Wise people are my lifeline

Issue #29, Let's Get Lost, Nov.9, 2024: October in NC, recipes for citrus season,Apple Dutch baby, Chicken with peanut butter gravy, Chicken and kale bowls with peanut sauce, a few recommendations

It would seem the post I wrote a few weeks ago was some sort of mental preparation for this week because fuck. This is gonna hurt.

The good news is that I am finding many wise, encouraging words here Substack that are helping to shape my perspective. So before we get to the other things I want to share with you, here are some words from wise people that are grounding, steadying reminders that now is not the time to shut down and close off.

Now is the time to open and accept and keep working for something better.

One of the ways to do that is to surround ourselves with more wise, educated people who are driven to keep learning from other wise, educated people. There are many. Here are just a few.

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One of my favorite people texted this to me and it’s excellent advice: “Time is short and it’s reckless to spend it with the wrong people.”

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“…according to the Alan Turing Institute, three in four women are not comfortable expressing their political opinions online. Among many reasons for this were fears of misogyny, trolling, threats and harassment.”

After expressing my opinions about this week’s election, I have received several menacing comments including one person who said “deep down we all understand that rapists make the best leaders”.

My response? Delete the comments of those who are not worth engaging with (see my friend’s advice above) and keep talking. There are a lot of capable, intelligent people in the world and this is how we find and support each other.

There are many good things in this post from

Annabel Preston

. Read it.

Discussing politics with women, for dummies. Step 1: include them

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These simple words from

David E. Perry

are encouraging me to keep reaching.

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For those of us longing for a clear, level headed, historical and factual based understanding of American politics, there is

Heather Cox Richardson

. She won’t make you feel better but she will tell you the truth. Which, actually does make me feel better even if I don’t like it. Also listen to her on this week’s episode of The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart.

November 6, 2024

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This beautiful poem from

keepitkassual

was one of the first things I read on Wednesday morning. I immediately sent it to my daughters, who are struggling right now to be those embers. But it’s ok. Because it’s who they are and I will happily stand behind them and fan the flame.

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“There are grand cycles at play that we can’t always read. I feel proud, today, to be among people who are trying to digest difficult news rather than clinging to unreality; to be allied with those who are letting their grief rise. We have nothing to fear from despair. It is just the dying of an illusion. It is not the end. 

Meet the world as it is today. Find the world as it is tomorrow. Somewhere along that pathway, you’ll find something waiting for you.”

This entire post by

Katherine May

is a grounding reminder to accept things as they are and keep working for something better. Everything is impermanent.

'We have nothing to fear from despair...'

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Quick links:

• You can read this and every issue by going directly to rebeccablackwell.com

• Scroll through the recipe index where every recipe published in Let’s Get Lost is listed

• Check out my notes, where I share thoughts and ideas throughout the week including things from other people that I find interesting and think you might too

• If you’re new here and you want to read more about me, check out the About page

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From North Carolina to St Louis to Colorado

I am writing this from St. Louis, where we arrived last weekend as a two week stop before heading to Colorado for the holidays. But last month, we were here…

We arrived in Bryson City, North Carolina on the heels of Hurricane Helene.

Asheville, one of the areas that accrued the most damage, was just a little over an hour down the road. Even though Bryson City experienced minimal flooding and storm damage, the infrastructure for the entire area was in disarray.

The experience left us with realizations about how much we take for granted about the basic conveniences of our day to day life. Many of the businesses in the area were cash only for the first week after our arrival because of interruptions to credit card processing systems. Cell service was out for most carriers and while basic service was restored within a few days, there were outages throughout the entire month.

Distribution centers were damaged or destroyed and supply chains were disrupted. The local grocery store did not receive expected shipments, the mail was taking twice as long to get from point A to point B, and 2 day shipping became 2 week shipping.

We are very reliant on expectations that we can get what we need when we need it.

Has the experience changed our behavior? Not really. We have no intention of turning into doomsayers or survivalist. It’s not that we think truly terrible disasters can’t happen - we know they do and we know we aren’t exempt. We just don’t want to live our lives in expectation of the worst.

Also, even though it's a bi-product of living in an RV and not the reason for it, we are more prepared than most. We have a fresh water tank and solar power and propane tanks. We don’t actually need to be plugged into anything in order for it to be business as usual around here. And also, even though there are many natural disasters that we couldn’t avoid no matter what, our house has wheels.

