Book Review: Gooseberry Patch Big Book of Holiday Cooking

 

I purchased this book back in April 2020 as a gift to myself.  I was not disappointed!  I found this very large, recipe-filled cookbook at Thriftbooks for only $5.99.  (The list price is around $30.)  My copy is a used book designated as "very good" condition.  I think it is closer to "like new".

The subtitle is Celebrate year-round with favorite family recipes and it's very accurate.  This cookbook literally contains hundreds of recipes for holidays all year round, not just Christmas.  But it does contain many wonderful Christmas recipes!  I'm going to give you a brief overview of the book:

The first section is called Fireside Favorites -- Cozy wintertime dishes that warm heart & soul.  It has dozens of yummy sounding recipes including Warm Country Gingerbread Waffles, Brown-Sugar Glazed Bacon, Garlicky Chicken with Redskin Potatoes, Cherry Brownie Cobbler, and many, many more.

The second section is In the Garden -- Sensational spring favorites everyone will love.  Incredible Mini Burger Bites stood out to me, along with Pasta Bake Florentine, Church Ladies' Ham Salad Sandwiches, Easiest-Ever Cheesecake, Michele's Fruit Sticks, and much more.

Next is Picnics & More -- Garden-fresh summertime recipes to share with family & friends.  Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake, Strawberry-Watermelon Slush, Family-Favorite Pork Tacos, Louise's Potato Salad, and Best-Ever Strawberry Shortcake appealed to me.

 Next is Bountiful Harvest -- Comforting classics to welcome the autumn season.  Bacon Quesadillas, Speedy Chicken Cordon Bleu, Autumn Acorn Squash, and Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Fantasy all sound so good!

The next section is called A Family Feast -- Festive holiday recipes for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  The oh-so-festive recipes include Christmas Cheese Log, Cranberry Christmas Canes, Penny's Turkey Enchiladas, Old-Time Pickled Peaches, and Buche de Noel.

The next part is called Gathering Together -- Homestyle favorites for celebrating throughout the year.  Recipes here (there are dozens) include Farm-Style Cinnamon Rolls, Sunday Baked Chicken, Heavenly Chicken Salad, BLT Salad with Basil Dressing, and Holly's Chocolate Silk Pie.

Next is Christmas Pantry --Handcrafted goodies made for sharing.  You'll find recipes for Comet's White Chocolate Crunch, Double Chocolate Mint Brownies, Holiday Gift Cakes, Backyard Barbecue Mango Chutney, Lemon Curd, and many other treats.

There's even a selection of Menus for All Occasions -- 12 menus for all year-round.  These include Friday Night Fun, Easter Tea, Supper for Your Sweetie, Star-Spangled Supper, Homestyle Festive Feast, Simple Weeknight Supper, and more.

And of course there's a great index to help cooks find any recipe quickly.

I should add that this cookbook is filled with pretty artwork and gorgeous photos that just make you want to try the recipes.  It's a beautiful book.

All in all, this book is a fabulous resource any time of year!  Thriftbooks currently has a copy in Good condition for only $5.79, should anyone be interested.

Muffin recipe for July: Ginger-Peach Streusel Muffins

 

Photo from Pixabay

 Time for this month's muffin recipe!  I found the recipe for Ginger-Peach Streusel Muffins in a free issue of Real Simple magazine that showed up in my mailbox.  And right about now, fresh peaches are becoming available in supermarkets.  We had some really good Eastern peaches a couple of weeks ago.  They didn't look like much, but we placed them in a paper bag on the counter (as my walking partner suggested) and they ripened perfectly in a few days.

This muffin recipe looks really good.  A streusel topping is always a plus on any muffin, in my book.  I haven't tried the recipe yet, but hope to do so on the next cool day.  I don't have any crystallized ginger on hand, but the recipe in the magazine said that could be left out if none was available.  Both muffin and topping have ground ginger in them, so there should be a nice touch of ginger even without using the chopped, crystallized variety.

Screenshot from Real Simple

The recipe also specifies that frozen peaches, thawed, can be used instead of fresh peaches in these muffins.  That means that these could work as a Christmas kitchen gift if they should happen to win the title of best muffin.  We will see!

