Playing For Change

Connecting The World Through Music

(Scroll down to "The Playlist" and hit play before reading... works better that way!)

Today we're celebrating one of the greatest movements in recent years "Playing For Change". 

And what a great cause... Playing For Change is dedicated to building music and art schools for children around the world. 

Between 2002 and 2004 they first traveled from LA to New Orleans and then New York to record street musicians playing outside. It soon grew to recording around the world. 

So join us for a little Jerk chicken, a cool "African Lullaby" cocktail and some great music played from the heart.

The pots are on! 

The Plate...

Jerked Chicken Kabobs

I was thinking about some street food for today... you know something awesome that you might buy from one of those cool food trucks. I was also thinking that we had to put a little worldly spin on it. 

So we decided to bring you a great recipe for two of my favorite things... kabobs and jerk chicken.  Very easy and very tasty. 

What you need...  

1 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup thyme

1 tbsp allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg

3 cloves of garlic

small piece of ginger (about an inch/peeled)

Juice of one lime

1 red onion / chopped

1 Habanero or Scotch Bonnet pepper

Salt and Pepper

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces

What you do...

Put the orange juice, olive oil, soy sauce etc. (all the wet and dry ingredients) into a food processor.

Puree until smooth. 

Add about half of the mixture to a 1 gallon plastic resealable bag. 

Add the chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. 

Heat your grill to medium-high.

Skewer the chicken pieces and grill on one side for about 5 minutes then flip.

Cook for about another 5 minutes.  

Serve with a little salsa and some of the extra marinade you saved for dipping... Oh yeah! 

The Playlist...

Playing For Change

It all started when Mark Johnson first heard Roger Ridley singing "Stand By Me" on the street in Santa Monica. Mark returned to record Roger then he and his partner Whitney Kroenke hit the streets of America with a mobile recording studio and cameras in search of inspiration and the heartbeat of the people. 

The movement grew to include street musicians from all over the world later adding well known musicians like Bono, Keb Mo, Keith Richards, Toots & the Maytals, Stephen Marley and Taj Mahal.

I love the way they later included different musicians and styles from all over the world playing the same song. 

So sit back, relax and enjoy the music. It's all good!

("The Playlist" runs on Spotify. Don't have Spotify?... Click here it's free )

The Bar... 

African Lullaby

I was first introduced to Amarula Cream by my South African neighbors. Think Baileys Irish Cream, but smoother. I know... sounds too good to be true.

It is actually made from the fruit of the African Marula tree...
Go get you some. 

What you need...

4oz Amarula Cream liqueur

1 oz coconut milk

8oz milk

2 dashes of fresh nutmeg

coconut shavings for garnish

What you do...

Mix Amarula, milk, coconut milk in shaker

Pour into martini glass and garnish with nutmeg and coconut

Stand By Me!

Playing For Change is a movement created to inspire and connect the world through music. Join the movement here:   https://playingforchange.com/membership-new/

Please... Day Drink Responsibly 

& 

Keep On Cookin'!