Build an Edible Lincoln Log Cabin for President’s Day!
Abraham Lincoln was a special person in our history. It is fun to learn more about him and to assist children in becoming more familiar with his humble roots. Here is a fun Lincoln Log cabin you can put together with them as you share wonderful stories about Lincoln on President’s Day
In 1861, President Abraham Lincoln said, “The Declaration of Independence gave liberty not alone to the people of this country, but hope to all of the world for all future time.” This log cabin can be completely landscaped, including a meadow, duck pond and wishing well.
Materials & Ingredients:
For the Log Cabin:
12 (10-inch) hard breadsticks
18 (6-inch) hard breadsticks
Processed cheese spread (in a pressure can)
3 slices Cheddar cheese
2 pieces (8 1/2- by 11-inch) brown or tan cardstock
For the Base & Landscaping:
Styrofoam base (12- by 24-inches; 2 inches thick)
Heavy-duty aluminum foil
2 or 3 heads Romaine lettuce
2 ( 1/4-ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 (3-ounce) package blueberry flavored gelatin
1 cup boiling water
6-inch pie tin or small dish
Nonstick cooking spray
Duck-shaped crackers
For the Wishing Well & Details:
1 red bell pepper
Round toothpicks
Small quantities of vegetables: celery, cucumber, carrot, cauliflower, radishes and broccoli
3 wooden skewers
Construct the cabin the way you would build a house from toy Lincoln Logs, using 10-inch breadsticks for the long side and 6-inch breadsticks for the short sides, with processed cheese as glue to hold the breadsticks together.
If you’re not planning to eat your log cabin, you can apply glue with a glue gun instead of using cheese.
Lay two 10-inch breadsticks parallel to each other, about 4 1/2 inches apart. Squirt cheese about one-half inch from each end of the two breadsticks. Lay 6-inch breadsticks on the cheese, at right angles to the 10-inch sticks, to complete the rectangle.
Squirt cheese one-half inch from each end of the 6-inch breadsticks and repeat the process until your cabin is five to six breadsticks high on each side.
Cut rectangular windows and a door from the Cheddar cheese slices and fasten them in appropriate places on one long side of the cabin using the pressurized cheese. Fold one piece of cardstock in half vertically to form the roof, and secure with more cheese.
Create the Landscape
Cover the Styrofoam with foil. Overlap lettuce leaves to make it look like a grass-covered meadow, working from the center to the edge of the foil-covered Styrofoam. Place the cabin on the base.
Make the Duck Pond
Spray a small pie tin or shallow dish with nonstick cooking spray. Dissolve all three packages of gelatin in 1 cup of boiling water. Pour into the dish and refrigerate. When the gelatin has set, slip it from the mold, nesting it between lettuce leaves. Add cracker ducks swimming on the pond.
Construct a Wishing Well
Make a wishing well by cutting the top from the bell pepper. Clean out any seeds and membrane. Secure the bell pepper to the base with toothpicks. Cut one 6-inch breadstick in half. Use two pieces of toothpick to fasten the two halves to the bell pepper to form supports for the roof. Another toothpick placed horizontally between the breadstick pieces forms a crosspiece. Press the breadsticks against
the sharp ends of the toothpick to secure them.
Cut a 4-inch square from cardstock, then fold it in half and glue with cheese to finish the roof of the wishing well. Fasten two 4- to 5-inch celery sticks together with cheese to form the barrel of a cannon.
Add Details & Decorate
Secure two cucumber slices to the cannon sides with toothpicks for wheels.
Fasten thin carrot slices to the Styrofoam with toothpick pieces to form paths. Cauliflower pieces, radishes cut as flowers and short broccoli stalks fastened upright on the Styrofoam with toothpicks make shrubs and small trees to surround your cabin and wishing well.
Fasten larger stalks of broccoli to the Styrofoam with bamboo or wooden skewers for mature trees. Break up remaining breadsticks to make a woodpile at the side of the cabin.
