Its a Birthday Giveaway!!

So yesterday was my Birthday!! I know it may seem interesting Im giving away stuff on behalf of my bday but I love my new and old followers and wanted to do a special giveaway. If you havent noticed, I wear my hair natural now and I loooove natural hair and body products! When another natural introduced me to Chagrin Valley I flipped!! I also have this in the refresh section, so check em out! I had never used a shampoo bar and had no clue what it was. Let me tell you they're amazing!!! SULFATE FREE, NO PARABENS, NO AFTIFICIAL FRAGRANCE/COLORS, NO PETROLEUM, the whole deal. These bars are super sudsy!!! Their products make your hair and body feel great! Soooooo here comes the giveaway.

*Note: Chagrin Valley has not payed me or sponsored this giveaway, this is my personal gift to you! For my male followers they have all kinds of products for you too, so you can participate!!!

You will win...

• 1  4oz. Buttercream Face Wash(This stuff just came out!!) 

• 3 Sample Shampoo Bars of your choice(These have lasted me for 6 months and counting)

• 1 lip butter balm of your choice                      

• 1 sample Natural Soap of your choice

How to Win...

• Be a follower of Hipstir Fresh Cooking 

• Subscribe to our feed, which is to the right!

• Leave a comment below!

CONTEST WILL RUN FOR 2 WEEKS. 3/29/11- 4/12/11

I will be using Random.org to pick a winner!!!!

Chocolate Chai Tea Cupcakes with Pumpkin Frosting

Woah! That was a mouthful wasnt it! Now, I know these cupcakes sound different, and maybe even crazy to you, but food should be interesting and daring. Once I made these, everyone agreed that they hit the spot. The Chocolate cupcakes are so moist and the pumpkin buttercream is creamy and adds such a nice contrast to the spices in the cupcakes. When I thought of these, I saw that I had every ingredient except for the chai tea and cupcake liners. These are thrifty cupcakes!! So be bold and daring and try em out. They'll leave you wanting more!

 For A Printable Recipe Click Here

Chocolate Chai Tea Cupcakes(makes 12 cupcakes)

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk(if you have none, 1/2 cup milk,1tbl. vinegar or lemon juice)
1/2 cup vegetable oil( I used grapeseed oil)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup water
2 chai tea bags
2oz.(2squares) bittersweet chocolate
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

In a saucepan over high heat, add water and tea bags.

Once tea begins to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and add in the bittersweet chocolate.














Be sure to stir often until chocolate is completely melted. Remove tea bags and turn off heat.

After it should look something like this

In a bowl add in the rest of the ingredients. Add in the chocolate chai tea mixture and Stir well.

Line cupcake tin with liners and spray with non stick cooking spray. Fill each liner with 1/4-1/3 cup of batter depending how big you want your cupcakes.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, then allow to cool.

Pumpkin Buttercream

1 stick butter, softened
1/3 cup canned pumpkin
3 cups confectioners sugar(SIFTED)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Using a mixer with a whisk attachment, beat butter and pumpkin on medium high..

                                                                  

Sift in confectioners sugar and salt and blend until smooth.

Stir In Vanilla

Using a piping bag or ziploc, use a large round piping tip or simply cut an edge off of the ziploc and pipe with frosting.

ENJOY!!!!!!

Big Black Bean Burgers

 
Hello all! Its Tasty Tuesday!! Here's a quick and easy recipe that makes a nice and moist burger. The black beans added a special something and we really enjoyed it. A sure way to sneak in some fiber for your lil ones. So go ahead and check it out =]

 Big Black Bean Burgers

2 lbs. Ground beef (I used 80/20)
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed
1 small onion, chopped
1 small poblano, chopped
1 tbl. garlic, minced
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/8 cup bbq sauce
1 egg,optional.



1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees.(grill if you'd like too!)

2.In a bowl, mash black beans.

3.Add remaining ingredients, mix well!

4.Form 6-7 patties and place them in a shallow baking dish(I had mine on a cookie sheet and it was a bad idea.lol)

5. Bake in oven for 35-40 minutes.

Serve with warm toasted hamburger buns.

Quick Queso
1/2 cup Salsa
8oz. Shredded Mild Cheddar cheese.

 1.Combine both ingredients together.In a microwavable dish, heat your cheese and salsa in a microwave until cheese is melted. about 2-3 minutes. Or if you're against the microwave. Use a saucepan and cook until melty delicious =]

Top your burgers with the Queso and enjoy!

Sweet-N-Healthy : Sugar Free

So who out there adores sweet potatoes??? I know I do. Sweet potatoes are packed with flavor and they definitely don't skimp on healthy qualities either. I enjoy knowing that I get a great source of calcium, potassium, and vitamin A and C while enjoying the perfect amount of sweetness. So for the Sweet-N-Healthy Blogger Recipe Contest, I decided to make a Sweet Potato and Brussel Salad. This salad has no added sugars! Most of the salads we eat are packed with sugar so be ready to enjoy this nutritious creation! The ingredients in this salad are super healthy so you get to enjoy that sweet and savory without risking calories. The sweet potatoes and cinnamon add sweetness while playing off of the tart cherries and crunchy brussels and pecans. Whether served warm or chilled, this salad is a hit! Enjoy!!

Prep time: 20-25 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes

Sweet Potato and Brussel Salad(4-6 servings)

2 sweet potatoes

1 1/2 lbs. Brussel sprouts

1/3 cup olive oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1/2 cup dried cherries

2 tbl. red wine vinegar

salt and pepper to season

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Rinse sweet potatoes, prick all over with a fork and place on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until slighty tender. Peel away skin and chop. You should be able to easily chop the potatoes without them being mushy.

Slice the brussel sprouts, but be sure to leave off the bottoms and some of the core.

 In a skillet over medium-high heat, add in olive oil. Once oil is warmed, add in shallots and cinnamon. Cook for about 30 seconds.

It should look a lil something like this

Add in brussel sprouts and cook for 3-4 minutes.(The sprouts should still be a bright green)

Remove from heat, add in sweet potatoes, pecans,cherries, red wine vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

Toss and serve warm or chilled

Fat Tuesday: Shrimp & Grits

Fat Tuesday is tomorrow!! So here's a recipe that is sure to give you crazy amounts of flavor and definitely a full stomach!! Hope you all enjoy Tomorrow!! Be sure to look out for our Ultimate Oatmeal Cookie recipe & video this week. Enjoy Loves =]

Click here to vote for my Ritz Shrimp N Gritz =]

Printable Recipe Here

Shrimp & Grits Recipe( serves 6-8)




Shrimp.......

1/2 lb. bacon, chopped
1 1/2- 2 lbs shrimp
4tbl. butter
1 small sweet onion, chopped
1bunch green onions
1/4 cup white wine
1 tsp. garlic, minced

Grits......
1 cup Quick Grits
1 cup Heavy Cream
3 1/2 cups Chicken broth
1/2 tsp. Smoked Paprika(of course regular works too)
8 oz. Kraft Triple Cheddar Shredded Cheese


In a skillet over medium to high heat, cook bacon until crispy. Remove from skillet to paper towels.
Remove bacon fat leaving about 2-3 tbl. in the skillet.Add in butter.

Saute both onions, garlic, and shrimp. Add in wine. Season with salt and pepper and cook until pink!
In a sauce pan over high heat, combine heavy cream and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Slowly add in grits. Lower heat, cover and cook for 12-14 minutes, occasionally stirring.

Add cheese, cook for 2-3 more minutes. Add in paprika, bacon, and season with salt to taste.
Serve your shrimp mixture over your grits and enjoy!!