Another cookbook review:

 

This week I'm doing another cookbook review of a book I've used so often: Slow Cookers, Casseroles & Skillets by Gooseberry Patch.  You can find it on Amazon here, but it looks as if a new edition of it may be coming out in August.  I do love the version I have, but I'm sure the new one will be good as well.  I checked on Thriftbooks and it is out of stock there.  Unlike most of the books I get from Gooseberry Patch, this one was neither a Thriftbooks find nor a cookbook I received in exchange for a recipe.  I actually won this one in a giveaway, and I have been very glad that I did!

As the title notes, there are three categories in the contents of this cookbook: Savory Slow Cookers, Cozy Casseroles, and Speedy Skillets.  Each category has three subcategories: Just 5 Ingredients; Easy Family Meals; and One-Dish Dinners.

From the Just 5 Ingredients! category of the Savory Slow Cookers section, I have made Pennsylvania Stuffed Peppers,  Georgia Tomato Roast, "Rotisserie" Roast Chicken, and Carol's Cheesy Potato Bake.  That cheesy potato bake is so easy, and is a hit at every potluck I take it to.  I use a homemade substitute for cream of chicken soup.  So good!  a couple of want-to-try recipes in this category are Italian Sausages & Peppers and Company Chicken Dijon.  

From the Easy Family Meals category, I've tried the Chicken Sausage & Pasta -- very good!

From the One-Dish Dinners category of slow cooker recipes, the Sausage & Peppers Sauce is a good one.  I've sometimes used a package of frozen red and green pepper strips in place of the chopped green pepper.  I've also tried the Homestyle Chicken Stew, and noted it was "Very good!"

In Cozy Casseroles, from the Just 5 Ingredients! category, I've made John's Spinach & Red Pepper Chicken a number of times.  It is very, very good and so easy.  I don't usually use the full bottle of Italian dressing.  Grandma Hodges' Chile Rice is another I've made quite a few times and it's a good side with hamburgers or any Mexican main dish.

In the Easy Family Meals category of casseroles, I have made the Tex-Mex Spaghetti Pie probably dozens of time.  It is so good and so easy.   I've also tried the Best-Ever., Must-Have Meatloaf, and it is very good but I don't like it as well as my regular meat loaf recipe.  Grandma Jeanette's Mashed Potatoes are just like my make-ahead mashed potatoes, a definite keeper recipe.  I would also like to try the Baked Chicken Chimies and Loaded Cheeseburger Pie from this section.  That last one may go on my menu soon, in fact!

From the One-Dish Dinners category of casseroles, I've made the Easy Chicken Divan numerous times.  I use my homemade cream soup substitute instead of the cream of chicken soup it calls for.  I'd like to try the Layered Ravioli Florentine and the Deep-Dish Sausage Pizza.  I'm pretty sure I've tasted Fu-Man-Chew before.  Decades ago, a lady at a church we visited made a casserole with similar ingredients, and I loved it.  I may have to try this one!

 
Now, from the Just 5 Ingredients! category in Speedy Skillets, I've made the Cheesy Chicken & Rotini and labled it "Excellent!".  On the side dish skillet reeipe Zucchini Parmesan, I've labeled it "Wonderful!"  I've also made the Smoky Cabbage and called it "Excellent!"  I added Cajun seasoning to taste in this one.  A couple of recipes I'd like to try in this category include Beefy Taco Skillet, which sounds intriguing (one cuts flour tortillas into 1-inch squares to cook with the other ingredients) and Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta.

In the Easy Family Meals category of skillet meals, there are several I've made over and over.  Busy-Day Lasagna Toss, Quick Skillet Spaghetti, Mexican Skillet Spaghetti Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo -- I've labeled each "Excellent!" and I've even had granddaughters email me for the recipes.  Cube Steak in Savory Gravy is one I'd like to try.

For the One-Dish Dinners category of skillet meals, I've only tried one of the recipes -- Linguini & Vegetables -- but it was delicious.  "Leftover" Fried Rice sounds a lot like my own homemade fried rice recipe.  One-Pot Sausage Dinner sounds good and easy,  as does Hamburger Gravy, which the recipe suggests could be served over pasta, rice, potatoes, or even pierogies.  It would be fun to try it over pierogies, I think.

So there you have it -- another cookbook review.  I highly recommend this one!

Cookbook review: Grandma's Favorites

 

 I have SO many Gooseberry Patch cookbooks.  It's true that the majority of them are Christmas cookbooks, which I have trouble resisting, but many are books I've received for free in exchange for having a recipe published.  This year I'm hoping to share quite a few cookbook reviews with you all, so you can get an idea which ones you might enjoy adding to your own collection.  

Grandma's Favorites has been redone and now includes photos, 

but the edition pictured at the top of the post, the one I own, is still available on Thriftbooks.  One thing I particularly love about the cover of the edition I have is the inclusion of granny squares.  The strip of granny squares across the top above the title is lovely, and I also like the pretty granny square hot mats or pot holders at lower left.  I'd love to find a pattern to make some of these.

