Mini Cooking Adventures

I'm cooking a little more you guys! Yay me! Roughly 1-2 times a week...lol. Not much, but it's more than what I had been doing.

I'm late posting what I made a few weeks ago. No specific name for it. Just rice, shrimp, green and red peppers, and some Caribbean Jerk sauce from Kroger's...all combined to form a perfectly spicy meal. I was really in the mood to cook that day, so I called Chelsea for suggestions. And this is what she recommended. It was quite bum, I might add. My family enjoyed it too. I didn't realize how vast the variety and flavors of sauces were at the grocery store. (I don't really do much grocery shopping.) So, you can get even more creative with this recipe; mix/blend sauces or opt for something a little less spicier than the Caribbean Jerk flavor.

This didn't take long to make. Disregard the "30 Minute Marinade" on the sauce, because I clearly didn't follow those directions. I just combined everything together; I don't think it took longer than 30 minutes altogether though (including removing the tails from the shrimp, boiling rice, etc.).

I really need to start couponing though, because this one meal cost around $22. And that's what the price came to after scanning my Kroger's card. I mean, I don't grocery shop on a regular basis yet. So, maybe this is the average. I guess that's a good deal, as 3 people feasted on this $22 meal. I think the shrimp caused it to be that high, now that I think of it.

I'm starting to become an expert at frying chicken. I know, y'all have been doing it all your lives and I'm the slow one now catching on....yadda yadda. But better late than never! 

Frying with this fryer definitely calls for patience. Only 5 wings will fit on it comfortably. Then, I have to wait for them to be cooked completely...which could be around 15-20 min. For a family of four (including two dudes that stay hungry) that's a lot of time on the entree alone.

Nevertheless, I made chicken wings for dinner tonight, along with a salad and fries. Then, I wanted to experiment on the last few wings I had left. I shook some of the Caribbean Jerk sauce (mentioned above) in the chicken batter bag. It was so good! I should have made them all like that. My dad even said if I keep cooking like that, I'll get a husband! Ayeeeee! lol

Aftermath: Macaroni & Cheese Balls

Sorry I'm late with posting this...

I hope everyone had a great Christmas!!! =)

So I fried a few of the balls, and pretty much they tasted like fish and/or the batter stuff. So, that was a fail on my part.

However, my dad fried the rest of them the next day. And my family tore them up! My dad must've had a magic touch or something, because apparently his tasted so much better than mine. And he fried them on the deck, as opposed to the kitchen like I did. I don't know if that made a difference.

I don't think I'll make this again. It took too much time; novice cookers like myself should just stick to the "short and sweet" recipes, and then work their way up. Next up...banana pudding! Yum! I've been buying ingredients for this recipe since Thanksgiving, but it's taking me forever to get to it. My dad ate my vanilla wafers from last time, since I was taking too long to use them. lol...and same thing with the bananas...smh! Hopefully, I'll whip it up by the end of the week! =)

Tryin' To Be "Big Time"

Have you ever been to the Cheesecake Factory and gotten those fried mac & cheese balls as an appetizer? I tried one a couple months ago at one of my cousin's bday dinners, and talk about something GOOD! So, I randomly googled the recipe last week...just wondering if it was out there, ya kno. And I found it! But I think I'm already off to a bad start, already smh lol...

First off, the recipe is ridiculous. You have to fix the cheesy concoction, fold it in the pasta, refrigerate for 2 hrs, take it out and make the ball-sized mac & cheese, then freeze for 12 hrs, and.....there's still MORE I have to do when I get off work tomorrow afternoon. What kinda tomfoolery is this?!

Then, everything on the recipe was in lbs. I mean, what's so hard about saying 2 cups?! So, I was googling conversions and asking my mom questions. My mom then proceeded to scold me as to why I bought off-brand pasta and off-brand vanilla wafers (for that banana pudding I was supposed to make Thanksgiving). I didn't know it was such a big deal. It's just food, right?

Apparently, not. I learned something new about my mom tonight. She used to work somewhere that had people come in to check to see if companies were putting all the ingredients in their products. She said that the off-brand products were usually the ones missing ingredients. So even if you compare the ingredients of a brand name product to an off-brand product, you may notice similar ingredients. However, you don't know how much of those ingredients that company is actually using--more or less (than the brand name ones). Hence, that is why it is cheaper and sometimes of lesser quality.

If the ingredients you use to cook with are working for you, then keep doing what you're doing. Me, on the other hand? It almost seems like I have no choice. I was scolded y'all...scolded lol..."that's being cheap, it's not gonna taste right, pay that little extra for the brand, etc."

Then, I didn't buy enough gouda (some type of cheese).

I realized that I hate grating cheese, especially gouda. Maybe a big block of cheese isn't so bad, but that gouda mess? It came in sets of tiny squares, so it kept breaking up all over the place...getting on the counter and floor. I just got fed up, and melted it for a little bit in the microwave. Shhh....no one has to know. =)

Gouda, Gouda, Gouda!!!

The struggle

What is this?

Oh?

 The mess I have waiting for me....after I submit this post. Not to mention, gouda crumbs on the other counter. Smh!

