I Was On The Steve Harvey Show!!!

I had the most unbelievable experience this past week!!!  I was invited to go to Chicago and appear on the Steve Harvey Show!!!  I had the absolute privilege to participate in The Shred Diet, by Dr. Ian Smith as part of a challenge by Steve Harvey for a group of us in Philadelphia to lose 1000 pounds.  It has changed my, as well as my husband's, life!!!

 

The Steve Harvey Show

I have lost 18 pounds and my husband has lost 25.  That is in about 6 to 8 weeks.  I will post my before and after photos at the end of this blog entry.

To say I was treated well would be a huge understatement!!  The crew on the Steve Harvey Show treated me like an absolute star!!!  

Above is my Green Room.  As you can see, it's very girly.  I am not sure why they had pastries for people who were there because we were on a diet. 

Above is Norman.  He is a Philadelphia police officer, pastor, and gentleman.  He lost 20 pounds and the Shred Diet has also changed his life!  This is his Afro Centric Green Room.  

This is what I wore and where they placed the mic!  Um, the guy who put it on actually unzipped my dress to do it.  So, I will let you fill in the blanks.  

And, drum roll please, here are my before and after photos so far.  I am continuing until I lose about another 40 to 50 pounds.

Motherhood

Rock the Shot at www.rocktheshotforum.com is having a challenge this month to submit a photo representing Motherhood.  When I saw this, I immediately thought of this photo. 

This was taken the day my grandson was coming home from the hospital.  My husband took it.   It shows my hand and my daughter's hand.  I love that it shows three generations in one shot.  Simple yet powerful.  Motherhood times two!

Mimosa Poached Pears With Champagne Orange Chocolate Sauce

Here is an elegant and delicious dessert for the summer.  It is actually very light and it takes only one pot to make!  You use some of the poaching liquid to make the sauce.  You just add in some additional Chocolate Indulgence in a mixing bowl and some powdered sugar.  These will impress your guests!

Mimosa Poached Pears With Champagne Orange Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

8 Bartlett or Red Anjou Pears

4 Cups Orange Juice

2 Cups Champagne

¼ Cup Honey

1 Tub Philadelphia Dark Chocolate Indulgence

2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar

Instructions:

Core pears from the bottom, leaving stems in place.  Peel pears.

In a small dutch oven, whisk together orange juice, champagne and honey.  Bring to a boil over a high heat. 

Stuff pears with Philadelphia Dark Chocolate Indulgence.

Add pears to champagne and orange juice simmering in the dutch oven and simmer for 10 minutes.  The Philadelphia Dark Chocolate Indulgence will melt into the poaching liquid.  This will add a subtle chocolate flavor to the pears as well. 

Remove pears from the poaching liquid with a slotted spoon and set aside in a large bowl. 

In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, mix together 1/3 cup of Philadelphia Dark Chocolate Indulgence with 2/3 Cup of the poaching liquid and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar.  Mix on high for 1 to 2 minutes.

Serve in a saucer type champagne glass or other small shallow dish.  Spoon chocolate sauce over warm pears and garnish with a sprig of mint leaves.

Serves 8. 

Chocolate Champagne Cheesecake Tartlets

You know when you open a bottle of champagne and you don't finish it how you just don't know what to do with what remains?  Well, here's a great way to use your champagne!  Make dessert!

This recipe is absolutely no bake!  But it's very impressive and you can serve it to guests easily.

Chocolate Champagne Cheesecake Tartlets 

Ingredients:

6 sponge cake shells

4 Philadelphia Milk Chocolate Indulgence Cups

2 Cups Philadelphia Ready to Use Cheesecake Filling

½ Cup Champagne

2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder

12 Large strawberries

1 Cup Heavy Cream

½ Cup + 1 Tablespoon Powdered Sugar

1Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl, blend together 2 Cups Philadelphia Cheesecake filling and 4 Philadelphia Milk Chocolate Indulgence Cups. 

Blend in ½ Cup Champagne.

Add in 2 tablespoons Cocoa Powder. 

Using a pastry bag with a large star tip, pipe the chocolate cheesecake mixture into the sponge cake shells. 

Slice 6 strawberries and arrange on top of the chocolate cheesecake mixture. 

Slice remaining 6 strawberries ¾ of the way through in 4 slices and fan out.  Set aside.

In a well chilled mixing bowl with a well chilled beater, mix heavy cream with 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract and ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar.  Beat on high speed for 5 minutes until soft peaks form. 

Pipe whipped cream on to tartlets using a piping bag and a large star tip. 

Chill in refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes before topping with fanned strawberry. 

Top with a fanned strawberry and serve.

Serves 6.

To see more of my Chocolate recipes, follow this link:  Real Women Of Philadelphia

I was Featured!

I am so excited about the new Real Women of Philadelphia website!  It's really pretty and so easy to navigate.  Best of all, I was the first "Expert" to be featured!  Check it out!
 
Real Women of Philadelphia

Here is a recipe that is on that site that is a favorite, hope you try it and love it!

Strawberry Chocolate Raviolis

Ingredients

• 8 ounces Crescent Roll Dough
• 4 ounces Strawberry Flavored Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 cup Confectioner's Sugar
• 1/2 cup Chocolate Syrup
• 1 Cooking Spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Unroll Crescent Roll dough and divide it into 8 triangles.
3. Spread 4 triangles generously with Strawberry Flavored Philadelphia Cream Cheese. Top each triangle that has cream cheese on it with about a tablespoon of chocolate chips.
4. Top the triangles that have cream cheese and chocolate chips on them with another triangle of crescent roll dough. Push down sides to seal.
5. Cut each triangle into two triangles and then those two triangles in half again. So now you should have 4 triangles for each single triangle you started with. In total, that will be 16 triangles. Now take a fork and crimp the three sides of each ravioli. Tuck in any chocolate chips that are poking out and scrape off any excess cream cheese that oozes out.
6. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place raviolis on cookie sheet and dust with powdered sugar. Bake in oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown.
7. Remove from oven and remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm with chocolate sauce for dipping.