Easy Cookie recipe

Todays song is JAM! but aren't they all.This reminds me of my father trying to teach me to rollerskate at Northland Roller rink in Southfield MI.I still can't skate to save my life.My father the smooth backwards skater would go around the rink as me and my siblings would stare in awe...No as I remember it correctly I would stare,and they'd be out there trying to learn.I haven't been skating at Northland in a good 10 yrs;but I guarantee that if you go back tomorrow during free skate hours they'll be playing Tell me by the SOS band.

Ya'll know by now that I'm not the best baker in the world. Lucky for me as i was flipping thru this months Healthy Cooking magazine I found a pretty simple recipe.I was excited that I'd get to use those cookie cutters I bought.I feel that everyone should have a good go to recipe for everything.One that's simple and easy to shake up a bit.That's what this one is,easy,fast and you can add icing or decorations to it if youd like!

Here's what you'll need:
1/4th c butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brwn sugar
1 egg
2 tbspn canola oil
1/4th tspn vanilla extract
Cup & a half flour
1/4 tspn salt
1/8 tspn baking soda

1)In a large bowl beat butter & sugars till crumbly,then add egg,oil and vanilla.
2) Combine flour,salt and baking soda,then gradually add to butter & sugar mix.
(this is where I did my own thang)

The recipe will tell you to divide dough in half and blah,blah.I did not,I simply rolled out the dough,floured mu cutters and went to work.   

I lined the pan with foil then sprayed with butter.I only used 2 of the cutters,the lips and the heart.After doing this i was exhausted,it is sooo hard pulling the dough up from the surface after its been cut and getting it to the baking sheet w/out stretching it,whew! why didn't ya'll tell me this?

This what i did with the remainder of the dough,I was so done with those cookie cutters.These will bake at 350 for about 8mins. Meanwhile I prepared a simple topping for the cookies.Confectionery sugar,nutmeg and pumpkin spice.(didn't measure it)
Mix it together and after the cookies come out and they have cooled sprinkle on top.They take no time at all to cool.

Yes..I call this particular work of art,"Snow falls on Cookie city"

Lasagna cupcakes

Today in remembrance of the life and career of Vesta Williams I will be playing her most famous song Congratulations.What a talented lady and my heart does go out to her family.

Well this weekend I finally got around to making my version of lasagna cupcakes.They are adorable and perfect for a party.They're small but filling and rich,so don't eat too many! I found this amazing cheese sauce recipe months ago and couldn't wait to use it! I was finally able to use it last night,but instead of using whipping cream I used milk,I already had it.In any event after you made the sauce here's what you'll need:

Tbl spn olive oil
1 c shrimp
12 wonton wrappers
Dashes of salt & pepper







About 12 this slices of white cheddar and 1/2 c of yellow shredded cheddar.


Now after the sauce has been made its time to work on the shrimp.Actually looking back on it, make the sauce as you are cooking the shrimp.The sauce gets clumpy as it cools and you have to re-heat it slightly to make it smooth.

-Peel the shrimp and put into a bowl,toss w/olive oil,salt & pepper.Put this on a baking sheet and into the over on 350 for about 8 mins.

-While the shrimp is in the oven you take that time to line your cupcake pan with liners,then butter those liners so the "cupcake" doesn't stick.After they have been buttered lay the wonton paper into the liners.

-At this point the shrimp is out and you can began to assemble! this is how I do it:
1)Put a tble spn of sauce into the wonton and spread it around,just on the bottom
2)Put 2 pcs of shrimp on top of the sauce then 1 slice w.cheddar.Then top it with y.cheddar.Thats it,then they go in the oven on 375 for 10 mins.

Take this time to clean up the kitchen so that when Deperate Housewives comes on you can just sit back and enjoy!











When the cupcakes are done they look like this

Like I said rich,but sinfully inviting in the best way possible! Does this look anything like a cupcake?

