How Simple

 I found this today at a most lovely blog. Anita at Castles, Crowns, and Cottages has such a beautiful place to stop by and visit. She has lots to look at and ponder, but I thought this to be simply....adequate. Have a most blessed evening dear friends.~~~Shine~~~

Soup & Bread

Although today is exceptionally warm (55degrees!!), I still like to put a pot of soup on in my crock pot early in the mornings.

When we have a busy day, it is so good to know I don't have to worry about dinner. It's already done! My friend at With All My Heart...Deborah, posted about some amazing chili she puts in her crock pot, and I wanted to share this with her. So, while sharing with Deborah, I thought I'd share with you also!

 This soup is so good. I used to love Panera Bread's potato soup the best of any I'd tried, but when I found this recipe...well, I changed my mind. This is by far the best I've had, AND, I know everything that goes in it, and when it went in:) Hope you can try it and enjoy it as much as my family has.

 I'm also sharing a favorite bread recipe we love with our soup. This is by far the easiest bread I have ever baked. I love making homemade bread and I do it several times a week, but when I plan ahead, this is the easiest and goes well with all types of dishes.Lots of pictures for the bread also:)  Have a blessed day! Thanks again to Deborah for inspiring me to post up some yumminess!

                     Parmesean Potato Soup
8-med. potatoes
6 cups chicken broth
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 jar (7-oz) roasted sweet red peppers (drained & chopped)
1 sm. celery rib, chopped
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. sage
1/3 cup AP flour
2 cups heavy cream, divided
1 cup parmesean cheese, divided
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled (may use turkey bacon:)
2 Tblsp. cilantro, chopped

*Combine first 9 ingredients in a large crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours till veggies are tender.
*Combine flour and 1 cup heavy cream. Add to slow cooker. Stir in 3/4 cup parmesean cheese, bacon, cilantro and remaining cream.
*Cover & cook 30 min. more. Sprinkle remaining cheese on individual bowls.
*Yields: 12 servings
*Note: I have varied this recipe many ways. I have left out the red peppers and cilantro. And I have used turkey bacon. It is STILL always yummy. The only thing I would recommend NOT doing is, DO NOT substitute any other type of milk for the heavy cream. That will definitely ruin your yumminess:)

Yummy bread to go along perfectly with soup

                                     Artsian Bread
3 Cups AP flour (I use half whole wheat & half unbleached bread flour)
1 tsp yeast
1 1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 cups water

Mix dry ingredients, then add water. Stir together till mixed. This will be a very loose dough. Cover bowl and let sit on counter at least 12 hours. Heat a dutch oven w/lid in a 500 degree oven.Turn dough out onto a floured surface and shape into a circle. Plop onto a piece of parchment paper or wax paper and set in your heated dutch oven. Bake @ 500 w/lid on for 30 min. Take lid off and bake another 5-15 min. till brown.
ENJOY!!

Litttle Things

It doesn't take much to make me happy. Really. I have lots of projects in mind to do this year. Some large projects and some not quite as ambitious. My mind is always thinking on something I want to do or change. In my kitchen, I would REALLY LOVE to do a total makeover. My house is super large, but the kitchen....well...while it is very functional, it is just not very roomy. I had all these great plans of knocking out more walls.....adding a pantry...so many visions. Mr.T. however, put a quick halt to all my fabulous plans. OK fine.....since he's the one that would be doing all the work....how about a mini make-over....painting all the cabinets...new appliances...hardware, backsplash, countertops??? Weelllll....no.   Great OK then......what do I get? Well, let me show you. Here's a picture of my kitchen before.

Like I said. Functional.

Great appliances, but, well you know...stainless!!!!! I want it!!!
Anyway...no new appliances for me. Mine work! All Jenn-Aire and in great shape...sooooo. They stay. I'm very thankful for my things actually (though I know it doesn't sound like it:). Now my kitchen looks like this.

Notice anything different?

Something small truly makes me so happy!


How about a closer look?



Hardware!!!!!!!!! I LOVE IT!!!
Also. Another change in my dining room has made me smile.

Before


During



And after.

Yep! Mr. T. whipped out this beautiful mantle for the fireplace just for me! He's so sweet to me.  I love it! Makes the room feel so homey.

