Author: Sharelle D.

Campaign Supports Baltimore-Based Ulman Cancer Fund For Young Adults

The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, which provides support services to young people with cancer and their families, is nearing completion of a house in Baltimore where patients can stay while receiving life-saving cancer treatments.

The campaign to fund the house located just north of the Johns Hopkins Hospital campus has been the most ambitious fundraising initiative in the Ulman Cancer Fund’s two-decade history.

“Housing is critical,” said Brock Yetso, executive director of the Ulman Cancer Fund. “Just a 30-minute drive when you have to be in the hospital every single day can be very challenging. A patient who doesn’t have close housing might bypass treatment. They might go somewhere closer to home where the treatment is not the same.”

The house will include eight private family suites on the top floor and a communal living space on the main floor. It also includes a 1,000-square-foot meditation room and wellness area.

“Patients and survivors say these are the things they wanted to see,” Yesto said. “They wanted it to be useful and medically safe, but not childish.”

With fundraising still a priority for the house and other Ulman Cancer Fund initiatives, the founders of industrial design firm, Grappleworks stepped in to lend a helping hand.

In search of a social cause to support the team at Grappleworks say they listened during a brainstorming exercise as everyone in the room shared stories impacted by cancer.

Grappleworks co-founder Simon Fallows said someone in the room shouted out “Screw Cancer” and everyone noted how the words simply stuck.

During a research exercise to uncover how others use the term, Grappleworks created a “Screw Cancer” event hosted by The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults in Baltimore.

Fallows says it didn’t take long for both organizations to recognize the potential to build out the “Screw Cancer” brand together— creating a movement that includes events and products that people could wear, share and declare the Screw Cancer message.

Now “Screw Cancer” is a popular campaign launched on the crowdfunding platform, www.INDIEGOGO.com.

The “Screw Cancer” collection of well-designed gift and lifestyle products, which includes jewelry, hydration, tools and apparel is the creation of an international partnership between Grappleworks and The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.

“The launch of the ‘Screw Cancer’ lifestyle brand on Indiegogo.com galvanizes the need for a unique cause marketing brand that connects with a young adult demographic with the funds from the sale of the ‘Screw Cancer’ products directly supporting programs like our ‘1:1 patient navigation program’ and The Ulman House,” Yesto said.

Both Yetso and Fallows say they wondered if “Screw Cancer” could be the next big thing to open the conversation and unite young adults.

As the number of cancer diagnoses continues to rise among young adults, their hope is a world without cancer. Until then, Ulman House and Grappleworks officials say they will continue their mission to empower young adult cancer survivors, their family and friends, to unite together, encouraging conversations so no one feels helpless or alone.

“One of their biggest projects to date is Ulman House, a home for young adult cancer patients who are traveling to Baltimore to seek treatment,” Yesto said.

The House is scheduled to open in early December and officials are looking for community members to get involved. There are many volunteer opportunities to help set-up the home and cook meals for patients. For more information or to volunteer, visit: https://ulmanfund.org/ulmanhouse/.

The Screw Cancer Campaign was launched on the crowdfunding platform, www.INDIEGOGO.com runs until December 15, 2018.

The Screw Cancer Campaign was launched on the crowdfunding platform, www.INDIEGOGO.com runs until December 15, 2018.

“If you’re coming out to volunteer why not pre-purchase a Screw Cancer T-shirt or a unique gift in time for Christmas,” Fallows said. “It’s a great way to show support to loved ones battling [cancer] while also contributing to the Ulman mission.”

To purchase “Screw Cancer” gifts, visit www.indiegogo.com or directly to https://igg.me/at/screwcancergifts.

What is obesity costing you?

(NNPA) — Special to the NNPA from the Houston Forward-Times

Sometimes celebrities or otherwise physically fit people will put on a fat suit and document their experience with a video camera, usually to be aired on a daytime talk show. The overall impression is universal: Being severely overweight is taxing on almost every level, says Dr. Eleazar Kadile, who specializes in treating patients with obesity and associated chronic disease.

