Coca-Cola Cake

Being a Coca-Cola collector, I have several cookbooks with yummy recipes using Coke as an ingredient. This particular one is in several of them. It is also similar to the Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake on the dessert menu at Cracker Barrel. 

Serve it up with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or dollop of Cool Whip and you can't go wrong. 

Cake Ingredients-

2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup oil
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup Coca-Cola
1 teaspoon baking soda
 1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting Ingredients-

1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons cocoa
 6 tablespoons Coca-Cola
16 ounces powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Directions-

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift sugar and flour into a mixing bowl. Add marshmallows. In saucepan, mix butter,oil, cocoa and Coca-Cola. Bring to boil and pour over dry ingredients; blend well. Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk just before adding to batter. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. 

Pour into a well-greased 13 x 9 inch pan and bake approximately 40 minutes. (Cake is done when it begins to pull away from sides of pan and the center springs back when lightly pushed with finger.) Remove from oven and frost immediately. (Do not cool cake before frosting!)

Carolina Cousins and Coca-Cola

Have I ever told you how awesome my husband's family is? Well, I will tell you now...they are. Marrying into a family with southern roots just might be the best decision that I have every made. 

Recently, my children and I were able to meet some of Don's "kinsfolk" from South Carolina... Don's cousin Greg and his lovely wife, Bonnie. I instantly fell in love with them! Bonnie walked in the house, immediately approached Cody and initiated a greeting that was so appropriate, it caught me off guard. It wasn't until the next day, when I stalked Bonnie on facebook, that I learned she was a registered nurse for the South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind. No wonder she was so at ease with Cody! How did we not know this about her?

Our family spend a few fun-filled days with Greg and Bonnie and we hated to see them go. The entire time that they were here, I kept having this nagging feeling (in a good way) that I had known them my entire life.

This evening, UPS stopped in our cul-de-sac and left a package at our front door. Don, upon bringing the box inside, looked at it carefully and commented, "I don't think this package was suppose to come to our house." You can see from the picture below why he would make that assumption...

After further inspection, Don and I noticed that the package did indeed have my name on it and that it was sent from Taos, New Mexico, one of the many places Greg and Bonnie were visiting on their drive home. 

Imagine my surprise when I opened the box and saw this little note...

...and this awesome Coca-Cola phone inside!

Have I ever told you how awesome my husband's my family is?    :)

How to Preserve a Puzzle for Framing

When I saw this jigsaw puzzle on the Simple Pastimes website, I knew had to have it. Just look at it! It's a perfect fit for our airport working, Coca-Cola loving family!

 Here are the steps I took to prepare it for framing and display...

#1- Put the puzzle together (obviously). I suggest using a puzzle mat that can be rolled up (like the blue one below) or a large piece of plywood. This way, your puzzle can be moved if necessary. This particular jigsaw puzzle was 1000 pieces, so it took a little time and a lot of persuasion on my part to get my family members to help.

#2- When finished, gently slide wax paper under the entire puzzle.

#3- Be sure to overlap the wax paper and leave a border around the outside edges. This will prevent the Modge Podge from dripping onto your mat or other surface.

#4- Modge Podge the entire puzzle top. 

Be sure to cover each and every piece, then allow puzzle to dry completely. Repeat the process one or two more times. 

#5- When the final coat on top has dried completely, flip the puzzle over and Modge Podge the entire back. (One coat should be enough.) Allow to dry.

#6- Frame your puzzle. I took this one to Michaels and had it custom framed.  

My husband and I are pretty happy about the way it turned out. :)

Coca-Cola Polar Bears Short Film

Take a few minutes and watch this. It's cute. :)

Brilliant Kids Share a Coke

No Wonder Coca-Cola is SO Enjoyable...

I saw the following article on MSN's homepage today:

"Major soda brands are known for having their fair share of strange ingredients, but one that could come as a surprise to many consumers is alcohol. According to the Seattle Post Intelligencer, a French magazine called 60 Million Consumers recently published research that found trace amounts of alcohol in 19 major soda brands worldwide. The sodas included Coca-Cola, Coke Zero, and Pepsi.

The actual amount of alcohol present was minuscule, reaching about 0.001 percent per liter, so soda drinkers don't have to worry about getting drunk from consuming a few cans of pop. The Huffington Post reports that Coca-Cola France's scientific director, Michel Pepin, proposed one theory for the presence of alcohol: natural fruit fermenting that could take place during the secret drink-making process.

Coca-Cola isn't hiding the alcohol in its soda. In fact, a disclaimer is posted on the company website. It reads, "Trace levels of alcohol can occur naturally in many foods and beverages. Government and religious organizations have recognized that such minute levels are considered acceptable in nonalcoholic foods and beverages."

Despite the statement explaining that traces of alcohol are really no big deal, Coca-Cola has announced that it will change the recipe for its sodas, but only in the United States.

Are you bothered by the knowledge that there are trace amounts of alcohol in major soda brands? Or is it no big deal?"

Here is my answer...No, I am not bothered that there are trace amounts of alcohol in Coca-Cola. However, I am bothered that Coca-Cola thinks it needs to change the recipe for the United States. Boo!

What are your thoughts?

To read the article in its entirety, go to www.delish.com .

Zion National Park and Coca-Cola

What could be better than popping open a Coke
on top of Angel's Landing?

(That's my daughter for ya!)

Coca-Cola Tuk Tuk

My daughter's best friend spent the last four months in Thailand teaching English to Thai children. Sunday night, she came to our house bearing gifts. Imagine my surprise when she gave me an adorable Coca-Cola Tuk Tuk (Taxi) for my collection.

I asked my son to take more than one picture of the Tuk Tuk, so you can see the fine details...

Flag Side

Top View

Notice the perfectly centered "Coca-Cola" back seat.

Driver's Seat

Check out the spare tire. Cute!

Front View

This is definitely my new favorite Coca-Cola Collectible. Thank you so very much for thinking of me Kaitlen!

I Would Hug It. Hell, I Would Kiss It!

World of Coke

My husband and I enjoy going to Las Vegas every chance we get. Our favorite place to visit is the World of Coke. You'll find all kinds of Coca-Cola merchandise there. At one time, this location had unlimited fountain drinks on the top floor. It was seriously heaven to us! (We were so disappointed when they discontinued this part of the experience.)

If you love Coke and you're ever in Las Vegas, be sure to check it out. You can't miss it. It's next to the MGM Grand on Las Vegas Boulevard.


Someday I hope to go to Atlanta and tour the World of Coke there. I understand that they still do the all-you-can-drink fountain; pure bliss!  
 
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