Warm Ups

The weather is cool. We've pulled out the candles and the slippers and long johns. My sweats-clad children do their school work wrapped in reading blankets in front of the fireplace. Afternoons are spent raking heaps of leaves and mulching them into bits for a vegetable garden in the spring. Our cheeks are rosy red from the cold but we shed out of our jackets. Raking is hot work.

The children work with enthusiasm. In the long term, they are earning money for Christmas gifts. A sizable amount for each child. We have a forest of leaves to contend with. In the short term, they look forward to a mug of hot apple cider with whipped cream or hot chocolate topped with a large homemade marshmallow. The kids put away the rakes, the tarp, and the push mower while I head inside to prepare our afternoon warmth.

Hot Cocoa
I adapt the cocoa recipe off the side of the Hershey's cocoa canister:

In a saucepan, mix:

1/4 cup sugar (this is half the amount of the original recipe. I like my cocoa on the less sweet side)

1/4 cup cocoa

1/3 cup water

Bring to a boil and boil for two minutes.

Add:

4 cups milk

Heat through but do not boil.

Stir in:

1 teaspoon vanilla

Serve with whipped cream or marshmallows (recipe follows)

I first started making homemade marshmallows a few years ago. They make the best S'mores! They melt into a smooth, tasty, gooey mess. Mmm. I like to stir my hot chocolate a few times and let the heat melt the marshmallow so I get a little taste of the marshmallow in every sip. If you give away homemade hot chocolate mix for the holidays, you might consider adding a plate of these marshmallows as an accompaniment.

Homemade Marshmallows

Pour in mixing bowl (a Kitchen Aid works really well for this recipe. I have not tried it with a hand mixer but I'll bet it's possible) :

1/2 cup of cold water

Sprinkle over water:

3 envelopes of Knox gelatin

Soak for ten minutes.

Combine in saucepan:

2 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup corn syrup

1/4 cup water

Bring to boil.

Pour boiling syrup into gelatin and mix at high speed.

Add:

1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat for 12 minutes.

Blend in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Butter a 9x13 inch pan. Lightly oil hands and spatula as well. This is sticky business! Pour the marshmallow mixture into the pan and spread it evenly with a spatula. Cover the pan with saran wrap and let the mixture dry over night. The next day, cut the marshmallows into squares. Store in a covered container.