I'm Backkkkkkkkkkk

Hello loves!!!

I am so sorry for the impromptu hiatus I took from this blog. So many people emailed, commented on my other blog, DM-ed and tried to contact me to see if all was well.Yes all is well. You see it is summer and once it is warm outside I cant seem to seat down in one place. So almost every weekend ( which is normally when I cook for this blog) I traveled or was at one engagement or the other. Alas, summer is almost over, I am rounding up this season(still got like 2 trips)and preparing for school, work and the dreaded winter time!

Anyways back to regular scheduled programming. Over the summer fruits seem to be in abundance in this country for a good price too. I always buy strawberries, kiwis, mangoes, banana's etc in large amounts and when I cannot finish them before they go bad, I make a lot of smoothies. To make any smoothie, just cut up the fruits, add some yogurt (preferably vanilla) add some ice and blend and viola!!! You have a refreshing summer drink.

This one right here is Kiwi and banana! It was so tasty. I actually used vanilla ice cream, because I was out of yogurt.


I also made lasagna over the weekend for a friend of mine that was visiting. We ate lasagna, had ice cream and watched girlie movies...:) GREAT TIMES! The recipe for lasagna is below.


All cut up...Yummmmmmm.....sooooooo unhealthy!



Lasagna
-One pack oven ready lasagna pasta
-Ground beef
-ragu or pasta sauce
-red peppers, onions. Or other veggies(Frozen mixed veggies)
-vegetable oil
-Cottage cheese
-Mozerella cheese
-Spices(salt, maggai, pepper,curry,etc)

For sauce.
In a clean pot put 3 tablespoons of oil(allow to get hot add ground beef and fry. In another pot, add chopped onions, and peppers or other veggies. fry for 5 mins or till onions are sautéed. Add salt, Maggie, curry(whatever spices you use). Then add ragu sauce and let it is boil for 10mins on medium heat. Add cooked ground beef to sauce and let it cook for 10mins.

Lasagna- (if they are not oven ready, you can boil them till it is soft first)

Place one lasagna in pan add sauce on top. Add cottage cheese, mozerella cheese and Repeat layer until ingredients are done. Preheat oven to 350 and place in oven for 30-35mins (but if u boil it, it should be ready in 15-20mins). and voila we have Lasagna!

Well I am back guys! I promise never to disappear without warning again....Coming up on the blog are ravioli, more summer smoothies, ekpangukwuo, banga soup, meat pie, puff puff and more!!!!

Bruschetta + Jollof Rice

Hey guys I just want to use this opportunity to say A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who voted for me. I won the BEST FOOD BLOG during the Nigerian Blog awards and I am very very very grateful to everyone to be recognized by my peers. It is really funny how this blog started as a hobby but by the grace of God it will be going somewhere BIGGER IJN!.

Anyway this week I made Bruschetta as an appetizer for dinner I had with some of my friends. It was really good and it is also really simple.



..and for the main course we had Jollof rice with chicken. Nothing special because I was soooooo tired after a long day at the beach/water park. Regular Saturday meal!



HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND/WEEK EVERYBODY!!!
P.s Can you tell I am reallllly tired!!!!!! Off to the movies..#sigh!

I am dedicating this song to my daddy. I am daddy's baby and God knows without him I would not be half the woman I am today. Everyday I thank God for him and my Mum and I cannot wait to start making money so i can spoil the both of them! HAPPY FATHERS DAY DADDY! I'll upload the Mp3 of this song later. xx!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01ObbObJJhA

Daddy
by Beyonce

I remember
When you used to take me on a bike ride every day on the bayou
(Remember that? We were inseparable?)
And I remember when you could do no wrong
You come home from work
And I jump in your arms when I saw you
(I was so excited)
I was so happy
(So happy to see you so happy to see you)
To see you
Ooh

Because you loved me
I overcome
And I’m so proud of what you’ve become
You’ve given me such security
No matter what mistakes I make you’re there for me
You cure my disappointments and u heal my pain
You understood my biz and you protected me
I treasure every year in place a comemory
And thats why I want my unborn son
To be like my daddy
I want my husband to be like my daddy
There is no one else like my daddy
And I thank you for lovin me
(daddy daddy daddy)

