Winter Break Goals Dec 2018-Jan 2019


EDITED Dec 27, 2018

After a busy fall semester that included publishing an article, presenting at a conference, overhauling curriculum, starting work on an intense committee, and leading a tenure-track search for a new colleague, I'm looking forward to a better mix of activities over the break.

Here are a couple of goals:

To read these:

To do these:


To cook these:
and then this beer cheese dip to go inside
plus my Grandma Neenah's pumpkin bars with cream cheese icing, DONE
peanut butter filled chocolate cookies, DONE
and LOTS OF SOUP.

I've already made:
  • rice pudding (Grandma Pickett's recipe)
  • stovetop (cornstarch) chocolate peanut butter pudding
  • Paleo shepherd's pie
  • cheesy hash brown pork chop bake
  • chocolate pumpkin brownies (I need to retire that recipe, it turns out too cakey and dry)
  • kale, mushroom baked pasta with goat cheese béchamel sauce and garlic breadcrumbs on top
  • Grandma Neenah's pumpkin bars with cream cheese icing
  • peanut butter filled chocolate cookies
  • curried vegetable soup (kale, potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, onions, garbanzo beans, and lots of spices)
The Death and Life of the Great Lakes was a good read. I'm not normally a non-fiction person, but I found it very readable. It was slow going because the author made sure to include lots of detail. It is stunning to read how quickly the lakes have changed. 85% of the book paints a grim picture, but the last 15% notes that species are quickly adapting favorably to the changes. I contemplated reading Michelle Obama's memoir next, a thoughtful Christmas gift, but I decided on An American Marriage (from the same thoughtful gift giver) instead because I really need something fictional next. 


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