Gooseberry Patch

Easter Memories!

Remember when Easter was all about a new dress, matching purse and those little white gloves? We do! With the holiday just a few weeks away, we wanted to share a few pictures from those days that were all about the baskets...and the candy!

(Who are we kidding? It's still about the candy sometimes!)

Can you spot Jo Ann in this photo? She's the one in the sweet bonnet holding her little purse. She remembers spending holidays with the whole family, including cousins pictured here.

(Click the photos to see them up close!)

 

"It took forever for Mom to get us all ready for church on Easter Sunday. When we got home, we always celebrated with a big family brunch. It was a lot of excitement and lots of fun too...including an egg hunt in the backyard!"

 

Vickie's in the photo on the right...surrounded by all her baskets!

"I was almost 5 when this photo was snapped. I don't even remember where all the baskets came from but I do remember feeling
really special with all my goodies and my
new dress!"

 

 

Have a photo you'd like to share?
Post it on our Page on Facebook...we'd love to hear about your Easter memories or what you're most looking forward to celebrating!

 

We're linking up with Hershey's Bunny Trail today...it's a super-fun collection of Easter memories, traditions and more! Click over
today to see who else is on the Bunny Trail.

 

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We're in Where Women Cook!

We're thrilled to be a part of one of our
favorite magazines, Where Women Cook!

Here's a sneak peek at the feature...

You can get this current issue online or wherever you buy your favorite magazines, and really, it's so much MORE than a magazine.

Each is packed with dozens of interviews and features, hundreds of beautiful photos and of course, the recipes - we counted 30 in this issue alone! These quarterly issues are more like softcover books that you'll want to save on your shelf. With 160 pages each and featuring such pretty spine colors, they're definitely keepers!

We shared some Behind the Scenes photos in our holiday edition of Feather Your Nest...click the images below to take a peek at a few more!

We had so much fun chatting between takes
with everyone who came for the shoot!

 

There's Jo Packham, the creator and editor-in-chief of Where Women Cook, sampling the delicious Crustless Pumpkin Pie shared in the magazine.

 

Getting all the ingredients ready for Vickie's Tomato Pie...mmmm!

 

Setting up the plate for our photographer, Lauren Byrdy to snap!

 

Want a slice? YUM!

 

This collection of blackbird pie birds is one of Jo Ann's favorites.

 

Posing with Jo...thanks so much for coming!

 

Vickie & Jo Ann caught sampling Robert's Corn Dip,
one of our all-time favorites!

 

There it is...we'd love a scoop right now. Wouldn't you?

 

Thanks for letting us toot our Gooseberry Patch horn today
and remember, if you can't find Where Women Cook where
YOUR favorite magazines are sold, you can always
order the issue (or a subscription!) online.

 

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Share this good news (and recipe links) with a friend!

An Oldie Filled with Goodies!

This week, our spotlight is shining on one of
our first books, Old-Fashioned Country Cookies!

First published way back in 1994, Old-Fashioned Country Cookies was only the third book we ever created. We thought we'd share how this book came about and what we remembered from those days. 

Jo Ann:  We had so many recipes to choose from in those days! We still have lots but now we have a system and remember, this was before email or our website. I just remember the boxes and boxes of handwritten letters, recipe cards, stationery all stacked together willy-nilly...

 

Vickie: Actually that's a pretty good way to describe our style back then: willy-nilly! We were just having so much fun creating cookbooks that we didn't think of things like...the table of contents. [laughing]

 

Jo Ann: Well, we figured it out pretty quickly after that though and developed our style a little more. In the days of Old-Fashioned Country Cookies, we were spontaneous, you might say. There was no template and each page is a little different from the next.

 

 
Vickie: Yep, just flipping through the pages, I recognize the illustrations from many different artists...it's almost like a collage of our early favorites. Lots of our oldest and dearest contributors are in there too. Kathy Grashoff has been sharing recipes almost as long as we've been publishing cookbooks. We're sharing a recipe of hers today.

 

 
Jo Ann: Well, it may be a looser structure than our books from today - you'll find memories and crafts shuffled right in with the recipes - but it's also dear to our hearts. It really feels hand-touched...almost like a scrapbook! We treasure the memories created in those early days and this book reminds me of where we came from.

 

 
Vickie: Definitely. We still strive to capture the heart of the stories you tell and the recipes you share with us. Pick up a copy of Old-Fashioned Country Cookies and you'll have a little Gooseberry Patch history - as well as a great cookbook! - on your hands.

 

Butterscotch Cookies
Thanks again to Kathy Grashoff for sharing this recipe!

1 c. shortening
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 t. hot water
1 t. vanilla extract
1-1/2 all-purpose flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
2 c. oatmeal
24-oz. pkg. butterscotch chips
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Combine first 6 ingredients. Add flour, salt and baking soda; stir well. Add oatmeal, butterscotch chips and nuts, if using. Drop by teaspoonful on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.

