Wonderful Things From Unpromising Material [plus a recipe for Hearty Breakfast Casserole with Pork, Squash, + Kale]
We’re a few weeks from the end of another year. As I look back over the last 12 months and take stock of what’s happened in the world, it’s easy to grow discouraged. Personally, my year has been exhausting and full, but relative to other years, it’s not one that’s been particularly marked by grief. Yet when I lift my eyes and consider so many others in my community around me and in the world at large, this year has overflowed with suffering. Just glance back at the headlines, and it’s obvious that suffering runs rampant.
More than once this past year, I found myself glued to the news on my phone. It would start with an effort to “stay informed,” but before long I’d find myself desperately hitting “refresh” again and again, praying that maybe if I just looked one more time, the headlines will change from heartache to hope.
But the front page of the New York Times doesn’t often tell us of hope. I don’t know why I keep subconsciously expecting it to.
But you know who tells of hope?
Artists. Writers. Poets. Makers. Cooks. Photographers. Musicians.
Creators remind us of hope. Theologian and musician Jeremy Begbie said, “One of the things musicians can teach us is that the most wonderful things can come out of the most unpromising material.” The same is true for all art, in my opinion. Creating reminds us that the wreckage we see isn’t the end of the story. It reminds us that there is a Creator who can pick up our shattered messes and remake the world, that there’s a God who can even remake us when we’re the shattered mess.
“Making anything assumes there’s a world worth making it for.”
Sometimes it feels like the act of creating is pointless, maybe even disrespectful in times of grief or tragedy. Of course, we don’t want to skip over grieving with others. I crawled in a proverbial hole more than once this past year, crying on and off as I changed diapers and doled out snacks. We don’t need to rush lament. But consider how many creative acts happen during hard times: Flowers carefully arranged. A meal dropped off on a porch. A poem written inside a card. A eulogy spoken.
Creativity is deeply intertwined with how we grieve. I think it’s because creativity, unlike those news headlines I keep checking, offers the hope we desperately crave.
In his book (which happens to be a favorite of mine), Everything Sad is Untrue, Daniel Nayeri writes, “Does writing poetry make you brave? It is a good question to ask. I think making anything is a brave thing to do. Not like fighting brave, obviously. But a kind that looks at a horrible situation and doesn’t crumble. Making anything assumes there’s a world worth making it for.”
There is a world worth making your art for. It’s a world that’s groaning and grieving, but it’s often the artists who can best speak into that grief. Poets put words to the cries of our souls, musicians tell what words alone can’t convey, painters open our eyes to deeper truths, cooks remind us to taste and see there is still something good.
So keep creating. Keep cultivating beauty. Keep making art. Rest of course when needed. Take a break. Take care of yourself and your kids and your community. But this year, and every year, we need art–and the beauty and truth and hope it communicates.
Hearty Breakfast Casserole with Pork, Squash, + Kale
Yields about 8-10 servings
2 cups cubed butternut squash
3-4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 medium onion, diced
1 pound ground pork
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
5 ounces chopped kale
12 large eggs
2½ cups whole milk
1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese, plus more for topping*
5-6 cups of cubed, day-old bread**
Red pepper flakes for serving, optional
For the squash: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Add the cubed squash to a sheet pan, toss with a tablespoon or two of olive oil, and sprinkle with about a half teaspoon of salt and a ¼ teaspoon of pepper (just eyeball this). Roast for about 22-28 minutes, turning halfway through, until the squash is tender.
While the squash is cooking, grease a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
Heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook for 5-7 minutes over medium heat, until tender and translucent. Add the ground pork, half the rosemary, and ½ teaspoon salt, breaking up any large pieces of pork with a wooden spoon. Add more oil if needed. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, until the pork is cooked through. Turn the heat to low and add the kale. Cover and cook until slightly wilted, another 2-3 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, remaining rosemary, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Stir in the pork, onion, and kale mixture. Then add in the roasted squash, cheese, and bread cubes. Stir together until combined.
Pour into the prepared baking dish. Top with a little extra cheese if desired, cover, and let it sit for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight. (If you’re prepping this in advance, take the casserole out of the fridge about a half hour before baking if possible. If you don’t have time to do that, it may just need to bake a bit longer.)
When you’re ready to bake, set the oven to 325 degrees. Bake the casserole for about 45-55 minutes, uncovered, or until the eggs are just set and the top of the casserole is slightly browned. Let stand for 5-10 minutes. Top with more rosemary if you like, and for a bit of heat, sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Enjoy!
Notes:
*You can sub a variety of different cheeses like Asiago or Gruyere.
**You could also use different kinds of bread (my favorite is a leftover baguette or other crusty bread!). When I made this, 5-6 cups of bread was equal to 1 baguette from Trader Joe’s.
