This is a book we got for free because my hubby has a recipe in it. (I do too, but he is the one who "earned" the book with his recipe for Grampa's Sunday Waffles. My recipe for homemade brown sugar pancake syrup was published in conjunction with it.)
Like all of the Gooseberry Patch cookbooks, this is filled with great recipes -- over 200 of them in this book. There are a few memories sprinkled in here as well.
The first section is titled "Waking Up at Grandma's", and it contains loads of excellent breakfast recipes. This is the section where our recipes are located. Some of the others sound fantastic too -- Egg & Cheese Holiday Pie (recipe makes two); Farmers' Breakfast Casserole; Ranchero Breakfast Casserole, and Santa's Cranberry Waffle Sauce.
Next is "Holiday Open House" which includes appetizers, snacks, and several different kinds of punch. These recipes all sound so good and I am going to get some inspiration for kitchen gifts from some of the snack mix recipes -- like the Grandma's Cocktail Nibbles which sound almost exactly like my great-aunt Bessie's Chex mix -- simply called "Bessie's Mix" in our family. Some of the appetizers sound perfect for the cookie swap -- like the Holiday Crab & Artichoke Dip and the Ham & Cheese Puffs.
Then comes "All the Trimmings" with soups, breads, salads and sides. I have made the Italian Sausage Soup and Ruth's Creamy White Chicken Chili from this section, and both are excellent. Christy's Taco Soup is one that I want to try. Granny's Baked Macaroni & Cheese and Easy Baked Artichokes both sound wonderful, as do many others.
"Holiday Dinners to Remember" includes main courses, meats, fish and casseroles. Poppy's Italian Sausage & Potatoes sounds wonderful -- an easy oven meal. Christmas Ravioli Bake has lots of red, green and white for a seasonal look. Martha's Green-Chiladas and Turkey Tourtiere are others I want to try.
"Save Room for Dessert" comes next -- and can't you just hear Grandma saying that? There are cakes, pies, trifles and more. No cookies -- those are in the next chapter. Banana Pudding Trifle, Grandma's Creamy Cherry Dessert, and Eggnog Trifle are all recipes I want to try.
Lastly, there's a section filled with "Grandma's Christmas Cookies" -- just like a generously filled cookie jar in Grandma's kitchen! Chocolate Gingerbread Men and Jam Tarts sound good to me. This chapter also contains a few beverage recipes, like Poinsettia Punch and a hot mocha drink. At the end are recipes for treats like fudge and popcorn balls.
Like all of Gooseberry Patch's cookbooks, this is liberally sprinkled with gorgeous illustrations and lovely Christmas tips for decorating, entertaining and more.
And each chapter is headed by a beautiful illustration like the one below, made to look like a scene within a Christmas ball topped off with a ribbon and a sprig of evergreen.
I love this book and it's a wonderful addition to my Christmas cookbook collection! Should you want one of your own, you can find Gooseberry Patch books at Gooseberry Patch, on Amazon and Thriftbooks, and often at Cracker Barrel and other country stores.
Happy Christmas cooking and baking!
My grandmother never said, “save room for dessert.” She said, “We’ll have dessert later after our meal has settled and the dishes are done.” Sadder words a kid has never heard. 😏 Your review makes me want to read the book.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to Mr. T and you for published recipes!
Thanks, Vee! We don't usually say "save room for dessert" in our family either. We are more apt to do something in between the meal and dessert -- like clear the table, start the dishes, go for a walk, etc. But I'm pretty sure I do remember my grandmother admonishing us kids to save room for dessert on those big family holidays.
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