Putting our own stamp on things

Every time we adapt something to suit our needs, or do something our way, we are putting our own stamp on things. This can help us to feel creative, pleased, contented and fulfilled. It is something we can often do in the workplace and many times we may have done it without even realising. Those of us who work in rural environments are constantly adapting tools and resources to be more appropriate for a rural context.

What does it mean?

 Putting our own stamp on things is about doing things our way, not the way others think we should do them. It means being true to ourselves, acting according to our core values and being an individual, and it may mean having the courage to stand out from the crowd. It may also mean standing out form the ordinary and mediocre and choosing to be different to others without disrespecting them. It definitely means doing things in ways that support our growth as human beings.

The things we can put our own stamps onto

Some of the things that we can do our way include:

• Choosing how we dress, what we eat and how we live our lives
• Tweaking programs to fit our needs and the needs of those with whom we are working
• Choosing the tools, resources and style of working with our clients
• Choosing between options and how we choose to use advice from others
• How we deal with challenges
• How we choose to react to situations and the perspectives we choose to take
• How we carry out required tasks and the order in which we do these
• Daily routines
• The kinds of movies and programs we watch, the books we read and how we use our relaxation/ leisure time
• Putting our own spin on creative activities

Ways of encouraging ourselves to remember

Sometimes we need to work on believing in ourselves and building up our confidence and we can do this by reminding ourselves that we are allowed to do things our way, listening to our inner nurturing voices rather than the unhelpful voices of others and putting ourselves in the “driver’s seat” of our own life journey “cars” so that we can choose the direction and where our “car” is going to take us.

An exercise in putting our own stamp on things

In the Women’s Support Group that I used to facilitate we would regularly take a base recipe and brainstorm ways that we could vary it to suit our own needs. This was a practical way of encouraging the women to put their own stamp onto something.

Quiche

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees (Centigrade)
2. Beat together 4 eggs and ½ cup milk (low fat is healthier) and add any flavouring herbs (dried coriander is nice)
3. Line a pie plate with pastry (or leave this out and grease the plate to make frittata instead)
4. Fill the pastry shell/ pie plate with a mixture of any of the following:

• Tuna or salmon and dill
• Left-overs from main meals
• Left over Chinese (including rice)
• Chopped up hard boiled eggs
• Tomato and basil
• Any chopped vegetables e.g. carrots, peas, beans, corn, broccoli, cauliflower etc.
• Capsicum
• Spaghetti/ noodles
• Onion or garlic
• Sun-dried tomatoes
• Ham, bacon or salami or chopped sausages
• Cooked chicken or left-over meat (chopped)

What else could be added?

5. Top with grated cheese and/ or paprika
6. Bake for 50 mins or until set

A smaller version could be made by halving the quantities

In the words of Fanny Brice: Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be, because sooner or later if you are posing, you will forget the pose and then where are you?

Comfort Corner 3

These recipes for Mushrooms and Neenish Tarts are another example of an old classic kept from a magazine cutting (1967) that is worth sharing and preserving. I make these when I want to add something special to a celebration, and they keep well in the freezer. The pastry is a favourite of mine as it tastes great, but is also easy to roll and work with.

The other thing that I am reminded of is the sense of satisfaction that I have when I see the finished product and know that it is all my own work. So too, clients can have a similar feeling if we guide them in doing things for themselves, rather than taking over and doing things for them – we may be denying them the experience of  a sense of achievement if we don’t allow them this opportunity.

Pastry

150 g butter or substitute

1/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups plain flour

½ cup corn flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

Cream butter and sugar until white and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Fold in sifted dry ingredients. Chill a few hours, wrapped in plastic wrap. Knead a little before using, roll out thinly on a floured board and cut into fluted rounds with a floured cutter (it helps to sprinkle flour on the rolling pin too). Fill into tartlet tins and prick with a fork. Bake in a moderately hot oven 10 to 15 minutes.

This recipe will make at least 36 pastry shells, and the pastry left over from cutting a batch of rounds can be re-rolled and cut to make more.

Mushrooms

Cut out stems from left over pastry and bake these with the cases (I sit them on the flat spaces between the indentations on the tray).

When cold, place a small spoonful of jam in each cooked tart shell.  Cream 2 tablespoons of butter until soft, gradually adding 2 cups of icing sugar and 2 tablespoons milk. Beat until smooth. Add dash of vanilla. Fill into pastry cases (on top of jam). Place a small stem in the centre of each tart. Sprinkle with cinnamon

Neenish tarts

Mix 1 cup coconut, 4 tablespoons icing sugar, 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon condensed milk and 2 drops almond essence together to a smooth and soft consistency. Fill into cold baked pastry shells. Ice half of each top with white icing and the other half with chocolate (or carob) icing.

Bask in a glow of satisfaction and achievement as you enjoy these little treats.

Comfort corner 2

When we are working with women who are crossing the tightrope we need to also care for ourselves, as this is tough and potentially dangerous work for us too (think worker safety).

I have chosen to share a recipe for home-made lemon cordial and another slice recipe as, to me, both are symbolic of aspects of this work.

Lemon cordial

Lemons are bitter, but can become quite delicious with the addition of sugar. So too, women leaving behind the bitterness of the past can hopefully move towards sweeter experiences.

Home-made lemon cordial 

• Place 2 cups water and 2 cups sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
•  Add 1 cup lemon juice.
•  Allow to cool.
•  Pour into a bottle (strained if you like, but I like it unstrained)
• Will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks. 
• To serve: put some cordial in the bottom of a glass and fill with water.

Mocha slice

This slice comes from a book of old recipes, produced by the Presbyterian Social Service Department, that could easily become forgotten unless shared. So too, the stories of the women on the tightrope need to be heard and acknowledged.

Mocha slice

185 g butter

½ cup plain flour

½ cup SR flour

1 tblspn cocoa

2 tspn instant coffee

½ cup brown sugar

1 cup coconut

¾ cup muesli or crushed cereal

½ tsp vanilla

Melt butter, add flours and remainder of ingredients and mix until blended.

Press onto greased slab tin.

Bake in moderate oven about 20 minutes.

Cool slightly then ice with icing made from 1 ½ cups icing sugar blended to stiff icing with milk or water and a few drops peppermint essence.

Comfort corner

When working with vulnerable clients in the context of systemic stress, we need to remember to look after ourselves too, so this blog offers two sources of comfort  -- a Chai Latte mixture and a very easy to make but flavoursome slice. The slice recipe comes from a much used collection of recipes collated by the Presbyterian Social Service Department, and given to me many years ago as an engagement present.

Chai Latte mixture

2 cups powdered milk

1 cup sugar

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground cardamom

Process in a food processor until well mixed and smooth.

Store in a cool dry place in an airtight container.

Stir 2 heaped tablespoons into boiling water, adding instant coffee or a tea bag.

Enjoy!

Chocolate and lemon slice

125 g butter

1 beaten egg

1 cup coconut

½ cup sugar

1 cup S.R. flour

2 tbsps. cocoa

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees centigrade (160 degrees for fan forced) or 350 degrees farenheight .

Melt butter gently in saucepan and remove from heat.

 Add egg and then coconut, sugar, flour and cocoa and mix well.

Press into slice tin lined with baking paper.

Cook for 20 minutes (15 minutes fan-forced, then check if cooked).

Ice with lemon icing whilst warm. Make lemon icing with 1 tsp lemon juice mixed into 1 ½ cups icing sugar mixture (add water if too stiff).

Enhance the workspace

Keep an attractive cup to use at work, as this enhances the experience, rather than drinking from an aged and stained one that has been retrieved from the back of the staff room cupboard!