I was recently asked to be an ambassador for the Ben Franklin funds through the Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF). Ben Franklin left 1,000 pounds to the people of Boston and another 1,000 pounds to Philadelphia.

Each city was required to put this money into a fund to generate interest and support the community over the next 200 years. In 1990, Franklin’s Boston endowment was worth more than $5,000,000 and the Philly fund was worth $2,500,000. CICF created the Ben Franklin Funds to give Hoosiers the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy in the city that we all love: Indianapolis.

TO commemorate the Indianapolis Foundation’s 100th anniversary, CICF created two funds modeled after Franklin’s endowment. Ambassadors were asked to tap into their network of friends and encourage them to be one of 1,000 donors who contribute $100 each to build a $100,000 charitable fund. This fund is projected to grow to $100 million over the next 100 years.

Every ambassador will host a dinner for those that have donated. Since I do not always follow the rules, I decided to host a pre-donation dinner to get my friends excited about the project. It was a great excuse to do a presidential theme complete with presidential fact cards, bobble heads, and the nerdiest dinner discussion ever. The dinner also served as an opportunity to discuss what we foresee for Indy in the next 100 years.

Not surprisingly, I have enough political paraphernalia to last a lifetime, including a Capitol Hill cookbook and four different sets of presidential trivia fact cards.

I chose Edith Roosevelt’s fat rascals, aka biscuits, John McCain’s baked beans, John Boehner’s potato salad, Bill Clinton’s chocolate chip cookies, and Michelle Obama’s apple cobbler. I also made glazed sugar cookies in political shapes, a five pound piece of pork, and asparagus.

John Boehner’s Southwest Potato Salad

Edith Roosevelt’s Fat Rascals

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tsps baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1/2 pound dried currants (I used dried cranberries)
• 1/2 cup milk

Mix all dry ingredients together. Cut in the butter (similar to if you were making scones). Stir in currants or cranberries. Add milk. Shape dough int a ball and then a disk. Cut out biscuits with a cutter or mason jar.

Bake at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Serve with butter

Bill Clinton’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup shortening (I used unsalted butter)
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Combine flour, salt and baking soda.

Beat together shortening or butter, sugars and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy.

Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in rolled oats and then chocolate chips.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. 

Michelle Obama’s Apple Cobbler

FILLING:

John McCain’s AZ baked beans

• 16 oz can red kidney beans
• 16 oz can B&M baked beans (I used Trader Joe’s baked beans)
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 4 strips of bacon, cooled and crumbled

In a skillet sauté chopped onion with a tablespoon of butter.  In a large baking pot combine kidney beans, baked beans, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, and crumbled bacon.  After combining and stirring enough to mix the ingredients, and the sautéed onions. Bake in a covered dish at 350-375°F for 35 minutes.

Xx, Libby