Sistah's Place Magzine -Nov/Dec 2019

Si stah' sPl ace Nov/ Dec201 9

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Our Fr i ends hi p Mat t er s !

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Suppor t Sys t emsAl l Pr of es s i onal s Need t oSucceed i nBus i nes s

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F r o m O u r E d i t o r s It has been an amazing year! Sistah’s Place thanks you for being apart of our journey.

Inside this issue, we are honored to talk Kimberla Lawson-Roby and Author Kimberley Jones about their journey to discovering their purpose in life. Then get your dose of Ten Cents of Wisdom, marriage advice, small business advice, and wealth advice. Check out our Soulful kitchen cooking up some delicious meals for the holiday season.

As we go into the Holiday season, lets remember to give to those less fortunate this us during this season. From all of us at Sistah’s Place, Happy Holidays!

Follow us on social media and get your print copies from MagCloud

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Layout by Tia Thompson Sr. Editors: Carmen Elle Shauntae White Associate Editor Debra Lynn Thomas Cover Design by Tyron Oshantha

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SISTAH’S PLACE Meet the beautiful women at Sistah’s Place who share their gift and passion with us. We are thankful and grateful for the talented women and men who shape the vision of our Inspiration & Entertainment Magazine.

Left to Right- Letrise Carter (CEO), Shauntae White (Sr. Editor), Pillar Henderson-Smith (Wealth Expert), Carmen Elle (Sr. Editor), Faith Valentine (Writer), Marcie Hill (Sr. Writer), Dr. Barbara Evans (Mental Health Expert), and Selena Haskins (Contributor Sr.Writer/Author). Natonya Medford (writer), Aja Graves (Writer/Author), Dorothy Peaple (Writer), Kimberly R. Jasper (Sr. Writer/Author), Jeanee Patton (writer), Cynthia Guillory (writer), Terri Shayne (writer), Niara Savage (writer)

SISTAH'S PLACE MAGAZINE

CONTENTS INSPIRATION & ENTERTAINMENT

2 FROM OUR EDITORS

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Note from the team

11 TEN CENTS OF WISDOM Chaplain Faith Valentine

14 SELENA HASKIN

Marital Committment

17 KIMBERLA LAWSON-ROBY

Helping Women Discover their Passion and Purpose

KITCHEN 25 SOULFUL KENNEDY'S SWEET TOOTH Jeanee Patton

KIMBERLA LAWSON-ROBY

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PILLARA HENDERSONSMITH Building Wealth Expert: Power of Attorney

WWW.SISTAHSPLACE.COM

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MARCIE HILL

KIMBERLEY JONES

Small Business Expert: Support Systems All Professionals Need to Succed in Business

Author Spotlight: Friendship Matters!

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Great Books for Kids!

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Do You Have A Power Of Attorney?

By Pillara Henderson-Smith

I have found that most people are familiar with the term “power of attorney”, even if they don’t quite know what it means or whether or not they think they need one. I suggest that every person at least 18 years of age or older needs two powers of attorney. With that in mind, let’s answer the questions, “What exactly is a power of attorney?” and “Why do you need two?”

What exactly is a power of attorney?

A power of attorney POA) is a document which allows you to give short-term or long-term authority to another person and make decisions on your behalf in the event you become physically or mentally incapacitated and therefore unable to make decisions for yourself. The person you appoint is known as your agent or attorney-in-fact. This person is not necessarily authorized to practice law however, this title does designate her as a fiduciary. As a fiduciary, he or she is held to a strict standard of honesty and loyalty and has an obligation to act in your best interest when making decisions on your behalf. If the fiduciary breaches her obligations, that person can be held personally liable for damages incurred.

Why do you need two powers of attorney?

You need at least two powers of attorney because not all powers of attorney are made equal. The two most important powers of attorney are a POA for property and a POA for Healthcare.

Power of Attorney for Property Within a POA for property, you are giving an advanced specific or broad expression of how you want your property to be managed in the event of your incapacitation. This is your opportunity to ensure that your everyday property obligations are being met such as: buying groceries, making bank deposits and withdrawals, paying your monthly recurring bills, renewing your lease, picking up mail and packages, etc.

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our agent has an obligation to manage your property based on the authorities you have given; to act in your best interest to safeguard your property; to keep accurate financial records; and to provide complete and periodic accounting for all money and property coming into as well as going out of their possession on your behalf. At all times your agent must keep your property separate from her personal property. To prevent confusion, when acting on your behalf, your agent should always sign your name followed by her name and the words “as agent�; For example, Jane Doe by Pam Smith as agent. This signifies to the world that she is not acting in an individual capacity but rather on your behalf.

