Oscar Predictions

Oscar Day is one of my favourite days of the year (I have many fave days...sue me!). The anticipation of Tinsel Towns  highest honor has me in a tizzy. The Red Carpet. Who Wore What? The Show and the After Parties...I love it all!
Over the years  I have been pretty good at predicting who will win what. Now, now I  am not clairvoyant but the list below is who I think should win. Happy reading dolls.

Best Picture: The Kings Speech

Best Actor in a Leading Role: Colin Firth

Best Actress in a Leading Role: Natalie Portman

Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale

Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo

Best Director: Daren Aronofsky

Carmelo Anthony is a Knick!!!

Carmelo Anthony

New York Knick fans can finally rejoice. We got Carmelllllllo!( Spike Lee voice).
See I am not a wagonist. I have been down with the Knicks since the days of Ewing and John Starks baby! And sure they fell off for some time. Well kinda nosed dived for a couple of years ( more than a couple, but who the heck is counting!)
Most recently though the Knicks have been back in biz with Mr Amare, but now that its official that we got Carmelo i know other teams are shook. Its about to be on and well... ballin.
Watch out, LA, Boston, Miami (NY ain't need Bron Bron anyway), and Orlando! The season just got that much more interesting :)

Reading Spree

Reading to my heart's content

So i decided not to get cable when i moved into my new apartment a few months ago. Why? Well not only could i save money for fashionable splurges, but, secondly i found that TV was taking over my life. I just couldn't miss certain shows, and noticed that my social life was suffering because of it. And dolls, we just can't have my social life being tampered with!
I do miss my Oprah fix, not to mention Top Chef, Gossip Girl, The Real Housewives, and (don't judge me) Jersey Shore, but the truth is i can find these shows online and watch them any time i like. Freeing up the time i used to dedicate to being a pretty cute couch potato, to doing other things, for example reading.
I've always liked reading, but now i think i am in love, reading a new book almost every week. Most recently i read Jenny McCarthy's Love, Lust, and Faking It (quite funny), Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God (a lesson in how simple love can be), Diane Von Furstenberg's A Signature Life (an inspiration), Junot Diaz's The Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (well written, fun to read masterpiece), and am now unto Diana Vreeland's DV.
I now find myself excited to pass the time away as i wait for a train with a good book in front of me. Almost missed my stop a couple of times by being lost in a book. I would have it no other way though, my brain is being stimulated for the better, on a different amusement park ride every time i start a new book.

Red Velvet Cookies

Everybody loves a sweet treat, and specially on Valentines Day. So i decided to make Red Velvet Cookies for friends and family and anybody that i thought might appreciate. Thus far the reviews have been good, and quite frankly i could eat like 10 in a sitting. I mean i didn't (wink wink). But please believe i could have. Here is the recipe for you to enjoy on your own or share with that special someone.


Ingredients
1 Box Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake Mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
Mix all ingredients together. This will make a cookie dough. Roll into balls about the size of a walnut and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Flatten down slightly (depending on the thickness you desire). Bake at 375° until the tops crackle (about 8-10 minutes) or until desired doneness.
Cool and then frost with basic... 

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8 ounce package cream cheese -- softened
1/4 cup stick margarine or butter -- softened
2 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
Beat cream cheese, margarine, milk and vanilla in medium bowl with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar on low speed, 1 cup at a time, until smooth and spreadable. Refrigerate any remaining frosting.


 
 

Red Stripe Spicy Bbq Wings

Red Stripe BBQ Wings

 

I was totally in the Super bowl mood yesterday ( even though black and yellow lost...boo!). Knowing i was going to a lil party i got out of the house early and headed to the bodega only to spot my home town beer Red Stripe, and decided i would create a new wing recipe. The wings scored a touch down! So i decided to share.

 

Ingredients

• 1 scotch bonnet pepper 
• 1/2 bottle Red Stripe Beer
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 2 pounds chicken wings

Directions

Combine the  scotch bonnet, soy sauce, honey,  sugar,  cayenne,  garlic, vinegar, orange juice and scallions in a blender and puree. Place the wings in a large resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over them. Seal and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Remove the wings from the bag, place on  pan and bake 20 minutes. Meanwhile, bring the marinade to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until reduced by one-third, about 10 minutes.

Remove the wings from the oven and brush with the glaze. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and continue to bake until the wings are cooked through, 20 more minutes.

All Red Starbursts!!!!

I was super stoked (I can't believe i just said... stoked) to see a box of all red starbursts at the bookstore the other day! I know i might receive a resounding who gives a...! But i for one used to dream of this as a child. Eating all the red (strawberry and cherry) starburst's and discarding of the pesky orange and i believe lemon gummi treats was a ritual. Now starbursts has an all red flavoured box! Ahhhh i feel like a kid in a candy store! Hmmm...well i guess i am ;)

Happy Black History Month

I am not going to get into a long debate about Black History Month, but will say this, as a black person, any day, week, month or year that celebrates a culture that I can relate to I will celebrate. So I will use the time (although i do this more than the month that has been allotted), through, food, music, art and much more, to reflect on what my ancestors had to endure for me to be the person I am today.
Happy Black History Month!