Breakfast in Brooklyn

This mornings Books & Breakfast Event held at The Archives Restaurant & Bar located in the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge was fascinating! Breakfast was shared with friends and family, which included author, Rose Hester-Lavenburg and aspiring writers. We had a ball. Luckily I found that a great way to bring people together is with food and books.

Everyone agreed that the buffet style breakfast was delicious. The only thing I regret is not tasting more edible delights, although the reviews around the tables were great. There was everything from muffins, danishes and fruit to bacon, waffles and a variety of sausage. There were countless other items, but my favorite was the western made for me fresh on the spot.

We talked about my novel, Beauty in Pain and it was wonderful! I loved hearing thoughts from the group. I discussed some of my favorite parts like the prison visit and chapter 13. While others talked about their own favored sections. We carefully discussed some of Beauty in Pain because there were some guest who had just received their copy...we may have to hold a discussion.


*Posts you may enjoy:

My Beauty in Pain Review Part I
My Beauty in Pain Review Part II
The Black Love Book Discussion
Rose Hester-Lavenburg & Poems for Benjamin

Books & Breakfast in NYC

November will be ushering in a Beauty in Pain Event in NYC entitled, Books & Breakfast! It will be held at The Archives Restaurant & Bar located inside the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge. Breakfast includes a complete selection of hot buffet items.

This affair will be held on Sunday, November 6, 2011. It begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 12:30 p.m. There will be a brief welcome and introduction at 10:30 a.m., which leaves plenty of time to eat and mingle. Guests are encouraged to bring their previously purchased Beauty in Pain novels, although, books will also be available for purchase. Towards the end of the event there will be a book signing.

Come out & meet the author, but hurry and secure your ticket because space is limited. Send an email if you are interesting in attending to avbenton@gmail.com or visit AliceBenton.com


Link: AliceBenton.com

*Posts you may enjoy:

AliceBenton.com
My Beauty in Pain Review Part I
My Beauty in Pain Review Part II
Reasons To Love Beauty in Pain

Southern Hospitality in NYC

I have wanted to go to the restaurant Southern Hospitality for a little while now.  I read the menu online and it looked good. I was anxious to taste the food.

This week my niece and I finally went to the Hell’s Kitchen location. We were happy walking through the doors. Unfortunately, we weren’t very hungry having just left an event. So we decided to start small and come back another time for more. We both had simple orders. 

It took our waiter approximately ten minutes to approach our table. I ordered a Cabernet. I received my wine over fifteen minutes later. Then we ordered the Banana Pudding with Nilla Wafers. My niece ordered a milk shake and a Stuffed Cupcake, which arrived about thirty minutes later, once we asked the host for a receipt for the wine. We felt that was entirely too long to wait for those particular items. How long would real food have taken?

We ate our desserts because at this point we were pretty sure that we would not return. I will say this, my pudding was absolutely fantastic. The portion was small, but perfect. The caramelized bananas came together in scrumptious harmony with the Nilla Wafers and whipped cream. While eating, mouth was in a sweetened place in heaven. Had our service been better, we might not have been so disappointed.

What’s your opinion about our visit? Do you think we should try it again?

*Posts you may enjoy:

Chef Yu
Vegan?
Village Natural

Mahi Mahi Squares

I'm keeping it really simple with this recipe! The reason you'll love it is because it's fast, delicious and easily altered. You'll also like that we're eye balling it instead of using exact measurements.  

You'll need small nicely cut pieces of mahi mahi. FYI, I prefer small portions because each piece of fish is for an individual serving. Also required are gourmet tortillas, baby romaine salad, extra virgin olive oil, Pam butter spray, lemon juice, thousand island dressing and the following spices: pepper, seasoning salt, marjoram, thyme, bay leaves and garlic powder. 

Cooking Directions

Cover the bottom of a skillet with extra virgin olive oil and warm on low. Once warmed, place mahi mahi inside pan and season. When seasoning, I like to completely cover the top with each spice, except the salt and garlic. I'm light with them because salt is a health no-no and garlic can over power the collective taste.

