Gooseberry Patch's Brand New Series

The first and most important reason for this post is my review for Gooseberry Patch. They have the cutest "little" books called Tiny Tips.  I will get to those in a moment. 

But first I want to thank each of you for your kind and heartwarming words throughout the past month.  This has been a very difficult time for our family…especially for my sweet daughter Holly and her love, Richard.  But we must now move on…carry on with things at hand.  We cannot pretend the pain is not there and it just does not go away but with each day we slowly learn to cope and heal.  Friends and family showing their love and support along with our Savior in Heaven has helped make this possible….and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Now for some of those matters at hand….Gooseberry Patch has once again entrusted me to do another review for them about some of their fabulous books!  Their newest books are called Tiny Tips…there are 4 in the collection:

Tiny tips for a Cozy Home, Tiny Tips to Make and Give, Tiny Tips for Get Togethers, and Tiny Tips for the Kitchen.  Trust me; you will want the complete set!! I will be reviewing Tiny Tips for a Cozy Home and Tiny Tips for the Kitchen!  These are adorable little books; great for sharing, adding to a special gift, stocking stuffers, or just a thoughtful gesture for someone special.  Collect them all! 

First up is Tiny Tips for the Kitchen…

A homemaker’s and Mom’s favorite place to be… well maybe for some of us anyway.  Cooking and working in the kitchen can be very demanding, but it should be a pleasure and any thing that makes it easier and simple is a big help.  In this little book full of BIG ideas, you will come across quotes like “Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.” ~Ernestine Ulmer must be a wise woman!  She’s my kind of fun woman!  And “The kitchen is the heart of the home, and the mother is queen of the kitchen.” ~Owen Meredith is a wise man don’t ya think? J

There are many helpful tips in the book; like using a skewer or even an uncooked strand of spaghetti for testing the doneness of deep cakes!  Now who would have thought!!??

This is one of my favorites and well worth using: Parchment paper is a baker’s best friend!  Oh yes it is!  This one is tried and true! 

Line your baking sheet to keep cookies from spreading and sticking and over browning on the bottom! Clean-up is a breeze.  Where to find it? …right next to the aluminum foil and wax paper in your favorite place to shop.

How many of you keep your tomatoes in the refrigerator?  DON’T…they will quickly lose their “just picked” taste.  Keep them on the counter or on your pantry shelf!  Now for your favorite hard grating cheeses like Parmesan:  Keep them fresh longer by wrapping them in a paper towel that has been moistened with cider vinegar.  Place it inside a plastic zip lock bag in the refrigerator.  The vinegar kills the bacterium that grows into mold.

Here’s another DON’T:  don’t add salt when boiling corn on the cob…it will make it tough!  Instead add sugar which will sweeten the corn to a taste you cannot resist!   Now I bet you did not know this either:  Baking soda can be used for removing soil, wax, and residue from fresh fruits and veggies.  When we purchase these at the stores, we never know what can be taking a ride on them…so we need to wash well.  A little baking soda sprinkled on the dampened produce with a gentle scrubbing will remove those little hitchhikers after you rinse with running water.  No need to buy those fancy expensive produce washes! YaY!

Here’s another money saver: Blend equal parts olive oil and lemon juice to create a polish that will make wood furniture shine. Just apply with a soft cloth and buff!  These are just a few of the many fabulous tips and quotes in this little book.  It’s so fun to learn these simple little tricks that it just makes ya want to go “Duh…why didn’t I think of that!”

Next up is Tiny Tips of a Cozy Home...

I love this little tipster! Lots of good little ideas that I love.  These books are filled with the cutest hand drawn illustrations.  I love Gooseberry Patch graphics!!  The various photos I have chosen here from the web, depict the tiny tips from their books.  For starters: Save discarded windows or purchase them at yard sales and make eye catching displays like this:

and this...

Are you a vintage Pyrex lover like me? 

Well show them off honey and use them too. 

Their colors and pattern make great displays as well as putting them to everyday use which brings back memories of Mama and Grandma!

 “If you were to ask me what is most important in a home, I would say memories”

~Lillian Gish

The simplest table decorations are often the prettiest. 

Use what ya got!

Decorate with teacups…the ways are limitless.

and even with vintage plates...

~~~~~~

Speaking of limitless….mason jars and old bottles…oh how I love them…especially the blue ones. 

 Fill them with flowers, threads, buttons, marbles, oh my!

You can even create country charm on your windowsill. 

Decorate with inexpensive trinkets and give your home that cozy vintage feel.

 Colorful glass bottles, kitchen gadgets, spools of thread

and even skeleton keys.

And who wouldn’t love to have one of these…

You can create your own cupcake stand from tag sale

teacups and saucers and plates. 

A little epoxy glue and your imagination and voilà!  You are so talented!

Pitchers filled with fresh flowers add charm to any room.

And who says eggs aren’t beautiful…fill a basket for

that perfect farm-style breakfast centerpiece.

Remember this…  “A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.”

~ George Moore

Now that I’ve spurred your curiosity and gave you an appetite for decorating along with some helpful tips…here's how you can get your set of these Tiny Tip books.  Straight from Gooseberry patch here and here.  You know you want them!

And here’s one of Gooseberry Patch’s recipes I want to share with you…I have not made it yet….but it sure looks good!!!  It can be found in 101 Easy Everyday Recipes.  Enjoy!

Easy Skillet Lasagna

This recipe was shared with us by Terri McClure...she's from right around the corner, in Hilliard, Ohio! She writes, "My husband often asks me to make this recipe. And sometimes, he even helps prepare it! Tastes great with ground turkey too."

 1-1/2 T. olive oil

 1/2 green pepper, finely chopped

 1 onion, finely chopped

 1 clove garlic, minced

 16-oz. jar spaghetti sauce

 1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained

 6 lasagna noodles, cooked and cut in half

 12-oz. container small-curd cottage cheese

 4 slices mozzarella cheese

 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté green pepper, onion and garlic until tender; drain. Transfer to a bowl; stir in spaghetti sauce and browned beef. In skillet, layer 1/3 of sauce mixture, half the lasagna noodles, half the cottage cheese, 2 slices of mozzarella and half the Parmesan. Repeat layers. Top with remaining sauce, making sure to cover all noodles. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes before uncovering and serving. Serves 4.

Until we meet again….Happy tipping, quoting, and cooking!

Credits : Photos are mostly from Pinterest, which I am addicted too, Google, and Gooseberry Patch!  A few of them are my own!