But on to the cookbook review!  The little note on the cover summarizes: "Can't-miss recipes for delicious family dinners, just like Grandma used to make."  Inside, the Dedication is "For everyone who craves the old-fashioned comfort of sharing meals with family & friends ... who know that the secret ingredient is love!" 

 The authors say: "Our most heartfelt thanks to all of you who shared their family's cherished recipes, saved on index cards and scraps of paper."  That sentiment really resonated with me, since in cleaning out the family homestead,  I have come across so very many index cards and scraps of paper with recipes scribbled on them.

Fun fact: Two of my recipes are actually included in this book -- a salad and a dessert.

The table of contents includes just six chapters: Old-Fashioned Breakfasts; Chill-Chasing Soups & Breads; Fresh-Picked from Grandma's Garden; Grandma's Best Supper Dishes; Fun Foods for Get-Togethers; and Something Sweet for You!

Old-Fashioned Breakfasts has a lot of great recipes for breakfast casseroles and other hearty breakfast main courses, as well as for  coffee cakes, muffins, pancakes, French toast, fruit dishes, some homemade jams and even Old-Fashioned Hot Cocoa!  I've made the Frozen Fruit Cups (only I used plastic cups rather than muffin tin liners) often in the past and they are good.  I used to make Butter Dip biscuits in the past also, but this method (using the exact same ingredients) is much easier than the one I used.  I think I will make these, using this method, to accompany a stew the next time our young friends come for lunch.  One of the main-dish recipes, Bacon & Sausage Gravy, looks over-the-top delicious.  Not sure I will be able to resist trying that one!

Chill-Chasing Soups & Breads is filled with recipes and hints for making those classic partners,  bread and soup.  There are at least a half-dozen different chicken soup recipes, as well as many other soups and breads like rolls, cornbread, biscuits, Irish soda bread, and quick breads.  There are several recipes for chili, a New England clam chowder, a creamy shrimp chowder, and a zucchini garden chowder (pictured below) which I've made several times and which we really enjoy.  All in all, this chapter would be a wonderful resource for fall and winter suppers.

Fresh-Picked from Grandma's Garden is a chapter filled with vegetable salads, side dishes, and even quite a few canning recipes for pickles, relishes and jams.  Veggie-Loaded Potato Salad, with cucumber, celery, radishes and green onions in addition to potatoes, with a flavorful mayo-based dressing, sounds really good to me -- or maybe I'm just tired of winter.  My own recipe for refrigerator carrot salad is in this section.  There's a Garden Vegetable Casserole which sounds easy and good, one for Fire & Ice pickles which I'd love to try,  and a couple of jams that sound so deliciously different -- Spicy Apple Pie Jam, and Blueberry-Lemon Jam.  

Grandma's Best Supper Dishes is just what it sounds like: a chapter full of homey supper meals.  Lots of pasta dishes as well as a mustard gravy chicken that sounds fantastic, a pork chop and apple bake, oven sausage & peppers, a fancier tuna noodle casserole, and several delicious-looking slow cooker recipes.  Milk-Baked Fish reminds me of my mother as she often baked haddock or other white fish in milk.  We loved it that way.  Granny's Hot Dogs and Potatoes sounds like a nice dish to have for supper at the cottage some chilly spring evening.  

Fun Foods for Get-Togethers is the next chapter, and it includes recipes for dips, snacks, spreads, sandwiches, beverages and other fun foods.  Deviled eggs, pickles, a cheese ball or two.  Betty's Deviled Ham & Cheese Ball sounds fantastic.  I'm probably odd, but I have always loved the flavor of deviled ham and can almost taste this cheese ball.  There are also burgers, salsa, and much much more.  

Something Sweet for You is a logical ending chapter to a cookbook of Grandma's Favorites.  There are pies, cobblers, cakes, brownies and other cookies, cream puffs, and much more.  My own recipe for double-good blueberry pie is here.  There's a brownie ice cream pie that sounds fantastic.  There are a number of delicious-sounding cookie recipes, including Granny's Cornflake Cookies, which has only three ingredients: corn flakes, butterscotch chips, and crunchy peanut butter, and requires no baking.  There are several nice cake recipes and even a recipe for homemade ice cream!  There's a recipe for pecan pie bars -- like pecan pie, but made in a jelly roll pan.  What a practical way to serve pecan pie to a large family or a crowd!  There's a recipe for cream puffs that sounds scrumptious,  and even a couple of canning recipes, one for canned apple pie filling and the other for apple-walnut maple conserve.

There are so many charming line drawings in this addition of the book, too.  Just a sweet country cookbook with all sorts of classic recipes as well as some truly innovative ones.  I'm glad this cookbook found its way to my bookshelf!

Brrr!

