Candied Pecans

I wanted to make a strawberry pecan salad with homemade raspberry vinaigrette and really wanted some candied pecans on it.  Walmart didn't have anything specifically labeled as "candied pecans" instead they had honey pecans or something like that for $4.  I looked up a recipe and knew I had all of the ingredients at home.  Therefore, being my awesome self I decided to make my own candied pecans, but altered the recipe some.

Ingredients
1-1/2 cup of pecan halves
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg white
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Preparation
1.)  Preheat your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and cover a baking sheet in aluminum foil.

2.)  I recommend mixing your white sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl (like what you eat cereal out of).

3.)  Whisk your egg white, water, and vanilla in a large bowl until it is frothy.

4.)  Pour your pecans in the bowl with your egg white mix and stir with a spatula to ensure each pecan gets the mix.

5.)  Pour the sugar mix into the bowl of pecans.  Stir well with a spatula to evenly distribute your sugar mix.
6.)  With your hand remove the pecans and evenly spread onto baking sheet.
7.)  Cook for 1 hour and stir the pecans every 15 minutes with a clean spatula.

8.)  Remove from oven and let cool off for 15 minutes.  Enjoy!

Reflection
These were really good, but I think next time I may try to do 1/4 cup white sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar.  I also may try to use vanilla extract in place of water.

How To Be A Housewife: Eggplant Pizza

It's the summer and I usually try some new foods.  This summer I've been slacking though and haven't really done as much.  After realizing that I gained ten pounds from March 2015 to October 2015 I have somewhat realized that I need to make some lifestyle changes.  My goal for the rest of the year is to try to eat healthier and I'm trying to make that change this week.  So yesterday I went to Kroger and purchased an eggplant for $0.98.  I've never had eggplant before today and I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was.

Ingredients
Eggplant
Marinara Sauce
Salt
Pepper
Provolone or Mozzarella slices (whichever type of cheese you like)
Oregano
Spinach (optional)
Olive Oil

My Attempt: Chicken Pot Pie

So everyone knows that I'm one of those people that becomes really domestic when I'm at home bored.  When I was home for Thanksgiving I planned on making apple butter, but stuff happens.  Now I'm here with an easy recipe for chicken pot pie.

Ingredients:

2 Cans of Condensed Cream of Chicken (10.5 ounces)
1.5-2 Cups Cooked and Cubed Chicken
1/2 Cup 2% Milk
2 Cups Mixed Vegetables (12 ounce bag thawed)

Crust
1 Cup biscuit mix
1 Egg
1/2 Cup 2% Milk

I got this recipe from the Campbell's Soup website and the original serving size was for four so I decided to double up on all of the ingredients which I soon discovered was unnecessary.  The recipe was super easy and simple, so all of you who struggle in the kitchen don't worry.

The Things We Do For Love: My Curlformers Experience

If you all don't know I order Curlformers last Sunday and received them on Thursday if I remember correctly.  After seeing all the results and looking for something new I decided I would make the $32.75 purchase for 36 long and narrow Curlformers from ebay.  When I received them in the mail I noticed that the seller sent me two packs of 36, but with these things coming from Puerto Rico and this being their mistake that benefited me I said there was no way I would send them back.  Good thing that she sent me that extra set actually.  Anyways the main reason I finally decided to get these things was because one Sunday during my hair day I asked my boyfriend how I should do my hair.  The only options are twists or twist outs because I am style challenged.  He said he wanted curls which honestly pissed me off because I took it as him being tired of my style.  He denied it but I'm pretty sure I was right.  Regardless I figured I'd be nice and do something he requested.

I pre-pooed my hair with Herbal Essence Hello Hydration Conditioner, shampooed with Suave Clarifying Shampoo, conditioned with that same Herbal Essence conditioner, and deep conditioned with Aussie 3 Minute Miracle I put my hair into big twist to help hold some of the water in plus I knew it would make things easier for me as this is a process that requires clean hair parts.  Oh yeah, my leave-in conditioner of choice was Kinky Curly Knot Today followed by a Jamaican Black Castor Oil and Coconut mix to seal the moisture in.

All 72 Curlformers that I received.

Freshly washed, detangled, and separated hair.  This was around 8:30 P.M..  I had intentions to start way earlier but after going to church with my Mom and having to help her "cook" (I only made banana pudding.)  I could actually reach the sink until like 5.

This was around 3:00 A.M.  

Don't let the smile fool you.  I was pissed off and tired by this time.  I honestly would have quit at 10 o'clock had my boyfriend not begged me to finish them.

Obviously I'm in my junky room.

Let me tell you all this.  I had 72 of these things and only used 69 just in case ya'll were wondering about these twists.  On one of them my hair got CAUGHT on the hook and as I tried to push it back out the hook went THROUGH the Curlformer.  Yeah once that occurs you're in for a hard ride trying to get it out.  Although it had occurred before I was seriously to a point where I said, "Eff this.  I want to go to bed."

RESULTS!!!!

Dance Like A Stripper: My First Experience Pole Dancing

How I was moving by the end of the class...in my mind.

