Michiana House and Home - November 2022

www.michianahouseandhome.com

PUBLISHER Ron Baumgartner rbaumgartner@the-papers.com

PUBLICATION MANAGER Bill Hays bhays@the-papers.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Deb Patterson dpatterson@the-papers.com

EDITOR Lauren Zeugner lzeugner@the-papers.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Karen Johnson kjohnson@the-papers.com

BUSINESS MANAGER Annette Weaver aweaver@the-papers.com

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Steve Meadows smeadows@the-papers.com

FEATURE WRITERS Beth Anne Brink-Cox, Dani Messick, Julie Young

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kimberly Zellers

MARKETING ASSISTANTS Darlene Eichelberger darlene@the-papers.com Taelynne Ousley tousley@the-papers.com

DIRECTOR OF CIRCULATION Jerry Long jlong@the-papers.com

Copyright

editor’s note...

We’ve had a lot of fun working on this month’s issue. The crazy weather, hello SNOW in October!, we had provided the perfect excuse to go inside and get cozy.

With the holidays right around the corner, BethAnne Brink-Cox provided suggestions on set ting up the perfect guest room. Meanwhile Julie Young looked into the pros and cons of hiring a professional to clear your driveway when the snow not only flies but decides to stick around for a while.

BethAnne found some quirky facts about November that she featured in Did You Know? If you’re a scorpio on the zodiac calendar or a natural red head you definitely want to check this article out.

Julie gets a step closer to completing our dream home in our Brick by Brick series by discussing what is and the need for a punch list.

And since northern Indiana recently got its first taste of snow, Dani Messick has written an article on whether to hire a professional to put out those outdoor lights.

On the home-front, I’m definitely in the midst of fall. With approximately 12 trees on my property, I am out every weekend mulching leaves with the lawn mower. It’s much easier on my back and takes way less time than if I raked them to the curb.

Inside, the heavier throws have come out as have the candles. I just love the cozy feel candles give a room.

For this month’s recipes, I turned to “300 Slow Cooker Favorites” by Donna-Marie Pye. I got this cook book when I received a slow cooker as a Christmas present. I’ve made the French onion soup recipe several times and included my own tweaks to it in the recipe pub lished here. This is one recipe where color defi nitely means flavor, so be patient when sauteeing the onions.

Lauren Zeugner, EditorEmail: Lzeugner@the-papers.com

The second recipe I thought would be perfect for either tailgating before a college game or to enjoy with friends while watching your favorite pro teams on the big screen.

Enjoy —Lauren

Lumber

Guests are Coming Over the River and Through the Woods for the Holidays Setting Up The Perfect Guest Room

By BethAnne Brink-Cox House and Home Writer

It’s been said when you walk into a hotel room, you instantly relax, because everything is clean and ordered for your comfort.

Even in inexpensive rooms you’ll find coffee makers, maybe an alarm clock, and extra blankets or towels are yours for the asking. With the holidays coming,you’ll be entertaining in your home or going to other homes–your par ents and/or in-laws, or visiting your children and grandchildren.

What would you like to see in the guest rooms there? What would you like to offer when you’re the host? The easiest way is to offer what you’d like to find in a room where you’ve stayed before.

One thing that’s especially nice to find is a basket of extra toiletries such as shampoo, soap, lotion and the like, because it’s so easy to forget certain items when you’re packing.

Another pleasant touch would be a carafe or some bottled water, maybe a tin of holiday cookies, which are ideas quite common in European lodging. A bouquet of flowers is always nice, and can cost almost nothing if you arrange them yourself. A basket of magazines and paperbacks are nice for guests who retreat for some quiet time.

Debbie Carpenter, of Sweet Water Interiors in Goshen, agrees, and her shop is full of just such lovely things. “Oh, holiday pillows are nice! And there are pretty throws that can be draped across a chair. What about a set of fun printed sheets?”

Carpenter also suggested a nice fragrance, and scented candles for a guest room. “And music! Music adds a wonderful touch.” That can be managed easily with a boom box and a stack of holiday CDs, or even a radio preset to a quiet, relaxing station.

And of course, a television can be nice, too. If your guest room doesn’t have a fireplace, delight your guests with the addition of a space heater. These days, you can buy decorative ones that look like fireplaces or old fashioned cast iron stoves.

