I arrived home from a few errands yesterday to the sound of chain saws...and an open space where a tree used to be!! The beautiful cherry tree in our front yard has now been murdered...if the deforestation-crazed man I'm married to continues in his current manner the manse will be surrounded by nothing but stumps! His hired team of chain-saw-weilding banditos were just about to send another tree on to it's heavenly reward when I stopped them...WHO ARE YOU? WHAT IN TARNATION DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!? To which they replied, "No speaka Engleze." But I knew who was behind this and I immediately called him at Global Headquarters to voice my "concern"...perhaps I sounded a bit shrill when the mister answered and maybe he took a "tone" with me...which he was totally not justified in doing! He said the tree in question was cramped and was being "forced out" by the other trees...forced out?!? Those surrounding trees were only reaching out in friendship!! Believe me when I tell you this...the mister is a FREAK of NATURE...(my apologies to Mother Nature) he made NO mention that he was going to murder more trees and not just one tree was taken out yesterday but FOUR!! And when you add in the one that came out last week...well that's five trees...at what point does one become a SERIAL tree KILLER?!?
White chocolate, melted until smooth...so creamy and sweet...it alone makes these delightful and fun little treats worth the time. Dip large marshmallows into the chocolate, let the extra drip off and then roll in your favorite sugars. The large sugar crystals work best and so do the sprinkles. Stand the skewered marshmallows in a tall glass until set and then they'll be ready to eat or star in the coolest centerpiece at your party!
These only take a few minutes to set up and can be made a day ahead of time - just cover them in plastic to keep the marshmallows fresh. Eating one or two of twelve of these - in a row - is sure to calm the beast within - not that I would personally know, but it worked on the mister...temporarily.
When I use these in a centerpiece I use a 5-inch round Styrofoam ball as my base. I cut off a bit of the bottom so it's stable in the bowl or plate or whatever it is I'm using. Then I coat the part of the ball that will show in the remaining chocolate, roll it in white sugar crystals and a giant snowball appears right before my eyes! You can also roll it in shredded coconut or just cover the ball with coconut after it's secured in the bowl...secured with more chocolate of course!
These can also be rolled in shredded coconut and chopped nuts and you can use milk chocolate too. Sometimes I put 3 or 4 of them together on one skewer - for a Candy Kabob - and if you decide to do this then just let the marshmallows set before pushing them on next to each other. I'm telling you, the kids are going to LOVE this!
Chocolate Covered Marshmallows - Pots and Pins
2 cups white chocolate, cut into pieces or use chips
30 wooden skewers
assorted colored sugars and or sprinkles, coconut or chopped nuts
5-inch styrofoam ball
white sugar crystals
1 cup shredded coconut
Put one marshmallow on each skewer and use tall glasses to hold them. Melt chocolate in microwave safe bowl for 40 seconds on high, remove and stir. Return to microwave for an additional 30 seconds, remove and stir until smooth. Pour sugars/sprinkles out onto small plates. Dip the marshmallows in the melted chocolate, tapping gently to remove any excess, then roll in sugar, covering completely. Place skewer back in glass to allow marshmallow to set, about 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat with remaining marshmallows.
To assemble centerpiece. Cut end off of styrofoam ball, forming a base. With remaining chocolate, coat upper half or so of the ball, roll in white sugar crystals and place in bowl or tray, using a bit of chocolate to secure bottom. When marshmallows have set, begin placing them into the styrofoam ball, starting at the top. Sprinkle shredded coconut over top of ball, and around the sides and base, covering any showing styrofoam. Makes 30 chocolate covered marshmallows, serves 15 normal people or 3 hogs.
"He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree." ~Roy L. Smith
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One year ago today: Lori's Caramels
