Lent Recipe -- Update

UPDATE
The dish was a hit. Words like "wow" and "yum" were thrown around.

What I liked is the zip in the food from the red pepper. It gave the meal a bit of a zing. I hadn't been expecting that, even though I made it.

It was a very easy to make and took no time. I am going to be adding this to my cookbook.





The newspaper invited, asked, pleaded with readers to submit Lent recipes to run in the paper. We wanted to find dishes to get out of the It's-Friday-it-must-be-fish-sticks-for-dinner rut. You readers delivered. We received about a dozen recipes to try.

Yours truly made shrimp with orzo. I had most things - olive oil and spices - in my kitchen. But I faced a bit of choice with buying the shrimp and figuring out where to find orzo.

I'll update this post after we taste the meal.

Immigration Rally

Atlanta - Thousands of rallied against tough illegal immigration bills at the Georgia Statehouse Thursday, March 24.

Opponents of the law say the law will promote racial profiling, hurt the state's economy as law enforcement is given broader powers to enforce immigration laws.

Here's some photos and a video at the end taken with a mobile phone:










US Rep. John Lewis, D- Ga., a civil rights icon, rallied protesters at the immigration rally in Atlanta.

Look for a full report and thoughts about people who attended the rally in next week's Georgia Bulletin.

March Madness is contagious at the high school level too

**UPDATE**

St. Pius X High School was defeated by Dalton High School in the quarterfinals of the state basketball tournament 50-36. St. Pius finished the season with a record of 25-6.

My high school, DuPont Manual, defeated Mercy Academy 55-52 to win their region championship. Now they advance to the Sweet Sixteen round of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association state basketball tournament. They will take on Crittenden County High School in their first round game, Wednesday, March 9, in Bowling Green, Ky.

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Tuesday night I covered a second round, state playoff basketball game at St. Pius X High School, Atlanta, where the Lady Golden Lions of Pius took on the young women from Troup High School, LaGrange. St. Pius is the only archdiocesan Catholic school still in contention for a state championship this year.

March Madness often refers to the NCAA basketball tournament that begins in March, and concludes in April. The basketball madness of March, however, is not restricted to the collegiate game. The high school “ballers” also provide their brand of excitement.

Responding to what it’s like to try to get to “the big dance” for a coach and his players at the high school level, second year Pius coach Kyle Snipes said, “It is just as exciting as it was when I was coaching at the college level, although at the high school level it is more special, because the season only goes two weeks into March, so to be playing in March for our program is exciting and also a testament to the hard work the young ladies have put in, not only during the season, but in the off-season as well.”

Despite a sizeable height disadvantage in the paint, Pius kept it close in the first half, and they held a one-point lead at halftime (18-17). Troup’s junior center Shamiya Brooks scored the first two points of the second half, but Pius’ defense held Troup scoreless for the remainder of the third quarter, as their offense extended its lead by 12. Troup scored its second basket of the half with 6:40 remaining in the fourth quarter.

St. Pius went on to defeat Troupe 46-21. Pius juniors Anna O’Donnell had 11 first-half points, Dylan Krause finished with 8 points (two shots from three-point land), and Sydni Payne scored 6 points. Sophomore MacKenzie Garrison also chipped in 7 points. Pius (25-5) advances to the Elite 8 on Saturday, March 5, where they will take on Dalton High School (30-0).

St. Pius X sophomore MacKenzie Garrison (#15) puts up a shot as

three Troup High School players collapse around her. Garrison scored

7 points in Pius' 41-26 victory.

After covering the game, I wondered how my own high school, DuPont Manual, Louisville, Ky., was doing this year. As it turned the Manual girls reached the Final Four of their region tournament by beating Assumption High School 85-59, Feb. 28. This evening they play Ballard High at Bellarmine University’s Knights Hall. Manual has an overall record of 28-4 and they are 16-1 in their region.

How did your high school fare this season? Feel free to let us know.

Michael Alexander, Staff Photographer

I am having a hard time gearing up for Lent, which begins Ash Wednesday, March 9th.

It’s easy to get into the introspective mood that the holy season demands. Scratch that. It’s easy when it’s cold, overcast and just plain icky to get into the introspective mood that the holy season demands . The weather enhances the season of penance.

But not when trees are blooming. And the green shoots of my perennials are poking through the brown earth in my garden. Not so much.

Lent demands prayer, penitence, alms giving and self-denial. Dreary days and trees with bare limbs are perfect backdrops for meditative walks as I review choices made and pledge, once again, to do better.

Forty days later, Easter arrives as the earth awakens. And the first pitch of opening day – with suds and dogs at the ballpark - isn’t far behind.

But the spirit of penitence is hard to muster find when the South shows off with its flowering trees and yellow daffodils and the mercury climbs to the comfortable 70s.

Help me out. How will you keep the spirit of Lent during the beautiful days of spring?

-Andrew
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Photo: Some rights reserved by jezobeljones