Adams Brown Family Reunion Newsletter - January 2018

ISSUE NO. 1

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JANUARY 2018

CHICAGO IN 2018 MILDRED'S LEGACY LIVES ON AS CHICAGO FOCUSES ON "THE MAGIC OF FAMILY" That's right folks! The highly anticipated Chicago reunion is finally upon us! Plans are underway and we are putting together an awesome 4-DAY EVENT that you certainly don't want to miss! The theme for this year's reunion is, "The Magic of Family," and we have a lot of magical things in the works. All of the preliminary details are included within this newsletter, so settle in, grab your favorite beverage and browse at your leisure. It's time to get down in Chi-Town baby!

WHAT'S IN THIS ISSUE SAVE THE DATE SIBLING SPOTLIGHT ARTICLES RECIPES "UNCONDITIONAL" INTRODUCTION AND MORE!

The HFA Invites You to A ttend the 10th

ADAMS-BROWN FAMILY REUNION July 26-29, 2018 Chicago, IL Mark your calendars!

Information and updates will be shared monthly.

Pictured Above: Hall Family Associates (HFA) - Seated: Rosemary Johnson, Paul Hall, Sr., Earline Hall Standing: Stanley Hall Sr., Penny Hall, Beverly Ballentine, Lisa Brooks, Donald Hall, Oscar Hall, Sr., Sandra Hall-Brewster, Joanne Lockhart, Harrison Hall, Charmaine Anderson.

OSCAR J. HALL Born February 11, 1942 Spouse: Rosie Hall

Favorites

Color: Blue Food: Italian Beef from Lulu's Song: Function at the Junction by Shorty Long

Legacy 7 Children: Dowan Hall, Dawauna Walker, Oscar Hall, Jr., Marcos Hall, Brian Hall, Bridget Allison, and Alana Hall 27 Grandchildren 11 Great Grandchildren (another on the way!)

Interview

What does family magic means to you?

The camaraderie of the family and the way things seem to gel with the family .

Tell us a funny story about a time you stepped into the big brother role on behalf of your siblings?

On Mama's porch....if guys were on the porch they had to go.

What is your first memory of Big Mama Hattie?

Can't remember how old I was....her husband had a mule/horse and I wanted to play with it and Big Mama Hattie wouldn't let me.

What prompted the annual family cookout which led to the bi-annual family reunion?

It came because of Daddy, on holidays...taught everyone should be together. I thought we should continue annually.

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As the torch is handed to the next generation how would you like to see the event evolve?

Would like to see it continue to grow and get bigger.

Unconditional No holiday would be complete in my family without desserts. The dessert table had an array of sweet treats. There was chocolate-on- chocolate cake, caramel cake, German chocolate cake, banana pudding, lemon cheesecake, strawberry cheese cake, sweet potato pie, apple pie, blueberry pie, and vanilla ice cream. So now you see why I’m stuffed!

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

Introduction

I’m stuffed! Mama has prepared another fabulous Thanksgiving dinner. The house was filled with guests (most were family). I unbuttoned my jeans for relief; eating all that food makes it hard to breathe. You would think these $600 designer jeans would come with a size adjuster. Good thing I’m wearing an oversized swing sweater to cover the evidence of overeating. I’ll have to add an additional mile to my run tomorrow to make up for it!

My mama is the world’s greatest soul food chef.

When this woman goes into the kitchen she throws down. The menu included collard greens with smoked pork, mustard greens with smoked turkey, green beans with no meat for our family (we recently adopted the vegan lifestyle), two turkeys, a ham, meatless sausage links, macaroni and cheese, a few pans of lasagna (1 pork, 1 turkey, 1 vegan) sweet corn, deviled eggs, sweet potatoes (known to most as candied yams), cornbread dressing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes & gravy, and my personal favorite homemade dinner rolls.

As I sat fighting the itis (the drowsy sleepy feeling you get after eating a large meal), I watched the children play and thought about my childhood. I enjoyed being the carefree, playful, and energetic child I was. I would say that I missed those days, but truthfully, I’m happy for my journey.

