Generosity and Kindness

Two really wonderful random acts of kindness have happened in my life this week, and I thought I would share them with you…

Last Wednesday, my boss approached me and asked, “With all of the resources that you know about, can you talk to this guy? I think you may be able to help him out.” I sat down with the man, and he told me a little bit about his situation. He has been desperately trying to find a job, and he needed money to buy/rent a suit for his daughter’s wedding. I told him I would see what I could do to locate a suit for him.

A little overwhelmed by the task, I began searching. Men’s professional clothing is actually pretty difficult to find in non-profit clothing closets in Wake County. I called many clothing closets with no success. I, then, decided to reach out to friends. After sending a mass email and posting it on Facebook, I had a great response! People, who I didn’t really know that well, stepped up to fill this man clothing void. I could not have felt luckier to have been connected to such wonderful and generous people.

The second act of kindness has to do with AmeriCorps – Access JobLink’s upcoming professional clothing drive. A few weeks ago, I contacted a bunch of consignment shops in the area to see if any of them might donate unsold clothing to our cause. Some were open to the idea, but none of them had followed up with me…. until this weekend!

Villa Consegna, in 5 Points, called me this weekend with clothing to offer. When I picked them up, I was so excited by the quality of clothing they contributed. A St. John’s suit, multiple cardigans with tags still attached, and more… clothing that will make people feel beautiful during their job search!

I always get so excited when people reach out to help. It shows the support that we all can find in times of need. We’re all so interconnected, and I hope I never lose sight of that!

Mushroom Risotto
4 T. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
4 T. butter, diced
1 lb. mushrooms
½ cup freshly grated parmesan

Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 5 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes.

Gradually add the stock, about ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly, waiting until it is absorbed before adding more. Continue in this manner for 25 minutes or until the rice is barely tender and has a creamy consistency, adding water if the stock runs out.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until the mushrooms have browned and the liquid evaporates.

Stir the mushrooms into the rice and remove from the heat. Stir in the cheese and serve immediately.

Celebrations, engagements, and good food

One of the coolest parts of my 20's, so far, has been seeing how quickly life can change completely in a matter of months, weeks, or even days. One day, you don't know what to do with your life; the next day, you're accepting a spot in graduate school. One day, you are dating a guy you love very much; the next day, you're accepting a ring and promising a lifetime.

My best friend, Rachel, has had a weekend that she'll carry with her in her memory bank for decades. Friday night, she was getting ready for a dinner date and the next minute she was slipping a beautiful (and sparkly) ring on her left ring finger. Her fiancé, John, is a great guy who makes her laugh when she needs it most, and I have no doubt that they will spend a lifetime cracking each other up.

I've really had to learn to "go with the flow" over the past few months, because friendships, professions, and lives mold into new manifestations so often and so quickly. I'm realizing that relationships will always be there, but they may grow up a bit and change in the next few years. I have found every moment of this year exciting with so many of my friends' lives falling into place (as well as, my own). There are moments though, where I gasp at the whirlwind...there are moments when I want to step on the brakes a bit for fear of getting lost in all of the change around me. I am absolutely a creature of habit and routine. I keep most parts of my life very simple, and that consistency gives me peace during busy days.

Routine is not what anyone's 20's are about, and I understand that. I'll just sit back and enjoy the moment, because every weekend seems to be a life-changing one, these days!

Dan Dan Noodles
1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted
4 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar
Kosher salt
2 half-sour dill pickles
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger
4 scallions, finely chopped
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
8 ounces ground pork
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 to 4 teaspoons Chinese chili oil, plus more for serving
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
9 ounces dried Chinese egg noodles
1 medium head bok choy, sliced crosswise

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Pulse the sesame seeds in a mini food processor with 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt until powdery; set aside.

Prepare the stir-fry: Quarter, seed and finely dice the pickles and put in a bowl. In another bowl, mix the garlic, ginger, scallions, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Mix 1 tablespoon soy sauce and the broth in a third bowl. Mix the pork with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon salt in another bowl. Place the four bowls by the stove.