What’s especially nice about this style is you can have the ‘fire’ effect with or without the heat, so the temperature in the room is adjustable for its

occupants. Put a pretty rug on the hearth and pull up a chair, because there’s not much that’s more relaxing than sitting in front of a crackling fire in the evening.

Laurie Kerr, furniture manager and buyer at Warsaw’s Brouwer’s Carpet and Furniture, said they get countless re quests for guest room furniture.

“With so many lakes around here, people are more conscious of creating enough sleeping spaces, so they’re looking for things like daybeds with pop-up trundle beds or sleeper sofas. That way, the room can be used when guests arrive, but used for other purposes the rest of the time,” she explained.

Extra blankets and pillows are nice for these rooms, be cause you may not know what your guests prefer: one pillow or two? Lots of blankets, or not? Kerr said accent chairs are much in demand, as well, especially rocking chairs.

“The glider rocker is a perennial favorite.” (So there’s your chair by the fire!) The most important thing to remem ber is none of these touches have to break your budget! What will come through to your guests is the obvious, yet subtle evidence of the care you took to prepare the rooms for them, thinking of their comfort, accommodating spe cial needs. (And don’t forget to do some extra cleaning or vacuuming if you have pets and someone might be allergic to them!) When they step into that room, your guests will know you welcome them, and they will enjoy their stay all the more for that feeling. Happy Holidays!

Packing A PUNCH

What is the punch list and why they matter

By Julie Young House and Home Feature Writer

Typically assembled at the end of a construction proj ect, the punch list is a document designed to highlight those last-minute items that need to be addressed before a project can be considered completed. Crafted in collaboration with your builder, this glorified “To Do” list is an important part of any build and must be com piled with care.

LOOSE TERM

According to Douglas Harvey of Coplen Construction in Warsaw the “punch list” is a loose term referring to any document that cata logues tasks needing attention. There is often one created in-house between the builder, contractors, and anyone working on the house as well as the final punch list that receives input from the home owner.

“While there are some things that are out of our control right now due to supply chain issues and availability, we do everything in our power to minimize the items that find their way to the client’s punch list during that final walk through,” he said.

When beginning his own punch list, Harvey said he not only makes a note of everything that needs to be addressed, but also pri oritizes how those line items should be completed. This helps avoid any unnecessary re-dos or conflict between contractors and allows all adjustments to be handled efficiently while sticking close to the budget.

“We are constantly looking to make sure every aspect of the

build meets our standard of quality and to fix anything that may not be up to scratch,” Harvey said. “When you are building homes from $500,000 to $10 million, it takes a long time and you need to have plenty of eyes on the project.”

COMMUNICATION IS KEY

In today’s market, many of the items that find their way to the punch list are easy to remedy and those that are not, do not prevent home owners from closing on their new house and moving in. Harvey says it is not uncommon for light fixtures, appliances and countertops to be backordered, which may be annoying but do not prevent people from moving in. Seasonal changes may have an impact on grading, planting and concrete work, but those coding related items can be noted so inspectors (and homeowners) know why they can’t be completed and more importantly, when they will be addressed.

Harvey said when creating their punch list on the final walk through, it is important for homeowners to keep things positive and for builders not to take offense. At the end of the day, everyone wants the best product for the money and if there is a dispute, there should be an appropriate way to handle it.

“As long as you keep it professional, then you shouldn’t have a problem,” he said. “Our state has done a good job because any residen tial builder who is a member of the Indiana Builders Association must follow the quality assurance standard guidebook and many builders go above and beyond those standards. When it comes to the punch list it is important to read through every contract and make sure your in terests are being looked out for. Above all, if you have a question about something, don’t hesitate to ask.”

around michiana

NOV. 1-30 (SELECTED DATES) |

SOUTH BEND Farmers Market

Indoor market featuring home-grown pro duce, dairy products, meats, eggs, maple syrup, jams and jellies, handcrafts, artwork, jewelry, more.

7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 1105 Northside Blvd. 574-282-1259

southbendfarmersmarket.com

NOV 19 | ELKHART

Frankenmuth Shopping Bus Trip

Visit Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland and downtown Frankenmuth

7 a.m. Saturday departure, 9:30 p.m.

