Frozen Memories.

When I was a youngin', me & my Mom would bundle up on snow days and walk around town. I guess today's snowfall brought out the kid in me. I couldn't resist the urge to stay in and I headed out around Harlem. My neighborhood never seemed so still. It was a wonderful trip down memory lane.

Snow Day Supper . . .

Today was by far the most snow I've seen since I left Jersey 5+ years ago. Luckily, I bought my groceries yesterday and prepared a lovely salmon dinner. The long of the short of it is: I cooked Basmati rice, and steamed the beans a few minutes before it was ready. Then I lightly seasoned the salmon & let it pan fry until it got some color. Lastly, I tossed the beans with some chopped garlic in the pan I made the salmon in. Saved time, added flavor. It was a perfect meal.

Bombass Brunch!

I usually keep it light in the early hours, but I woke up ferociously hungry this morning with potatoes & eggs on the brain. So I sliced two Yukon Gold Potatoes and fried them in a pan with onions & chopped garlic. I seasoned them with kosher salt {Happy Hanukkah by the way} & oregano. Then I chopped up about 1/5 of a green pepper & two grape tomatoes for the eggs. It was oh so good and hit the spot!

Sim, Simma . . .

This was plenty for 3 eggs

I like them with a tan

Don't forget to go green on the side

The garlic adds a hint of sweetness

Incredible Edible!

Sweat the Small Stuff . . .

It goes a little something like this: boil some angel hair pasta, then sauteed some chopped garlic, yellow & green beans in some lovely butter or soy margarine. Sprinkle with kosher salt & Chinese 5 spice. Add freshly chopped tomatoes then shrimp. Finally swirl the cooked pasta in all the veggie goodness. Serve & savor.

A Fond Trip Down Memory Lane . . .

Like many recent newcomers, I was about 2 bucks shy of brokeness when I moved into the city. I was still determined to eat well and I created delicious meal which I ate for about 6 weeks straight. It consisted of chickpeas, fresh broccoli,  carrots, garlic, curry powder, salt, coconut milk, & chopped tomatoes. I swapped out the chickpeas for some tilapia since I'm no longer vegan and also since I can actually afford fish now. It's tasty over pasta or rice.

Fresh carrots sauteing with chopped garlic.

Add some fresh broccoli & spices.

Bathe the veggies in coconut milk, then add chopped tomatoes.

I lightly fried the tilapia fillets before adding it to the vegs for extra crunch & texture.

Over basmati rice & topped with cashews.

Food's Comforting . . .

Ooo child, November was a roller coaster. Not too much going on in the kitchen unless you count boiling mounds of brussel sprouts. {I do love them!} Luckily the month is over and I'm excited about food again. Cooking often pulls me out of a slump. The meal gives me something to look forward to. This afternoon I prepared garlic shrimp & broccoli over angel hair pasta. it was a nice simple meal that hit the spot. Peep photos.

Don't boil the f out of them, keep some vitamins!

Sauteed the shrimp with chopped or fresh garlic

Mash-up!

I served it over angel hair pasta and garnished with parmesan & cayenne pepper. C'est bon!

Brooklyn, We Dance Hard!

Oh Brooklyn Museum, one day I will actually visit & see your wonderful works of art. Until then I'm all about the dance party first Saturdays of the month. It suits me because I'm cheap and I love bustin' a move. You also see an interesting mix of people brought together & gettin' down! Some are amazing dancers and some can't catch a beat to save their lives. But at the end of the day, it's beautiful to watch the joy of music & self expression. 

Femi danced so hard he ripped his pants!

Moi!

Ms. Christiana's Closet Thanksgiving Edition!

Check out Ms. Christiana's Closet this month for fun vintage wears, housewares, & dope t-shirts. Check flyer for details. See you there!

Chili Con Soy Carne

Mmmhmmm, how delightful is a big bowl of chili on a cold night? It's the next best thing to a big blanket or a nice hunk of man. I hadn't cooked up a pot in years, but my friend Camilla kept mentioning how much she enjoyed it years ago. It's not too hard to do. Chop up & sweat some veggies, I used an onion, carrots, & green pepper. Add some soy ground meat, or real meat if you fancy. Then stir in some beans & tomato sauce. Serve it up with some cornbread, rice, or homemade tortilla chips from whole Foods. {They are divine!}

Far East Fish

Whole fish is not for the faint of heart. But those of you who cook or haven eaten it know that it's worth braving the bones for a more succulent feast. The first step to good fish is finding a decent fish monger. I get my fish at a market on 125th & Frederick Douglass {it's steps away from the A/B/C/D trains.} It's not so impressive at first glance or smell, but they are attentive & they clean a good fish! I love to take whole Tilapia and smother it in a simple wet rub. My Chinese 5 Spice Mix is simply: kosher salt, olive oil, chopped garlic, & Chinese 5 Spice. Blend together & smather it on the fish, & cook on top of veggies. I used yellow beans & peppers this time. The oils & seasonings will flavor the veggies. It's so good.

Chop, chop!

This is pre-oven. You want to make sure the fish is coated well on both sides & on the inside too.

The tail is delicious, but the head actually has some of the best meat.

Sunday Soup!

Cold weather means savory, hearty foods. The inaugural soup of the season was a curry coconut lentil with homemade croutons. It's a great Sunday dish that will keep you warm for days.