I want to take the time to thank everyone who has stopped in at Rust and Shine in Williamsport to purchase one of my cookbooks. It’s been so neat stopping in and getting to meet some of you. A few of you were telling me you know my family or grandparents I have mentioned in my column. That is so neat to reach so many of you. I am truly blessed to be able to do what I love. Cooking is a passion of mine, and I love sharing it with others. Especially when it’s so delicious and nothing to it to make it. I know not everyone enjoys cooking, so recipes like that make me extra excited to share with busy families. A day in my kitchen whipping up a big fancy dinner is my favorite. Turn some Frank Sinatra on my Bose speaker and unwind. It is so relaxing! I just love it. I never dreamed I’d have my own cooking page on Facebook or Instagram. Having a website was something I never thought I could do. I was never savvy with computers. Writing a cookbook I never dreamed would be in the cards for me. Now, in high school I was asked to be in the school’s newspaper homeroom and was asked to write my own column because my English teacher said I was so good at writing. That was awesome. At that time I didn’t write about recipes of course. I wrote about cars, and how girls could do anything a boy could do. I was 16, in love with Import cars, and the Fast and Furious movie just came out. I had plenty to write about being a girl who was in Power Mechanics class in high school and could wrench on a car with the boys. That’s a whole other column some day. I mean, being the only girl in an all boys class was pretty darn epic.

Yeah, yeah. You are thinking, wait, she listens to Frank Sinatra but loves cars? Yup. That’s me. My heart is all rock n roll, but good ol’ Frank brings it home for me when I’m cookin. What can I say!?

But making my own cookbook was such an achievement for me. Now, I’m working on my YouTube Channel and seeing where the Lord takes me next. I am his, and he is mine. Big plans, or small plans, my goal is just to give my fans a chance at family nights. At least 30 minutes a day, around the table and not stressing about what will be for dinner. Y’all know how important dinner time and family time is to me. This is why I do what I do, and I thank you all for helping me make it happen.

Crockpot Creamy Bacon Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 8 slices cooked bacon*, diced
• 4 cups of chicken broth
• 2 pounds red potatoes, peeled (if desired) and diced
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 4 tablespoons bacon grease* (or butter)
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream (or regular milk )
• 2 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 3/4 sour cream
• salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
• few sprinkles of dried oregano

Add chicken stock, potatoes and onion to the bowl of a big crock pot, and stir to combine. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the potatoes are completely tender and cooked through.

Once the soup has cooked, melt better on the stove over medium-high heat until it has melted. Whisk in the flour until it is completely combined, and then cook for 1 minute, stirring till thick. Gradually add in the evaporated milk; slowly, while whisking it together with the flour mixture, and continue whisking until the mixture is completely smooth. Let the mixture continue cooking until it reaches a simmer, stirring occasionally, and then it should get really nice and thick.

Immediately pour the milk mixture into the slow cooker with the potatoes, and stir until combined. Add in the cheddar cheese, bacon, sour cream, salt pepper, and oregano, and stir until combined. If you would like the soup to be even thicker, you can use a potato masher or a large spoon to mash about half of the potatoes (while the soup is still in the slow cooker) to thicken the soup up.

Serve nice and hot and top with garnish like a dollop of sour cream, bacon chunks, and shredded cheese. Who doesn’t love more cheese n bacon!?