Saturday, September 1, 2012

Chicken Tamale Pie - Retro Recipe Saturday



Today's recipe is a Chicken Tamale Pie from the cookbook 250 Ways to prepare Poultry and Game Birds, copyright 1954.  It looked like an interesting recipe, and again my pantry is full, so I am trying to use what I have in my home already.  Let's get cooking.



Chicken Tamale Pie

Ingredients:

2 to 3 cups corn-meal mush
2 to 3 cups sliced chicken
salt and pepper
1 can tomato sauce
1 can whole kernel corn
2 TB Sugar
2 TB olive oil
1/2 cup raisins, scalded and chopped
10 ripe olives sliced
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese for top

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease shallow casserole dish.

Spread corn-meal mush in bottom of greased shallow casserole dish.

Arrange the chicken over the mush and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Combine the rest of the ingredients, except the cheese, and add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Pour over the chicken.

Sprinkle cheese on top.

Bake for 45 minutes

Serve from casserole

Serves 6 to 8

For 3 cups cornmeal mush, cook 1/2 cup cornmeal in 3 cups of boiling water with 1 1/2 tsp salt.

So now for the down and dirty on this recipe.   I've been trying to be honest about these Retro Recipes.  I have a few suggestions.  First, you will notice that there are no seasonings in the recipe, this worked out okay, since I added the cilantro lime diced tomatoes. The the seasoned tomatoes gave the chicken tamale pie enough flavor.  I would just adjust the recipe to 1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce instead of a 14 oz. can.  In the alternative, you could use a small can of tomato paste mixed in with the diced tomatoes to thicken it. (Maybe the better idea) The one big change that I would make is with the cornmeal mush.  It was thick when I put it in the bottom of the pan, but once the other ingredients were added, it became runny.  o my suggestion would be to bake the mush for 15 minutes before you add the other ingredients to firm it up.  Kind of like you would make polenta.

I hope you enjoyed today's Chicken Tamale Pie from my Retro Recipe Saturday.  Let me know what you think of this recipe.  I always love hearing from all of you.

Enjoy!!!
Debi
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Friday, August 31, 2012

Peach Lemonade Rum Fizz for Friday's Happy Hour and Favorite Friday Blog Links



So I am testing cocktails for you all of the time for my new series Friday's Happy Hour.  It is a tough job, but someone has to do it.   Today, I am featuring a new light cocktail that we tested last weekend.  Light if flavor, not calories, I do not know about the calories.  It is a simple recipe, and I think that you will have fun with it.

Watch for next Friday's Happy Hour, I am working on a fun one.  I had an Arctic Grape Cooler at the Landmark Theaters in Greenwood Village, and it was great, so I am trying to make one you.  Now let me present you with this weeks cocktail Peach Lemonade Rum Fizz for Friday's Happy Hour.

Peach Lemonade Rum Fizz

Ingredients:

1 cup Lemonade
1/4 cup peach nectar 
1/2 cup rum
2 TB peach schnapps
1/4 cup sprite or diet sprite

Mix all ingredients together, pour over ice and serve.

Makes 2 cocktail.

I hope you like this recipe.  Let me know what you think.  I would love to hear from you.

Now for Favorite Friday Blog Links.  I love introducing all of these wonderful blogs and their bloggers each week.  I hope that you enjoy them as much as I do.


I hope that you enjoyed this new drink recipe and my Favorite Friday Blog Links.  Send me your comments.  I am always happy to hear from you.

Enjoy!!!
Debi
Find us at these great parties

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Vince's Double Bacon Cheeseburger Dip


Today's recipe Vince's Double Bacon Cheeseburger Dip comes from my oldest son.  You have seen him in pictures on my Natural Shave Soap Recipe posting.  He was telling me about this recipe and was making it for a friends birthday, so I asked him if I could post in here for all of you.  It sounded so good, that I would love to be eating this.  Anyway, here is Vince's Double Bacon Cheeseburger Dip, truly amazingly, deliciously, good.  Also, Vince is a photographer, and he is one of my sponsors, so you may want to check out his website BeSublimePhotography and see all of his great photos.  I am one very proud mom.  He is very talented, and he cooks.
Give this a try for with tomorrow's recipe for Peach Lemonade Rum Fizz on Friday's Happy Hour post.


