Nigerian vibrant culture, costumes, and cuisines will be on display during the holiday season, beginning for weeks all through to the eve and new year day celebrations. The new year is celebrated by people of all faiths and religion in Nigeria due to the fact that the Gregorian calendar is used by all in Nigeria to schedule all official activities and holidays irrespective of region or religion of Nigerians. The new year is also a celebration of life and livelihood unto a brand new year with old things passing away and new things being anticipated, reasons to why individuals take on new year resolutions while the Government presents the States and National budgets for the coming year. The new year eve is a time for sober reflections and intense prayers, when many Christian families as a religious ritual choose to spend the time to worship at churches, while Muslims spend the time in neighborhood masjid in prayers for peace and a blessed year. The new year tradition in Nigeria involves lot of festivities and feasting with kids visiting families and friends, greetings and prayers for the coming new year are also aired in major radio and television stations with wishes for the states executives, organization, companies and families for the upcoming year. The end of the year is a time to exchange packages that are given as gifts to deserving individuals in offices, club association, notable organizations, companies and among friends or well wishers for an amazing year partnerships Religious and cultural rituals are performed in public and private shrines to sway away all evils, calamities and negative energies that might come in with the new year. Traditional custodian and rulers will be seen in their best regalia to add radiance of royalty to important events while festivities leading to the new year continues from the Christmas celebrations, going on to last for a week or more depending on the community; filled to the brim with a lot of entertaining and exhilarating activities such as traditional wrestling matches and competitive games. On show are several breathtaking concerts by the best of Nigerian award-winning superstars keeping spectators spellbound not only in Lagos but all across cities in Nigeria; the Nigerian culture will be in full blast with traditional fashion shows of costumes, traditional dancers and drummers representing tribes are seen dancing and singing, while uniquely costumed in various tribal regions according to their tribes, entertaining all over communities taking out time to pay homage to leaders, not forgetting to visit households for exchange of pleasantries while prayers follows everyone as they rejoice together. Masquerades dressed in colorful outfits parades households and community squares in the villages to wish all the good tidings in the coming new year, for a happy and prosperous year that is freed from all bad omen after the ritual purification.Â
Chieftaincy Titles Events
Chieftaincy titles are given to sons and daughters worthy of it, who have distinguished themselves in their respective careers both at home and abroad bringing in great honors to their place of birth by elevating their land of origin with a great contribution to the society by helping and empowering the needy, provision of healthcare, access to basic education and community development in their ancestral homes. The installation events to seal up the staff of office and the conferment events in Nigeria is a fiesta of sort in attendance are notable dignitaries, politicians, business partners, friends and families of the recipient, whereby popular musicians are invited to play the best of their talents during the “Owambe” which in Yoruba means “who is who” that generally refer to important events and extravagant parties; with naira rain coming down on those that out dance each on the dance floor, lots of foods and drinks are always provided in excess, with customize gift items for all invited guests.
The New Year Crossover
A time of the year for merrymaking and festivities, a time of thanksgiving for all the divine protections, a time of gratitude for the beautiful gift of life; to recount and count all the blessings, to recall past failures, forgive and forget all mistakes while taking the lessons to hopefully prepare for another blissful and blessed year ahead in 2022. The New year is for all to celebrate even though the celebrations differ from tribe to tribe, culture to culture, religion to religion, race to race across the Globe. The new year celebration is an all night event starting on the eve for most Christians going to their various churches for prayers and praise worships, an all night vigil for the crossover into the new year; the annual ritual of new year eve Crossover night are the very heartbeat of worship for all Nigerians irrespective of faith. The crossover night vigil is a collective gatherings of friends and families, the moment when all eyes are focus on the ticking clock, looking out for that last second as it moves beautifully towards the hour all have waited for, while everyone hold their breathe for that anticipated leap into the new year; it is a magical union of individuals all across the world, waiting and watching for a new dawn, a new day, a new life with the last second into the new year. While those who can afford it irrespective of their faith take the opportunity for an annual holiday to travel out to Dubai the city in the very heart of the world, to watch the most amazing fireworks for the crossover, those that are around with families prepare mini events for families and friends in the form of an all night parties until after the crossover before going to bed. A huge smoldering bonfires are lighted by government officials which is a yearly ritual on the new year eve; just when the last years second touches on the very first hour of the new year, the terrifying sounds of gunshots are let loose, stealing the silence of the midnight serenity all over the quiet sleeping cities of the northeast Nigeria. The crossover in Nigeria is a celebration of life when congratulations follows the second into the new year hour with chants, shouts, screams, blowing of trumpet, various sounds of joy rend the air all across villages, cities and towns moving unseen from family households to worship centers, within gatherings and party rockers, all the way to the vigilant and gallant security officers; while Healthcare Heroes are stationed and sleepless in their various units giving their blood, sweat, and tears to save lives all across the globe; in hospitals, homes or emergency centers whom at that moment in time may be bringing to life the very first baby of the year to share in the new breath of life.