Having said that, I am making some small, simple changes, like keeping some cash on hand and being more conscious of having at least a few days worth of non perishable food in the cupboard.

I also want to mention that we were really very impressed with how quickly everything got back to “normal”.

Hurricane Helen dumped 40 trillion gallons of water on the South. That is a staggering amount of water. There was, understandably, so much flooding and so much damage.

And yet, depending on where you were, power and cell service were restored within several days and supply chain issues were smoothing out within weeks. We drove through Asheville in late October and were amazed by how much had been done to restore the city. While there were businesses, neighborhoods, and roads that need to be completely rebuilt, the city was entirely functional.

Roads were cleared, businesses were open. You had to actually look for the damage. If you saw any of the photos from right after the storm, you know how incredible this is.

Also, October in the Smoky Mountains is spectacular, even after being hit by a tropical storm.

We first fell in love with the Smokies on a motorcycle trip in July of 2018 and then returned with the RV in October of 2022, and again last month.

One of our favorite things about the location of the RV park we stayed in is that it’s only about a mile from a trailhead with waterfall hikes that meander through Smoky Mountain National Park.

We walked a portion of those hiking trails almost every single day from October 1st through November 1st and it was fun to catalogue the changing leaves.

As we look towards the start of our 6th year of RV life, we are finding those places that we know we’ll return to over and over again. Bryson City and the Smoky Mountains are one of them.

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It’s citrus season!

This time of year you will find the produce drawers of our refrigerator packed to overflowing with apples and citrus fruit. The bright, sweet-tart flavors of oranges, grapefruit, lemon, lime, mandarines, and any other citrus fruit I can get my hands on, is one of my favorite things.

So, here are a collection of some of my favorite citrus recipes. If you share my love of citrus, I hope you find something delicious to add to your week.

1. Orange Poppy Seed Cake: If I was English and adhered to a tea time tradition, this is exactly the kind of cake I would like to eat at tea time every single day. As an all-too-typical American, pausing in the middle of the afternoon for tea and cake is beyond my over scheduled work-focused capacity. But if cake has the power to change that attitude, this syrup drenched, mascarpone and cream covered orange poppy seed cake might do it.

2. Citrus Drizzle Cake: This is quite possibly the lightest, softest cake I’ve ever eaten and it’s absolutely bursting with citrus flavor. (This recipe is for paid subscribers.)

3. Orange Olive Oil Cake: This light, tender, impossibly moist cake has a gorgeous, subtle natural orange flavor thanks to orange-infused olive oil. When layered with orange marmalade and creamy mascarpone frosting it's a light and creamy cake that's bursting with bright citrus flavor.

4. Lemon Bars: These easy homemade lemon bars are bursting with tart lemon flavor thanks to a triple whammy of lemon juice, lemon zest and lemon oil or extract. The filling is silky smooth and the shortbread crust is so buttery it literally melts in your mouth.

5. Adobo Fish Tacos with Citrus and Crispy Fried Onions: These vibrant, flavorful fish tacos include flaky white fish cooked in a delicious red-chili-based Mexican adobo sauce and topped with citrus fruit, salsa verde, and crispy fried onions. Every bite is a riot of flavors in the best possible way.

6. Roasted Shiitake Salad with Oranges, Almonds, and Citrus Ponzu. Tart and tangy Ponzu Sauce, roasted shiitake mushrooms, fresh orange slices, celery, almonds, and baby greens come together to create a brightly flavorful and hearty salad that's just as satisfying served on the side or as the main course.

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Three Recommendations

1. I purchased this juicer last year and have gotten so much use out of it. I got a little juice-crazy in the weeks after I bought it and started juicing everything. These days I mostly use it on the weekends for fresh squeezed orange or grapefruit juice and those frothy glasses of bright, fresh flavor are such a treat.

2. I know I’ve mentioned it before, but this bright yellow braiser is the hardest working pan in my kitchen. I keep it on my stovetop at all times because I use it every day. It’s the perfect size for almost everything and so easy to take from the stovetop to the oven to the table. If you look for it, you’ll find it in many of my photos, including the chicken and kale bowls below.

3. Podcast recommendation: Speaking of learning from wise people, have you listened to Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus? I’ve gotten something from every single episode but my favorites (so far) are Isabel Allende, Fran Lebowitz, Ruth Rechl, Carol Burnett, Anne Lamott, Gloria Steinem, Jane Goodall, and Alice Waters.

