That Month Where I'll Be Reading When I'm Not Working or Sleeping: October Reads and Those Pesky DNF'S

I'm still a bit far from my goal of 100 books this year.  It seems like a pretty easy thing to achieve; after all, I read every day for an hour minimum.  If I'm lucky, I get in a chunk of 4 hours.  I had a glorious streak about 5 years ago, where my reading capacity was amazing, and I not only met my reading goal, but blew past it. All I can say now is that life is even busier when I thought it would slow down, and my chances of having chunks of time to read have become less and less.  Still, I'm trying a Hail Mary to get closer to my goal before December 31st.  

Part of that goal is to read some of the books I've bought over the past few years that are still sitting on my bookcases.  I am definitely someone who gets easily distracted by new books and pretty covers.  My discipline goes out the window! Before I talk about my reads for October (which is the gateway to my favorite reading months--cool days and chilly nights), I have to discuss my Did Not Finish books.  Dang it. 

 I tried really hard to get into this book, but I found myself not very interested.  I enjoyed The Little Paris Bookshop quite a bit, so I was disappointed I couldn't find my groove with this one.  I'll probably try again next year.  

 Ah, Strange Practice.  Sure to be a series, or at least have a sequel or two.  I've enjoyed reading this book very much--I started it on vacation in July.  However, I lost my reading mojo and now am stuck 3/4 of the way through.  It's still lying next to my bed, waiting for me to pick it back up.  I'll probably finish it before the end of the year, but for now, it's not going to be picked up again anytime soon. A doctor in London who takes care of supernatural creatures, with a vampire as a bestie?  A great concept, and I like all the characters.  Oh, how I wish I'd finished it on the plane ride home.  Dang it. 

Another novel I read great reviews on that had me checking it out of the library as soon as it was available.  A Viking historical saga full of pillaging, raping, and the struggle to avenge an attempted murder all make it fascinating.  I just didn't have the time to really sit down and concentrate, which is what this novel deserves.  I'll probably try again when it's in paperback.  Sometimes reading a hardcover book is tough for me, knowing I'll have a second chance and probably buy the paperback--then I'll read it.  Even though I didn't finish it, I would say it would make an excellent Christmas gift for fans of historical sagas, and those curious about the Viking way of life.  




Now, without further ado, I present my October reads.  I like to read novels that are on the dark side in order to get my Halloween groove on--when I'm not watching paranormal shows on TV.  And because too much of the dark stuff drags me down, I've tossed in a few other reads that will lighten me up.  

Bookshelf read that has waited too long!

I'm a fan of Carol Goodman and love her Gothic tales

Saw this on the web and it looks like an excellent  combination of history, antiques, and ancient prophecies. 

I've had many friends read this and tell me it's fantastic.  A novel about what's going on in our world today.  

I love bees!  Three stories told in past, present and future.  

This caught my eye; not sure what to expect. 

I'm reading this now, and LOVING IT.  Similar to Christopher Moore.

A favorite author--can't wait to read it!

New to this author; publisher review request.  It's a hefty hardcover, but I'm eager to dip into the Nordic  crime  genre.  Better late than never!

I've got a few other titles that will sprinkle in throughout the month.  Watch for an upcoming book giveaway.  Happy Fall reading!  The Bookalicious Babe
🍂👻🎃

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Triple Berry Banana Bread with Lemon Glaze

Triple Berry Banana Bread is a fun, fruity twist on the beloved classic. With blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and a simple lemon glaze, this banana bread is one for the books! 

This is a guest post from my lovely friend Allison, she’s the write and photographer behind the blog, Some the Wiser.

There was a time in my life when I thought I didn’t like banana bread. Luckily, my sister forced me to try a piece of her favorite chocolate chip banana bread during our college years and I realized that I’d just been confused. I only thought I didn’t like banana bread because I’d never tried a really good recipe before.

(more…)

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PMP: 083 The Importance of Mindset, Motivation, and Modeling for Education Leaders

A few days ago I was at airport security when I ran into a parent from my previous school. We exchanged pleasantries, and I asked him about his children. As we said goodbyes, he commented, “We miss you.” I thanked him, and as I walked away I couldn’t help but be grateful. In my new […]

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Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Chocolate Zucchini Cake is rich, ultra-moist and the perfect cake for the chocolate lover in your life.

So it’s officially fall, but let me just tell ya, it doesn’t feel like fall at all here in Ohio. Even though my porch is peppered with pumpkins and mums, the weather feels more like late July with temperatures in the mid to high 80s.

It just feels wrong to be sipping a pumpkin spice latte while blasting my car’s AC, so that I don’t sweat through my clothes on the way to Target.

Even though Elle is loving the fact that she can still play in her kiddie pool and wear her favorite summer dresses, I’m officially over summer. Bring on the pumpkin pie, colorful leaves, and chilly air, please.

Last week I stopped at a little roadside farm stand to pick up mini white pumpkins and browse the corn stalks (yes, I am that person – our house is already completely decorated for fall) and grabbed some fresh sweet corn and zucchini.