The beautiful midnight glow of fireworks lights up the skies, reaching deep down to light up the life of every soul, hopefully looking for a better year than the previous year. At worship centers the moment climax in energetic dances, with many tagging the new year with wishes of their hearts desires, goals and aspirations thus the new year resolution. Thus, sharing warm embraces with teary eyes silently saying without words “We made it together into yet another year” then the hugs and handshakes are exchanged with smiling faces, subsequently crowning all night prayers with “Ameen / Amen” meaning God accepts the prayers. Then the firecrackers and bangers by the youth and kids takes over until sunrise going on for several days afterwards. Happy New Year in Hausa is “Barka Da Sabon Shekara generally known as “E Ku Odun”, Eku Iyedun…Odun A Yaabo’o” in Yoruba while it is known as “Ezi Afo Ohuru” in Igbo tribes of Nigeria.
Baby Of The Year
The baby of the year in Nigeria is a symbolic event seen as a physical representation of a new life in connection with the new dawn as welcomed in the new year. Babies born on that very minute are Crowned and Celebrated. The new year babies are received and welcomed with baby gifts such as postnatal care products, nutritional supplies, baby accessories and cash gifts by the community leaders which are often sponsor by companies that are makers of baby products. It is also a moment that is seen and seized by health agencies and the government to advice and advocate for child spacing as a means of improving the health and wellbeing of all mothers and all their newborn babies, hence to control population explosion. An opportunity used to promote programs that are aim at health care services in order to reduce neonatal and infant mortality, also to ensure safe motherhood. While drumming home the absolute importance of hospital birthing, exclusive breastfeeding and the needs for timely vaccination of all babies by feeding them with the readily accessible and available natural food alternative in household gardens, in order to ensure healthy growth of the babies as future leaders.
The New Year Menu.
Food in all its deliciousness are prepared and presented with a banquets of cultural cuisines for all to have a bite and a taste of home cooking for a memorable homecoming; best of cutleries are arranged, to serve and savor the sweet treats for the sweet tooth, the aroma of rare and annually prepared native dishes are presented making all invitees to salivate in anticipation. Animals are slaughtered depending on financial status and choice, while many will prefer a different taste of meat after the Christmas goats for the turkey or chicken. The best of local spicy soup and stretchy pounded yam are prepared for those that love heavy duty meals, to be served with loads of fried meat, the light weight tummy will have their fill of the rice dishes, steamed beans pudding generally known as moimoi and mixed vegetables salad, finger foods such as stick meats, kebab-suya, shortbread cookies, vanilla cake, meat pies, scotch eggs, Irish potatoes balls are available for weight watchers to nibble on, while the fried or roasted chicken crown the banquets for the love of a less fatty meat. Fruit juices of hibiscus sorrel- zobo, Chapman Cocktails, fresh sugar cane juice, carbonated packaged drinks and mixed fruit punch are added to ease digestion while for the heavy drinkers there is a free flow of alcohol such as locally brewed palm wine, expensive and exotic wines to wash the meal down. On the new year menu are various delicacies both native and continental dishes are prepared; an array of the popularly requested and served dishes are presented below, super delicious, inviting and absolutely a must try recipes, start cooking something unique today:-
Butter Pound Cakes
A simply delicious golden richness, moist and an all time classic that forms many a cake origin. A delicate and delightful sweetness; it is soft with that unique buttery flavor and so fluffy light. The measurements of the ingredients are attributed to its name; the pound of butter, sugar, eggs and flour each to produce pound cake. A beautiful yummy yellow sunshine that is crumbly irresistible. The recipes stands for the base of many of the cakes recipes such as marble cake with a swirl of chocolate design, and fruit cakes with the addition of fruits.
