Congratulations to President Obama

Congratulations to President Obama on his second term.  I predicted that he will win despite the fact that I voted for Gov. Romney.  It is an irony that I predicted that.  I live in a more conservative state yet I live in a Democratic area.

I voted for Governor Romney because of the issues.  I do believe that people have their own reasons to vote for whoever they wish to vote for.  But somehow, President Obama managed to win despite the problems, mounting problems, we have in this country.  It speaks to our divide here instead of what we can all do for America.

We could have been a less divided America, even after tragedy after tragedy after tragedy.  I guess it is human nature.  Why do we have to wait until tragedy happens to come together?  This is what is so sad.  We are all Americans when only things go bad?  Have we lost our collective minds in the States?

Gov. Romney, I voted for on the issues.  I had to be sure that he was the right man for the job and I believe he would have been.  I just have my own issues with the President and I am concerned for this country just like everyone else.  I know that you cannot please everyone, but I feel that more people will be further taxed, unemployment, as high as it is, will remain high, and America will be more and more divided.

I became a Republican and a Conservative based on lower taxes, fighting against illegal immigration, and going against gay marriage.  Gay marriage is an issue that bothers me.  While Jesus Christ died for gay people, gay marriage will not spell the end of the traditional family as we know it in my opinion.  Gay and straight people seem to have little understanding of marriage nowadays considering the divorce rate here in the States.  We are all sinners, but homosexuality is a sin, not something people are born with nor is it genetic.  It isn't the same as interracial marriage where people are born black or white and where being black and white is partially about genetics.  Black people have truly been oppressed in this country unlike most gay people.

Being a Conservative, I have and will be criticized based on my beliefs.  Being a Christian and Black I will be even more criticized.  I am saddened that there is so much bickering even amongst those in the church.  There is just so much wrong in the Church and in the secular world.  Those are just my opinions, but I congratulate, and will pray for, President Obama.  Gov. Romney gave a rather classy concession speech.  It was ironically a fitting end to a rather nasty campaign.  I respect Gov. Romney and I hope that I come to respect President Obama the leader.  I don't agree with his views, that is all.  I voted on the issues.

Red Velvet Cake

Message:  Go out and vote today!  It is a patriotic duty that many for years fought for us to have.  It is not only a right, but a privilege.  Don't squander it.

Now onto the red velvet cake recipe.

 3/4 cup milk

 2 cups chocolate syrup

 2 sticks softened butter or margarine

1/4 cup red food coloring

 

 3/4 cup sour cream

 3 1/2 cups self rising flour

 1 tsp. vanilla extract

 2 cups white granulated sugar

 4 large eggs

Directions:
Beat eggs and set aside for a moment.  Mix margarine, sugar, and vanilla extract  in a large bowl.  While mixing, add eggs.  The mixture should be uniform and "fluffy" in texture.  Next fold in sour cream and mix until uniform.  Then slowly pour in the chocolate syrup and beat until well incorporated.    Next add the flour and mix.  Slowly pour in the milk; the batter shouldn't be too thin.  Finally, add the red food color.

In two lightly greased and floured 8" or 9" pans (or a bundt pan if you wish), slowly pour in batter.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for approximately 30-40 minutes.  After those 30-40 minutes, insert a toothpick or butter knife in center or side of cake.  It knife or toothpick comes out clean, then it is ready to cool.  Let cake cool for half an hour. 

Next frost each layer of cake (or frost bundt cake).  Once cake has been frosted, top with chopped pecans, almonds, or walnuts.  The finished product should look similar to this:

Lemon pound cake

I baked a lemon pound cake from scratch.  It turned out pretty well. 

Here is the recipe below:

 4 eggs

 1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups granulated sugar

 3 1/2 cups self rising flour

 1 cup milk

 1 cup sour cream

1 tsp lemon extract

 1/3 cup juice of a lemon

 1 package instant lemon pudding

 2 sticks softened butter

 

 

In a large bowl, mix both extracts, sugar, eggs, and butter.  The mixture will be "fluffy" in texture.  Set bowl aside.  In another bowl mix lemon pudding, milk, and sour cream.  Then to that mixture add in the flour and lemon juice.  Then fold in the egg-sugar-extract mixture, making sure it is well incorporated.  Pour batter in a lightly greased and flour bundt or loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees in a preheated oven for 30-45 minutes..  After the cake has been set, insert a toothpick or butter knife in the center of cake.  If the knife or toothpick comes out clean, then it is done.  Next, let the cake cool for half an hour, then finally serve.

