side dish – Backdoor Hospitality

Thankful with Sweet Potato Goodness (& so much more)

The words that penetrated my soul the most, “my sons were hungry and the only thing I could give them was water.” This was part of a guest speaker’s story. She was a small Honduran woman, measuring a mere 4 feet and 9 inches, but she made up for it with tremendous heart & conviction. Her name, Danubia Orellana Lopez, and she is apart of the Agros village of Brisas del Volcan.

Danubia was the speaker at the Agros International fundraiser dinner Ben and I attended at the end of October. It seemed fitting that we attended just days before we plunged into doing this 30 day challenge. Agros is an amazing organization, who seeks to empower people in Central America & Mexico through micro loans to purchase land. Many of these people, like Danubia, lived in the slums and had to wake up at 2:30 am to walk 2 hours to get to the farm (to which she & her husband worked for someone else), work an 18 hour day and only get paid $.40 a day. She recalls the times when payday arrived and the owner of the land wasn’t there to pay her & her husband. Those were the days when all she could offer her children was water to fill their bellies. She also recalled a time at the age of 14, when her mother only had 3 eggs to feed the 14 kids….I am truly blessed.

I can’t imagine that world. To feel absolutely defenseless and unable to give your children a basic necessity. Agros seeks to extend both physical means to these people who are willing to work REALLY hard to till their land; but, also give them emotional/spiritual means. They come in to teach the people how to cultivate the land, how to educate themselves, how to make financial deals, etc. What Agros does, is tell these people like Danubia, that if they are willing to want something more, then they can have it. More importantly, what Agros does & says to them, “You are worth it! You have value!”

Danubia spoke of telling her mother that she wanted to be a nurse when she grew up. Her mother said, “Danubia, people like us don’t dream, because our hearts just get broken.” After Agros came in to empower Danubia, her family & community, she and other women worked together to make the men realize that they are just as important & valuable as them. And you know what, after the women worked just as hard, the men realized that these women, their women, had dignity & value.

When I think about what Evangitality means–this is it. This is the global representation of it. It’s finding value, dignity & worth in each individual, because they are created in God’s image. It’s empowering them by giving them a hand up, and not a hand out. It’s not entitlement, because there are many people who choose to stay in slums so they can keep their TV or refrigerator. Instead, it’s for the people who want something more, who want to dream. Life without dreams isn’t a life worth living, and Danubia knew this.

Walking back to the hotel that night, I told Ben, “You know, the poor in America aren’t that poor. They still get assistance. They’re not putting their children to bed without food.” It has made me more thankful than ever. And that’s why I give thanks before my meals. I thank God that I have more than enough to fill my family’s bellies. So when I’ve been cranky during this 3o day challenge, or hear people whining about, “Oh, I ONLY get meat, vegetables, limited fruit & nuts, and eggs,” I’m reminded of Danubia’s words, “my sons were hungry and the only thing I could give them was water.” Oh how I have nothing to complain about, and everything to give thanks about.

I’m thankful for simple meals too. So simple it seems almost too good to be true.

A Year Ago: Brown Sugar Cupcakes with Sea Salted Caramel Frosting & Oatmeal Carmelitas

Cinnamon Sweet Potato Goodness (printable recipe)

This is for one sweet potato, but you could easily increase the amount and play with the ingredients. If you’re not a cinnamon fan, sub some nutmeg (but go easy on it) or add some smoked paprika.

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato

1 tsp coconut oil

dash sea salt

2 Tb pecans

sprinkle cinnamon

Directions: Bake a sweet potato on 350 for 30 minutes or so (check a source, I’m that person who pops it in and doesn’t worry about it). Do this the day before if you’re having it for breakfast. Remove the skin and cut up the sweet potato into chunks.

Heat up coconut oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add the sweet potato & salt. Stir around letting it get a bit golden, about 3 minutes. Add some chopped pecans & a sprinkling of cinnamon. Cook for an additional 1 minute or so. Serve and enjoy!

Mrs. Carrillo’s Spanish Rice

I’ve spoken of my adopted family the Carrillo before & again. My love for genuine Mexican food is not something I can keep hidden. In fact, just the other night I was having dinner at a friend’s house and someone asked where I grew up. My answer going back to Yuma, Az, which inevitably leads to my love of Mexican food. I was asked what type of Mexican food stood out as the best back in my hometown. And it always, always goes back to the Carrillo’s home.