Since I’m the only one in my household that likes zucchini in its natural state, I decided to shred some up for my favorite Chocolate Zucchini Cake recipe. Nothing like sneaking a little zucchini into a chocolate cake, right? I guess cake kind of defeats the purpose of eating a vegetable, but in my book vegetables = healthy.

This cake has been on my blog since 2009 and was definitely in need of new photos and text. I haven’t made it in a couple of years, so I forgot how absolutely delicious it is.

If you have a chocolate lover in your life, this is a must-make even if that chocolate lover happens to be a zucchini hater. I promise, they won’t be able to detect it – especially if you shred it super fine.

The cake comes together quickly and uses pretty common ingredients, which is always a bonus in my book. If you don’t have Dutch-Process Cocoa simple use your favorite unsweetened cocoa powder and add in an extra ½ teaspoon of baking soda to the dry ingredients. Easy-peasy and no need to make a special run to the store.

This Chocolate Zucchini Cake is rich, ultra-moist and fudgy. I’ve served the cake up naked with a simple sprinkling of powdered sugar, but it really reaches its full potential with a layer of silky ganache. I mean, more is always more, right?

And if it’s blazin’ hot in your neck of the woods, a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream over a warm slice of this cake would be absolutely dreamy. It’s also great straight out of the fridge – seriously, you can’t go wrong with this cake!

Whether you serve it up naked, with layer of ganache, or with a scoop of ice cream, I hope you make this Chocolate Zucchini Cake and enjoy it as much as we do!

For more delicious zucchini desserts, be sure to check out this Chocolate Coconut Zucchini Bread, these Chocolate Zucchini Muffins and this Lemon Zucchini Cake.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Yield: 24 servings

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

For the Cake

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa*
• 2 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
• 2/3 chocolate chips

For the Chocolate Ganache

• 3/4 cup of heavy cream
• 10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

For the Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, oil, sugar, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. Add in the eggs. Stir in the sour cream alternately with the flour. Then add the cocoa powder and mix until incorporated and the batter is smooth. Fold in the zucchini and 2/3 cup chocolate chips.
4. Add the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, till the top springs back lightly when touched. Place pan on a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Chocolate Ganache

1. To prepare the frosting, heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering.
2. Remove from the cream from the heat and pour it over the chocolate chips. Wait about 3-4 minutes then whisk to combine. It may take a few minutes of stirring for the ganache to come together, but I promise it will. The ganache will thicken as it cools.
3. Allow the ganache too cool until just slightly warm and still pourable. Pour the ganache over the cake and smooth with offset spatula. Allow frosting to set for about 30 minutes before serving.

Notes:

• *If you are using regular natural cocoa powder, add an additional 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.
• Store leftover chocolate zucchini cake in the fridge for up to 3 days.

 

slightly adapted from King Arthur Flour

This post originally appeared on My Baking Addiction in September of 2009. The photos and text have been updated.

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Comments

• Jeannie- This recipe calls for a 9×13 inch pan, not an ... by Jamie
• Kids would never suspect the zucchini! Thanks for stopping by. ... by Jamie
• I'm glad the recipe was such a hit with your book club. Thanks ... by Jamie
• I put this cake in an 8 inch round wilton cake pan, it's been ... by jeannie
• My son loved this cake (and he hates zucchini). hee hee hee. by Gina
• Plus 5 more...

 

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Incremental Innovations #IMMOOC

My good friend, AJ Juliani, is someone who I respect, admire, and appreciate. His constant push of himself to try new and different things is inspiring, and his attitude toward his work and personal life is one of the reasons that I love being connected with him. He is not afraid to try new things, but he never sets out to fail. He isn’t afraid of failure, but his hard work ethic has led him to do many great things, personally and professionally.

That is why I was excited by his new podcast, “Inside Innovation,” which launched recently. I am not only interested in the content but appreciate AJ’s constant pursuit of growth.  In the first episode, AJ talked about how “innovation” is a personal thing, and I couldn’t agree more.  What is one person’s “innovation”, is another’s best practice, and vice-versa.  It is also about serving the kids in front of you, not doing something that someone else did because it worked for them.  You know your students better than anyone, and that is why I believe relationships are the foundation of innovation in education, and empathy is the driving force. Know your students, and the “innovation” will come.

I have shared this image several times, but I want to acknowledge a tweak that was made based on feedback:

Originally, I had “what is best for learners?”, and someone suggested that it should state, “What is best for this learner?”  They were right, and so I changed it.

The thing is that you may hear people pushing back on “innovation in education,” but I believe they see something larger than what innovation can truly be.  Innovation is not necessarily coming up with the next “Genius Hour,” but it happens in small ways in classrooms, all the time. It happens with a teacher tweaking a reading program slightly to meet the needs of a struggling student.  It happens with flipping the classroom, by not necessarily having students a video at home, but having them create and teach the lesson, rather than consume it.  As AJ and John Spencer say in their book “Empower” (paraphrased), “What are things that you are doing that your students could be doing instead?” Many teachers have handed over ownership of learning to their students and have realized, not only is it better for the learner, but it is more rewarding for the teacher.  Challenging our own thinking, in little moments here and there, can lead to massive benefits for our students.