Place a large skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, then the pork, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until cooked but not dry, 4 minutes. Transfer the meat to a bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet; stir-fry the pickles for 1 minute. Add the garlic mixture and fry 30 seconds. Add the broth and boil until reduced by half, 4 minutes. Divide the broth among bowls and drizzle with the chili oil and vinegar.

Meanwhile, add the noodles and bok choy to the boiling water and cook until just tender, 2 minutes. Drain and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil. Season with salt, then divide among the bowls. Top with pork and sprinkle with sesame powder. Serve with more sesame and chili oil.

Homemade, not from a box!

A very embarrassing fact about my cooking knowledge in the recent past is that I didn't realize that homemade brownies were a possibility. Now, let me just say that this is not my gourmet chef of a mom's fault; I'm sure she made them at one point in my childhood. Missing this fact is just evidence to how not observant I am about the variety of recipes in this world.

I've always thought, buy a box of mix and follow the directions for brownies...the same way I've thought about store-bought ricotta cheese or pancakes (before this year.) I have no excuse either, because I absolutely love brownies. In fact, I basically lived off of brownies as a study snack during my summer of organic chemistry.

Anyway, I have developed my brownies baking skills by leaps and bounds this week. The recipe that I tried turned out to be delicious. Don't eat too many though, because it has a Paula Deen portion of butter!

Wednesday Chef's Brownies
10 T. unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, cold
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot. It looks fairly gritty at this point, but don’t fret — it smooths out once the eggs and flour are added.

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack. Put the cooled pan in the fridge or freezer for a while to help achieve clean lines when cutting the brownies.

Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.

Urban Ministries

As a full-time volunteer, I feel like it's important for me to let you know of some of the wonderful people and resources in Wake County. I'm going to start with Urban Ministries. I have been nothing but completely impressed by the staff at Urban Ministries and the amount of heart they all have. Some of the services they provide are:

1. A comprehensive clinic for uninsured citizens (acute and chronic care), including pharmacy services with $3.1 million dollars of free medicine.
2. A food bank, providing more than 270 tons of food each year.
3. A transitional women's shelter for 230 women in Wake County
4. A JobLink Access Point, complete with AmeriCorps volunteers (like me!)

Urban Ministries has shown me that there really are physicians and medical professionals who want every citizen to have comprehensive medical care. Dr. Greenberg is a perfect example. Both he and his wife are physicians, and they both worked as faculty physicians at Duke for many years. Realizing that they were making more money than they actually needed, Dr. Greenberg greatly reduced his hours at his prestigious job and took a significant pay cut to heal the people who needed it most. People like Dr. Greenberg are the reason why I have hope for our world.
If you want to learn more about Urban Ministries or need a place to volunteer, visit their website! www.urbanmin.org

Sweet and Sour Shrimp Stir-fry
3/4 lb. peeled shrimp
1 egg white
1 T. dry sherry
1 T. cornstarch
3 cups vegetables (I used snow peas, onions, carrots, and edamame)
Vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
A pinch of salt and sugar

For sauce:
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tsp. soy sauce
3 T. rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sesame oil

Whisk egg white, sherry, and cornstarch together. Toss with shrimp; cover and refrigerate, 1 hour.

Meanwhile, combine all sauce contents to make sauce.
Drain the excess marinade from the shrimp. Place your sauce, vegetables and protein near the stove. Heat 1/4 inch vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp; slowly stir until almost opaque, 30 second to 1 minute. Transfer to a plate; discard oil and wipe out the pan.

Heat the pan over high heat, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 T. oil, then 2 cloves minced garlic and a pinch of salt and sugar; stir-fry about 30 seconds. Add the vegetables, starting with the ones that take the longest to cook; stir-fry until crisp-tender.

Add the shrimp and sauce and stir until the sauce is thick and the vegetables and shrimp are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Thin with chicken broth, if needed. Garnish with peanuts.

