Our Adoption Profile

Well, we finally finished our adoption profile video. Instead of waiting for our adoption agency to make our profile video (for a very small fee of $5000), we decided to go online, look at some samples of other adoption profiles and make our own.  We went live on YouTube this week and we only hope that this video will help us to reach someone willing to help us build our family.  We are truly stepping out on faith and we know that God answers prayer.

Please feel free to watch and share if you desire. We appreciate all of the well wishes and prayers.

~Take care and God bless!~

Easy No Bake Lemon Cheesecake

This is a really easy recipe I found from Martha Stewart that I combined with a recipe found on Google.  The recipe was the dessert to round out our Jamaican night that took place last Sunday but since it wasn't Jamaican, I didn't include it under the Rice and Peas recipe.

INGREDIENTS
2 blocks cream cheese - softened to room temperature
Box of lemon jello
14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
4 oz Whipped topping


DIRECTIONS

1. In mixer, blend softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
2. Add in the condensed milk slowly, beating a little at a time.  Make sure you scrape the sides of the bowl so that both ingredients are mixed well.
3. Add in the vanilla and lemon juice.
4. Slowly add jello mix and whipped topping.  Mix until well combined.
5. Pour slowly into graham cracker pie crust.
6. Refrigerate for at least an hour and enjoy!

And if you want to be really adventurous and make your own graham cracker pie crust, here are the ingredients and the instructions...

1 packages (10 sheets) of graham crackers
1/4 cup sugar
6 Tbsp butter - melted

1. Put graham crackers in a large resealable plastic bag, and crush them with a rolling pin until very fine crumbs form.  You can also place the graham crackers in a food processor and process until fine crumbs form.
2. Pour crumbs into a medium bowl; stir in sugar. Add butter, and stir until well combined.
3. Press the crumb mixture into pie pan, spreading it 1 1/2 to 2 inches up the side; press flat. 
4. Chill crust in freezer at least 10 minutes.

To brown the graham cracker crust:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place in oven for 5 minutes to slightly brown.
3. Remove from oven, fill with pie crust filling and enjoy!

Yes, it really was that easy!

Jamaican Rice and Peas

Hey mon! Tonight was my first time cooking from the beautiful island of Jamaica and let me tell you, the food was wonderful!

So, we decided to have the fam over for dinner.  I spent half of last week sick with a horrible sinus infection and while at home bored out of my mind, I spent a lot of time on YouTube.

So that's where the idea of having a Jamaican night came from, YouTube! LOL
When our guests arrived, they were greeted by the soothing music of Bob Marley playing in the background and the tantalizing aroma of good food cooking from the kitchen.

I made Jamaican Brown Stewed Chicken, Rice and Peas, and Steamed Cabbage.
Today's recipe will detail the Jamaican Rice & Peas that was inspired by a couple of different videos.  The two main ones can be found here at at ReelStreetTV and here at Irie Kitchen.  I used the ease of the cans of kidney beans found at the ReelStreetTV channel with the seasoning from Irie Kitchen.  Apparently, in Jamaica rice and peas is really made with kidney beans! There are no actual peas in the recipe, so just accept that that's the way it is down there and that's the name of the dish.
LOL!

The dish was really good with the Brown Stew Chicken and gravy over it. The whole fam loved it and I hope you do too!

 INGREDIENTS
2 cups white rice - rinsed
2 cans kidney beans - rinsed and drained
6 oz. block of coconut cream
small onion - chopped (OR 3 scallions (green onions) - chopped)
2-3 cloves of garlic - minced
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 Scotch Bonnet pepper - whole (optional)


DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse the kidney beans well and place in large stock pot.
2. Cover beans with 4 cups of water.  Bring to boil.
3. When water is boiling, add the block of coconut cream.  Stir occasionally to melt the block.
4. When block has melted, water should appear cloudy.  Add the remaining ingredients (rice, onions, garlic, thyme, salt, black pepper, and Scotch Bonnet.

[*NOTE:  Be sure to leave the Scotch Bonnet pepper whole! Do not cut or crush!]

    5.  Cook according to your rice package directions, adding more water if necessary.

* I added another 1 1/2 cups of water to the pot before topping with a lid and allowing to steam on low heat...

    6.  After the rice has finished cooking, remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
    7.  Remove thyme stems and Scotch Bonnet pepper from pot, stir well, and enjoy!

I'm gonna get to see this beach one day...

Under the Cherry Tree - Official Movie Trailer -- Book & DVD in Stores 1/8/2013

This movie was written, directed, and produced by none other than my little brother, Cedric Mixon, owner of Kobalt Books Entertainment!
The book and the DVD will premiere in stores on January 8, 2013!
This is an inspirational movie about 2 brothers, their struggles, and the road to redemption.
Hey, I've even got a little cameo in the movie! Yup, you heard right, I made my 1st movie debut (I'm about to be a starra!!! LOL)
Check out the trailer to the movie and like his page on facebook found here at Under The Cherry Tree...

Check out my still shot from the movie!

Thanks so much for taking the time to check out the trailer until next time.
Stay blessed!

P.S. The web series to promote the movie will be starting November 19th on YouTube! I'll keep you posted.  I've got a couple of cameos there! (LOL, nepotism at its finest...)