In order for your POA for property to be valid: 1) it must be in writing, 2) you must have capacity at the time of signing, there must be no undue influence, you must sign and date it in the presence of two disinterested witnesses who are age 18 or older, and in the presence of a notary who will sign, date and stamp it.

Power of Attorney for Healthcare Within a POA for Healthcare, you are giving an advanced specific or broad expression of how you want your healthcare to be managed in the event of your incapacitation, including the end of your life. This is your opportunity to give clarity and state what medical records and health information you want to make available and to whom; to state which types of healthcare treatment you want and more importantly which types of healthcare treatment you do not want; and to state which matters most to you, your quality of life or your quantity of life. This document allows you to ensure your wishes and desires will be followed at the most critical time in your life. It preserves your dignity by allowing you to choose an agent that has an obligation to respect, follow and uphold your decisions.

In order for your POA for Healthcare to be valid: 1) it must be in writing, 2) you must have capacity at the time of signing, there must be no undue influence, you must sign and date it in the presence of at least one disinterested witness who is age 18 or older and not part of your medical healthcare team and facility provider or a relative of your healthcare team or healthcare facility provider.

Final Thoughts A POA may be revoked at any time by notifying your agent in writing and collecting any distributed copies.

Powers of attorney are essential documents that everyone needs because at some point in our lives due to an illness or injury we may not be able to make decisions on our own behalf. So why not plan ahead and ensure your desires concerning your property and healthcare are being followed and not someone else’s.

ILearn more about Attorney at Law Pillara Henderson-Smith at www.hendersonsmithlaw.com or contact her at (331)238-0532.an

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Author Spotlight Author Kimberley B. Jones: Our Friendship Matters

by Marcie Hill

Kimberley B. Jones will launch her first novel, Our Friendship Matters, in early 2020. Based on events that occurred during the Black Lives Matter movement, the friendship of two 17-year-old girls, one black and one white, is tested during this time. Can this longtime relationship survive the social and racial tensions, injustices and differences in beliefs that arise during this movement?

The topic for the book came to light when Kimberley’s mother was passing away in the hospital.

While surfing the internet, she saw all of the movements going on at that time: Black Lives Matter, White Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter and All Lives Matter. Black Lives Matter, spotlighted the violence against black people suffered at the hands of policemen. Although Black Lives Matters was the first movement, she felt that the rise of the other movements “were not fair to us� and threatened to diminish the power of the cause and message.

Kimberley grew up in a financially well-off family and was sheltered from real-life issues and things going on in the news until she was much older. She was unaware of the level of police brutality going on in the African American community until she discovered the Black Lives Matter movement.

Our Friendship Matters not only discusses the social and racial tensions attempting to divide groups of people; it addresses the personal relationships and strength of bonds between individuals.

Although the book is written from the perspective of teenage girls, adults would appreciate the story and message in this novel. Books can be pre-ordered from her website www.kimberleybjones.com.

Follow Author Kimberley Jones on Twitter: @KimberleyBJones, Facebook: @AuthorKimberleyBJones and Instagram: @authorkimberleybjones

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Ten Cents offWisdom: Just Jump

by Chaplain Faith Valentine

Fate and destiny are inter-changeable; however, they are not the same. Fate is the direction life takes with little to no effort if you don’t get onto your path of greatness. Destiny, on the other hand, is your full potential waiting to happen, a grand scheme of possibilities where dreams are given permission to live and in turn requires a great deal of effort to bring forth.

The path to fulfilling dreams comes with great risks and taking risks can often come with great failures, but there is a flip side. With great risk also comes great rewards. I have always been willing to step outside of my comfort zone, take risks, look fear, which is simply worrying, directly in the face, and go after my dreams. Have you? Have you ever been fearlessly willing to “just jump”? The effects of fear can be crippling.

By its very nature fear is designed to stop movement, productivity, limit joy, cancel peace, and prevent everything and anything from coming to fruition. However, Scripture tells us, “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” A sound mind never doubts or worries, and if God has not given fear, you must not claim fear. Rather, you must be willing to throw caution to the wind, ditch the ordinary, and go after every God-given promise.

Ephesians 2:10 reads, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Every believer has a destiny, a dream ordained from long ago.

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Before we are born, God instills certain spiritual gifts, ambitions, desires, and determinations inside of us. Of Jeremiah, God says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you. Before you were born I sanctified you. I ordained you a prophet…” Maybe God has ordained you a prophet, doctor, author, poet, musician, wife, parent, entrepreneur, or any number of other worthy dreams. Whatever the vision, you are already ordained to become what God destined you to be.

