What's In The Mail

Melissa A:

The Witch of Little Italy by Suzanne Palmieri from St. Martin's Press




Free from Amazon (at time of purchase):

The X by Lorena Bathey



Field of Schemes by Jennifer Coburn




The Frog Prince by Elle Lothlorien




Amy:

Heart Like Mine by Amy Hatvany from Simon Schuster.



The Engagements by J. Courtney Sullivan from Random House

The Gals of CLC talk food!

You couldn't expect the ladies of CLC to go through Foodie Month without sharing some thoughts on food themselves. Gail, Jami and Melissa A. are here to give you the dish!

Gail:

Favorite food from another country:
Fish tacos from Mexico. Or spicy satay soup from Vietnam. Mmmmmm...

What is your go-to breakfast item?
Every morning I have a small cup of Greek yogurt with fruit and a bowl of oatmeal. And coffee. (Although I've recently become obsessed with Chocolate Rocket maté from David's Tea. It's so delicious!!!)

To what food item(s) do you have a strong aversion?
Mayonnaise. Ick. It's like thick grease.

Do you have any food-related hobbies?

I decorate wedding cakes as a hobby. My husband helps bake them (because turning out 120 cupcakes in a normal kitchen is no easy feat), and I decorate the cakes and/or cupcakes. I usually do about 3-5 contracts a year (very small scale, which works for me), and it's so nice to be able to offer this little piece of myself to help make my friends' weddings even more spectacular.

What is the last meal you cooked using a recipe book?
I made a from-scratch poppy seed cake for a New Years dinner that we were invited to. I don't generally use recipes when I cook, but I had never made a poppy seed cake before so I decided to go the safe route. Result: it was absolutely delicious (and not dry at all, contrary to what I assumed it would turn out like!)

Do you watch food shows on TV?
If so, which is your favorite? I love Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Although, I hate when it's on at the gym. Worst show to do cardio with EVER.


Jami:

I know there are some people out there who just love cooking, who spend their time watching cooking shows and trying new recipes. I am not one of those people. Anything with over five ingredients makes me nervous, especially if those ingredients include strange vegetables that need to be at a certain stage of ripeness and/or cut a specific way. Luckily, I married a man who’d rather eat dry cereal from a box than a meal hot out of the oven. Cereal for dinner worked for several years, and then we had a child who preferred to be fed actual meals. Said child grew up rather quickly, and soon required to be fed large amounts of food so he could keep up with all of his sports activities. Cooking large amounts of food that would be ready the minute he got home from practices or games defied the laws of physics and the time-space continuum, so I brought out the crockpot I had not seen since my husband and I opened our wedding presents. Low and behold, several recipes actually met my five-ingredient maximum list! This one below is one of my favorites:

Southwestern Chicken

2 15 ¼ oz. Cans of corn, drained (I use a brand that has pieces of hot peppers to continue the Mexican theme)
15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained (I always skip this ingredient)
16-oz jar chunky salsa, divided (or bigger)
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (I usually only used 3 for my son and myself)
1 cup shredded cheese (3-Cheese Mexican is the best)
Combine corn, black beans, and ½ cup salsa in slow cooker.
Top with chicken. Pour remaining salsa over chicken.
Cover. Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 7-8 hours.
Sprinkle with cheese. Cover 5 minutes for cheese to melt.
I also sprinkled the cheese with small tortilla rounds to give it some crunch. I served this recipe with Uncle Ben’s 90-Second Rice, the Cajun style.

Melissa A:

I know it's a less than a week before Passover, so I shouldn't be tormenting my fellow members of the tribe with this delicious recipe, but bookmark this post and save it for a post-Pesach treat!

My mother-in-law made this delicious sweet noodle kugel whenever I came to visit for Shabbat. This was prior to my marriage. The last visit to her before our wedding, she walked me through the steps of the recipe and I wrote everything down. I make it all the time and I love it. My kids like it too (and it's a challenge to get them to like most new foods). When we had a power outage last summer, we ended up eating it cold and it still tasted really good. It was a refreshing treat on a hot day.