Mrs. Carrillo would make fresh flour tortillas on the comal. Mr. Carrillo would eat jalapenos straight from the jar while watching soccer, while I would stare in amazement. I learned by eating a jalapeno straight from the jar that you need to drink milk or pour some salt on your tongue to get that burning feeling away (I wanted to show everyone I too could be strong enough, but I only got so far as let it touch my tongue while running to the kitchen–while Mr. Carrillo would simply sweat from the heat). I learned that not all Mexicans like menudo and Mrs. Carrillo would make a pre-cow tongue batch for Veronica. Nopales con carne became my all time favorite dish (cactus with meat). And that the only way you would get a recipe from Mrs. Carrillo was to watch her at her art.

She didn’t have these recipes on paper filed neatly away. They instinctively ran through her person. Still to this day, the only recipe Veronica has from her mom is her flour tortillas (which I don’t–umm, I really need that if you’re reading Mrs. Carrillo). However, I did get the nopales con carne recipe, simply by watching her in the kitchen–her talking half in English and the other half in Spanish (Mrs. Carrillo a firm believer that I could really understand a lot more Spanish than I let on–but she didn’t let it get in the way). I would even ask Veronica if she had any of her mom’s recipes, to which she would say, “I always ask her and she always gets sidetracked.”

So, I decided one day back in my college days that I needed a genuine Spanish rice recipe to make for dinner. I called up Mrs. Carrillo & got it from her. No sidetracking that I saw. I think it still makes Veronica jealous (in that good sort of way) that I have one up’d her in the recipe department. And now I pass it on to you. Very simple, very good, and pure comfort.

Mrs. Carrillo’s Spanish Rice (printable recipe)

I changed this up a bit, but not much. I will put her recipe as is and in parenthesis put my changes.

Ingredients:

2 cups white rice (I used long grain)

1 big clove of garlic, or 2 smaller ones, crushed

2-4 Tb oil (I used canola, I wouldn’t use olive oil)

1-14 oz can tomato sauce

2 chicken bouillon cubes (I used 4 cups homemade chicken broth, unsalted)

4 cups water

1/2 of a small white onion, cut into four small pieces.

Directions:

Put rice in a bowl and add enough water to cover it. Stir it around with your fingers to clean & rinse the rise. Drain the water and set aside.

In a heavy bottom pot (8 qt) over medium heat, add about 2 Tb oil and add the crushed garlic. Stirring constantly to avoid browning it. Add more oil if the pot is getting dry. Cook garlic for about one minute. Add the rinsed rice to the pot. Stirring constantly, adding more oil if need be. You want to toast the rice, cooking it till it’s a nice golden to medium brown color (not all of it will get toasted, it’s more of an overall appearance). This will take around 8-12 minutes.

Slowly add in the tomato sauce, being very careful, because the liquid will splatter. Add either the chicken bouillon cubes & 4 cups water, or 4 cups chicken broth. Stir completely to get all the rice covered. Add the 4 halves of onion. Allow the mixture to reach a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat to low & cover. Cook for an additional 20-30 minutes. You want to check on it to see how much of the liquid it has absorbed. You’ll know it’s done when there’s still a little liquid resonating on the sides of the pot, but when you stir it around it disappears.

Remove from the heat, season with salt to taste if you used unsalted chicken broth (no need with chicken bouillon).

Host as Guests and “Fried” Potatoes with Kale & Onion

I came across the following quote months ago and saved it in a file. As I came across it today it got me thinking…

Good hosts discover the divine mystery in hospitality—
that as they welcome strangers, they are themselves beloved
guests of God’s grace.

Is it really true that hospitality is more for the host than for the guest? While in Ellensburg for Thanksgiving we get free movie passes, which is about the only time we go to the movies ($9.00 for a movie!). We saw “The Blind Side,” which is based upon a true story. Aside from being an exceptionally great film (seriously, it was a mixture of wonderful & horrible–the kind of horrible that makes you realize life isn’t pretty), there were many moments I got choked up & cried. The Blind Side” depicts the story of Michael Oher, a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home, taken in by the Touhys, a well-to-do white family who help him fulfill his potential (synopsis taken from here).