If you know your destiny, great. If you do not know what it is, pray and ask God to reveal His purpose for you. Your purpose is the destiny that fuels the potential for dreams to come to fruition. Follow your heart, your heart produces the passion needed to move into your full potential and bring your dreams to life, creating the most extraordinary life imagined. The very moment in life is purpose-designed to be savored and lived to the fullest. Do not miss destiny by allowing your dreams to die. If you’ve never tried it, it’s time to trust God totally, trust your heart completely and Just Jump!!

Be Blessed!

Book

Series

Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble Visit book series website at www.Deceitfulsecrets.com Fountain Library Bolingbrook, IL White Oak Library, Crest Hill, IL Deceitful Secrets Series: Truth & Lies coming soon Will the truth come out about Taylor’s past? Will the two brothers destroy their bond? Who is Taylor pregnant by?

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Marital Commitment

by Selena Haskins

There are many people in the world who are single and hope to find the right person to marry some day. There are also many single people who are perfectly happy as they are. On the other hand, there are people who are already married, but they live their lives as if they're single. What do I mean by this?

We all know that marriage requires commitment, loyalty, dedication, love, kindness, and patience. While many marriages may start off that way, the truest test of commitment lies in what the couple does when faced with financial challenges, health issues, parenting or other problems. Sometimes the easy way out of these challenges is to ignore them, take flight, or seek out someone else. This is the mindset and the reaction of someone who is single or single-minded. When you're not married to a person, it may be easier for you to call it quits when the going gets tough.

However, when you're married you have to remember that you promised God that you would love your partner through whatever storms may come your way. You told the whole world how much you love your partner and that you will be committed to only them, no matter what your family and friends looked on, smiling or crying, wishing you and your partner the best on your wedding day, but sometimes many people forget about the promise they made on that day.

TV, movies, and social media have smeared the moral values of what a marriage should look like and what it should actually be. We have heard the term "open marriage, where a married partner is allowed to be with another person as long as they seek their partner's permission. We have seen married celebrities behaving as if they are single, and some end up getting caught in questionable behavior. This spirit and mentality can creep into a marriage, making one or both partners behave as if they too are single and can do as they please, so long as they return home every night to their partner.

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If you are single and desire to be married, there are things within your personality that you may have to work on to ensure that you are ready for a lifelong commitment. If it's hard for you to share yourself, your wealth and things you have, to be kind, giving, respectful, lovable, and most of all committed to even doing the little things first, you will struggle with that once you're married. Marriage is about two, not one. Marriage means you are thinking about the other person daily and how to show them love, kindness, and respect. It is two people who want to please the other person and who care about their happiness; It is unselfish.

If you are married, beware not to have a single-minded mentality. Not to say single people are selfish, but what I mean is that, don't just think about yourself when you're married. Single people are responsible for themselves.

Married people are responsible for themselves AND each other. This requires hard work and effort, but it's worth it if you want to have a happy marriage; Not a perfect one, but a peaceful and happy one.

Remember your vows, reflect on your promise, be proud of your marital status and your partner. Be quick about dismissing urges to live like you're single. Don't flirt with others and don’t allow them to flirt with you. Share yourself, including your feelings and private thoughts. Communicate often.

Be the best of friends. And remember that it's OK to press pause to regroup, but don't step out on your partner. Be there for your partner and remind your partner of your love daily. If you both practice acts of love and commitment, thoughts about being single again will diminish. Love is an action word. Keep loving and you and your partner will receive many blessings.

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Kimberla Lawson-Roby Helping Women Discover Their Passion and Purpose

by Marcie Hill

“… It doesn’t matter if you’re 18 or 80, it’s never too late to see your dreams come to pass. It’s never too late to figure out what your true passions are and to begin following your purpose. In order to really be who you’re supposed to be and to serve others, you have to know what your purpose is.”

This is the message that New York Times bestselling author and inspirational speaker Kimberla Lawson Roby emphasizes to her female audiences around the globe. She’s passionate about this message because she’s lived it.

Early in her career, Kimberla decided to follow money instead of her passion and purpose which led her down a long road of unhappiness, frustration, and lack of fulfillment. She had worked for many companies and organizations, searching and not being happy. In addition, she was not moving up the career ladder the way she thought she should. “I was searching because I wasn’t doing what it was I was supposed to be doing. I wasn’t focused on purpose and passion. I was focused on who’s likely to pay me a little bit more than what I’m being paid now.”

Despite her professional achievements, she always felt that something was missing. “I always felt there was this void.” Here’s the kicker: Kimberla knew what she was supposed to do; she just chose to ignore it. All of her teachers, from elementary school through college, told her that she had a gift for writing and she should follow a career in writing. She chose a different path because she didn’t think she could earn a certain salary.