 

 

Recipes

Today all I have been thinking about is duck and macaroni and cheese.  I just like to cook.  I love to cook. But I haven't made that perfect macaroni and cheese or that perfect birthday cake soft cake yet.  I have tried, but here are a couple of recipes that are good enough for me.  The mac and cheese and the coconut cake are both fattening and should be only made for holidays but I love them both. 

Here is the recipe for my (heart attack inducing) macaroni and cheese that I made in Easter 2011.

16 oz package elbow macaroni
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cup half and half cream
5 oz. can evaporated milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup flour
1 stick of butter
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. paprika
1 1/2 Tbsp. yellow mustard
1 package President Brie cheese (without the rind)
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded pizza cheeses (shredded cheese pack made of cheddar, mozzarella, etc)
2 cups shredded Italian cheeses pack (shredded cheese pack made of mozzarella, Parmesan, provolone, etc)
2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack/Colby cheese pack
1 cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cheddar cheese soup
Directions:
Preheat the oven for this recipe at 350 degrees.
Follow the directions for how to cook the macaroni and cheese. After the macaroni has cooked, drain and set aside for a few moments.
In a small bowl, mix the egg yolks and sour cream and set that aside. In a large part, make a roux; melt the butter and then add the flour. Stir until well mixed, making sure the roux does not brown. Then slowly add the 1 cup of milk.
Next, add the egg yolks-sour cream mixture and stir. Then add the salt, pepper, paprika, and mustard. Keep mixing and while mixing, add the 3 cups shredded cheese, shredded pizza cheeses, Jack/Colby cheeses, and the Brie, the shredded Italian cheeses. Keep stirring until melted. The mixture will be thick and gummy. Pour in the evaporated milk and stir. Then slowly pour in the half and half cream. If you wish, you can add a little bit more cream and milk to this as the mixture is thinner, but still gummy. Make sure while stirring that all of the cheeses are melted.
In a greased baking pan, pour in the macaroni and cheese mixture. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese (since each pack is equal to 2 cups of shredded cheese(s)) and the Parmesan cheese. Bake at a 350 degrees for 20-35 minutes or until the cheese on top is melted and browned.

Here is one of my recipes for coconut cake that I also made during Easter in 2011.

2 cups white sugar
3 cups self rising flour
4 eggs
1/4 tsp butter extract
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 package instant coconut creme pudding
1 5-oz. can of evaporated milk
1/3 cup half and half cream
2 sticks butter or margarine
Directions: Set temperature to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix softened butter, sugar, eggs, and extracts. Make sure to slowly add eggs, one at a time until thoroughly mixed. The mixture should be “fluffy” and “creamy” in texture. Then mix in the flour, pudding, milk, and half and half cream until the batter is well mixed. Then in two 8” or 9” greased and floured pans, pour in the batter. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Insert a knife or toothpick; if the knife or toothpick come out of the cake clean, then it is ready. Let the cake cool for about half an hour at room temperature. After the cake is cool, then frost each cake layer and cover them with the sweetened (unsweetened) coconut.
To frost the cake, use use two cans of vanilla frosting, one can of cream cheese frosting, and white chocolate chips.
Melt the chocolate chips for several seconds, then mix in a small to medium bowl with the cream cheese frosting. All of this will be used to spread the top of the bottom layer. Then with the two cans of vanilla frosting, spread the rest of the cake. Finally, cover the cake with the sweetened (or unsweetened) coconut, making sure all of the cake is covered. Then serve.

Inspiration

This song is a great pick me up.  In other words, when I am feeling down, I get inspired by this song.  I love this song so much that I am playing it now.  I first listened to this song late last year during Christmastime.  I am already in the Christmas spirit and it is only November 3, 2012.  This is the best time of the year because of the spiritual and I admit commercial aspects of this very season.  I love the food, the giving, the music, the inspiration, and the enjoyment I get creating, giving, shopping, and other things.

I realize that this is a great opportunity to be thankful as all times are opportunities to be thankful.  Right now I am thankful.  Despite the fact that my father is no longer with us, I know that he is in a better place.  He died just two weeks before Thanksgiving in 1986.  It was a day that I will always remember and a day that changed my life.  I miss my father and I often wondered what my life would have been like if he was still here.  I think he would have been proud of me.

I have gone through many struggles and I managed to overcome a lot of things.   I hope to pursue a masters degree in Mathematics.  However, I don't know where to pursue that degree yet, but I would like to meet new people, network with new people, and learn new things.  I graduated from college in 1997 from Francis Marion University.  I am grateful for all of the experiences that I have had.  I no longer have regrets about the things that I have failed to do.  I cannot change them, but I can decide what to do now. 