Sweet Noodle Kugel

Boil one package of thin egg noodles until soft. Drain the noodles when done boiling and put them back in the pot.

Add 3 eggs (broken separately) and beat with the noodles.

Combine with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 stick of margarine (softened)

Add a medium jar of apricot jam

Put in baking pan and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Easy and delicious! Enjoy!

Lisa Verge Higgins is fond of friendship and food, plus a giveaway

Introduction by Tracey Meyers

***Giveaway is now closed***

Friendship is a topic that I've had a lot of conversations about over the past several months.  Specifically, how people make new friends, what I need from my friends and what they need form me, and the importance of friendship overall.

As you might imagine, a majority of these conversations between these friends and myself have been while dining or partaking in coffee (tea for me).  Sometimes there is even a snack involved.

Today, author Lisa Verge Higgins joins us to discuss her new book, Friendship Makes The Heart Grow Fonder, and her fondness for food.  Thanks to Grand Central Publishing, we have TWO copies of this novel for some lucky readers in the US and/or Canada.

Lisa Verge Higgins can be found at her website and on Facebook.

Friendship Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

Monique Franke-Reed, one of the characters in my next novel, Friendship Makes The Heart Grow Fonder, likes to whip up some of her grandmother’s Caribbean cooking in order to tempt her moody daughter to the table. Monique spends hours dicing onions, garlic and tomatoes and mixing them in with “green seasoning,” a Trinidadian combination of cilantro, lime juice, garlic, scallions, parsley, and pimiento peppers. After browning chicken thighs and adding the mix, she lets the whole pot burble until the house smells divine. She serves this up with a side of callaloo, which is chopped dasheen leaves and okra sautéed in oil, then simmered in coconut milk.

I’m getting hungry just writing about it! While researching this book, I found a bunch of traditional recipes and gave them a go in my kitchen. Even though I’m a terrible cook—and I am!—they all came out pretty darn tasty.

One of the great perks about writing is that I get to experience different lives and different adventures through my characters. In The Proper Care and Maintenance of Friendship, I send Kate the mother-of-three jumping out of an airplane. In One Good Friend Deserves Another, I forced Dhara the Indian-American cardiologist into an arranged marriage. Now, in Friendship Makes The Heart Go Fonder, I get to take off for Europe with two of my best buddies for a vacation that doesn’t go at all as planned. I also get to pretend that, like the young widow Monique, I’m capable of whipping up a Trinidadian feast that would draw hungry, envious neighbors to my door.

If you’re looking for a great recipe for the Trinidad callaloo, I suggest Chef Khalid Muhammad’s mouth-watering version.

 And here’s a great recipe for Trinidad Stewed Chicken, complete with instructions on how to make a version of the green seasoning, which can also be found bottled on some supermarket shelves or in bodegas.

Bon Appetit!

Thanks to Lisa for this lovely post and to Grand Central Publishing for sharing her book with our readers. To read an excerpt of Lisa's latest novel, visit her website .

How to win Friendship Makes the Heart Grow Fonder:

Please comment below with your e-mail address. (Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your facebook page or blog if you can receive messages there.)

Bonus entries (can be listed all in one post):
1. Please tell us: What new recipe have you tried in the past six months?
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)
5. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends March 26th at midnight EST.

Chick Lit Cheerleader: Lovin' from Grandma's oven

Introduction by Melissa Amster

When it comes to the topic of food, Jen Tucker and I have a special relationship. I'm her "Gluten Free Girl Friend" (or GFGF). Don't get me wrong...I am all about gluten in my food. However, I know Jen has to deprive herself of gluten for health reasons, so whenever I find free online GF cookbooks or new websites and Facebook pages for GF products, I send them her way. Being gluten-free, Jen has opened my eyes to a world where not everyone can have the cookies, cakes and pastas I so desire. Recently, I brought GF cookies to another friend who also can't have gluten. And, of course, I connected this friend with Jen online. GF gals need to stick together! (I'm sure she'd hook me up with some other Kosher women if she knew them.)

