a.forte's blog of Spain Hill Farm: blog tour

Showing posts with label blog tour. Show all posts

Friday, June 12, 2015

This Blog Journey We're On Together

I guess you've noticed the new header and the new NAME! I'm so excited to finally make the change. I've debated and hem-hawed about it for a long time. Well. No time like the present, right?

Don't leave me hanging! Click here to read more!

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Family Recipe Swap: Mamaw's Chicken and Dumplings

Whether you call her Mamaw, Grandma, Nana, or Gigi, you have to admit grandmothers are pretty special and so is their cooking! Today, I'm participating in a blog tour with bluwaterlife, The Crowned Goat, 2 Bees in a Pod, and Concord Cottage as we celebrate moms by sharing our favorite family recipes.

Growing up, we called my mother's mother, Mamaw. My mother has taken on that name from her grandchildren too. And, let me tell you, these two have made some incredibly delicious dishes in their days! Today I'm sharing my Mamaw's famous chicken and dumplings...sort of. I don't have the special touch that she added to hers that made them so flavorful. Perhaps it was the fact that she used a lot of items fresh from their farm or the fact that she would cook a whole chicken, make her own stock, and her own dumplings from scratch. Yep, that's probably it but I will say, these chicken and dumplings, inspired by her recipe, are pretty doggone good too!

There is a printable and Pinnable recipe at the end of this post but for now, let's get on with some of the basics.

I use 1 pound of skinless, boneless frozen chicken breasts, boil in about 3 cups of water and 16 oz. of chicken stock, adding poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, and butter. I put these on the stove about 3 hours before dinner and just let them cook on a slow simmer. You want the chicken to pull apart quite easily.

Once the chicken has boiled for a couple of hours, I used two forks to shred the chicken. I did this while still in the pot but you can remove it and add it back in. After the chicken is shredded, add 1 can cream of chicken soup and 2 cups of half and half (I know! Just try to not think about the calories) to the pot. Stir until the soup is incorporated well. Next, taking about a cup of the liquid from the pot, pour it into a dish and add a couple tablespoons of cornstarch. Whisk until the lumps are gone and add back to the pot.

Next, the tortilla strips (aka dumplings) go in. I use a pizza cutter to make the strips. Add the strips into a ziploc baggie with about a half of a cup of flour and shake. Add the flour-coated strips to the chicken pot and gently push into the stock.

We're almost done! I let this simmer for about 15 minutes on medium high, watching carefully. This will allow the stock to thicken from the cornstarch and flour.

Now, we're ready to eat!! Be careful...chicken and dumplings are hot!

Be sure to continue our Family Recipe Swap by visiting my friends at:

Thanks for stopping by and God bless!
Angie

Thursday, September 11, 2014

#TBT Throwback Thursday at The Altered Past

I've never done a #TBT Throwback Thursday post...not even on Facebook that I can remember. However, when I was thinking about what to blog next, my daughter said, "Why don't you do a throwback post to your old posts?" Yeah! Why not?

Recently, a group of bloggers were asked why they chose their blog names. Mine, of course, is The Altered Past. I chose that name because, way back in 2009, I began blogging about my altered art. So, I'm throwing it to 2009 for this #TBT. (I had to laugh as some of my early blog photos...kinda like laughing at the 80s big hair days...which I also had!)

Altered art is sort of a collage of mixed media. My pieces were created out of old, found objects, and the older they were the better.

So you can get an idea of what I'm talking about here are a couple of altered albums I made using the lunch size paper bags. (Forgive the poor quality photos...see, I was a total newbie to it all.)

This was the "Mommy and Me" albums I made. Matching albums, loaded with old recipes, pieces from a sewing pattern, scrapbook paper, old clothes pins, and the spine of each album is a vintage kitchen utensil, full size and child size.

Here's another paper bag album with a vintage circus theme. I learned a lot about the early days of the circus while making this one. Did you know that instead of saying "break a leg" clowns say "bump a nose"...love it!

Also, when the circus was performing in the last city of the tour, they hung their fliers upside down. After that, everyone knew they were heading home.

I also made altered art by recycling Altoid's cans. This western themed one was my favorite but the photos are on an old laptop that crashed. Lesson learned...always back up your files :)

After the paper bag albums and Altoid's tins, I began making altered art snowmen out of vintage bottles and other objects. This guy's name is Joey. I never sold him because he was my first. Others I've sold or given away. I still make these from time to time. I'm actually working on one right now for fall.

So anyway, my blog name came about because of the altered art projects I was creating at the time. Now, fast forward a few years, I'm not making as much altered art but I still love changing things from the past. So, my blog name sort of fit what I'm still doing today.

I love thrift store shopping and I love finding vintage items that aren't quite popular yet (because they're still cheaper and easier to find!) Repurposing those things (like the mercury glass pumpkins) satisfies my craving to create. Like I said in my Blogland Tour post. I've just got to create. It's a part of me.

I hope you enjoyed Throwback Thursday and looking back with me at the early days of my blog. Thanks for stopping by and God bless!!

Angie

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Redneck Nachos for Game Day

It's week 2 of the Fall Blog Tour and we're sharing recipes this week. We began the week with Jennifer of The Striped House and her Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pancakes (how can you go wrong with those two!) and Lisa of Concord Cottage with Pumpkin Zucchini Lasagna looks delicious! So, if you hopping over from their blogs, welcome!!

Here's my recipe for the week. I'm not sure if this qualifies as a recipe or a "throw-together" but either way, it's one of my family's favorites for watching our favorite football teams on game day!

Here's the list of things you'll need:

1 large bag On the Border Tortilla Chips (may not take the entire bag but use the extra chips for afterwards)
1 pound pulled pork BBQ (If you have a local favorite BBQ spot, that works best but a prepared one from the grocery store will also work)
1 15-oz. can great northern beans (drained)
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup sliced banana peppers
1 bottle Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce (drizzle with about 1/4 cup but you may want the bottle for dipping later)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Now we're ready to assemble!

Cover a baking sheet with the tortilla chips, about one chip layer deep.

Now, spread the entire pound of pork barbecue over the chips.

Spread the northern beans on top of the pork. I use a large fork or a slotted spoon to keep any remaining liquid in the can from making the chips soggy.

Oh, now for the good stuff. You don't want to skip this...Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce! We love this bbq sauce and it adds great flavor to the dish. Drizzle the sauce over the entire pan, adding as much or as little as you want. We normally use about a 1/4 cup. My hubby adds more to his plate of nachos for dipping too!

Now you get to pile on the peppers and onions (or your favorite toppings). My household is split so our nachos are half onion and half banana peppers.

Top it all with cheese and they're ready for the oven!

Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted and the outer chips are beginning to brown.

Once they're out of the oven, you can add sour cream or jalapeno peppers or even Sriracha sauce for a kick! I like them all on mine! :)

And, you're done! Just in time because the game is on!

Here's a printable and Pinnable (from the sidebar, sorry my hover Pin isn't working correctly) recipe card for you:

I hope you give these a try. They're simple but always a crowd pleaser. For another great fall recipe, don't forget to check out 2 Bees in a Pod tomorrow!! The blog tour continues with CoCo and Bobbi later this week! :)

Thanks for stopping by and God bless!

Angie