A fun gift or stocking stuffer for creative children

 

Photo from Pixabay

Here is a really fun little idea if you know children who enjoy painting with watercolor sets.  Back in the day, my kids loved to receive a new watercolor set, or maybe a paint with water book.  I think most kids instinctively like to paint (and most parents instinctively dread the mess that can accompany painting).

This idea for a gift set using a box of watercolors and some printable coloring tags looks like so much fun!  And there's an upcycling aspect to it in that you use a heavy business-size envelope, folded, to make the gift pocket to package it all in.

The graphics were a team effort between Keren at Free Pretty Things for You and Lori at ChouxChoux Paper Art.  Aren't they just the most adorable vintage images?  They remind me of when I was a child, sometimes the kids in our family would receive a set of little activity books for coloring, dot-to-dots, mazes, crafts, etc.  The covers were always really nifty and resembled the design on this gift.

 

Image from ChouxChoux Paper Art

I might try this out for some of the kids in my life.  I almost think I have everything I need on hand to make some of these  What about you?

Sweet ornament to make using vintage wrapping paper

 

 I simply love vintage Christmas wrapping paper!  It probably stems from my childhood when my grandmother wrapped the Christmas presents so perfectly ... 

I know I've written before about my fascination with my grandmother's Christmas tree and the wondrous packages piled beneath it.  It wasn't so much wondering what was in the packages, or checking to see which ones were for me.  I just loved seeing how she had wrapped them.  My grandmother  seemed at times to keenly regret her lack of higher education, but she absolutely had the soul of an artist and showed it in so many ways -- in the kitchen and pantry, in her seasonal decorating, and so on.  Christmas was the high point of her artistic talents and of our year.  Her gift-wrapping skills were amazing and I simply loved seeing the papers she had chosen. 

So I was excited, a few years ago, to come across these fun metal ornaments that make use of vintage wrapping paper.  This project is designed by Ashlee at My So-Called Crafty Life.  Ashlee is a great go-to source for vintagey Christmas ideas.

Photo from Ashlee at My So-Called Crafty Life

 
This blog post was from 2015, and it looks as if Michaels no longer carries the galvanized metal ornaments that Ashlee used for the project.  I checked Hobby Lobby also and found nothing.  Hopefully I can locate some somewhere, as this is an ornament I'd really like to make.  I did look on Etsy and found these galvanized metal stars that might be a possibility.

 

However, these stars have a bit of a puffy look which might not be conducive to applying the wrapping paper.  They do seem to have an edge where the pipe cleaners could be attached.  One plus is that these ornaments have a hanger already attached, so it would be easy to replace the jute with ribbon or string and no awl would be needed.  I may have to order some and experiment, but the shipping is a bit high so again I might not.

Regardless, this is an adorable use of vintage wrapping paper!  I would guess that scrapbooking paper could perhaps be used in place of wrapping paper if one chose to do so.  I've seen some scrapbooking paper with designs that resemble vintage papers.

Hope you've enjoyed this crafting inspiration!

A Christmas poem: The Shepherd

Another July Sunday, and here is another Christmas poem from a vintage Christmas Ideals magazine.  This one, by John Davenport Womack,  is written from the point of view of a shepherd at the manger.  I think you will enjoy it as much as I did.

THE SHEPHERD

I do not think I'm likely to forget
The brilliance of the star that blazed that night,
And in my ear the song's resounding yet
Of that celestial choir whose voices bright

With hope and promise filled the shining air;
Rang from the nestling hills, rang from the earth
Where slept our flocks that night, all unaware
These voices heralded a Saviour's birth.

We went into the stable where He lay
And my poor gift of love placed at His feet.
He smiled on me.  The place grew bright as day,
And there was peace, ineffable and sweet.

-- John Davenport Womack

The nativity scene at top features a stable made by my dad, and the lovely figures they had used over the years.  I have always loved the shepherd boy with the lamb across his shoulders, and am so happy to own these figures now.

Christmas fabric fun!

 

A fabric from my own stash ...

 Here's this week's featured Christmas fabric!  I found this one at Fabricworm.  It's Camp Holiday by Jay-Cyn Designs for Birch Organic Fabrics.

These are modern designs that also have a vintage, or maybe more of a retro, vibe.  But they are so colorful and fun!

