True story…the first time I ever tasted Red Velvet cake was two years ago. I knew it existed, I watched ” Steel Magnolias” a few time but it never seemed very appealing.  I was wrong. It was fabulous.  In honor of my great discovery I have selected the most yummy sounding red velvet fudge!

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This week our household suffered a minor tragedy…our beloved slow cooker decided to officially retire from service and enjoy life in some landfill. Perhaps tragedy is a bit of an exaggeration, but what else can you feel when the piece of equipment that provided hot, delicious food for our table, at least twice a week, is just not…there? Target.com to the rescue and 3 days later, a younger and flashier model (it has a meat probe people)  was placed gently on our front porch. Now, to break it in! Anyone interested in baked potato soup? I can think of nothing more comforting on a cold, blustery winter day, than to walk into the door to the sight and smell of hot, homemade soup. You won’t believe how easy it is to make…even with an old school slow cooker!

The usual cast of characters:

1. 8 cups of  potatoes washed and diced into cubes.  I leave on the skins, but this is a matter of taste.

2. 2 cups beef stock.  Chicken, even vegetable stock would work, I happen to like richness of the beef against the potatoes. Once again a matter of taste.

3. An 8 oz package of cream cheese.

4. 1 cup milk or cream

5. Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

1. Place potatoes and stock into crock pot. Cook on low for 5 hours. If I am pressed for time, I bump up to high for an hour.

2. Mash potatoes in slow cooker and use my new favorite kitchen tool,the immersion blender, to blend to a smoother consistency…not too smooth you want some chunky goodness. Add the milk or cream. Stir well.

3. Add cream cheese to potato mixture and heat 30-45 minutes more. Stir occasionally as the cheese melts.

4.Remove and serve with a fun variety of toppings…bacon, sour cream and cheddar cheese are always a hit.

In other news, the princess has found a new hiding place…

Inspire me Monday.  Show and share. Inspire me Tuesday    Tuesday at our house.     The scoop. Make it pretty. Art of homemaking. Made by you. Metamorphosis Gods great garden. Wow us Wednesday. Let’s talk vintage. Share it. Tuesday with a twist. Wonderful Wednesday. Brag about it. Talk of the town. Moonlight and Mason jars share your cup. Share your style. Home and garden. Welcome home.                      Thursday favorites.   Waste not. Coffee and conversation. Home sweet home. Friendship Friday. Your inspired design. Friday features. Grace at home.                  Feather nest Friday  morning cup of joe. Home matters. Sweet inspiration. Vintage chic   Oh hey Friday. Best  of the weekend. Sunday at home. Share it one more time. Snickerdoodle.  Simple Saturday. Silver pennies. Create with joy. Inspiration Monday. Digging it. Let’s add sprinkles. Amaze me Monday.

With temperatures in the 50’s here in Annapolis it is quite easy to forget it is January. I am sure I will eat my words in a few weeks but, we need a good snowfall, enough to close down the town for a day or so. Hot cocoa by the fire and a good movie afternoon sound very good right now.  My selection this week holds a special piece of my heart. Chinese New Year is right around the corner. I know the Princess will love helping me make these yummy cookies.  In the meantime, think snow!

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Amy at A Day of Small Things – Pin

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The world seems to simmer down after the glitz of the holidays.  My thoughts turn to cozy days with family, contemplating my New Year’s resolutions (how is that going for you?) and finding ways to bring a more simple decorating touch to my home, hopefully more minimal than austere.

I find bringing outside elements inside, using darker tones and bumping up the cozy factor helps make the often dreary days of January more bearable.  Come in and enjoy some tea with me!

Greenery and berries in a wooden dough bowl is an easy way to bring in the outside. Snow pillows await a good, snuggly snow day.

Vintage suitcase stacked on an early Arts and Crafts era chair are the perfect tones for winter decor. The vintage autograph album was a find on my honeymoon in Maine!

Adding berries and pine cones to a table in the foyer provide a simple pop of color.  The folk art rug is from Poland.  I love the graphics.

And does anything say cozy more than a herd of woolly sheep?

The Princess is enjoying cozy, inside activities…let’s hope she still delights in washing dishes in about ten years.

Show and share. Inspire me Monday. Tuesday at our house. The scoop.                     Inspire me Tuesday.   Make it pretty. Art of homemaking. Made by you. Metamorphosis  Gods great garden. Create with joy   Tuesday with a twist.                 Let’s talk vintage   Wonderful Wednesday. Share it. Brag about it. Wow us Wednesday. Talk of the town. Moonlight and Mason jars.  Work it Wednesday. Share your cup. Share your style. Home and garden. Welcome home. Thursday favorites. Waste not. Simplify   Coffee and conversation. Feather nest Friday. Vintage charm.                    Friday Features.  Friendship Friday. Home sweet home.  Your inspired design.       Grace at home. Funtastic Friday. Morning cup of joe. Home matters.                         Sweet inspiration. Vintage chic. Oh hey Friday. Best of the weekend.  Tada.           Snicker doodle. Share it one more time. Simple Saturday. Sunday at home.              Silver pennies. Create with joy. Inspiration Monday. Digging it. Let’s add sprinkles. Amaze me Monday.  Show and share. Inspire me Monday. Tuesday at our house.          The scoop. Inspire me Tuesday. Make it pretty. Art of homemaking. Made by you. Metamorphosis. Gods great garden.