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Kimberla admits that ignoring the voices of all her teachers over the years was the biggest mistake she’s made.

She would have started writing sooner, “…had my mind not been focused on money and how much I could make versus my passion and purpose.”

Reality set in when she was passed over for a promotion although she had the most experience and education.

“That made me stop and say, ‘There’s got to be something different…What is it I’m supposed to do?’”

In 1995, Kimberla sat down and thought deeply about it and prayed about her passion and purpose. “I really want to do what God has placed me on this earth to do. I don’t want it to just be about dollars and cents.” She began to reflect on what her teachers told her about her gift for writing and decided to write a book. She’s been writing ever since. Although her book-writing career started off slowly, Kimberla’s focus on her passion and purpose has resulted in 27 published books, more than 2.8 million copies of her novels sold, and a presence on several bestseller lists.

Kimberla wrote her first book, Behind Closed Doors, while working full-time. She started writing every evening after work, every weekend and every holiday. She focused on this for seven months until the book was released in January 1997. Prior to release, she had sent her manuscript to several literary agents and received several rejections. This prompted her to send it to editors at publishing houses directly. Only to have more rejections come. Kimberla was going to give up but her mother told her not to do it and her husband encouraged her to start her own company so she could publish and market the book herself.

Behind Closed Doors made its way to #5 on the paperback fiction list on Essence magazine’s Black Board, the only self-published book out of all the categories they list each month. Armed with the book, sales figures, and other literary accolades, Kimberla secured an agent and sold her second book that had not yet been written to a publisher based on the success of the first book.

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Kimberla’s book, Casting the First Stone, became her third published book and the first book in the Reverend Curtis Black Series. When she wrote it, it wasn’t her intent to write a series; she just wanted to write standalone titles. However, her readers kept hounding her for more Rev. Curtis Black. She responded to their requests.

Fifteen books and 18 years later, her series is complete.

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But, her work is not done yet.

In addition to possibly bringing the Reverend Curtis Black Series to either the small screen or big screen, Kimberla is continuing her mission of helping women become all that God created them to be through her passions of writing and speaking. She doesn’t want women to make the mistake of following the money versus their passion and purpose. “… if you do what you’ve been placed on this earth to do and you follow the assignment and the purpose God has given you, the money will come anyhow.”

Also, Kimberla’s first nonfiction book will soon be released. The purpose of her book is to encourage, motivate and uplift women to become all that God created them to be. She included some of her failures, mistakes, fears and personal flaws, as well as lessons on how she overcame difficulties with the hope of helping others. Visit her website www.kimroby.com to learn more about her award-winning novels, the release of her new book and upcoming speaking engagements.

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22 Support Networks All Entrepreneurs Need to Succeed in Business

by Marcie Hill

Entrepreneurship is a lonely, but rewarding venture but you don’t have to go at it alone. While new business owners are advised to have an accountant and lawyer on their team, there’s rarely mention about the support networks you need as you start and grow your business. The people in these networks keep you focused, motivated, and accountable. They are sources of encouragement, ideas, referrals, and resources.

Additionally, they give you feedback, constructive criticism, and guidance. Regardless of which stage your business is in, you’re going to need support. It’s best to establish your support systems as soon as you consider starting your own business. Then, cultivate those relationships as your business grows. The following are support networks entrepreneurs need to succeed.

Support Networks All Entrepreneurs Need to Succeed Mentor A mentor is someone who has experience in the area in which you need help and is willing to help you. They provide direction and guidance and shorten your learning curve by months, even years. Mentoring relationships can be formal or informal, in-person or virtual. Generally speaking, the mentor gives more than the mentee. However, the mentee can reciprocate by checking in periodically and asking if he or she needs anything. When contacting your mentor for advice or check-ins, be respectful of his or her time.

Accountability Partner (AP) Accountability partners are the most important support people in your network. They hold you accountable for completing short-term projects. This is either a free or paid virtual relationship that requires commitment from both parties.

Here’s how this relationship works: You tell your AP the project you’re working on, the estimated completion date, and the desired result. Send a tentative outline of the steps required to complete the project. You both set a mutually convenient check-in schedule.

During check-ins, you will give an update on your progress, discuss challenges and next steps, and ask for advice, if needed. You could also brainstorm ideas. Your partner can be a mentor, coach, friend or colleague. Essentially, it is anyone committed and invested in your success.

Coach Coaches help you develop personally or professionally. You hire and pay them for a set amount of time, although the time could be extended upon agreement by both parties. You can work with multiple coaches simultaneously.

