And The Winner is.....

 True Random Number Generator

Min: 1

Max: 94

Result: 48

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Lucky # 48 makes the winner of Gooseberry Patch's

 Mom's Very Best Recipes cookbook

 Amy of Cottageprims. 

Please visit her wonderful blog at Bumble Bee Lane.  

Here's her winning entry:
cottageprims said...
Count me in! Those recipes look yummy.I've tried fried pickles before and loved them.My mom didn't hand down alot of recipes but gradma did my favorite is rice pudding which is a baked version.Warm Blessings!~Amy

cottageprims@hotmail.com
February 22, 2011 4:48 AM

Congratulations Amy!!

Now it time to go over and read my current review:

Simply click on the cookbook and it will carry you there~

I will also be giving away a copy of this book!!

Thank you to everyone that read my review and entered to win!

Good luck on winning the Cookie cookbook!

Cora

Visit Gooseberry Patch website, their blog, and on facebook.  They are rocking the world of cooking with their books!!

Gooseberry Patch Cookbook Review

Its review time again….yep Gooseberry Patch cookbook review time.

Boy have I been having fun…a sweet sweet kinda fun! I’ve been baking from one of the newest Gooseberry Patch Cookbooks ~Best Ever Cookies!! Yum YumO!

Cookies…Cookies…Cookies…

Glancing and drooling through this book I wanted to bake something right away. A recipe that I would have the ingredients for without going to the store *mostly because I couldn’t wait!*   So first up on this baker’s list are Nut Gems. They are so simple, with ingredients that one would more than likely have hanging around in the pantry and what baker does not keep a supply of butter handy? * Paula would be so proud*

For this recipe you only need six simple items. I’ll share them with you here:
1 cup of butter, softened
¼ cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
2 teaspoons water
Garnish: powdered sugar

Blend together butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in flour until well combined. Stir in nuts and water. Form into one-inch balls and place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350* for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and roll in powdered sugar while still warm. Makes 3 dozen.

Talk about melt in your mouth! So soft and buttery…the only thing that would make these cookies better is a tall glass of cold milk! Of course you could just drink it out of my tea cup if you want. These cookies are delectable enough for wedding and baby showers because of their charming bite size beauty and impeccable taste!
Double whammy!

Here’s a helpful hint from one of the many pages of this cookbook~

Have you ever baked a batch of cookies too long?  No… not me! Haha. Well here’s a simple solution opposed to breaking a tooth and throwing them out the back door: If they’re a little too hard, but not burnt, slip a slice of fresh bread into the cookie jar overnight. Cookies will soften like magic!  If they are burnt...throw them out the back door!  Thanks Gooseberry!

What makes an oatmeal raisin cookie even more special? When it is filled with chocolate covered raisins! Oh yeah!!  Who would have ever thought?  Well Katie Majeske from Denver, PA did and boy did she have a great idea!! YumO! Her recipe for Hannah’s Oatmeal Cookies is divine!  With a hint of cinnamon and almond too… Your taste buds will be happy dancing! They are definitely a cookie jar classic with a surprising twist!

You'll have to get the book for this recipe!!

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Next up are Amish Buttermilk Cookies. Most of you know that the Amish are also known as Plain People, noted for their plain dress and simple life style. Well these cookies are the same… A simple yet mildly sweet fluffy soft cookie, with a cake like texture.

Eat them plain or throw a couple of these in a bowl and top with sweetened strawberries and whipped topping and man-o-man. I gave mine a light dusting of powdered sugar as eye candy. My husband loves these…good thing too, as this recipe makes a LOT of cookies!!

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Now that I have got cookies galore, I’m gonna wrap some of these fine eatables up and ship them to New Orleans! My daughter and her husband will love them and I’ll be glad to share them *so me and hubby don’t eat them all*.

And now for the excitement….drum roll please…pay attention now…you get a chance to win this cookbook, right here, right now!! Yep...I'm giving away a brand new copy of Best Ever Cookies.

Boring but IMPORTANT DETAILS TO ENTER THE DRAWING ~ If you are an anonymous commenter or DO NOT have a blog of your own…please leave your name and e~mail address along with your comment and also tell me what your favorite homemade cookie is. Your e-mail address is for the sole purpose of getting in touch with you when you win!! Please note that this give-away is limited to US and Canadian addresses only, due to postage costs...so sorry :) That’s it...simple as can be! I will select one name as the lucky winner on Wednesday March 9, 2011.

If you are not the winner...don't fret!  You can pre-order your cookbook here before they hit the shelves.  Once you are on the Gooseberry Patch page, just click on the Amazon button for a savings discount!

