So good, just so incredibly good!

Hey Guys,

Happy FRIDAY!!!!

I've been a little MIA but it's not that bad, hope I wasn't missed or anything.

So earlier this week I was sick. I stayed home and had 2 packs of Ramen Noodle soup. But I didn't want that I wanted REAL SOUP

So I whipped this little batch up in my Le Creuset Dutch Oven (OBSESSED)

Claiming this as my go to soup for the Fall. Chicken, Sweet potatoes, onion, garlic, butter, olive oil, corn, toasted sesame oil, chili powder curry powder and cumin. Emulsified and stewed topped with slivered almonds for a texture variation. Take THAT $7.49 soup from Hale and Hearty

Savory Fall Stew

3 Chicken legs 
1 Sweet Potatoe (diced) 
3/4c diced carrots
1 Spanish Onion (diced)
4 Cloves of Garlic 
2 TBSP of Butter 
2 TBPS of Olive Oil (EVOO is perfectly ok) 
1 bag of frozen corn 
1 dash of Toasted Sesame Oil
Chili Powder
Cumin Powder
Curry Powder
2 Knorr Chicken Stock Gel


Step 1: Heat up a pot large enough to hold 5c of water

Step 2. Add your olive oil, onions, carrots, and sweet potatoes and cook for 5 min then add your garlic. Let this sautee for about 3 min (do not let the garlic burn or else your stock is ruined)

Step 3. Add 5c of water and your chicken stock gel. Put the lid on and give it time to melt into the pot.

Step 4. Add the chicken legs and corn and let this boil on LOW for 20-30 minutes

Tip: I refrained from seasoning it in the early stages because I really wanted the natural flavors of my ingredients to be the stars of this soup. If you want a heavy taste on the dry seasonings then by all means add them in the beginning but if you're like me and wanted just a hint of it wait until the next step

Step 5: If you have an Emulsifier (hand held blender) take the chicken legs out and blend your soup until it's the consistency you want. Normally I like a super chunky texture, but this time I wanted something smooth and creamy so I blended until it was just that. If you do not have a handheld blender just pour the soup into your counter top blender and do it that way. Same thing! 

Step 6: Add the chicken legs back into the soup, and season. I did not measure this part, I went by my eye sight b/c I could tell how much was too much or too little. Add the dash of Toasted Sesame Oil and let it cook on low for about 30 more minutes. The longer you cook, the better it tastes! 


I garnished mine with some slivered almonds just for texture and enjoyed every moment of this soup

There's No Better Place

If you know me, which through this blog I hope you get to know who I am a little bit more through each and every entry; you know that without a shadow of a doubt I absolutely LOVE NYC

It all started in high school. In my junior year we took a class trip to the MoMA (Metropolitan Museum of Art) my friends and I were so excited to get dressed up and hit the city (ugh but with classmates that we could 1/2 stand). Nonetheless, for me, it was the perfect fall day. We ate water dogs on the steps near the fountain and just enjoyed our time there. I made a mental note (and I probably told my BFF) that one day I was going to work here, live here, and be here every single day.

After I graduated college I thought for sure I would get a job making $50,000 in NYC and move here within the year. YEAH THAT DID NOT HAPPEN (Cue in reality) So I went through 2 post-grad jobs before I got my break in NYC. I worked at Bath & Body Works as an Assistant Store Manager for 2 years, and then I worked for Bare Necessities as a Customer Service Supervisor. I felt like this was not the plan, I was angry all I wanted was to be amongst the fashionable, chill, and busy streets of NYC. Finally I got a job in Soho and my love affair with this city officially began. It was a dream!!! I had amazing co-workers, a hella cool, stylish boss that literally taught me so much in just 6 months of working for her. (I really miss her) But anyway, 6 months later the dream was CRUSHED! I was laid off….I was devastated, why is my bliss being taken away from me? But this was my first lesson in the real world in that nothing lasts forever. My company was downsizing, restructuring whatever you want to call it. It was sad, so many of us were let go.

7 months later (after many trips back into the city meeting with headhunters) I was BACK IN ACTION!!!!!!! Landed a temporary job with a major major MAJOR retailer and I've been here ever since.

