Aussie Visitor to Aboriginal Day 2012

Since 1996, Canada celebrates National Aboriginal Day on June 21, 2012.  It is a day to recognize and celebrate the culture and contributions of Canada's Aboriginal Peoples, the Indian, Inuit and Metis.

Mostly the celebrations happen in large towns and cities across the country and often includes Aboriginal artists and dancers and activities such as:

• Summer solstice festivals
• Barbecue fundraisers
• Social networking gatherings with traditional and contemporary music, dance and singing
• Sacred fire extinguishing ceremonies
• Traditional feasts, which may include fry bread and moose stew

In addition, the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN), airs a televised special of Aboriginal entertainers for Canadians to watch in the comfort of their homes. Usually this nationally televised program is aired live from Winnipeg, Manitoba at a place called "The Forks", a beautiful part of the city which is down by the riverfront.

Today is June 23, 2012, and right now the national program is being aired from both Winnipeg and Regina, Saskatchewan. It features a variety of talented Aboriginal performers representing the different indigenous people in Canada.  This year's performers are (in no particular order): Inez, Christa Couture, Beatrice Deer, Vince Fontaine & Indian City, Don Amero, Neewa Mason, Pamela Davis, Riva, William Prince, Kashtin and Academy award winner, Buffy Sainte-Marie.  Some of these performers are well known, but others I haven't heard of before and I was blown away by their significant talents. 

The program was even more special to me because the show featured a young rising Aboriginal star from Australia. His name is Adam James and he sings country music. I thought I would share one of his videos with you. The song is called "Who's Counting Anyway". He wrote the song to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his parents. I hope you like it and I hope you will also check out the APTN link and learn more about the country's great Aboriginal entertainers and artists.  The link is set up specifically for the Aboriginal Day celebrations so hopefully it works after the show.

Trying a New Banana Bread Recipe

My regular readers know I often bake Banana Bread. It isn't that I love Banana Bread so much. It is more because I hate to waste food and even though I try very hard to buy just the right amount of bananas, I often don't eat them all before they get overripe. Sometimes I freeze the bananas with skins on for later use when I don't have time or interest in baking the bread. When I make it, I try to give some away or freeze some for another day. There is only so much banana bread a person can eat.

After freezing some bananas last week and having a few more that were beyond eating this week, I decided I needed to bake banana bread once again. I do not really like the recipe I've been using so I took inspiration from a new and delightful blog I've been following called "Food and Thrift".

I didn't follow the original recipe but have made a few adjustments (added oats, oat bran and pecans and omitted the granola and one egg). I've added oats and oat bran to help keep the blood sugar in check. I should really be using whole wheat flour also but I don't have any on hand today.  See the original, rather delicious looking recipe here . 

I think I may at last have found the kind of banana bread recipe for which I've been searching.  One that isn't overly sweet or too "sticky" and has a bit more substance than what I've been used to making.  Next time I can omit the chocolate chips and pecans for an even healthier bread.

The batter has a smooth consistency.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Banana Bread

¾ cup all purpose flour

1 cup uncooked oats

¼ cup oat bran
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg*
3 ripe mashed bananas
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/3 Crisco shortening (you can use oil)
dash of salt
½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ chopped pecans

* The original recipe calls for 2 eggs and I think 2 eggs is best to hold the bread together when sliced.

In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher. In a medium bowl cream the sugar and shortening together, then add the milk and egg. Mix well. In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients, then add the bananas, chocolate chips and pecans. Turn the mixture into a bread loaf pan.  If you want, you can sprinkle some chocolate chips on the top. Bake at 350 degrees for the first 30 minutes. Lower the temperature to 325 degrees for an extra 10-30 minutes until the bread is done.

Cooling the banana bread. It looks and smells delicious. Taste test will come after cooling.

To test for doneness, you can press your fingertip gently in the middle of the loaf.  If it springs back and isn't too moist it should be done.  Alternatively, if you have chocolate chips on top like I do, you can insert a toothpick in the middle of the bread.  If it is free of batter (clean) when you pull it out, the bread should be done.