Recipe Ingredients
Cake flour
Butter
Salt
Baking powder
Powdered Sugar
Fresh whole eggs and additional egg yolks.
Full or whole cream milk
Vanilla flavor
Recipe Steps
Preheat oven and get ready the baking pans.
Sieve into a mixing bowl the flour, add salt and baking powder then combine with a hand whisk.
Combine the butter and sugar in a separate mixing bowl and beat together until light and fluffy or for a fast speed use the mixer.
Separate the whites from the yolk of eggs and add in the egg yolks beating in gradually until smooth and soften. Then add in the beaten while eggs.
Scoop the flour and add at interval to the mixture just folding in half way through the flour add in the milks and mix in to blend uniformly the add in the remaining flour just asked the beginning until all I’d used up and properly blended in well. Add in flavor of choice preferably the vanilla flavor for that awesome aroma and taste.
Scoop cake batter and bake in the preheated oven until a gorgeous golden goodies is baked. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick if it comes out clean with few crumbs it is ready.
Take out from the oven and cool slightly in the pan and turn it out to place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Marble cake: The butter cake batter is used for the marble cake also; to make take some cake batter and mix into it melted chocolate into a beautiful brown batter. The baking pan to used is first pour in a scoop of the butter cake batter on the side or base then follow up with the chocolate batter repeatedly until all the batter is used up; done to achieve that marble/zebra design after baking the cake. Then run a skewer anticlockwise in the baking pan for more amazing patterns, tap the pan against the kitchen work area to dislodge the trapped air in the cake batter. Then bake just by following the baking steps for the butter cake.
Mixed Vegetables Efo-Spinach Soup.
The best meal serve during events that are so important to the traditional community in Nigeria is the Pounded Yam and mixed vegetable Or Efo Soup; A Nigerian traditional vegetables soup which originated from Yoruba of western region; currently every region from north to south have all created their own version of the soup to suit their tribal region cuisines with spices distinct to the various regions in Nigeria. Serve with swallows of choice preferably pounded yam.
Recipe Ingredients
Spinach or “efo” in yoruba, alefu in Hausa
Meats which consists of varieties such as cow tripes, offal and beef
Smoked fish
Palm oil
Red bell pepper, scotch bonnets and onions
Crayfish
Locust beans popularly called “iru” in Yoruba and “daddawa” in Hausa while it is called “Ogiri” in Igbo
Seasoning cubes and salt.
Recipe Steps
Wash all meat parts and cut into bite able pieces, transfer into a saucepan, add water, chopped onions, seasoning cubes and salt to taste.
On medium heat place the saucepan to simmer until meat is tender and cooked.
Meanwhile, wash the fresh spinach leaves, pick from the stems and soak the spinach-efo in hot water to dissolve all sands and dirts; drain excess water by shaking it off, then shred and reserve.
On low heat place a separate saucepan, add palm oil and sauté the onions slices, add the blended pepper and locust beans; stir fry until a thick sauce.
Add to the simmering meat, add washed smoked fish, grounded crayfish then check for seasonings and adjust to taste.
Cover until soup is thicken and reduce in liquid contents, add the blanched spinach or “ego” vegetables, stir all together to mix into a thick vegetable soup.
Lastly, cover with lid and finish cooking on low heat, by simmering soup until cooked. Serve with pounded yam or swallow of choice, eaten alone it is a complete meal.
Pounded Yam Swallow
The pounded yam swallow is on all festive feasting menus, because it is a prestigious meal reserve and serve to the VIP and the true traditional individual with a crave for home cooking; serving it with vegetable soups helps for digestion and aids in balancing up the starch of the yam. A starchy smooth swallow pounded using the mortar and pestle as the traditional tools used for pounding cooked yams in order to achieve the starchy, stretchy and smooth to swallow. It requires a great energy, lots of strength and sweats to make pounded yam.
There are now electronic yam pounder to make pounded yams easier; the same result can be achieve using the food processor which makes it less tedious with no sweat; by simply feeding the boiled yam into the food processor then run it, until it becomes very smooth with a dough-like softness. Scoop and mold then serve with any soup of choice.
Recipe Ingredients
Yam
Water
Mortar and pestle for pounding or yam pounder
Recipe Steps
The best yam for pounded yam is known as the true yam which is dark brown, rough skin with a white starchy fleshy tuber; requiring lots of water to cook the yams and to also use in pounding the boiled yams.
