The Christmas Kitchen: The Gathering Place for Making Memories Hardcover – October 6, 2009

This is a terrific book! I have a copy for my family and have given it as a gift various times...it makes a lovely hostess gift. I have also included it in gift bags/baskets that I have put together. If you are looking for a book filled with marvelous holiday recipes and ideas, you can't go wrong with this book. These recipes can also be enjoyed many times throughout the year. I highly recommend it!

Not only do I LOVE this little book, but I have already given several copies away to friends and family! It makes the perfect "hostess" gift, also...especially for the upcoming holidays!

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This book is filled with great ideas for the holidays! I love the combination of old traditions with new. A great way to shift the focus to what is really important!

Does the thought of Christmas preparations send you into a panic?It shouldn't.Isn't Christmas the celebration of Christ our Savior coming to earth to dwell among us? (John 1:1)It seems as though in the hustle and bustle of everything else we feel we "must" do - the gifts, the parties, the decorations - the most and only important part of Christmas gets pushed to the back of our minds.Tammy has put together The Christmas Kitchen, a delightful book full of tips, traditions, and simple recipes to slow your Christmas focus.You will find everything from tips for stress-free fun with kids in the kitchen, how to make gingerbread houses, recipes for homemade hot chocolate, to a full Christmas meal. Tammy shares many of her own family traditions, which is something I always enjoy hearing about.The Christmas Kitchen is a gift-sized book, perfect for you or someone else you know that might enjoy a peek into Tammy's family traditions with hopes to start some of your own!I'll share one of the recipes that I can't wait to make and package up for my family's Christmas goodies baskets! It sounds fabulous (much better than Swiss Miss)!!! ;-)GOURMET HOT COCOA MIXTammy Maltby from The Christmas Kitchen4 cups instant nonfat dry milk powder2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar2 cups French vanilla powdered nondairy coffee creamer2 cups powdered chocolate milk mix (store brand works just fine)1 5-oz (6 serving) package cook-and-serve (not instant) chocolate pudding mix1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder2 cups miniature marshmallows and/or miniature chocolate chips (optional, but yummy)Boiling water or milk, for servingCombine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well. For a better blend, mix the dry ingredients in a blender or food processor before adding the marshmallows. Store the mix in an air-tight container. Makes about 12 1/2 cups mix, for 50 servings.To serve, place 1/4 cup mix (or more) in mug or cup. Add 3/4 cup boiling water or hot milk and stir well.Tammy also gives several variations to the hot cocoa: Mint, Mexican, Rich Mocha, and Sugar-Free. Mmmm, Chocolate is so good. Warm, liquid chocolate is really good. :-)Check out more recipes and reviews at thecreativesideofsteph DOT blogspot DOT com!

Do you know someone that loves getting into the spirit of Christmas? The decorating, the baking, cooking, gift giving, entertaining... all of it? Are you that person? Then "The Christmas Kitchen" is for you.This book is a great compilation of some fantastic recipes, excellent tips and ideas and everything you need to put you in the mood for the holiday season. It is beautifully done and would be great for gift giving. Check out some of these recipes...Salmon and Lemon-Caper Cream SandwichesFrench Apple Cake with Caramel SauceCurried Chicken-Cashew SandwichesCoconut Angel CupcakesTeddy Bear Caramel CornBon Temps Cajun ShrimpAmbrosia PunchFeliz Navidad Tortilla SoupCranberry GuacamoleAnd this is just the beginning - I can't wait to make some of these recipes myself this month. The one thing about the book that confused me a little bit was all the recipes that were in it, and tons of pictures but no pictures of the food. I love pictures of food to go with recipes. Instead of food pictures there are lots of pictures of people... with no captions of who they are??? But that is probably just me being quirky, other than that I absolutely love this book! Great gift for a Christmas lover or perfect for yourself!

A beautiful little novelty book full of ideas and recipes for celebrating Christmas. From decorating, planning ahead, cooking with children and the importance of traditions, this little gem is sure to be a hit. It's beautifully illustrated with photos that include the author and her family.It's an easy book to browse through and, along the way, gain a new idea or insight to help you with your Christmas planning and celebrations. If I have one complaint, it would be that there isn't a photo for each recipe. I always want to see a finished product! This doesn't detract, however, from the book at all. It would make a lovely gift.

A very dear friend of mine Tammy Maltby, wrote The Christmas Kitchen. Ladies, Martha Stewart has NOTHING on Tammy....believe me. I've been to her home, she is beautiful, charming, encouraging, she'll pray over you and you know you've been prayed over, and fix you a meal that rates right up there with The Mansion in Turtle Creek! She entertains with such a grace that it's so difficult not to be envious. Well, this is not just a cook book with yummy recipes, but also this book is chock full of ideas for entertaining ....from simple to grand. You've just got to check it out . In fact, Tammy has a blog with recipes and ideas and is generous to share this ideas, and you can find her on Facebook. Be sure and tell her I sent you!