Livin for the weekend

Well if you listen to the O'Jays you already know what todays song is .After the week I"ve had,ugh I'm surprised I made it.Livin for the weekend is the ultimate chill wknd song and after the week I've had I kinda wish the weekend could last forever....


FYI:This post has nothing to do with food so blah.This week has been hellish for me.On thursday I was 2 hairs away from quitting my job,I didn't do it because I wouldn't have an income but mannn I was close.I've been working at the legal clinic for 2 yrs no and its really beginning to wear thin on me. I can't divulge details because it could be used against me in a court of law(if it ever got that far).I will say that there is alot of unfairness and preferential treatment and I'm on the receiving end if none of it.I am pretty good at ignoring this except for when my superiors wanna come down on me for things that after it all boils down isn't actually my fault.I've been praying alot,I always do;I have trust in God and I know that his plan will prevail and I'm ready for Him to take me where he wants me to be.At some point this week I might lose my job,and I'm ok with that,kinda.I know that whatever happens I will keep my head up and make it thru like I have so many times before.I know that God's got this,and I'm ready for his masterplan.So please excuse me while I spend my friday night looking for jobs and a halloween costume...yea I'm helping my friend out with a film competition he's in so I'll be on set all day tomorrow.Excuse my little rant but this week had really been testing me this week! whew!

Sur La Table

Today's song is not very common and pretty hard to find.I don't know when it came out but my father used to have what i call a "mix master". Now this was back in the day before,waayyy before itunes and alll that stuff;my dad had a guy that could find any song and put it on a tape (yes youngins a tape,) for you.Well the mix master had a hard time finding this song,but somehow one day he'd found it and was able to put it on a tape for my dad.When will you be mine? embodies every aspect of a big band from the 20's or 30's but with much more soul.

Well kiddies today's blog os a vlog! i just love these,the video phone is such an amazing invention.Who ever woulda thunk it?? Anyhoo this one is about my findings at one of my favorite shops,enjoy! Sur la Table

Fish n' Chips

Hey ya'll today I bring you the relaxing sounds of John Coltrane. Soul Eyes is a beautiful song thats kinda special to me because I played this in college for an audition,on the violin.It really rocked!! Anywhoooo I hope you enjoy!



Most of you know by now that I rarely fry anything,last weekend however I jus really wanted to eat some of the whiting that I had in the freezer,and I wanted to do something different with it.I decided to fry it, then I thought "ah I've got a potato in the fridge,I should make chips". So I did.I also made a zesty little remoulade sauce. I'll have to prewarn you however...I really didn't measure anything for the sauce, J'ai regrette(I'm sorry). Here is what you need:

So it starts w/mayo I would guestimate about a quarter of a cup.4 dash's of hot sauce and about a tbl spn red pepper,its pretty zippy! about a tblspn dill and lemon juice then salt to taste. Sometimes I add in green onions I just didn't have any that day.


for the potato chips

1)Get a deep pot and turn the eye on med, then pour in about 3 parts vege oil to 1 part sesame oil.Let the oil get hot it takes about 10mins well for my old ass stove anyway!.
2) SLice that tater up as thin as you can get,if you have a mandolin,use it.Make sure that you have a tray lined with paper towel for after the chips are finished.
3) Put the chips in,in 3 different batches. If you want them really crunchy leave them in for about 7 mins,then sprinkle them with salt and pepper.You gotta do it while they're hot!

Now for the fish and chips:

2 pieces thawed whiting,cut in pieces on bias

1.5 c's of flour & 1 c of cornmeal

2 c's buttermilk

Few dashes of salt & cayenne pepper

You will use the same oil you fried the chips in.

1) Soooo mix together the cornmeal,flour,salt & cayenne then pour the buttermilk in a bowl.

2) Dip the fish first in the buttermilk then coat w/...well coating(cornmeal mixture)

3) Fry about 4 pieces at a time,and when they come out lightly sprinkle with salt.These only need to be fried for about 5 mins,they will cook fast.