The required quantity of yam does not necessarily equals the pounded yam, after pounding the quantity reduces to just half of the size of boiled yams.
Peel the yam, slice and cut into chunks for easy pounding not too small and not too big, for a uniform doneness.
Wash severally in clean water to remove and reduce the slimy covering of starch.
Arrange carefully in a deep pot then add water to cover it, place on a medium heat and cook until soften; if a fork is inserted it comes out clean.
Cooking an old yam requires more water to cook and pound, into a soft and smooth swallow free of lumps, while the new yam is easier and faster to cook requiring less water unlike the old yam.
Wash and towel dry the mortar and pestle, pick each cooked yam individually into the mortar, avoid any yam broth from getting into the mortar at the very beginning of pounding, to avoid lumps; then pound into a solid, sticky, starchy and smooth dough meal;
Soften the pounded yam swallow according to choice; add water of the boiled yam and continue to pound until the swallow reaches the smooth and soft texture for easy swallowing.
Scoop the steaming pounded yam, mold into balls and wrap up with a cling film, place in a food warmer because it is best to serve it steaming hot not to loose it smooth and stretchy texture.
Serve hot with spinach or “Efo” soup, or egusi, beans, vegetable, ogbono, fresh fish pepper with okro or ewedu known as jute leaf soup.
Fried And Roasted Chicken
A delicious and wholesome treat during events and festive season for those who prefer less oily foods. A super moist and juicy flaky roasted chicken is love by a lot of food lovers while other recipes might go over board by deep frying the whole chicken in hot vegetable cooking oil; also the whole chicken is stuffed with lightly stir fry parboiled rice and vegetables to cut down on cooking time and to scoop out the rice and serve with the roasted chicken parts.
Recipe Ingredients
Chicken
Vegetable oil
Ginger, garlic and onions powder
Black and chili pepper
Seasoning cubes powder or sauce and Salt
Onions and Carrots
Sweet peas and sweet corn
Lettuce and tomatoes bell pepper
Parboil rice
Curry and thyme powder for more traditional flavor add “ehu” seeds
Recipe Steps
The best chicken for roasting depends on choice the method of fireplace to use for roasting.
Wash and drain excess liquid off chicken.
Mix spices of choice, add crushed seasoning cubes and salt, stir to blend well.
On low heat stir fry stuffing for chicken, place a sauce pan on heat add a little vegetable oil, add parboil rice, mix in all prepared vegetables, stir in seasonings and spices.
Stuff the chicken with the lightly stir fry rice, do not fill up. Push in an onion bulb to close up the opening and to add more flavor, then pull together the opening over the onion bulb and hold in place with a kitchen string or skewer.
All over the chicken drizzle some soy sauce and cooking oil, with a kitchen brush rub all over it then sprinkle the mixed spices. bring chicken legs together and tie.
On baking dish place the stuffed chicken in the middle and arrange all around it vegetables of choice.
Push gently into a preheated oven and bake until the chicken is golden brown and skin flaky soft.
Serve chicken on a bed of fresh lettuce greens, vegetables, with onions and tomatoes slices all around it.
Rice Flat Bread
A rice bread for most individual eating out is prefer for it is a light meal that gives room for other delicacies to be served; it is also gluten-free bread that can be served as a complete and delicious meal served vegetables, stir-fries, fish or meat sauces.
Recipe Ingredients
Rice flour
Water
Salt
Oil to grease the frying pan and the hands
Parchment paper or cellophane
Recipe Steps
On low heat bring water to boil, add salt a little oil and gradually introduce the rice flour, stirring constantly, turning and folding in the mixture as for making a swallow or tuwon shinkafa until crumbly mold. Turn off the heat, cover to finish off cooking with the steam.
Scoop and transfer the cooked rice mold into a large dish then beat with a hand mixer or food turner until a crumbly mold, then wrap-up in parchment paper or cellophane; knead repeatedly until a soft and smooth dough. Then roll out into a long shape, cut out into uniform cycles and roll each piece into a ball.
Grease the palms of the hands and then flatten each ball into a round cycle; to avoid sticking to rolling pin, place the cycle between two sheets of cellophane or parchment paper, roll out into a thin like flat pancake.
Place on an oiled non-stick pan over low heat and dry fry or toast until puff-up with golden brown patches, turn and cook the other side.
