Did somebody say being sad was an excuse to eat??????

I DID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay, so I've made back home from burying my father and when I tell you that food...along with God (of course!) helped pull me through??? (Do you not hear the baptist choir shouting in the background? HALLELUJAH...THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!) YES!!! I'M BACK AND HUNGRY! (LMBO)! How could I forget that the birth of my fat soul was at Harlem Hospital??? Can anyone guess how long it took me to make it from LaGuardia to the corner store on my block for a hero??? If you can guess the amount of time, I'll bake you something special just for humoring me!

Okay...I've calmed down...

I returned home on this past Sunday EXHAUSTED! I was not even aware that there had been such a bad storm the same night that I arrived home because I slept so hard. It was great to be back in the city of dreams, but there was just too much going on during this trip, especially concerning the reason I was there in the first place. I was so happy to visit with family and friends, which lightened things up. And you know I wouldn't be in my right mind if I DIDN'T try to eat myself into a comma! So my favorite guilty edible pleasures in NYC are...the classic hero from the corner store (turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard, oil & vinegar)...the greasy Chinese food we grew up eating while walking to the park...fruit popsicles with big chunks of fruit in them...fried plantains...flaky crusted Jamaican beef patties...the slice of pizza that drips orange grease into the paper bag when you fold it in half...Hebrew National...need I say more???? My fat soul had to beg for forgiveness after this trip!

I will tell you that my week got off to a great start because I got to make one of my favorite cakes on Monday...carrot cake! For some reason, I really enjoy making dense cakes. The carrot and hummingbird cakes are two of my very favorite cakes to make. I received responses today from those who received the cake and they were very pleased, so I was really glad to hear it. I've been making this cake for a long time and you would think that I wouldn't care what people thought because this point, if the recipe wasn't a success, I would have changed it by now; nevertheless, I love to hear people's opinions...even if they don't like it...I like to find out what it is exactly that turned them off.

I'll be making the classic Red Velvet cake tomorrow for a new client. I'm very grateful for all of those who support me and all of my charitable efforts. People were so good to me when I was growing up and I want to make sure that some kid feels some of the love that I felt.

With Valentine's Day coming up, I think I am going to order a bulk order of red food coloring (lmbo)!!! February is like the anniversary of the red velvet cake and the strawberry cake!

I'm back to doing it my way...and LOVIN' IT!

Flameless fire...

Well friends, my father passed this past Thursday, so I'll be flying to New York to say my final goodbye...

My father really loved my cooking and raved over my baking. He was so happy for me when I told him about my aspirations to have a coffee shop that served freshly baked goods. He always expressed how proud he was of me just for having a desire to do something that was positive. I'll tell you the last time I spoke with him on the phone was when he had eaten some of the cookies (yup...those damn oatmeal, raisin, pecan cookies that EVERYONE loves) that I had mailed him when he was in the hospital. He told me how great they were and how much he enjoyed them. I had just started mailing some of my products, so I was testing them out on family members and friends trying to get my packaging technique down. I am really happy that what I love made someone I love really happy.

My dad was a really health conscious guy, but he always ate anything I prepared. I will always love him.

I won't be cooking anything this week........I think I'm just going to polish off the blackeye peas that I made AFTER New Years...yes, I was partying!...I wasn't at home boiling beans and peas (NAH!).

I have a feeling that before the week is over, I am going to have a taste for something chocolate and whatever I make is going to be SINFUL! I need the chocolate in my life right now...so please don't deprive me!

Well I did end up making that roast!

I ended up making that roast and some cabbage to go with that sinful mac&cheese that I carried on about the last time I blogged. It was my girlfriends Phedra's birthday, so I also made another one of my cake creations off the cuff. I'll tell you that I thought the cake was going to be a blooper, but IT WASN'T!!!! I still don't know what to call it, but it included white chocolate, caramel and chocolate. I didn't really taste the cake while it was at the house because I let her take it home to enjoy with her family. She let me a piece that I tasted the next day... I was like...WTH????? That tastes great...but it sure didn't look that way (LOL)! I'll see if her or Tangie will comment to this post and tell you just how much they enjoyed it.

Now let me tell you why I thought it was going to be a BLOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPEEEEEERR (lmbo)! I went to turn the cake out of the pan and the caramel that I had mixed into the cake had seeped down to to the bottom of the pan and also had not set. I was like OMG!...here with go! But instead, Tangie was like, spead it over the warm cake...WHY DID SHE SAY THAT????????????? ...but it was yummy! She and I ended up trying to figure out everything I had done to write it down the next day. I didn't take any pictures, but Phedra did, so maybe she'll post them.

...and I'm sure you can guess that I'm still struggling what to make this weekend. Dougy (my girlfriend in Virginia) wants me to make this "deadly" chocolate chip lava cakes! Y'ALL KNOW I WILL EAT THEM BEFORE I GET THEM IN THE MAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to work on the recipe though just in case...ha, ha!