Vince's Double Cheeseburger Dip
 
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 pound bacon, crispy and diced
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
8 ounces of Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 cup of Sour Cream
1/2 cup of mayo
1 cup of Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 cup of Pepper Jack Cheese, shredded
2 Jalapenos, diced, seeds and all
4 tablespoons of Sweet and Spicy barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
  1. Cook ground beef in a pan over medium heat, set aside and drain grease from the pan
  2. Bake the bacon at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until crispy, set aside, save about 2 tablespoons of grease
  3. Use bacon grease to saute bacon, onion, garlic, and jalapeno for about 10 minutes in a pan
  4. Mix ground beef, bacon, onion, garlic, jalapeno, cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, barbecue sauce, and Worcestershire sauce into a baking dish
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until top starts turning golden brown and sides are bubbling
  6. Serve and enjoy with chips, pita bread, or toasted bread slices
Okay, so is this an amazing recipe or what?  I love hearing from you, so send me your comments or questions.  Also, you can reach Vince at besublimephotography@gmail.com with any questions.  I will be hosting a giveaway of one of his pictures from his website sometime in  September, so be on the lookout for that.

Enjoy!!!

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Free Bee Sweet Hat Pattern (Crocheted) Wednesday's Adorned From Above Link Party 15



Today, I am also giving away a FREE PATTERN FOR A CROCHETED HAT THAT I CALL MY BEE SWEET HAT.  You will find the Pattern Instructions after the Link Party information.

Welcome to my Wednesdays Adorned from Above Link Party 15. I hope that all of you have fun, and I can't wait to see all of your beautiful work from the last week.  You are all truly amazing.  We hit 117 links last week, that is a record.   I want to thank all of you for your support of Adorned From Above.  I really appreciate all of the time you take to link to my parties.  Keep up the good work.

The first thing I am going to ask any of you to do is to become a GFC Follower if you are not already following me.  I would really appreciate it. You would also follow me on Pinterest, Twitter, or Facebook, Linky, anything you want.

This week I am featuring the three top blogs that had the most visits. Clicking on the like button will also help to pick which posts you like the most.  Right now I am picking the links with the most page views.
 
I am thrilled to feature the following posts this week.  So without further ado, I would like to present these beautiful and informative blogs.  To those of you that I featured just grab my new Wednesdays Adorned From Above Featured Button in my sidebar, or you can post a text link.





I want to thank everyone who linked with my Wednesdays Adorned From Above Link Party.  All of your projects are wonderful and I would feature all of them if I could, but I think that the blog would probably be a little too long.  I hope that all of you link more posts this week.  Let's Party!!!

Your posts can include anything, I would love to see what you have been up to.


The only rules are to follow me, have a link somewhere on your post to Adorned From Above, and visit some other posts - after all it is a party.
Today I am departing from my normal DIY Beauty Product and giving you my Bee Sweet Hat Pattern for FREE. This is a custom pattern that I made to submit to Storey Publishing last year.  They did not accept it, so their loss is your gain. It is a fairly simple design, but I thought it came out really cute.  I hope that all of you like it.  Have fun crocheting.



Free Bee Sweet Hat Pat Pattern

Description

This hat is crocheted with Be Sweet’s Magic Ball yarn.  It is crocheted as one piece with no seams. I have used several stitches and patterns such as; single crochet, double crochet, chains, slip stitches, and a fan pattern.  This yarn was great to work with, since it has several yarns and colors in one skein. It is a self striping yarn.  I liked the way it looked when the different yarns are joined to each other, so I left them showing.

