Monthly Archives: March 2010

The SugarCrush

For those of you who know me personally, or have read my bio :) , you know that my number one passion is singing. I grew up in a very musical family that carried over to me at a very young age. I started taking lessons for voice and classical piano when I was 6 years old and was singing in church most of my school years. In school I was definitely more interested in music than my studies and took part in everything from Show Choir to numerous musical productions. After I graduated High School I spent some time in Nashville, TN doing some work with Word Records. Over the last few years I’ve spent my time auditioning for American Idol, it took me four times to make it past the first round, and lending my vocals to numerous local bands.

2010 has already started out with a bang and I’m determined to get myself back on track with my music. At the beginning of the year I had the pleasure of studying under Betty Buckley. Her song interpretation class opened my eyes to the focus and dedication that is crucial to becoming a successful performer. Maddy Rose & Soulmix, I sing backgrounds and occasional lead vocals, has been busy performing around Dallas and I’m excited about getting into the studio more. Continue reading

Chowder! Manhattan Style

Ever since our trip to Boston, back in December, Matt and I have been on a Chowder kick! Whether it be stock full of clams or a basic corn chowder, there’s something so comforting about that creamy bowl of goodness. The beauty of chowder is that it doesn’t have to be made with cream, and I recently made the best Manhattan Style Chowder I have ever had!

I’m sure it doesn’t come as a surprise that I’m addicted to Food Network. If ESPN isn’t on the tube, it is most definitely set on the food channel. Being from the south I feel the most connected to Bobby Flay’s food. His take on southern cuisine is pure heaven to my taste buds.

A recent episode of Throwdown had him challenging a Brooklyn native and his Manhattan Fish Chowder. Matt, being the lover of chowder that he is, fell in love with the recipe Bobby Flay created and insisted I make it for his birthday. He had never had a tomato based chowder before and wanted to compare it to the creamy favorite. The only problem was, the recipe isn’t posted anywhere online. Continue reading

A Taste of Pakistan: Chicken Pilau

*Update: My original post referred to this dish as Biryani. I later found out that this is actually Chicken Pilau.

A great thing about my job is that I work for such a diverse company. We have many different cultures that love to share the flavors of their world. One of the girls I work with is from Karachi and I love to sample the food that she makes. I attempted to make one of the signature dishes of her country, Chicken Pilau, and I thought I would share my experience!

Continue reading