Good Read Of The Month

Phillips's searing debut reveals the poverty, injustices and cruelties that one black family suffers—some of this at the hands of its matriarch—in a 1958 backwater Georgia town. Thirteen-year-old Tangy Mae Quinn loves her mother, Rozelle, but knows there's "something wrong" with her—which, as it soon becomes clear, is an extreme understatement. As the novel opens, Rozelle is getting ready to give birth to her 10th child (by a 10th father) and thinking about forcing the obedient Tangy Mae, who longs to stay in school, to take over her housecleaning job. Using a large cast of powerfully drawn characters, Phillips captures life in a town that serves as a microcosm of a world on the brink of change. There's Junior, the perpetual optimist, who wants to teach people to read and write so they can understand the injustices of Jim Crow laws and the Ku Klux Klan; Hambone, a here today/gone tomorrow rabble-rouser whose anger against white men and their laws inflames those around him; and Miss Pearl, the only true friend to the Quinn family. At the dark heart of the story is Rozelle, the beautiful mixed-race head of the Quinn family whose erratic mood swings, heart-wrenching cruelty and deep emotional distress leave an indelible mark on all her children. Through all the violence and hardship breathes the remarkable spirit of Tangy Mae, who is wise beyond her years; forced to do unspeakable things by her mother and discriminated against by the town's whites, she manages to survive and to rescue a younger sister from the same fate.

Tuesday Tidbits

God Made Moms To Teach Their Children...Tell Others You Love And Appreciate Them

As we all mourn Michael Jackson's death and listen to all the tributes made to him, I can't help but wonder did he know he was loved or that his talent was appreciated. Michael Jackson was phenomena. As I listen to some of his music, I hear a message I didn't hear before. A message of change that started within. Michael Jackson is gone but his music lives on.

Be blessed and encouraged today, it's your choice. ~ Delphine

One Brown Momma's Recipe (Courtesy of My Mom)

Broccoli and Crab Casserole

Ingredients:

16 oz Chopped Broccoli
2 Eggs
1 Can Cream of Celery Soup
1 Cup of Mayo
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 stick of melted butter
12 Ritz Crackers
1 lb of Crab meat (if using imitation crab meat, dice the meat)

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Spray casserole dish with Pam Cooking spray. Beat the two eggs and set aside. In bowl add the broccoli, eggs, cream of celery soup, mayo and the crab meat, mix all these ingredients together with a spoon.
Spread the mixture in the casserole dish, sprinkle the top with the melted butter and crushed Ritz Crackers. Cook at 350 degrees for an hour.

You may add salt/pepper/old bay seasoning for addition taste.

This is great as a main course or as a side. If serving as a main course, a fresh green salad goes well with it. Enjoy!!

R.I.P Michael Jackson

Tuesday Tidbits

God Made Moms To Teach Their Children...The Meanings of Prejudice and Racism

Since the election of our President it appears there has been an increase in the media's reporting of comments/actions that are prejudice or racist. People there is nothing new about being prejudice or racism. My post today is not to glorify being prejudice or racism, my post is about us recognizing that overall nothing has changed when it comes to people being prejudice or racism. They both have always existed. We all experience it. Our children experience it at school, in the community, and in sports. We experience it on our jobs, in restaurants and shops, in churches, and sadly in our own families. We as a people have a lengthy history of having been victims of prejudice acts or racism but we also have a lengthy history of being and committing acts that are prejudice or racist ourselves. We are just as guilty as anyone else. So let's not point fingers at others when we need to search our hearts and minds as well. Look up the definitions of prejudice and racism and decide if you fit the label of being prejudice or a racist. Like the ole saying goes, "divided we fall, united we stand". Let's get rid of the foolery among ourselves first.

Be blessed and encouraged today, it's your choice. ~ Delphine

prej⋅u⋅dice 
1.an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason.
2.any preconceived opinion or feeling, either favorable or unfavorable.
3.unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes, esp. of a hostile nature, regarding a racial, religious, or national group.

rac⋅ism
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.


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Tuesday Tidbits

God Made Moms To Teach Their Children...They Are Beautiful And Smart

A few weeks ago I wrote on the importance of nurturing and building up our children through our words, I have also written about beauty being in the eye of the beholder. Well while reading the book selection of the month these words came across a page, questions we should consider asking ourselves on a regular basis. Questions that may help us in our roles as mothers.

Why do we remember the words of our mother more than any other? Why does a mother's assessment of her daughter resonate in the chambers of that daughters heart like the Ten Commandments? Like the laws of gravity? Like a destiny that
you simply cannot escape?

So tell me why do mothers have so much influence, so much power over their daughters and over their children? Is it just because they carried them for nine months? Or is it because they are just pieces of their mothers? Something to ponder on, uh? Mothers are and always have been very influential in their children's lives. So that's why it's important for us to tell our children that they are beautiful, that they are smart, that they can achieve and be anything or anyone they want to be. We are the ones to encourage them to reach for the stars, to see beyond what their eyes can see. We are the ones whose words they remember. So with this much influence over another being, why wouldn't we choose our words wisely? We are planting seeds that will dwell with our children for life. Show them and tell them they are beautiful to you because every child should be beautiful in a mother's eye.

Be blessed and encouraged today, it's your choice.~Delphine

One Brown Momma's Recipe (Courtesy of Latisha)

Our family favorite is...TACO SALAD

Ingredients:
2lbs ground turkey/beef
2 packages of taco seasoning mix
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 red onion
1 yellow onion
2 heads lettuce (chopped)
4 tomatoes (diced)
2 avocado’s (peeled and chopped)
1 ½ cups block olives (sliced)
1 bag nacho chips
1 bottle Ranch/Catalina salad dressing (Whatever you like)

Cooking Instructions:
Step 1: In a pan brown ground turkey/beef along with yellow onions. Add in one package of taco seasoning mix and water as directed on the seasoning package. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large bowl mix together tomatoes, lettuce, avocados, cheddar cheese, red onion, olives, and the other package of taco seasoning mix. Add beef mixture and toss until well combined.
Step 3: Right before serving – Toss with Catalina or Ranch salad dressing and add chips. (Whatever you like)