Well lovely people, it's been fun. I shall update you on the fried mac & cheese balls later on today. I can't believe I chose to make this, and I have to be at work in 5 hrs! The pasta is still in the fridge, and I haven't even made the balls yet. Ugh! Someone needs to manage their time more efficiently...not saying any names or pointing any fingers, but..... ahem, girl! lol

Thanksgiving 2011

As stated previously, I had an awesome Thanksgiving. It was just a perfect chill and peaceful day.

I intended to make both of those desserts listed below, but I was missing an ingredient for the banana pudding recipe. So I just fixed those carrots (that I've been raving about) and the cookie dough cheesecake bars. I still can't decide if I like the bars or not. One of my cousins had a bite of one when he first came over, and he was quick to say that they were a bit dry lol...but he said they were still good. So, I'm not sure if I'll make that again or not. Even though cookie dough and cheesecake are two of my favorite sweets....we'll have to see.

I had family from my dad's and mom's side come over to the house. I was really excited about those from my dad's side coming over. We rarely ever get together for family functions. We had a family reunion a few years ago, and people from the local area didn't really come; however, there were folks from out of state travelling to attend. Something's wrong with that picture. A lot of my dad's family lives within 5-15 min away, and years will go by without seeing them. Smh. My dad even has a twin sister, and I don't think I've seen her since my grandpa's funeral last December. It's so sad.

Since my grandpa passed, I've been praying earnestly that my family would grow closer. And I think we have. Numerous events including graduation celebrations, birthdays, Christmas brunch last year, getting my hair braided (by my cousin), and just visiting each other more often have taken place this year. And I'm so thankful. I've always wanted a big close-knit family, extended and immediate. I want to be able to hang out with my cousins more, and not just because we're brought together for the next holiday on the calendar.

This year was great. Good eats and great convo over dinner. I don't like those awkward moments where it's a silent dinner. Ugh! I know the food is good, but...it's better (in my opinion) if there's laughter and a good conversation going along with it.

I don't know why, but I always seem to get nervous when entertaining folks at my house. I don't want them to get bored easily. I want them to enjoy themselves, and not think my event was a waste of time. So, I was wondering how everything would flow after dinner. Those "eat and run" dinners are kinda awkward too, so I was hoping no one would do that. The guys, of course, made their way to the basement to engage in that good ol' football. **I'm gonna get into football one day. I'm gonna be rockin' a Redskins (my household's team) snapback, yelling at the TV with the guys, and giving a detailed response when someone asks me, "How 'bout that game last night?" Being that I'm a girl not associated with football, they probably won't ask. I guess I'll have to start that convo or somethin...I'll know the ropes one day. :) **


Fortunately, it wasn't awkward after dinner. We played Jenga and Pit, so that was fun. I'm just thankful for how the day played out. Just perfect.

Here's the recipes I used for the carrots (courtesy of Essence mag November 2011 edition) and the cookie dough cheesecake bars (mybakingaddiction.com).


Orange-Glazed Carrots


Makes 10 servings.
Prep time: 10 min
Cooking time: 25 min

2 pounds baby carrots
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 pinches salt

Boil the carrots in a shallow saucepan until tender. Drain and return carrots to pan. Simmer in orange juice over medium heat for 5 min. Stir in the brown sugar, butter and salt. Heat until butter and sugar melt.

Per serving: 100 calories, 14g carbohydrate, 12mg cholesterol, 5g fat, 1g protein, 102mg sodium

The recipe for the cookie dough cheesecake bars is kinda long. You actually make the graham cracker crust, the cheesecake filling, and the chocolate chip cookie dough. Feel free to click the link above, where you'll find the complete recipe. Here's a few of my own pictures, regarding this dessert.

Crushing graham crackers for the crust

 Before placing the dish in the oven to cook

Out the oven and ready to eat! Disregard the missing left corner. Had to taste test! lol

Day 21: My Thankful

Happy early Thanksgiving people!

I'm really thankful for this family vibe, man. It all starts at home with the family. Get it together folks. =)

I'm sure y'all probably get so bored with my thankfuls, as many relate to food and God.....welp, oh well! lol You only have 9 more days to read my ramblings, or just ignore. Anywho....

I'm thankful for peace, love, joy, happiness, hope, and faith. Yea, all of those.

I'm thankful that I'm still cooking a lil somethin somethin for Thanksgiving. Originally, I volunteered to just have my way and cook the entire Thanksgiving meal (not including the turkey). I guess that was a pretty wild an unbelievable idea, since my mom filled my position by either buying items from my church's kitchen or cooking the things herself. Well! One thing's for certain though; my carrots are on the menu! Whoop! Whoop! I still wanted to do more for the feast, so I bought ingredients to fix banana pudding and cookie dough cheesecake bars. I'm excited!! I'm fixing those in the AM, and I'm hoping they come out ok. haha...This was probably not a smart idea to experiment on the guests, but I gotta contribute! My hands are hot! lol

This is what they are supposed to look like. Scrumptious huh? We shall see my results.

