Homemade Marshmallows

2 oz. unflavored gelatin
2 cups cold water, divided
2 egg whites
2 cups sugar
1 t vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
3 T cornstarch

Mix powdered sugar and cornstarch. Liberally coat a 9x13" pan with sugar/cornstarch mixture. Reserve remaining for later.

Place 1/2 cup cold water in a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over the top and stir to dissolve. In a medium sauce pan, combine remaining water (1 1/2 cups) and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook to 250 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin mixture until dissolved.

While sugar and water are boiling, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. While mixer is running (at about medium) slowly pour in sugar mixture. Whip for about 5 minutes. Add vanilla and mix for another minute or two. Mixture should be glossy and shinny and will begin to thicken. Pour into prepared pan and cover with more powdered sugar mixture. Let rest and set-up for a minimum of 4 hours and up to overnight.

Remove marshmallow from pan and place on a cutting board. Using a pizza cutter, cut into 1" squares. Coat marshmallows in powdered sugar mixture. Store in an air tight container.

*Marshmallow can be colored with liquid food coloring. You will need to add the food coloring at the beginning of the mixing time.

**You can also make marshmallow eggs for Easter. Fill a 9x13" pan with flour. Using plastic (or real) eggs, make indentations for the mold. When marshmallow mixture is whipped, use two large spoons to spoon marshmallow into the mold. Eggs can then be chocolate covered.

I used these to make "gourmet" s'mores at a "faux campout" over the weekend. We used organic graham crackers and high quality chocolate. They were quite the hit!

Marshmallow Brownies

I took thisfor dessert fro Sunday dinner, everyone asked for the recipie to be posted, so here it is!


Cream together
1 c softened butter
2 c sugar
1/3 c cocoa
add 4 eggs one at a time
then add 1 1/4 c flour
2 tsp vanilla

Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Cook at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes.
Remove from oven cover top with a layer of mini marshmallows, put in oven under broiler watch till marshmallows turn light brown and remove from oven. Let cool.

Frosting
1/4 c butter softened
1/3 c cocoa
1/3 c evaporated milk
1 2/3 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all together shouldn't be too thick since you will need to pour ( spread) over the marshmallows.
Can refrigerate to help cool and set up frosting.

Frog Eye Salad

Sorry it's taken so long Mandy -- here's mom's recipe!

Sauce:
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 cup pineapple juice (reserved from canned pinapple)
2 eggs beaten
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Cook over medium heat until thickened. Let sauce cool.

3 quarts water
2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp oil
1 16 oz package of Acini de pepe pasta
Cook pasta 11 minutes. Rinse with cold water.

Combine Sauce with pasta and fold in the following:
3 cans mandarin oranges
2 cans (20 oz) pineapple chunks drained
2 9 oz cool whip tubs
2 cups marshmallows
1 cup coconut (optional)

Best if combined and refrigerated overnight!

Indoor S'mores

Matt's friend from high school made this for a BBQ at Kristin's house last May when we were in Idaho. I just found the recipe in my planner and thought I'd share the wealth:

5 T. butter
1 pkg milk chocolate chips
2/3 cup Karo
6 cups mini marshmallows
1 tsp vanilla
8 cups Golden Grahams

Melt the butter, chocolate chips and Karo in a saucepan; add 3 cups of the marshmallows. Bring almost to a boil. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and pour over Golden Grahams. Stir in the rest of the marshmallows. Pour into greased 9x13 pan and allow to cool.