Merry Christmas!!

The holidays are always filled with family and celebrations over some good food. I am use to spending this time of year in Memphis, TN with my large family exchanging gifts and catching up on old times. This year was spent at my home in Virginia with my fiance', Trent, and my 14 month old son, Cris. Initially I wasn't going to do anything at all, but last night I decided to head to Walmart before they close to pickup a few items to create my very own Christmas Dinner. So what's on the menu? Roasted Cornish Hens, wild rice, brussel sprouts, and a sweet potato mash. I have included the recipe for the mash as my weekly recipe. Hope you all enjoy and share your thoughts about the holidays and your favorite seasonal meals.


Sweet Potato Mash- serves 4

1 1/2 lbs   Sweet Potato- peeled, diced
1/2 cup     Milk
2 T           Butter
1/3 cup     Brown sugar
1 tsp         Cinnamon

Place diced sweet potato in a pot and cover with water.

Boil for 35 minutes or until very tender.

Drain water.

Add milk and butter and whisk until smooth. (A few chunks are okay. I like texture)

Add the brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir in.

Serve and enjoy.

This recipe is not as sweet as your normal candied yams you would eat, but it is equally delicious and with substitutes for the sugar and butter, like honey, can be a quicker and healthier option.

Beer Battered Coconut Shrimp

As promised, here it is, the first of many weekly creations to come. This week its Beer Battered Coconut Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce. Here's how to do it. . .

This recipe serves 1 person. Be sure to multiply the ingredients if you need more servings.

6             Shrimp, peeled, de-veined, tail-on, large
1/4 cup   Flour (For batter)
1 T         Flour (For dredging)
1 tsp       Salt
 1 tsp      Pepper
1 tsp       Cayenne Pepper
1/4 cup   Panko Bread Crumbs
3/4 cup   Beer (Preferably a dark beer. I user Shiner Bock)
1/4 cup   Shredded Sweetened Coconut
3 cups    Canola Oil
3 T         Ketchup
1 T         Horseradish Sauce

1.) Make sure your shrimp is already peeled. - Very important.

2.) Pre-heat oil in a medium pot to medium high.

3.) In a small sauce container, mix the ketchup and horseradish sauce together. Set aside in fridge to cool.

4.) Set up your batter station. Gather 3 small containers. Fill the first with the 1 T of flour. In the second container mix the rest of the flour, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, panko, and beer. The third container should be filled with the shredded coconut.

5.) One by one dredge the shrimp in the flour, then dip in the batter. Be sure to shake off any excess batter. Press shredded coconut onto the shrimp and set aside. Repeat until all 6 shrimp are coated.

6.) Fry the shrimp in the oil for 2-3 minutes, turning half way. Fry until golden.

7.) Drain on a paper towel.

8.) Serve with the cocktail sauce and enjoy.


I hope you all enjoy this dish as much as I do. If you have any suggestions, as always, feel free to comment. :)

Back in Action!!

It has been quite some time since I have created a new post. Life has been busy and I have lost sight of the things that make me happy the most. I have found a new motivation that I want to thank my brother for. So here is what's in store. . . Weekly posts will consist of the new recipes I've tried. So I don't have to worry about what another does or does not eat, I'm cooking these recipes on my off days where it's just me and my 14 month old son Cristopher. Trent will be at work and I get to have "Me" time.

The first weekly recipe will be posted tomorrow. I want to do a shrimp recipe. I'm thinking maybe Coconut Shrimp with a dipping sauce, Shrimp Po'Boy, or maybe Thai Shrimp. Whichever one I decide, a post will be put up with a great recipe and tips. I'm so excited to have this new beginning and to begin sharing my passion again.

If you have any ideas for recipes or ingredients you'd like to see, feel free to comment and I'll be sure to make it happen for you.

The secret to healthy eating

Ever get in the mood to start a new diet or health trend? The answer from most people is yes. Ever actually start that trend? Most answer no. People want to do better with eating, but don't understand that work and effort needs to be put in on the front end to ensure smooth success.

Even as knowledgeable as I am in the culinary world, and as much as I love to cook, I have a busy schedule and don't 'like' to cook as much anymore. This can create many problems when trying to stay fit and eat healthier.

So knowing that time management is an issue, what's the solution? PLANNING AHEAD!!!

This will not only keep you from coming up with excuses, but will also allow you to have more time and an overall better week. No more standing in front of the fridge wondering what to take to work for lunch, or make for dinner. (My main problem is just completely skipping meals.)

I challenge all of you to plan a weeks worth of meals. Create your grocery list from the ingredients needed to make the meals (To save money, choose meals with overlapping ingredients). You will know in advance what you will be eating, and also when. You'll be able to pre-count your calories to ensure you are on the right track with your nutrition goals.

Leading by example, today I have already planned my lunches for work and am working on breakfast and dinner items now. I plan on grocery shopping in the next 2 hours. :)

Saturday will be my prep day. Preparing all items that can be prepared in advance, packaging them, and having them ready for me to grab on my way to work.

P.S. For those of you who need help planning or grocery list making, contact me and let's get you all set up :)

What's for Dinner tonight?

So I was thinking about making a Chicken Marsala dish this past weekend for dinner, but I didn't have any Marsala wine, and still don't, lol. However, I'm still gonna make it, but just with a different red wine. I'm using a Shiraz wine made by Layer Cake. I decided to use both Portobello and Button mushrooms (I love mushrooms) and have cooked them down already with a little Balsamic Vinegar. I think I'll serve this dish with some roasted garlic mashed potatoes and some sort of green veggie.

I'm still working on my cookbook and have decided all the different categories to include and the majority of the recipe titles. One huge thing that is setting me back is the fact that I don't measure when I cook. I can recall most if not all of the ingredients used, and can guestimate the amounts used. So I'm trying daily to become more concise so I can pull my cookbook off and share my passion with others :)