“Physically, emotionally, mentally and even spiritually, being obese is an ever-present condition to the experience my clients face every day,” says Kadile, director of the Center for Integrative Medicine and author of “Stop Dying Fat”

“Obesity is a vicious cycle that usually starts with bad eating habits during childhood” Kadile said. “Childhood obesity has quadrupled in recent decades. I don’t think enough of us appreciate how established bad habits are before most obese people reach adulthood.

“Overweight or obese people often eat for comfort when they’re depressed or as a reward when things are going well, much like an alcoholic.”

Like substance abusers, obese people pay a significant price.

  • Bigger is costlier. Many are emotional eaters, and when you eat for emotional satisfaction rather than physical satiation, you eat more, which increases the dollars spent. Obese people often have to buy clothes specially tailored for their size, which adds costs. The biggest cost, however, is healthcare due to bad health. Obesity has severely taxed our country’s healthcare costs.
  • What’s your self-esteem worth? Being a large individual often proves challenging in public, as daytime talk shows sometimes attest. Obesity can keep you from social engagements and make you feel self-conscious while out and about. This can lead to depression and lack of activity, fueling the vicious cycle of the obese lifestyle.
  • Time – arguably the most important metric. What do we really have in life? Money, work, love, relationships and material goods – these are all good and necessary things. But they are all for not if your health does not permit you to live long enough to enjoy them.
  • Opportunities, quality of life and happiness are compromised. You can be the most qualified professional at work, but obesity can cost you a raise. You may be a funny, intelligent and attractive person, but being too big might keep you from finding love. Simply having 100 or 200 pounds of extra fat is a burden obese people cannot escape throughout their waking existence.

“As a society, we should be more compassionate toward obese individuals – they have it hard enough without our critical judgment,” Kadile says. “If you are obese, you owe it to yourself and your loved ones to save on the associated tangible and intangible costs. If you don’t take action today, it can cost you many days from your future that you’d otherwise have.”

Dr. Eleazar Kadile is a complementary physician who specializes in treating patients with obesity, who may suffer from heart disease, hypertension, type-2 diabetes, arthritis, depression or ADHD.

The Buick Club of America builds community around the classic

Owners of all cars are proud, however, people who own a Buick are a unique and enthusiastic group indeed.

They assemble as The Buick Club of America, but you don’t have to be a Buick owner to join the club; you just have to love Buick.

My grandfather once said to me as a child a Buick is the most luxurious car you can own.

He would have been a member of The Buick Club of America if he had been aware such club existed. Established in 1966, this non-profit organization is going strong, continually growing.

It has a specific and simple mission: the preservation and restoration of automobiles built by the Buick Motor Division of General Motors Corporation.

The Buick Club of America is a highly active club with online and real-life interactions for those who love Buicks.

You can locate upcoming national Buick events online at The Buick Club of America website.

There’s contact information about each of the chapters and regions and a hearty forum that discusses matters of Buick performance, and a way to buy and sell Buicks and their parts. This highly engaged forum will keep you discussing Buicks for hours.

You can also join the club online and receive regular magazines and newsletters about what The Buick Club of America is doing as well as updates on Buick the brand and the car. http://www.buickclub.org/

There’s an equally active group on Facebook for The Buick Club of America that’s comprised of more than 3, 400 people who chat daily about the beauty of Buick.

Check out a few of the beautiful posts that have created excitement among the Buick enthusiasts on Facebook:

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The group is about community and story sharing:

They share videos. Here’s an interesting documentary about the history of Buick

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Buick – History Documentary (1995)

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They post their classics:

You’ll find all sorts of rarities posted by followers:

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Where did it come from?

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How do you measure brand loyalty?

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Found some Buick nostalgia via an old ad too:

The Buick Club of America offers an outstanding experience for Buick owners and admirers alike!

The perks of owning an American classic car

Nothing can compare to the nostalgia you feel when you’re sitting at a stoplight and you see a well preserved Riviera drive pass you.

Everybody is looking.

Even though we enjoy the comforts of our new cars, there are some significant perks to owning an American classic car.

Classic cars appreciate.

They will take some work. However, you can usually do the work yourself or take them to a local mechanic.