 

 The above is on my computer desktop today.  It's a freebie from Gooseberry Patch and is one of my favorites of their winter graphics.  Truth to tell, it's been on my desktop since January, but it has never felt more appropriate this particular winter than it does today.  Our weather has been fairly mild until recently.

We had a nice snowfall over Wednesday night and Thursday that freshened everything up with a layer of white.  Friday morning I took this photo with my tablet as I prepared for my quiet time.  I loved how it came out.  Early morning with my Bible is the best ... a true joy to my heart.

 

Today is downright chilly.  Here's what it was doing here as of 10 am:

As usual, my hubby was out at the Saturday flag wave with a group of like-minded patriots who wave the American flag at a local intersection every Saturday morning.  The photos are from last week but it was possibly even colder then due to a strong wind.

 

He just got back and is currently warming up with a large mug of hot chocolate.

Wouldn't you love a Gooseberry Patch wallpaper for your own desktop?  I so enjoy the one at the top of the post; it's one of my favorites for this time of year.  The cabin and snowy evergreens, the skates and sled, the buffalo check and especially the sparkly stars just speak of all that I love about winter.

Check out all of the free downloads available here: Gooseberry Patch desktop wallpaper.  They have them for all seasons and you're sure to find more than one that you like.  They just add a touch of whimsy and seasonal beauty to the desktop.

Stay warm, everyone!

Another cookbook recommendation -- Weeknight Dinners

 

 Here's another Gooseberry Patch cookbook that I highly recommend -- Weeknight Dinners.  This is one that we had a recipe published in.  I have used this book a great deal since it came into our household, and have gifted copies to others.  One of the favorite recipes I've used over the years is sort of pictured at the top left of the cookbook cover: baked potatoes topped with vegetarian chili.  

This cookbook is divided by type of cuisine: for example, meatless, Italian, Mexican, etc.  In fact, the categories include: Meatless Monday; Tuesday is Tex-Mex Night; Wednesday is Italian Night; Comfort Food Thursday; and Just for Fun Friday.  I've made recipes from each of the chapters.  One thing I love about this book is it has a good number of slow-cooker recipes.  In fact, there are so many that there's a special category for Slow Cookers in the index!

Stir-Fry Veggies & Rotini and Chile Relleno Casserole are recipes from the Meatless Monday chapter that we've greatly enjoyed, in addition to the Chili Baked Potatoes.  I want to make the Cheddar Baked Spaghetti, and the Lentil Brown Rice Tacos have been on my want-to-try list for some time.

In the Tex-Mex Tuesday chapter, I have made a slow-cooker recipe, Tex-Mex Chicken & Rice, countless times.  I can't eat frozen corn, so I substituted a can of black beans, drained and rinsed, for the corn.  This meal is delicious and I have often taken it to church potlucks.  Shredded Mexican Chicken is made in a slow cooker also and is perfect for tacos, enchiladas, taco salads, or any Mexican dish.  South-of-the-Border Rice makes a perfect accompaniment to many Mexican dishes, and I have prepared it many times.  Chicken Tortilla Soup was also published along with a review of this cookbook by my friend Linda at Prairie Flower Farm.  It's a really delicious and easy slow-cooker recipe.  

Another nice thing about this cookbook is that not only does it feature main dishes, but also sides, salads, a few breads, and desserts.  In the Tex-Mex section is a recipe for a dessert called Tim's Apple Burrito -- really just a huge apple turnover that serves 5 to 6 and sounds amazing!

Wednesday is Italian Night is a fun chapter filled with want-to-try recipes.  I've made Yummy Chicken Italiano -- another slow cooker dish -- for church potlucks and it goes over well.  Creamy Tomato Tortellini is another I've tried.  It's meatless but so scrumptious. Herbed Parmesan Squash is a good side dish.

In the Comfort Food Thursday chapter is another slow cooker favorite, Jan's Pork Chops & Pierogies.  True comfort food!  Chicken & Broccoli Bake is delicious but only serves two.  I would double or triple that one, and I prefer florets to chopped broccoli.  Dill Potato Wedges is a side dish recipe I've tried and loved.  Swedish Meatloaf is a recipe I'd love to try.  We enjoy Swedish meatballs and this would have a similar flavor.  

The chapter Just For Fun Friday contains the reason I own this book: my own recipe for Slow-Cooked Pork Ribs.  I've also tried Melissa's Hawaiian Chicken, another flavorful slow cooker meal.  Cheeseburger Macaroni is another recipe I've tried and liked.  And there are many, many more in this chapter that I want to try.  Baked Potato Bar and Pizza Butter Muffins, just to name a couple.

Because this cookbook contains such a variety of cuisines, it makes meal planning quite easy. 

Apparently this book has been updated to include photos and a photo cover.  You can check that out here: Updated Weeknight Dinners.

If you should be interested in the edition I have, Thriftbooks has one in good condition for $4.69: Weeknight Dinners.