If you're shopping for Old-Fashioned Country Cookies, your best bet is Amazon...check eBay too. You might even find a copy with the original cover, which included a reindeer cookie in place of the bunny. Now THAT would be a real collector's item!

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Share the goodies with a friend!

Look Inside our Keepsake Binder!

In case you missed the email, here's a closer look at our Keepsake Cookbook binder, available now at Amazon!

Enjoy one of JoAnn's recipes from inside, just for our blog readers!

Italian Meatloaf Sandwiches

14-oz. loaf French bread
4 (1-inch-thick) slices cold meatloaf
1 c. marinara or spaghetti sauce
8-oz. pkg. shredded Italian cheese blend
1⁄4 t. dried Italian seasoning

Cut bread into fourths; cut quarters in half horizontally. Place bread quarters, cut-side up, on a baking sheet. Top each bread bottom with one meatloaf slice, 2 tablespoons marinara sauce and 1⁄4 cup cheese. Top each bread top with 2 tablespoons marinara sauce and 1⁄4 cup cheese; sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese melts and meat is thoroughly heated. Top bread bottoms with bread tops and serve sandwiches immediately. Serves 4.

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Congratulations to Gwen Barnes of Zanesville, Ohio who was the winner of our Keepsake Cookbook at the Country Living Fair. Your recipe for Applesauce Cake looks great!

 

Have you ever wondered how Gooseberry Patch cookbooks got their start?

Those are just a few of the many questions
we've received over the past 25 years.
This video tells the REAL story of Gooseberry Patch!

Are you a trivia fanatic?
Do you like being "In the Know"?

If your answer is "Yes!", then visit Our Page on Facebook every Tuesday, starting August 17th, for "Trivia Tuesdays."  We'll have a short video clip each week answering some of the most interesting questions we've been asked.

Is there something you've always wanted to ask Vickie & Jo Ann? Leave us a comment with your question. Maybe we'll answer it on our next video!

Easter Memories

Remember when Easter was all about a new dress, matching purse and those little white gloves? We do! As the holiday approaches, we wanted to share a few pictures from those days that were all about the baskets...and the candy!

(Who are we kidding? It's still about the candy sometimes!)

Can you spot Jo Ann in this photo? She's the one in the sweet bonnet holding her little purse. She remembers spending holidays with the whole family, including cousins pictured here.

(Click the photos to see them up close!)

"It took forever for Mom to get us all ready for church on Easter Sunday. When we got home, we always celebrated with a big family brunch. It was a lot of excitement and lots of fun too...including an egg hunt in the backyard!"

Vickie's in the photo on the right...surrounded by all her baskets!

"I was almost 5 when this photo was snapped. I don't even remember where all the baskets came from but I do remember feeling
really special with all my goodies and my
new dress!"

Have a photo you'd like to share?
Post it on our Page on Facebook...we'd love to hear about
your Easter memories!

What's New in 2010?

Happy New Year! We have always loved the start of a brand new year. Hopes are high, dreams are cast...and everyone gets a fresh start.

It’s a new year for Gooseberry Patch, too. We're welcoming it with a little video...click below to see it!

We’ve been growing our community of cookbook lovers and contributors since 1992, and the heart of our cookbook community is you! You’ve told us year after year how much you’ve loved collecting our cookbooks, sharing them with family & friends, and contributing recipes for them.

Gooseberry Patch has many exciting plans for the New Year. We are planning on publishing more & more cookbooks throughout the year! This means there will be more ways for YOU to get your recipes published. Our cookbooks will now be offered in even more great retail stores in your local neighborhood like Cracker Barrel, Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores, Kroger, Safeway and many more to come. And of course, you can always find our cookbooks conveniently on our web store at www.gooseberrypatch.com.

Focusing all of our energy on cookbook publishing does mean one big change for Gooseberry Patch...we will no longer be offering a mail-order catalog. We know you’ll miss our “Country Store in Your Mailbox” as much as we will. But the future of Gooseberry Patch cookbooks is very bright. We are very excited about expanding our publishing so you’ll have lots of new cookbooks to enjoy for many years to come!

We’ll also be having more contests and giveaways than ever! We’ll continue to grow our online community by writing this Blog, keeping up with friends on our Page on Facebook and on Twitter. We’ll be traveling across the country and attending more events, like the Country Living Fair. We’re planning lots of new ways to meet our Gooseberry Patch friends, like you!

Most of all, we want to thank you for your continued friendship and support. Gooseberry Patch exists because of YOU! We look forward to sharing our love of cooking with you more than ever in the coming years.

So we wish you a Happy New Year...may yours be filled with family, friends and lots of yummy
Gooseberry Patch recipes!

Warmest wishes,

Do You Make Resolutions?

We go back and forth every year...should we make resolutions or let the year unfold as it may? This year, we decided to go ahead and make them, even if they're just hopes for the new year!

This year, I'm taking my usual "exercise more" resolution to the next level...I'm training for my first 5K run! I'm also really looking forward to making more time to be crafty and heading back to my knitting classes! Vickie, let me guess...you'll be cleaning out your barn?

