Smita’s Chicken Kheema

My daughter and I love Indian food.  More than that, I love the culture.  My friend Smita is very proud of her culture and the stories that she tells me are always such an honor to learn and hear.  When she said she wanted to make her dish, I was beyond happy because I knew it would come with not only deliciousness, but a great story or two.  I am so glad she shared it with us.

Try this dish with someone around you that you think would enjoy it, her spices are amazing!!!!  Thank you Smita for being the awesome woman that you are!

 

 

 

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Mercedes’ Outfits Provided by – Clothes Mentor & Platos Closet

Hair Stylist – Steven Daniels

Chris’ Triple Triple Chili

Chili is one of the simplest dishes to make, but for some reason I just could not find a good recipe!  That was before I met Chris!  When you need a chili that has the perfect amount of meat, beans, cheese and veggies, this recipe is the one for you! The thing that I love the most about it is that it did not take a ton of time to make.  Make this for your friends and family before a gathering and you will for sure be the talk of the town!  Thank you Chris for sharing this with us!!!

 

 

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Chris’ Triple Triple Chili
Chris’ Triple Triple Chili Instructions

 

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Hair Stylist – Steven Daniels

Owl Rice Cakes

Your little ones are going to love this one.  I love the recipes that bring out the kid in me.  You know, the ones that make you smile so hard that your cheeks hurt?  This one did that for me!  My friends at The Children’s Museum helped me make “Hootie” and boy did he smell delicious. Your children will enjoy making this snack with you, I promise. This memory will be passed down AND it’s a great fall treat, try it, you won’t regret it!

 

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Mercedes’ Outfits Provided by – Clothes Mentor & Platos Closet

Hair Stylist – Steven Daniels

Apple Crisp with Amy Jackson

It’s apple everything season and I love it.  I love just eating apples by themselves, I can eat them in pies, in crisps, you can boil them bake them fry them and put bacon on them…..you get my drift right?  Like love, apples are in the air and I am here for all of it.  My friend Amy Jackson joined me in the kitchen to share a tradition that her and her family have done for years and she shared her crisp recipe with all of us!  Picture yourself doing this with your family and then go do it because this is going to be a great time!  I loved everything, from the crumbles on top the perfection of the cooked apples on my spoon mixed with ice cream and whipped cream on top!  This is sure to be a hit wherever you go!  YOU ARE WELCOME!

 

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Mercedes’ Outfits Provided by – Clothes Mentor & Platos Closet

Hair Stylist – Steven Daniels

Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes

Noah is a cool 5-year old! This recipe was so much fun because I got to see him and his dad in action. I absolutely love the relationship that the two of them have! Seeing the joy on his face as he cooked with his father made my day and eating the pancakes made us all smile as well. These moments are priceless and I hope they watch this feature together for years to come, because I know I will!

 

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Mercedes’ Outfits Provided by – Clothes Mentor & Platos Closet

Hair Stylist – Steven Daniels

Pastelillos with Carmen

I love how Carmen said this dish reminds her of her childhood.  Dishes like this with amazing women like her make me smile. The Coquito – OMG!!! It’s a drink that you will find in every Puerto Rican home around the holidays and Carmen and I already agreed that it will be in mine (thanks to her) this year as well.  The thing I love about this dish is you can use any type of meat you like on the inside and it’s equally as delicious.  Write this one down and try it!

 

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Mercedes’ Outfits Provided by – Clothes Mentor & Platos Closet

Hair Stylist – Steven Daniels

Lobster Pasta – Cooking for the Champ

Guess who I have the honor of having in my kitchen?  That’s right, the #1 WKA Cruiserweight Champion in the United States and #1 North American Champion in the United States –  thee Joe Taylor!    My family loves seafood and pasta, so it was only right that I create a dish that incorporated both.  When Joe told me that he was not a huge lobster fan simply because he had not tried some that made him love it, I knew that I had a challenge ahead of me and I was was up it!  This dish was a big hit!!

Cooking has always been a passion of mine because eating is something that I love to do – lol, just being honest.  I love trying new dishes, experiencing different flavors together and learning the reason behind these flavors coming together.  This dish is very simple but delicious. The story is super simple as well, it’s a family favorite and now I can say, champ approved, so ENJOY!

 

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Lobster Pasta
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Mercedes’ Outfits Provided by – Clothes Mentor & Platos Closet

Hair Stylist – Steven Daniels

Freddy J’s Mac N Cheese & Greens

One thing this segment taught me:  take back your time!  I am one to spend hours making my macaroni and cheese.  My family loves it, don’t get me wrong but when I make it, it’s a big deal.  When I saw how simple it is for Freddy J to make it and how delicious it was, I was in shock.  Do I still make it the way my family loves it?  Yes!  But not as often.  When they tried this dish they told me to make it both ways.  I would rather spend this extra hour and a half making ice cream sundaes with my kids or taking a walk before the weather gets cold here in Buffalo to be honest.  A big thank you to Freddy J for this simple yet delicious recipe!!!!

