This week, I’ve been musing on talents. From clothing designers to home decorators to artists and chefs, I always wonder how some people can see things in their head and bring them to life. Highly creative people tend to think for themselves, and are not easily influenced or swayed by others. They can, unlike most people, easily think outside the proverbial box. What distinguishes the “highly creative” folks from the rest of us is their ability to follow through on their creative ideas. Who among us has not had some incredible idea? I’m sure we all have. Now who of us has gone and made that a reality? That pool is far smaller than the first one.
When people say they are not creative, it can be a self-fulling prophecy. We assume that creativity is an innate quality, so we never try to create anything, so we never get better at it, which discourages us from ever trying. See what I mean?
I know there is a lot of anxiety around the first brushstroke, note, or word. Beginning is really difficult, but with enough practice, we can learn how to get around that paralysis and just start. Part of that is understanding that not everything we make has to be perfect. Before every masterpiece came hours of practice and imperfections. For me, this blog made me believe that maybe, just maybe, I could create something of my own. I had to overcome the self-deprecating thoughts in my head and just go for it.
And so here I am, doing just that. If I can do something like this, I think you can too. Don’t let your fears stop you. After I received so many encouraging comments about my blog, I began to feel better about my own creativity. Sure, there were problems with it, but it was the support of others that helped me to continue until it became easier to write. Of course, I will never be the next Ralph Lauren or Tory Birch, but this is good enough for me. Now, in what ways are you creative? I am sure there are some thoughts you can act on– maybe a drawing, painting, half finished dance, or neglected instrument? If not, I’ve got a recipe for you to try. Let go of your inhibitions, and give it a shot.
I had a lot of left-over broccoli from the holidays, and wanted to find a new and unusual way to use it. The olives are a savory twist on ordinary broccoli and they combine deliciously. The red pepper flakes add just a touch of heat. The two cheeses are baked to bubbly, delightful goodness that makes every bite a mouthful of scrumptious satisfaction. Don’t miss this one. It will definitely be a crowd pleaser.
This recipe is loosely adapted from the New York Times and will serve 8 to 10 people who will not want to pass this up.
(There were several ingredients missing in the recipe, so I added them with the amounts I thought appropriate for this dish.)
Ingredients for Baked Romanesco Broccoli with Mozzarella and Olives:
2 or 3 medium heads Romanesco broccoli (about 3 pounds)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for baking dish
1-pound fresh mozzarella, sliced
1 cup grated pecorino or Parmesan (about 2 ounces)
1 dozen soft black oil-cured olives, or another type of black olive, pitted
2 garlic cloves, chopped
8 anchovies, chopped
1/4 cup capers, drained and dried
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
4 sprigs oregano, leaves trimmed and chopped
Put a large pot of well-salted water over high heat and bring to a boil.
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Cut broccoli into quarters and trim away the core and any tough bits.
Chop quarters into rough 2-inch cubes.
Transfer to boiling water and cook for 2 minutes.
Drain and rinse with cool water.
Lightly oil an earthenware baking dish.
Arrange blanched broccoli in one layer.
Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Tear mozzarella slices and scatter over the top, then sprinkle with pecorino.
Arrange olives here and there.
In a small bowl, stir together capers, anchovy, garlic, red pepper and 3 tablespoons olive oil.
Drizzle mixture evenly over the top.
Bake for about 30 minutes, until cheese has browned a bit and broccoli is tender when pierced with a fork.
Let rest 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Sprinkle with a good pinch of dried oregano.
It’s that simple!
Why don’t more people like me?