 

I'm working hard at trying to make sewing (which I dearly love) part of my life again.  I would love to make some small projects with one or more of these.

A pretty Christmas ornament to make

 

I simply love shiny Christmas ornaments!  Well, I love Christmas ornaments of almost any kind (there are exceptions), but those in this photo happen to be shiny and they're two of my favorites.  The red glass ball with its scene of a church and "Silent Night" is old, from my childhood.  The red truck is a Tractor Supply after-Christmas bargain from a few years ago.

Even more fun is when I find an ornament I can make that is as nice, or nicer, than a purchased one.   I've had this one on my list of potential Christmas in July posts for awhile: it's a Snowy Forest Glitter Ball Ornament from Kimberly at Serendipity Refined.  

Photo from Serendipity Refined

The materials for this Christmas ball could not be simpler: just a gold glass Christmas ball, glue, gold glitter, and white glitter.  You draw a design on the ball with glue, sprinkle with glitter, and let dry.

Just imagine how this pretty design will sparkle in your tree lights!  I think it would be lovely done in green, too, or maybe another color.

A sweet gift idea

 

Photo from Courtney at Pizzazzerie

 I saved the above photo some time ago with the idea of making a similar kitchen gift. The ideas for  Snow Day Drinks and Treats gift sets came from Courtney at Pizzazzerie.   As you see, this particular gift included a homemade tea mix and some cookies.  

In 2018 I wrote a post about all of the gift set ideas here: Some fun new ideas for kitchen gifts.  

But now, inspired by the title of this tea mix (Quiet Time Tea), I am thinking that one of these sets plus some Bible study helps or books might be a lovely gift for a special friend.  I mentioned The Daily Grace Co. a few days ago, and their products could make this gift so beautiful.

You could add a prayer journal

or a regular journal

or a mug

And, if this was for a very special friend, you could package it all in one of Daily Grace's totes.

 I have friends who would love a gift like this!

Peppermint Oreo Fudge

 

 Fudge makes such a wonderful kitchen gift, don't you agree?  I'm always on the lookout for a new and tempting fudge recipe.

And nothing says Christmas like candy canes!  It's no wonder I was drawn to the recipe for Peppermint Oreo Fudge, from Ashton at Something Swanky.  

This recipe has all the peppermint flavor of crushed candy canes, but without the aggravation of crushing them up, as it calls for the candy cane variety of Hershey Kisses.

My hubby walked by as I was preparing this post and said, "Oh my, that fudge looks good!"  I think you'll agree:

Photo by Something Swanky

Of course, he also said that we needed to try the recipe out right away.  I checked the ingredients list though, and those candy cane Hershey kisses are no doubt impossible to find this time of year.  If any of you happen to have a bag stashed away, though, you might like to give this recipe a try.  If not, do as I'm going to do and pin it or save it elsewhere for sweet kitchen gifts in December!

Stock up on Christmas gifts at the Daily Grace Co.!

 

Photo from The Daily Grace Co.

 Sometime in the past year, I discovered The Daily Grace Co. when the leader of a women's Bible study I attend chose one of their books for the group to study.  I actually had not planned to purchase the book, since our study leader is good about providing handouts for each of our studies.  But many of the ladies had purchased the book, and when I saw their books I knew I needed to order one.  They are incredibly beautiful books, and such good studies!  The first one we did was called Never Alone and the topic was depression.  

 We are currently working through More Than Anything, a study on idolatry, and oh my, it is convicting.  Excellent, though.

 The Daily Grace Co. is currently having a 50% off sale on mugs, books, Bible handbooks, prayer resources, and much much more.  The mug at top is only $11!  The two books I showed you above are on sale, also.

I will say that I find their shipping costs to be a bit high, but since they very frequently have $5 and $10 sales, it makes the cost worth it.  The products are packaged well and they ship very quickly.  Friends of mine got together and combined an order, then split the shipping costs between them, which is a great idea for reducing that expense.

They have products for women as well as for men and kids.  I purchased a number of Christmas gifts from them last year.  What better gift could you give than a resource to help someone grow spiritually or encourage them in their walk with God?