Little tweaks for our students that happen daily that help them achieve success is why innovation is a mindset, not necessarily some gigantic idea. The best teachers make these incremental innovations for their students continuously; they don’t do things differently just to be different, but to make it better. Without the “better,” the “new” doesn’t matter, and that mindset is why they (and their students) are successful.

• August 30, 2017 On the “Real World”
• October 27, 2016 Developing Innovators and Entrepreneurs
• July 2, 2017 Preparing Learners For Anything #EmpowerBook
• June 26, 2017 Your legacy as an educator is always determined by what your students do. #EmpowerBook
• July 24, 2016 11 Books To Further an #InnovatorsMindset

Source: George Couros

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17 Signs You’re a Future Driven Educator

In writing my new book Future Driven, I shared many of the great things I see educators doing that are changing education for the better and helping to prepare students for the world they are facing. And we all know it's a challenging, complex world out there. 

I remain very hopeful for our future. And I believe educators are making a huge difference every day to help kids be ready to thrive. But of course, there is plenty more work to be done. In this post, I share a list of things that are themes from my book. If you share these ideals, you're likely a future driven educator.

1. You are not satisfied with the status quo.

You want to take action now to help create a better future. You believe the choices you make today are helping to create a better tomorrow for you and your students. You want to make a difference and add value to others.

2. You believe in the power of building strong relationships.

You know everything rises and falls on the quality of relationships in your classroom in school. You seek to lift up others, bring people together, and connect in authentic, meaningful ways. And no matter how great you believe your relationships are, you are always striving to make them better.

3. Your methods are less important to you than your mission.

You are passionate about kids and learning. Your mission is bold and daring. You want to be a change maker. You want to make learning irresistible for kids. You don't hang on to practices because they work best for you. You explore new practices because they might work best for kids.

4. You want your students to learn more than content.

You don't just develop great lessons. You develop great experiences. You want students to think deeply and develop perseverance, empathy, creativity, and curiosity. You want learning to connect to students' lives in authentic, meaningful ways.

5. You want your students to love learning more than they fear mistakes.

You are willing to take risks and learn from mistakes and you encourage your students to do the same. You know learning is messy. Mistakes are part of the process, and perfectionism is often the enemy of progress. 

6. You are mindful of changes in the world.

We are in an era of accelerating change. The world in a complex, uncertain place. You know it's important for you to be aware of how these changes will impact your students' futures. You chart the course for learning with the new realities of the world in mind. 

7. Your students know you believe in them.

When your students know you believe in them, it brings out the best in them. Your encouragement makes all the difference. The person who influences you the most is the person who believes in you. They will rise to your expectations. You see them for who they are becoming and not just who they are right now. You see a bright future for your students.

8. You have a long term perspective.

You do what's best for your students in the long run. You see your work as an investment in a brighter future and a better tomorrow. Some people hold onto the past and the good ole days. Others are only concerned with the pressing matters of today. But you see out into what could be and want to help make it happen. 

9. You believe students should be more excited about learning tomorrow than they are today.

When students develop passion for learning, it doesn't just impact the here and now. A passionate, skilled learner is able to handle just about anything life throws at them. 

10. You believe learning is for life and not just the next grade level.

Being a student is temporary, but learning is for life. We are just getting students ready for a test, or college, or a career. We are preparing them for anything they might face. 

11. You are always striving to grow and learn.

You aren't waiting around for your school to 'develop' you. You take ownership for your own personal and professional growth. You want to keep getting better so your students can be better too. You know when teachers are growing, that's the best school improvement plan ever.


12. You want to inspire your students to create a brighter future and a better world.

Your students aren't just ready for the future, they are ready to make a difference in the future. Pursuing truth, justice, and equality are essentials for you. You are helping to create the future by inspiring your students to be world changers.

13. You believe your attitude sets the tone.

You model the attitude and mindset you want to see in others. You are positive even when things are tough. You give of yourself to others without expecting anything in return.

14. You want to connect with other educators.

We are each other's best resources. We must be collectively awesome. You want to partner with others and work together to create better schools and unstoppable learning. Nothing's more powerful than a group of committed educators who believe they can solve any problem together.

15. You see yourself as a leader.

When you see something that could be better or a need that could be met, you are willing to step forward and lead. You are the type of person others want to follow, not because you have a position or title, but because of the strength of your character.

16. You see yourself as a digital leader.

You know that our world is increasingly digital and that seismic shifts are happening as a result of technological innovation. You want your students to know how to leverage their skills using digital tools. You want to model digital learning.

17. You value better thinking, not just right answers.

You start with questions and look to push thinking deeper. You want your students to be adaptable learners and skilled critical thinkers. It's not just about getting a right answer. It's about learning to solve problems and create knowledge.

What else is important to you as a future driven educator? Your voice matters. I want to hear from you. Leave a comment below or respond on Facebook or Twitter.

        

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