reason my mind finds it easier to hang out in the anxiety, fear and insecurity aisles rather than in the joy section of life. But I'm not alone. The expert consensus seems to be that 80% of everyone's thoughts contain some sort of negative content. So I guess that means I'm normal, and the problem isn't that I have negative thoughts, the problem is that sometimes I believe they're true, and I jump on board.

Maybe my negative thinking is in my genes? "You better take it down a notch, girl. Don't get too big for your britches." I don't know who that quote is attributed to, but I do know it was the go-to line for my mother, whenever I was feeling really proud of myself and shared an accomplishment. But since I'm not an, "It's my mother's fault" person, (after all I'm a mother myself), I'm not blaming Mom. I doubt my mother was the first person in our family tree to use the 'too big for your britches' line.

Yes, indeed it would be a tidy little package if I could blame my negative thoughts on someone else. But since negative thinking is just part of the human experience, no one is to blame. It just is what it is. So instead of trying to wrestle negative thoughts and chase them away, I simply acknowledge them. "Oh, you're here again. But I'm sorry, I don't have time to chat today." Then I look for an "interrupter," and that's why I reached for the book How Much Joy Can You Stand?

And reading it reminded me that I have room for a lot of joy in my life--so bring it on!

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)
MEAN LITTLE PEOPLE by Paige Dearth

(Fiction)
SHADE'S LADY by Joanna Wylde

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

Dear Reader Column 6-21-17

AUTHORBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
"meet" the authors and enter to win. 

Dear Reader,

Take a second and smile right now. Today's column is filled with jokes that readers sent in during "Funnies at the Book Club" last week.

Smiling is a way to loosen up and get rid of any judgement: that joke's not funny, it's stupid, "...that couldn't ever really happen" as one reader wrote in--and they were right--come on--it's a joke!

Of course I've included chicken jokes, and Florida jokes (since I live in Sarasota, Florida.) Have fun reading the funnies, at least one or two is bound to make you grin, smile, or maybe even laugh out loud.

Thank you to everyone who submitted a joke and congratulations to the winners of my daily drawings:

Monday - Praying Mantis Puppet: Deborah R.
Tuesday - Grump Books: Claire B.
Wednesday - Nose Pencil Sharpener: Judy T.
Thursday - Shadow Puppet Book: Jennifer G.
Friday - Where's My Stuff Stands: Mair K.
Monday - Measuring Spoons: Patty J.

Enjoy the funnies...

We have a squirrel problem in our neighborhood. My husband noticed there were no squirrels in the yards of our local churches.

My husband asked the Catholic Priest what they did. He said they Baptized them, so now they only see them at Christmas and Easter.

He asked what the Presbyterian minister did. He said they flooded their yard.

My husband asked the Jewish Rabbi what he did, he said they circumcised the male squirrels. They haven't seen a squirrel since!
--Leslie R.

=====

How do you recognize Ronald McDonald at a nudist colony? He is the one with the sesame seed buns!--Regina A.

What did the Buddhist monk say to the hot dog vendor?
Make me one with everything.--Nancy S.

=====

Two very old women were in a car going to town. When they were stopped at a red light, the passenger said, "Do you realize that you went through three red lights?"

The driver replied, "Oh, am I driving?"
--Carol H. (a Floridian)

What do you get when you cross a preying mantis with a termite?
A bug that says grace before eating your house!
--Melissa K.(a Floridian)

====

A grandfather was delivering his grandchildren to their home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. A Dalmatian dog sat in the front seat. The children started discussing the dog's duties.

"They use him to keep the crowds back" said one.

"No," said another, "He's just there for good luck."

The third child brought the argument to a close, "They use him," he said firmly, "to find the fire hydrants!"--Rowshan D.

====

Why did the duck cross the road?
He was stapled to the chicken.--Marty B.

Why did the gum cross the road?
It was stuck to the bottom of the chicken's foot.--Linda J.

Why are New Yorkers depressed?
Because they realize the "light at end of the tunnel" is New Jersey.--Anita G.

"Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself."--Mark Twain
--Kathy M.

What did one math book say to the other math book?
"Do you want to hear my problems?--Lauren G.

Have you heard the joke about the ceiling?
Forget it, it's over your head.--Neale F.

Two satellites decided to get married.
The wedding wasn't much but the reception was great.--Claire B.

A recent scientific study showed that out of 2,293,618,367 people,
94% are too lazy to actually read that number.--Shannon J.

Why couldn't the pilgrim keep his pants on?
Because he wore his belt on his hat.--Kandace B.

What is the difference between a snowman and a snowwoman?
Snowballs!--Jo B.

====

Feeling that I'd had a very productive day, I called my mother to brag. "What's it like having an awesome daughter?" I asked her.

"I don't know," she replied. "Why don't you ask your grandmother?"--Judy T.

And finally, an age old joke that always makes me smile...

A man left his cat with his brother while he went on vacation for a week. When he came back, he called his brother to see when he could pick the cat up. The brother hesitated, then said, "I'm so sorry, but while you were away, the cat died."

The man was very upset and yelled, "You know, you could have broken the news to me better than that. When I called today, you could have said he was on the roof and wouldn't come down. Then when I called the next day, you could have said that he had fallen off and the vet was working on patching him up. Then when I called the third day, you could have said he had passed away."

The brother thought about it and apologized.

"So how's Mom?" asked the man.

"She's on the roof and won't come down."--Todd G.

