Corn Meal Mush

If you're ever in the market for a yummy alternative to pancakes, mush is a wonderful way to go. It has a bit of a weird name, yes, but it is delicious just the same.

Mush requires two processes to make: first cooking the ingredients, and then frying. 

To cook, add one cup of water and one teaspoon of salt into a large saucepan or pot. Next, whisk in one cup of corn meal. I use Indian Head Yellow Corn Meal. 

After whisking in the corn meal, you will mix in two cups of boiling water. Then, whisk in about half a cup of flour. This step is important, because it helps to hold the mixture together. 

Heat the mixture on medium-low while stirring constantly for about half an hour. The mixture will thicken as it cooks.

Once the mixture is cooked and thickened, pour it into a small bread pan (or two) that has been rinsed in cold water. You will then place the mush in the refrigerator to set. It will stay fresh (when covered) in the refrigerator for about a week. 

When you are ready to fry, use a large sized frying pan and add a layer of oil (I prefer coconut.) Pull the mush out of the refrigerator and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place the slices in the oil, and heat to medium / medium-high. 

Sometimes the slices stick together better than others. If the slices don't remain together in slices, that is quite okay. Just press the slice pieces together and flat while they are frying. 

Fry until each side is brown before flipping. It will be quite difficult to flip before the sides have been fully fried. Don't try to fight that, or you will just end up with more of a mess than necessary! It typically takes about twenty minutes to fry thoroughly. 

When the mush has been thoroughly fried, place it on a plate and serve with syrup or molasses. My favorite topping or mush is King Syrup. Then, take a bite and enjoy! 

Ingredients: 

(Approximately two servings)

One cup water

One teaspoon salt

One cup corn meal

Two cups boiling water

One-half cup flour

Oil for frying

King Syrup or other syrup of choice

Directions:

Add one cup of water and one teaspoon of salt into a large saucepan or pot. 

Whisk in one cup of corn meal.

Mix in two cups of boiling water. 

Whisk in about half a cup of flour. 

Heat the mixture on medium low, stirring constantly, for about 30 minutes. 

Pour the cooked mush into a bread pan that had been rinsed in cold water. Store in the refrigerator for at least two hours to mold, or up to a week if covered.

Cut the mush into 1/2 inch slices, and fry in a frying pan coated in oil. 

Fry each side until brown, approximately 10 minutes per side.

Serve with syrup and enjoy!

Eggplant Parmigiana

It seems that work has been consuming my life lately. If you have work that you love or is meaningful, that may not be a bad thing. But when you have a job that isn't what you want to be doing long-term...

Well anyway, I finally had a day off work and I have been craving eggplant parm for a while now. So of course, I had to make this delicious dish to share with my roommates. 

To start, you need one delicious eggplant. Eggplants usually come in two varieties: longer and skinnier, or shorter and wider. I personally find that the longer and skinnier eggplants are easier to work with to make eggplant parm. Once you have the eggplant well cleaned, slice off the ends and slice it up into relatively thin pieces.

Next, prepare a bowl with two eggs whisked together, and a second bowl with Italian or panko breadcrumbs. This is also about the time to start some water for pasta boiling on the stove. Whole grain penne is my pasta of choice!

Prepare a pan with a layer of oil made for frying. Today, I used a refined coconut oil. Heat the oil at a medium level.  Using a fork, coat a slice of eggplant first in egg, followed by the breadcrumbs.

Then place the slice in the pan. Continue until the pan is filled to your liking. 

Keep a careful eye on the eggplant while it is frying so that it doesn't burn or blacken (unless of course you prefer it that way!) Flip it over once it is golden brown. And don't forget to start cooking the pasta!

Once the eggplant is fully cooked, drain the excess oil by placing the eggplants on a paper towel covered plate. 

Now this next step is optional, but I would recommend it. I would also recommend having a helping hand, but that isn't necessary. Place the eggplant on a toaster oven sheet or a cookie sheet, both covered in aluminum foil. 

Add some pasta sauce and mozzarella cheese to the tops of the eggplant, and heat it in the oven long enough for the cheese to melt.

Continue frying the eggplant until all pieces are cooked. You may need to add extra breadcrumbs or oil to the bowl / pan as you go. Drain the pasta, and heat up some spaghetti sauce while everything is being finished up / cooling down. Then, get ready to enjoy a delicious meal! 

Eggplant Parmagiana: 

Serves 5-6

Ingredients: 

One whole eggplant

Two eggs

Italian or Panko-style Breadcrumbs

Oil for frying (coconut, vegetable, etc.)

Pasta (one box, your preference)

Spaghetti sauce (24 oz.)

Mozzarella cheese (optional)

Directions: 

1. Clean and slice the eggplant moderately thin.

2. Prepare two bowls, one with two eggs, whisked, and the second with breadcrumbs.

3. Prepare a pan with oil and heat at a medium level, and begin boiling water for the pasta.

4. Dip a piece of eggplant in the egg mixture, completely coating it, followed by the breadcrumb mixture. Then place the eggplant into the pan.

