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The Recipe for Success

My father-in-law passed away a few days ago. He was a kind and hard-working man, a man who took great satisfaction in helping others. We love him and we miss him.

My brother-in-law asked me to share a few spiritual thoughts at the funeral. And so I have contemplated the truly important things in life these past days.

I have pondered specific doctrines of my faith that bring me peace and comfort. I have reflected on how to share those teachings with family and friends who will come seeking consolation and solace. And I have evaluated the humble yet successful life of my father-in-law and questioned whether I measure up to his standards.

Success can be an elusive thing. And it is especially elusive if you do not have a clear vision of what constitutes success.

Last year I celebrated a milestone birthday, the completion of another decade of life. As I evaluated my own journey, I reflected on the traits that make up a successful life.  Here are a few of my thoughts:

  1. Be kind. Be especially kind to those who cannot do anything for you. Love your neighbor. Lift the burdens of those around you.
  2. Express gratitude frequently. A thankful heart is a happy heart.
  3. Never compromise your integrity. A reputation that takes a lifetime to earn may be ruined by a single impulsive act. Your integrity cannot be taken from you, but you can destroy it through your own actions.
  4. Make time for the truly important things in life. Faith. Family. Friends. Schedule in the big things first, and you will have ample room for the details of life.
  5. Keep learning. Innovate. Try new things. We live in a world of endless possibilities. Experience life. Dream big.
  6. Disagree respectfully. Understand the difference between the person and the point of disagreement. Find common ground. Listen to understand.
  7. Be prepared. Show up on time. Do your homework. Plan ahead.
  8. Be a mentor. Pay it forward. Develop a genuine interest in young people. Serve others.
  9. Ask for forgiveness. Own up to your mistakes. Repair the damage you have caused. Then change and be better.
  10. Forgive readily and completely. Forgive yourself. Allow others to change. Forgive those who have offended you even if they do not seek forgiveness. Forgiveness does not make you beholden to bad behavior. Instead, it enables you to take control of your life and have peace in your heart.
  11. Eat good food with family and friends. Life is too short to eat alone. Live. Laugh. Love.

Even with a clear vision of what constitutes a successful life, we all stumble and fall from time to time. I am grateful for those who turn a blind eye to my failings and love me nonetheless.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
Winston S. Churchill

What is your recipe for a successful life?

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Doing Hard Things

Photo by Alessandro Bianchi on Unsplash

Anything worthwhile in life is hard.

Winning a championship. Building a successful business. Nurturing a relationship. Each requires vision, passion, and dedication. Each requires a commitment of time, effort, and resources.

As human beings, we are most content when we are growing and progressing. Doing hard things is the best way to progress. In the end, the reward is worth the effort, even if you fall short of your goal.

I’m happiest when I push myself to achieve. I like having a little bit more to do than I can comfortably get done in a day. It makes me prioritize, focus, and act decisively. At the end of the day, I feel accomplished. When I stop pursuing personal growth, on the other hand, life becomes mundane.

That is why I have chosen to push myself out of my comfort zone.

In February, I learned of an Executive LL.M. program in Litigation Management offered by Baylor Law. The program focuses on the skills necessary to successfully manage a docket of high-volume, high-stakes litigation.

Over 14 months, the candidates take online courses centered on “very legal-specific strategic, analytical, business and cost management skills.” Three times during the program, candidates take a week of classes on-site to supplement online learning.

For six months, I had an internal debate over the merits of enrolling in the program. I came up with many reasons not to enroll – cost, work demands, and uncertainty about the future. Still, I could not escape the gnawing feeling that I need to bring a little turmoil and growth to my life.

It’s much easier to do nothing, so that’s precisely what I did. But representatives from Baylor were persistent, leaving messages for me every few weeks extolling the virtues of the program. The gnawing feeling continued.

After counseling with Rebecca and with trusted friends, I made the plunge last week. I submitted a resume and statement of interest on Thursday, and spoke with an advisor from Baylor and completed my application on Friday. On Saturday, I purchased tickets to travel to the orientation later this week. Classes start on September 23.

I’m excited to conquer this new challenge. I can do hard things.

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Tomatillo Sauce

Tomatillos are a staple in Mexican and Southwestern cuisine. They have a bright, acid flavor that adds a kick to any meal.

And they are versatile. Tomatillo sauce can be made from raw, boiled, or roasted tomatillos. Each has its own virtue.

This recipe highlights the smoky flavor of roasted tomatillos. It brings a mild spiciness to pork, chicken, eggs, and chips. And it’s easy to make.

Before making any sauce, remove the papery outer skin on the tomatillos. Tomatillos are sticky, so wash them carefully.

Tomatillo Sauce

  • 12 to 14 tomatillos
  • 1 white onion, cut into chunks
  • 6 to 8 cloves of garlic
  • 2 Hatch chiles
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • salt and pepper

Heat the oven to broil.

Place the tomatillos, onion, garlic, and chiles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Roast the vegetables until charred, turning the vegetables every few minutes to ensure coverage on all sides.

Peel, seed, and stem the chiles.

Blend all ingredients in the blender until smooth. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with water, one tablespoon at a time.  Salt and pepper to taste.

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Southwestern Eggs Benny with Tomatillo Sauce

It’s the holiday weekend, so it’s time to cook.

in anticipation of the weekend, I spent some time reviewing my collection of cookbooks to get some ideas. I came across a great idea for Green Chile Eggs Benny in The Essential Southwest Cookbook (available at Amazon.com https://tinyurl.com/y4r3tdeb).

My Sweetie has a sensitive stomach, so I revised the recipe to make it less spicy. It looked and tasted great.

The original recipe calls for English muffins as a base for the Eggs Benny. I decided to mix it up a bit and use sourdough biscuits instead. We also added some homemade tomatillo sauce, which brings a robust smoky flavor to the meal.

We started off our weekend with a Southwestern breakfast for dinner. Try it, you’ll like it.

Southwestern Eggs Benny with Tomatillo Sauce

  • 2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed
  • 2 cups sweet corn
  • 3 green onions, sliced (white and green parts)
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • juice of one lime
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 1 cup Mexican crema
  • 1 roasted Hatch chile, peeled, seeded, and diced
  • zest of one lime
  • 1 teaspoon chile powder
  • 8 poached eggs
  • cotija cheese, crumbled
  • tomatillo sauce

Combine the black beans, corn, green onions, tomatoes, and lime juice in a medium saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium heat until the beans and corn are heated through. Reduce the heat to low, and keep the mixture warm. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the crema, the diced chile, lime zest, and chile powder. Season with salt and pepper.

Poach the eggs.

Split four English muffins or biscuits and set them on your serving plates. Spoon the bean and corn mixture onto each half of bread. Gently place a poached egg on each half. Spoon tomatillo sauce and crema onto each egg. Top with cotija cheese.

Learn how to make tomatillo sauce here: https://legalchow.com/tomatillo-sauce/.