Whichever edition you choose, I think you would be very pleased with this cookbook.  I know it's a much-used addition to my own cookbook shelves.

A fun surprise in the mail

 

 Last week I received a really nice surprise in the mail.  Although I had advance notice months ago that this package would be arriving in January, of course I had forgotten all about it.  

For years I've submitted recipes and memories, and the occasional craft idea,  to Gooseberry Patch for possible publication. It's always fun to get a note from them letting me know they'll be publishing one of my submissions.  Best of all, that means I'll get a free copy of the book when it's published!

This time the book is Mom's Best Sunday Suppers, -- subtitled Tried & true recipes for gathering family around the table -- and it's a great one from what I have seen so far.

I'll be writing a review eventually, but for now I'll just share the chapter titles: Sunday Dinners with Family; Casual Sunday Suppers; Simple Soup Suppers; Fresh Side Dishes; Pass the Bread, Please; and Treats from Mom's Kitchen.  Just paging through it, I've seen several recipes that fit into our current low-carb eating plan, and I have already tried one recipe, for Crustless Green Chile Quiche.  We thought it was wonderful!

Wondering what recipe I submitted?  It's a favorite recipe for focaccia bread.  The link takes you to a 2015 blog post about it and links to Taste of Home, where I found the original recipe.  Since then, I have tweaked it often, as I mention in the blog post.  In fact, even since submitting the recipe to Gooseberry, I have changed it even more since I no longer have a bread machine.  I have loved the way a bread machine produces perfectly risen dough, but this focaccia bread still turns out great even without one.

Gooseberry Patch has let me know that I'll be receiving another free book in June, when a memory of mine will be published in a fall cookbook.  I'm sure to forget about it, so it will be another truly wonderful surprise!

December 8

 

 Well, let's see where things are with our Christmas preparations.  First of all, the Gooseberry Patch Christmas wallpaper above is on my desktop.  Love it!  I very much enjoy Gooseberry Patch art work and am so tickled to be able to have it on my computer.  If you would like to check out their wallpapers, go here: Gooseberry Patch free wallpapers.  They have them for all seasons, not just Christmas.  You are sure to find something fun that you want to use.

In the illustration above, I love that gorgeous metal loaf pan.  My grandmother used to have bakeware resembling that.  I love that this illustration pictures Christmas kitchen gifts!

I've been busy trying to scan and list more vintage Christmas cards at my Etsy shop (link in sidebar).  So many cards, so little time!  Below is one of my recent listings.  This one is especially sweet.

I got a few Christmas gifts ordered and most have already arrived.  I prefer to start wrapping after the tree is up so that I can just place the gifts under the tree and not have to keep them in some "way station" (like our bedroom) until later.

The photo below is from many years ago when we actually had a small narrow tree in our bedroom.  It sparked a memory.  Maybe you would like to read about it.  Go here: "How Beautiful!"

 
Today my hubby is out of town for the day and I'm really hoping to get some cleaning done in our bedroom, as well as perhaps bake a variety of Christmas cookies and write a few blog posts.  We will see!

Speaking of my hubby, he has continued to be busy making fudge and baking Christmas cookies.  He made some Special Holiday Fudge which our faraway daughter particularly enjoys.  So some of that will be winging its way to her soon.  It's a chocolate fudge with raisins and nuts in it.  Tastes a little bit like a Chunky candy bar.

 
He's been trying out the new cookie press from Amazon and is completely unimpressed with it.  In fact, I think we will be returning it.  It was a little sturdier than he hoped, but the ratchet system for pressing out the cookie dough is terribly weak and has nearly broken after just one use.

We kept an eye on the weather forecast for a week and finally, on Tuesday night, it was warm enough to spend the night at our little camp.  It was a very rainy night, but our daughter, son-in-law, and their youngest braved the trek through the woods to visit for awhile.  I do apologize for the dark and blurry tablet photo, but it gives you an idea of my hubby's temporary system for keeping electric window candles in place.  It's a big improvement over last year's method.

 We love the idea of lighting up the night at our cabin in the woods even when we aren't there, so we have window candles and upstairs tree on a timer.  We hope it shines out a little Christmas cheer to passers-by!

 
A few Christmas cards have arrived, so soon we will be taping those up in our hallway. The photo below is an older one (we no longer have wallpaper in the living room, having covered it with gorgeous wide pine boards) but you get the idea of how our card display usually looks.

 
No definitive word yet on when we'll be setting up the tree.

Okay, I am off to accomplish something rather than just talking about it!

One new thing ...

 

Here goes with another One New Thing post, inspired by Becki at Field Lilies.  For today I am sharing something rather simple ... a new macaroni & cheese recipe that I recently tried.  It's from the Gooseberry Patch cookbook The Christmas Table.

