A friend of mine recently asked me if I could go back to a certain period in time, what would it be?
I replied, "somewhere between 1977 and 1983, because I love disco". I swear by the BeeGee's and Donna Summer.
You should be Dancing might be my favorite disco jam.
I don't understand most of the words but the beat is hott, and really we all should be dancing yeeaaa!
I love a good chicken curry. Always have always will, however its been a while since I've had any. I knew I was going to be pretty hungry when I got back from my rehearsal sunday, so befor I left I began defrosting the chicken so that when I got back home I could go right to work. The whole thing only actually took about 30 mins. Chicken curry is usually something that takes much more time,it has to cook then simmer. I have created this quick fast and in a hurry recipe for folks who dont have much time. Here's what you'll need.
From L-R,we have a tblspn chopped cilantro,1/4th c sliced onions,tspn and a half minced or grated ginger and 2 chicken cutlets diced.
1) I used 1.5 c's rice,boil it microwave,or whatever you do,set it aside.
2) Your going to need olive oil,I forgot to picture that, get a saute pan pour enough olive oil to coat on low heat. In goes the onions and ginger,when the ginger begins to get a little brown pour in a half cup of heavy cream.
3)Give the pan a good deglazing making sure nothing sticks, then add the chicken and a tblspn of curry powder and a tspn of cumin.
4) After this pour in about a tspn of olive oil,and roll it around the pan. Throw in the rice and most of the cilantro (leave some behind for garnish) season with salt & pepper to taste.
This is the final product,it was so good I ate the leftovers for breakfast the next day. This recipe could also be done on a crockpot, if you have more time. Also next time I think I'll grate the ginger,its kinda hard to get it chopped as fine as I like it, even still it was a really great dish.
Lookey,lookey I've got some more Marvin Gaye for you bloggers & bloggettes! Inner City Blues has one of the most distinctive bass lines in R&B history. I promise I didn't just make that up I read it in an article in high school! Being from Highland Pk (a city surrounded by Detroit) I understand the blues of the inner city. Marvin wrote this song for all of us who grew up in the hood,witnessing the bad,ugly and uglier.
I bought a groupon for Sweet sensations pastry it was $6 for $10 worth of goodies. Everything was amazing,the icing on the carrot cupcake was the best thing ever in life,and the chocolate buttercream had a strong expresso flavor to it,and I did not like that. Everything was really scrumptious tho! Watch my review here,
enjoy!
I've got some more Marvin Gaye for ya'll because I know you are craving it. Please stay is waaaay to short for its own good,but it's got this funky yet sensual beat to it. It's an amazing groove that only Marvin could create, I just love it. It's not one of his more known songs but it should be.
Today is the last installment of my valentines day,so today we talk about meat,so without further adieu....
Here is what you'll need for the salmon:
Get a bowl with a lid thats big enough for 2 small pcs of salmon. I like to save the take out containers from Noodles & Co. but to each his and her own.
1)Whisk together 3/4 of a cup of olive oil,2 splashes lemon juice,1.5 tblspns dill,salt & pepper to taste. Whisk very well,and let it marinate over night. If you don't have the much time 6 hrs will do.
2) Bake the salmon on 375 for 25 mins, it doesn't take long to cook at all.
When its done it will look like this:
The lemon wedges are optional but aren't they cute?
Now for the chicken, did ya'll know it is possible to cook a full chicken in the crock pot?? It will cook in its own juices,and it was so tender and delicious!
Here's what you'll need:
Olive oil- to coat crock pot
1/4 of a white onion
1 jar of green olives
salt
pepper
paprika
1) The first thing you must do is rinse the chicken in warm water and be sure to pat dry thoroughly.
2) Let the chicken sit on a dry cloth towel as you wash your hands,chop the onion and turn the crock pot on low.
3) Go ahead and pour enough olive oil to coat in the bottom the the pot,then in go the onions
4) Rub the chick all over with olive oil then begin to sprinkle salt,pepper and paprika all over the bird. Be easy on the salt because remember you'll be pouring in a jar of olives soon. Put the bird in the pot and pour olives over it.
I cooked the chicken for 4 hrs and it was perfectly cooked and how so tender!
You can really taste that olive flavor,but its not over powering. There was enough of the chickens juices in the crock pot to make gravy with, I didn't but you could! This chicken tasted great on a few sandwiches,and even heating it up and eating it alone!
Have I ever told you guys how much I love Marvin Gaye? When people ask me who I'd want to bring back from the dead and have dinner with the answer is always the same: my mother and Marvin Gaye. In lieu of that I declare this week Marvin Gaye week. Now I leave you with Trouble Man simply the truest words ever spoke...or sang!
Sooo I cooked a big dinner in v-day so today I will be giving the side dish recipes. My next post will be about the meats! Now lets begin with our veggies. The green beans are very easy.
