From Scratch

From Scratch

I like to give away cookbooks. What can I say?

Perhaps it’s because I love a good cookbook myself and I figure you might too.

And From Scratch is a really good cookbook. I’m not just saying that because it’s written by our fellow homestead friend and blogger Shaye from The Elliot Homestead. You should all know me well enough by now to know that I wouldn’t do that to you.

Problem is, I really, I mean really do not want to give this one away.

You see, I have the ebook. Have loved it bunches. So much so that I knew you would too and thought I’d giveaway a hard copy and so I bought one. But now that I have it here, I find I keep using it.

I’ll remember that NO, this isn’t my book and then have to go get the computer open and pull up the recipe I want to try. So I need to get this out of my house before it’s no longer fit to give away and I have to buy another one for you.

Why am I loving this cookbook so much? 

On a recent blog post, Shaye wrote:

Women used to find value in cooking dinner for their families – in learning and sharing recipes, mastering techniques, and working hard to prepare high-quality meals. Today, we can microwave a bag of pre-made chicken strips and serve it alongside a can of prepacked green beans. Or rather, we can easily drive through the nearest fast food joint on our way home from work. Our value as a cook for the family is no longer.

Reading her cookbook has been inspirational to me and has made me see my value as the cook for my family.

So often, I’ll feel intimidated by all the different ingredients and steps and wonder where I’ll find the time to prepare food from scratch and in a traditional way. I do already have a ton of work to do (don’t we all?) and find that I’m prone to making excuses as to why I don’t need to make the necessary changes to improve the nutrition of the food I’m preparing for my family.

Shaye has such a engaging and conversational writing style that you feel like a friend has come to visit and encourage you that you can indeed make small changes and improvements.

Our friend hasn’t skimped on organizational tools to help you along your journey. Including stocking your pantry and getting your efforts on a schedule that will help things to become streamlined and second nature. Imperative information to keep you on task!

And, frankly, the book is loaded with truly beautiful images including pictures of every recipe. I’m a very visual person and seeing the finished product whets my appetite, helps me know what I’m trying to achieve, and is almost a modern day cookbook prerequisite for me.

Plus, she added Scotch Eggs. A bold and gutsy move. I respect that.

Basically Scotch Eggs are hard boiled eggs wrapped in sausage and when you first enjoy them you feel very naughty because you grew up thinking sausage and eggs were the devil and would make you die of a heart attach at 45. How much we’ve learned and how far we’ve come since then!

Tomato Soup with Basil & Cream saved me one evening when I needed a quick meal. The children had found a load of tomatoes in the wild and overgrown garden earlier in the day and I prepared soup with them.

I worried it wouldn’t be filling enough and found the last few slices of bread leftover from lunch, toasted them in a little olive oil and sprinkled them with garlic salt , parsley, and parmesan cheese for a crouton.

Not only was it filling, it was simple and delicious!

I have long ago stopped stocking tomato soup in a can, but hadn’t replaced it with anything, well, from scratch. My husband loves tomato soup and this one is going in the family cookbook.

The results of my effort at smooshing potatoes. I’m not as good a smoosher as Shaye is, but the flavor was out of this world! And really, that’s all that matters.

Oh and she was so kind as to not neglect our sweet tooth!

Mine usually has a voracious appetite and it is very thankful for this particular addition to the cookbook.

And the thing of it is that you really don’t feel too terribly guilty at all trying the sweets out either because they are prepared with whole and nourishing foods!

The Naturally Sweetened No-Bakes I made.

This is all that were left by the time I got my camera out.

I’ll let that speak for itself.

Even the back of the book is beautiful…

Herb & Cheese Ugly Biscuits… the ugliest thing about the cookbook. But a tasty side dish for your family.

Have I convinced you yet? I hope so.

Now let’s get down to the business of winning yourself a copy.

First, perhaps you’re pessimistic like me when it comes to giveaways and feel like you won’t win anyway so why bother? Or maybe you’re impatient and can’t wait to get yourself a copy… I have good news for you: The e-book is on sale for half off right now!! So you might want to take advantage of that!

Sale
The Elliott Homestead: From Scratch: Traditional, whole-foods dishes…
  • Shaye Marie Elliott (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 220 Pages – 07/02/2013 (Publication Date) – CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (Publisher)

Second, email readers of the blog will probably need to click through to the website to use the giveaway widget. The widget makes it easier for you and me to do a giveaway instead of leaving multiple comments to get multiple entries.

To enter the giveaway: Sign up (or in) with either your email address or Facebook account and follow the instructions for easy extra entries. (All entries made simply by signing in will not be counted.)

Ways to enter include reading other reviews on Amazon, leaving a comment here on the blog, or sharing the giveaway with others. The contest will end next Thursday, September 19th 2013 at midnight EST. Hope you’re the winner!

Disclosure: This book was purchased by yours truly because I appreciate all of your support and encouragement. I’m not receiving anything in return for this review, however all links to the cookbook in this post and on the blog are affiliate links and by clicking on them and making a purchase today, I may earn a few cents in return though it won’t cost you anything. And I thank you kindly! 

Last update on 2024-03-28 at 03:26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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