New Holiday Recipe

Quick and Easy Homemade "Corn Bread" Recipe for the Holidays

½ cup Indian Head Yellow Corn Meal

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup + 3 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ cup +2 tablespoons oil

                                                ½ cup milk                                            

                                          
                                                 2 eggs

Pre heat oven to 375 and combine ingredients in mixing bowl.
Pour in lightly greased baking pan and bake for 25-27 minutes depending on how golden you like your cornbread.

Once done baking let cool for 10-15 minutes then serve to your guest. Add a side of butter on the table so guest have the option to add a little on top!

Happy Holidays from our family to yours! I hope you and your guest enjoy this amazing sweet cornbread recipe for the holiday season. 

A Mother's Strength

From the time we hear those words "Your Pregnant" we form an instant bond with our children even before we know their names or how they look. Then we have the pleasures of hearing that rapid tiny heart beat that lets us know this life that we created is for real. We bond with our tiny creations through food and talking to our bellies until our little ones arrive. The easy part is loving them because that love is instant and unconditional from the beginning. The hard part is watching them suffer knowing it is out of your control and in the hands of another person. All you can do is hope and pray that they will care for your child as you would.

We are tested time after time as mothers and I believe there is a strength that a mother has that is rare. To endure so much yet be able to go on through life with your head held high knowing that you are truly suffering inside takes a lot of strength. I know mothers that have buried their child yet they still must smile and go on day by day, I know mothers that have lost their child before they were able to bring them into this world yet they still must smile and go on day by day, I know mothers that have lost their child to drug addiction or alcoholism yet they still must smile and go on day by day, I know mothers that have lost their child to a life of crime so they are sitting in jail yet those mothers still must go on day by day with a smile. I know mothers that know their child is in an unhealthy relationship and as scared as she is for her child she must still smile and go on.

No mothers lost is greater than the next, no mothers pain when watching her child suffer is greater than the next yet we all must put on our capes and be the strong individuals God created us to be.

As a mother it hurts to watch my son suffer; from the time he was born it has been one thing after the next. First he almost died during delivery doctors cut him out so fast they actually cut his face, if they didn't do it fast we both would have died; when he was 5 years old he formed a lump on his stomach they ruled out hernia and after several test doctors never figured out what caused it, I was so stressed I started grinding my teeth in my sleep and in returned formed TMJ (locked jaw) I thought I was handling the stress well because I continued to work, go to school and just live life daily all while secretly suffering inside; I got tired of paying medical bills without having answers so I took him home and prayed, prayed, prayed and prayed some more and that lump went away after a few days; the following year he was diagnosed ADD, a year after that he was diagnosed with protrusion of the eye and this year he was diagnosed with a learning disability so it has become mentally exhausting and then to have to handle all this alone is truly a test of my Faith and Strength. I put on a strong face and front because I have to be strong for him and my family but when I'm all alone I cry and pray for understanding! At times I want to yell "why my baby boy" but I know that is not something a person with Faith would do; so I just wait because I know God knows what he is doing and I can't live my life based off fearing the unknown so I smile and go on day by day.

 I know there is another mother out there somewhere suffering as I am, and I know she may be feeling like giving up just as I have felt many times; but I am here to tell you "A Mother's Strength is a Gift from God". You might not understand why you and your child have to endure this pain and suffering , you might be feeling like it's just not fair but when you are have those feelings just remember "each day that you go on with a smile on your face you are inspiring another mother to do the same". As mothers we have an unbelievable strength and it's something that can't really be described in words only through actions and it is important for us to continue to share our testimonies with other mothers so that they can embrace their "Superpowers" aka "Mommy Strength" because without a Mother's Strength this world world be at a loss. So I embrace my "Mommy Strength" and will continue to fight for answers, support my children and do it all with a smile day by day.   

