Patches Books

If you've ever had a yearn for warm Southern food and a feeling of home, this book is perfect for you. While it does introduce several delicious and unexpected ways to enjoy collard greens, these are certainly not the only food on the menu. Dozens of wonderful recipes are included, along with food facts, entertaining stories about the different cooks who contribute, and some lovely Scripture quotes for good measure :)

Author Mary Lou Cheatham has not only great culinary skill, but a wonderful family and a warm heart, both of which show through her writings here. Reading this book gives me the feeling of being surrounded by good company, enjoying great food as well as nice tidbits of advice and Southern wisdom. Recommended!

The low-down, nitty-gritty bits of dirt and information about collards in this book is the appetizer before the main course of recipes that makes even the most over-boiled critic salivate. The dessert of stories is a fine finish to this unique cookbook that even cooking-phobic readers will enjoy. Read it in one sitting or read sample chapters as time permits -- either way, you'll learn something and be inspired to cook and eat these greens that are so good for you.

This is the most entertaining, interesting cookbook I've ever read, second only to the great Pat Conroy's cookbook. And that's a compliment of the highest degree because Pat Conroy is my all-time favorite author, living or dead! Does that tell you how "taken" I am by this book?

I generally don't buy a cookbook to "read" it; I buy it to skip around through the recipes, but after reading all the delightful accolades about the charming stories the authors have published, in addition to the scrumptious recipes, I started reading from page one. And guess what? I couldn't put it down! Between the variety of recipes for this long-neglected vegetable with the unlikely name of "collard greens," and the interesting, often humorous, tales of the authors' friends and relatives, I had the time of my life.

Other reviewers have likened this reading experience to visiting old friends or relatives. I relate to that because it took me back to my Ohio childhood where I could envision my mother and aunts, shelling green beans (or other kitchen chores) as they told one "cooking" tale after another. My memories were so vivid I could even hear the Kentucky twang still evident in their voices.

I'm not a "true" cook, by any means, but even I could make the Stir-Fried Greens, and it was mouth-watering with the suggested sweet-and-sour sauce recipe that was included. The next time we have a family "pot-luck," I'm going to ask one of my daughters to prepare the Collard Crock-pot Casserole. That sounds "to die for." I can't wait to taste it. Oh, yummy!

In addition to the above, The Collard Patch contains many intriguing facts. I enjoyed learning how to grow and harvest collards--not that I'll ever do it. It's just good information.

And I must rave over the soothing green cover. It makes me want to take off my shoes and run through fields of grass (or even collards) as I did when I was a child. It doesn't get any better than that, "y'all!"

Thanks, Mary Lou Cheatham and Dr. Paul Elliott, for stirring my long-dormant memories and for sharing yours, also. You have another California "Collard Convert" on your hands now. I was pleased to note that Californian Dorothy Reinhold, a well-known food author and the supervisor of "Cut'n Clean Greens," contributed several delicious recipes and some great information, as did Yvette Freeman, another "collard lover" who is best-known for her role as Nurse Haleh Adams on the popular TV show "ER."

Kudos for collaborating on this book. You have a winner on your hands. Fly with it!

I highly recommend "The Collard Patch" and Cheatham's other cookbook "Flavored with Love: Mary Lou's Family and Friends Can Cook" to anyone who loves to cook AND to read.

Reviewed by Betty Dravis, November 2008
Author of "1106 Grand Boulevard"

Back in the middle ages, every grand lady in her castle kept her own book of cooking and healing lore which might be passed down from mother to daughter. These "commonplace books" might have quotations from sermons, tips to kill insects, notations on how to skin wild boar and instructions for serving roast peacock with the feathers on. Later on the tradition became more like a scrapbook, a way for an accomplished young lady to show an elegant hand in setting down a favorite poem, dash off a watercolor sketch and collect the recipes for the favorite dishes of her best beau--soon to be her husband.

