family connection

The Things You Need to Know About Nana

In The Things You Need to Know About Nana, my guest blogger uses her words to convey the love she has for her grandmother. They had a tight bond that this young girl missed terribly.

Dearest Nana

The past six years of my life have been awful, and you not being here has made that even. You were my person, and you left me. I had to deal with everything alone, and to be honest. I am sick of it. You were the glue that held the family together. Once you died, everything changed. I wish I could put into words how much I miss you. Honestly, I know it is selfish, but I would give anything for you to be here with me. I feel like life would be better if you were here. Sadly, I miss my best friend, the one I knew I could count on for everything. I miss the person who was brutally honest with me.

I wish we could lie together and watch one more scary movie. Or, I wish I could sleep in the bed with you one more time. I wish I could hear more stories from your childhood. I always enjoyed those. Furthermore, I want to listen to you try to pronounce “Aluminum” one last time. That was hilarious. I took my time with you for granted.

I’m sorry I couldn’t heal you. I couldn’t make you feel better. I did everything I could. It’s important you know I did my best. I was young, and I did the best I could. When you first got sick, I prayed to God that you at least lived until I was Eleven. Two and a half months after my Eleventh birthday, you died. That has haunted me since the day you died. I’m sorry. Losing you is one of the hardest things I have ever gone through, and it’s a wound time will never heal.

Thankful

Today, I am thankful for my granny. There has never been another person like her. She loved so completely. I miss her face, her hugs, and her love. Granny knew everything. I could come to her with anything, and she would tell me what to do. When I was in the wrong, she was quick to correct me. Yes, I would cry, hurting my feelings, but in the end, she was right. Geez, I miss her.

This is a 10 Minute Injera, so you know that it is not true, authentic injera. My son is from Ethiopia and he would eat this daily. I would love to figure out how to make it more like what he ate. For now, this will work.

10 Minute Injera

1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1/3 c. all-purpose flour (I used all-purpose flour because I didn’t have whole wheat)

1 T. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. baking soda

~ sift all of this together in a glass bowl.

Directions for 10 Minute Injera

In a separate bowl, whisk 2 eggs and 2 c. buttermilk (I didn’t have buttermilk, so I used 3/4 c. milk and then I poured enough lemon juice in it to make a full cup).

Mix liquid with dry ingredients.

Get your griddle or skillet very hot with 1 T. oil.

Pour out 2 Tbsp onto your griddle and get super thin someone told me to pour the batter out with a ladle so you can swirl it around and it will get the “look” of traditional injera.

They look like latke’s but they taste like injera.

It was fantastic! While this quick version doesn’t have the same tang or spongy texture as traditional injera made from teff and fermented over days, it’s still a comforting substitute. It makes my boy light up, and that’s what matters most to me. I hope to keep learning and improving this recipe until I can get closer to what his birth mama would’ve made. For now, it’s a bridge between two worlds, bringing a piece of his culture to our table in a way that fits our busy life. It’s not perfect, but it’s made with so much love—and that’s always the best ingredient.

Take a Deep Breath and Try All Over Again