Mixed Vegetable Salad
The festive menu in Nigerian will never be complete without the salad any fresh mixed vegetables are serve with all other side dishes to be served, with many individuals loving the crunchy and chewy texture of fresh vegetables as a completely adequate meal alone with juice drinks, and when meals are served will always request for some fresh leafy addition if not a complete salad bowl.
Recipe Ingredients
Fresh lettuce and cabbage
Purple onions
Green, Yellow and Red Bell pepper
Carrots and Banana
Firm tomatoes and cucumber, deseed and slice
Fresh eggs and raw Potatoes
Baked beans, green sweet peas and sweet corn
Mayonnaise or condensed milk, Salad cream and Lemon juice
Green bell pepper any ingredient of choice can be added
Recipe Steps
Wash all fresh vegetables in lots of water and rinse in salted or lemon water.
Wash fresh eggs and bring to boil on low heat together with raw potatoes; put peas in a cellophane and tied and drop into the boiling vegetables.
Cover to boil for few minutes, remove the peas first then the potatoes if soften and cook to hardboiled the fresh eggs.
After cooking the fresh eggs, remove and place in warm to ease peeling off the shells; peel eggs and slice separately.
Cool off the cooked potatoes, also peel and cube the potatoes separately.
Wash separately the cabbage and lettuce then chop or slice into strips according to choice; wash in water and rinse off all debris and pesticides in the leaf folds, removed and place in a basket to drain excess water. Wash & scrape the carrots then grate it differently and wash & peel cucumber leaving strips of green skin for the cucumber, scoop out the seeds, slice into cubes or circles.
The glass salad bowl must be clean and spray with olive oil or lemon juice; first arrange the salad greens alternatingly with other colors of the cut-up vegetables until all are used up.
Spread the baked beans over the salad and place egg and banana slices all over the top of sliced and cubed vegetables.
Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to be serve.
Serve with the salad dressings of mayonnaise and cream along with Festive rice dishes, sandwich in bread slices or pancakes as shawarma with chicken strips.
Spicy Suya
The kebab-Suya is a spicy seasoned roasted meat a delicious snacks for meat lovers and also a part of night life all across Nigeria and a favorite at parties and night clubs.
Recipe Ingredients
Lean cut of meat
Mixed spices of ginger, black or chili pepper, cloves known as yaji
Seasoning cubes, locust beans-daddawa and any native spice of choice
Groundnut oil
Purple onions
Ginger powder
Soy sauce or seasoning cube sauce
Salt to taste
Foil paper or cling film paper
Skekers for the Suya-Kebab must be long but for stick meat use toothpicks
Yellow, red, green bell pepper
Cucumber
Purple onions and tomatoes for garnishing
Recipe steps
Wash meat and cut into thin slices and Slice the purple onions.
Mix up all spices with the soy or seasoning sauce.
Marinate the thin meat slices in the mixed spices; Cover tightly.
Refrigerate for several hours until meat is completely coated in the marinate.
Wrap it up in a foil paper and place in a preheated oven to cook for few minutes to absorb spices and to make roasting, toasting or grilling easier.
Then remove from oven, release from the foil paper by opening it up, allow the meat to cool.
Carefully insert the meat into skewers or toothpicks, re coat the meat with soy or seasoning cube sauce then sprinkle the mixed spices of yaji all over it.
Arrange on baking rack and return to the oven to toast until tender and cooked.
Alternatively grill or roast on an open smoldering coal until cooked; Watch carefully and turn often for even doneness.
Suya can also be roasted on the stove-top; arrange on an oiled non stick pan and place on low heat to roast, turning constantly until evenly cooked.
Serve with vegetable salad and other side dish.
Sweet Shortbread
A superb sweet absolutely delicious and wonderfully flaky, with a crumbly melt in the mouth deliciousness, a perfect utterly buttery taste with an heavenly flavor, a cute kitchen creativity love by kids and adults, awesome favorite all across the world and a must have at parties, events and gatherings such as the holiday season.
Recipe Ingredients
All-purpose flour alone or if using rice flour or corn starch for the perfect crumbly feel
Salted Butter but if unsalted butter then add salt
Powdered or icing sugar,
Recipe Steps
Sieve the all purpose flour into a mixing bowl, add the powdered or icing sugar then stir with a hand whisk until all blended in together.
Cut up the butter into cubes or drop the dollop of the butter into the dry ingredients
Dig in dip with the fingers and mix in the butter using the rub in method until all mixture comes in together to form a soft dough.