Saturday return

$60/person Register by Friday, Nov. 11, at elkhart.ezfa cility.com or Parks and Recreation Office, 229 S. 2nd St. 574-295-7275

elkhartindiana.org/government/parks, facebook.com/elkhartparks

MULTI-EVENT VENUES

LERNER THEATER | ELKHART

• Nov. 11, “Whose Live Anyway?” 8 p.m. Friday, $35 to $65.

• Nov. 15, Cirque Musica: “Holiday Wonderland,” 7 p.m. Tuesday, $25 to $160.

• Nov. 18, Joe Gatto’s Night of Comedy, 7 p.m. Friday, $39.75 to $100.

• Nov. 19, 95.3 MNC’s Noise with special guest Lauren Southern, 4 p.m. Saturday, $40 to $100.

• Nov. 20, Elkhart County Symphony: “Ode to Joy,” 7:30 p.m. Sunday, $14 to $27.

• Nov. 26, Tutu School Winter Bravo Bash, 10 a.m. Saturday, $12/adult, free 12 and younger.

• Nov. 26-27 “The Nutcracker,” 7 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, $12 to $25. 410 S. Main St. 574-293-4469 thelerner.com

GOSHEN THEATER | GOSHEN

• Nov. 11, Free Movie Night: Disney Pixar’s “Inside Out,” 7 p.m. Friday, mental health and community resource exhibits available 5-7 p.m.

• Nov. 26, Free Movie: “Elf,” 7 p.m. Saturday.

216 S. Main St. 574-312-3701 goshentheater.com

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY PARKS | SOUTH BEND

• Nov. 19, Elves in the Park, find elves with a map, noon to 3 p.m., Brown Barn, SP, $5 per map.

St. Patrick’s County Park (SP) , 50651 Laurel Road, South Bend; Bendix Woods County Park (BW), 56960 Timothy Road, New Carlisle

Ferrettie/Baugo Creek County Park (F/B), 57057 Ash Road, Osceola 574-654-3155 sjcparks.org

MORRIS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER | SOUTH BEND

• Nov. 12, South Bend Symphony Orchestra: Debussy’s “La Mer,” 7:30 p.m. Saturday, $19 to $79.

• Nov. 14, Cocomelon Live! “JJ’s Journey,” 6 p.m. Monday, $33.50 to $78.50.

• Nov. 18, The State Ballet Theater of Ukraine’s “Sleeping Beauty” Ballet, 7:30 p.m. Friday, $48.50 to $88.50.

• Nov. 19, Paul Taylor, 7 p.m. Saturday, $29.50 to $68.50.

• Nov. 23, DC Young Fly + Gary Owen and Friends “Thanksgiving Comedy Explosion,” 8 p.m. Wednesday, $42.50 to $128.50.

• Nov. 29-30, Broadway in South Bend: “Come From Away,” 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, $83.50. 211 N. Michigan St. 574-235-9190 morriscenter.org

WELLFIELD BOTANICAL GARDENS | ELKHART

• Nov. 1-30, late fall hours, noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday $10/adults, $5/children 3-12 1011 N. Main St. 574-266-2006, ext. 105 wellfieldgardens.org

POTAWATOMI ZOO | SOUTH BEND

• Nov. 25-27, Gift of Lights 2022, 5-9 p.m. Friday through Sunday, regular ad mission. $12/adults 15-61, $10/children 3-14 and adults 62+, free for members and children 2 and under. 500 S. Greenlawn Ave. 574-235-9800 potawatomizoo.org

RUTHMERE MANSION | ELKHART

• Nov. 25, Fall Concert Series: Nicholas Roth, “Black Friday Concert,” 7 p.m. Friday, $25/member, $40/non member, registration required.

• Nov. 26 through Dec. 30, Ruthmere

Museums Campus Holiday Tours: “A Merry Mousley Christmas,” times vary. All events at Ruthmere, 201 E. Beardsley Ave., unless otherwise spec ified.

Havilah Beardsley House (HBH), 102 W. Beardsley Ave.

Ruthmere: $10/adults, $4/students, free for children under 5 with adult

Havilah Beardsley House: $5/adults, $2/ students, free for children under 5 with adult

Tour times on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, corner of Lake and 17th streets. 574-264-0330 888-287-7696 ruthmere.org n

Snow’s Gotta Go

The Pros and Cons of Hiring aProfessional Snow Remover

By Julie Young House and Home Feature Writer

As the weather turns colder and the flurries fly, homeowners have several options when planning their snow removal process. There is the tried-and-true shovel method, which requires little more than the proper tools and some elbow grease (although a willing teenager is also helpful!) You can also invest in a snow thrower, which can accomplish the job in less time. And finally, you can hire a professional to deal with the snow while you sleep in. However, before you hit that snooze button and roll over, it’s important to know the pros and cons for hiring a profes sional service.

