Can I Get an Uhh...(OUTSPOKEN_Diva's Favorite Recipes)

If You Can't See the Video, Click HERE

Ham & Brie Sandwich with a Fig, Sage, & Lime Spread (Nova)

Ingredients

For Spread:

• 1 tbsp fig jam
• 1 sage leaf chopped fine
• 2 tsp lime juice

For Sandwich

• 2 tsp butter, softened
• 2 thick slices of good white bread (I used Italian)
• 1 tbsp Fig, Sage, Lime spread
• 2-3 slices of  brie or camembert
• 1 thick slice of ham (best from the deli counter, or leftover(I used leftover))
• salad leaves, to serve (optional)

Directions:

Spread

1. Mix jam, chopped sage, & lime juice in a small container.
2. Put the container in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

Sandwich

1. Heat a toastie maker or a small griddle pan. Butter each slice of bread on one side then spread the other side of one slice with fig jam.
2. Top the fig jam with brie and ham, sandwich with the remaining bread, butter-side up, then place in the toastie maker or the griddle pan.
3. If cooking in a pan, squash down a little with the back of a spatula while cooking, flip over after 2-3 mins when golden, then cook on the other side.
4. Serve with a handful of salad leaves on the side, if you like.

Rotini with Shrimp and Bacon (BJ's Brewhouse)

Ingredients

• 1 red bell pepper
• 12 oz. rotini pasta
• 4 slices bacon
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 2 lemons
• 1 lb. large shelled and deveined shrimp
• 1/2 c. loosely packed fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a paper bag; fold to close tightly. Let stand 20 minutes. Peel and chop; set aside
2. Heat a large covered saucepot of salted water to boiling on high. Add pasta and cook as label directs. Reserve 1/3 cup pasta cooking water; drain pasta and return to saucepot.
3. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook bacon on medium for 9 to 10 minutes or until crisp and golden. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Remove all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat from skillet.
4. While bacon cooks, from lemon(s), grate 1/2 teaspoon peel and squeeze 1/4 cup juice; set aside.
5. To fat in skillet, add garlic and cook until softened.
6. Add the chopped roasted pepper.
7. Then add shrimp; cook on medium for  4 minutes, stirring often. Stir in reserved pasta water and heat to boiling on medium. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until shrimp is opaque throughout. Remove from heat; stir in basil, lemon peel, and juice, and reserved bacon. Add shrimp mixture to pasta and toss to coat. Transfer to bowls and garnish with basil.

Mexican Pizza (Taco Bell)

Ingredients 

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• dash cayenne powder
• 1 (16 ounces) can refried beans
• 4 (10 inches) flour tortillas
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 8 grape tomatoes, diced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped jalapeno peppers
• 1/4 cup sour cream (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment, Silpat, or foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large skillet, cook beef, onion, and garlic over medium-high heat until beef is browned and onion is tender. Drain grease. Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
3. Place two tortillas side by side on a baking sheet, and cover with a layer of refried beans. Scatter half of the seasoned ground beef over each tortilla, and then cover with a second tortilla.
4. Bake 10 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven.
5. Spread salsa on top of each top tortilla stack. Top with cheeses, tomatoes, green onions, and jalapenos.
6. Return the pizzas to the oven, and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven, and let cool slightly before slicing each one into 4 pieces.

I think restaurants want us to sound very confused & undeceive. I don't like saying, "Can I get uhh..."? when I am ordering. I want to sound sure of myself when I order. Again what are the restaurants that took your favorite dishes off their menus? Let's Discuss!

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!

Stop Effing Up the Food

No, we need to say the title of this post. And by the look of this picture above, it's been a long time coming. 

Popcorn was not made into the perfect crunchy snack for it to be made into a dressed salad. And whoever thought it will pop inside of a turkey has the driest bird on Thanksgiving. Maybe it will go great inside of that Flaming Hot Cheeto-crusted turkey that went viral. Food Network & this cookbook can not convince me these recipes are good. 

Tiktok hacks me off, frequently. For every charcuterie prep & well-done steak joke videos I see, they are content of trays made with unbagged candy & a ribeye being cooked with a blow dryer. And maybe the inspiration was the no-boil lasagna noodles, but macaroni & cheese fans are up in arms with the clips of the dry macaroni, block of processed cheese, & milk come out of the oven as a creamy soup in a casserole pan. Even I a non-fan of the traditional dish knows that that hack is wrong.

There are starving people out there. There are also bored & impressional ones out there. Too many want to be seen and will try anything. Because if I see another boiled chip, I will scream. That's not how mashed potatoes are made. Real potatoes are heartier. But when news programs like The Insider take an interest and show the video, the clout seed keeps growing.