 This recipe looked like one I would like to try because it did not involve cooking the macaroni first, and I've never tried doing that.  It has you mixing the uncooked macaroni with the cheese and other ingredients, and then pouring boiling water over the top and mixing it in.  The recipe described the result as "creamy and good" so to me it sounded worth a try.

Here is the very simple recipe if you'd like to try it for yourself.

EASIEST BAKED MAC & CHEESE
2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
1/4 cup butter
16 ounce container sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 1/4 cups boiling water

In a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish, stir together uncooked macaroni, butter, sour cream, and cheese.  Pour boiling water over top; stir to combine.  Bake, uncovered, at 375º for 45 minutes.  Serves 4 to 6.

I melted the butter first in the baking dish while the oven was preheating.  I just thought it would all combine better if the butter was melted.  I then stirred in the sour cream, then the uncooked macaroni and the cheese.  It seemed like it would blend better in this order.  Also since the recipe called for no seasonings at all, I thought salt and pepper were a good idea, so I added 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.  

And the result?  Well, it was good.  Had great flavor.  I would not describe it as "creamy".  It had more of a curdled type effect.  Would  I make it again?  I might.  

I honestly don't think my own regular macaroni and cheese recipe takes any longer to make, but it does take two more saucepans -- one to cook the macaroni in and one to cook the cheese sauce in.  But there really is no contest as far as the flavor goes.  

However, if I was in a tearing hurry and didn't have time to stand over the stove, I probably would make this Easiest Baked Mac & Cheese again. As I said, it was good -- just not as good as my usual.  I'm glad I tried this One New Thing and learned about this simple option.

Tweaking my traditional Christmas Eve Soup

 

 For decades, I have made the same soup for Christmas Eve; just a simple creamy potato soup with some carrots and celery included, and with crumbled bacon and shredded Cheddar cheese to sprinkle on top.  We used to always serve it with biscuit, rolls, corn muffins or some other type of bread.  In more recent years we have often served it with pizza.  You can find the recipe here: Christmas Eve Soup.

This year I am going to tweak it just a bit.  A month or so ago, I tried a recipe from a Gooseberry Patch cookbook, Sunday Dinner at Grandma's.  This happens to be a cookbook which I received for free in exchange for having a recipe published in it.   You can also find it here at  Gooseberry Patch.  (Interestingly, it was a soup recipe that I had published in this book -- Cream of Broccoli Soup!)

The recipe I tried recently, though, is Grandma Jo's Potato Soup.  Interestingly, the ingredients are almost exactly the same as our Christmas Eve Soup.  But this soup was much tastier!  What is the difference?  I've scanned the page from the cookbook to show you.

 My usual recipe calls for light cream; this one calls for evaporated milk.  The only other difference is that this calls for "onion and garlic seasoned salt".  I didn't have any of that, but I did have a container of garlic pepper seasoned salt, so I liberally added that to taste.    This added zesty seasoning, plus the creaminess from the evaporated milk, has to make the difference.

So this Christmas Eve, I'll be serving Grandma Jo's Potato Soup instead of my usual!

* The illustration at top is a scan of one of my very favorite Christmas cards, which features the Fred Swan painting Walking to Town.  To me it just says "Christmas Eve".  I actually have a cross-stitch kit of this design.  Maybe this year I will actually get to it! *

A meaningful Christmas quote

 

 I found this quote in one of my favorite Gooseberry Patch Christmas books, Book 7.  It's on the left above.  I really need to do a review of this book because it is filled with great recipes and ideas.  In this book there's a lovely quote from a reader named Cyndy Rogers of Upton, Massachusetts.  This little quote is part of a longer memory shared by Ms. Rogers.  Here it is:

"Christmas memories are some of the sweetest and fondest of those we carry through our lives.  From our earliest childhood recollection, Christmas memories are stored in a special place in our hearts, to be recalled during quiet times of reminiscing." ~ Cyndy Rogers

This is so very, very true.  Let's make sure we are making plenty of these rich Christmas memories for our children and grandchildren, even more so when the very celebration of Christmas is being threatened.

Above is a memory from my own childhood -- the fireplace and tree in my grandmother's living room.  I believe that is my stocking to the left with a felt candle on it.  My Christmas memories are so very rich.  I want the same for my grandchildren.

Cozy camp breakfasts

 

This morning as we were eating breakfast at our little camp, I happened to think that others might like to know how we've been making breakfast happen there on the mornings after we stay over.  Usually, our breakfast there has been extremely simple: a supermarket bakery muffin (oh, so healthy!😊) and two mugs of coffee.  

But once we embarked on a 40-day sugar fast, we needed to do something a little different -- but it still had to be quick and easy.  One thing I did was to research refined-sugar free muffins.  Chocolate-Covered Katie has some great ones.   The first recipe I tried was Coffee Cake Muffins.  They turned out perfectly!  I used xylitol instead of sugar in the muffin part and coconut sugar in the crumb topping.  I also substituted frozen raspberries for the chopped strawberries.  

