Harvest Homecomings Never Tasted Better

COLUMBUS, Ohio - May 14, 2013 - PRLog -- Columbus, Ohio – Families love to head back to their hometowns for fall festivals and to root for the home team, but even when they can't make the trip, this new cookbook from Gooseberry Patch provides the flavors they remember.  

Hometown Harvest is a collection of homestyle recipes gathered from everyday cooks from all over the US, Canada and beyond. Families will love waking up to stacks of Perfect Pumpkin Pancakes or Buttermilk Pecan Waffles. They'll chase away the chill afterwards with big bowls of Black Kettle Brunswick Stew served with hearty slices of Joan's Cranberry Nut Bread.

Game-day gatherings will be even more festive with Buffalo Chicken Sliders and Harvest Cashew Popcorn, while Coco's Herbed Roast Turkey is perfect for Thanksgiving dinner, served with a big, steamy mug of Hot Caramel Apple Cider. A generous slice of Maple Custard Pie and a sweet plateful of Leslie's Gingersnaps will top the meal off right.  

Fall is a busy season, so cooks will appreciate the entire chapter of slow-cooker favorites and when the schedule slows, they'll love reading through the chapter of warm, nostalgic memories of falls past. Hometown Harvest will be a welcome addition to kitchens any time of year, and collectors won't want to miss this newest volume to add to their Gooseberry Patch bookshelf.

Release Date: June 15, 2013
Hardcover: 224 pages
ISBN: 978-1-62093-027-4
MSRP: $16.95
Distribution: More than 4,000 retailers and http://www.gooseberrypatch.com

Enjoy this sample recipe from Hometown Harvest...just like Mom used to make!

Hearty Healthy Potato Soup

Shared with Gooseberry Patch by Carolyn Deckard of Bedford, Indiana.

6 potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
6 stalks celery, diced
8 c. water
1 onion, chopped
6 T. light margarine
6 T. all-purpose flour
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1-1/2 c. reduced-fat milk
fat-free saltine crackers

In a stockpot over medium heat, combine potatoes, carrots, celery and water. Cook until vegetables are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid and setting vegetables aside. In the same stockpot, sauté onion in margarine until soft. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Gradually add milk; cook and stir until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cooked vegetables carefully so as not to mash them. Add one cup or more of reserved cooking liquid until soup reaches the desired consistency. Serve with crackers. Makes 8 servings.

About Gooseberry Patch

Back in 1984, Vickie Hutchins and Jo Ann Martin were next-door neighbors raising their families in Delaware, Ohio. They were two moms with small children looking for a way to do what they loved and stay home with the kids too. They shared a love of home cooking and making memories with family & friends. After many a conversation over the backyard fence, Gooseberry Patch was born.

Today, Gooseberry Patch is best known for its homestyle family-friendly cookbooks and line of art calendars. With more than 200 titles and nearly 9 million copies in print, plus a new collection of eBooks, Gooseberry Patch has grown from a kitchen-table operation to a nationally recognized best-selling publisher. Affordably priced from 99 cents to $16.95, the books are themed with today's time-strapped, budget-conscious families in mind. Many recipes include personal stories from contributors, giving the cookbooks a warm community feel that has proven extremely popular among cookbook fans and collectors.