A few years ago my husband and I had the chance to visit South Africa, and while we were there we saw a disturbing amount of orphaned children.
I was pregnant at the time of our visit, and so sick that I knew I never wanted to be pregnant again. But I also couldn’t help but think about how much my husband and I had to offer these children.
We returned to the states and looked into international adoption. And WOW!!! It was so expensive.
After several months of trying to figure things out we decided to put a pin in it because we didn’t have $100k! But the thought that we could be doing something kept nagging at me. And so my husband and I recently decided to get licensed to be foster parents.
We are about half way through the classes, and still in the process, but foster care and adoption are very near and dear to my heart. I have two nephews and a niece who are adopted, as well as several cousins. Our family would not be the same without them, and I am grateful for programs that allow families to adopt children in need, and without a high cost. Which is why today I am branching out from my normal posts to write about the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. 
It is a non-profit charity that helps children in foster care find permanent families through adoption.
It is an amazing program and one I am happy to support! Did you know that there are more than 100,000 children in foster care awaiting adoption? Thanks to Wendy’s® consumers and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption®, 4,000+ children have found adoptive families.
Dave Thomas was adopted himself, and in 1990 President Bush invited Dave Thomas to be a spokesperson for the national adoption awareness campaign. Two years later he started The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption®. For 22 years, Wendy’s® has supported foster care adoption.
So how can you help?
Purchase a Wendy’s® Halloween Coupon Book for $1 at participating Wendy’s. Ninety cents of every $1 Halloween Coupon Book sold between September 13 – October 31, 2014 will benefit the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption®.
You could even give out the coupons as part of your Halloween treats, or give them to your kids/grandkids as incentive to do chores. That is what I am doing. Each time my kids go the whole week checking off their daily chore chart, they earn a coupon for a Jr. Frosty, and a date with mom or dad to go redeem it.
This year, Wendy’s® aims to give $10 million to The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption®. So go now, and visit your local Wendy’s® to purchase a Jr. Frosty™ Halloween Coupon Book* for $1, and help support the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption)®!
*Coupon book may contain coupons for 5 or 10 free Jr. Frosty™ treats. Prices and participation may vary. Ninety cents to every $1 coupon booklet sold between 9/15/14 and 10/31/14 will benefit the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption®. Coupons valid from 11/1/14 through 2/1/15. ©2014 Oldemark LLC
Because my personal connection to foster care adoption is rooted in South Africa, I thought today I would share a recipe for Koeksusters with you. It is a traditional South African donut. It is braided dough that is deep fried, then soaked in a simple syrup with spices. It is delicious, and far easier to make then you would think. What I love about this donut is that it is crispy on the outside, and soaked in sugary goodness that seeps to the inside. Yum!
Koeksusters & Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
Ingredients
- 2 cups bread flour
- 2 Tbs baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 4 Tbs margarine softened
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 3/4 cup milk
- Oil for frying the dough
Syrup
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tbs cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp cream of tarter
- 1/2 a lemon juiced
Instructions
- In a stand mixer with kneading hook, mix, flour, baking powder, and salt together
- Add in butter, and mix until incorporated
- Add egg and milk a little at a time, and knead until dough is no longer lumpy and sticky, but comes away from the sides cleanly.
- Let the dough rest at room temp for 20-30 mins, just cover the bowl, and set aside.
- While dough is resting, make your syrup by adding sugar and water to a heavy pot, on medium heat, and stir until sugar dissolves.
- Add in spices and lemon juice, and stir completely, then add cream of tartar. Stir well.
- Put syrup in the fridge to cool
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, until dough is about half a centimeter thick
- Cut dough into about 2 cm wide strips, then cut each of those strips into three equal strips, leaving it connected at the top, so you can braid or plait it together.
- Braid each piece. crimp the lose ends together well. It will look small, but don't worry, it puffs up while cooking.
- Deep fry in oil heated on medium heat (or if using a fryer, heat to 375), and fry until golden brown, then remove to a paper towel, let it sop up excess oil, then while still hot, dip koeksuster into the cold syrup. The hot koeksuster and cold syrup will result in a donut that soaks up just the right amount of syrup.
- Repeat until all koeksusters are fried and dipped.
- Enjoy
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
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Enjoy! I know we did.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
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