Culinary Insecurities

Our team boasts some excellent and enthusiastic cooks. I am not among them. For years I have subscribed to my mother’s philosophy in the kitchen: “If you have a can opener and a pair of scissors, you can cook.” Thanks Mom, but that only works if you live in America—the land of freezer foods and the home of microwave meals. In Africa, I’ve had to learn to cook stuff from scratch.

Food is the international love language. Nearly all social gatherings—all over the world—revolve around some kind of beverage, snack, or meal. Back in the U.S., I could quickly whip up a potluck dessert with “a little help” from my friends Betty Crocker or Mrs. Smith. But now I need a recipe, measurable ingredients, and acres of time.

A fellow worker here brought Mark and me a complete homecooked meal as a housewarming gift. That touched my heart, partly because it is something I would feel inadequate doing for somebody else. I have culinary insecurities.

Ask me to spend weeks writing the world’s longest Christmas letter? No problem. Ask me to deliver a speech to hundreds? No sweat. Ask me to feed a crowd? No way.

But God is in the business of stretching people. So say “hello” to Elastigirl. I asked my friend, who gifted us the meal, to copy out the recipe for her delicious Oatmeal Cake. I have since succeeded in making it four times—YAY!—and now pass it along to you.

At the end of the day, we all have our strengths and weaknesses. Nobody excels at everything. That’s what makes team life so good. We need one another—especially to eat well at holiday dinners. Bon Appétit!

Oatmeal Cake

1. Combine the following. Let it sit for 20 minutes.
1 cup oats
1 ¼ cups boiling water

2. Cream together the following. Then add it to the oat mixture.
½ cup oil
½ cup honey or syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs

3. Mix the following together. Then add it to the other mixture.
1 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt

4. Bake in a cake pan at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes (or up to an hour, depending on your oven).

5. In lieu of frosting, I add a dollop of plain yogurt to each serving.

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