Taste Test: 

This is by far the best banana bread I've ever made or  tasted. It wasn't very sweet and so the chocolate chips did not overpower the bread.  I really enjoyed the addition of the oats and pecans which gave it added crunch.  It was difficult to make "clean" slices of the bread because the chocolate chips melted in my hand and stuck to the bread knife. However if you aren't trying to be dainty for guests, this is probably okay. As for me, I think I will be making this recipe more often and will omit the chocolate chips and substitute walnuts for pecans.  This will reduce calories.

Another Week Ends

Hello everyone,

It is the end of another week. I trust that means that most of you will have a few days off from your usual schedule and will be able to recharge and refresh.

I was out at some large pharmacies late yesterday and decided to take some sky photos while out. The first three photos I am sharing with you were taken in the early evening on West Broadway, west of Cambie Street in Vancouver.

I like the swirling clouds in the sky.  I am not sure what the building with all the round windows is, but I think it is part of the Vancouver General Hospital complex of buildings.

On the opposite side of the street we have these interesting fountain sculptures. These sculptures have been here for years and years. I love the idea of water and fountains on a busy city street but I think it would be nicer if they enhanced the area with more gushing water and public seating so people could sit down and enjoy the sound of water.  There is a restaurant with a patio just behind or beyond the sculptures but it is a little too far away for the patrons to get any benefits of moving water.

These petunias are from my garden. I thought I would see how close I could get to the inside of the flower. My series of photos shows that once I get too close to the center there is not enough light to get a clear photo.  It was just a quick experiment. I'm sure that one can angle the flower petals differently to get better shots or one would need a better camera.

Please join in and see what others are doing for SkyWatch Friday and Floral Friday Fotos. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Nearing the End of the Day on Car Free Sunday

Lots going on: music, food, entertainment but I didn't get to most of it. Day was sunny until dusk then clouded over.

Join others for (nearly) Wordless Wednesday here.

White Cake with Fruit Cocktail

Recently I've been seeing all kinds of cake recipes from my blogger friends. I didn't have the ingredients on hand to make the cakes on offer, so instead I whipped up this basic white cake using some fruit cocktail I had in the refrigerator.  I used half of the sugar called for in the recipe and it was sweet enough for me. The addition of my left over fruit cocktail also gave it added sweetness.

I also used reduced fat cream cheese for the frosting.  If you wish to reduce the calories further you can use skim milk rather than whole milk in the cake mixture and use splenda. I personally do not like to use artificial sweeteners though I might use something like xylitol or stevia in a powdered form if I had it on hand.  Though after reading this article, I might have to reconsider the idea.

White Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar (I used 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup butter (I reduced this about 1/4 cup)
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk (or to make desired consistency)
• 1/2 fruit cocktail (without the liquid syrup)

 

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth and add the fruit cocktail.  Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
2. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in a 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.   

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

 

Ingredients - I made only half of this recipe to cover the cake.

• 1/2 cup of butter (1 stick), room temperature 
• 8 oz of Light Philly cream cheese (1 package), room temperature 
• 2 - 3 cups of powdered sugar 
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 
  

 

Directions    

With an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes on medium speed until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

 Add the vanilla extract and mix. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Keep adding until you get to desired sweetness and thickness.

 Either spread on with a blunt knife or spatula, or spoon into a piping bag to decorate your cake or cupcake. 

 

The cake was well frosted and there was frosting left over. If you like your frosting a bit thicker, then wait for the cake to cool fully before frosting. 

Taste Test: This isn't my favourite cake. It was moist but I found it a little too rich for my taste despite reducing the sugar and butter and using light cream cheese. It was also plenty sweet enough for me. I used a round 9" pan and the cake was not that high so if you want a higher cake I suggest you double the recipe and make a layer cake or simple make one deep layer. I will likely look around for another white cake recipe that isn't quite so rich and add fresh berries next time. I tried the cake again the day after and I enjoyed it much more. Perhaps it just needed to cool off more to come into it's own.