DIY throat lozenges
So far moving to the PNW has been a fairly easy adjustment for us, especially weather-wise. Yes, it’s cold, and yes, it’s rainy, but I’ll take some cold and rainy days over East Coast weather any day of the week.
Still, it doesn’t prevent the kids from coming down with runny noses and coughs - especially Charlie. Right now she has the sickies and is going through cough drops like candy. Which they are, essentially, but I got a wild hair to make my own after seeing this pin on Pinterest for General Tso’s lozenges. I figured it was a great idea and I wanted to try making something super potent and effective.
First mistake: I read the ingredients but I didn’t read read them. Like, hello cayenne pepper and garlic! I’m sure my 9 year old would love to eat that! (no.)
Second mistake: I read the recipe, but I didn’t read read it. As in, I saw four cloves of garlic and thought four heads of garlic. OMG WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME SRSLY. I used this method for peeling the garlic so at least the process didn’t take the rest of my life but shiiiiiiit. I could actually smack myself.
Needless to say the project was a complete fail. The lozenges actually would’ve turned out perfectly if not for the fact that they were comprised 90% of minced garlic… but cayenne pepper? AND garlic? AND ginger? What was I thinking?! Those puppies were so spicy they made my eyes water while I was making them, so there was no way Charlie was going to go near them, let alone put them in her mouth.
Now, I’m going to try this cough drop recipe instead. I bought some peppermint/spearmint herbal tea, and it’s brewing as I type this. I’m sure this attempt will not only be more successful (*cough* no garlic) but much more palatable for a kid.
Truth be told the General Tso’s recipe was really easy, and I would absolutely use it for the husband or me over something store-bought. I happen to have a candy thermometer, but I followed the recipe cooking time instructions exactly and the consistency was great, so I didn’t really need the thermometer.
If you like spicy stuff and feel like being all fancy pants and making your own lozenges then definitely go with General Tso’s. Just, please, for the love, read read the recipe first.
xo