Homemade Gumdrops...

My son loves Gumdrops...and SO DO I!!! I found this on Pinterest and followed the trail to Home made simple where you can find the recipe and many other interesting things.

And since I love planning parties and always looking for economical and creative ways of entertaining...I thought this would be a worthy post and know it will come in handy.  It would be a great activity for my son and I to do together too...he says he would like to be a chef one day!!!!

Homemade Gumdrops

Yields 50-60 candies

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Set time: 24 hours, plus 2 days for crystallization

INGREDIENTS

Cooking spray

Baking sheet

4 silicone candy molds or ice cube tra*

4 tablespoons gelatin (4 1/4-ounce packets)
1 cup cold water
1 1/2 cups boiling water

4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon flavored extracts**
3-4 drops food coloring

Small bowls for coloring and flavoring
Sugar for coating

*Tip: No candy molds? Use shallow baking pans sprayed well with cooking spray. After the candy sets overnight in the fridge, spray a knife with cooking spray, and cut the mixture into squares.

**Tip: Purchase a variety of extracts from the baking section of your local crafts or grocery store and experiment. Start with 1/4 teaspoon, taste test, then adjust accordingly.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large pot, add the gelatin to cold water, and let it sit for five minutes while bringing 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil.
2. Set the candy molds on a baking sheet and spray liberally with cooking spray.
3. Stir the boiling water into the gelatin until it dissolves, then slowly stir in the sugar.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for 25 minutes, stirring constantly. It’s normal for the mixture to bubble and froth when you stir it.
5. Ladle the mixture into four small bowls, and stir the food coloring and flavor extracts into each.
6. Slowly pour the different colors into the different compartments of the silicone molds.
7. Set the baking sheet in the refrigerator and chill overnight.
8. Gently pull the candies out of the molds, then roll them in sugar until fully coated.*
9. Set them on a wax paper-lined baking sheet for two days so they can crystallize.

*Tip: When pulling the candies from the mold, they will be gummy, but gently continue to pull them out quickly. The candy will retain its shape after it settles.

*PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS RECIPE IS NOT MINE BUT MAY BE FOUND ON THE ABOVE MENTIONED WEBSITE!!!!

Enjoy!!!!

Jay xoxo

Happy birthday to me...

A small token of gratitude on this my born day!!!! I am truly grateful to God in whom I believe that He has granted me another year!  But by His grace I stand...not by MY might or power....but by His grace alone.

Here's to the year that lies ahead and the many more that God may see me fit to see...woohoo!!!

Jay xoxo

DIY All Purpose Cleaner...

I found this neat recipe on a blog that I follow...find the original post at NATALIE 

Natural House Cleaning Recipe: All-Purpose Spray

Author: Adapted from Gorgeously Green

 

Ingredients

• 32-ounce plastic spray bottle
• 2 cups water
• ½ cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon pure castile soap
• ¾ cup hydrogen peroxide
• 20 drops tea tree oil
• 20 drops of lemongrass essential oil. Or try using lavender essential oil in the bathroom

Instructions

1. Fill the plastic spray bottle with the water.
2. Add the vinegar, castile soap, hydrogen peroxide, and the essential oils.

Sorry this post is done in a real rush but I found it useful.

Jay xoxo

Movember 2013

I had unfortunately missed entering a post about Breast Cancer Awareness for last month.  Here is an entry for Movember 2013; something that has only recently become 'big' in South Africa, well I only became aware of it last year.

I will be posting information shortly....

Jay xoxo