Holiday Season Family Time

I miss the times when families actually got together for the holidays! Everything was closed so you really got good quality family time on Thanksgiving and Christmas. I remember us opening our gifts Christmas morning then waiting for our cousins to come over so we could play with all our stuff together. We are in the time of MONEY!!! Where MONEY is the first priority and not family. I hear people say all the time "I can't go see my family for the holidays because it's too expensive or because they have to work the next day". Businesses are so afraid of taking a hit that they completely disregard family values. People want to know why things are so different these day it's because our UNITY as families and as a country is gone! I try to install as many good family values into my children so that they understand that family is first because at the end of the day if you loose your job, or your health start fading it's your family that you will lean on for support not your job because they will replace you and think no more about it because in their eyes there company comes first not you and your family. So please keep that in mind this holiday season and enjoy a little family time because it sure doesn't come around often. May you all have a safe and blessed holiday season! More Holiday recipes coming soon!!!!!! 

Holiday Feast

Happy Holidays from "Can a Girl Get a Break"

Its that time of the year and it's your turn to host and with the holidays right around the corner everyone is trying to figure out what to feed their families this holiday season. You can always stick to your traditional turkey, cranberry sauce and stuffing mix or you can spice it up a bit and add a few nontraditional dishes to the mix. Adding a few nontraditional items to the menu will ensure you and your family wont get tired of having the same food every year; so instead of having stuffing/dressing replace it with shrimp scampi or asparagus casserole, instead of cranberry sauce do pickled beets or deviled eggs. If you don't want turkey or ham fry some chicken or smother some pork chops in onions,mushrooms and gravy. If you really want to mix it up you can do lobster or sushi instead of turkey. However if you decide to do turkey please don't hesitate to spice that turkey up! I love to serve up my famous "Teriayki Turkey" no more dry tasteless turkeys in my house for the holidays. I have even tried Hawaiian marinade on my turkey one year and it was AMAZING! Its fun making things from scratch I love to cook and have the house smelling like delicious spices. One of my favorite side dishes is stuffed mushrooms; so if you love stuffed mushrooms and are looking for a good replacement dish from your typical traditional Thanksgiving sides TRY my simple recipe below! 

2-3 packs of portabella mushrooms (can use jumbo if you want)

2-3 packs of fresh spinach (keep in mind spinach tends to wither down once cooked)

1 can of seasoned bread crumbs (I like Italian seasoned)

1-2 bags of shredded mozzarella cheese (depending on how cheesy you want it)

1 bottle of white cooking wine

1/4 tsp. of salt (or just salt to taste)

Prep work: Wash mushrooms then take stem out, lightly butter baking tray (I use cookie sheet) then place mushrooms on sheet with a little space in between (this makes it easier when it comes to removing them from sheet when stuffed; in other words less mess). Also thoroughly wash your spinach.

Pre-heat oven to 325 for 5 minutes then place mushrooms in oven for 10-15 minutes before stuffing them (this allows the juices to settle) drain juice from all mushrooms before adding stuffing mix (If you don't do this step first your mushrooms will be extra soggy because the juice from mushrooms mixed with the spinach stuffing mix will create a sloppy mess...trust me I learned the hard way lol.). While mushrooms are pre baking prepare your spinach stuffing mix. 

This step should be done while mushrooms are releasing its juices.
Spinach Mix :  In medium sized pot add 1/4 cup of water,  1 bag of spinach, 1/4 cup of milk. Let spinach wither down then add more spinach to pot (recipe is per bag so if using 2 bags of spinach double ingredients or add until you get desired texture, I like mine thick and creamy). Add 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of seasoned bread crumbs. Stir until thick creamy texture or desired texture if its too thick for you just slowly pour in more milk until it loosens up. Once everything is blended together turn stove off and let sit.

Once juice are drained from mushrooms place them back on cookie sheet or baking pan and fill them with spinach stuffing mix. When stuffing process is all done dash each mushroom with white cooking wine then lightly sprinkle more breadcrumbs on top and place them in oven for 15-20 mins with oven on 350 degrees.Take stuffed mushrooms from oven and let cool for 10 minutes then let your guess enjoy! (Mushrooms can still be hot on the inside so eat with caution).

Hope you and your loved ones enjoy this recipe! Please come back and let me know how it turned out!!! Also come by and look for more Holiday Recipes from yours truly....

Love Always,
SunShyne B.