I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and have moved happily into the Christmas Season. We have had a hectic couple of weeks here (always hectic!) but Christmas is in full-swing now here at the Farmhouse and we are still preparing for the big day!
I been able to gather a few posts from now until Christmas so I hope you have a minute to stop back and visit amidst the Holiday Bustle and Cheer!
For the past several weeks, I have been doing the usual decorating, shopping, wrapping and baking as many of you have.
This time of the year I love to pull out my Holiday Cookbooks and see what I can add to our traditional holiday menu. You may already know that I love my Gooseberry Patch Cookbooks! I have alot of them and have been collecting them over a long period of time, they sure do accumulate! Now that I review their cookbooks, my collection has grown even larger, so thank you GBP!
Here are some of my Christmas Favorites, they make wonderful gifts, wrapped in an apron or festive holiday dishtowel with a wooden spoon tucked inside. If you have finished your shopping and happen to receive gift cards this Christmas then treat yourself to a new one! I actually drag mine out sporadically throughout the year to poke around for ideas.
Maybe you like E-Books instead?
Buy Here
for 10th Anniversary Christmas
Those are just a few of My Favorites...I could certainly go on and on....but I want to tell you about a small little holiday Surprise.....
GBP Rush Hour Recipes ..arrived on my porch for a review and it couldn't have come at a better time! Do you rush around any more throughout the year than during the Holidays? It is a hectic time of the year on top of our daily responsibilities and making delicious meals can be hard with so little time!
There are some wonderful recipes in here....easy, quick, and delicious! As usual! With chapters like 5 Indgredient Favorites, One-Dish Dinners, Slow Cookers to the Rescue, Soup's on, Make-A-Meal Sides and Speedy Potluck & Party Foods, you will find great recipes in each section.
I have to rave about the Golden Parmesan Potato Recipe...
(At risk of sounding like an infomercial, but seriously)
So Easy, So Quick, So Good!
With only 5 Ingredients!
In fact they were so good, I didn't even get a photo
they were gone so fast!
2- 15 oz. cans of whole white potatoes, drained
1/4c. butter, melted
3T. grated Parmesan Cheese
1 T. Fresh parsley, minced
1/2 t. seasoned salt
Place potatoes in an ungreased 8x8" baking pan, drizzle butter over top, sprinkle remaining ingredients over and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until golden.
Makes 4 servings
(I had everything on hand except fresh parsley..so I used dried and I had to double the recipe...wish I quadrupled it thought!)
They were company worthy too!
And...
Here's another one you can add to your Holiday Baking list now...
These were gone in a Flash!
These were so good, buttery and sweet.
The perfect accompaniment to a warm cup of tea!
This is a great Cookbook for the whole year through...easy recipes, with few ingredients most of which you probably already have on hand..it will not disappoint.
And Here's The Good News...
Farmhouse Country Style is hosting a Giveaway for
GBP Rush Hour Recipes!
Would you like to own your own copy
before it is available for sale?
Aside from being a follower of FHCS, all have to do is leave a comment about your most
Favorite Christmas Memory!
Who wants to reminisce with me?
Of course if you would like to post about it on your blog and LINK up to the giveaway, you may get an honorable mention during one of my January Posts, just let me know so I can stop by!
This Giveaway closes on December 29th, midnight EST
Winners will be narrowed down by their Stories of Christmas Memories, printed out and then chosen randomly from a drawing.
Winner will be announce on New Years Day and the book will ship out by January 6th.
Wait....More good news:
GBP is offering one of their Christmas E-Cookbooks,
FREE for a limited time...the WHOLE book!
so head on over there and get it!
Sorry gals.....as of December 20th, 2011 it is no longer available for free download. But be sure to head on over to GBP's website through the above link to see what else they are offering. They are so generous and love to share their products with their customers, you may find a new special treat.
I'll be back in a day or two with a new Christmas Post....
I hope you can stop on by!
Take care,
Dee
Hi girlfriend! I am so glad to see you again! Merry CHRISTmas to you and yours! Thanks for all the great recipe and book recommendations!
ReplyDeleteXOXO
Joni
Oh, I forgot to leave my favorite Christmas memory: the year our adult daughter completely surprised us by coming home for Christmas on Christmas eve! It was her first year away from home and we were going to go see her the day after Christmas. But she made other plans! It was the best surprise ever and she had quite the story to tell when she got home about a horrific ice storm she drove through, making the trip more than twice as many hours as it should have been! I was a thankful mom: that the LORD protected her and that she made it safely. It was the BEST Christmas!
