Recipe for Second Chances Quotes

“But creativity has a hard time flourishing without enough inputs. Every plant needs to revive its soil to thrive, not just a base level of water and sun. I’ve needed this reset—I need some inspiration and to get out of the rut my conversation with my boss has left me in.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“We can read every book and stare at every piece of art about the pain of love, but we never know how much it hurts to be exposed until it's real to us. It's a feeling so foreign to our base state that it is impossible to imagine.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“But we don’t know what we don’t know. And he couldn’t have known before then that it was inevitable he would leave.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“But I have never understood until this moment that leaving things unsaid doesn’t make them go away.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“That’s kept me sane and focused on what really matters—like work, and my friendships—for all the years since. And it’s allowed me to keep work and friendships in their own safe box. I was safe from experiencing that kind of pain again. He was the past.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“I never could have been enough—he truly didn’t understand what he was promising. No one does at that age. And ever since then, I’ve taken solace in staying in control. I’ve reveled in my ability to stay away from getting emotional because my entire well-being has centered on my ability to get shit done and be there for everyone who needs me. My feelings for Samuel were a mistake in another lifetime, because romantic relationships aren’t worth it anyway. He is my own cautionary tale that’s waved its red flag every time I’ve gotten close to starting down a road with some other man.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“I’m a mess, but at least I know I’m a mess. That has to count for something, right? I can handle my own mess.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“This fear of needing a man to make us happy is a product of our bullshit Disney princess culture that also taught us a man can fall in love even if a sea witch stole the woman's voice. She was pretty damn awesome as a mermaid first!”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“It's crazy that her tester pancake turned out to be perfect," I finally said.
"Her what?" Cat chuckled.
"You know, the tester pancake," I explained, hoping that the preceding glasses of wine wouldn't make this analogy impossible to follow. "Like, when you're making pancakes, you don't just start off by dumping all the pancake batter onto the griddle and assuming everything will be okay. You have to start with one and then test it out to see--- is the griddle hot enough? Is the batter not too thick or not too loose? Does the butter melt at the right sizzle? Does the batter have the right ratio of blueberries---"
"You mean chocolate chips---" she interjected.
"I mean blueberries for my fictional theoretical pancakes, thank you very much. Anyway," I said, clearing my throat, "you need the tester pancake to help you adjust. Not to mention you might spend years refining your pancake recipe to get to the one you want."
"But sometimes the tester just works," Cat argued wholeheartedly.
Such a hidden sap. It made no sense, since she---like me--- had essentially been single since college. But I knew she was a softie beneath her badass consulting and math-brain exterior.
"Besides," she said, "they always say when you know, you know.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“The mood at the table is convivial throughout the meal. A dried-sausage and prosciutto plate gives way to briny sardines, which give way to truffle-covered gnocchi topped with a plethora of herbs. Richness cut with acidity, herbaceousness and cool breezes at every turn. A simple ricotta and lemon fettuccine topped with sharp pecorino is the perfect counterpoint.
I am not driving, and apparently Anjana isn't, either, so we both order a Cynar and soda. "How can we digest all the pasta without another digestif?" we exclaim to the waiter, giddily. Meat, carbs, sunshine, and lingering music coming from across the plaza have stirred us up, and soon our dessert--- some sort of chocolate cake with walnuts--- arrives. It's dense in that fudgey way a flourless concoction can be, like it has molded itself into the perfection of pure chocolate. The crunch of the walnuts is a counterweight, drawing me deeper into the flavor.
I haven't been inspired by food like this in a long time, despite spending so much time thinking about food. The atmosphere at work has sucked so much of the joy out of thinking about recipes, but I find myself taking little notes on my phone for recipe experimentation when I get home. The realization jolts me.
