book talk: cookbooks

As the start of the new semester draws ever-closer (ahem, that would be tomorrow), I am obsessed with food. This, of course, is my go-to coping mechanism for my educator stress. Food is always enjoyable. Food is completely controllable. Food doesn't talk back, ask you questions you already answered at the beginning of class, or email you 12 hours after an assignment is due to tell you that food has lost its assignment sheet, and also has NO IDEA what to do for said assignment, and by-the-way, could you pretty-please accept said assignment a couple more days late?

Ahem.

So, I've been pouring over my cookbooks recently, in an attempt to distract my anxious, over-worried mind and feed my face while I'm at it.

I should also mention that all of this anxiety will have dissipated by, oh, next Monday. It's purely based in the unknown. Once I settle in, meet my students (who will be great and funny and quirky and lovely) and get into the groove of the first unit, we'll all feel so relaxed. Especially me.

But for now, I cook!

This Barefoot Contessa cookbook was a wedding gift, I think from my grandma. I cooked from it almost exclusively throughout our first year of marriage!

A couple of years ago, I read an interview of, I think it was Jennifer Garner, who said that if you ever want to feel like a cooking-rock-star, you should just make an Ina Garten recipe. I couldn't agree more.

And with my cooking-rock-star reputation at stake, I absolutely asked for this beautiful Barefoot Contessa tome for Christmas. 

What I like about Ina Garten's cookbooks is that she is very direct in her writing style. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. Also, I am one of those people who must have photographs of what she's cooking--this is both to ensure that I've made it correctly, and to soothe my visual-learner brain. 

On my cookbook wish list is this beauty:

Doesn't that cover look splendid? I am just itching to get my hands on this book! I spied it in a twee little shop on one of our trips this summer, and just biding my time...

What about you? Do you have any go-to cookbooks? Which ones are your faves, and why?

Meatless Monday: breakfast planning

This week, I am getting ready to start my first semester teaching at a new university. Aside from occasionally breathing into a paper bag, I feel absolutely fine about it. Which means, of course, that anything that I can potentially worry about/plan for, I am. 

Which leads me to today's Meatless Monday post: breakfasts. Specifically, filling, nutritious breakfasts that I could--in theory--make ahead of time so as to be able to grab/eat-with-a-spoon-standing-over-counter in my morning rush. 

I am really intrigued by the idea of making hot cereal with whole grains, like quinoa. This helpful article in Whole Living got my brain going. As the weather gets chillier, it appeals to me to have a hot, stick-to-your-ribs kind of breakfast to start the day. 

Then again, I might just make these cookies, and call breakfast for the month done. 

picking back up

Hellooo! Ah, friends, I am sorry that I've been missing this past week. Let me tell ya, there's lots going on in my part of the Mitten! Between concluding my summer writing course, and getting set up in my new teaching 'digs' in the city, I have been in the thick of things.

But now, I'm settled into my new office (which has a view of this iconic museum!), and things are about to start rollin' pretty soon. Next week, classes start. I will be teaching new(ish) courses in new classrooms in a new city.

My goal is to keep posting...even to see my little brightmitten grow! It will be fun posting about more about my experiences in the city--teaching, eating, chilling--and even maybe some fun thoughts and musing thrown in as well.

For now, here are some bits and bobs:

I'm starting to really obsess over summer-to-fall wardrobe options. What are some of your go-to transition pieces?

Twelve suggestions for parmesan pairings.

Interesting thoughts about a "morning reboot" when your day doesn't start off so well. I think I'd sub in "eating something salty" and "listening to good tunes" for her trench-and-coffee combo. What about you?

How cool is this outdoor feast that Claire posted about?

Theory Thursday: Rhetorical Appeals

So, one of the keystones  of my composition courses is the concept of rhetorical appeals. Being persuasive is key in academic writing (and speaking, emailing, etc.), and understanding how to appeal to one's audience becomes an important step in the process.