SIDE NOTE:  To read my review of Gooseberry Patch's "Mom’s Very Best Recipes" cookbook …go here …

i LOVE doing Cookieography!! 

i also love Gooseberry Patch graphics…so cute!!

You Can’t Be a Winner If………

...I cannot get in touch with you. Why do I want to get in touch with you?… Because you left a nice comment on my Gooseberry Patch cookbook give~away. If you leave a comment without having a blog I need your name and e-mail address in the comment. 
Some entries have no info on their profile, no blog and no e-mail address posted.
  Yikes…I have no way to get in touch with you should you be the winner! 
The drawing for the cookbook is this Friday…So check your previous comment so you will still have a chance to win. But hurry!!…hurry, run, don’t stop and smell the brownies, times a wasting!! Fair warning…I sure want everyone to have a chance in the drawing. ~Thanks.

Any others who would like to get in on the winning, go to my review of Mom’s Very Best Recipes here.  BUT…remember when commenting, be sure that you have a blog or leave me your e-mail address!!  Gooseberry Patch is awesome!!

Now for another delight…

another give-away coming up very soon…

look out and don’t miss out.

Side note: Thanks to everyone who left kind words of hope concerning my last post. All comments were so heart touching and I felt the love for my friends.
Jesus knows best!

How Does Someone Go On?

Flooding with emotions and thoughts of sadness, my brain is running rampant and full of questions…as life continues forward. These have been days of heavy grief and deep sorrow as I watched a family of friends mourn and let go.

I saw tears. I saw weeping. I heard sniffles. I heard words of consolation. Sorrow. Heartache. There was despondency and lots of shock. Food was brought and shared... that’s what we do in the south when mere words are never quite right. Hugs…lots of tight embraces... when there is no need for words. Food. Lots of food…it’s what we do, like comfort can be found there.

Grown men cry while wearing a look of trepidation as they wait to carry their friend with respect. The church is full, standing room only. I heard the words as Beulah Land was sang and a vision danced in my head. Tissues were passed. The lump in my throat continued to swell, as I looked for something to fan myself with…saying to myself… "don’t lock your knees or you will pass out" and wondering "why do heels hurt your feet so much from standing so long".  Heads were hung in sadness and sorry.
Co-op employees looked like tin soldiers dressed alike with their hats in hand as they lined the walls down the inside of the church.

You cry, I cry with you. You grieve, my heart aches for you. You are lost and now lonely, my heart aches for you. The sun continues to shine…life as you know it is different yet still it goes on the same. Different as the world is less one person now, one soul, one friend, one husband, one dad, one granddad…one…

Words were spoken, verses were quoted, and music flowed around the words of Amazing Grace as it was offered up.  Flowers gave the look of a full spring. The sun was high and bright and warm as a gentle cool February breeze touched my heart and dried my tears. I looked toward the sun to heaven. A prayer was spoken and heard.

The church pew where we all sit each Sunday, will never be the same again...

Old friends, that time had separated, were seen again. Hands were held, support was given in some small way.  More hugs… Times were reminisced and collected to enjoy again. There were questions with no answers. There was a quick thought of "what do we do now?"  We will go on... but how does a son continue without his dad beside him on the farm…How does he watch his little newborn daughter grow without ever knowing her Granddad? How does a daughter go on without the love of knowing that her Dad was always there…How does a young grandson continue to grow up without him anymore? How does a wife, whom he had know since they were 15, go on? Their empty house is too quiet especially at night….at bedtime. 

How?

How can anyone go on without knowing that peace that comes without understanding? That peace and comfort that only Jesus can offer…How can anyone go on without HIM?   HE, is how you go on… This family will go on.

Death is not partial to the friends he makes.

Jesus is not partial either;

He wants all of us as His friend…for eternity.

 May you find that peace,

Cora

 

Come And Get It!

I hope you're hungry!

Because I’ve been cooking from Mom’s Very Best Recipes,

one of the latest cookbooks from Gooseberry Patch.

This book is dedicated to mother’s everywhere who know how to warm the heart and soul with a kind smile, a big hug and a bowl of homemade chicken soup. It contains 250 tried and true favorites from Mom’s recipe box which were submitted by you…the daughter’s, granddaughters, sons, and family alike, who loved Mom’s cooking and have cherished her recipes down through the years.

On the menu for today from Mom’s Very Best Recipes:

Cheri’s Chicken Nuggets

Homestyle French Bread

Fried Dill Pickles

…and Peanut Butter Brownies

Yep…you heard right fried dill pickles…here in the south we will fry anything that flour will stick to! So look out…in this cookbook you will also find: Fried Jam Sandwiches, Midway Corn Dogs, and of course Fried Green Tomatoes *Fannie is smiling*  :)

Here are the delish Fried Dill Pickles...now if you like dills...

you will love these.