As you can see my chips were not as crunch as I would have liked but they were still pretty good,and hot! The fish was soo good especially with the sauce!

Banana Bread Pudding

For once today's song is actually current,LOL. Rumor has it is a really great song by the awesomely talented Adele.She's such a breath of fresh air in today's world where we've got ppl famous for being rich and having sex.Lookey lookey this girl can actually sing,and there are no sex tapes of her on youtube.

So I grew up eating banana pudding,the kind with vanilla wafers.Recently I've had a hunkering for a great dessert;so I was looking online for a nana pudding and I found a really great recipe here. It's a really great blog. Anywhoslbeees my recipe is kinda loosely based on that one.A few differences I should note tho:
I used farmers bread,worked well i'll use egg bread or challah next time
I used 3.5 bananas
I did not use caramel sauce
Unfortunately I used a cup of sugar :(

Now lets go to the fair!(the fair is the nana pudding)

So this is the condensed milk,vanilla ,cinnamon eggs and salt.Whisked really well.

This is that adorable little casserole dish I got from the antique store on labor day.I first buttered the bottom and sides of the dish,then  sprinkled brwn sugar and put down some of the nanas.None of this is exact science,dont fret just do it!

Continue to layer,sugar,nanas,custard mix & bread until your all out.If I had it to do all over again which i will soon hehehe I would have cut the bread in half.Sprinkle sugar and pinch od cinnamon on top when your done.Then put it in the oven on 350 for about 35 mins.It will be piping hot,wait for it to cool.Totally worth the wait...and that smell,amazing.My whole apartment smelled like fresh cinnamon and yumness.

After it cools go get one of those dessert cups you got for 50 cent at the antique shop and fill er up! When I made this I ate it hot,but since then i've eaten it cold and its just as great.The banana pudding I grew up eating was always cold. This is something I will be unable to make very often,because it is sooo good. I made it saturday and its almost all gone.I didn't even share any with anyone...shhh dont tell the others.

Spinach,squash and shrimp (3 S's)

Well yall have probably guessed by now that I'm not a big fan of rap.Today's song is classic rap,rap when it was actually a decent genre of music..I don't know what it is now.Round the way Girl is my very favorite LL Cool J song.It reminds me of a few of the women in my family,it's just a chill song. Also (interesting tidbit) This is the only rap song I know %90 of the words to!


The 3 S's well this just kinda came to me this week. I wanted a dinner with no carbs because I'd had toast for breakfast and a $8 sandwich from cafe Bacci.It was soooo good.Thats how I came up with this,and it was pretty tasty. Everything is cooked in layers and if you don't like alot of flavour this is NOT the dish for you.It's packed w/little pockets of goodness.Here's what you need:

 2 yellow squash,2 cloves garlic
handful cilantro,cup of shrimp,4th c 
of parmesan cheese,Spinach,olive oil,
lime juice,tagine spice,crushed chili pepper,salt.

1.As I said everything is cooked in layers. After the spinach has been washed and is draining,the squash has been washed & cut.In a saute pan with the heat on medium put enough olive oil to coat then in goes the shrimp,garlic and  2 caps full of lime juice and crushed pepper.Cook until pink,like this.

2.Take shrimp out and set aside then cook squash,with 2 pinches salt.Cook until fork tender so about 7 mins.Then set that aside.

3. Finally its time to cook the spinach.Pour more oil in the pan on low heat then put in the spinach. It's really important that everything be cooked in the same pan,so many amazing seasonings! Back to spinach,saute it with tagine spice,cilantro and salt.Cook until wilted.Then you can plate! Spinach should cover the plate,then squash on top of that lastly the shrimp and cheese and then....BAMN!!

Bakin & Eggs...prepare to wait.

Well kiddies today's song is the very reason I wanted to become a singer.This is kinda where is started when I heard Lisa Fischer singing How Can I ease the pain I wanted to sing forever,and I wanted her voice.Now I couldn't have been more than 5 when this came out,but I knew every single word and adlib,every single breath she took.If you are old enough to remember this song you know it was hott!