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Apple Dutch Baby

I write a weekly discussion question on the FoodStack Library, a resource packed with food writers and recipe developers on Substack. In one of the threads, a writer based in Germany brought up German pancakes and even shared their favorite recipe. This reminded me of the German pancakes my mom used to make when I was a child. Her grandparents were German and it was one of several German recipes I remember her making.

I loved those pancakes but until recently, have rarely thought to make them at home. That’s just silly because they are the PERFECT weekend breakfast. 

Dutch baby is the American name for a German pancake - a simple puffed pancake that’s baked in a skillet, preferably cast iron. I’ve read that a real German pancake is cooked on the stovetop and a Dutch baby is cooked in the oven. But I believe that’s the only difference. 

In this recipe, I added thinly sliced apples cooked in butter, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The result is a creamy, custard-like pancake with the warm flavors of apples and cinnamon. It’s easy to make and so very delicious.

This recipe makes one 10-inch pancake, enough for 2 very generous servings or 4 moderate and restrained servings.

• 3 large eggs

• 1/2 cup whole milk

• 1 large or 2 medium Honeycrisp apples - about 12 ounces (Granny Smith, Pink Lady, and Gala apples are also good choices)

• 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• Powdered sugar or syrup, for serving

1. Crack 3 large eggs into a blender and add 1/2 cup whole milk. Let the milk and eggs sit in the blender for 15-30 minutes to allow them to come to room temperature. (Room temperature ingredients blend together better and will give your pancake a better puff.)

2. Heat the oven to 425ºF (218 degrees C).

3. Cut the apple into quarters then peel each quarter, cut out the core, and cut into thin slices that are roughly 1/4 of an inch thick.

4. Cut 4 tablespoons of butter into 4 pieces and place them in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Set the skillet over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the apple slices, 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until the apples are starting to soften and beginning to caramelize. Remove from the heat and spread the apples out into an even layer in the pan.

5. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt , and 1/2 cup flour to the blender and blend on medium speed for about 10 seconds. Use a spatula to scrape down the inside of the blender then blend for 10 seconds longer. 

6. Pour the batter over the apples in the skillet.

7. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until set in the center and puffed, especially around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Dust the pancake with powdered sugar and serve warm maple syrup.

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Chicken with peanut butter sauce (peanut butter gravy)

I first heard of peanut gravy 2 years ago when we were in Louisiana. After reading several recipes, including recipes for southern peanut soup, I made a peanut sauce to go with pan fried chicken that was quite delicious.

I then forgot about it until we arrived in North Carolina last month. One afternoon, in a little used book store, I flipped through an old southern cookbook and saw a recipe for peanut butter gravy. Remembering my experiments in Louisiana, I went home and came up with this recipe. 

As you can see here, we ate it with the sweet potato gratin from Issue #27 and they were a perfect match.

The technique is pulled from several southern recipes and includes a roasted peanut and herb salad that’s adapted from a recipe in Sean Brock’s cookbook, South.

I love the combination of tender, buttery chicken, savory peanut sauce, and the bright, fresh flavors of the herbs along with the crunch of the roasted peanuts. It’s a gorgeous combination of textures and flavors that’s relatively easy to make but looks kinda fancy.

Because sometimes we all like to be a little bit fancy. Just as long as it doesn’t take too much work.

*Please note that the first step in this recipe is to season the chicken at least 12 hours before cooking it. 

• 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• Salt and pepper

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

For the herb salad:

• 1 1/2 cups chopped flat leaf parsley

• 1 cup fresh mint leaves

• 3/4 cup roasted and salted peanuts, chopped

• 1 tablespoon toasted peanut oil or sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

• Salt and pepper

For the peanut butter sauce:

• 1 small yellow onion, diced

• 2 tbsp flour

• 3/4 cup whole milk

• 3/4 cup chicken broth or better than bouillon mixed with water 

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 

• 2 teaspoon fresh lime juice

• Salt and pepper

1. Liberally season the chicken breasts with salt on both sides. Place them on a plate, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.

2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and then season liberally on both sides with ground black pepper.

3. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 teaspoon of oil to an oven proof skillet or brasier and set it over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the chicken. Let the chicken cook, undisturbed on one side until it releases easily from the pan. At this point, it should be golden brown on the bottom. Turn the pieces over and cook until it’s brown on the other side. 

4. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves over the chicken and place the pan in the oven. Let the chicken roast, uncovered, until an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of one of the breasts registers 160 degrees. This will take roughly 10 - 15 minutes.

5. While the chicken roasts, make the herb salad: Roughly chop the fresh parsley and mint and add them to a bowl. Roughly chop 3/4 cup peanuts and add those to the bowl with the herbs. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil or sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice. Toss everything around, taste, and add as much salt and pepper as you like. 

6. When the chicken has cooked to 160 degrees, transfer the chicken to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil and let rest while you make the gravy.

7. To make the gravy: Set the pan that you used to cook the chicken over medium heat and add the diced onion (do not rinse out the pan). Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Stir in 2 tablespoons of flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Slowly stir in 3/4 cup milk, stirring constantly, then pour in 3/4 cup chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and stir in 1/2 cup of peanut butter, 2 teaspoons of lime juice, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Return to a simmer then taste and add additional salt, pepper and/ or lime juice if desired.

8. Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into slices that are about an inch thick and arrange on plates. Spoon some peanut sauce down the center of the slices. Add some of the herb salad to the plate next to the chicken and serve. 

By the way, this also makes a delicious grain bowl. Simply cook any kind of rice, couscous, quinoa, or farro, seasoning the grain with salt and pepper. Add a generous spoonful of the herb salad over the grains and then add bite size pieces of the cooked chicken. Top with peanut butter sauce. 

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Chicken and kale bowls with peanut sauce

As with every recipe in the No Recipe Required series, this is a throw-it-together kind of dish that can be adapted to make as much or as little as you like.

The peanut sauce makes about 2 cups and will keep well in the refrigerator for up to a week. It’s quite delicious, so if you have any left over, I don’t think you’ll have any trouble finding other ways to use it. You can even use it in place of the peanut butter gravy in the recipe above!

If you think you’ll need more than 2 cups, just double the recipe.

For the chicken and kale bowls: 

• Rice - any kind you like (You’ll need about 1 cup of dry rice for 4 servings)

• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts (about 3/4 pound per person)

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Fresh garlic - however much you like

• Kale (1.5 - 2 pounds, or 24-32 ounces, for 4 servings)

• Salt and pepper

• One large lemon

• For serving (optional): Sesame seeds and roasted, salted peanuts

For the peanut sauce:

(makes 2 cups)

• 1/2 cup peanut butter, smooth or chunky

• 1/3 cup regular or low sodium soy sauce or tamari

• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 1 teaspoon - 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce, depending on how spicy you want it

• 2–3 tablespoons brown sugar, granulated sugar, honey, or agave (I usually use brown sugar)

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 cup of water

How to make it:

1. Cook the rice according to the package instructions.

2. Make the peanut sauce: Add all the ingredients to a blender or a food processor and process until smooth. Set it aside if using it soon, or refrigerate for up to a week.

3. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces and season with salt and pepper. Set somewhere near the stovetop. 

4. Add a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to a large skillet or braiser. Peel and chop the garlic and add to the pan along with a couple handfuls of kale. Set the pan over medium high heat and cook, stirring, until the kale wilts enough to make room for more. As the kale cooks down, continue to add more kale to the pan until all of it has been added. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and continue to cook until the kale is starting to brown. Remove it to a plate or a bowl. Do not rinse out the skillet.

5. If the skillet is dry, add another tablespoon or so of olive oil and set it back over medium high heat. Add the chicken, spreading the pieces out across the bottom of the pan (if you’re cooking a lot of chicken, you’ll want to do this in batches.) Let the chicken cook until it releases easily from the bottom of the pan. Stir, and continue to cook, stirring every now and then, until the chicken is cooked through.

6. Add the kale back to the pan and toss everything around for a minute or so. Remove from the heat and squeeze some lemon juice over the chicken and kale. Taste and add more lemon juice and/ or salt and pepper if you like.

7. Serve the chicken and kale over rice, drizzled with peanut sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and peanuts, if desired. 

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That’s all for now, friends. I hope you have a delightful week and, if you are enjoying this newsletter, please tell your friends.

If you make something from this issue, have questions or anything you’d like to share, add a comment below. I ❤️ to hear from you.