Well, what do you know, I found a podcast that combined three of my favorite things:  food, metalworking, and common-sense ideas.  The April 3 issue of The Splendid Table takes a look at growing edibles in your front yard, some fabulous Turkish cuisine that I think I need to try, and laminated knives.  I’m not sure which topic I find more fascinating, but the episode kept me riveted for the entire 50 minutes.

I haven’t tried this, yet, but it looks delicious.  Here’s the recipe for Turkish Bulgur Salad with Parsley and Mint (Kisir).  You can make this salad up to 2 hours ahead and keep it at room temperature.

The recipe originally appeared in the January 14, 2009 issue of the San Francisco Chronicle in an article titled “Ancient Grain for Modern Times” by Janet Fletcher.

Serves 6

You can make the salad up to 2 hours ahead and keep it at room temperature. In summer, replace the tomato paste with 2 finely chopped tomatoes.

Note: See Resources below for bulgur and specialty ingredients called for in the salad.

• 1 cup fine bulgur (No. 1)
• 1 heaping tablespoon Turkish hot pepper paste
• 1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup thinly sliced green onions (white and green parts)
• 1 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
• 1 fresh Anaheim chile, halved lengthwise, seeds and ribs removed, then sliced thinly crosswise
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 large lemon (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
• Butter lettuce leaves
• Coarsely ground medium-hot red pepper, preferably Turkish Maras or Syrian Aleppo pepper

1. Place the bulgur in a large bowl and dampen it with 3/4 cup hot water. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Fluff it with a fork to separate the grains, then add the pepper paste and tomato paste and mix them in well with your hands so that all the grains are coated.

2. Add the onions, parsley, mint, Anaheim chile, olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses and salt. Mix well with your hands. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

3. Put the butter lettuce leaves around the edges of a large platter. Put the bulgur salad in the center. Top with a generous sprinkling of red pepper.

4. To serve, spoon some of the salad into the center of a lettuce leaf and fold like a taco.

I think this is absolutely brilliant!

Keep your files safe in a protective wallet
Helen Driggs is Managing Editor of Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist magazine.

	Here is my file wallet all loaded up, with some extra needle files and a file card for cleaning the metal chips out of file teeth. Everyone should own a file card – it will save wear and tear on your files and unclogs the teeth in a flash.

I teach workshops, and I take workshops, too. That usually means I end up carting tools around and I feel the need to protect them during their journey.

I sewed myself a file wallet out of heavy oil painting canvas I had left over from my art school days. It’s sewn together with heavy duty cotton thread, and I custom-stitched each slot in the carrier for a specific file. I hand lettered which file goes where, too. That way, when I’m packing up I’ll know if a student who has borrowed a file hasn’t returned it yet.

If you sew, you can easily figure out what to do just by looking at the photo. If you don’t sew, click here for a diagram of how I created my file wallet, plus directions on how to fold and stitch the fabric to make your own. To close the wallet, I just fold the flap down and roll it up. Then, that rolled parcel of files fits right in my tool tote and the files don’t scrape against each other.

This month, I have chosen a pair of ladies who have put several loans to good use: Michelle Amomonpon and Rovie Christie Gonzales. Here’s their story:

Michelle Amomonpon, 26, is from the village of Western Poblacion. She is the group leader of a 2-member group loan offered by PMPC. While each member of a group receives an individual loan, they are all collectively responsible for paying back the loans of their fellow group members if someone is delinquent or defaults.

Michelle is married and has two small children. To make a living, she runs a store selling dried goods. Michelle is just starting this business.

In 2005, Michelle joined PMPC to gain access to financial services to help improve her living situation and ability to engage in business activities. She has successfully repaid a previous loan of 15,000 PHP from PMPC. Michelle is requesting a new loan of 15000 PHP which will be used to purchase additional inventory and for working capital. This loan will be the sixth loan taken out by Michelle from PMPC. She plans to use the additional revenue generated from the business to improve the general living conditions of her family.

Follow their progress here: http://www.kiva.org/lend/191777

If, while at the Kiva site, you see a woman who you think shoud receive our support please send me the link. She may be our next feature.

I would really appreciate your opinion. In the coming months I will be making all kinds of exciting changes like restyling my presentation. Please take a few moments to complete this quick little survey.

Thank you!

Episode #187: Scott Belsky on Making Ideas Happen

Scott Belsky (CEO of Behance) shares insights from his new book Making Ideas Happen.

Love this podcast, here.  Plenty of great information for creative folks.  This episode covers an interesting topic:  getting enough ideas isn’t the problem, executing them is.  Have a listen.

Get the podcast here.