I have a yummy review and giveaway to share with y'all. The Holidays are my favorite time as a Gooseberry Patch Early Bird Reviewer.
That's the time of year when all the seasonal and holiday cookbooks show up at my doorstep for review. A couple weeks back I had the honor of receiving Hometown Harvest.
I was excited to see that it was a fall cookbook, because that's my favorite season. I absolutely L♥VE everything about fall, the changing of leaves, apple picking, pumpkins, the cooler weather, fireplaces, and most of all the glorious food. I was so excited to kick back and relax with a hot cup of tea and thumb through this heartwarming cookbook.
Hometown Harvest doesn't disappoint and I think the cover describes it best.... Celebrate harvest in your hometown with hearty recipes, inspiring tips and warm fall memories. When I think of Fall, soups, stews, chili's and all thing pumpkin come to mind and this cookbook is packed full of it.
I can honestly say I haven't found a Gooseberry Patch Cookbook that I didn't like. All of their cookbooks are filled with delicious recipes that are simple, and easy-to-prepare. Perfect for anyone just starting out in the kitchen. Hometown Harvest has 222 delicious pages filled with all thing fall. 
Here is a sneak peek at some of the recipes in each chapter:
Hometown Pancake Breakfast: This chapter is all things breakfast! Baked granola, apple muffins, cinnamon swirl bread, pancakes, breakfast casseroles, drinks and more.
Church Social Soup Supper: If soup is your thing than this chapter is for you. Lots of comforting titles to choose from, clam chowder, potato soup, pumpkin soup, harvest soup, chicken pot pie soup, chili, sandwiches and more.
Thanksgiving Dinner to Remember: This is probably my favorite chapter. Everything you need for the big day. Make ahead turkey gravy, dressing, maple whipped sweet potatoes, stuffing balls, corn pudding and chicken w/broccoli & wild rice.
Game Day Get Together: is your ones shop stop for all your football and tailgating needs. Meatball sliders (pictured above), buffalo chicken sliders, pizza squares, down home hot dog chili, candy apple crunch, cranberry meatballs and little piggies.
Pumpkin Patch Sweets: has all your favorite autumn desserts, coffee can pumpkin cake, apple pound cake (I can't wait to try this one), apple crisp pie, pear cobbler and game day smore bars.
Slow Cooker Potluck Pleasers: I love love love this chapter. It has breakfast, lunch, dinner and desserts all made in your crock pot. Sausage egg casserole, caramel pecan rolls, corn chowder, hula hoop hawaiian chicken, cranberry pork roast and baked beans,
Over the River & Through the Woods: has nothing to do with food and everything to do with family memories and holiday traditions. This chapter will definitely give you warm fuzzies.
Below are a few of the recipe I tried and what I thought about them.
First up are these Yummy Meatball Sliders from Gameday Get Togethers. These little sliders are the perfect tailgating food. I actually made them for dinner for my family and everyone loved them. They're the perfect size for little hands. This recipe is for homemade meatballs, but utilizes store bought pasta sauce.
This recipe makes quite a bit, so it's perfect for a crowd. I think this recipe would be perfect prepared in a crock pot! This way all the meatballs could stay nice and warm and everyone can assemble their own sliders.
Meatball Sliders
2 - slices bread torn
1/2 - cup milk
3/4 lb - ground beef
1/2 - lb ground pork
1 - cup parmesan, divided
1 - egg, beaten
3 - tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 - clove garlic, minced
1/2 - teaspoon salt
1 - 26 oz jar spaghetti sauce
24 - slider sandwich buns, split
Place bread in a large bowl; and pour milk over bread and let stand for 5 minutes. Add meats, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, garlic and salt. Mix well with your hands. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. Form mixture into 2 dozen 2 inch meatballs, flatten slightly. Place meatballs in a stock pot over medium heat.
Spoon one cup sauce over meatballs, bring to a simmer. Partially cover and simmer meatballs until cooked through (about 20-25 minutes). Arrange bottom of rolls on a baking sheet. Top each with one meatball, a tablespoon of sauce and a teaspoon of remaining cheese. Bake in a 400 degree oven uncovered for 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Add tops of buns and serve.
Cook's Note: I browned the meatballs just a bit in a large skillet until they were brown on both sides. Then I added all the sauce and simmered until the meatballs were cooked through. Once done I toasted the buns and topped the sliders with meatballs and added a bit of shredded cheese and served.
This recipe is from a fellow Texan, Judy Young that lives in Plano, Texas. Shortbread cookies are my husbands absolute favorite cookie. I make them every year for his birthday or Valentines day.
I was excited to try these Pumpkin Spice Shortbread Cookies. They tasted just like original shortbread, but with a hint of pumpkin spice. These are perfect along side a hot cup of tea or pumpkin spice latte. I will definitely be making these again.
Pumpkin Spice Shortbread
1 - cup butter, softened
1/2 - cup powdered sugar
2 - cups all purpose flour
1 - teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
nutmeg to taste, optional
In a bowl blend butter and powdered sugar. In a separate bowl mix flour and spices. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend. Turn dough onto a floured counter top. Roll out dough to about a 1/2 inch thick.
Using a cookie cutter cut out the shortbread. Place on a un greased baking sheet and pierce each shortbread cooking with the tins of a fork (to make the famous shortbread design).
Bake at 375 degrees for for 5 minutes, reduce heat oven temperature to 300 and bake an additional 45 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and cool completely on a baking rack. Store in a airtight container.
I also wanted to share a bonus step by step video recipe for Pumpkin Streusel Muffins from Hometown Harvest. This recipe is from Gooseberry Patches You Tube Channel and is prepared by Vickie and Jo ann themselves. Click here for the complete Pumpkin Streusel Muffin recipe.
Would you like to win a FREE copy of Gooseberry Patches Hometown Harvest? Well you can, because the wonderful folks at Gooseberry Patch have hooked me up with an additional copy to share with one of my readers! See the details below on how to enter the giveaway. If you can't wait you can purchase a copy on Amazon for $14.24.
How to Enter The Giveaway
Mandatory Entry:
Leave a comment on this post telling me you're favorite Fall food??
Two (2) Bonus Entries:
You can do any or all of the following to earn extra entries. Please leave a separate comment for each one.
1. Become a Fan of Gooseberry Patch on Face book. When you have done that, return to this post and leave a separate comment letting me know.
2. Tweet the following for another entry: Win a copy of @gooseberrypatch Hometown Harvest @mommyskitchen http://tinyurl.com/nvuu297 #giveaway
Giveaway starts today, October 16th 2013 and ends on October 26th 2013. Contest is open to U.S & Canadian Residents only due to shipping charges. If you leave an anonymous comment please include your email address. This way I can contact you in the event that you're a winner. Winner will have 48 hours to reply to my email or a new winner will be chosen. Good Luck!
I was provided with a copy of Hometown Harvest for the purpose of this review. I was also given an additional copy to use in a reader giveaway. All comments stated above are 100% entirely my own.