Pattern

Chain (ch)
Single Crochet (sc) +
Double Crochet (dc)
Slip Stitch (sl)


Instructions:

Row 1: Ch 3, then dc in first chain 11 times   (Counts as 12 dc’s), slip stitch in 2nd ch

Row 2: Ch 3 and dc in first dc, 2 dc in each dc repeat to end sl in 3rd ch (24 dc)

Row 3: Ch 3 (does not count as first st), dc in same dc and next dc, 2 dc in next st, *dc in next two dc, then 2 dc in next dc** rep * to ** to end, sl st in 1st dc, (36 dc)

Row 4: Ch 3 (does not count as first st), dc in same dc and next 2 dc, 2 dc in next st,  *dc in next three dc, then 2 dc in next dc** rep * to ** to end, sl st in 1st dc, (48 dc)

Row 5: Ch 3 (does not count as first st),  dc in same dc and next 2 dc, 2 dc in next st, *dc in next 3 dc, then 2 dc in next dc** rep * to ** to end, sl st in 1st dc, (60 dc)

Row 6: Ch 3 (does not count as first st), dc in same dc in next 3 dc, then 2 dc in next dc, dc in next 4 dc, then 2 dc in next dc** rep * to ** to end, sl st in 1st dc, (72 dc) , ch1

Row 7: Sc in 1st dc, ch 4, sk 3 dc, sc in next dc, *ch 4, sk 3 dc, sc in next dc ** rep to end sl st in 1st sc (18 ch 4 sp and 18 sc)

Row 8: sl st in next ch 4 sp, ch 3 and 7 dc in ch 4 sp (counts as 8 dc), *sc in next ch 4 sp, ch 4, sc in next ch 4 sp, 8 dc in next ch 4 sp** , rep to end, sc in next ch 4 sp, ch 4 and sc in next ch 4 sp,  sl st in 3rd ch in ch 3 at beginning of row.

Row 9: ch 3, dc in each of next 7 dc, *sc in next ch 4 sp, dc in each of next 8 dc,** rep to end sc in ch 4 sp, sl in ch 3 of 1st ch 3.

Row 10: sl st in next dc, sl st in next dc, ch 1 and sc same space, ch 4, sk next 2 dc, sc in next dc, ch 4, sk next 2 dc, dc in sc, *ch 4, sc in dc, ch 4, sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, ch 4, sk 2 dc, dc in next sc** rep to end, ch 4, sl st in 1st sc of row.

Row 11:  sl st in next ch 4 sp, ch 3 and 7 dc in ch 4 sp (counts as 8 dc), *sc in next ch 4 sp, ch 4, sc in next ch 4 sp, 8 dc in next ch 4 sp** , rep to end, sc in next ch 4 sp, ch 4 and sc in next ch 4 sp,  sl st in 3rd ch in ch 3 at beginning of row.

Row 12:  ch 3, dc in each of next 7 dc, *sc in next ch 4 sp, dc in each of next 8 dc,** rep to end sc in ch 4 sp, sl in ch 3 of 1st ch 3.

Row 13 - 15: rep row 12 -   sl st in 3rd ch of ch 3, ch 3,  dc in each of next 7 dc, *sc in next sc, dc in each of next 8 dc,** rep to end sc in next sc,  sl st in 3rd ch of ch 3 in beginning of row.  Fasten off, and weave in end, and weave in beginning tail.



Let me know if you like this hat pattern.  I have more patterns that I will post every once in a while.  I always love hearing your comments.


Enjoy!!!
Debi 
Find us at these great parties

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

How To Make A Sponsor Button Link

Last week I posted How To Make A Link Party Button and Featured Blogger Button for Blogger.  Again, I was a little stressed trying to get my page for advertising done, and needed to figure out How To Make A Sponsor Button Link to their websites.  I experimented with my son's logo for his website BeSublimePhotography, which worked out great.  He is my sponsor for the next 3 months, in return, he will take a great picture of me for the blog.  I am kind of excited, since my self portrait in a bathroom mirror is not great, but better then anything else I have.  I figure I am getting the better end of the deal, and by the way, did I mention he is a great photographer and an all around nice guy.

Anyway, so enough about my son.  This button turned out so easy to make.  I just had to use the first part of the html code for the button and grab box html code.  This is so easy, you will all be able to do this.  The steps are basically the same. 