5. Repeat step four until the pan is filled to your liking.

6. Begin boiling the pasta.

7. Fry the eggplant until golden brown, flipping as needed. When completely cooked, place the eggplants on a paper towel covered plate to drain.

8. Move the eggplants to an aluminum foil covered tray or cookie sheet, for a toaster oven or regular oven. Spoon spaghetti sauce and mozzarella cheese into the eggplant pieces, and place on the oven at a low temperature (approximately 300) until the cheese is melted. 

9. Heat pasta sauce on the stove.

10. Finish cooking the eggplants, drain the pasta, and serve. 

11. Enjoy!

New Beginnings

The last month has been filled with new beginnings for me. I graduated college with my bachelors degree in education. I moved out of my home of two years, and into a new home with my boyfriend. I've been searching and applying for my first "big girl job." 

These new beginnings are all exciting and necessary steps in my life. But, I'm also a little nervous, because these new beginnings also come with a lot of new responsibilities, and a lot of questions. Am I going to find a good job? Am I going to be able to support myself on my own? Am I going to be happy in my new life? 

While change is often enough to make anybody nervous, I am also confident in my ability to succeed. In the past twenty-two years that I have been alive, I have faced- and conquered- many challenges. And I know that I have the skills and abilities to continue to do so. Although the road ahead may, and probably will, get rough, I know that I can succeed. 

Because in my game of life, failure is not an option.

My Crazy Busy Life

I will admit, I have been neglecting this blog quite a bit. But when you have what feels like zero time, some things have to be cut and unfortunately this was one of them.

But here's the good news: I am planning on revamping and revitalizing my blog.

This past semester has been spent student teaching and finishing my final semester of college. I am now both a college graduate and a certified teacher. Woo! Now that I have graduated, I have much more free time and much more time to devote to my blog. 

So stay tuned and there will be many wonderful things happening here shortly!

Snow-Cream

As many if you know, or are experiencing, the East Coast is currently covered in snow. While it's hard to find positives to having a lot of snow, here's definitely one: Snow-Cream!

Snow-Cream is essentially ice cream, but healthier! And it's super easy to make!

Snow-Cream:

4 cups of untouched snow

1 cup of milk or cream

1/4 cup of sugar

1 tablespoon of vanilla

Extras: chocolate syrup, whipped cream, cherries, or whatever else you would typically enjoy with your ice cream! 

Enjoy!

Pictured: Snow-Cream mixed with chocolate syrup. Yum!

The Miraculous Benefits of Vitamin E Update

A few weeks ago, I wrote about a new beauty treatment I was using: replacing my facial moisturizer with vitamin E oil (click here to view the original blog post). Now that I have been using this treatment for a little over a month, I am even more amazed by the results that I am seeing!

After using vitamin E oil daily for about 40 days, my skin is soft, smooth, and glowing. I have had a major reduction in break-outs, and any that do occur clear up within a day or so after applying extra oil. My prior acne scars have completely disappeared.
And most importantly, my skin just looks and feels healthy. I cannot believe the difference I see in the overall health and appearance in my skin from simply replacing my facial moisturizer with vitamin E oil.

Vitamin E oil can easily be obtained at a local store in the vitamins section. It is very inexpensive, about the same price as a regular facial moisturizer. After approximately 40 days of use, I have only used about 1/4th of a tiny 2 fluid ounce bottle.

This oil can also be worn under regular facial make-up without any issues, although be careful around your eye area because it can cause eyeliner to smudge. I apply a light layer of oil in the morning, and a heavier layer at night. And because your skin is being replenished with the healthy oil it needs, it doesn't produce an excess of oil to overcompensate. While I would often have a shiny t-zone by around 3 o'clock, my face now remains oil free all day.

I would recommend the use of vitamin E oil to anyone, whether you have young skin or old. Vitamin E is an essential vitamin for skin health, so doesn't it just make sense to apply it directly to your skin?

Feel free to comment below with any further questions about using vitamin E oil, or feel free to share your personal experiences!

Chili Mac

Macaroni and cheese is one of my favorite comfort foods. What can I say, I love pasta and cheese! But sometimes it's nice to take an old recipe up a notch and try something new.. which is exactly what I did with this absolutely delicious new recipe. Even better: this recipe is so simple, it only requires one pan! What more could you ask for?

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground beef
1 medium onion, sliced
2.5 cups of uncooked elbow macaroni
2.5 cups water
1 can diced tomatoes (approximately 14-15 oz.)
2 tablespoons chili powder
Cheddar cheese to top

Brown the ground beef and the onion in a skillet. Drain. Add the macaroni, water, diced tomatoes and chili powder. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for approximately 20-25 minutes or until the macaroni is cooked. Add more water if necessary to prevent sticking. Top with as much cheese as you desire and enjoy!

The Miraculous Benefits of Vitamin E

For me, this past Christmas season came with a trip to my parent's house to spend the holiday with my family. A holiday with my family isn't complete without good food and wine.. yum! Well while I was there, I stumbled across a bottle of vitamin E skin oil in the medicine cabinet. I decided to do a little research on vitamin E oil, and found that it comes complete with a variety of benefits:

• treatment of scars, stretch marks, and burn wounds
• treatment of dry skin and lips
• anti-aging benefits
• cleansing agent
• under-eye treatment
• and even make-up removal

With a list of benefits this long, I decided to experiment with using vitamin E oil as a facial moisturizer. With the benefits of oil being touted seemingly everywhere, why not? What's the worst that could happen?