You can usually purchase them at a low price and they will appreciate in financial value upon your personal investment of time back into your automobile.

Classic cars allow you to be self-sufficient in maintenance.

Classic cars will attract a certain type of car buyer, typically one that is familiar with the operation of an engine so the care and upkeep of the car can be done by the owner and they may not have to depend on the knowledge of a mechanic.

This will save an owner money and is a major perk.

You’re smog proof.

If you’re driving a classic car, you do not have to worry about passing those pesky smog tests because you’re grandfathered in.

If you list your beautiful, classic car with MovieVehicles.com, they can show you how your car can receive amazing tax breaks and benefits. You’re able to write off the cost of your vehicles repairs, restoration, repairs, storage and more on your taxes!

Classic cars give your instant notoriety in your community.

People will ask you to be in parades, and they will request your car at local (or even national) festivals and car shows.

People will also stop you and ask you questions about the make and model of your car and other fun questions that anybody who loves their car will love to answer!

Classic cars are a beautiful part of American History and are fully appreciated by owners and admirers alike.

Here are a few styles by Buick lovers:

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@museotraveller

Just spotted this stunning classic Buick #vintagecar #classicbuick #retro #california

A photo posted by @museotraveller on

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@originalcarspotting

Buick Roadmaster Wagon (1991)

A photo posted by Original Car Spotting (@originalcarspotting) on

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@alzaim_retromotors

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@icemanpro2000

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@_burlingame_motors_

R U S T I C {1927 Buick}

A photo posted by @_burlingame_motors_ on

10 auto-loving quotes from a man who devoted his life to car design

Edward T. Welburn – most of us in the automotive industry may have heard the name – but let me introduce you to the legend.

Welburn has been a General Motors employee for 35 years. He’s the current and first GM Vice President of Global Design. Yes, they actually created a VP position and title for him.

Welburn is also a true gentleman of class, hard work and lover of automotive design.

We’ve curated 10 quotes from interviews online that will make you smile, motivate you and remind you success is a slow, moderate and disciplined achievement.

Welburn was an honoree at the 2013 Trumpet Awards, and Houston Style Magazine got to chat with him at the red carpet.

10. “I always say the car is the star,” Welburn said. “…this time it’s an award I’m receiving. And I’m receiving an award for something that I enjoy doing. I have so much fun doing what I do.”

You’re a start too, Welburn. Here’s the video:

YouTube

Edward T. Welburn Trumpet Awards Red Carpet

Welburn talks childhood aspirations for design, in addition to his rookie years at GM in the following Hagerty Classic Cars video.

9. The first thing I worked on – and it was just a little project, they always give the rookie something small – was to design a tail lamp for a Pontiac,” he said. “I was so excited for designing the tail lamp. That’s all it was.”

Quote number three is also from the 2013 interview. Welburn talks about one of his first orders as vice president: remaking the Stingray Racer.

8. “The car means so much to me and to all us of who love Corvette; and there’s a little bit of that car in every Corvette that’s been done since then” he said.

“…and as we started work on this new car, the C7, I wanted that emotion, that passion that was in that original Stingray Racer, to be a part of this car – a lot of the muscle tension that you see on this car comes from that original design.”

Lastly, Welburn reveals he has a secret studio, but not its location.

7. “Do I have a secret studio? Yes, I have a hidden studio,” he said. “And we call it Studio X… It’s a great idea because every now and then you want to work on a project in a very quiet location without the interruption… very few people know where Studio X is, including the employees that design.”

Here’s the video:

YouTube

2014 Corvette Stingray – Ed Welburn Interview

Now let’s travel to a type of event which once upon a time assured Welburn of his auto design career: auto shows.

Steve Hood from TV show Detroit Wants 2 Know talked to Welburn at a 2013 auto show.

Let’s talk about Stingray a little bit more.

6. “Every car designer dreams of designing a Corvette,” Welburn said. “They dream of it, but only a few of them have an opportunity to do it. And I got to tell you – You don’t want to be the designer who screws up the Corvette either.”

Later, Hood brought up an old car of his, the 2000 C5. Hood told Welburn he can’t picture a better car to this day.