You'll need:
frozen green beans, could be fresh
salt,pepper
herbed butter
1.Soak the beans in warm water for about 30 mins then drain for about an hour.
2.Boil some water,and place a strainer on top and place the beans in the strainer.
3.Let them steam for about 25 mins on med heat,then toss them in a tblspn herbed butter,salt and pepper.
The final product...not to worry the salmon recipe will be along shortly.
Onto scalloped potatoes, I only used 2 potatoes I thought I was going to need more..and this was my very first time ever making scalloped potatoes,anywhoslbees here's what you'll need:
2 potatoes
3/4's of a cup of heavy cream(feel free to sub some of this with milk)
1 c shredded asiago cheese
Few slices of gruyere cheese
half a cup of cubed white cheddar
black pepper
2 tblspns butter
1) Peel then slice the potatoes potato chip thin. Get your casserole dish and rub butter throughout the dish. Then begin to line up your potatoes.
2.After the all the cheese as been shredded,cubed and sliced begin to make the sauce.(Please don't bother making this recipe if you are on a diet)
3. The butter goes in a sauce pot on low. Always begin a cheese sauce on low because you don't want the butter to burn or the cheese to curdle. After the butter has begun to melt down pour in the heavy cream and begin to whisk.
4. Put in all of the asiago and turn the heat off,sprinkle in pepper and whisk like your life depends on it. If you'd like the sauce to be thicker and about another half cup of cheese.
5. Now go ahead and preheat the oven to 375,then pour the sauce over the potatoes,drop in the cubed cheese and place the sliced gruyere over the top.
After it has baked for about 35 mins it will magically look like this:
Ta da!! I believe I grated a lil bit more asiago and sprinkled it on top after it came out the oven,thats optional tho. It was pure cheesey goodness!
Next time we tackle the meats!! Who's ready?
So yes I know that vday has come and gone but I just love this song and I had to share it with ya'll. Happy Valentines Day is Andre 3000's Valentines greeting to the world,it's cute upbeat and it makes me wanna dance,and we all know I was diagnosed with boogie fever at birth!
Every year for valentines day I cook for myself. Well this year I was so excited able to invite my friends to join me! I cooked a chicken in a crock pot!! Can you believe that? I didn't know that was even possible. Today however I'll just be showing pictures and giving the recipe for the raspberry icing. I really wanted pink icing to top of my chocolate cupcakes,and I did not want to use dye. So I found an awesome recipe that called for beet powder. Then I couldn't find it anywhere. I found some online but it would've cost me $16 to have it here in time!!! Nope,couldn't do it,thats when I stumbled upon a recipe for raspberry buttercream, here is the recipe. It wasn't quite thick enough to pipe tho,what am I doing wrong? I don't know, it was good tho.
And that's that I sprinkled some red sugar on top,and used some leftover raspberries to top them off,they're sooo yummy! Here are the other pics from the evening!
I made the centerpiece myself !
The crockpot chicken,scalloped potatoes,steamed grn beans and baked salmon.
It's meeeee!
Be sure to join me later this week for the rest of the recipes,you won't want to miss it!!
By now we've all heard about the untimely and unfortunate death of Whitney Houston. I am so very saddened by her death and the talent the world will be missing,however I'm not surprised,she had been living a pretty rough life for the past 20 yrs. In mu opinion she was always the epitome of what amazing vocal talent was. Every little girl aspired to be like her and dress like her,didn't we? well I did hehe. While we don't know that exact cause of death,we know that there were several prescription drugs found in her hotel room,and that she had been partying hard all weekend,and seemed to be drunk most of the time.Her music was classy,she was never inappropriately dressed,never over the top. She had talent,she didn't need to be slutty,all of her music resonated with me in some way or another. All of the talent and adoration in the world but that+money+drugs does not equal happiness.
PS. Did I mention The Preachers Wife is the best movie ever!
Now I leave you with my 5 fav Whitney songs, what are your favorites?
1)All At Once
2)I believe In You and Me
3)I love The Lord
4)I'm Your Baby Tonight
5)Saving All my Love for You
Ohhh Whitney,bye bye,what an awesome talent.
Today I have another Stevie Wonder song for ya'll. Love's In Need of Love today is one if Stevie Wonders most slept upon songs. You can find it on the album "Songs In the Key of Life". It's the best album that was ever created.Ever.
I had some fresh rosemary & sage in my fridge that I knew was going to go bad soon, and I really wanted to do something fun with it,so I made my very own herb butter. It is soo good,I've been putting it on my breakfast toast,and anything else I can get it on. The flavor is very rich and strong because I choose to use fresh herbs. I could go on about it forever,but I won't,here's what you'll need:
1 clove of garlic
1 tblspn sage
" " rosemary
2 squirts lemon juice
1 dash salt
1.5 tblspns regular butter.
1.Chop all the herbs up really well then toss them into a mortar along with the butter,and begin to pestle them.
