Hey Foodies!! It seems like so long ago that I  gave you a recipe to try. Well I have an amazingly yummy milkshake for you to taste this holiday season.

They very thought of eggnog used to make me cringe, I never liked it. When I was little and my aunt would come over to my house around this time of the year, the first thing that she would ask for was a cup of eggnog... faithfully I was the one who had to pour it for her, the smell of it made me sick and it didn't look appetizing at all to me. For years I would never touch the stuff. I avoided it like the plague. LoL
It wasn't until about three years ago that I tried the thick yellow mixture for the first time. All of my preconceived ideas as to what I thought it was going to taste like were gone. This wasn't just any eggnog, it was a delicious milkshake; a beautiful medley of flavors, creamy butter pecan ice cream and thick eggnog mixed to perfection.

I call it the Christmas Cheer Milkshake because it will be sure to put a smile on your face

Here's what you'll need:

Turkey Hill or Breyers brand Butter Pecan Ice Cream
and
Eggnog

Directions

Get a large glass and fill it with 2-3 scoops of ice cream and then pour 1/3 cup of eggnog and mix it together until you get a thick consistency. Drink and enjoy

This will be the perfect addition to all of your Christmas dessert making this year

Bere felice!

Saurerkraut: That's An Aquired Taste

Hello Again!

This school year I have made it a point to try something new. First, I streaked my hair blue this summer (that was so much fun!) Second, I going 100% Authentic this semester (with the exception of special occasions). This means, no make up, and a wash and wear hair style. Third is what I am cooking in my kitchen now a days. I am going to try cooking some Indian dishes; which I am really excited about. Along with that, I will be making smarter eating choices; nothing too drastic but something like substituting a burger for a chicken sandwich or a turkey burger, substituting lots of lunch meat for a chicken spinach salad and soup, not so many pastas...(well we'll have to see. I'll have to ween myself off of starches LOL) No junk foods, no late night snacks, more veggies, and a lot of water.  I preface all of that to say that along with the other choices that I am making for the year, I want to expand my pallet. I have never liked the smell of sauerkraut, or the look of it for that matter, but this afternoon for a late lunch I had a toasted turkey club with roasted red peppers and spinach with a side of sauerkraut and kielbasa soup (sauerkraut, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and kielbasa in chicken broth) and it was better than I had anticipated it to be. I don't think that I'll be cooking with it a lot, but I may experiment in my kitchen with it and see what I come up with.

Oh yeah here's some other news I am planning on making my fried rice for dinner tonight. I have got to get these ingredients out of my mini microfridge! I'm cooking for a group of maybe 7-10 in my good friend Janay's apartment kitchen. I always refer to her as my Twin because we are a like in a lot of ways.

Shout out to all 10 of my followers! I hope that you all have tried at least one of the recipes, and if not please do so. I would love to hear from you about what you think of the dishes that I've posted.

COMMENT COMMENT COMMENT!

Buon appetito

New and Exciting Ventures Await

Hello All!! Man oh man! I have so much to share with you guys.  I told one of my professors, who happens to be the Chair of the Communications Department at my school about the award that my blog received and he told me to send him an email of all of the "stuff" that I had been up to as of late. For those of you who may not know, I am studying to receive my BA in Communication Studies with a concentration in Journalism and Mass Communications. Anyways, I sent him a dissertation of all of the exciting things that have been happening for me, the biggest one of course was receiving the Liebster Award. He sent a reply back to me saying, and I quote, "Great work, Ariel! You are a credit to our department. I am so happy for you" He even posted my news to the Communication Studies Department's Facebook Page! Can you say free publicity? Hello!!! LOL All jokes aside though, it is such a humbling experience to be publicly recognized like this. I give all honor to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who is my best friend. Without Him I am nothing, but through Him I can do all things (my bible tells me so).

Okay, I'm finished gushing for now. You probably want to hear about some of the new recipes that I will be whipping up right? Well I only have two in the works right now but I still want you wonderful food connoisseurs  to tell me what you think about them.