THE PROS KNOW

While they may cost more than a broom, plastic shovel or a snow thrower, there are a lot of advantages to hiring a professional to remove snow from your property. In ad dition to being faster than doing it yourself, homeowners do not have to invest in, nor educate themselves on the operation and maintenance of specialized seasonal equip ment. They also do not have to monitor the weather or do the prep work necessary to get ahead of the job (such as laying salt ahead of time.) You won’t have to worry

When the weather outside is frightful, removing snow is far from delightful. But as every homeowner knows: it’s gotta go, gotta go, gotta go!

about supply shortages, and you will sleep well knowing your sidewalks and driveways will al ways be clear. Best of all, you won’t have to worry about sore muscles or potential injuries that come along with yearly snow removal.

‘CON’SIDER EVERYTHING

Naturally, professional snow removal does cost more than buying a snow thrower or shoveling the driveway yourself and that cost will large ly depend on the level of service you require. Homeowners will also want to make sure the company they contract with provides its own lia bility insurance in the event of any accidents that may happen during a service.

Those accidents may include damage to one’s property such as cracked concrete or ripped landscape. While snow removal services are generally happy to make any necessary re pairs they are responsible for, most of those re pairs will have to wait until spring.

Another downside to a professional service

for the firm to get around to your property when the weather is bad. This can be prob lematic for homeowners on a tight schedule. Depending on the expected annual snowfall each year, hiring a snow removal service may not make the best financial sense.

Ultimately homeowners must decide which investment is right for them. While a snow thrower may cost more upfront, it costs less over time, provided you keep it serviced regularly. A service however is less physical and usually less expensive upfront but will cost more as the years go by. It just depends on what is right for you and your property! n

How to Light

By Dani Messick House and Home Writer

You can have your Christmas lights installed by professionals and it’s only $100 to $1,000. Having it done professionally decreases the risk of injury or damage, and it also saves you time. In addition to that, the pros know what they’re doing and can create some pretty elaborate de signs you may not have considered.

Up the Holidays

Hiring a pro also saves you storage space because you can rent decorations from them and have them picked up at the New Year. Some will even turn the in side of your house into a Winter Wonderland - for the right price. Not all lights and decorations are made equal, and the pros know what’s what.

But if you’re hoping to set up your own unique lighting display this year, here’s a few things the pros know, that will help you get your home’s exterior into the holiday spirit.

You’re going to need a plan to make a truly magical expe rience. If you need to measure

to ensure you have enough, or enough of a particular style or color, do it. Draw the plan out, so you remember what the plan is.

An article from HGTV offers a calculation for ensuring you’re using the right distancing:

“Use this to calculate the materials needed using this equation: distance/6 = number of lights needed. This works for strands with 6-inch spacing, which we recommend using to achieve a fuller look.”

Another standard length cal culation is 25 feet for a 50-light strand and a 50 feet strand con taining 100 lights. What you use

is up to you. Make sure to account for the distance from the power source if you’re using plug-in lights. Don’t connect more lights together than the directions recommend. It’s a fire hazard. Battery powered lights are also a great option for locations where outlets might be too far away.

Choose a focal point, like the front door or an architectural feature, and stick with it. Place the brightest bulbs there or sim ply use more lights there. Use string lights to line driveways and sidewalks, and landscaping. You can also use them to outline

the roof, but be careful climbing ladders. Don’t forget to use clips to help create stability on your lighting scene.

The hardware store boasts a lot of options for Christmas string lights. You don’t have to use the traditional ones, but if you choose to, remember “C” stands for either “cone” or “candle,” the traditional bulbous shape. The higher the number, the bigger the bulbs.

Check for flashing. An article from the Home Depot indicates almost 20% of Christmas lights are twinkling bulbs to some degree. Make sure the lights are rated for outdoor use. n

shutterstock.com

AMARYLLIS offer quite the floral punch for little effort

By Loanne Harms Guest Writer Michiana Master Gardener

There are few houseplants that require so little of us yet provide such stunning beauty and winter relief as the amaryllis. The bulbs once in the soil require no special skills and will usually bloom with or without us. And what blooms they give.