Right now I have decided to ramble on and write on this blog my musings, or thoughts, on things.  I am grateful and have become more grateful as time has passed.  I am inspired by all that is going on in the world, the music I listen to, and my life experiences.  I have lived a pretty decent life for myself and don't plan to stop living.  I take the time to be grateful for that and that I am here to at least examine myself and my likes and dislikes.

I say that because last night, I was pondering what my likes and dislikes are and I have come to realize that in order to be an individual one has to live continually questioning oneself daily.  Repentance and putting God first is gaining a sense of individuality than I realize.  God created me as an individual and I would make the biggest mistake of my life if I failed to follow and obey Him.  The creator knew and knows, of my likes and dislikes before I was ever thought about by my parents. 

I like photography, martial arts, basketball, pro wrestling, looking at videos, cooking, dancing, ballet, art, and animals.  My dislikes are classlessness, poor grammar, a person who shows a lack of basic human decency or morality, and of course, being bored.  I know that God has a plan for me, despite my likes and dislikes. 

Uhm..I am inspired to write a list of my likes and dislikes.

Being yourself

I have to wonder what are my likes and dislikes.  I like pro wrestling and taking pictures.  I don't like racism, ignorance, and foolishness.

I wrote this because I have struggled with being an individual and not following the crowd.  The truth is, I am different from other people.  I am unique in my own special way, but I wonder how unique.

I often have questions for God about who I am?  What am I all about?  It is just that it has been instilled in me to be an individual.  Use my own mind.  That has something that has been instilled in me for a long time.

Now I have to examine myself to see if I am of the faith literally and figuratively.  Who am I as a believer in Christ?  Who am I as a person in the secular world?  How to I separate or align the secular from the spiritual?

I know not to align myself with the world or rather the things of the world.  Spirituality is all around us.  It influences every area of my life and all of our lives.  I just want to know who I am in the grand scheme of things.

The only person that I can be is myself.  So the message to this is: be yourself.  Be unique.  Don't be a copy of anyone else.  How do you want the world to see you?  How do you want to see yourself?  How do you want for God to see you most of all?

What are my likes and dislikes?  What are things that I would like to change?  What are my hopes and dreams?  That is something that may take some time to discover, but the discovery will be worth it.

How I live my life today

Today was a good day.  I learned that prayer not only changes things, it also changes people.  Thank God for that.  As I was praying today, I have come to the realization that I have to want to grow up, but first I must be a grown up.  I must act like a grown up who learns how to stand on my own two feet.

I like many women have lived my life for others and trying to please others.  That is a big mistake.  No one can live their lives that way.  It takes away some of your power and causes you to question your identity.  It is what has happened to me.

I have hopes, dreams, and desires.  I do want to go to graduate school, but I have to find people who would recommend my pursuance based on my academic potential, meaning I have to have a social life and to take some undergraduate courses over.  I am working on a masters degree in mathematics since I love the subject.  I have made many mistakes and many missteps in my life and I no longer live in regret.

I cannot since I have been wallowing in guilt for so long.  I have learned to be grateful and not staying regretful and feeling sorry for myself.  Guilt and regret are good since it means that one has a conscience, but wallowing in it is quite unhealthy.  I have been through a lot, some of which has been self imposed.  I have been in trouble because I have allowed troubles to overwhelm me.  I have found myself overwhelmed by even the most minor things.

I am comforted by the fact that I am still here and still breathing. I cannot change the past, but I can be thankful for what I do have.  I was thinking about a lot of things as I was pouring my heart out to God and I became thankful all of a sudden.  Talking to God was difficult at first but it became easier with his help.  I wasn't despondent, but I had no clue what I wanted to pray about and I had no idea how to deal with not being able to pray about not being able to pray about.  This is despite the fact that I still have issues that I needed to pray about which I was finally able to pray about. 

In other words, the words came pouring out as I was being thankful.  Praying isn't always about petitioning.  Being a Christian is about having a relationship with the Lord.  Christians have much to be thankful about.  I have learned not to let fear, doubt, and the world determine who I am, what I am, or what I should be.  They don't have the answers and they certainly don't care about us.  I am reminded that as a believer that I am in the world, but not of the world.  I am to be obedient and have a renewed mind.  I am to have a purified heart.  It is a relationship.  It is a daily walk though I have to admit that it is not always an easy walk.  Despite this narrow, uneasy walk, I am thankful and will continue to be repentant and thankful.