THE COLLARD PATCH is an American edition of a "commonplace book" inspired by the homey 'mess of greens' that Southern children have gagged on for generations. There are recipes, many with a useful nutritional chart that shows the sodium level! There are stories, some of which shade into "yarns". There are more recipes, mouthwatering and fancy--who knew the humble collard could keep such company? The authors chat with us as if we have just dropped into their kitchen. I love the stories. I am thrilled by the section on cornbread, which contains some marvelous recipes for this Southern staple. I laughed over the instructions to Paul's Midnight Chili which begin "Far up the Crock Pot" and end with "Stop any flowing blood and apply Band-Aids as needed"!

These people speak my language. My one gripe? A cookbook needs tabs so the cook can find the recipes fast.

Highly recommended. Band-Aids not included.

The Collard Patch
By Mary Lou Cheatham
Paul Elliott

What a great idea for a cookbook, with stories and recipes.
This is a beautifully written book, with details on growing, and preparing collard greens.

I live in Utah. I didn't even know collard greens from spinach, kale or turnip greens.

I looked for frozen collards, with no luck. Next I looked for the fresh variety, still no luck. I did find some at the Whole Foods store. I later saw collard greens at Walmart, as well. They looked fairly sturdy, compared to other limp varieties of greens.

I have been reading the stories in the cookbook each night. Finally, on Saturday I began my chopping and freezing. It is very simple to remove the inner tough stem, and twist like a cigar. Then you slice at an angle and chop each section. Quick and easy.

Did you know there are two ways to soften the collard greens? One is by freezing, and the other is by adding a pinch of baking soda.

On Saturday, I picked out four recipes: Cherry Chocolate Cake, Apple Collard Raisin Pie, French Onion Collard Soup, and Collard Corn. The cake, although you need to note the missing ingredient, cherry pie filling, is a supper tasty and moist cake. Beware, it would be a very good idea to have company over. As a family of three, now, we ate and ate on the cake. Now it's time for some exercise. I walked the dog all over town, trying to fit back into my clothes.

The Collards Corn went very well with the Lasagna, I made for dinner tonight. I admit that I cut the garlic in half. My husband isn't a big fan of garlic. I thought this dish was great and very tasty, as a side dish.

The French Onion Collard soup great. I embellished it, a little, by adding two packs of onion soup mix to the four cups of water. I also added two whole onions, to get the real onion texture. I added the chopped collard greens on top of each cup of hot soup, browned the French bread rounds with a little butter, and added cheese, mine was mozzarella. It tasted just like Mimi's. Do they have Mimi's in the south?

Tomorrow, I will make the Apple Raisin Collard Pie, with the remaining 5 cups of collards, in my freezer. It sounds good, as well. I don't know why I picked two deserts. I guess I was just curious. If I like the desserts, I will surely like the collards. I remember the time my mom made cookies out of mashed potatoes. They were good, with a strange texture.

Now that I have tried collard greens, I will try to keep some in the freezer, for any future taste treats.

Jill Ammon Vanderwood
Through the Rug
Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat

ISBN 059006519x - Usually, when I come across a board book with a spectacularly illustrated cover, I'm let down when I open it up. David Kirk is absolutely fantastic and so, it turns out, is every single page inside.

Miss Spider would like to play, but all the other bugs are afraid of her. Rhyming text counts the bugs, from the two beetles who ran away to the eleven bugs who finally came to visit - bringing twelve flowers as gifts.

It's great, the chance to work on numbers with your child, but for me the illustrations are what knocks it out of the park. The details are excellent: the reflection in the teapot and the twelve cupcakes when her eleven bugs come to visit, for example. The colors are vivid and the images nearly 3D. Board book pages are sturdy and can take a bit of a beating. My single complaint is that the cover board seems to be coated with a rubbery plastic layer which peels fairly easily. The bugs aren't particularly creepy or scary, which works for me - I've got a shortage of Halloween-themed board books and this one is going to fill in. I hardly think anyone will mind!

