Can't go wrong Slow Cooker Potato Soup Recipe

I have my friend Kymm to thank for this simple, can't go wrong potato soup recipe.  She featured it on her blog the other week and it looked like my kind of meal.  However, it takes 8 hrs to cook and I kept forgetting to get it started early enough in the morning.  So yesterday before church I decided this was the day.  Sure, we only had 20 minutes before we had to leave and we were still in our pajamas but I didn't let that stop me.

I started peeling the potatoes and my husband informed me that I would never be done in time (he was right).  So I threw caution to the wind and just cut them up in chunks and threw them in.  We managed to only be a little late to church. ;)  Then in the afternoon about an hour before the soup would have been done we decided to make a last-minute trip out to the new outlet mall.  I threw caution to the wind again and turned the crock pot to warm (it had 45 minutes left on it).  4 (yes 4!!!) hours later we returned home hungry, cold (well sort of) and tired.  I was sure the soup would have dried out to nothing but I went ahead and added the last ingredient (cream/milk) and made some bacon in the microwave.  

Would you believe the soup was just fine?  In fact not just fine but REALLY really good.  Everyone loved it from the baby to the husband.  We garnished it with the bacon as well as shredded cheese and some green onions.  The potato skins added great texture (and probably flavor) and the big chunks of potato mostly melted down anyway.  It was such a great surprise after our long day out.  

So this recipe is great and can't be messed up in my opinion.  Put it in and forget it, mine was in there for 12 hours!  Here is the slightly changed recipe as I made it.

Can't Go Wrong Slow Cooker Potato Soup
Ingredients

4 lbs red potato, roughly cut into chunks
1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 32oz box of chicken stock
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup heavy cream & 1 cup milk (or 2 cups half and half)
Optional toppings: bacon, shredded cheese, sliced green onions

Directions
Place potatoes, onions and garlic in slow cooker. Pour chicken stock over top. Add salt and pepper. Cover and let cook on low for 8-12 hours. After 8-12 hours add cream/milk (or half & half). Stir, add additional salt to taste, add toppings and eat!

You are welcome. :)  To see the original less caution-to-the-wind recipe go here.

Mini-Wreath Craft Project

After decorating the vine wreath with burlap and felt flowers last week I was inspired to make another one.  Shocking I know. ;)  I'd picked up a smaller vine wreath at my daughter's request and decided to decorate it for the girl's playhouse.

Initially I thought I'd have my 5 year old do it with me, but this really isn't a small child type of craft since I was using hot glue gun!

I took the wreath, some jingle bells, burlap and felt.  Using a glue gun I made a felt flower and a burlap flower.  I learned how to make the flowers at the Coffee & Craft night from my friend Amy.  

First you fold the length of felt (about 18 inches) and hot-glue each end together.  Then make small cuts down the length.  The closer together the cuts the tighter the flower will look.

Next you start to roll the felt up, hot-gluing as you go.

Here are two finished flowers.  The one on the right is turned upside down btw.

I folded and wrapped the burlap to make a flower, then glued some bells on.  I glued on the felt flowers, tied the wreath with a burlap length and we were set.  Here it is compared to the big one I made last weekend.

It looks great on the girl's playhouse if I do say so myself.

Fisher Price Friday - Marching Band

Today on Fisher Price Friday I'd like to introduce you to a very fun and very noisy toy.  The Marching Band #921 was made from 1980-1987.  It was later updated and replaced with the #2210 Marching Band that had less instruments but included a plastic marching band hat.  Good times.

The Marching Band set came with a drum, two cymbals, 2 maracas, 2 drum sticks, a harmonica and a tambourine.  The triangle pictured did not come with the set but fits in nicely. :)  All of the instruments fit into the drum for storage.  The drum base has lithographs all around of children marching and playing instruments.  It also has the Fisher Price logo written on a banner.  The cymbals are made of metal and have wood handles.  The rest of the instruments are made of plastic except for the metal disks on the tambourine.  The maracas should both be green with yellow handles.  I believe our pink maraca comes from the #2210 set.

The drum has an adjustable plastic strap that fits around the child's neck for serious marching.  The drum is played with two yellow plastic drum sticks.  These are the same drum sticks that are used (as "mallets") in the #870 Pull-a-Tune Xylophone.

The instruments are a huge hit around here.  After we brought the set home the kids played with them non-stop for days.  Even now as soon as I pull it out the baby rushes right over to pick them up.

 

I knew that the baby would like the maracas but I was surprised at how easily she picked up and played the other instruments as well, even the cymbals and the drum.  The only one she can't play is the harmonica.  Big sister loves that one.  

These two make quite the band.  

Annie - Memorabilia and Memories

I am a Anne who was born in the 1970s.  This means that I grew up with the movie "Annie".  You know, the orphan who sings about the sun coming out tomorrow.  Not only did I love Annie (and sang said song in the 5th grade talent show) but I thought my name was Annie, not Anne.  Subtle but I had a small crisis when I discovered the difference in my teens after seeing my birth certificate.

Anyway, lets just say I know all the songs from the Annie soundtrack and I had quite a few Annie things growing up.

I recently re-discovered this box while visiting my parents.  The box of "Annie stuff" held mostly unopened boxes of Annie toys.  Yes that's right, my parents "gave" me toys but then put them away for safekeeping in case they ever became valuable collectibles.

Annie miniatures, dolls and even a limousine

All of these were inside.  Never opened boxes of Annie loveliness.  Can you believe it?  Talk about a hard-knock-life.

Don't feel too bad for me though, I still had plenty of dolls to play with.  Here are a few of my played-with toys from the box.

Annie Costume & wig

My mother made me a beautiful Annie costume for Halloween when I was about 6 or 7.  I also had the official Annie wig that has sadly seen better days.  Here is a photo of me wearing the wig when it was still curly.  I was able to wear the dress again in the 5th grade (what can I say, I was a shrimp) for the talent show. 

So what to do with all these 1980's beauties?  Why sell them of course. :)  My 5 year old does not seem to be as interested in Annie as me (who can blame her, the movie is a bit of a downer with all those sad abused kids) and it seems a waste to open all those boxes!  So I'm putting them up on my Etsy store for others to enjoy.

Annie nightgown, pattern, books, hair clips, shoe laces and a locket.

We'll keep the costume and played-with toys, but all of the new-in-box stuff has got to go whether the sun comes out tomorrow or not. :)  So if you're interested in Annie check out my Etsy shop, I just put a bunch on there.

Oh and PS - I've got a bunch of Annie collector plates too, if you want them let me know.  Ha!

Wordless Wednesday - Latte

I've been sick for over a week now.  My baby's cold spread all around our house and we've all been sniffling.  As a result (except for last Friday night) I've been drinking large amounts of tea instead of coffee.

I've missed my coffee.

Especially the lovely foamy lattes.

I'm glad to be feeling better.  Bring on the coffee.