Sunday after church I went with groupon in tow to Bakin & eggs a nice little spot in lakeview. I got there shortly after noon and it was already packed and there were 4 or 5 families outside waiting to be seated.Luckily I was by myself,so i was able to come right in and sit at the bar.The place has a really country feel to it.These pics are taken with my phone's camera so bear with me.
You can't see it real well but the shelf is lines with mason jars,very rustic,very country!

This was how my bill came to me,how darling is this? I haven't seen one of these since I was doing laundry in my grandparents basement years ago.

I ordered the spinach,mushroom & gruyere frittat with the cheese grits and chicken sausage.The frittat was bland,like the mushrooms and spinach had not been seasoned at all.I won't be ordering that again.The cheese grits & sausage was amazingly tasty.I'll be back for those.As I mentioned before I had a groupon worth $15 and my bill at this point was only $11.So I headed over to the baked goods counter and this was the real treat.

I bought these 3 cupcakes and came in only $2 over budget.1 carrot cake,vanilla on vanilla and chocolate on chocolate.I can't wait to get back for more of these and to try some of their pies.If your in town and want to check it out here are my suggestions:

Get there before 11am,don't order the same frittata,and get a carrot cake cupcake!

Antiques (My 1st vlog!!!)

In lieu of today being the last holiday of the summer :( . I've chosen one of the best re-do's ever! Originally done by the Mama's & Papa's California Dreaming has always been a great tune but when Queen Latifah did it some years ago she really blew it out the water.Click on the link to hear beautiful music as you watch my first vlog!!

Ok guys here it is,this is my first vlog so the scenes with me talking will be upside down,LOL! Nevermind that,just look at all the cool stuff I bought!

Red Velvet Cake

Well todays song reminds me of home.Twas a favorite in my household and it combined 2 amazing artists in a ballad that will not ever be forgotten.The best is yet to come is an awesome song,appropriate for a wedding or a day at the beach...or for a friday morning blog.

Sooo for my bday I got a giftcard to Williams & Sonoma(the best place in the world) and I bought a red velvet cake mix.I finally decided to try it last night...I really hesitated in sharing this with you guys because i don't like the way the cake looks.I should have cut the top off the cake to make it look better...I didn't because at the time I didn't think I needed to at the time.Whenever I bake something does not come out the way I want it to.The taste of the cake..is pure yumness,but I just don't like the way it looks.I didn't have enough confectionary sugar it was 90 degrees and I was feeling crampish so I had to use the buttercream I had on hand,which made the icing not as stiff as i wanted it to be.Ugh,i would'nt call this a disaster cause its really good cake;it's just not perfect like I wanted it to.Also I threw away the box w/out copying the directions sooo i have no recipe.I'll just show you pictures and vent.

 


So this is how it all began the mix was only about $14,please be careful it will stain your counter tops. I spilled..cause that what I'm into.I used a lysol wipe with lysol sprayed on the counter,it faded but uts still there.I have company coming today!! I'll try bleach later to today.



After mixing for about 7 mins I greased to 9in pans and in the oven they went.

It really is a very smooth mixture,however as you can see i didn't really need two pans.The box said i would but i really could have baked it all in one bigger pan and cut it in half after it cooled.But nope I followed directions.

....and this is what I got.Onto the frosting,the recipe called for 3/4 c of confectionary sugar but I only had about 3/4's of that so i used store bought buttercream.What would you have done??Seriously I wanna know.

After whipping the frosting in shape I must admit I was pretty impressed.

I made waaay to much icing.My suggestion is use the box mix it's great but get your own recipe.To spruce the cake up a bit I sprinkled some red sugar on and a few white candy pearls.This is it..like I said the icing was not as thick as i would have liked to I couldn't do the spoon pattern with the icing.So that's that.Not real proud of the looks of it,but its delicious.