- AnnaLovesBooks

Very good book that teaches counting and basic concepts. Great illustrations - clear and colorful. Quick read so keeps the attention of very young readers. I love reading it to my 16 month old and she loves to listen to the story as well as look at the illustrations.

My 13 month old *LOVES* Miss Spider, and I was getting really sick of Miss Spider's New Car (which is a great book, don't get me wrong, I was just tired of reading it 3x/night.) I went looking for the original Miss Spider's Tea Party in board book format (which you can't find, why is that?) and stumbled across this one and the ABC one. He likes both of them, I slightly prefer this one because frankly it's shorter. The artwork is still the classic David Kirk Miss Spider traditional stuff, not the computer-animated from the TV series stuff. And if you know the original Tea Party story, it's an abbreviated version of that, so it's kind of fun to see where they go with it for the Counting. So all in all, a decent alternative.

My 6 month old has liked this book since he was 4 months old. Now his face lights up with a big smile when I pull it out. Sometimes he even starts to fuss when I put it away! The illustrations are just so vibrant and colorful that he's mesmerized by it. I really really wish I could find more books like this. I've looked everywhere! This is definitely a best buy for parents who want to start reading to baby at an early age.

This book has some of the most beautiful artwork you will ever see in a children's book. My 17 month old took a few tries to warm up to the story, and it still isn't a favorite of hers. A lot of times we will just sit and look at the pretty pictures.

The cover was great but the other patterns inside I don't like as well and will probably not use.

I recently took a class from Carol Doak using the Simply Sensational 9-Patch Stars. It was totally fun and entertaining and I completed the Bright Stars Wall Quilt. The instructions are easy to follow and the results are spectacular. This book also included a Foundation Factory CD to load onto your computer to print the paper-piecing patterns onto Carol Doak's Foundation Paper. Nothing could be simpler.

Carol Doak's Simply Sensational 9-Patch Stars: Mix and Match Units to Create a Galaxy of Paper-Pieced Stars

This is the best thing I have seen on paper piecing. Carol is the expert.

Good and informative book for everyone who like Paperpiecing
A lot of new inspiration and easy to work with

Until now I had never attempted paper piecing, but with this book it was so easy. Tips, CD, pictures, the designs, were out of this world. Love all the possibilities using just a simple square then combining them into a 9 patch block. Thanks Carol

A nice book for gift giving. There were not many recipes I had not already seen, but a nice presentation.

I found this wonderful book at my local library the other day. I loved it so much that I just had to buy a copy of my own! The book is fantastic with beautiful color pictures. The recipes are simple to make and so delicious!
A must have for anyone who loves a yummy homecooked meal. It would make a great gift for just about anyone who loves to cook and bake.

This was a great book with many good recipes. The pictures are fabulous and the recipes are easy.

I absolutly love this book... the pictures are AMAZING, the recipes are easy and inspirational, even the little hints, story lines and ideas scattered throughout the book offer a true "down home" feeling - making you feel like your sitting across the table looking into the eyes of an old friend and relishing all her untold secrets. Thanks so much! ~Bev S.

I really am enjoying this book. I've only had it about a month and have found many recipes that I want to try. It has beautiful pictures throughout the book which is always a plus with me. I like seeing what the final product will look like with a recipe. Gooseberry really did a nice job with this book.