I still remember the expression your face when you found out
I’d been on a date and had a boyfriend
(my first boyfriend, you shoulda seen your face)
I still remember I called you cryin
cuz of my tattoo coulda said “Beyonc© I told Ya”
So instead you said you’d get one too
(You and my momma said yall’d get one just like mine)
Words cant express my boundless gratitude for you
I appreciate what you do oh
You’ve given me tight security
No matter what mistakes I know you’re there for me
Cute my disappointments and heal my pain
You understood by biz and you protected me
I treasure every extraordinary memory
that’s why

I want my unborn son
To be like my daddy
I want my husband to be like my daddy
There is no one else like my daddy
And I thank you (thank you) for lovin me

Even if a man broke my heart today
No matter how much pain I’m in I would be ok
Cuz I got a man in my life that can’t be replaced
His love is unconditional
It won’t go away
And I know I’m lucky (lucky)
Know it aint easy
Men? who take care of their responsibilities
Love is overwhelming??
Stop a tear from falling
I love you so much daddy

Thank you
You’ve done so much for me
I love you,
Daddy

I’m so emotional daddy
Every time I think of you
I get emotional daddy
Every time I think of you
There is no one else like my daddy
No one will replace my daddy
Daddy daddy daddy daddy
[fade]




Hugs and kisses
Ms.O

Apple Pie A'la Mode

Hello everybody, I hope you are all having a splendid Sunday! My church to day was just amazing. We had anointing service and wow, wow, wow, wow is really all I can say at this point! I needed direction last week and after today's service, I can happily say I know everything would work out and God name alone would be glorified. I like the direction God has shown me and I am just working towards the end goal. It would definitely not be easy, but with God by my side....... Ok enough preaching...LOL!

So as we all know, this week was the voting week for Nigerian blog awards, most of my friends wanted me to 'bribe' them with home made cookies, dinners, macarons, you name it, I was asked to make it. LOL. So a few friends came over on Saturday night, I made apple pie for the fist time ever, and we had it with Ice-Cream and strawberries!!! YUM!! I also made macaroons but I was not able to take a picture it was DEVOURED!


MY TASTERS L-R ME-CICI-VANCHI-AIMIZZY-DAMS..:)(Pardon the way I look in this pic! Choi! Babes were tired!)


APPLE PIE!!! *BBM DANCING EMOTION* It was very yummy!!! ASK MY TASTERS!


Apple pie a'la Mode..:D

You would think after all that fattening food, I would not eat for the rest of the week and just umm drink water, but NOPE! I made Afang soup and pounded yam when I got back from church, I took it back to my mother land men! I had missed this soup. The igbo's call it Okazi.


...and that is it! I hope with this post, I have been able to convince you and not confuse you to VOTE FOR ME! There are a few hours left to vote! so click HERE and VOTE Ms.O's kitchen for BEST FOOD BLOG!

#OkthanxBye

Hugs n Kisses
Have a Blessed week.
Ms.O

Porridge Yam + Shrimp Salad!

Hello Lovlies! How is everyone doing, I hope the week was great and the weekend is looking up, and to my American readers, I hope you are all having a great Memorial day weekend. I also want to thank everyone that Nominated me for best food blog! I am so excited and thankful. Now please vote for me!!!! I WANT TO WIN OHH!! Nominee is not enough..I keeeed!


On to today's post. I cooked Porridge Yam on Wednesday, after reading a post by Audeo and I remembered I had not eaten it in a while! So off I went to the African store after work. All in all it was SO worth it! I loved it. I think I cooked it the Igbo/rivers way cos I noticed Yoruba people don't put leaves...anyways this is how we always cooked it around my parts!



This evening My friend Cindy came over to my house to hangout, it was so much fun and when we got hungry we had SHRIMP SALAD!!!! It was soooooooo GOOD!!!She made it, so all credit goes to her, if you need a recipe holla at me, and I gatchu as always....here we go

You Can eat it like this with just Balsamic Vinaigrette or for a more unhealthy option..which we all opted for....


If you need recipes, please do not hesitate to send me e-mail as usual or tweet @ me..:) Have a blessed week and long weekend! DO NOT FORGET TO VOTE FOR ME!!

P.S Nice Anon- I promise, I will make Red velvet cake next weekend! I have been very busy lately!

Hug and Kisses
Ms.O.

