Thank You and Amen

Talking to strangers is hard. Even when I meet another person who dresses like me, looks like me, talks like me—appears, in fact, almost indistinguishable from me—often I find myself at a loss for words. I open my mouth and out fall superficial questions like, “What do you do?” and, “Where are you from?”. Occasionally we share in common a city or acquaintance or hobby, but usually I walk away from these encounters as alone as I walked into them. Sometimes I wonder how people ever get to know each other at all.

Last month, The Nashville Food Project began partnering with Trinity United Methodist Church to host weekly “community dinners” in the church’s fellowship hall. I have gone to all of these meals so far (although I must admit I have only gone to eat and haven’t prepared food or served or really even helped clean up at any of them). Every week I sit at a different table with a different group of people: people who live in the area around Trinity, members of the church, TNFP staff members and volunteers. We all gather around tables of six or eight, pass one another platters of homemade entrees, sides, and desserts, and eat together. We also talk. While I have no trouble polishing off everything on my plate each week, I have not mastered the art of connecting with every person at my table, learning their stories and telling them mine. But I keep going back—not only because of the free, delicious food, but because I am learning how to make friends out of strangers.

I learn from the Trinity member who drives with his wife from Goodlettsville every Sunday to go to this church, the church where he was baptized as a baby and where he belongs as an adult. I learn from the woman who, as she wraps up napkinfuls of leftover brownies to take home, says she wants to be remembered for having a big heart. I learn from the young man who tells me every week he’s so happy to see me; even though he can’t quite remember my name, I know he means it. I learn from the child who says grace before we eat, forgets her words in the middle, and ends with a rather abrupt, “Thank you, God, for…Amen.”

Yes, thank you. Thank you for meals that nourish us body and soul. Thank you for friends and for strangers, and for those flashes of connection we cannot plan or predict. Thank you even for those awkward moments when we can do nothing but look at our watches and wonder what, exactly, we are doing here. And thank you for giving us just enough of an answer to call us back to each other each week, each day, each moment.

“Thank you, God, for…”. Amen indeed.

Breaking Down the Barriers

The Nashville Food Project has been partnering with Trinity UMC, a church in North Nashville near the intersection of Trinity Lane and Dickerson Road, to host a sit-down community meal every Tuesday night. Our volunteers load nourishing foods onto our trucks and deliver them to the church’s fellowship hall. Members of the community help prepare the space with flowers, tablecloths, real plates and cups and forks and knives. People from all over gather at 6:30 for a blessing and a meal served family style.

The collective “buy-in” from the neighborhood has been awesome—community members are volunteering as table hosts, greeters and helping with set up and clean up.

Learning when to step up and learning when to step back and let others take the lead has been a real education for me and others who are used to being the “givers.” I am serious when I say the line between who is living with plenty and who is living in poverty is pretty blurred. Theologian Ted Jennings wrote in his book Good News to the Poor:

Breaking down the barriers between the givers and the receivers of aid, between those who have and those who have not, is an essential expression of the solidarity that liberates the privileged from their blindness and the marginalized from their invisibility. 

Yes. A million times yes!

There are gaggles of children from the neighborhood who want to gulp down their dinner as quickly as possible so they can move to the basketball court. There are babies (like my very own) in highchairs making smiling eyes at the big kids. There are single moms, old men, big families, recovering addicts, church people, people living on the street, me and you. The room can get loud, the meal can feel hectic, but more than anything, people feel welcome.

Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:8-11

Come break the bread with us one Tuesday night. God’s grace and peace, tallu

Kale Salad with Apple

This bright, delicious salad is the perfect addition to any meal.

8 -10 bunches of Red Russian or Lacinato kale washed, trimmed of tough stem and thinly sliced into ribbons (chiffonade)

3 - 4 apples (your favorite variety, cored, peeled and diced - we like Granny Smith or another tart apple)1 bunch celery, dicedPrepare dressing:

1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup of honey

1/2 cup of olive oil

7 cloves of garlic smashed and finely diced

1 tsp salt and pepper

Whisk the ingredients for the dressingThirty minutes before serving, add apples and celery to sliced kale. Pour dressing over kale mixture and gently "massage" dressing into the leaves for 5-7 minutes until kale is gently wilted. Enjoy!