5. “We’ve gone so far beyond that car,” Welburn said. “… That’s the way it’s supposed to be. You’re supposed to just get better with each year.”

Bam.

Now, let’s chat about younger consumers. How do you get to them, Welburn?

4. “If you are going to appeal to younger customer, you cannot do what you have always done.”

That mentality explains Buick’s new, expectation-shattering designs. Yup, that’s a plug.

Talk shifts to the Silverado, and Hood asks what type of consulting Welburn did prior to a redesign.

3. “You got to talk to costumers; you got to spend time when them; you got to go to where they are and see how they’re using that vehicle,” Welburn told Hood. “… really, really intimately understanding what they want their truck to do.”

A man of the people.

And, in the topic of college and scholarship, Welburn – a Howard University alum – recalled those years.

2. “Creativity was around me,” he told Hood about the Howard University School of Fine Arts. “Not just in art and design, but music and drama was there – It was everywhere.”

What about college distractions, Welburn?

1. “I’ve been on a mission since I was a kid,” Welburn told Hood.

“It was at an auto show like this. I was eight years old and I walked in with my parents and saw this Cadillac concept car, and I said ‘When I grow up I want to be a car designer for that company.’”

See the full interview below:

YouTube

Steve Hood with Ed Welburn

Remember the time Buick retweeted your here’s-my-new-car photo? We do.

There’s nothing like when somebody you admire retweets your tweet, right? You take a screenshot and tweet that because you want everybody to know important people see, read and retweet your Tweets.

Well, what about when a mega brand like Buick RT’s your new car Selfie? Excitement is putting it mildly.

Check out these Buick owners and the photos they took that were retweeted by Buick’s twitter account:

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Regal GS

This Buick driver is super excited about his new Regal GS! He loves the way that it handles and Buick loves his beautiful new car selfie.

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#That’sABuick

Ice on the roads is something that you would love to know about before it happens. This Buick driver was so pleased with this smart safety feature, the driver had to tweet it, and, of course, Buick retweeted it!

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RT: Buick LaCrosse

This LaCrosse driver and Buick Fan of the Week boasts that he’s only 27 years old and this is his second Buick. @Buick reminds him that “Good taste is ageless.”

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RT: Buick Encore

For all of us animal lovers, this scene is very familiar. Your pooches, your Buick and your life blowing in the wind. This is an Encore-lovers team!

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RT: Buick Verano

Everybody loves a Buick, even the kids. Jessica’s son loves their new Verano.

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RT: Buick LaCrosse, again

This Buick driver is used to three rows of seats, but she gets everything that she needs out of this luxury LaCrosse!

Do you have a selfie with your Buick? If not, go ahead and take one! Tweet @Buick using the Hashtag #ThoseAreBuicks for your chance to be retweeted by an American great!

Black Fashion Icons of the past 100 years

The past 100 years for people of color have been moving at the speed of light. I have identified a few of my favorite Black Fashion Icons of the past 100 years.

There is no way that I could conceptually include every single Black Fashion Icon and trend setter of the past century, but I have compiled several Diva’s of Black Fashion and I hope that you enjoy them!

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First Lady, Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States of America | Known for her beautiful, upscale and always poised appearance. First Lady Michelle Obama is a Black Fashion Icon known for wearing relatable fashion as well as high end designers such as: Tracy Reese, Marchesa and Narciso Rodriguez. You can always count on seeing the FLOTUS in pearls and showing off her physical fitness. Her signature Bang in 2013 set a trend that even Kim Kardashian followed. This First Lady has covered Vogue Magazine two times!

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Grace Jones

Grace Jones, Singer, Actress, Model | Grace Jones has been a striking part of entertainment and fashion since her emergence on the scene in the 1970’s. Her amazing body and non-traditional beauty landed her on some of the most prestigious runways of the world including walking for designers such as Yves St. Laurent, Claude Montana, and Kenzo Takada, and appearing on the covers of Elle, Vogue, and Stern working with Helmut Newton, Guy Bourdin, and Hans Feurer. Her music has inspired artists such as Rihanna and Lady Gaga. Fashion Icon’s cannot be mentioned unless she is in the line up and she is the Ultimate Black Fashion Icon.