Salad Sunday

Yesterday, I played medical school student for the day...all celebration and no hard work though. Walking into the Medical Biomolecular Research Building with the rods of Asclepius looming over the entrance, I had to catch my breath...this is all real now.

One of my new classmates described Second Look as the first day of Kindergarten, and it was a perfect metaphor. I feel like I'm not one who is usually awkward, but I definitely didn't really know what to do with myself as we all stood in the lobby. I thought, "Should I just jump into a group or start talking to another awkward loner? Will my interviewers from the application process remember me, and should I thank them? Gosh, when will the programming start so I can just sit and listen?" The day ended up being so perfect. Walking around Chapel Hill and UNC, I felt like I was getting to know an old friend again. I'm so excited for the Fall!

A few weeks ago, when the temperatures were frigid and no blue skies were in sight, my food guru and I discussed what I should do about Soup Sunday when the weather warms up. Let's face it; no one wants split pea soup when it's 80 degrees. While Gazpacho is delicious, do I really want to have a different kind of cold soup every week of the summer? Heck no!

We came to the conclusion that Soup Sunday can transform into Salad Sunday with the warmer season. While I'm not completely finished with Soup Sunday, I am going to try the new theme in honor of the immaculate weather we all enjoyed in North Carolina this weekend.

Garden Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
4 cups Organic Herb Salad Mix**

Combine first 7 ingredients; stir with a wire whisk until blended.  Cover and chill at least 2 hours.  Serve with greens.

**Some things are worth the splurge at the grocery store; this is one of them.  The combination of delicous lettuce, spinach, and herbs makes this salad easy and tasty.  You won't need other fixins with the herb mix**

Mistakes and Lessons Learned

One of the most common occurrences that I encounter when I'm explaining my job to friends and family is the change of expression when I say that I'm working with former offenders. I understand, because I had a slight anxiety about that idea before beginning the job. What would it be like? Would I feel safe?

Actually, the coolest thing about this job has been the process of learning that we all have a lot in common (humanity, that is). We all make bad decisions sometimes, and a lot of times we don't feel any real consequences for our mistakes...but sometimes those decisions can completely change our lives.

A lady that I worked with today whispered to me in the Hope Center (which was basically empty at the time) that she had a felony charge "hanging over [her] head." She said that she wouldn't take up my time by talking about it, which is when I said, "No, no, I'm on your side. Let's talk about it. What happened?" She gave me some details... basically, it was a drug charge that resulted in her spending 13 months in the Department of Corrections.

Let me just stop here to tell you that this lady carries herself in the utmost professional manner and has the friendliest disposition. Despite living in a shelter, she always comes into the Hope Center looking very put-together and ready for an impromptu interview. I'd worked with her the past few times I've volunteered, yet she waited until today to tell me about her criminal background. (In fact, I asked her on Tuesday if she had anything on her record, and she said she didn't.)

The words that stood out in my mind the most today were when she said, "Mimi, I'm just so embarrassed about it." Gosh, can't we all relate to that! Messing up, making a stupid mistake (no matter how big or small), and feeling the shame that goes along with it. My program manager says that my downfall is that I can sometimes be "prideful" when I'm not careful, and I agree with that. Because of this, I completely understood my customer's feelings today.

We all make dumb choices sometimes and, a lot of times, dealing with the consequences isn't the hardest part. The hardest part (and the biggest potential for growth) occurs when we step back, acknowledge our mistakes, and become better because of them. I hope that my customer sees this, will grow from her experiences, and will find peace in her future endeavors.

Rhubarb and Walnut Muffins
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped rhubarb
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven 325 degrees F.

Combine dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients, mixing only until moist. Fold in rhubarb and walnuts. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over muffins. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

A Little Bit of Luck

Last week, at a Youth Summit, a motivational speaker compared setting and achieving goals to the growth of bamboo.  Bamboo can grow 4 feet in 24 hours but only after months upon months of establishing a strong and stable root structure.  I loved the metaphor.

