Cooking with Coca-Cola

I think we all have those distinctive tastes and smells that instantly take us back to childhood. For me, it's the taste of Coke. We had soda in our house from time to time growing up, but whenever we went to my grandmother's house we loaded up. To this day, when I open a can of coke I feel like it's Thanksgiving or Christmas at my grandparent's house. My grandmother shops at Sams Club and bought Cokes in bulk, so there was always plenty to go around. I was always afraid of drinking it too much during other times of the year and losing the "special" factor that I always associated its taste.

As I've gotten older, I've learned that there are tons of other great uses for Coca Cola, aside from a dinnertime beverage or a tasty Coke Float. Have you ever tried Ham Steaks marinated and baked in Coke? Mmmmm, super tasty and delicious. It's an oh-so-easy adaptation of the classic tastes of Coke.

If desired, you can marinate the ham overnight in the refrigerator. I like to place the ham in a large zip-lock bag or sealable container and then pour in half a can of coke. Let it sit in the fridge overnight. The next day, you can drain out the Coke from the marinade and place the ham in a baking dish. Pour half a can of Coke over the ham and cover. Bake for 4-5 hours at 275.

The Coke gives the ham a nice flavor and I think helps make it more tender and juicy. Plus, it’s super, duper easy. As the busy mom of a preschooler, I’m always on the look-out for easy family recipes.

There are tons of great ways to incorporate this fun soda into everyday family recipes. Now that summer is quickly approaching, why not try a Coke Pop?  Pour a can of coke into a popsicle mold and stick it in the freezer until they are solid. If you don’t own plastic popsicle molds, you can always fill a Dixie cup with soda, cover the top with saran wrap and stick a popsicle stick down the center. When the popsicle is frozen, simply peel away the paper cuper.

What are some ways your family cooks with Coke? Check out www.cookingwithcoke.com for more ideas!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Coca-Cola® blogging program. If I am one of the first 100 blogs received by SocialsMoms, I will receive a $25 gift card. For more information on the program,click here."