My facebook page is Sally B Chemistry, my twitter account is:  @sbmitchell2 or @sallybchemistry

Sally B Mitchell

The American Chemical Society is sponsoring the annual CCED Illustrated Poem contest for celebration of Earth Day.  The theme this year is “Climate Science – not just a weather report.”

Last year’s national winner: 

Entry form and poem are due by April 3, 2015

Send Poem with completed entry form to:

Sally Mitchell, ESM High School, 6400 Fremont Rd, East Syracuse, NY 13057

2015 Illustrated Poem Contest Information Flyer                         

Illustrated Poem Contest Entry Form

Another successful night at the Children’s Hospital bringing chemistry to the children.

We will be hosting this wonderful webinar for the Central New York Section of the American Chemical Society at Le Moyne College, Grewen Auditorium

Food and networking: 6-7 pm  Webinar at 7

Food Science Talk from 6:30 – 7 pm  FREE

Download directions to Le Moyne and location of talk:  Chemistry on Silver Screen Ad (no shade)

The East Syracuse Minoa High School Chemist’s in Action (CIA) brings chemistry to the children of Golisano Children’s Hospital.

High School Chemistry Teacher Day is right around the corner in Denver, CO.  “Natural Resources” will be highlighted during the national meeting.  STEVE SPANGLER will open the show with 90 minutes of amazing demos.  High School Teachers should register as a “Pre-College Teacher.”  Here is the flyer:

Finalhigh-school-day_denver

Live in Syracuse, NY?  Winter got you down?  Watch how chemistry can help you survive a brutal winter day.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJQ66JvuRaY

Tie-Dye Care Instructions

1. Let item sit for 24 hours. Do not untie!
2. Take item out of bag and  do not untie. Run under cold water and ring out excess color.  Now untie.
3. Use a bucket to transfer to washer.  Wash item by itself in washing machine with just a drop of detergent .
4. For brighter colors, hang to dry. For more subdued colors, dry in dryer.
5. Your colors are now set! Wash normally with like colors from now on.

RED Velvet Cupcakes (makes 24) with no added food coloring

1 can of beets, drained and then pureed in a food processor with other ingredients

180 mL of buttermilk at room temperature (3/4 cup)

Lemon juice freshly squeezed from one lemon

10 mL of white vinegar (5% acetic acid CH₃COOH) (2 teaspoons)

200 grams cake flour (2 cups of presifted – don’t pack down, better is you use a balance and just obtain the proper mass)

24 grams Dutched cocoa powder (45 mL or 3 tablespoons)

7 grams Double acting baking powder (use Rumsford for aluminum free) (1 ¼ teaspoon)

6 grams sodium chloride (5 mL or 1 teaspoon table salt)

3 grams sodium hydrogen carbonate (2.5 mL or 1/2 teaspoon baking soda)

170 grams of butter (3/4 cup = 1 ½ sticks) at room temperature (298 K)

350 grams sucrose (1 ¾ cup table sugar)

10 mL pure vanilla extract (2 teaspoons)

3 large eggs at room temperature

1. Preheat your oven to 450 K (350° F) Line muffin pans with liners.
2. Purée beets with buttermilk, lemon juice, and vinegar until smooth.
3. Sift together ( 2 times) flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a separate bowl. 4
4. Using your mixer (I have a kitchenaid) beat the butter for 3 minutes until light and fluffy and then gradually add the sugar while beating. Scrape down the sides with a spatula and get everything incorporated.   Now add the vanilla and beat until smooth.
5. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating 30 seconds after each addition and then stopping and scraping down the sides.
6. Now add the flour mixture alternately with the liquid mixture to the butter mixture, gently stirring until all incorporated ending with a dry mixture addition.
7. Pour into the muffin liners and bake at 350 F about 20-22 minutes until they spring back when touched. Cool and frost with your favorite frosting. I use a cream cheese/butter frosting.