Jimmy Smith's version of Peter and the Wolf
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
SWEET potatoes
Sweet Potatoes, Yams ????
The lovely tubers Americans think of as yams are actually a type of sweet potato grown in the south. A true honest to god yam is the hard, scaly, root of the Dioscorea genus while sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are part of the morning glory family. "Yams" as we know them are actually bright orange sweet potatoes. Marketers called the bright orange sweet potato yams when it came on the market to distinguish it from the light colored sweet potatoes.
Yams grow in tropical climates only and are mostly imported from the Caribbean. Sweet potatoes grow in tropical and temperate climates.
potato colors range from bright orange to light tan. Bright orange sweet potatoes are full of beta carotene yams are not. Beta carotene is a water soluble carotene that is converted into vitamin A in our bodies. One cup of cooked sweet potatoes over twice the daily recommended intake of vitamin A.
North Carolina is a big sweet potato growing state check out the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission for more fun sweet potato facts and recipes.
Try them more than once or twice a year to enjoy the wonderful taste and fabulous health benefits.
Here is a recipe to try out:
Sweet Potato Biscuits
a Mother Earth News recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 ½ tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp cold butter
1 cup buttermilk (can use milk)
1 cup mashed or pureed sweet potatoes
1 tbsp honey
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium-sized bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or two knives — the mixture should look like course meal. Mix together the milk, sweet potatoes, and maple syrup or honey. Pour into the flour mixture and stir with a fork until the mixture just comes together. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead, using a light touch, until the dough is fairly smooth. Use a little more flour if the dough is too sticky, remembering that short and gentle kneading will give you the most tender biscuit. Pat the dough out to a thickness of three-quarter to 1 inch. Cut with a 2-inch biscuit cutter. Place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes, or until just golden. Serve hot! Makes approximately 20 biscuits
The lovely tubers Americans think of as yams are actually a type of sweet potato grown in the south. A true honest to god yam is the hard, scaly, root of the Dioscorea genus while sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) are part of the morning glory family. "Yams" as we know them are actually bright orange sweet potatoes. Marketers called the bright orange sweet potato yams when it came on the market to distinguish it from the light colored sweet potatoes.
Yams grow in tropical climates only and are mostly imported from the Caribbean. Sweet potatoes grow in tropical and temperate climates.
potato colors range from bright orange to light tan. Bright orange sweet potatoes are full of beta carotene yams are not. Beta carotene is a water soluble carotene that is converted into vitamin A in our bodies. One cup of cooked sweet potatoes over twice the daily recommended intake of vitamin A.
North Carolina is a big sweet potato growing state check out the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission for more fun sweet potato facts and recipes.
Try them more than once or twice a year to enjoy the wonderful taste and fabulous health benefits.
Here is a recipe to try out:
Sweet Potato Biscuits
a Mother Earth News recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 ½ tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp cold butter
1 cup buttermilk (can use milk)
1 cup mashed or pureed sweet potatoes
1 tbsp honey
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium-sized bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or two knives — the mixture should look like course meal. Mix together the milk, sweet potatoes, and maple syrup or honey. Pour into the flour mixture and stir with a fork until the mixture just comes together. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead, using a light touch, until the dough is fairly smooth. Use a little more flour if the dough is too sticky, remembering that short and gentle kneading will give you the most tender biscuit. Pat the dough out to a thickness of three-quarter to 1 inch. Cut with a 2-inch biscuit cutter. Place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes, or until just golden. Serve hot! Makes approximately 20 biscuits
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Veterans Day History
VA Administration History of Veterans Day
Thank you to all Veterans.
I am against misuse and overuse of the military, but believe the United States should take care of Veterans and their families.
Jitterbug Cafe portion of Pitter Patter Clang for November 12 will feature Hector Berlioz's Requiem Mass. This dynamic piece was commissioned to honor fallen heros of the French Revolution of 1830.
I had the great pleasure of being part of the Eugene Concert Choir's production of the requiem in 2002. It was an amazing experience.
Thank you to all Veterans.
I am against misuse and overuse of the military, but believe the United States should take care of Veterans and their families.
