Firestone: Extreme and Absurd or Progressive and Rational?

     I was really excited when I realized that one of the articles we were reading for class was on a prominent leader in the feminist movement, Shulamith Firestone. But as I read on I had a sense of unease, disheartenment almost, at the extremity of Firestone's actions. Was standing on the desk of the editor-in-chief of Ladies Home Journal and tearing up copies of the magazine in the editor’s face really necessary? Was there another, more diplomatic, way to handle the situation?

     I found myself wondering what she would think of me since I am a supporter of today’s feminist movement. The only conclusion I could come to is that she wouldn't think much of me at all. She’d say I don’t go far enough with my actions, I’m not supporting the right groups, I’m not angry enough. The more I thought about her, the more I disliked her. She seemed rigid, harsh, and unsympathetic to any ideas or feelings apart from her own. Firestone seemed so caught up in being aggressive and trying to force change that she couldn't take a step back and try compromise in order to possibly create more progress.

     What really bothered me about Firestone are some of the opinions she had concerning family and the role of gender. She essentially attacks the concept of the traditional family and undermines women who have chosen to raise a family. Firestone calls pregnancy “barbaric” and childhood “a supervised nightmare” but this seems absurd to a lot of us. Something else absurd to most is her vision of the world where women are freed by artificial reproduction and children are taken out of an abusive situation into loving one. Unlike Firestone, I was raised in a loving household where I was treated equally to my brother. I was never verbally abused by my father, in fact my father speaks out against acts of sexism he witnesses. This being so, I have no idea what Firestone went through and her family life is probably what shaped her opinions on family and motherhood. Since she was abused, it only makes sense that she want to prevent further abuse and oppression.

     The other statement of Firestone that had a negative effect on me was her statement on the ultimate goal of feminism, “The end goal of feminist revolution must be, unlike that of the first feminist movement, not just the elimination of male privilege but of the sex distinction itself: genital difference between human beings would no longer matter culturally.” When I first read this it seemed like she wanted to eliminate the entire concept of sex distinction. In other words gender wouldn't exist. Eliminating gender can eliminate a central part of most people’s identities. This bothered me because being female is a big part of my identity and I've had a positive experience with my gender identity. But I've only had a positive experience, I haven’t faced oppression, and who’s to say that oppression now is the same as the oppression Firestone faced.

     I've come to realize that perhaps she didn't mean that society should eliminate gender, so much as it should eliminate the significance of gender. In other words, gender shouldn't affect culture, it shouldn't affect the distribution of power, and all genders should have equal advantages or equality period. She wants a world without oppression, where women are free to make their own decisions regarding their bodies, and most importantly she wants a world where “love flows unimpeded”.

     I find that I can’t disapprove of Firestone’s actions because where would women be – where would I be – without her? She was strong-willed, passionate, and determined to make a change and I’d say she made one. While we don’t live in the world she envisioned, we are certainly a step closer to it because of her actions. 

7 Ways You Should Be Using Those Thanksgiving Leftovers

We've just gotten through Thanksgiving and I’m sure you have leftovers. But the question is, what do you do with the leftovers? Do you make a sandwich or do you eat the leftovers as they are? Honestly though, how many times can you eat a turkey sandwich before you vow to never eat turkey again?

In my family, we have a problem with leftovers. It seems that no matter how much food we send home with relatives, we always have container after container left in the fridge. After several years of most of the leftovers going to waste, my mom and I went about trying to think of different ways to use up the leftovers. Here are 7 ways my family uses up those leftovers that you'll want to try.

Potato pancakes

Potato pancakes are a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving or any occasion when you find yourself with too much mashed potato. My mother and I love frying these up after holidays and enjoying them either eggs at breakfast or as a side dish to dinner. We used up our potatoes in different recipes this year so we couldn't make any, but there is always Christmas!

Recipe: Potato Pancakes

http://best-foood.blogspot.ca/2013/12/cheesy-mashed-potato-pancakes.html

Turkey Tetrazzini

Ok, so I love tetrazzini. Love it. It’s just plain delicious and a great way to use up all that leftover protein. There are a variety of different proteins you can use in tetrazzini; we love chicken but you can also use turkey, ham, bacon, or portobello mushrooms.

Recipe: Turkey Tetrazzini

Mashed Potato Crust Quiche

This recipe is another great way to use up those leftover mashed potatoes. Quiche is a highly versatile dish that can be served essentially any time of day whether it be breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. In this recipe we've (my mom and I) have made a cheese quiche, but you can add just about anything to a quiche like onion or broccoli.

