Cool Whip Substitute #2

Here is yet another substitute for Cool Whip, or a way to stabilize cream.

Stabilized Whipped Cream
1 cup whipping cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
Use powdered sugar, not granulated sugar, when sweetening the cream. The cornstarch in the powdered sugar absorbs some of the liquid, so the cream holds its shape for at least 24 hours.

I used this as a topping on a cream pie and it didn't go runny or soggy after a whole day. I don't know exactly how long it will last, but the pie didn't stay around for longer than that.

Cool Whip Substitute

I know that Cool Whip (or the generic equivalent) is actually a substitute for whipped cream. Our family doesn't eat Cool Whip, at least not when we are in charge of making the food. However, some recipes require Cool Whip since it maintains its shape and probably never really melts. To get around that stumbling block, you can use stabilized whipped cream. (It tastes better than Cool Whip anyway).

Stabilized Whipped Cream
1 packet unflavored gelatin (about 3 tsp.)
2 Tb. cold water
¼ cup boiling water
2 cups whipping cream
¼-1/2 cup sugar
½ tsp. vanilla
Pour the cold water over the gelatin and let it soften. Then pour the boiling water over and mix until it dissolves completely. Let it cool, but don’t let it set. Whip cream until mostly thick. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat in the gelatin and finish whipping the cream. Cool the cream in the fridge for about half an hour before using it, though it will keep for a few days. The water proportions to gelatin seem to be about 2 Tb. for each teaspoon of gelatin.

How to make a star-shaped cake

To make a star-shaped cake without using a star-shaped cake pan, you need two round cake pans. Mine were both 9-in. pans, but it would probably work better if one was an 8-inch pan and the other was 9-inches.
Cut a pentagon shape on one of the circles (the smaller one, if you have a smaller one). Use a ruler to make all the sides the same length.
Cut six pie shapes from the other round cake. I used a protractor to get them all the same size.
Trim off the rounded edge on the pie shapes and then put them together along the flat sides of the pentagon shape. This photo still has the rounded edges on the pie shapes since I was actually doing a differently shaped cake. The frosting will hide all the seams quite nicely.
This was the cake I was trying to make--Ft. McHenry of Star-Spangled Banner fame--before it got frosted. As you can see, this is a variation of a star-shaped cake.

What to do with sick kids

So what do you do with more than one sick child? Here are a few things I've done so far:

• Run to the pharmacy/Wal-Mart and stock up on ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and Kleenix.
• Clean out the humidifiers and start running them all night and part of the day.
• Splurge and buy a (cheap) surprise game for the children--I'll pull it out when all else fails to entertain.
• Check the pantry and freezer to make sure there is enough food to feed the family in case I'm too sick to go to the store.
• Make up a detailed chart to keep track of temperatures and medication. After several years of just writing this down on scraps of paper, I finally made an Excel chart to record data on each child. This way I know each child's temperature and when they've had medication.
  

Do you have things that work well for your family? I'm always happy to hear suggestions.

Shower Power

I was complaining to Kirk that none of the cleaners seem to work like the old Shower Power did. He searched on the Internet and found out that you can still buy some direct from the family of the man who developed it (here). I ordered a few bottles, even though it is more expensive that way than when you could get it at Wal-Mart. Now I'll see if it really cleans things, or if I was just having fond, but incorrect, memories of it.

Another chocolate chip recipe

[This is a variation of a recipe I saw in the Penzey's catalog; I changed a few things, including amounts.]

Chocolate Chip Cookie

1 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 small box instant pudding mix (3/4 cup)
2-1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1-2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup nuts, chopped

Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, vanilla, and pudding mix. Sift flour, soda, and salt, and add to the batter. Mix in chips and nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. This recipe makes cookies that do not go flat and crispy; they are still soft and chewy a day or two afterward. I used chocolate pudding mix for a chocolate-chocolate chip recipe. You can also use a vanilla pudding mix for a more traditional cookie.

I probably wouldn't do pistachio pudding, though maybe with pistachio nuts instead of pecans or walnuts and red mini-M&Ms, it might work as a funny green and red Christmas cookie. I suppose you can also make this as a bar cookie by putting the batter in a 9x13 pan and baking for 15 minutes or so until done.

What to do with 280 straws

If you don't mind the mess, letting children play with straws can occupy them for hours on end. The only thing I don't like is if the straws then get used with liquids.
The children spent two days playing with these straws. We finally managed to clean them up after they were tired of that game.