Next, I tried Katie's Applesauce Muffins.  I used xylitol in these.  They also turned out very well.  In each case, I packaged the muffins all together in a plastic container and froze them.  Then I put the number of muffins we wanted to take to the camp each time in a smaller plastic container for transport.  In the morning we put the desired number of muffins in a round foil cake pan and placed it atop the woodstove to warm a bit.

 I also made Katie's Apple Bread.  That was very good as well, and I liked being able to pour the batter into a loaf pan rather than taking time to fill individual muffin tins.   I brought the loaf along (frozen in between uses) and in the morning we just sliced off a slice or two and warmed it in the foil cake pan the same way as the muffins.  It is not super sweet (I didn't add the coconut butter "frosting" pictured in the recipe) but is quite tasty.  I upped the cinnamon to a teaspoon (recipe called for 1/2 tsp.) but I think another time I would add at least 2 teaspoons.  It just didn't taste cinnamon-y enough to me.

As time has gone on and the weather has gotten colder, we've found it seems really important to have a warm breakfast.  The two smaller rooms are uninsulated, so it gets rather chilly "around the edges" away from the woodstove.

One sugarless breakfast that really fills the quick and yet warm requirement is crockpot oatmeal, so some mornings we've been having that.  I will share the best recipe I've come up with for it, which I adapted from one in Gooseberry Patch's Fall, Family and Friends:

COZY CROCKPOT OATMEAL

2 cups almond milk
1 cup old-fashioned oats (uncooked)
1/4 cup brown sugar or alternative sweetener; I used xylitol in the best version I made
1 Tablespoon butter
2 Tablespoons maple syrup, honey or agave
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 medium apples, cored, unpeeled, chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Spray the inside of a 3-quart slow cooker with non-stick vegetable spray.  Place all ingredients in slow cooker and mix well.  Cover and cook on Low setting for 7 or 8 hours.  Stir before serving in bowls.  We topped ours with a pat of butter and some half and half cream.  Makes about 4 servings.

Probably no one but me will need these details, but since we brought this over in the late afternoon and wouldn't start cooking it until bedtime, I put the oats, sugar, butter, cinnamon, raisins and walnuts in the slow cooker for transport.  I brought the apples separately and put the milk and maple syrup into a quart jar, refrigerating the jar when we reached camp. 

(I had previously tried it the other way around -- placing the milk and syrup into the slow cooker and bringing the dry ingredients in a ziplock bag.  Well, the camp is located on a very bumpy dirt road and by the time we reached there, milk had spattered all over the inside of the crockpot lid.  Not a huge deal, but it worked better bringing the liquids in a jar.)

Just before bedtime, I chopped the apples and mixed everything together in the slow cooker.  It was ready in 7 hours and we enjoyed every bite.

If you are trying to avoid sugar too, you might find that one or more of these recipes will add interest to your breakfast routine.  Our sugar fast finishes tomorrow, but we'll be starting another in January, so we will be enjoying these breakfast treats again soon!

A cookbook recommendation: Mom Knows Best

 

 Just in time for Mother's Day, I'm going to share one of my favorite cookbooks with you all.   I love all of my Gooseberry Patch cookbooks, but this is one of the everyday standouts in my collection.  I received a free copy of this cookbook because one of my recipes, Grammy's Potato Wedges, was published in it.  I've been so thankful for this book and I turn to it often.  There are six sections in the book which include recipes for breakfast, brown-bag lunches, snacks, main dishes, sweets, and a special section of recipes for kids to make.

First up is Grab & Go Breakfasts.  There are egg dishes, cereals, muffins, coffee cakes and more.  I always enjoy baked oatmeal, and this book has three recipes for it -- one with a pumpkin pie flavor (which I have not tried) and one with a peanut butter/chocolate flavor as well as a simpler, more basic recipe.  I made Melanie's Oven Omelet for a ladies' brunch and Country Skillet Breakfast for a supper meal.  Both very good!  There are also French toast and pancake recipes, several smoothie recipes and much more.

Next chapter is Brown-Bagging It.  Lots of portable recipes for soups, sandwiches and salads.  Tuna Egg Salad is one I've tried that was very good, as is Mamaw's Special Tuna Salad, which includes shredded apple along with pickle relish.  Don't shudder at the shredded apple; it's actually very tasty in tuna salad.  Seems to give it a fresher flavor.

Healthy Bites for Snacking is the next chapter, and it is just what it says.  Salsas, dips, frozen treats like yogurt pops and individual fruit salads; hummus, mini pizzas, and much more.  One day I watched my friend Jenn make Paper Bag Popcorn as a quick and easy treat for her toddler.  What a great idea.  This chapter is full of them, and kids are always hungry.  