Jitterbug Cafe portion of Pitter Patter Clang for November 12 will feature Hector Berlioz's Requiem Mass. This dynamic piece was commissioned to honor fallen heros of the French Revolution of 1830.
I had the great pleasure of being part of the Eugene Concert Choir's production of the requiem in 2002. It was an amazing experience.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
P is for Pumpkin
Pumpkins are for more than carving.
The beautiful orange color means it is full of health promoting phytochemicals and antioxidants.
Here is a super easy way to start using pumpkin in your cooking- given to me by my friend Connie.
Pumpkin Cream Cupcakes
1 package of spice cake mix
1 package of Vanilla Instant Pudding
1 cup of canned pumpkin
1 8 ounce cream cheese softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
To make:
Heat oven to 350.
Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Add dry pudding mix and pumpkin.
Mix well.
Spoon into 24 paper lined muffin cups.
Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Blend in sugar and egg.
Spoon over batter.
Bake 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks. Cool completely.
It is super easy to cook pumpkins. First select a pumpkin good for baking or cooking not carving.
Pumpkins for cooking have thick sides while pumpkins for carving have thin sides.
Cut the pumpkin in half. Place in a baking dish cut side down. Add some water. Bake in an oven set to 300-350 until it is soft. Warning do not try the lazy way of not cutting the squash or pumpkin..the shell will just get really really hard.
Here are pictures of some pumpkins and squash we grew and cooking pumpkins.
The beautiful orange color means it is full of health promoting phytochemicals and antioxidants.
Here is a super easy way to start using pumpkin in your cooking- given to me by my friend Connie.
Pumpkin Cream Cupcakes
1 package of spice cake mix
1 package of Vanilla Instant Pudding
1 cup of canned pumpkin
1 8 ounce cream cheese softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
To make:
Heat oven to 350.
Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Add dry pudding mix and pumpkin.
Mix well.
Spoon into 24 paper lined muffin cups.
Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Blend in sugar and egg.
Spoon over batter.
Bake 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks. Cool completely.
It is super easy to cook pumpkins. First select a pumpkin good for baking or cooking not carving.
Pumpkins for cooking have thick sides while pumpkins for carving have thin sides.
Cut the pumpkin in half. Place in a baking dish cut side down. Add some water. Bake in an oven set to 300-350 until it is soft. Warning do not try the lazy way of not cutting the squash or pumpkin..the shell will just get really really hard.
Here are pictures of some pumpkins and squash we grew and cooking pumpkins.
October 29 2010 show
I found a fun podcast on ITunes called Kids Planet Podcast Halloween Songs from 2008
Halloween/Samhain (sow-an)/ Dios de los Muertos playlist
All Soul's Night by Lorena McKennitt
Spiderwick Chronicles- dark armies from the forest attack
In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg from Peer Gynt Suites
Shivery Stomp by Frankie Trumburer and Orchestra
Batman/Robin Hood by Danny Elfman
The Witch Queen of New Orleans by Redbone
I put a spell on you by S.J. Hawkins
Monster Boogie by Laurie Berkner
Scooby Do by Kidz Bop
Legend of Sleepy Hollow in Spanish
El zopilote ( the buzzard) by Sones Tradicionales Xantolo
Haunted House by Jumpin Gene Simmons
The Addams Family by Kidz Bop
Thriller by Michael Jackson
Ocho mambo by Gypsy Kings
Halloween/Samhain (sow-an)/ Dios de los Muertos playlist
All Soul's Night by Lorena McKennitt
Spiderwick Chronicles- dark armies from the forest attack
In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg from Peer Gynt Suites
Shivery Stomp by Frankie Trumburer and Orchestra
Batman/Robin Hood by Danny Elfman
The Witch Queen of New Orleans by Redbone
I put a spell on you by S.J. Hawkins
Monster Boogie by Laurie Berkner
Scooby Do by Kidz Bop
Legend of Sleepy Hollow in Spanish
El zopilote ( the buzzard) by Sones Tradicionales Xantolo
Haunted House by Jumpin Gene Simmons
The Addams Family by Kidz Bop
Thriller by Michael Jackson
Ocho mambo by Gypsy Kings
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