Using a leftover stamped image from last Christmas, I created this clean and simple card. Having never stamped directly on ribbon, I wasn't confident that I had the right type of ink, but it seems to be okay!










Last night, I tried a recipe that I had seen on Food Network last week. Paula Deen did an entire show dedicated to the Crock Pot. I love my Crock Pot!!! I know lots of people probably use their's more in the Winter months, but we use ours at least once a week - all year round. With Southern temps in the mid 90's all Summer long, we go out of our way to avoid oven cooking.

Anyway, she did one of my favorite comfort foods in the Crock Pot -- Macaroni & Cheese. Sure it won't have the browned topping like oven-baked Mac & Cheese, but I gave it a try. It was surprisingly good! I will definitely be making this again.

Here is her recipe and the changes I made are beneath hers:

Creamy Macaroni & Cheese

2 c uncooked elbow macaroni
4 T butter, cut into pieces
2 1/2 c grated sharp Cheddar cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 c sour cream
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
1/2 t salt
1 c milk
1/2 t dry mustard
1/2 t black pepper

Boil macaroni in 2 qt. saucepan in plenty of water until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain. In a medium saucepan, mix butter and cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. In a slow cooker, combine cheese/butter mixture and add the eggs, sour cream, soup, salt, milk, mustard and pepper and stir well. Then, add drained macaroni and stir again. Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

***

My revisions:

cooked elbows only 5 minutes

eliminated the eggs

only cooked 2 hours

1/2 hour before done, sprinkle cheese over top