YAY for Five Guys!!!

Hi Everyone,

So I am not one to support fast food chains except if it's Chick Fil-A or Subway, but I cannot resist promoting Memphis' newest chain: Five Guys Burger. Ever since I had their burgers in Washington D.C. a few years back, I have been a devoted fan. But unfortunately, no place I lived had a branch, that was until now!! Recently, Layth and I went to go to Sugar Plum Consignments to drop off a lot of gently loved designer bags when we stopped for lunch at Five Guys. Layth had already been exposed to their great burgers from his visits to Panama City Beach, and loves their kosher hot dogs and fries. I also love that they have kosher products, because Chafeek does not have to resort to eating just fries or a veggie burger. So when Layth and I decided to stop there at 11:45 today, we were not anticipating the ridiculously long lunch line that lead to outside the door, but it was definitely worth the wait. Even though Layth fell asleep before he could enjoy his kosher hot dog with just ketchup, it did not stop him from nibbling on their delicious fries ( the cashier allowed us to have the fries first since they were ready, and could see Layth getting excited!). And now, we have my new favorite Germantown lunch joint ( sorry Swankys, but you served us well for the past 4 years!).

Baking Brownie Cookie Bars

Hi Everyone!!!

The other day, Layth and I were craving brownies while shopping for his school supplies, when he stumbled upon Betty Crocker Brownie Cookie Mix; the box made them look so enticing. But of course, everything looks good when you're fasting. It also helped they had two education box tops, which would benefit his school the next day. And so, we bought them. Of course, we did not get to making them until the next day because we were going out for dinner that day. However, when it came to making them the next day Layth could not be more excited!! Immediately, when he saw me taking out the mixing bowls, Layth began saying, " Cookies, Cupcake": his two favorite things in the world! And when I reassured him we were making brownies, immediately he ran to the drawer where I keep my wooden spoons and grabbed one for himself. Of course, I had to grab one for myself and set those aside while I collected the other ingredients: flour, eggs, water and vegetable oil. With all the excitement, I forgot to add the water ( thankfully, it did not impact the taste, just made it harder to mix) and we began adding them into the mixing bowl. Layth, on the other hand, could not resist mixing along with me and dipping his finger every now and then into the batter to get a taste of the sweet chocolate. The instructions then called for us to mix the cookie mix separately and then pour the two mixtures on top of each other. For one mix I omitted the water, for the other one I added too much water ( I added 1/3 cup of water instead of 1/3 teaspoon) again, it did not impact the taste. I personally think it just balanced out the two mixes. The cookie mix, however, did not intrigue Layth so much as the brownie mix. So as I was mixing, Layth was taking his wooden spoon and taking tastes of the brownie batter. And as a result, my counter tops and little boy were covered in chocolate. Normally, I would be freaking out trying to clean the mess, I just laughed. It was simply precious! Layth, too, joined in with the laughter!!

Once we composed ourselves, and I cleaned up Layth, I went to grab my baking pan, where I saw Layth running to the drawer where I keep my oven mitts, grabbing two, and putting them on his own hands. As cute as he looked, it was hard telling him he could not be near the oven... while the brownie cookie bars tasted as great as packaged brownies can taste, the true delight was baking with my little lion!

A New Twist on Pillsbury Cookie Dough

Hey Ya'll,

So I recently discovered a cheap and easy alternative to making a homemade dessert, Pillsbury cookie cake topped with Vanilla Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream. I know it sounds simple, but I promise you it tastes delicious!! We were all fasting one day, and decided we would go out for dessert after Iftaar ( breaking of the fast) when we all unanimously agreed to stay at home. And instead, we brought the dessert to us: Coconut Cream Pies, Pillsbury Brownie Bites and Oreos. While all these desserts looked enticing, we insisted upon making something homemade when we decided to make a cookie cake. The secret to this dessert is to cut the cake immediately after removing it from the oven, so the dough is still warm and moist, and topping it with a scoop of Vanilla Haagen-Dazs. We also decided to use two packages of the Pillsbury Cookie Dough to create an even thicker, more chocolaty taste, making the dessert twice as delicious!! So if you're looking for a simple dessert, this definitely is a top choice.

Honey Lemon Grilled Chicken

Hello Everyone,
Since Ramadan has started I have been on the hunt for good, simple recipes that do not require too much preparation, which means I have been recycling my simple recipes. Even though we are only eight days into Ramadan, I feel trying to come with things to cook has been just as exhausting as fasting itself. I want a recipe that's quick, but filling, something worth the wait of having to give up food for ten hours, and finding some, have been difficult. They usually require preparation the night before, or 30-45 minute preparation time, which can be so frustrating sometimes, because you cannot taste whether or not you have the right spices or not. So during my search to find new recipes I stumbled upon this one while reading People magazine. It sounded so intriguing I could not resist trying to make it. I'll be having it tonight, so I can't give you my guarantee on it, but it looks promising!!

Ingredients:

• juice and zest of three lemons


• 1/3 cup of olive oil


• 1 tsp of oregano


• 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard


• 2 tbsp of honey, plus a drizzle


• 1/2 cup of finely chopped onions


• 1 clove of garlic peeled and smashed


• 1/2 tsp of salt


• 1/2 tsp of black ground pepper


• 4 skinless, boneless chicken halves or 2 lbs


• Grilled lemon wedges ( just for garnish)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix together lemon juize, zest, olive oil and oregano, dijon mustard, honey, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside 1/4 cup of the mixture for basting, place the chicken into the bowl, cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.

2. Place the chicken onto the grill for medium heat and allow it to cook for 6-8 minutes on each side. This is where I took a short cut, and placed it on my George Foreman for 10-12 minutes before marinating the chicken once again.

3. I then intend on drizzling honey onto the chicken and decorating the plate with the lemon wedges!

Clearing Out My Closet

Hello Everyone,

It's that time of the year again, when I have to go through my closets and determine what stays and what does not. And in this economy, it's best I keep as much as possible to avoid spending any more money. However, with us moving to San Francisco in June, I need to start clearing now!! They charge by the pound to move up to California, and even then, we'll be downgrading from a house to an apartment. I took living in Memphis for granted, I will miss having a two story house, not having to worry about traffic and driving only 40-50 minutes at the most to get from place to place. And so, the closet cleaning must take place. So far, I have found a gently used pair of GAP bootleg jeans, a gently used collared Express button down shirt, a brand new pair of seven for all mankind jeans, a brand new pair of Gap corduroy capris and an awesome pair of sandals I'd completely forgotten about. I am planning on taking them to a consignment shop tomorrow, but we'll see how much I get for them. I keep telling myself I will get rid of them, but if I end up getting pennies for them I might just be tempted to keep them.