First up is a Roasted Red Pepper Meatloaf Sandwich. I just experimented with it today and it turned out so well! I had two pieces of whole wheat toast with mayo and meatloaf, elegantly garnished with roasted red peppers and pressed together in a panini grill. When I go home for Fall break, I'll try to post the full recipe on the blog. *If I forget, please remind me!*

The next recipe that I have for you is my Ginger Infused Fried Rice. Everyone has their own idea of what fried rice should taste like right? Well, my goal was to take a fairly simple recipe and really put a unique twist on the dish as a whole. My fried rice has shredded carrots, bean sprouts, mushrooms, scallions, chicken, shrimp,  eggs, a little sriracha sauce, homemade ginger oil, and teriyaki sauce. YUM!!! It's an eclectic group of ingredients that is going to taste like a party of flavor on your taste buds.  I'll post this full recipe on the blog too.

Many, many thanks again for reading, following, or visiting my blog; and for being a part of my dream. I really appreciate it.

I hope to hear from you soon. COMMENT, COMMENT, COMMENT!! I'd love to converse with you.

The Liebster Award!

Hey Foodies!
 
Guess what...my blog just got nominated for the Liebster Blog Award! I was unfamiliar with this award until literally 10 minutes ago lol. My "Mini Me" Alex and newest follower nominated me for it so Alex here's a BiG ShOuT OuT to you, thanking you for thinking of me! As a journalism major, I have learned that exposure is a good thing!

Friendly FYI-
Liebster is a German word meaning dearest arey, and the award is given to up-and-coming bloggers with less than 200 followers.

Please Everyone Follow Alex's Blog: http://alexmhons.blogspot.com/


Alright...these are the guidelines:

The nominee has 5 questions that they have to answer (given to you by the blogger that nominated them), 5 random facts about themselves, 5 new nominees with less than 200 followers, and lastly 5 questions for those that they have nominated

These are the 5 Questions that Alex asked me:

1) Who's your favorite author?

 

- My favorite authour is L.M. Montgomery

2) Are you a skirt or a dress kind of gal?

 

- Dresses for sure. If I could I would where dresses all the time!!

3) Where do you like to shop for clothes?

 

- My favorite store is Maurices; but I shop at Macy's, Nordstrom, Hollister, American Eagle, Forever 21, Charolette Russe and accessories stores like Icing and Rue 21

4) Crafts or Cooking, and why?

 

 - I really enjoy both, but cooking is very theraputic for me. I always say that in the confines of my kitchen, I have traveled all over the world through the dishes that I create

 

5) Favorite disney character?

 

- If I had to pick just one, I would say Minnie Mouse

5 Random Facts about Ari G.

1. One of my hobbies is hand painting black and white photography
2. I really enjoy grocery shopping; I find it very therapeutic
3. I tweet nearly everyday!
4. I have big dreams, an even bigger imagination, and a passion and drive for life that keeps me going
5. My favorite number is 5 because in scripture 5 is the symbolic number for Grace and almost all of the most significant events in my life revolve around the number 5 :-)

I Nominate You....

1. Haylie Gregory ~(http://liliesamongthornsmagazine.blogspot.com)
2. Melissa Renee~ (http://girls-4-god.blogspot.com/)
3. Dahlia Joseph~ (http://bwbd.blogspot.com/)
4. Heather Lindsey~ (http://heatherllindsey.blogspot.com/)
5. Lauren Brown~ (http://laurenbrownie.blogspot.com/)

**All of these Blogs are amazing!!! So please check them out!**

Nominees Here Are Your Questions:

1. If you could have any superpower what would it be and why?
2. Who is your biggest source of inspiration?
3. From where do you draw your creativity?
4. What do you find the most joy in doing in your spare time?
5. What makes your blog unique?

I really hope that you take part in this opportunity!

New Venture

Hey Everybody!!