Dinners for the Daily Dash is the largest section in the book and is subdivided into four smaller ones.  The first of these is One-Dish Wonders.  I've made the Italian Chicken and Penne Skillet and the Spinach & Sausage Soup -- and there are still many more that I want to try.  The second smaller section is Made From Scratch.  From here, I've tried the Veggieful Italian Hot Dish, the Savory Chicken & Rice Soup, Kathy's Italian Zucchini Dish -- and again, still more that I want to try.   From the next section, Ready When You Are!, I've tried Sam's Chicken-Cabbage Soup, Mom's Best Chili, Mother's Sausage Supper -- but there are still loads of recipes that sound good to me.  Lastly in the main-dish section is $5 to $10 Dinners.  The Farmhouse BBQ Muffin Cups are so tasty.  I made the Bacon Cheeseburger Sloppy Joes for friends who loved them.  Again, plenty of recipes that sound good that I haven't yet tried. 

The next section is Kids in the Kitchen and includes a variety of recipes of all types  that kids can make or help with.  My potato wedges are in this section.  They have been a huge hit with my kids and grandkids over the years.  There's also a Macaroni Pizza Pie that I've tried -- it starts with a box of mac'n'cheese mix!  The Microwave Mac & Cheese is fabulous.  So good.  I use 3 cups of elbow macaroni or rotini rather than the 2 cups the recipe calls for.  

Lastly is the Sweet Treats chapter.  It includes muffins, cookies and bars, a couple of easy pie recipes, and some recipes for individual mug desserts.  The Blastin' Blueberry Crunch is the only recipe I've tried from this chapter, and it was yummy.  Though I found the recipes for sweets the least enticing in the book, truthfully.  Probably a good thing!

I find this to be a very practical cookbook, filled with quick and easy recipes that families will enjoy.  I highly recommend it to you as well!

"Christmas at Grandma's" -- a book review

Every now and then I like to post a book review.  I've done this mostly on my Christmas blog, and mostly for cookbooks.  I thought it would be fun today to review Christmas at Grandma's, a Gooseberry Patch cookbook published in 2015.

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!

Monday musings

Graphic from Gooseberry Patch

First of all, I would be remiss if I did not mention that today is Veterans Day.  Some time ago I read a post from  Barbara H. who blogs at Stray Thoughts. She used a graphic which pointed out the meanings of Memorial Day, Veteran's Day, and Armed Forces Day.  I am often confused about these holidays, so I appreciated her sharing the information.  Memorial Day honors those who died in service to our nation.  Veterans Day honors the living who have served in our armed forces.  And Armed Forces Day honors those who are currently serving in the military.

I couldn't say it better than the folks at Gooseberry Patch have done above.  Veterans, we honor you and thank you today and every day!  Veterans Day is a blessing in itself as it reminds us of those who serve our country and help to keep it safe.

Let's see, other blessings. 

🍁  We had a lovely time on Friday evening with our friends Sam, Jenn, and Noah.  It's such a blessing to have these younger believers around our table, enjoying a meal and then a time of Bible study together!

🍁  Celebrating this little girl's 5th birthday on Saturday was a special time! 

🍁  I was also thankful to finish a gift I'd started for her some time ago.  She is really getting into spelling and sounding out words, and needed more of these to spell words to her heart's content!

🍁  We enjoyed edifying church services on Sunday as we received a final report from missionaries our church has supported for over 30 years.  They are leaving the field of Brazil and their mission, but they won't really be retiring from serving the Lord at all!

🍁   I'm thankful to have begun Week 2 of the Making Your Home a Haven Challenge at Women Living Well.  Week 1 focused on gratitude and was certainly a blessing.   Week 2 is focusing on Meditation and it, too, promises to be a great encouragement.

🍁  We're continuing to thank God for sustaining our church family while we wait on His timing for a new pastor.  He has given us good leaders and He faithfully supplies encouraging speakers for us every week. 

Just a few Monday musings to share with you all ...

Easy comfort food for a fall evening

 Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

The other night I made an easy breakfast-for-dinner meal that others would probably enjoy.  We certainly did, so I thought I'd share it.  These are both recipes that I've made before, but hadn't ever served together in a meal.

This is a very easy oven meal.  It takes almost an hour in the oven -- around 55 minutes for the potatoes and around 40 minutes for the egg bake -- so I can't really define it as "quick", but it does go together quickly and then bakes all by itself.

The main course comes from the Gooseberry Patch book Hometown Harvest, one of my favorites.

 I also happen to have a recipe in this book  (Buttercup Squash and Apple Bake), so I acquired this cookbook for free.

The main course was Spinach & Egg Casserole:

SPINACH & EGG CASSEROLE
2 Tblsp. butter
9 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups baby spinach (more if you like)

Begin heating oven to 350º.  Place butter in a 9-inch square baking dish;  place in oven until butter is melted.  Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients together in a bowl; when butter is melted, pour the egg mixture into the pan on top of the butter.  Bake at 350º for 30 to 40 minutes, until the eggs are set.  Serves 4 to 6 depending upon what you serve with it.

