Teaching evaluations were released today for us to read. The evaluations consist of questions pertaining to my teaching ability, the benefits of the course being taught, and the importance of the course to the student's overall college experience. Most of it is a rating thing, as in "very much" or "not at all." That stuff is boring to wade through. But the comments the students get to leave...well, those are always interesting.
- She had no kryptonite that I was aware of. So yeah, no weakness.
- Crazy people on sticks. [Editor's Note: What the hell?]
- Natalie is the most crazy hair-brained hay-wired insane teacher I've had in a long time. She was quite pleasant also.
- She's awesome, enough said.
- The fact that she used a Mac was very valuable. Mac's are awesome. Huzzah! Also awesome? Her sarcastic tone.
- Natalie is a wonderful person although a little crazy.
- This class was my favorite this semester (and I am not an English person, I am a math person).
- Taught well. Smoking hot.
- Natalie's weakness is that she doesnt teach ALL of my classes (Math, Science, etc.)
- She kicks ass.
- The best English instructor I've ever had. Hands Down.
There's always something blooming in Flickr's garden, regardless of the season.
I just happened to revisit my Vox account and realized that I've been absent for almost 6 months. That means it's been 6 months since I sat down to just freely write. And that's 6 months too long.
I wish I could say that life has been really blah while I was gone. To be honest, I really started posting more and more stuff on Facebook and reconnecting with old friends. And I've been out living life, as I ought.
I took a few minutes to revisit my posts from 2009, and, well, it's kind of amazing how much The Boy has grown and changed, and I'm so intrigued to see how I've grown as a person. I feel like I'm kind of getting the hang of this motherhood thing, like I can take that role in stride now and not let it be my primary focus. As such, I've started wearing short skirts again and occasionally heels, and I'm taking better care of myself. That's not to say that I gave up wearing jeans, of course. I still wear them, but they're a little more fashionable now and not simply utilitarian.
Recent introspection has made me realize that I really haven't been myself for a while. I took a trip up to New York the weekend after Halloween and kind of found myself again. I saw glimpses of a younger, happier, more vibrant Eileen and realize that's the real me. That's the Eileen I need to get back to.
So, this past month has been interesting, at best, as I rediscover myself. Basically, I'm the same person, but I'm taking steps to figure out - and go after - what I want and be the kind of person I want to be. I feel like an amarylis bulb that was sitting dormant in the ground for such a long time, now finally blessed with the right conditions that are enabling me to bloom once more.
And it's a great feeling.
Glazed Chocolate-Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Source: Eatingwell.com and posted below
Comments: Everyone commented on how moist this was. EVERYONE. You'd think I'd only made them dry tasteless cakes before this! However, it was pretty damn moist. My husband said he couldn't taste the pumpkin but I could. This screams comfort food at me and should definitely be made by all. Of course, my glaze soaked in and didn't look as pretty but I'll work on that. I'm going to post my changes in parenthesis, as it turned out fab.
Glazed Chocolate-Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Recipe courtesy EatingWell.com
Yield: 16 servings
Cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process) (I used dutch process)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup nonfat buttermilk (soy milk mixed with 1 T of apple cider vinegar)
1 15-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree
3/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
1 large egg at room temperature (I used 1 egg replacer for both this and the egg white)
1 large egg white at room temperature
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Glaze & Garnish:
1/2 cup packed confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon nonfat buttermilk (soy milk)
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips or toasted chopped nuts (see Tip)
To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray.
Whisk all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a medium bowl.
Blend 1 cup buttermilk, pumpkin puree and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed. Beat in whole egg and egg white. Stir in oil, corn syrup and vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
Bake the cake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on the rack, about 2 hours.
To glaze & garnish cake: Combine confectioners' sugar and 1 tablespoon buttermilk in a small bowl, stirring until completely smooth. Place the cake on a serving plate and drizzle the glaze over the top; garnish with chocolate chips (or chopped nuts) while the glaze is still moist.
To warm an egg to room temperature, either set it out on the counter for 15 minutes or submerge it (in the shell) in a bowl of lukewarm (not hot) water for 5 minutes.To toast chopped nuts & seeds: Cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
