I can't stay quiet.

I won't be suprised if this offends some of you who follow me. I'm not bothered by that. I believe firmly in our right to disagree, our right to have an educated, respectful discussion about our disagreements, and our responsibility to hear one another out.

I have always been one of those people who cringes awkwardly when politicians gather on steps to sing about the "Land They Love", someone who refuses to wear anything sporting or resembling an American Flag, someone who listens, but does not understand, those who espouse a "might makes right" perspective. And yet, in my travels and my experiences I have come to love the country I call home. I won't even begin to explain why, as most of my reasons center around personal experiences, and they're impossible to explain in even the most descriptive prose (which would probably bore the pants right off you), but I can say this:

If the debate (read: ranting, screaming, yelling, uneducated bs) over the proposed "Islamic Center" in New York is any indication of what it means to be an American, I want NO PART in it.

The assertion that Islam is a religion that espouses and encourages hatred and violence is just wrong. As with any other religion, there are extremes, there are people who take the message as it is historically understood and twist it, shape it into something that fits their needs and biases, even, in some cases, pervert it. There are also circumstances, life experiences, and cultural situations that form and shape people's religious expectations, and these can not be judged as right or wrong, but can be met with our best attempts at understanding before moving forward making assumptions and false accusations. Like many religions, Islam has had its fair share of violent moments, flashes of very poorly made decisions (crusades, anyone? extreme evangelism? religiously motivated genocide?). It is also true that those who believe that anyone not expressing viewpoints parallel to their own (regardless of their religion) have often fallen into the misguided belief that somehow by screaming their ideas and punctuating them with blood they can increase their likelihood of being heard.

Regardless of your opinions, using sweeping generalizations that assume that all Muslims can somehow be defined by one central common definition is nothing short of stupid. I guarantee you that many conservative Christians would no more like to be defined by my own loose definition of what it truly means to live by the example of Christ than I would like to be grounded by the definitions, beliefs, and expectations they deem as essential. It seems rather absurd that any of us see ourselves as knowledgeable enough to pass judgment on another.

Even more disturbing to me, however, is the opinion that creating a center that would allow Muslims to gather for food, worship, and communion (in the sense of community) is somehow un-American. In case we have forgotten, we are founded on the ideas of religious freedom and diversity (debatable though that may be given our historical track record), not the ideas of religious freedom and diversity on our own terms. As an American, as a woman, as an individual, I feel certain that when any one person is not free, I am not either.

Those who truly believe that a space that would allow individuals to gather in a way that does not infringe on the rights of others (and last time I checked, being Muslim does not infringe on anyone else's rights any more than being a Christian, or a lesbian, or a mother, or an artist, or a Buddhist, or a woman does) is un-American need to re-evaluate their own lives while holding to the light every action they choose to take that DOES affect someone else (like speeding, or drinking, or smoking, or swearing in public, or choosing not to be educated about religious or political concepts or history, or speaking without thinking, or believing they know everything). It's time to step back, and wonder how the things you enjoy are suddenly American, while those that make you feel scared, or uncomfortable, or stupid are not. We are not strong if our strength lies in bulldozing over anything we do not understand.

There are Muslims whose ideas I do not agree with, just as there are Christians and political leaders, and civil-rights leaders, and activists, and neighbors, and acquaintances, and friends with whom I disagree from time to time. But there are also experiences I have never had, and viewpoints I have never heard, and people I have never met and WILL never meet, or have, or hear if I don't listen. The fabric that we are made of is only as strong as the fibers it is woven of, and when we succumb to hatred and ignorance and lies, we weave a blanket of clouds which, while beautiful to look at, will never keep us warm. Dialogue can only exist if we invite it. Shouting your ideas will only leave you alone and yelling at yourself.

I want to be proud to be an American. But I want you to be proud too. And I want them to be proud as well, whoever they are.

Want to feel happy?

Just open your mouth! 

This is a tribute post. It will be short on words. 

The important element is this: look through your pictures. 

Find the ones you love. 

The ones that make you laugh. 

The ones that remind you of the best times. 

If you are anything like me, you'll find they have a common thread: your mouth is open. 

Want to be happy? Say it!

If you have four hours to burn, you MUST make this cake!

Inside out German Chocolate Cake (from epicurious.com)

I like to lay out the kids before I begin...

For cake layers

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 3/4 cup boiling-hot water
  

For filling

• 7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
• 4 ounces coarsely chopped pecans (1 cup)
• 14-ounces can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
  

For glaze

• 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 10 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup

• Special equipment: 3 (9-inch) round cake pans

Let's get this show on the road!

Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 350°F and oil cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with rounds of parchment or wax paper. Sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk together whole milk, butter, whole egg, yolk, vanilla, and almond extract in another large bowl until just combined. Beat egg mixture into flour mixture with an electric mixer on low speed, then beat on high speed 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and beat in water until just combined (batter will be thin). Divide batter among cake pans (about 1 1/2 cups per pan) and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans and rotating them 180 degrees halfway through baking, until a tester comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes total.

Cool layers in pans on racks 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove parchment or wax paper and cool layers completely.

