Video: Wyclef Jean, Keri Hilson, John Legend, Jill Scott, Carlos Santana & The Roots – Joy of the Lord (Live at the 41st NAACP Image Awards)

See A3urbanmusic.com for videos and details.

My Delicious Soul-Warming Cabbage Soup

I went on a spontaneous cooking adventure today! After such an intense week of snow here in New York City, I wanted to create a soup that would warm my SOUL… and I succeeded. I call it the “Soul-Warming Cabbage Soup.”

Ingredients are as follows:

3 lbs. Cabbage (chopped, cut, screwed, whatever you want to call it)
3 large Carrots (chopped into small cubes or circles)
2 large Yellow Onions (chopped in medium sized squares)
2 15-ounce cans of chopped tomatoes
Water (Enough to fill up a large pot. Leave about an inch at the top)
2-3 tbsp Salt (or to taste)
Spices: Chili Pepper, Onion Powder, Dried Garlic Powder, Hungarian Paprika (all to taste)
1 cup Orzo
3 tbsp Olive Oil

Directions:

Place all ingredients (except Orzo, spices, olive oil) in a large pot and fill it up with water. Bring to a boil and boil for about 30-45 minutes (or until the vegetables are soft). Once the vegetables look and feel ready, add the spices and 1 cup Orzo. Stir well. Boil for about 10 more minutes (or until Orzo is soft). Add olive oil, stir well and serve.

Nutrition Facts:

You just can’t get better than soup. You won’t get fat off of this unless you eat the entire pot in one day. So enjoy!!! There are plenty of vitamins. My good friend Google can help you out with the vegetable nutrition details. Food and exercise is the key.

… And “Voila”:

My jam last summer!!: Eric Prydz “Call On Me”

This song goes out to Jenny and Olya! It brings back memories from our crazy party sessions last summer, which I will never forget!!!

Me with blonde hair and Jenny (last summer)

Me and Olya last summer

Great Place to Start-off Your NYC Night: Spitzer’s Corner Restaurant

Spitzer’s Corner, located at 101 Rivington Street, is the perfect place to start-off your NYC night. An American gastropub, the restaurant offers a variety of high-end chow, the bar is loaded with 40 world class beers on tap (not to mention the bottled beers) and has an excellent selection of wines by the glass. The menu has many options to choose from, with appetizers such as the Pan-Seared Foie Gras, Fried Oysters, Seafood Sausage and Grilled Lamb Skewers, to meals like the Gnocchi with Tiger Shrimp, Mussels, Clams and Spaetzle, and Kobe Burgers. The interior is very cozy and the atmosphere is  pretty lively. The service at the bar is great and the bartenders are all cheerful and friendly. For more information, you can visit Spitzer’s website.

Recipes for Romance

Click here: Recipes for Romance – to read about dishes that contain some of the ingredients that experts say may be aphrodisiacs.

Fig Tart With Caramlized Onions, Rosemary and Stilton

April Bloomfield's Oyster Pan Roast With Sea Urchin Butter

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

10 Things You Should Eat: Avocado Soup Recipe

10 Things You Should Eat: Avocado Soup Recipe.

Best Chocolate Store NYC: Jacques Torres Chocolate

Jacques Torres, located at 350 Hudson at King Street (1 block South of Houston in NYC) and 66 Water Street (Brooklyn), is one of my favorite chocolate shops in New York City. My favorite is the Spicy Hot Chocolate, which you can enjoy at the cafe inside the store itself. Be sure to check them out at http://www.mrchocolate.com/.

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Chocolate S’more Brownie Recipe

Crust:

* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
* 1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* Pinch fine salt

Brownie:

* 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
* 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
* 1 cup packed light brown sugar
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
* 4 large cold eggs
* 1 cup all-purpose flour

Topping:

* 4 cups large marshmallows

Directions

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 by-8-inch square baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch.

For the crust: Lightly butter the foil with some of the melted butter. Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the brownie. Put the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir, and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with 1 inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Stir the light brown and white sugars, vanilla and salt into the melted chocolate. Add the eggs and beat vigorously to make a thick and glossy batter. Add the flour and stir until just incorporated.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is crispy and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few crumbs, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and carefully position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and preheat on low. Layer marshmallows across the top and toast under the broiler until golden, (keep an eye on it, it can go quick), about 2 minutes. Cool on a rack, gently removing the brownies from the pan using the aluminum flaps. Carefully separate any marshmallow from the foil and fold away. Cut into 12 (2-inch) squares.

Recipe is Copyright 2007 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

Pump-Up Song for Today: Remady P&R “I Am No Superstar”

Let’s take it back to Cali for a bit this morning… 2Pac “I Ain’t Mad at Ya”

2Pac – I Aint Mad at Ya by eatsnbeats