Creamy Cheesy Yellow Grits with Roast Brussel Sprouts and Sausage

Creamy Cheesy Yellow Grits with Roast Brussel Sprouts and Sausage

Creamy Cheesy Yellow Grits with Roast Brussel Sprouts and Sausage

How do I delicately say this–without offending Dad? It’s quite awkward, because the guy is a great cook. However, everyone has an Achilles’ heel. Well… his grits might be one of the few dishes with few good memories. Who knows what went wrong. They weren’t creamy. The texture was mostly watery. I only liked them with tons of cheese to hide the taste.

Imagine my surprise, when grits became a trendy ingredient along with the raise of southern cuisine a few years ago. I initially avoided grits on menus, and wondered why any chef would serve them. Over time, I decided to give grits another try to discover a soft, creamy taste. Humbled and in love with my first true taste of properly cooked grits, I wanted to learn the proper technique to cooking them. Read more

Tomato Chili Sauce Pizza with Wheat Cornmeal Crust

Hodgson Mill’s Tomato-Chili Sauce Pizza with Wheat Cornmeal Crust

Tomato Chili Sauce Pizza with Wheat Cornmeal Crust

Hodgson Mill asked MyLifeRunsOnFood.com to compete in their Build a Better Pizza contest. My response was an happy ‘YES,’ because I love creating pizza with unusual flavors (see Yellow Beet and Parsnip Wheat Pizza, Sweet Potato, Caramelized Shallots, Smoked Mozzarella Pizza with Wilted Arugula, NY Autumn Apple Prosciutto Pizza and Zucchini Tomato Ricotta Pizza. Homemade pizza is more fun and healthier than having a greasy pie delivered to my front door. The only difficulty was the requirement for making a crust with 50% whole-wheat flour. In my experience, that’s a very dense slice of pizza. Read more

Appetizing Thoughts: Dr. Angelo A. Alonzo Hearts Your Health

Appetizing Thoughts: Dr. Angelo A. Alonzo Hearts Your Health

The effects of eating unhealthy food isn’t always immediate. It’s why many people continue to have unhealthy eating habits… until it’s too late.  One result are heart attacks. If victims survive, they have to follow a strict diet if they value the continuity of their life. Butter, salt and sugar are usually completely eliminated from their diet. As a foodie, my heart goes out to them.

In today’s guest interview, Dr. Angelo A. Alonzo discusses his project, The Yale Heart Study. He’s concerned about how people get medical care as they experience heart attack symptoms. In the following interview, Dr. Alonzo shares his favorite heart warming recipe, Pasta with Artichokes, Leeks and Olives, as he discusses his project in detail. Read more

Adriana’s Tamale Party with Watermelon and Queso Fresco Cheese Salad

Adriana’s Tamale Party with Watermelon and Queso Fresco Cheese Salad

My cravings for Mexican food come from Mom’s Southern California background. The flavors and spices of the dishes bring comfort to my heart. Some people might say my love for Mexican food isn’t authentic, because it’s actually “Tex-Mex.” It could be true. After all, I didn’t grow up in predominantly Mexican community, nor is the culture and language part of my ancestral background.

Some time ago, Nicole Taylor of Hot Grease, organized a private dinner honoring Dr. Jessica B. Harris and cookbook author, Bryant Terry. Among the invitees were Adriana Valez, a writer for The Stir and CreoleMag.com. Naturally, the conversation centered around food. Somehow Adriana and I talked about Mexican cuisine and how her family held tamale parties. I eagerly asked her to organize one in Brooklyn, New York. She happily agreed to my request. Read more

Tarragon and Pink Peppercorn Chicken Salad

Tarragon & Pink Peppercorn Chicken Salad

It started with an email from JCPenny a few months ago. The PR representative explained they’re changing their brand, and she wanted to give me a $200 gift certificate to spend. It was promptly delivered, and it wasn’t used until recently for the purchase of new bed linens for our new super pillow top comfortable mattress set.

Up until JCPenny contacted me with their much needed gift, my life was a hurricane of stress, sleeplessness nights, and regrets. Then, my life instantaneously started to change. Suddenly, I had a freelance job. As the job gradually started cutting hours, my sudden luck made sure I made a smooth transition into a full-time position as a Graphic Designer with a large Brooklyn non-profit organization. With this new 9 to 5 schedule, the gift certificate remained untouched on my desk until we could determine how to maximize its benefits. Read more