Photo Courtesy of The Place

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Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty

Rihanna, Entertainer Extraordinaire | Robin Rihanna Fenty does everything. She has been most famous for her singing performances, and risque behavior. Rihanna is also an actress and a muse for fashion houses. She impacts how women dress, behave and even style their hair. Rihanna’s raw sense of fashion and the way that she shares her personal life with the world makes her a leader in Fashion as well as Lifestyle. More on Rihanna…

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Diana Ross

Diana Ross, Singer and Actress | Diana Ross, The Boss and the Original Dreamgirl, ahem Supreme, has been a Black Fashion Icon ever since she broke out as the lead singer of the Supremes. Long, lean and cinnamon colored-Ms. Ross has always been elegant and has inspired Fashion and Hair for all women. She defined demure and sexy.

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Dihann Carroll

Diahann Carroll, Actress, Singer and Entertainer Extraordinaire | Dihann Carroll is positively beautiful and totally classy. Most of us remember her FIRST as the Elegant, Fur Wearing Dominique Devereaux on Dynasty! But she has been stunning audiences for over six decades never a hair out of place or a inappropriate fashion faux pas. She broke racial barriers as the first Black Woman to have her own television series, “Julia” in 1963.

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Lena Horne

Lena Horne, Actress, Singer, Dancer, Civil Rights Activist & Philanthropist | Lena Horne has always been noted as one of the most outspoken women in the Civil Rights movement in the early 1900’s. Her beauty, class and charm were world-renowned and her fashion sense: Iconic. However, during the Red Scare her left wing views landed her on the Blacklist and she was unable to get work in Hollywood. This Black Fashion Icon has performed hundreds of times on Broadway and recorded music and performed until she began to live a more private life in 2000. She passed away in 2010 leaving behind a legacy of Class and Fabulousness for women and especially women of color to follow and emulate.

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Eartha Kitt

Eartha Mae Kitt was an American singer, actress, dancer and cabaret star. | Miss Kitt was perhaps best known for her highly distinctive voice, singing style and the enduring Christmas novelty smash “Santa Baby.” Orson Welles once called her the “most exciting woman in the world.” Miss Eartha Kitt took over the role of Catwoman for the third and final season of the 1960s Batman television series. She was the Rihanna of the 50’s, Sassy, Classy and Unusual.

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Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington actress and philanthropist | Known for being rediculously pretty and well dressed at all times. Her girl-next door looks as rocked Hollywood and she has recently been the actress that will not quit. Kerry Washington in the role of Olivia Pope in Scandal has sold wine glasses, $4000 coats and white gentlemen as sexy to Sistas! She is currently one of the most powerful women in Hollywood wielding those lips that Black Women are known for. Kerry Washington is positively a Black Fashion Icon.

Billie Holiday

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Tina Turner

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Josephine Baker

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Iman

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Janelle Monáe

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Donna Summer

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Pam Grier

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Dorothy Dandridge

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Nina Simone

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Of course honorable mentions go to Beyonce, Jayne Kennedy, Leyontine Price, Phyllis Hyman, Naomi Campbell!

I know I missed a lot of Black Fashion Icons! Please tell me who your favorites are.

Classily Yours,

Sharelle D. Lowery

Follow me on Twitter for Black & Fabulous Lifestyles

Healthy Soul Food Exchanges that Work! | The Black American Kitchen

Soul Food is good.

Cooking and eating are quite important aspects of American Black Culture.

Cooking has been a social activity that has carried over from Africa, through 400 years of slavery until today. Soul food is a part of our culture that pulls us together and one of the few things that just about ALL of us Black people love.

The bad news is that Soul food is also partially responsible for diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and a host of other diseases that are consistent with Soul Food diets. Our food can kill us because of the cooking processes and high amounts of salt and sugar.

Healthy Soul Food is Better

I have compiled 5 of my favorite Soul Food Exchanges so that you can maintain ethnic flavor when cooking Soul Food but not take in all of the sodium, fat or calories!

I hope that these exchanges work for you!