Transfer the shortbread to a flour dusted kitchen work area, press down lightly and knead with the knuckles until smooth, roll out dough into 1/4 thickness
Pick and press to fit a square shaped baking dish lined with parchment papers; cut horizontally then vertically into the traditional shape of the shortbread; the Shortbread must be about 1/4 thickness to enjoy its texture which gives the perfect feel not too crispy not too soft.
OR cut the dough with a cutter or a knife into an oblong kind of square.
Prick the surface of each cookie with a fork. Arrange on baking tray leaving spaces in between.
Bake in preheat oven until lightly golden brown. Then remove and place on a wire rack to cool.
The icing to decorate is by choice or can be themed to the festive season, for variety dip each end into chocolate sauce or melted chocolate.
Allow to set, package into cute packs or jars, then seal, serve and share.
Sparkling Zobo Punch Drink
The hibiscus red buds is called zoborodo hence the name of the sparkling red drink popularly called Zobo, a northern Nigeria locally brewed drink now a hit at famous events for its sweetness and healthiness.
Recipe Ingredients
Hibiscus sorrel red buds
Ginger
Cloves
Pineapple
Beetroot
Mango
Orange
Ice cubes
Water
Sugar or honey or sweeteners of choice
Recipe Steps
Soak the red sorrel buds in water to make easy the rinsing of the dirts and dust.
Put to boil with cloves, ginger and lots of water simmer on low heat until the juice is thoroughly infused with flavors & color of the sorrels.
Meanwhile wash fruits, peel and slice mango, pineapple, watermelon oranges or beetroot into tiny pieces. Blend the fruits of choice the more the fruits the more exotic taste; Strain juice to remove fruit seeds and fibers.
Then remove from heat, cool and strain with a cheese bag to remove residue.
Add juice and sugar for sweetness then mix to blend.
Drop in ice cubes and fruits slices of choices.
Serve as refreshingly healthy fruit punch drink.
Nigerian Chapman Cocktail
Chapman is a popularly requested cocktail drink prepared with or without alcohols according to the choices of individuals in most Nigerian wedding cocktail events and parties happenings in sport clubs, restaurants and hotels served in beer mugs or cocktail glasses with a straw and fruits slices a super sweet Nigerian exotic blend. Serve in a pint or beer glass love by many Nigerian to avoid the holiday seasons hiccups and heartburns enjoyed by kids and adults the rich and poor coming in handy and beautifully so not as a champagne but cocktail mix a refreshingly glorious nectar drink. A beautiful story about the Nigeria Chapman cocktail is a mix of fizzy drinks and it is non alcoholic with a beautiful pinkish color and a taste of the sweet-sour; a drink believed to have originated from Ikoyi club Lagos back in the 30s where a barman made the drink mix simply called chapman for a British club member who was a regular customer; since then the chapman cocktail finds it way to menu as a sophisticated non alcoholic drink requested by most Nigerians to be served with meals.
Recipe Ingredients
Grenadine syrup or juice extract of purple currant or pomegranate
Concentrated blackcurrant juice or Zobo drink can be used for the sweet and beautiful color
Few drops of aromatic bitters-Angostura is optional for a totally non alcoholic chapman
Carbonated orange, and lime or lemon soda drink
Ice cubes made out of the orange soda, lime or lemon soda instead of plain water
Garnishes of choice includes cucumber, lemon, orange, lime, banana, red berries, apple, Pineapple, mint
Recipe Steps
Slice orange and lemon into two equal parts and then cut into quarters and juice the remaining then reserve for use.
In a cocktail jug or glasses drop in the orange soda, lime or lemon used for iced cubes, drizzle over the cubes the grenadine syrup, for choice add some few drops of angostura bitters, then add in the squeezed orange and lemon juice. Pour in the carbonated orange soda, lime or lemon soda drinks and mix to blend.
Alternatively put the ice cubes in a jug add orange soda lime or lemon soda the syrup bitters and freshly squeezed lime lemon and orange juice. Slice up fruits for garnishing into shapes of choice.
Pour in the blackcurrant concentrate, then stir to mix in and blend. Share amongst the cocktails glasses the ice cubes and pour over it the Chapman mix, then garnished with the fruits slices of choice. Drop in a Straw and sip on to the last drop. Serve alone or with meals.
Nigerian fried buns or dumplings.