2. Get everything incorporated real well then add in the salt and lemon juice,then just mix it with a spoon.
3. Get saran wrap spoon the butter onto the wrap and roll it tightly,then but it in the freezer for about an hour,then let it live in the fridge for the rest of its life.
Yea not a great picture and not very attractive but it is an amazing butter,Ive used it on sandwiches and sauteing shrimp and the flavor is right on point!
Well I don't know what this song is about and I don't know what Oye Como Va means but I have always loved the song,and Santana. Oh wait...I just looked it up on line,I think it means listen to my rhythm,or something.
I was wandering online looking at crock pot recipes,because I'd like to used mine more often. I found some really great things and I thought I'd share them with ya'll:
1)This just amazed me, I didn't know you could make lasagna in a slow cooker! Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna | Eating Well
2) I am always looking for a dish that could be a man meal as well as a snack later.
Wine & Tomato Braised Chicken | Eating Well
3) This I found on a blog and tho I am not a big fan of chili it still looks pretty good.
Crockpot Southwestern Turkey Chili | Busy Mommy: An Iowa Mom Blog
4) We know I'm a huge fan of slow cooker sauce and this looks irresistble
BHG's Newest Recipes:Big-Batch Puttanesca Sauce Recipe
5)Again I am not a fan of stews,soups,broths or chili's, but this I might try
BHG's Newest Recipes:French Chicken Stew Recipe
6) I looove me some chicken curry,especially when it's done with just the right amount of ginger and coconut powder,whew good stuff!
Chicken Curry Recipe
Do you guys know that I've had this blog for over a year and I've never chosen a Stevie Wonder tune as song of the day. Well today is the day! That Girl is in my opinion a dance tune. It's always been one of my favorites,the way the chords resolve into one another never ceases to amaze me. It's Stevie Wonder I'd expect nothing less!!
This recipe is incredibly time consuming,altogether it takes about 40 mins and there is alot of prepping and chopping involved. It's a mashed potato fritter,have you ever heard of that? When I looked for recipes on allrecipes.com and epicurious there were none,so i made this up. Using only one potato I got 9 fritters. Here's what you'll need:
Clearly you will need a potato. In the top pic we have,salt pepper,Chesapeake bay seasoning. The 2nd pic is 2 tblsspns chopped parmesan & asiago, an egg,2 grn onions and 2 slices turkey bacon.
1)Begin by boiling your potato and then mash when its ready. Use the boiling time to chop all other ingredients.
2) Get a big plate or charger and mix up the cheese's and a quarter of a cup of cornmeal
3) After the potato has been mashed efficiently add in the seasoning,already beaten egg, grn onions and bacon. Mix this very well.
4) Now begin to form this into patties, while simultaneously pouring olive oil to coat in a pan on low heat.
5) Mix the cornmeal mixture into the patties. Your hands will be a mess,have a damp and try towel nearby. Make sure the cornmeal is really covering the patty really well.
6)At this point your ready to begin frying. They only need about 4 mins on each side. Or you can be like me a burn a few....
These are the ones I didn't burn, chop up some extra grn onions for garnish on top. Your wondering whats in the sauce on the side aren't you?? Yess I feel your inquisitions! Here's what you'll need:
1/2 c ketchup
2.5 tblspns sugar
1 tblspn apple cider
2 shakes hot sauce
1 tblspn crushed red pepper. Mix well and there is the sauce.
You turned the tables on me the Sarah Vaughan & Count Basie version is the most swangennest thing I have ever heard. I made up that word,swangennest! Really tho listen to this ! There is nothing like this. This song is one of the first songs that really got me hip to Sarah Vaughan and I have been hooked ever since.
Soooo chocolate ganache time! I don't make this very often because it isn't really healthy, but I had some box cake that I wanted to use so I thought what the hey! Here's what you'll need:
I forgot that you to picture the 10oz of chocolate I used. I could've used less because I had more than enough ganache for 12 cupcakes.
1) Chop up the chocolate and put it over a double broiler, with the heat on medium. After the chocolate has begun to melt pour in a quarter if a cup of milk. Stir with a good wooden spoon really well. I like to use a combo of milk and heavy cream when doing this to cut back on the fat content.
2)Wait another 5 mins then use a half cup of heavy whipping cream,again stir really well. When it melts completely turn it off and remove it from the heat. Add in 2 teaspns butter,and 2 tblespns sugar. It will be a really thick ganache but thats what you want.
Let it cool for 10mins before you use it. If you are worried about a film forming on top place saran rap directly onto the ganache. I love this recipe because it makes for a thick ganache but but still thin enough that I can just dip the cupcakes right into it. I don't have to worry about spreading or using a knife or anything, just dip the cupcake and swirl. They will look like this:
Mmmmm yummo. This is something I will not be making very often....I couldn't stop licking the ganache...or the batter.