Leigh Anne Touhy, the mom, took Michael in as her own. What she was doing was saving him from the plane crash of a life he would have if he stayed in the projects. However, she realized was Michael was in essence saving her. He as the guest caused her to rethink a family history of racism, status in the elite, and safety living on the right side of the tracks. She needed him maybe more than he needed her. Grace.

It’s too easy to view a stranger or guest as a project. To think that my “love” and “generosity” will change the person & I’ll feel better about myself. Except, what I find in the end is that even in the midst of what seemingly is a “good deed,” ends up becoming a grace revealed. This morning’s breakfast reminds me of a grace revealed as a modest, yet appetizing goodness. It is fit for a king in more of backdoor sort of way.

“Fried” Potatoes with Kale & Onion (printable recipe)

Ingredients

1 small yellow onion, cut in thin half moons
3-4 rather big Yukon Gold Potatoes, cut into quarters, then thinly sliced
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil/canola oil mixture
1-2 Tablespoons sea salt
5 leaves black Kale, rib cut off & cut leaves into bite-sized pieces
2-4 Tablespoons water

Put 1 Tb of oil into pan over medium heat. Heat oil for about one minute, then add onion slices. Add about 1 teaspoon salt to onions. Cook until the a bit of browning occurs on the onions. Add thinly sliced potatoes, along with 1 more Tb of oil.

Stir occasionally to avoid sticking or burning (if you need to add more oil, do so). Add 2 teaspoons of salt. You’ll cook the potatoes for about 15-20 minutes.

Add the kale, along with 3 Tablespoons water. Stir around and cook without a lid for 30 seconds. Then, put a lid on top of potatoes & kale and cook for an additional 2 minutes or so. The lid is creating steam, which will in return steam the kale. My lid goes directly on top of the potatoes as it is smaller than the rim of the pan.

Remove from heat, add salt to taste & pepper. Serve by itself, or it you’re like my daughter…with ketchup.

Feta-Mint Corn on the Cob

I forgot to take a picture until after it was already packaged up.

As an Arizonian native, summertime rings a different tune than the one Washingtonians hear. We hear temperatures in the 100 degree range, skin melting off when you run across the blacktop, air conditioner is a way of life and the life of a vampire sounds appealing (not the blood sucking part, just the coming out after dark).

However, there are certain tunes that ring true whether in Washington or Arizona during the summertime. Swimming, even if the temperature of a pool in AZ is in the mid 80s come noon. Watermelon, it is one of those refreshing, cool, crisp fruits that make a summer evening complete. And corn on the cob. It’s a summertime icon as far as I’m concerned. I prefer the traditional “cook it in a big pot of boiling water” method over grilling any day of the week. And keep it simple by smothering butter over the kernels & sprinkling salt on top. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.
Then, there is the way in which one eats it. I never thought much about it before I married Ben and observed how he ate his corn on the cob. It’s borderline blasphemy. I will eat it right to the core–leaving no trace of a kernel in sight. I’m the same way with oranges (eat it to the pith) and melons (to the rind). So the first time we were eating corn on the cob after being married I noticed that he still had chunks of kernels left on. I couldn’t bear it and then did what any self-respecting wife would do…I ate the rest of his corn on the cob.
I know I’ve lost some of you about now, because you’re probably thoroughly disgusted that I ate and sucked off the rest of my husband’s chewed on cob; but, all I have to say is I was preparing myself for motherhood (not for the faint of stomach).

Well, back to the point of the Feta-Mint Corn on the Cob. While we were at the cabin last week I came across this recipe in my Gourmet magazine and thought it would be nice to branch outside of the typical butter & salt. Plus, I had this wonderful feta cheese from the Farmer’s Market and some fresh mint from my house. And I must say it was wonderful!

Corn on the Cob with Mint-Feta Butter (printable recipe)

Recipe from Gourmet Magazine. When you make it (as I know you will), there is no way around getting messy. So, fully embrace it and make sure you go to the bottom of the bowl with your cob and scoop out the buttery, salty cheese goodness with complete abandon.

Ingredients:

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
7 oz feta, finely crumbled (1 1/2 cups) **I had a bit less and it was fine
1/4 cup finely chopped mint
8 large ears of corn, shucked, each cob cut crosswise into 4 pieces

Directions: Stir together butter, feta, mint, and a rounded 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl.
Cook corn in a large pot of boiling water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer with tongs to butter mixture and toss until well coated.
**Mint-feta butter can be made 2 days ahead and chilled.