With a trip to Vietnam pending in the near future I was desperately searching for the kind of book that would be both personally/anecdotally compelling as well as giving a sound overview of what Khe Sanh was all about.I found everything and more in this book.
Whether you wish to experience an "arc-light" strike metres from your dug-out (apparently it makes a loud honking noise rather than a whistling sound -a terrifyingly graphic detail) or survive a direct strike on a bunker (time standing still as the vacuum sucks out garbage) then this is the book for you.
I would recommend that this be read with Mark Woodruff's magisterial "Unheralded Victory" as this book puts the human face on the 'grunt' in Khe Sanh. It corroborates the wider picture of Khe Sanh's role both as a disrupter of the Ho Chi Minh trail and as bait for the NVA.
Michael Archer's simple narrative, lacking pretention and pretense, is completely captivating as we follow one man's chaotic descent into a patch of hell.
The details included are so specific that you know this guy was "there" and that his everyday valour was indistinguishable, even commonplace, set against those around him.
It's also hilarious as he details the practical jokes, the farcical living conditions and the sheer comical callousness that war engenders (peeing on captive VCs, kicking an ARVN out of a helicopter in the middle of a battle, dropping sandbags to terrify a sergeant as he runs to the can, the hygienic deficiencies of Pig and Old Lady etc.)
It also catalogues the lesser known battles of Khe San Village and Lang Vei which I will now definitely add to my itinerary (only an hour from Hue apparently!)
I inhale history books as a rule but especially relish well-written, personally involving, uncensored first-hand accounts of battle. The devil is in the details as Tolstoy affirmed rather than in the sweeping map-driven generalities of war-planning. This book takes you there and back.
It also has a very tragic and sobering thread that ties the book together revolving around the death of Archer's best friend Tom Mahoney (still MIA after all these years). The photos of this young man are enough to make you weep.
Archer's final summing up of his experience is a testament to all young men who go to war for the first time:
" I did not enlist in the Marines out of patriotism, nor was I really concerned about the welfare of the South Vietnamese. I was going for the adventure, to prove myself."
It's that personal need to confront one's destiny that makes so many young men sign up to go to places where people want to kill them.
Will we be revising our view of today's Iraqi debacle in 40 years? If it produces writing as fine as this then at least it will have some positive legacy. I fear though that that will be about its sum worth.

As the author of the books "On Killing" and "On Combat" I try to read every first person historical narrative I can get my hands on, in order to understand what happens to the individual in combat. This book is one of the most powerful and authentic first person narratives to come out of Vietnam. This book powerfully captures a vital piece of history, but it is also a very valuable contribution to anyone who would study the behavior of men in war.
Lt. Col. Dave Grossman

I served at Khe Sanh, including about a montrh in the ville with CAC-O in August of 67. I was lucky enough to rotate home in September of 67 before it hit the fan. This is a well-written book that brought back a lot of memories of times gone. Those who enjoy military sea-stories will like it.

Hard to believe this is partly about the same unit that deserter/traitor Terry Whitmore was in and wrote fiction about. Well written but far too short to really tell all that happened but hopefully more will be revealed in the future. Stephen I. Busby, Bravo 1/1 1967-1968

A well-written, emotional description of the the siege of Khe Sanh, one of the preeminent battles of the Vietnam war. 6000 U.S. Marines surrounded by 40,000 North Vietnamese, under continuous fire for 77 days. Living like rodents in underground bunkers, between almost constant incoming artillery fire, the Marines emerged at every chance and gave it back to them, in spades. Despite seeming insurmountable odds, Khe Sanh never fell, and when the final tally was in, the number of enemy dead was staggering. Compared with 1000 Marine casualties and 750 South Vietnamese casualties, the North Vietnamese Army lost more than 12,000 men in their failed attempt to overrun the indomitable Marines at Khe Sanh.
A great piece of military history preserved in a fine book. A must read.

I own several Gooseberry craft/cookbooks, and do the majority of my cooking from them. I have NEVER been disappointed with any recipe I have made. They are simply the best!

I have recently started to collect Christmas decorating/gift making books and this series is by far the best I've come across! The instructions in these books are clear and easy and they show a picture so you can see how it will look. They include many gift mixes and food gifts, which I love and friends and family have always appreciated. Most of the ideas in this book can be accomplished in an afternoon, except for some of the cross stitch and crochet patterns. I am not a huge fan of country decorating; in fact my house is very contemporary. But most of the decorating tips in this book can easily be worked into any décor. If you want to find easy, fun, quick and wonderful ideas for the holidays buy these books, you won't be disappointed. Books 1, 2 and 3 are my personal favorite. The fourth book is great to have, but I found that the recipes in that book were better than the decorating, it was a little more country and old fashioned than the other books!

