Saturday Soup

Since we are approaching fall weather, I thought it a good time to have a hearty soup to help keep warm on the cool fall nights. If the recipe makes too much for you, that is ok since this one freezes well.

This is a one pot dinner with chuck roast slow cooked in a tomato sauce flavored with bell peppers, green olives, and Spanish paprika.

 Ingredients

• 3 pounds beef chuck roast , cut into 2 inch cubes

• 3 tablespoons flour

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 yellow onion , chopped

• 2 carrot , peeled and cut into ½ inch thick coins

• 1 green bell pepper , cut into ½ inch cubes

• 4 cloves garlic , minced

• 1 tablespoon Spanish paprika

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 2 bay leaves

• 28 ounces diced tomatoes

• 15 ounces crushed tomatoes

• 1/3 cup tomato paste

• 1/2 cup green olives , sliced

• 1 cup green peas

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees and toss beef cubes with flour salt and pepper.

• Heat oil in large dutch oven on high heat and cook the beef on all sides until well browned then remove from the pan.

• Lower heat to medium, add in the onions and cook until translucent, about 5-6 minutes.

• Add in the carrots, bell pepper and garlic and stir well.

• Add in the paprika, oregano, bay leaves, died tomatoes, crushed tomato, tomato paste and the beef and stir well.

• Cook, covered in the oven, 2 to 2 ½ hours.

• Remove from the oven, add peas and olives and stir well.

• Place back in the oven for 15 minutes.

• Remove from oven. Stir and serve.

If you prefer, you can cook the entire thing on the stove top. Once you add the seasonings, tomatoes, and beef to the pan, bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer on low for 2 ½ to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Add in peas and olives during last 15-20 minutes of cooking.

This recipe serves 8

Total time including prep is 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes but it is worth the wait.

My family enjoyed it. Jared called it a nice break from our normal fare.I agree.

Week One is Done

One must remember to thank the superintendent for the “C” day. It is a day to recover from the horrors of teaching... eerrr... resting from the work of teaching.

I will now admit to understanding more of my mothers face exercises. I always considered them funny to watch as she did each one but now I understand my face would be less tired had I devoted at least some time to them. I spent much time this week changing expressions, often with not conscience of doing them. More than once, it seemed I owed an apology for what my face said as they were speaking.

I did get some of my rules out there so they knew expectations. I had a sign up in several places throughout my class room, especially on the front of my desk just below the assignment basket. It would be good for them to pay careful attention to it in the beginning weeks of school.

Another “suggestion” for them to earn respect was to posted on my wall behind my desk as a reminder. I do not possess the figure or voice that Jared does so his saying would not work well, “When my lips are moving, yours are not!” I chose a gentler approach that I believe will convey my idea of courtesy as well as my refusal to quietly accept discourtesy.

It was a good week though. I have some very bright students, some very entertaining students, and some … challenging... students. It is balanced though so it should be an interesting year.

                                                            Do I look as tired as I feel?

I will also say it was a tiring week. I had forgotten how busy one can be as a teacher.

New School Year

Today I meet my students for the first time.

I will discover the personality of my classes. Every class has one. It depends on the students. What mix of the star pupil, people pleaser, and hard worker will set the tone.  Every classroom is a kaleidoscope of personalities and managing them all is important.

My first priority is to redevelop my "poker face." It is very useful in dealing with a difficult student. If I am to believe Jared, I should play poker often because my face can be hard to read. Keeping a neutral expression during a conflict can be difficult but I remember that the conflict can also be a teaching point.

I am nervous to begin. I know my subjects well. I know my students not at all.

 

Dayy 1!

 First day, here I come! I must admit, it is not for teaching yet. This first week is to meet/greet other staff  members, familiarize my self with the school rules, and finish prepping for my classes. In  regard to the last one, it will be a boring week since I have finalized my class materials. I suppose I could go over my expectation sheet again to make it as easy to understand and abide by as possible. I do not believe they are asking for too much: be respectful, punctual, ready to actively engage in learning, and use technology responsibly.

I do not permit cell phone usage in my class. To that end, I have phone cubes that cell phones will be deposited in at the beginning of class and returned at the end.  I did not use to be so strict with them but past experience has encouraged it and the school recommends it.

Let the year begin! We will see how Su does at daycare on her first full day. 

Off we go!

 So the countdown begins.

My summer is shorter than I had planned but I will not complain of it. My duties as a teacher begin next week. Staff will begin August 11. We will have the week for a “meet and greet” for new staff members to ne introduced and a coupe of meetings to discuss expectations and last minute rule changes.

I believe DoDEA schools are structured more than most civilian schools but are not oppressive in their standards. The differences are obvious to students attending a DoDEA school for the first time though. I suppose the military environment has an influence on them.

My classes are developed and ready, including the Chinese (Mandarin) class. My influence of the class title held very little sway. It seems that "There is no language called Chinese but what they call Chinese is comprised of several hundred dialects" is unimportant. Ok. Chinese it is. The students will know they are being taught Mandarin, perhaps a little Cantonese here and there.

Staying current in my field will be helpful teaching my computer science classes. I also drew an “Advanced Quantitative Reasoning” class. It was unexpected. It may sound more complicated than it really is though. It is for students interested in non-mathematics-intensive majors in business, social sciences, or the arts. This class runs all year so I will know these students best.

School for students begins August 18 at 8 am. I am excited to begin the year. I wonder if my students are? I look forward to meeting them and discovering who my academics are or who my class clowns are. There are always both and that is good. How boring if they all were academics? How traumatic if they were all class clowns.

Fortunately, I have this week to establish our new routine and get Su accustomed to her daycare. I am eager to begin.