Golden bown and crunchy with that zap and twang of the dill.

Up next are the chicken nuggets…These are not your fried chicken nuggets…no ma’am. They are baked in the oven with a coating of bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Yumo! 20 minutes in and you can cut them with a fork!

And who doesn’t like love French Bread? It’s crispy and flaky on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. It’s a great addition to any meal where bread is a compliment or if you’re a bread lover…dare to eat it alone.

Awesome! Homemade bread is always a little time consuming but so worth the wait.

And without further ado…Peanut Butter Brownies…a twist to the traditional.

They are a great snack for the kidos as well as adults who love that peanut butter taste.  I even added a little touch of chocolate because everyone knows that peanut butter and chocolate go-together!

 And with only six ingredients it is so easy.

These are just a few of the great recipes that can be found in Mom’s Very Best recipes…tried and true throughout generations. You will also find Home Coming Coffee Cake, Mom’s Cheesy Hashbrowns, Tiramisu Toffee Treat, and Lemon-Teriyaki Glazed Chicken…just to name a few! Ricotta Gnocchi is another one I want to try soon.

Another great asset in Gooseberry Cookbooks is the awesome hints, ideas, and quotes printed on each page. Here’s a sampling:

~Easy hard boiled eggs! Cover eggs with an inch of water in a saucepan and place over medium-high heat. As soon as the water boils, cover the pan and remove from heat. Let stand for 18-20 minutes…cover with ice water, peel and they’re done.

~Be sure to save the red juice from jars of maraschino cherries. Stir a little of it into lemonade, ginger ale or milk for a sweet pink drink that kids will love!!

“God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.”

~Rudyard Kipling

You will love Gooseberry Cookbooks for their lay-flat-when-open spiral binding and their beautiful art work thoughout on each page. They are so fun! Although this cookbook has not been released yet…you can preorder and reserve your copy today and save some money. Simply click on the book and it will take you to the link for ordering at Amazon:

 Now for the best part...you get a chance to win this cookbook, right here, right now!!

 Yep...I'm giving away a copy of Mom's Very Best Recipes.  Simply leave me a comment on this post with the name of your Mom's favorite handed down recipe.  That's it...simple as can be!  I will select one name as the lucky winner on Friday February 25th.  Please note that this give-away is limited to US and Canadian addresses only, due to postage costs...so sorry :)  If you are an anonymous commenter or do not have a blog of your own...please leave your full name, e-mail address, mailing address, or some other way in which I can get in touch with you. Although you may have ordered your new cookbook in advance and you happen to be the lucky winner here...you can share this additional book with a friend!  Sharing is fun!

Come and get it while it’s hot!!!

 

Of Love and Cookies

It is a gray, dull, dreary, rainy day…again. But the gift has been received with thanksgiving, so I’m up and at it! Going to make the best of this gift and trust that God knows what we need. I am glad to be sharing it with you. Yesterday was beautiful….we had sunshine…the first in about a week! What a way to spend a Sunday after church…I hope your day was good and that you sought Jesus in some way, if not, try it sometime…He’s a pretty cool friend to have!

So what do you do with a week of rain? Well…

Cookies were baked and decorated…pink + sparkly hearts.
Taxes forms were completed .
I watched it rain up a storm while Jackie worked through the whole night and into the next day restoring electricity.
A huge pot of chili was crocked…way too much for two people…so I shared.
Movies were watched…again~ The Last Song and Dear John, two of my favorites ~swoon~
The cookies were ate with pleasure and cold milk.
Friends were prayed for.

A seafood dinner was enjoyed at a favorite restaurant…and yes we got wet coming and going, but it was a good night to go…no waiting for a table!

Now I’m combing through my new Gooseberry cookbooks and making my grocery list for shopping. I have picked a few recipes for my upcoming review.  I’m so excited to get to do these reviews and can’t wait to share them with you. So stay tuned and be looking for the surprise that waits.

I know many of you watched the super bowl last night…I’m proud to say that my daughter Holly graduated with one of the Steelers…#69 Steven McLendon from our small town of Ozark, Alabama. He is young and didn’t get to play but it was still an honor for us. Now... about the singing of the National Anthem…hummmm…you should know the exact words before attempting to sing it live! :)

It’s the LOVE month of February and Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching us…Love is in the air. Cupid is taking flight ready to pierce you with his love stricken arrow. All through history and still today, people have been bitten by the love bug. Samson loved Delilah. Romeo loved Juliet. Brad loves Angelina. Mark Antony loved Cleopatra. Lucy loved Desi. George loved Gracie. Tristan loved Isolde. Scarlett loved Rhett. . Marc loves Jennifer. And Cora loves Jackie.

I hope you have a lovely week. Share some Love.