Cowboy Cookies

Makes 5-6 dozen

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 Tbl baking soda
• 1 Tbl cinnamon
• 1 Tbl baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 sticks butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 Tbl vanilla
• 3 cups chocolate chips
• 3 cups oats
• 2 cups coconut
• 2 cups pecans

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add eggs and the vanilla and beat until well blended. Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Add oats, nuts, chocolate chips and coconut, mix until combined. Spoon cookie mixture onto greased foil lined cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

What's Ordinary

My good friend C gave Lulah a money jar for her first birthday last month. It is an old tin coffee can with a slit in its plastic top for coins and a small sign on the front that reads “Lulah’s EDU Fund.” When he was writing out the words for the sign, it became clear to me that he didn’t feel that comfortable spelling the word “education,” so we left it at that. Every time I’ve seen him since her birthday, he has come back to my office with a sweaty handful of pennies for her jar. Last week he pointed out a quarter in all the copper and said with his toothless grin, “This week there’s some silver too!” C is our most devoted food project volunteer and also a meal recipient at one of our truck stops. He had some health trouble a couple months ago and when I went to visit him in the hospital his nurse told me, privately, that upon arriving at the hospital he first identified himself as a volunteer at The Nashville Food Project…

—

A few weeks ago my family and I landed in BNA after a weeklong vacation. While Robbie and Lulah were waiting for our bags at baggage claim, I ran into the women’s restroom. As I turned the corner, I saw a young woman and former camper of mine, T. She was servicing the bathroom stalls, working now as a custodian for a company who has a contract with the airport. We had our own little reunion in the bathroom, hugging and squealing with delight at seeing each other after all these years. We caught up a little and I heard about how she wasn’t in school because she was needing to work, how her sister has a job over on Elm Hill Pike and how her mom and grandma had been facing some health problems. I introduced her to Robbie and Lulah, exchanged contact info and we made plans to get together soon.

—

My staff and I have been fortunate enough to work with a small group of men who are living in a halfway house after many, many years in prison. They volunteer in our kitchens every week and do a lot of our baking for the hundreds of meals we send out on our trucks. Because they are at the food project so often, we have had some great time to get to know them and hear their stories. They were all locked up before they had the chance to finish school and get jobs. Now, with criminal records, it is almost impossible for them to find employment—the critical objective before their time is up at the halfway house. My staff and I are hustling now, trying to figure out how we can offer these guys some opportunities or hire them on at a living wage.

I recently heard an interview with Father Greg Boyle of Homeboy Industries in L.A. say about Christians:

“We have to have our sacred in a certain way. It has to be gold-plated and cost millions and cast of thousands or something… We’ve wrestled the cup out of Jesus’ hand and we’ve replaced it with a chalice. Because who doesn’t know that a chalice is more sacred than a cup? Never mind that Jesus didn’t use a chalice... Jesus doesn’t lose any sleep that we will forget that the Eucharist is sacred. He is anxious that we might forget that it’s ordinary, that it’s a meal shared among friends.”

As I grow in faith and in my ministry, I feel God pulling me toward what is ordinary. Pennies in pockets, old coffee cans, a joyful reunion in a bathroom stall, friends in need of work – any work. It is not always comfortable being there. But I don’t think Jesus calls us to be comfortable.

Would love to hear from you this week about times you’ve found God in what is most ordinary and how we can best share the cup in our hands.

Grace and peace and love, tallu

Cornbread

Cornbread (serves 50)

• 6 cups cornmeal
• 12 eggs
• 3 cups canola oil
• 3 large cans of creamed corn
• 1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly beat eggs and combine with all ingredients (do not over mix). Spray 1 ½ serving containers with non-stick spray. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

Our New Bat Houses

Do you know how many mosquitoes a single bat can eat in an hour? Neither did we when our summer interns decided to build bat houses for our Wedgewood Urban Gardens for their independent summer project. Recent USN graduates, Jack Spiva and Miro Hurdle, along with help from their good friend Joey Simon, spent hours researching, planning and constructing these two multi-chamber bat houses.

Why bats? According to Bat Conservation International:

"Bats are essential for maintaining healthy ecosystems. Most bats eat huge amounts of insects, including farm pests and many of the nasty bugs that harass outdoor gatherings.  They are vital pollinators and seed-dispersers for countless plants.  And homes are often in short supply for bats. Their populations are declining around the world, often because of disappearing habitat."

