Flat Coke Conundrum

It's a pest - especially for those of us who are recreational coke users. What do you do with the bit that's leftover from the party? That lingering bottle of flat Coca-Cola has been haunting me for days. I couldn't bring myself to throw it away. I couldn't bring myself to drink it. I've been caught staring off into space, deep in contemplation of how to put it to good use. I knew there would come an "AHA" moment where I would know just what to do with it.

Then it happened.  I actually had 2 moments that made me glad I hung on to that last bit of sugary caramel decadence. Now, I realize that neither of these ideas are exceptionally unique. There are probably reams of recipes out here in internet land that are similar, and possibly the same. These did, however, spring directly into my mind and were executed without consulting other sources.

The first moment of soda inspiration struck when I was contemplating what to do with the cooked chicken that I had pulled out of the freezer that morning. I decided to convert it into a pulled chicken barbecue. Not a tangy vinegary Carolina style barbecue, but rather a down home Midwestern ketchup barbecue sauce. I usually make mine from a combination of honey and ketchup with some seasoning, but that bottle of cola sitting on the counter spoke to me and I decided to pour some in for flavor. Wow, the Coca-Cola muse was spot on, for the family devoured every bit of that slow simmered goodness. 

3 Ingredient Coca-Cola Barbecue Sauce

1 cup Ketchup 

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup Flat Coca-Cola

Mix all ingredients in sauce pan over medium heat.  Allow to simmer gently for ~20 minutes.  The ingredients can be added directly to pulled pork or chicken and simmered until thickened.

Then today while I was preparing some brownies for a bake sale I had another "Eureka!" moment. I was about to mix up the chocolate icing for the brownies when inspiration struck. The recipe called for the addition of honey and vanilla to the confectioner's sugar , cocoa and butter. I thought about it and realized that honey, cocoa and vanilla sound an awful lot like... you guessed it... Coca-Cola. Voila. Two tablespoons of cola added to butter, confectioner's sugar and cocoa makes an incredible frosting.

Coca-Cola Frosting

3 Tablespoons Butter, softened
3 Tablespoons Cocoa
1 cup Confectioner's Sugar
2 Tablespoons Flat Coca-Cola

Mix Butter, Cocoa, Confectioner's Sugar and Coca-Cola together until smooth.
Will frost an 8x8 pan of brownies.

Update - Just came across this recipe at Call Me PMC for a Coca-Cola Cake!   The two might just pair quite nicely.


So I've whittle the leftovers down to about a quarter cup or so which even I, the Queen of Waste Not Want Not, can dispose of without a hint of guilt.