Eclectic Mama Angel

 Hey friends,  You know sometimes we get so caught up in recreating and creating, that we forget about the meals that got us to this point. You know, the meals you learned how to cook before you learned how to “create” In my case, the meals my grandmothers, aunts, uncles and of course, my mom would make for us. I would watch my mom cook with such ease and love. She would also fuss at us, about being in the way, or in her kitchen hovering while she is cooking. There aren’t a lot of steps to making those dishes, sometimes there are but, for the most part the main ingredient is always LOVE.  Because my cooking style is so “eclectic”, in addition to stepping outside the box, I also love to revisit and make “normal” home cooked meals. Smothered pork chops for me, is a normal unbothered meal. It’s one of those dishes I learned without using measurements, so be patient with me here, lol. I will do my best to give you the ingredients but, the measurements are a taste and add as d...

 Friends! Friends! FRIEEENNNDDSS!! Listen, if we are going to be friends, we have to make sure to keep each other in the know about things. How come so many of my friends have known about this popcorn hack and never shared it with me? Some of you I will give the benefit of the doubt because we just met. BUT, if you have known me and this is how you have been making popcorn…..why the hold out? Simple, easy, and affordable. Three of my favorite things! Now mind you, safety is always first. This may not be for everyone. Although, many friends have said they have been making their popcorn this way for years, please make sure to be careful, so as not to get burned or cause damage. Children should be assisted by an adult.  Now, when I saw this I had to try it, because it’s so quick and easy. Movie night will never be the same. Tips: I like melted butter on the raw kernels before popping. However, to avoid getting melted butter everywhere, you can pour over cooked popcorn instead. Us...

 Omg! I am back. I took a little hiatus from blogging but,  I am back and ready to share some recipes and chitchat. It’s been an interesting 2022, so far for me and my clan. But, we keep going because that is what we do. I hope your 2022 has been filled with joy, adventure and most of all good FOOD.  Let’s talk pancakes. I’m sure most people are familiar with the pre-made just add water boxes. Hey if that’s what you like I am not judging. I too have used the pre made pancake mix. I usually add an egg to it. But, if you don’t get that water to batter ratio correct, you get thin flat pancakes or, dense over beaten pancakes. Or, you find yourself in the never ending spiral of, adding more water, or, more batter to get the right consistency, lol. Well making homemade from scratch pancakes is not hard nor time consuming. Most of the ingredients you already have on hand, in the fridge and pantry. Pancakes, unlike a lot of dishes can be made all year round, for breakfast lunch a...

 Hey Y’all  Chili and Spaghetti, two separate dishes rolled up into a cheesy gooey chili pasta delight! Yes girl, you will not regret making this dish.  The inspiration for this dish came from a couple places. One, my daughters love to order Chili Mac from a pasta truck in our town, which to me tastes just ok, and they use spaghetti instead of elbow noodles. Second, I had a taste for pasta and the kids wanted chili, on this particular day. We love chili, but, I was not in the mood to make it, because, I usually make it from scratch, it just tastes better to me.  Anyways, I decided to combine the two to see what I could come up with. Remember, I’m learning as I go here. I know I want the chili flavor and I also want pasta. This recipe will give you both.  Feel free to make the chili from scratch if you would like to but, it’s not necessary for this recipe. Be generous with the cheese, because this is a cheese lovers recipe. I used the Triple Cheddar and the Itali...

 Hey!  I love  vegetables. I especially am a fan of a bell pepper, red green yellow, yummy! Bell-peppers are versatile, you can eat em topped with cream cheese, or use in a recipe, or you can stuff them with your preferred ingredients. I often cook with bell pepper. I know there are people out there that are not fans of the yummy vegetable, which WHAT?! But, if you are a fan, I have a delicious recipe for you for stuffed peppers, that will have you doing a happy dance because they are so good child!! The ooey-gooey cheese, mixed with rice and meat, and stuffed inside the crunchy, sweet pepper is so DELICIOUS! I was eating the meat mixture as I was preparing this dish, by the time the peppers were done I was so full.  Does anyone else eat as they are cooking? Let’s talk about that in another blog, LOL. Stay focused, Angel.. NOTE: You can leave the bell pepper whole, or, cut them length wise, which makes it easier to just pick em up and bite em. Either way, make sure t...

 Chicken soup is probably one of my favorites to make. You can do a slow cooker version, or on top of the stove. The version we will make today is probably the quickest, and it is very budget friendly. Altogether I spent about $10. It was a long day at work and I wanted some chicken soup. I purchased a bag of skinless frozen chicken thighs. You can use fresh if you prefer. Also, tip: for frozen chicken, cover in a pot of water, with some diced onion, salt pepper, garlic powder and let it boil for about 15 mins, the chicken will thaw and you made chicken broth !  It is the best go to recipe to make and you still have time to enjoy your day or evening. Kids love it and you can add ingredients that your family will like. I love a versatile recipe. It can be made many ways and still be delicious and it’s not the same boring meal each time.  This is done in about an hour, serve with cornbread and Voila! The recipe below will serve a large family. Scale back if you have a ...