Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Disney World Camping Trip with the Cub Scouts

 
This is our last Camping trip until the Fall. 
 
I have already scheduled all the camping trips starting in October. 
 
There will be the BSA campout and that is called Spook-O-Ree.  November, we will go to Patriots Point in South Carolina and camp on the USS Yorktown ship, December we will be at Fort Clinch, and in January is Little Talbot Island.
 
This is our second time camping at Disney.  This time we did the group camping which is a little more primitive. Meaning there is no electric or water hookups.  At every campout we set a couple of hours aside so the boys can earn some belt loops and pins.  This campout they received the belt loop and pin for basketball. 

On our free time we went to the wilderness lodge and enjoyed the facilities there.


Back at camp we went all told some jokes and had some smores.  





After smores we went on a Disney style hay ride. 


Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Karate Advancement

One more belt closer to becoming a black belt. When he started two years ago, the karate combinations were easy. Now that he is an orange belt with a black stripe, the karate combinations are much more difficult. They not only have to remember 9 combinations but they have to remember all the different twists and turns within one movement. One combination has three to four movements. Example of one combination: High Kick, back fist jab, round kick, front fist block. Example of movement: When he throws a punch, it is not just a straight punch. He has to start with the open part of his fist facing right or left and as he extends his arm, the fist must twist and face the ground when the punch is fully extended. All these movements must be done with sharp accuracy. I have to praise His karate instructors. They are not there to just push the kids through so they can earn all the belts. They really make the kids work and earn that belt. I am so happy for that because it gives them a real sense of ownership for all their hard work. Here is a video link to the breaking of the wood.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj4DpaWzPMA&feature=youtu.be


Right now he is the orange belt with black stripe.  This does not show the white belt, that was his first one.  He has completed four belts in two years.  It will take at least four or five years to complete the black belt requirements. 
Great job little one.  



Saturday, April 13, 2013

Launching Rockets

Today we went out to Bunnell with our Cub Scout Den and launched some rockets.  The rockets that we launched were considered low level rockets, but they had some rockets that were very powerful.  one rocket was so powerful that they needed to get a permit for air clearance.   It was really exciting to see.  This was sponsored by the Northeast Association of Rocketry.





These are all the high powered rockets

These tow links below are videos of The Cisco Kids launch.
 

 
 
 

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Happy Easter

The Cisco Kid is still loving the idea of getting his Easter basket.  There is enough chocolate to last all year long.  I lost track of everything I was buying.  That's what I get for buying a little at a time.  I don't realize the amount.  He has been wanting a briefcase or a long time and that is one of those things that I never think of getting him for Christmas or his Birthday.  So that was part of his basket this year. 
 
 
 
 


 
Later that day we went over our friend house and spent the rest of Easter day with them.  The really made Easter special with a great Easter egg Hunt, then a wonderful dinner and desert. 
The Kids had so much fun.
 


 

 

 
I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. 

Monday, April 1, 2013

Hummingbird Cake

I have always heart people talk about how good this Hummingbird cake was. I never got a chance to try it or make it until Easer.  I decided to make some cup cakes with the batter.

This recipe is so easy.  Once you have all the ingredients placed out in order per the recipe.  Separate the first five ingredients in one area and the next five ingredients in another area.  Combine the first five the add the second five then hand mix.  It's that easy.




 
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar 
      1 teaspoon baking soda
       1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
      2 cups diced ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
3 large eggs, beaten
      1 cup chopped toasted pecans
1 cup vegetable oil
      1 (8-oz.) can crushed pineapple, undrained
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in bananas and next 5 ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter into 4 greased and floured 9-inch square or round cake pans or it makes two and 1/2 dozen cupcakes.
 2. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).

The butter cream icing is so delicious.  It is called Brown Butter Cream Icing.