In between the years, I have celebrated countless birthdays in this city, took my very first out of state trip with my husband here, sent my parents to numerous Broadway shows and concerts and tasted some of the most amazing culinary treats of my LIFE!!!!!!

Some people are very anti-NYC because it's "dangerous", or there's too many people, but there's a certain calm that can really only be appreciated in the morning, when there aren't too many people on the street, or the line at Starbucks isn't quite as long….it's mesmerizing to just sit/stand and pay attention to your surroundings.

So…all the while I can complain about the many different facets of life, the one thing I cannot complain about is that I've made this happen for myself. I think of the day when I won't work in NYC anymore and I get really sad about it. There's just something about this city...

Author Q & A

1. Why do you blog?

I blog because it's a creative outlet for me to share with readers, and passers by my thoughts and opinions on things that I find interesting.

2. How old are you?

They say a lady should never tell but I'm a woman who's not afraid of the aging process I graciously turned 32 last week 10.9.81

3. Why don't you blog consistently, like daily?

I have a full time job guys. I don't have the luxury to sit in front of my computer to search for content to blog about. I would love to do this daily but I'm not interested in setting expectations super high that I cannot achieve. I try to blog at least 1x per week, more if I can. I'm also a wife, a friend, a sister etc so my time is dedicated to more things than my awesome blog.

4. What nationality are you?

Ahhhhh the age old question that I've been getting since I was able to speak. I am an American. I am an African-American of mixed descent woman. My roots are in NJ but my mother is from a very small town in Georgia and my father's parents are from a very small town in South Carolina. My paternal great-grandmother was Cherokee Indian. My maternal great-grandfather was a white man. I don't know if his family were Italian, German, Polish etc but the rumor I've heard is Irish. I embrace all of these differences about me. Curly hair, caramel skin, slim nose it is what it is. I love me!

5. What do you do full time?

I work for the corporate offices of a MAJOR retailer. You've probably been there a time or two

6. Why do you blog about so many different things? Why not stick to one targeted audience?

I'm a "Jack of All Trades"!!! I like to juggle, i'm knowledgable about several topics.

Makeup/Beauty - I am a freelance MUA. I do bridal makeup, special event makeup, my own makeup. I like making women feel beautiful and teaching them how to achieve certain looks.

Weddings - I've started out as an assistant coordinator with Jenny Orsini Events in 2007, now I am a Senior Event Consultant with J.O.E. My ultimate passion in life is to be surrounded by all things wedding related it's an obsession. I'm the friend that you call when you get engaged and all throughout your planning to ask those crazy questions no one else would know the answer to nor would they care about it! Weddings = LIFE

This me after I picked my wedding gown up from Kleinfeld's

Food - I absolutely LOVE food! Who doesn't? I used to sit in my mother's kitchen as a child and watch/help her prepare several meals for our family because it was fun to me! I enjoy entertaining, making decadent dishes for my family and friends. I'm blessed to have skilled hands in the kitchen and not need to follow recipes line for line. My family thinks I'm adventurous  (try getting a southern family to eat Pumpkin Pie on Thanksgiving instead of Mama Duke's Sweet Potato Pie and I might get slapped)

Made this during Hurricane Sandy 

Baked brie with berries YUM

Fashion - I'm plus sized so I'm interested in fashion for my body type. Period point blank

7. What does your blog name mean?

Adhari is my first name. Renee is my middle name. As a child (and even to this day) my family likes to call me Adhari Renee amongst other nicknames. I love my name I think it's unique. It means "princess" in Hebrew or Arabic i'm not 100% sure. But if you don't believe my name is Arabic check this out Adhari

Thanks for reading. If you have questions please comment down below!!!!

XoXo, Food and Great Lipstick

Mani"c" Monday

Happy Monday!

Mondays are usually drab, dull, boring, and people like me usually loathe them because there is so much to be done in the weekend I almost feel that Monday should be my re-coup day.

Last week I celebrated my 32nd birthday! Filled with so much love, energy and positivity it was a great way to bring my 32nd year in.

I adore manicured nails. I think it's so feminine and the classy thing to have your fingernails primped and primed looking fab! Personally even if I look a hot mess in the hair/face department having something pretty to look down at on my hands makes me feel like I'm not so much a hot mess after all.