I found this book to be just wonderful. I wasent abel to use all the info before our family get together, but I plan to use it for next year.

Thank You for a wonderful book.

This was my first purchase of Goose Berry Patch books ,there are so many ideas from the begginer to the experienced crafter . Craft ideas you can personalize to your own taste, these craft projects are easy to follow and most could be family holiday projects or charity fundraisers .For the frugal crafter , projects are not expensive to create , many ingredients you may already have in supply , as an added bonus great holiday recipe book .This book would be perfect as a gift!

I enjoy crafting as well as cooking and this book has both. I have made 5 or 6 of the recipes in the book and have alwasy gotten raves! I use this book for making many of my handmade holiday gifts and I think their instructions could not be more simple. If you love handmade items and good food idea, this is the book for you.

This is one of the first books I ever read on African hunting and it is still one of my all time favourites. Bell hunted when the hunting was unbelievable but he was also an expert rifle shot and bushman. If you enjoy hunting or Adrican hunting literature, this is a must have.

This being the first of Bell's three books it was also my first title on the subject of elephant hunting. A testament to it's quality would be that even today, twenty years after the purchase and roughly eighty years after it was written, I often revisit these pages. The chapters on hunting rifle, shooting angles, adventures in Uganda and previously undiscovered country in western and central Africa are classic Africana. I am not alone in my fascination as Walter Bell continues to be among the most recognizable names in big game hunting today a full one hundred years after his first safari. His accomplishments with the rifle continue to be the standard by which all others are compared. Considering the number of sportsman who visit the continent, this is quite an accomplishment. Unlike Karamojo Safari and Bell of Africa, this book is strictly a collection of articles that were written for a local outdoor magazine in Scotland. In them, Bell describes the equipment, hunting techniques and shooting angles he used to become the most successful elephant hunter of the era. Even though these chapters address a vast range of topics Bell never drifts far from the pure hunting experience he strives to describe. He lived the life of an elephant hunter during that brief point in history when it was still a feasible profession to take up. The sensations associated with leading a heavily ivory laden safari out of the deepest jungles of Africa must have been truly magnificent. Fortunate we are that Bell took the time to put down his rifles and pick up his pen.

Excellent book. Timeless, and very educational about not only elephant hunting but of many different tribes of Africa. I rate this book as highly as the Capstick books.

This is an excellent narration by the premiere elephant hunter of the early 20th Century. This extraordinary man presents adventures as simple matters of fact, as calmly as if he were recounting a normal day's work in some office. There is droll, and I believe "unintended" humor throughout the book. He gives a glimpse into the everyday life and perils of a short-lived profession that became a staple of early Hollywood adventure movies. Karamojo Bell was a master hunter who believed that the size of the bullet was not nearly as important as the placement of the shot. He hunted elephants with calibers that would only seem suitable for deer in today's hunting circles.

Walter Dalrymple Maitland (W.D.M.) Bell(1880-1951) roamed Africa for a quarter of a century between 1897 and 1922. His main interest there was to collect ivory, and it was much easier back then, as safaris and safari outfitters were uncommon. The elephants and other African animals had no cause to fear men, and shots from the rifles were rare except those made by slave raiders. The best part was that there were plenty of elephants with tusk weighing 100 lbs or more on each side. Bell took full advantage of the situation.

