Sunset Dreams: Inspirational Poems for Women and African Metal Art Paintings

Sunset Dreams: Black Female Nude Art
African Art Metal Painting (8.1 x 11.75"): $100
To Buy Artwork e-mail minjete@gmail.com

SUNSET DREAMS
On the Brink of Womanhood
(Inspirational Life Poems for Women by Injete Chesoni)

She stands on the brink of womanhood
Staring into the sunset horizon
Pondering her future
Proudly staring it down
Convinced that she will make it
Although she has no clue how
She squares her shoulders
And resolutely raises her head
She holds her neck proudly
Staring defiantly ahead
She places her hands on her hips
And thrusts out her budding chest
Convinced that if she looks and acts tough
She will make it
Through the difficult days ahead
As the sun sets on the horizon
Her youthful days slowly go down
Buried along with the sinking sun
Tomorrow a new day will be born
And her life as a woman will start
In the gentle glow of dawn.

The inspirational poem above, "Sunset Dreams" was inspired by an African Art Metal Painting of a young woman that I completed in August. This life poem is part of my Women's Poetry Collection and deals with change and the difficult transition from adolescence to adulthood. This poem also symbolically represents my beloved continent of Africa, its growing pains and my hope that it will one day fulfill its promise. - From Women's Poetry, African Poetry, Inspirational Poems, Change Poems and Life Poems by Injete Chesoni.

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (210g) flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 cup (200 g) sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (1/4 L) pumpkin purée*

1/2 cup (1 dL) olive oil

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 cup (1 dL) chopped walnuts

Directio

1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Sift together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda.
2 Mix the pumpkin, oil, eggs, 1/4 cup of water, and spices together, then combine with the dry ingredients, but do not mix too thoroughly. Stir in the nuts.
3 Pour into a well-buttered 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Bake 50-60 minutes until a thin skewer poked in the very center of the loaf comes out clean. Turn out of the pan and let cool on a rack.ns

Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients

1 bar (4-ounce) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups milk
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cups cocoa
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoons salt
3 egg yolks
1/2 cups whipped cream (optional)
2 tablespoons
chocolate shavings (optional)

Combine chocolate, butter, and vanilla in a medium bowl, and set aside. Heat milk in a medium saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Whisk sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl. Beat the yolks in a bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium, for 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the sugar mixture. Beat together until it resembles wet sand. Add half the hot milk, and whisk until blended. Transfer the cocoa mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, while continuously whisking, until thickened -- about 8 minutes. Strain into the bowl of chocolate. Let sit for 3 minutes before stirring smooth with a wooden spoon. Press a sheet of plastic wrap onto the surface of the pudding and chill for 2 hours before serving.

Pumpkin Cream Tarts with Candied Cranberries

Ingredients
3 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2 3/4 cups sugar
1 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1 cups puréed pumpkin
2 tablespoons brandy or Cognac
1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
4 large egg yolks
1 cups heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks

Directions

Make the tart shells: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the gingersnap cookie crumbs, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and butter in a large bowl. Cover the bottoms and sides of eight 3 1/2-inch tartlet pans with removable bottoms with the crumb mixture. Transfer the tartlet shells to a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely.
Make the cranberry topping: Bring 2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Add the cranberries and cook until they just begin to soften. Remove cranberries with a slotted spoon to a small bowl and set aside. Reserve cranberry syrup for another use.
Make the filling: Fill a large bowl with ice and water and set aside. Place the milk in a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over it, and set aside. Combine the pumpkin purée, 3/4 cup sugar, brandy, remaining cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and egg yolks in large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble and a thermometer reads 140 degrees F. Stir in the milk mixture, cook for 1 more minute, transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, and place over the prepared ice bath. Stir occasionally, until cool — about 10 minutes. Fold the whipped cream into the chilled pumpkin mixture, fill the prepared shells, and smooth the tops. Chill for 6 hours or overnight. Top each tartlet with a spoonful of the candied cranberries and serve cold.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Ingredients
2 1/4 cupsall-purpose flour
1 1/4 cupssugar
7 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 cups cold butter, cut into pieces
3 tablespoons cold butter
1/4 cups vegetable shortening, cold
5 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cups lemon juice
1 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
3 large eggs, separated

Directions

Make the crust: Combine the flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Cut 3/4 cup butter and the shortening into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, 2 knives, or your fingers, until a coarse meal forms. Stir in 4 to 6 tablespoons of iced water until dough is just combined and holds together when pressed. Transfer to a clean surface and gather the dough into a ball and flatten to a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or up to overnight. (Chilled dough may be frozen for up to 3 months.)

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thick and fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim away the excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold the edges under and crimp along the rim. Prick the bottom of the dough several times with a fork, line with parchment paper, and fill with beans or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and bake for 15 more minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Make the filling: Whisk the cornstarch, 1 1/4 cups sugar, and 1 1/2 cups water together in a medium saucepan. Add the lemon juice, zest, and yolks and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken -- about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, and strain into the prepared crust.
Make the meringue: Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Add 5 tablespoons sugar in a slow, steady stream and continue to beat until the whites have increased to about six times the volume and are glossy and firm. (The whites will make pointy peaks when pulled up with the beaters or whisk.) Spread the meringue over the filling, to touch the crust edge. Bake until the meringue is golden brown -- 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Easy Centerpieces for Thanksgiving

Pumpkin Candle Centerpiece
easy and simple only 3 ingredients pumpkin, a candle, and berry sprigs.

What could be simpler for Thanksgiving Centerpiece Corn and Candles.

• dried corn


• plain glass jar
  
  

Serve up a stylish centerpiece by simply centering a serving tray on an autumn-orange table runner and filling it with a sampling of mini pumpkins and fall plants.

Pumpkin Pie Yummy :)

Ingredients

1 recipe Pastry for Single-Crust Pie (see below)
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 slightly beaten eggs
1 5-ounce can (2/3 cup) evaporated milk
1/2 cup milk


Directions
1. Prepare and roll out Pastry for Single-Crust Pie. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pastry. Trim to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry; crimp edge as desired.
2. For filling, in a mixing bowl combine pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Add eggs. Beat lightly with a rotary beater or fork just until combined. Gradually stir in evaporated milk and milk; mix well.
3. Place the pastry-lined pie plate on the oven rack. Carefully pour filling into pastry shell.
4. To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of the pie with foil. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake about 25 minutes more or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate within 2 hours; cover for longer storage. Makes 8 servings.