In high school I was GUILTY of acrylic tips (Crystal if I had a little extra cash). It was the IN thing to do when I was between the ages of 15-23. Every two weeks I took my allowance and had some random colors with freakishly dramatic airbrushed designs (which came with the $25 set or $15 fill in). I specifically remember having pale yellow nails with white zebra stripes airbrushed. It was loud! Now looking back I wouldn't have my nails that long nor damage my nails with all of that acrylic (although it looked so pretty). It was a B to get my nails hammered at bi-weekly.

Then something changed! Manicures became the "in" thing, a heck of a lot cheaper too. Short nails are now on trend (don't know what "on trend" means..basically it's current, it's what fashion/beauty critics and advisors say WE (the consumer) should be doing)! And I LOVE IT !!!!

Fall manicures are my favorite. It's the time of year it's acceptable to be very daring in your lacquer choices. Currently I am wearing Zoya's Emerald Green which is called "Giovanna". I've been eyeing it for quite some time and being that none of the salons I frequent carry the Zoya collection I spent the $8 on this fab polish. It's definitely a polish that remind you of Christmas time. But the trend report for F13 states Emerald Green is on trend...so...I had to have it!

{{ it looks a bit teal here on my hand}}

{{ but here you can see the pigments better}}

But that's not REALLY what I want to show you today! This morning I had to do an exchange at Macy's and ended up at the Dolce Gabbana cosmetics counter at the HSQ 34th St. location. Can we all just say "ahhhhhhhh"!!!! The sales lady tried to get me on this $37 lipstick....no way was I doing that even with a store credit! So..what did I buy...a $24 nail lacquer called "Wild Green 178"

All I heard was "made in France", and saw how nice and perfectly thin/thick the consistency was and I fell head over heels with it. Additionally I had been looking for a GREAT Hunter Green color.

There she is! And I can't wait to take this fab "Giovanna" off and put "Wild Green 178"on!

What are your favorite nail polish brands?

What are your favorite Fall nail colors?

Let's chat about this!!!

XoXo

Have a Mani"c" Monday

My Fall Faves & Must Haves

Chilly mornings, dew on your windshield, big beautiful scarves in a multitude of colors and the return of baking. Yes my friends this is FALL! My absolute favorite season of the year. I've seen a lot of different bloggers/vloggers posting their monthly favorites. I have a LIST of them and just wanted to share. I'm always interested in random product reviews and people are always asking me for advice on Skin Care, Beauty, Home and Fashion products. So here we go!!!


Dasani Drops - Cherry Pom

I don't like drinking water like some people. It's a struggle for me to CHUG half of my weight in ounces of water every day! Yes before you start judging, I know it's the healthy way to be but that doesn't mean I have to enjoy it. So I use these drops in my water and it tastes like I'm having something sweet and indulgent. (ok indulgent might be a little bit exaggerated but you get the point)

 Garnier BB Cream 

I'm a freelance makeup artist. I've been doing this for over 6 years now. So when I see people out in the street the expectation they have is that I have a full face of makeup. Let me clear the air NOW! I do not wear makeup daily. My mother taught me at a very young age that if I wore makeup everyday I would become so dependent on it that I wouldn't be able to look myself in the mirror in the morning, or go out the house and feel ok. I don't EVER want to feel like I don't look presentable just because my face is not beat to perfection. I read a few reviews on various BB Creams. (BB stands for Beauty Balm) but I have tried several products from Garnier and loved them so I bought this and love it!!!! It gives me coverage to even out my skin tone, moisturizes and provides my skin with additional vitamins and nutrients it needs. And honey I'm 2yrs past 30 so it's VITAL I start paying attention to these things.

MAC Cosmetics - "Up the Amp"

Totally digging this color for the Fall. It's a great transitional color from very bright pinks (like Candy Yum Yum) to more of a muted pink/plum blend.

Moroccan Smooth Perfection Blow Out Cream - Organix

I straighten/blow out/doobie whatever you want to call it my curly tresses. I used to spend quite a bit of money per month at my handy local Dominican salon totaling over $200 per month after you include the tip, deep conditioners, trims etc. While that's not a lot of money when your hair looks amazing it's never a 2hr thing. I could be in the salon for half a day and that doesn't appeal to my lifestyle anymore. So I trained myself and my hair on how to be blown out at home. This cream is awesome, it smooths out the frizz, gives my hair a great smell, it's lightweight and provides enough shine so my hair doesn't look brittle but doesn't make it greasy (I HATE GREASY BLOWN OUT HAIR). One day i'll do a tutorial on how I blow my hair out. 

