RAkitchen: Cooking with TiffV

web_15_18_food_on_forksAs the Editor In Chief of Raynbow Affair Magazine, I am always looking for a way to add an extra element to what we bring you. As you know, I stay on Social Media and I will admit I am addicted.

Recently, I came across the page of Tiffany Veney aka TiffV. TiffV is a mother of 2 and she looks for ways to include her children into dinner time as well as creative ways to make family time more engaging. As I thought about it, I began to reflect on the dynamics of my own life. I have 2 god-children who I rarely see and I swear finding time to actually cook a meal is a thing of the past. With this in mind, I thought it would be ideal to bring you the RAkitchen.

RAkitchen is where you can get recipes from everyday people who understand the struggle of everyday life. No Shade hunni, but I was tired of cook books telling me I needed 2,365 minutes of prep time. Gurl who? You got a good 10 minutes and 4 seasonings then I gots to go.

With that said, I present to you Raynbow Affair Kitchen: The Modern Guide to Modern Life


I am woman hear me roar. Lol! Now that that’s out of the way. Prior to having kids I was a young professional working in finance for one of the major banking institutions in the US. I was doing very well and moving up the corporate ladder. Then all of a sudden I’m drunk in love with someone from another state. So, I decide to move and start making my way there. I had a plan and it sure wasn’t to end up pregnant as soon as I move but hey life happens.
Now I’m in a new state with no family or friends and having my first child. That’s the beginning of my inner Martha, lol. I never pictured myself as a stay at home mom but here I was.
I love it because it gives me time to enjoy all the little things I would otherwise have missed being at work but as a career woman I do miss that feeling of “accomplishment” from being in the workforce. Some of the ways I’ve grown to find pleasure is through trying new crafts and thru cooking specifically plating, that’s my favorite part. One of the most important things to do is to plan ahead as much as possible when you can. That means at least having a meal in mind and hopefully all the ingredients home the night before. This is especially important if you work because NO ONE wants to go to the store, pick up kids, and THEN go home to cook. The next thing is to try to do all the prep work and get it out of the way (a small food processor goes a long way when you don’t feel like chopping things like garlic and onions). After you finish your prep you can check on the kids because by now they’re screaming for attention and food. It’s always a good idea to have a small snack handy so that you’ll have 5 minutes of peace. Ok now let’s cook.
 
One of my easy go to meals is Chicken Alfredo. You’ll need the following (for a family of 4):
 
3 Chicken Breasts
1 10 oz container Buitoni Alfredo Sauce
1 package of Buitoni Fettuccine Pasta
1/2 small yellow onion chopped
2 tablespoons of minced/chopped garlic
1 tablespoon of Italian Seasoning
Olive oil
Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
 
Optional
For more sauce you’ll need 1/4 cup of milk and 1 1/2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
 
1. After rinsing and drying the chicken, lay it on the cutting board and gently pound the chicken (I use my fist) for about 10 secs just to flatten the really thick sides.
 
2. Cut the chicken into about 1in size pieces. It doesn’t need to be perfect so don’t pull out the measuring tape.
 
3. Season the chicken to taste with salt and pepper and a little garlic powder. You want to make sure it salted well but don’t give yourself high blood pressure.
 
4. Fill a large pot with water and pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in it then bring it to a boil.
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5. In a medium frying pan, put it on a medium to high heat and coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil. Once the pan is hot drop the chicken in. Let it cook one side for about 2-3 minutes before flipping so that it can get a nice sear. Flip the chicken over and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove the chicken to bowl (leave the drippings in the pan). 
 
The chicken will not be fully cooked you’re going to finish cooking it in the sauce.
 
6. In the same pan, add about a tablespoon of olive oil just to coat the pan then add the chopped onions and garlic. Let it cook for about 2 minutes.
 

7. Once the onions and garlic cooks down add the sauce to the pan and turn the heat to medium/low. Season sauce with garlic powder, pepper and add the Italian seasoning. Let cook for about 5 minutes constantly stirring.

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Shrimp added for variety

 
8. The water should be ready now. Add the noodles and cook per the package instructions. The noodles cook really fast so if you can’t multi-task it’s ok the sauce is almost done just hold out and go to the next step.
 
9. If you don’t think it’s enough sauce for your family. ( We love sauce so I usually add more so don’t judge lol) Add the milk to the sauce and the grated cheese. Mix it well and let it cook for about a minIMG_5902FeatureImageute. Taste it and do the schmomey dance. Add seasoning to your taste. Add the chicken to the sauce. Coat the chicken in the sauce turn the seasoning to low and let it cook for about 5 mins. 
 
10. Drain the cooked noodles from the pasta and toss with olive oil. This keeps the noodles from sticking to each other. Then you can either add them to the pan to cook/soak in the sauce for a minute or you can just plate the noodles and pour your sauce on top.
 
11. If you’re feeling fancy garnish the plate with parsley. 
Stay tuned for what we have in store for you next time. Word on the street is DiamondKesawn has a Sweet Tooth…..
Follow TiffV: @Whtiff
When it comes to the Name DiamondKesawn, it truly speaks for itself. Born Kesawn Cooper, in conjunction with the fact that he is known to be a girl's Best friend aka Diamond; you get the Birth of DiamondKesawn. The Self Made Media Socialite is dedicated to the continued Growth and the Development of himself, DKP the Brand, RAmag, and the Brands of those he will touch. Buckle your Seat Belt as it’s always a Roller Coaster Ride with DiamondKesawn. #MindYou

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