Daily Archives: 11 September 2008

A Small, Good Thing

As our high schools ready our students for college, varying the teaching method should be high on the list of ways to do so. Instead of always using a book to get a concept across, college professors may use a live performance or a videoed performance. A college professor may use a case study. It makes sense that high schools, particularly in the senior year, should follow suit and use these methods.

My son is taking a senior English class in Poetry and Short Story.  The book, which is new this year, is absolutely wonderful.  Short stories by some of the best in the world – Joyce, Carver, Fitzgerald, Cather.  Reading these is just the beginning of the process of teaching short story.  Also needing to be taught is how to interpret the short story. 

Imagine the joy when a teacher finds a high school production of one of these short stories on YouTube.com – yes, the above clip is the one in question – and decides this will not only put the short story in today’s context but will help make it easier for the students to understand. 

I am not sure the thought process behind the particular teacher’s wanting to show this video clip of 26 minutes to her senior short story class.  I am only sure of her inability to do so.  Wanting to be prepared, the teacher, I presume, talked with IT to be sure that she would be able to show this to her class.  Imagine her surprise when, upon telling IT that it was on YouTube.com, she was told that the domain would be added to the unable to reach sites on the district’s filter.

Now, as a parent, I can understand not wanting students to be able to spend school time cruising YouTube.com.  I cannot fathom the type of administration, though, that does not allow its teachers to use their best discretion and to show such videos for class and teaching purposes.


Zucchini Dinner

Last night was a zucchini night at my house.  I had come into some zucchini and wanted to use it so that it did not go to waste.  I use zucchini – as can be seen in previous posts - a lot and in a varied number of ways so yesterday was no different. 

I started the day off with my ideas.  I then pulled out my Oscar Jr.  You see, for all the cooking and baking I do, I do not own a food processor.  I either process everything by hand with a knife or use my Oscar Jr which is simply a chopper.  I decided I wanted to chop up the zucchini as opposed to using a mandolin or dicing by hand.

Chopped Zucchini

Chopped Zucchini

I, then, also chopped up carrots in the Oscar Jr.  I went on to dice a Ginger Gold apple and toss it in a bit of lemon juice.  I made the “slaw sauce” in a cleaned out mayonnaise jar so I could shake it until it was well mixed.

Zucchini Apple Slaw

Zucchini Apple Slaw

Zucchini Apple Slaw

1 cup zucchini – diced, chopped, shredded – however you want it

½ cup carrot – prepared the same way as the zucchini

2 chopped apples

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

¼ cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon celery seed

2 teaspoon onion powder (You can opt to put diced onion in if you prefer.  I had no onion on hand.)

½ cup olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt

1.       Prepare the zucchini.  Set aside in colander to drain.

2.       Prepare carrots. 

3.       Place zucchini and carrots in medium size bowl and toss together.

4.       Chop apples.

5.       Toss apples with lemon juice and then remove from lemon juice.

6.       Toss apples in with zucchini and carrots.

7.       Find smaller bowl or bottle to make sauce in.

8.       Place red wine vinegar, brown sugar, celery seed, onion powder, salt and olive oil in container and mix or shake to blend.

9.       Pour sauce on zucchini/carrot/apple mixture.

10.   Refrigerate to allow flavors to blend.

I thought I would make zucchini brownies but opted instead to make zucchini patties to go with the slaw for dinner.  Knowing that my sons would both stick their noses up at the idea of a dinner with just zucchini in it, I planned on spiedies for them and the zucchini tastes would be their vegetables for dinner.

Zucchini Patty

Zucchini Patty

Zucchini Patties

2 cups zucchini

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon parsley

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

1 Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

Olive oil

1.       Dice or finely chop the zucchini to give 2 cups.

2.       Lightly beat eggs in mixing bowl.

3.       Add zucchini, parsley, flour and cheese.

4.       Salt and pepper to taste.  I tend to  use very little salt but lots of pepper.  I even put  a little cayenne in to give a bit of a kick.

5.       Pre-heat a sturdy frying pan with about three tablespoons of olive oil.

6.       Drop in mixture similar to making a pancake but will be thicker.

7.       When pan side is browned and top is not runny, flip.

8.       Remove from pan onto a plate covered with a paper towel to remove oil.

9.       Serve hot.


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