The other day, I posted on Facebook, “Anyone else feel like they’re just barely holding their shit together?” It may have been my most commented on post, ever. It seems like nobody, none of us, feels like they’ve got it figured out. Which is kind of obvious, if you really think about it. But boy was it reassuring to hear other people say they’re just as much of a mess as I feel like I am.
I’ve gone on and on about this season of my life and while so many people have much bigger problems than I do, in our own little worlds, things can feel grand, even when they’re not in the longrun. I feel like I’ve been floating in a sea of uncertainty, and after talking with many, many friends who are also in their mid-30s (geez, when did THAT happen?), it seems like we’re all feeling it.
Regardless of whether we’re married or single, childless or with children, homeowners or renters, successful in our careers or still finding our footing, this feels like a monumental stage in our lives. A time when we’re carrying a big load on our shoulders, seemingly at all times.
We’re looking at ourselves and often not recognizing ourselves, we grapple with health issues and mortality, and we’re constantly told to just enjoy it because it goes by too fast. I’m desperately trying to become more comfortable with uncertainty as, we all know, life’s uncertain. Someone recently told me that successful people — entrepreneurs, professional athletes — practice becoming comfortable with discomfort.
It feels like this stage in my life feels so out of body; everything feels challenging: work, children, relationships and yet, there’s a huge benefit to all this. Perhaps for the first time, I’ve been pushed to learn how to deal with uncertainty, to practice being more mindful, to work on myself. And this work, I am realizing, is the most important work of all.
Sarah Kieffer’s Dutch Baby
*adapted (barely) from The Vanilla Bean Baking Book
This recipe has become my go-to for all brunches. It’s so much easier than standing at the oven flipping pancakes. When we have friends over for breakfast or brunch, I make two of them, along with a fruit salad. And now you can, too.
1 cup of all purpose flour
2 tablespoons of cornstarch
1 tablespoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup of milk (preferably whole milk)
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
powdered sugar, whipped cream, and fresh berries, for topping
1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Add the flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Combine the milk, eggs, and vanilla extract in a large measuring cup or small bowl, and whisk until incorporated.
4. Whisk 1/3 of the wet mixture into the dried ingredients. Slowly drizzle in the rest, whisking until smooth.
5. Add the butter to a large cast iron skillet and place it into the oven for 3-4 minutes (until the butter has melted).
6. Remove the cast iron skillet from the oven (make sure to wear oven mitts!) and pour in the batter. Place the skillet back into the oven and bake for 16 – 20 minutes, until the edges are crisp and browned, and puffed all around.
7. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and dust the Dutch Baby with powdered sugar. To serve, cut into wedges, add a hearty dollop of whipped cream, and a generous topping of berries.
