Ingredients
2 cups mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon dry basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups fresh cauliflower
4 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 large head iceberg lettuce, torn
1 pound bacon, cooked, crumbled
2 cups croutons, optional
Directions
In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, cheese, sugar, basil and salt. Add broccoli, cauliflower, onion and water chestnuts and toss. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Before serving, place lettuce in a salad bowl, top with vegetable mixture and sprinkle with bacon. Top with croutons if desired. Recipe makes 16 to 18 servings.
A reflection by Theresa Breitenbach, communications strategist for The Catholic Echo and the diocesan communications department.
My first apartment smelled like zucchini. That may seem odd—zucchini isn’t a particularly fragrant vegetable. But I roasted it so often that the scent of zucchini tossed with olive oil and garlic salt permeated the walls. It didn’t even spare my golden retriever, Rosie. When I hugged her and buried my face in her fur, there it was—the scent of zucchini.
We lived there alone, and I often invited people (and puppies) over for dinner. As a side dish, I often served—you guessed it—roasted zucchini. My parents, my sister, their dogs and my boyfriend (who is now my husband) came to expect it. Sometimes I would eat it alone, but it was a lot easier to cook when I knew I would be sharing the meal. There was an inherent isolation in preparing a portion for one. I never really relished the solitude, but I think God granted it for a purpose. The time I spent living alone taught me how to roll up my sleeves and get things done, while relying on Him.
This time also showed me how to enter into Jesus’ solitude. Numerous times in the Scriptures, Jesus intentionally withdraws from crowds to pray. In those moments, He was alone but not lonely. He had His Father to talk to and to lean on. I often attended daily Mass at churches near my apartment. I remember sinking to my knees, feeling like I was depositing the weight of the world on the kneeler. I looked to Jesus to help me be alone but not lonely. I knew that I was known, loved and wanted by the God who waited for me in the small host.
Now, my dog still waits for scraps, but I’m slicing zucchini in a different kitchen. It’s in our house, where my husband works by my side, emptying the dishwasher. In the next room, our daughter kicks the pink toy elephants hanging from the baby mobile over her crib. God permitted that solitude for a season and a reason. Because of it, I know that I can accomplish little on my own, but all in Him. I’m in a new chapter of life now, with new lessons to learn. Nothing is wasted in God’s plan. He uses each moment to draw me to His Heart.