Make filling:

Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Spread coconut in a large shallow baking pan and pecans in another. Bake pecans in upper third of oven and coconut in lower third, stirring occasionally, until golden, 12 to 18 minutes. Remove pans from oven.

Increase oven temperature to 425°F.

Pour condensed milk into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate and cover tightly with foil. Bake milk in a water bath in middle of oven 45 minutes. Refill baking pan with water to reach halfway up pie plate and bake milk until thick and brown, about 45 minutes more. Remove pie plate from water bath.

Stir in coconut, pecans, and vanilla and keep warm, covered with foil.




Make glaze while milk is baking:
Melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate and corn syrup, whisking until chocolate is melted. Transfer 1 cup glaze to a bowl, reserving remaining glaze at room temperature in pan. Chill glaze in bowl, stirring occasionally, until thickened and spreadable, about 1 hour.





Assemble cake:
Put 1 cake layer on a rack set over a baking pan (to catch excess glaze). Drop half of coconut filling by spoonfuls evenly over layer and gently spread with a wet spatula. Top with another cake layer and spread with remaining filling in same manner. Top with remaining cake layer and spread chilled glaze evenly over top and side of cake. Heat reserved glaze in pan over low heat, stirring, until glossy and pourable, about 1 minute. Pour glaze evenly over top of cake, making sure it coats sides. Shake rack gently to smooth glaze.

Chill cake until firm, about 1 hour. Transfer cake to a plate.





I'm eating tomorrow, and I suggest you do the same as soon as possible!

Merry Christmas!!

D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S.

To the 30-40 or so people who showed up at my house for the third-annual AFTER THANKSGIVING thanksgiving yesterday, THANKS.



It was awesome.



Have I told you how much I love a full house?





A full table? (Italian sandwiches, Turkey, stuffing, broccoli casserole, beans and rice, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice and veggies, deviled eggs, delicious breads)



A full dessert bar? (Ama's vanilla bourbon pumpkin tart, Jen's brown bag apple pie, Kim's spectacular cheesecake, Jody's fabulous peach pie, plus not pictured, Nathan and Stephanie's sinful bread pudding, James and Laquita's sweet potato pies, Talonie's cookies)




A little bubbly?




A full belly and a full heart?

I count myself blessed.

being thankful...

...it's a difficult proposition, almost like finding a man who can walk the fine line between confidence and cockiness... being thankful has to involve a modicum of restraint, lest we come off as being braggarts, overly excited about our achievements and ready/willing to push them into everyone else's face under the guise of thankfulness.

Things I am thankful for (in no particular order):

1. full cups of hot chocolate with marshmallows floating on top
2. old friendships that withstand the test of time
3. microwaves
4. good books
5. fire places
6. crunchy leaves
7. red jello
8. mud between your toes
9. babies
10. red
11. mittens and scarves and hats
12. laughter
13. full bellies
14. time with friends and family
15. the same old stories
16. the means and ability to travel and explore the world
17. penguins
18. kidneys
19. fresh flowers
20. hand-me-downs
21. good food
22. a nice bottle of wine
23. a tableful of friends
24. smiles
25. a good cry
26. being with my family
27. euchre
28. safe passage
29. hugs and kisses
30. apple, peaches, pumpkin pie
31. merry-go-rounds
32. music
33. cellos
34. swingsets
35. jean jackets
36. dresses
37. cymbals
38. self-adhesive stamps
39. picket fences
40. pets
41. thunderstorms
42. the national weather service
43. national public radio
44. teachers
45. churches
46. spaghetti-os with meatballs
47. corned beef hash
48. all the women in my life
49. the boys
50. MLK day weekend
51. holidays
52. school days
53. Wednesdays
54. sleeping in
55. down comforters
56. surrogate families
57. secret crushes
58. cranberries
59. double stuff oreos
60. bells


There are many more things too. Life's so much prettier when you stop to think about the simple things you wouldn't want to do without...

I made a cake!

It was a delicious cake! (If I do say so myself) More delicious, however, was the occasion. Happy 31st birthday Jody!



When I was living in France, i discovered the true JOY in eating with, no dining with, friends. I think on the list of things I like to do, which is a long, meandering, and definitely fantabulous list, joining my friends in an evening of food, wine, and fun is definitely number 1.



If you know someone who needs a good place to eat, a happy, fun, joyous occasion to eat, with or without reason, intorduce them to me. Chances are that within 15 minutes I will have invited them to dinner. Or several dinners.


That said, I also love dessert. i am not so much of a cake fan, but it was Jody's birthday, and as per family tradition, she reuqested anything but chocolate (ALWAYS my favorite), so I decided on raspberry lemon. I should mention that the weekend before, I was the proud recipient of #1 A STERLING SILVER CAKE KNIFE AND SERVER; #2 A PUNCH BOWL WITH CUPS AND LADLE; and #3 A CAKE STAND.



Oh, if I wasn't Mrs. Always ready to party before, I am now. So I made the cake.

I put it on the cake stand.



We ate it.



We drank.



We were merry.



It was a beautiful thing.

Dear Teaching World-

How do I fit everything into my classroom/day? It is too small. I have too many ideas. I am floundering.

I need help.

Love,
Ms. K