Amaryllis bulbs are usually available in stores as kits beginning in late fall and into early winter. Just in time for Christmas giving. Boxed kits contain everything you need to grow the bulb and all for less than a grocery store bouquet of fresh flowers. When selecting a kit to take home, it’s a good idea to take a peek inside the box. Since these kits are packed months ahead and conditions for their storage vary greatly, you might find the bulb has already started growing or maybe even flowered. It’s best to purchase a bulb that has not started growing but looks solid and big.

Amaryllis bulbs are also available through many outlets online. If you choose to purchase bulbs online, they will often give you a wide vari ety of choices, a brief description of the plant and flower and the sizes of the bulbs in centimeters. Because a bigger bulb will give you more stems and more flowers it’s best to look for bulbs that are listed as 34 to 35 cm. Do read the descriptions, if a smaller variety, it should say, and then you’ll want to look for bulbs that are 28 to 30 cm.

Planting the amaryllis bulb is simple but because of the long stems and big flowers you should use a heavy pot with a wide base. Kits often come with plastic pots which can be used but be prepared to place the plastic pot into a sturdier outer pot as the plant grows to provide more stability. The pot itself should be about 2 inches wider than the bulb and if planting more than one bulb in a pot, allow an inch between each bulb.

The amaryllis kit will provide you with a sterile potting mix that only needs rehydrated to make plenty of potting medium for the bulb. When looking for your own potting mix it needs to drain well and be sterile to avoid fungus gnats. Products marked as potting mixes are soil-less mixes containing non-organic matter that will help with drainage and aeration and be sterile to help avoid diseas es.

Fill the pot about halfway with potting mix, lightly tapping it down. Place the amaryllis bulb pointed side up on top of the mix and then fill in mix around the bulb to about an inch below the top of the pot, packing it gently around the bulb. You want to have 1/3 of the bulb exposed above the mix, so reposition the bulb if needed. Planted too deep, the bulb may rot. Water well at this point. Avoid watering directly into/onto the bulb.

Place the potted bulb in a place where there is bright, indirect light and somewhat cool temperature (68 degrees) but not near cold drafts and then wait. It may take a while for the bulb to wake up. Varieties differ, but they usually take 6 to 8 weeks to bloom. So, sit back, water sparingly (less than ¼ c a week) and wait.

Once you see growth, things will move right along. At two inches you can start watering regularly. No fertilizer is needed since the bulb has all it needs for this round of blooms. Rotate the pot often to help the plant to grow straight. You may need to add a stake or place the pot and all in another container for stability. Before long the flowers will appear and begin to open. The blooms can be used in floral displays and arrangements, but the big, bold, beautiful flowers atop the long green stem is often enough of a floral dis play for even the most artistic-minded.

As the flowers fade, clip them off, and when all are done, cut the stem about an inch above the bulb. Then either throw it out or keep it watering sparingly, fertilizing lightly, still in indirect light until late spring to save and prep for next year. n

shutterstock.com

Did You Know?

There’s more to than politics, turkey and football

By BethAnne Brink-Cox House and Home Feature Writer

If you think November is just about elections and Thanksgiving, think again! November is National Banana Pudding Month. Who knew? And Nov. 20 is National Absurdity Day. We’re not sure why, but it is.

One such example was launched in 1913, when you could mail your babies parcel post to Grandma’s house, for as little as 15 cents, plus insurance, as long as the babies fell within the shipping weights.

Parker Brothers introduced the world to the Monopoly game on Nov. 4, 1935. There have been more than 300 dif ferent versions created in the years since then, including Star Wars, I Love Lucy, Pokemon and Game of Thrones. A typical game is usually between 60 and 90 minutes but the longest game on record lasted 70 straight days!

Or maybe you prefer National Doughnut Day, Nov. 5? (There is, of course, the school of thought that every day should be Doughnut Day.) It was originally created by the

Salvation Army in Chicago, 1938, to honor those of their members who had served doughnuts to soldiers during World War I. Those volunteers were affectionately referred to as DoughnutDollies.

What about National Love Your Red Hair Day, also Nov. 5? Anyone with red hair, any shade of it, male or female of any and every age, is to be celebrated on this day.