Those six words seem to be the kiss of death, but I was simply amazed by what this oil has done for my skin. After the first application alone, the small break-out occurring on my chin (thank you unhealthy holiday diets!) began clearing up. Now, just three weeks later, and my skin has become clearer, hydrated, and even has a slight glow to it. After years of using a variety of different skin care products that did little to help my skin, I cannot even begin to describe how amazed I am.

Because vitamin E oil is an oil, it can be too heavy for your skin during the day. I choose to put a heavy layer on my face/neck at night, and a very light layer during the day- if distributed and rubbed into your skin well, it will not cause your skin to be extra oily. However, caution should be exercised with using vitamin E oil on your eyelids/ eye area during the day if you wear eye make-up, as this area doesn't absorb oil as well and your make-up will be more likely to smudge.

If you feel that vitamin E oil could help you, I would strongly encourage its use! While I have only been using this product for three weeks at the current time, I have already experienced a list of benefits, including:

• soft, moisturized, glowing skin
• reduction in facial scars
• healing of acne
• reduction in blackheads 

 These results are from my personal experience, and may not be typical of everyone trying Vitamin E oil as a topical skincare solution. However, if you choose to begin using Vitamin E oil or already do, I would love to hear about your experiences!

If you are looking to buy vitamin E oil, pay careful attention to the ingredients list, as all oils are not created equal. Tocopheryl acetate has gained some negative reviews online, and while I have not had any problems, it appears that those with sensitive skin may have sensitivity issues with this ingredient. Instead, look for oils containing tocopherol, as I will also be testing with my next purchase. 

My Beautiful, Chaotic Life

Over the past few months I have found myself to be extremely lacking in time, which has translated into lack of time for blogging as well. While I may have taken a long hiatus, I am planning to begin frequently updating this blog again. The past few months have helped to give me some new, interesting, and insightful knowledge that I cannot wait to share with all my lovely readers.

Stay tuned!

Xoxo

Wine Bottle Crafts

Everyone loves wine, right? Well maybe not everybody, but I know I certainly do! I actually discovered a new favorite the other day, red moscato! If you enjoy sweet wines, it is definitely a must try! I may or may not have finished an entire bottle to myself just because it was so good... oops!

Anyway, after you're finished enjoying that delicious wine of your choice, it's easy to just throw the bottle in the recycle bin and think nothing more of it. But if you're a crafty person like me, there are so many interesting ways to up-cycle using both the wine bottle and the cork! You can use them as house decorations, wedding centerpieces... the ideas are endless! These ideas below are some of my personal favorites!

Wine Cork Drink Coaster

These are super cute, inexpensive to make, and very practical. What better coaster to use when enjoying wine but one made with wine corks and small picture frames? I will definitely be making some of these soon!

Picture credit to and directions available at: http://www.pincookie.com/diy-rustic-cork-coasters-using-small-picture-frames/#

Glittered Wine Bottles

This website calls for smaller bottles, but glittered wine bottles would also make adorable vases for holiday decorations or anything else you would want to use them for! Again, this craft is both simple and inexpensive!

Photo credit to and directions available at: http://organizeyourstuffnow.com/wordpress/glittered-bottles

Decorated Wine Bottles

Wine bottles painted the color of your choice and chalkboard spray paint can be used in many different ways: as a thank you gift, table settings, the possibilities are endless! The chalkboard paint will allow you to write and erase endlessly, making these bottles easily reusable.

Photo credit to and directions available at: http://www.creativejuicesdecor.com/2011/05/wine-bottles-spray-paint-and-chalkoh-my.html

Twine Wrapped Wine Bottle

Unfortunately the directions on this website are in French, but even if you are too lazy to use a translator (like me) this craft still appears simple to make. Use modge podge as you go, and slowly wrap the bottle in twine. This would make a perfect vase or decoration in a rustic themed home, or as a center piece for a rustic themed wedding. This is one of my personal favorites, and I will definitely be making one soon! It's also so simple to add personal touches such as lace or flowers to the bottle.

Picture credits to and directions (in French) available at: http://aur0re.blogspot.fr/2012/09/do-it-yourself1.html

Wine Cork Candle Holder

Even if you are the least crafty person alive, this is one project that I have complete confidence that you can master. As long as you like wine anyway, because you will need a lot of corks. All you need are two glass cylinders, one smaller for the candle in the center, and a larger cylinder to place the corks in surrounding the smaller cylinder. All you have to do is place the candle and corks in their cylinders, and you're done! Super cute and super easy!

Photo credit to and directions available at: http://www.twotwentyone.net/2011/08/wine-cork-candle-holder/

Hope I've helped to inspire some wine bottle crafting. Has anybody tried any of these ideas or have any other awesome wine bottle crafts? Feel free to share, I'd love to hear about it!