This year has been a lucky one.  If I think back to where I was one year ago, I am amazed by how much has changed and how much I've experienced.  One year ago, I had just quit my job, I was studying for the MCAT, and I was kind of in limbo about my goals.  I had a very real idea of what I wanted to happen, but I felt so far away from getting into school.

One year ago, on Wednesday, I was driving to Greenville to interview for Summer Program for Future Doctors.  On my way to ECU, I had both forgotten my cell phone at home and missed the Hwy 64-264 split.  Unable to call about my tardiness and completely unsure of how to get to Greenville (once I'd missed the exit), I was a speed demon in Eastern North Carolina.  I had left about 30 minutes early from home, but I arrived 5 minutes after my interview was supposed to begin.  Frantic, sweating, and completely believing that I had screwed up my chances, I sat down for an interview with a lovely Pediatrician.  Somehow, St. Patrick's Day must have been on my side.  Getting into that program jump started my future.

If you had told me last St. Patrick's Day that, in a year, I would be participating in AmeriCorps, getting to know new people every day with my work, and awaiting the beginning of medical school at UNC, I would have not believed that for a second.  I am one lucky duck! 

Marilyn O’Reilly’s Irish Soda Bread
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons caraway seeds, optional
1 cup raisins
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg

Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt and stir well to mix. Add the butter and rub in until the butter disappears into the dry ingredients. Stir in the caraway seeds if used and the raisins.

In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg together and mix into the dough mixture with a rubber spatula.

Turn the dough out on a floured work surface and fold it over on itself several times, shaping it into a round loaf. Transfer the loaf to one cookie sheet or jelly roll pan covered with parchment or foil and cut a cross in the top.

Bake for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 350 and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes more, until well colored and a toothpick plunged into the center emerges clean. Cool the soda bread on a rack and serve with plenty of sweet butter and bitter orange marmalade.

Soup Sunday

This recipe came from The Wednesday Chef.  If you don't follow that blog, you don't know what you're missin!

Leek Soup with Peas and Sauerkraut
(http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/)
Serves 4 to 6

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large leeks, about 2 cups, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped mint or chopped parsley
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1 pound frozen green peas
1 cup fresh sauerkraut (if there's something in your sauerkraut other than cabbage and salt, rinse it before adding it to the pot)

Add the oil to a large saucepan and heat it over medium heat. Add the leeks, mint, if using, and salt. Cook the leeks until tender, 5 to 8 minutes.

Add the stock. Simmer for a few minutes, then add the peas and cook until the peas are tender—just a couple of minutes. Add the sauerkraut and parsley and stir to combine. Taste for salt and adjust if necessary.

Let the sauerkraut heat through, then turn off the heat and serve, drizzled with olive oil, if desired.

Entertaining...Quelle Blast!

One thing that I've discovered this year is that I love to entertain.  There is nothing more fun than planning, decorating, and cooking for friends.  Before a dinner party, I can't help but envision the people I care about digging into the food that I spent time putting together.  Being that I've thrown multiple dinner parties and get-togethers this year, I am a true testament to the fact that entertaining does not have to be expensive.

On Tuesday night, I had my wonderful Book Club over to discuss Holly Golightly from Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's.  Wine was flowing and conversation amongst the gals was fun as always.  We all decided that Mr. Capote's style is poetic and that Holly has so many characteristics that we love and relate to (even if she is a floozie).

Being that my real life friend, Holly, loves cheese pizza more than just about any other kind of food, I decided that she would be an ideal critic for my homemade pizza.  You'll have to ask her, but I thought it was a hit.  I also had a chocolate fondue bar.  If you have a fondue pot, this is the perfect crowd pleaser...and so cheap.  I refused to make one that involved me buying some expensive liquor that would take up space in my cabinets.  I chose a simple recipe, and I must say that it was a success!