Jen is the author of the funny and true stories, The Day I Wore My Panties Inside Out and The Day I Lost My Shaker of Salt. In September 2012, she had her children's book, Little Pumpkin published as an e-book. She also blogs monthly for Survival for Blondes. She currently lives in Indiana with her husband, three kids and two dogs. You can find her at Twitter, Facebook, her blog and on her website. And in case you missed them. check out her previous Chick Lit Cheerleader posts here.
Since it's Foodie month, Jen is here to talk about the woman from whom she inherited her passion for cooking.

From Grandma’s Kitchen, With Love

Grandma Ponicki is making Thanksgiving
dinner in the kitchen (1960s)

My Grandma Ponicki had magic in her arthritic fingertips. Whether it was a Swiss-dotted dress she lovingly stitched for me, her perseverance to command her hands not to shake as she painted my little fingernails, everything she did was laden with love. As much as those memories mean to me, when I think about my grandma, nothing said lovin’ like somethin’ from Grandma’s oven. *QUICK! Someone beat-box while I rap!*

For a woman whose kitchen was as big as most American’s half bathrooms, June Ponicki’s meals could’ve put any stop on the television show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives to shame. A child of The Great Depression, her meals were hearty and filling, yet never broke the bank. Her minimal countertop space was never a hindrance to rolling out pie crusts or sugar cookies. Her macaroni and cheese would’ve made Kraft’s little blue box run for its life. Take out? Frozen pizza? Are you mad?! I can hear my grandma’s eyes roll at the thought of such a kitchen nightmare in her eyes.

When I reflect on Grandma’s cooking, the mini movies that play in my mind are filled with delicious smells, her encouraging me to snitch a bite before everyone else, and me rubbing my belly after consuming mass quantities. Sure, I might have helped stir a pot, or grabbed a stick of butter now and again, but it was clear Grandma was head chef. No one ever messed with her utensils. Period.

This dictatorship came from a place of love; a place of wanting to serve her family the best of herself, and that was evident through her heaping bowls buttery mashed potatoes and endless platters of juicy, baked chicken. Her meals weren’t complete without a dessert drenched in Cool Whip. The transference of love wasn’t just about the food we consumed; it was also about the family time at the table. Yet, as my mom would share with you, growing up in a home with a parent who is a culinary skill-hoarder doesn’t come without its kinks.

My grandmother’s need to shower her family with love through doing everything for them (Did I mention Grandma made everyone’s bed until the day they left the nest?), led my mother to newlywed meltdowns. I think Grandma pretty much handed my mom a cookbook, and said, “Good luck with that,” as my parents left on their honeymoon. After several months of burnt meals and disproportionate dinners for six people (when it was just the two of them), my mom got her bearings around the tongs and colanders. Yet slyly, she realized, she and my dad could easily sustain themselves through his graduate school years on grilled cheese and scrambled eggs, and let the recipes of her mother’s four course meals collect dust. Can you blame the girl?

My young bride story is not much different than that of my mother’s. You see, she was the duly elected "Queen of Fast Food" when I was growing up. She learned to make a mean meatloaf over the years, yet with my father teaching late into the night at the local college; it was just the two of us each night breaking bread. The difference in my newlywed kitchen story, has to do with the man I married. Mike loves to cook; it’s therapy for him to chop the snot out of carrots after a long day at work. He was very patient with me, and also showed me that cooking together would be some of the greatest times we’d ever have together. Although I now make a mean roast and potatoes, it’s still nice to share my utensils with someone. Mike also taught me family time in the kitchen doesn’t have to begin when you’re seated at the table. Whereas my grandmother showered her family with love with the end product, Mike’s Grandma Theil taught him how to boil an egg, and julienne a cucumber, while conversation and bonding happened merrily along the way. What a precious gift she gave him.