How to Make - Sponsor Button Link

1.  The first thing you will need to do is get the image that your sponsor wants you to use for the button.  You can have them submit it to you in the size that you want, or you can re size it yourself, just like you did for your Featured Blogger button.


2. If you are doing the resizing you will need to crop your image to a square and then adjusted the size to 125 x 125 pixels or whatever size you want. ( ie  90x90, 150x150 ).  I am not familiar with a lot of other editing programs, but the Paper Heart Camera post suggests using photobucket.   I think that you can do all of your editing in this program.  Vince's logo came already in a square, so I just had to reduce the pixel size to 125 x 125.

3. Unlike the Featured Blogger Button, this logo should already have the text on it, when it is submitted to you.

4.  Next I uploaded the logo into photobucket, but if you are working in photobucket it is already there.

5.  You will then to work on your html code so that you when someone clicks on the picture it will take them to your sponsors website.   We are just using the first part of the code from the button and grab box, we are using the button code only.  The code below is what I used for my Sponsor Button Link.  I did this in notepad.  Just copy and paste.

<div align="center"> <a href="http://besublimephotography.deviantart.com" target="_blank"><img alt="BeSublimePhotography" src="http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w437/debrabolocofsky/5d249170.png" /></a> </div>

Change the red text to your blog's link
Change the blue text to the Name of You Blog
Change the fuscha text to the link for your picture in photobucket

6. To find the link for your picture in photobucket, you will click on your picture and you will see a box around the picture with several boxes of code beneath it.  Click in the direct link box.  It will say copied.  Then just paste it over the link for my picture link.

7. Next, pick your gadget,  it is the HTML/Java Third Party Script.  Give it a name, I named my Sponsors.  Then I copied the text from Notepad and pasted it into my Widget's text box.

8.  Save, and then I clicked Preview, to make sure that it looked right.  If something is wrong, check your code and your different links.  This is what Vince's looks like for BeSublimePhotography.  You can see it and how it works by clicking on the button under my sponsors.




9.  It should be working fine.  If you have any problems, send me a message, and I will try to answer them.

I hope that this helps you to make a Sponsor Button Link for all of the sponsors you are going to get for advertising. It is pretty easy, once you get the hang of it.  Let me know what you think.  I always love hearing from you.

Enjoy!!!
Debi
 Oh, I almost forgot I'm offering a special for sponsors advertising.
$10.00 per month
or
$25.00 for 3 months
You can look at my Contacts / Advertise page to reach me for question or advertising.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Perserverance - Short Bible Study



5:2 Through whom we also have access by faith into this grace in which we stand,
 and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
5:3 And not only in that, but we also glory in tribulations,
knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
Romans 5:2 - 3

I was writing back and forth with a friend the other day about Matthew 5:1-5, a different friend this time.  Right now I am really stuck on these verses.  Perseverance is what came to the for front of this conversation.  I wrote to him that it seems like when times get tough, I have to work so much harder at staying faithful. Not that I lose my faith, but I can be tempted by things that God does not really want for me or my life.  It is easy to fall into bad habits or self destructive ways when you are tired or maybe feeling depleted.


Last week I wrote about reading  Matthew 5:1-5, and what stuck with me was Matthew 5:2 and 5:3, "glory in  tribulations"  and that creates perseverance.   Maybe when I praise God and remember to  "glory in tribulations", then I will remain more steadfast in my faith, even when things get tough.  When we are seeking God, with Perseverance, the Holy Spirit will lead us in the direction that God wants us to go.  Following God's lead will always make it easier to deal with tribulations.

5:4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope,
5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured into 
our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 5:4 and 5:5
I love that 5:4 goes on to say that through perseverance we receive character, and through character, hope.  Then 5:5 says, hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured into our hearts.  How great is that?  When we received the Holy Spirit, we received God's love.  If we can accept God's love during those tough times, then we are less likely to fall into those self destructive ways.

I would love to hear what comments you have.  I always love hearing from you.

