Crock Pot Cheesy Potato and Broccoli Soup

It is a cold winter day in Charleston - it is 50 degrees at supper time so what could be better than a hot bowl of homemade soup?  My picture does not do this recipe justice!  This is a great soup that Kirby didn't even add Tabasco to - which he usually does!  I just found this today in my January issue of Southern Living - which is a great source of delicious recipes.  I added just a little bit of leftover ham and after serving I added freshly grated pepper.  It really is very easy and it uses the slow cooker which is wonderful!

• 2 T butter
• ½ C chopped onion
• 2 T flour
• 2 – 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
• 2 C peeled and diced red potatoes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 C broccoli, chopped floret and thinly sliced stems
• 1 – 12 oz can evaporated milk
• 12 oz sharp white cheddar, grated (about 3 cups)

1. In a large skillet over med high heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until tender and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring for 30 seconds longer.  Gradually whisk in 1 can broth and stir until simmering and thickened.
2. Transfer onion mixture to slow cooker.  Add remaining can broth and potatoes, stirring to combine.  Cover and cook on high setting for 2 hours or until starting to simmer.
3. Stir in broccoli and evaporated milk.  Cover and cook 30 minutes linger or until broccoli is tender.
4. Add cheese and stir until melted.

Christmas Morning - 2011

I am not sure I need to write anything here! As is evidenced - we had a great time!

My Pictures in Puzzles

I put all new pictures into my puzzles! Just follow the link below to try it!



Or, on the right under "More Great Sites" you can go to Our Pictures in Puzzles to try some more.  It's fun!

Sun Room

The floor tile and the wall behind the stove are installed. (The floor is still dirty.  We can't walk on it yet)  Kirby is working on window sills now.  Isn't it cool that the floor looks like wood but is porcelain tile?

Any ideas on what to do with the windows?  I am thinking maybe just nothing.  I don't want to make the room even smaller with too much window treatment.  Anyone have good ideas??

Yours Truely

This picture of us was taken at my company holiday party.  So, that's us!

Asparagus Roll-Ups

Back in the early '80's when I was entertaining a lot and was a stay at home mom with time to do labor intensive dishes, I made these often.  Then then things changed, I went back to work, I lived on a boat, and never had time to make wonderful appetizers like this for parties.  I made them again yesterday!  And they are as wonderful as I remembered.  They were the hit of the party and I promised to post the recipe so it could be shared so here it goes with my notations.

• 15 slices white bread, crusts removed. (I used cheap sandwich white that is more square in shape)
• 2 containers of Boursin Garlic & Herb cheese spread or 8 oz of cream cheese
• 2 oz packaged bacon bits or 8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled (the 2 oz is estimated - just buy a small jar or package)
• 30 fresh small asparagus spears cooked until just crisp
• 1/4 C. butter, melted
• 3 T grated Parmesan cheese

1. Flatten the bread thoroughly with a rolling pin.
2. Spread the cheese over the bread  (about 2 tsp each slice).
3. Place 2 spears of asparagus on each piece of bread with a spear protruding from each side. Sprinkle with a little of the bacon.
4. Roll the bread around the asparagus and place it seam side down on a backing sheet.
5. Brush each roll with the melted butter and sprinkle with the Parmesan.  (at this point you can cover them with plastic or foil and put in the refrigerator until ready to cook).
6. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Serve immediately and accept the praise!

Wine Time

Last night we had Wine Time at my house. It is always so much fun to have a hen party and just laugh together.

This time because it is Christmas we did a gift exchange and it was a blast.  No, I didn't not end up with the giant wine glass (that holds a whole bottle of wine).  It was stolen from me! 

Would you believe that Christie selected the gift that I brought?  She must have just sensed that it was mine.  She loved the scarf!

You can see and read about the original Wine Time almost 2 years ago by clicking HERE.

W I N E

I just stumbled upon a great website - if you love wine and are passionate about it, check out Dr. Vino!  Don't you just love the name of the blog?  He knows a lot of "stuff" about wine!