Jo Ann's right...much like the last 10 years or so, at the top of my list is cleaning out the barn! We use it for storage but you wouldn't believe the treasure that's stored out there...my old majorette boots and fire baton, a few years of Rolling Stone magazine, stacks of flowerpots, croquet balls, old computer equipment, ice skates...you name it, it's out there! This year is the year that's it's getting organized though, or at least I hope so!

How about you...what are your resolutions (or hopes) for the new year? We'd love to hear about them!

Our Favorite Gifts!

We got such a kick out of reading about YOUR first gifts last week on our Page on Facebook, we decided to share a few photos from way back when...first up is Vickie.

At the ripe old age of 8, all I wanted for Christmas was a Fort Apache play set. Does anyone else remember these? They included cowboys, Indians, horses and a big log fort where you could have adventures. That year, I was really into being a cowgirl, as you can see by the western pop-gun I'm brandishing in this photo. Check out that Hayley Mills haircut too, inspired by her movie, The Parent Trap!

Coming from a big family, Christmas was always extra exciting. Not only did we get gifts of our own to play with but we could also see what everyone else got...and plan to steal a turn with their toys too! This had been the case the year before this photo was taken. My sister got a tricycle just like this one and I'm told I was more excited about her trike than my own dolls and blocks. (I was just two!) The very next year, Santa delivered my very own shiny red tricycle on Christmas morning...I was so thrilled and took it for a spin in the living room, as you can see!

Thanks for reading...

Baking Up Memories!

Making Christmas cookies with the kids are some of my very favorite holiday memories. Starting way back when Kyle was just a little guy, we've all looked forward to at least one day of baking together every year. Here's a photo from back in the early days...isn't he as sweet as can be?

Here's one of our newest favorite cookies...Vickie shared this recipe with us and we love the nutty crunch. A different take on traditional cut-out cookies, it's a keeper!

Cocoa-Almond Cut-Outs
Find it in our must-have book, Christmas Cookies!

3/4 c. butter, softened
14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. almond extract
2-3/4 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. baking cocoa
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 c. chopped almonds

Combine butter, condensed milk, eggs, vanilla and almond extract in a large mixing bowl; mix well and set aside. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda; gradually add to butter mixture until well blended. Stir in almonds. Divide dough into 4 portions; wrap each in plastic wrap and flatten into a disk. Chill for 2 hours; remove each portion when ready to roll out. Roll out on a floured surface to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Arrange on lightly greased baking sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks. Makes 6 dozen.

Hope you and your little helpers love it as much as we do...bake up some new memories this holiday season!

Warmly,

It's Official!

Thanksgiving is officially behind us and you know what that means...it's time to decorate for the holidays! Last year, I took some photos of the finished decorations to look back at this year. I thought I might find some inspiration or maybe even come up with new ideas this year based on what I still like about last year.

Okay, maybe no one else thinks about decorating this much (I know Vickie & I do!) but I thought I'd share some of those photos and maybe add some inspiration to your weekend!

Love this little fruit tree...and it fits just right in the corner
at the bottom of the stairs!

You really can't have too much greenery...and poinsettias
are a must at our house.

Nothing says Christmas like the warm glow of the fireplace
and the little tree next to it reminds me of the frosty weather outside!

We'd love to see how you're decorating too...post some photos on our Page on Facebook or link to your photos here in the comments!

Happy decorating!

A Triple Celebration!

Coming from a family of EIGHT, every meal was an adventure, as you can imagine. And Thanksgiving was always a memorable event, not only because of the big feast but also because my brother DJ and I celebrated our birthdays at the same time!

The dates fall just two days apart and, often years, we overlapped with Thanksgiving. My mother always made it special for us...even down to our tiny party hats!

These pictures were taken on my 2nd and 3rd birthdays (my brother was turning a year older than me) and I thought you'd all get a kick out of them...we sure do!

Enjoy!

Vintage tricks & treats...my favorite!

My love of vintage Halloween goodies started over 20 years ago when I saw this terrific paper mache Jack-'O-Lantern. Vickie & I were shopping at a local flea market when I spotted the first of my collection. It was so different from all the other decorations I'd seen...it really made me smile and, from that point on, I was hooked!

Most of the pieces I have are from the 30's and 40's...I like to keep an eye out for the ones made to hold candles on Halloween night. Perfect for filling with treats at a costume party or adding whimsy on their own, their silly faces and gently aged colors and surfaces are what I really love.

One of my favorite ways to display some of the smaller pieces was to add a coat of black paint to a  large tree branch from my backyard. Then we hung all the ornaments, cookie cutters and vintage postcards from the branch on the mantel...it was so simple, but really made a statement.

The collection grows every year and makes for quite a spooky display during this time of year. Fall is always a busy season and it seems like every weekend brings a new gathering or celebration...these spooky smiling faces are all the decorations we need. Have a great harvest and a frightfully fun Halloween!

Thanks for reading...leave us a comment and share how you'll celebrate!