Zoya Fall 2013 Cashmere Collection - Hunter

This color is AMAZING!!!!! The whole collection is beautiful but I am obsessed with this color. The pigment of the laquer is true (meaning it picks up exactly the color you want & the color pigments are strong and not weak). I haven't used this one yet because I need to let my nails grow out a little bit more so I can really show off a super cute mani in this color. I tend to steer to the dark side when it comes to my nails in the Fall. (Hello fans of "Linkin Park After Dark") My husband hates it, but he knows i'm manic about my manicures!!!! So sorry babe no french tips, or "Ballet Slippers" on my hands in the fall. 

Wet & Wild Mega Lengths Mascara

I know....i'm not 15 I shouldn't be purchasing mascara for $1.99 but if Fergie can come out with a line for Wet & Wild who am I to not try some products out. I bought this on a whim, I had left my makeup case at home and felt like I needed a pick me up in the eye area. It elongates my lashes and I love the brush. Nothing more nothing less! 

Jessie Ware 

I love her vibe! She reminds me of Sade, Lauren Hill, & Billie Holiday all in ONE!!!! She's from the UK and you would not expect her sound to be so soulful. I've been listening to "If you're never gonna move" on repeat since the song aired on last week's episode of Basketball Wives

PSL - Starbucks

PSL means Pumpkin Spice Latte! Some people HATE pumpkin....I LOVE pumpkin. PSL's are my absolute favorite fall coffee drink. It even prompted me to start researching how to make a pumpkin pie my southern family would actually like. We like Sweet Potato Pie vs. Pumpkin. Anyway, this drink is dreamy, creamy, spicy, and warm. I can't express how much I adore PSL's! Did I ever tell you being a Barista at SBUX is on my bucket list??? Well, it is!!! 

Well folks, that's it for my Fall faves! I have so much more but that would just be a vlog and not a blog.

Have a Happy Hump Day!!!!!

Stay Happy
Stay Healthy
Stay Hungry

Monday Night Dinner

My typical morning starts off like this
alarm clock - out the bed - shower - get dressed - make my husband his coffee and then take something from the freezer to defrost for dinner.

I don't really think about it either, it's just 2nd nature for me to do this. So yesterday I took out 1 package of butterfly pork chops (2 in the pack). While at work I contemplated the many different things I could do to prepare these chops. You see...I'm different when it comes to cooking. I am not going to say I don't cook things that are very simple because at times I do; however most of the time I just like to turn it up 1/2 a notch to make it something delicious and different. Variety is the spice of life right?

At some point during the day I decided I would make these chops into kebabs. Knowing how much my husband loves kebabs (he literally won't leave NYC until we've stopped for a BBQ Kebab at one of those street meat stands).



So home I went to prepare the meal.

To be quite honest it was simple and took me about 30minutes to make this whole meal. The one thing that I did was as soon as I got home, I washed the chops cut them into cubes that were thick enough to be held on a skewer, added some salt and 2 tablespoons of Dannon Cucumber Dill Greek Yogurt Dip Covered the marinating bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit while I cleaned the morning dishes and prepared my kitchen to go to work.

So enough of my rambling I'm sure those of you who asked are only here for the recipe =)

Marinated Pork Kebabs, Brown Basmati Rice Blend and Steamed Green Beans

1 pack of butterfly pork chops
2 Tbsp Dannon Cucumber Dill Greek Yogurt Dip
1 tbsp of salt
1 pack of Uncle Ben's Brown Basmati Rice (90 seconds in the microwave)
1/2 can of Sylvia's Collard Greens (low sodium)
1/4 tspb Williams-Sonoma Curry Vindaloo
1/4 cup of bean sprouts (you can find this in the produce section near the really good salad dressing)
2 cups of frozen (or fresh) green beans
1  Knorr Garlic (Ajo) Cube
1 tbsp of Smart Balance

Step 1. After you've marinated your chops, add 5-6 pieces of pork onto each skewer and keep the meat packed closely together. I find this helps the cooking process

Step 2. Add 2 cups of green beans to 1/2 cup of boiling water and add the garlic cube and 1 tbsp of the Smart Balance. Turn it on low and let simmer until done.

