Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Glee Gum Review and Giveaway!

Today I have a special guest in the kitchen with me. He’s not my husband, but he’s pretty darn handsome! Let me introduce you to Diego….

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He’s the son of my best friend Christina who has raised 4 amazing children who I love deeply! Boys are tricky and I wasn’t sure if this would be his kind of project, but he seemed more into it when I mentioned worms haha.

The kind folks of Glee Gum sent me a package of their Make Your Own Gummies Kit to try out. They also offer other make your own candy kits including chewing gum, and chocolate. What I love most about these kits is how they relate to many topics, including coastal ecology, social sciences, chemistry, geography, and more. They also include lesson plans on their site.

So on to the project! First we made our own molds using the molding starch in the package. Diego brought some of his favorite toys, but they ended up being difficult to get a good mold out of so we used a straw suggested by Glee which made a nice looking worm shape and a heart shaped candy mold I had.

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While we worked on the molds we soaked the dried seaweed in a bowl of water.

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I know what you’re thinking….seaweed? Well, we probably use seaweed everyday without even knowing it. Seaweed naturally contains a substance which makes liquids like water and milk get thicker or even become solid. Check the ingredient list on your toothpaste, cottage cheese, deodorant, pudding and even salad dressing. The gummies kit uses 2 of the seaweed gels – carrageenan and agar. Agar is something I’ve heard them mention on cooking shows which is the same thing as clear gelatin, but clear gelatin is made from boiling animal bones.

Next we made the gummies. Empty the powdered seaweed into a microwaveable bowl, adding 1/2 cup water and stir well. Remove the dried seaweed soaking in water and add it to the water seaweed/water mixture.

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Heat until it foams up. (It foamed up more then this, but I wasn’t quick enough with my camera.)

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Lift the big piece of seaweed out with a fork and dispose of it. Stir in flavored, colored sugar packet.

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Put back in the microwave and heat for 1 minute, or until it foams up again.

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Now we pour into the molds and refrigerate or freeze until set. IMG_7432IMG_7435IMG_7433IMG_7434IMG_7436IMG_7438

We had a little issue with the molding starch because as the candy starts to cool it starts to firm up so you have to work fast. I did like that you could keep reheating the mixture to get it to work.

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We had a great time making these and I think they would make an excellent gift for an kid or adult!

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BUY IT: If you would like to buy your own Glee Gum Candy or Gum Kit, you can log on to their website to order it directly online or you can check out their store locator to find a store in your local area.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit the Glee Gum website and choose your favorite item to be entered in winning 1 Glee Gum kit of our own. In a comment, leave the name of the item of choice and your email address (This entry must be completed before the bonus entries will count)!

YOU MUST INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN YOUR COMMENT SO I CAN CONTACT THE WINNER.

BONUS ENTRIES:

  • Follow me on Twitter and leave a comment that you do. Please include your Twitter name.
  • Follow my blog with and leave a comment that you do.
  • Leave a comment any non-giveaway post and let me know in a comment which one you left it on.
  • Share my giveaway on twitter or facebook and leave me a link in a comment. (Click on the time stamp and copy the link in the address bar).
  • Grab my button and place it on your blog or website and tell me where it is by leaving a link in your comment so that I can check
  • Like Glee Gum on Facebook.
  • Follow Glee Gum on Twitter.

Giveaway is open to Contintental US only for 1 Glee Gum Kit. Giveaway will end December 10th @ 11:59 PM (EST). Winner will be chosen using random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond after I contact via email. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be chosen. Good Luck!

The opinions stated in my review are 100% my own. I received a free Make Your Own Gummies Kit for reviewing purposes but was not paid to give a positive opinion. I will use Random.org to choose my winner.

19 comments:

  1. Sounds right up a kid's alley. He's a cutie.

    I like the make your own chocolate kit.


    If you accidently pull my name, give it to Diego. He'll have a blast with it.

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  2. Diego is adorable! This past weekend I made Gingergread (boy and girl) cookies with my grandkids - ages almost 7, 6 and 4. Although the purpose isn't for cookies per se - but to make very inexpensive Christmas tree ornaments.

    You make the cookies then spray Krylon on the front and attach a hook to the back with a hot glue gun and tie a Christmasy ribbon at the base of hook (top of the Gingerbread head). Anyway, I'm sharing this because my grandkids just loved being involved with this project. They liked using the cookie cutter and putting the three red hots like buttons down the front.

    When you involve kids in projects like this you're creating wonderful memories and a terrific sense of "I can do it" self confidence.

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  3. Very cute! Wow, they have so much great stuff but I think my kids would like the make your own gummies too!Thanks for the giveaway chance!

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  4. What a neat idea. If I "win" please donate it to Diego or some other young person who would enjoy it. Love the blog.

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  5. I'd love the make your own gummies for my family! What fun!

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  6. I also follow you on twitter :) danid320

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  7. I am now following gleeguy on twitter as well! Thanks again, this would be such a fun activity (or early Christmas gift!!!).

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  8. I'd choose the gummy kit or the bubble gum making kit.

    babygirl92699@yahoo.com

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  9. I'm following you on twitter

    @babygirl92699

    babygirl92699@yahoo.com

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  10. I follow your blog

    babygirl92699@yahoo.com

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  11. I like glee gum on facebook

    babygirl92699@yahoo.com

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  12. I follow glee gum on twitter

    babygirl92699@yahoo.com

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  13. I would love the Chewing Gum Kit.

    rrudnick@netnet.net

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  14. I follow you on Twitter as RMRudnick

    rrudnick@netnet.net

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  15. I like Glee Gum on Facebook.

    rrudnick@netnet.net

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  16. I follow Glee Gum on Twitter.

    rrudnick@netnet.net

    ReplyDelete