Monthly Archives: January 2014

5 Steps to Prettier Feet

Cracking, dry skin, bunions, canker sores and other unsightly blemishes can make you want to permanently glue your socks on. Try these 5 easy steps to get prettier feet, and show off your tootsies with pride.           1) Prep your toenails. There’s no better way to revive and refresh nails than with a new polish. Prep for your new color by removing that old, chipped and faded toenail polish with a non-acetone polish remover. Dip a cloth or cotton ball in the remover and wipe away all traces of your old polish. Wash your toenails thoroughly, and then trim them with toenail clippers. Clip them all straight across (rounded nails can result in ingrown toenails) and cut them all the same length for a uniform look. Gently file down the edges of each nail with a nail file to soften their appearance.   2) Soak up. Fill a large bowl or basin with warm water, and then add an ounce or two of your favorite scented mineral bath salts. Soak your feet for ten minutes to soften skin (and soften up those calluses for easier removal), and just lean back and breathe in the salts for … read more

Accras

1 egg 2 medium size grated malangas (tarot roots) hot pepper (optional) 1 tablespoon salt 1 small chopped onion Finely chopped parsley 2 small garlic cloves (mashed into a paste) oil to fry         Directions Mix all the ingredients in the bowl and make a batter and whisk until fluffy   2. Pour the batter by spoonful into pan of heated oil or deep fryer and cook until golden brown on both sides.  Serve with Haitian pickle cabbage or this following pickle recipe.   Quick Pickle recipe   In a small bowl, thinly slice 1 onion, cut a scotch bonnet pepper into tiny slices, add 3 tablespoon of white vinegar, a pinch of salt and sprinkle parsley and let infuse and serve with any condiments

Haitian Hot Chocolate

INGREDIENTS 1 lime peel 1 Tsp of Vanilla (Haitian Vanilla) 1 stick of cinnamon 1 dash of grated nutmeg 1 liter of milk 1 can of condensed milk 40g of Cocoa powder     1 Tsp of Maizena ½ cup of water   INSTRUCTION   Add the water, lime peel and cinnamon in a pan when boil, lower the heat Add both milks and mix well with a wooden spoon until it simmers. To the side, dilute the cocoa powder with some hot milk and add to the pan, continue to stir while making sure that you that the milk does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Mix the Maizena with some water and add to the chocolate mixture, whip the mixture with energy to eliminate lumps.  It should start to thicken, at this point you should continue with stirring the mixture to avoid burning. Let boil in order for the Maizena to be fully cooked and reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 12 minutes by continuous stirring. When finished, through a sieve, remove the cinnamon and the lime peel, serve hot.

TI PUNCH KREYOL

INGREDIENTS   1 ounce of sugar-cane syrup 3 ounces of white Rhum 1 quarter of green lemon       INSTRUCTIONS Pour directly into the glass the cane syrup and the white Rhum.   Add the juice of a quarter of the green lemon with its zest. Stir with a spoon.   GLASS TYPE Serve as it is and add some small pieces of ice  

Baba au Rhum

Ingredients: 1 cup chopped walnuts 2 cups + 2 tablespoons softened butter 2 1/ 4 cups sugar 3 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 tablespoons lemon zest table 3/4 cup dark rum 1/4 cup banana liqueur     1/4 cup of coconut rum 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 cup whipping cream   Instruction Preheat oven to 350 ° Fahrenheit. Grease and flour a 12 cups standard kugelhopf mold or tube pan. Sprinkle the chopped nuts in the bottom and set aside. With an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter and 1-1/2 cups sugar 1-1/2 until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until blended.  Add the lemon zest. Gradually add 1/2 cup of rum and banana liqueur. Beat well. (The batter will appear curdled.) In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pass the mixture through a sieve and add to the batter alternately with whipping cream, beating well after each addition. Pour batter into the mold and bake 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 … read more

Gratin de Christophine / Mirliton (Chayote Gratin)

Ingrédients   5 Chayote 1 shallots     1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk 6 gram of Butter 1 tablespoon of olive oil 2 Tablespoon of Flour 1 sprig of fresh thyme 2 clove of garlic Pinch of grated nutmeg 100 gram of grated parmesan, gruyere or gouda cheese Salt Parsley Breadcrumb Instruction   carefully wash the Chayote.  Cut them in two, lengthwise.  Remove the heart and roots and place the vegetables in a pot covered with water.  Add salt, cover and let it cook for about 25 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the pot and let them cool.  Remove the meat from the skin carefully to not damage the skin and set the skins aside. Puree the meat of the chayote in a mixer and set aside. In a pan, add oil and butter and diced shallots.  Mashed the garlic and add to pan and thyme, sprinkle add flour to make a roux and milk to produce a thick béchamel sauce. Add the Chayote sprinkle parsley, half of the cheese and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes by mixing constantly.   You can either add this mixture into the each Chayote skin or cover with parmesan cheese, breadcrumb before … read more

Twice Fried Plantain (Bannan Peze)

Makes 4 servings. Ingredients   1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 medium-size green plantains, peeled, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices 2 cups salted water     In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium until a light haze forms above it. Add as many plantain slices as you can without crowding the pan, and brown about 2 minutes on each side.   As they brown, transfer them to paper towels to drain.   On a cutting board, use a spatula to press each slice into a flat round about 1/4-inch thick and 2 inches in diameter. Dip the rounds in salted water and shake off the excess. Heat the oil and fry the rounds again, about 1 minute on each side. Drain on paper towels and serve at once.

Haitian Patties

Ingredients 1 cup cold water 1 teaspoon salt 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup vegetable shortening and ¼ cup butter mixed together 1 egg yolk, beaten 2 teaspoons of parsley 2 chopped shallots ½ medium size green bell pepper diced ½ medium size red bell pepper diced 1 chopped garlic clove 1 lbs pound ground beef, seasoned       1 tablespoon of beef or broth Hot pepper to taste   Instruction 1. Pound to paste the parsley, pepper, shallot, and garlic. 2. Add seasoning paste, diced bell peppers and broth to cooked beef and mix well. 3. Cook covered on medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir constantly. 4. Uncover until liquids are absorbed and meat cooked. Now filling is ready. 2. PUFF PASTRY 5. Place flour in a large mixing bowl and make a whole in the center. Pour in water and salt. Mix lightly with a spoon without kneading. Place dough in refrigerator 30 minutes. 6. Roll the dough into a rectangle ¼ inch thick. Spread half the shortening mix on the dough. Fold one side over the middle and spread this section with the remaining shortening. Fold over the remaining section and again roll out to ¼ … read more

Simple Tricks to Look Bright-Eyed

There’s nothing worse than having to start your day without enough sleep the night before, except perhaps having to start your day with a pair of unsightly dark circles under your eyes. Fortunately, with a few quick and painless makeup tricks, you can banish dark circles and look as if you woke up refreshed from a full night of shut-eye. Try these simple tricks to hide dark circles and puffy skin and look bright-eyed and beautiful all day.     Nourish, moisturize and make up! Moisturize the area beneath your eyes with a vitamin-enriched lotion to nourish your skin. Let the lotion dry and then add foundation (before you try a concealer) to give your face a more natural, better-blended look and to enhance your brighter finish.   Take care with your concealer: Concealer can actually accentuate fine lines beneath your eyes and give you a less natural look if layered too thickly. Use a concealer (after applying foundation) two shades lighter than your skin color, and apply it lightly with a small brush to only the dark areas beneath your eyes. Remember, a little concealer goes a long way, so use it sparingly.   Make your cheekbones pop too! … read more