Recipe: Mashed Potato Crust Quiche

Shepard’s Pie

Shepard’s pie is a great dish to use up almost all those Thanksgiving leftovers. It is quick, simple and delicious. My mom and I made up the shepard’s pie ahead of time and then popped them in the oven when we wanted it. This is also the one recipe that I don’t have an official recipe for. We tend to estimate on all the measurements in this dish. But I’ve managed to rough out some estimates for you.

Recipe: Shepard's Pie

Egg in a Nest with Stuffing

Nom, nom, nom. This recipe is a great way to use up all that leftover stuffing in a delicious and quick breakfast. These are also great if you’re hosting a brunch. This also doesn’t have an official recipe because it is only stuffing and an egg. Luckily, I’ve compiled a recipe of rough measurements for all of you who get a little nervous having to eye-ball measurements.

Recipe: Egg in a Nest with Stuffing

http://www.jillianharris.com/food-friday-thanksgiving-leftovers-menu-2/

Variations on a Turkey Sandwich

I don’t know about you, but I get tired of a plain old turkey sandwich. White bread, turkey, and maybe some cranberry sauce gets really boring after a while. So I present to you a few variations on the turkey sandwich that are sure to bring life to this leftover classic.

Recipe: Variations on a Turkey Sandwich

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

I’ll admit, deciding to use this recipe in this post was tough. Mainly because this is my secret bread pudding recipe and I’ve refused to divulge this recipe to every family member that has asked. Normally I use a French or Italian sweet bread but pumpkin bread is festive and my mom always makes too much. I also didn’t make bread pudding this year so I don’t have a picture but instead behold delicious pumpkin that I use in this recipe (I could be persuaded to share the recipe for pumpkin bread.) 

Recipe: Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

A loaf of pumpkin bread cubed (or any kind of sweet bread will do)

½ cup of butter melted

½ cup of raisins (or you could use dried cranberries)

6 eggs

¾ cup of white sugar

¼ cup of brown sugar

1 tablespoon of vanilla

3 cups of milk

1 tablespoon of cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg (or pumpkin spice)

Pinch of salt

Heat oven to 375˚

In a large bowl, combine bread cubes, melted butter, raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well, and transfer to a 2 quart baking dish.

In a pot heat the milk on low, stirring constantly, until it is about to simmer (bubbles will be starting to form around the edges).

Using the same bowl from before beat the eggs. Stir in both types of sugar, vanilla, and salt until sugar is dissolved. Slowly whisk in the warm milk. Pour egg mixture over bread cubes, sprinkle with nutmeg and brown sugar, and set aside for 10 minutes.

Bake in pre-heated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Variations on a Turkey Sandwich

Variation 1:

Two slice of pumpkin bread

Cinnamon butter or cranberry sauce

Leftover turkey

Variation 2:

 Two slice of sourdough bread

Cranberry sauce

Swiss cheese

Leftover turkey

Variation 3: 

White or wheat bread (or whatever your bread of preference is)

Blackberry jam

Stuffing

Leftover turkey

Egg in a Nest with Leftover Stuffing

3-5 cups of stuffing (depending on how many you’re making)

6-12 eggs (also depending on how many you’re making)

Pre-heat your oven to 375˚.

Grease your muffin tin and press a scoop of stuffing into a little “nest” (like a mini pie crust).

Crack an egg into the center of each “nest”.

Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the egg is poached soft-medium to the touch.

Shepard's Pie

1 ½ cups of stuffing

1 cup of corn or green bean casserole

2-3 cups of chopped turkey

2-3 cups of mashed potatoes

¼ cup shredded cheese (whatever you like but cheddar is quite good)

1-2 tablespoons of milk or broth

Pre-heat oven to 350˚

In a deep 8x5 dish (or roughly that size it just has to be deep) layer and press down the stuffing. Pour the milk onto the stuffing and let it soak in.

Spread your corn, then turkey on top of the stuffing base.

Then top with a layer of mashed potatoes, sprinkle with the cheese, and place it in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and browned.

Quiche with a Mashed Potato Crust

2 Cups leftover Mashed Potatoes (or make them fresh)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (or any cheese you like)

4 eggs

1 cup milk

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon mixed spices of your choice (options: garlic, nutmeg, blends, etc)

Preheat oven to 350˚

Brush a 9 inch pie dish with olive oil and press the potatoes in (the potatoes should resemble a pie crust). Brush the crust with the remaining oil and place in pre-heated oven for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Arrange cheese (or your filling of choice) in the potato crust. Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and other spices (we used rosemary and thyme.) Pour over the cheese.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until slightly puffed-up and cooked throughout. Allow to cool before serving.

