Wednesday, March 31, 2010

MHC-After 3 goes on a Foot Stompin' Musical Adventure!

After a quick bus ride across town to Patrick Henry Community College,
the MHC-After 3 students, from all sites, were invited by the Harvest
Foundation to attend a JAM session! JAM stands for Junior Appalachain
Musicians and is a program that offers free after-school guitar, banjo, and
fiddle lessons to students and will be available to the participating after-school
programs in the fall. Showcased were Montana Young, a 17-year-old fiddle
player who has won the hearts of her audiences with her dancing, rhythmic fingers
and her soulful voice, and the Carolina Chocolate Drops, a trio who wowed the
students with their high energy dancing and musicianship, unusual instruments, and
educational presentation. They were joined by a group of JAM musicians from
North Carolina who shared their newly aquired abilities as well.



Here, Montana Young prepares for her first tune.



The students curiously watch the performance play unfamiliar tunes.



Montana reaches out to the young people by explaining the
positive and inspirational impact music has had on her life.



The North Carolina JAM participants
are showcased as a group.



The Carolina Chocolate Drops get tuned up.



Drums, African 'banjos', jugs, dancing,
and opera singing were incorporated into their
performance.



Here the listeners are informed that Henry County
was once home to one of the largest populations of
black fiddle players in the country from 1930-1960.


A west African instument aids in educating
the audience of the origins of the banjo in
the United States.
The grand finale wraps-up the afternoon
with all of the musicians on stage!

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

OUR LAST DAY OF COOKING FOR THE WEEK!

The students enjoyed some new recipes with the instruction of a local chef.
Hard tacos and jalepeno corn bread were carefully prepared by the
interested students. The seasonings were just right and the hands-on
activity was, as always, a big hit!


Measuring cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt: the dry ingredients.




Dividing the batter into the muffin pans for
faster cooking!



Cooking the beef before adding the spices.



Preparing the fresh toppings for the tacos.



Loading up the tacos with all the great ingredients!
YUM!



Portioning out the final scoops of meat for the hungry participants!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Another Day, Another Pizza

HOMEMADE MEXICAN PIZZA that is!
That's right, the museum group of MHC-After 3 students
found themselves once again in the kitchen
on Tuesday with a new-twist-on-pizza recipe and a simple 3-ingredient
Peanut Butter Cookie recipe in their hands.
Protein in the pizza was provided by a layer of refried beans
and black beans, instead of tomato sauce there was salsa, and
the mozerrella cheese was replaced by mexican cheese!
With jalepenos to spice it up!
As for the easy 3-step cookies, the participants combined equal parts
of sugar and all-natural peanut butter with an egg. (Happily avoiding
flour, baking powder, vanilla, and butter and measurements!)
==============================================









A clean kitchen is ready for the students.



Measuring up the store-bought pizza crust,
which is ready to be topped.


Cautiously spreading the beans.



Combining cookie ingredients.


The recipes.



Topping the refried beans with, MORE BEANS!


Shaping the peanut butter cookie balls.


Adding the salsa layer.


Cleaning the dishes.

The oven is hot and ready.


Popping in the pizza for 10 minutes.



After 10 minutes, the cheese, red peppers, and
jalepenos were added.



Ready for round 2 of the pizza baking.



An enthusiastic cookie team shows
off their creation.










Cookies come in all shapes and sizes.











Setting the table and taking the
first sample bites.











Part of the quilt display at the
VA Artisan Center.









Plating up the MEXICAN PIZZA!








A brave student samples his first jalepeno.




A seasoned jalepeno eater
loads up her plate with her
favorite spicy-hot pepper.

Friday, March 19, 2010

SWEATING TO THE OLDIES!!


Upon arrival at the Virginia Artisan Center in downtown Martinsville, the students were asked to get ready to shake their hips as they entered a room filled with oldies dance music. Everyone soon caught on and danced to three full songs, following Richard Simmon's footsteps on a projected video screen. And the payoff? Exercise, of course, and an opportunity to prepare a healthy beef and vegetable stir fry with popover biscuits.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here, the participants are led through a series
of stretches as they are told the importance of exercise.
(Did you know that this is the first generation in history that is
expected to NOT outlive the ages of their parents?)










Learning the moves!










Measuring the buscuit recipe before mixing.










The "Ninja" mixer, as seen on T.V.,
being utilized by a curious, and impressed,
student.













Discussing chopping methods with
the instructor for the stir fry.













Adding the final tomatoes and onions
to the stir fry. How delicious the kitchen smelled!










Setting the table for the family-style meal.













Tasting, relaxing, and enjoying
2 new recipes.









Wednesday, March 17, 2010

MHC after 3 VMNH

FUN WITH FOOD!

After a short school-bus ride to Martinsville's Artisan Center downtown, the students were asked to wash their hands and to prepare themselves to COOK!
They all learned how to read a recipe, measure ingredients, bake blueberry muffins, create a veggie omelet, and enjoy every bite!
Once everyone had piled their omelets high with cheese, and the table was set with steaming hot muffins, we were finally able to sink our teeth into both sweet and salty homemade foods...
THAT WE OURSELVES PREPARED!!


Here we are, with clean hands, ready to read the recipe.










Listening intently to our instructor
for what we were about to prepare.










The first measurement...flour.










And the milk is carefully added.










Eventually, the wet, gooey mix is
spooned into the muffin cups.












The basic omelete ingredients.










Flipping the egg.












The toasty, delicious muffins.










A proud participant displays her egg.











Cheers to the

final reward!

What great teamwork,

and great food!