Which is why I was pretty geeked when ProfHacker posted this blog on Aristotilean Rhetorical Appeals (or, Ethos, Pathos and Logos). Having read Aristotle in grad school, I am always 1) glad I did, and 2) glad I don't ever have to, ever again. Ever. And 3) amused at how we've transliterated the greek words into our English terms. A language-nerd thing, I know! But the blog also pointed out that, as academics, we should be thinking through our "available means of persuasion," as Aristotle says.

For those who need a little refresher on Aristotle's "available means":

• Ethos--persuasion based in personal character; who you are gives weight to why we should believe you (or, as my students once told me, "You'd believe Oprah, because she's Oprah. She has strong ethos. You wouldn't believe a crack head. A crack head has weak ethos.") 
• Pathos--persuasion based in a passionate, emotional appeal; if I can play on your compassion, fear, humor, I'm utilizing a pathos appeal
• Logos--persuasion based on logic, rationale, facts; this can be easily noticed in the form of statistics

As I get ready to officially start my new job, I can't help but think about being persuasive in my new academic environment. My ethos isn't automatic; no one really knows me, so I'll want to be purposeful in establishing and developing my ethos as an instructor, a colleague, a mentor, and a mentee. And, learning about "how things go" in my new workplace will be necessary to contextualize logical and emotional appeals, as well.

Ultimately, these are ideas I seek to get my students to think through. How well they establish the logic of an particular claims or arguments or ideas they have (which ties into critical reading strategies), how well they understand and appeal to emotions in others, and how well they convey themselves as people, and as scholars, can ultimately effect how they are perceived (and how successful they can become) in the academy, the workplace, and ultimately in the democracy. Not that this teaching-of-writing thing is brain surgery, but when you think about it, it is pretty cool--and important--stuff!

29 ways to stay creative

Isn't this cool?!


29 WAYS TO STAY CREATIVE from TO-FU on Vimeo.

book talk: required texts

Whew! Today was the day I sat down to work on the first draft of my fall syllabi. It took ALL DAY. However, I am proud to report that I have a draft, and I did choose the required texts.

First, there's Everything's an Argument:

And my go-to handbook, The Everyday Writer:

I've never used Argument before, so I'm interested to see how the students respond to it! EW is my go-to handbook for writing basics. There is so much packed into that little orange volume--citation guides, sentence structure stuff, and paragraph composing strategies, just to name a few. If you're looking for a helpful writing guide for academic composition, check it out.

Meatless Monday: end of summer

I don't like thinking about it. I wish I could avoid it altogether.

But, the end of summer will be here before I know it (and when I say "end" I mean, "August 31st," or sometimes students say "the first day of class"...instructors merely grunt like Rooster Cogburn and say, "reckon so."); I'd rather be prepared than blindsided.

This week, I will definitely be making this easy-sounding, vibrant-looking summer pasta dish (though I might toss in some marinated bocconcini):

And with the end of summer, comes our anniversary. On Wednesday, Jake and I will have officially hit the three-year mark! We've had a lot of fun and grown together in so many ways these past three years. One thing that I've enjoyed is the fact that we make our own little traditions...being poor, sleep-deprived  educators, we've taken to declaring an annual, anniversary bed-in (yep, a la John and Yoko). Except, instead of protesting the war, we protest not being able to just lay in bed every day. It is something I've come to really look forward to. 

I never make it a full 24 hrs, though. I usually get my fill of laying around, reading, listening to music. Also, I get hungry. So, after awhile, I'll get up and make dinner. That is how the artichoke tradition started.

Last year, I bought some artichokes, and decided it would be wonderfully romantic to steam them and eat them, leaf-by-leaf. Then, I had a tiny meltdown when I got these prickly suckers home and realized I did not know what to do with them. I had to do some research to figure out what the heck I was doing...but depsite my neuroses and lack of cooking technique, it turned out lovely. There are so many interesting sauces to make, but my favorite is by far just a simple, balsamic mayonnaise, like this one. 

Then again, I may just toss the whole plan and make these a-mazing-looking artichoke fritters. Seriously? As if artichokes couldn't get any better!

What about you? Do you have any fun, made-up traditions? Any go-to special occasion recipes? Do tell!