What I did this Afternoon

Today a friend of mine that I met through church came to spend the day with me. we went shopping and walking and then came home and made a late lunch. It was all very fun and I enjoyed my time with her a lot. I am very grateful for the few friends I have made since moving to Ottawa 5 yrs ago. They keep me grounded and my church family are very special to me. My pastor and his wife are like my parents. They worry about me, call me, take care of me and most importantly pray for me. I love my church and if you are in the Ottawa area ensure to visit Rhema Christian Ministries, and you would NEVER want to leave! I can guarantee that.(ok enough promo...LOL )For lunch, we had Jollof rice, with chicken and Plantains. We were so full we fell asleep on the couch and woke up an hr later to have cookie dough ice-creme, while giving ourselves a manicure!!!!! Great day indeed! although rather unhealthy..gonna go try and work this food out with my WII!!!



Hugs and Kisses
Ms.O

P,S A heartfelt R.I.P To Nigeria's President Umaru Musa Yaradua.
"A human life is a story told by God" ~Hans Christian Andersen.
Another sad day for Nigeria...#sigh

Food for the Week

Rice and chicken, Stew and Efo Riro


Efo Riro


Fried rice + Chicken


STEW!!!!

Sorry the pictures kinda suck this week! I was tired when I was done!


Hello everyone! I hope everybody's weekend was amazing. I had a VERY busy weekend albiet a little lazy at the same time. On Sunday night however I decided to cook my meal for the week in an effort to save time and actually eat food.(which BTW is my biggest problem-I don't eat enough!!!) My schedule during the week can be really crazy, and as the summer months draw nearer and the appeal to workout is even higher, I find myself going straight to bed(read twitter) by the time I get home after 7pm. I decided to cook enough for the week, and refrigerate it and hopefully this would allow me to make better and healthier eating choices. So I cooked Fried rice, stew and efo. I am sure somwhere during the week, I would make alferdo pasta or lasagne or even steak, but these are staples that can take me a long way for the week. Everyone should try it...I did this in about 2 and a half hrs. an voila I am set for the week. Have a blessed one!

2cups rice
5 chicken drumsticks
Frozen Mixed veggies(corn, peas, carrots, peppers,)
Chopped Onions
Spices(curry,maggi,garlicpowder,salt)
Oil to fry.

Boil rice in water and a pinch of salt till it is soft.
Boil chicken with the spices till it is cooked and put in the oven to grill. about 300c for 30mins
In a frying pan, Add 3 table spoons of oil, When hot, add chopped onions, frozen veggies and spices.
Allow to fry for 5mins or until onions are sauteed.
Add rice stir till the rice is thorougly mixed with the sauce.

Do this over and over till the rice is done. Depending on how big your pan is and how much you make.

remove chicken from oven and voila we have fried rice and chicken..:)


EFO RIRO

Ingredients. ...

Spinach/Clean and cut.
Beef (Boiled) Save stock.
Dried fish
Tomato sauce
Fresh tomato
onion
Onion powder
Crushed red pepper
Minced Garlic
Palm oil
Salt

Saute onion, tomato and garlic in palm oil
Add tomato sauce and let simmer for 3-5 mins.
Add boiled meat, stock fish, dried fish
Add beef stock (Very little, cos spinach produces water)
Add spinach
Add all seasoning.(maggi, adobo...whatever you like)
Simmer and cook down till there's little or no liquid left.

Very easy to make...make sure the heat is on low the entire time..


Hugs and Kisses
Ms.O

Curry Rice

Its been a minute since i posted on here. I have slacked with my daily cooking :( I am trying to do this diet thing. So I have eliminated a lot of carbs from my meals and I'm eating mainly fruits and veggies *insert sick face here* This does not mean once in a while I do not throw in some carbs. Like last night I ate poutine. It is a Canadian delicacy *insert yummmynessssss here* so fattening but so good. This post is about curry chicken. It is one of my favorite sauces with rice, except stew. It is also very easy to make. Made this sometime last week. Sooo good!

If you need Recipes please drop a comment and I will email them as per usual..:)

Hugs and Kisses
Ms.O

Ingredients


Chicken(chicken breast, boneless, cut in cubes)
1/2Onion
Garlic cloves
Curry Powder
sour cream
flour
Spice(salt,maggi,adobo,etc depends on u)


in a pan fry onions and garlic in curry till it is caramelized
spice chicken in another pan and let it sautee for like 10mins or until you can tell it is cooked (do not let the water dry up)
Once chicken is cooked, pour 1 table spoon of sour cream into chicken broth to thicken it. add onions and garlic from earlier and let it simmer for about 5mins. TASTE. if it has a very sharp/sour taste, add a little(I/2 tsp) flour to neutralize it. let simmer for about 5 more minutes and it is ready.

To whom it may concern- seeeee!!!! I wasnt lying!! #uknowwhoyouare