Step 3. Add a small dash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil into a saucepan and let it heat followed by your collard greens, bean sprouts and the curry vindaloo. Let this simmer until all of the flavors have really absorbed throughout the pan.

Step 4. Put your Uncle Bens basmati rice in the microwave for 90 seconds. Take it out and add it to the saucepan with your collards and bean sprouts and sprinkle salt to taste. Make sure you gently stir the ingredients together

Step 5. Add some evoo into a grill top pan and let it get HOT! Add your skewers of pork and allow each side to cook until it's golden brown with some "burned" sections. (est 5 min per side) {{TIP: Mine got a little stuck to the pan so make sure you add enough oil that it's not fried, but enough so this doesn't happen. Because it's been marinating in a yogurt sauce it can burn slightly but if you give each side the proper time you won't have this issue}}

Thats it! How simple was that? Seriously it takes just as much time to order a pizza and have it delivered. Although I LOVE LOVE LOVE pizza (it's a food group to me) I can't eat this type of stuff all the time for dinner. Hello lbs ;)


Enjoy Everyone

Time Keeps Ticking & I Keep on Cooking!!

Happy Thursday!!!!!! Personally I am READY for tonight because one of my favorite shows returns on We TV (Tamar and Vince) I'm definitely a semi-Tamartian and I cannot wait to see what's going to happen this season.

Ok here we go so last week in NJ it was cold, rainy, gloomy. Truth be told, I LOVE that kind of weather. I feel like when it's so nice outside i'm inclined to have to exit the house and go do something. That's all fine and well BUT let's just keep it real I am a VERY busy young woman and when I have the chance to do what is pleasing to me I do it. Don't get me wrong, I love to spend quality time with my family & friends but sometimes all I want is a blanket, some snacks, a beautiful smelling candle and my remote control. I don't pick up the phone, nor do I respond to text messages...WHY...because this is MY TIME to be 100% involved with no one else but Adhari.

I wanted dinner to be harvest like and comforting without all the additional calories. I'm finding new recipes to appease my cravings for good ole comfort food like my mother's mac and cheese (SWEET JESUS IT'S SO GOOD) so I made this gorgeous plate

Cast Iron Baked Chicken over diced White & Sweet Potatoes, Dried Blueberries and Onions
Green Beans 

1 Whole Oven Roaster
1 Onion (Vidalia is my preference)
2-3 White Potatoes
1 Large Sweet Potato
1/2 c Ocean Spray Dried Blueberries
1 bag of steam fresh green beans

Step 1: Thaw out your chicken and make sure you clean it really well. I normally use white vinegar to wash it off.

Step 2: With a sharp serrated knife split your chicken in half (you will need to break the backbone)

Step 3: Season the chicken with Salt, Pepper and Paprika (gives it a beautiful color)

Step 4: Dice your potatoes, onion and then mix in the blueberries (you can use cranberries too)

Step 5: Melt 1 tablespoon of Smart Balance or Olivio or Olive Oil in a large cast iron skillet and sauté the items in Step 4 until everything is coated with the binding fat

Step 6: Place the Chicken on top of your sautéed mixture (in the skillet) and put it in the oven. 375 degrees for 2 hours (check on it every 30min to make sure you're mixture is not sticking to the bottom of the skillet)

After 2 hours the chicken should look like the picture above. Crispy skin is what you're going for.
Steam some green beans or your favorite veggie and that's it.

*Tip* 
Let the chicken rest for about 15min once you take it out of the oven. Resting is a process a lot of chefs/home cooks use to allow the meat to restore it's natural juices so the meat is not dry. And there's nothing worse than your mouth salivating to devour a meal and then it's dry meat. BLEH

This is  GREAT meal to add to your Thanksgiving table as well. I like turkey but if I saw this I'd go straight for the chicken FIRST!

If you try this out please be sure to tell me about how you liked/disliked it. Be sure to LIKE my Facebook Fan Page as well.

Muah

Xo