It has been a great summer. We had our first garden in a few years. Fresh tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and eggplant were great, and we still have okra coming in. I have made peach preserves, plum preserves, and green tomato pickles. We had enough rain to keep the grass from dying, and the ponds are looking great. However, I’ve had enough. I am over summer. I am over the hot weather. I am ready for sweaters and soup.
Maybe it was the first football game this past Friday night. I suppose that marks the unofficial beginning of fall for me. I have begun planning my trip to the mountains for apples, I am over the garden, and I am more than ready for the rattlesnakes to go back into hiding. Yes, we have seen three in the yard over the past couple of weeks!
With the changes that come with fall, Wes plans to move out in a few months. He has taken a job about an hour from the house and wants to be closer to work. Wes has lived with us throughout college and throughout most of grad school (he finishes in November). I will miss him but I know he needs to spread his wings and I’m excited to watch him grow. I have been trying to help him stock up on a few things that I know he will need, one being a crock-pot.
Here’s a fantastic recipe, that I found on recipesthatcrock.com, for Wesley to try in his new crock-pot. I had never thought to use French Onion Dip in recipes before, but I even added it to Beef Stroganoff after I made this. I served this over riced cauliflower, and we went wild over it. If you are not into cauliflower and do not care to eat low-carb, serve over rice.
- 3-lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Grill Mates Montreal Steak seasoning, to taste
- 1½ c. refrigerated French onion dip
- 2 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, divided
- 6 slices crisp bacon, crumbled
- 3 green onions, sliced, optional
- Riced cauliflower (or rice if you are not concerned about carbs)
- Season chicken with steak seasoning and place in the crock-pot. Using an electric mixer, combine 8-ounces cream cheese and dip until mixed well (1 to 2 minutes). Slather cream cheese mixture over chicken. Cover crock-pot and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours. When chicken is done, using two forks, shred the chicken. Turn the crock-pot off. Cube the remaining cream cheese, add to crock-pot and stir until melted. Serve over riced cauliflower and garnish with bacon and green onions.