A sweet and super crumbly festival snacks love by kids and adults with a crispy shell coverings and soften in the middle, absolutely filling with any fruits juices or beverages, a great take with kids taking more with every crumbling chewy bite.
Recipe Ingredients
All purpose Flour
Powdered and condensed milk
Honey and sugar
Baking powder
Melted butter or groundnut oil
Flavor of nutmeg or cinnamon
Salt and vegetables oil for deep frying
Recipe Steps
Sift flour into mixing bowl add baking powder salt sugar then stir dry ingredients with a hand whisks.
Add melted butter, and rub in to crumbly dough, mix to bind all ingredients with milk, beaten eggs, honey, and fold into a soft but not sticky dough.
Cover and leave undisturbed to rest. Scoop and fry in hot oil or;
Transfer to a dusted work area and roll out cut into equal squares then with the fingers roll into balls.
Deep fry in hot cooking oil on low heat. Turn & toss until golden brown on all sides.
Remove with perforated spoon and place to drain on paper napkins to absorb excess oil. Serve as snacks with beverage drinks.
Fresh Sugarcane Juice
The Nigerian Harmattan or winter as known in other parts of the world can be dehydrating, never be deceived by the cool weather the body system needs lots of fluid to maintain a healthy balance and the hydrating sweetness of the sugarcane juice is the natural choice as it is in season around festive seasons. The sweet, cloudy, milky and refreshingly healthy juice if taken in moderation can also aids in digestion after all the holiday seasons goodies; it is so easy to make with minimal ingredients.
Recipe Ingredients
Fresh Sugarcane stalks
Ginger
Cloves
Lemon juice
Recipe Steps
Wash the sugar cane to free it of dust and dirts, peel off the hard covering.
Cut into small cubes or circles tiny enough to feed into a blender or food processor or if available use the sugarcane juicer.
Add in the ginger slices and cloves if using, blend process or juice out the fluids.
Mix in the lemon juice and strain with a mesh.
Flavor up, serve and sip it.
Sustainability Beyond The Holiday Season
Giving green to Mother Earth in the season of giving helps to reduce ecological impact during the Yuletide season; the holiday season comes with huge loads of waste and wastage, it is vital to celebrate the environment while celebrating with friends and families by practical ways to reduce waste and the proper ways of recycling in the holiday season. Important also is to be mindful and careful of the best sustainable consumption and items management practices which will help reduce the strain and pain on the family budget and the natural environment. Sustainability must move beyond the holiday season to be part of the daily living; thereby reduce, revamp, reuse, recycle, replant for a healthy and sustainable future for humanity and the planet.
New Year Prayers And Wishes
Beautiful People, Almighty God’s Grace, Mercy and Blessings is like a Beautiful and Radiant Butterfly… It goes where it wishes and pleases where it reaches; Just a reminder that heaven watches over its treasures and you are one of its finest and most precious, Live your life knowing that GOD will never take HIS eyes off you. May you shift your weight onto the weightiness of His powerful promises to you; May you hear God’s promise to you: “I WILL GIVE YOU TREASURES IN THIS VALLEY! RICHES STORED IN SECRET PLACES!” May the Wings of the Butterfly kiss the Sun and find your shoulder to light on and shine brightest; to bring you Luck, Wisdom, Health, Happiness and Riches. May it find you wherever you are and stick to you Today, Tomorrow and Beyond Ameen!
Honor To Healthcare Heroes
Love and light all the way to all the amazing and awesome healthcare heroes across the globe; For the blood, sweat and tears that you so selflessly sacrificed for life. May the care, compassion and empathy that you all freely and endlessly share as a living gift for humanity with every heart beat and each ticking second of the day return back to your lives in bountiful blessings, Ameen!
Oh Majestic Lord of the Heavens and the Earths; Molder of our fragile creation, shape us in the best of image. Almighty king, spin us in circle over and over again until we are completely freed and turned into the perfect of creatures; hollow us out King of Kings until we are empty of all impurities. Fill us daily with living purity of endless peace, kindness, empathy, love, and compassion. Oh greatest Creator with the most beautiful names, we bow down in total submission to YOU and YOU alone, we seek for your forgiveness to right all the wrong and replace life gory with glory across the globe, beautify and purify for us, our lives with a sparkling soul as white as snow, that we may flawlessly carry your glorious gift to a world dying of inhumanity, a world thirsty for your love, light and peace, Ameen!