Come to the Table and Share the Bounty Cookbook Review

When I sat down to page through these two books Share the Bounty: Finding God's Grace through the Spirit of Hospitality and Come to the Table: Food, Fellowship, and a Celebration of God's Bounty, something happened to me that has never happened before with a cookbook.

Update! Congratulations to Vicky B. who said: "If I should win one of these beautiful books, as much as I would like to keep it for myself, I know a most wonderful, special Christian woman whom I would gift this to. Thank you for giving everyone this very generous opportunity."

Your comment came up in the random draw to win! Please contact me by email at mary@deepsouthdish.com by midnight on Tuesday, May 14, 2013, to claim your cookbook. Let me know which cookbook you would like and provide the name & address you would like it delivered to! Congratulations Vicky and thanks to all for your sweet and lovely comments. They really warmed my heart to read. Be sure to follow Deep South Dish to be informed about future giveaways!!

Share the Bounty

Sure, I've found connections to cookbooks, most especially when they are Southern cookbooks. I have smiled and literally laughed out loud. I have cried. Reminisced. But I have never had a peace wash over me before like I did when reading through these two.

It's not surprising since both books are filled with beautiful, scenic outdoor photography and indoor and outdoor church and home architecture. You'll also find plenty of photographs depicting lovely garden settings, beautiful home decor, floral arrangements, elegant table settings, tea time and cozy kitchen shots.

Come to the Table

What is different and unique about these two cookbooks is that they are primarily geared toward a Christian audience, and the text throughout both of the books is reflective of that. While much of the content surrounding the recipes is scriptural in nature, there are also other inspirational quotes and poetry from many sources, both secular and religious, scattered throughout.

Festive Occasions - Share the Bounty

These are both beautiful and inspiring "coffee table books," either of which is a perfect choice for gift giving for many holidays and occasions, including birthdays, or as a housewarming, hostess or bridal shower gift. Available through your local bookstore, or online at outlets such as Amazon, where with your Prime Account, you can have either Share the Bounty or Come to the Table delivered to your home in two days, just in time for Mother's Day.

Oh yes, and there are the recipes!

Come to the Table

Come to the Table is arranged by meal related events and focuses on breaking of bread together over God's blessings in abundance. We start with "The First Meal of the Day," where you'll find recipes for things like Orange Cranberry Bread, Creamed Chicken on Cornbread and Glazed Lemon Muffins. In the chapter "Parties, Picnics and Lunch in a Basket," you'll find recipes such as Picnic Steak Salad, Green Apple Cole Slaw and Old-Fashioned Potato Salad.

Fresh Pear Salad - Come to the Table

"Dinner on the Grounds," includes recipes for Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad, Cheddar Squash Strata and Spicy Apple Cake with Caramel Icing, among others, great for any church supper. In the chapter for "Small Group Dinners," you'll find recipes for dinner and sides, such as Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, Spinach Parmigiana, Flank Steak with Mushrooms, Fresh Pear Salad, Company Meat Loaf and Potato Croquettes, perfect for those dinner parties.

New Potato and Sweet Onion Gratin - Come to the Table

"Family Gatherings," brings Beef Tenderloin, Wild Rice and Mushrooms, Sunday Roast Chicken, Gigi's Baked Carrots and Cheese Stuffed Zucchini among others. "Seafood Selections," includes recipes for Crab and Corn Chowder, Low Country Shrimp and Sausage Creole, Tilapia with Baby Spinach, Cajun Snapper Fillets and  Crab and Shrimp Casserole.

Green Apple Cole Slaw - Come to the Table

"Small Morsels" includes Shrimp Salsa, Jaiara's Chocolate Truffles and Gorgonzola and Fig Tartlets. Come to the Table ends with the chapter, Magnificent Table Prayers and a final chapter, Valediction.

Share the Bounty

Share the Bounty has most of the same characteristics as found in Come to the Table. Here you'll also find photographs of beautiful table settings and outdoor scenery, prayers and scriptural and inspirational quotes. This volume, however, is more about celebrating the spirit of hospitality and entertaining and the sharing of life's most important occasions together, intended to inspire you to open your home and share God's grace with others.