Here in Tennessee, we are also worried about the spread of white nose syndrome. Again according to BCI, "White-nose Syndrome has devastated bat populations across the eastern United States during the past five years, causing “the most precipitous wildlife decline in the past century in North America,” according to biologists." We hope that in providing healthy summer habitat for these friendly neighbors, we will help strengthen their populations as they fight this devastating disease. Check out the photos below for pictures of the final build and installation of our new bat houses. We eagerly await our first night-time visitors. And thanks again to Jack, Miro and Joey for making it happen!

And, the answer to our question? One bat can eat over 1000 mosquito-sized insects in one hour!

Love Given Back and Forth

We think it is very important for the members of our Board to spend some time volunteering with The Nashville Food Project so we stay in touch with the day-to-day work of the organization. A story from one of my recent truck runs stands out in my mind as an example of why I am a part of TNFP and reminds me what it means for us to share food with each other in community.

It was a picture perfect day as we drove the short distance to the Vine Hill community. Once there we were met by several smiling faces awaiting our arrival. People are always glad to see you if you come bearing food! We set up the table at the back of the truck, spread a tablecloth across it, and gave away delicious and nutritious meals. Everyone was in high spirits because the weather was such a gift after a spell of some cold and rainy spring days. That day two of our volunteer cooks had prepared a tasty Mexican casserole with food we had gleaned from Chipotle, a beautiful and generous green salad with vegetables grown from our own gardens, and a very yummy cobbler with the first berries of the season.

We were about halfway through serving lunch when a car pulled up on the street near us. A woman got out of her car and approached me. I thought maybe she wanted a meal. Instead, she pressed some money into my hand and quickly said, “I’m glad for what you do and I want to be a part of it.” I glanced at the ten dollar bill she had given me and jammed it in my pocket. I thanked her warmly and smiled and waved at her as she drove away.

We had finished serving and were packing up when I remembered it. I said to my friends, “Did you see that lady in the white car? She gave us ten bucks!” As I fished the bills from my pocket I realized it was not a ten dollar bill, but two one hundred dollar bills. She had seen us serving and stopped and gave us a $200 donation.

I wish I had her name. I wish I could write her a thank you note, and maybe invite her to join us on a truck run sometime. But this is how it goes with The Nashville Food Project. The efforts of so many people go into getting those good meals onto the streets. The farmer who grew the lettuce and vegetables for the salad, the staff member who cultivated a relationship with Chipotle so that we might give away their extra food, the young people who picked the berries and the intern who made the cobbler. The person who made sure there was gas in the truck and the anonymous donor who gave us an extra freezer so we could use berries long after they were freshly picked. The cooks who give up their Fridays to cook for a crowd, and frugal Anne, our Meals Coordinator, who can stretch a dollar so that the food we served that day cost only 30 cents a meal.

All of these efforts and more keep our place humming with contagious excitement. We’re harvesting fresh food–the fruits of this good earth–and we’re giving it away to people who seldom get a delicious and home-cooked meal. We’re feeding bodies and spirits. We all give, and we all receive. Our place always smells fantastic because our little kitchen is in the middle of everything. And it’s not just the smell of lunch in the oven.  It’s the sweet sweet fragrance of hospitality shared and love given back and forth across the table.

Rev. Viki Matson

Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Bars

Serves 24

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups oatmeal (uncooked)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 2/3 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup cooked mashed sweet potato
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Mix flour, oatmeal, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add brown sugar and mix again. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, stir until fully mixed. Mix in chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout dough. Drop onto a well-greased cookie sheet and spread into a well-greased aluminum pan. (If making cookies, flatten slightly because they don't spread much). Bake for about 30minutes. Adjust time depending on if you want a chewy or crunchy texture. (Bake for 16 minutes if making cookies.) Let cool, then cut into individual bars. (Transfer cookies using spatula)

Optional: These can be customized by adding nuts, dried fruits, or different types of chocolate.

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

The recipe below serves 10. We multiplied by 8 to serve 80 people.

