This time of year, I just love something easy to throw in the crockpot! Make it a soup for chilly nights and it's even better. I got this recipe from a friend and then tweaked it a little bit to make it my own and it's one of Stephen's favorites. When I mentioned cooking soup a few nights ago, this was the one he requested and I'm quite confident it won't be the last batch of the season!

While I whipped up a grilled cheese to go on the side of mine, the soup is a perfect meal to serve on its own!

The Ingredients

    • 1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, chopped
    • Chopped kale
    • 1 yellow onion, diced
    • 1 orange pepper, chopped
    • 1 package of Jimmy Dean's Hot Sausage
    • 3 cups chicken broth
    • 2 cups water
    • 2 cups heavy cream
    • 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper
    • Sprinkling of red pepper flakes
    • Dash of garlic
    • 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning

The Directions

    1. In pan, cook thoroughly sausage until browned
    2. While cooking, add in Italian seasoning
    3. Remove cooked sausage from pan and remove excess grease
    4. Put kale, onions, pepper, and potatoes (all chopped) into crock pot
    5. Add in water, heavy cream, and chicken broth
    6. Sprinkle in seasonings
    7. Add in cooked sausage and mix all together
    8. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 - 10
    9. Enjoy!
When we have family gatherings during the holidays, my family pretty much always expects that I'll bring one of two things - brown rice (you can check out my Nonny's recipe here) or mashed potatoes. This year, I did add a breakfast casserole to my Thanksgiving repertoire, and I'll have to share that recipe that I got from a friend soon because that. thing. was. good.

I love mashed potatoes, so even though peeling potatoes is a bit time consuming, it's my go-to dish of choice. The peeling potatoes is honestly the worst part of this entire recipe because the rest you just throw in the mixer and blend. Voile - you have a delicious side dish that even your great- aunts will be asking for (this happened at Thanksgiving and made my day...)

Start to Finish Time: About 40 minutes

Ingredients:
5 pound bag of gold potatoes
6 oz sour cream
3/4 can of evaporated milk
4 oz cream cheese
1 stick of butter
Salt to taste

*Note: I didn't say this recipe was healthy...

Instructions:
  • Peel potatoes and cut into smaller pieces (they will cook faster this way)
  • Boil until soft (about 15 minutes)
  • Add other ingredients and mix until smooth
We received a KitchenAid mixer from my grandparents as a wedding gift and I love this thing for mashed potatoes. I dump all of the ingredients into the mixing bowl, turn it on low and gently raise the speed until the potatoes are nice and creamy. It makes it so easy! Though a hand mixer works just as well, too.

You can also top your potatoes with garnishing of your choice! I opted for chives here but will sometimes add cheese or bacon and then pop in the oven until melted. If you are taking your dish to someone else's home, just warm in the oven if they need a little heating. 

*Another Note: The ingredients listed above are give and take. That's what I base my recipe off of but I'll add the evaporated milk slowly to see how creamy I want them to be. If my brother is around, he'll tell me add the rest of the cream cheese and probably the sour cream, too. 

 In this mashed potatoes photo shoot, I thought I would also share a few of my fun little tablescape items! I snagged these reindeer from Pottery Barn a few weeks ago and I've just been moving them around my house because I like them so much. Although, this little trio may have found their home for this Christmas season on our dining room table.
Our Vietri Old St. Nick plates are also one of my Christmastime favorites. We opted for dessert plates vs. an entire set of Christmas china and we mix and match with our other pieces, like these gold ruffle chargers that I always receive the most compliments on. 
 
What's your go-to side dish for the holiday season? I always love hearing about a few favorites!

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Recipe Cards: Rifle Paper (similar)

I'm not sure if it's because I love tradition or if it's because I'm a Southerner, but I absolutely love recipe cards. There's something so timeless about a recipe card that can be passed down through generations. One thing I'm so glad I did before my grandmother passed away was ask her to hand write some of her favorite recipes. I knew there was a chance that I wouldn't be able to call her and ask, and I also knew she would eventually lose her ability to write, and so these cards are something I will treasure forever.
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