Armed with low calibre rifles, he ventured into the elephant country on foot, and knowing the vital spots of the elephants, he drove the bullets right into their brain, heart or lungs causing instant death to the animals. The bullets were cheap, perhaps a box of 20 for a shilling. But the ivory collected from one elephant brought a luxury life, and Bell collected virtually tons of ivory during his wanderings in Africa, especially an area known as Karamojo (see Bell's 2nd book 'Karamojo Bell' published in 1949)

According to a biographer, Bell was 'arguably the greatest ivory hunter: Certainly the last'. Wanderings of an Elephant Hunter was Bell's first book, originally published by Macmillan in 1923. It contained several sketches and paintings prepared by Bell 'on the spot'. This reprint by Safari Press also reproduced all the illustrations and art works from the original edition, and to me it is much superior in quality than the ones published by Neville Spearman, London.
**For additional reading: please consult BELL OF AFRICA

My grandson is totally in love with Miss Spider Books. He carries them around with him all the time. When his dad tells him to get a book to read at bedtime (or anytime) he ALWAYS gets one of his Miss Spider Books. He loves this one even more because the three book come in a case with a handle so it's easier for him to carry them around, where they slide and fall out of his little hands.

These are great books. I've bought them as gifts for several friends' kids. The pictures are colorful and beautifully drawn, the language is clever, and I keep noticing new little details every time I read them to my daughter.

I love every Little Miss Spider book for the wonderful stories, but especially the illustrations. David Kirk's angles and perspectives on each page combined with unique color saturate your visual senses. His use of "camera angles" and points of view are fantastic. He is one of the inspirations I use when I draw.

I was originally given Miss Spider's ABCs as a gift when my daughter was born. I LOVE it. Even when she was an infant she seemed to be captivated by the brightly colored illustrations. Now at 6 months she reaches for the pictures and always gives a big smile at the ending "suprise!" I then bought Miss Spider's Tea Party (board book edition), and she really seems to love the rhymes. I am now here buying Miss Spider's New Car and wishing I had just bought the set (for only like $2 more!) to begin with. These books are great for even babies, but I know she will enjoy them as she grows older and can understand them better as well.

Even after almost three years, I still love to read and re-read these books to my girls. David Kirk's artwork is rich and deeply textured and the words (particularly in Miss Spider's ABCs) are unusual, roll of the tongue, and, in my experience, pique children's interest -- I particularly love introducing my girls to "hummingbirds hide inside irises" and "jumping june bugs kiss katydids" His books are where poetry meets art for the under five set. Added plus: I get a break from chanting "Brown, Bear"! For this alone I am grateful.

Book was adorable for 1st grade! I bought it to go with Stefanie Harvey's Comprehension Toolkit for Grades K-2.

I used this book to introduce writer's workshop and help my students see that they can write about anything!

Patches Lost and Found tells the story of Jenny and her pet guinea pig, Patches. Jenny, who loves to draw, is assigned to write a story for school. She's nervous about the assignment because she isn't very good at coming up with ideas for stories. When she gets home from school that day, her mother tells her that Patches has escaped from his cage and is missing. They put up posters around town and Jenny draws pictures showing all the things that might have happened to Patches. Luckily, a neighbor finds Patches, but Jenny still hasn't written her story. Later that day her Mom comes into her room and shows her that she can add words to her pictures of Patches to tell a story.

I would recommend this book for ages 6 and 7. Most children in this age group will be able to identify with being nervous about an assignment for school, and they will be reassured that Jenny was able to overcome her difficulties and succeed in writing the story. There are a variety of ways this book could be shared with children in a school setting. It could be read as part of a section on writing stories, with the children later drawing pictures and then writing stories to go along with them. These stories could possibly be the children's own ideas about what could have happened to Patches. Another idea would be to teach the children about guinea pigs, possibly having a real guinea pig in the classroom, and then follow the lesson with this story. The artwork in the book was prepared digitally. Jenny looks like she could be a character in a cartoon on Nickelodeon. Children would find this very appealing. Kids would also enjoy the pictures Jenny draws of Patches because they probably look similar to pictures they would draw themselves. The artwork does a good job of telling the story, showing each picture Jenny draws along the way and then displaying Jenny's story about Patches with the pictures.