2 tsp olive oil, divided 1 lbs ground turkey 1/2 lbs ground pork 1 large onion, chopped fine 1 tbsp finely minced garlic 1/2 tsp. dried thyme 1 tsp sweet Hungarian Paprika salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste 1.5 heads green cabbage, coarsely chopped 1 cans (14.5 oz.) petite dice tomatoes with juice 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce 1/4 cup water 2 cups cooked white or brown rice 2 cups low-fat mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spray a large glass casserole dish with non-stick spray. (My dish was 13" x 10"). Heat a large frying pan on medium heat; add ground turkey & pork and cook until browned and cooked through, breaking it apart as it cooks. Remove and set aside. In the same pan, add 1 tsp olive oil, chopped onion and cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic, dried thyme, and paprika and cook about 2 minutes more. Then add the diced tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce, and ground meats . Add water to the pan. Simmer until it's hot and slightly thickened, about 15-20 minutes.

While it simmers, cut cabbage in half, cut out the core, and remove any wilted outer leaves; chop the cabbage coarsely into 1 inch pieces.

Heat remaining olive oil in a large frying pan or dutch oven; add the cabbage and cook over medium-high heat until the cabbage is wilted and about half cooked, turning it over several times so it all wilts and cooks. Season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper. When the meat and tomato sauce mixture has cooked and thickened a bit, stir in the 2 cups of cooked rice and gently combine.

Spray casserole dish with non-stick spray and the layer half the cabbage, half the meat mixture, remaining cabbage, and remaining meat mixture. Cover tightly with foil and bake 40 minutes, or until the mixture is just starting to bubble on the edges.

Remove foil and sprinkle on cheese (if using.) Bake uncovered an additional 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and starting to slightly brown. Serve hot. Freezer friendly if you have leftovers. To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then either microwave until hot or heat in the oven in a glass dish covered with foil.

Recipe adapted from http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/01/kalyns-stuffed-cabbage-casserole.html

Summer Berry Fruit Salad

Looking for an easy, healthy snack? Fruit salad is the way to go. Try this summery mix for a real treat.

15 cups grapes

5 cups strawberries

2.5 cups blackberries

2.5 cups blueberries

5 cups peaches

Mix together. Serve cold.

Cucumber Chickpea Tomato Salad

Serves 40

20 cups diced cucumbers 5 cups chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained/rinsed 2.5 cups diced tomatoes 2.5 cups diced carrots

Dressing:

3/8 cup olive oil

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

1/2 Tbl salt

1 Tbls pepper

Mix all ingredients, then pour dressing over. Stir until well combined. Serve cold.

Nutella Brownies

Serves 20

2 jars nutella 4 eggs 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325. Mix together all ingredients and stir until well combined (batter will be thick). Spread into 9 X 13 pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes and let cool.

Broccoli Salad

Serves 25

1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled 4 heads fresh broccoli florets, cut into small bite size pieces (need about 12 cups) 2 cups dried cranberries (or raisins) 2 cups sunflower seeds 1 red onion, diced 1 cup pecans (or almonds)

Mix the above ingredients in a large bowl. Prepare dressing and pour over salad. Toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Dressing: 1/2 cup white sugar 2 cups mayonnaise 1/2 cup cider vinegar 1 tsp each salt and pepper

Whisk above ingredients together and mix well.

Mediterranean Couscous and Spinach (or Chard) Salad

Serves 8-10

1 8 oz package Israeli couscous (the large balls, also called pearl pasta) 1 bunch spinach or chard leaves with stems removed. (If leaves are big, cut into manageable pieces; packaged baby spinach works well for this recipe) 1 yellow pepper, diced 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives 3 tablespoons capers 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts 3 tablespoons feta cheese (more or less to taste)

Dressing: 1/2 cup olive oil 3 tablespoons wine vinegar 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 teaspoon dijon mustard 1 small clove of garlic, minced pinch of thyme 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (can be omitted if necessary)

Put couscous in a pan with a dash of olive oil, stir gently until couscous becomes a darker brown and aromatic (about five minutes). Add 1 and a 1/4 cups (or whatever amount it says to add on the package) of boiling water and simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 8 minutes, add spinach leaves so that they can steam; cook on very low for another 5 minutes or until spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally.

Mix dressing ingredients and whisk until smooth. Toast the pine-nuts by putting them in a hot, dry pan for a few minutes (keep stirring the pine-nuts or shaking the pan; pine-nuts burn easily!). Take spinach and couscous off the heat and place in serving bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and dressing, and toss to mix. Add the dressing slowly - some people like it with less dressing, so put in half, then taste and see.