Wil and his "Annoying Orange Cake"

That gift continues in our home today. I’m proud to say Wil’s pasta is always al dente, Ryan cracks eggs with no renegade shell making it into the bowl, and Gracie can measure milk for cakes to perfection. We’ve pledged our three children will have a minimum of three descent recipes in their repertoire. While studying cooking at Team Tucker Culinary Institute, they’ve learned much more than not to accidentally set the oven to broil rather than bake (not that I’d know anything about that). They’re learning love is served in many forms. It can arrive while watching others enjoy a meal you’ve crafted solo with lots of TLC. You might see and feel love working alongside those you hold dear after negotiating who’ll chop the onion and sacrifice their tears for the greater good. Yet, it is my hope their favorite moments remain at the dinner table. That they’ll take inventory of family and friends seated around them, and feel blessed while making memories at the same time. Even if they never bust out the Cool Whip to top dessert as my granny always did, I feel her looking down on them, and me, with pride and joy.

Book Review & Giveaway: Heart Like Mine

***Giveaway is now closed***

By Amy Bromberg

Thirty-six-year-old Grace McAllister never longed for children. But when she meets Victor Hansen, a handsome, charismatic divorced restaurateur who is father to Max and Ava, Grace decides that, for the right man, she could learn to be an excellent part-time step-mom. After all, the kids live with their mother, Kelli. How hard could it be? At thirteen, Ava Hansen is mature beyond her years. Since her parents’ divorce, she has been taking care of her emotionally unstable mother and her little brother—she pays the bills, does the laundry, and never complains because she loves her mama more than anyone. And while her father’s new girlfriend is nice enough, Ava still holds out hope that her parents will get back together and that they’ll be a family again. But only days after Victor and Grace get engaged, Kelli dies suddenly under mysterious circumstances—and soon, Grace and Ava discover that there was much more to Kelli’s life than either ever knew. (Summary courtesy of Amazon)

I’ve been dying to read Heart Like Mine since the minute I discovered it was coming out. Right away, I contacted Amy and Atria Books to say I MUST read this! Heart Like Mine alternates between the voices of Grace and Ava, with flashbacks into Kelli’s past. I'll admit that when I first read the synopsis, it made me think of Stepmom, the movie with Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon. However, this book was different in many ways.

Due to circumstances, more or less, Grace raised her baby brother all on her own. I can’t imagine how tiring this must have been for a young girl. She barely had the chance to experience childhood and do all the things children are supposed to do. Grace went on to college and built a successful career for herself. She’s fairly content with her life being focused on her career. This all of a sudden changes when Victor’s ex-wife, Kelli, passes away. The thought of being a step-parent to Ava and Max terrifies her. Does she have what it takes, the mother instinct, to be there for these two children?

Ever since Ava’s parents split, she has been taking care of her mother the way a mother should be taking care of a child. As the days go by, after Kelli and Victor’s divorce, Kelli keeps sinking deeper into despair, and Ava continually has to soothe her. She even ends up helping her mom pay the bills. Ava keeps telling herself she has to stay strong because this is her mama and she loves her so much. Of course, deep down inside, there’s this wish that maybe her parents will get back together. Talk about something taking a toll on a child. I can’t imagine having to take on the role of a parent at twelve years old.

Ava and Grace have a huge thing in common. Both have to take on “adult” responsibilities at such a young age.

I wish we were able to learn a little more about Kelli. But since she dies at the beginning, there’s only so much Amy can share about her.

I can’t imagine losing a parent, especially at such a young age. My heart was breaking each time I read how sad Ava and Max were. I wanted to dive into the pages and hug and hold them so tightly. With Amy’s imagery, characterization and wonderful writing I was able to almost feel the exact same emotions that Ava was experiencing.

Even though Heart Like Mine is a very sad and painful story, I fell in love with the characters. Amy has an extraordinary way of capturing her audience and really grasping the souls of each character. This is a compelling, sweet and tender story about the obstacles of marriage, love and family relations. I highly recommend book clubs putting this on the top of their list.