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Honey

  1. Instead of using a pork hambone when preparing greens or other veggies I suggest using smoked turkey. The more flavorful parts of the turkey tend to be the wings, legs, tail or neck. Your greens will still have rich flavor without the sodium and natural salt that pork has. Switch up!
  2. Pasta is a carb rich food that is a staple in the Black diet, because we love to make Spaghetti. Spaghetti is not as traditional as Greens and Pigs feet, but we are eating it-a lot. However pasta can pack on the pounds and make us sluggish. Because pasta is so heavy we also know that we cannot enjoy this food often. By using Spaghetti Squash you can enjoy spaghetti more often and by increasing the veggies and red sauce and swapping out the ground beef for turkey you have a very Atkins style dish!
  3. Cauliflower instead of potatoes! I know this does not sound tasty! But if you mash this potato “swap out” you are going to avoid the spikes in blood sugar that potatoes cause. Just steam the Cauliflower and add a little bit of butter!
  4. Instead of greasy pan frying, try oven frying! Fried foods are a cornerstone of Black Foods. It simply is. However if you are frying foods regularly, you are not going to be as healthy as you should be. You will age faster and will be more susceptible to heart disease! Baking your foods instead of frying them on the stove may increase your carb count, but it will also increase your life line! I love using Kraft Fresh Take, They make the juiciest and tastiest chicken! And of course there is the old school Shake N’ Bake.
  5. Use honey instead of sugar. Honey is a natural product that has less calories and more health benefits than sugar does. If you cannot swap sugar at all, make sure that you are using Sugar in the Raw, this is a more pure sugar.

For the Sugar to Honey Conversion Click Here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/282767

I am all for cooking and enjoying my food but not in exchange for a healthy and long life.

Let’s start some new Black American cooking traditions.

Find me online, cooking and living the good life at ClassySharelle.com

“Chitlin’s From Slave food to Delicacy | The Black American Kitchen

Chitlin’s.

However you feel about them it is never dry or ho-hum. Either you love Chitlin’s and the way that they taste or you cannot stand the smell or even the thought of what you may be eating. Everybody feels strongly one way or the other about the Southern Soul Food delicacy. Let’s get into what they are where they came from and potentially where Chitlin’s are going.

What Are Chitlin’s?

Chitlin’s are a dish typically found in the American south, but they are prepared all over North America. They are essentially pig intestines.

They take a long time to clean and cook and are so labor-intensive that the presence of Chitlin’s are typically reserved for special occasions and the Holiday season. Chitlin’s are cooked either stewed/broiled or fried.

They are sometimes spelled and referred to as Chitterlings. While many people know of Chitlin’s from the Black Southern Palate, a form of Chitlin’s are actually prepared in most cultures including Europe, Asia and South America.

The History of Chitlin’s

Most people of color believe that Chitlin’s were “invented” by slaves who received the last of the unwanted meat from the annual hog killings of their slave masters. We did the best with what we had and Chitlin’s was one of the dishes that we made with the “extras.” And this is partially true. Chitlin’s as well as bacon and other pig meat were given to slaves as the leftovers.

However, it is important to note that eating Chitlin’s and other animals intestines were not invented by slaves or even in America at all. American Black Slaves still held close to their West African heritage and rituals which included using intestines to be sacrificed to the gods, the Hausa actually eat the intestines of chickens. This highlights the fact that eating an animal’s innards is a signature of the West African Diaspora, not just an imposition of white slave owners. Please also note that many slave masters requested Chitlin’s as a dish to be prepared for them because eating an animal’s intestines is quite popular in Britain and France. So conceptually this dish is one that both slave and slave master were enjoying because it was a part of both of their cultures before they were in America.

Many Black Americans have discarded Chitlin’s because of its tie to slavery.

“We can now eat what we want.” Are our thoughts. While eating Chitlin’s was very popular in the early 1900’s they have been reduced to a ritual that some adhere to for family traditions but have been slowly taken out of our regular meals.

What about the smell?

