Homemade marshmallows!

Who needs camping when you can roast a hot dog right in your backyard?!!?

Darling hubby and his dad turned a section of our backyard into a firepit last fall. We've had fun roasting marshmallows and hot dogs with our friends.

I thought this would be a perfect time to attempt to make marshmallows and send them home as a treat with our guests.

I had recently seen Ina Garten make them on an episode of Barefoot Contessa and I was surprised at how easy it looked! I realize she makes everything look easy, but this honestly did.

Odds are you probably have all the ingredients you need right in your kitchen. Except for maybe this.....

This was easily found in the Jell-O section at the grocery store. It was sort of expensive at over $8, but there are several packets in one box.

The ingredients need to mix for about 15 minutes, so this is where a stand mixer will come in very handy.

Basically you just combine gelatin and water in your mixer...

Make a syrup of sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt, boil to 240 degrees then add to your gelatin. Let your mixer do it's thing for 15 minutes, add vanilla, pour in a pan and hours later...you have made marshmallows!

Vanilla Marshmallows

adapted from Ina Garten

*This made about 45 various sized marshmallows*

• 3 packages unflavored gelatin
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• powdered sugar

First thing is to prepare your pan. I used a 13x9 glass Pyrex dish. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with powdered sugar to cover.

Combine gelatin and 1/2 cup cold water in the bowl of your electric mixer. Let this sit while you make your syrup.

Combine sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan and cook over medium until sugar dissolves. Once sugar has dissolved raise the heat to high and cook till syrup reaches 240 degrees on your candy thermometer.

With your mixer on low, slowly pour the sugar syrup into your mixer with the gelatin. Turn the mixer to high and whip until mix is thick (it will look just like marshmallow fluff) about 15 minutes. Add vanilla and mix on low till combined.

Pour into your prepared pan. You're done! You can let this sit uncovered overnight. I let mine sit for about 4 hours and I think they were fine, just a little sticky to work with.

To cut marshmallows I turned my baking dish upside down on a large cutting board. Sprinkle this side with powdered sugar also. I used a pizza cutter to cut them. I think it would be fun to cut them in fun shapes with cookie cutters. Next time I would coat all sides of the cut marshmallow in powdered sugar, just to cut down on the stickiness.

Since we were having S'mores in the backyard, I decided to turn my marshmallows into portable S'mores.

I melted about 3/4 package of milk chocolate chips in the microwave and had another bowl with crushed graham crackers. I dipped a section of the marshmallow in chocolate and then the graham crackers.

I put a few portable S'mores in treat bags and packaged them up for everyone to take home.

Of course nothing beats a perfectly roasted marshmallow that melts your chocolate and sits in between graham crackers, but I really liked these marshmallows. I was surprised at how easy they were. I think I'l make them again and put them in a big mug of hot cocoa!