ReplyDeleteMy christmas memory is when we lived in florida I was longing for snow (we are from Pennsylvania).Our neighbors turned the hose on the trees and it was cold enough to freeze I woke up to a beautiful ice wonderland! Warm Blessings!~Amy
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite memories is when I was about 17. Mom's birthday is Christmas Eve, and we were going to a friend's house for an elegant dinner before heading to church. This was in the early 1970's. We passed so many restaurants and stores that were closed for Christmas. It was so odd to see all those black store fronts, but it was exciting that so many people were anticipating the big day. Now it seems all the stores stay open and so many don't honor Christmas and the birth of Christ. I miss that.
ReplyDeleteHey great to have you back in blog land ! A wonderful post ! I think everyone has been busy baking and getting ready for Christmas I know I have ! Love the wraping idea of the apron and wooden spoon ! I will be writing a post of my favorite Christmas memory ! Have a wonderful day !
ReplyDeleteI would love to win. Can't wait to read your Christmas post. I miss your posts. My favorite Christmas memory is the year I got a bunch of Strawberry Shortcake stuff. I was so happy.
ReplyDeleteI also love those cookbooks, and I won one from you earlier this year! I love the dessert plate in your photos! Happy Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI have fond memories of my four sisters and I making up skits that we lip synced to Christmas songs.We would prepare them and perform them on Christmas Eve.We were so creative back then and had so much fun together as a family. I love my sisters and parents and am so grateful for them....ciao4now64@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteHi Dee, so glad to see your post, please check out my comment on your FB for the blog wall. My favorite memory is shopping with my beloved father for special ornaments at Aunt Charlotte's Candy Homemade Shop. Right now putting these special touches up is bittersweet since he passed less than a month ago , Merry Christmas to you and yours and all your loyal and faithful readers of this beautiful blog. I loved putting up your amazing art work last nite and in better times. Missed you Dee and remembering you and your father. Love, Emelia.
ReplyDeleteCan't believe that scrambled word just now to prevent spam was uppete. My father's name is Peter, maybe a sign up in heaven and my post rang an angel's bell!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Christmas memories are of spending time with cousins at my Grandma's house every Christmas when we were kids.
ReplyDeleteI'm a new FHCS follower. I don't have no favorite Christmas memories, but I love GBP cookbooks.
ReplyDeletecindyskitchen@yahoo.com
One of my favorite Christmas memories was getting together with my Dad's side of the family at a township hall to celebrate. A "real" live Santa Claus was there with a present for every child (girls and boys). He personally handed each one of us our gift. My Dad has been gone now for over 30 years, but the family still has their party. It's like a family reunion in the winter. Merry Christmas to everyone and my you all have a very happy and healthy New Year!
ReplyDeleteWe had a family from China living with us in the 90's. We did not teach our children that presents came from Santa. We told him that Santa was just a fun person etc. However, our adult son and his wife dressed up as Santa & Mrs. Claus and visited friends and family on Christmas Eve. They came to our house too. Lou answered the door, eyes wide and mouth dropped. After they left, he came into the kitchen, "Aunt Bea, don't you ever lie to me again!" It is our favorite family Christmas story.
ReplyDeleteJesus in the reason for the season and wise men still follow him. Merry Christmas.
One of my favorite memories was my family being snowbound at a cabin. We had no way to drive to town or our friends house. We decided to visit the neighbors by hiking through the snow lugging two children. We had little money, so took a couple jars of home canned fruit as gifts. Visiting with neighbors and their appreciation of a homemade gift, made that simple Christmas linger in my memories.
ReplyDeleteSusan said...
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite memories was when I was a little girl in Kentucky. May daddy was a coal miner and didn't make much money, but my parents always had a real Christmas tree (that costs about $1.50 back then) for us kids to decorate. Mommmy would have a bowl of popcorn for us to string to make a garland. The fun part of making the garland was eating more of the popcorn than we strung. Merry Christmas!
Thanks for the chance to win. I love Gooseberry Patch books.
craftybikerbabe@live.com
One of my most favorite memories would be a chosen weekend before CHRISTmas when my Mom & Dad, Grandma & Grandpa, my sister & I would spend the whole weekend making hard candies for giving. We would make anywhere from 25-30 different kinds. And, yes We would even make Dad and Grandpa help us. Believe me, it would take the entire weekend. What wonderful times and memories. My parents & Grandparents have all been gone for many years now.
