Family saving grace
What are you grateful for this Thanksgiving?
Happy thanksgiving to all of you and your families.
♥Mocha Girl Alysia ♥
Getting Ready for Turkey Day (Pt. 3)
November 22, 2011 by Leave a Comment
2 more days ladies! 2 more days to get your grocery shopping done. 2 more days to get the house together for all those folks coming over. 2 more days to figure out the menu. In Getting Ready for Turkey Day (pt.1) I had no plans to do this series but it seems to be very easy to write up and update, so I figured let’s do number 3. Part one was about the best part of any meal…Dessert. Getting ready for Turkey Day (pt. 2) was about the sides. Today is about washing it down with…Beverages!
Now there is one must haves at any respectable black family holiday table. The first is Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Cider. Now that they come in new flavors like Sparkling Apple-Pomegranate
, Sparkling Apple-Mango, Sparkling Apple-Raspberry , and even Sparkling Apple-Pear how could you go wrong. The kids will love the fizzy juice and the non-drinking adults will love the change of pace. To make it festive just dress up the drinks with a strawberries on the bottom of the glass or on the rim.
Here is another kid friendly drink idea. While everyone is having coffee and tea the kids can have hot chocolate or hot apple cider. Stick a candy cane in the hot chocolate to dress it up and a cinnamon stick for the cider.
Why am I talking about drinks? Well, one it’s on my to do list from mom and two, the holiday drinks at McDonald and Starbucks are baaackkkk!!! I love the peppermint hot chocolate from McDonald’s. OMG!!! I need one right now just thinking about it. And all the pumpkin drinks at Starbucks are too die for. YUMMMYY!!!
This is not a cooking blog but a book blog so let me introduce to you a cook book with some great drink ideas in it. Cocktails: A Complete Guide by Jenni Davis says it all. This is a book for the adult drinks.
Impress your guests; mix with the best; pass the bartender’s test with flying colors! Learn how to set up your own home bar with this practical guide, featuring the top 150 cocktails in the world. Discover the art of making the perect cocktail, from an American Beauty to a Zombie, via Martinis, Margaritas, and Mai Tai. Every recipe is illustrated with a fabulous color photograph and features information on its origins, cost, level of difficulty, and suggested twists and variations. Pink Elephants, Red Clouds, and White Russians; apertifs and digestifs; long drinks, fruity delights, and party perfects—this book has them all.
So if you want to really impress your Thanksgiving dinner guest from the beginning to the end upgrade from the juice and soda.
P.S. Being the drunk at the dinner table is not sexy at all. And don’t drink and drive.
Cheers! Mocha Girl Alysia
Monday’s Memory For November 21, 2011
November 21, 2011 by 1 Comment
Dinner is ready!
Happy Monday Ladies! Yesterday, my mom and I were sitting at the dinner table getting the Thanksgiving dinner lists together. Yes, lists! The first list was for the head count. That list is always family, family friends, as well as my friends and my sisters friends my mom calls her kids. And their kids too! Needless to say this list is way over 20 people. The second list is for the food. Who is bringing what and what is needed. This year, I will be doing desserts and drinks. Hopefully, that would be enough to leave my sister with clean up. 
Fingers crossed! So this Monday’s Memory is about a children’s book (and TV special) about Thanksgiving and the Thanksgiving dinner. I know the photo had you scratching your head. How does a few slices of toast, popcorn, jelly beans, and pretzel sticks fit in with Thanksgiving? Click Here to see! And if that doesn’t help click here to see the video.
Give us your review, thoughts and memories on this Monday’s book. If you have a recommendation for a Monday’s Memory feel free to contact us at mochagirl@email.com.
♥Happy Monday!♥
Getting Ready for Turkey Day (Pt.2)
November 17, 2011 by 1 Comment
Yep! We are back on Thanksgiving cooking and cookbooks. As I am sitting here eating tuna and crackers (my lunch of choice) a really good-looking chef is on TV talking about “Sides”. The turkey is great but it’s about all the extra sides that put Thanksgiving dinner over the top. Some of the sides that show up on my families table are stuffing (of course), green beans, (mom’s famous) corn, salad (but no one touches it), bread (dinner rolls), yams, and greens.
But the chef on The Talk, Todd English (did I mention he is good-looking) introduced a Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese. That sounds like a meal all by itself. Why would you need anything to go with that? Maybe a glass of wine. His recipes for sides are in his new cookbook called Cooking in Everyday English. I have never ever made Mac and Cheese. I know it is a “must know” for black women but I grew up in a household who don’t eat cheese. I like it now and the more stuff on it, with it and in it, I love!
Check out the video clip from the show. I might try this one day but on Thanksgiving that might be wayyy to heavy and a food coma would hit me before dessert is even served. LOL!! VIDEO CLIP FROM THE TALK
The cook book from the show is called Cooking in Everyday English by Chef Todd English and here is his picture ladies!
I told you he was a hottie! A man who is good-looking and can cook… wow!! The bad news is… he is married! Back to food…
What sides are you making to go with your turkey? What are your all time favorite sides?
Getting Ready for Turkey Day
November 15, 2011 by 5 Comments
As you know the holiday season is coming up on us quick and in a hurry. As of today, there are 9 days left until Thanksgiving. Yep, less than 10 days to get your guest list confirmed, table centerpieces ordered, silverware cleaned and of course the grocery shopping done. Not to mention all that cooking. If you have no plans at all for hosting a big Thanksgiving dinner you still need to find or make something to bring with you. Because showing up empty-handed is ok with some folks but just to be on the safe side bring a small contribution to the dinner.
At my folks house there will be about 20 people and every year I am on the coffee (really my sister’s job), dessert, table decor, and clean up detail. To make it easy on me and so no one has to hear me whine and complain, I get nice plastic silverware and plates. A pre-made centerpiece, and the dessert from a local cheesecake shop makes my job list fly by. But this year I am thinking about making dessert. Something fun and tasty is my first plan since my family is all about dessert and coffee before seconds.
For the next couple of days we will be talking about cookbooks. Not just any cookbooks but holiday cookbooks to get you ready for the big dinners ahead. Let’s get started…with dessert. Since we are all adults here we can have dessert before dinner! Heheheee!
Don’t laugh but the dessert book I think I am going to try is one that has been in my kitchen forever!! Favorite Recipes: The Costco Way. Yes, that Costco! And yes, they have a recipe book. No, they are not telling you to buy the mega family pack of cupcakes. These are real recipes.
On page 191, there is a recipe for Banana Chocolate Hazelnut Wontons. That is so perfect for me. One, chocolate. Two, fried and three, chocolate. Enough said! The recipe looks easy too. All you need is:
Banana Chocolate Hazelnut Wontons
16 Wonton wrappers
1 egg, beaten
1 cup of Nutella
2 bananas cut in 1/3 in slices
Vegetable Oil
Confectioners’ sugar
Mint leaves and berries for garnish
Now I think I can manage that with a scoop of vanilla! And it would be a nice change of pace. But knowing my family they would need the ice cream and a sweet potato pie on the side.
What holiday desserts are you going to make? Or buy? Do you have any dessert cookbook recommendations?
♥Mocha Girl Alysia♥