Chocolate Fondue
16 ounces chocolate (milk, dark or semisweet), broken in pieces
1/2 pint whipping cream
1/2 cup caramel topping

Heat all ingredients medium-low heat on the stove.  Pour chocolate in a ceramic fondue pot over low heat. Arrange an assortment of bite-sized dipping foods around fondue pot. Some suggestions are strawberries, apples, marshmallows, and pretzels. Spear with fondue forks or wooden skewers, dip, swirl and enjoy!

Make Dough Rise...
Since I've already shared my pizza recipes, here are ideas of how to make dough rise in a cold house (I live in an igloo to save money):

- On the lower shelf, place a large, shallow pan inside an unlit oven. Pour in boiling water. On the shelf right above, place the covered dough centered over the filled pan and close the oven door. Remember not to turn on the oven until the rising dough is taken out.
- Place the covered dough in the laundry room while doing the laundry.
- Heat a towel in the dryer so it gets very warm. Then wrap the hot towel around the bowl’s base.
- If it's a sunny day in the winter time, place in sunlight. If it's a summer sun, it's too hot.
During the summer, your garage may become a perfect place for the dough to rise in.
- If you have a gas oven, set the temp to 200 degrees F, and wait until you hear the burner come on. Then close the door for 1 minute. Turn off the oven and put the covered dough inside. Remove before you preheat the oven to baking temperatures. If you have an electric oven, heat for about 1 minute 15 seconds. Place covered dough inside to rise. Remove before preheating the oven.

Eat a Pretzel and Read Jodi

Tonight, I saw Jodi Picoult speak at Meredith College. It's one of many fun activities that I was/am determined to do before I begin medical school...even if it means going alone...which I did tonight. It's true, I went to her speech by myself; I didn't feel alone though, because there was this really lovely retired lady sitting next to me and we had the best conversation. We talked about kindles versus books, my love of Carolina, her love of NC State, the fact that I live happily without a television, and the stresses she is going through with her husband who has had one leg (and soon 2 legs) amputated due to diabetes. I am so glad that I chose to go even without a buddy and ended up sitting next to her.

As far as Jodi goes. Here is what I can tell you:

1. She's a literary Goddess. She is clearly a hard worker and a true testament that women can juggle babies and husbands and busy, successful careers all at the same time.
2. She loves Glee.
3. She has very strong political and social views, and she uses her talent to make them a part of book club discussion across America.
4. She has beautiful, fluffy, curly red hair.
5. She HATED the fact that the ending was changed on My Sister's Keeper. In fact, she was kicked off of the movie set while trying to get an explanation from the director (who swore he would never change the ending.)
6. She researches A LOT for her books... Visits prisons, interviews families, speaks with experts, and basically tries to understand every crevice of her stories. Also, she speaks about her characters as if they are real people. It's amazing to me (especially since I'm a science major) that people can bring such imagination to life.
7. She doesn't believe in Writer's Block, which I'm going to try to live by...honestly, I blame my lazy attitude about my blog some nights on this imaginary ailment.

Anywho, she was lovely, and definitely on my top 15 list of people I would want to have dinner with (others include Paul Farmer, Barack, Oprah, Jeannette Walls, Picasso... I think that's as far as I've gotten.)

Enjoy the Pretzels!

Rachey's and My Oscar Snack: Soft Pretzels

For the Pretzels:
1 cup milk
1 package active dry yeast
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1 teaspoon fine salt
1/3 cup baking soda
2 tablespoons coarse salt

For the Sauce:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
Directions

Make the pretzels: Warm the milk in a saucepan until it's about 110 degrees; pour into a medium bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let the yeast soften, about 2 minutes; stir in the brown sugar and 1 cup flour with a wooden spoon. Dice 2 tablespoons butter and soften; stir into the mix. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups flour and the fine salt to make a sticky dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead, adding more flour if needed, until smooth but still slightly tacky, about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and grease a large baking sheet. Punch the dough to deflate it, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface. (If the dough seems tight, cover and let rest until it relaxes.) Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Roll and stretch each piece with the palms of your hands into a 30-inch rope, holding the ends and slapping the middle of the rope on the counter as you stretch. Form each rope into a pretzel shape.

