Line Them Up

Its been a long minute since i was here. Now i decided to go back to school to do my  MBA and between school, life, love+relationships, family, side hustle there honestly hasn't been a lot of time to do anything. Best news, SCHOOL'S OUT, okay so not just yet but on 23.12.11 at noon, mama is done with semester one exams and party begins. I have mad psych for a night of partying more than an Amish teen on rumspringer. Now since i have two week break between now and the second semester beginning i intend to have a lot of good times. So line them up...

Just in case am not able to get back in time. Happy *insert appropriate holiday here* to you and yours. Please be safe and blessings.

Oh yeah and happy new year you know just in case.

Lastly for my favorite toast,
Here's to more money, good health, better sex, great friendships and good times.

Grilled Honey Lime Tilapia with Turmeric Rice & Mango Salsa

This is my first attempt at making fish fillet whole, normally i make fish fingers. My reluctance with whole fish comes from an episode i had where i choked on one of those little fish bones. When i saw this Recipe i just had to try only difference i didn't flour the fish. 

Ingredients:

For the fish and marinade:
2 Tilapia fillets (thawed if frozen)
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic 

The How:

1. Assemble marinade by combining lime zest, lime juice, olive oil, honey, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a gallon-sized zip-top bag or shallow container with a lid. 
2. Add fish and marinate in the refrigerator anywhere from 1 hour up to 24 hours. 
3. When ready to cook, remove each fish fillet from the marinade.
4. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
5. Cook fillets 2 at a time for 3-4 minutes per side or until opaque and browned (this works best if you don’t disturb the fish much while letting it cook).

Mango Salsa Recipe
Ingredients

1 large mangos, diced
1 tomato, diced
1/2 Cucumber, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 pepper, seeded and diced (optional)
1 small bunch of cilantro, chopped fine
the juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon salt


The How
Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
Mix well and let set for at least 20 minutes before serving so flavors can combine.


Result: the fish was flaky and tasty with the salsa being crunchy plus sweet and sour :)

Creamy Chicken Mushroom with Pasta

This Saturday i had the privilege of making some new friends and learning a new recipe. Thank you J for the wonderful recipe quick and very very tasty.  So after a long day i had a craving for this creamy yummy goodness. Here goes:-

Ingredients:

1 piece boneless chicken breast, cubed

400g mushroom in brine (200g when drained) rinsed and quartered

1 onion

3 tbsp cooking oil

Salt and pepper flakes to taste

150ml double cream milk (minimum 35% butterfat)

2 handfuls cooked pasta

Makes 2 servings

The How:

Pour the oil into the pan and when hot, add the onions and  fry till golden brown.

Add the chicken cubes and cook till opaque and there are is no pink color and clear juices are running





Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper then stir to mix.

Add all the double cream and stir to mix.

Simmer over low heat until all the double cream is absorbed.

Ready to eat.

Of Women and Sex

“…speaking about sex as if it were something a woman gave a man at a loss to herself…” - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie,my American Jon

I read this story some two weeks ago that was after I had read Uses of Fear and it stayed with me. While I have almost made peace with Audre Lorde’s statement, I just can’t get over this statement.  I just kept on thinking why is that there is the belief that when a woman has sex with a man she gives more than the man. In my thinking isn’t sex something that is give and take, the assumption here being that this is between two consenting adults. Why can’t women just have sex just to have sex you know to fulfill a need, you know like get laid because I want to get laid. Why is it that when a woman has sex just to fulfill a need the society looks down on her? Of course there is hundreds of other reasons why women have sex. Some of these being promotion, money, drugs, bartering, for revenge, to get back at a partner who has cheated on them. To make themselves feel good. To make their partners feel bad. Women can use sex at every stage of the relationship, from luring a man into the relationship, to try and keep a man so he is fulfilled and doesn't stray. Duty. Using sex to get rid of him or to make him jealous. That besides, the question still begs why is it assumed that the woman has more to lose than the man should she choose to have sex with him. Before you say that women are more easily attached and all so are some men, just like there are men who are able to disconnect sex and feelings there are also women who are able to do that.

