Sweet potatoes and yams are often marketed interchangeably, probably because they have a similar appearance. However, yams and sweet potatoes are very different root vegetables. They belong to different plant families and are only distantly related. Yams have dark and sometimes rough skin. The flesh is whiter in shade and drier than sweet potatoes. Most … Continue reading Sweet potatoes vs. yams
They are all fats, but what is the difference? And what difference do they make in your finished products? Chef Cappy explains….. Butter is made from cream that has been churned into a solid state. Butter has a characteristic flavor that most people enjoy. It comes salted and unsalted, depending on what your recipe requires. … Continue reading Butter, Margarine, Lard, or Shortening?
Below is an example of a STEM article connected to a recipe – this one goes with Chocolate Cherry Muffins – the healthiest, tastiest muffins you’ll ever make as a family. “Like” my store at All-American Teacher Tools to find out when my new book on food from 50 states is released in late fall. … Continue reading It’s cherry season – do the math!
People are rejecting processed sugars and turning to natural forms of sweeteners. One of the more popular natural sweeteners is maple syrup and it is healthier than white sugar. True maple syrup is extracted from the sap of the maple tree. Native Americans were likely the first to make maple syrup by tapping the sugar … Continue reading Why pure maple syrup is better than “breakfast syrup”
When asked about your own favorite toy as a child, you might say a doll, a car, or maybe a construction set that kept you busy for hours. Curiously, most children choose a stuffed animal if asked that same question. Through the stuffed toy, children can express emotions and feelings they cannot otherwise do with … Continue reading Why combine a stuffed bear with a cookbook?
The Scoville Scale of Heat provides information on whether you can tolerate the pepper or not. Hot sauce is prepared from cayenne, jalapeño, and habanero peppers. These peppers all contain capsaicinoids, which act on the same nerve fibers that sense actual heat. Capsaicin is used to flavor foods, in pepper spray, and muscle rubs to … Continue reading How hot are your hot peppers?
Fresh berry season is almost here! But if you can’t wait, frozen berries can be used with just as much success if you treat them nicely! Fresh berries are abundant during the summer and can be eaten alone, in salads, and in recipes. Sometimes the crop is especially prolific and the cook must freeze the … Continue reading Cooking with frozen berries
Every purchase from Chef Cappy’s Kitchen directly benefits Care Bags 4 Kids, a nonprofit foundation that helps children in need. Care Bags 4 Kids is one of those foundations where you always know how your support will be used. With the kindness and generosity of countless volunteers, distributors, and supporters, they have been able to … Continue reading Why Chef Cappy supports Care Bags 4 Kids
If you’re looking around for the perfect end-of-year teacher gift, look no further! When I was still teaching, I would receive many and varied gifts at the end of the school year from appreciate students – candles, mugs, Starbucks gift cards, and other fancy stuff! And while all were appreciated and loved for the message … Continue reading The best end-of-year teacher gift ever!
If you are looking for ways to bring your scattered family together, look no farther than the dining room table! When I was first teaching foods classes to 7th graders in the 1990s, I would ask my students how many of them had regular dinners as a family. About 40% raised their hands. I asked … Continue reading Family mealtimes create family unity
Chef Cappy's Blog - More than a collection of STEM facts and healthy recipes; it is a family cooking experience. 