Slow Cooker Bean & Bacon Soup

Lynn at happier than a pig in mud posted this wonderful recipe recently and it looked so good that I just had to make it.  Lynn and her sous chef, Earl,  have some great recipes, which you really need to check out.  You can check out Lynn's recipe  here. 
The only thing that I did differently is to use my slow cooker.  I have a slow cooker that you can take off at the base & brown things on the stove top.  I wanted to get this soup ready earlier in the day & have it cook all afternoon.  Here's the slow cooker, slightly adapted version:

4 slices bacon
2-3 large carrots, peeled & chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
3 cans white beans (such as Great Northern), drained & rinsed
4 cups chicken broth
1 T. dried parsley

Fry bacon until crisp.  (I did mine in the microwave).  Remove & set aside.

Over medium heat, add 1 T. oil (if you cooked bacon in microwave, otherwise, use the bacon fat), and add carrots, celery & onion and saute' for about 7 minutes.  Add garlic & saute' about 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add salt & pepper.

Add 2 cans beans, bay leaf,  and chicken  broth.  Cover the slow cooker & cook on low for 8 hours or on medium for 4-5 hours.


For the last 30 minutes,  uncover & remove bay leaf.  Mash the last can of beans & add to the slow cooker, along with the parsley.  Heat through.

Taste for seasoning.  As suggested by Lynn, I added some smoked salt that Michael Lee West, from Foodie Friday sent along with my give-away book that I won & it was wonderful in the soup!!

I am sharing with:

Mix It Up Monday!
Table Top Tuesday
Your Cozy Home Party
Wow Us Wednesday
Rock 'n Share Party
Full Plate Thursday
Thriving on Thursdays
Foodie Friday
Link & Greet Party
Seasonal Sundays

Wedding Goblets

Ready for toasting!  I used raffia & ribbon to embellish.

I saw this cute idea at First Monday Trade Days, which is a huge shopping event in Canton, TX.  It is held on a weekend before the first Monday of every month.  The goblets sell for around $15.00 a piece.   Hmmmm, I thought, I think I'll try that!! Our youngest son & his bride-to-be are getting married soon at a ranch in the Texas Hill Country.  I thought that these goblets would fit in perfectly for their special theme.   I am so thrilled that they are going to use these for their wedding toast...so perfect for such a special couple!!!

Here's what you need to make these:

clean jelly jars
clean glass candle holders (Dollar Tree)
glass bond (Hobby Lobby)
re-usable stencils (Hobby Lobby)
Armour Etch glass etching cream (Hobby Lobby)
disposable gloves to protect hands
ribbon, etc. for embellishment

Follow the instructions for etching the stencil onto the glass jelly jar.  You could easily omit this step, if desired.

Attach the candle holder to the jelly jar & let dry 24 hours.  Embellish your goblet however you choose.  I've seen crystals glued on, also.  I would only hand wash these goblets.

Use your coupons at Hobby Lobby.

Use painters tape to secure stencil.

Finished goblet! 

You can also use pint-size canning jars, which would be nice for ice tea!

I am sharing this with:

Make the Scene Monday
Mix It Up Monday!
Metamorphosis Monday
Cozy Home Party
Table Top Tuesday
Wow Us Wednesday
Thriving on Thursday
Seasonal Sundays

THE BEST Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Okay, today is my birthday & I am going to share my MOST FAVORITE COOKIE RECIPE IN THE WORLD!!!!  Seriously, if I could choose one cookie to eat every single day of my life, it would be THIS ONE!!   Can you tell that I  LOVE  this cookie??!!  I first tried this heavenly cookie at the Neiman Marcus Cafe.  First of all, NM has an exceptional restaurant, but they also have a cafe that you can just stand in line & order something very quick.  Of course, they sell their famous chocolate chip cookies, but this cookie, in my humble opinion, outshines that one!!  They actually gave me the recipe, but it is also included in the Neiman Marcus Cookbook.  However, the cookbook omits one essential ingredient that the recipe they handed me had & that is vanilla extract.  If you were like me in sampling oatmeal raisin cookies every where you went, trying to find the BEST one, look no further! 

                                                                        

2 sticks butter, softened                                 

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 t. vanilla

1/2 t. almond extract

2 cups flour

1 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

3 cups oatmeal

1 & 1/2 cups dark raisins

1 & 1/2 cups golden raisins

Place the butter, brown sugar & sugar in the bowl of electric mixer, fitted with paddle attachment.  Beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds., until the mixture is fluffy.  Turn down the speed to low & add the eggs & the extracts.  Beat for about 30 seconds longer.

In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda & salt.  Add to the mixer, while beating on low speed & beat for about 15 seconds, stopping the mixer once to scrape down the sides.  Add the oatmeal & raisins & beat for about 15 seconds longer.

(I am going to tell you how I do the next part, which isn't according to the cookbook.)

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the dough & put onto parchment-lined baking sheets.  Refrigerate the cookie balls on the sheets for about an hour.  Gently press out the dough with the back of your hand.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

NOTE:  Often I will put the shaped cookie balls on the baking sheets & put into the freezer.  When the cookie balls are frozen, I transfer them to freezer-proof plastic bags.  When I'm ready for a warm cookie, I take the cookie ball out of the freezer, place it on a small piece of parchment paper, defrost it

in the microwave for  45 seconds & then bake in my toaster oven....hmmmm, not that I do this very often.....  LOL!!!!!

Cookie balls ready for the freezer

Makes about 30 large cookies

The recipe they handed me that I had to cut down to a manageable amount!!

I am sharing this with:
Mix It Up Monday!
Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage
Tea Party Tuesday
Table Top Tuesday
Your Cozy Home Party
Crazy Sweet Tuesday
Rock 'n Share Party
Mrs. Fox's Sweets Party
Full Plate Thursday
Thriving on Thursdays
Foodie Friday
Pink Saturday
Sweets for Saturday
Link 'n Greet Party
Seasonal Sundays