Café du Trisha’s Easy Beignets

Madison loved this artist.

I fell head over heels in love with New Orleans when I was 19 years old. I became a student missionary to the Carver Baptist Center through the Baptist Student Union. Everything about the city was beyond magical. I loved the people with thick accents calling me Babe’. I loved walking through the French Quarters on cobble stone streets sliding in and out of quaint shops to try on Mardi Gras masks.

Kendall Dolo

And I loved that music was everywhere; good music forces your mind and soul to dance. But most of all I loved the food; po’ boy sandwiches, crawfish etouffee and beignets from Café Du Monde.

Life is a richer experience and you can feel a little closer to God in the heart of the French Quarter on a lazy Saturday morning sipping coffee and eating beignets covered in powder sugar. This easy recipe is as close to the real thing as you can get.

Café du Trisha’s Easy Beignets

Ingredients

2 pkg. Pillsbury biscuits

1/2 c. powder sugar

Preparation

Oil for frying

Margaret, Kendall & I at Cafe du Monde

Prepare oil in deep fryer. Gently drop biscuit into hot oil with tongs. Brown both sides of doughnut. Beignets will become large and fluffy. Remove from oil and dust with powder sugar.

Janell Wright Got Me Going Down Island Memory Road

Earlier this week my sorority sister posted a picture of her and a fine looking Dominican man. And boy did I start going down island memory lane.

When I moved to Dallas I would often find myself on the dance floor at the Caribbean Grill on Webb Chapel. Honey, you have not lived until you have had a purple black man hold you as Errol Dunkly sings Black Cinderella. YASSSSSS!

I think tonight when the girls go to bed I might dust off the reggae cd’s, watch How Stella Got Her Groove Back and sip a little Rum Punch…Or I might just find myself at the Caribbean Grill this weekend!

Ladies if you want to surprise your man with a little romantic winding and grinding try my Romantic Reggae Playlist:

1. Marcia Aitken – I’m Still In Love With You
2. Errol Dunkley – Black Cinderella
3. Morgan Heritage – Love You Right
4. Bob Andy – Honey
5. Tarrus Riley – She’s Royal
6. Boris Gardiner – I Want to Wake Up With You
7. Freddie McGregor – Just Don’t Want to Be Lonely
8. Bob Marley – Waiting in Vain
9. Dobby Dobson – I’m Loving Pauper
10. Bob Marley – Stir It Up

Pretty Ricky Sparkling Rum Punch

When moved to Little Rock I met Ricky Stereo from St. Catherine Jamaica at a used furniture store. He delivered my bed for free in exchange for my phone number. My sister Mechille called him Pretty Ricky because she said he was the first cute guy I ever dated.

Ricky would play his dance-hall cd’s  whenever he took me to work in his gold Honda Accord. I can still hear Sasha and Sean Paul singing “I’m Still in Love” in my head. This drink is my homage to Pretty Ricky because his skin was the color of Bacardi dark rum and he was always smiling. Trust me when I say that after a few cups you will be singing “Is This Love”.

Pretty Ricky Sparkling Rum Punch

Ingredients

1 cup pineapple juice

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup Cointreau orange liqueur

1/2 cup Bacardi dark rum

2 bottles of Asti Spumante, chilled

Preparation

Stir together pineapple juice, orange juice, orange liqueur, and rum in a medium bowl; cover and chill 1 hour. Pour mixture into a large pitcher or punch bowl, and top with chilled sparkling wine. Serve immediately.

Beverly Johnson Says Bill Cosby Drugged Her

I wonder if people will begin to change their minds about Bill Cosby now that Beverly Johnson has come forward stating that she was drugged by Cosby in 1986.

The argument that the women coming forward are just after money and fame can’t be said of Johnson because as the first African-American woman to grace the cover of Vogue and one of the New York Times a 20th century’s most influential people in fashion she is both rich and famous. Her first-person essay published in Vanity Fair simply titled “Bill Cosby Drugged Me. This Is My Story” is a scathing accusation.

Read the article here 

Clean Your Dishwasher with Vinegar

Sallie Ruth would say that she had me so I could wash the dishes. I couldn’t wait until I was “rich” so I could have an actual “dishwasher”. But even the rich woman’s dishwasher needs a little TLC sometimes.

First remove any debris from the bottom of your dishwasher. Place a dishwasher safe cup with about 1/2 cup of plain white vinegar with 1 tablespoon of baking soda on the top rack. Run it on a short cycle (hot water). If you have any build up on the inside of the dishwasher door it should easily wipe off after the cycle has run.

Sparkle at the Anatole

If you are looking for a holiday outing that the entire family can enjoy then look no further than Sparkle at the Anatole. The annual holiday-themed, family-friendly experience takes place indoors at Trinity Hall within the hotel.  For less than a $100 (Ages 13 – 64: $19.95; Kids 4-12 and Seniors 65+: $15.95; Children three and under: Free) a family of four can enjoy ice skating, Santa’s Hilltop Slide, Bounce House, Velcro wall, stories with Rudolph, movie lounge, Nothing Bundt Cakes cake bites, arts and crafts. Even parking is included in the price. Your holiday experience also includes an array of live entertainment (check the calendar for a schedule of events), impressive light shows, animatronics elves and reindeer and photos at the Sparkle Snap Shacks.

The Saturday and Sunday before Christmas you can arrange for your good little girl or boy to have breakfast with Santa.  The cost for Breakfast with Santa includes tax and gratuity as well as Sparkle tickets. Tickets for adults are $39, kids 4-12 and seniors 65+ are $31 and children 3 and under are free. To make reservations call the Sparkle hotline at 214-761-7814 or email Samantha.Waugh@hilton.com.

Sparkle runs through ends Sunday, January 4^th. Visit www.SparkleAtTheAnatole.com  for the daily calendar of events, times and details.

Trying to Cook for Thanksgiving

allthingstrisha.com: Cranberry Margarita

allthingstrisha.com: Cranberry Margaritas: What could go better than cranberry sauce with Cornbread Dressing? Cranberry Margaritas! http://wp.me/p4Oi0C-fQ

Thanksgiving Pick-Up Line

Gotta’ Love the Brothers