ReplyDeleteI live in So Cal. My best Christmas present/memory is when my friend surprized me with a trip with reserved seating to the New Years Day Parade in Pasadena, CA.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Christmas memory actually took place over several years. I have a sister 2 years younger than me and every year for Christmas, our Grandma Ray would make us matching flannel nightgowns and knitted slippers. I always loved that she took the time to make these for us each and every year. My Grandma Ray is actually the person who gave me my interest for sewing and cooking.....I spent all of my holidays and vacations with her and my Grandpa.
ReplyDeleteI would love to win a Gooseberry Patch Cookbook. They're so cute and they always have fun little extras packed into every book, too :) :)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Christmas memory is going out with my dad on Christmas day, looking for the one lone coffee stand that was still open :) :) I love fancy coffee on Christmas day :) :)
Happy CHRISTmas to you and your family :) Happy CHRISTmas to you and your family. Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather :)
My favorite Christmas memory from my childhood is the year I got my Easy Bake Oven. Boy do I wish I still had that. I have many wonderful memories from my children's childhoods. I'm a huge Gooseberry Patch fan and would LOVE to win this book.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
I used to love sitting in a rocker in front of the Christmas tree and play Christmas music on the old Victrola---that was when our tree was in a room we didn't use much. But my favorite Christmas memory would have to be the years we actually got to spend Christmas with family on the actual holiday instead of having to spend it the weekend before or the weekend after Christmas---so much more special. This was one of the lucky years when we were with both grandchildren on Christmas---very special indeed!
ReplyDeleteI would love to win a cookbook..
ReplyDeletelakelady@cruzinternet.com
I remember the Christmas I got a new bride doll. I had wanted it for so long and when i got up Christmas morning there she stood in front of the tree.She was so beautiful
ReplyDeleteSome of my favorite memories are when our kids were little. As Christmas got closer, it was harder and harder for them to wait. We started buying 7 stocking stuffers for each, wrapped them and put them in their stocking. Beginning 1 week before Christmas, they were allowed to open 1 little present each evening after their dad got home from work. They were so excited and it helped the last countdown to Christmas go by a little faster.
ReplyDeleteI always remember the Christmas my Grandma got me a little chalkboard so I could play school with my little sister. Now I homeschool my kids and "play school" every day. Love the giveaway, love Gooseberry Patch cookbooks. Thanks for the opportunity.
ReplyDelete- Kari
rushmer4@msn.com
Oh my gosh....my favorite Christmas Memory: When we were little, my Mom & Dad would put the tree up, decorated only with strands of light, decorate the house, and then would hang a sheet over the doorway into the living room where our Christmas tree was. Each night, at dark, somehow the lights on that tree would come on, but we couldn't see it; only the lights shining through the sheet that hung over the doorway. Us kids would stand on our tippy toes at the very top stairs trying to peek over the sheet for that tiny glimpse of decorations on the tree. When we'd see garland or decorations on the tree, we knew that Santa had been there. Sometimes we would hear noises behind the sheets; oh we would scurry as we thought Santa was there. Then, on Christmas Eve, we would all have a big Christmas Dinner, we would clean up the dishes and all the kids and adults would go downstairs; waiting for Santa to take down the sheets. Mom and a few of the others always seemed to lag behind and come downstairs a little bit later. Then, Mom would make the announcement; "time to come upstairs". Us kids would gather on the steps, and one by one we would go around the corner and see the beauty Santa had left. The sheets were all down, the Christmas Tree was decorated beautifully, and there were tons of gifts. We would all take our usual seats on the couch and floor, Mom & Dad sat down too, and we began to hand out gifts; one by one. We had so much fun. And after all the gifts were opened, we'd sit in our living room, admiring the nativity scene and beautiful tree and just visit with each other, till it was time to go to Midnight Mass. We would all put on our best clothes and off to Midnight Mass. After Mass, we would all come back to the house and Dad would start breakfast, sausage, bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, pancakes; the works. After getting out tummies full, we would each say our goodbyes and went on home to our own homes. Now, Mom & Dad are gone and the tradition of hanging the sheets at "Mee-Maw and Pee-Paw's" is a wonderful memory we all have and talk about each year. As us kids have our own children now, we all make sure our kids that did not know of our wonderful Christmas memory know how special our Mom & Dad made it for us. Merry Christmas
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Christmas memories date back to when Grandma and Grandpa were still with us - they lived out of state so we rotated one year them coming to our house and the other us going there. We have a big family, lots of cousins and my Uncle's family would come when Christmas was at Grandma and Grandpa's - and Mom, Grandma, and my Aunt would spend what seemed like forever in the kitchen baking up yummy Christmas treats for all of us - cookies, candies, toffee especially (YUMM!). I always remember trying to sneak into the kitchen to be part of the "grown-up" action because it always looked like they were having so much fun baking up all those goodies. I still think those memories have a lot to do with my love of baking!