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Be sure the people you’re considering hiring are qualified to help you before investing in their services. Also, remember that you can fire them if they don’t provide the service and support you need.

Mastermind Group Mastermind groups are small groups that help you move forward professionally and keep you accountable in your endeavor. The group meets on a regular basis and each team member has a turn to discuss his or her successes and challenges, brainstorm ideas, and consider possible solutions based on suggestions from team members. They meet in-person or virtually over a long or short-term period. These groups can be formal or informal and with paid or unpaid memberships.

Online Groups Online groups are very convenient when you need help, especially when you spend most of your time online.

Most groups are either on Facebook or LinkedIn. The most effective groups have active moderators that post frequently and hold members accountable. The benefits of these online groups include, but are not limited to, meeting new and cool people, giving and receiving help, and they can help to keep you accountable. In addition, you’ll develop relationships that may grow offline.

In order to benefit from these groups, though, you have to be active. Don’t just appear with the expectation of getting help or drop in periodically, be prepared to share your knowledge and experiences consistently.

Memberships to online groups are typically free.

Meetups Check out Meetup.com to connect in-person with people with similar interests in business, hobbies, or fitness. In addition to meeting people and learning new things, there may opportunities to conduct presentations and workshops. You may also connect with potential partners for business projects. Most meetups are free to attend, however, some events require a small fee.

24 Professional Organizations These member-based organizations cater to professionals in specific professions and industries. Continuing education, updates on industry news and laws, and networking opportunities are just a few benefits they offer.

You have to pay annual dues, as well as registration fees for monthly meetings and other events.

Friends Friends are your foundation. They will listen to you, encourage you, and be honest with you, even if you don’t like it. When they may not know what you’re talking about, they may even ask clarifying questions and offer suggestions. Most importantly, they will comfort you during challenging times.

Business Development Centers Your business growth is their priority. They have counselors and partners to help you at all levels of business.

They hold workshops, seminars, conferences, and networking events, sometimes in partnership with organizations that want to reach business owners. They offer opportunities to pitch and present your business to investors and banks for funding. And they connect you with other business owners who can become clients or partners. Counseling services are free, but you do have to pay for workshops, conferences and other special events and services.

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Sistah’s Place Soulful Kitchen Jeanee Patton Owner of Kennedy’s Sweet Tooth The holidays are a time where families come together for joyous family gatherings surrounded by traditional holiday favorites. Let’s face it; there is nothing like grandma’s cooking permeating throughout the house.

Louisianans get the best of both worlds. Traditional holiday dishes and Cajun/Creole dishes are enjoyed and served up for every holiday. Fresh seafood is abundant and a way of life in the Bayou State. There should be no surprise that we incorporate seafood into our holiday dishes. That’s why I’m excited to share with you a family favorite at our holiday table called Seafood Cornbread Dressing.

Once you try this recipe for Seafood Dressing it will become a staple on your holiday menu. This recipe is loaded with shrimp, crawfish and crabmeat mixed with your favorite corn bread recipe. You’re going to love the newest addition to your holiday menu. Oh yes, it’s that good!

Seafood Dressing

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Favorite Homemade Buttermilk Corn Bread recipe or 2 boxes Jiffy Corn Bread (I prefer homemade.)

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1 – 1 ½ sticks of butter

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1/2 cup chopped onions

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1/2 cup chopped celery

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1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

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1/4 cup chopped green onions

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1/4 cup of dried parsley

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1-2 teaspoons of minced garlic

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1 (10 oz) can cream of shrimp soup

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1 (14 oz) can chicken broth

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shrimp, peeled and deveined

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crawfish tails

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crabmeat (you may use a combination of listed seafood or all three)

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Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, dash of old bay seasoning, and red crushed pepper to taste Directions Make cornbread according to recipe or according to packaged cornbread and bake until golden brown.

Let cornbread cool completely and crumble in a large bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a large baking pan.

Melt butter in a skillet, add fresh chopped vegetables and sauté until wilted. The measurements above are a suggestion, because I usually add more. If you do not want to chop fresh vegetables a small bag of seasoning blend is fine to use. Add soup, broth, shrimp, crawfish and crabmeat. Mix well and heat but do not bring to a boil. Add seasonings and adjust until you get the desired taste you like.

Pour the seafood mixture on top of the cornbread and mix well. Add additional broth if necessary, but I find 1 can is enough. Bake for about 30-40 minutes until a nice gold crust has formed on top. Now get ready to be blown away by this delicious recipe.

Contact: Kennedy’s Sweet Tooth at (678)-242-9629 or via email at Kennedyssweettooth@gmail.com

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