I haven't written anything lately because I haven't really been inspired to cook anything. However I have some exciting news! I joined a Christian group of young women and we are being called on a fast both to be healthy and to cleanse and feed our spirits with the Word of God! I'll be sure to keep you posted on my progress and if I come up with my own recipes I'll share them with you too!

Saffron Infused Chicken Over Rice

Hello Foodies!

As you my faithful readers are well aware, I really enjoy experimenting in my kitchen, and coming up with new recipes to share with all of you. Well, I have another recipe for you to try.  It's Saffron Chicken Over Rice. Saffron has an exotic flavor. Some might say that it is also an acquired taste, but if you use it correctly you are guaranteed to have a balanced amount of flavor and color. The warm golden yellow hue that saffron gives to a dish is inviting, and as any good chef will tell you, you eat with your eyes first.
Alright so here is how you assemble this dish:
Rice:
Jasmine White Rice is suggested, follow the instructions on the bag
Chicken:
 you can either shred or chunk approximately 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, proceed to cook over medium-high heat in extra virgin olive oil until they are slightly golden brown. To the chicken, add 1/2 cup of chicken broth, 1 tbs of black pepper, 1 tsp of garlic salt, 2 1/2 tbs of saffron powder, blend together and let the mixture thicken over low heat

Miscellaneous:
To add even more flavor, saute 1 small red onion and 1 1/2 cups of mushrooms in olive oil over medium low heat in a small pan. Season with 1/2 tsp of garlic powder and pepper to taste.

After the chicken mixture has thickened, and the rice has finished cooking, assemble the dish together in a large serving bowl starting with the rice, then adding the chicken, and garnishing it with the onion and mushroom mixture. Serve hot and enjoy!

Perfect Partner:
Fresh String Beans

Buon Appetito

Packaged Goodness

Hey Foodies!!!

I'm home for Easter and I thought during the break it would be a good idea to update my blog with new recipes! Here's one that is quick and easy to make and very tasty if I do say so myself.

Here's what you'll need:
Kmorr Alfredo Broccoli Pasta Side
Cherry Tomatoes
Mushrooms
Broccoli
2 tbs Olive Oil
1 1/2 tsp Garlic Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper

How To Prepare:
Alright this is the fun part! Follow the instructions of the Pasta Side package and while you wait for the pasta to cook, rinse and saute the mushrooms in a small saucepan with two tablespoons of Olive Oil and season with garlic salt to taste. Steam the broccoli for about 5-10 minutes or until the broccoli is "fork tender". Once the broccoli is finished sprinkle garlic salt over that as well. Next halve a few cherry tomatoes  add them along with the other veggies to the pasta. Mix and enjoy!

Chocolate:Sheer Bliss

There is something about chocolate that makes everything better; even if it's just for a moment. Think about it, when you bite into a room temperature piece of chocolate those sweet morsels of chocolatey goodness that seem to slowly melt onto your palate, help you to remember that the little things in life can bring us the greatest comfort. I may be over exaggerating just a bit,but I was presented a gift from some of my residents for "RA Appreciation Day". They gifted me a bunny shaped box full of milk chocolate eggs courtesy of Gertrude Hawk chocolates and they are simply splendid. These delightful yet high calorie treats serve me well when I get the midnight (well in this case 3:00 munchies). The only other chocolate that I know of that can top all chocolate is Sees Chocolate. It's my mom's favorite and it has become tradition that Daddy buys her a box for special occasions like her birthday or Valentine's Day. It is also tradition that my sisters and I sneak a piece or try to anyways when Mommy's not looking, but often times we are unsuccessful; it's like she has "Choco-radar" but out of the goodness of her heart she shares her special treats with us and we love and thank her for it, because now we've been introduced to something amazing. To sum up my rampage, simply put, chocolate is sheer bliss.

Pomodoro con Pollo e Spinaci

Hello Friends!
I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be home for a few days on break and how good it feels to be back in my own kitchen for a while. I was getting so tired of school cafeteria food; if anything I needed a break from that most of all. I have a really tasty and exciting new recipe to share with you all. I call it "Pomodoro con Pollo e Spinaci" (I'm practacing Italian where I can :-) it translates to Tomato with Chicken and Spinach).