That said, life wasn’t all glitz and glamour. Coming from a family as large as mine, there were a lot of ups countered by downs. At one point, I didn’t think we would ever be this happy. We’ve learned some hard lessons on this journey. We’ve traveled with God’s grace (even though we were not always graceful), and His mercy (for the many times each of us messed up). There are no words to describe the power of God, nothing comes close to how great God is. The blessing is that He still made time for us. He is the Savior. I’ve been told that the Bible says that God takes care of fools and babies. I can’t find that scripture but that’s what “they” say and He has truly taken care of us. This year I’m thankful for my family!

Come along with us each month as we take you on a journey of one family’s quest to discover and redefine unconditional family love.

We Play - We Love - We Share - We Pray We Laugh - We Fight - We Live!

Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients 1 pound (450g) red kidney beans Kosher salt 1 tablespoon (15ml) vegetable oil or lard 1 pound (about 450g) cooked andouille sausage, cut into 1/2-inch disks 1 large onion, finely chopped (about 12 ounces; 340g) 1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped (about 8 ounces; 225g) 4 ribs celery, finely chopped (about 8 ounces; 225g) 4 medium cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon (3 to 15g) ground cayenne pepper (depending on how hot you like it) 1 teaspoon (about 4g) ground sage Freshly ground black pepper 1 smoked ham hock (optional) 8 ounces (225g) pickled pork shoulder or rind (optional; see note) 4 sprigs fresh thyme 3 bay leaves Hot sauce, such as Crystal or Frank's, to taste Cider vinegar, to taste (optional; see note) Cooked white rice, for serving

Ingredients Brown Lentils Chili powder Cayenne pepper Olive oil Sea salt Lettuce Avocado Shredded cheese Sour cream Grilled onions Corn or flour tortillas Hot sauce *Optional

February brings many things - one of them being Mardi Gras. Celebrate with this recipe submitted by cousin Lakeshia Howze out of Los Angeles, CA.

Directions Place beans in a large bowl and cover with 6 cups (1.5L) cold water. Add 2 tablespoons (30g) kosher salt and stir until dissolved. Set aside at room temperature for 8 to 16 hours. Drain and rinse.

In a large Dutch oven, heat oil or lard over medium-high heat until shimmering.

Add andouille and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery. Season with salt and cook, stirring, until vegetables have softened and are just starting to brown around the edges, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add cayenne pepper, sage, and a generous 10 to 12 grinds of fresh black pepper. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beans, along with enough water to cover by about 2 inches (roughly 6 to 8 cups), ham hock (if using), pickled pork (if using), thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce to a bare simmer. Cover and cook until beans are completely tender, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. (Older beans can take longer.)

Remove lid and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has thickened and turned creamy, about 20 minutes. If the pot starts to look dry before the stew turns creamy, add a cup of water and continue simmering. Repeat as necessary until desired level of creaminess is achieved. Discard bay leaves and thyme stems. Season to taste with hot sauce, a few teaspoons of cider vinegar (if using), and more salt and pepper. For best texture, let cool and refrigerate overnight.

Reheat the next day, adding a little water to loosen to desired consistency. Serve red beans over steamed white rice.

Easy Vegetarian Tacos Try your hand at this healthy alternative to a family favorite! We are sure your family will love this recipe submitted by cousin Tierra Muhammad in Chicago!

Directions Cook Lentils according to package Season lentils to taste once they are soft.

Place small portion in tortilla shells topped with lettuce, cheese, avocado and grilled onions.

Enjoy!

Have a recipe you want to share in the Newsletter?

Email the HFA Newsletter Committee at hfanewsletter@gmail.com.

We will include as many recipes as we can!

Family Mad Libs Ask a friend to choose a word for each part of speech specified without them looking at the story.

Read the story out loud.

Laugh and laugh some more.

Hey Family! What better way to express the magic of family than by celebrating our successes and accomplishments?

Is your child graduating?

Did someone get a new job or scholarship?

Someone joining the Armed Services?

Is someone retiring or announcing an upcoming retirement?

Wedding?

New baby?

New business?

New home?

ANYTHING that you're just feeling good about and want to share?

Let us know!

Submit all "Celebrations" entries to: The HFA Newsletter Committee hfanewsletter@gmail.com

We hope you have thoroughly enjoyed the first installment of the The Magic Monthly. If you have any questions or feedback, please reach out to the HFA Newsletter Committee. hfanewsletter@gmail.com HFA Newsletter Committee Yolanda Robinson - Tierra Muhammad Marisa Dickson - Carla Curry