Mashed Potatoes in a Crock Pot

5 lbs sierra gold potatoes or red potatoes, diced with peel
1 c water
1 c butter, cut into chunks
1 TBS salt
¾ tsp pepper
1 1/3 c milk, warmed
Place the potatoes, water, and butter into a slow cooker.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover, and cook on High for 4 hours.  Do not remove the excess water from slow cooker. This adds to the creamy texture.  Mash potatoes with a masher or electric beater, adding the desired amount of warm milk to achieve a creamy consistency.  Keep warm on low until serving.  Potatoes keep consistency for a couple of hours after mashing. Just keep the lid on the slow cooker and serve directly from there.

*** Notes - I used the "butter gold" potatoes, don't!  They are stringy and have a weird texture.  I think I would have been happier with plain ole russets!  Otherwise this was easy & good!

Pecan Pumpkin Butter Dip

One of the Bunko hostesses makes this (thanks Vicki) and it is wonderful.  I have my changes below.  

1 jar (approx. 9 oz.) Pumpkin Butter (on the jelly aisle)

8 oz cream cheese - softened

1/2 lb cooked, crumbled Bacon or 1 bag Hormel Real Crumbled Bacon 

5 - 6 green onions, chopped 

1/2 - 1 c pecans, chopped

crackers - any kind you like

Gently spread cream cheese on bottom of serving dish (I use small, shallow dish).  Spread pumpkin butter over cream cheese.  Layer bacon, onions and then pecans over top.  Serve with crackers.  Can serve immediately but better to refrigerate for several hours.   Keeps well covered for two days.  Use Williams Sonoma Pumpkin Butter with pecans or Muirhead Pumpkin Pecan Butter 

I used 2/3 of a jar of Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter

I used almost a whole bag of  Bacon Bits

I used 1 lone green onion

I would also like to make this as a cheese ball. I would mix the cream cheese and pumpkin butter until smooth. Chill and then mold, roil in the bacon bits, green onions and pecans.  If you beat me to making it this way - let me know the results.