Belated Blogiversary

So as I am a frequent blog stalker on other people's blogs I now know that it is customary in blog world to have a give away of some kind to mark the anniversary of the first post. Well, oops because I missed it, and double oops in advance because if I had been so bold as to propose a giveaway I'm not certain I ever would have managed to mail the given away items.. so instead I have a give away to each and every reader (all three of you thanks DAD!)

Here is a fabulous fall recipe that I just developed and is now my new fall favorite. I am thinking of calling it Jean jacket soup because that is quintessentially fall to me.. but am still open to ideas. Like so many of my best recipes it is made with the crock pot...

So here you go..

Jean Jacket Soup***

1/2 lb dry navy beans rehydrated (as in already soaked overnight, rinsed and drained)

1 medium/large butternut squash peeled, seeded and diced into 1/2 inches cubes

1 onion diced

3 pieces of celery diced

1 pat of butter

2 Quarts Chicken Stock (I use an organic free range variety)

4 cups Kale

1. In small saucepan on stove melt butter and toss in onion and celery, stir and let it get a little brown

2. combine all ingredients except Kale in crock pot, turn on pot to low for 10 hrs, or high 6 hours--soup is done when beans and squash are fork tender

3. rinse Kale de-stem and rough chop

4. Toss Kale into pot 5 minutes before serving

5. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste

5. garnish with parmesan cheese (or fresh grated Parrano) and serve with crusty bread

Delish!

Here is a dessert that is a family Secret, Mike and I used to eat these by the dozen, but we rarely get to make them anymore because Connor is not supposed to have peanut butter.

Mike and Summer's Eat-em ALL Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups flour (shake the flour bag before measuring and don't pack it in there)

1 cup each Chocolate chips and peanut butter chips

1. cream and then whip the butter and sugars together

2. add egg and vanilla

3. pour in half the flour then the baking soda then the rest of the flour

4. stir in the chips

5. drop by cookie sized spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet

6. Bake in preheated oven at 375 for approximately 8 minutes (or until desired doneness)

Our serving preference is warm under a scoop of vanilla ice cream with hot fudge sauce, but different strokes for different folks..

So Happy Belated Blogiversary to me, Apparently this is my 62 post, which makes it the most thorough journal I have ever kept!