Hello Again

Over the years since I retired, I have made it a habit to start my day by attending the 6:30AM mass at my nearby parish church.  Doing so puts me in a positive spirit that would serve me well throughout the rest of the day.  These daily ritual has also afforded me the chance to make the acquaintance of several parishioners.  Mostly senior citizens, a sprinkling of empty-nesters and working folks who have time to spare before rushing off to work.

I and the other early morning mass attendees have chosen a favorite pew.  I like to stay at one end of the third pew from the front.  Usually, no one is in front of me and thus there is less distraction.  Many like to stay closer to the back of the church. Others, pick a pew on either side of the church’s center. I am sure they have their reasons.

I know something special is being celebrated when non-regulars or family of regular morning mass attendees show up—birthdays, anniversaries and the like.  And I know something is up when I notice the long absence of one of the regulars—  possibly due to an illness or an out-of-town trip.

In time, the occasional nod or greeting turned into short chats after the mass.  These short chats provided me a glimpse of something more personal. A bond, a connection had been formed.  We prayed together and for each other’s intentions.  We rejoice with good news and we commiserate in times of bad news.  Before I knew it, we were having pot-luck-breakfast after the mass just at the back of the church.  Nothing fancy but always full of camaraderie.

So it was not out of the ordinary, when some of us eagerly suggested to host a breakfast to welcome S, a regular, who was back after a long absence.  But she turned the tables on us and insisted we trouped to her house for breakfast.  Being the gracious and generous person S is, she would rather we gather at her house instead right after the morning mass.

Not one to argue, we all agreed to her request.

On the appointed morning, S welcome us to her cozy home--  just a short distance from the church.  Even more welcoming was the breakfast spread she had laid out for us.

In no time there was much laughter over S’s experiences abroad as she babysat her grandchildren.  She also shared the wonderment of a new born child and her being a grandmother. Soon everyone was sharing their favorite unforgettable and somewhat embarrassing experiences abroad.  There were also precious stories of babies and grand-parenting.   Even our parish priest did not shy away from sharing an anecdote or two. 

There seemed to be no lull in the conversation and it was difficult to bid each other good-bye.  But the sun was getting higher in the sky and cellphones were starting to beep with reminders of meetings and errands to do.

True to her generous self, S would not allow us to leave her home empty handed.  She asked her house helps to fill bags with vegetable greens picked from her garden —malunggay, basil, lemon grass and allugbati and ripening papayas. 

I was definitely in a very positive mood as I walked home with my loot bag of greens.  Even more so, I was very much grateful for my being in the midst of these regular mass goers who constantly serve as affirmation of how God truly is good.

---xoxoxox---

Breakfast will always remain a favorite.  It’s not surprising to see a lot of restaurants offering breakfast delights all day long. You can never go wrong with breakfast—it’s that easy and simple.   

Next time you are attending a pot-luck breakfast affair, bring more than the usual omelette.  (click HERE and learn how to make the perfect omelette)  Wow them all with this hearty pork cassoulet instead.  ( It’s pork and beans with a French twist.) You can make it the day before and just zap it in the microwave oven before you head over to the event.

CC’s Pork Cassoulet

Place 1 kilo of pork pata and some ham bones in a pot and add enough water to cover. Add the following:

1 T salt

1 bay left

5 peppercorns

½ t pepper

1 chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

½ beef bouillon cube

Bring to a boil then simmer. Cook until pork is fork tender.  Cool, remove bones and cut pork into bite size pieces. Set aside the meat and the broth.

Prick 1 large garlic sausage all over and brown in some oil.  Remove and cut into ½ inch rounds.  Set aside.

In another pot, saute 1 chopped onion then 2 chopped cloves of garlic in 2 T oil.  Add the chopped pork and sausage slices and stir for about 2 minutes.  Add  ½ c tomato paste (or 3/4 c tomato sauce) and 1 cup of the reserved broth and  1 can of drained white beans. Stir gently.  Season with a dash or two of pepper.  

Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer.  Cook for about 20-30 minutes until thick. Transfer to a glass or ceramic casserole.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of butter.  Add a cup of breadcrumbs to the pan and stir until evenly coated and bread crumbs are toasted.

Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top of the pork and beans casserole.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. This lends a crunchy note to the dish.

Serve with steamed rice or crunchy bread.