Thanks to Atria for the book in exchange for an honest review. They have one copy to share with a lucky US reader!

How to win Heart Like Mine:
Since it's still foodie month, but we're keeping in theme with the book, please tell us: What was the first thing you learned to cook by yourself when you were growing up?

One entry per person.

Please include your e-mail address or another way to reach you if you win. Entries without contact information will NOT be counted.

US only. Giveaway ends March 25th at midnight EST.

More by Amy Hatvany:

Book Review: Family Pictures

Sylvie and Maggie are as different as two women can be. A soon-to-be empty-nester, Sylvie spends her days in California making candles, wining and dining with her closest friends and attending to her mother's needs. Maggie, mother of three, lives the high society life in Connecticut, trying to impress her neighbors with her wealth. However, these women have something in common that they would have never expected. And when something happens to bring them together in the worst possible way, they have to decide who is to blame and whether they can forgive.

Amy Bromberg:
Reading a Jane Green novel can be compared to a hearty stew. SO many yummy foods and ingredients go into one, including beef, chicken, carrots, beans, mushrooms, peppers, potatoes, onion, various seasonings, wine, stock, flour, etc. Just like a stew, which has layers and layers of deliciousness, a Jane Green novel has layers and layers of hearty characters, plot lines and emotions. Be prepared for a read like no other....the stew in Family Pictures.

Jane Green develops her characters and settings beautifully. Each character has such deep and intense layers. Just when the reader thinks they know Sylvie and/or Maggie, she learns something new about them. I felt I was sitting with both women and experiencing their hardships. I also love the way that Jane describes and illustrates Maggie and Sylvie’s homes. I’m somewhat familiar with the various wealthy towns and communities in Connecticut, with huge houses on gorgeous pieces of land, but unfortunately I’ve never visited one. (Side note…I love looking at houses, especially mansions. Since I’ve been little it’s something I’ve really enjoyed). The way Jane describes Maggie’s home, it’s like I was there experiencing and seeing everything. The same goes for Sylvie’s place in La Jolla, CA.

One of the things that Sylvie and Maggie have in common is never feeling like their good enough, and constantly having to prove themselves. I can definitely relate to this. Growing up nothing I ever did was good enough for my mother. She often compared me to one of the students in my class who always got A’s. It seemed that I always made the wrong decisions. There are still times now, as an adult, where I feel I’m trying to prove myself to others.

As many of you know most novels that I love I have trouble putting down and just breeze right through them. In the case of Family Pictures, I found myself savoring every word, which was such a comforting experience. It was like snuggling up with a blanket and a cup of tea or hot chocolate, or sitting in front of a fire in a log cabin. I sat with each chapter and let it resonate, especially at the end.

Family Pictures is a story about the importance of family, friendship, and a mother’s love for her children. It’s also about finding your true self when you’ve been faking it for so many years. Apparently, tragedies can help people find their inner selves. I can’t recommend this book enough, and it would make a wonderful book club pick. I’m so excited to be seeing Jane tonight at her New York book signing at the Barnes and Noble on the Upper East Side.

Melissa Amster:
I have never met a Jane Green novel I didn't like and Family Pictures is definitely no exception! I devoured it from beginning to end, reading a huge chunk of it in the span of one day. This ranks as one of my favorites of Jane's novels. I really felt like it was truly her voice again. (In the past couple of novels, she had sounded like Kristin Hannah, but this time, it was all Jane coming through on the pages.)

Family Pictures was beautifully written with lots of detail that only enhanced the story. I could really visualize the characters and locations. I like how she distinguished between voices by having one woman in first-person and one woman in third-person. The women were such a contrast to each other, but I liked them both. I thought I wouldn't like Maggie at first, since she seemed so uptight, but then she grew on me. Sylvie was easily likable from the beginning. The teenagers in the story made me worried for when my daughter eventually reaches her teens. Some of the stuff they said or did was so disturbing. Jane handles a common issue amongst teenage girls with sensitivity, but also tough love. She doesn't hold back in terms of the consequences involved. Mothers should show this novel to their teenage daughters if they're worried about this issue being a reality for them.