ReplyDeleteI hope you had a wonderful Christmas! Thanks for the giveaway opportunity.
~Jill (luvcooking2@yahoo.com)
My favorite Christmas memory is from 4 years ago...we had been hit hard by the economic downturn and had just closed our business, which meant us and our sons were all unemployed. Money was very tight and my hubby and I had decided to forgo the traditional trip to the tree farm to get our Christmas tree and planned on using a small artificial tree we had in the attic. My 3 sons decided amongst themselves that this would never do and went to the tree farm and picked out the perfect tree and sneaked it in the house and surprised me! It meant so much to me and I will never forget their act of love that Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many special Christmas memories to choose from since many of my family are no longer here, but the most magical was the Christmas that I became pregnant with my now 5-yr. old son. Oh it wasn't official - I hadn't taken a test...but I'll never forget Christmas Eve church services, standing before the altar, listening to the heavenly choir and a little feeling...something that just told me to lay a hand on my belly and I knew!!! Just a week later I took a test that confirmed the good news! I'll never forget that moment of feeling a magical secret within - and feeling more connected than ever to the Christmas story of Jesus' birth :)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Christmas memory was when I was about 10 years old. My mom was upset because one of us kids had spilled something in the floor and was fussing as she was mopping. My normally very serious dad, gets up on the coffee table and starts copying my mom and we all end up laughing together.
ReplyDeleteMy best Christmas memory would be Christmas at my grandma's! She would always have so many goodies that she spent most of the year making and freezing. We would gather at her house and spend hours eating and catching up with family! I miss those days!
ReplyDeleteHi Dee, I love your website and so glad I found you! I'm a new follower...and love Gooseberry Patch books also!! My favorite Christmas memory was back when I was a child, we would take our eggs to the grocery store and barter them for food. We would get peanuts, nuts and hard candy! What wonderful memories! Thanks for spurring them for me!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
xoxo Gert
Christmas at my grandma's. She would cook for days, my mom and aunt's also cooked and we ate Christmas eve and passed out gifts. People laugh now because my uncle always gave us baby pigs to eat next christmas eve ham. we kids sang songs and would shoot off fireworks with my uncle's supervising us kids. Mom always has us help with enough cookies to last what seemed like only days. we were sent straight to bed afterwards and who could sleep thinking santa was on his way. we kids are all grown and have started our traditions, but this recent christmas we all sat around my moms table talking about our christmas as kids at my gramdma's house. she lived only short distance from my mom's house, as i drove past that small house christmas day on my way home, it bought so many memories of her cooking and how she always let her grandkids help cook and we thought it was a great honor to wash her dishes and wear one of her aprons. I felt so grown. I miss those days.
ReplyDeleteBest memories are when Santa was only one guy, and he looked just like Mr. Jenkins, the local barber in town.Also the black and yellow monkey with the banana in his hand.
ReplyDeleteAs a child, the year that I received a talking doll--someone had told me that she would be able to talk with me. I couldn't figure that out, but I accepted their response, but found out that the doll was programmed to only say certain things.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was very young (maybe 4?), my grandpa had a sleigh and 2 horses - 1 black & 1 white. On Christmas Day, we would slowly drive the many miles of back roads to get to his house. He would take me, my brothers & all the cousins for rides in that sleigh. So wonderful - just like a Christmas card! Love GP books!
ReplyDeletejmeinhardt@kc.rr.com
My most cherished Christmas memories include family, especially when my Grandma was still with us. She loved all things Christmas! Beautifully decorated trees, Perry Como and Johnny Mathis playing on the record player, a bowl full of ribbon candy and another with mixed nuts and nutcracker,tamale-making, a house full of cousins and laughter. She even wore the Christmas sweaters I made for her, proudly! So thankful to have shared life wih her for 40 wonderful years of my life :)
ReplyDeleteIn the late 50s and early 60s Santa Claus took time, on Christmas Eve, to stop by the Court House in the small town where I grew up. Almost every child in town, no matter their social or economic status, waited in line for what seemed like hours, to get their chance to talk to Santa and receive the brown paper sack filled with candy! It never once occurred to me to question how Santa had time to visit our small Kentucky town!!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is of family cooking and baking together and with my kids making Christmas cookies! I love your red and white dishes! What are they called and where did you get them if I might ask?
ReplyDeletejjsteff@comcast.net
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