4 strand french braids

Two 4 strand french braids into one side braid.

Triple Braided Piggie Tails.

Three french braids on each side down to braided piggie tails. :D

Shrimp Etouffee

The literal translation of this is Smothered Shrimp. And yes... yes it is. Smothered in a rich, spicy, and enticing seafood gravy. If you have never experienced this dish please, PLEASE try it. It's amazing. And yes, this has mushrooms. If you do not like mushrooms go ahead and leave them out. I had some on hand, and I'm all for adding volume to my food without adding a lot of extra fat and calories... I get enough of those in what I make anyway. :)
Ingredients:
1/4 c vegetable oil
heaping 1/4 c flour
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, deseeded and finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 oz mushrooms, chopped
1 8 oz bottle clam juice
1 Tbsp Cajun Seasoning (I used a homemade spice blend)
1/2 tsp celery seed
1 Tbsp paprika 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
pinch red pepper flakes (more if you want some real heat)
1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 lbs shrimp, no shells or tails
3-6 green onions, finely sliced
hot sauce

Begin by making a roux. In your pot over medium heat add the oil and let it heat through, then add your flour. Whisk together VERY well. You don't want a lumpy roux. Whisk occasionally and cook to a peanut butter brown color and gives off a nutty aroma, this will take somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and celery. Stir well and cook 3-4 minutes to start them softening up. The add your mushrooms and garlic. Stir in well. Be sure not to burn your garlic here. You need to cook this about two minutes. Then slowly add your clam juice. You're looking for a syrupy consistency here. The roux will help thicken it up as it cooks, but don't add too much liquid. If you need more liquid you can add water, or chicken stock. Add in all of the spices, and the Worcestershire. TASTE. Add salt and pepper accordingly. Add your shrimp (I throw mine in frozen, but you can thaw yours or if you can get GOOD fresh seafood that's even better). Cover and cook about 10-15 minutes until your shrimp are curled and pink. Serve sprinkled with green onion, and hot sauce, over rice. Serves 4. I like this over rice cooked with a bay leaf or two, then coated with butter. :D

 
The team.
 
Beginning of the roux
 
Mmmmmm peanut buttery... oh wait... ;)
 
Sautee the veg.
 
Add the mushrooms and garlic
Add clam juice and spices.
Shrimp!
 
 Mmmmmmm
 
Oooooh yeaaaah. What do you think? Are you a fan of seafood? Have you tried Creole or Cajun food?

Hair tutorials?

Would anyone be interested in video or picture tutorials of our hair styles? Step by step processes, etc?

Bronzey eyes using UD 15th Anniversary Pallet

I used Flow on the inner corner and inner corner lower lashline. Chase on the lid, and second third of lower lashline. Blackout in the crease. And Evidence over Blackout and outer third of lower lashline.
Kind of terrible pics... I didn't take them until it was late at night. Sorry!





Thanks for looking!

Biscuits and Gravy

A VERY basic recipe today. Biscuits and gravy is one of my favorite comfort foods. I'll make it for breakfast, or dinner if I'm eating alone (which happens far more often than I would like). The key to REALLY good biscuits and gravy is good sausage. You want to get really nice and flavorful sausage, or make your own if you've the time. I happened to have linked sausages for this go-around, but I usually use the log that you can just break off what you want. :D I also LOVE my sausage gravy to be loaded with sausage bits. So, good sausage, and good biscuits. If you want to use store bought that's fine... but stay away from the "flaky" ones, and anything that says "butter flavoring" on it. It will compete too much with your gravy. Here we go! Ingredients: 1-2 lb sausage 1/4 c flour 2 cups milk (or 1 c milk, 1 c cream) 1 shallot, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, finely minced 8 oz mushrooms, half sliced, half diced Salt and Pepper Cook off your sausage until it's done. Remove from pan. Add your shallot, garlic, and mushrooms to the sausage drippings, sautee for about two minutes. Sprinkle your flour over the top, and then stir in well. You want to cook this gently to remove some of the floury taste. Slowly add in your milk, stirring as you go. If your gravy is going to have lumps... this is where it happens. Take your time! Add back in your cooked sausage and cook for a minute or so until everything is well combined and your sausage is warmed through. TASTE! Add salt and pepper as needed. Cover your biscuit of choice with your gravy and nosh away! Cook the sausage. Sautee the veg. Add your flour. Combine well. Slowly add your milk. Add your sausage back in. Nosh! Do you like biscuits and gravy?

Twists and Braids

Looks complicated... but really isn't. Take a one inch strip of hair from ear to ear. Separate into 6 equal parts. Alternate twists and braids through all 6 parts. Take a one inch strip behind the first. Separate into 5 parts, off set from the original 6. Alternate braids and twists. Then simply combine together as shown. Gives sort of a weaved effect. I finished with a braid, but you could pull it into a ponytail, and do a messy twisted bun.

Double Side Braids Into Funky Bun

A little bit more challenging. Top braid is a waterfall braid then braided into a regular french braid to a ponytail which is flipped through into a funky bun. Once again, not wonderful pics. Sorry.

Twisty Hair

Easy style today. Three twists ending in a braid. Simple, fairly quick, and crowd pleasing. Not the greatest pics... my apologies. I did pull the twists to one side before braiding... I do love me a side braid/ponytail. :D