Have a blessed day.
Debi

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Thrift Store Finds in August



I have been to several thrift shops and consignment stores in Littleton and Denver over the last month, and today I wanted to show you some of my Thrift Store Finds in August.  I am not listing all of the prices prices on things, because you will see from the pictures that I have bought a lot this last month.  This is not even everything.  I did ask for a senior discount even though I am not 55 yet, I figured what could it hurt. They gave it to me, so that was great.  It gave me an extra 25% off of household items.  I have had a lot of fun, but I also have a lot of work cut out for me.  You will start seeing some of the projects over the next few months.  It should be a fun fall.  Anyway, on to Thrift Store Finds in August.  Have fun browsing.

My first stop was Savers Thrift Store on Littleton Blvd. in Littleton, Colorado.  I spent a little over  $62.00.  I was able to get 25 % off of all the household goods with the senior discount.  I received a 50% discount with my Savers Card on all of the clothing.  My second stop was Act II Consignment Store which is directly behind Savers, in the same parking lot.  I spent $40.00 there on  the two tops and the shoes.


 I need a place to store sewing accessories on my counter in my office, so I bought
this little bookshelf.  I'm not sure what color I am going to paint it yet, but my office is mostly pastels.  I also thought this end table was cool, and I am going to paint it.
Not sure what color yet, or where it will go.

 bookcase $7.99 less 25% = $5.99
end table 9.99 less 25% = $7.49

 I bought all of these glasses, crystal, dishes, vases, and the candle holder.
I received 25% off of all of these items. 

 I love all of these pretty glass pieces.  I needed some things to take pictures
of some of the food that I make.  Everything I have seems to be white or clear,
so I needed to add some color in my pictures.  Some I just bought because I
like the colors for my living room.

I love that I received 50% off of all of the clothes.
 
 
 The dress is an Ann Taylor dress.  The sleeves are too tight, so they are coming off, and the dress will be sleeveless.  I love it.  The only other piece that I need to work on is the black lace skirt.
I am going to replace the lining with a black lining, it will be shortened, and the waistband
replaced.  Someone shortened it from the waist, and didn't do it correctly, so I will fix that.
The other skirts are great.  I didn't think about putting the clothes on my mannequins to
take these pictures. Duh, Debi, you only have two.  Oh, well next time my
presentation will be better.
Ann Taylor dress $7.99 less 50% = $3.99
Long black skirt $2.99 less 50% = $1.49
Black lace skirt $4.99 less 50 % = $2.49
Burgundy tweed skirt $3.99 less 50% = $1.99
Blush skirt silk, lace, and rhinestones $5.99 less 50% = $2.99

 


You can see the skirts up close.  The burgundy tweed skirt has a chiffon under layer at the bottom.
It is really a pretty skirt.  The blush skirt is spectacular.  I love it.  It is hard to tell, but it has tiny pink rhinestones in the center of each seam.  In the picture on the right you can see the top that I
got from Act II Consignment store.  It is so pretty with the lace and sheer fabric.
$16.00





Black and White Top with ruffle bottom From Acts II  $16.00
Etienne Aigner Shoes barely worn from Acts II $8.00


I bought these two mens' sport coats, because I read a article in August 2012 issue of
 Altered Couture that had the cutest blazer redos.  So these two blazer are going to be totally
redone, complete with lace and a ruffled peplum in the back.  Can't wait to get to them.
Each blazer was $9.99 x 2 = $19.98 less 50% = $9.99
little black dress $5.99 less 50% = $2.99
So all of the clothes from Savers totaled $28.92
The furniture came to $13.48
The glass kitchen items totaled approximately $20.00

I thought that this was pretty good for all that I got, and I have lots of projects to do, and show all of you.  Kinda of exciting.  

Well I'm happy that I was able to show you what I bought on one of my thrift shop runs.  I went two other times in August.  I did not get as much, but what I got was really great, including a pair of Emilio Pucci sandals worn once at most.  I'll show those pictures another day. 

Thanks for joining me today!!!
Debi
Find us at these great parties