 

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Mercedes’ Outfits Provided by – Clothes Mentor & Platos Closet

Hair Stylist – Steven Daniels

Summertime Ice Cream Treats with Lisa

Who doesn’t love a good banana split?  I personally love a good strawberry ice cream in a waffle cone with the chunks of strawberry still in it!  It takes me back to my childhood summers with my parents as a child.  My friend Lisa from Anderson’s is that lady for her neighborhood, the ice cream lady!  She knows all of the tricks to the best treats and knows how to make them look amazing as well.  This feature will show you just how good she is, just you watch!
Lisa and Mercedes: Photo Credit Natasha Hill

 

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Party Sized Banana Split:

Ingredients:

  • 2 quarts vanilla ice cream 
  • 2 quarts strawberry ice cream
  • 2 quarts chocolate ice cream 
  • 6 bananas
  • 1 pint chocolate syrup
  • 1 pint pineapple topping
  • 1 pint strawberries
  • 1 can whipped cream 
  • ½ cup sprinkles or chopped nuts

 Also Needed:

  • Wallpaper Tray

To Assemble:

  • Let quarts sit out for a couple minutes to soften them.  (only a few!!)
  • Scoop out the ice cream into the wallpaper tub- strawberry, vanilla, chocolate

(If you slit open the sides of the quarts you should be more easily able to simply dump the ice cream into the container)

  • Unpeel the bananas and slice lengthwise then place into tub next to ice cream 
  • Pour the strawberries over the strawberry ice cream
  • Pour the chocolate over the chocolate ice cream
  • Pour the pineapple over the vanilla ice cream
  • Apply whipped cream across the entire split
  • Sprinkle the nuts/sprinkles across the whipped cream

To Serve:

  1. Have guests scoop up their desired amount and section of the split!

 

Beachy Summer Sundaes!

Ingredients:

  • Assorted ice cream flavors of your choice
  • “Sand” – crushed up graham cereal or crushed butter cookies
  • “Beach Goers” – Mermaid Snacks, Teddy Graham Bears, Sour Patch Kids
  • “inner tubes”- lifesaver gummi snacks
  • “Ocean Blue Water”- blue cake frosting
  • “White Foam Waves”- white cake frosting or marshmallow topping 

Also Needed:

  • Beach Buckets or Sand Toys or Frisbees to serve sundae in
  • Any summer toy that can be used as a container and then it is a bonus that your little guest can take it home!

To Assemble:

  • Scoop ice cream into your container
  • Create the sandy beach by putting spoonfuls of sand around the ice cream
  • And then create your ocean using your blue frosting and white frosting or marshmallow topping
  • Put your Beach goers on the sand or place them in your ocean for a swim
  • Use your beach shovel to serve!

Ice Cream Breakfast Ideas & Treats – Ice Cream Pancakes / Waffles

Ingredients:

  • Pancakes or waffles
  • Toppings- Ice Cream of various kinds
  • Sauces and Topping: Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Sprinkles, Whipped Cream

To Assemble:

  • Have guests create their own delicious pancake and ice cream creations as they see fit

 

Ice Cream Coffee or Orange Juice Floats-

Put a scoop of your favorite ice cream into your coffee like Greta Anderson taught me or into OJ

 

Donut Ice Cream Treats:

Ingredients:

  • Donut holes or mini muffins
  • Pretzel Stick
  • Sugar Cone or Regular Cone

To Assemble:

  • Put one donut hole into the cone
  • Then Skewer the bottom hole with a pretzel stick and add a 2nd donut and so on

 

Marshmallow Ice Cream Treats:

Ingredients:

  • Marshmallow treat bars
  • Frosting
  • Sprinkles

To Assemble:

  • Roll the marshmallow bars into shape of an ice cream scoop 
  • Put some frosting on top of the scoop and then dip into sprinkles
  • Spread some frosting around edge of cone to secure the scoop onto  onto cone
  • Put Marshmallow scoop onto cone

 

Cotton Candy Ice Cream Cone Treats

Ingredients:

  • Cotton Candy 
  • Gumball or Round Candy 
  • Sugar or Regular Cone
  • Clear treat bag 

To Assemble:

  • Roll the cotton candy into an ice cream scoop shape
  • Put candy on top in middle (could secure with a touch of frosting) 
  • Put the scoop onto the cone
  • Wrap in plastic treat bag and tie closed with ribbon

 

Play Dough Ice Cream Take Home Prize

Ingredients:

  • Play dough
  • Sugar or Regular Cone

To Assemble:

  • Roll play dough into and ice cream cone shape
  • Place it onto cone
  • Wrap entire cone and dough with treat bag and tie shut with ribbon

 

 

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Mercedes’ Outfits Provided by – Clothes Mentor & Platos Closet

Hair Stylist – Steven Daniels

Zack & Jess’ Lemon Pepper Salmon & Summer Salad

This recipes for life is such an honor!  Our hometown Buffalo Bills player Zack Moss and Jess invited me in their home to cook their lemon pepper salmon and summer salad.  Let me tell you something about these two – they are incredibly genuine and just great people.  We laughed while we cooked!  It was just an overall great experience.  It was a blast putting this together for you all.
Good company and peace are two things that Zack and Jess said are needed today, I have to say, I AGREE!  With all that we have going on right now, find the ones in your life that bring you peace and cause you to laugh until your belly hurts.  Laughter is such medicine for the soul!

 

 

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Zack & Jess’ Lemon Pepper Salmon & Summer Salad

 

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Mercedes’ Outfits Provided by – Clothes Mentor & Platos Closet

Hair Stylist – Steven Daniels