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.

Friday Ramblings

It's Friday, you know the deal...

• People were up in arms over Kyrie Irving having a yacht party full of white women.  When I looked at the story my first thought was, "Kyrie Irving?  Who is that?"  I had to look him up to discover he's the dude who pretty much got media attention after his girlfriend allegedly cheated on him and let it be known through instagram.  With that said, Kyrie Irving is a nobody in my book still.
• I signed up for a cake decorating class and I realized how I don't eat baked goods like that.  I ate one piece of the cake I decorated and didn't eat another piece.  It was good cake though
• 30 for 30 has me wanting to find a "Bad Boys of Detroit" t-shirt.
• I swear to y'all nothing makes me happier than seeing Black kids who LOVE reading.  Like it seriously touches my soul.  #BlackKidMagic
• Found 144 Expo markers on sale for $75 and then the price went down to $55.  The Lord is good! *hits teacher praise dance* #DryEraseMarkersAreWorthGold
• Finally got around to ordering Warsan Shire's Teaching My Mother How To Give Birth and then discovered soft magic by Upile Chisala.  I swear I should have kept writing because I used to be a young Maya Angelou in my past. #ImBiasedThough 
• Speaking of poetry, I still wish my city had a strong creative community.  I always wanted to attend a poetry slam, but I've never been able to find one.  I also wanted to be in the Vagina Monologues (missed my chance in college because I graduated right before I mustered up the courage) or For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When The Rainbow Is Enuf.
• Why have I been listening to Jodeci none stop since Saturday?!  I realize more and more how the 90's had some great music.
• Also, the men of Jodeci look pretty bad.  This Devante Swing guy was cute back in the day...but drugs will mess you up.
• My skin has just been breaking out all summer in the forehead and chin area.  I swear every summer it's a new area of my face.  Ugh...too old for this mess.  Why me?!
• Summer is almost over.  Didn't cut my hair off.  Didn't get my hoop nose ring...that I've been wanting for almost 10 years.  Decided I wanted a tattoo...know I'm not going to get it.
• Finally got some living room furniture and it's too much for my little place.  I had to get my Mom a.k.a. Suge Knight to make them take 2/3 of it back.
• I swear I spend all my money when the school year approaches.  I had almost $200 in my cart on Amazon, but decided it was best to split my order up.  I know I've probably spent $100 at Target already on stuff for my room.  I need my pay raise NOW!
• Well...Taylor Swift is officially back on my {Bleep} List after Kim Kardashian exposed her lies.  No more sympathy for you Taylor. #HeMadeThatGirlFamous
• When is the annual Racial Draft?  We need to get rid of Omarosa if we haven't done so already.  Director of African-American Outreach?  More like the overseer slave. #ByeFelicia
• Melanie Trump's ghostwriter is out here making her look foolish!  They just decided to copy and paste from Michelle Obama's 2008 speech thinking nobody would notice.  Dude, this is 2016!  The internet is FULL of people waiting on the next set of memes they plaster across the web.  #WeDontCare #MakeAmericaGreatAgain #OneCopyAndPasteAtATime
• "You may write me down in history with your bitter, twisted lies.  You may trod me in the very dirt but still, like dust, I'll rise."  #FamousMelanieTrumpQuotes
• Ted Cruz is out here sticking it to the man y'all!  Dude did what he wanted by not endorsing Trump.
• Everybody needs to throw $50 my way so I can get supplies for my classroom. #BrokePhiBroke #BallinOnABudget
• This child told me she's ready to go to 1st grade so she can have her own desk and get some privacy.  In that moment I thought teaching kids that young may not be that bad...but I think that grade cries a bit much for my liking.
• How did I manage to go to Target and spend $37 on THREE items?!  THREE items!
• I'm going to try this oil cleansing method that Hey Fran Hey talks about.  Here's to hoping my sensitive skin doesn't go crazy.

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