Well....just thought I'd share my small makeovers with you this evening. We're snowed in here tonight....totally. It's great though. I have thoroughly enjoyed being home, snuggling with the kiddos, getting things done around here. Just being home...it's a very good thing.
Blessings to you all.
Shine

Are you ready for some projects??

As we dig our feet into the new year, I contemplate new projects. I'll spend some time praying on these things, but I've been thinking.

A kitchen facelift.
New window treatments for my dining room.
A new mantle for my stone fireplace.
A master bedroom/bathroom makeover.
A diet and a new me! :)
Finish  my sewing/knitting projects I have started.
Make 6 new quilts.
Knit 6 pairs of socks.
Spend more time on my spinning wheel.

Hmmmmm. Maybe I should stop there, that looks like alot!
Better go and think about getting started.
Blessings dear frineds for a most lovely evening~~Shine

Twenty-Eleven

Happy New Year dear friends. I pray that this will be such a beautiful year for each and every one of you. That you will discover your dreams and all your most lovely wishes will come true.

Spring will be here soon, and as my sweet daughter says, it's only 358 days till Christmas!!!
Blessing to you all~~~Much love~~~~Shine

Brrrrrr!!

Like so many others, we had a white Christmas!! It is VERY exciting for us, for while it does snow here, it's been a long time since it's snowed on Christmas. Also, this was a deep snow!

                                                   We had eight or nine inches!!! Woohoo!!!!

     It was great! We still have snow and are trying to stay warm as it's been only in the 30's all week!

     I think it's time for a cup of hot tea and a shortbread cookie. Mmmmmm....I LOVE snugging in,  in  the  wintertime. Stay warm sweet friends and many blessing to you all~~~~Shine~~~~

Traditions

I am so thankful this year for so many things. I have witnessed a great many hardships over a short time. Hardships in my own family, and so many others. Most of the hardships I see in other families make mine seem small, I have SO much to be thankful for. God has given me so much more than I deserve. When I think of what I actually might truly deserve, it makes me tremble, for it is not much. But although we may have a very meager lifestyle to some, I think to others we may seem like kings and queens! I have four beautiful children. All alive and living very rich and full lives. All awesome human beings and wonderful creations of my Lord. I have an awesome home...filled to the brim with every kind of trinket and lovely thing you could think of. I have a wonderful husband that has been good and faithful to me for 28 years. He has loved me and provided for me and our children without fail. We have never had alot of luxuries, but we have never done without neccesities either. From time to time I have had selfish seasons when I thought only of myself and how much easier my life would be if I had only myself to worry about. But by the grace of God, He has always drawn me back to Him and helped me to see just how blessed I am to have this crazy, busy, imperfect life. I hope He NEVER lets me out of His hand for even one moment, for I fear I would make some terrible, tragic choice on my own. Thank you Father for all you have done for me. Most of all, thank you for your precious son, Jesus.
For many years we have had a few sweet traditions that are very special to our family. Here is a small sample of our lives here in TN. Since my children are classical violinists, they always play Christmas carols at nursing homes and retirement centers during the holidays....oh...and at the Fantasy of Trees!

     We also love to make ginger bread houses as a family. When the children were younger, we would have lots of kids and moms over for decorating and fun. Now that my children are getting older, we love to just have a family day and decorate and have a meal. My future daughter-in-law always says "It just doesn't feel like Christmas till we do gingerbread houses!" I always beging baking in Oct. (I have to make 8-10 houses!)
Here are a few pictures from the last couple of years....SO much fun!

Just beginning.

Doesn't take long to get them together, however, the magic doesn't happen till the candy comes out!

Hubby is the Master at gingerbread house decorating!

ALL the kids LOVE this tradition...old and young!

Looking better:)

After ten years of this tradition, I finally tried my hand at one!

Anna's is always such a happy house.

Ms. Kenley is also a master decorator.

Carolina and Coy have an AWESOME house, thanks to Carolina's sensibility:)))

Zeb and Amanda's house is always unique and super cool....just like them!

Even Ben has fun....and his house is super cute!!



Anna getting ready for the crowd.

So these are just a couple of our traditions...what are some of yours?
Have a lovely evening dear friends.