This is the perfect book for a teacher to use in the classroom. It helps children understand that when they have to write something, they don't always have to write then draw a picture to go with it, they might do better drawing first then putting words to it later!! The story is realistic and very fun to read with great illustrations!!!!!!!

When Jenny is assigned to write a stroy for school on anything she wants, she doesn't know what to do. Jenny likes to draw, and writing has never been easy for her. When Jenny comes home from school, and her mom tells her Patches is missing, Jenny draws pictures of Patches, and they hung then up all over town. When Jenny is in her room, she draws things that might have happened to Patches. Three days later and still no Patches, and Jenny still has no story.
On Saturday morning Patches is found, but Jenny still has no story. Jenny's mom goes in her room that night while Jenny is cuddling with Patches. Jenny tell her mom she still has no story. Jenny's mom looks on the wall and see's all the pictures she tells Jenny that can be her story all she has to do is add words. So Jenny does and she does a very good job. I would recommend this book for children ages 4-9.

I love this cookbook. It's my favorite Gooseberry Patch cookbook thus far. I plan my meals a month at a time and shop according to my list of meals for the month. I was able to plan 45 days of meals from this one cookbook. The recipes are easy to follow and have, like the title states, "Five ingredients or less", which makes the planning and preparing so much easier! I highly recommend this cookbook.

I bought this book for a granddaughter that is gettng married. I have one myself and I know it will be great for her--because I love my copy. Clarice Bostick

This book is the best cook book that I have EVER purchased. I Immediately I thumbed thru the pages and found that this book is divided into seasons, in order to take full advantage of the seasons growing cycles. Cherry Lemon Limaide in Summer. Cranberry chicken in the Autumn.. Chicken and dumplings for those cold winter nights, and Citris suprize awaits you in the spring.
Beyond all of the wonder recipes, they also give you tips that can turn ordinary household items into wonderful table displays. Mason Jar + unwrapped peppermint candies + a simple votive candle and some raffia string and you have a wonderful sweet smelling addition to your holiday table.
If you are concedering buying just ONE book to give or are like me and have an extremely triing, busy schedule and you want something quick to serve.. This book by the Great people from Gooseberry is your answer.

Thus far, everything in this cookbook is GOOD and HANDY (I have only had it a week or so, and have already used it three times, to the neglect of my other Gooseberry Patch cookbooks!) It's lots of fun just to read the recipes, which are both mouth-watering and almost TOO easy. Clear, simple instructions will please even the most novice cooks. I also loved how this book was organized by season: lighter, fresher dishes in the summer section; cozier, comfort-food dishes in the fall and winter.

The recipes are also extremely inexpensive to make, and in many cases, by using the staples you probably already have. In other words, this book is a no-lose situation! I'd choose it as a gift for any newlywed, college student, or family-on-the-go.

There are even really cute ideas for dressing up and changing flea-market finds, and other simple crafts and decorating ideas that even a fumble-fingers such as myself can handily accomplish.

Only one very minor complaint...it seemed that some seasonings were left out of a few the recipes, simply to keep them under 5 ingredients. But the basics here are so good I wouldn't have minded if they called for 10 ingredients.

UPDATE: Today I made the recipe for BIG Chocolate Cookies on Page 57. Something went wrong, or there was poor editing in temperature or ingredients, or SOMETHING. I ended up with a huge, gloppy, inedible mess. I've been baking since age 9 and have never had such a failure as this particular recipe. Gah!!

My mother-in-law got me this cookbook for Christmas last year (what kind of a signal is that?! lol) and I love it! I know I'm not the greatest cook out there, but this cookbook has such great recipes (and so incredibly easy!!!) that even I get compliments on my meals, salads, appetizers, and desserts! My favorite is the 3 ingredient Speedy Peanut Butter Cookies--a big hit at my daughter's Vacation Bible School!

If you can only get one cook book (ever!), GET THIS ONE!!!