I’ve got a song in my head that I didn’t even know a week ago. That’s because I was lucky enough to spend a week with a hard-working but fun-loving group of students on Alternative Spring Break. They blasted the radio and sang along when a favorite song came on as we drove to our work sites, to the YMCA for shower time and to the coffee shop or main street to hang out. Made me feel young again. (We definitely have to give up the American car culture, given climate change, but I’m sure glad I got to enjoy it for so many years.)
We made great headway on two Habitat for Humanity Houses in Athens, Georgia. This group really knows how to work. The days ended with everyone pitching in to cook and clean up, then came games and good conversation.
For years I’ve been writing admiring Web stories and press releases about Suffolk U students who give up the traditional spring break vacation to perform service work. But until I joined them this week, I didn’t realize that foregoing the vacation doesn’t mean giving up the fun — not at all. There was no drinking or carousing on this trip, but a group of students who were, for the most part, strangers two months ago are now fast friends. Thanks for letting me join in the fun!
Who knows, I may now let my own radio dial linger at Usher or Lil Wayne — but I draw the line at Britney!
–Nancy K
Ana prepared a great Mexican meal, and Reycine and Ruthly cooked fabulous Caribbean dishes. Pat planned on making hummus, but we ran out of time!
Please share your recipes.
Here’s the chocolate birthday cake — we doubled this to serve 17:
Black Magic Cake
1 ¾ cups unsifted all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
¾ cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup strong coffee (made with decar instant is best)
1 cup sour milk (1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice and milk to make a total of 1 cup)
½ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes (or use hand beater) Batter will be thin.
Pour into greased and floured 13x9x2-inch pan. (For best results, put a sheet of waxed paper on bottom of greased pan, then grease and flour over waxed paper.)
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Cool before frosting.
Mocha frosting
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup milk to which 1 ½ tsp instant coffee has been added
Confectioners sugar (about 16 oz.)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate powder to taste/
Beat butter until soft. Add sugar and liquids alternately. Fine tune for desired texture