March 13, 2005

Potatoes and Then Some…..

Yes, it is March – the month of St. Patrick’s Day – an Irish celebration. Casting about for themed food lessons, I lit upon the potato as an Irish staple. I try to make foods that these kids do NOT get at home – broaden their horizons a little. No, we don’t make yellow rice, beans or chicken. By the same token, I don’t go TOO far afield or I’d lose them all together. Hence, the potato rather than corned beef and cabbage. That would NEVER fly with most of these kids.

SO – I put together a packet about the history of the potato – complete with questions to answer. I also included a reading about the potato famine. And potato recipes, of course. We have made Potato soup, oven fries, and twice baked potatoes. These recipes have met with varying degrees of success. Take a look:

A little tentative blowing on and tasting of potato soup.

Cutting up and seasoning the potatoes for the oven fries.

A perfect twice-baked potato – about to be history!

Miss, are you SURE we can eat this??

No job is done until ALL the dishes are washed, dried and put away.

Panini Queen

March 14, 2005

You know, I really think classes like yours should be mandatory for high schoolers. These are basic skills they can use their entire lives. A basic life skills class would benefit so many kids on the verge of independence. Balancing checkbooks, debt, meal prep, laundry, all those things are skills so many kids leave home having no understanding of. *stepping off soapbox* Looks yummy!!

Can we say Rodesia..South Africa..good point. What DO we call those people by the way..? that’d be a blast, to be white South African and walk up to someone and say, “Hi, I’m African American..

whowhatwhere

Cool! Thanks for sharing the pics.

what do you call the nice guy from Ireland who is in America legally? Sweet Potato..

RoofOnFire

What were the taste verdicts on the potato soup?

lifeisuhmistury

YAY!!!! The pics are great! What a neat way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. BTW, that twice baked potato looks delicious. I bet those kids are so happy to have you for their teacher…they look like they’re having fun.

Kathleen

Not much more sublime than a twice-baked potato…..yum! Excellent idea for a St. Patrick’s Day theme.

Starbright

What? No green beer? Those kids are so lucky to have you teaching them, not just cooking but history. You have a gift. They now know that potatoes aren’t only found at McDonalds sliced, deep fried and salted. So few young people eat “real” food anymore.

My mother always said, “You are what you eat.” (Tonight I’m peanut butter and jelly but usually I eat healthy.) I always wonder how we can expect much from our kids when most, from baby on, are raised on PopTarts and Coke…at least out here in OK that seems to be the case. They look like they know how lucky they are to be in your class.

Wooden Sandals

What a great idea! The kids looked like they were really enjoying themselves and that is the key to learning, isn’t it. Big kudos for you.

FallingDog

I’m hungry. And what a nice room you have!!!!!!!!!

Willy & Wilma

I like Sweet Francesca’s note about the importance of teachng the basic’s needed for living. Being able to prepare a few common dishes rates pretty high among them, also how to use spices and have several things coordinated so they are ready for serving together

blevins

Your kids are beautiful. Watch out for the girl with that knife. She looks all together too comfortable holding that thing. LOL.

abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

March 15, 2005

PICTURE 2 – okay, you need a much smaller knife for cutting potatos lol, they are 75percent water! awww NICE pictures. Love them. Have a great week!

Torin Invanusson

Ah, potatoes. The food of the gods. With an Irish smile…

RYN Actually he is doing a good job. He researched what recent home sales were in that same neighborhood and had charts and graphs for us. We have been looking on the net, and driving around, and looking in those books that they have for free. Part of it is because we really want a garage, I am somewhat paranoid about my car being stolen. We also want to be near Daniel’s job, so he could just ride

a bike or walk. There were some homes in the 170’s that he found for us, but we felt really nervous in that neighborhood. I want to feel safe. *sigh* Oh and he is working with a mentor, so it isn’t like he is totally on his own here.

tae's heartbeats

You got them to eat a different form of potatoes, besides french fries. I’m impressed! LOL 🙂 Actually Hazel loves potatoes in all forms, but then again we are part Irish and she’s been raised on them! 🙂

wren

What a great idea for a lesson! Thank you for dropping by my diary. 🙂

Illuminati Apprentice

Ireland is one place where Jews have been welcome for most of modern history and Dublin has had more than one Jewish Mayor. Even today there is a thriving Jewish Community there. I’ve often wondered if Jews didn’t get the wonderful tradition of Latkes (potato pancakes) from Ireland. Latkes, although eaten year round, are a traditional food eaten during Channukah.

.imp.

Potatolicious!!

crystal butterfly

you made all good potato choices. that is one of my favorite foods

Once I made a potato casserole, layers of potato slices, mozzarella slices, and some flour in between and some meat in between. The only thing I ever made exactly according to the recipe. It was pretty good.

What kind of food do these kids eat at home? The kids in these pics look hispanic and well hispanics eat quite a bit of potatos,meat and beans and well so do the Irish,lol ((( Hugs )))

ermentrude

March 17, 2005

Happy saint Patricks Day! Mmm.. potato soup….. it looked like they were all having fun 🙂

Arbi

March 18, 2005

I smiled at the thought that yellow rice is familiar to these students but potatoes are not. Ah, cultural differences! I wonder if any of them would cook the potato dishes again at home for St.Patrick’s Day?