Christmas pastels

 

At intervals over the years pastel colors have often been very popular at Christmas time.  I know I've written a little about this in the past, back when I only owned a couple of cards in this category.  Last December on my Kitchen Table blog I wrote a post about it.  This one will feature different cards (except for one), so I hope it's not too repetitive for anyone.

I tend to prefer traditional colors of red and green, along with gold and silver, in my own Christmas decorating, and I love an eclectic tree with all kinds of different colors for our main Christmas tree.  

But as I've looked at and handled the lovely pastel cards of yesteryear,  I must admit to having fallen in love with some of them.  Pastels are so pretty with holly, pine sprigs, and mistletoe.

Isn't the card at the top of the post so much fun, with all of its sweet pastels?  That one has already sold in my Etsy shop.  Here are a few more:

Such pretty green trees and sky!

Isn't she sweet?

Look at that pastel window garland!

I couldn't resist sharing this one again.  It's one of my very favorites!

Pastel hurricane lamp

A whimsical pastel angel

Church in a pastel green setting

Pretty pastel Christmas balls

What do you think?  Would you use pastels in your Christmas decorating, or would you leave them in the 1950s and early 1960s?  I love them, but they don't really "go" in my house.

A Christmas poem: First Christmas

 

Image from Pixabay

From another vintage Christmas Ideals, I've picked out another poem to share with you all.  This one is written by Betty W. Stoffel.  The title, First Christmas, doesn't refer to the birth of Jesus as you might suppose.  Yet it is beautiful and most meaningful.  I hope all of you will enjoy it.

FIRST CHRISTMAS

Dear son, you're far too small to know
What sets the Christmas heart aglow.
You'll only look with grave surprise
As colors dance before your eyes.
The manger scene, the lighted star,
The greeting cards from near and far,
The splendor of a lovely tree,
The carols of eternity,
These shall be meaningless this year
To little eye and little ear.

First Christmas! O my tiny son,
For me it is a special one:
For I, who hold you close, have trod
Those sacred steps that lead to God.
And so, for both of us, I know
What sets the Christmas heart aglow;
So I shall see and I shall hear
For both of us this Christmas, dear.
I feel so close to Him through you,
For once God's Son was little too.

-- Betty W. Stoffel

Christmas fabric fun!

 

Here's another edition of Christmas Fabric Fun, as seen here every Saturday for the 2022 edition of Christmas in July. I think of Saturdays as a day to do something fun, and what could be more fun than looking at Christmas fabric, right?  Maybe the only thing that would beat it is actually sewing something with Christmas fabric!  (At top, a screenshot of my Christmas Fabric Stash Pinterest board.)

I found this week's sweet Christmas fabric at Riley Blake Designs.  It's the Christmas Joys collection by  designer Lindsay Wilkes of The Cottage Mama.  I'll share a couple of screenshots.

I love the vintage look of these, especially the Christmas Joys Ornaments and the White Christmas Joys Plaid.   You can see the entire line here: Christmas Joys Storyboard.  

Sew much fun!  Can you think of a project you would make with one of these designs?

A lovely little shop for gifts

 

If you have ladies on your Christmas list who enjoy  unique jewelry with a natural touch, you will want to check out my friend Sarah's Instagram account, White Mountain Resin.  I just purchased the earrings shown in the photo above, and I couldn't be more pleased.

Above is another set of earrings I purchased from Sarah.  These are made with rose petals and baby's breath.  She has many more earring designs, too.

Sarah also makes necklaces and bracelets, and I will show you a few below.

An ocean scene

Pretty blue flower necklace

Customizable charm bracelet

Sweet summer necklace

 She also offers coasters, key chains, bookmarks, and other fun items.  Her prices are reasonable and the shipping is free to the USA.  Check out her creations -- I think you'll find perfect gifts for some of the friends on your Christmas gift list!

Christmas in July sale at my Etsy shop!

 Yes!  Now through July 31, I'm running a sale at my Etsy shop, A New Hampshire Attic!  You can take 30% off on every listing in the Vintage Christmas category.

Most of the listings are Christmas cards both new and used, from the 1940s through the 1970s.

 

I also have some vintage Christmas tag stickers listed and some handmade vintage felt ornaments, along with a vintage Christmas paper sachet and some Christmas candy boxes..

 If I find time, I will also add a few more vintage Christmas items to this category of my shop.