Sprinkle spices and let fish cook for approximately six minutes. Spray Pam and then flip fish over. Repeat cooking instructions again, but instead of turning fish over, pour a little bit of lemon juice on it. Heat gourmet tortilla then put baby romaine salad in the middle of it.

Next, place fish on top of salad and pour thousand island dressing onto fish. Fold the circle tortilla into a square; fold bottom up, fold top down and both sides into the middle. When you have finished folding it, turn it over onto a plate to serve.

Voila!  Mahi Mahi Squares!

Health & Beauty I

Many of us are concerned about our health and/or beauty.  If it isn't a medical issue that makes you pay attention, it can be an upkeep with vanity.  We all want the same things in life pretty much.  We want to be happy, healthy and look good doing it!  Yes, the list should be much longer, but then this would be a completely different post. 


I want to help others stay on top of being healthy and attractive.  There are three areas you need to focus on to do it.  You must exercise, eat right and deal with fashion or your image.

I have decided to step up my health.  This time, I am doing it by concentrating on my food intake.  Below is an example of how I will be eating...for the most part, just in case you wanted to know.  I'll discuss the other two areas in another post at another time.

Days Menu

Breakfast - Oatmeal
Snack - Health Bar and/or yogurt
Lunch - Salad (my salad will vary to keep it interesting)
Snack - Nuts, Raisins or a mixture of the two
Dinner - Baked food (Chicken or Fish), salad and brown rice


*Posts you may enjoy are A Small Step Towards A Healthy Heart, Vegan? and Let Nothing Stand in Your Way.

Turkey Burgers

Are you mood for a healthier choice, yet something different?  If so, I have the perfect suggestion for you...turkey burgers.  I make them sort of unique, so bare with me and have an open mind.  They'll taste fantastic!  Admittedly, the first time I set out to cook this creation, I was nervous.  Now, it's a favorite that my family plus love that is often repeated.

Turkey Burger Recipe
1 lb Purdue Lean Ground Turkey
3 Scallion Pieces minced
1 Large Celery Stalk minced
1 Can of Del Monte Half Pears, mince two (save the rest for something else)
3 Tablespoons of Chopped Walnuts
1 Pack of Hamburger Buns


Seasonings Needed - Parsley, Pepper, Marjoram, and Savory.

Please not that you will also need a medium or large size tray or foil pan and Extra Virgin Olive Oil to cook burgers.  I prefer a medium size disposable foil pain.

Directions:

Place turkey into a mixing bowl.  Add walnuts plus all minced items and seasonings.  Season to taste, however, I like to cover the entire top with each seasoning.  Add pear juice from the can then mix with hands all together.  Cover the top with seasonings again, then mix again.  Once everything has thoroughly combined start shaping meat into individual burgers.  As you form burgers place them in the foil pan and put into refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour. Placing them in the fridge makes the turkey burgers moist and delicious.

After the appropriate time has passed, place frying pan over a medium-high heat and line the pan with olive oil.  Cook burgers for approximately six minutes on each side or until done (remember turkey burgers have a slightly lighter hue than beef).  Place in buns and serve with whatever you like.

FYI, I usually serve turkey burgers with baked french fries and a spinach salad.

Good luck and enjoy!


*Posts you may enjoy are A Small Step Towards Heart Health, Chef Yu and Vegan?

Vegan?

Right when you finally got used to vegetarians, vegans were introduced.  This newer sect left some of us confused as to what vegan really meant.  According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, a vegan is a strict vegetarian who consumes no animal food or dairy products.

Kathy Freston, also known as the Veganist has presented new ways of looking at this lifestyle.  She has helped Oprah Winfrey with the 21 Day Cleanse, as well as much of her Harpo staff to take a seven day Vegan Challenge.  Freston claims you can lose weight and drop your blood pressure.

The vegan lifestyle is continuously forming new ways to incorporate itself in everyday life.  Alicia Silverstone, author of The Kind Diethas also made this her way of life.   She also has a blog called The Kind Life which shares ways to save the planet, including fashion by Vaute Couture.

While I'm not converted, yet, I am definitely interested enough to consider a seven day challenge.


*Posts you may enjoy are A Small Step Towards Heart Health, It's All About Accessories and Village Natural