You know how you have a few select things that you'd like to do before you die?  Well mine was taking a pole dancing class and I can finally mark it off my bucket list.  Being in boring Augusta I try to find exciting things to do so while searching the internet for "pole dancing Augusta" I came across 5, 6, 7, 8 Studios.  I found a coworker who was just as awkward and willing to try new things with me.  Next thing we knew we were standing in the back of the class looking at each other like, "What the f*ck did we get ourselves into?"  We started the class out stretches to sexy music like Christina Milan's "Dip It Low" and started learning a few spins on the pole.  I'm not sure if I've ever told you all this, but I'm probably one of the most uncoordinated people in the world and I'm not sure if it has to do with me being left-handed (they say we do everything backwards).

The first spin we learned was the Princess Spin.  It involved us walking around the pole really sexy, wrapping our inner foot around it, pushing off with our outer foot, and bringing it under our other foot.  After many attempts I only got half way around the pole.  Another girl who was at our pole seemed to have a lot of experience despite this being an intro class.  Everytime she approached the pole for her turn I just thought to myself, "This hoe is trying to show me and Maria up.  Hell naw."  I swear she looked like an amateur stripper with all the grace she had, but we learned she had taken classes for a month up in New York.  I still hate her.  I think halfway through the class I was finally moving with some form of grace, this must have been around the time we learned how to do circles with our legs.  I pretty much had to hold onto the pole and kick my legs out into circles.  The funniest thing was when the instructor told me to just "spread my legs out more."  I seriously busted out laughing.  Yes, I'm immature and have no shame in admitting it.  I was happy that Maria didn't end up with a concussion after nearly falling as we learned some move that resulted in us kicking our legs out and dipping back.  We closed the class out with a "pop quiz" of the different things we learned.  When it was my turn I selected Beyonce's "Dance For You" and showed out...in my mind.

The next day I woke up with extremely sore arms and thighs followed by the next day which resulted in EVERYTHING hurting.  Despite this I really can't wait to go again.  It's probably the most fun I've ever had and it'll help build my upper body strength.  The class really made me think about how insecure women are with being sexy or at least myself.  Our instructor encouraged us to look into the mirror as we danced but I often found myself looking everyone other way as I giggled at what I was doing.  I believe this is something that is highly discussed in the Black community, at least when it comes to the act of masturbation and sex.  When I came home I just told my Mom that I went to a dance class out of fear of her going back to tell my Dad who probably would have spazzed out.  My cousin actually takes classes in Atlanta and every picture or video she post just inspires me.  She's actually the reason why I wanted to try the class out.  Whenever I tell people she does this they always ask, "Your cousin's a stripper?!?!?!"  Which results in me saying no and telling them that she is very educated.  I hope to return back a few times before the summer ends as classes are $13 without the having a monthly package.  I've even looked up pole dancing in Athens.  I'm that serious.  Here's to hoping this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

I Like A Long Haired, Thick Red Bone: My First Braiding Experience

 Today I went through the long and semi-painful process of getting my hair professionally braided for the first time.  I went to a new shop in Augusta called Hair Garden owned by Melissa, a beautician I met via Twitter. I had asked her last year about getting braids and never contacted her after that first tweet.  This year I said I would do it and I did.  So I bought 5 packs of kanekalon hair, some money, and my A Belle In Brooklyn by Demetria Lucas (Essence Magazine relationship editor) to make the process happen.  Melissa washed my hair and in true beautician fashion put me to shame when it came to how easy she detangled it.  After blow drying and separating my hair into four parts she and her assistant Cassie (we were friends in high school so I was shocked and glad to see her after four years) went to work.  From 11:39 A.M. to 5:09 P.M. I had two beauticians braiding my hair...at the same damn time.  Whenever Melissa began twisting my edges I thought I was going to break her chair from how hard I was pressing against the foot rest on it.  Honestly, when I felt her parting a small section of hair on my edges I felt like a child who knew they were about to get the worst whipping from their parent ever, no Creflo Dollar.  Yes, that is how I felt.  Anyways after what I believe was 6.5-7 packs (the other 1.5-2 packs were courtesy of Melissa) of type 2 kanekalon, a few hair rods, and 5.5 hours my hair was completed.  My first reaction before seeing it was, "OMG this is heavy!"  I felt like I had a whole new person on my head as odd as that sounds.  I concluded that this is how white tourist feel when they get their hair braided in the Bahamas as young girls call out to them, "You want your hair braided lady?"  

I've never had THIS much hair on my head so it will take some time getting use to it.

I have horrible posture! 

When Melissa told me her assistant was a white girl she said, "Don't worry, she can braid some hair."  She told the truth and the most interesting thing is her assistant and I went to high school together.  If I had known she could braid back then I would have been asking her to braid my hair all the time.

She recommended that when it came to the upkeep to massage some shampoo (I'll dilute it with water) onto my scalp, but not vigorously rub it.  I should be able to wash it once a week she told me.  She said I need to put a light oil on it, coconut oil for me, every other night as my scalp is exposed a lot more than usual.  I'd like to keep these in at least six weeks and look up some wash to style them when I'm not at work.  If you are in the Augusta, GA or CSRA area you can find Melissa's shop at 138 8th Street downtown.  Her Facebook page can be found here.