If I cannot yet have fall on the outside, I can fake it on the inside.
I've gotten pretty good at this, as a matter of fact. I bake. I light apple and pumpkin smelling candles. Then of course, there are the fallish fabrics now showing on the sewing machine.
First came this:
Then this:
And then a side of this:
There now, doesn't that feel like fall?
As you can see, I've gotten a little zippered-bag happy. They are so satisfying! The tutorial is so super easy, and it just makes me feel better to be surrounded by yellows, oranges, browns and olive-y greens.
I've given three little bags away, so far, and have a few more in the works for some very special friends, plus a few more for three little boys who need bags for collecting treasures on their nature walks. I'm thinking of attaching carabiners to the boy versions, so that they can hook to belt loops. I'll let you know how that works out.
It also goes a long way to creating the atmosphere of fall to have soupy smells emmenating from the crockpot all day!
Who cares if it hit 95 degrees outside today and you will break out in a sweat at the dinner table?! Eat soup, by gosh!
I have decided to declare this the "Season of Soup," and busy myself gathering up recipes - kind of a "recipe box as hope chest" type thing.
So, I'm going to post one of my favorite recipes here, and if you want to play along, post one on your blog, in the next couple of weeks, and let me know (via a comment) where to find it. I'll gather them all up into a page of soup links for the sidebar.
Sound good?
Here's our "Baked Potato Chowder"
1 pkg bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces. (It's a pound, I think)
1 cup sour cream
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cans milk
1 can low sodium chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
About four cups of peeled cubed potatoes.
Lots of pepper
Cook bacon in a skillet, and transfer to a paper towel to drain.
Add onions to skillet and cook until translucent. Drain on a paper towel.
Now put the onions, potatoes, and all remaining ingredients into a crock pot, stir, and cook on high 2 hours, then on low for a couple more. Or, cook for 6-8 hours on low. When you're ready to serve, top with a little shredded cheddar.
Happy weekending everyone!