What do you think of Chimanda’s statement?

Sights and Scenes: Munyonyo, Kampala, Uganda

I consider Uganda my second home, there is something about Uganda that i cannot find words to describe. Munyonyo is 12km from the heart of the city Kampala and its located on the shores of Lake Victoria. 

[click to enlarge]

Alot of Waragi (Ug) and Cold Nile specials plus Porko with Cassava chips consumed at this place (Mikis Pub)

Chocolate Cake in 5 Minutes

This has become my new midnight snack. I had  a hankering for something sweet and cakey so I got on the net and found this little gem. Go ahead, try it.

Ingredients:

• 4 Tablespoons cake flour
• 4 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cocoa
• 1 Egg
• 3 Tablespoons milk
• 3 Tablespoons oil
• 1 Mug

Instructions:

• Mix flour, sugar and cocoa:
• Spoon in 1 egg
• Pour in milk and oil, and mix well
• Put in microwave for 3 minutes on maximum power
• Wait until it stops rising and sets in the mug
• Tip contents out of mug onto saucer and enjoy!

Sunday Afternoon II

Dry Beef Curry and homemade Naan.

This is my first attempt at making curry and Naan at home, its always been easier to eat out. The goal was to make this Naan and i ended up with 6 pieces so thats great. The curry was great just need to make a few tweaks like less soy sauce yes you read right soy sauce. Note to self to learn food presentation and get a better camera or learn photography :).
Have a great week ahead.

My Heart's Desire

I am one of those people who came to the City (read Nairobi)  to campus then got jobs and i have lived here for close to twelve years making this city my home. Having grown up in the countryside, the way i look at life is sometimes very different than that of my friends who are born and bred here. Growing and to date my father is the indisputable head of the family, the provider and the one who solves all problems. Whenever my siblings and i wanted anything there was a chain of command to follow, you would ask Ma who would get back to you on what they decided. All decisions at our house started with  "we have decided.." and the only way to get that decision changed was to show cause. My mother was your typical African woman she would go to work, come home, ensure that homework is done, dinner is cooked. Looking back i am amazed at how she balanced her family, work, active church membership and women's group among others. When my dad got home it seemed as though time stopped then we would talk of the day, any issues were handled and as was tradition goodies were handed out either tropical mints or chocolate depending on money. I have never seen my parents fight since such was reserved for closed doors. From my childhood, i have always known that men take care of their women and women take care of their men.


Unfortunately the more i grew up the more i got a reality check that not all men love their women and treat them as they should yet there are those who want to but don't know how. On our part as women, we sometimes make it hard for the men to love and take care of us.  Being a bit more mature am able to have candid conversations with my parents about what makes a marriage last 40 years this December. When i pictured my life at this point i would be married with children and maybe a life very similar to what my mother had only version 2.0. Looking at the people i know who are now married and some of their marriages are  not working out, or even just looking at the rate of failed marriages am very concerned. While i admit that my parents marriage is not perfect, they must be doing something right to be able to raise a good family and still be together after all this time.I want to get married some day and one of my biggest prayers is that when that time comes i am the Proverbs 31 Woman realistically it won't happen at once but i pray that its the end result. 

Sunday Afternoon

So this is how my Sunday afternoon was spent. Anyone who has been on this blog long enough knows about my love for food and cooking. I finally got round to making three foods that i thought were hard to do.







The first is ndengu aka green grams, soaked then boiled then stewed.

Mr. Gish loves Chapati and i wasn't so sure i can make soft ones. My last attempt, the result was Chapatis so hard that if a guy threw them at you i was sure they would cut your head off clean. After googling and consulting i took the plunge and Eureka, we did it.















Finally, some snacks for 10 o'clock tea. So i got some puff pastry and sausages so here is my first proper baking project- Pigs in a blanket.  Now to think of some other recipes. By the way, Happy new year to you and yours.