I've always felt like I have the perfect job for a creative who happens to also be left-brained. Recipes are an intriguing puzzle every single time. Today's fettuccine is the perfect example. The tartness of the lemon paired with the smooth pasta and pillowy ricotta is the no-brainer part. But the trickier puzzle piece--- the one that is necessary to connect the rest of the puzzle to the whole--- is the light grating of the pecorino on top. That tang, that edge, that cutting spice works in tangent with the lemon to give the dish its power. Lemon alone wouldn't have been enough. Pecorino alone wouldn't have been enough. The dish is so simple, but it has to fit together perfectly to work. These little moments, these exciting eurekas, are the elation I normally get in my job.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“We create the narratives that protect us.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“I am nothing if not a dependable person who can ignore her own anxiety to get shit done. For other people.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“Creating order among chaos is the best thing to keep us grounded and avoid getting overwhelmed.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“But they seem to pop back up with every move forward, as if they’re meant to be briefly trod on and then cover the tracks of whomever has wandered into the center.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“Maybe the real strength is risking the fear for the chance of happiness.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“freezes”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“We can read every book and stare at every piece of art about the pain of love, but we never know how much it hurts to be exposed until it’s real to us. It’s a feeling so foreign to our base state that it is impossible to imagine.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“It makes me ache for what we’ve lost. Or what I lost when he left. The memory makes me prickle toward him.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“Transfer the batter to the tin. Sprinkle the remaining walnuts and additional salt on top (flaky sea salt if you have it). Bake for 24–30 minutes, or until an inserted skewer or toothpick comes out clean. (You can start checking at 20 minutes if your oven runs hot.) Let the cake cool before serving.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“Ingredients 1 1/2 cups walnuts, divided 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips 3 large eggs 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup olive oil 1/3 cup cocoa powder 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional 2 teaspoons baking powder Preheat the oven to 350°F and oil a 9-inch cake tin. Chop the walnuts so they’re small but still have texture. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. In a large bowl, combine the eggs with the sugar (using a mixer is preferred to fully incorporate). Add the oil, cocoa powder, and melted chocolate. Stir again to combine. Add in the flour, salt, and baking powder and lightly combine. Add in 1 cup of the walnuts”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“Ingredients 1 1/2 cups roasted hazelnuts 2/3 cup sugar 2 tablespoons white miso paste 2 large egg whites 1/2 teaspoon salt Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Blend the hazelnuts in a blender with the sugar and miso paste. Using an electric mixer (or whisk if you have the stamina), beat the egg whites and salt in a bowl until the mixture has fluffed up and holds stiff peaks. Gently add the nut-and-sugar mixture and combine. Place spoon-size dollops onto the sheet, making sure to place the cookies far apart, since they do spread and flatten. Bake the cookies until golden, about 12 to 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“few minutes until the onions start to soften. Add the tomatoes and sausages and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the lentils and stir to fully coat, cooking for an additional minute. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat to a heavy simmer and cover for 15–25 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Add the artichoke hearts and kale, cook for another 3 minutes, taste to see if additional salt is needed, and then serve.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, diced 8 cloves minced garlic 2 cups cherry tomatoes 4 large Italian-style sausages, removed from their casings and crumbled 2 cups green lentils (Italian, and specifically Castelluccio, preferred) 6 cups water or stock 1 teaspoon salt, plus additional as needed 14 ounces (or one can) artichoke hearts, chopped 1 1/2 cups kale, finely chopped In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, onion, and garlic and stir gently for a”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“a hotel called Borgo Dei Conti, outside Perugia.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“That he can’t be with someone as emotionally damaged and afraid as me. That he can’t go through this again with me. That maybe he loves me, but I’m too much.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“I have anxiety, a real honest-to-God problem with it, and I have let the fear of it and the fear of my sister’s past rule me for too long. I was so wrong to push you away because I was terrified. And I have to be honest with you and say that I am still extremely terrified. I am so terrified and anxious that I’m honestly sort of shocked I haven’t spontaneously combusted right”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“He was lucky to not know how much young love could eventually rip your heart out. He was lucky to not know what it felt like to realize you weren’t good enough for someone. But I’d seen it firsthand.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“I’d always known deep down that I was too complicated for him, but he deliberately didn’t see it. Until one day he did.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“rational people who agree on the need for GSD—or “getting shit done.” It is our shorthand for moving forward and keeping the world in order when other people might whine or stall or overcomplicate things.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances

“He smelled like the ocean mixed with herbs.”
― Ali Rosen, Recipe for Second Chances