Rosemary Roasted Nuts

Serves 10

1/2 cup each: whole almonds, cashews and pecans (roasted, no salt) 2 Tbl coarsely chopped rosemary leaves 1/2 tsp dark brown sugar 2 tsp kosher salt 1 Tbl melted butter

Preheat oven to 350. Roast nuts on ungreased baking sheet for about 10 minutes until warmed through. Combine rosemary, cayenne, sugar, salt, and butter in large bowl. Toss the warm nuts with the rosemary mixture until the nuts are completely coated. Serve warm.

Lentil Shepherd's Pie With Sweet Potato Crust

Serves 50

4 lbs lentils, rinsed 2 bunches of kale (or spinach), rinsed, stemmed and finely chopped 4 cups sweet peas 8-10 cloves garlic, minced 10 carrots, peeled and coin cut 2 onions, chopped 8 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped 8 lbs white potatoes, peeled and chopped 1/2 cup flour 3 sticks butter, divided 7 cups milk, divided 3 tbl poultry seasoning salt and pepper fresh grated Parmesan

Potato Crust:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and toss potatoes in.  Cook until fork tender. Drain and return to large pot.  Mash 1 stick butter, 1 tbl salt and a splash of milk.  Mash until desired consistency.

Filling:

Cover lentils in pot with water and bring to boil. Stir, reduce to simmer, cover and cook until soft (but not mushy), about 15 minutes. When lentils are finished cooking, transfer them to 3 full size aluminum catering pans. In the same pan the lentils were cooked in, add a splash of olive oil, onion, carrot. Saute until onion is translucent and carrot is soft.  Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Distribute the onion/carrot/garlic mixture to the lentil dishes, along with finely chopped kale and peas. Stir in 1 Tbl of poultry seasoning, dash of salt and pepper. In that same saucepan, melt remaining butter. Add flour all at once and whisk vigorously. Slowly pour remaining milk in the butter/flour mixture, whisking continually. Let mixture thicken and start to brown (but not burn!). Divide sauce over lentil/veggie mixture and gently stir. Spoon the potato mixture over the lentils, leveling out as you go. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and bake at 350 for 30 minutes until top is crisp and cheese is melted.

Tuscan Chicken Shepherd's Pie

Serves 50

12 lbs russet potatoes (peeled and diced) salt and pepper (for seasoning) olive oil (for sauteing) 15 lbs roasted boneless chicken breast - cut into large pieces 3 medium onions - diced 10 cloves garlic - minced 10 cups diced carrots 10 cans white beans, drained and rinsed 2 sticks butter 1/2 cup flour 6 cups chicken stock 2 Tbl poultry seasoning (or to taste) Mozzarella cheese (3 cups) Parmesan cheese (1 cup)

Preheat oven to 350. Place potatoes in saucepan with enough water to cover. Add 1 tbl salt. Cover and cook potatoes until tender. While potatoes are cooking, heat olive oil in skillet and add onion and garlic, cook until soft.

Melt 1 stick butter and flour in saucepan and allow to cook, stirring for 3 minutes. Add onion, garlic, carrots, chicken broth and poultry seasoning. Whisk to combine and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add chicken and beans and stir to combine. Divide between 2 large pans.

Drain the potatoes. Add  1 stick butter, mozzarella cheese and mash. Add enough milk to preferred consistency. Spread on top of chicken and beans mixture. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Put in oven to brown/bake for 15 - 20  minutes.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Serves 60

Lightly grease 2 full size catering pans. Preheat oven to 325

Mix the following dry ingredients together: 5 cups flour 1 cup cocoa 2 tsp salt 1 Tbl baking soda 5 tsp baking powder 2 tsp cinnamon

Mix the following wet ingredients separately: 1 1/2 cups oil 4 cups sugar 6 eggs 4 cups grated zucchini 4 tsp grated orange zest 4 tsp vanilla 1 cup milk 2 cups chocolate chips

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until blended. Bake at 325 for about 30 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Wilted Tatsoi with Sesame-Ginger Dressing

Serves 50

7 heads of tatsoi, washed, trimmed and torn into bite size pieces 1/2 cup sesame seeds for garnish

Dressing: 2 cups soy sauce 1 cup rice vinegar 1/2 cup canola oil 1/2 cup grated fresh ginger 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup siracha

Whisk together ingredients for dressing and pour over tatsoi. Massage dressing into tatsoi leaves until coated well. Let rest for 30 minutes. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top and serve.