Just leave food alone. It's getting embarrassing. Before we try to recreate the wheel, let's try some new brands of tires aka recipes start to roll with those.

As Always, Talking to You in Adult Terms!

*sigh* On a Date Finances

We're adult enough to date, so we're adult enough to talk about dating. Well, at least I am! Probably one of the reasons I hate dating is because everybody is not learning the lessons and applying them to their dating lives. I am tired of talking about money on dates.

Who's watching the latest season of Ready to Love? It one of the few "reality" tv shows I watch. Well, two of the contestants knew each other before the show and well the issue was because of a restaurant date tab. Check it out below.

If you can't see the video, click HERE

No, I won't talk about if he gaslit her and had an immature reaction during their previous encounter. (He did.) And no, I won't talk about whether she should've given him a 2nd chance. (She shouldn't have. Let him connect with the other female contestants, only.) I will stay on topic. The premise of the show is for singles ages 30-55 to find love. These are not young people. But trust me, unfortunately, older singles still have this topic to deal with. There are just some that won't be truthful and/or communicative about dating within their means. 

In my mid-20s, on our first date, I noticed Worst Boyfriend Ever, Barracuda Stumps mentally counting his coins after he let me order first at a Bennigans (aging myself). In my 40s, I had a guy, blog name Peter, ask me during our meetup, if he planned a date where would I like to go. My idea was a local cajun spot that has live music. (I don't suggest things I can't pay for myself.) Every time Peter brought up those plans, they were changed from just dinner at a chain restaurant, to cooking together at his home, to finally no date at all.

Those two tales of my dating life are not uncommon! You've read and/or heard the accounts of people being asked out and once the bill came they were expected to split it without a conversation with a beforehand. And there are stories of dates skipping out on the check and people being left high & dry to pay for it. AKA the reasons (and a dating fear) why I never choose places I in my bank bracket when I am asked to choose for a date.

So, we know what is the problem. But how do we get folks to date within their means & honestly, respectively talk about with there is a problem? And it has to be passed the regular advice list.

• Check Your Bank Account Before the Date
• You Plan a Date to Match Your Means
• If the Bill Needs to be Split, Discuss That Before Meeting Up
• When Confronted, Be Matured & Respectful With Your Honesty

Because people know this stuff already. We need people to put this into practice. Because this discussion is old. It's older than us old. But it needs to die a good death.  Not because the masses won't adhere to it.

There is a comedy duo, Frangela that says on their show, "Idiot of the Week", "Manage Your Fast Food Expectations". *deep sigh* The sad part is Dating may have to replace the words, Fast Food. *sigh*

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!

Bang, Bang! How Did I Do?

If you can't see the Video, Click HERE

I love when I get material that brings me back to the roots of this blog. I don't get to return often because the world has changed so that what may have been a "do what" years ago, seems to be regular now. 

If you haven't watched the video already, do it now while I speak to *blushing* him. Oh read HERE and HERE

Dear Future Sweetie,

Thank you for speaking about your feelings needed to aid the sensual portion of our relationship. Also, thank you for the space to give my caring & honest input for us to perform our best for one another. Happy to know we both ourselves well enough to maturely accept & understand one another. Seemly, somewhere some people don't get those opportunities to do this.

I Love You!

Like Al (My homeboy in my head. "Can't have Salt without Al.") on Daily Blast Live, I would rather there not be a survey but there would be conversations. I'm a proponent of the thought, "Grown enough to do it, Grown enough to talk about it". But I commend the surveyors for trying to know more about themselves sexually. In my mind, in the year 2021, no one should have to complain about sexual performance.

I mean between intercourse aids like dildos, products like Blue Chew, and the internet at our fingertips, we all should be well knowledgable about what we like, what we dislike, & what we know. But my mind is not the world. Society is still pushing this weird narrative that humans come knowing about sex inherently and we still should be ashamed about it. We still have public school districts that teach abstinence-only health education. So, of course, a woman wanting to understand herself in this manner would think she would be glared at in judgment. I mean how dare anyone want to know such a thing. But if they end up a lousy lay... May

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!

Everybody Hates Easter

Christmas has most of the corners on the Holiday movie market. Trust me, I try to tell Hollywood to make more movies for the others. One day, they will listen. But it doesn't mean there aren't movies made celebrating the others. And there are Easter movies. Here is a title list that I know of and like:

• Pieces of Easter
• Miss Potter
• Hank & Mike
• Chocolat
• The Greatest Story Ever Told
• Hop
• The Prince of Egypt
• The Passion of Christ

And I enjoy these, but they aren't my favorite Easter entertainment.

The Easter episode, "Everybody Hates Easter" of the T.V. show, Everybody Hates Chris is my favorite Easter media I love to watch. Here is its synopsis.