And as Porky Pig says..."Th-Th-The, Th-Th-The, Th-Th... That's all, folks!"

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

Dear Reader Column 6-20-17

AUTHORBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
"meet" the authors and enter to win.

Dear Reader,

In addition to writing the Honeychurch Hall Mysteries and the Vicky Hill Mysteries, both set in the wilds of the Devonshire countryside in England, British transplant Hannah Dennison's resume is a very interesting read, too.

Hannah originally moved to Los Angeles to pursue screenwriting. She has been an obituary reporter, antique dealer, private jet flight attendant and Hollywood story analyst. Hannah has served on numerous judging committees for Mystery Writers of America and is currently serving on the MWA board for 2016-2018. Now living in Portland, Oregon with her husband and two insane Vizsla dogs, Hannah's heart remains in England. She is a passionate supporter of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, the Historic Houses association, and the National Trust. She enjoys all country pursuits, movies, theater and seriously good chocolate.

Please send a "Welcome to the book club" email: hannah@hannahdennison.com

From author Hannah Dennison...

Exactly two years ago I finally caved in. For the past decade my husband had told me that he really wanted to get a dog. By then, we'd moved from Los Angeles to Portland, Oregon and--it was true--the conditions couldn't have been more perfect.

I was working part time at my day job, we had a huge yard and access to the most beautiful countryside in the State. However--I decided it would be an even better idea to get two!

So for anyone thinking of getting a puppy...or more specifically a Hungarian Vizsla, please read on.

Six Things We Would Tell Anyone Before Owning a Viszla (Or Two)

1. They are very energetic: Nothing can prepare you for the amount of energy they have. I bought a Fitbit and lost 12lbs during their first year because I was walking (and still am) between 6 and 8 miles a day.

 

2. They do not let you out of their sight: They are nicknamed "Velcro-Dogs" for a reason. This includes joining you in the shower and on the loo, sharing the sofa to watch television or just following you from one room to another. If they knew of a way to crawl under your skin, they'd find it.

3. They insist on sleeping in your bed: After six months of their constant whining and this peculiar attention seeking ear flapping habit, we caved in.

4. They are excellent counter surfers: If you look away for a nanosecond, your dinner will be in the dog (s).

5. They love to dig: Our gorgeous garden now resembles something from the Western Front with massive water-filled craters and not a single blade of grass remaining.

6. They love to swim: We're fortunate to live an hour from the most exquisite beach on the Oregon coast--Clatsop Plains which runs for 18 miles. Our "V's" can race on the sands and swim in the ocean to their heart's content.

Owning a Vizsla--or two--is not for the faint-hearted but the joy they have brought to our lives is beyond measure. When we first got our pups someone told us that we would "get the right dogs that would teach us something about ourselves."

To be honest, I didn't really pay much attention to that until I realized that Draco and Athena have taught us incredible lessons. We've learned to be patient, to surrender to the chaos of everyday living but most of all, to embrace life and live for the moment.

Just like they do.

--Hannah Dennison

Email: hannah@hannahdennison.com

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ:

SHADE'S LADY (Fiction) by Joanna Wylde

When Shade and Mandy's story came to me, I knew it would be perfect for this series. Motorcycle club romances are about heroes who don't follow the rules. They take what they want, because they're alphas and everyone who sees them knows it.

That's Shade.

From the minute he sees Mandy, he knows what he wants and he's not afraid to take it. But he's about to learn that Mandy won't be bullied, and she's not afraid to make demands of her own.

Go to AUTHORBUZZ click on Shade's Lady to read more and to email author Joanna Wylde, you'll get a reply.

Dear Reader Column 6-19-17

AUTHORBUZZ: Click here to discover new books,
"meet" the authors and enter to win.

Dear Reader,

Paul, my 10-year-old grandson is crazy about pumpkin. Almost every time he visits he heads for the kitchen and makes pumpkin bread from scratch. Paul's been baking with Grandma for a number of years and now he can go it alone in the kitchen. (I think he's proud of the independence.) But the last time he baked, he changed it up and made Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.

The recipe calls for a "pinch" of ground nutmeg. And the smart boy that he is, he remembered that a friend of mine gave me some unusual measuring spoons one year for my birthday. Four measuring spoons labeled TAD, SMIDGEN, DASH, and the one Paul reached for--a PINCH.

Paul's cookies turned out real good. Pumpkin and chocolate are a devine match. Let me know if you make them. I'll pass your note on to Paul. Enjoy the cookies and enter the giveaway for your own set of TAD, SMIDGEN, DASH, PINCH and DROP measuring spoons, click here.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup shortening
2 cups white sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
4 cups flour
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheets or use parchment paper.

Cream together shortening and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the vanilla and pumpkin until well blended.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Add chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet.

Bake 13 minutes or until edges begin to brown.

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

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com

AUTHORBUZZ: Mean Little People (Fiction) by Paige Dearth

Seven year old Tony has one choice...to live or to die.

My name is Tony. When I was seven-year's-old the bullies in my class almost killed me; my father was angry that I let it happen but he always hated me. At thirteen I went to prison for a crime I didn't commit; it was the worst experience of my life.

Living on the streets was hard; being part of a gang was harder. Oh, and I did find people to love along the way--and, I would do anything to protect them. Anything.

Go to AUTHORBUZZ, click on MEAN LITTLE PEOPLE to read more and to email author Paige Dearth, you'll get a reply.

Save

Save