have a Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving from me to you!!!

The picture is of me and one of my grandpa's, November 1978. I was 6 turning 7.

gobble! gobble!

Thanksgiving table runner

Definitely more Thanksgiving like and not funky at all!

Have a great weekend!

a few crockpot favorites

I love my crockpot! seriously! It’s one of the greatest inventions ever. I have a friend who was asking for recipes so I shared with her three of our family favorites so I decided to share them with you too.

Grandma’s Pork Chops

• 4-6 pork chops or cut pork loins*
• 2 cans Campbell’s Chicken and Rice soup

Put the pork chops in the crockpot and dump on the soups, cook for 6 hours. wa-la!

Note: My grandma always would make this when I was little and I still request it when I see her. When I asked her for the recipe, I was shocked because I had no idea it was so simple. You can take it one-step further and brown the pork chops for a few minutes a side in oil first but I normally skip this step.

*how many I use depends on the size/thickness.

Deli Style Brisket

• 4 pounds beef brisket
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water

Place brisket fat side up into slow cooker, sprinkle garlic powder on top and rub ketchup generously into brisket. Add onion slices all around and on top of meat, add enough water to coat the bottom of the cooker. Cook on Low, all day, for the most tender brisket you will ever eat. For gravy, remove brisket from the slow cooker, and increase temperature to High. Mix flour with 1/4 cup water, add to pot, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

This recipe one comes straight from AllRecipes.com. It’s one of my favorite food related websites.

Note: When I make this recipe, I normally skip the gravy part… it is not one of my strong suits. If everyone wants gravy, I’ll normally add a brown gravy packet instead of the flour. I’ve made the gravy with the flour before and it turns out fine, I just think the gravy packet is more flavorful.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans of condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1/4 cup onion, finely diced*
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 (10 ounce) package refrigerated biscuit dough, quartered
• water

Place the chicken, butter, soup, onion, and poultry seasoning in a slow cooker, and fill with enough water to cover (about two soup cans). Cover and cook for approximately 8 hours on low. Two hours before serving, place the quartered biscuit dough in the slow cooker, push down to cover with the liquid. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center. Before serving, run a knife around the dumplings so they’ll be able to be removed easily.

I adapted this recipe from one I found at AllRecipes.com. I read the reviews and adjusted it to my liking.

*sometimes I use the onion, sometimes I don't, it's good either way but the kids like it when I forget!

What are some of your favorite crockpot recipes? Feel free to share the recipe or link.

Enjoy!

funky table runner

Some things are a good idea in theory, like when you’re at Hobby Lobby and you see some gorgeous fabric and think, that will make a fabulous non-traditional Thanksgiving table runner. My thinking was there was brown involved so I could pull it off... wrong. My family did not agree… my daughter said it reminded her of a birthday and my husband said he couldn’t get the song “Tiny Bubbles” out of his head. So maybe the colors are a bit too funky to pull off even a non-traditional Thanksgiving look but whatever… I like it and it’s staying on the darn table! Well, it’s staying there until I can go back to Hobby Lobby and buy some fall/harvest fabrics and make another one to replace this one… and this one will be reserved for birthdays because the girls was right (but we’ll keep that our little secret)!

I used the basic idea for the table runner from these placemats... quick and easy!

The turkey looks kind of pathetic and lonely doesn't he? Sadly, it's the only Thanksgiving decoration we own... which is why I was trying to make a Thanksgiving table runner, so we could have more. Ironic isn't it?

What I learned: just because I really love something doesn't mean I can always make it work for the project I am making.

more fabric love

I've got a new addiction... I'm seriously loving this fabric!

Happy Friday!

The Girl’s Loft for November

When Margie asked me to create some projects using The Girl’s Loft kit for November I was beyond excited. The papers were so vibrant and eye-catching, I couldn’t wait to dive right in. You can find my guest spot here on The Girl’s Loft blog.

artist

Supplies: The Girl’s Loft November kit, kraft cardstock, sewing machine, black pen, staples.

daddy’s girl

Supplies: The Girl’s Loft November kit, corner rounder, Threading Water border punch, Scallop Sentiment border punch, Quickutz Flourish, black pen, white cardstock.

a very happy fall

Supplies: The Girl’s Loft November kit, corner rounder, alpha stamps.

sending warm fuzzies card

Supplies: The Girl’s Loft November kit, Scallop Sentiment border punch, corner rounder, Hero Arts stamp (Everyday Sayings), white cardstock.

I highly recommend checking out this kit, it’s packed full of goodness! Big thanks to Margie at The Girl’s Loft for inviting me to be a guest designer.

Find The Girl’s Loft online:

• The Girl’s Loft Blog (you can get a blinkie there too!)
• The Girl’s Loft on Twitter
• The Girl’s Loft on Facebook

Have a great November everyone!!!

Use Your Stash total: 17 down, 33 to go.