Chris wants to take Tasha to an Easter pageant after she breaks up with her boyfriend but Chris already has a commitment. Rochelle competes with a new church member to win the Easter Hat-Off, which she has won for four years in a row. Tanya has plans for the Easter Egg Hunt. Julius pretends he has to work so he can stay home and watch a baseball game.

No, it's not exactly what my Easters growing up were like. But I could see my mother, Muh Diva entering the hat competition. In the 90s, the former bass player at "foundation" church (the church I grew up in for the new folks), nicknamed her "Sister Hat Lady".

He still calls her that (She calls him Brother Guit-Fiddle.). This is a hilarious episode. I will say, come for Chris, but stay for the Hat-Off. Rochelle's competition name is literally named, Sister Hattie. You know she is a formidable entrant. And the episode will end with Rochelle yelling, "Chris".

I'm trying to take some time to watch Chocolat before Easter Sunday. Because candy is one of the things I gave up for Lent this year. Should be a good challenge for me. And also since Everybody Hates Chris is on Peacock and Hulu, I plan on chuckling at that too.

Easter, My Favorite Holiday is a Happy time. A man named Jesus gave his life up for the world and rose from death in three days with All power in his hand. So, of course, I will watch things that put a smile on my face & on my heart. Typing that put sunshine in my soul. *satisfying sigh*

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!

If He Were Handsome...

If you have already boxed me into a Good Girl crate and/or are the gossipy type, LEAVE NOW! THANKS FOR the CLICK But I'm NEVER in the Mood.

Side-Eye Time

Have you heard about the pastor who stepped down from his church position because he said wives need to stay as sexy as they can for husbands if they don't want their husbands to cheat, in the pulpit of his former church? 

You haven't? Go read about it HERE, HERE, & HERE and come back.

This is the attitude about women that has ruled life for too long. I've noticed that I went on first dates or meet-ups with no makeup, no weaves or wigs, no fragrances, and no heels ("Let him see the real package he's possibly getting") because of this type of belief. I know a few women who don't sleep with protective hair scarves or pillowcases because they have a man. I have had a ring awaiting girlfriends as business clients that were told if they lose a little weight they would get the ring.

One of my favorite bloggers & podcasters
just posted this right before I finished this post.
WoW!!!

And this behavior & statements come from the gender that has members who come over to a planned "sleepover" without pajamas and/or a change of clothes. These are the words from the gender who have spouses frequently commenting on their raggedy underwear that is constantly worn and not thrown away. Hopefully, this pastor who suggests wives at least look like "participant trophies", does not have feces stains in his clothing that have been scrubbed or soaked. That gender has members that do that.

That's How Childish Some Men Sound

The Nerve! And put your out-of-context Biblical texts away. I read the word. First Corinthians 7:4a is used a lot. What about the "b" part of the passage? If wives are to keep it right and tight for her husband, what does a husband do for her? Faithfulness is not a fair trade. Exodus 20:14 takes care of that for both partners. What you else got?

....this sermon would still be very misogynistic & gross. No matter how he looks this sermon shouldn't have happened. I just titled this post that to get you guys here. So put your "Angry with Outspoken Diva" reply fingers & thumbs away, this time. This Time! LoL

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!

Not Yo Pot Roast

If You Can't See the Video, Click HERE

Pot Roast Nacho Dip

Ingredients

• 3 lb boneless chuck roast
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp cumin powder**
• 1 tbsp ancho chili powder**
• 1 tsp garlic powder**
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper**
• 2 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with chiles, lime & cilantro, drained & reserve the juice, such as Ro-Tel
• 1/2 cup beef broth**
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 (15 oz can) Cheddar Cheese Sauce
• 1 (15-oz) can of pinto beans, drained

Directions

1. Season the meat with the spices** into the meat by hand. Add a little oil to a hot skillet. Then add the meat to the pan and brown well on both sides.
2. Remove the meat from the skillet and place it in the slow cooker.
3. Add the tomatoes to the pan you browned the meat in and simmer it for a minute or two and scrape all the meaty bits from the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the tomatoes from the pan along with beef broth**, the juice from the tomatoes, and the onions to the slow cooker and place the roast on top.
5. Cook the on High for 3-5 hours or 5-8hrs on Low.
6. Shred beef with two forks and toss to coat with the juices
7. Stir in the beans and cheese. Cover and let cook on high until melted, about 1 hour.
8. Serve with tortilla chips.

**Packaged Taco Seasoning can be used in place of the spices. If used, use low or no sodium beef broth.

Such a yummy dip. Just add a simple salad to make it a meal. And remember if you try this or any recipe on the blog, let me know in the comments on here or the social media site you see the post on.

As Always Talking to You in Adult Terms!