Make Your Own Cola

My seven year old is in Brownies and part of her earning her snack badge has to do with making our own snacks. They have a recipe for making your own cola. How come I have never heard of this? We got busy with it even when we didn't have all the ingredients as listed. I recommend being sure that you use club soda as opposed the grossness that we used. All we had in the fridge was tonic water with lime. 

Make Your Own Cola
makes 6 cups
Ingredients:
3 cloves
1/2 cup molassas
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cinnamon stick
4 cups seltzer water/soda water
cherries - optional

Directions:

1.  In a medium saucepan, heat the cloves and molassas on low for about 15 minutes.

2.  In another saucepan, combine the water, sugar, cinnamon, and cinnamon stick.  Bring the second pan to a boil and then turn on low and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.

3.  Take out the cinnamon stick.  Allow both pans to cool for about 10 minutes.

4.  Place the molassas and the cinnamon syrups in a large pitcher and mix well.

5.  Add the seltzer and mix again.

It foamed up A LOT!

6.  Pour into a glass filled with ice.  Add cherries, if you like!

Enjoy!  How did we like it?  It smelled like cola.  It was strong tasting and I suspect it was because we used tonic water with lime, it has high fructose corn syrup in the ingredients as well.  Next time, we're using plain ol' soda water!  All in all, it was tasty, especially after the ice started to melt.  ;)

Pig Cake Using Fondant Icing

Look what I made!  My very first time using fondant icing.  This cake is for Cub Scout Pack 101 Blue and Gold dinner for their fundraising cake judging and cake auction. 

It's a chocolate cake with buttercream frosting using half coconut oil.  I did not have almond extract like the recipe calls for so I used amaretto oil or extract, it came in a tiny bottle.  I used black jelly bellys for the nose and eyes. 

I'm so excited to have tried this.  I remember working at the Four Seasons Hotel and watching the pasty chefs work with it.  Now I've finally tried it and conquered my trepidation!

First I planned my cake by using these two photos from www.coolest-birthday-cakes.com as a guide.

Then I used the recipe from thecookduke.com/fondant-recipe.  Here is the jist of it:

Ingredients required to make the fondant recipe:

• 1 Tbsp of unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup of cold water
• 1 tsp of almond extract
• 1/2 cup of light corn syrup (If a corn syrup is not available, you can substitute it with a sugar syrup made with 1-1/4 cups sugar and 1/3 cup water, boiled together until syrupy)
• 1 Tbsp of glycerin (some recipes say it’s optional, believe me, it’s a must)
• 2 lbs 10X confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 tsp of white vegetable shortening

Directions how to make the fondant recipe:

• Sprinkle the gelatin over cold water in a small bowl and let it rest for 2 minutes to soften
• Place the bowl in a microwave for 30 seconds on High, until the gelatin dissolves
• Add the Almond extract
• Add the corn syrup and the glycerin and stir until the mixture is smooth and clear (if the mixture is not turning smooth and clear, microwave it for an additional 15 to 20 seconds on high and stir again)
• Sift 1 1/2 pounds of the sugar into a large bowl
• Make a hole in the sugar and pour the liquid mixture to it
• Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture becomes sticky
• Sift some of the remaining 1/2 pound of sugar onto a smooth work surface and add as much of the remaining sugar as the mixture will take
• Knead the fondant, adding a little more sugar if necessary, to form a smooth, pliable mass
• Rub the vegetable shortening on your thumbs and knead it into the fondant
• Wrap the fondant in plastic wrap and place it in a tightly sealed container to prevent it from drying outIf the icing dries out and harden it can often be revived by popping it into a microwave oven for a few seconds and then kneading it back to life

World Vision's 30 Hour Famine

Welcome to my 30 Hour Famine fundraising page for 2012

Jared
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FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF PERRYSBURG 104726134
Jared Ellison Goal: $360.00 Achieved: $230.00Make a gift!

First of all, I would like to thank everyone who has donated money to this cause so far. I appreciate your support! I've reached a goal that I didn't think would happen...so...I've raised my goal so that I can apply for a tour. I'm already half-way there. Thank you again!

I can't wait to do the 30 Hour Famine! During the Famine, I will actually NOT EAT for 30 hours. YES! You read that right. I know it will be hard, but I want to do my part to help the nearly 8,000 children under age 5 die every day because of hunger-related causes?that?s one child every 10 seconds. This is NOT okay and I can NOT stand by while children die from lack of food.

In the time leading up to and during our 30 hours of fasting, I am going to get a crash course in global hunger and come face to face with the realities of poverty and injustice. My youth group will make a global impact by learning about world hunger and raising money for hungry children around the world through World Vision; a local impact through service projects and raising awareness during our 30 hours; and an individual impact when I will get a small taste of what it is like for hungry kids around the world.

The Famine is our chance to make a difference, our chance to make hunger part of our history not our present, and our chance actually do something about hunger. My youth group has set a goal, but I?ve personally set a goal too. Check out my thermometer to see my goal. Every $30 I raise will help feed and care for a child for a month! Will you help me meet my goal?

Thank you for sponsoring me to go without?so others can eat.

Want to know where the money raised through the Famine goes?

Visit www.30hourfamine.org/about to learn more about 30 Hour Famine and World Vision’s hunger programs.