passion

An old friend came to visit last night with the intention of checking out medical school. He came to class with me this morning and we chatted intermittently about my experience thus far: subject matter, patient interaction, personality of the school, etc. What I found myself conveying to him though was the passion I believe is required to invest in a profession this demanding. We are asked to sacrifice much of our younger years (time we could be spending on valuable relationships with our family and spouse) in order to one day become good doctors. Why do we do it then? Because it is our passion! We cannot help but wholeheartedly pursue something if we find within it our purpose (“it” here hopefully applies to whatever path in life you have chosen really). Learning is my most tangible passion at this point—behind Ben, who is behind God—and I truly believe my desire for a future in medicine is rooted in the sense of purpose I garner from persistent dedication to it.

I know I am young, but I do hope this passion lasts awhile (at least past the hazing that is medical school) so that I can do something worthwhile in the world besides make grades. Until then, I suppose I will just keep studying…

If you like Artichokes, this is a winner. Only after making it did we both realize we don’t actually like artichokes…

Artichoke and Roasted Garlic Dip 
Serves 5 to 7

1 head garlic, top sliced off
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced
8 ounces mascarpone, softened
1/3 c light mayonnaise
½ cup part-skim mozzarella, shredded
¼ cup parmesan, grated
2 tablespoons hot sauce
2 teaspoon dry mustard
salt and pepper to taste

        topping:

1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon parmesan, grated
1 ½ tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place the head of garlic onto a small piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with olive and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Loosely wrap the foil around the garlic and roast in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the garlic cloves have softened completely and slightly browned. Carefully squeeze the clove into a bowl and discard the peel. Mash the cloves into a paste and stir in the remaining dip ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Stir the mixture until fully incorporated. Scoop the dip into a 3 cup baking dish of your choice and set aside. In a small bowl toss together the topping ingredients and sprinkle over the dip filled ramekin. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving with pita chips. Adapted only slightly from spoonforkbacon.com