Juliette Circle - Sharing my story

When Marianne asked if I was available tonight to talk – I asked what does she want me to talk about.  The response was a great Girl Scout experience.  I anticipate my best memory being next summer when Girl Scouts of Central Texas girls spend 2 weeks with Girl Guides in Cyprus. Seriously I thought.  I could talk to you for hours.  And then, I thought I could tell you about my Silver Award project – again this could be for hours.  And thanks to the Girl Scout toastmasters club – I really could talk to you for hours.

I am going to try and make it not an hour – but instead tell you why being a Girl Scout in Middle and High School is the best time to be a Girl Scout.  And I should know – I am a 4^th generation Girl Scout/Girl Guide.  You could say I bleed green. 

My older sister and mom have told me since I was a Daisy that the real fun doesn’t start until middle school.  I wasn’t sure I believed them because I was having so much fun as a Daisy, Brownie and Junior.  I got to do special events, parades, commercials, camping, service projects, plant trees, build robots, earn badges, learn to cook and go to camp.  What else could be better than a week a GS camp?

 Traveling! I head about older girl travel opportunities called destinatons.  I already traveled with my family a lot and didn’t really think I needed to participate.  But, my sister went to Ireland, Iceland, Virgin Islands, and Ghana.  My mom went on 6, including Iceland.  Other troop members when to scottland, italy, costa rica.  With such a large troop we always got to hear the stories of what the older girls did. I couldn’t wait until I was old enough. 

 

Last year, the 14 Cadettes in my troop decided that we would start with a trip to Houston and a NASA overnight.  We did it.  As soon as we got in the van to head back to Austin – we started talking about where did we want to go next and when. Our troop planned, earned money thru cookie sales and went to Savannah Georgia this summer.  Now, I had already been there once – but, it was so much fun going with my GS sisters.  For three of them it was their first time away from parents, 2 their first time on a plane and 6 of us their first time to Savannah.  I really think the best part for us was knowing that we earned the money ourselves to get there.  For some of us selling 1000 boxes wasn’t a challenge – however, 5 of our troop worked with their sisters and for the first time sold 1000 boxes 3x the amount previous years. 

 

And next summer, I am working towards the trip to Cyprus, Greece. (So if you need some cookies I can hook you up).  Older girls get to decide where, when and how they do what they do.  As our leaders allow us more decision making opportunities, we start to take ownership of the process.  We are developing into Girls with Courage, Confidence and Character.

I still did Girl Scout  “camp” this summer – it was so cool.  An entire week at IBM with Watson!  Every day we were challenged and we accepted it.  Girl Scouts and STEM go hand and hand as far as I am concerned.  I am part of the homeschool STEM club – this semester we are heading to Outer Space (Rockets, Mars and more), I spent the last 2 years on the council lego robotics team – Galaxy Girls, participated in coder girl programs, Microsoft classes and Samsungs STEM challenge the first year.

 I am sure that all of you are familiar with Girl Scout cookies. I LOVE to sell Girl Scout cookies – it is my business and I take it very seriously for 8-9 weeks.  I work hard so that I can play hard.  When I think back to the PSA I did as a brownie with Lolis “What can a cookie do” – I realize that it does so much more than I ever thought.  It allows our troop to cook dinner for first responders and bake treats on 9/11.   We can participate in International Peace Day, Veterans Day flag ceremonies, community parades, go camping, go to the zoo, visit national parks, earn badges – lots of badges.  And, it gives all 62 of us an opportunity to make new friends.

Because One is Silver and the Others Gold

Operation Cookie

Every year - Operation Cookie has been a big part of my cookie season.  My dad said one of the best things about being deployed was getting cookies from home.  It did remind him how much he missed his girls at home.  But, it was like having us with him.

These boxes will be donated to VAs across Central Texas and will be transported for us by a group called Soldier’s Angels http://soldiersangels.org/VA-Support-Program.html

I have aunts and uncles who have been treated at the VAs around Central Texas - I want to make sure that they all understand how much we appreciate their service.
This year I am trying to get 300 boxes for Operation Cookie.  -- you can donate boxes so you don't have to eat them.

Thin Mint Cupcakes - National Chocolate Cake day

National Chocolate Cake Day -- eat with a cookie

 

Thin Mint Cupcakes with Mint Buttercream

Yield: 12 cupcakes
Total Time: 40 min

Rich chocolate cupcake recipe with crushed Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies and topped with a homemade mint buttercream frosting.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey Special Dark – but use what you prefer)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 large egg
1/2 cup low-fat plain (or vanilla) yogurt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 sleeve Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies (16 cookies), crushed slightly
for the mint buttercream:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. mint extract
2 Tbs. milk, more if needed

Directions:

Heat to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cavity cupcake pan with paper liners. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and baking soda. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter, cocoa powder, salt and water together. Stir and cook until melted. Remove from heat.
Add about half of the butter/cocoa mixture to the dry ingredients. Add the remaining butter/cocoa mixture and stir until fully combined. Whisk in the egg and stir well. Add the yogurt and the vanilla and stir well. Stir in the crushed cookies.
Portion the batter evenly into the lined cupcake pan, filling each liner about 3/4-full.

Bake in the preheated oven for 17-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely

while the cupcakes cool, prepare the buttercream:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the butter with a paddle attachment until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and slowly incorporate until smooth and fluffy. Add the mint extract and salt and whip just to combine. Stream in the milk.
• For a thicker frosting, skip the milk, or just add more powdered sugar. If the frosting needs thinned out, add a little more milk.
• Frost the cupcakes any way you like.

 

Cake recipe adapted from Bi Rite Market's Eat Good Food cookbook via Two Peas and Their Pod.

Last Years Trip -- Local resident travels abroad as part of Girl Scout program

Have you read about Sarahs trips last summer?

Local resident travels abroad as part of Girl Scout program

Where does the money go?

The money from your purchase stays here in Central Texas.

 

Samoa Parfait

Samoa Parfait

 

·         Single serving - Coconut Yogurt or Vanilla Pudding                                          

·         3 Samoa cookies

·         Flaked coconut

·         chocolate or caramel syrup

 

1.       Layer broken cookies and yogurt (or pudding)

2.       Top with coconut

3.       Drizzle with chocolate or caramel syrup

 

Other options – chop up and include with cashews and raisins for trail mix. 

Crush cookies and use as pie crust. 

 

This works with all of our flavors – my favorite is Thin Mints on ice cream.

 

Support our cookie business today.

Girl Scouts: A Cookie is Not Just a Cookie

Cooking with Cookies