Grilled Chicken and Wild Rice Salad - Share the Bounty

Chapters in Share the Bounty begin with "Prepare to Share," where you'll find recipes including Shrimp and Yellow Rice Salad, Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Vinegar Marinade and Easy Brunswick Stew. "Three Delightful Luncheons" follows with recipes for Grilled Chicken and Wild Rice Salad, Heirloom Tomato Soup, CC's Turkey Casserole, Sea Island Salad, Strawberry Fluff and more.

Strawberry Fluff - Share the Bounty

Next is "Festive Occasions," focused on celebratory gatherings for marriages, retirements, graduations and baptisms, and includes recipes for Marinated Dijon Shrimp, Chicken Tarts, Baked Crawfish Dip, and Poulet Nicoise. "Four Convivial Dinners," is focused on times for welcoming friends and neighbors to our tables and features main dish entrees such as Sunday Rib Roast, Spicy Sausage and Chicken Lasagna, Finley's Baby Back Ribs and Crabmeat Almandine along with salads, sides and a Chocolate Coffee Pie dessert.

Sunday Rib Roast - Share the Bounty

The "Hospitality for the Very Young" chapter features recipes that appeal to the younger crowd and include Aunt Emma's Tea Cakes, Macaroni Cupcakes, Barbeque Meatballs and Fresh Berry Pizza among others. "International Cuisine" gives us Gazpacho, Pollo San Miguel, Veal, Prosciutto and Portobello Fettuccini and Pear Tarts.

Cheddar Pecan Scones - Share the Bounty

"Blessed by Guests Who Stay a While" features recipes appropriate for the times that we have overnight guests. You'll find recipes for Basil Chicken Salad, Cajun Shrimp and Grits Casserole, Ham Croissant Casserole, Blueberry Peach Coffee Cake and more. Like the sister publication, we end with peaceful photography, inspirational quotes and a Benediction.

Come to the Table

These are both hard bound, over-sized books, weighing nearly 3 pounds and measuring in at 9 x 12 inches each. The recipes are accessible, easy to follow and with no odd or strange ingredients. These books are truly much more than the typical cookbook. Each chapter opens with Scripture and each recipe closes with inspirational commentary, quotes, Scripture or a combination of them.

The recipes have beautiful full color photographs, and every turn of the page is like a spiritual refresher and inspirational kitchen devotional. They are the kinds of books you want to display, propped open on an elegant book rack on your kitchen counter, or left on the coffee table in your family room where friends visit. They both make a lovely conversation piece and will surely become a favorite item for gift-giving, because when your friends see these books, they will pick them up, relish in the contents, and want a copy for themselves.

UPDATE: GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS FOR ENTERING!

The publisher has agreed to provide ONE additional copy - winner's choice of either the Share the Bounty: Finding God's Grace through the Spirit of Hospitality OR Come to the Table: Food, Fellowship, and a Celebration of God's Bounty, for me to give to ONE lucky Deep South Dish reader - completely free!

To enter, leave a comment on this post (Please comment only once!) and let me know what you love about these books. If you post anonymous, please leave a first name and last initial to identify yourself. This giveaway closes on Thursday, May 9th, 2013 at midnight CST. One winner will be selected at random from the comments and will be announced as soon as possible on the site at this post. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to claim the cookbook. Giveaway open to U.S. residents only please.

Thanks for reading and good luck!

☛ Are you on Facebook? If you haven't already, come and join the party! We have a lot of fun & there's always room for one more at the table.

Posted by Mary on May 7, 2013

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Disclosure: I received one free copy each of the Share the Bounty: Finding God's Grace through the Spirit of Hospitality and Come to the Table: Food, Fellowship, and a Celebration of God's Bounty, to review and one to giveaway.

Material Disclosure: Unless otherwise noted, you should assume that post links to the providers of goods and services mentioned, establish an affiliate relationship and/or other material connection and that I may be compensated when you purchase from a provider. You are never under any obligation to purchase anything when using my recipes and you should always perform due diligence before buying goods or services from anyone via the Internet or offline.

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