Research has indicated redheads have higher thresholds for pain and need less Vitamin D than the rest of us, due to a gene mutation which creates the red hair itself. (But let’s not put that pain thing to the test!)

What is special about November babies? Well, there’s a lot to be thankful for. They have a lower risk of some health conditions. November babies have the lowest incidence of multiple sclerosis, according to Oxford University. And it seems they are less likely to suffer from heart problems, lung cancer or depression.

Then there’s the interesting facts about left handers. They make up only 10% of the world’s population; if you’re a boy born in November, chances are you’ll be among the very few. The biggest number of average left-handers among boys fell between Halloween and New Year’s Eve.

If you just enjoy the trivia of various ‘days’ here and there:

November 1:

National Cook for Your Pets Day

November 3: Zero-Tasking Day

November 6: National Nachos Day

November 6: National Saxophone Day

November 9: National Scrapple Day

November 16: National Button Day

November 21: World Hello Day

November 23: Fibonacci Day

Election Day is the first Tuesday in November. In colonial times, Election Day Cakes were a popular tradition, and the celebrations were week-long as people traveled great

distances to vote, adding to an on going party atmosphere.

Quite popular, then, were Election Cakes, much like a fruitcake, loaded

with fruit and spices and soaked with alcohol. Eventually, the cake morphed into a spice cake in Lydia Child’s book, The American Frugal Housewife, copyright 1829.

ELECTION DAY CAKES

Ingredients

2 packages active dry yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons each)

1-1/2 cups warm water (110 to 115 degrees F)

1 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar

4 cups sifted flour, divided

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) margarine or butter

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground mace

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 eggs

2/3 cup raisins

2/3 cup currants

1/4 cup chopped candied citron

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast on the warm water; stir to dissolve.

Add 2 teaspoons of sugar and 1-1⁄2 cups of flour and beat well by hand or for 2 minutes with an electric mixer at medium speed. Cover and let rise in a warm place until bubbly, about 30 minutes.

In a separate bowl, cream the margarine and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Set aside. Sift the remaining flour with the salt, cinnamon, cloves, mace and nutmeg. When the yeast mixture is bubbly, add the eggs to the creamed margarine and sugar and beat well.

Combine with the yeast mixture. Add the flour mixture, a little at a time, beating with a spoon after each addition. Beat until smooth.

Stir in the raisins, currants, citron, and nuts. Pour into a well-greased andfloured 10-inch tube pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1-1⁄2 hours.

Bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 1 hour. Remove the cake from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn onto a rack to finish cooling. Glaze, if desired. And...let us eat cake!

... and now you know!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

4 large sweet onions, sliced

2 garlic cloves minced

2 TBSP all purpose flour

6 cups beef stock

1/4 cup dry sherry or dry red wine

1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. granulated sugar

Directions:

In a well buttered or oiled pan saute the onions in butter until browned - can take 30-40 minutes so be patient. The browner (but not burned) the onions, the better the flavor.

In stoneware, combine butter, onions and garlic. Sprinkle onions with flour and stir to combine. Add stock, sherry (or red wine whichever you’re using) Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt, thyme, bay leaf and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until onions

French Onion Soup

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Croutons:

6 Slices of french bread - approxi mately 1/2 inch thick

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

are tender and soup is bubbling. Discard bay leaf.

Croutons:

Place bread slices on a baking sheet. Place under pre-heated broiler about 6 inches from the element and broil for about 2 min utes or until browned. Turn bread, sprinkle with cheese and continue to broil until cheese is bubbling about 1 minute.

Dish soup into bowls, place bread croutons on top and spoon a bit of soup over the top.

Nacho Cheese Dip

Ingredients:

1/2 cup beer

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Directions:

1 cup salsa

1 14 oz can refried beans

1 1 pound processed cheese loaf, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1.) In a small saucepan, combine beer, cumin, oregano and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, re duce heat and simmer for two minutes.

2.) In a bowl, combine beans, salsa, cheese cubes and beer mixture. Spoon into a lightly greased slow cooker stone ware.

3.) Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 1-2 hours until bubbly and the cheese has melted. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving.

4.) Serve with toritlla chips. n

From 300 Slow Cooker Favorites By Donna-Marie Pye

From 300 Slow Cooker Favorites

Donna-Marie