Gooseberry Patch Cookbook Give Away

It's give-away time...

The folks at Gooseberry Patch gave me two copies of Slow Cookers, Casseroles & Skillets. One from which to cook and one to give away.

 But, before I get to some of this cookbook's highlights, I thought I'd share with you my cooking tip o' the day:  Did you know your pasta water won't get hot if you forget to turn on the burner?
Yeah. It's been that kind of day, thank you.
Now, I'm recovering...

Back to my real topic of interest:
Here's a look at some of the recipes I've made over the last couple of months...
(For your cooking convenience, I put a * by some new family favorites)

Lemon Chicken & Bows  

Greek Fish  

*Slow Cooker Mac N Cheese  

*Pulled Beef Sandwiches  

Honey Chicken & Carrots 

*Cranberry Pork Chops  

*Creamy Mushroom Chicken 

Country-Style Cheesy Potatoes

Speedy Salmon Sauce  

Penne Rosa  

I'll pick a winner on Sunday, Nov. 27 from entries up to that point.

Here's how to enter (be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry): 

1. Leave a comment about which GP recipe you want to try.
2. Become a fan of Real Farmwives of American & Friends on Facebook and write a comment on the wall.
3. Follow Real Farmwives of America & Friends on Google Friend Connect.
4. Follow Gooseberry Patch on Google Friend Connect.

I'll randomly pick a winner from comment entries left by next Saturday.

Perfect Job for a Carhartt

The weather turned a little nippy over the last week. Which made me appreciate my new Carhartt jacket even more.

I needed to get some firewood stacked and some of it stowed for a fall camping trip (if we can ever manage to get a free weekend!). So, with the temps hovering in the upper 40s/low 50s, I donned my new work coat to do something about some of what's left of that beastly tree The Husband has been battling since an ice storm took it down this winter.

When the folks at Carhartt offered an item from their online catalog's Women's line to The Real Farmwives of America, I was excited about this jacket, because it has a hood. My existing jacket what was I thinking when I bought it? doesn't have a hood--which I hate in really cold weather or when it starts raining. Because, sometimes, you can't manage an umbrella. So, that was the main attraction.

 Can I just tell you, I love this jacket.
I think the sizing runs a little big, but it's made from a great, heavy-duty fabric.

The zipper, which can open from the bottom or top, is protected with a double snap flap--a feature that will be great when it's seriously cold and windy.

I love the pockets--inside and out. The inside pockets are big enough to keep a bottle of water handy.

The funniest feature--or so I thought initially--is what my girls are now referring to as the "Ninja sleeves." The sleeves have Spandex cuffs that can be worn tight around your wrists.

Or you can pull them down to cover most of your hands like fingerless gloves. At first, I wasn't so sure about them. But, after using them with work gloves I think this is a totally cool feature. It keeps any cold air or crud from working it's way up your sleeves.

You can check out this jacket and other nice stuff at the Carhartt web site.
I have to say, you can't beat genuine Carhartt for quality. I own a knock-off jacket that was issued to me at work quite a few years ago. After one washing, literally, it looks like it's about 6 years old. (What can you say? Low bidder... you get what you pay for.) Anyway, after the staff complained, the acquisition folks didn't buy them any more!

So, if you'd like a chance to win a Carhartt of your own, please visit www.realfarmwivesofamerica.com to sign up for their giveaway. 

Carhartt did provide me with this product to review but the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.