The story had a few tear-worthy moments. I didn't expect myself to get choked up, but it happened nonetheless. In contrast, there are some good steamy moments. Nothing over the top, but enough to whet the appetite. The only concern I had was that the coincidence that happened at the climax of the story seemed a bit forced. Like, what are the odds of something like that actually happening?

Overall, I loved Family Pictures and have been recommending it to family members and friends. I'm already clamoring for Jane's next novel, even though I'll have to wait another year for it!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the book in exchange for an honest review. They're giving away some copies at Jane's special food-themed post on CLC.

More by Jane Green:

Books of the Week: March 18th

Thanks for checking out Books of the Week! There are nine of us and we can't keep up with the many review requests we receive, even though we'd love to read everything sent our way. Therefore, we have decided to give some books their time in the spotlight and introduce you to them through this new blog feature. We will be featuring two books a week. We hope you will take the time to check these books out. (Click the titles to find them on Amazon.) If you read them and want to write a guest blogger review for us, please e-mail us and we'll be glad to work with you!

Authors: Please see our current review policy for more information about the Books of the Week feature. We now have a Book Shelf page, and it will eventually be replacing Books of the Week.

Thank you.

Alice in Wonderland
By Elle Lothlorien

When high school math teacher Alice Faye Dahl attends a Texas Hold'em home poker tournament, she doesn't know a royal flush from a toilet flush. Four months and dozens of "wins" later, she's one of the Final Nine--the championship table at the International Poker Tour in Surfer's Paradise, Australia--and way out of her depth. When a fluke shark attack throws her and sports reporter Lapin "Rabbit" Montgomery together, it seems to challenge the saying “lucky at cards, unlucky at love.” A veteran of the poker circuit (and gorgeous besides), Rabbit offers to help her go all the way to win the multi-million dollar prize, a deal she can't refuse. In this modern-day twist on Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," Alice discovers much too late that when it comes to poker (and love), sometimes you win, sometimes you lose—and sometimes it's both.

Elle Lothlorien can be found on Facebook and Twitter.

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Blue Suede Shoes
By Deborah Reardon

Deep in the woods of Wisconsin, Little Mary Martin has been missing for five weeks.

Thirty-one year old Clare Paxton opens the door to her childhood friend Derek and his discovery. Little 4-year-old Mary Martin had been missing and all that was left were her articles of clothing and a large pool of blood.

Blue Suede Shoes is an engrossing criminal drama that takes dramatic twists and turns in a small Wisconsin town that has been torn apart by tragedy. Clare, a woman with an unfinished dream of leaving behind her hometown, finds herself drawn into the investigation of a young girl's murder after her lifelong friend Derek finds a critical clue. From that point on, secrecy, gossip, suspense, and betrayal lead the narrative to its fast-paced, climactic ending.
Deborah Reardon can be found on Facebook and Twitter.

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Peaches and the Gambler
By A.T. Hicks

What Does a Strip Club, a Dead Man and a Dove Ice Cream Bar All Have in
Common?

Peaches Donnelly.

Peaches Donnelly has a major problem: she's just been fired. Unaccustomed to filling her days with nothingness, she embroils herself toute suite in the recent murder of a childhood friend. However, standing between her and the solving of this heinous crime are two pesky daughters, a selfish opera singer sister, the diet from hell and two sexy men she can't resist. Add to this bubbling pot a hasty decision to go undercover as a stripper and you have a story rife with drama, laughs and a little dash of danger.

Follow Peaches and the always funny cast of characters in this first installment of a rollicking series of cozy mysteries.

Peaches and the Gambler is 99 cents for Kindle.

A.T. Hicks can be found on Facebook and Twitter.