I decided this weekend that during the month of November, I am going to physically prepare for Christmas. Not like the crazy Target lady in the ads (remember her?), but rather my home, my calendar, my shopping list, etc. I want to be able to spend Advent preparing my heart and helping my family ready to celebrate the birth of Christ, and if I tackle some other things now that may be able to help me breathe easier during December.
Gooseberry Patch's Hometown Christmas {giveaway from GirlWithBlog.com!}

One tool I will be using is the brand-new Gooseberry Patch cookbook, Hometown Christmas. Like their Hometown Harvest cookbook I told you about last month, this cookbook is full of seasonal recipes, crafty projects, and tips to make your holiday shine! With a whole chapter dedicated to the Slow-Cooker, this is one that will stay on my countertop through the holidays. It’s also inspired me to host a holiday get-together with two chapters geared towards entertaining. Here’s the chapter lineup with yummy recipes from each:

Breakfast with Santa: Overnight Vanilla French Toast, Pretty Pecan-Cranberry Butter, Easy Cinnamon-Pecan Buns

Sledding Party Warmers: Hearty Hamburger Veggie Soup, Rike’s Barbecue

Old-Fashioned Christmas Dinner: Nanny’s Blue Cheese Potatoes, Inside-Out Raviolis, Scalloped Potatoes & Ham

Open House… You’re Invited! Cranberry-Pecan Spread, Tam’s Tomato-Basil Squares, Homemade Soft Pretzels, Easy Peppermint Eggnog, Cranberry Tea Punch

Tree-Trimming Treats:{In my opinion, this chapter has the best recipes in the book!} Peppermint Pinwheels, Layered Mint Brownies, Raspberry Jellies, Homemade Marshmallows, Apple-Walnut Bundt Cake, Snowy-Day Gingerbread, Bette’s Chocolate & Peppermint Roll

Slow-Cooker Comfort Foods: Laura’s White Bean Soup, LeighAnn’s Tortellini Soup, Apple Cider Pork*, Holiday Brown Sugar Ham

While the recipes are simple, many from great-grandmas and aunties, and all delicious, my favorite part of this new book is the chapter Coming Home for Christmas, which is all sweet Christmas memories from Gooseberry Patch fans around the world! Here’s one to make you feel all warm and cozy:

This is my fondest memory of Christmas past and present. On the 24th of December, our parents, my twelve brothers and sisters and I would get our horses, hook up the sleds and off we went into the woods to cut down our Christmas tree. We would sing carols as we went along, as the snow fells straight from the sky. Then we took the tree home and put it in the shed so the snow would melt off. Into the house we went for hot chocolate and Christmas cookies. By then it was time to put up the tree and we all decorated it before going to bed. This is going back over 45 years ago, and I will always carry those memories with me.
-Anita Wilson, Newfoundland Canada

Ready to deck your halls yet? =) Enter to win a copy of Hometown Christmas using the form below. I can’t wait to send one of you this brand-new cookbook just in time to help you prepare for the Christmas season! Ooh, and be sure to follow the Hometown Christmas board on Pinterest – the other early-bird reviewer bloggers are busy pinning away recipes from this cookbook! I’ll have a couple more recipes up there soon =)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

-Anna
{girl with blog}

Pin It on Pinterest