New Developments

This semester I am teaching 3 classes - all Western Art 2 (Renaissance to the present). It is my favorite class to teach, because I know the content pretty well. I've taught this class for about 5 years and finally, I feel like I could teach it in my sleep.

I'm also still in charge of the Art Resource Center. The students that I supervise are great, but honestly, I don't know anything about the equipment that we lend out to the faculty and students. It makes things very difficult, but I'm learning more everyday. Challenges...challenges. We had some thefts within the first 2 weeks of the spring semester. Two cameras were stolen. The University has to replace them and that gets very costly. The ARC has little to no funding.

On another note, I am obsessed with food. Cooking food, going out to eat, snacking, etc. Now that I've moved back to Toledo after being away for over 10 years, I remember that there are NO GOOD RESTAURANTS here. Outback has been disappointing...Mexican, American... Sidelines is okay, but that's about it...and I can't have pulled pork sandwiches everyday.

I guess I am going to have to learn to be a better cook. ugh.

Stay tuned for more details about developments with the Durhams!

Roasted Chicken with Caramelized Onions Soup

This looks good, too.

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 medium onions, cut in half and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)

8 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth (Regular, Natural Goodness™ or Certified Organic)

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 medium carrots, sliced (about 1 cup)

2 stalks celery, sliced (about 1 cup)

3/4 cup uncooked trumpet-shaped pasta (campanelle)

2 cups roasted chicken cut into strips

• Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until they begin to brown, stirring occasionally.  Reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the onions are tender and caramelized, stirring occasionally. Remove the skillet from the heat.
• Heat the broth, black pepper, carrots and celery in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Stir the pasta and chicken in the saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender. Stir in the onions and serve immediately.

RECIPE TIPS

• Cooking Basics: Cut the peeled onions in half lengthwise. Place the halves cut-side down on the cutting surface. Slice each onion half in parallel cuts up to, but not through, the root. Cut the root end off to free the slices.
• Time-Saving: Slice onions on a mandoline or in a food processor fitted with a slicing blade.
• Serving Suggestion: Serve with warm buttermilk biscuits. For dessert serve chocolate mousse pudding with whipped topping.

Simmered Italian Rice

I just saw this on a commercial and it looks so good. I am going to make it this week.

1 3/4 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth (Regular, Natural Goodness^TM or Certified Organic)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, crushed

3/4 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice

1 cup chopped fresh spinach

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• Heat the broth and Italian seasoning in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil.
• Stir the rice and spinach in the saucepan. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.  Stir in the cheese.  Serve with additional cheese.