Dissolve the baking soda in 3 cups warm water in a shallow baking dish. Gently dip each pretzel in the soda solution, then arrange on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with the coarse salt. Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

Prepare the sauce: Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, brown sugar and vinegar in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a shallow dish. Brush pretzels with butter; place on a wire rack to let excess butter drip off. Serve the pretzels warm with the sweet mustard sauce.

Cooking Lessons at Raleigh Rescue Mission

Yesterday morning, I woke up at 5:00am to volunteer at the Raleigh Rescue Mission. Upon entering the building, I realized that shelters wake up hours before the rest of the world. I sleepily made my way to the kitchen where 4 energetic residents were preparing breakfast.

Finding a spot next to the stove, one man encouraged me to take over the pancake making. With a giant bowl of pancake mix and a commercial size working surface, I began the process of flipping over 100 pancakes.

I soon discovered that one of the residents, who took me on as his apprentice, had quite a bit of kitchen experience. In fact, he made me look like a serious amateur (as opposed to a slight amateur, which I know I am). Reminding me to grease the surface every time and not press down on the pancakes (it causes the outside to cook without cooking the inside), I learned how to cook for a large crowd…and, honestly, I don’t think I’m cut out for it. It was a fun morning, and my respect and admiration goes out to those men who can juggle cooking eggs, pancakes, sausage, bacon, and grits before the sun comes up.

Indian Spiced Chickpea and Tomato Soup
Recipe by Rachel Ray

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans chickpeas, drained
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2/3 palm ful
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and pepper
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
1 cup plain yogurt
Warm pita, any flavor or variety, toasted

Heat a medium pot with extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Grind the chickpeas and onion in food processor. Add to pot and cook 5 minutes to sweeten onion. Season the chickpeas with cumin, cardamom, turmeric, salt and pepper. Stir in stock, then tomatoes. Simmer soup 5 to 10 minutes to combine flavors. Serve with a dollop of yogurt and warm pita for dipping.

Security Guard's Story...round 2

I think I can be a bit too much of an idealist when it comes to life and, most of all, my job. I always envision my customers finding this great job and living happily ever after. Maybe I watched a bit too much Disney as a child.

On Monday, the security guard walked back into the JobLink Center. Remember the security guard? He was the one who apparently found his ideal job and had me to credit for a lot of the assistance. Well, he's not happy where he is now, and he's back to apply for something different. He said that he worked in a rough part of town in the security gig. Now he wants to work in security at the prison...I was thinking, talk about "rough." Anywho, he's back for Round 2 in the job search.

After a little marinating on this entire issue, I have to commend him for his resilience. At least he is continuing to search and is not phased by yet another career change. Will I ever be like that? No. I'll probably have about 5 jobs during my entire life, and I don't plan to change careers after next year. I can't judge the security guard though. He's a continuously positive guy, and he has no problem spending his life in the search for his niche in the career world.

Hopefully, 2nd time will be the charm for our friend though... for my sake.

Sweet Potato with Warm Bean Salad
**I found that this recipe seemed to miss that one something...add a small, spicy pepper or hot sauce to the bean salad. I think that's what it was missing.**

4 medium sweet potatoes
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Prick sweet potatoes with a fork in several places. Microwave on High until tender all the way to the center, 12 to 15 minutes. (Alternatively, place in a baking dish and bake at 425 degrees F until tender all the way to the center, about 1 hour.)

Meanwhile, in a medium microwaveable bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, oil, cumin, coriander and salt; microwave on High until just heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. (Alternatively, heat in a small saucepan over medium heat.)

When just cool enough to handle, slash each sweet potato lengthwise, press open to make a well in the center and spoon the bean mixture into the well. Top each with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cilantro.