I'm thankful that I'm going to heaven! Where you going? Romans 10:9-10. 

I'm thankful in advance that today is gonna be a GREAT day! I'm declaring that the rest of 2011 is gonna be awesome as well. I'm just excited and giddy for no particular reason. Life is good! Enjoy this day with your family and friends. Touch someone's life, be a light, laugh a little harder, relish the moments, listen to the wisdom of the elders in your life, eat and enjoy the food as if there's an endless supply [no gluttony please :) ], and love your peeps like you love yourself.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

Day 7: My Thankful

I'm thankful that I cooked a successful dinner last night of buffalo chicken macaroni & cheese and orange glazed carrots. It was delicious! And I shall tell you all about it later on.

I'm thankful for my Queen sized bed. I had a day bed for most of my life, so I'm grateful for the change. =)

I'm thankful for the Bible. It is a guide on how I need to live my life. Everything I need is contained within those 66 books. Sometimes I take it for granted and neglect reading it daily, but it is truly a love letter written especially for us!

I'm thankful for my brother! He is probably my best guy friend. I've been kind of giving him his space since he's away at college, but I miss him so much! We rarely fight or argue, and we always have something to talk about. Our insider jokes, among other things, keep us laughing all the time. It's great! I love him! =)

I Need To COOK Already!!!

I LOVE food. I LOVE to eat. I just CAN'T cook. I mean, maybe I can...I rarely try though. Lately, my mom has been getting on me to start cooking more. A part of me really wants to give it a try and experiment so I can have a few recipes under my belt. However, the other part of me is lazy and full of somewhat legitimate excuses.

From the outside looking in, cooking seems quite expensive. Especially meats. I could spend $30 on sugary/salty snacks easily in the grocery store, so buying real food seems pricey....unless you're an Extreme Couponer and have the skills to pay less than $5 for $100+ worth of groceries. We'll experiment with coupons one day soon, though. :)

So, money is a big excuse I give in regards to why I don't cook. Even though I'd spend the same amount of funds going out to eat somewhere. I guess I just don't see the value in spending money on groceries, when I don't know how the meal is going to turn out. Now, if I had my big girl job with my big girl money....hey! lol

Then, there's the temperature in the kitchen. It can get SO hot standing over that stove! I've tried cooking several times in the past and I had to stop in mid-preparation because I was getting hot flashes. Smh! lol...

With the holidays coming up, I've decided I want to participate in contributing to all the holiday gatherings. So, now is the time to practice a dish or two. Sometime next week, I'm gonna choose a recipe and go out and get the goods to make it. Stay tuned for that!

Once I finally get in the groove of things, I'd like to take a Julie and Julia approach to my non-cooking life. Have you ever seen this movie?? You gotta see it! It's pretty much about cooking, blogging, and love! :-)

Are there any other non-cookers out there who want to take this journey with me? :) And what about those that can throw down in the kitchen? I've got a few recipe books stashed under my bed somewhere, but I'd love to hear what you'll be creating for this upcoming holiday season. Comment below or shoot us an email! I wanna be a pro like you! =)

The "Wifey" Doesn't Pout

Hello all! Sorry I've been away for so long (like a week), but you should be getting used to my #1 Excuse: I'm a procrastinator. Haha...one day, I'll be on top of things though!


I hope you all had a great weekend/Easter! I had a fun-filled week (last week), weekend, and Easter.  Church was on point, and I thought I would just go home and take a mini nap before dinner (since I had been running on low sleep like everyday).  I was sleeping ever so peacefully, until my mom called me.


"Candice, what are you doing?"


"I'm taking a nap." (I don't sleep hard lol)


"I need you to help me fix dinner."


I immediately became frustrated, because here I am trying to nap!  And she wants me to help cook dinner  today of all days.  I don't even cook like talking 'bout.  I know I always say I want to learn, but I want to learn when I feel like learning, ya know?  Not on the spot, when I'm tryin' to sleep.


So, I went to the kitchen feeling some type of way.  I was clearly pouting, and I just stood with a mean attitude.


"You're eating with us, aren't you?" my mom said; my nasty looks obviously didn't faze her.


I nodded.  "I should've had you in the kitchen a long time ago," she said.


"Blah blah blah," is what I'm THINKING in my head and I proceeded to make this cheesy potato casserole my mom always makes.


My mom was trying to hold a conversation with me while we cooked, but I was still upset that she interrupted my beauty sleep.  So I acted like a kid, giving one word responses and shrugs.  After awhile, I guess something clicked inside that I was acting extremely childish. So, I let my guard down and acted like my normal self.


It's really silly now, especially since my mom only asked me to cook one thing--the cheesy potato casserole.  On top of that, she had already cut the potatoes.  All I had to do was chop the onions, melt the butter, and stir that (along with a can of Cream of Mushroom and shredded cheese) with the potatoes.  Simple, right?  


Pouting isn't cute...at all!  It's childish when you stick your lip out just because things don't do your way.  Um, suck it up!  Life doesn't revolve around you!  Think about someone other than yourself.  Then YOU will be placed on  someone else's "list" when they choose to think of someone other than themselves.