About Dr. Vino

I talk, teach and write about wine. My first two wine books appeared in 2008: the first tells the backstory of the wine industry in France and America; the second is a practical guide chock full of wine recommendations. Wine Politics: How Governments, Environmentalists, Mobsters, and Critics Influence the Wines We Drink (University of California Press) has been called “enlightening” by Publishers Weekly and A Year of Wine: Perfect Pairings, Great Buys, and What to Sip with Each Season (Simon & Schuster) has been described as “witty, lively, and loaded with common sense” by the Chicago Tribune.
This all started in my Ph.D. dissertation on the political economy of the wine industry in France and the United States. So yes, I am a real doctor—I don’t just play one on the web. On this site I make good value wine recommendations and also look at the world through the wine glass, bringing in diverse perspectives and lively reader contributions. My wine writing has also appeared in print in Food & Wine, Wine & Spirits, the New York Times, Forbes.com and The Guardian among other places (see “in the media” for complete list). I also teach wine classes at NYU and formerly at the University of Chicago, taste over 1,000 wines a year, and give talks and tastings for individuals, groups and corporations (see “events“). Thanks for visiting and consider subscribing to the site feed. Cheers!
Tyler Colman

Sun Room

The sun room is coming right along.  The dry wall went up this week and is almost ready for the first coat of paint.  All the necessary duct work is done with fan and vents and all that stuff.  Today Kirby installed all the insulation in the attic.  There are so many things he does that you really can't see.

You probably are asking some questions so I will answer them for you!  The cut-out at the bottom is Jake's Doggie Door.  We got an insulated one so this should be interesting.  He will be able to come and go at will.  How much do you want to bet that I still have to suggest to him that it is time to go outside.  The area in the corner where there is no dry wall is where the wood burning stove will sit.  There will be tile installed on the wall behind it.

Sun Room

Just look at this! The windows are in and the siding is on! It looks fantastic doesn't it? I love the large picture windows even if they don't match the rest of the house.  It is a Sun Room after all!  And it looks more like the beach house I pretend it is!

The outside looks great but the inside is still lacking a little!  It will all take a little time.  No rush!

Craft Fair and Recital

My neighbor, Susan, and I drove up to Ladson yesterday to check out the craft fair. First we turned too soon and ended up at the Flea Market.  Remind me not to go there again.  It is all the leftover junk that wouldn't sell at garage sales and Goodwill didn't want.  Yukky and dirty.  Maybe there was a better area that we missed but we quickly found out that we were in the wrong area and left to correct our bad mistake!

So, we arrived at the craft fair and I have to admit, it looked like everything was home made or at least little cottage industry type of things.  It was interesting to see what people love crafting.  Sort of like my beading.  It doesn't matter if you are good at it or if someone else would like to pay for it.  You just like making it so you make it, and make it until you don't know what to do with it all and then you get the bright idea to sell it!  I don't think much of what we saw sells. :)

We saw a lot of big behinds too!

I did buy some dip flavor packets because they were good!

See, lots of stuff to buy.  They just keep making it and making it!

But the best part was this recital that was going on outside.  The children were precious trying to remember what to do.  They would copy the one next to them who was copying the one next to her and so on, so they were all different.  It was so cute!

Excuse the Mess

Kirby needed a project.  He needed a wood stove to stay warm.  I am getting a new Sun Room with a wood burning stove! I know that "sun room" and "wood burning stove" don't go together but in our room they will!  I don't want a "stove room" or "warm room" because for most of the year we won't be using the stove.

Today he and Mark are installing the windows.  I think we have even selected the floor tile and AGREED on it!  We are in love with the porcelain tiles that look just like wood.  With a dog and visiting dogs, tile is what works for us but wood looks so nice!  This is a good compromise.

So much fun watching it begin to look like a room, not a screened porch!

More Lou!

 Before Lou left to fly back to California we shared our pictures.  I gave him mine and he gave me his.  These two of Kirby and I were taken by him when we were at Magnolia Plantation.

These were taken the next day - Sunday - on our Mount Pleasant outing.  We have quite a bit to see and do right here in good ole Mount Pleasant without even going to Charleston (just the other side of the bridge!)  The picture above was taken on Isle of Palm gazing out to the ocean - wishing they were back out there on their sailboats having marvelous adventures.  Hey, at least we all got to do it for a time...most people only ever dream about it.

The picture below is of the the new Shem Creek Park.  Just look at the length of that boardwalk!  And that is not all of it!  It is fantastic the way it just goes on and on!  And - dogs are allowed.  I have to take Jake soon - he will love it!

