Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Winter's Random Recommendations

(1) Taking a break from work is highly recommended - especially when you get to spend time with family and friends.

(2) When you have caught one of winter's colds, sitting on a window seat with sunlight streaming through the windows to fill every pore of your body works wonders for the health of soul and body.

(3) Receiving a stately and kind typed letter (like from a type writer) on parchment paper from a gentleman in his late eighties adds a certain degree of restored connection to times gone by.

(4) Watching The Great Debaters (in theaters now - directed by and starring Denzel Washington) provides a good reminder of the ever-present need to labor on behalf of both truth and equity.

(5) Reading is always highly recommended. Some recent favorites from some of my all-time favorite authors: His Thoughs Said, His Father Said: Real World Answers to the Hard Questions of Life (Amy Carmichael), The Love that Satisfies: Reflections on Eros and Agape (Christopher West), Secret Believers: What Happens When Muslims Believe in Christ (Brother Andrew).

(6) Hemming pants provides a rhythm to thinking, if you ever need to organize your thoughts (or shorten your pant legs).

(7) Eating Chicken Chili on a cold winter day comes with very strong recommendations - so strong that I will end with the recipe.

Sara Solfelt's Chicken Chili (Eden Prairie, MN)

2 lbs chicken, cooked and cut into 1" squares, sauteed in olive oil with onion, garlic and salt and pepper until golden brown

Add:

2 T chili powder
2 tsp dry cilantro
2 tsp jalepeno pepper, if desired
2 cans chicken stock
2 cans drained kidney beans
1 can Garbanzo beans
1 can black beans
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 (29 oz) can plain tomato sauce

Heat all ingredients together. Serve hot and have bowls of sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, Frito crumpled chips and fresh lime to put on top of the chili. Incredible! Out of this world!