Chitlin’s smell because they have not been cleaned properly. The feces from the intestines must be removed for health reasons and because if you cook chitlin’s and they have NOT been cleaned-you will know. Here are a few ways to prepare Chitlin’s to maintain your homes pleasant scent:

  • Clean your Chitlin’s thoroughly
  • Cook your Chitlin’s outside
  • Put a potato in the pot of Chitlin’s
  • Cook / boil a pot of vinegar while you are cooking the Chitlin’s
  • Put a few pieces of bread on top of the closed pot of Chitlin’s while they are boiling

The Future of Chitlin’s

Today Chitlin’s are seen as a delicacy by many and are expensive, but the number of Black American Kitchens that are preparing them are declining daily. The fact that many people of color are moving away from pork, the pungent smell and the difficulty of cleaning the meat makes this an expensive delicacy that we will not see in the American Black Kitchen moving into the next 100 years unless a major pivot in food occurs.

And that is the REAL story of Chitlin’s!

Be sure and follow me on Twitter @ClassySharelle

Recipe: Mama’s Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese is a dish that is revered in the American Black kitchen. There are so many ways to make it and every recipe brings joy and delight to our taste buds.

My own Mother’s Macaroni and Cheese brings people across the country from the east coast to sit their feet under her table and taste that creamy pasta dish that she is known for. I have included my Mama’s recipe and some secret tips! No boxed Mac and Cheese here!

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Sharelle D. Lowery

Mama’s Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

Recipe Type: Pasta

Cuisine: Soul Food | Black Cuisine | Southern Food

Author: Corrie J. Sampson

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 1 hour 15 mins

Serves: 8

This is a simple but rich and decadent recipe. It is perfect for a young newlywed wanting to impress her husband!

Ingredients

• Salt

• Butter

• 1 cup of Sharp Cheese

• 1 cup of Colby cheese

• 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese

• 3 tablespoons of fresh garlic minced

• 16 oz. of dry macaroni pasta

• Pam, non-stick cooking spray

• 1 stick of butter cut in quarters

• 5 heaping tablespoons of garlic salt

• 2 tablespoons of salt

• 3 Heaping tablespoons of pepper

• 1/2 can of PET Evaporated milk

• Cooking tools: Boiling pot and baking pan

Instructions

  1. In a large soup pot, fill it half way with water, one teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of olive oil or butter.
  2. Turn the pot up to high and cover.
  3. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
  4. Grate all three of the cheeses and place them in three seperate bowls.
  5. Mince 3 tablespoons of fresh garlic.
  6. Add the Macaroni Pasta of your choice to the boiling water and cook until it is tender.
  7. When the pasta has been cooked to your satisfaction, remove it from the water and rinse the pasta under cold water.
  8. In a large baking pan, coat the pan with Pam non-stick cooking spray.
  9. Empty the macaroni into the pan, spread evenly throughout the pan.
  10. Add the butter into the 4 quarters of the pasta dish. Mix well.
  11. Add all three of the cheese and wix well.
  12. Add garlic salt.
  13. Add salt.
  14. Add pepper.
  15. Mix well and taste.
  16. Add PET Evaporated milk.
  17. Add garlic.
  18. Mix well.
  19. Now is the time to taste the uncooked Macaroni and Cheese.
  20. It should be tangy and very juicy so that it never dries out when you are baking it.
  21. Bake the Macaroni and Cheese at 375 for 30-45 minutes.
  22. You will know that the macaroni is ready to come out of the oven when it begins to get a little golden crust in the corners.
  23. The crust is the BEST part!

I love this recipe and here are a few tips and tricks to make your version of my Mama’s Macaroni and Cheese yours and perfect:

  • Taste the dish as you mix it. Cheeses can taste differently sometimes and you may need to add more pasta or not as much milk. This is a dish that you need to make to cater to your tastes.
  • Do not cook the noodles too long. Remember that you are going to bake them as well.
  • USE PAM! Other non-stick cooking sprays will not prevent the dish from sticking as well to the baking pan and coating the pan with butter will cause the dish to burn on the bottom.
  • Other options to add to your Macaroni and Cheese: Cooked bacon, spicy pepper jack cheese.
  • I hope that you enjoy this rich recipe! Tell me what you add to your Macaroni to make it yours!

Classily Yours,

Sharelle D. Lowery

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