Charleston Farmer's Market and Downtown With Lou

Our next outting with Lou took us downtown. We began with breakfast at the Charleston's Cafe in Mount Pleasant and ate way too much. I have never had biscuits like theirs...it is sinful!

We were early to the Charleston Farmer's Market but by the time we finished it was really getting packed.  Our day continued that way...we were lucky.  In this picture - Lou is contributing to the local economy.  We purchased farm fresh eggs which we had this morning and the yoke was gold, not pale yellow, and we also got some fresh beets which Kirby cooked up today and we had for dinner....what a treat!  I wish I could eat eggs every day and eat eggs like that!  We used to get them like that in Mexico years ago and we miss them!  I think we need to raise some chickens!

(I just realized that this looks like two pictures with the white tent post splitting it - but it really is just one picture.)

The market was so colorful with the golden leaves.

Then we went on to the Market downtown.  We found a few treasures to buy as Christmas gifts (I won't say what or for who) and then saw our first Santa of the season!  He was having a very good time and certainly made me smile!  I was very impressed with the way this newly remodeled area looks!  Great job!

Next we made our way down to the Battery which is at the end of the peninsula.  The day was warm and sunny with no wind....perfect!

The trees and the lawns of White Point Gardens were perfect also!

Guys always enjoy the guns that are there.  It is just so hard to imagine that those big cannon could really hit the target.  But I guess they were better than nothing!  (Lou is taking my picture taking his picture in this picture)

And then they were ready to go.  Enough.

Mac 'n Cheese

Football in the south!  Kirby fried another turkey for the guys in the neighborhood watching football so I made some Macaroni and Cheese for them.  I got RAVE reviews so give it a try when you aren't worried about calories or heart attacks.  It always wins the men over!

• 16 oz elbow macaroni
• 16 oz shredded cheddar cheese
• 16 oz small curd cottage cheese
• 16 oz sour cream
• 1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 C. melted butter
• 1 C. dry bread crumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook until done - about 10 minutes.  Drain.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine the cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, dry mustard and salt and pepper. Add the cooked macaroni and stir.
3. Pour into a 9x13 inch baking dish.
4. In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs and the melted butter and then sprinkle it over the top of the macaroni and cheese.
5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until top is golden.  Serve hot.

Outing with Lou

Since Lou is visiting from California and has never been to Charleston, we took him to my favorite place, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens.  Winter has set in already and there was very little color but we did find these winter blooming azaleas which were a nice splash of color in the brown background.

 They were trying to decide if the tree was a cypress so they smelled it.  The decision was No.

This is on the trail at the Swamp Gardens.  They were fun even without the flowers and the wildlife - which was gone to somewhere!

Thanksgiving 2011

Ah, Thanksgiving! I am so thankful for Thanksgiving! We had such an awesome day!

Lou, is Kirby's best friend from California and he was here to celebrate Kirby's birthday with him and we talked him into staying for Thanksgiving. The day was spent at Christie and Michael's with grandsons Brendan and Casey. This was their first holiday in their new home and what a difference it makes to have an oversized kitchen with 2 of everything! 2 sinks (separate, not next to each other), 2 dishwashers and 2 ovens (again, separate). We all had plenty of room to work and clean up without bumping into each other. I am in love with that kitchen!

Here are Casey and Kirby watching football - of course!

See, the kitchen is so big there is room for everyone - even those who are not working!

Brendan did help out in the kitchen.  He learned to peel potatoes and he also carved the turkey and cleaned the carcass after dinner.

Michael, our gracious host, was the first to fall asleep after dinner!

This is LOU!  Thanks, Lou, for coming to visit.  It is so, so good to see you after too many years!  Just wish Vivian could have come with you!

Casey was busy with a school project most of the day but did hang with us some! (both Casey and Brendan are attending Clemson University here in South Carolina.)

My beautiful daughter and our hostess with the mostest, Christie.  She is on the phone with her best friend forever, Devani.  Christie and Devani have been friends since they were 3 years old so they are almost sisters.

That bird is looking fantastic!

Time for dinner!  Christie sets such a beautiful table! The china was my mother's!  It is so nice to see it still being used as I grew up with it.

The dogs wanted to join us at the table. That is Socks on the left (she blinked), Jake in the middle and Lacy on the right.  They had a fantastic day too as they ran and played outside - the day was perfect!

Brendan did a great job on the turkey!  Thanks for the help Brendan!