Ingredients
1 cup butter
      1 (16-oz.) package powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

    1. Cook butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, 8 to 10 minutes or until butter begins to turn golden brown. Remove pan immediately from heat, and pour butter into a small bowl. Cover and chill 1 hour or until butter is cool and begins to solidify.

  2. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar alternately with milk, beginning and ending with sugar. Beat at low speed until well blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
 
 


Easter Cakes

Every year I make an Easter Bunny Cake.  This year I decorated it with Butter cream icing and Fondant flowers.  I got the Bunny cake pan rom William Sonoma years ago.  The cake is a honey almond pound cake.  To make it festive for Easter I added colored chocolate sprinkles. The black and White decorations on the basket is edible paper that Wilton makes.  I purchase it at Michaels.


 
 
Honey Almond Pound Cake 
 
This cake is great for this type of 3D cake.  It stands up very well.  The regular cake mixes are to light and the bunny breaks up. 
Ingredients
  • 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 cup of Almond past pie filling
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 2 cups sifted cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until light. Meanwhile, put the eggs, honey, vanilla, lemon zest and almond past in a glass measuring cup but do not combine. With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the egg mixture, one egg at a time, scraping down the bowl and allowing each egg to become incorporated before adding the next egg.
Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. With the mixer on low speed, add it slowly to the batter until just combined. Finish mixing the batter with a rubber spatula and pour it into the prepared pan. Smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, turn out onto a baking rack, and cool completely.
 
 
The Best Butter Cream Icing

Ingredients



1/2 lb.

butter

2 cups

Crisco vegetable shortening

1 tsp.

vanilla extract

1 tsp.

butter flavoring

1/2 tsp.

almond extract

2 lb.

confectioners' sugar

1/4 tsp.

salt

1 Tbsp.

meringue powder

1 Tbsp.

milk, if needed

Directions

1. MIX BUTTER, CRISCO, AND SALT TOGETHER ON LOW SPEED FOR 5 MINUTES. ADD VANILLA, BUTTER FLAVOR, AND ALMOND EXTRACT. BEAT UNTIL WELL BLENDED. TURN MIXER ON TO THE LOWEST SPEED THE MIXER HAS, ADD SUGAR 1/2 CUP AT A TIME UNTIL SUGAR IS MIXED IN. TURN MIXER UP TO MEDIUM SPEED AND BEAT UNTIL SMOOTH AND CREAMY. THIS SHOULD TAKE 5 MINUTES.
2. SOME TIPS: SIFT SUGAR IT HELPS KEEP THE LUMPIES AWAY...
MERINGUE POWDER AND BUTTER FLAVORING CAN BE FOUND WHERE CAKE DECORATING SUPPLIES ARE SOLD.  
 
Fondant
 

Fondant Recipe.  I have found that purchasing Fondant was very expensive.  For 21 oz. of Fondant costs $21.00.  Making that same amount costs $2.00, Big difference.  It's worth the extra work.  I also have to say that my homemade Fondant taste so much better.  


You will need
1 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons of unflavored Gelatine
1/4 cup of very cold water
2 tablespoons of Shortening
1 tablespoon of Glycerin 
1 teaspoon of Clear Vanilla
1 teaspoon of Clear imitation Butter flavor
1/2 cup light Karo corn syrup
2 pounds of powdered sugar (sifted)
In a small bow add the Gelatine and water.  Stir until it becomes thick. 
Worm the thick gelatin in the microwave until worm.  (do not let it boil).
Add the corn syrup and worm a little more 
Add shortening, vanilla and butter flavor.
Stir until everything is incorporated. (the perfect texture is very slimy looking).
Put four cups of powdered sugar in a bowl and add the mixture. 
Stir together until everything is incorporated. 
Place the Fondant on a clean dry surface and incorporate the powdered sugar a cup at a time until you have a very nice firm texture.  Not too dry and not to we.  Then you can add food coloring to it.  I suggest using the jell flood coloring because it will not alter the state of the Fondant.

 
 
 

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