Turkey Tetrazinni

1 package (12 ounces) of spaghetti (or fettuccini)

½ lb of chopped mushrooms

1 medium onion, chopped

1/3 cup of butter

3 tablespoons of flour

3 cups of milk

1 cup of chicken broth

3 cups of cubed turkey

¾ teaspoon of salt

½ teaspoon of pepper

½ cup of shredded parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375˚ (you can also cook this on the stove-top only.) Boil pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onion and mushrooms in butter until tender. Stir in flour until combined and gradually add milk and broth.

Bring to a boil; cook and stir until the sauce has thickened. Stir in turkey and add the salt and pepper.

Next you could do one of two things. You could add the pasta and cheese to the skillet, cover it, turn the heat down to low, and let the dish simmer (stirring occasionally) until the dish has thickened and the sauce has reduced. Or you could layer the pasta, turkey mixture, and cheese in a greased 13x9 dish; then cover and bake for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

Potato Pancakes

3 cups of mashed potatoes

1 egg

3 tablespoons of flour

Vegetable oil, for pan-frying

Optional ingredients:

2/3 cup of cheese (cheddar or your favorite type)

½ cup of diced bacon

1 diced and seeded jalapeño

2 table spoons of scallions

½ cup of flour to dredge the pancakes before frying

In a large bowl combine mashed potatoes, egg (lightly beaten), and flour until combined. The number of eggs and amount of flour can vary depending upon the initial consistency of the mashed potatoes. If the mixture seems too wet add flour a tablespoon at a time until you can make ball. If the mixture seems too dry and won’t come together, add one more egg.

Using your (clean!) hands, divide the mixture into 10-12 portions. Roll each of those portions into a ball and flatten them until they’re about 1/3-inch thick.

Here you could choose to carefully, in a shallow dish, dredge the pancakes in flour.

Heat a few tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. (The amount of vegetable oil will depend upon the size of your pan but you need enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan.)

In batches, fry the pancakes until they are golden brown on each side, 3-5 minutes. Be sure to add more oil as needed between batches and to not overcrowd your pan (overcrowding can cause the pancakes to stick to each other or cause the pancakes not to brown.)

Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle them with a dash of salt.

You can serve them plain or with a dollop of sour cream.

Difference is?

“Difference is empowering”

Along one of the main thoroughfares of my college’s campus are a series of banners similar to the one pictured here that focus on varying facets of “difference”. These banners feature such phrases as “difference is everywhere” and “difference is all of us”. While these banners put forth positive messages about the importance of being different, it makes me wonder about the other purposes behind these banners.

Perhaps these banners serve to boast the diversity of the community here at Augustana College to visitors and potential students. Perhaps they are an argument of the values and ideals held by the college. Or perhaps they are here as a message to students about embracing the differences between themselves and their peers. Whatever the purpose, I've always found them reassuring. They help assure that I can follow my own beliefs and passions without being degraded by peers. They represent the open-minded and accepting community that is here on campus.

However, this doesn't mean that there aren't some people here that need to take a look at these banners and learn something from them. The banners therefore could be reminders to these individuals of the values and expectations of the college. Recently, the Dean of Students sent out an email to the entire community that brought attention to a series of racist messages posted on an anonymous social networking site. It was deeply troubling to me that such a thing is occurring on campus that encourages acceptance of people no matter their race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, etc.

These banners suddenly seemed to be lies. What once read “Difference is good” now seemed to say difference is not good.

To restore my faith in the messages of the banners, I only had to go to class and talk with my friends and peers. They reminded me that even though we all come from different social, economic, and religious backgrounds we are all able to accept those differences with and open-mind and turn them into dynamic discussions and debates. This seems to be exactly what these banners are trying to argue to the community on campus and visitors. The community at Augie is full of diverse people all with their own beliefs and views and while not everyone agrees, we are able to accept one another’s differences without demeaning anyone’s beliefs.

Difference is what makes everyone unique and that is what is beautiful and good about being different. It makes us individuals. It allows us to have our own values and ideals. It is something that can bind us together and not just push us apart. One of the banners states “difference is everywhere” and another “difference is all of us”. We are all different. We have different backgrounds, views, skills, the list goes on and on. But what is the one thing we have in common no matter what? We will never be exactly the same and in that fact we create a community of individuals that thrive not being like anyone else.  

Even if the administration put up these banners as a way to advertise the diversity of the campus community, each and every one of us can learn something from the banners – whether it be acceptance, confidence, or even a new way of thinking.