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.

 

It's OK to let it go!

On a daily basis I talk to people that are stressed out and frustrated over other people's issues. I am guilty of doing this myself. The way I am learning to see it is; if we care enough about our loved ones to carry their stress why shouldn't they care enough to act right! Well that is because we can not control other people and their actions; as people we only know to do the thing that are installed in us over the years; so we tend gravitate towards habits we pick up along the way. Life is a learning experience for us all and everyone learns in a different way and at a different pace; you can not force someone to live the way you want them too. It is not fair to get upset at someone because you chose to make their burden your own. Some times we think we are helping people by telling them how they should live their lives, but in all reality we are pushing them further away. Nobody wants to be told how they should live their life; especially when they are probably just getting by on THEIR best. Life is already a heavy load and when you start piling up other people's burdens on your shoulders you begin to weaken and before you know it; your world comes tumbling down! I have carried the stress of people before and I ended up missing out on a lot; I couldn't even recognize my own happiness. There is nothing wrong with helping people or being a shoulder to cry on but once that conversation is over, you need to drop down and give it to God; that way it is not your worry. We all have issues that we deal with and will need a vent person but what good are they to us if they are so stressed and weak from all the burdens they carry around. Learning how to let go of the burden doesn't mean you don't love them; it just means that you are growing and allowing yourself to enjoy life. So take a deep breath and let it go!

Can a Girl Get a Break!!!!: WAIT WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY

Can a Girl Get a Break!!!!: WAIT WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY: Living in a state that is filled with people that have migrated from different areas of the world a.k.a. "The Transplants" have t...

WAIT WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY

Living in a state that is filled with people that have migrated from different areas of the world a.k.a. "The Transplants" have taught me a lot; but the things that stick out to me the most are Accents, Food, Holidays and Driving! Yes I said it....lol. 

1. Every place has it's own lingo and so does every area of the region. I get it all the time people say "hey where are you from?" When I reply Boston. They usually say "you don't sound like your from Boston" so in return I say "what does a person from Boston sound like" Then I get the whole "PAK YA KHA" thing.... translation:" Park your car" and it drives me crazy because not everyone from Boston has the same accent and most people that claim they are from Boston really live in the suburbs not in the inner city. So I believe when it comes to an individuals accent it depends on where they were raised and who raised them. 

2. Food is completely different depending on what you are use too, sometimes its even hard to find certain spices and ingredients that I am use to cooking with because the demographics here isn't large. White, Black and Mexican dominate my area so the spices I would normally use to make a West Indian dish are not available.

3. People celebrate holidays differently! In some parts of the world the make a big fuss over the holidays but in some cases people don't acknowledge holidays at all.

4. People's driving skills are different and I am noticing NO MIDDLE FINGERS or HONKING so that will keep you out of trouble.

 

Don't be afraid to take a chance and relocate just know that these 4 things are going to vary depending on where you go but they will always determine how well you adapt to your new surroundings!

Can a Girl Get a Girl 2

The family that you have grown to love has RETURNED! The journey continues as this family tries to pick up the pieces after a few events that knocked them off their feet. This book series is amazing because it is packed with real life situations and emotions that we all can relate too. You can expect to fall in love with these characters because they will remind you of yourself at some point in your life. If you haven't started on this journey you are missing out! So order your copy of the book that started it all "Can a Girl Get a Break" and you can also pre-order your copy of "Can a Girl Get a Break 2" set to be release October 24, 2014 by visiting www.canagirlgetabreak.com

NEW BOOK ALERT!!!! OCTOBER 24, 2014

   October 24, 2014 Quiana and her family are back in the new book "Can a Girl Get a Break 2".
This family was first introduced 2 years ago and people immediately fell in love. Their journey continues as they try to deal with Life's Lessons and still keep a tight family bond. Ms. Sasha a single mother of 5 children living in the tough neighborhoods of Boston, MA struggling to keep her children on the right track in the drug infested, violent and corrupt town of  Dorchester. Monique her oldest being 15 years old gave birth to a baby girl at the tender age of 14 and is struggling to find a balance between being a loving responsible mom and just being a kid herself. The story is being told through the eyes of 14 year old Quiana the second born and she brings us on this journey as she tries to understand why life is so complicated. Her confusion and eagerness to understand life is relate able to us all. This book series is packed with lots of excitement and drama! It will make you laugh, cry, surprised and think about some things. If you haven't started on this journey you are missing out! So order your copy of the book that introduced us to it all "Can a Girl Get a Break" so you can follow this family through the years trust me it will help you realize that their is someone else out there that is going through something similar to you. To order your copy of "Can a Girl Get a Break" or to pre-order "Can a Girl Get a Break 2" please visit www.canagirlgetabreak.com