 (I should add that for any egg dish like this, I usually prepare the egg mixture in a blender.  Makes it really fast, and no unmixed eggs.  That's what I did this time and just stirred the spinach in afterward.  But I think it might work nicely to blend the spinach in with the eggs, too -- seems as if it might shred it.  But I haven't tried this so can't vouch for it.)

The side dish I made was my Oven Potato Wedges.

 Image by Taken from Pixabay

 OVEN POTATO WEDGES

4 large baking potatoes, unpeeled, each cut in 8 wedges the long way
2 Tblsp. olive oil
3 Tblsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. paprika
Garlic powder to taste

Put the oil in a gallon size ziplock bag and add the potato wedges. Shake well to coat with oil. Add the remaining ingredients to the bag and shake well again to coat with the cheese and spices. Place the wedges, skin side down, in a single layer in a foil-lined shallow pan. Bake at 350º-375º for 45-55 minutes or until cooked through, brown, and beginning to blister.

This potato recipe is good with egg dishes as well as to serve instead of french fries or chips with burgers, sandwiches, etc. It’s easy but delicious and quite low in fat.

 It appeared in this cookbook: Mom Knows Best.

So I got that one for free, as well.  Some of my very favorite recipes come from Gooseberry Patch books, and I love adding to my collection of free books when they publish my own recipes.  The particular books I've featured here are filled with many great recipes and I turn to them often.

Hope you'll enjoy this yummy menu if you try it.  A fruit salad or applesauce would be good on the side!

Friday five ~ August 30

Some weeks Friday seems to roll around very quickly.  This week it seems to have taken a bit longer.  I am looking forward to the weekend!  No concrete plans as yet, other than having a friend over for supper tonight; we aren't even sure yet if my hubby will have Monday off.  But weekends are always a nice respite!

Without further ado, here's my Friday five:

1.  A nice change in the weather made it cool enough to bake cookies last Friday.  I had bought some of these baking chips on clearance at Walmart.

Have you seen them?  Here's the description:

I was quite surprised that they contained no artificial flavors.  All I tasted was salted caramel, but still I assumed artificial flavors were used.  Guess I didn't read the bag too thoroughly!

I used the cookie recipe on the back of the bag.  Here's the link:  Sea Salt Caramel Chip Cookies.  I made them quite a bit smaller than specified and I formed them into balls rather than dropping them.  l also used the Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour.

After so much hot, humid weather where one couldn't even think of turning on the oven, it was nice to be able to bake.

2.  A great time with friends on Saturday as we were invited to a get-together to see their family members visiting from out of state.  This is what we like to do ourselves when our faraway family is able to visit -- we try and host a get-together where they can see a lot of family and friends at one time.  I took along this  S’mores Pizza, plus a tortellini salad.

As mentioned in a previous post, it took less than 3 minutes for this dessert to disappear!

3.  A beautiful afternoon on Sunday for a hike to a peaceful lake.  Sometimes one just needs to be near water.  That's how it was for us and we tried to store it up for the week to come.  Something about that sailboat just speaks peace to my heart. 

4.  Seeing God answer prayer for wisdom this week.  When I'm outside my comfort zone, I might tend to ask someone who is comfortable in a specific area for advice.  This time my hubby was working on a job site where he had no cell service.  I briefly thought of consulting someone else, but the Lord impressed upon me that He is wisdom and that He promises to give wisdom when we ask.  There was no need to rely upon anyone but Him.  What a blessing to see how He answered my prayers!

Delightful graphic from Abby at Little Birdie Blessings

5.  Nicer weather this week made it possible for me to work on some of my projects outdoors at the patio table on the back deck.  (We bought this table toward the end of last summer and I hadn't really thought of it as more than a place to eat.  But it's a nice large rectangular table, perfect for working on many different kinds of projects.)  Here's some of what I did:

* Planned menus and made my grocery list

* Worked on my Sunday School lesson

* Made some mailing envelopes to package orders from my Etsy shop, using repurposed calendar pages.  I made 5 larger envelopes and 1 of the smaller ones.  This is a project I plan to take up north when we go at the end of September.  If we get some rainy days (and it would be truly surprising if we didn't), I will work on a bit of envelope making.  They are easy once I get started.

Back of a larger envelope

Front of the same envelope

Back of smaller envelope

Front of smaller envelope

* Did some work in my scrapbook journal.
 
I'm currently using this as a place to journal my study of this book: Make Room for What You Love.  Inching my way through this book one question at a time has enabled me to work in my scrapbook journal much more regularly.


Oh, what an encouragement this book has been to me!  I've been so blessed by this thought:

And I really find myself thinking about it when I am about to set something down in a place where it doesn't really belong.  Try this for yourself and see if it doesn't help!

Yes, it truly has been a blessed week!  What are some blessings you've seen in your own life this week?