Potato Soup- Best Ever!

As I'm sitting here listening to the rain dance on the roof I'm totally wishing I had some potato soup to enjoy...I always associate soup with cold, rainy weather. And yes it's raining at the end of January...it never did this at my old house but I guess the weather down here is a bit more unpredictable. So anyway I thought I could share with you my favorite potato soup recipe!

Ingredients

6 strips bacon

1 cup cubed ham

3 to 4 cups potatoes, cubed

20 oz. chicken broth

carrots, diced

1/2 cup green onion and or regular onion

1 T. parsley

1/2 tsp. celery seed

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil 

3 T flour

3 cups milk

8 oz Velveeta

1 cup cheddar (or more if you want it cheesier)

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

Cook bacon; Combine potatoes, broth, carrots, onion, parsley, celery seed, oregano, basil, salt and pepper in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until tender. Add bacon and ham. Combine milk and flour; add to soup. Add cheeses then cover and cook on low until heated through and ready to serve. 

Well there ya have it, just try it! It's super easy to just start it in the late morning and have it ready for dinner and it's so good with those breadsticks I posted about earlier!

Best Friends

January 18, 2013

 

I’m at home right now waiting for my best friend to get here! It’s the first time she’s been to the apartment since Brett and I were married. She’ll be here around 8 tonight and then she has to leave on Sunday after church so it’ll be a short weekend but were excited! She’s never seen the Capitol building so I think Saturday we’re gonna go walk around there after Brett is done with work. Then the three of us and Brett’s sisters are going to see The Hobbit again! I know I sound like a dork but I really liked that movie mucho grande…that means very much right? If it doesn’t let’s pretend like it does so I seem half intelligent J I’ve got some Lana Del Rey on right now, she’s so different from other artist, it’s refreshing. Ok so I tried to read the book North & South because as you’ll recall I really love the mini series but I only got part way through the first chapter. Way to detailed for me. I typically don’t like books written in the “old” English anyway. But I was bummed cuz I’m sure it’s a great book but I just can’t bring myself to read it. This was much to my sister-in-law’s dismay haha. She loves the book. Oh well. I’ll stick to cheesy romance novels.

 

Alright question…I love photography, I’ve done a several weddings, senior portraits and family shots but it’s always for friends and I’ve never really made it a profession. First of all I don’t think I have enough equipment..well I know that I don’t. I have a Nikon D3100 and a couple lenses but no flash or anything like that. So finally the question I was going to ask earlier, How should I go about becoming professional? I love doing weddings, but I don’t think that’s something I would want to do yet unless it’s friends or family. But senior, family, newborn pics…I feel like I’m experienced enough to do that. I don’t know if I should buy the equipment first and then get my name out there or make a website? So if anyone reads this and has some helpful input I’d appreciate hearing from you!

 

Well I’m done for now…until next time!

Bread sticks!

So I thought I might share a yummy recipe that I've loved ever since my grandma made it for Sunday lunch several years ago. I aptly named it after her... Grandma's Bread Sticks

Ingredients


2 1/4 c flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 c milk (cold)
1 tbs sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c butter
garlic salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 and melt 1/3 c buter in 9x13 (or bigger if you prefer) baking dish while heating.  While butter is melting you can combine all other ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir together until ball is formed. Flour a surface and roll dough out  about 1/2'' thick and then cut into long rectangles or squares (whichever you prefer). It will make about 15-20 sticks. Once butter is melted sprinkle garlic salt over it, then place each bread stick in the butter on both sides . Bake 10-12 minutes or until they are starting to turn golden brown and fluffy. You can also flip them over half way through baking but this isn't mandatory. Once done you can serve them with soup or anything you like.  Or just sprinkle some cheese on top.