Here's what you'll need
1 medium tomato (diced)
1/2 of a medium onion (diced)
1/2 cup of fresh baby spinach (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt
2 to 3 dashes of hot sauce
1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
2 boneless skinless chicken breast (cubed)
Olive Oil

Perfect Partner:
Tortilla Chips

How to Prepare:
Heat olive oil on the stove over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, place the cubed chicken breasts into it, season and let it cook through. While waiting for the chicken to lightly brown (golden is what you should be looking for) get a separate bowl (must be microwave safe) and add the diced tomatoes, onions, and chopped spinach to it along with the cheese. When the chicken is cooked add it to the bowl and place in the microwave for 1 minute and 45 seconds. Once the allotted time has passed take out the mixture and stir. Serve hot and enjoy.


Buon appetito

New Persepective

With every new year comes new adventures, new goals, new aspirations, and it seems a new perspective or outlook on life. But our goal is still the same, we strive to be better than we were the year before. To settle for what we have become accustomed to would be boring, but to stretch ourselves a little further, to push ourselves a little more, to work a little bit harder, to reach a new height in our lives...now that is an adventure that is worth taking.  Just as I was beginning this new year, my church went on a 21 day fast; some know it as the Daniel Fast; which means no meat, no carbonated drinks, no tea...[basically no fun stuff] ONLY fruits and veggies starting January 9th all the way through January 29th . So it was absolutely essential that I became creative with my meals.

Here was my menu:
Breakfast: Egg and Cheese Bagel /Yogurt/ Vegetable Egg White Wrap
Lunch: Spinach Salad with light dressing/ Soup and Sandwich
Dinner: Wheat Penne Pasta with sauteed vegetables
Beverage Staple: Ice Water

My favorite culinary creations were my breakfast wrap and my soup and sandwich combo.

Breakfast wrap:
Egg whites
Green Bell Peppers
Onions
Mushrooms
Tomatoes
American Cheese
Salsa
*All you do is combine the glorious mixture in 1 1/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat and then warm up a large tortilla add the mixture and enjoy.

Lunch Sandwich:
Wheat Bread
Mayo
Pepper Jack Cheese
Sliced Tomatoes
 Baby Spinach

To prepare:
place 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter into a non-stick pan over low heat placing the two slices of wheat bread in the pan once the butter is completely melted. When the bread is a golden brown (approximately 2 minute on each side) remove the bread and spread light mayo, the cheese, the spinach and the sliced tomatoes then place the sandwich back in the pan over slightly warmer heat (medium low) until the cheese is melted completely. Take off the heat, plate, and enjoy.

Although it was difficult, I learned a great deal about the importance of discipline; not just in our food choices, but in life. I have a totally new perspective on what I would like to accomplish for this year; starting with being the healthiest that I can be, while I'm still young. I've realized that with the support of my immediate family, and my church family, along with my faith in the Lord nothing and no one can stop me from being all that He has destined me to be.

"The change that I want to see, has to start with me"

An Unbelievable Buy

Hello Foodies!

Boy do I have something to share you...
Imagine taking a spontaneous trip to Target to take full advantage of the after Christmas sales after the hustle and bustle of the holidays have somewhat subsided. Like a little kid who can't seem to stand still in a toy store, your eyes wander down each aisle and from shelf to shelf. Then you go to check out the books that Target has available to you and through your peripheral vision you see a teal cover with red lettering and your eyes are  fixed on a classic item... can you guess what it is?
That's okay I'll tell you-- I found the last copy of Master the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child!!!

It would have been an insult to Julia Child and other food  connoisseurs  like me not to have this it in my book collection, right?

I am so excited to start cooking these classic French Dishes that Mrs Child was inspired to create years ago.

I'll be sure to keep you posted on the madness that will be going on in my kitchen