About

Hello, all! I'm Esther--the author and amateur chef, baker, and photographer behind Foodie & Fabulous. I'm so glad you're here!

I enjoy everything about food--reading about it, learning about it, looking at pictures of it, preparing it, eating it, and of course, sharing it with others. I live in Texas, just north of Dallas, and spend as much time in the kitchen as my days will allow!

I received my Masters degree in Counseling at the end of 2012, and have since taken a break from school to enjoy life outside of the classroom for the first time in a very, very long time, hence the birth of Foodie & Fabulous.

I have written other blogs in the past which suffered substantially (and eventually withered away), either because I was too busy to write or because I lost interest in my own material! Good grief.  However, cooking is something I always enjoy and try to do quite often, so hopefully, I get it RIGHT with this blog :)

Fast Facts From Foodie & Fabulous:

1. If it wasn't already obvious, I LOVE alliteration (hence the cheesy title of this little section). I love writing, adore grammar, and am a terrific editor. I was probably an English teacher in a former life. :)
2. I can't eat chicken. I desperately wish I could...but I can't. My system can't process it to digest it. The weird thing is, I ate chicken with no problems until 2005, then it all came crumbling down. I know. It's very sad. So...you will never see a chicken recipe here on Foodie & Fabulous. Sorry!
3. Opening cans of biscuits and crescent rolls SCARES ME TO DEATH. I dislike sudden loud noises and become anxious every time I have to open one of those stupid tubes, so if someone else is around, I get them to do it for me!
4. If I had to choose something to blog about other than food, it would absolutely be fashion. Who knows? Foodie & Fabulous may one day become a food AND fashion blog!
5. I LOVE to travel. If my finances would allow it, I'd probably be in Spain right now, or Asia, or maybe Australia...Brazil? I'm not picky :) My most recent adventure took me to Kenya, in east Africa two islands in Hawaii! It's a beautiful, beautiful state.
6. I have three younger siblings whom I love with all my heart--two brothers and a sister. They are awesome, wonderful people--and very good looking too!
7. I am a third-culture kid. My parents are from Ghana, West Africa and I was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; however, I have lived in Texas for most of my life. I suppose that makes me a "Can-Afri-Texan." That's the quickest way I know how to answer the question, "Esther, where are you from?"
8. I play guitar and a little bit of piano. I want to learn how to play the bass guitar and the upright bass. I think it would make me look cool--maybe bump up my street cred a little? HA.
9. I have worn glasses since I was nine years old. I am utterly lost without them, and must always wear SOME kind of corrective lenses in order to see.
10. I rarely wear my hair out of braids. As with my glasses, I am utterly lost without my braids! It's a personal style preference as well as a time-saving, cost-effective, and ever-fashionable hair solution.
11. I don't know how to take pictures without smiling. I feel like it makes me look silly!
12. I originally capped this list at ten items, but then thought of the 11th...and now I'm writing this one so that the list will be even. If I think of anything else, I will have to go all the way to 15 so that I have a nice, round number. That's weird, right? Probably. Oh well. It is what it is. 
• *Amended 5/29/2013: I thought of more things to add! 
13. Thrift store shopping is extremely trendy and popular right now, but I prefer to buy most of my things brand new.
14. I have never been able to finish an entire beer. Ever. 
15. I can't think of more than one or two DIY (Do It Yourself) projects that I have ever done, but I imagine myself to be AWESOME at DIY stuff. Hahaha. Like...when I see something on Pinterest, I imagine the project from start to finish and I always think that when I'm done, it will have been perfectly executed and ready for display at Ikea or Pottery Barn or something. Until I DO try (and successfully complete) a cool DIY project, I guess I should pay close attention to the outcomes of those unfortunate others who think like me. See Pinterest Fail for reference.
• *Amended again 6/5/2013:
16. I hate the smell of baby powder and baby oil, or really, anything "powder fresh".  Most people love it (or are indifferent to it)...but not me.
17. I dislike like 99% of all games and icebreakers. Game night is my nightmare, unless I'm playing word games like Scrabble, Taboo, or Scattergories. I also dislike events like "Field Day", ropes and obstacle courses, and the like. To compensate, I sometimes feign extreme enthusiasm and energy--but don't be fooled.
18. I happen to be very good at remembering names. 
• Amended yet again 6/6/2013
19. If I could be on any reality TV show, it would be Chopped. Though I've never heard of most of the ingredients they use, I stinkin' love that show!
20. I also really like the Golden Girls. Yeah, I said it! I think they're hilarious.

I really look forward to getting to know you all! Again, thanks for taking the time to stop by. Happy cooking!