So there ya go! Feel free to make these tonight...haha. I always make them with my Potato Soup. Enjoy

North & South

Today I watched the BBC mini series North & South, can I just say that I really enjoy that one! Also I've been waiting to see the first episode of the newest season of Downton Abbey, I totally fell in love with that show as well. I think I just really enjoy that time period, back when most of the men were gentlemen and the ladies all wore pretty dresses...if you were somewhat wealthy that is. But now gentlemen are scarce and ladies well...there's not many ladies out there either. haha. But that's how it works I guess. I do think I would've liked to have lived back then though...then my husband reminds me that they didn't have toilets....that doesn't sound like something I would enjoy lol. My sister in law, Caroline, has been telling me about all kinds of shows and movies I need to be watching and gave me an extensive list of authors I need to read. I'm kind of in love with Christian fiction at the moment. Tracie Peterson has been my author choice as of late. I just finished her Ladies of Liberty series. I enjoyed it but not as much as her other series, I like her "out in the west...or in texas" ones better. Probably because the women are such delicate things. And I know I'm totally contradicting myself here, saying I would've liked to live in England and wear pretty dresses but I assure you that if I had lived back then I would not have been some delicate little flower who had to go to bed for a week from a cold. I definitely don't like that part of "high society". I guess I really just want to have one of those beautiful ball gowns more than anything :)

Library

Well as I said before we don't have internet at the apartment so I'm sitting here at the library with my hubby. I cannot wait for our laptop to be fixed because then I can go sit in the corner by myself where no one can hear me typing. These computers have thee loudest keyboards I've ever heard haha. Although no one else seems to mind. Anyway, tonight we are going to FedLive to see Hot Jam Factory in concert! Brett used to be in the band before he married me. They're doing really well, they've just signed recently and their newest single is on the radio! I don't typically like the same music as Brett but I truly enjoy HJF. They're like old school mixed with rock/beach boys/blues! It's fantastic. So that's what we'll be doing tonight, Brett's parents are coming as well. Although I think that's partly because they have a bunch of beer on tap lol. They love some good beer, as well as my husband does. They actually brew their own....apparently it's quite good but I detest beer so I wouldn't know. I do love a good strawberry margarita though! Well the computer has just informed me that the library is closing in 15 minutes so I guess I should go. So long!

January 11- the first day

-          I love a great many things in life. To name a few: My hope in Christ, my darling husband, my family, capturing the moment, and cooking.

I just thought I could start a blog and share my thoughts for whoever out there bored enough to read them J I’ve always wanted to start a blog but never figured I was a good enough writer to do it. But then I decided you don’t have to be a writer to have a blog. Anyway I just wanted to share stories from my life and memories I’ve made and continue to make everyday.

First of all I live in tiny little town, which for me seemed pretty big since I've lived on a dirt road for 18 years of my life. Yes a dirt road. So of course to actually live “in town” was a big step for me. But with the help of my wonderful husband I seem to be doing ok. Actually for once it’s nice to be 7 minutes from the mall instead of an hour! And only 2 minutes from the grocery store instead of 20. I sound like a real country bumpkin now haha.

So back to my tiny little town. Brett (that’s my nubby) and I moved here right after we got married. I had found the apartment on Craigslist, there were no pictures posted, only a name and number to call. I was a tad bit desperate to find a place for us since there was only a month until the wedding! Of course I was nervous that I’d have to settle for a less than excitable place but Brett went and looked at it and sent me the much desired pictures- Adorable! Plus new carpets and windows.  We happily agreed to rent it out. I still really enjoy it here. We have a nice sized kitchen, living room, bedroom and a cute little bathroom. Ground floor (which made moving in super easy) and two entrances, three big windows in the living room to let in all the natural light. Needless to say it’s completely adorable. Alright enough about the apartment.

Oh, let me just say- we have no internet since the budget won’t allow (until I get a job that is) so I have to head up to the library several days a week to keep my sanity.  I don’t mind though, it gives me something to do until Brett gets home. And the bit about me being unemployed- it’s not for lack of trying and I did have a full time job before we were married, so I’m not a slacker! People just don’t seem to want to hire me down here. I was a secretary for our family electrical & general contracting business for 3 years. I loved that job! Right now though I’ll pretty much take anything that comes along J But for now, since I have all day to myself, I’ll blog.