Alas, the first winter snow brought the first winter colds. Enjoy the selections and I will enjoy my warm, soft bed for a few hours. Everyone stay safe and healthy.

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Maisy at Becoming Alice – FB | G+ | Pin

Sheree at Stage Presents – Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst

Lisa at Condo Blues – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things – Pin

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Kelly at Under a Texas Sky – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

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Nothing like a little after Christmas snow to raise your hopes for a snow day! Alas, to the great disappointed of the children on the block it snowed, but on a Saturday. It did give us time to stay in and “de-Christmas” and put our household back in order after a busy and exciting holiday season.

I like to take the mantel decor to a more simple display, keeping some of the holiday greenery and berries.

The primitive trees on building blocks are some of my favorites and I am glad to keep them around a bit longer.

 A few bottles with feathers completes the winter look.

The Princess enjoyed the snow but seems to be dreaming of warm summer boating adventures. She will be disappointed to learn  that a boat is not in our future.

Let’s Party…  show and share. Inspire me Monday. Tuesday at our house. The scoop. Inspire me Tuesday. Art of homemaking. Made by you. Metamorphosis. Gods great garden. Tuesday with a twist. Let’s talk Vintage. Wonderful Wednesday. Share it. Brag about it. Wow us Wednesday. Talk of the town. Moonlight and Mason jars.                 Work it Wednesday. Share your cup.  Share your style. Home and garden. Welcome home. Thursday favorites. Waste not Wednesday  Simplify  Wednesday.           Friendship Friday. Vintage charm. Your   inspired design. Friday features. Home sweet home. Feather nest Friday. Sweet and simple. Tada. Funtastic Friday.                    Morning cup of joe. Home matters.  Sweet inspiration. Vintage chic. Oh hey Friday. Best of the weekend. Sunday at home. Share it one more time. Snickerdoodle      Simple Saturday. Silver pennies. Create with joy. Inspiration Monday. Digging it      Let’s  add sprinkles  amaze me Monday  coffee and conversation

 

 

 

The best part of celebrating New Year’s is the opportunity to begin again…the worst part of Celebrating New Year’s, the realization that even the most genuine intentions will fall short…most likely before selecting a card for Valentines Day.  How about we all resolve to be kinder to both ourselves and each other?  To enjoy what we have? To stop the joy stealing act of comparison?  If you are game, so am I! I wish  you the best 2017 possible! On to the features. I selected the cutest wooden snowman to feature this week. It looks super easy and just the thing for a winter porch!

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

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Maisy at Becoming Alice – FB | G+ | Pin

Sheree at Stage Presents – Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst

Lisa at Condo Blues – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things – Pin

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Kelly at Under a Texas Sky – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

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I wish you happiness, contentment and blessings beyond measure!

Show and share. Inspire me Monday. Tuesday at our House. The Scoop. Inspire me Tuesday. Make it Pretty. Made by you. The art of homemaking. Metamorphosis. God’s Great Garden. Create with joy   Wow us Wednesday.  Tuesday with a Twist.  Home and garden    Share your cup. Share your style. Home and garden. Welcome home. Thursday favorites.  Vintage charm. Your inspired design  Friday features. Home sweet home. Feather nest Friday  sweet and simple. Tada   Friendship friday. Funtastic Friday. Morning cup of joe. Home matters. Sweet inspiration. Best of the weekend. Vintage chic. Oh hey Friday.  Snickerdoodle    Sunday at home.  One more time.  Simplify Saturday   Silver pennies. Create with joy. Inspiration Monday. Digging it. Let’s add sprinkle. Amaze me Monday. Coffee and conversation

Please support and follow our lovely blog party hostesses:

Jerri at Simply Sweet Home – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Christine at Light and Savvy – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Jen at Creatively Homemade – Twitter | G+ | Pin

Dawn at LeroyLime – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

Maisy at Becoming Alice – FB | G+ | Pin

Sheree at Stage Presents – Twitter | FB | Pin | Inst | Inst

Lisa at Condo Blues – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Amy at A Day of Small Things – Pin

Penny at Penny’s Passion – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst

Kelly at Under a Texas Sky – Twitter | FB | G+ | Pin | Inst | BL

If you are featured this week, be sure and grab a featured button for your blog!

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You can show your love for this week’s favorites by going over and commenting on the posts and by pinning or sharing!

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Oh, Come let us adore him

Oh, come let us adore him

Oh, Come let us adore him

Christ the Lord!

Seasons Greetings from Amy, my hero and, of course, a very excited Princess!

Inspire me Monday. Tuesday at our house. The Scoop. Inspire me Tuesday. Made by you. Metamorphosis. Gods great garden  create with joy. Wow us Wednesday. Talk of the town. Share it. Moonlight and Mason jars. Tuesday with a twist.               Brag about it.   Wonderful Wednesday. Work it Wednesday. Share your cup. Share your style. Home and garden.         Welcome home. Thursday favorites. Waste not. Simplify. Vintage charm. Friday features. Home sweet home. Feather nest Friday. Sweet and simple. Friendship friday. Home party     Funtastic Friday